Episode 109 Return of the Hero (5)
It was indeed a long time since we met.
As soon as he heard the news of Vikir’s return, Hugo Les Baskerville, the head of Baskerville, the iron-blooded swordman, took action.
This was a reaction so intense that even Vikir himself could not have expected it.
Hugo, accompanied by Deacon John Barrymore, visited Underdog’s City Hall.
He immediately came to the office and looked for Bikir.
“Where is my son?”
Then Chihuahua quickly escorted Hugo into the office.
Bikir didn’t even have time to go out to meet him. Hugo opened the door to the office abruptly and faced Bikir, who was about to come out.
“……!”
Hugo’s eyes widened.
Bikir’s eyes also widened slightly.
“You’re back.”
“I’m back.”
“Good job.”
“thank you.”
Quite dry and short conversations come and go for a father and son reunion.
However, Barrymore, who stood behind him, was watching the conversation between the two with a look of satisfaction and emotion.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen the family lord be so happy.’
No wonder Barrymore thought so.
Hugo hadn’t laughed once in the past two years when Vikir was gone.
Even the slightest smile.
But now Hugo was smiling down at Vikir.
Of course, his face was extremely cold and unfeeling, so it was barely noticeable.
Meanwhile.
Bikir cautiously glanced sideways at the door in the next room.
Hugo was in too much of a hurry to hide the Pomerian properly.
I was evacuated to the next room as soon as possible, so there shouldn’t be anything special.
at that time.
…chin!
Hugo put his hand on Vikir’s shoulder.
“Yes. How have you been?”
The moment I got out of bed, I was very nervous.
In the meantime, the reason why he developed his strength in the flood was to keep his true skills from being seen in Hugo’s eyes.
As a survivor who passed through the world of destruction, Bikir used his unique skillful mana hiding technique to save his history.
but.
“……?”
Surprisingly, Hugo’s hand on his shoulder didn’t feel any pressure.
There was no sign of scanning the inner mana or trying to figure out what was inside.
There is even a weak warmth that doesn’t match the voice.
‘what?’
Bikir was a little taken aback.
Maybe you just asked? Are you really curious?
Vikir looked into Hugo’s gaze again.
But I couldn’t read anything. To put it mildly, surprise, joy, curiosity, and relief?
It’s like…
‘He’s like a normal father.’
Bikir frowned.
this is one of two
Did Hugo’s heart grow deeper and more insidious enough that even he couldn’t notice it, or did his heart become softer?
The night before the return, the rain was pouring down.
I still can’t forget the feel of the countless teeth that pierced my body.
How can he forget the person who executed him for falsely accusing him of colluding with the demons?
the owner of the hounds. And the king of all hounds.
Isn’t that what Hugo Les Baskerville is?
Bikir sharpened his fangs, which could have been dulled.
And the more you do, the softer the tone becomes.
“While drifting in floodwaters, I focused on recovering from the wounds inflicted by monsters. I even formed friendly relations with some of the natives.”
Then Hugo’s complexion brightened a little.
“I see. You said you had friendly relations with the savages?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s a good thing.”
Hugo nods. It was a rather unexpected reaction considering the morbid dislike of the natives of the flood.
However, at Hugo’s words that followed, Vikir had no choice but to nod and say, “Okay.”
“While you were friendly with the savages, you must have known their location and history, right? That would have made it easier to wipe them out on a large scale.”
Hugo still regarded the natives as beings similar to monsters.
Bikir answered with a sigh.
“What I learned from living with them… was that their strength was greater than I thought.”
“Hmm. That’s right. Especially since the ‘Night Fox’ is a threat.”
“But I’ve figured out a way to control them.”
“Huh? What is it?”
Hugo asked with delight at Bikir’s words.
Ask Bikir and you will always get a good answer. Hugo seems to think so.
Vikir lived up to Hugo’s expectations this time as well.
“The natives of the sea are weak to the small industrial products of the empire.”
“Industrial product?”
“Yes, I have confirmed that merchants from bourgeois families have smuggled in and traded with the natives of the Sea.”
At that, Hugo’s expression hardened.
Soon he growls in a low voice.
“Anyway, those merchants who only know money. Are they now conspiring with enemies outside the tax? Sooner or later, they’ll have to behead all of them…” “You don’t have to worry,
Father. I annihilated them all.”
“what?”
“Isn’t it the Vice-Arsoral of the city of Underdog? I executed him summarily with the authority of the Acting Consul. Of course, there were no witnesses.”
Hugo’s eyes widened again.
Then, the gaze looking down at Bikir changed to one that saw something extremely friendly and admirable.
“Yes. Truly my son. This is Baskerville.”
And then Hugo asked with his eyes shining.
“Yes. Are you saying that the bourgeois bastards have seduced the savages with trivial industrial products?”
“Yes. In the Empire, glass beads, yarn crafts, vegetables, grains, etc., which are cheap, are treated as precious to them. If you use them, you can control them efficiently, and it is a great diplomatic benefit.”
“…Hmm. But isn’t that trade, not subjugation?”
“It’s the way to win without fighting.”
Then Hugo’s expression changed to disapproval for a moment.
“It’s meaningless if you don’t fight. The sword of the Baskervilles exists to draw blood from the bodies of savages.”
He is truly a fierce war fanatic. Bikir stuck his tongue out inwardly, but he didn’t bother to show it.
“Of course the savages will bleed.”
“Hmm? But didn’t you just say you were doing trade?”
“I didn’t mean to make peace with the barbarians.”
“then?”
To Hugo’s question, Vikir answered with shining eyes.
“The idea was to use them as advance guards for monster hunting.”
Tosa Gupaeng. It was Hugo’s favorite strategy.
Hearing those words, Hugo seemed quite appetised.
“Hmm. Let’s entice them with cheap industrial products and subdue the monsters. It’s not bad. Monsters are also subject to subjugation anyway.”
“Yes. I have already built the infrastructure, so you just need to use it as it is.”
Bikir did not want Balak’s natives to be harmed by the Baskervilles.
Now that Madame Eight Legs, who oppressed Balak from the west, has disappeared, now Balak will avoid the Baskervilles and go deeper into the depths of the sea where he originally resided.
Then there would be no reason to run into the Baskervilles anymore.
The Baskervilles can easily carve out the vacancy left by Balak’s departure to the west.
Since Hugo is unaware of Madame’s existence, he will assume that Balak is running away after seeing him move west.
For Bikir, it was a two-way benefit as it prevented war and established trade.
Eventually, Hugo nodded.
“Okay. Then I’ll leave the trade with the barbarians to you. Can you do it?”
“If you ask me, I will do it.”
“good night.”
Hugo smiled with satisfaction at his son’s loyalty, which was no different from two years ago, or rather much more reliable.
Bikir also benefited in many ways because he just had to wrap the board as his own achievement.
at that time.
“……step!”
Hugo added.
“Among the savages there will be a tribe called ‘Rococo’.”
“Yes. I know.”
“There is no trade with these guys. Only the Rococo tribe will definitely be exterminated, so know that.”
Hugo’s momentum suddenly became ferocious again. An attitude that will never compromise in this area.
If he refuted, even the discussions he had had so far could be in vain, so Vikir just quietly nodded.
After that, some small stories followed.
Most of them were similar to what I had told Chihuahuas.
Sitting on the sofa, Hugo listened to Vikir’s report and listened to it with a look of satisfaction and occasional surprise.
Then he spoke to Bikir.
“Since you went missing after rescuing Morgue’s daughter, we were able to make huge diplomatic gains in Morgue. Moreover, the imperial family heard this story and received an award for recognizing the spirit of chivalry of the Baskervilles.”
“…”
“I wonder if all of this was of any use to a father who lost his son.”
The more I listen, the more unexpected words come to me.
Deacon Barrymore’s rabbit’s eyes were also well represented in Bikir’s mind.
Eventually, Hugo finished speaking.
“But it’s done now that you’re back. It feels like everything has finally returned to its place.”
“…”
“For a while, put down your position as the underdog’s sub-consul and get some rest. Let’s discuss a worthy reward that can be given to you at the family level.”
Bikir gave a short answer and ended the conversation by prostrating.
Suddenly, I had a problem.
‘……The portrait in Pomerian’s pendant. Whether to report it or not.’
Vikir assumed that the original owner of the pendant was Roxana, Hugo’s first wife.
Roxana’s daughter Penelope and Penelope’s daughter Pomerian.
We know that Hugo’s personality became the same as it is now after Roxana’s illness and her daughter, Penelope, was kidnapped by the natives of the flood sea in an unknown accident.
It was reliable information because it was directly told by Barrymore before returning.
Perhaps this memento, which must belong to Roxana, should be returned to Hugo?
Furthermore, the existence of Pomerian?
‘no. It’s a scrape and a boil. Nothing can be expected from that cold-blooded man.’
Bikir shook his head lightly.
If Hugo had had at least one sister or daughter, you would know how he treats female relatives… Unfortunately, the Baskervilles had no females, so his attitude could not be inferred.
‘Women will say that they don’t need it because their hands holding the sword are weak, or something like that. It would be fortunate if they didn’t pull out their swords because they were mixed with barbarian blood.’
Considering Hugo’s usually cold personality, it would be better not to talk about anything Pomerian-related.
Bikir made that decision.
……but.
Two events occurred at once that completely upset Bikir’s expectations.
“Ahhh! Samchun!”
The door to the next room opened and a Pomerian suddenly jumped out.
“Ooh! It’s cold! It’s raining outside! Thunder! Boom! Ugh-”
The Pomeranian came running to Vikir’s arms covered in tears and runny nose.
He was the first variable.
And.
“……!”
Vikir had no choice but to open his eyes wide. The second variable, which is even more heterogeneous than the first, is Hugo
‘s
expression when he sees the Pomerian
. ……! ……! ……! ……! ……! ……! ……!……!”
Two perfectly circular eyes.
A mouth I had never seen open like that before.
It was the first face Bikir had ever seen in his two lives.
