Just at the time I was planning to leave for the headquarters, Alphonse called for me.
He had me sit down on a chair in his room in the Refugee Camp Headquarters.
Alphonse in front of my eyes, on my right Ghyslaine was sitting there.
The reason the two were sitting was probably because Eris wasn't around.
Different from me, they properly understand the employer and employee relationship.
"Now then, Rudeus-dono, since conciseness is necessary, please report."
"Report?"
"Yes, these past three years, what have you been doing?"
"Ah, that's right."
After being asked by Alphonse like that I started to talk about these past three years.
That we were teleported to Magic Continent and met with Ruijerd.
That we registered as Adventurers and moved while earning money.
That there was a bit of strife at the Great Forest.
That we met with Paul and the Fedoa Region Search Group in Milishion and there we understood the situation for the first time.
Then we went north while searching for information and about the strife in Shirone Kingdom.
Then about meeting Orsted in the Red Dragon's Lower Jaw.
Mostly centering around things that involved Eris, it was an exceedingly concise talk.
Alphonse listened quietly and finally sunk down.
Suddenly he raised his voice at our separation with Ruijerd.
"...Did that escort go back?"
"Yes, we depended on him quite a bit."
"Is that so, I thought about proposing an official reward from Eris-sama when she calms down."
"He's not a person who would accept such things."
"Is that so?"
Alphonse nodded and then silently met with my gaze.
They were the fatigued eyes of a man.
"Then, Rudeus-dono... as for the people who were working for Sauros-sama, we are all that is left."
"...What about the other maids?"
"The fact that they haven't returned would mean they either died or returned to their hometown."
"I see."
Those cat ears were annihilated as well, huh.
It could be that a number of them returned to the Great Forest...
"Even after they received such assistance from Sauros-sama, it's sad."
"In the end, it's a relationship made through just money."
After saying that, Alphonse's poker face shifted a bit.
It might be a severe way of putting it, but it's that sort of thing.
"I hesitated over whether to add the still young Rudeus-dono in as well but... if you are able to answer in such a way then there should be no problem. You have protected Eris-sama and returned her home safely. In recognition of that achievement, we will recognize your enrollment as a vassal of the Boreas Greyrat family."
Vassal Group.
It seems that this is that sort of gathering.
"From here on we are going to start a Vassal Group meeting, but do you mind?"
A meeting huh.
I'm sure, even before the teleport incident, they had them when I wasn't around.
Probably, Ghyslaine as well wasn't included in them previously.
Now it's just the three of us, but formerly that is. A lot more vassals would have probably had a discussion.
"Thank you very much. Then what is the agenda?"
I had no intention of pointless talk, so I asked that.
At any rate, Philip and Sauros are already gone.
It's already been decided who the topic would be about.
"It's about Eris-sama."
Just look.
"Concretely, I would like to discuss about Eris-sama from now on."
"From now on?"
Think about it.
Eris returned to her home town.
However, there was nothing there.
Her family is gone and house is gone.
She can't return to how she used to live.
"Yes, Eris-sama from now on."
"Certainly Sauros-sama and Philip-sama have passed away, but it's not like the Boreas family itself has perished, right? Can't a house be prepared for her to live in?"
"James-sama is a person who worries over rumors, so he would most likely reject responsibility for Eris-sama."
James, Eris's uncle, huh.
The current lord.
If I remember right, he's the guy who got into a power struggle with Philip and won.
If he's bothered over rumors then certainly he wouldn't want Eris who isn't like a noble to be added into his family.
Her manners are pretty vague, it's hard to even treat her as a child of nobles.
Also, he should already have Eris's siblings included among his family.
Several other cousins as well.
If Eris were to cause some kind of problem with them, it's not hard to imagine.
Eris isn't so sweet that he would still want to take care of her knowing a problem would occur.
"Even if in case he would have been willing to look after her, whether he would treat her properly as a noble in the first place is suspicious... It's not unthinkable that he would have Eris-sama imitate a maid servant. Since that's the case, this is rejected."