Arahan

Tunda's mood was already sour due to the smell of onions, and his sarcasm intensified as he found a target for his frustration.

"You can't even speak properly because you're a weakling? Do you know where you are?"

"I have nothing to say to you. You're just a puppet anyway."

"What?! A puppet? And you're using informal language with me?"

"Why would being called a puppet be offensive? You're my older brother, after all."

Tunda seethed, his face serious, though he appeared comical to me.

Impatient and not particularly thoughtful, Tunda decided to escalate the situation.

"Ha! I recently learned a new spell. It's perfect for someone like you. You'll be begging to call me 'brother'!"

A large flame, the size of a soccer ball, ignited on Tunda's palm. He shaped it into a sphere and clenched his fist.

Just as he was about to cast the spell, Gracie intervened.

"Stop, Young Master!"

"Move, Gracie! I need to teach this insolent brother a lesson!"

"Please stop," Gracie insisted.

With a swift motion, Gracie grabbed Tunda's hand, and the flame vanished.

The unit members breathed a sigh of relief, but Tunda looked at Gracie in disbelief.

"Why are you doing this? Didn't you hear him use informal language with me? And he called me a puppet!"

"Please, Young Master. Just calm down for now."

"You're on my side, aren't you? Why are you taking his side?"

Gracie's tone was somewhat forceful.

Tunda's eyes welled up with tears, his shoulders shaking.

The sight was amusing to me.

"You have a good housekeeper. She's very perceptive."

Gracie apologized on Tunda's behalf, trying to appear respectful.

She knew that the priest's insignia on my shoulder meant I was under the empire's protection, indirectly backed by the emperor.

If my identity were questioned, imperial investigators would be dispatched, which could lead to severe consequences for Gracie and the Arahan family.

Gracie decided to revise her strategy, choosing to avoid conflict for now.

I chuckled at her sudden change in demeanor.

"Amusing. You're dreaming too big for a housekeeper."

"Why did you come here?" Gracie asked.

"I'll take my time dealing with you. For now, I need something."

"What is it?"

"I don't have food at my mansion. Could you spare some?"

Gracie's expression was incredulous.

Was I really visiting another brother's mansion just for food? It was either bold or lacking in common sense.

Gracie called for the remaining meat and bread.

"Bring everything we have."

The staff returned with a substantial amount of food.

Gracie confirmed the offerings with a lifeless gaze and turned back to me.

"This is all we have. Will it be enough?"

"It should be sufficient."

"Is that all you need for now?"

"Yes, for today. But I'll be visiting often starting tomorrow."

Gracie's eyes narrowed as she watched me leave.

Back at My Mansion

My companions were amazed by the food I brought back.

I began preparing dinner, asking, "Who can cast fire or earth magic?"

"I can do fire!"

"I can do earth!"

I pointed to a suitable spot.

"Dig a hole and start a fire."

The ground was dug to the right depth, and a robust flame filled the pit. We placed pork on a metal sheet, and soon the sizzling sounds filled the air.

"Wow! It's been ages since we've had a barbecue!"

"This is a first since joining Arahan."

"I don't get it. Why can't we have barbecues? Isn't it more enjoyable to eat outdoors?"

The unit members fell silent, realizing they had spoken out of turn.

I asked, genuinely curious, "Is it really forbidden for mages to have barbecues?"

They explained that knights often ate outdoors due to their high energy expenditure, but for mages, it was considered uncivilized.

I found their reasoning puzzling.

"Why make such distinctions? If you want to eat something, just eat it. As long as you do your job properly, I won't hold you accountable for anything else."

The unit members looked at me with admiration, though I wasn't sure what they found impressive.

We enjoyed the barbecue, and the food was incredibly delicious.

The Next Day

I woke up feeling refreshed, thanks to the comfortable bed and satisfying dinner.

"Everyone's ready!" the unit members announced, their voices loud and clear.

I did a quick headcount and led the way.

"Be careful, Zed!" Rio called out from behind.

I waved in response and mounted Jinju.

Today, I was heading to the city of Neca to visit the building I had agreed to inspect with Eddie and to check on Lakto's forge. I also planned to continue pressuring Tunda.

The saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot." Since I had declared war the previous night, I needed to keep the momentum going.

As we entered the city, people's attention was drawn to us.

It wasn't surprising, given that I was riding Bahal's white horse and was a member of the Arahan family.

"Sir, we've arrived," one of the unit members said, stopping in front of a two-story building.

The location was slightly outside the city center, and the building was old but had a large plot of land. It was owned by Tunda, or rather, purchased by Gracie on his behalf.

The owner, a man, approached me with a bow.

"Ah, is that you, Zed Young Master? What brings you here?"

I remained mounted on Jinju.

"I'm here to buy this building. I'll pay double the market price."

The man's eyes widened in surprise.

"This building was left to me by my father. How could I sell it, even to you, Young Master?"

"I know the deed is in your name, but the actual owner is Tunda."

The man looked stunned.

Arahan family members typically didn't purchase properties under their own names to avoid detection by their siblings. Instead, they used others' names and paid them for the transaction.

In essence, it was a form of covert operation.

"Bring the documents," I instructed.

"I-I don't have any authority... I swear it's not mine...!"

The man was flustered, but I knew he was just a proxy.

To make a legitimate transaction, I needed to deal with Tunda directly. However, since the documents were in this man's name, I could use that to my advantage.

I pulled out a sales contract.

"Sign this. With just the contract, we can get it notarized at the market."

The man hesitated, fearing Tunda's wrath.

"Honestly, you're like a lottery winner. The building isn't yours; it belongs to Tunda. I'll pay double and guarantee your safety."

The man eventually signed the contract, trembling.

I had become the owner of the building.