[525] Helper (1)
If the family is in the top 20 in the business world of the kingdom of Tormia, it can be said that it has a top rank recognized on the continent.
For example, Dante’s Airhain family established a company called Airhain Shipping and built a transportation network that connects the continent as well as the Southern Middle East, and was the 14th largest business leader, accounting for 7% of the world’s cargo volume.
This may be the result of the military and political efforts of the kingdom of Tormia, which has maintained its position as a diplomatically neutral country for a long time, but among such families, there was one family that grew in a unique way.
It was the Ardino family that Miro was currently going to.
Unlike other families who live in splendid mansions in the city, I could feel their secret just by having their head family deep in the underground mountains surrounding the capital Baska to the north.
“It is quite deep.”
Arius, who was following Miro with Sirone on his back, spoke with his tongue out.
Armin and Kuan were carrying out other missions using their own organs, so Arius was the only one accompanying Miro.
“Because they weren’t originally from a merchant family.”
The more I felt that I was getting closer to my hometown, the more Miro’s expression got worse than before.
Miro is also a human being, so it was not a change in emotion that is often seen in the free-spirited Banya.
“Are you concerned? I am a little surprised.”
“The Ardino family has a different temperament from other merchant families.”
“I came across the seal of Ardino publishing house often while studying magic. Still, I think it’s great to be ranked 20th in the business world based on book sales alone.”
“It’s not just compilation. Excluding official publications of the Association, being able to edit and proofread translations of private books means that you have vast magical knowledge.”
“It’s fortunate for Sirone.”
Miro walked the mountain path again.
“okay. But that’s not what I meant when I said that my temper was different.”
Arius lifted his blinded eyes.
“The Ardino family is a branch from the Adrias family a long time ago.”
“If it’s Adrias…”
“It’s my family.”
The Adrias family, which boasts a long history, has been known for its asceticism for generations.
Although they are nobles, they do not collect a penny of wealth, and the families live in the mountains with minimal water and food.
It was not strange that a genius named Miro emerged from such an environment.
What we seek is the ultimate stability that transcends desires and passions.
Their insight penetrates the principles of the world and transcends borders and races to teach without discrimination.
That’s why even in the kingdom, the Adrias family, which is not helpful at all in national activities, dares to go down to the title and nail down their belonging to their own country.
“Then one day, someone from my predecessors began to feel skeptical about the ascetic life.”
Arius, who enjoyed the pleasures of the world to his heart’s content as a 7 Magician, fully understood.
“I guess so. I don’t think I can live.”
“Of course, there was a unanimous vote against it in the family. Then, the ancestors left the family, made a new name, and permeated into society. That is the current Ardino family. Using Adrias’ unique knowledge and insight, he built his fortune and is now the top 20 in the business world. But in reality, most of their main income comes through the dark route.”
“If it’s the dark route…?”
“Magic. Because it is currently the most profitable business in the world and it is an area that no one can step into. After all, the publishing business is just a veneer.”
Arius realized why Miro’s expression was not good.
“In other words, those families are related. After all, the same blood flows.”
“It wasn’t particularly bad. Of course, public criticism fell on the Ardino family, but there was no particular friction between us. Worldly philosophy is also necessary for the world, and the Ardino family did not collect dark funds at the time.”
“Are you saying it’s different now?”
Miro squinted one eye, tsk, and clicked his tongue.
“I only found out this time, but everything started to go wrong after I entered Istas and created a dimensional wall. When I talk about the 20 Judges, most of them focus on me, but there was more going on outside of my eyes.”
“I guess so. Because it was an event that determined the existence of mankind.”
I just didn’t try to look back because it was less important than the maze, but the 20 judges were decided and the impact that spread throughout the world would have been enormous.
“The Adrias family saved mankind. When this proposition was established, relatively Ardino was bombarded with criticism. It is natural for the hooligans to talk, and the business and political conflicts must have been severe. A mistress who sold her soul for money. A fugitive who betrayed humanity. You must have been under a lot of stress over a lot of things. Then, eventually, he started dabbling in dark funds.”
“Maybe he resents Miro?”
“well. It’s because I’m seeing you for the first time in almost 20 years. Anyway, you’ll know when you go.”
After hiking for about 30 minutes, the two arrived at the Ardino family.
The building assimilated with nature was the only remaining evidence of Adrias’ temperament before branching out.
The iron gate was not maintained and was tangled with vines and was not even locked.
Miro walked to the dreary building and knocked hard on the iron handle of the wooden door.
Soon after, the door opened and a middle-aged man with an empty cowtail opened the door.
“what? Today is a reserved guest…”
The man who found the laughing maze turned pale as if he had seen a ghost.
“You… you…”
“It’s been a while Enrique oppa.”
Ardino Enrique.
He was the current head of the Ardino family and a cousin who often hung out with Miro when he was young.
“Are you really a maze?”
Enrique’s eyes, unable to hide his surprise, suddenly calmed down.
“I thought it might be like this one day. Was it faster than I expected?”
“It’s bullshit. A person who has no insight.”
Enrique smacked his lips.
“Yeah, I thought I was dead. After all, you are not old at all.”
“My brother got more hungry. Hey, look at these flesh swaying. What are you going to do with these?”
“Oh my…!”
Enrique’s blushing face, with his stomach fat caught, showed a glimpse of his youth, even for a moment.
However, as expected, years passed, and after a long absence, a sense of distance was evident in their eyes.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s sad. Is that something you would say to someone who has returned after 20 years?”
“It’s like that since I came back after 20 years.”
Despite the unspoken pressure to return, Miro rather kept her seat to the point where the other person was embarrassed.
Enrique, who looked into her eyes, eventually turned to the house with a click on his tongue.
“Come in. Go eat some rice.”
After entering the mansion, Miro laughed at the scenery that hadn’t changed from 20 years ago.
“What is this? They said it was a huge rejection.”
“It is not easy. Not only the upper ranks, but now the kingdom is watching too. Now that Adrias is gone, it’s Ardino’s turn.”
The sadness lingered on Miro’s face for a moment, and then he left.
Enrique, who was lying fat on the old leather sofa, took out a cigarette and the lady-in-waiting served tea.
“I came because I have a business.”
“It’s a maze.”
Enrique nervously extinguished the cigarette he had only taken a sip of, and leaned forward.
“Can’t we just eat and go? Because it’s me, I’m talking to you like this. Everyone in the family hates you. Please, I beg you, just go.”
“But you’re the brother who goes there, aren’t you? The head of household says that, but who can say what?”
“ha.”
Enrique buried himself in the backrest as if tired.
“Yeah, you’ve been selfish since before. No matter how much I tried, you didn’t listen.”
“Still, it was fun because of me, right?”
Enrique, who had been lost in thought while looking up at the ceiling, burst out laughing.
“Okay, what’s your business?”
“Where is ‘Geumdong’? Is it vacation time now?”
Enrique raised an eyebrow.
“My son? Why is that child suddenly looking for him? A mediocre guy who hasn’t even graduated yet.”
“I heard you. So I thought my aunt would give me some lessons.”
Miro smiled meaningfully while Enrique mumbled and thought.
Anyway, he is the head of the Ardino family.
There was no way that a person with great financial power and personal connections would not know that Miro had returned from heaven.
“I don’t know what happened, but my son is in a room on the second floor. It hasn’t come down at all since a few days ago.”
“I’ll come see you.”
As long as he understood the atmosphere of the Ardino family, he thought that there would be nothing good if he procrastinated.
As Miro led Arius up the stairs, he heard the sound of lighting a cigarette on the sofa.
“…What are you going to do now?”
With the stairs ahead, the maze turned around.
The expression on Enrique’s face, who could not see it, but was exhaling cigarette smoke, was as serious as ever.
“Miro, you know now, right? No matter how strong you are, in the end the world will only use you.”
After a moment of hesitation, Enrique continued.
“Change your last name. Come on ardino. Then I will take responsibility and protect you.”
Miro turned away as if it wasn’t worth listening to.
“It’s what I chose.”
“Are you still rationalizing like that!”
Enrique jumped up.
“Honestly, I was surprised when you came to see me! I’m not surprised that you’re back! You should have looked into it! The entire Adrias clan has been purged! You broke the only promise you made!”
“It is also a family choice.”
Enrique beat his chest as if frustrated.
“How can you be so cruel? Do you really have no desire for revenge or resentment towards the world? Since you saved humanity, our family is under pressure too! Do you know why? The world is afraid of us! They only used it to live, but on the other hand, they are afraid that the second and third labyrinth will come out! That’s why the Adrias family disappeared and why our family went under the water!”
Enrique turned around the sofa and approached Miro.
“You shouldn’t expect too much from humans. It spits out all kinds of sweet words when it is needed, but when it is not needed, it becomes more cruel than any creature. Are you saying that the time you sacrificed for such people is not wasted?”
“Not worth it.”
Miro slowly raised his head and looked back at Enrique with a smile.
“Because that’s Adrias.”
Enrique was lethargic.
They were originally of the same blood, so how could they be so different?
“…Don’t tell me to bake a meat pie. Come down when you’re done.”
It was Miro’s favorite food.
When Enrique turned around and disappeared into the living room, Miro climbed the stairs and entered a hallway that turned at right angles.
The hallway, with its wooden planks on the floor, smelled of antiques.
Recalling memories of the past, Miro arrived in the fourth room and smiled mischievously instead of knocking.
“Golden Dong! what are you doing?”
When I opened the door and entered, a tall, handsome man was washing experiment tools on a simple lab table.
He calmly turned his head to the appearance of an uninvited guest, but his eyes wavered the moment he saw Miro.
Miro, for the first time, realized the gap of 20 years when he did not exist.
“Hey, have you really grown up? do you remember me?”
“Oh… someone said it.”
The man who dumped the Erlenmeyer flask into the sink gave it a toast and gave it a beautiful smile.
“It’s been a while, aunt.”
It was Ardino Fermi, the first in the Alpheas School of Magic.
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