An Uncle with Sparse Blue Hair

[New Era of Xin - 21 years prior]

[Northern Countries · Count Granat Territory]

The dusky golden sunlight poured down, gilding this most populous city at the southern edge of the Northern Countries.

At an open-air café beside an inn within the city, the master and disciple who had just set down their luggage sat facing each other at a round table, enjoying the desserts the waiter had brought.

Two days had passed since they had stayed in that mountain cabin in the Tick Region.

After spending one night camping out under the stars, the pair had finally arrived at Count Granat Territory, this human settlement, by evening today.

If not for Serie tempting her disciple with creamy, fragrant ice cream and sweets, Guter would surely have slept straight through until morning on the comfortable big bed at the inn.

At the table, Guter scooped up a piece of cake with his spoon and brought it to his mouth. The sweet, greasy cream and soft cake crumb fully showcased the charm of the dessert.

The cream ice cream beside it was no less impressive—beneath its icy texture lay an intensely rich milky fragrance.

"Hmph-hmph—"

Across the round table, Serie let out a light, proud hum as she watched her disciple's satisfied expression.

This dessert shop beside the inn—she had visited it once thirty years ago, and its excellent flavor had left a deep impression on her back then.

Gently scooping up a ball of ice cream with pistachio filling from in front of her, Serie brought it to her mouth.

Instantly, a deliciousness identical to her memory lingered on her tongue. The milky richness of cow's milk filled her mouth, and as she chewed lightly, she could feel the fatty richness of the nuts.

While savoring the treat, Serie's gaze drifted to the shop owner.

A kindly old woman was chatting and laughing with a customer. After confirming the customer's request, she skillfully used a hemispherical scoop to dig into the ice cream box. The next moment, a perfectly round scoop of ice cream was lifted out, placed into a cup, and handed to the customer.

Her movements and tone still faintly matched the image of the "big sister" in Serie's memory.

But.

When she came again next time, she probably wouldn't be able to taste this flavor anymore.

A bit of a pity.

Thinking this, Serie gently waved at the waiter, signaling him over.

"Ma'am, hello. How can I help you?"

"Please bring me one of every ice cream flavor in your shop."

"Huh?"

The young waiter was taken aback. "Are you sure? Our ice cream melts pretty fast."

"True." Serie let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Then please bring them to me at intervals, if that's all right?"

"No problem, miss."

The waiter nodded lightly, noted the customer's order and request in his small notebook, and handed it to the old woman in the shop.

"Teacher, do you really like ice cream that much?"

Watching Serie order so many scoops of ice cream at once, Guter asked curiously, while marveling at the elf's resilient digestive system.

"Not really."

Serie explained, "No one hates desserts. I don't have an excessive fondness for it—I just suddenly felt like having some."

"Just suddenly felt like it?"

Watching his teacher steadily and unceasingly polish off the pistachio-filled ice cream, Guter couldn't help but smile.

By now, he had more or less figured out Serie's brand of "saying one thing while meaning another."

What an dishonest elf.

Still, since his teacher had chosen to answer with a bit of tsundere, Guter decided not to dwell on the topic. Instead, he raised another question.

"Teacher, on our way to the Count's Territory, we didn't encounter a single demon attacking us along the road."

"I know that could be explained by our good luck, or by the demons sensing your terrifying magical power and fleeing beforehand."

"But when I was in the outskirts, some distance from the town, I unleashed my magic power to its fullest and used magical detection extensively—and I didn't catch even a single trace of demons ever having been there."

Serie's eyes flickered with interest.

"So that's why you used magical detection in the suburbs."

"Interesting. Tell me your theory."

Guter rested his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, and then said.

"After the Demon King was defeated, the demons' morale did indeed drop significantly."

"But outside human cities—especially in the Northern Countries closest to the Demon King's Castle—there were still plenty of demon activities in the suburbs."

"They either harassed traveling merchants, disrupting material exchange between human cities, or attacked and slaughtered villages in the outskirts, spreading panic and limiting the expansion of towns outward."

"Even a power as strong as the Empire among human factions was, about fifty years ago, effectively isolated from the human sphere by the demons using this method."

"If not for the Empire's deep foundations, the unity of its people, and the Hero's party successfully slaying the Demon King and crushing demon morale, it's uncertain whether the Empire could have broken through."

"This demon strategy was effective—there's no reason for them to simply stop it."

"Furthermore, the Demon General stationed here is [Guillotine Aura]; she has the ability to turn the defeated into her own army."

"Logically speaking, after having all her forces whittled down by the Hero's party, she should be desperate to replenish her troops by attacking humans right now. So why would she lie low so quietly?"

"The silence outside the [Count Granat Territory] is far too eerie."

"I suspect the demons are brewing something big."

"Clatter—"

As Guter finished speaking, before Teacher Serie across from him could respond, a white-haired uncle at the next table had already lost focus, even dropping his knife and fork to the floor with a clatter.

The noise immediately drew the attention of nearby diners. After apologizing to each of them, the white-haired uncle picked up his utensils again, but instead of returning to his own table, he pulled his chair over to Guter's table.

"Sir, Miss, pardon my intrusion."

"I'll cover the bill for this table. Would you allow me to join your conversation?"

Guter frowned slightly, about to refuse.

He wasn't short on money, and he wouldn't let a free meal interfere with a discussion between teacher and student.

But just as Guter was about to speak his refusal, he noticed Teacher Serie staring at the white-haired uncle's chest.

What was there?

Guter followed her gaze and saw a familiar emblem on the left breast of the uncle's coat.

That emblem was familiar. He'd definitely seen it somewhere before.

Right! It was the same mark on a few of his Junior Disciple's clothes.

Just as Guter made the connection, Serie's question rang out.

"What is your relationship with Gumi?"

"!!!"

The white-haired uncle jerked his head up, eyes wide with shock and confusion. He looked at Serie, hesitated, then asked.

"You know our Young Lady?"

"I am her teacher."

Serie replied in a flat tone.

"The Young Lady's... teacher?"

"Wait, could it be—are you the legendary Archmage?"

Realization struck, and the white-haired uncle nearly cried out, quickly clamping a hand over his mouth to stifle the shout.

Seeing that this white-haired uncle was connected to his Junior Disciple, Guter found it hard to drive him away. Instead, he shifted his chair to make room.

The white-haired uncle shot Guter a grateful look, then lowered his voice and introduced himself.

"Honored Archmages, my name is Miles. I am the Young Lady's steward and the current temporary manager of the merchant guild."

"Miles?" "The Young Lady's steward?"

Guter's eye twitched. Those terms felt all too familiar. Though he knew the question might be presumptuous, curiosity got the better of him.

"May I ask, is your guild called the [Rose Thorn Society]?"

"Huh?"

The white-haired uncle blinked in surprise, then denied it. "How could the guild be named that? It sounds far too thuggish, like some shady organization."

"We're a legitimate merchant guild. The name is the [Dallamonus Merchant Guild]."

"Alright." Guter shrugged. "Looks like you don't have to worry about seawater, uncle."

"Emm..."

Muttering inwardly that this young mage's words were hard to decipher, the white-haired uncle cleared his throat and gestured to ask if they could return to the earlier topic about the demons, especially the analysis regarding [Guillotine Aura].

"Uncle, you seem particularly concerned about [Aura], one of the [Seven Demon Generals]. Is there a special reason?"

At this question, the white-haired uncle Miles lowered his head slightly, a look of sorrow on his face.

Seeing his reaction, Guter immediately realized he'd misspoken and quickly said they could skip the question—the uncle didn't have to answer.

"No."

After a moment of silence, Miles shook his head in refusal.

"I'll say it. Your analysis earlier is very likely correct, and this past event can serve as information to strengthen it."

"Since the two of you haven't heard this story from the Young Lady, it seems that child still hasn't moved past the shadow of that disaster."

"The story takes place in the xxth year of the Imperial Calendar."

Meanwhile.

[Northern Countries · Huyvia Mountain Range]

After resting for an entire day in the city of [Arutido], the noble youth Milo sent off a letter of safety to his family, then resolutely prepared his supplies and set out on the road to cross the [Huyvia Mountain Range], heading toward the secret realm's location in the [Central Countries · Volpen Basin].

After retrieving his repaired longsword from the city's blacksmith shop, Milo once again embarked on his journey alone.

As for why he didn't hire a few mercenaries to accompany him—

It wasn't that Milo was being stubborn and refusing; it was that he genuinely had no money left.

After all, this was his first time running away from home and traveling far, so Milo had no experience. He had simply grabbed a handful of coins and bolted.

But who would have thought the money would run out so quickly?

As for teaming up with adventurers in town to form an expedition?

Milo had tried that before, but the reliable adventurers in the tavern didn't trust him, and the ones who actively approached him felt unreliable to him.

With no time to wait around, Milo gritted his teeth and continued his journey alone.

In the forests of the Huyvia Mountain Range.

Milo took a deep breath. Since a heavy rain had just fallen in the mountains not long ago, the air in the woods was quite pleasant to breathe.

"Hey, that fruit on the tree looks pretty plump."

After walking a stretch of mountain path, Milo's mouth felt dry, and his eyes lit up.

Although the fruit tree was on a cliffside, as long as he was careful, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

After estimating the distance, Milo stood on his tiptoes and reached out for the fruit on the branch.

However, just as Milo's hand was about to touch the fruit, a long snake that had been lying on the branch, its color matching the wood, shot forward with its mouth open.

Milo immediately shuddered, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.

Instinctively, his body recalled the counterattack movements he had honed after being beaten countless times by his father.

With a tip of his toe, he pulled his body to one side, grabbed the sword hilt with his other hand, and spun around, instantly slicing the long snake that was about to bite him clean in half.

"I did it!"

A surge of ecstasy rose in Milo's heart, but the next moment, he suddenly realized something very serious.

After that beautiful sword dance, it seemed both his feet had left the ground and were treading on air?

In an instant, Milo's body plummeted rapidly toward the cliff below. Even though he tried to stab his longsword into the cliff face to slow his fall, he couldn't reach the rock face no matter how far he stretched his arm.

"It's over."

Under the intense sensation of weightlessness, Milo closed his eyes and resigned himself to waiting for death.

"Young man, are you giving up just like that?"

Suddenly, a somewhat gentle male voice sounded beside Milo's ear.

The next moment, his falling figure came to a halt. His back was firmly caught by a strong hand.

In a daze, Milo opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was the Hero's Sword, firmly embedded in the cliff face.

And a middle-aged man with thinning blue hair.

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