The Flight
"Hah…… hah……."
I ran. I just ran. Leaving behind the familiar, once-warm sanctuary, I fled into the unknown. [Young master, always remember this.] Arhendo's voice echoed in my mind as I ran, nothing more. Where to? How? Such thoughts never surfaced. I simply fled somewhere far away…… anywhere distant from this place.
[Never trust humans.]
The malice of mankind. It wasn't limited to Calsento alone. It encompassed everyone who coveted the Calbrandt family—Calsento and all those who followed him, waiting to snatch up the scraps once he seized control. Every last betrayer.
Even at fifteen, as the eldest son of a noble house, I had attended enough social gatherings and received the education expected of a future head. I understood the situation perfectly.
I had been betrayed. By the vassals of House Calbrandt and by my own uncle.
Why?
'Because I am weak.'
Because I lacked talent, because I was powerless, I had no choice but to surrender the family. I could do nothing. That was why I was struck down without resistance, why the loyal knights of our house had no choice but to fall.
Recalling the fallen knights and soldiers, I clutched the necklace at my throat. Gripping the Calbrandt family crest, I wiped away the tears blurring my vision and bit my lower lip.
'I will have my revenge. No matter what.'
The young boy made that vow. He would take revenge on Calsento and reclaim Calbrandt.
@
"……My lord. We have dealt with nearly all the remaining small fry."
"The brat?"
"My apologies. He slipped away."
The knight lowered his head in shame. Calsento clicked his tongue in displeasure and shook his head.
"It matters not. That child has no chance of survival anyway."
In Calsento's mind, Ruen's survival was close to zero. Even if he somehow reached a neighboring territory, by then Calsento would have already seized complete control of House Calbrandt. Moreover, with magical beasts prowling the borders of Calbrandt Territory, a boy who couldn't even use magic stood no chance of making it through alive.
Recalling Ruen's inability to wield either sword or magic, Calsento's lips curled into a thin smile. He turned his gaze toward Arhendo and the knights still fighting to the bitter end.
"Tsk. The times have changed, yet they refuse to follow the current."
The era had shifted. House Calbrandt was already mostly under Calsento's control. For him, who had been laying the groundwork for years, the outcome was flawless.
'How fortunate that the brat possesses no magical talent. Even the heavens favor me.'
Calsento Fil Calbrandt had never once considered handing over this golden goose of a family to his elder brother. The only reason he had stepped back before was simple: at the time, he could never have defeated Hamel Fil Calbrandt. His brother's talent had been overwhelming—powerful enough that even the greedy Calsento could not hope to match it.
Yet Calsento now considered that a blessing. Thanks to Hamel, the Calbrandt family had grown even stronger, allowing Calsento to claim a far greater prize.
"Clean up the rest and form a pursuit party. Hunt the brat down."
"……Understood, my lord."
To Calsento, Ruen Fil Calbrandt was nothing more than a thorn in his side. As long as the boy lived, he would become an obstacle later. Eliminating him cleanly was the most comfortable choice. Already savoring the sound of "my lord," Calsento smiled thinly and gazed out the window.
"How pleasant."
Calbrandt was his. Calsento believed it with certainty. After all, he had never once truly left the family behind.
@
"……."
I was exhausted. Gasping for breath, I looked around. It seemed the pursuit party hadn't caught up yet, but I couldn't afford to relax. I knew I could never outrun the knights following me.
Having reached the forest outside Calbrandt Territory, I leaned against a tree, breathing heavily.
'Where should I go……?'
A vague sense of dread rose within me. I had left Calbrandt Territory before, but never alone. There were no knights to protect me, no coachman to guide me, no mother, no father. I had no food or water, no spare clothes, no money. I had no family to shield me and nothing to offer in return. All I possessed was my knowledge of magic and my own body.
Which meant I had nothing at all.
Magical knowledge? What use was it without mana or talent? My body? I had never swung a sword in my life and possessed not even the most basic knowledge of swordsmanship.
"Ah……."
My vision blurred. I couldn't tell if it was those damned tears welling up again or simply exhaustion from running. I only exhaled a long breath, holding back the silent flood.
The situation was dire. But there was no time to despair. It was still the middle of the night. The attack had begun around sunset, and I had been running for hours. It was likely near dawn.
Estimating the time, I forced myself upright and began walking deeper into the forest. I knew the dangers of the woods at night, but I had no other choice. Staying here would only mean capture by the pursuit party that would eventually come. I held no naive hope that Calsento would spare me simply because we shared blood. If he had been capable of such mercy, he would never have murdered my parents in the first place.
Having killed his own brother with his own hands, Calsento would surely be determined to kill me as well.
'Because I will become a great threat to the Calbrandt he now controls.'
I didn't know what Calsento was thinking, but having decided to seize the family, he would never leave the legitimate heir alive. Therefore, I needed to grow stronger. I needed power to strike back at Calsento. At the same time, I needed to build influence—enough that Calsento could not touch me.
The method was……
'I don't know.'
I had no answers. If I could reach the neighboring territories with ties to Calbrandt, I might receive help. Clinging to that thought, I steeled my resolve and stepped into the forest.
The reason I chose the dangerous woods over the main road was simple. On the open road, someone might recognize me. No—they would recognize me. Not because they knew I was Ruen Fil Calbrandt, but because my appearance stood out. Anyone could see I was a noble's child, and word of my movements would inevitably reach the pursuit party.
'……The knights are out of the question.'
Magical beasts were just as impossible to defeat, but the thought of knights made my decision for me. I stepped into the forest without hesitation.
"Hoo……."
I wasn't completely ignorant about forests, especially at night. I knew exactly how dangerous this place was. Nocturnal beasts grew far more vicious than their daytime counterparts because the mana at night was far denser. Of course, with my abysmal mana sensitivity, I couldn't feel it. Still, the moment I entered the woods, an eerie sensation washed over me.
'What……?'
A chilling feeling, as if someone were watching me, made my body tremble. I glanced around cautiously before quickening my pace. There was no way anyone could be watching me. I felt no presence, no sign of life. It had to be nothing more than fear playing tricks on my mind. I muttered the thought to myself and hurried onward.
The only way to escape this fear was to get out of the forest.
"Hoo."
Unable to even breathe properly, I kept walking in silence. I had to get out of these woods. Therefore, I never imagined—
That someone truly was watching me.
And that they were……
[It's a human! A human!]
[A human we can sense! We found one!]
……murmuring about me.