Chapter 25 : That's How I Was Taught

“…….”

“….”

Agoni Piteos and the old man speaking calmly stared at each other.

“……If I am your enemy sent by the Imperial Family, as you say, this place will be discovered anyway even if you kill me.”

“We could buy some time. Or, we could hold you yourself hostage.”

“Even if I'm just an unlucky person unrelated to the Imperial Family who got caught?”

“That's unlikely, but just in case, I will give you two choices.”

The old man held up two fingers at Agoni's answer.

“Die right now, or be captured by our hands until you die.”

Agoni's gaze and the old man's gaze clashed in mid-air.

As the old man approached the prison bars, his murky golden eyes were revealed through his robe.

The old man observed Agoni calmly, and Agoni did not avoid his eyes.

It was Agoni who first broke the subtle war of nerves flowing between them.

“Hahat.”

Seeing the other's eyebrows twitch at his laughter, Agoni tilted his head.

“Let's stop this war of nerves, you who worship Amica.”

Agoni plopped down on the spot, his limbs still bound.

The people outside the prison, who hadn't taken their eyes off him, couldn't hide their bewilderment.

Except for two people: the old man who had been pressuring Agoni, and Ratel.

Looking around at them, Agoni opened his mouth.

“As you can see, I am not at an age to maintain such innocence.”

“What do you mean?”

At the question from the long-bearded old man who was staring at him, Agoni replied with a smirk.

“It means I know you won't kill me.”

Agoni Piteos had fought countless wars and killed many people with his own hands.

Any other brat might have been terrified and unable to think simply, but he was neither that foolish nor that innocent.

“If you could have killed me, you would have started with torture long ago. If you couldn't do that because you were anxious that I might really be an unrelated person, then you aren't the kind of people who can kill me in the first place, and if you were people who didn't care about such things, it means there was a reason you couldn't even touch me. Seeing the old sir's eyes, it seems to be the latter.”

Agoni continued speaking, not taking his eyes off the person in front of him, who was still silent.

“For example, you're afraid that I might be someone who was chosen by Amica and allowed to enter.”

As if Agoni's words were the correct answer, the sound of several people in robes sucking in their breath echoed in the underground jail.

And the old man who had been interrogating Agoni slowly took off the robe he had pulled down.

The white, curly hair and the slightly mischievous-looking face of the old man were revealed.

“You found me out, huh?”

The old man, who spoke playfully as if his dignity from before was a lie, extended his hand to Agoni through the bars.

Agoni was glaring, wondering if he was asking for a handshake from someone with bound limbs, when he saw the ropes binding him instantly break into several pieces and fall to the floor, and he was convinced that he had not made the wrong choice.

***

Sufficient time had passed since I sent the Duke flying to the area under Amica's protection.

I once again pictured the person I must have imagined over 100 times.

A tall young man with black hair and golden eyes.

Duke Piteos might have met him by now.

The protagonist of this novel, the black-haired Ratel.

Because he was growing up and being protected by the hands of those who serve Amica, avoiding the eyes of the Imperial Family.

If that place, like the Empire, also had the original work's starting point moved up, Duke Piteos would probably return to the Empire together with the protagonist.

In the original work, the Duke, who miraculously survived after falling off the cliff, lived as a vagrant and then encountered Ratel who came out of Amica's space, but this time I forced them to meet, so it might proceed a bit faster.

If the world outside the Empire was proceeding according to the original's planned flow, unlike here, the Duke would spend 6 months living there before coming back.

I was a bit worried, but it wouldn't be a bad choice for either the protagonist or him.

And if Amica's space also had its time moved up, and Ratel arrived in the capital a bit faster…….

I paused my thoughts for a moment and looked around.

The high sky, fresh air, green leaves and moss.

It would mean that the days I have left to see this scenery are numbered.

Is it because people tend to become more sentimental when they think it's the last time?

Thinking that I might have to part soon with this place, which was the only thing I liked in the Imperial Castle, made me look around a little more slowly at the things I had just passed by.

Maybe it's because the squeaking fellow wasn't here today that I have this peace of mind.

That squirrel, which had followed me every day when I went to the forest, hadn't shown any bizarre behavior like secretly hiding in my bag since the day I fainted.

It seems that a fellow does know what fear is.

That was a relief.

“Grr.”

I thought, as I looked at the bear, about twice the size of a wolf, which was slowly approaching this way, making a rough snorting sound.

If it had followed me today, it really might have died screaming on the spot.

***

“This place, as you know, Teacher, is where the people who serve Lord Amica live in hiding. Thanks to his protection, we are carrying on our insignificant lives and our noble mission.”

Agoni, or 'Jing' as he was commonly called here, looked with a blank face at the man introducing this strange country to him.

He was one of the younger ones among those wearing robes.

The man, who introduced himself as 'Ren', had received an order from the old man who looked like a cunning snake and was guiding him through this small world called Amica's space.

'Jing' had ended up being guaranteed a certain level of daily life under their surveillance.

But to think they'd even give him a tour like this.

Just letting him out of prison was a kindness to the point where he was worried that the people here were being too considerate of the old man.

He understood they couldn't kill him, but to just let him go like this, wasn't it dangerous from the perspective of those living in hiding?

What if he really was a spy sent by the Imperial Family?

No matter how much they thought he might be a person sent by Amica, wasn't it going too far to try and teach him the geography, every nook and cranny?

Were they confident that he wouldn't be able to escape no matter what he did, with the power they had?

Or was there something they wanted from him?

In the first place, wasn't there a reason they couldn't just keep watching and had to come see him, who they had left neglected in prison?

“Am I walking too fast?”

As Jing fell a little behind while being suspicious of these people who had changed their attitude as fast as flipping their palm, the man walking ahead glanced at his right leg, which was still in a splint, and asked.

“Ah.”

Jing shook his head, wondering if he looked like he was scanning the outside of the prison too meticulously.

“No. The scenery was so nice that I was looking around.”

At that answer, the other person furrowed his eyebrows slightly and then faced forward again.

He didn't hide his expression, which showed he didn't like having him left here unharmed, but now he was even giving him a tour as per that old man's instructions. Was he the type to absolutely obey his superior's words?

“I tend to walk a bit fast, so if you're in pain anywhere, please tell me right away. It will be more troublesome if you suddenly collapse in the middle.”

Looking at his back as he spat out the words coldly without even looking his way, Jing tilted his head.

……Or is he just soft-hearted, like a peach?

That mean-looking old geezer didn't seem that way, though.

Hiding his puzzled heart, Jing followed the man, who was walking at a slightly slower pace.

***

To define this place as simply a village, its scale was large, and there seemed to be quite a few people living here.

He didn't see anyone specialized in combat, either.

Duke Piteos, who was gauging the opponent's military strength, suddenly lifted his head and momentarily stopped thinking at the blue sky that filled his eyes.

No, more than that, if he had to choose one word to describe this place, yes, this place was 'beautiful.'

To the extent that it wasn't an empty word to say that his feet lingered for a long time because the scenery from earlier was beautiful.

With the wide-open plains at their back, old but clean, low white buildings gathered to form a village.

The people seemed to be living their daily lives quietly and diligently.

Everything was peaceful.

The high, blue sky he looked up at was spread out wide, as if to swallow him.

This nameless country was clearly a space under a different sky than Abalan.

God Amica.

A vanished god whose face is not even passed down now.

Not much was known about those who believe in Amica.

Only the fact that there were people who believed in Amica before Duke Agoni Piteos was born remained like an old tale among the elderly.

Agoni Piteos also grew up listening to such stories.

And around the time he just started to formally receive successor education, he heard the news, without difficulty, that all the last remaining remnants had been caught.

From his father.

It was a dim memory now, but at the time, he was proud of the story that his father had subjugated those barbarian-like people.

That the Piteos Ducal Family had once again taken the lead for the Imperial Family and defeated the heretics.

That they had finally defeated all the dangerous and violent heretics.

……That's how he was taught.

***

After touring this place once, the man named Ren and Jing returned to the temple, which was separate from where the people resided.

“Ren.”

A black-haired young man walked out as if he had been waiting for them at the entrance.

He was the one who had dragged Jing to this place.

His name was Ratel, he said.

“The Elder is waiting inside.”

Ren, who nodded once, gestured with his eyes toward Jing, and this time, he headed into the temple with Ren in front and the young man named Ratel behind.

The path into the temple, which was quite large compared to other houses, was long.

They were both quiet when guiding him outside.

Just because one more person who seemed quiet, much like Ren, had joined, it was unlikely that a cheerful conversation would suddenly spring up among the three.

Jing didn't feel the need to speak first either, so he just walked following them.

Thud.

Thud.

Clank.

Clank.

Amidst the silence, the sound of Ren's shoes and the sound of the sword hanging on Ratel's waist shaking created a constant rhythm.

Seeing the two move as if they had matched their walking speed and stride, he thought he might have laughed a little.

“Are you two father and son?”

It was an uncharacteristically impulsive remark.

Because it was fascinating how the two exuded a similar atmosphere, even though their faces were completely different.

It came out because it reminded him of his dear son, whom he left behind in the Empire.

“No, I have no parents.”

At the calm reply coming from right behind him, Jing had to struggle not to smack his own mouth.

“Ah, my apologies. This old man spoke thoughtlessly out of turn.”

“…….”

Ratel gave no particular answer, and the three of them had to move in a silence that was heavier than before.

Jing moved his heavy feet, vowing that if Ratel ever offered to tie his limbs again, he would let him tie him up without resistance at least once.

***

“This time, 'again', the construction has to be delayed?”

Tollin, who muttered without realizing, tried hard not to show his irritation, but his emotions boiled over, and he quietly threw the gold-decorated letter.

Horrified at that sight, his aide, Pale, quickly picked up the flown letter before anyone could see and placed it neatly back on the desk.

“Th, it seemed to be that the Imperial Family had a little problem procuring the necessary lumber.”

Pale opened his mouth to try and do something, even though he knew his own words wouldn't cool Tollin's anger.

“I'm sorry.”

And he apologized immediately.

The Imperial Family had a surplus of people who would invent miraculous alchemy if ordered to procure a flying lion by tomorrow.

Tollin, Pale, and even a passing beggar knew that they couldn't possibly fail to procure measly lumber, even if it meant cutting down a tree made of gold.

“Get out.”

“Yes.”

Pale bowed and carefully exited the room.

He saw Tollin burying his face in both hands through the slightly closing door.

“Hoo.”

Pale left Tollin's office and walked, letting out the breath he had been holding.

Pale thought that if Prince Rasia's purpose was to bleed Tollin dry, it wouldn't take very long.

Since the noble council was convened, Prince Rasia had refused the ducal family's requests several times.

No, if it was a complete refusal, he would have understood and started the construction on his own, but the problem was that he was pushing it back, giving various reasons.

Reasons so insincere that this lumber issue could almost be called logical in comparison.

Tollin seemed to have a throbbing headache, not knowing what on earth the Imperial Family wanted.

Pale, who was watching it, felt like he too was withering away day by day.

“Did something happen to Tollin?”

“Heok!!”

At the sudden appearance of a small doll, Pale made an unsightly sound and stumbled backward.