The Scenery of the Garen Domain.

Unlike when I was running around frantically, trying to get the hearth fire going, this time, I walked more slowly, observing my surroundings.

Just like in Londan, everyone here kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact with the Giant of the Snowy Mountains, all with gloomy expressions.

However, the atmosphere here felt even more oppressive than in Londan.

Perhaps it was because there were fewer people on the streets, making the place feel completely deserted.

It truly gave off the feeling of a dark fantasy, reminding me once again of the genre of the game I was now living in.

With Agarta and Asti by my side, following the gatekeeper's guidance, we walked through these somber streets.

After all, the Duke himself had summoned us.

It was probably because I had saved the territory by throwing Agarta's coal into the hearth.

I had only done what was necessary, but I wondered if it was really necessary to summon me for that.

I hadn’t done much, and yet it felt like my list of accomplishments was unnecessarily growing. It was a strange feeling.

Was this something I should feel good about or not?

"We’re here. You may go inside."

The gatekeeper finished his task, pointing toward a building, and bowed as a farewell.

And when I looked at the building, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

It was a large mansion, separate from the hearth, with a luxurious exterior that clearly marked it as a noble residence.

The beauty I had felt at the hearth had stemmed from the contrast between despair and hope—a testament to the human spirit. But this mansion was a different kind of beauty, like looking at a well-crafted piece of art.

"Wow..."

Without realizing it, I let out a sound of admiration, which made Agarta chuckle softly beside me.

"You’re quite the romantic, aren’t you?"

"Don’t you think it’s beautiful?"

"Well, I’ve never had the luxury of looking at something and thinking it’s beautiful, given the circumstances."

Ah, I see.

It made sense that someone like Agarta, coming from Snow Castle, would feel that way. They had probably never had a single day where they could stand tall without worrying about the Giant of the Snowy Mountains.

With a slightly melancholic feeling, I looked the mansion up and down from the bottom to the top.

The Duke of Garen, was it?

When I had first heard from the Princess, I thought only the royal family ruled over territories, but it seemed that dukes were considered a separate power, even in this domain.

A duke, following the Princess.

Meeting the highest authority of a territory was always a nerve-wracking experience.

"Let’s go inside."

"Yes."

At my words, both Agarta and Asti responded in unison, and we stepped inside the mansion.

"Welcome. Are you Sir Tanton?"

As we stood before the mansion's door, which opened smoothly, a woman dressed in a maid’s uniform greeted us with a bow.

"Yes, that’s me."

"Please, follow me."

The maid, without any unnecessary chatter, led us straight inside. Her strict, emotionless face reminded me of Alpha and Beta.

I wondered if all domains had these types of inscrutable assistants in supporting roles.

The inside of the mansion was just as spacious as it appeared from the outside.

Yet, despite the large space, none of it seemed wasted. Many people were bustling about, most of them wearing either costumes or elegant attire, suggesting they were knights or people of high rank.

They looked at us with curiosity.

Perhaps it was unusual for outsiders to wander around the mansion of a duke.

Feeling the weight of their gazes, we followed the maid deeper inside until we came to a large wooden door.

This appeared to be the Duke’s chamber.

"I will take my leave now."

The maid, having completed her duty, bowed and disappeared elsewhere.

Come to think of it, there didn’t seem to be any other maids like her around.

I suddenly felt a pang of emotion, reminded of the children distributed by the interrogator.

Shaking off those thoughts, I carefully knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Hearing the Duke’s voice from inside, I cautiously opened the door, and the first thing that caught my eye was the mountain of papers stacked on the desk.

Noticing this, I heard the sound of a pen scratching across paper, and when I looked over, I saw the Duke busily writing.

The Duke of Garen.

The atmosphere he exuded was powerful, rivaling even the Deputy Commander of our domain, yet his appearance was more that of a scholar.

"...Ah, Sir Tanton."

When the Duke’s gaze finally moved from his papers to me, he seemed slightly surprised.

I offered a polite greeting, just in case.

"Greetings, Your Grace."

"Is that some kind of greeting from your domain? Please, raise your head."

Just like with the Princess, the Duke waved his hands, seemingly flustered by my formal greeting.

Even in this dark fantasy, etiquette still seemed important.

Perhaps the game’s creators hadn’t put much effort into designing these details.

The Duke gave a wistful smile and spoke.

"Thank you for saving our domain. If not for you, this territory would have been doomed. We were quietly preparing to accept our death with our hands clasped together."

"I didn’t do much, just what needed to be done."

I was simply stating the facts, but the Duke’s eyes softened with satisfaction.

"That’s still a talent in itself."

Hmm.

Well, if we’re being honest, Agarta deserves about 90% of the credit for what happened.

But, of course, the Duke wouldn’t know that.

The Duke pushed aside the papers slightly and rested his chin on his hand.

"I’d like to reward you for your efforts. Is there anything you desire?"

A reward?

I looked over at Agarta.

If the Duke was offering a reward, I planned to use it entirely for Agarta’s benefit.

Luckily, the Duke was willing to grant something, so I nodded.

"In that case, could I ask for about three sacks of coal infused with Foreign Entity flesh?"

"...Is that all you need?"

"Yes, it was that coal that helped reignite the hearth fire, so that would be more than enough."

Agarta had said the coal was incredibly expensive, but from the Duke’s perspective, it seemed like it was just fuel and nothing more.

Agarta looked at me with wide, surprised eyes.

What? Did she think I’d be selfish and keep the reward for myself?

Not everyone’s like you.

"...So even coal made from Foreign Entities can be used to fuel the hearth?"

"Yes, that’s correct."

"When Her Highness gave me the knowledge of the hearth, she said it could only be fueled by a Foreign Entity’s core, so I assumed it wouldn’t work otherwise. Sir Tanton, you’ve taught me something new. You have my thanks."

Muttering that he might need to seek the help of the Knight Order in the future, the Duke’s eyes suddenly lit up as if he’d had an epiphany, and he turned to me.

"Sir Tanton."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"I don’t know why you’ve come to our domain, but I fear I must ask a favor of you."

The Duke’s expression became serious as he spoke, making me tilt my head in curiosity.

"What is it?"

"The reason the hunter failed his hunt this time is because only powerful Foreign Entities remain in the area. I knew about the hunter’s struggle, yet I failed to act preemptively. My negligence has caused you trouble."

The hunters here must be considerably weaker compared to Londan’s hunter.

Even in the midst of a blizzard, most of the entities here should be minor Foreign Entities.

Or maybe Londan’s hunter had become overpowered thanks to the protagonist buff.

As I pondered these game mechanics, I was startled when the Duke suddenly bowed his head.

"...?!"

"Please, assist the hunter in his next hunt. If we can secure the body of a powerful Foreign Entity, we’ll be able to live without worry for another five years. By then, the hunter will have grown stronger."

Hunting Foreign Entities.

It felt uncomfortable to be asked to kill beings that, to my eyes, were innocent.

Sure, there were aggressive entities like the twin Foreign Entities from before, but hunting a non-hostile entity, like the dragon slayer, didn’t sit right with me.

Maybe some of them could be reasoned with.

If I could just collect a fragment from one of them, that might be enough.

I could gather enough to dump into the hearth like coal and keep it burning.

Having reached that conclusion, I realized it wasn’t as big a deal as I initially thought.

"Understood. I will carry out your request."

"...Thank you. When you return, I will grant you anything within my power."

I responded with firm resolve.

"Why did you accept that so easily? What if the hunter finds out?"

"Well, if that happens, I’ll just help and then run away."

I knew my meddling was a problem, but that wasn’t the only reason I agreed to help.

This was all part of my build-up.

Helping out other domains would eventually help me gather strength to take down the Giant of the Snowy Mountains.

"You really think the furious hunter will just let you run away?"

"Haha..."

"Honestly."

Agarta gave me a slightly sad look.

It was the first time I had seen that expression on her face.

"...And about this reward, why do you always act so selflessly? You’re so stubborn about the strangest things. I didn’t ask you to repay the coal—I just wanted to vent."

Selfless, huh?

I didn’t think of myself that way.

I hadn’t even considered how important that coal was to Agarta, and I was always causing trouble for the hunter.

If anything, I was the one who was constantly grateful and felt guilty.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the people around me who supported someone as worthless as I was.

I gave Agarta a sad smile.

"I’m not selfless. I’m selfish and self-centered. I’ve taken so much from you, Agarta."

Agarta looked up at me with a puzzled expression.

"Thank you. For helping me escape again."

...Ugh.

Saying it out loud made me feel really embarrassed.

Agarta must have felt embarrassed too, because she lowered her head, her face turning red.

Ahem.

When she reacts like that, it makes me feel even more awkward.

"You’re such a fool."

Agarta said, before moving on.

"You’re here."

The local hunter greeted me.

As I approached him, he extended his hand, and we exchanged a firm handshake.

His expression showed strength, but also a sense of relief.

"Thanks for helping out. You’ve solved a real problem for me."

"It was nothing, really."

As we spoke, I realized I wasn’t sure what to call him.

From the local hunter’s perspective, he was the only hunter, but in my head, things were getting confusing.

"What should I call you?"

"Just call me Hunter."

...Isn't that the same thing?

But the difference in tone was enough to help me keep them straight.