76. Border Lord Amandale

"Shiro, Mitoka-san, I need you to come with me to my family's home today."

After breakfast, Aria said to Shiro and the others.

"Your family's home? I don't have any plans today, so that's fine," Shiro replied.

"Yes," Mitoka said.

"Um, everyone, please come too," Aria said to the whole group.

Shelina and Altea had fully recovered and were in good health, their conditions stable since their return.

Though it was a bit disorienting having suddenly skipped five years, the town itself hadn't changed much, and life was gradually returning to normal.

The biggest change was Shestia and Albert's growth. They'd suddenly gotten taller, which was confusing at first, but they were making up for lost time by spending as much time together as a family as possible.

Today was the fifth day since the seal was successfully broken.

"Um, are we heading toward the castle?" Shiro asked while walking. Ahead, a fortress-like castle loomed.

"Yes," Aria replied.

The lord's manor in this region was a sturdy, fortress-like castle, designed so the townspeople could take refuge in case of emergency.

Border Lord Amandale ruled Sotohaim, the adventurers' city, as their capital. His territory lay along the border between the kingdom and the Great Tree Sea, serving as a vital stronghold defending the kingdom's flank. As such, the position had long been held by noble families known for their martial prowess.

James Amandale, the current lord, was no exception—famed for his battlefield valor.

At the castle gate, the guard spotted Aria and immediately saluted.

"Aria-sama, good morning! We've been waiting for you!" the guard said.

"...Wait, is Aria...?" Shiro stammered, flustered.

Aria simply smiled.

Then, from inside the castle, an elderly gentleman approached and greeted everyone.

"Ah, welcome, all of you. The lord awaits."

With that, the gentleman led everyone deeper into the castle. As he passed by Sophia and Altia, he narrowed his eyes slightly and offered a quiet smile.

Shiro noticed, and thought, *They must know each other.*

They were brought into a reception room, somewhere deep within the castle.

The room was furnished with fine, imposing furniture. Shiro couldn’t help but gawk, as if a medieval German castle room from an old photo album had been teleported straight into the present—only to be scolded by Mitoka from the side.

‘Shiro, you’re not a child. Stop staring around like one…’

(Oh, sorry. I just…)

There were already people inside the room.

"Ah, Aria, you’re back. Sophia Master, I’m glad to see you’re in good health," said the tallest, most imposing man, greeting Sophia with a nod. Then, stepping toward the two others, he grinned warmly.

"Ah—Shelina, Altia, you made it back safe and sound?" He shook both of their hands with genuine delight. Shelina and Altia both beamed in return.

"Ah, Shestia, you’ve grown quite a bit. And Albert, you look well too," he said, smiling at them.

Then he turned to Shiro and Mitoka.

"Forgive the trouble, but thank you both for traveling so early. I am James Amandale, the lord who governs this land—the Marquis of the Borderlands."

James bowed slightly to Shiro and Mitoka.

"Nice to meet you. I’m Shiro Kamikawa."

"Mitoka."

They both returned the greeting.

"Then… Aria," Shiro asked, looking at Aria.

Aria smiled.

"That’s right. As you’ve guessed. My full name is Aria Amandale—the eldest daughter of the Amandale family."

“Ah, and let me introduce you—this gentleman here is my eldest son, Steven, who serves as deputy commander of the knightly order. And that elderly man over there is our steward, Frederick,” the gentleman guiding Shiro and the others in the room said, gesturing toward the other man in the room.

“Pleased to meet you,” Frederick said, bowing respectfully.

“Nice to meet you, Steven. I’ve heard much about you,” James said, offering a warm handshake. A proper young man, he seemed. Somewhat reminiscent of Aria.

“Aria-san, you’re being awfully quiet,” Shiro said to Aria.

“Hmph. Shiro’s always the one catching me off guard. Let me surprise you once in a while,” Aria replied with a smile.

“Today, I’ve gathered all of you here for one reason—my gratitude. To you, Shiro and Mitoka, and to you as well,” James began, looking around the room.

“First, the defeat of the Giant Boa. I’ve heard of the accomplishments of the Black Ice Wind Party. You delivered a substantial quantity of materials, too. Thank you. And I’ve also heard from Aria that you’ve grown stronger—thanks to Shiro’s guidance. That’s something I, as a father, must acknowledge.”

James smiled.

“Then, the defeat of the Wyvern. Had you not been here, who knows what might have become of this town. As lord, and on behalf of the townspeople, I must express my thanks.”

James bowed deeply.

“Moreover, regarding the unsealing and healing of Shirena and Altea—well done, Shiro and Mitoka. I cannot thank you enough. I was once a disciple of Sophia, and I’ve known them since they were children. To me, they’re like my own sons and daughters. And they’re heroes who saved this town five years ago. Bringing them back safely and restoring them—it’s priceless.”

James’s eyes glistened slightly, but he held Shiro’s gaze firmly and nodded.

Shiro returned the look, smiling faintly, and nodded in kind.

“By the way, James,” Sophia began, “there’s something important I need to tell you.”

“Master?” James asked.

“It’s this—Shiro, he’s actually a chosen emissary of the goddess Firumia,” Sophia said.

“What?!” James exclaimed, startled.

“That’s right,” Sophia continued. “I confirmed it with both myself and the high priest Edward. In fact, the goddess herself manifested at the temple.”

“That… so that’s why. That’s why he’s like that. Actually, just recently, we received a message from the capital—the entire network of miko received a divine vision: an emissary had descended. It’s no longer just speculation—it’s clear now. It’s Shiro.”

James stood frozen, stunned.

“Then… that’s why I’ve always felt he was different. That’s why he carries such power. Shiro, I’ll need your strength again if anything comes up. We’ll give our full cooperation, no matter what,” he said, looking at Shiro with firm resolve.

“Yes, thank you,” Shiro replied. “About that—let me explain what’s been happening.”

— This world sent me here to investigate and resolve the current anomalies.

— The abnormality among the beasts has been confirmed.

— We’ve confirmed the presence of those strange mushrooms. Better to issue a warning not to approach them.

— If there are any other anomalies, please let us know.

When Shiro finished his explanation,

“Understood. We’ll cooperate with the Adventurer Guild to advance monitoring of the abnormal monsters, and we’ll make sure to inform you immediately if anything comes up.”

“Lastly, regarding the Wyvern extermination—there will be a reward. I’ll deliver it personally at a later date, so I’ll contact you then. And apart from the reward, I’m recommending you and your party be promoted to S-rank. That’ll grant you various privileges while operating in this nation—perfect for your investigation, I believe,” James said to everyone.

“And Shiro, this,” he said, nodding toward the butler, Freddiek.

Freddiek brought forward an ornate box and handed it to Shiro.

Shiro opened the box and looked inside.

A dagger, equally ornate, bearing the same symbol as the markings seen throughout the castle.

“This is the Amandale crest. Carrying it means our family fully backs you—your status is secured. Use it if you need to,” James said.

“Eh… can I really take something like this?” Shiro hesitated slightly.

“Aye. I’ve heard of your character from Aria. Considering your accomplishments, I’ve decided to place full trust in you,” James said, meeting Shiro’s gaze with a serious nod.

“Shiro, please take it,” Aria added.

“Alright. I’ll accept it with gratitude,” Shiro decided.

After the conversation ended, Steven approached Shiro and said, “By the way, Shiro-dono—”

“Apparently Aria personally trained them—would like to express my gratitude as a brother. Heard Albert and the others have improved significantly, though the training method seems rather… unusual?” Steven said.

“Yeah, well,” Shiro replied.

“Could this be applied to other humans, too?” Steven asked.

“Hmm, I suppose so. Likely possible, yes.”

“Brother, Shiro’s training’s tough, you know. Unique, too. Might be great for the mage corps,” Aria added.

“Actually, I have a favor to ask—would you consider coming as a special instructor to observe our knight corps’ training?” Steven said, his expression betraying the responsibility of his rank as deputy commander.

“Count me in,” Aria said.

“Understood. Anytime’s fine. Let’s adjust the schedule,” Shiro replied with a smile.

After finishing his talk with Steven, James approached Shiro with, “By the way, Lord Shiro—”

His voice and manner were nearly identical. Shiro thought, *These two must be father and son.*

“Lord Shiro, I heard from Aria about the Slime,” James said.

“Ah, the Slime. It’s an important resource,” Shiro answered. “I’ve heard it’s not being utilized much these days.”

“Not much—more like completely ignored. I’m thinking of cultivating it as an industry, and I’d like your help, if you’re willing. Of course, I’ll pay consulting and technical fees,” James said.

“Of course. I’m actually quite interested in that Slime myself—I’d like to run experiments. Sounds good to me,” Shiro replied.

Later, in Sotohaim, a certain territory would jointly develop Slime Chemical Industry, raising the quality of life across the world. That, however, is another story altogether.

If you found this interesting, please give it a rating, bookmark it, or leave a comment—your support means a lot!