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The blood of everyone in the Greyrat household ran cold. Sylphiette's face turned pale as she stared at Philip.
Paul, Zenith, Lilia, Rudeus, and Sylphiette all instinctively wanted to look at Allen.
But before their eyes could even shift, they heard Allen's calm and unhurried voice.
Without the slightest hesitation.
"My name is Allen."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, though it might have just been an illusion.
Everyone's gaze was now fixed on Allen. His smile didn't waver in the slightest as he answered plainly.
You're asking if my name is Allen?
Yes, that's right. My name is Allen.
It was a statement that required no thought to utter.
But the problem was... Philip's son was also named Allen.
Rudeus's pupils trembled as he stared at Allen, completely baffled by what he was doing. While they had never hidden Allen's name—since it was a common one—standing face-to-face with his father like this, how could he be so calm? Wasn't he afraid of being recognized on the spot?
Philip, standing nearby, paused for a moment upon hearing Allen's words, but his expression quickly returned to normal. He looked at Allen's unshakable smile with interest, as if admiring a piece of art he had crafted himself.
"Allen? That's a good name. What a coincidence—my eldest son is also named Allen."
Allen patted Rudeus's shoulder, signaling that there was no need to worry, and said with a smile,
"What a coincidence indeed."
Philip, looking into Allen's ash-gray eyes—a common sight in a world of swords and magic—smiled warmly.
"I 'know' you."
Allen casually ran his fingers through Sylphiette's white hair. Under his touch, her heartbeat, which had been racing due to her heightened senses, gradually calmed. He replied nonchalantly,
"I've heard your name many times as well."
Philip seemed genuinely surprised. He reached out and placed a hand on Paul, who had been about to interject, silencing him.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Allen glanced leisurely at the others, his gaze easing their tense expressions, and casually replied,
"The name of the mayor of Roa is well-known."
After this exchange, the two began a rapid back-and-forth, their questions and answers echoing through the courtyard without pause.
"Heh, I didn't realize I was so famous. Aren't you curious how I've heard of you?"
"Not really."
"Why not?"
"You have many eyes and see far, don't you?"
"Many eyes? See far? That's an interesting way of putting it."
"Wasn't it you who granted Sir Paul his knighthood? Naturally, I'm aware of my employer's situation."
"Are you suggesting I sent people to Buena Village specifically to keep an eye on his every move?"
"With many eyes and a far-reaching gaze, you naturally oversee all the villages under your jurisdiction, not just Buena Village, right?"
"Then shouldn't I have known about you already?"
"Information isn't always accurately transmitted. Your 'filtering network' might have dismissed useful information as 'useless.' For example, the fact that the knight's family hired an ordinary tutor—something that's happened before—wouldn't have drawn your attention, would it?"
"You don't seem like the reckless adventurer the rumors make you out to be."
"Not all adventurers are reckless. You flatter me."
"Do you know why I'm here?"
Allen, under the collective tense gazes of the Greyrat family, immediately countered,
"To see me?"
"Yes. Aren't you curious why?"
"Not particularly."
Allen paused, watching as Paul frantically wiped sweat from his brow, then turned back to Philip, whose eyes had now fully opened.
"Then it must be because of last year's monster wave. News of it reached Roa, and as the mayor, you were intrigued and came to Buena Village to see the person who single-handedly quelled it. Am I wrong?"
"Couldn't there be another reason?"
Allen smiled warmly.
"There could be, but there shouldn't be."
Across from him, Philip's eyes now shone with an appreciation as intense as the midday sun.
"How old are you?"
Allen smiled but didn't answer.
It was a rhetorical question, not one seeking a response.
Philip's words continued as he turned to Paul and said,
"Have you given any thought to the letter I sent you? I think Allen is quite impressive. When I heard that a young man in Buena Village had single-handedly wiped out an entire snow valley of monsters last year, I knew he was a talent. I admire him. Have you considered that job offer?"
Paul glanced at Philip, then at Allen, his expression one of confusion and helplessness.
Before his eyes, the dust that had dissipated just minutes ago reappeared!
[Test (1/2), First Part Completed. Time Elapsed: 4 minutes and 57 seconds.]
[Trapped in a 'dilemma of the heart,' unable to enter the tutoring period, an 'external force' has now appeared as an opportunity to begin. How will you seize it?]
[A reunion? That would be the worst outcome. A recruitment offer? Take it!]
[Philip has already deduced through subtle clues that you are his son, but the spies left by James prevent him from openly acknowledging you. Even his reason for coming to Buena Village must be framed around last year's monster wave, as he cannot reveal his true intentions.]
[Why did he come to Buena Village? It was merely a 'recruitment.']
[And you, without needing any covert hints, have already discerned Philip's intentions through prior information and analysis. In just a few brief exchanges during your first meeting, you've made your thoughts clear to each other. Frankly, this has completely exceeded his expectations.]
[As for the name Allen? It must simply be a coincidence.]
[In a world without cameras, even if you returned to Roa, how could your current appearance match the sharp, ambitious boy in James's memories?]
[You didn't wait for the 'test' Philip had prepared. Instead, you directly and boldly 'displayed' yourself.]
[This saves time.]
[You've passed the first part of Philip's 'test'—'ability'—ahead of time. In the eyes of a politician skilled in strategy, your insight into information proves your excellent judgment of situations; your calm demeanor demonstrates your ability to adapt on the spot; and the Greyrat family's concern for you proves your ability to win people over.]
[You embody everything he imagines in a perfect candidate for political maneuvering.]
[All this, and you're only eleven years old.]
[And you're his biological son.]
[Mission Reward: Participation Points: 5.]
[Evaluation: Opportunities are meaningless if you can't seize them. And you, you're precisely the kind of person who can seize them.]
The wind brushed past Paul's still-dazed face, climbing up the window and lifting the letter on the desk in the master bedroom.
Paul, it's been a while.
I heard that last year's monster wave in Buena Village was effortlessly quelled?
As expected of you, Paul...
However.
I heard that the key to solving the problem was a passing adventurer. Is this adventurer currently teaching at your house?
To be honest, I'm quite interested in such talent and would like to recruit him.
I also heard that your son possesses exceptional magical talent, already a Saint-level mage at such a young age.
Since he's your son's teacher, I wouldn't want to steal him away, but I think...
Bringing your child to Roa would be a better choice.
I gain a talented individual, your child receives a better education, and I'm willing to pay each of them two gold coins per month.
They'd also help me with some very simple tasks—nothing involving fighting or killing, of course.
Please give it some serious thought.
As if we were face-to-face (the ink at the end of the letter is smudged).
Oh, and one more thing.
I heard that the adventer is somehow connected to that matter I asked you to look into before.
His name sounds familiar.
Heh, there really are a lot of people named Allen.
Philip.
This letter.
Allen had never seen it.
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 145 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 40 power stones I will publish the next chapter.