The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard

Turan could guess that his father must have helped his mother escape.

Otherwise, where would she have gotten a good horse capable of running thousands of kilometers, and how did she evade Zahar's trackers?

"Well, are you satisfied?"

Alos, who had been quietly listening from behind, spoke in an insinuating tone.

Turan hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Given the circumstances, he was confident other houses couldn't provide more detailed information than this.

Just confirming that there was no point in trying to find his mother's relatives was a significant gain in itself.

Though he didn't learn who his father was among Zahar's nobles or knights, or why he hadn't stayed with his mother, that would probably become clear when he went to the Enril Desert later...

Above all, indirectly experiencing what his mother had been like in the past that he hadn't known.

That fact alone was enough to satisfy him.

"From now on, Kalamaf is yours. Please govern faithfully according to the contract."

Hearing Turan's answer, Alos smiled showing his white teeth.

==

With all matters concluded upstairs, Kalamaf City began preparations in earnest to transfer governing rights to House Mebern.

Some civil servants from Bigen City came over to take over certain duties and inspect the city's condition, and they all couldn't help but marvel at the related documents.

"My goodness, are these numbers even possible..."

"It's literally like a corpse coming back to life."

Looking at population and financial records, Kalamaf was indeed no different from a city that had died and been resurrected.

Relying solely on the power of one person.

The person who created such a miracle, Turan, was packing his belongings one last time.

"Time for another journey. Should be fun, right Bize?"

[Where to?]

"We're going to a place called the Sky Library in the southwest. Come to think of it, you won't be able to see the Librarian Elder. Since I'm going secretly, it might be hard to bring you in."

This time he planned to sneak in while concealed, complete his business, and leave.

The first time he had gotten formal permission to enter in case there were secret measures that could detect even Zahar's concealment, but now he knew there weren't any such things.

Given his current mana, it was unlikely, but it would be troublesome if the head there tried to cling to him about marrying his daughter again.

"Come to think of it, I really stayed here a long time."

The longest he had stayed in one place since starting his journey was the month spent with House Berk, but he had somehow spent two or three months here in Kalamaf, making it his longest stay.

Turan checked his city hall lodging room one last time before opening the door and stepping out.

Daruk, who had now stepped down from his position as mayor, bowed to him.

"Have you come, Great Turan."

His title had become "Great Turan" now that he had officially stepped down from the position of guardian.

The one who had saved Kalamaf City from death, achieving great deeds that other nobles wouldn't dare attempt.

"Must be disappointing not being able to continue as mayor."

"It was a position beyond my station anyway. Plus I'm too old now."

Well, since Daruk was sixty-six or so, it was indeed time for someone who wasn't a wizard to rest at home.

"Please accept this first."

"What's this?"

Daruk opened a chest that had been beside Turan's room and revealed a large quantity of gold and silver coins.

Where did this poor city get such wealth?

"The citizens collected it. It's money from selling the animal furs that Great Turan brought and selling excess stone materials, so it should rightfully return to its original owner."

"Use it for the city."

"If left here, it would become House Mebern's property rather than the citizens'. Please don't refuse."

Turan looked at Daruk and realized, like last time, that he wouldn't back down.

Probably around eight hundred gold coins and two thousand silver coins.

It was far too much to fit in a backpack, but he had the large capacity pouch received from Meisa.

After confirming the money was put away, Daruk smiled and spoke.

"May I escort you to the outside one last time?"

"By all means."

While following, Turan sensed presences outside with his holy relic's perception.

Thousands of people lined up in the square a bit away from city hall...

Superior detection ability wasn't so good at times like this.

These things should be seen without knowing in advance to be surprised and feel good.

["Ahhhhhhh----!"]

As expected, what greeted Turan as he exited city hall was an enormous crowd that seemed to include all of Kalamaf's citizens.

Mostly composed of elderly people and children—survivors of the old ruined Kalamaf.

They were waving makeshift flags made of sticks and cloth, which had crude drawings like emblems of a black eagle and a man.

There were also embarrassing phrases like "Long live Great Turan" and "Our Savior."

"This is embarrassing."

"Please don't say that. Just for today, everyone has gathered to praise your greatness."

Turan scanned the faces of those looking at him.

Infinite gratitude, sadness at his departure, worship and praise...

Those reactions, sometimes positive and sometimes negative, were what he had seen over the past few months, but knowing he wouldn't see them anymore made him feel newly wistful.

'Did I actually like being praised like this?'

Feeling embarrassed at discovering this childish side of himself, Turan quickened his pace.

As he reached the city gate through the gathered crowd, he saw something standing there.

The citizens who had been waiting revealed a three-meter statue as they quickly pulled off a white cloth.

A young man with a black eagle at his side.

It was an exact sculpture of Turan.

"...When did you make this?"

"It's a bit rough since we made it hurriedly, but we plan to make better ones later. They're installed at all four city gates."

Daruk answered cheerfully from beside him.

If he had passed through the gates even once he would have noticed, but he hadn't known because he always rode Bize.

Well, even if he had glimpsed it, he wouldn't have thought it was a statue carved in his image.

At most he would have assumed they were just constructing new buildings.

"Doesn't House Mebern dislike it?"

"We got permission in advance. They were also happy that these statues would clearly show how the city's ruling rights were transferred."

"It must still be hard to make a living..."

"Sometimes there are things more important than living. For the citizens here, commemorating their savior is one such thing."

["That's right!"]

Several citizens behind shouted in agreement with Daruk's words.

Turan, who had been scolding them a few times out of embarrassment, closed his mouth and passed by the statue through the city gate.

Far away, he could see the now-familiar rocky mountains of the Grey Zone.

He tried to think of some impressive final speech as he looked back one last time, but perhaps due to the statue's impact, nothing came to mind.

"Well... I had thought of many impressive things to say but can't remember now."

"What need is there for words? Everything you have done until now is more precious than that."

Since when had this old man become such a smooth talker?

Turan moved his lips several times trying to say something, but eventually just ordered Bize to take flight quickly.

The familiar floating sensation as the ground rapidly receded.

Looking back, he could see some citizens finally letting their held-back tears flow.

And so, Kalamaf's savior left the city.