Chapter 99: A Homecoming and a Dire Revelation

Despite a few minor incidents along the way, the airship ultimately made a safe landing.

After a long and arduous journey, Yalin finally found himself back in his ancestral home—the quaint little town nestled against the mountainside.

Situated at a bustling crossroads of a major trade route, the town frequently welcomed merchant caravans seeking respite, ensuring a lively atmosphere, even if it never quite reached the heights of true prosperity.

Naturally, it paled in comparison to a sprawling metropolis like Ailanmia.

A recent rain had left the bluestone streets gleaming with a damp sheen.

The quaint, low-slung houses lining the roads, adorned with potted flowers and plants at their entrances, appeared almost precisely as they did in his memories.

Yet, for Yalin himself, this marked his very first arrival in this particular corner of the world.

The landscape, simultaneously familiar and utterly alien, evoked a profound sense of unreality within him.

Yalin purchased two savory pies from a street vendor, consuming them as he strolled.

In stark contrast to the exorbitant prices of larger cities, the local economy here proved remarkably gentle on one’s purse.

‘Perhaps I should just settle back here…’ he mused.

As dusk began to settle, the taverns lining the streets gradually illuminated their soft, inviting lights, from which spilled forth boisterous laughter and the hearty calls of patrons.

While most of the pedestrians were local residents, every so often, an adventurer bearing arms or a hurried merchant would pass them by.

Amidst the constant ebb and flow of people, Yalin subtly detected an unsettling anomaly.

A shadowy figure appeared to be trailing him, covertly observing his movements.

Initially, he suspected it might be the enigmatic woman from the airship who had introduced herself as Crow, or perhaps an operative dispatched by the Abyssal Church.

However, he swiftly dismissed this notion.

After all, the individual’s tracking skills were remarkably inept.

Despite her apparent efforts to remain inconspicuous, her presence had been glaringly obvious from the start, making it impossible to associate her with the notoriously secretive agents of the church.

Furthermore, he perceived no discernible killing intent emanating from her, nor could he detect any other ulterior motives directed towards him.

If anything, it seemed she was simply consumed by curiosity about him.

Consequently, Yalin chose to disregard her presence for the time being.

The family’s manor stood majestically on the hill overlooking the town.

As the hour grew late, Yalin decided to seek out an inn for the night.

Just as he prepared to turn onto the next street, a tremulous voice suddenly reached him from behind.

“Young Master Yalin? Is that truly you…?”

The voice, ancient and raspy, struck him as utterly unfamiliar.

Yalin froze, astonished that he had been recognized so soon after his return to town.

Turning his head in surprise, he found an old man standing before him, the one who had called out.

The old man wore faded, patched cloth garments, visible mends adorning his lapels, indicative of a life of hardship.

Yet, his face, though weathered by countless seasons, still retained a resolute dignity, radiating an aura utterly distinct from that of other impoverished individuals.

“Young Master… it truly is you.

Have you, by chance, returned?”

‘Young Master…’

It had been an age since anyone had addressed him by that title.

As far as he could recall, only one person had ever called him that: the family’s former butler.

“Are you Saki?”

“Indeed, it is I, this old man… Young Master, you still remember me!”

Saki’s hands trembled faintly with emotion, and a glimmer of tears welled in his clouded eyes as he spoke, his voice thick with sentiment, “I truly believed I would never see you again…”

His pitiful state caused Yalin’s brow to furrow involuntarily.

In Yalin’s memory, Saki had always been a shrewd and highly capable individual.

Having served the Ravenster family for decades, he had earned his father’s profound trust.

He performed his duties with meticulous precision, maintained a dignified demeanor, and, while always respectful towards Yalin, never resorted to obsequious flattery.

After his parents tragically passed away in an accident, the original Young Master had completely entrusted all family affairs to Saki, while he himself, accompanied by Carol, had absconded, embarking on a long and rather pathetic journey of infatuation.

Logically, even as a minor noble house, the Ravensters ought to have left behind a considerable estate.

As the de facto head of the family, Saki should never have been reduced to such a destitute state.

‘Why are you in such a state? What has become of the manor?’

Saki’s throat bobbed.

After a prolonged silence, he finally lowered his head and exhaled a soft sigh.

“This matter… it’s a long story, Young Master.

Let us find a quiet place where we can speak at length.”

The two men made their way to a small tavern nestled on a street corner, settling into the most secluded spot.

Candlelight flickered softly, and the air was thick with the comforting aroma of ale and roasting meat.

Through Saki’s fragmented account, Yalin gradually pieced together the truth of what had transpired.

Two years prior, Saki, adhering to the original Young Master’s trust, had diligently managed the Ravenster family’s dwindling assets.

Through sheer will, he had managed to revive the once-failing family business, breathing new life into it.

Yet, all his efforts were abruptly halted by the unexpected appearance of a certain man.

Will Ravenster.

By blood, he was Yalin’s father’s younger brother, making him Yalin’s uncle.

Yalin had never personally met Will, having only heard his father speak of him on rare occasions.

Rumor had it that in his youth, Will had been a dissolute idler, spending his days in frivolous pursuits.

He displayed not the slightest concern for the family’s enterprises.

‘Indeed, in that particular aspect, he was uncannily similar to the original Young Master,’ Yalin thought wryly.

Upon reaching adulthood, he had willingly renounced his inheritance rights in exchange for a substantial sum of money.

With this newfound wealth, he had severed ties with the family, venturing out to forge his own path.

From that day forward, all contact had been lost.

Even after Yalin’s father assumed the mantle of family head, no news of Will ever reached them.

However, a mere six months prior, this long-forgotten uncle had suddenly reappeared.

He brazenly declared himself the true heir of the Ravenster family, and, accompanied by a retinue of dubious origins, forcibly seized the manor.

Saki, naturally unwilling to yield, had fiercely striven to uphold the family’s last vestiges of dignity.

Alas, as a lone individual, bereft of power or influence, he proved no match for Will.

Within a mere few days, he was summarily expelled from the manor, left utterly destitute.

Now, the former servants had long since scattered, leaving Saki as the sole remaining resident in the town, clinging to the faint hope of one day reclaiming what was rightfully theirs.

“I failed to protect the manor, Young Master.

I have shamed you, and I have shamed the spirit of the late Master in heaven…”

Saki clenched his fists in frustration, his already aged face now etched with profound helplessness and self-reproach.

“Don’t fret over it, old man,” Yalin said, patting Saki’s shoulder reassuringly as he took a gulp of his drink.

“You did more than enough.”

Truthfully, as a butler, Saki had been nothing short of diligent and responsible.

The true architect of their current predicament was none other than his past self, who had abandoned all responsibility.

Even with his ancestral home seized, Yalin harbored no strong emotions about the loss.

“However, as for Will…”

Yalin’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

To his knowledge, his uncle possessed no remarkable talents or extraordinary abilities.

His business ventures had always been mediocre at best; simply sustaining himself was usually cause for celebration.

How, then, had he suddenly arrived with a retinue of men to seize the family estate?

‘Could he have stumbled upon some sudden windfall?’

“Speaking of which, Young Master Yalin, why have you returned so abruptly?

Did you already have knowledge of this situation?”

“No, my return was merely to retrieve a few personal items from the manor.

I have only just learned of the family’s plight from your account.”

“I see…”

Saki’s brows furrowed deeply, and his expression turned grave.

After a moment of silence, he discreetly surveyed their surroundings, ensuring no one was paying them undue attention, before lowering his voice.

“However, I would strongly advise you, Young Master, to lie low for the time being.

It would be best not to reveal your presence to Will just yet…”

“Why?”

“Because if he learns of your return, he is highly likely to move against you!”