Chapter: 23
After wrapping up the situation, Alphius and the elite squad were rushing toward the Marquisate.
Alphius glanced at the small bag.
“Ah… since we’re in the capital, I should at least buy one gift for Bribri.”
The thought of playing with soap bubbles on the hill with Brisa lifted his spirits.
The bag contained soap bubbles and some balloons—things he had gotten from a stationery store in the capital.
“But…”
Rational thought arrived a little late.
“Did that territory even have food?”
Traveling across half the empire had made him notice how poorly distributed supplies were throughout the regions.
It was only natural, since Warp was unavailable. Without western grains circulating, everyone had become sensitive about food.
“The east is largely self-sufficient… but the Marquisate of Sears probably isn’t.”
Still, since Ransy had been left behind, Alphius trusted that she would manage somehow.
Perhaps she had even received some supplies on credit from a neighboring estate. With the knights left to guard things, even monsters on a small hill could be handled.
“Or maybe she had relatives nearby? Didn’t that lawyer mention an uncle living nearby? Surely he helped out a little.”
Still, in Alphius’ imagination, Brisa sat upright, starving—a vision he had seen often while crossing the empire.
The knights must have been suffering too…
Of course, being former mercenaries, they were somewhat accustomed to hunger.
“But we’re really close now.”
They were running while hungry themselves.
They had dried fish and seaweed from the east, but they hadn’t eaten their fill. The towns cut off from trade were stingy with food.
The further they entered the central region, where large-scale farming was scarce, the worse it became.
They had no choice but to sell the gold the Second Prince had given them cheaply, just to quell their hunger.
After running for a long time, the end of this journey finally came into sight.
“Everyone probably thinks we’ll only arrive after fixing the Warp, right?”
Alphius grinned.
“How thrilled will they be to see us a month early! They’ll be jumping up and down, never imagining we’d reunite so quickly!”
The elite squad leader finally chuckled.
“Ransy will probably ask, ‘Did you come back as a ghost?’”
Though exhausted from running without proper meals, the thought of seeing their comrades made their hearts race.
Alphius grinned broadly and winked cheerfully.
“So, everyone, have we rested enough?”
The war hero’s playful wink made the elite squad sigh in exasperation.
“Then let’s go again! Our precious Bribri, Alphius is coming!”
With a loud shout, the young man started running toward the estate.
“Leo!”
Baron Forman stared at his grandson in shock.
“Why… why are you here? Could it be… you were nearby all along?”
I had heard about Baron Forman from Sylvia, Leopold’s cousin.
“My grandfather uses honorifics toward Leopold in official situations. I guess I’ll do the same when I grow older.”
So Sylvia’s grandfather was Baron Forman.
“But my grandfather speaks casually in private. That’s why when I grow up, I’ll only meet Leopold in private—just thinking about using honorifics already pains me.”
Thus, Baron Forman had to speak formally to Leopold in front of others.
Yet he was so surprised that he must have spoken as usual.
“My goodness, Leo. To meet you here…”
I, too, had no idea I would encounter Leopold here.
Leopold looked equally surprised, glancing between me and Baron Forman.
“This is…”
Even amid all this, blood was splattering behind him.
Without looking back, he executed a martial gesture, and it struck the ships the Black Magicians were fleeing on, killing the white-masked figures instantly.
Without even checking the result of the wide-area attack, the boy said elegantly:
“This is an intriguing situation.”
In western noble speech, this meant: “Everything is utterly unexpected; I’m curious about every detail, so explain immediately.”
Of course, I had no intention of explaining.
I gave Baron Forman a look of betrayal.
“My great-grandfather…? Wait, does that mean… you’re Baron Forman?”
I had passed the ball to someone else.
The reason I had pretended not to recognize him was simple:
“Baron Forman is a capable informant.”
It meant he could ask me sharp questions.
Meanwhile, I was only twelve years old. Even if mature for my age, I could easily fall for the leading questions of an experienced spy.
“What if I accidentally reveal knowledge of the future…”
Then I’d literally be seen as a crazy child.
“…That’s terrifying.”
So I preferred not to engage in deep conversation with Baron Forman. If he realized I knew, I would be obliged to answer.
Regardless of rank, he was an elder and the great-grandfather of the next Nojen heir.
Still, by pretending ignorance, I created a situation where the maids and Philip didn’t have to answer for me.
“But this works too.”
I blinked in shock.
“Didn’t you say your relative is tied up in the Baronship of Harwin?”
At my mumbling, Leopold raised an eyebrow, surveying the great-grandfather’s shabby attire.
“I didn’t realize… you were Baron Forman. My apologies for the rudeness.”
I removed the hood of my robe and greeted him formally, politely.
Then I added, as if embarrassed:
“I just… you said you were from the west, so I tried to send you off after overhearing….”
It was mostly for appearances.
“Also, I disguised you so Baron Harwin wouldn’t recognize your face and take revenge through your relative.”
The pretense continued.
“And I even invited you to dinner…”
Baron Forman, who had been deceived and fed by a child, was flustered.
“I-I, I mean…”
Leopold’s eyes narrowed. His expression subtly shifted as he seemed to gauge something.
“The reason my great-grandfather went to the central region suddenly…”
Even as he said this, he detonated several more ships behind him.
“Probably something about the west.”
It was meant for me to hear: “I roughly know the reason, but you absolutely mustn’t inquire further.”
A noble’s speech leaves no flaws for others to exploit.
It creates no enemies while avoiding factions.
It reflects an unwavering will to maintain composure and rationality.
The western regions developed this culture for a reason.
“The west is the wealthiest land.”
It is never lacking, always leisurely, and therefore not desperate.
They don’t directly ask or demand from others; they can achieve what they want themselves.
I heard Philip whispering to Wendy behind me.
“Why does this young master only say the obvious? If he went for the west, isn’t that obvious?”
“Yeah… earlier, he just said he was curious and wasn’t paying attention. Well, he’s busy handling the Black Magicians that way.”
Northern mercenaries didn’t understand western noble speech at all.
“Makes sense.”
I recalled the original story.
“That’s why Alphius takes so long to cooperate with Leopold.”
Alphius and Leopold had no way of communicating effectively.
Baron Forman, having recovered, responded in western noble style.
“The story I must convey is so long, I might need until dawn to tell it all.”
“Let’s let them leave first and explain later,” was implied.
He then gave me an awkward smile.
“My apologies, Miss Sears. I wasn’t trying to keep it hidden until the end…”
Meaning he had desperately tried to hide it.
“The kindness you showed to this old man from the western countryside will not be forgotten.”
“It was an honor to invite Baron Forman to the humble dinner of Sears,” I replied gracefully.
Then Leopold stared at me and asked:
“So, why are you here?”
What?
Both Baron Forman and I were startled.
Leopold, being so direct, was unexpected.
“I was hoping to skirt around it…”
Baron Forman pressed his hands to his mouth and breathed sharply, clearly excited.
