Chapter 394: Lokan Yarnshard (2)
Chapter 394: Lokan Yarnshard (2)
“After I realized Laura had been assassinated, I searched for the culprit like a madman. But even after mobilizing all my power as Yarl, I couldn't find out who did it.”
Yarnshard was a massive territory. Even in the Levantine Empire, its scale and economic power would have rivaled that of a Marquisate.
Naturally, the power of its Yarl was equally formidable. The fact that he couldn't find the killer meant one of two things.
“Either she was assassinated for some completely unexpected grudge from outside the Yarnshard territory...”
“...Or the culprit was confident they could commit the act without being caught by her father, the Yarl.”
“Exactly. And in all likelihood, it was the latter. Laura’s parents were outsiders, but she herself was a local who had never moved once in her life.”
If the culprit couldn't be found, he at least had to know the reason why Laura was assassinated.
The reason why someone would kill her, knowing she was his lover and had even borne him a child.
“There were two main things I suspected. One was that she was a human alchemist who had never even held a hammer—the very reason I couldn't formally marry her. Someone might have seen her as a stain on the family. The other was the matter of succession. Astrid was a capable woman, and she was quickly seizing control of the family as its mistress. To put it another way... she was hunting down anyone who wasn't part of her faction.”
The situation was delicate.
The son of Lokan and Astrid, Svid, was intelligent but had a weak personality. He didn't even have much interest in either crafting or combat.
It was uncharacteristic for a dwarf... but then again, not every dwarf could be the same. Occasionally, someone like Svid was born.
The problem was that he was the son of the Yarl, of all people.
In any other country, Svid might have become a decent lord. But he was not the kind of leader Nidavellir wanted.
Only two types of people were truly respected in Nidavellir: warriors who fought fiercely and artisans who were respectably skilled.
In that sense, eyes naturally turned toward Fay—the illegitimate child whose existence was an open secret.
She was a half-blood who inherited dwarven blood. Furthermore, she was the child of Lokan, a Meister, and Laura, who was highly skilled in her own field.
“The reason I was able to become a Meister was that I incorporated lapidary work into my blacksmithing. Thanks to that, I could create special equipment on par with magical tools. What if Fay were capable of something similar?”
If she became a hybrid artisan who could create Alchemical Steel on her own and then forge it into special armaments... the Yarnshard family would become a lineage that produced Meisters for generations.
Even if that weren't the case, Lokan’s heart still belonged to Laura, so people assumed Fay would have a chance.
Well... it felt like they were doing a lot of wishful thinking, but then again, isn't every succession struggle just a battle of wishful thinking?
A flawed legitimate heir versus an unscratched lottery ticket of an illegitimate daughter who held the Yarl’s affection.
It was a classic, traditional conflict.
...Honestly, from my perspective, the 'flaw' in the heir seemed a bit ridiculous, but I suppose that’s just the difference in racial mindsets.
In the Levantine Empire, which valued bloodline and male heirs, they would find it absurd to even compare a legitimate son to an illegitimate daughter.
In Alfheim, they would judge based on who was born with a deeper blessing from the World Tree.
In Crassius, they were the type of people who would make the two fight until one died to see who was stronger.
For a dwarf, it must have been a serious issue. At least, serious enough for Lokan to steel his resolve.
“Once my thoughts reached that point, the fact that Fay had even survived felt like a miracle. Whether it was to remove a stain on the family or to prevent a succession struggle before it started, the culprit clearly intended to kill Fay as well. They only failed because of Laura’s desperate resistance. ...Thus, I realized I couldn't leave things as they were.”
From that day on, Lokan gathered his vassals and elders and announced that Fay had fallen out of his favor.
Lokan declared only two things: since she was his flesh and blood, she would be provided with the bare minimum of food, clothing, and shelter; and even if she changed her mind, she could never become the next Yarl.
Of course, this story never reached the ears of the young Fay. In the end, without knowing why, Fay had to live as an invisible person until she turned twenty and left for the Academy.
After that, she struggled through a life of poverty until she met me... and that led to where we are now.
It sounded plausible at first, but the more I listened, the more something felt off.
I looked straight at Lokan, who was coughing up blood again—likely because he had overexerted himself by talking so much—and opened my mouth.
“I have one thing to ask. Is that alright?”
“Cough... Speak.”
“I understand that you realized Senior Fay might be assassinated and tried to prevent it somehow. But wasn't your method wrong? In that situation, you should have assigned her guards and made her protective gear. Why would you ruin her life just so no one would bother touching her?”
“……”
Lokan fell silent at my pointed remark.
“Ugh!”
Iris, who had once been reported for trying to attach a spirit to Elisha as a guard, clutched her chest as she took splash damage... but that wasn't important right now.
I glared at him, waiting to hear what kind of excuse he would make. After a short while, Lokan slowly spoke.
“...I was afraid.”
His gaze shifted slightly toward Fay. Lokan’s face twisted with regret and self-reproach.
“I had already failed once to protect Laura. What if I lost Fay too? The thought made me so afraid I couldn't bear it. At the time, I was a coward who couldn't handle even the slightest risk.”
“That’s...”
“Yes. I know. Because I lacked confidence in myself, I ended up deeply wounding Fay. ...I realized that fact too late, and by then, it was already far too late.”
Fay had already closed the door to her heart, waiting only for the day she could finally leave this mansion.
“Since things had turned out this way, I thought I had no choice but to stick to my current method until the end. I told myself it was for the best—that as long as she was alive, she could start over somewhere far away, and that someone like Fay would be able to live well no matter what... That’s what I thought.”
“How could you say that now! No... you were wrong, Father. I... how much I...!”
Fay, who had been listening in silence, raised her voice as if she were about to burst, but she couldn't force out the next words and only let out ragged, heavy breaths.
Having seen Fay’s future in H&A, I knew. I knew what the words following that sentence were.
There was no 'next chance' for Fay. Students who didn't want to cause trouble with the Yarnshard family ignored her, and because of that, Fay was alone even at the Academy.
Nothing went right, and there was no one by her side to comfort her.
Fay had been alone ever since her mother died. Her life was difficult not just because of the immediate hunger or humiliation, but because there was no hope that things would ever get better.
All of this was more than enough of a trial to break Fay’s spirit...
In the end, Fay, who received help from no one, chose death.
No, perhaps it shouldn't be called a choice.
Since everything in the world had driven her toward death, Fay had no other choice.
Of course, that was a future where I didn't exist. It was something that hadn't happened yet, and something I would never let happen.
So, I knew Fay would never commit suicide... but why did the memory of when we first slept together suddenly come to mind?
Fay, who had pleaded for me to acknowledge her, to love her, saying she would give me her body, her heart, her soul, her future—everything.
For something called an 'equivalent exchange,' it was a terribly unfair trade. But that was how desperate it must have been for her.
However, I am by Fay’s side now.
When I silently placed my hand on her shoulder, Fay reflexively overlapped her hand with mine.
Perhaps it helped, as her frantic breathing slowly returned to normal. Fay, who squeezed the back of my hand tightly once, lifted her head.
Her bangs were still messy, covering half her face. But the eyes behind them were shining clearly.
They were the eyes of someone living in the present, not the past.
“I understand what you were thinking, Father. I know your method was wrong, but I understand that you did it for me in your own way.”
“Fay.”
“But that doesn't mean my memories disappear. It doesn't mean everything that happened is just erased.”
“I’m sorry. I know very well that saying this now is meaningless, just as you said. That’s why I intended to never speak of it until the day I died...”
“You thought that if it were Junior, he could keep me safe no matter who was targeting me, right?”
“...Yes. I had intended to never see your face again after pushing you away, but as the time of my death approached, I wanted to see you just once.”
Lokan looked at Fay, yet he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. Fay nodded shortly at the sight of him.
“I understand.”
“What did you just...?”
“I can't forgive you, Father. I don't even want to. ...But I can understand. I’ve fallen in love with someone too, and my heart sinks whenever I hear that he’s in danger. I would do anything for Junior.”
As she said that, she pulled my hand from her shoulder and interlaced her fingers with mine.
As if she would never let go, Fay gripped my hand tightly, and the corners of her mouth curved into a faint arc.
“Let’s leave it at this. I don't intend to be on good terms with you again, Father, but I won't hate you anymore.”
So you don't have to blame yourself anymore.
Dry tears welled up in Lokan’s eyes as he realized the meaning behind her words.
“Ah. Ahhh...!”
Fay watched Lokan for a moment before abruptly turning her head.
“...Let’s go, Junior. There’s nothing left to say or hear.”
“Let’s go together.”
Fay had put an end to her past. There was no need to stay here any longer, so we could leave early tomorrow morning.
Keeping our hands clasped until the very end, we left Lokan behind.
“Lady Astrid has summoned the Evil God’s Army!!”
“Goddammit.”
I said we were leaving tomorrow, so of course they attack at dawn today.