Elf Island(1)

In the office, Barcus could once again be seen completely worn out. Despite managing to calm his wife down, he hadn't been able to properly rest or enjoy himself in the Dungeon. Upon returning home, he was immediately crushed under the heavy weight of reality: Barcus was a baron of vast lands, and that meant an endless flow of responsibilities. Things had become even more complicated thanks to Leon. The number of important documents requiring his attention had skyrocketed, and they simply didn't decrease, no matter how many hours he spent working — even if it was twenty hours a day.

"Haah… I wish I could retire," he sighed, staring wearily at the ceiling.

However, as he well knew, retirement was not a simple matter for a nobleman. To step down as the head of the family, he would need to pass the position to someone else within the family. But his eldest son, Nicks, was still studying at the academy. Until he graduated, the idea of changing leadership was out of the question.

On the other hand, Leon, his younger son, was technically already the head of a separate branch of the Bartfort family. At that moment, Barcus suddenly stopped to think:

"Wait a minute. Isn't Leon, being a viscount, supposed to be busier than me?" he muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

The reason Leon remained so free was both simple and slightly annoying. Two AIs, Luxion and Cleare, were assisting him. Despite their sarcastic nature and occasional teasing, they excelled at managing paperwork, freeing up an enormous amount of time for Leon.

Just then, Leon entered his father's office.

"Dad!" he called out, grinning widely.

Without even glancing up from his paperwork, Barcus grumbled irritably, "What are you shouting for, you brat? Can't you see I'm busy with these documents?"

"Oh, sorry, sorry!" Leon chuckled. "Hey, remember I promised you something before we went to the Dungeon?"

Barcus frowned, closing his eyes as he tried to recall. After a few seconds, his eyes opened, and he looked at his son. "Let's say I do."

Leon tilted his head slightly, his grin growing wider.

"Well then, meet him!" he announced, gesturing toward the door.

A young man entered the office, appearing to be around seventeen to twenty years old. His light hair was neatly combed, and his simple clothing, though modest, was spotless. Noticing Barcus, the young man bowed respectfully.

"This is Matato," Leon continued. "I came across him while shopping. He was helping a merchant with his paperwork. Matato was working part-time for him, and I immediately noticed how good he was. So, I decided to bring him to you, as I promised."

Barcus raised an eyebrow, looking at the young man with mild surprise.

In truth, it was Cleare who had found him. She had an odd hobby of observing people whenever she had free time, so the credit was hers.

Hearing this, Barcus nearly teared up. He had been on the verge of breaking down under the mountain of documents, and Matato's sudden appearance felt like a glimmer of hope.

"Thank you, Leon," Barcus said, approaching his son and giving him a firm hug.

"Don't mention it," Leon smirked, taking a step back. "Just one thing though… Matato is mute. He can't speak, so you'll need to learn sign language to communicate with him. Oh, and I promised him a salary of one gold coin per week."

Barcus frowned.

"One gold coin? A week? Isn't that too much?"

"That's not up to me, Dad," Leon laughed, heading for the door. "Anyway, I'm off. I've got business on the Elven Island. Good luck!"

With a wave, Leon exited the office. Barcus, slightly annoyed but still grateful, waved back. His gaze then returned to Matato.

The young man wasted no time and immediately got to work. He skillfully sorted the papers, arranged them into stacks, and organized the tasks methodically. Barcus watched him with a mix of surprise and relief.

"Hm," he muttered, a faint smile forming on his face. "Maybe one gold coin isn't so much after all…"

Within a week, thanks to Matato, Barcus's workload had significantly decreased. He no longer spent sleepless nights buried under papers and even found time to rest. In gratitude, Barcus raised Matato's salary to five gold coins per week.

"Ah, if only I had found you sooner…" he said one day, watching Matato work with absolute focus.

The young man, hearing this, looked up and smiled. His face seemed to say only one thing: "I'm happy to help."

Meanwhile, Leon was aboard his flying ship, commonly referred to as "partner," which glided silently through the clouds. His destination: the Elven Island. Inside the ship, an eerie silence reigned, broken only by the faint hum of the machinery. Leon lay on a soft couch, staring at the ceiling with boredom.

"Man, it's so lonely here…" he muttered, lazily rolling onto his side.

Suddenly, a floating sphere appeared beside him. This was Luxion, his high-tech AI equipped with a red optical sensor.

"Why do you feel that way? You're not alone," Luxion noted, floating closer.

Leon turned his head toward the AI, a look of irritation on his face, and scoffed, "Easy for you to say! Sure, you act like a person, but most of the time, you're just mocking me. Honestly, you annoy me more than you help. I want to talk to someone real, you know? But it's just me and you here. Oh well, only a couple of days left, and I'll finally be back at the academy."

Luxion's red lens focused on Leon's face, as if analyzing him.

"Last time you were at the academy, you complained about everything and everyone. You even cried, if I recall correctly. Now you're eager to go back?"

Leon scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You don't understand!" His voice cracked with emotion before he quickly calmed himself. "There weren't any decent girls there! Just a bunch of arrogant nobles who enjoyed watching men grovel just to get their attention."

He sighed heavily, ran a hand over his face, and shook his head, trying to compose himself.

"I see," Luxion replied after a brief pause. "By the way, Master, we'll be arriving soon. You should prepare yourself."

Leon begrudgingly got up from the couch. He yawned, stretched, and walked over to the mirror. Fixing his shirt and hair, he then moved to the observation window, watching as the ship slowly descended toward the Elven Island's docks.

The island hadn't changed much since Leon's last visit. However, there were notable differences. For starters, the leaders of the first elven villages and their close associates were now imprisoned for plotting rebellion. A small army was stationed on the island to maintain order and ensure history didn't repeat itself. Yet, this hadn't significantly affected the elves. They continued to sell themselves into slavery for money, as if it were just a regular part of their lives.

As the ship landed at the docks, Leon descended the gangplank, glancing around. The air carried a faint scent of salt and wood from the nearby forest edges. The locals cast curious glances his way. Almost everyone recognized him, but no one dared to speak.

"Well then… Time to find someone," Leon muttered, heading toward the island's central area.

---

Hello, everyone! I wanted to share some good news. For the next 8–10 days, I'll have more free time, so I plan to release chapters daily. To make up for the wait for the start of the Academy Arc, I'll be posting 2 chapters a day. Chapter 65 marks the beginning of the new arc, and it's already written.

If you'd like early access to 7+ chapters and wish to support me, there's a link to my Patreon in the Synopsis. For just $2, you can start reading ahead.

That's all for now! See you in 4 hours!