“It’s true. Ito is our leader.”
Just as I pulled out the coins, one of the children hiding behind the others ran forward and cut in.
A scruffy little girl.
To put it kindly, she was quick on the uptake. Less kindly, she was an opportunist.
But it seemed to be a survival tactic for children like her, and that tugged at something in my chest.
“Is that so? Then listen carefully. One gold coin will cover a full meal for all of you.”
“……”
“And with two coins, you can all get a night’s rest at an inn and a proper bath.”
“…Why are you being so nice?”
“I’m not finished yet. The remaining two coins should be enough to buy decent clothes.”
As I spoke, I pressed all five gold coins into Ito’s hand.
“Take this to the Piarle Orphanage and show it to them. They’ll take you in.”
Along with the coins, I handed over a ring—one engraved with the crest of my family.
Ito didn’t recognize the symbol.
“That ring—make sure you don’t sell it or lose it. I’ll be coming back for it.”
“……”
“I’d take you there myself if I had the time. But I’m busy. If you leave today, you’ll arrive by nightfall. So just get some food and rest for now, and tomorrow morning, wash up, get some new clothes, and head out.”
It’s only half a day. If they can’t manage that, then we were never meant to meet.
I never intended to offer pure charity.
All I wanted was to see if they were worth the kindness I was willing to give.
“I’ll come back for you in a month. Without fail.”
At my words, Ito suddenly lowered his head.
“But I stole from you…”
“I never said I forgave you.”
“…I know. But…”
His lips moved, as if there was more he wanted to say. Before he could get a word out, I gave him another flick to the forehead, smirking slightly.
“Don’t worry. You’re just postponing your punishment by a month.”
“……”
“And Ito, don’t ever call a place like this home.”
I glanced around the cave with cold eyes. No matter how I looked at it…
“This is a trash heap.”
It was unfit for human life.
I said it aloud and looked over the children who were now staring up at me with eyes full of hope.
Then I looked at Ito, still staring down at his feet, and gave a small farewell.
I had to leave. I was a busy person, after all.
I strode quickly out of the cave—but behind me, I heard footsteps.
“Sylphid!”
Ito tried to follow, but I raised a gust of wind to gently push him back before he could get too close—making sure to cushion the blow with an order to Sylphid.
Realizing I had done it, he stood up and shouted:
“Make sure you come back!”
At that, I pulled a sour face and turned my back on him.
I really wasn’t cut out for this kind of kindness. With a strange, ticklish feeling in my chest, I brushed off my arms and quickened my pace.
But as soon as I emerged from the alley completely, I groaned in despair.
It was already well into the afternoon.
ִֶָ___________𓂃 ࣪˖ ִִֶֶָﾒ ་༘࿐__________
Garnet was busy sorting through important documents to deliver to Lucas.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
She picked up a light brown envelope that didn’t quite belong.
She examined the blank, clean envelope front and back with curiosity.
“Which family sent this? There’s no seal, and the material doesn’t look luxurious at all.”
A love letter from one of the young ladies pining after Lucas, perhaps? But there wasn’t even a hint of perfume on it.
“Could be dangerous… maybe I should open it just in case…”
Garnet reached to break the seal but stopped herself.
Her job was to sort through the letters with identifiable senders and deliver only those worth Lucas’s attention.
It wasn’t her place to read the content of her master’s mail. A servant shouldn’t overstep.
“No sender, huh? But I can’t forward a letter from an unknown source either.”
No point risking Lucas’s wrath.
She ended up setting the strange letter aside.
– ‘Oh no! That’s not good!’
Sylphid, invisible to Garnet, was stomping in frustration.
Thinking quickly, Sylphid waited until Garnet left the room momentarily and then picked up the letter again.
– ‘Here should be fine, right?’
After flitting through the long hallways of the Duke’s residence, grumbling all the way, Sylphid proudly placed the letter down.
Satisfied that the task Lize had entrusted was complete, Sylphid hummed and fluttered its wings with glee.
– ‘Wait! Someone’s coming!’
Sensing footsteps nearing the room, Sylphid dashed away to return to Lize’s side.
Moments later, the door opened.
As expected, it was none other than the Duke of the North, Lucas.
He paused for a moment, catching a cool breeze that didn’t belong indoors, then dismissed it as his imagination.
He began to change out of his clothes, but stopped.
“…Did Garnet leave this here?”
A letter he didn’t recognize lay on his bedside table.
Curious, Lucas examined the envelope like Garnet had.
Then, without hesitation, he opened it and read the contents.
He said nothing for a while.
“…Who is this woman?”
That was all he could manage to say.
ִֶָ___________𓂃 ࣪˖ ִִֶֶָﾒ ་༘࿐__________
Lucas was out training knights from the Imperial Palace so they could better adapt to life in the North.
He led them on a reconnaissance mission through the mountain range where monsters often appeared.
Despite the pressing task, the strange letter still lingered in his thoughts.
Someone pretending to be Marchioness Metheisa?
‘Could it be an assassination attempt?’
He had checked the letter for poison or traces of magic. But it was—disappointingly—ordinary.
Just a plain, emotionless letter on common paper.
“Aiven can’t attack if its legs are cut. It usually jumps to attack, but no legs, no jump.”
Nox calmly explained the Aiven’s weak points to the assembled knights after slicing one down mid-lecture.
The knights looked at him with admiration.
Lucas, watching silently, found his thoughts drifting again—to that unsettlingly bland letter.
‘Now I really want to know who sent it.’
Who in their right mind would write a runaway letter to the Duke of the North without a single flowery phrase?
It was absurd.
Meanwhile, Nox continued his instruction.
“What did I say was the trait of the donut we encountered earlier?”
“It reacts to sound! And releases an acid that melts skin!”
“Correct. Now, its weakness?”
“It’s weak to light!”
The knights snapped to attention, answering without hesitation.
They didn’t dare mess up in front of Nox.
“And the proper way to kill it?”
“Yes, sir! Burn it! Otherwise it releases poison when it dies and contaminates the ground—and it lays eggs as it dies!”
“Sir Henry, that’s correct.”
Wiping the blood off his sword, Nox gave an approving nod.
“Becoming a northern knight isn’t easy. You must remember all this to protect yourselves—and your comrades.”
“We will, sir.”
With the lecture finished, Nox approached Lucas, who had watched the whole time with a blank expression.
“It’s best to head back now. Night falls fast in the mountains.”
“…Let’s return.”
Lucas agreed easily. He had every intention of reading that letter again once he got back.
Then suddenly, he raised his head.
“Hm…”
“Your Grace? Is something wrong?”
Nox, packing up their gear nearby, looked at him with concern.
Lucas didn’t respond. Instead, he stared into the thick brush.
“A monster?”
Lucas frowned. There was something odd in the air—but not a monster. It felt more… refreshing?
Nox reached for his sword, but Lucas held up a hand.
“It’s not dangerous.”
“Then what is it…?”
Lucas didn’t answer, still staring into the darkness.
Then he smirked slightly.
It wasn’t a group—just one person. But surrounding them was an odd, shifting energy.
As they drew closer, the sensation grew stronger.
Nox, noticing the disturbance, stepped forward protectively.
The trees rustled violently, and then—
“Ahhh!”
Someone burst through the brush with a shriek.
Or rather—was launched through it.
“Your Grace!”
Nox went pale as a stranger came flying toward Lucas. Lucas, however, calmly caught the person.
A woman?
Lucas blinked in surprise. The small, fragile figure in his arms seemed entirely out of place in this harsh mountain terrain.
“Sylphid, you little… Ahh, my back…”
The woman groaned in pain, too distracted to realize she’d just crashed into a stranger’s arms.
Lucas stared at her, unsure what to make of her.
Sensing his gaze, her eyes slowly widened—then curved into crescents of delight.
“Duke!”
…She knew him?
The excitement in her voice was unmistakable.
Her tiny frame buzzed with energy as she squirmed happily in his arms.
“Your Grace! Are you alright?!”
Nox ran over in a panic.
Lucas gave a small nod and gently set the woman down.
Nox, finally able to see who it was, stiffened and drew his sword.
Startled, the woman raised her hands slowly.
“Um… could you maybe put the sword down?”
The tension was thick, but Lucas let out a quiet breath of amusement.
“What’s your name?”
Nox asked sternly—but Lucas already had a good guess.
Lizebrion.
The woman who cut down the war hero herself and placed her brother on the throne. The infamous villainess whose name echoed even in the far North.
And the woman who had sent him that ridiculous letter.
