Chapter 43 : First Impression (1)

“What do you mean you can’t go back?”

“Exactly what I said.”

Ratel, answering Jing who asked with a sigh, drew his sword from its sheath in front of him.

And then he plunged it straight into the ground.

Jing reflexively furrowed his brow, wondering if a marvelous and dazzling sight would unfold as he had seen in the cave before.

But there was no need; the forest remained still.

“Normally, doing this should open the gate.”

“You could do it from anywhere?!”

“Because the location isn’t what’s important.”

Jing wrapped his head in both hands, unable to decide whether he should be angry at him for silently following behind him while I made meaningless efforts in Amica’s space, or if he should be furious about being saddled with this dense young man before him.

“……Are we unable to go back forever?”

“I'm not sure. It seems to be the Elder's will, however.”

“No, if he could close the gate from the beginning, why did he keep me captive for so long?”

“Ah, that's different. Because nobody knows how you got inside, Jing.”

Ratel shook his sword at the dumbfounded Jing.

“I was searching for you to ask that. To see if there was another way to get inside. We met sooner than I thought.”

It wasn't an incomprehensible reason, but Jing's head ached even more.

“I’m sorry, but there's nothing I can do to help. I really don't know how to get in there. This isn't a lie.”

“You said that confidently before you knocked me out, too. You also confidently limped on your healed leg.”

Damn it.

Jing shook his head, looking at Ratel, who held a grudge longer than he thought.

“What would I gain from lying to you right now? If my goal was really to get in there, would I have just left you in the forest?”

“Well, that's true.”

Ratel, who answered obediently, stroked his chin for a moment organizing his thoughts, then shrugged.

“Even so, I don't have many options.”

“So. You're going to keep following me?”

Ratel didn't answer, but he looked firm, as if he had already made up his mind.

......Should I knock him out and run away again?

Seeing his movements when he caught the thieves, it didn't look easy, but it didn't seem impossible.

As if reading contemplating Jing's mind, Ratel added.

“For reference, it won't be easy to run away this time. I have no one to protect right now, and I don't plan on being careless.”

Jing, stung, cleared his throat and answered.

“Ahem, I wasn't thinking anything of the sort. It's just...... as you can see, I have nothing. It will be quite inconvenient for a young man to travel with me. No weapons, no money,”

“You don't have to worry about that.”

Ratel replied confidently to Jing's rambling.

He fumbled inside his chest and took out a rather heavy pouch.

“I made sure to grab the fullest pouch.”

His face was expressionless, but he seemed proud.

Watching Ratel, who was proud of quickly grabbing the money even while fleeing, Jing had to struggle not to sigh openly.

For Jing, who had only had the well-behaved Tollin and the mature-like Little Duke as children around him, Ratel’s behavior, so different from theirs, was bound to be bewildering.

‘Tollin sometimes had a cunning side, but I never worried about him in this regard.’

Jing, still unaware of what Tollin was up to in the capital after his death, lamented inwardly.

No matter how he looked at it, he could only see a future that would become troublesome.

As expected, I should knock him out again…….

Cling.

“Did you say something?”

Ratel checked the blade as he drew the sword from its sheath.

The clear light of the gleaming blade stabbed Jing’s eyes.

Jing, who had momentarily taken a stance, quickly relaxed his body.

“I haven't said anything yet.”

Ratel looked at him suspiciously, so Jing opened his mouth to divert his attention.

“Th-that's impressive. For now...... you hold onto that. Let's think about what you should do after we get out of the forest.”

And let's part ways as soon as possible. Swallowing those last words, Jing led the way.

***

After a late lunch, the ducal mansion exuded a restless atmosphere.

The expressions of the servants, changing the flowers in the vases decorating the hallway and carrying tableware rarely seen, were all fraught with tension.

A tray pulled by a maid hurrying down the hallway was fully loaded with a splendid teapot and tea set, rarely used in the ducal family.

It was not easy for someone to visit the ducal family so suddenly.

To the extent that the visit of the Crisa brothers a few weeks ago could be called exceptional.

There was only one party for whom the Piteos family would prepare such a lavish reception.

“The Imperial Family……”

Knock knock.

“Flinn, it's Tollin.”

The Little Duke, who had muttered unknowingly, clenched and unclenched his fist a few times before answering as calmly as possible.

“Come in.”

Tollin, who opened the door and entered, was dressed more neatly than usual, but he could not hide his pale face.

“It seems you must prepare quickly. The 2nd Prince says he is visiting the ducal family now.”

***

“Your Highness, we have almost arrived at the Piteos ducal family.”

At the polite guidance from outside the carriage, Dito Abalan smiled brightly and looked at the beautiful old castle visible outside the window.

It was a family that had firmly protected that position for a very long time.

Since the time of the first Sierra Abalan, even if the appearance changed slightly, the dog protecting him had its lineage continued by its child's child.

Dito Abalan, too, quite liked that castle.

To the extent that he would feel sad if the castle disappeared.

So he hadn't really thought about catching the guard dog.

Dito Abalan tapped the window reflecting the castle with his finger.

When you think about it, what I like is the castle, not the dog, right?

So even if the castle's watch-dog changed, its owner had nothing to feel sad about.

And there was no need to silently watch them keep what they had intercepted.

***

“You must be very nervous.”

Tollin, glancing at the Little Duke's stiff profile, asked carefully.

“……To be honest, I am.”

Tollin, who had intended to ease his tension, ended up laughing a little at the honest and solemn answer.

“You will do well. You are of Agoni bloodline, after all.”

At Tollin’s confident words, the Little Duke had to debate whether or not to mention that his father had confessed he almost collapsed, his legs giving way, the first day he met the Imperial Family.

“And even if you do make a mistake, Little Duke.”

Misunderstanding that stiff face for something, Tollin cleared his throat once and spoke again.

“Do you remember what I told you before? That at your position in life, Little Duke, you can use shortcuts as much as you want.”

“You also said, within the limits of my capabilities.”

He's sharp.

Proud of the Little Duke, who didn't lose his cleverness as always even in a tense moment, Tollin smiled brightly.

“When we are beside you, you can cross the line just a little bit. This Tollin will handle it somehow.”

At the playful gesture of tapping his chest and straightening his back, the Little Duke finally relaxed a little and showed a shallow laugh.

Relieved by that smile, Tollin schooled his expression again and led him to the entrance.

The splendid golden carriage that crossed the garden came to a smooth stop.

“His Highness the 2nd Prince, Dito Abalan.”

With the solemn announcement, an attendant with crisp movements immediately approached the carriage door.

Gulp.

The Little Duke, who swallowed, couldn't hide his obviously tense face and fixed his gaze.

He remembered the words the Duke Piteos had conveyed while stroking the child's head sometime in the not-too-distant past.

-Flinn, the Imperial Family is god itself. Everything is nothing but mere dust before them. The day will come when you face them directly.

It was probably the answer to the question of how it felt to see the Imperial Family for the first time.

The gentle face that had added the joke about almost collapsing with buckling knees on the first day they met came to mind, and the Little Duke hardened his eyes.

Because now was not the time to be lost in memories.

Kkiik--Thak.

The sound of the well-oiled carriage door opening was so quiet it was almost inaudible.

But perhaps because of the presence of the person who disembarked from within, to the Little Duke's ears, it sounded as loud as thunder.

The child thought for a moment that every living thing around him had stopped breathing.

“Everyone must be in trouble because of my sudden visit.”

A playful voice landed on the crown of the Little Duke's head.

The child lifted his stiffened head.

A golden god, whose very existence was enchanting, was looking down at him.

It felt like something hot would flow from their met eyes.

“I-I greet His Highness the Prince.”

With a trembling voice, the Little Duke paid his respects.

As always, the child's father was right.

The entire world must exist for the Imperial Family.

If that weren't true, there was no way the desire to kneel and pledge loyalty would spring up, even at the simple act of him raising the corners of his mouth upon seeing him.

***

Mir steadied his breathing as he looked at the line formed far away to receive bread and blankets.

The place where materials used to come and go, supposedly to build a hospital, had its construction halted long ago.

It was after that that his comrades from the street began to disappear one by one.

The children living gathered in the empty lot were a collection of those who had noticed something more, and among them, were the ones who had given up on asking adults for help the fastest.

Mir was the child among them who had most thoroughly kept his distance from this building.

But now, that place was the most likely location where Seya had been taken.

Jill had clearly said a large man had come to help the children, and Jin had said that a large man had taken Seya.

Mir knew who the only people were who reached out their hands to the vagrant children of the street.

The child hunched his small body even more and moved his steps toward the line.

***

In the Piteos family's largest drawing room, so sparkling one would believe it had been newly constructed, the fragrant scent of tea and taut tension, two mismatched elements, blended, creating a nervousness that made any observer want to run out the door immediately.

The very person who created this atmosphere, Dito Abalan, raised his teacup to his lips with a faint smiling face.

“Well, since it’s hard to even force this slop down my throat, shall we get straight to the point?”

The Little Duke flinched, his shoulders trembling at the 2nd Prince's sharp yet smooth words that broke the silence.

“I am just sorry for not being able to serve tea befitting one so noble. My knowledge of tea leaves is lacking, so the variety was not diverse.”

At Tollin’s apology, the 2nd Prince set down his teacup without a word.

His crisp posture was even noble at a glance, and the Little Duke forgot his fear for a moment and took in the sight.

The child recalled the stories of the Imperial Family that Duke Piteos had once told him, full of melancholy.

-The Imperial Family are the emissaries of god, Flinn. If the day comes when you face them directly, you will know what I mean.

His words were right.

The Little Duke understood Duke Piteos's words.

The moment he faced the 2nd Prince, who slowly and leisurely stepped out of the golden carriage door that looked like it could fit in the ducal family's smallest room, the thought that his every step, every gesture, everything was noble, and an impulse to kneel before him immediately enveloped the child.

If not for what happened to Duke Piteos, he probably would have gladly done so.

The Little Duke was able to stop at just bowing his waist in greeting.

And this was quite a meaningful step.

“The Crisa family's matter is truly regrettable, Tollin Crisa.”

Though it vanished quickly in the gust of wind created by Dito's loaded sentence.