Chapter 39
“Why are you here?”
“My instincts from my days as a doctor told me there’d be a patient in this castle, so I came running!”
To Loray’s serious question, Payton answered playfully, clearly showing he had no intention of giving a sincere reply.
But when Loray continued to glare at him, Payton stuck out his lower lip in mock offense.
“Why does everyone always think the worst of me? One of these days, I really might start crying, you know.”
He rubbed at his perfectly dry eyes in a poor imitation of tears.
Loray let out a sigh, well aware that once Payton decided to clam up, no amount of questioning would yield a straight answer.
It was only natural to be suspicious of Payton’s sudden arrival, but Loray held back from reacting too harshly. After all, he had heard something when he visited the Aros estate.
That sly, smiling face.
“Did you get the gift I sent?”
“No gift ever arrived for the young lady.”
“What do you mean? I sent plenty.”
Loray had frowned at the voice tinged with laughter.
“What are you talking about?”
The person had let out a loud laugh, then slowly extended one finger at a time as they explained.
“The brother who vowed to become her sword has started to take steps forward, and Payton is by her side now. I assure you, Payton will make a good shield.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Edmund died. Right in front of Payton. Don’t you wonder why he didn’t save him?”
“…Because of an order, I suppose.”
“Exactly. Payton must be brimming with resentment about those orders. All it needs now is a spark.”
“…Are you saying you planned everything that’s happened so far just for that?”
The one Loray questioned simply shrugged, their long, watery-blue hair shimmering like jewels.
“That genius mind of yours can’t grasp a more intricate plan? The young lady nearly got herself killed.”
“Which is why I sent Lucion.”
“You should have sent someone who actually knew what kind of person Salia was. You didn’t need to get her poisoned!”
“A lifesaver—he’d gain her trust much faster that way.”
“You sent Lucion on purpose?”
“You know I don’t act randomly or carelessly.”
Loray’s fist clenched tightly, but in the end, there had been no real harm done to Sophia.
“Payton could obey Rang’s orders at any time. How could you leave him with the young lady like that…?”
“Didn’t you hear me? I don’t act without thinking.”
“Then maybe share that thinking with others once in a while!”
“I don’t take advice from those dumber than me.”
With a bitter smile, the other swirled their tea. It had long gone cold, the scent vanished.
“Trust me, Rona.”
“Stop calling me that, please.”
“Fine, Loray.”
…
“No one hates Rang as much as I do.”
That face, and those words—Loray had no choice but to trust them.
If Payton’s presence in this castle was part of some grand scheme by a certain someone, then all Loray could do was remain vigilant.
“If you pull anything in this castle, I’ll have you kicked out immediately.”
“I couldn’t even if I wanted to. You know I’m powerless now.”
“I’m like a paper doll,” Payton said, flapping his arms playfully.
Loray, no longer finding the exchange worth his time, decided to return to his duties.
“Oh, you’re leaving already?”
“Unlike you, I have things to do.”
With that, Loray left, and Payton, now bored, glanced toward the door Sophia had exited through. He hadn’t said it, but her excitement and joy over her first outing had been obvious on her face.
She looked like an ordinary child at first glance.
Payton mulled over Sophia briefly, then quickly erased her from his thoughts and walked off. His steps eventually brought him to the garden.
As he wandered and glanced around, a boy about Sophia’s height appeared before him.
“Can I help you?” the boy asked.
He had dark red hair, tied back in a short ponytail. Payton studied him for a moment before smiling and asking,
“Hey, kid, do you know about a flower called Salia?”
“Oh, yes.”
It had once been planted in the garden, but Joshua had gotten upset and ripped it out—so it was no longer there.
The question struck the boy as odd, and he tilted his head slightly, but Payton continued without a care.
“Then have you ever touched that flower?”
“Yes… but why?”
“No reason, I was just curious!”
With a sunny smile, Payton patted the boy’s head a couple of times.
Found it. Pink Salia.
The carriage, which had been racing down the road, came to a stop.
Joshua stepped out first and reached into the cabin, offering his hand to Sophia.
“Careful, now…”
Taking his hand, Sophia managed to descend from the carriage more easily.
As Benjamin followed behind, Sophia became mesmerized by the unfamiliar sights around her.
The towering clock tower of Lookford Square, the bustling street vendors lining the roads.
Children shouting as they sold newspapers, merchants enjoying casual card games at sidewalk tables, customers inspecting fruits carefully before buying, the heartwarming scent of freshly baked bread wafting from a bakery.
Completely absorbed in the city’s liveliness, Sophia failed to pay attention to her surroundings—and was bumped by a rushing child.
She staggered, almost falling, but Benjamin caught her just in time.
“I’m sorry!”
“Miss, let’s slow down a bit…! Mont Blanc isn’t going anywhere!”
The girl with brown hair didn’t even look back as she apologized and sprinted away. A young servant followed behind, arms overflowing with parcels—how he intended to keep up was anyone’s guess.
Benjamin muttered quietly, glancing around.
“So many people…”
It wasn’t just the girl—there were enough people here that just standing still risked getting bumped. The square was evidently a popular gathering spot.
The carriage rolled off toward a designated parking area, and Sophia finally began her outing.
Everything was new to her—from the feel of stone roads beneath her feet to the sound of so many different voices and laughter, from the rich blend of food aromas to the fresh wind. All of it—completely new.
She tried to act mature, to pretend none of it fazed her—but it was no use.
The sky was blue, and there were so many places she hadn’t seen yet.
Joshua and Benjamin, noticing how excited Sophia was, cheerfully explained everything she showed curiosity about as they guided her through the city.
With a skewer of fruit in one hand, Sophia wandered through the capital. But when she nearly collided with someone, she instinctively grabbed onto Benjamin’s sleeve.
She hadn’t even realized she was doing it until Benjamin spoke up.
“If it’s hard to walk, you can hold my hand, you know.”
Ah. Only then did Sophia notice she was clutching his sleeve. She quickly let go, but with so many tall people brushing past her, it was hard to keep her balance.
In the end, she grabbed his sleeve again.
“…Just this much.”
She told herself it was the only way to stay steady among so many strangers. She gripped the sleeve tightly.
“Alright. Just don’t let go.”
That was enough for Benjamin. Grinning ear to ear, he turned proudly to Joshua, silently saying “You see this? Huh? You see?”
Joshua’s face instantly twisted with irritation.
Not to be outdone, he pointed toward what he knew Sophia would like best.
“Let’s go over there next.”
“Where?”
“A lantern shop run by a wizard.”
Lanterns. The word alone enchanted Sophia. Thrilled with her first outing, she nodded eagerly, and Joshua naturally reached for her hand as they entered the shop.
Inside, lanterns of every design adorned the walls. As Sophia became completely absorbed in admiring them, Joshua walked up to the empty counter and rang the small bell resting on the desk.
“Ren. Ren Aules.”
He rang the bell again while calling the name, until a man appeared through a door in the back.
He had shoulder-length blond hair, half-tied, and he adjusted his glasses as he approached the desk.
Ren Aules. The owner of the shop and a wizard of light.
He greeted Joshua warmly.
“Josh, what brings you here? The lantern you ordered isn’t ready yet. Are you with Ben—huh?”
Ren glanced between Joshua and Benjamin, then looked over at the small girl admiring the lanterns.
There were no girls in House Roberti, and more importantly, she didn’t resemble either of the boys standing in front of him. Not even the hair color matched.
“…Wait a minute. Did you two… kidnap someone or something?”
