Chapter 51
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 51: Omen
There was no sound of knocking.
Because it was just fetching water for a moment.
Erwin carefully pressed the handle and opened the door.
The tray holding the silver water pitcher shook minutely, creating gentle ripples.
Inside the hospital room was quiet.
She stepped one foot inside.
And stopped.
Vivienne Elindis was standing there.
Standing facing the door, showing her back to Iden.
Red hair was flowing down along her shoulders, and the back of her hand was raised close to her face.
Fingertips trembling minutely were wiping something.
Huh?
Is she... crying?
Erwin's glabella twitched subtly.
Her gaze naturally moved to the sickbed.
Iden was sitting on the bed with his upper body slightly raised.
And was making a somewhat troubled face.
Embarrassment.
Expression of a person placed in a situation difficult to explain.
"...?"
A small question mark floated in Erwin's head.
What is it.
What scene on earth am I watching.
"I, I really... then I will go."
At that moment, Vivienne bowed her head and moved her steps hurriedly.
Her eye rims were wet red, and her pupils were shaking subtly.
Just before leaving the room, she showed even more flustered sign meeting eyes with Erwin.
"Ah... I apologize."
Leaving an apology with unknown meaning, she hurriedly opened the door and exited the hospital room.
Skirt hem shook like wind.
Sound of door closing was heard exceptionally loud.
Only Iden and Erwin remained in the hospital room.
Silence.
Erwin put down the tray on the side table.
Sound of metal touching wood rang clack.
Raised her head slowly.
"...What is the situation?"
It was a calm tone.
But timbre laid subtly low.
Voice where faint wariness took place.
"Why did Lady Vivienne run out crying?"
Iden was speechless.
Because it was realized belatedly that it was a strange situation when seen by a third party.
Had to explain.
But how?
Story of 3 years ago?
Edom Rivan.
Stalking.
Obsession.
Confinement rumor.
And the apology just now.
Taking all this out here now was excessively complicated.
Besides, reason to explain to Erwin, and timing were ambiguous.
Vivienne leaving the hospital room just now was somewhat like a picture of a tragic heroine. And composition where he stands at the center seemed to cause more misunderstanding the longer the explanation becomes.
Iden caught his breath shortly.
"...Seems she has rich sensitivity."
Erwin's eyes narrowed.
Iden added.
"Since she experienced a situation just before death, seemed she couldn't control emotions yet. Seeing me must have reminded her of that time."
It was logical in its own way.
Danger.
Rescue.
Afterglow.
Tears.
No problem.
...Probably.
Erwin looked at Iden without saying anything.
A thin line was drawn in her red pupils.
As if measuring something with a sword, as if decomposing the situation.
"To say that."
Quiet voice.
"Air current flowing between the two, was a little strange?"
Woman's intuition.
That started bouncing in a wrong direction.
Iden blinked his eyes.
Air current?
Doesn't the word air current usually refer to a state where tension hovers subtly or strange flow of air felt without explaining in words.
Wonder if it's somewhat inappropriate to come out in current situation, but felt like had to explain something to Erwin's gaze glaring at him 'again'.
But words not floating.
Erwin's eyes scan the hospital room.
Vivienne shedding tears.
Embarrassed Iden.
And something unexplained flowing between them.
It wasn't simply an air current of rescuer and rescued.
Somewhere in Erwin's heart tightened quietly.
This is.
Different kind of sensation from threat felt on battlefield.
Anxious emotion without reason.
Unexplained wariness.
Even at the moment such things came to mind, thought it absurd herself.
But her gaze was still heading to Iden.
She pretended not to see her face reflected on the surface of the water pitcher stiffened subtly.
Inside the hospital room, another tension permeated.
Newly appeared rival in love.
Woman's intuition was defining it.
**
Above the water surface was quiet as always.
Citizens continued energetic winter preparations, merchants also put all efforts into securing stock, and streets were still overflowing with vitality.
Wintel Main Castle also seemed to regain peace.
Exhibition preparation proceeded as scheduled, and nobles continued daily life exchanging superficial regards and congratulations.
As if nothing happened outwardly.
But under the water surface, a huge storm had already passed once.
Underground of Main Castle, in the interrogation room where not a single point of light enters, two men were isolated separately.
Kalik Droban.
And Redric Ricardo.
Kalik already had a face where everything collapsed.
Reputable archivist, man with impression called 'Happy Walrus' disappeared, and only haggard sinner wet with beard and sweat was tied in chains.
Records organized as Endermit's 'Dwirig' couldn't extend his life.
Rather, too neatly organized documents only proved his guilt clearly.
Redric was different.
He was silent.
Traces of black magic were still burning his blood vessels minutely, and whole body was in weakened state due to recoil of contract, but at least eyes were alive.
Eyes saying not over yet, mixed with madness and certainty.
Name of Endermit was no longer a whisper in the shade.
Based on Kalik's documents and Redric's statement, Eldmonde expanded search operation secretly.
Information flow inside Main Castle, material movement record, up to reconstruction of movement line at the time of banquet hall explosion.
Outwardly quiet, but inside dense net was unfolding.
And at the center.
There was Iden Summonfield.
His recovery was fast.
As attending physician said, body damage was minor.
Mind driven to just before encroachment due to recoil of contract summoning formula was a situation that would have required months of recovery for a general Summoner.
But Iden regained light in eyes in a few days.
Iden sat on the bed organizing thoughts quietly.
Banquet hall explosion incident.
Kalik's identity.
Existence of Endermit.
Redric's black magic and kidnapping.
All incidents were converging to one axis.
But until now, existence of 'Leader' was in the mist.
Through Redric's interrogation, only found out existence is 'real', but couldn't find evidence to specify.
Next official event.
Endermit won't stop.
Iden was certain of that fact.
Redric trapped in basement threatened back raising veins.
"We will find another scapegoat."
Those words weren't bluff.
Endermit is a group using people like tools for purpose.
If one fails, will push in another one.
Not ended because Vivienne refused, probability was high that they are seeking other route.
He caught breath slowly.
What obtained through this matter was clear.
Endermit whose high-ranking executive was discovered will minimize activity at least until next official event.
And probability is high that Leader moves directly.
Iden recalled confrontation with Vivienne a few days ago.
Her call "Edom".
Thanks to that one word call, could cut off contract completely.
If not for that call, might have been really dangerous encroached up to soul.
"I was really sorry for that time."
Therefore conveyed apology even though it wasn't sin he committed.
Could know facing closely.
Fear of past days still dwelled in her eyes, and hesitating lips and wriggling fingertips were informing she hasn't completely escaped from 'Edom Rivan' yet.
Thus just as she cut his contract liberating him, he also decided to cut connection with her liberating her.
Also.
It was to cut off connecting link with original heroine making that apology the first and last.
There will be nothing beneficial tangling with each other.
With this one apology, returning to each other's place again writing down respective stories.
Iden exhaled long breath.
Storm under water surface was settled, and remaining lump with original heroine was also resolved.
Now, it was turn to start another story.
**
One week passed.
In the meantime, Wintel family made a decision.
That they won't move under water surface anymore.
Method of searching secretly, eliminating in shade, erasing quietly ended.
After long internal discussion in Main Castle's grand conference room, 'Endermit' was officially defined as hostile force.
Announcement.
Weight that one word possessed was immense.
Now Endermit became clear enemy threatening North's order, not ghost story floating secretly.
Wintel family pulled that existence above water surface naming 'Enemy of North', and simultaneously declared all-out war.
And.
That declaration was compressed into one scene.
Front yard of Main Castle in Capital Helon was decorated gorgeously incomparable to before.
Huge flags embroidered with North's crest were draped around the yard, and statues symbolizing war and victory lined up.
Silver crystal fountain was erected, and hundreds of nobles, knights, officials took seats.
Grander than ever, and more blatant display than ever.
Declaration that Wintel family's potential power is still healthy.
And at the center, Iden Summonfield stood.
Shoulders of him dressed in dark formal attire were solid, and blue-grey hair was organized neatly.
Voice of Grand Duke Eldmonde standing on platform rang inside the hall.
"Praise the merit of specifying Endermit's existence alone, and capturing its core manpower alive."
Buzz arose.
Endermit.
Name no need to hide now.
Called along with Iden's name.
About 1 year ago, mercenary called Iden praised for merit as first contributor of capturing Northern Barbarian Chief alive now became noble called Iden 'Summonfield', standing here again as first contributor capturing executives of anti-state force called Endermit alive.
Title buyable paying gold coins at status registration office ends at Baronet.
Above that is possible only if owner of belonging territory bestows.
And highest title Grand Duke can confer arbitrarily is up to 'Count'.
Above that is impossible without King's approval.
Eldmonde's gaze headed to Iden.
"Endermit was existence becoming danger up to Kingdom beyond Northern Territory, but merit cutting that bud is no different from protecting Kingdom's safety, not North's safety. Thus bestow wide area site and mansion near Main Castle, and appoint as Captain of Special Task Force newly established in Wintel Main Castle."
Briefly, silence flows.
Grand Duke Eldmonde's pupils look down at Iden.
And.
"Thus invest Iden Summonfield as Count."
Air in the hall flipped in an instant.
Commoner mercenary called Iden became Count Iden Summonfield.
3 years ago.
Man who walked to North abandoning his family and name became Family Head of Count family called Summonfield in just 3 years.
Not simply restoration following luck, but promotion close to unprecedented special promotion.
Speed rare in noble history.
Eldmonde's sword touched shoulder.
Symbolic ceremony is held.
Iden bowed head then raised slowly.
His pupils were scanning surroundings calmly, inside calculated composure.
Not simple investiture ceremony, but declaration and warning towards Endermit.
Warning flying to Endermit's Leader.
Public pressure sending to those defined as enemies of North.
Official proclamation that those contributing to Endermit's downfall will receive Wintel family's stipend.
Iden received official invitation as Count title to Emiline's exhibition held after a week.
Now he wasn't ordinary noble, but figure standing at front of Wintel family.
Banquet hall was bound to be filled with cheers for him becoming Captain of Wintel family's Special Task Force and symbol facing Endermit head-on.
Someone looked at him with awe, someone with jealousy, someone with fear.
In that gaze, Erwin was looking at him from a step back seat.
Golden bobbed hair flowed down riding shoulder.
Pride was dwelling in her red pupils wearing formal banquet dress.
3 years.
Watched all moments from when he was Engineering Unit Senior Adjutant, days pouring sweat in outdoor training ground, to moments covered in blood on battlefield.
And now watching him becoming dignified Count standing in front of hundreds of nobles.
Erwin's mouth corners went up very minutely.
As expected.
My husb—
It was then.
"!"
In gaze turned briefly, woman wiping tears turning back to Iden a few days ago.
Possessor of absolute beauty standing out at once among numerous beauties was standing.
And that possessor was looking at Iden.
"...."