Chapter 238: Viktor’s Family Home

"Where is he?"

"I cannot tell you anything more."

"What!?"

"I told you this is classified information, didn’t I? This is as much as I can tell someone who is an outsider and has no intention of helping us."

With that, Cassian turned his back on Viktor.

"In one month, as usual, we will send troops from the royal capital toward the Demon King’s Castle. Prince Lucien and the Saintess are also scheduled to participate. This year marks the three hundredth anniversary of the kingdom’s founding, and with the threat of another Monster Stampede looming, the force we dispatch will be much larger than usual. Of course, we also intend to recruit brave adventurers to join the campaign."

Cassian paused before continuing.

"I will not force you to participate. However, if you intend to join us, you should make your way to the royal capital before then."

Although Cassian claimed he would not force them to participate, it essentially meant that if they did not show up, he would not give them any more information.

So this is what it means to manipulate people into moving while pretending that you are not doing anything yourself.

Cassian really was devious.

"Well, I should be going now. I am quite busy myself, you see. I would have liked to spend more time catching up, but unfortunately, I cannot stay. Oh, and feel free to use this mansion however you wish. After all, this is your home too. Franz, I leave the rest to you."

At Cassian’s words, the elderly gentleman who was presumably the butler nodded.

"Of course, my master."

Once Cassian had seen that, he nodded as well and cast a brief glance in Qiu Nuoya’s direction.

Qiu Nuoya tilted his head, wondering why Cassian was looking at him.

Cassian gave him a meaningful wink, snapped his fingers, and vanished.

Was that teleportation magic?

He had probably returned to the royal capital.

But what was that wink supposed to mean?

Qiu Nuoya’s mind filled with question marks, but he quickly decided that there was no point dwelling on something he could not understand.

"Young master, will you be staying here tonight?"

The elderly gentleman, apparently the butler of this mansion, asked Viktor the question.

So Viktor is called "Young Master" in this house?

Viktor had always been the oldest person wherever he went, at least in terms of age. But surrounded by elves who were even older than him, it was rather amusing to think that he was treated as a "Young Master."

"Franz, stop calling me that. Just call me Viktor."

"Then, Lord Viktor, I have kept your room exactly as it was when you left, so it is ready for you to use at any time."

"...You have not changed at all."

"I am honored by your praise."

The elderly gentleman placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully. Viktor let out another sigh.

"Looks like we just saved ourselves the cost of lodging while staying in Cider Orchard."

"Apparently so. What about the Saintess and the others? Should we invite them here?"

"The hotel’s security does not seem to be completely reliable, and I would also like to discuss what happened this time, as well as what may happen in the future. Perhaps we should invite them. Franz, there will be three more guests, no, four more guests. Could you make the necessary preparations?"

"Certainly."

Franz immediately began giving instructions to the maids at Viktor’s command.

And so, for the next few days, everyone ended up staying at Viktor’s family home, or what could perhaps be called his family home.

Cassian’s second residence in the upscale district of Cider Orchard was actually Viktor’s family home, the house where his mother and the rest of his family had once lived.

Apparently, Cassian’s main residence was in the royal capital, where he lived with his first wife. She was also a High Elf like Cassian and was still alive even now. Qiu Nuoya also learned for the first time that Viktor had two half-brothers.

One of his brothers worked in the royal capital as Cassian’s aide, while the other served as an assistant to the elven village’s chief. The chief was apparently Viktor’s uncle, which made it clear just how much influence the Silvermere family held within the elven village.

"So you’re the youngest of three sons, and the only one born outside the main marriage..."

Igor muttered under his breath.

"Is there something you want to say?"

Viktor’s displeasure was impossible to miss.

"Don’t get so defensive. It’s just that, in a way, I think I finally understand why your father is like that. Your old man probably just can’t help doting on you."

"What!? Even as a joke, that’s not funny. I have absolutely no memory of that man ever showing me any affection!"

"Really?"

"When I was little, he barely ever came to this house in the first place. He apparently kept in contact with my mother, but I honestly believed for a while that Franz was my real father. That theory disappeared once I grew older and started looking more like my actual father, though."

It was true that Viktor and Cassian looked remarkably alike. Elves did not change much in appearance even as they aged, so much so that if someone told Qiu Nuoya they were brothers now, he might actually believe it.

Franz, the butler, was also an elf, but he looked like an old man. He was certainly quite old himself, but apparently, he was actually around the same age as Cassian.

When Qiu Nuoya wondered what caused such a difference in their appearances, he learned that it was the difference between High Elves and ordinary elves.

High Elves were a higher-ranking species of elf and had exceptionally long lifespans, even by elven standards. That was why Cassian still looked so youthful.

Viktor, meanwhile, was a half-elf born to a High Elf and a human. Apparently, half-elves did not live as long as High Elves. Even so, because Viktor had inherited a strong elven lineage, he was still expected to live about as long as an ordinary elf. How strongly his human side would eventually manifest, however, remained unknown.