~Chapter 4~
Lady Eurice, overseer of the Imperial Rieta Orphanage, widened her eyes.
“Your Grace?”
It was because of the sudden appearance of Leviathan Jebert, looking disheveled. He had been her classmate back in the Academy.
“What on earth is the matter?”
She had never seen him so frantic before.
His pristine dress uniform was badly wrinkled, his black hair soaked through with rain. The great knight himself was panting for breath—how far had he run?
“I heard there was a break-in?”
Striding into the orphanage lobby, Leviathan swept his eyes around. His violet gaze shook violently.
“Ah—you heard?”
“What happened?”
“There really was a burglary. They must’ve been after donations, but they were so sloppy they dropped everything in the back garden.”
“The children? I heard some were hurt.”
“They only fell down crying in fright. They’re fine—no injuries.”
The rumors had clearly been exaggerated.
“….”
Leviathan finally let out a long breath.
Only then did he realize he hadn’t been breathing properly. His narrowed vision cleared at last.
Children scattered, running off the moment they spotted him. Lady Eurice still looked unsettled.
“The child I brought yesterday…”
His voice caught.
“The child I brought—what about them?”
“Oh, you mean Rubian.”
Leviathan blinked, momentarily blank.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t even asked the child’s name.
“Rubian…”
He tried saying it softly.
Somehow fitting, yet strangely unfitting.
“Where is Rubian now?”
“He suddenly said he had a stomachache and went to the restroom. Though—why hasn’t he come back yet? We still need to test his mana.”
“…Mana test?”
“It’s an imperial order. Something about catching the runaway mage.”
Leviathan’s brows knit tight.
That damned emperor. He’d already been onto it—just wanted to test him.
“Everyone crossing the border is subject to it. And you said you found that child near the border, didn’t you?”
Leviathan clicked his tongue.
“Bring the child. Now.”
“Yes, understood.”
Because of the burglary, the city guard knights were prowling everywhere, swords gleaming threateningly. It made his gut twist.
The environment here… really wasn’t good.
‘Looking closely, this orphanage seems terribly run-down.’
Which was odd.
This was supposed to have been built by remodeling an entire noble mansion.
But the more he looked, the more lacking it seemed—from top to bottom.
“Lady Eurice.”
At that moment, a boy approached.
Golden hair, teal eyes.
Leviathan’s chin tilted slightly.
“Ah, Your Highness. Did you find the facilities suitable?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I’ve learned a lot. I think I’ll be able to fulfill the task His Majesty gave me.”
The boy smiled gently and replied with perfect manners.
“Wait… Duke Jebert.”
“What brings Your Highness here?”
It was the youngest imperial prince.
Licht Babylon. Why on earth was noble blood like him in a place like this?
No—more importantly, how had a burglary happened even with a prince present?
‘This place really is worse than a shack.’
What had he done, leaving the child here?
Leviathan’s frown deepened.
“His Majesty told me to give my thoughts on the new orphanage in the south.”
“Who did?”
“My father, of course.”
“File a report.”
“…Pardon?”
“This is child exploitation.”
Licht scratched his pale cheek with an awkward laugh. The air seemed to soften naturally around him. That dazzling face bore the closest resemblance to the emperor.
At just twelve years old, the prince seemed a little behind in physical growth. But his eyes were sharp—far sharper than most royals.
Leviathan felt conflicted.
‘So you’re already throwing him into the succession war, Dietrian.’
He silently cursed the emperor, royal blood to his bones.
“I don’t mind. I volunteered. But more importantly… I heard there was a commotion. Teacher—”
The prince turned to Eurice.
“The silver-haired child hasn’t been seen since earlier.”
“Hm? Not in the restroom?”
“Nowhere.”
The boy shook his head firmly.
Leviathan’s hands clenched tight.
Nowhere?
Then where—
“Considering what happened, shouldn’t we search properly?”
“With knights helping, yes. This place is too large.”
“Indeed… That child seemed uneasy. I’m worried.”
Leviathan stopped mid-stride, startled.
“Uneasy?”
“Y-Yes.”
Why?
Something inside Leviathan seemed to crumble.
The image of the child, smiling even after that ordeal in the forest, came back to him.
He’d thought such a brave child would surely manage fine here.
‘Was I wrong?’
His hands trembled. He suddenly recalled the child’s voice saying, “Crying won’t fix anything.”
Ah.
That was the face of someone used to enduring.
“They sighed so heavily. And barely ate at all…”
The prince’s flawless face fell in sadness.
“Your Grace?”
“Search outside the mansion!”
Leviathan shot to his feet.
A terrible premonition gnawed at him.
If the prince, with his finely honed aura sense, had searched everywhere and found nothing—
‘That means the child’s already gone.’
Leviathan ran to the stables, seized the reins, and leapt onto a horse.
Outside, the skies had broken into a downpour.
Thunder rumbled. The storming heavens made him uneasy.
People scattered in fright as his horse burst onto the street. Rain stung his cheeks like blades.
Winter wasn’t over yet.
Where could the child have gone, in this weather?
A child used to enduring. A child who hid trembling hands behind a smile.
He should have known.
“Thanks to you, it’s peaceful.”
And yet—
This peaceful place was the capital itself.
Not the harsh, warlike north where one spent every day with sword in hand.
“Damn it.”
That was the truth. Children who’d learned to endure were like flowers blooming in shadow. They needed love and care to blossom.
They needed gentleness—not someone reeking of blood like him. Only then would they peek out from the darkness.
“Can’t you take me with you, Mister?”
And if those words had been the only time the child hadn’t endured—
Leviathan regretted it bitterly.
‘If I’d known it would come to this…’
I should have taken them with me.
If I’d kept them by my side, protected them, this wouldn’t have happened.
‘Damn it. Why do I always get it wrong?’
Go to hell, Leviathan Jebert.
He cursed himself with his whole heart.
Clop-clop-clop!
His horse thundered through the capital, his aura spread to the limit, searching for the child’s presence.
‘If something’s gone wrong—’
He remembered their first meeting.
That child rummaging through corpses’ pockets.
He admitted it—he’d seen his younger self in that image.
“Damn it all!”
BOOM! In a narrow, dark alley, Leviathan exploded with sword energy, unable to contain his agitation.
The wall collapsed in rubble, and a squad of knights rushed over.
“What’s going on—Your Grace?”
It was the Jebert Knight Order, patrolling nearby.
His lieutenant, Leon, hurried to him.
“What are you doing here—”
“Find the child.”
Leviathan’s voice was low, deadly calm.
“…A child?”
“A boy. Silver hair, blue eyes.”
The knights looked bewildered.
He paused, then added:
“His name is Rubian.”
He roughly wiped rain from his face. At the very least, he should’ve asked the child directly.
“Find Rubian.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
The knights scattered.
Leviathan raised the reins without hesitation. Just as he was about to lash them down—
“…Mister?”
A thin voice pierced the pounding rain.
Creak—he turned his head.
From the alley right beside him, a small, familiar silhouette stepped out.
“You…”
Leviathan’s eyes went wide.
