I Am Raising a Daughter in This Life

Desert trip (2)

The largest city of the Grand Duchy of Klamath.

Mahalus boasted a landscape that was different from other desert cities.

The architectural style was similar, but on average, it was one floor higher, and the lord castle, where the lord, Grand Duke Klamath lives, also stood tall, revealing its presence.

There was a river flowing to the east of Mahalus, not an oasis, and a wide meadow was formed around the city that was not suitable for the desert spread out behind it.

Right in front of that place, Rize was busy admiring it.

It was because it was different from any other village I had visited on my way here.

Irina was the same, so she looked at Mahalus with a curious eye, but she did not lose her vigilance to her surroundings.

“Dad, where are you?”

“It’s called Mahalus, the most prosperous city in the Seaton Desert. It is also where Grand Duke Klamath, who rules the south, mainly lives.”

“Then it’s the desert low garden?”

“You could say it’s similar. I guess it’s closer to Hisera than Lorgarden.”

Rize listened to Irvin’s answer and nodded, taking in the panoramic view of the city that was still a bit far away.

As if her eyes were taken by an exotic figure that couldn’t be found in Findel, Rize didn’t say a word until she entered the city.

Irvin, who had entered the city, looked up and checked the sun that had gone half way to the west before looking for a lodging.

As if to prove that it was a big city, there was an inn comparable to Findel.

“I’m going to take a break for a while. I’ll be back after checking the investigation one last time, so can I ask you for Rize?”

“Okay, let’s go. I’ve been there once, but I don’t know if I can guide you well… … .”

“Let’s walk around while eating some unique and delicious food. It won’t take long.”

“Hmm, yes.”

After saying that, Irvin turned to Rize this time.

Rize, who was planning to go sightseeing with her father, pouted slightly at Irvin’s words that he would suddenly fall again.

Irvin, who lightly covered Rize’s cheek, said something he had been hiding all the way here.

“Tomorrow we will go to the ruins.”

“ruins? So, is it a dungeon with monsters inside?”

“Yeah, right. A dungeon that no one has ever discovered.”

“Wow! Let’s go, let’s go!”

Irvin, who immediately patted Rize’s head, who had sparkling eyes, calmed her down, smiled and added.

“Dad is going to get ready to go there tomorrow, so you should go and have a look with Master Douglas and Irina. Understand?”

“huh! We will be preparing to enter the ruins tomorrow too!”

Irvin laughed and got up, and left the inn first with the last words to ask Irina well.

Rize, who waved her hand until the door closed, immediately looked back at Irina and raised a lively voice.

“Shall I tail you?”

“It’s not possible.”

Although he was rejected with a single knife, as if he had expected it, Rize didn’t seem to be very disappointed, and soon after, the remaining three went out of the inn as well.

It felt different from other desert cities, perhaps because it was large and had a river next to it.

People’s attire was also a little more sophisticated, so Rize was busy watching people besides the surrounding scenery.

At the same time, I did not forget to buy and eat snacks prepared here and there.

“Oh, this is so delicious. You should ask Dad to come and eat with you.”

“Then let’s take this too.”

“That was a little bit… … .”

“I see.”

Not just trying to eat a lot, but looking for something to eat with Irvin.

Douglas, who led the way, didn’t say much, but he often talked about the old days when he came to Mahalus.

“It’s been almost 10 years already. A ruin was found near Mahalus, but a monster was blocking it. It’s called Death Scorpion, it’s a scorpion monster, but it’s so big that one claw is the size of a house.”

“Wow, by scorpion you mean the insect you saw two days ago? Did you have a stinger on your tail? Was the Death Scorpion poisonous?”

“then. He didn’t even have a poison needle, so he shot it like an arrow from his tail. The sight of the shield melting into the venom was terrifying. All of the mercenaries who went on subjugation were frightened and avoided the poison, hehehe.”

Most of the stories Douglas told were based on his own experiences, so dungeon exploration or battles with monsters were always included.

Thanks to that, it was also a story that Rize liked.

Seeing that the listener reacted like that, Douglas, who was talking, seemed very happy.

Irvin did not come back so that the three of them could continue their pleasant tour until evening.

“Isn’t it so wide that you can’t find us?”

Mahalus was as wide as Findel, so it was not uncommon for first-timers to get lost the moment they strayed a little from the main road.

Douglas said it because he had also lost his way when he first came here, but Rize firmly shook his head.

“That’s not it. Dad said he could find me wherever I was.”

“… … .”

The words brimmed with great confidence made Douglas wonder if Irvin would actually do that.

could he do that?

Douglas shook his head lightly, recalling the memory of finding Scarlett in Logarden earlier.

He gave up on making comparisons because he realized earnestly from the sidelines that Irvin’s love for his daughter was so much heavier than his own.

Irina checked her watch for a while and then spoke to Rize.

“Irvin said that if you are late, you can eat first, so if you are hungry, shall we go to the restaurant?”

“Let’s wait a little longer, sister. Master, are you okay?”

Still, Rize looked at Douglas while saying that, perhaps because she wanted to be with Irvin, and Douglas, who couldn’t refuse the apprentice’s request, nodded.

However, I waited a little longer, but Irvin did not show up, and in the end, the three of them went to the restaurant first and finished dinner.

“I will definitely come here with my dad next time.”

“Wouldn’t Irvin ask us to go somewhere the lady hasn’t eaten before?”

“Then next time.”

Irina smiled bitterly at Rize, who was determined to come with Irvin.

The surroundings were dark, and on the way back to the inn, people were sparse, and few people were seen coming and going.

And a group came out of the alley as if announcing an accident.

Irina and Douglas spoke first before the one who seemed to be the leader among them could say anything.

“Oh my, these are the kids I’ve been following around from a while ago.”

“If you had tried to follow me to the inn, I would have punished you myself, but it is fortunate that you came out first.”

Hearing that he had noticed them early, dozens of children looked at each other with surprised expressions.

Only Rize tilted her head, not knowing what was going on, while the child who appeared to be the captain stared at Rize’s face before opening her mouth again.

“Others, when foreigners come to our village, they should greet us first!”

“It seems that the child has fallen in love with the young lady.”

“Tskz, you know that young guys are pretty.”

At the words of the two, the dark-skinned boy’s ears burned red.

Rize still had a puzzled expression on her face.

However, it was clear that he was talking to himself, so he blinked quietly before opening his mouth.

“You want to be friends?”

“Uh, that, that… … . Yes, you can if you want to.”

Although she was blatantly hiding her true feelings, the other children following the boy also had their eyes fixed on Rize.

Irina wanted to drive the children away for a moment, but since the boy was wearing unusual clothes, she decided to watch.

Receiving the focused attention of the children, Rize soon smiled and said hello lightly.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Rize from Findel.”

“I am Jet!”

“My name is Ys!”

“Ah, call me Adil!”

As soon as Rize’s introduction was finished, the children scrambled to introduce their names, and Rize made eye contact with those children one by one and memorized their names.

Even in the midst of that, the boy, who was a leader, kept his mouth shut, but it looked pretty calculated.

After the chattering children stopped talking little by little, Rize fixed her eyes on the only child she hadn’t introduced, and only then did the boy speak his name.

“My name is Alec! If you want to have a comfortable time in Mahalus, remember it well!”

“Yes, please.”

“… … .”

At Rize’s reply with a smile, the boy who named him Alec dyed his ears red again.

Irina’s eyes narrowed at the sight of love at first sight, and Douglas, who had been staring at it, opened his mouth soon.

“Hmm, is your father’s name Dehanad?”

“Uh, how… … !”

Alec spoke for a moment, then covered his mouth as if he realized his mistake, but Douglas smiled and added, as if that was enough.

“Right. My son is already this old. Please tell my father that he is sorry for not being able to come to Mahalus and say hello.”

“… … Can I tell you who you are?”

Seeing Douglas clearly know his father well, Alec naturally had no choice but to be wary of his attitude.

“If you say Douglas, they will understand.”

“Yo, the mercenary king?!”

At Alec’s cry, the children started talking in a buzz.

Seeing that, Lizé also asked Douglas in surprise with her eyes wide open.

“Master, are you very famous?”

“Well, when I came here before, we fought loudly. It surprises me that even these kids know.”

It seemed quite strange to Douglas that he was known by such children, who at the time were only babies.

Alec, who had roared once and stopped gaping, then bowed his head toward Douglas.

“I heard a lot from my father. Sorry for the late greeting.”

Alec greeted politely, and Douglas waved his hand as if he didn’t need it.

“I didn’t say this to receive such a greeting. I want to go in now and rest, so I hope you can step aside once the introduction is over.”

“Yes, four!”

He hurriedly gave the children a hand gesture to clear the way, and only Alec stayed where he was, choosing his words a little before opening his mouth again.

“If you stay in Mahalus a little longer, I would like to invite you to my house… … .”

Then, seeing her glance at Rize, Douglas smiled and moved on, patting Alec on the shoulder and saying,

“Because I don’t have the right to decide. And if you are interested in my pupil, you will have to cross a very big mountain.”

“… … ?”

Alec tilted his head at the words he did not understand, but soon after Douglas passed by and Rize, who followed him, smiled and waved, even that doubt disappeared.

Afterwards, I felt a tingling sensation in Irina’s cold eyes.

After leaving the children behind, Irina asked Douglas a question.

“If it’s Dehanad… … .”

“Yes, Archduke Klamath.”

“wow… … .”

Rize made a surprised expression at the unexpected identity, and Douglas smiled and added.

“Since he was a very free man, I didn’t expect my son to go out like that. Let’s pretend that we made a good relationship thanks to you.”

“It seems that the number of wolves targeting the lady has increased.”

“I wonder if Rize has a knack for bewitching them, as is the grandson of the owner of the Magic Tower.”

“Because the lady is so outstanding, there are many bugs that naturally flock to her.”

Douglas just laughed at Irina’s sharp words, and Rize listened to their conversation as if it were fun.

After arriving at the lodging, I was resting for a while, and soon after, Irvin arrived.

I have some strange news.

“It looks like there are passengers at the ruins we were going to… … .”

Then, with a somewhat embarrassed face, he added something.

“I think he must be someone I know.”