Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 24: Man of Reversal, Iden Summonfield
In my hand leaving Eldmonde's office, a worn-out book that could be called an ancient text was held.
It was thick.
As much as the time passed.
It could be said the thickness is felt because there are many sheets of paper, but the time of a Summoner contained in each page made strength enter the grip holding the book automatically.
Unable to endure curiosity, I opened the book as soon as I left the office hallway.
And as if speed-reading while moving steps, I scanned things recorded on every page turned.
The leather cover was worn smoothly like a trace of enduring old times, and there were no bluffs like gold leaf or patterns anywhere.
It wasn't a book for display.
It was a record written to survive, and to win.
Summoning Arts book written by Northern Grand Duke Eldmonde Wintel himself.
A comprehensive collection where his battlefield experience spanning decades, trial and error, success and failure were pressed intact was held in my hand.
Records writing down things one must know to survive as a Summoner without hiding.
Efficient operation of summoned beasts, how to distribute mana to operate simultaneously, summoning circles according to war situation, even at what moment greed makes the summoning circle collapse.
He didn't wrap Summoning Arts in romance or mystery.
It was cool-headed, practical, and full of information to be reborn as a war hero.
Of course, I don't know if I can fully understand and make things recorded for decades mine.
I might get frustrated turning a few pages.
However, what is certain is that the intuition that the moment I make this book mine, the trajectory of life will be pushed up to that targeted place.
Furthermore.
'If there is a blocked part, come to me.'
Grand Duke Eldmonde even volunteered to be a teacher.
Like a milestone appearing for the first time on the road I had been groping alone until now.
While leaving the Main Castle, decorations of the corridor and crests of the Wintel family flashed by vision, but weren't properly recognized.
I just walked turning pages like a mad scientist who realized the solution to an unsolvable problem.
Limit of Summoning Arts.
Vague wall felt.
Expectation that I could overcome it was hitting my brain, and my steps that were only going straight without knowing the scenery was changing stopped.
'Come to think of it...'
It's because Grand Duke Eldmonde's last words suddenly came to mind.
"To be active in Helon, you will need a capable attendant. I have already found that attendant in advance."
He smiled subtly saying those words.
It was a smile too shallow to be called playfulness, and too personal to be called political calculation.
Like snow falling at dawn piling up gently without wind, Grand Duke Eldmonde with a faint smile continued speaking to me leaving the office.
"Since it's an attendant quite resembling you, it will be good to work together."
At that time, I didn't think deeply.
I passed it as a joke mixed with leisure unique to the Northern Grand Duke.
But looking back now, that smile was clearly the face of a person who 'knows' something.
"Since they will be waiting at the Main Castle gate, go there."
Closing the book, I headed there straight away.
As I got closer to the castle gate, air unique to Helon dug into my skin again.
Every time I inhaled, I felt it cooling clearly deep inside my lungs.
A person was standing at the castle gate pillar wall arrived like that.
With back turned.
"...Uh?"
Familiar woman with short golden hair.
Waist was straight, and weight was balanced on both feet.
Body giving an impression of 'soldier' just by posture even though wearing no equipment.
I naturally slowed my steps.
Eldmonde's words that she 'resembled' me only then began to have meaning.
Engineering Captain who repaired defense line emptying her private funds to fill insufficient operating costs.
Person who put down the status of Count family's young lady and chose a rough place for belief.
And.
Woman who said she was going to greet relatives.
It was Erwin.
Although it was plain clothes attire, neither uniform nor military cap, the atmosphere dwelling in it didn't change.
Eyes were still straight, and soldier's tension permeated the standing posture.
Just, on top of all that, something that wasn't there before overlapped.
Something not yet interpretable.
I looked at her silently, and she also saw me and offered an awkward hand greeting.
As if a relationship seeing after a long time even though we just parted.
At that clumsy greeting, a smile leaked out smirk.
And I realized.
What her 'business' was, who said she was going to attend to business.
**
The corridor leading to the inner castle was longer than thought.
In the orderly scenery created by refined stone walls, red carpet, and regularly arranged torches, the steps of the two people naturally slowed down.
Iden in front, Erwin half a step behind.
Positions standing side by side as Engineering Captain and Senior Adjutant just a while ago were subtly different now.
Employer and attendant.
That this reversal of relationship wasn't yet ingrained in the body was the same for both.
If Iden slows half a step to walk side by side, Erwin slows one step.
After fierce squabbling continued several times, eventually Iden who gave up broke the silence and opened his mouth.
"...May I ask one thing."
Erwin nodded.
"Ah, yes."
"I am curious why you volunteered."
Iden didn't think Grand Duke Eldmonde attached her as his confidant.
It was clear she volunteered to the Grand Duke to be his confidant.
Therefore it was questionable.
Because a Count family's young lady becoming a commoner's attendant is something wrong, solidly wrong.
Erwin's steps slowed subtly.
She placed her gaze on the floor for a moment, and repeated curling and uncurling her fingers.
"That is......"
Short silence.
Uneven breathing.
Erwin spat out the answer she contemplated.
"Because I want to repay the grace."
As Iden stopped walking, Erwin also quickly stood following and continued.
"I just want to repay for things you did for the Engineering Unit, for Hamelon's people."
The moment she finished speaking, she couldn't raise her head.
Like a person who knows best herself that the reason isn't sufficient.
Iden didn't say anything.
A subtle blank brushed his expression.
Seeming to understand, yet somehow hard to accept.
Eldmonde's expression 'attendant resembling you' just brushed his head again, and from Erwin's clumsy appearance taking off the title Engineering Captain, he seemed to know what the 'human smell' Eldmonde said looking at him was.
"Ah, th, anyway, shouldn't we organize titles again?"
Erwin suddenly raised her head and changed the topic.
"Since positions changed now."
She spoke lowering her gaze slightly.
"You don't have to treat me too uncomfortably. Since I'm an attendant, you can use me to heart's content, ah, no comfortably."
Although she said so, shoulders stiffened somewhat awkwardly were half betraying that sincerity.
Iden didn't miss that subtle stiffness.
"That is more uncomfortable."
It was a short and honest answer.
Erwin raised her head and looked at his profile.
While off guard for a moment, Iden was walking side by side with her again.
"The side where I give orders."
Iden caught his breath for a moment and continued.
"Just because it's an attendant, I don't think it has to be a vertical relationship giving and receiving orders."
Former attendant Pamir, left behind in far land Hamelon becoming an Engineering Unit member, raised his head stopping shoveling, but no one knew.
"I wish it to be a relationship giving and receiving requests and execution, not orders."
At Iden's firm words, Erwin decided not to press further.
Iden she watched so far is a bamboo-like man.
Since she decided to serve him, she decided to consider following his opinion natural.
"Then what shall I call you now?"
Iden fell into thought continuing his steps.
Because it felt like a more important problem than thought.
But to him who didn't think he would keep a noble young lady as an attendant, it was too difficult a problem.
"You can just call comfortably."
Erwin nodded a few times at those words, and avoided gaze for a moment.
Following few steps.
Silence intervening lightly.
At the end of it, Erwin with a voice so small almost inaudible...
"Iden?"
Calling the nickname(?) shortened at her will, she covered her mouth abruptly.
Iden turned his head reflexively.
It was because he didn't hear properly.
"Yes?"
Erwin's face hardened in an instant.
Eyes grew big, and even ears turned red.
"Ah, no—!"
Hurriedly waving her hand, she continued.
"Th, not that... I mean—"
Brief silence.
Erwin, swallowing saliva gulp, called him again.
"Iden. I will call you Iden. You also call me just Erwin comfortably."
"...Understood."
Iden attached speed to his steps instead of continuing words.
Before he knew it, steps were arriving in front of the destination.
It was the 'Status Registry' located in the capital inner castle.
**
The Status Registry was filling the air only with the smell of ink and sound of turning documents as always.
Iden stood alone in front of the counter.
It was after sending Erwin to find a mansion worth staying in.
Moving simultaneously with someone definitely trustworthy seems efficient indeed.
Beyond the counter made of refined stone, the clerk raised his head with an expressionless face.
"What is your business?"
Iden took out a document envelope silently.
What was placed first was the Official Recommendation Letter of the Wintel family.
Pure white sealing wax, the moment the document stamped clearly with the Northern Grand Duke's seal touched the table, the clerk's eyebrows went up subtly.
Next was a gold coin.
Clink—
1 gold coin was placed neatly.
"I want to buy the Baronet title."
Baronet, the only title among ranks buyable with money, is 40 gold, but the meaning Official Wintel Recommendation Letter signified was clear.
'Guarantee'.
Just with the fact of being a person acknowledged by the Northern Grand Duke, the kingdom's regulations folded dozens of times.
The clerk checked the recommendation letter, and took the gold coin.
Practically, the effect of 1 gold was just a registration fee close to tribute.
"Baronet title purchase, accepted."
Noble title purchase procedure is tricky.
Individual property scale, social position, sustainable fund management power, recommendation letter from noble two ranks above etc.
There are many things to check and review, but all those procedures were omitted by a single 'Official Wintel Recommendation Letter'.
Of course, the clerk didn't omit the procedure of checking the seal's minute mark with a large magnifying glass and checking the seal's color change using special dye.
Soon.
Status purchase form writing began.
Name, origin, expected residence, family name.
Iden's pen nib ran as if sliding on paper then stopped.
Very short silence.
Through that, mercenary life started on the roadside, Blue Wolf Corps, duel with Northern Barbarian Chief.
And Hamelon's castle wall, traps, summoning circle bloomed in crumbled gaps.
Name called in the middle of the battlefield flashes by.
Stopped pen nib moves again fluttering letters.
[SummonField]
It was a family name metaphorically containing the battlefield's Summoner.
Pen moved again.
Ink permeated paper leaving a new record.
Document was completed, and Status Registry official seal was stamped.
At that moment, he was no longer a mercenary nor a nameless engineer.
Although it didn't matter even if it was a title in name only yet.
What is important now was only the name to move fiercely at the center of power, peak of ambition.
Like that, from mercenary in just 3 years.
Passing Engineering Unit Senior Adjutant.
Baronet Iden Summonfield.
He became a noble again.
**
Meanwhile, Erwin, arriving at the registry office to find a mansion, was experiencing difficulty from the start.
"Um, I came to see a house."
"What kind of house do you mean?"
"Newlywed hou...!? Ah, no—! Mansion—!!"
"Ye, yes??"
Capable(?) attendant who took off the knife-sharp title called Engineering Captain was repeating clumsy rapid acceleration and rapid braking alone in emotion fluctuation worse than cold experienced for the first time in life.