84 Side Story 1 - Andrew Eridan (4)

As we made out way out of the underground cavern, I kept a consisted pout on my face. Master had no qualms about leaving me to fend for myself against the onslaught of curiosity that was the childlike Chimera triplets. I have no idea how he manages to withstand them so well. I wonder if it has anything to do with them being so spoiled. Apparently, they were almost as beloved as Storm, the undisputed ruler of the newly reborn Golden Crows, or even Master's little brother Fenmore, the odd-eyed boy that always cheerful.

Their minds, according to Master, currently only had the intelligence of the average 5-year-old human, discounting their combat prowess and instincts. This was part of the reason that they caused so much trouble prior to Master's intervention. Chimeras were uncommon in Aregard, but they do exist since they are a form of natural phenomenon taking the form of life, a very rare being that also has the capabilities of reproduction. The Western Continent, however, has no Chimeras, so the three siblings never had guidance from a senior and let their curiosity take them into the world and inadvertently cause an emergency quest. Because of this, the citizens treat them like children and guide them appropriately. By doing so, they would gradually ensure that the triplets had the guidance they lacked from the beginning.

Of course, that didn't keep them from being spoiled from time to time.

After making sure to give the three goofballs hugs, Master led us out of the cavern and back down to the city. According to him, we'd met most of the people he wanted us to meet, except for Storm and Lady Eleanor, Master's Nan. As Storm was out on patrol as per his usual routine, and Lady Eleanor was constantly out and about, they'd have to wait until later. As we walked, Master greeted everyone he passed, sometimes even stopping to help a few people he spotted having trouble. Once, a small group of four-to-six-year-old children came over to ask him to play music for them. With a small smile, Master said that he was busy now, but he'd be free in about an hour. After promising to play music for them at the park the children had come from, they let him go on his way, but not without one brave little girl 'threatening' to ignore him forever if he didn't. I had trouble not laughing when I saw him playfully kneel and beg for forgiveness from the little girl, who started giggling and just gave him a hug before running away. Master never ceases to amaze me.

With Master's assistance, we finally reached the management building for the apartment complex we'd be living in. Unsurprisingly, Master had a funny look when the few people present prepared to get up for him. He never liked having a title like that of a king from the beginning, but he knew that he needed to take up the role, even if only symbolically, for many reasons. Still, he was also aware that the people in Aregard had the instinctual reaction to respect nobility, royalty or extremely powerful individuals after countless generations. That's also why the concept of a form of government not headed by a royal or imperial power had never truly formed. All great powers that did not have such leaders were either neutral or affiliated with ones that did possess them. The word 'feudal' is an inescapable concept in Aregard, at least for a very long time.

I must admit, the complex that Zero had recommended was astonishing at the very least. It had multiple amenities, such as a park with a playground, an exercise gym, ponds, a pool and 24/hr emergency maintenance services! There was even a snack machine by the pool. Naturally, the Master had to have been the one to design these things. In the pamphlet that I read while we waited for a manager, all garbage and household waste, such as old furniture and the like, was to be either chucked into an enormous crate called a dumpster if it was the former or placed beside it if it was the latter. The dumpsters would be hauled by several strong men, or one of the S-rank creatures if they were available, onto a giant cart before taking it to a site just outside of the north end of town, to a large refuse site about 250km2(96.52sq miles) in size. As recycling centres were still in development, Master had just created a very deep pit with magma at the bottom to handle garbage. A wind barrier filtered the air at the top of the pit so the awful odour and potentially dangerous gasses did not escape. Furniture and the like was kept separate if it could be reused or repurposed, or chucked into the trash pit if it wasn't salvageable. Garbage was always a tricky thing to manage in the world, but Master's current methods are already groundbreaking.

Once Rexus had signed the paperwork for our new apartment, we made our way to see it ourselves. The first thing I did when we arrived was to charge out onto the balcony and take in the view of the park while the breeze brushed against me. Seeing children younger than me playing and having fun in the park while their parents were either at home or nearby just gave me an odd sense of peacefulness that I'd never experienced before. The idea of getting to be a real kid for once made a smile permanently stick to my face.

I think I'm really going to love it here.