Chapter 41
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 41: Tracking (2)
"Life is indeed a continuation of irony."
Iden, stepping out to the street for tracking, muttered as if letting out a snort.
Isn't it funny.
Noticing the existence of the Final Black Curtain as soon as the original heroine appeared, and imitating the actions Edom Rivan did 3 years ago to dig into his back.
Of course, knowing in head that justification and target are different, but mind feeling reluctant would be an inevitable reaction.
But he didn't stop his actions.
For the great cause, to prevent sacrifice, for innocent people who might get swept up, he thought he shouldn't be bound by means.
'Found him.'
A few days later like that, Iden captured Redric's appearance in the bustling street near the Main Castle.
He was walking the street leisurely leading two escort knights.
Outwardly, he was merely an ordinary young noble to the end.
Iden naturally permeated among people.
Adjusting steps, spilling gaze, and maintaining constant interval.
Checking opponent's location through glass windows, store metal decorations, and shadows reflected in puddles, not front.
At the series of processes being strangely smooth and natural, Iden had to swallow a hollow laugh once more.
Body was moving first.
Speed when turning alley corners, angle reducing footstep sound, sense calculating opponent's vision blind spot, control of distance pace.
Continued naturally without bothering to think.
Method of tailing acquired by Edom Rivan who chased a woman tenaciously.
That didn't remain as simple memory, but as something close to instinct.
Observation and tenacity piled under the pathetic alias 'Stalker' were now converting to tracking skills.
To think obsession following someone in the past became a strategy to dig out opposing forces now, Iden laughed low.
'Useful eventually huh.'
Redric passed the bustling street and entered a quiet street in the outskirts.
Two escort knights were following at a certain distance, but their vigilance was loose.
At least, they didn't seem to think they were being watched.
One week passed.
Iden, knowing if the tail is long it is 'unconditionally' stepped on, was sitting in the mansion office organizing things dug out.
Redric Ricardo.
Iden looked down at the record sheet spread on the desk.
Title is Viscount.
Living in a small mansion located in the outer castle of the Main Castle.
Few retainers, two escort knights.
Social activity minimal.
Hunting occasionally stepping out with acquaintances.
Looking only outwardly, he was an extremely ordinary young noble.
Didn't particularly enjoy entertainment, and seemed there were no other family members inside the mansion either.
Iden rested his chin on his hand.
"Strangely ordinary."
Time spent in the mansion was overwhelmingly long.
Not many visitors either.
Movements of servants were also constant without anything special, and suspicious cargo or secret contacts every night weren't discovered either.
Looking only at appearance, close to an academic noble not interested in politics.
But that 'nothing happening' was rather growing doubt.
Redric in the original work was also like that.
Academy assistant, inconspicuous position, quiet and ordinary figure.
But the one who stood at the center of all schemes when the curtain lifted.
Above all, final black curtains in creations are usually like that.
Wearing an ordinary mask, deflecting doubt with ordinariness.
Of course, the flow of this world is already twisted.
Edom Rivan escaped, relationship with Vivienne collapsed, and Cale Bailus didn't even exist in Capital Helon.
That is, possibility that Redric also remained as an ordinary noble matching the completely changed flow couldn't be completely excluded.
Might be wasting time on an innocent noble young master.
However, Iden shook his head firmly.
"No. Excessively clean."
No traces would mean erasing traces.
Would mean ensuring perfection in caution just in case.
Not even a mid-level villain but the final villain.
Not enough to be the trigger of Edom Rivan's blackening in the original work, he is the very person who laid hands on forbidden magic to take Vivienne, driving the surrounding area to the brink of scorched earth.
Final Black Curtain modeled as a character with somewhat twisted inner side in the first place would absolutely not live ordinarily.
Especially such a character revealed himself at the social gathering hosted by the Wintel family, and caught his vision trying to find opposing forces.
Cannot just sit and watch for the reason of looking ordinary.
It was then.
Knock knock—
Along with the knocking sound, Erwin who set out on 'investigation' like himself entered hugging a bundle of papers.
"I organized it."
Subtle pride was carried in her words placing that bundle of papers on Iden's desk.
It was a bundle written with rough physical descriptions, characteristics, and titles of total seven people.
"Already done?"
"Yeah. Because it's natural for a noble young lady visiting a matchmaking agency for engagement to ask for information on male nobles of interest."
Erwin shrugs her shoulders.
Skill utilizing what she has appropriately and flexibly according to need is not ordinary.
Iden admired that and turned the first page.
Iden's eyes stopped.
"......."
He looked down at the paper without a word.
Appearance drawings according to characteristics were also drawn together, but could something drawn with circles, triangles, two dots, and crooked lines be called a person indeed.
Iden raised his head slowly.
"This is...."
"Tried drawing saving characteristics."
Erwin spoke confidently.
Iden looked down at the paper again.
Must have been maximum effort.
Had no intention to have complaints about efforts doing for him.
"...."
However, at the characteristic explanation attached below the drawing, he couldn't continue speaking for a moment.
Red hair, looks like a weasel with big eyes.
Grey hair, looks like a black pig starved for days.
Blue hair, looks like a clean and smart orc.
Black hair, looks like a fat goblin with a small nose.
Baffling descriptions are embroidering.
Direct evaluation completely ignoring noble face or such.
Description seemingly from children's perspective but strangely imagined specifically.
Iden read down picturing them in his head one by one.
Then hand stopped.
Dark red hair, resembles happy walrus.
Iden's gaze fixed stopped.
Closing eyes, he retraced the movement line of the past week tailing Redric.
When Redric went out, man met at a small mansion in the south of the outer castle.
There was a moment encountering shortly in front of the door.
Dark red hair.
Glossy broad face.
Ends of small and petty lips drawing a pervasive smile, and one fang protruding below it.
Somewhat dull impression and walk.
Walrus.
Hearing that expression sounds funny, yet feeling strangely exactly matching.
Besides, it was a description seeming having thick similarity with the low-pitched voice heard through the summoning circle too.
"This person."
Iden tapped the paper.
"Was there nothing unusual?"
Erwin approached and checked the paper.
"Viscount Kalik Droban? Hmm... nothing special seen."
Iden's eyes narrowed.
Redric attended the second banquet.
Kalik Droban didn't attend.
But during one week, one of the people Redric met going out was exactly him.
Iden muttered low leaning his back against the chair.
"Kalik Droban huh...."
In absurd animal and monster metaphors, one connecting link was revealing its appearance.
**
Southeast district of inner castle, medium-sized mansion equipped with neatly trimmed garden and fountain.
Owner of that place, Viscount Kalik Droban, was a figure with quite good reputation even in Capital Helon.
As much as taking charge of archivist duty of Main Castle, bright in information, and never caught a big flaw in executing duties.
Mild smile always hung on the roundly spread face, and small fang coyly protruding below upper lip looked strangely cute.
Eye corners drooped softly so even if getting angry, imposing feeling wasn't big, and greasy belly soared plumply over thick vest looking fluffy.
Even walking appearance gave a heavy and stable impression rather than threatening.
So he was someone with a good reputation among nobles in his own way.
"Viscount, a guest has arrived."
At the butler's low report, Kalik asked without taking eyes off the ledger.
"Who is it?"
"Says Baronet Iden Summonfield."
At that moment, the sound of pen tip scratching paper lengthened subtly.
Iden Summonfield.
Leading role of Saloon Central Plains Battle, Savior of Hamelon, Summoner of the Dark Night, Northern Grand Duke's Man.
Kalik's eyelids fell very momentarily.
"......Really?"
"Yes. Says visited to offer greeting."
Short silence.
Chain reaction brought by one name was never light.
Man receiving Grand Duke's trust entirely.
His visit wasn't welcome, and had to be wary of, but couldn't bite off greeting recklessly.
Kalik closed the ledger.
"Tell him to enter."
He rose from the chair and organized wrinkles of outer clothing.
His own face reflected in the mirror was still mild, fang also looked cute, and belly was warm as usual.
His outward appearance was harmless as always.
Kalik moving to reception room passed the door opened by butler and welcomed Iden waiting in that place.
"Please forgive sudden visit, Viscount. Since I seemed not to have offered greeting properly yet, I visited like this."
Kalik smiled spreading both hands generously.
"Hoho. That the famous Summoner of the Dark Night visits this humble place directly, it's an honor."
Voice was soft and dull.
Resonance as if adding one layer of cotton.
Iden's heart beat once, clearly.
That voice.
Soft and dull, low pitch sounding like ringing in a cave.
Exactly overlapped with one line of whisper rising from darkness in memory.
It was certain to be that voice heard through the summoning circle that day.