Chapter 37 – Practice
“···Did. So Father Leonard said this. ···”
After proudly revealing Leonard’s skills, Robin’s face turned red, and he began to talk about Leonard’s accomplishments with enthusiasm.
The sight of him listing his achievements without the slightest hesitation was clearly a die-hard fan.
I knew he admired Leonard, but I never thought it would be like this.
“So?”
Although he looked a little agitated, he had been curious about Leonard’s identity for a long time, so instead of trying to stop him, he confronted him.
Robin got even more excited and spoke out the information about Leonard.
Thanks to Jun, he was able to find out that Leonard was a ranker in the Labyrinth Demon Castle, and at the very top.
“The more I think about it, the more I regret it. “If the priest had been working as a ranker until now, he would have definitely reached the deepest part of the labyrinth.”
“Father, why did you retire? Since you are in good health, I don’t think you retired because of your health.”
“I do not know. One day, he suddenly disappeared with the party members he was working with, and just as suddenly as before, he came here to Primuni. Standing holding his newborn son, Leon.”
Robin, who had said that far, continued speaking cautiously, observing Jun’s thoughts.
“By coincidence, something important happened to the country before he disappeared and reappeared. Do you know what happened?”
Robin gives a subtle look as if telling him to ask a question.
His story was very interesting, but Jun didn’t want to ask him questions.
This is because it was thought that there are things in the world that are good to not know, and the content that follows is of that type.
It definitely gets annoying when you hear it. Jun intuitively decided that.
Hwihwihwihwi~
Jun pretended not to be interested, staring into space and blowing a whistle he couldn’t even blow.
Fortuna followed suit and whistled to make a noise.
The two people looked at each other and vowed to practice whistling seriously sometime.
Anyway, despite the two people’s efforts to intentionally stay away from the topic, Robin opened his mouth regardless.
“Before he disappeared, His Majesty the previous emperor died suddenly, and a few days after his disappearance, a new emperor ascended the throne, appointed a saint, and became the youngest vice-dean of the Imperial Academy, causing an uproar in the empire. Five years later, a few days before his reappearance, the saint died suddenly. At that time, there were rumors that she had become a saint, but due to her sudden death, those rumors quickly died down.”
“Ha~. Just say it calmly. Among the priest’s party members were a new Emperor and a Saint, and Leon may be their child.”
Jun said with an annoyed expression, as if asking why he was doing something so useless.
A shocked expression appeared on Robin’s face at the completely different reaction than expected.
“… I’m not surprised.”
“The priest hinted to Port. Well, I just thought he was descended from the royal family, but I didn’t know that he was a direct descendant of the royal family and the son of a saint.”
Jun thought of Leon and shook his head.
He was really worried that his life would be more difficult and difficult than he thought.
However, Jun’s thoughts only stopped there.
As a friend of 10 years who was like his family, I was worried, but I had no desire to be with him at all.
Well, it feels like I’m already a little involved.
“So why are you suddenly saying that? “You’re not saying this because there’s a reason.”
From what I’ve seen together, Robin sometimes cracks jokes, but he’s basically the type of person who only says what’s necessary.
Even though he showed that he didn’t want to hear it, there must have been a good reason for him to bring it up.
“It has been 10 months since the coming-of-age ceremony for the 1st Prince, the son born to the Marquis’s daughter upon His Majesty’s accession to the throne. However, he has not yet been officially appointed as crown prince. As long as the first prince has no defects, it is customary to appoint him as crown prince at the same time as the coming of age ceremony.”
“… I guess my butt is burning. So he must have tried to find the reason.”
“I think 10 months will be enough time to find the reason. What do you think?”
“I hate to admit it, but… I agree.”
Jun, whose heart suddenly felt heavy, raised his head and looked up at the blue sky.
He stared blankly at the peacefully drifting clouds and continued speaking after a while.
“The village is going to be very noisy in the future.”
“You won’t be able to act openly. Because Primuni Village is under the jurisdiction of Remumuni.”
Although the labyrinth city of Remumuni and its villages were located within the empire, it was an autonomous city that received formal autonomy from the emperor.
It was the headquarters of the church, and there were many skilled adventurers, so even the emperor could not easily touch the labyrinth city and the villages under its jurisdiction.
That’s probably why Leonard settled here with Leon.
In any case, the village will not be devastated in one night without any rat or bird knowing. Maybe.
Shock!
‘Wait a minute, aren’t I really in danger right now?’
At least Leon’s enemies will try to assassinate him.
Although I didn’t know much about assassination, I only knew that assassins aim for the optimal timing to assassinate their targets by using various cultural artifacts from their past lives.
So how do assassins hide around Leon?
Will they hover around him, disguised as travelers wandering the world or immigrants trying to settle down in the village?
In Jun’s opinion, the probability of that happening was very small.
Primuni Village is a rural village with little influx from outside, so visiting without any connections would only arouse suspicion.
So, the assassins will definitely disguise themselves as existing villagers and try to hang around Leon.
What is important here is that there is a very high probability that the assassins will choose a villager to disguise themselves as…
‘It’s going to be me (Jun).’
Outside the village 3 = There is little contact with people, so the probability of your disguise being discovered is low.
Closeness to the target = Being able to naturally approach the target.
Simply looking at the two points above, Jun was the best target for assassins to disguise themselves.
He was able to make up for his small size and appearance with his abilities.
Therefore, the assassins will come for Leon first before targeting him.
Because there can’t be two identical people in this world.
When Jun’s thoughts reached this point, he couldn’t help but ask.
“Did you intentionally let me stay in the cabin to draw the assassins’ attention to me?”
“What! Are you trying to use Jun as bait? Man, it’s true!”
Jun and Fortuna opened their eyes fiercely and glared at Robin.
It is not yet clear whether Robin had such intentions, but it is true that Jun’s chances of becoming a target of assassins has increased, so even if he had not had such intentions, the way people looked at him could not have been kinder.
Upon seeing the two people’s gazes, Robin immediately lowered his head and spoke as if he had no name.
“You may not believe it, but the reason I let you stay here was to truly teach you. “It was only recently that I and the priest realized that you are highly likely to be targeted by assassins.”
“Say that now!”
“I will believe it.”
“June! How can you believe that?”
Jun calmed down the excited Fortuna and pointed to the cabin with his finger.
His finger was pointing exactly toward Henney’s room.
“If Uncle Robin had intended to do that, he would have refused from the beginning or made me stay somewhere else. Because there is Henny here.”
“Ah.”
There is no way Robin, who loves his children so much, would allow Jun, who is likely to become a target of assassins, to stay near Hennie.
If he stays nearby, he’ll probably be eliminated as well.
Fortuna nodded her head in understanding. However, the gaze looking at Robin was still harsh.
Well, it was the same for Jun.
“Uncle Robin, it looks like you are cooperating with the priest, is that correct?”
“Yes, he owed me a lot back in the day.”
“Are you still planning on helping? Her life will be in danger. Not just you, but Hennie too.”
Unless he becomes the crown prince, or even if he does, he will continue to try to kill Leon, who could shake his position.
Leonard would protect Leon from that demon, and helping him meant giving up half his life.
Not only yourself but also those around you.
“…”
Robin said nothing and made a painful expression.
Jun stared at that face, then turned around and started walking toward the cabin.
“Where are you going?”
“I don’t want to lose my life because I got caught up in a power struggle between my superiors. First, I’m going to go back to the church and ask the priest to send me to another church. “If I am rejected, I will leave this village, even if it means becoming Lawrence’s adopted son.”
June had no reason to risk her life to help them like Robin did.
There were still many skills to learn from Robin, but they were not more valuable than her life.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute.”
“… Of course.”
Jun obediently stopped walking when Robin stopped him.
It wasn’t because she changed her mind.
Ridge! Dung!
As if the timing was right, he was approaching from far away.
