Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Chapter 4. The Land of Revelry and Culture, Uruun.
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When the sun had risen high in the sky, Judah opened his eyes again. It seemed Jeanne and Arhil had come by that morning to wake him, but he must have been too sleepy and just gone back to sleep. After wriggling like a worm under the cozy blankets and bed, Judah sat up, frowning at his throbbing headache.
"Hngh."
He was sleepy. Even though he'd slept plenty, his eyes were drooping again. With an unpleasant feeling that he'd die if he slept any more, he threw off the covers. He should have been waking up refreshed, but instead he felt this discomfort. As he stretched, his stomach let out a loud gurgle right away.
He left his room and asked one of the maids bustling about cleaning the mansion to prepare a meal. Soon after, a cart arrived with various dishes, slightly cooled but still plentiful. Sitting at the table in his room and eating them filled him with a satisfying fullness that lifted his mood.
He was set to meet Roxin tomorrow morning, so there wasn't much to do right now. He'd sampled Uruun's entertainments to some extent, so maybe today he'd check out the natural scenery. If he headed out now, he could make it back just in time to see the night views. Jeanne, Arhil, and Sara had already gone out. Thinking back, he vaguely remembered them trying to wake him that morning to invite him along.
He traveled with them as companions, yet he never relied on them or asked for favors. Was he just dragging them around unnecessarily? But he didn't have anything particular to ask of them anyway. As he changed clothes roughly and prepared to leave the mansion, he spotted the count standing by a pillar at the entrance. Lost in thought, the count looked up as the door opened.
"I heard you made a killing in Avalon."
"Haha, word travels fast. I guess I got a bit lucky. Scored some nice gains because of it."
The count gave a wry smile.
"That said, don't get too sucked into gambling. Nothing good comes of it. You might have won this time on luck, but who knows what'll happen next."
"Don't worry. It won't come to that."
"Right, a clear-headed fellow like you wouldn't. Where to today?"
Clear-headed? Brushing off what he figured wasn't important, Judah casually mentioned his plans for the day. He'd heard the natural sights outside the city were stunning, so he thought he'd take a look.
"Hm—how about I join you? This time, I'll guide you instead of my daughters."
Judah had wanted to wander alone, so he'd planned to refuse, but the count seemed like he had something to say, making it hard to just turn him down outright. After a moment's thought, Judah nodded slowly.
"Sure, that sounds fine. Mind if I take you up on it?"
"Of course. But first, how about we get you some clothes? You've been wearing the same outfit every day since you arrived."
"Clothes?"
The count nodded and pointed at Judah's attire.
"You had it on when we met and parted in Phloria, and even after coming back from Lizen. It's curiously pristine, like new, no matter how you manage it... but since you're here to enjoy yourself, get some nice ones."
"Hm—"
"No arguing. Come on, we'll shop for clothes first."
Seeing Judah's reluctance, the count shook his head and called for a carriage, heading straight to the market. True to its reputation as a land of culture, every kind of clothing was available. He had the carriage move slowly, telling Judah to pick any shop that caught his eye. Judah half-wondered if this was like that old Greek myth where Medea cursed a robe, but since the count was letting him choose, it seemed like simple kindness. Glancing around, Judah spotted a suit shop.
'Frilly stuff looks cumbersome, and that seems the most straightforward.'
Plus, a suit was versatile enough for anywhere, and tailored, it'd look sharp.
'And it'd go well with this coat.'
"Let's go there," Judah said. Viscount Jenner nodded and stopped the carriage. Inside the suit shop, plenty of ready-made samples were on display.
"You like simple styles."
"If they're comfortable too, even better."
"Is that so? Let's have a few more tailored then."
Along with an offer to enchant them, he paid for three tailored suits in reddish-brown, black, and blue for Judah. That wasn't all. While viewing the natural scenery together, he used magic to show Judah sights invisible to others, displaying inexplicable favors.
Thanks to that, Judah felt thrills at Uruun's grand, beautiful landscapes worthy of its fame, though it was a bit burdensome. He planned to take the fragment from him, yet here he was being treated like a son—his conscience prickled uncomfortably.
"......"
The count said nothing until they boarded the carriage. As the coachman called out cheerfully, "Off we go," the count ordered him to depart in a voice loud enough to hear. With the count silent, Judah had nothing to say either. He opened the window and gazed outside. Even beyond the city walls, magic lamps lined the roads like streetlights, keeping everything bright.
"Go a bit slower, please."
The count requested of the coachman. The pace slowed immediately, reducing the cool breeze through the window. As Judah admired the soft-glowing lights, feeling the day had been worthwhile, mana flowed from the count across from him, enveloping the carriage.
"?"
It was as if the space inside was cut off from the outside—no external sounds penetrated. A transparent barrier formed over the window. Reaching out from his chin-propped hand, he tapped it, sending ripples across the surface.
"Ready to talk now?"
Judah had waited quite a while. The count nodded slowly. Judah wondered what could be so weighty as to cause such deliberation. With a small sigh, the count met Judah's eyes and spoke gravely.
"Ever since meeting you, I've been plagued by nightmares every night."
"...Nightmares?"
Nightmares out of nowhere—precognitive dreams, maybe? Judah replied indifferently. But Viscount Jenner's face was deadly serious. The carriage jolted as its wheel hit a rock.
"Yes. Nightmares. Nothing else to call them. When I wake in the morning, rage, fear, and sorrow churn together, tormenting me. The irritating part is, the nightmares slip away like lies—I can't remember them."
"......"
"I don't know what those dreams are, but I have them every night. Except when you're around."
"Hm. So you haven't had them since I arrived at your mansion?"
"Right."
Judah gave a wry smile. He wanted to ask what they were, but the count had just said he couldn't remember, so it was pointless.
"At first, I could hardly believe it. I only vaguely suspected. But yesterday confirmed it."
"Confirmed?"
"You didn't stay at my mansion last night. You were in Avalon."
Right. He'd come back nearly at dawn, so he'd spent the full day out. Judah nodded.
"When you're nearby, the nightmares that haunted me nightly don't come—like when we shared lodging in Aslan. This morning, I had one. And sure enough, you returned at dawn."
"I don't know any magic at all. Especially curses."
The count chuckled softly.
"I know. And even if you did handle curses, ordinary magic couldn't affect me."
"Then why? Do you have a guess?"
"Well... probably this fragment I have."
With a sigh-laced voice, he showed Judah the ring. Judah's heart pounded fiercely for a moment. An antique ring embedded with a red-gemmed stone.
The fifth fragment, <Valentine>.
If it was influencing the count's mind, that explained the nightmares. But Judah had thought it was different from the original story since the count was living normally.
In the original tale, the count would snap one day, consumed by madness. He'd do uncharacteristic things, slaughtering subordinates in fits of rage for minor mistakes. Since it happened within his mansion, Uruun's guards couldn't intervene, and he'd buy slaves to drown in debauchery daily.
That's how Uruun's pride became its headache, until Cain came and killed him. But it seemed the count knew he might go mad soon—or rather, that the time was approaching.
'Damn. So he could snap anytime.'
Could he leisurely stay at the count's mansion and rescue elves like this?
Perhaps because of the favors received, Judah felt he couldn't just let the count descend into madness. But to rightfully take the fragment, waiting for him to go mad was the proper course.
'What to do?'
Wait until he snapped? Or talk details beforehand and persuade him to hand it over? Unaware of Judah's dilemma, the count tucked the fragment away.
"It's probably this fragment. I remember this morning's dream clearly. And I've recalled all the previous ones. No idea what triggered the memories, though."
"Why tell me this...?"
The count drew a deep breath and fell silent. Judah waited patiently for him to speak.
"...This fragment—no, the fragment wants you."