Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Departure
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Please take good care of me.
The grand conference room was filled with the two successors, their retinues, and even some of the vassals who could be considered part of the neutral faction.
This meeting had been called at Palato's suggestion, as he was currently mediating between the two factions, so everyone had their eyes on him.
Amid all the attention, Palato opened his mouth to speak.
"The reason I've gathered you all here today is because there's an important matter to discuss. First, Lady Eloise."
At Palato's call, Eloise gave a light nod of thanks before stepping forward.
The girl, who had always either skipped formal occasions or sat there like a doll even when attending, was now showing such proactive behavior that incredulous looks poured in from those around her.
A few people near Eloise hurriedly dodged out of her way and ended up stumbling over themselves.
She took her position—the seat where the estate lord should sit, from which she could see everyone in the conference room—and made her declaration.
"I've found a way to heal the estate lord."
Reactions varied among those gathered in the conference room at Eloise's declaration.
Some rejoiced, some were shocked, and others grew anxious.
Arsen accelerated his thought processes, observing all those reactions and filing them away in his mind.
"What sort of method is it, my lady?"
At the question from one of the elder knights, Eloise politely extended her open palm toward Luden.
"Sir Luden once heard, during his time in the west, of a magical spring in the distant south that could heal even the gravest wounds. That's what we're thinking of."
All the vassals of this estate were natives who had been born and raised in Belluan and its surrounding castles.
Their chances to hear outside news were limited to occasional tales from wandering merchants coming from the north's Eir territory or even farther up.
So, when Luden said he knew of it or had heard it, they had no knowledge to contradict him.
Who could argue with someone who had personally traveled the world?
"As expected of Belluan's greatest sage."
"Has its exact location been confirmed?"
"Unfortunately not. Its existence is certain, but we have no guarantee of how long it will take to reach it or whether we can even bring back what we need. At least a few months, possibly even over a year."
At Eloise's follow-up words, the vassals whispered among themselves for a moment.
Even on expeditions that lasted a few weeks to the south, knights and squires had died or been injured.
From the perspective of people who had lived their narrow lives, an expedition that could take months or years was no different from a one-way trip to the underworld.
"Who would go searching for something when we don't even know exactly where it is?"
"If there's a way to save the estate lord, we have to go, even if it kills us. Any man with courage would."
"You're just saying that because you're an administrator and don't have to go yourself, right?"
As the two factions noisily argued, the sound of amplified applause—powered by magic—rang out sharply, cutting through the commotion.
As everyone froze in surprise, Eloise declared firmly in a resolute voice.
"I plan to go myself."
The conference room erupted in noise once more at Eloise's declaration.
The two successors quickly exchanged glances with their subordinates, engaging in silent communication.
She was a rival too frail to truly compete with, but one they wanted gone nonetheless. Now that she was volunteering to leave the estate, they had to decide how to react.
Ridat spoke up first.
"It seems too dangerous and reckless. The chances of success look slim too. Why not reconsider?"
"Someone has to go. You're not going to volunteer, are you, brother?"
Perhaps he'd only tried to dissuade her out of courtesy, because Ridat backed off without a word at Eloise's retort.
Turning to Deroy, he shrugged and replied.
"I'm all for it, of course. I'm touched by your tearful love for Father, little sister. Will you be taking Sir Arsen with you, by any chance?"
"I plan to go with her. I can't let the lady go alone, and I'm the knight most suited to operate alongside her."
Deroy clapped as if impressed by Arsen's answer.
"Impressive, truly impressive. Heartwarming. But we can't just send the two of you. You'll need support troops and such. What do you think, Sir Ramun? As our estate's finest knight, this is the time to step up..."
"Two will be enough. It's a dangerous mission with no guarantee of success—we can't commit the estate's precious forces to it. More numbers would just slow us down, so I have no intention of bringing squires or soldiers."
Deroy's eyes narrowed slightly at Arsen's firm statement.
From that look, Arsen realized Deroy had grasped the true intent behind this expedition.
Sure enough, Deroy smirked, nodded subtly toward Ridat.
Ridat responded in kind.
"Fine then. I wish you the best of luck. Sir Arsen... and Eloise."
* * *
"That went more smoothly than expected."
"They both caught on. They realized we brought this up with the intention of leaving the estate."
On the first floor of the mage's tower, Arsen and Eloise were packing their gear together.
There was a lot to prepare, from weapons to food, clothing, and artifacts. Food, in particular, needed to be stocked in abundance.
"They saw through it and let us go?"
"To kill either of us would carry political or practical risks, but this way, we disappear on our own without any of that. No reason for them to refuse."
"...Honestly, I still can't quite believe it. Deroy aside, Ridat was always kind to me. He even tried to talk me out of it just now."
"That was just for show. I saw it—when you said there was a chance to heal the estate lord, his face twisted up. Just for a split second."
Arsen had wondered if Ridat lacked motive for poisoning and if Ramun had acted alone, but today's reactions confirmed his suspicions.
Ridat was at least Ramun's accomplice, if not the mastermind behind the poisoning.
"For those guys, the area around Belluan is their whole world. Once we're gone from their world, they don't need to care about us anymore."
After saying that, they packed for a short while before Arsen looked up and asked.
"Speaking of which, where's Sir Luden? Is he busy?"
"He says he doesn't want to come down. Maybe he's crying."
Arsen gave a wry smile and shook his head at Eloise's words.
Luden might come off as gruff, but he was a good man at heart. Still, Arsen doubted he'd actually be crying.
So when Luden came down moments later with bloodshot eyes, Arsen was slightly moved.
"Take this with you."
What Luden handed over was a sleek, red-painted backpack with a blue tassel tied to the top.
The body bore a serpent-like design.
"What is this? Did you make it yourself, Sir Luden?"
"I enchanted it myself. It's a backpack with expanded internal space. I barely managed to make one in my youth, so don't lose it."
Reading the unspoken plea to come back alive in those words, Arsen smiled and accepted the bag.
"I'll bring it back for sure."
As they carefully packed their pre-prepared gear into the magic backpack, the load shrank dramatically.
Considering how burdensome excess luggage could be on a journey, it was astonishing.
Luden watched them for a bit before saying, "Then set off. I'm too busy to come down again," and headed back up the tower.
After bidding Luden farewell and loading the last of their gear, Palato visited the tower.
"Is everything coming together well?"
Looking at Palato's careworn face, Arsen bowed politely and expressed his gratitude.
"It's almost done. And thank you for your help, Sir Palato."
"No need. I'm just regretful that's all I could do."
Without the support of Palato, who currently led the neutral faction in the estate, it wouldn't have been easy to summon both factions.
Palato sighed, looking at Arsen with regret.
"Are you sure you won't take any other knights or squires? Even Sir Zenovia or Sir Kamin?"
"We can't take parents away from their children. Besides... you'll need all the help you can get too, Sir Palato. You're the only one who can protect the estate lord right now."
Palato nodded heavily in agreement at Arsen's words.
That morning, Arsen had secretly summoned Palato, requested the estate meeting, and informed him of the evidence implicating both successors in the poisoning attempt.
Including that they had targeted Eloise as well.
Of course, there was no way to prove it, but it was enough to warn that both successors could target the estate lord, so defenses must be thorough.
*If only there were proof.*
Proof. The lack of damn proof was tormenting Palato. If there had been proof, he would have unhesitatingly led the neutral faction to side with the forces aiming to install Eloise as estate lord.
He didn't doubt Arsen, whom he'd raised like a son for years, but convincing the other knights without solid evidence was impossible, even for Palato.
Placing a hand on Arsen's shoulder as he sighed, Palato said.
"If the road ahead proves too harsh and grueling... you don't have to come back."
Palato too could guess that it would be hard for Arsen and Eloise to return to the estate.
Telling him to preserve his own life over fulfilling his loyalty to the estate lord was the best he could offer the young knight he'd raised from childhood, teaching him so much.
"I'll come back."
Arsen replied like that and bowed his head.
The two stood there silently for a moment, saying nothing.
* * *
"This feels strange."
Eloise murmured softly, looking back at the estate growing ever distant.
Arsen and Eloise were each riding a Jin.
The one Arsen rode was the reptile-shaped Jin he always used, while Eloise's was the snake-headed, wolf-bodied Jin they'd obtained from Atar territory.
Of course, a mage like Eloise couldn't dodge magic beast attacks with superb reflexes or maneuver at high speeds, but riding in a straight line or leaping was well within her capabilities.
"Riding the Jin?"
"No, leaving the estate. I thought I'd live here my whole life. It feels... weird somehow. The idea that there's a whole other world out there is too strange."
"You can feel that way. It's understandable."
Answering her, Arsen pulled a compass from his pocket. They were heading neither north nor south, but west.
Going south to Atar territory, where they'd previously clashed, would be suicidal, and north to Eir territory was the opposite direction from their goal.
Thus, their path lay west, toward the setting sun.
To the west of Belluan stretched the gray plains.
Up to the castles of Arin and Paras, there were mountains, trees, and water, but beyond that lay nothing but barren land without a single tree.
It reminded one of a gray desert, endless no matter how far one traveled—that was the worldview of ordinary Belluan residents.
Because of that, to them, "other territories" meant only the relatively close northern Eir or the distant southern Atar.
But Arsen knew from the information passed on by Starburmi that it was simply a lack of courage to venture far or an inability to return—head west on a Jin, and new territories would appear.
He'd even heard their names, surrounding environments, and political systems to some extent.
Though he'd been warned not to trust the political info, as it was nearly a decade old.
"Let's pick up the pace. We need to get past Paras castle within three days at least. It's unlikely, but Deroy or Ridat might try something."
"Got it."
Arsen took the lead, starting slow, then gradually speeding up a bit more.
If they went full speed, Eloise—whose reflexes lagged and control was inexperienced—might get hurt, so he kept it just a touch faster than a lizard's run.
As the cool wind whistled past his ears, Arsen heard a faint sob.
Arsen didn't look back.