71
Chapter 71
"What seems to be the matter?"
When I asked carefully, the soldier took a short breath and replied in a stiff tone.
"You will understand once you follow us."
That only made me feel more anxious.
It was strange. I had made a bit of a name for myself, but not enough for soldiers to treat me this politely.
The moment they started using honorifics, it felt like this wasn't a personal matter.
"Excuse me? Do I have to go right now?"
I asked again, and the soldier nodded before continuing.
"Yes. Unless you have other pressing matters, you will need to come with us immediately."
"What about my party, then...."
"For now, the summons is only for Sir Riv."
Damn it. It feels like I've been properly caught.
I'm sure I just saw them earlier, so why are they calling for me already?
Eileen, who had been looking at goods nearby, approached at the commotion.
Her eyes were full of worry. Her mouth was pressed into a firm line, but her expression said enough.
Where did... Silon go?
He was definitely right behind me a moment ago, but now I can't even see his shadow.
When the hell did he slip away?
I let out a long sigh and replied quietly.
"Understood. Where should I go?"
The soldier stepped half a pace forward.
"We will guide you."
And just like that, I was getting dragged into yet another annoying ordeal.
Even as I started walking, a part of my chest continued to throb with discomfort.
I repeated to myself over and over, hoping this was just a simple summons.
***
Walking through the city escorted by soldiers made people turn their heads one by one.
They gave me strange looks.
Anyone could tell I looked like either a suspicious suspect being escorted or an outsider who caused trouble.
I wasn't expecting a grand escort, but
no matter how you look at it, this paints the picture of someone who 'did something wrong'.
I ignored those stares and followed silently.
The place the soldiers stopped was at the bottom of the stairs right next to the North Gate.
"Is this the place?"
I asked.
Even though I'm a commoner, a brief doubt crossed my mind whether it was okay to meet in the middle of the street like this.
I thought they would at least take me indoors somewhere, but this was just out in the open.
"You just need to go up."
One of the soldiers pointed upwards and nodded.
I looked up.
"Am I going up alone?"
"Yes. We will wait here."
Right, well.
Now that I've come this far, there's no turning back.
I took a deep breath and quietly stepped onto the stairs.
My steps were neither heavy nor light.
Thud, thud.
With every step up the stairs, the sound of crumbling old stone echoed softly.
After climbing for a while and reaching the top of the castle wall, I saw the back of a man who had arrived before me.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he was quietly looking out over the castle wall.
The forest and roads stretched out in the distance, and the people looked tiny.
His posture made it seem like he was appreciating the scenery as if it were a poem.
He gave off an aura of relaxation, yet at the same time, it was impossible to read his inner thoughts.
A sudden gust of wind made the hem of his cloak flutter slightly.
Only then did I see the crest on his back.
The family of this city's lord.
That alone made it clear that this man was no guard standing guard.
I cautiously approached and spoke.
"...Did you call for me?"
However, instead of turning his head, the man let a long silence fall.
With his gaze fixed beyond the castle wall, only his cloak fluttering in the wind made his presence feel real.
And soon, a low, heavy voice flowed out.
"This city."
He still didn't look at me.
"Isn't it beautiful? It's hard to find a city of this size in this area."
I hesitated for a moment, then gave a vague nod.
"...I suppose it is."
In truth, I hadn't had the luxury to appreciate the city's beauty.
However, the scale, order, and the flow of people passing through the castle gate were certainly well-organized.
The height of the castle wall was also impressive, and the layout of the village was neat, as if carefully calculated.
"When I first took charge of this place..."
He continued speaking.
"Even the castle wall wasn't properly maintained. Thieves would storm in every year, and when droughts hit, fights would break out at the well."
At those words, I quietly nodded.
No matter the city, even if it looks fine on the outside, there are always underlying issues.
"That's why."
He slowly turned his body and met my eyes for the first time.
"When I say this city is beautiful, it's not just because of the scenery. It's because I have protected this city."
His gaze was brief but carried weight.
His words weren't meant to persuade anyone, but rather to engrave it into himself.
"War is never far away. In times like these, simply maintaining peace is no different from fighting a battle."
I didn't give any particular response to that.
I figured that unnecessarily adding to the conversation would only delay finding out why I had been called.
I merely gave a slight nod, showing the bare minimum reaction.
He took a step toward me.
"Being a magician has become quite a rare thing nowadays."
The topic shifted suddenly.
I tensed up inwardly and kept my mouth shut.
"Ever since the Black Magic Tower incident, most have locked themselves away in the Magic Tower. They are just nerds, ignoring worldly affairs and trapped within their research and closed-off order."
He chuckled softly, almost like a snort.
"I don't trust such people. At the very least, they don't know how to protect a city."
A brief silence.
'...So, what do you want me to do about it?'
Honestly, there was no reason for me to have to listen to this just because I use magic.
He seemed to be expecting some kind of reaction from me, but....
Just as someone who uses a pencil doesn't take pride in the pencil itself.
I wasn't exactly someone who took pride in magic.
I just use it because I need it, and simply because it's an ability I possess.
Chewing over those words, I tried to gauge what he expected of me right now—or if he was trying to test me.
"Because of that, friends like you are quite precious."
He continued speaking.
"People who have abilities but aren't bound to anything. Those who don't belong to the Magic Tower, a Knight Order, or an Order."
"...."
I listened to his words without replying.
By this point, I had a rough idea of what was going on.
He hadn't outright said it, but the atmosphere felt like he was about to ask for a favor or rope me into something.
And now, the real reason was starting to rear its head.
"Have you happened to see my son?"
I paused for a moment.
"...Your son? There's no reason for me to-"
Before I could even finish my sentence, something suddenly popped into my head.
"Ah."
It was back then. Right before heading out.
The idiot who suddenly appeared in the waiting room and gave a speech that made absolutely no sense.
Someone definitely mentioned he was the lord's son.
"Um... the one who was giving a speech in front of the battlefield, could it be...."
When I asked carefully, Hiram gave a small sigh and nodded.
"Yes. That would be him."
Rather than a father's affection, his tone carried a sense of resigned exhaustion.
I got the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.
It was a matter I really didn't want to get involved in.
However, I already felt like I was getting dragged into it.
"He takes after me, so his enthusiasm is second to none, but he's still..."
The lord's words trailed off thinly.
For a moment, only the sound of the wind swept over the castle wall.
"He still lacks the eye to see the world. He lacks experience and judgment. That's why someone needs to stick by his side. If left alone, it's certain he'll cause a huge accident someday."
I quietly met his gaze without avoiding it.
By now, I knew what he was trying to say.
His quiet gaze, his careful tone, yet a manner of speaking filled with firm resolve.
What he wanted was clear.
"Someone like you could stand beside my son and keep him from going down the wrong path, couldn't you?"
Hiram took a step toward me and continued.
"I know you aren't someone who only uses magic as a weapon. Your eyes are different. You have the eyes of someone who feels disillusioned with the world, yet still can't bring yourself to turn away from people."
Hearing that, I lowered my gaze for a moment.
"...Thank you. I'm honored you think so highly of me."
I gave a quiet smile and raised my head.
"However, I'm not someone who lives to protect anyone. I have neither the luxury nor the plans to do so."
Hiram's eyes wavered slightly.
But he quickly regained his composure.
He must be someone used to handling his fair share of rejections.
"......If you ever change your mind, let me know."
He said calmly.
"Because the city always needs good people."
I bowed my head in greeting and turned my steps back toward the stairs.
Another path in this city almost opened up before me, but right now, I wasn't ready to choose that path.
And maybe... I never will be.
As I walked down the stairs, I glanced back at the Lord, and his back looked somewhat lonely.
***
"What!? You received a recruitment offer from the Lord?"
"...What did you say?"
When I roughly explained what had happened, the atmosphere around us instantly grew rowdy.
Everyone looked at me in disbelief, and Silon, in particular, widened his eyes and waved his hands in the air.
"Why on earth... did you kick away such a position!?"
"Yeah! You did decline, right? Seriously?"
I let out a tired sigh and gave a half-hearted nod.
"Yeah, that's right. I told him I wouldn't do it."
"Hah... This guy, seriously..."
Silon clutched his head and flopped down onto the floor.
"The Lord personally scouted you, and you just rejected it? Do you know how rare of an opportunity that is!"
"A quiet conversation between just the two of you atop the castle wall... That's a scene straight out of a book!"
Beside me, Eileen looked at me quietly, her eyes filled with a strange sense of wonder.
"But... why did you refuse? If you really wanted to, you could have lived a much safer life."
"In exchange for safety, I'd be chained down."
I said calmly.
"That position might look sweet, but in the end, I'd have to live as the Lord's man. It means I'd have to spend the rest of my life here..."
I added, almost muttering.
"I have no intention of staying here for long."
Silon waved his hand with a dumbfounded expression.
"Seriously, it's such a waste it makes me want to cry. If it were me, I wouldn't have even hesitated."
"That's exactly why an offer like that won't come to you."
Baldic blurted out from the side.
Silon pouted as if wronged, then sat back down without another word.
I quietly fiddled with the canteen hanging from my waist.
It was just water inside that canteen, but somehow, a corner of my mind felt strangely settled.
So... maybe that choice was, in its own way, the most 'me' choice to make.
"If that's the case, we can leave right away tomorrow. We thought he was going to request us to stay a few more days to help defend the city."
"I thought so too."
I chuckled with a quiet mutter.
If he had approached it like a regular job, I might have just flat-out refused, saying I hate fighting.
But since he beat around the bush so much this time, it ended up bothering me even more.
"Anyway, you guys didn't just slack off while I was gone, right? Is everything packed?"
When I brought up packing, Eileen immediately nodded.
"Yes, there was quite a lot of luggage left in Silon's carriage. We took it all out, sorted it, and loaded it back in... We organized it in our own way."
"Oh, you were more diligent than I thought?"
I looked at Silon with slightly surprised eyes.
At that, he twitched his nose as if proud and said.
"I get things done when I need to. I even made a checklist after organizing. We don't have any plans to stop by another village on the way, right?"
"Sleeping out in the open is our daily routine."
"It wasn't my daily routine, though...."
"Really? Well, you better get used to it now."
Baldic muttered with a dry chuckle.
"Alright? Then let's leave early tomorrow."
I said with a nod.
I didn't want to get any more tangled up in this city anyway.
Before it's too late, it's time for us to step onto the path we must take.