After returning from the Alps, I was assigned tasks with simple paperwork or going to the duchy, because they said I went through a lot. 

Percival registered as an adventurer at Asmona's recommendation while Tristan followed suit saying that it seemed like it’d be fun.

Due to the recent incident, Hillis found out that Percival and Tristan were people from 500 years ago, and pestered them to tell her about the Holy Kingdom, which was deeply related to the temple. I allowed her to be informed on condition of secrecy. She listened to Percival and Tristan as if she were studying theology. 

It seemed that she thought I was a descendant of the Holy Kingdom because I went there to protect the last queen, but I didn't feel the need to correct the misunderstanding. To be honest, it was annoying.

"Come to think of it, Den's birthday is at the end of May, right?"

Having worked as a team member and temporary adventurer, after completing practical training in the Alps, Lisbon and his team were working temporarily as adventurers and inquired while looking at the request board.

"Yes, well."

I put a copy of the request on the request board with a casual affirmation. Alphonso tilted his head at my lukewarm response.

"Den, you don't enjoy your birthdays?”

"It's just the day I was born. Do I have to have fun?"

Alphonso looked like he had a culture shock. "What?! Birthday is a day when everyone celebrates!"

I grinned at his exaggerated response. "We don't celebrate birthdays very much at home. The only difference might be that there's a special side dish served with dinner that evening?"

Because I had four siblings, I felt like birthdays came so often that I didn't feel that much about it. And even if it was my birthday, it was not far from my mother’s death anniversary. Perhaps because of that, birthdays didn’t inspire a happy image.

I don't know about my siblings, but my father was always sad, even though he didn't show it.

“Then what about a birthday cake or a party?” 

“We didn’t have it.”

Actually, instead of a birthday cake, they put candles on dragon meat and sang happy birthday songs. Of course, that didn’t mean memories of my birthdays were necessarily happy either. Being thrown in front of a dragon on my 12th birthday gave me half a trauma, so I had to be wary of being thrown to a dragon on the future birthdays. Dragons weren't scary outside my hometown, but it was difficult to deal with them in Olympus Forest.

Come to think of it, it's been almost a year since I left my hometown. It wasn't such a long time, but it seemed like quite a lot had happened.

"Is there anything you want for your birthday?" Lisbon asked confidently as if he had collected quite a few payments from requests.

"Hmm, a gift..."

There wasn’t anything in particular I wanted. If there was, it would be rare magic materials that I couldn't get, but Lisbon wouldn’t be able to acquire those.

"Come to think of it, my supplied pen nib is worn out and it's time to buy a new one."

I alluded to what Lisbon could buy without strain. It would be troublesome if I said there was nothing and stirred up his pushoverness. If it was a cheap pen nib, it would be just right for him to buy with his allowance.

"About my birthday, it's a month away, but why are you asking me so early? Or are you telling me that it's your birthday right after mine, and so I should prepare a present?” I asked jokingly.

Pushover shook his head in embarrassment. "No! I didn't mean that!" 

"I know, I was just kidding."

I was going to give Pushover a decent protective gear for his birthday. He was not an official knight yet, so a sword was out, and his skills were not yet significant, so it was better to get him protective gear to avoid injuries.

"Oh, I forgot, but Guild Director-nim seemed to have a pretty good impression of you. He said he wanted to teach you some time, so when you get back to the capital, let me know when you have time."

Guild Director Glont was kind of a pervert, but his skills were good. It would be much more helpful to learn swordsmanship from him than me, who used an abnormal swordsmanship that changed from time to time.

"By Guild Director-nim, you mean General Asilante?!" Lisbon cried.

The people in the Adventurers’ Guild looked over at us in unison.

"Is it such a surprise?"

"Of course! An undefeated general! The hero of the country! The best knight! If I were to describe General Asilante, I could say dozens more!"

I shook my head looking at the excited Lisbon. "But in the end, he’s a pervert."

"Ohohoho, I'm sorry I'm a pervert."

I was surprised to see Guild Director Glont suddenly appearing from behind. The lack of the ability to sense presences after losing mana was discomfiting.

"No, you don't have to apologize for being a pervert. It's not like anyone is being inconvenienced just because you are a pervert."

Of course, it was nothing short of terrorism in terms of aesthetics.

Guild Director Glont laughed cheerfully at my slick remarks. “Ohohoho! Aren't you supposed to apologize for saying pervert normally?”

"Eyy, but I didn't say anything wrong.”

He was not the type to get upset at my words, and I just said it as it is, so there was no need to apologize.

When I shrugged lightly, Guild Director Glont laughed out loud.

"Puhahaha! That's true but no one says it so bluntly.” He coolly patted me on the shoulder, acknowledging that he was a pervert.

"What do you mean no one, even His Highness Duke Asteria says Guild Director-nim is a pervert all the time.”

Glont responded to me with a smile. "Ohohoho! That damn old man, khmm! His Highness the Duke says that? Please tell His Highness the next time you go to him on an errand that when he asks politely for help, I may stop helping him."

"Yes, Sir." I nodded gladly. The delivery of these messages was one of my duties. 

"So, as you’ve heard from Den, would you like to learn from me once? Of course it's after returning to the capital. I don't think it's a bad offer for you either," Guild Director Glont asked Lisbon with a smile.

"I... I would be honored!" Lisbon was so panickstricken and stiff that he couldn't even raise his head.

"Ohohoho, then I'll take it as a yes. So what's left is Den's birthday present? You were just talking about his birthday present, right?”

"Uh, you don't have to worry about it," I said.

Guild Director Glont shook his head. "Oh my oh my, did you perhaps think I wouldn’t even celebrate my immediate subordinate's birthday? I’m not giving you any particularly special treatment, so don't feel too burdened and let me know if you want anything."

"I don't really want anything… Ah!"

When I suddenly exclaimed as if something had come to mind, Guild Director Glont looked at me.

"Did you think of anything you wanted?”

"I'd like you to make me a snack. The Mont Blanc that you made last time was delicious.”

To be honest, it was too tasty to sell. 

Guild Director Glont burst into laughter. "That's a matter of course. Well, that's good. You won’t be able to think of something since I asked abruptly, so let me know if you want anything later.”

After saying that, he went up to the branch director's office. I shrugged as I saw him disappear from view.

My birthday is still far away. Why is everyone already concerned over it?

Just eating my favorite food was enough, but I felt like they were making a big deal out of it.

After finishing posting the request forms on the request board, I told Lisbon and Alphonso that I was heading back and went back to the office. 

The peaceful daily life flowed quickly but also slowly.

-o-

It has been about three weeks since the last queen was brought from the ancient castle, which emerged from the reverse world. 

My mana had fully recovered and in the meantime, I gathered research journals and papers on the use of magic and martial arts together. Then they were magically packed into sealed boxes and sent to the Warrant branch’s Asterium Market. Now, there won’t be a case of Elder Mripa crashing down upon the capital. Probably.

Right now, I came to the nearby inn that we put the last queen in, and I sighed as I watched her.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong, Master?"

Percival looked at me with anxious eyes. He was worried that there might be something wrong with the last queen.

"If there’s something wrong, something’s wrong. If it's good, it's good.”

"What are you saying, Master? You can't explain like that to an ignorant man like Captain. He won’t understand.”

Percival slapped Tristan in the back of the head. "If you keep teasing me, I’ll hit you."

"Wow, look, Master! Captain says he’s gonna hit me after he hits me.”

"This punk! I was saying I’m going to hit you! You brute!"

I laughed lightly as I saw the two men running around the small inn room and messing around.

"I have both good and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?" I asked.

Percival, who was doing an arm bar with Tristan's arm, paused and said, "Good… Good news first please, Master."

I readily nodded. "Okay, the good news is that the last queen doesn't have a speck of other energy in her body. When she wakes up, she will be the last queen herself."

Tristan, who was in Pericval’s arm bar, sighed with relief at my affirmation. "I'm glad, but why is she still not waking up yet?”

"That's the bad news. She can't wake up because of the severe physical damage.”

At my diagnosis, Tristan, in the armbar, seriously asked, “How long will she be asleep?” 

I just shrugged. "I don't know exactly either. She will probably wake up in a month.”

"Phew, is that so?" Percival breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's too early for a sigh of relief."

Percival put on a serious face again. "Is it serious?"

"Yeah, her life expectancy has been greatly reduced. I think she received some pretty serious damage before she was sealed.”

"I can't believe it." Percival was swept down on his forehead, downhearted.

"Merlin used his brain and used the unknown existence of the reverse world to disperse the damage to the unknown existence.”

In actuality, this would have been a risk for Merlin as well. According to his research journal, it seems that he was studying the existence of the Demon King and discovered the unknown existence of the reverse world. He was successful in dispersing damage using the unknown existence, but failed to fully heal her using the unknown existence.

It was fortunate that the latter failed. Had it succeeded, it would have been a disaster as it would become a monster on a different level from the Demon King who descended 120 years ago.

"Then... How long can she live?” Percival queried.

I spoke calmly, "I don't know exactly, but I think she will only live 60 years if short, 80 if long."

Percival looked at the last queen with a twisted expression. "I see, 60 years if short… Huh?"

Percival and Tristan looked at me with resentment.

"I thought it was serious!"

“That’s long! Master is so mean!” 

I was mortified by the sudden criticism of the two. "It is serious! A person with the mana to live at least 200 years will only be able to live for 60 years now! It's not half the life span, it's a third!"

She was a monster that emitted mana powerful enough to be on par with my self proclaimed world's strongest father. Even considering that she was strengthened by the mana of the unknown existence, she was one of the world’s most powerful people. The diagnosis that such a powerful person had her life span reduced to about 60 years was tantamount to a time limit for ordinary people.

Two people looked blankly at my cry.

"Oh... is that so?"

"If you say it like that, then it seems so."

Percival and Tristan looked at each other, unable to really grasp the concept.