The Noose Tightens
Ruen’s letter had been brief. It simply outlined his circumstances and requested assistance, along with the location where support could be sent. The reply, however, was even simpler.
Swish……!!
Ophelia drew the curtain aside with an impassive hand and clicked her tongue as she gazed out the window.
“……Are those soldiers here to help?”
“Who knows. They certainly don’t look like it.”
Ruen fell silent for a moment at her question. Even to him, the figures outside bore no resemblance to reinforcements. The Calbrandt soldiers mixed among them made it clear they had not come to offer aid.
He exhaled softly and shook his head. At the same time, Ophelia nodded, her eyes darkening as she stared at the enemies beyond the glass.
“They’ve swarmed like flies.”
The atmosphere surrounding the soldiers encircling the cabin was menacing, as though a bounty had been placed on Ruen’s head. He blinked slowly at the sight and let out another quiet breath.
“Thank you for your help, Ophelia. From here on, I’ll handle this myself.”
Of course, Ruen had no means of resolving the situation. He knew that accepting Ophelia’s aid would allow him to escape this predicament without difficulty. Yet he also understood that involving her would only become a burden. As someone who must remain neutral, taking the side of a disgraced Calbrandt heir could prove troublesome for her.
“Do you have a clear plan?”
“……I’ll think of one now.”
Even with danger at their doorstep, Ruen forced himself to remain composed. Fear churned deep in his chest, but he struggled to keep it from showing. Ophelia noticed and exhaled softly, watching him. Ruen, however, did not meet her gaze; he was already lost in thought.
‘Why have they arrived so quickly?’
The presence of Calbrandt’s pursuit unit among them was undeniable. Even if the neighboring territories that received his letter had betrayed him to Calsento, their speed was still far too swift.
‘……Then there’s only one possibility.’
At least one territory had already aligned itself with Calsento. Realizing this, Ruen frowned and dragged a hand down his face. He tried to deduce which domain had sold itself, but identifying the culprit proved difficult. Still, he could guess when the betrayal had begun.
‘From the moment they learned I had no talent.’
The instant that fact spread through high society, they must have concluded the Calbrandt family had no future. And Calsento, appearing at precisely that moment, would have offered them a proposal tempting enough to justify betrayal.
“In the end……”
It all came down to talent. The sole heir of a prestigious magical house possessed none, and this was the catastrophe that followed. Ruen clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened, teeth grinding audibly. Staring out the window with bloodshot eyes, he drew a deep breath and pushed the thoughts away.
He could not run. He could not fight. Surviving this encounter would likely prove impossible. To Calsento, Ruen was nothing more than a thorn in his side. While not an immediate threat, his mere existence would remain an eyesore for as long as he lived. That was why Calsento intended to uproot him now, before he could grow.
Even so—
‘……I will face them with dignity.’
Begging for his life or lowering his head was not an option. Strangely, even as death drew near, Ruen felt his mind grow calmer. He made his decision.
He would not cry out in disgrace. He would not plead for his wretched life. He would not grant Calsento the scene he desired. Instead, he would meet death with composure and pride.
“I’ll be going.”
Having steeled himself, Ruen offered Ophelia a formal bow before turning toward the cabin door. She watched his retreating figure until he stepped outside and the door closed behind him. Only then did she release a quiet sigh.
“……Stubborn boy.”
@
The soldiers surrounding the cabin exhaled slowly as they stared at it. The moment Ruen Fil Calbrandt appeared, they readied themselves to seize him. According to Calsento Fil Calbrandt, the new head of the Calbrandt family, anyone who captured Ruen would receive a substantial reward. The promise that his life or death mattered little had drawn them here.
Yet despite their bloodthirsty resolve, none dared approach the cabin. They knew who waited inside and who had cast the magic encircling it. Crossing that translucent barrier would mean forfeiting their lives. So they waited for Ruen to emerge of his own accord.
Those who had arrived at dawn continued their vigil until the sun rose. At last, after the long wait, the cabin door slowly opened and the boy stepped out.
Dark blue-black hair. Deep, shadowed black eyes. Pale, luminous skin and a refined nose. Though still a youth who had not yet fully matured, his noble bearing and delicate, handsome features were unmistakable. The soldiers tightened their grips on their spears.
His presence differed entirely from Calsento’s, yet they recognized him as the Ruen they had been sent to capture. Mercenaries hired for coin, soldiers dispatched by neighboring territories, and pursuers from Calbrandt itself—all of them.
Ruen surveyed the considerable force with lowered eyes before speaking in a calm voice.
“Quite the crowd.”
The words were far too composed for a fifteen-year-old boy facing those who had come to seize him.
“The one you point your weapons at is the legitimate heir of House Calbrandt. I assume you’re aware of that.”
Of course they were. They also knew that, unlike other scions of a magical house, this boy possessed only the faintest trace of mana sensitivity. The mercenaries snorted at his words. Even if Ruen vanished, Calsento would handle the aftermath.
Ruen regarded them steadily, then smiled.
“You believe Calsento will clean up after you.”
“……”
“Do you truly think he will?”
The man who had murdered his own brother with his own hands. At the boy’s mocking smile, the mercenaries unconsciously tightened their grips on their swords.
“You’re all disposable. That’s why not a single knight stands among you. Why send knights to capture one boy when mercenaries will suffice?”
“No need to waste knights on a brat like you.”
“……Is that what you really believe?”
The more he spoke, the more they felt drawn into his pace. One mercenary answered before he could stop himself. Ruen had been waiting for that.
“Even if Calsento has devoured Calbrandt, he isn’t drowning in coin. After dividing the spoils among the neighboring territories, the gains will be smaller than expected.”
“……”
“That’s why he avoided unnecessary expenses and used you instead of knights. Why do you think that is?”
Ruen spoke without anger or raised voice, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. His detached demeanor and quiet words pressed down on the surrounding soldiers and mercenaries alike.
“Once everything is over, it will be easier to pin the blame and dispose of you. What do you think of that?”
“……”
The mercenary who had answered earlier scowled and stepped forward, his expression twisting at being singled out.
“You think it’ll be easy to get rid of all of us?”
“Do you think it will be difficult?”
Mercenaries thought like mercenaries. Nobles thought like nobles. A mercenary who had never lived as a noble could never understand a noble’s reasoning, but Ruen, who had, understood Calsento perfectly.
“The last remaining heir of Calbrandt was killed by bandits. Therefore, Calsento succeeds as head of the family.”
“……”
“The bandits are then eradicated in Calsento’s name. Is there a simpler, cleaner conclusion?”