Chapter 53
“The Eye of the Storm”
Returning to the Grand Duke’s castle, the village looked not flashy but simple and neat.
Whether this was because it reflected the lord Calier’s style, or because the houses were built practical to endure the especially cold winter, I wasn’t sure.
“Are you satisfied?”
I turned my head to the question beside me and looked at him.
Calier looked at me with low, serious eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“About what you did today.”
If I had to pick the busiest day since coming to Esperos, it would be today.
If I had to pick the day with the most events, it was also today.
So his question was broad, but I understood what he meant.
“You mean about cleaning the badly managed house, shopping for the hungry, and preparing meals?”
Calier nodded.
I rolled my eyes with a hum and smiled.
“Well, a little? I think I helped people in trouble a lot when I was young. But after growing up, I was too busy living for myself to help others much.”
“…”
“Well, few people even asked me for help.”
Growing up neglected by my father, even servants ignored and bullied me.
No one would have asked me for help.
Because help is asked from someone better than yourself.
That meant servants didn’t think I was better than them.
“But I liked helping Tommy and Jane today. Even though I didn’t do much, they kept thanking me, which touched my heart.”
“Does that mean you were quite satisfied with today’s work?”
Calier asked curiously.
I smiled lightly and said,
“What I did was only temporary. Buying potatoes for soup and bread with Your Grace is helpful now, but it probably won’t last a week.”
“…”
“Maybe after today’s full meal, they’ll find it harder to bear hunger later.”
“Then, do you regret helping them today?”
I slowly shook my head.
Seeing his confused frown, I added,
“I just think it would have been better to create an environment for them. Maybe then I would feel more satisfied too.”
“…”
“Of course, I don’t know how to create such an environment. And I don’t have the ability.”
Calier smiled playfully and said,
“Oh, by the way, the money for potatoes and bread today came out of my pocket.”
“That’s…!”
That was true.
I remembered looking at Calier every time I paid at the market.
I coughed and avoided his gaze, and he chuckled.
“I’ll bill you later.”
“Can’t you just give me a job and pay me?”
“You can’t leave the castle, so what would you do with money?”
“Tsk.”
I smiled playfully and narrowed my eyes at him, then hurried after him.
Seeing children running happily and Tommy smiling like he owned the world with a plate of potato soup and a piece of bread made me think again.
Though today’s help was appreciated by the elderly grandmother and the little boy Tommy, the food I saved wouldn’t last a week no matter how carefully eaten.
It would take at least two weeks before Calier distributed food again, and by then, the Kocher disease would surely…
Lost in thought, I stopped suddenly.
Calier, who had walked ahead, stopped and looked back.
“…This is just my thought, but maybe Tommy and Jane have mana?”
“What?”
“According to the records May checked, only Tommy is listed as living here. It’s strange they haven’t caught Kocher disease despite repeated food shortages.”
The more I said, the more sure I was.
Looking at their nutrition, even if they had Kocher disease, it wouldn’t be surprising.
But they looked more like malnourished than sick.
There were two ways to survive Kocher disease like a cold:
Taking medicine early, or having mana inside.
I felt Calier’s gaze on me as if he thought the same.
I asked him with hopeful eyes,
“If mana exists, can they become magicians?”
“…Not everyone can.”
“…”
“But they have a better chance than those without anything.”
“If Tommy shows magical talent, maybe they can live in a better environment.”
Magicians are welcomed everywhere.
Countries promise benefits to keep their magicians.
Jane is old and weak, so becoming a magician might be hard.
But Tommy is young.
If his magical talent is found and nurtured, their future wouldn’t be so hard.
“We need to survey the territory again.”
I nodded eagerly at Calier’s quiet words and hurried after him.
Though nothing was certain, hope filled my heart.
“Hope is mixed with despair. Am I really a fool?”
I sighed and collapsed on the bed.
After a busy day, a full meal, I didn’t realize I had forgotten something.
“I went to see the castle gate and village layout and then completely forgot!”
I didn’t regret helping the villagers like Tommy.
But I knew helping them was just a side goal while I worked on my main plan.
Of course, if I was dying, I wouldn’t care about helping others.
But when I opened my door returning to the castle, I realized I hadn’t achieved any of my plans.
Perfect forgetfulness.
I had been busy meddling but forgot what I really needed to do.
“My meddling is the size of the Pacific Ocean.”
I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.
It had already been three weeks since I arrived.
I thought Delphian was late by mistake, but no news made me more anxious.
“Of course, it’s better if Calier and Delphian don’t meet here.”
But I needed to know what was going on to plan.
Only one person far away in Zeros might know everything.
“If I could contact Laperre, the magic tower would have hired me already.”
I sighed, then Calier’s face came to mind.
Maybe he knows how to contact Laperre.
“He might not like it…”
Calier suspected my connection with Laperre.
That was why I stayed in his bedroom.
Even though he didn’t like it, I planned to ask him anyway.
Even if Calier didn’t know or refused, it wouldn’t hurt me.
Just asking would show him I had no ties left to Laperre.
“Well, I have nothing to lose.”
I got up quickly, ready to act.
Delphian sat in his office, quietly watching the view outside.
Nothing outside changed, but he felt surrounded by a storm of chaos.
He thought of Heidi, growing weaker and more wilted.
“Your Grace!”
A knock woke him.
Dylan entered, pale and worried.
“Sorry for coming late, Your Grace.”
“It’s fine. If you’re here this late, something must have happened.”
Dylan told him,
“The meeting between Marquis Crokan Piace and Count Eliana was witnessed.”
“Did Crokan Piace threaten Count Eliana?”
“No.”
“Count Eliana was the one who went first.”
Delphian’s face hardened.
Chaos.
Something was moving in the storm without including him.
