The group advanced toward the castle while the people gathered on both sides of the street stepped aside to let them pass. The soldiers did not need to push anyone. It was enough for Satoru to walk at the front for the path to open on its own, though the gazes remained fixed on him with a mixture that was difficult to hide.
One of the men brought by Nina raised a hand and made a brief signal. The soldiers responded at once. Some moved ahead to secure the path, others spread out to the sides, and the rest closed the rear without breaking formation.
Nina walked beside Satoru with a calm expression, though it was clear that she was satisfied with the result.
"I must congratulate you, Sir Satoru. Your entrance was quite effective. Thanks to this, we will not have to worry too much about rumors for a while."
Satoru did not take his eyes off the road.
"We had discussed the usefulness of a public presentation, but will it truly help?"
"It will," Nina replied. "The rumors were feeding on uncertainty. Those spreading them were taking advantage of the fact that almost no one had a clear image of you. You were a distant figure, associated with dark powers, inexplicable events, and a strength common people cannot measure."
Satoru remained silent for a moment.
"That is not far from reality."
"I know."
The naturalness with which Nina said it made Satoru glance at her from the corner of his eye.
She continued without losing pace.
"That is why it was necessary to give them another image. Now they have not only heard stories about you. They have seen a figure that cannot be easily connected to the malicious rumors they have heard."
Satoru observed the faces around him. The gazes he found were not the same as those of the soldiers on the day he destroyed the Hell Demon, when they had looked at him with fear. Now some eyes shone with surprise, others with admiration, and many seemed to be searching for the proper way to understand what they were seeing.
"As long as your race remains unknown, we will have no immediate problem," Nina added in a lower voice.
Satoru understood what she left unsaid. The problem was not only belonging to a dangerous race. In Muno, anything connected to the undead could become a weapon for those who wished to spread fear. Zen's actions and the undead wandering freely through the region were still present in their minds.
"I understand."
Behind them, however, Liza was having more difficulty maintaining her composure.
The initial blush had faded, and her heart, which for a few seconds had beaten with a force unlike her, was beginning to recover its usual rhythm. Even so, the gazes of the soldiers she had trained, the maids she recognized, and especially Tama and Pochi made it difficult to keep her stoic expression.
The girls were not asking anything, but they were looking at her too much.
Tama tilted her head from side to side, as if she were trying to understand something very important. Pochi kept her hands together in front of her chest, polite and still, though her eyes kept moving toward the cheek Satoru had touched.
Besides...
Stare~.
Liza felt another gaze beside her.
Karina was walking near her and observing her with a much more direct curiosity than the girls. Her gaze moved from the scar to Satoru and then back to Liza, as if she were trying to put together several pieces that did not quite fit.
Liza coughed lightly.
Karina blinked, reacting as if she had only just realized she had been discovered.
"Lady Karina," Liza said, bowing her head formally. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Liza. I serve Master Satoru."
Karina reacted immediately. She gently took the edges of her dress and made a proper curtsy, though her gaze still retained part of that curiosity.
"Ah, so you are Liza." Then she seemed to remember her manners and added, "Karina Muno. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Liza raised her gaze slightly.
"Had you heard of me?"
Karina nodded.
"Satoru told me about you. And about them as well."
As she said that, she looked toward Tama and Pochi.
The two girls straightened at the same time. Seeing that Karina had taken her dress to introduce herself, they imitated the gesture with the skirts of their own clothes.
"I'm Tama~."
"Pochi!"
Karina looked at them with a softer smile.
"I am glad to meet you."
Tama raised her ears with pride.
Pochi bowed her head politely.
Liza, for her part, kept her posture straight and her gaze calm. Even so, the heat in her face did not disappear completely.
***
They reached the castle shortly afterward.
Before crossing the inner courtyard, Nina looked at the white mount following behind Satoru with its wings folded.
"Should we prepare a special stable for her?"
"That will not be necessary," Satoru replied. "She will disappear soon."
"I see."
That was enough for Nina to set the matter aside. If it did not need food, space, or care, there was nothing to arrange.
Baron Leon Muno was waiting for them at the main entrance.
Karina saw him and stopped for a second. That instant was enough for the baron to approach her before anyone else and embrace her tightly.
"Karina…"
"Father…"
Karina's voice broke as she returned the embrace. She did not try to maintain any noble posture or search for proper words. She clung to him with the same clumsiness with which she had faced everything since leaving Muno, and Leon held her as if he needed to confirm for himself that she had returned.
Soruna arrived afterward, and tears appeared without either of them trying to hide them. Karina received another hug, then another, and answered as best she could between questions, relief, and half-finished words.
Satoru watched the scene without intervening.
Nina approached him discreetly and lowered her head slightly.
"Before we continue, I must apologize, Sir Satoru."
Her words drew his attention.
"The baron should have received you at the city entrance. After everything you have done for Muno and for the baron's house, not doing so could be considered disrespectful."
Satoru looked at her in silence.
Nina kept her head lowered for a moment longer before continuing.
"I was the one who asked him to remain in the castle. Muno needs to appear grateful, but not submissive. If the baron had gone out to receive you in front of everyone as though he were waiting for your permission to act, it would have been more difficult to uphold his authority before the city."
"A strong image instead of a submissive one."
"Yes."
"I understand."
Nina raised her gaze.
"Even so, the decision was mine. That is why I had to apologize."
"I do not mind."
"I assumed as much," Nina replied, with a calm that did not entirely hide her relief. "But manners also have a function."
Satoru accepted that with a slight movement of his head.
When the reception ended and Karina managed to separate from her family, everyone was led to a private office. Leon remained beside his daughter longer than necessary before taking a seat, and Soruna withdrew only after making sure several times that Karina was not injured.
In the office remained Leon, Nina, Karina, Satoru, Liza, Tama, and Pochi.
Nina brought him up to date on what had happened during his absence. She spoke of the mission Liza and the girls had completed, the routes they had recovered, the former soldiers they had found, and Zotol, who had already agreed to serve once more as a knight of Muno along with his men.
Satoru listened without interrupting.
When Nina finished, he turned his gaze toward Liza, Tama, and Pochi.
"I see."
The three straightened at the same time.
"You did good work."
Tama smiled immediately.
"We did good~!"
Pochi clasped her hands in front of her chest, trying to respond politely.
"Thank you very much, Master."
Liza bowed her head with more control than them.
"Thank you, Master."
While she kept her head lowered, Satoru's gaze stopped for a moment on the scar on her cheek. He said nothing, but Nina noticed it. Karina did as well. The baron's daughter observed that pause, and her expression changed slightly, as if an idea that had been lingering since their return was beginning to take shape.
Satoru did not ask about the wound.
Instead, he stood.
"Liza."
"Yes, Master."
"The spear you were using was no longer suitable for your current strength. I had considered replacing it earlier, but circumstances delayed that. Now that the previous one has been lost, there is no reason to wait."
Liza's eyes opened just a little wider.
Satoru extended his hand and activated [Item Box]. Although his Inventory was still sealed, the spell fulfilled a similar function, and he had been using it to transport his luggage and Mito's sword.
The space in front of his fingers rippled, and from it emerged a spear wrapped in dark cloth.
Karina leaned forward slightly when she recognized the weapon.
Leon also fixed his gaze on it.
Satoru calmly removed the cloth.
The spear was of obvious quality even to someone without deep knowledge of smithing. The shaft was made of polished silver metal, not ostentatious, with sturdy wrappings around specific points to improve the grip. Its balance seemed carefully calculated, neither too light nor unnecessarily heavy. However, what drew every gaze was the blade.
The edge was wide, with an intense red color.
Not a painted or decorative red, but the characteristic color of a magic weapon.
The silence in the office changed in weight.
Nina regained her composure first. Leon did not try to hide his surprise. Karina, on the other hand, looked at the spear as if something she had already suspected had just been confirmed in front of her.
"Could it be...?"
Liza did not take it immediately.
Her hands remained still for a second. Not out of rejection, but because the weight of the gesture reached her before the weight of the weapon. The previous spear had also come to her through her master's will, even if Zen had been the one to hand it to her. With that weapon, she had trained and fought to prove that she could be useful. Losing it had been necessary, but that did not make it hurt any less.
"Liza," Nina said softly. "You may accept it."
"Yes, Liza," Tama added, excited. "It is a gift from Master."
Pochi nodded with a sweet smile.
"It must be very important. Please accept it."
Liza breathed carefully, took a step forward, and knelt on one knee without lowering her head too much.
"I gratefully accept this gift, Master."
Satoru handed her the spear.
Liza took it with both hands.
The weight settled into her palms almost immediately. It was different from the previous one, firmer, more demanding, but not uncomfortable. She tested the balance with a brief and restrained movement, enough to understand that she could grow used to it.
Then she smiled.
It was not a broad or careless smile, but a sincere expression, visible for just long enough for Satoru to register it.
"I will make it worthy of you."
"...You do not need to make the weapon worthy of me," Satoru replied. "Make it useful to you."
Liza lowered her gaze.
"Yes."
Tama and Pochi were looking at the spear with obvious excitement. Satoru noticed their expressions before they tried to hide them.
"It is still too early for you. But if you continue working hard, I will prepare something suited to your growth."
Tama raised a hand.
"Tama will work hard!"
"Pochi too!"
Satoru nodded.
After that, the conversation moved on to Yamaki.
Satoru and Karina informed Leon and Nina about what had happened with the forest giants. Yamaki had agreed to receive a representative from Muno, though any agreement would have to be reviewed every three human generations. They also spoke about Ishizuchi, the debt for the children who had been saved, and everything that had happened since they met Amihige.
Nina listened until the end with her fingers resting on the desk, reorganizing her thoughts.
"This is excellent."
Leon looked toward her.
"That much?"
"Yes. Not only because of the help Yamaki may offer. If House Muno manages to establish a formal relationship with them, we will have a route of trade and cooperation that no one else in the region possesses. Wood, herbs, minerals, ancient knowledge, even routes that do not appear on our maps. It will not solve our problems by itself, but it can become an enormous advantage for reconstruction."
Karina lowered her gaze slightly, her cheeks faintly red, though she did not seem embarrassed. Rather, she looked relieved that her impulsive decision had left something useful behind.
Leon observed her with a gentle expression.
"Karina, you did well."
She pressed her lips together slightly.
"I only went because I did not know what else to do."
"And you still did well."
Karina did not answer, but her shoulders relaxed.
Satoru then added:
"There is something else. In Yamaki, I spoke with a kobold."
Nina looked back at him.
"A kobold?"
"Yes. I heard information I considered worth conveying."
Satoru told her what was necessary for Nina to understand the matter. When he finished, she remained thoughtful for a few seconds.
"…I would like to meet her in person if possible."
"That can be discussed once formal contact with Yamaki is established."
"Then I will keep it in mind."
The meeting ended shortly afterward.
Upon leaving the office, Leon approached Karina again, and several servants were waiting in the hallway with the obvious intention of attending to her, feeding her, and verifying for themselves that she was still in one piece. Karina tried to protest, but did not have much success. Soruna appeared once more and took her by the arm before she could escape.
Satoru advanced down the hallway accompanied by Liza, Tama, and Pochi. Nina was walking beside him when, suddenly, she made a small sound, as if she had just remembered something.
"Ah, that is right. During your absence, we prepared a tower for your personal use."
Satoru looked at her.
"A tower?"
"Yes. It is far enough away to give you privacy and close enough to the castle to maintain quick communication. We also gathered materials that I hope will be useful for your research."
"I understand. Thank you."
"There is no need to thank me. It is part of the agreement, Sir Satoru. Muno offers you resources, and you offer us stability. The least we could do was give you a proper place to work."
"I will keep that in mind."
Before Nina could continue, a male voice echoed from the end of the hallway.
"Why is everyone gathered here?"
The man approaching was around forty years old. He was tall, broad-backed, and carried himself with a firm posture, with thick eyebrows that reinforced the hardness of his expression. His dark hair was combed back, and his face was marked by a beard that covered his chin and jaw, but not his mustache. He wore a full suit of plate armor, marked on the chest with the symbol of Muno.
His steps stopped when he saw the group.
Nina opened her mouth to introduce him.
"Zotol, this is…"
"There is no need."
The man first observed Satoru.
Then his gaze shifted toward Liza.
The new spear in her hands drew his attention for an instant. His eyes sharpened with the immediate assessment of someone used to measuring weapons and warriors. Then he noticed Liza's position behind Satoru, the way she held the weapon, and the distance she kept from him.
Zotol looked back at Satoru.
"You must be Satoru."
The hallway fell silent.
"The famous master of Liza."
Liza slightly tightened her fingers around the spear shaft.
Tama and Pochi looked at Zotol with curiosity.
Karina, who was returning after managing to free herself from her sister, stopped when she heard that. Her expression changed as if she had sensed that something troublesome was about to happen.
Nina closed her mouth.
Satoru observed the man without changing expression.
"That is correct."
Zotol lowered his head, but not like a courtier. It was a brief gesture, the kind made by a warrior acknowledging another's position without lowering himself more than necessary.
"I have heard a great deal about you since I arrived."
"From whom?"
"From everyone, really."
Satoru remained silent.
Zotol held his gaze for one more second.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Then, if it is not a bother, I would like to request a match."
Nina went still.
Karina did not know how to react, looking at the knight with a complicated expression.
"What...?"
Liza opened her eyes in surprise.
Tama tilted her head.
Pochi whispered in a small voice:
"Huh?"
Satoru looked at Zotol in silence.
The hallway, which a moment earlier had seemed like a normal part of the castle recovering its routine, became the place where everyone understood the same thing at the same time.
Zotol was serious.
******
Author's Note:
As always, thank you very much for reading and continuing to follow the story.
With this chapter, we are finally beginning the last arc of Satoru's time in Death March, just as I mentioned when we entered the Muno arc.
From this point onward, the story will no longer follow the canon volumes in the same way as before. That does not mean I will simply start inventing things without using the world that already exists, but rather that this arc will be built more freely using elements, characters, and possibilities from Death March.
Until now, most arcs were based on events from the canon volumes, even if those events were altered in different ways because of Satoru's presence. However, what comes next is not meant to be a proper version of Volume 5. It will be something new, created to close this part of the story and bring several pending elements together.
***
Traveling to Other Worlds is currently four chapters ahead on Patreon, with Chapters 51–54 available to Early Traveler members.
Patreon also includes extra notes, differences from canon, and the experimental story Chaos Gacha.
Support is entirely optional. Reading, commenting, and continuing to follow the story already means a great deal to me.
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***
That's all for now. Thank you again for your support, and I hope you enjoy the chapters and events that are coming next.