I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

After questioning Gracela Selvarum, Victor and Luísa explained everything that had happened the night before.

Gracela was very surprised and discovered that she was a heavier sleeper than she had thought. She wasn’t even close to waking up from the confusion that had taken place on the ceiling where she slept.

"And why are you so quiet?" She asked, obviously confused. "If Garret Darksoul knows that Victor has such a weapon, he’ll surely try to get it again."

Luísa nodded as she raised her coffee cup to her mouth, and Victor was on the same page as her.

"Garret may be many things, but one thing he’s certainly not is an idiot." Victor said, cutting the pancake on his plate in half. "If he goes after that sword, he’ll be entering territory he hasn’t ventured into before, and the Selvarum have a lot of experience in that: political battles. That’s why noble families who disagree on issues and laws in Parliament and the Royal Council don’t eliminate each other or steal each other’s treasures. It’s also the reason why your cousin Luísa, matriarch of the Selvarum family, ’tolerates’ Garret’s activities."

"Hmm. That makes a lot of sense." Gracela put a hand to her chin and concluded.

Gracela Selvarum had practically grown up in the Dojo of the Mountains, so unlike Luísa, she hadn’t been raised on politics, nor did she have a rational side as sharp as her cousin’s, which was perhaps why she wasn’t easily satisfied with rational conclusions.

"I understand your logic, but..." Gracela began again. "... Garret is not just a politician, he’s not a nobleman. He’s a merchant, a man with resources and a very ruthless reputation. What makes you think he won’t try something more daring, like attacking you with hired hunters or pirates? He doesn’t need to use the men who are directly in his service, so the attack on you wouldn’t be directly linked to him."

Victor was about to answer, but Luísa placed her coffee cup on the table with a slight clink and looked directly at Gracela.

"Cousin, I underestimated Garret once, more than twenty years ago, and it was a mistake I don’t intend to repeat. But the question here is not whether he will try something bold, but whether he can afford to try something against us now. He knows that Victor is very strong, and it wouldn’t be cheap to hire the people who can hurt Victor."

The matriarch of the Selvarum family had a powerful presence. Her posture was upright, and she exuded a confidence that often put those around her at ease.

Sensing Gracela’s hesitation, Victor wiped his mouth with his napkin and leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped on the table.

"Gracela," he said in a softer tone, trying to ease the tension, "I understand your concern. Garret is a threat, no doubt. But that’s exactly why we’re preparing. The mansion’s security has been increased and we’re constantly on the lookout. We’re not alone. We have powerful allies, both inside and outside the family."

Gracela sighed, looking a little calmer. She looked out the window at the manicured gardens inside the mansion.

"I just... don’t want anything to happen," she said, looking down. "After all, I couldn’t fight to help them."

Victor frowned and was tempted to ask why a Sword Monarch couldn’t fight, but he figured that it was too delicate a subject for an outsider like himself. So, to put an end to the matter and ease the tension, Victor said:

"Besides, this sword shouldn’t be with me much longer, and by now, Garret Darksoul must have figured that out as well."

"What?" everyone at the table asked at the same time.

Luísa almost choked on her coffee and asked:

"Why do you say that? And who else would have this sword but you, Elban’s friend?"

"I don’t know if I can really say that I was Elban’s friend. He was my companion in several battles, but our meetings were sporadic and I didn’t know him that well." Victor revealed. "Elban entrusted me with this sword because I was the only one around to whom he could entrust this item, but I believe that if SHE had been around, she would certainly have been chosen."

"Her? Who are you talking about?" Gracela asked.

"Rosalyne." Mari Dundragon answered for Victor. "She’s the one who forged this sword, right? I can tell her forging pattern just by looking at this sword."

Victor nodded. "Yes... Rosalyne is the one who should have this sword. Besides, I think I should tell her about Elban’s true end."

Not everyone at the table knew exactly what Victor was talking about, but the thought of further questions ended when suddenly the sound of heavy knocking echoed through the mansion. The solid wooden doors vibrated slightly from the force of the knocks.

Servant Margaret, who was standing by the table holding a pitcher of juice, moved immediately.

"Excuse me, I’ll go see who it is."

With determined steps, she left the dining room to see who was in the doorway. The sound of her footsteps faded until they disappeared in the distance. When Margaret returned, she was carrying a small pile of letters on a tray. Most of the papers were thick and of high quality, typical of important correspondence. She placed the letters on a nearby table.

"We’ve received several pieces of correspondence," Margaret said. "Most of them, as usual, are for Miss Luísa, but there are two for Mari, one for Gracela and one for you, Victor."

Victor frowned when he heard this. It was strange for him to receive letters directly, especially when he was at Selvarum Manor.

"It must be from your daughter." Aron Simple said to Victor as he placed his teacup on the plate of cake crumbs.

Victor reached out to take the letter and noticed the familiar seal that closed it, and just as Aron had said, Victor was instantly certain that it was from Wanda Stillwind, for although the letter didn’t bear her name as sender, it did bear the seal of the Golden Sun Guild, a yellow seal with a beautiful sun symbol, just to be sure.