Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Vitero Chezen (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“That guy’s personality is weird, right?”
Iriel pointed at me and asked.
“A little, yeah.”
Beron nodded shyly with a smile.
Beron was the kid we’d rescued two days ago.
Once we’d cleaned him up, he turned out to be a cute child with black curly hair and round eyes.
At first, he barely spoke or smiled, but now he laughed readily. It was all thanks to Iriel’s patient efforts.
Iriel, who had been beaming at the child, shifted her gaze to me and abruptly changed her expression, glaring at me with flounder eyes. The shift was so dramatic it made her seem like she had a split personality.
“See? I’m right, aren’t I? Even Beron thinks you’re eccentric and rotten to the core.”
“Pfft!”
Allen, standing beside us, couldn’t hold back his laughter and spat out the water he’d been drinking. He wiped the water from his mouth with his sleeve and said,
“Kids have a good eye for people.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I stared at Allen impassively.
“…Yeah, what did I just say?”
Allen subtly put some distance between us as he stood. Lately, because I hadn’t hit him on account of Beron, he’d developed a knack for picking the exact moments to deserve it.
“You’re really prickly.”
Iriel shook her head at me. I clenched my empty fist, trembling with frustration.
Just smash her.
If not for our past-life connection, I would’ve piled lumps on that little head of hers.
I wasn’t one to discriminate by age or gender anyway.
But I just couldn’t flick Iriel on the forehead.
It was because of the vow from my past life: I’d promised to protect her forever. That oath gripped my wrist like a vice.
A man’s word is his bond, heavier than gold.
Even if it was from a past life, it was a vow I’d declared myself.
I wanted to erase the memory, but since it lingered so vividly in my mind, I couldn’t help but feel bound by it.
But that wasn’t the only reason I held back my irritation.
“Giggle giggle.”
Beron, who had overheard our conversation, shook with laughter. Every time Iriel grumbled at me, Beron laughed like this.
Iriel knew that and acted accordingly.
I didn’t know what was so funny, but I wasn’t rotten enough to steal the smile from a child who’d lost his parents just recently.
“We just need to cross that hill, and we’ll be in Chezen.”
Allen pointed at the gently rising hill. These days, he’d dodge whenever he sensed even a slight disadvantage by explaining the route.
A short while later, we crested the hill, and sure enough, Chezen Castle appeared in the distance, just as Allen had said.
Beyond the walls rose a towering spire. At its peak fluttered the empire’s flag with the black dragon and the banner symbolizing Chezen.
“Looks like some kind of event’s going on.”
Allen noted as he eyed the castle gate. It did seem bustling there, unusual for a border territory.
We waited quite a while before we could pass through the entrance. From the chatter around us, we learned there was to be a banquet tomorrow at the lord’s castle celebrating the fifth anniversary of Vitero’s inauguration.
He’d earned the position five years ago in recognition of his past merits in the imperial army.
As soon as we entered the territory, we hurried to secure lodging.
There were so many guests that finding rooms was a hassle, but luckily some were left.
For all our trouble, it was a shabby inn.
“We’ll head out then.”
No sooner had we unpacked than Allen stepped out.
There were Independence Army members affiliated with the “Northern White Lion” in Chezen.
We planned to make contact with them to gather needed information.
Allen and Iriel were leaving the inn for that purpose.
Meeting them required cumbersome procedures.
I found it annoying, so I chose to stay at the inn.
“Have fun then.”
With that, the two left the kid in my room.
“…”
Caught off guard by the situation, I locked eyes with Beron standing by the door. Only then did I realize I’d never been alone with the kid before.
“Sleep.”
“Not sleepy.”
Beron’s eyes were wide as a horse’s.
He didn’t seem like he’d fall asleep before those two returned. I considered pressing his sleep acupoint but then glanced at his gaunt cheeks.
His complexion had improved since the beginning, but it was still poor.
“Let’s go out.”
I took Beron to the market.
It was a bother, but seeing how skinny he was stirred a pang of shared suffering.
Having once been a beggar, I knew it well.
How shitty hunger really was.
I just wanted to feed him something.
“Here.”
I handed Beron a small fruit candy.
“Thank you.”
Beron stuffed it into his cheek like a squirrel and clung tightly to my hand, afraid to let go.
Watching him like that brought back memories of my first meeting with Master.
I wondered if Master had felt this same ache looking at me back then.
I’d been eight years old at the time.
A precocious child with the mental age of twenty-three.
“Tasty?”
“Super tasty.”
Beron smiled. But unlike me back then, there was no childlike innocence. Throughout our journey, a faint shadow had hung over his face.
At nine years old, he could’ve whined and acted spoiled, but Beron had never shown even a hint of it.
I knew why.
He’d lost his parents overnight and was traveling with total strangers.
He must’ve been terrified of being abandoned.
That’s why Iriel pitied him even more.
“If there’s anything you want to eat, say so. I’ll buy it all.”
“…Really? Then, um, that.”
After hesitating, Beron cautiously pointed at something.
It was a boiled potato.
“Mom liked those. I remember coming here with Mom and Dad.”
“I see. When was that?”
No answer came.
Beron bit his lower lip, clutching his pants tightly. Tears welled up in his eyes. But he blinked them away, swallowing them back.
“You can cry.”
Beron shook his head.
The kid didn’t seem to want to. Something was blocking his tears.
I scooped Beron up and tucked him at my waist.
And soon after, we were atop the clock tower overlooking all of Chezen.
“Wow…”
Beron gasped at the toy-like tiny buildings below.
The streets stretching from the clock tower, the people passing through them—everything was visible at a glance.
“Hold tight.”
I set Beron on the roof and made him grip a sharp iron ornament.
Whoosh.
The wind blew fiercely, exposing our foreheads. We faced it with our whole bodies.
Beron stared at the scenery below, mouth agape.
“I’ve never been this high up! It’s so so cool! It feels just like a dream!”
The child looked up at me with pure, sparkling eyes. His voice pitch had risen two notches.
Seeing Beron regain his innocence so quickly reminded me of my own childhood.
Whenever my martial arts progress stalled and frustration built, Master would bring me to a high place like this.
Standing where the world lay at your feet made even stifling gloom feel trivial.
I hoped the same for Beron.
Master must’ve felt this way too.
Looking at the child, I felt I understood a little of how Master had seen me back then.
“Do you know what that is?”
Once Beron had adjusted to the clock tower’s height, I pointed at the distant Chezen Castle.
The spire bore the empire’s flag and Chezen’s banner fluttering in the wind.
“Flags. Since it’s Chezen Castle, Chezen’s flags.”
“The ones who killed your parents are them.”
Beron stared silently.
The excitement drained quickly from his face.
He might’ve already known, or it might’ve been too cruel a truth for a child.
But ruining the mood wasn’t my goal.
“I’ll avenge you.”
“Really?”
Beron raised his eyebrows at me.
He looked shocked, incredulous. My words must’ve sounded absurd even to a kid.
I looked down at him and said,
“Why would I lie?”
“…Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. It’s not just for you.”
Beron blinked blankly, unsure how to take it. I rephrased at his eye level.
“Just be grateful.”
“Yes!”
He answered vigorously.
“Let’s head down.”
“Can you bring me here again sometime?”
“If there’s time.”
“Yes!”
Beron flashed the brightest smile I’d seen yet.
I was glad we’d come to the clock tower.
“Where’d you go?”
Back at the inn, Iriel and Allen were there.
“Just to the market for a bit.”
“Why the market?”
Allen tilted his head.
“Jenes bought me tasty stuff! And he showed me the awesome view from the clock tower!”
Beron boasted excitedly, and the two gaped in unison.
The way they looked at me, they couldn’t believe I had that side to me.
What do these punks take me for?
Their dumbfounded faces made my hands itch.
“Want a beating?”
At my question, they shook their heads in sync and straightened their expressions.
I asked,
“How’d it go?”
“We made contact. When do we go?”
“Right now.”
We moved out immediately.
The capital was still far. We couldn’t afford to dawdle.
Following Iriel and Allen, we arrived at a two-story house on the outskirts of the territory.
“Oh, you’re early.”
When we knocked, a woman who looked like an ordinary housewife came out and greeted us.
“Come in.”
She ushered us inside as naturally as if we were expected guests.
“We’ll talk details inside.”
The interior seemed no different from a normal home, but it hid a secret space. We passed through a door concealed behind a bookshelf and entered a stone chamber lit by dim lamps. It had a desk for work and a sofa for guests.
“Ha ha! Good to see you. Name’s Korern.”
A man who’d been handling paperwork at the desk stood up with a hearty laugh.
He was stout with a bushy beard.
We exchanged brief introductions and sat on the sofa.
“So, what brings folks from headquarters to Chezen?”
Korern sat down, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Headquarters sending people meant potential changes in Chezen. Naturally, he was intrigued.
“We plan to assassinate Vitero Chezen.”
Allen cut straight to the point.
At that, he threw his head back and roared with laughter, clutching his belly.
“Bwahahahaha!”
His laugh was so boisterous his uvula was visible. Whatever was so hilarious, he ended up wiping tears from his eyes.
We just stared at him.
No clue why he was carrying on like that.
“Sorry about that. I lost it laughing. It’s been ages since I heard a joke that refreshing. Heh heh.”
Thankfully, before my patience ran out, he wiped his tears and composed himself.
“…”
A brief silence followed.
Korern and we just stared at each other blankly.
Sensing the odd atmosphere, Korern suddenly widened his eyes and spoke.
“W-Wait, you’re serious!?”
Allen and Iriel nodded in unison.