Chapter 10

[Image of the halberd]

Before I noticed, it had already become night. I suppose time flies when one is focused.

I looked at the cover of the book I was reading [Types of Guilds: Duties, Responsibilities, and Benefits of Membership]. It was very interesting to read this book that the librarian had recommended. I thought I had been reincarnated into a Japanese-style isekai fantasy world with an adventurer's guild responsible for all kinds of activities for money, but to my surprise, there isn't such a guild. Or rather, there is one, but they are in charge of exploring and adventuring in all kinds of places and documenting the information they gather. Additionally, there are many guilds responsible for different tasks.

Knock Knock

"Young lord, I will go answer," Marcy said before heading to the door. The one who had arrived was one of the castle's maids.

"The young lord's relatives are already near the castle. The Lord has requested that you go to the castle entrance to welcome them."

"Tell Father that I am on my way." When the maid heard my words, she made a brief bow and responded, "As you command, young lord," before leaving.

I suppose it's time to meet my relatives. I wonder what they will be like. So far, I've only heard about my uncle, who lives a life in a rural village in our territory with his wife and children, and his hobby is hunting monsters, but I have no knowledge of my other uncles.

"Marcy and Arctic Sky, let's go," I said before opening the door. We started walking towards the castle's main entrance.

After walking for several minutes, we left the main building of the castle and were already near the main entrance, which was a very large gate and one of the two gates that allowed access to the castle without jumping over the high walls. The other allowed access to the garden, which is a very extensive forest. I don't know why they call it the garden, but it's not like the name matters much.

When we arrived, my family and their wolves were already gathered. I could also see Father's knights and many servants forming two lines.

Although it must be very uncomfortable to wait in this darkness, the only source of light is the magic stones that illuminate the path to the main building and those embedded in the gate, in addition to the light of the full moon.

"Father, how long until my uncles arrive?"

He looked at me before saying, "It won't be long. In fact, they should arrive any moment now."

HOOOWWWWLLLLLLL!

A loud howl echoed through the place, somehow prompting the wolves of my brothers, Father's wolf, and Arctic Sky to join in.

HOOOWWWWLL!

"Why are they howling?" When I asked that question, Riun approached me and said, "It's the welcoming ritual of the Wolks pack. The wolves howl, sending a message notifying their return before arriving at a place they consider home after a long time, and the wolves of the same pack respond with a welcoming howl."

When Riun finished speaking, a black wolf about two meters tall like Father's emerged from the shadow before leaping and reaching where we were.

Atop the wolf was a person with an imposing figure, his red eyes shining, reflecting the light of the magic lanterns, and he wore a coat made of fur with a gigantic axe on his back.

When he dismounted the wolf, from a considerable distance, his size became more apparent. Is he over two meters tall? He's much bigger than Father.

"Royl!"

"Brian!"

A pair of intense shouts were heard, and before I realized it, Father's figure had disappeared, and in an instant, he was face to face with the other man.

BAM!

The sound of their fists colliding was dry and forceful, resonating in the night air. There was a sudden gust of wind that swept through the place before dissipating.

"Hahaha, long time no see, Brian. I see you haven't changed a bit." It was the first time I had seen Father so cheerful; I had never seen him smile like that.

"Hahaha, I must say the same about you. Don't you get bored taking care of this place?"

"Only occasionally, but nothing a day of hunting and a big mug of beer can't fix. But putting that aside, where are your wife and children? I don't think you came alone."

"They should be arriving soon. We met Soria halfway recently, so we'll all be together shortly."

"I see, so that's why you came ahead," Father said teasingly.

"What are you talking about?" My uncle Brian started getting a little nervous, which was quite evident by how he scratched his hair.

"Putting that aside, your children have grown a lot since I last saw them. They used to be smaller than my arm," he said while observing my brothers.

"Uncle, can you take us hunting one of these days?" Aiza asked with a face full of enthusiasm.

Uncle Brian let out a resounding laugh before replying, "Of course, little one! I'd love nothing more than to take Royl's cubs on a good hunt. But first, we'll have to see if your father agrees."

My father nodded with a smile. "As long as you take responsibility for keeping them safe, I don't see why not."

While my brothers celebrated the news, I remained silent, watching the scene with curiosity. Uncle Brian finally set his eyes on me, and I could feel the weight of his gaze.

"And you must be Ziom," he said, approaching with firm steps. "I've heard a lot about you, nephew."

I couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by his presence. He was even more imposing up close, his massive figure casting a shadow over me. However, I tried to maintain my composure.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Uncle Brian," I responded, making a small bow.

He studied me for a moment before letting out another laugh. "Wow! You have your mother's manners and your father's look. It'll be interesting to see what you become, boy."

"You seem very slim. You need to train a lot to have muscles like mine if you don't want to die young," he said before flexing an arm, highlighting the volume of his muscles.

"They look really cool." Gotta make a good first impression.

"Hahaha, you have a good eye to recognize it right away."

HOOOWWWWLLLLLLL!

"Ah, it seems the rest of the family is here," he announced with a smile.

As we all turned our attention to the entrance from where a light was approaching, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness.

When the howl ended, we could see another giant wolf, grayish with black and red eyes, along with two carriages. One of them was being pulled by some kind of reindeer, and I say that because, aside from their two antlers, they had a third one in the center that looked like a horn. The other carriage was being pulled by a pair of very fine-looking horses.

But the most surprising thing was the people who got out of the horse-drawn carriage: a handsome and elegant man with a small beard who, upon getting out of the carriage, extended his hand to help a beautiful woman whose beauty was far superior compared to celebrities I had seen in my previous world. Her white dress stood out in the night along with her long black hair, her sharp face, and her beautiful red eyes that shone in the dark. In addition to her natural beauty, she wore some beautiful low heels and had a mixed presence of someone very gentle and dominant. I felt my heart beat a little faster upon seeing her.

After she finished getting out of the carriage, she was accompanied by a boy who seemed quite elegant in a black tuxedo. The only notable thing about him was that he seemed to be about my age. After he got out, a girl appeared who made me rub my eyes to see if I was seeing correctly. She wore a cute white dress with blue ribbons, but what caught my attention the most, aside from her cute, pinchable face, was her hair; she had completely white hair and red eyes, which were an exclusive trait of my family and quite striking.

At the same time they finished getting out, the other carriage began to open, and from it emerged a very beautiful woman wearing a gorgeous green dress. She was being accompanied by a boy who must be one of my cousins, and I have to admit he was quite muscular for his age. There was another person, a slightly smaller girl who seemed reluctant to get out of the carriage until she was encouraged by the lady in the green dress.

"Long time no see, Soria. It seems everyone is quite tired from the journey. Would you like to have dinner with us before going to your rooms to rest?" my mother asked once everyone had gathered.

"Yes, my family would love that. Thank you very much for your hospitality, Eliza."

"Dear, our children are very hungry, so it's a good idea to take them to dinner before they go to sleep," said the woman in the green dress while holding the girl's hand.

"Of course, love. It's a very good idea," said my uncle Brian. She must be his wife.

"Let's go. The children can ride the wolves while the servants take care of the carriages." When Father finished speaking, some servants took the carriages away, and the rest followed us along with the knights to escort us.