Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: The Paper Bird Speaks
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"Waaah, Your Majesty..."
"Th-there, there. Stop crying and tell me what's wrong."
King Sedes waved a hand at his second son, who had shown up first thing in the morning and was sobbing uncontrollably.
He was thrilled that his boy had come to him for comfort, but he had no idea how to handle it and felt utterly perplexed.
"Sniff, my friend... waaah, my friend isn't coming back...!"
Lianus was utterly heartbroken. He'd thought his friend was just running a bit late, but he'd woken up expecting to see him right there beside him—only to find Poofu and Popo instead.
"Waaah, and it... it didn't even pop...!"
"......"
What the devil didn't pop...?
Sedes couldn't make heads or tails of what his second son was saying. Still, it seemed to mean his son's friend had gone off somewhere and hadn't returned.
Word was that the queen had summoned him yesterday.
With no news filtering in, Sedes had assumed it had all blown over quietly—but apparently not.
Sedes had just recently gotten an earful about trying to empathize with others, so he figured he'd give it a shot.
"...I see, Russ. That must hurt... But..."
He'd empathized, right? That should suffice. Sedes shifted his gaze upward, over Lianus's head.
And there it was, something terribly distracting.
"M-may I ask something?"
Sedes shot a sidelong glance at the paper bird perched atop his son's dark green curls, picking at scraps of... paper? No, bits of fluff?
What in the world is that thing?
"...Y-yes?"
His son stopped mid-sob, as if the question had thrown him into deep thought.
Then, steeling himself, he squeezed his eyes shut and thrust his face forward.
"......?"
Sedes stared blankly at the plump cheeks shoved right in his face, then burst out laughing at the look that screamed bite already.
"Pft—n-no, I mean, that thing on your... heh...!"
As Sedes clapped a hand over his mouth and chuckled, Lianus realized he'd misunderstood and flushed beet red.
"Your Majesty... this is serious for me..."
And last time you asked just like that and chomped my cheek... Lianus mumbled his excuse.
"Ahem... heh... sorry about that. So, what is that paper bird?"
"Sniff, this... sniff, I made it, but my friend gave it to me."
"......?"
His son made it, but the friend gave it? What kind of logic was that?
Sedes glanced at Sir Evan. He needed an explanation.
"...His Highness made the paper bird, and the boy breathed life into it. He said it'd revert to a plain paper bird this afternoon."
"...Abel, can magic do things like that?"
At Sir Evan's explanation, Sedes shot a reproachful look at his friend, as if to say why can't you do it?
Abel, who had cast a soundproofing spell, was racking his brain on how to avoid a scolding from Nihil when he glanced at the paper bird and shrugged.
"Probably a different domain altogether. That bird doesn't seem directly controlled by Nil—almost like it moves on its own will..."
"Not magic?"
"Nope. Nil said himself he can't use magic for a while."
"Sniff, what do you mean, Prime Minister?"
Lianus released his tight grip on Sedes's cloak and scampered over to Abel.
The vivid tear stains on the cloak—shaped just like a little face—nearly set Sedes off laughing again, but he stifled it with a cough.
"Ah, I asked Nil to demonstrate some magic, but he said his body's too wrecked right now. Probably some circumstances involved. Hasn't Your Highness heard anything?"
"Sniff, no..."
Lianus never pried into Nihil's affairs. What if he learned too much and his friend decided to leave?
"My friend moved a slave seal once. Is that hard magic?"
"Just shifting its position?"
"Yes."
"It takes fine control, but barely any mana. A slave seal's like a contract—think of it as moving the stamp on a contract paper. Obviously, you can't do it for someone else."
"......"
Lianus decided not to ask any more.
"Russ, your friend will be fine. Look how carefree that paper bird is."
Sedes rose from his seat, scooped up Lianus—who was glued to Abel—and plopped him onto his own lap. No way was he letting his son cling to some other guy with Dad right there.
"O-okay..."
Lianus snuggled deep into the embrace, looking a touch glummer.
Sedes patted Lianus's back, then gave the paper bird nuzzling into that dark green hair a little poke.
It stared fixedly at his finger, as if debating whether to peck.
"Your Majesty, what if... what if Cani turns back to normal and my friend still doesn't come home?"
"...Cani's the paper bird's name."
Sir Evan provided the footnote.
Sedes gazed intently at the paper bird that had made a nest in his son's hair. Brazenly, it stared right back—then tried hopping down from Lianus's head with a little hop-hop-hop.
"Cani, I said stay put."
Lianus lifted the bird and set it back atop his head.
"...? Why won't you let it down?"
"Cani's made of paper, so it can't get wet—but it keeps trying to wipe my tears. That's why... sniff, I won't let it down."
With that, Lianus meticulously wiped away any lingering tears, then cradled Cani gently in his arms so it wouldn't crumple.
For some reason, it felt vitally important not to damage that paper bird.
Knock knock!
A firm knock echoed then.
"Your Majesty, it's Walter Earnest."
"...Enter, Knight Commander."
He'd wanted some quality father-son time without interruptions, but this sounded urgent.
Walter burst in looking flustered, his eyes widening briefly at Evan in the office before he hurriedly delivered his report.
"Around 11 p.m. last night, the central branch of the Mage Tower collapsed."
"......!"
"Reports so far show no visible casualties, but the above-ground levels are completely demolished. Search operations are underway underground."
"Sir Evan! We have to go first!"
Lianus clambered onto the horse and patted the saddle, urging Evan to hop on quick. A carriage would only lag behind the knights.
"...It might not even be him."
"No way! I'm sure!"
Lianus had heard it crystal clear. The moment Sir Earnest made his report, Cani had whispered:
-Rian, I don't know the way. Come pick me up.
After relaying those words, Cani had deflated like it'd exhaled its last breath of life, reverting to an ordinary paper bird.
"He said he was lost! If he'd been at the queen's palace, he wouldn't have said that! He must've been kidnapped to the Mage Tower!"
"The paper bird actually spoke?"
The bird hadn't made a peep before. Evan had chalked it up to being paper—no tears possible.
Why wait until now to deliver a message?
But it rang true. Not "save me," but "come pick me up." Undeniably, utterly Nihil.
Sir Evan nodded firmly. If His Highness said so, then it was so.
But there was one massive problem. Evan was a knight, sure—but he wasn't much of a horseman.
A commoner like him had rarely saddled up on expensive steeds. And soon after becoming a royal knight, he'd been assigned as the prince's guard—no chances there.
He could ride. But ferrying a young prince? Perilously risky. One slip, and if His Highness got hurt...
"It's fine, Sir Evan! I can ride too!"
"...You've only ridden ponies..."
Snort!
As Evan sighed and shook his head, his own unnamed horse whinnied in clear displeasure.
His Highness claimed he could ride—but that was false. He never handled the reins!
'Elizabeth, jump there, there, and there, then loop back like this!'
His Highness would chirp the course, and the horse obeyed on its own.
It was one of the inexplicable mysteries of the Vernus Palace. Natura herself had ridden that way in life, so the servants chalked it up to some hereditary gift.
"Horses are smart! Just ask nicely, and they go on their own!"
"...That doesn't happen for normal folk..."
And to outpace the knights, they'd need speed. No way could a pony-rider like His Highness endure that.
"This won't do."
Sir Evan scooped Lianus off the horse. Ignoring the beast's baleful glare, he summoned his mana.
"I'll carry you myself."
Not as fast as a horse, maybe—but straight-line leaps over obstacles? Manageable.
The mage sprawled on the floor, trembling as he wiggled his grotesquely twisted fingers.
G-gotta... get out of here somehow...!
The kid who'd pulverized his fingers and ankles with monstrous grip strength was now poking around the lab.
Mostly skimming the ancient tomes, flipping pages briskly—not reading, but clearly searching for something.
Seizing the chance while the kid was distracted elsewhere, the mage began etching a teleportation magic circle.
No need to go far. Just out of this room. Mages were rabid individualists—cold to pleas for help—but dangle an unknown creature? They'd swarm like flies to flame.
The mage poured mana into the finished circle.
Done...!?
Elation was short-lived. The mana scattered uselessly into the ether.
Did I botch the circle?
The mage peeked up at the kid. Still engrossed in the tomes—safe.
Again... redraw it.
If caught, it wouldn't be fingers or ankles next—his neck. Holding his breath, the mage scrutinized and redrew the circle.
No flaws found. But attempts failed, mana dispersing every time.
What's wrong with it!?
Teleportation guzzled mana and wasn't used often, but he'd never failed repeatedly like this. Panic set in.
To add insult, his mana reserves were nearly tapped. One more pull could strain his mana heart.
...Last shot...!
He infused the final attempt. This time, the circle glimmered to life.
"Finally!"
Overjoyed, he cried out—but no need to watch for the kid now.
No matter the kid's strength, facing a horde of mages? Impossible.
Damn brat. I'll enslave you and work you like a beast forever!
But the circle dimmed and fizzled just as quick.
"......?"
Before he could diagnose, mana backlashed—blood surged up his throat.
"Behave yourself. Can't even use magic properly, but oh-so stubborn."
"Cough... wh-what is this..."
Gasping through heart-wrenching agony, the mage turned to sate his burning question.
The kid flipped through tomes indifferently, as if he'd never spoken—then pulled out another when it wasn't what he wanted.
He lifted his gaze from the book and turned to the mage.
Those irises, shimmering with every hue imaginable, gazed down at him serenely.
"Hmm..."
Nihil tossed the tome aside and strode toward the mage.
In the suffocating hush, the mage couldn't tear away his eyes, trembling as he met Nihil's stare.
"What should I do with you?"
Not even a trace in the books he'd skimmed on a hunch.
He'd half-expected it—maybe even natural—but his mood soured anyway.
Nihil seized the mage's chin, twisting it this way and that.
From the moment this scum eyed his kid's eyes, mercy was off the table.
"A mage who can't wield magic worth a damn, zero insight, and every question met with 'I don't know.' Utterly useless."
The mage knew nothing of Ariel. Could be just the name—but since that's all Nihil knew, pressing was tricky.
Has to be a person, right...?
No way it was a pet.
Turns out the mage wasn't tight with the queen—just took cash for blank contracts or mana-charging artifacts.
Guess I need to tail the mutt on its outings...
But that grated. He'd have to pawn the kid off on someone else and explain the dog's secrets to him.
One misstep, and it'd sour things with Lianus and Evan.
"I wanted this handled quietly..."
Making bonds was one thing. Severing them? Never his goal.
Even if he vanished abruptly, severing ties, he had to leave behind connections to fill the void.