The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard-Chapter 97: A Matching Item Somewhere (1)

After reuniting at the palace entrance, they first paid a visit to Midela, Asiz’s mother and the head of House Berk.

She treated her son’s benefactor who had returned after several months well, providing a separate building.

Solif beside him was introduced only as a friend met while traveling, a wandering noble with the Pyromancer bloodline.

With his modest appearance and missing arm, he looked exactly like an impoverished wanderer who had lived a harsh life, so no one was suspicious.

After greeting the House Berk nobles whom he had met before, Turan entered the separate building and asked Asiz about Haram.

This was because he couldn’t see the master who had taught him hand-to-hand combat techniques and physical training, who was also Asiz’s uncle-in-law.

"Uncle? He went hunting masu."

"Masu?"

"I think it was a giant wolf. He went personally since it wouldn’t be a match for knights based on its known size and speed. Should catch it in a few days."

Though it would have been nice to meet him right away, Turan swallowed his disappointment and sat in the reception room of the separate building.

Asiz and Solif looked at each other with somewhat awkward expressions, as people usually do when meeting a friend’s friend.

It seemed they would need more time to become close.

Perhaps wanting to change this strange atmosphere, Asiz showed interest in Bize sitting at Turan’s side.

"What’s this, a pet?"

"This is Bize. We made a soul bond."

"Oh... like Tilly?"

"That’s right."

Tilly, a giant horse about three meters tall at the shoulder.

That creature was also a masu with a soul bond to a wizard, specifically to Midela, the head of House Berk.

Though last time she had gone on pilgrimage with Asiz.

"Can I touch her?"

"Ask Bize directly. She’s as smart as a person."

"Would that be okay? Bize?"

At Asiz’s question, Bize was about to write with her claws but seemed to realize she shouldn’t damage the expensive table and nodded instead.

Seeing this docile attitude, Solif grumbled from the side.

"That thing, acting so fierce with me..."

After lightening the mood somewhat by chatting about the black eagle masu, the topic shifted to catching up on recent events.

"Well, I’ve just been living as usual."

"I heard you’re going on another pilgrimage?"

"No, need to rest for a few years at least..."

He had the relaxed sense of time befitting a long-lived noble.

Well, Turan who lived urgently feeling weeks and months as long periods like a commoner was the odd one out as a noble.

After having a cup of tea, Asiz brought up the story about the recent Black Spirit subjugation.

"I heard you participated in the Black Spirit subjugation with Meisa?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"Word got around! They said a noble who was incredibly skilled at throwing stones participated. Who else could that be but you?"

"True."

Even the Zahar nobles he had seen before used bows or other throwing weapons, not slings.

Probably because it felt like a weapon used by lowly people.

Though Turan had considered switching to weapons with higher killing power, he was reluctant to give up the proficiency built up over many years.

At this point he could even launch fireballs more powerfully with less magic power by throwing them like with a sling.

"Tell me the story. How did you get involved? And what’s this rumor about a Barrier Maker bloodline?"

"Ah, that."

Come to think of it, he had told such lies using the Mimic holy relic.

He had spouted all sorts of nonsense everywhere he went to the point where even he got confused sometimes.

Turan briefly checked the surroundings with the holy relic’s senses to see if anyone was spying, then used wind magic to block sound around the reception room.

Seeing this, Asiz’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Wh-what?"

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Though he knew well that Turan was a genius with magic, freely wielding such techniques was another matter entirely.

As a vassal of Arabion, he knew that such precise control of wind was not something possible through mere practice.

"Don’t tell me you had the Arabion bloodline!?"

"You hadn’t told even him? For your closest friend, you sure have a lot of secrets."

Solif muttered in disbelief at Asiz’s shocked reaction.

Ignoring those words, Turan sank deep into his chair.

"This will be a rather long story, so let me explain from the beginning."

In the sealed room free from any interference, Turan revealed the past about his parents that he had learned in Kalamaf.

The love story between a kidnapped knight’s daughter from Arabion and a Zahar noble, and its tragic end.

Asiz who hadn’t even imagined such a thing gaped so wide a bug could fly in, while Solif who already knew about Turan’s bloodline just clicked his tongue softly.

Then came the story of how the boy Turan was born in Hisaril Hill to the west and lived as a shepherd, met the knight Keorn, traveled east and encountered Asiz.

The latter part was to prove that he had met Asiz without any connection to House Zahar.

"That’s roughly how it happened."

After a moment of silence, Asiz gulped down his tea beside him and started coughing.

Then he gave a small bow toward Turan.

"Thank you for being honest. It couldn’t have been an easy story to tell."

Turan sank deep into his chair, trying not to show the relief, joy, and gratitude he felt inside.

Though he tried to maintain composure, his voice was slightly hoarse.

"I just couldn’t tell you because I was a coward."

In the past, or more precisely until very recently, Turan had hidden his identity almost paranoidly.

The past of knight Keorn, who had told him about his Zahar bloodline, played a large role in this.

A vague self-hatred had developed after learning that his relatives were the ones who had massacred the family of someone he inwardly regarded as a father.

These feelings grew even stronger since all the friends he made afterwards were from the Arabion faction.

If his friends were to look at him with contempt should his identity be revealed, that would truly be terrible.

What helped alleviate this self-hatred was learning that his other half was Arabion, and that he was born from his parents’ love.

It also helped that the Arabion nobles he had directly met weren’t as noble as he had thought.

And after fighting on the island recently to save Solif, he had somewhat overcome even his obsession with keeping his identity completely hidden.

This was because he had gained both the confidence to clash even with great houses for what he wanted to do and believed was right, and the skills to back it up.

And considering the many favors he would need to ask of Asiz from now on, he needed to lay everything bare here.

There was no better way to show complete trust in someone than exposing one’s deepest self.

The shock having somewhat subsided, Asiz grinned and joked as if trying to lift Turan up:

"A bloodline combination between great houses... if you officially joined the main family, Meisa’s position might be threatened!"

"Keep my story secret."

"Huh, why? Though the Zahar bloodline might feel a bit uncomfortable, they would definitely welcome a noble born with four bloodline abilities. Unless you prefer wandering..."

Asiz’s words reflected the general noble mindset.

Most wanted to live in luxury as core members of great houses, not as wanderers of unknown origin.

Turan glanced at Solif sitting quietly beside him and asked:

"That’s related to Solif here too... is it okay to tell him?"

"If you trust this friend that much."

After getting Solif’s permission, Turan briefly explained Solif’s identity and past.

When he learned that someone who appeared to be an ordinary wandering noble was actually the heir of a great eastern house, Asiz jumped up and bowed.

"Oh my, to treat such an esteemed person so poorly-"

How could he show such an attitude when Meisa, Asiz’s sixth cousin, was also a great house heir?

Though surprised by this unexpected behavior, thinking about it, it would be difficult to treat a cousin and a complete stranger the same way.

Solif shook his head as if used to Asiz’s attitude.

"It’s fine. I’ve left the house now."

Ignoring the two who were still incredibly awkward, Turan continued his explanation.

Now came even heavier topics than before.

The various incidents he had encountered after leaving House Berk, and the many secret pieces of information about gods and great houses he had learned through them.

Finally, the hypotheses he had drawn from all this.

By the time he had heard everything, Asiz looked about ten years older than when he first met Turan.

"Ah, this is... too much for me to handle."

"Don’t tell the head or anyone else who isn’t here, Asiz. You’re the only one I trust enough to reveal all this to."

At Turan’s solemn words, Asiz trembled before letting out a deep sigh and rubbing his face.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"

"I want to find out if there are Prea god-folk behind Arabion, and if they’re manipulating Meisa’s life like they did with this friend here. Can you help?"

This wasn’t just someone else’s business for Asiz either.