Chapter 77 – Gap.
A silver-haired man is walking down the hallway.
“Excellent.”
He murmured, remembering the sparring between the knights under his command and Donnar. In fact, even assuming that the crayfish were in an imperfect state, their ability was already proven in that they killed crayfish and brought back their shells as trophies. It is not that there was no precedent for catching crayfish in Lantua, but it is all the more so in that the shell was obtained more intact in a worse situation. Even so, the reason he sparred them was because he wanted to see their skills with his own eyes.
“The problem is that it’s too good.”
Heath, who was walking beside him, added, It was as his aide said. Even if it’s great, it has to be in moderation. But did they underestimate the prestige of Paciphenia? It was not expected that even one of the guards, who were proud of being elite, would not win. If it’s just a loss, I won’t say anything.
“How were you, Gregory?”
He asked another person he was walking with. He was also an attendant who accompanied him on his inspection, and was also a knight who had just competed with Donard.
“It’s not enough to say it’s simply great. I didn’t think I was going to win it the usual way.”
He and Heath both had their own discerning eyes, but Heath hardened his expression because it meant something different for the person in question to talk like that.
“Are you really going to accept them?”
Giving him the title of knight was the same as saying that he would make him a vassal, at least from the perspective of the lord or king who ruled the land. It is different from hiring simple mercenaries. Instead of buying their armed forces, they had to take care of their families and real lives, but it was no different than half-collateralizing their families, so it could be said that it was a fair deal in its own way. Because there is little risk of betrayal by force.
“Few of them had families.”
It’s good to hire knights with that level of skill. The stronger the force that can protect Yeongjimin, the worse it is. However, the problem was that there were not too many people who could say that they had a family. That meant that there were no reins to control the force. Because Heath didn’t like them.
“There is no force beyond your control.”
“What is Gregory’s opinion?”
He listened to Heath and then asked Gregory.
“I don’t think it’s too bad.”
“The reason is?”
“I watched them. They weren’t the ones to rebel against.”
“People change someday. And I think it’s too early to judge what kind of people they are after watching them for just two days.”
As the man frowned, Gregory nodded his head.
“That’s not the only reason. Their skills as knights are unparalleled. If you share or compete with their know-how, the average of the knights will rise.”
“Go ahead.”
“Also, if you leave them unattended, they will surely catch the eye of others. That level of skill cannot be hidden by hiding it.”
It might be fortunate if he became a mercenary by making use of his special skills. However, among those who would notice them, there might be humans from other territories, and in the worst case, they would join a criminal organization that would be located within the territories. Gregory was most concerned about that.
“So you’d rather keep it in your hand and watch it? Sir Gregory.”
“Yes that’s right.”
Heath nodded at his words. For that reason, they could understand. That was when it seemed that the conclusion had been made. A small figure protruding from the corner of the hallway collided with him.
“Oops!”
It was such a light shock that the man could barely tell that he had bumped into something, but seeing that the opponent bounced off and at the same time the red threads were flying, the man reached out his hand before he even thought and grabbed the opponent who was about to fall. The opponent he bumped into was a girl who had come with the guild this time. The girl’s waist in his hand was so thin that it looked like it was about to crumble. Thinking that she is about to fall, the girl who had been keeping her eyes closed, wonders and opens them.
“…?”
And the man stopped breathing for a moment at the golden light he encountered. He was just too much like him. It was a fact he was trying to ignore, but when he faced it so close, he couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to. It wasn’t until her girl wriggled out of his hand, avoiding her gaze as if he was burdensome, that he realized he’d been holding her too long. Soon the girl, without saying a word, bowed her head to him to thank him, picked up the small bottle that had fallen from bumping into him, and disappeared as if running away.
He couldn’t bear to let go of his lingering feelings and looked at the girl’s back as he walked away. The back of the girl rushing somewhere overlapped with her back when she was little and played tag with him. What makes her remember her memories with her that she was barely ignoring? He knew at least that the girl was not at fault. Even though she knew that they were just alike, she couldn’t let go of the girl’s scent of memories.
“I’ve heard the maids talk, but you really look a lot like the lady.”
“…Okay.”
Also, it may be even more so because it is not his idea. Everyone who remembers her thinks the same, so she can’t let go of her lingering feelings. Looking at the place where the girl disappeared, he immediately smelled the scent he missed. It is similar to the smell of other grasses, but somewhat more bitter and the scent of dry grass leaves. He looked at the place where the girl had stayed for a while at the scent he had never smelled recently.
A small amount of green powder was spilled there. Even though he thought it was ridiculous, he gathered up a handful of green powder and held it. Really, if this is really what he knows…
“Gregory, make a cut on the tip of your finger. It’s enough to ooze out a little blood.”
“Yes.”
At his command, Gregory immediately took off his gauntlet and thrust the dagger into his own fingertip. Watching the shallow seep of blood, he sprinkled the green powder he had just picked up on his wound. And sure enough, a wound that disappears quickly. It was a shallow cut, but the wound that existed there had disappeared without leaving a trace.
“Are you hurt?”
“Could this be the madam’s?”
Gregory was startled, and Hiss, who had seen it, looked at him as if he had guessed something.
“Yes, it’s Mumiya.”
There are really few people who know about the existence of this drug. It would be something you wouldn’t be able to see unless you received the witch’s favor. If it wasn’t for her, he probably would have lived his whole life without knowing it.
“That means that girl too…”
“Stop it, it’s still too early to be sure.”
He interrupted Heath. If you even say it yourself, you won’t be able to take it back anymore. It was a brutal thing because he was already convinced that he was saying that. He squeezed his trembling hands.
“Let’s go to Sasha’s room.”
He was fed up with the contradictory feeling of wishing he was wrong and wishing he was right. Soon it will be time for luncheon to begin.
“…”
After finding something in Sasha’s room that would either confirm or disprove his thoughts, and give it to Heath, he entered the dinner hall. He was able to locate the girl without difficulty. His red hair couldn’t go unnoticed. It was even harder for him to pretend not to know if silver hair like him was next to him.
“You look happy.”
His daughter was talking and laughing with the girl and the boy next to her. It was such a rare sight that he had to keep his eyes on it in some way. Then, noticing that he had come, he saw Medea returning to her seat.
“Do you like those children?”
Mediah opened her eyes wide as if he was surprised by his question, but she soon came back to her senses and said resolutely.
“Yeah, I think I’d be fine with a conversation with kids like that.”
“Is it.”
I could see that he was trying to talk as casually as possible, but how many years had he lived on this floor? My daughter’s fidgeting about telling me not to hang out with her could easily catch my eye without much effort. She had dealt with all kinds of squirrels and old raccoons, and her Medea’s behavior to him was really cute. Apart from him, she didn’t reveal her true feelings even to her father, which made him bitter, but he couldn’t say anything.
Even if you think about it yourself, he wasn’t a very good father to Mediah. All he could do was receive reports from his aide, Heath, about her life, and watch from a distance where she couldn’t notice. Even when they had dinner together, the only conversation between father and daughter was obligatory asking how the day went. Even in the midst of that, he did not make eye contact with Medea. It was my daughter who looked more like him than her wife, but she resembled my wife as much as her amethyst eyes.
Since then, he has not spoken to Medea. He thought that saying more would only make him uneasy. As expected, Medea let out a sigh as if relieved after looking at him. He pretended not to know the regret mixed with her sigh. She might be my daughter’s friend, she might do something to a girl she doesn’t know, and there’s no way she’ll ever try to do well. He still couldn’t get out of his wife’s shadow. Then the door to the banquet hall opened. It was Heath who opened the door and entered.
People’s gazes rushed to them for a moment, but they soon lost interest and focused on their meal. However, that much was met with Heath’s gaze. Just as Heath was on his way to him, there was a place where a girl and a boy were eating. Heath was approaching him with the same expressionless expression as usual, but in his gloved hand was a pendant with a transparent jewel. I held it cleverly so that no one else could see it and watched as it approached him.
The hand he was eating had slowed down without being aware of it. All eyes focused on the pendant Heath was holding. Heath’s gait wasn’t slow, but everything seemed slow, as if the world was moving slowly. It was the moment when Heath passed by the girl. The jewel on her pendant was dyed red the same color as hers. He almost dropped his fork as his hand gave out. This made it clear. The girl was a witch.
What ironic fate is this? He knew he would no longer be able to tell her girl from her.
“What do you mean by that?”
After the luncheon, Donnar was having a private confrontation with the man. There was an attendant behind him, but he was almost alone. The reason was because of their employment. Actually, it wasn’t a problem from the beginning. The man decided to hire them. Depending on your performance, you could be treated better, but it was natural that you could be disadvantaged in the opposite case, so it didn’t matter. But the problem was in Donard’s case.
He wanted to live as a mercenary rather than stay here and become a knight. The man didn’t allow it.
“It’s a simple story. There are things I don’t want to let go of talented people like you, but the problem is that I don’t know how to behave to leave them alone in the manor.”
“That!”
“Also, it’s more of a problem that you’re their leader. If it’s others, they can be kind to you, but if you’re not involved, what about controlling and leading others?”
Donnar shut his mouth at the man’s words. Come to think of it, it was strange that they passed through the castle walls smoothly. Perhaps, it would not be strange to be barred from the doorstep. Besides, he must have thought that it would be difficult for a man to fall for him who had been leading them. He could have asked for more.
“Still, if you don’t like this place, depending on your performance, you may be given a separate territory. I don’t know how many years it will take, but if there is a place you like, it would be better to tell them in advance.”
In the end, he had no choice but to accept the man’s words. Even if he ignores his offer and becomes a mercenary, this is his front yard. He didn’t know what method to use. Also, as long as he keeps his contract, it’s rare that he’ll be as stable as this.
“Then, please take care of me from now on. Sir Donnar.”
Donard responded politely as his vassal.
“… I would also like to ask you well. Aiolos-sama.”
