Chapter 41
Last week.
That is, the day after the outing.
Sebastian had come to see her first.
“Chick. Did you sleep well?”
Seeing him return unharmed, without a scratch, had made Erica feel incredibly relieved.
She circled around Sebastian several times, inspecting him to make sure he wasn’t hurt anywhere. Watching her do this, the boy finally burst into laughter.
“I told you I’d be fine. Nothing happened, right?”
After managing to calm her down and have her sit, Sebastian told Erica about what had happened in the northern forest the day before.
Since it was ultimately her words that had led him there, he felt she had the right to know about it.
“You were right. A rift did appear in that forest.”
However, by the time Sebastian and Millord arrived, it had already closed.
He didn’t hear many details beyond that, so he assumed there hadn’t been any major incidents…
But if that boy really came from there… then that means there could have been victims.
The timing also lined up too well to ignore.
Erica’s golden eyes trembled like a sprout shaken by strong wind.
Had I underestimated the situation too much?
Her mouth felt dry.
Naturally, Sebastian’s face floated into her mind.
Sebastian had explained about the rifts and the monsters, emphasizing that there was still very little known about them.
In other words, even the tiniest clue from this child could be of great help to him.
Maybe last week, too—because there were no witnesses in the northern forest, they couldn’t properly assess the situation.
That’s why Erica thought it would be a good idea for Sebastian to meet this boy, Garian, in person.
She had considered questioning him herself first, but gave up.
This was a public square, and there were other children around, so she couldn’t ask detailed questions about the northern forest.
Besides, it would be better for the lord Felix or Sebastian to ask rather than her.
Erica’s small hand clenched with resolve.
With a determined expression, she asked the boy,
“Hey. Do you have anywhere to go?”
“……”
There was no answer.
Erica decided to wait patiently until Garian spoke.
But unexpectedly, a voice came from somewhere else.
“He probably doesn’t. He’s been staying in the same place for days.”
It was Jack who answered instead of the boy.
Erica turned to look at Jack, then back to Garian.
The boy still had his face buried between his knees.
“Then… do you want to come with me?”
Erica invited him.
At last, Garian lifted his face.
His gray eyes, which had seemed completely empty, now showed a faint light for the first time.
“Someone like me… Is it okay for me to go with you?”
Was it because of how Erica was dressed?
Despite looking younger than him, Garian used formal speech with her.
Erica simply smiled and nodded.
“Yeah. Let’s go together. I think we might need your help.”
“My help…”
Garian hesitated for a moment at her offer, but then nodded.
“Then… I’ll go.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Erica beamed and held out her hand.
The boy hesitated, then took her small hand.
The strength in his grip startled Erica—it was stronger than she expected.
But she didn’t let go.
Instead, she smiled brightly, as if to say he didn’t need to worry.
In the ducal mansion’s drawing room.
Felix and Sebastian rushed in at once at Erica’s urgent call.
They silently observed Erica and Garian, who were sitting side by side.
“You say you came from the northern forest?”
“…Yes.”
“It’s been off-limits for years. No one should’ve been able to live there.”
Sebastian’s sharp question made Garian hesitate.
“It’s okay. You can speak freely.”
Sitting beside him, Erica gently patted the back of his hand.
“…Understood.”
Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the sight.
What the—total fox.
He knew animals were unusually drawn to Erica, but he hadn’t expected even a beast in human form to follow her.
Sebastian scoffed under his breath, and the atmosphere in the room instantly grew colder.
But Garian didn’t flinch at all.
He was completely different from how he’d been with Erica.
“Sebastian. That’s enough.”
If Felix hadn’t quietly stepped in, the conversation might’ve ended then and there.
Thanks to Felix’s intervention, Sebastian reluctantly calmed his displeasure.
Only then did Garian begin to explain about himself and his family.
“We’re from a different race. We lived in hiding in the northern forest without permission.”
Felix and Sebastian both let out a heavy sigh.
Like father, like son—they both pinched the bridge of their noses at the same time in identical fashion.
“I see. That explains it.”
It made sense.
Non-citizens of the empire had to go through a difficult, complicated process to settle in the Angelica Empire.
That’s why most foreigners lived hidden in remote mountains or forests.
Since they couldn’t legally hold jobs, they earned income by hunting and selling meat and hides at markets.
“Alright. We won’t press further on that point. And I promise you won’t be punished for having lived in the forest.”
“…Thank you.”
Erica swallowed dryly.
She wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed that living without permission was usually met with severe consequences.
Sebastian, arms crossed, asked the next question.
“Then do you know what happened in the northern forest last week?”
Garian’s lips sealed tight again.
He clenched his jaw so hard that his face had turned pale.
“So you did see something.”
Felix, carefully watching Garian’s expression, spoke quietly.
Moments later, Garian reached into his clothes and pulled something out.
“I saw it. A dark purple vortex formed on the ground, and strange monsters crawled out of it. They… They took my parents and little sister…”
His voice shook and trailed off. In the end, he couldn’t finish his sentence and bowed his head.
Erica patted his back gently with a look of sympathy.
Garian took a deep breath.
As if forcing himself to stay composed, he clenched his teeth and continued.
“The vortex disappeared after a short while. About 30 minutes, I think. And I found this.”
In the palm of his hand was a large amber-colored crystal.
As soon as they saw it, Sebastian and Felix’s eyes sharpened.
Without saying a word, they exchanged a look.
Sebastian asked, keeping his eyes on Garian,
“May we take this?”
The boy hesitated, then nodded.
“But I have one condition.”
“Speak.”
“I’ve lost my family, and I have nowhere else to go.”
Garian’s voice was firm as he spoke, each word weighted with resolve.
“If you’ll let me live here at the ducal mansion, if you feed and house me—I’ll earn my keep. I promise.”
With that, Garian respectfully bowed to the Duke and his son.
Felix and Sebastian showed no signs of displeasure at the boy daring to bargain with them.
Even if he hadn’t set those terms, they had already intended to take him in.
Though he was a foreigner, he had lived in the Acliff Duchy.
Failing to protect a resident was their responsibility as lords.
They’d already decided to support him until he could stand on his own.
Rather, the fact that he came forward with such resolve made them quietly impressed.
Felix readily nodded and asked,
“Alright. Is there anything you’re good at?”
After a moment of silent thought, Garian replied,
“I’m good at physical labor. Anything that needs strength.”
Then he added,
“But… if possible…”
All eyes turned back to him.
The way he trailed off so subtly was oddly skillful.
