The Boy's Desperate Stand
Four days had passed since I began spending time with Julian, and now it was time for the Kruse Merchant Coalition to leave the village.
“You’re really coming with me?”
“Yes. I need to reach the teleportation circle anyway.”
Originally, I had planned to return to the Ayman Kingdom from here, but my stay had stretched longer than expected, and I had already sent Erill ahead. To get home, I needed to reach a teleportation circle. Even beyond that practical reason, the unusual behavior he had shown over the past few days had been bothering me.
The next city with a teleportation circle managed by the Sage’s Tower branch was two days away. That delay wouldn’t disrupt the existing schedule. Besides, I wanted to see firsthand how Aegina and Rowell would handle the imperial envoys. If the situation called for it, I was prepared to teach those envoys a lesson myself.
“Thank you.”
At his smile, I felt certain my choice had been the right one, even though I had been second-guessing it moments earlier.
“Great! Then ride in the carriage with me.”
He handed his horse off to someone else and led me toward one of the carriages. For this transport run, there were no ornate carriages or standard travel coaches—only cargo wagons. Several of them stood empty now that the delivery was complete.
“Come on, get in.”
He climbed onto an empty wagon, plopped down, and patted the spot beside him.
“……”
I climbed aboard under the curious stares of everyone around us. Right. This part hadn’t changed since our academy days.
“Vice-leader, may we depart?”
When the guards and coalition members asked, Julian nodded without taking his eyes off me.
“Yes. Let’s move out.”
I was starting to feel a bit self-conscious when the coalition member glanced at my face, hesitating over whether to lower the rear flap. No, that wasn’t necessary.
“Leave it open.”
“Understood.”
Julian answered for me with an amused look. Once the man had moved away, he leaned in and whispered so only I could hear.
“Riding in the back of a bumpy cargo wagon… Doesn’t this feel like Anna Percolin’s Night Play?”
Anna Percolin had been the only author of that particular genre whose work was considered to have any literary merit during our academy years—the one writer who kept many students awake at night. While most similar authors appealed only to male students, her stories, with their slightly deeper romantic elements, had also been quite popular among the girls.
“Since it’s two men, wouldn’t it be closer to Levy Seng’s work than Percolin’s?”
Levy Seng was known for adventure novels centered on brotherhood and camaraderie. Almost all of his stories began with a scene inside a wagon—orphaned siblings hiding in the back to escape a village, a pair of thieves sneaking aboard to steal smuggled goods. No matter the characters or situation, the story nearly always started in a wagon. I had always wondered if the author had some special attachment to them.
“Levy Seng’s books don’t have any romance.”
His works were so devoid of romance that some readers speculated the intense bonds between male characters might be more than mere brotherhood, leading to various theories about the author’s preferences.
“I see you share that interpretation, Senior.”
Of course, that remained a minority view. The prevailing opinion was that such speculation was baseless, given the young ages of the protagonists, and I agreed.
“Oh? So you mentioned Levy Seng with a different interpretation in mind?”
As he asked mischievously and leaned closer, I tried to pull away, but he caught me and linked his arm through mine.
“……”
At that moment, I locked eyes with the driver of another wagon visible through the open rear. The awkward glance, followed by the man quickly looking away, made me seriously wonder if I had made a mistake.
The ride in the rattling wagon wasn’t particularly comfortable, but it was quite enjoyable. Even after days of conversation, talking with him never grew dull, and his insights into the current political climate across the nations remained as impressive as ever.
Still, after spending these past few days together, I couldn’t help noticing something. It was hard to pinpoint exactly, but he felt different from how he had been at the academy.
Given the time that had passed, some change was only natural. Yet it wasn’t just change—it felt as though something had been lost, something missing.
Could it be connected to the tears he had shown a few days ago? And that hand mirror. He kept taking it out even though he wasn’t fixing his appearance. It bothered me.
“Senior, does that mirror have some special meaning?”
I had let it pass until now, but curiosity finally got the better of me.
“I just want to look pretty for the person I like.”
The answer came smoothly, almost playfully, but I knew there was more to it. The look in his eyes told me not to press further, so I let it go.
“Or are you jealous because I keep staring at the mirror instead?”
“Of course not……”
Suddenly, the wagons slowed. The sky was growing dark, but it was still too early to set up camp. As I wondered what was happening, the wagons began stopping one by one.
“Wait here, Anak.”
Julian stood with a serious expression. We had left the village less than a day ago, and the next city was only two days away. There shouldn’t be any particular danger in this area, so the sudden stop felt strange.
“No. I’m coming with you.”
I followed him down from the wagon. The guards and others remained calm, so it didn’t seem to be monsters or bandits. As we headed toward the front to investigate, one of the lead guards came running back.
“What’s going on?”
At Julian’s question, the man looked uncomfortable for a moment.
“It’s nothing serious. There’s a child standing in the middle of the road and refusing to move. We tried scaring him off, but he won’t budge. He doesn’t answer when we ask what’s wrong either. We’re keeping an eye on the surroundings just in case……”
“A child?”
Julian and I exchanged glances. A child alone in a place this far from any village was odd. If it were bandits trying to stop the wagons, that would at least make sense, but with this many people and the guards staying vigilant, these were clearly seasoned veterans. Each one likely carried multiple magic scrolls.
“Let’s go take a look.” I started walking toward the front where the child was. At the very front, a boy stood blocking the road. He wore tattered cloth over his clothes, but the garments peeking out beneath, though worn, looked like they had once been quite expensive.
“If you keep refusing to speak, we’ll have no choice but to use force.”
One of the guards kept speaking to the boy, but the child simply stared straight ahead without moving an inch.
“I’ll……”
“No, Senior. Let me handle this.”
I stepped forward instead of Julian. It wasn’t that I doubted his skill, but the lesson I had learned during the great war was to be as cautious as possible when something felt off.
I wasn’t wearing the equipped barrier right now, but with Janus’s talisman, I could at least escape the worst-case scenario.
“What’s the matter, kid?”
Up close, the boy had a slightly chubby face, small eyes, and sharp features. Honestly, he wasn’t particularly cute. Then again, having grown up watching Rowell, my standards might have been unfairly high.
“……”
The boy glanced at my face for a moment before turning his gaze forward again, as if he had nothing to say to me.
“If you want to go to the next village, get on a wagon. I’ll take you there.”
His arrogant attitude made me consider scaring him a little, but I held back. A child alone in a place like this was already suspicious, and the timing of his appearance here was anything but natural.
“…I have nothing to say to the hired help. Bring me the person in charge.”
The haughty tone and stiff speech were typical of noble children his age—used to giving orders but inexperienced in conversation. But a noble child alone out here?
I looked toward Julian. He must have heard the boy’s words, yet he simply stood there watching. Since I had stepped in, he seemed determined to trust me and leave it in my hands.
“I’m essentially the one in charge here. If you have something to say, say it to me.”
At my firm tone, the boy looked me up and down suspiciously before turning his head toward Julian. He had probably seen me glance at him earlier.
“I have nothing to say to some errand boy who needs permission to speak.”
I raised my hand lightly. Black and red runes filled the air, and the boy’s eyes widened with shock and fear.
“Don’t mistake arrogance for courage. If you’re frightened by something like this, then you don’t understand what true courage is.”
From among the runes emerged the Deathreaper unit, now twisted and grotesque from the damage at El Nergavil, along with the eyeless one-legged crows. The sight made not only the boy but even the guards step back.
“Now, speak. Who are you, and why did you stop us?”
When I asked in a half-threatening tone, the boy finally spoke, his words coming out haltingly.
“M-my name is Lenus Baham Rajupul. I entrust my safety to the honor of the one leading this coalition and request an escort to Duripul.”
As he spoke, the boy pulled out a ring, a necklace, and several gold coins from deep within his clothes. The gold coins were one thing, but the ring and necklace, studded with finely crafted jewels, were clearly valuable.
As expected, he was a noble young master. His insistence on speaking only to the person in charge probably stemmed from the naive belief typical of noble children—that someone leading this many people would possess matching honor and integrity. After all, if he spoke to the wrong person, they might take the jewels and money, or worse, his life.
“Why do you need to go to Duripul? And why alone, young master?”
“…That’s none of your concern. Will you accept the request or refuse?”
He tried to maintain a bold front, but his eyes betrayed anxiety and fear. Right now, his life was effectively in my hands.
“How can I trust someone who won’t even explain what’s going on? You said you believed in our honor, so shouldn’t you offer some trust in return? Or was the honor you spoke of so cheap that it could be bought with a few jewels?”
“……!”
A look of dismay crossed the boy’s face. No matter how hard he tried to act mature, he was still just a child with limited thinking. He had been clever enough to realize he needed to find someone with at least some integrity among the merchants, but the idea that money alone would solve everything was still firmly lodged in his mind.
“Tell me what’s going on. Then I’ll decide whether to accept.”
His hesitation was obvious. His gaze wandered, and his mind seemed overwhelmed by the sudden situation.
I waited in silence. I dismissed the Deathreaper unit and the crows one by one. After a moment, the boy finally seemed to make up his mind and lowered his head, so deeply that his face was hidden, as if trying to conceal his humiliation.
“…I am the legitimate son of the former Count Rajupul and the rightful heir to the Rajupul family. But after my father fell in the great war, my stepmother, who took over the family, tried to make my younger brother the heir and……”
He couldn’t bring himself to continue, but the rest of the story was easy enough to guess.
“…I managed to escape, but I don’t have the power to expose my stepmother’s crimes on my own. She would only try to kill me again. That’s why I need to go to Duripul. My aunt is there, and if she acknowledges me, then surely……”
“You don’t actually believe it’ll be that simple, do you?”
He lifted his head and looked me straight in the eye, as if shocked by what I was saying.
“Yes, it might turn out exactly as you say. But will your aunt really lend her strength to help a powerless child like you? Would she willingly oppose the countess who holds the power, even if it means exposing the family’s dirty secrets?”
“I am the legitimate heir of the Rajupul family!”
“Yes, you were born the first son. But your younger brother also carries Rajupul blood. He’s also your father’s son. To your aunt, you’re both the same—nephews, both sons of the Rajupul family.”
Of course, she might help him for various reasons—affection for her eldest nephew, resentment toward the countess, personal beliefs, or self-interest. Since I knew nothing about the Rajupul family or this aunt, I couldn’t say for certain. This was simply a question to help him think for himself.
Even if he was just a child, he was a noble—one struggling to survive in a power struggle. He would know his own family better than I did, and any answer he gave would at least be closer to the truth than mine.
“……”
He said nothing. But I already knew his answer. The despair rising on his face told me everything.
“I see you’ve found your own answer.”
It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel sorry for him, but it wasn’t deep pity. Losing his mother at a young age, then his father in the war, and now being left alone without title or wealth—it was a sad story. But the reason it didn’t truly reach my heart was probably my own problem.
“So, what will you do? Will you still go to Duripul holding onto hope? Even if she doesn’t help you reclaim the family, she might at least offer some financial support out of familial affection.”
“Do you think I’m begging for charity?”
He lashed out as if insulted, but I knew his anger wasn’t simply directed at my words. It was anger at his own situation, at reality, and at the one who had forced him to face it.
“…It’s always important to assess your situation coldly. Whether you deny it, accept it, overcome it, or submit to it—that’s a problem for later.”
Acting on conviction was different from being swayed by fleeting emotions.
“……”
The boy remained silent. Yes, this wasn’t a situation with an easy answer.
“Get on a wagon for now. I’ll take you to the next village. Use the time to make up your mind.”
“The… money……?”
“I won’t take it, so just get on.”
After confirming the boy had climbed into the lead wagon, I quietly instructed the guards to keep a close watch on him. The possibility was low, but everything—the attitude, the story—could be an act, and he might have approached us with some hidden agenda.
“Good work.”
Julian simply said that, offering no further comment on my decision. We climbed back into our wagon, and the caravan set off again.
“By the way, how far is Duripul exactly?”
“It’s a city on the outskirts of the Sigmut Empire, quite far south from the center. From here, it’s a considerable distance.”
As expected. I had guessed it would be somewhere inside the final defensive line, but it was much farther than I thought.
“Have you ever heard of the Rajupul count family?”
“No. At least, not that I recall.”
Even the Kruse Merchant Coalition couldn’t know every noble family in every nation. But if they didn’t know of it, then the family couldn’t hold much power. And in the worst case……
“…I’ll take responsibility for that kid. No matter what choice he makes, don’t bring him along after the next city.”
“You think he’s a spy sent by someone?”
For a moment, a sharp glint appeared beneath his eyes. So he had already considered that possibility as well.
“The chance is low, but a child alone in a place like this is suspicious. Especially showing up at exactly the right time as our caravan passed by.”
The items the boy carried, his reactions, and the story itself seemed plausible enough, but if someone wanted to fabricate something, they could.
“Right. I think so too. Then, if he really is a spy or after something else, what do you think he’s after?”
He asked lightly, as if posing a quiz, but he was serious. This was the side of him that demonstrated his excellence—gentle yet thorough.
“If that’s the case, he’s probably targeting you and the coalition more than me, though targeting me isn’t impossible either.”
The assassin guild’s vain hope of obtaining Bagloros had been crushed, but a cornered rat might still lash out. Those Ryban clones had only prolonged their lives; once Medrup got hold of even a single thread, no matter where they hid or how powerful they were, they would be uprooted completely.
“…Is this related to what happened last time?”
“Well, yes.”
I continued while pretending not to notice the worry in his eyes.
“Even if they’re targeting you or the coalition, it probably isn’t assassins. The fact that he’s requesting an escort all the way there suggests they either want to monitor the coalition’s movements or create some incident to implicate the Kruse Merchant Coalition.”
“It could just be a petty thief. With good acting, it’s easy to deceive people by using a young age.”
We spent the rest of the time discussing various worst-case scenarios. Some of them were things we had actually experienced during the great war, though the stories grew increasingly far-fetched and unrealistic.
“……Heh.”
“Haha.”
When we both realized how absurd it had become, we looked at each other and laughed.
“I wonder when we stopped being able to trust people so easily.”
“Right. We’re even suspecting a child first.”
We smiled bitterly at each other and at ourselves. Of course, even if it was the same suspicion, his and mine were slightly different. For him, suspicion was a rational judgment born of necessity due to his position. For me, it was the result of an inherent distrust of humans—or rather, other beings—compounded by habitual cynicism that had hardened over time.
“Still, this feeling isn’t bad. It makes me feel closer to you. Don’t you think?”
As he asked that, I was about to deny it when the memory of the lonely expression I had seen on him at Amusbian surfaced, and I closed my mouth.
“Still, we should be careful tonight.”
“Will you sleep with me?”
“……!”
Julian, who had been keeping his voice relatively low until now, deliberately spoke that last line loud enough for everyone to hear. It had definitely been heard. With night fallen, voices carried well. The driver, the guards riding nearby, and even the drivers of the wagons behind us must have heard it clearly.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
Look at that—the guards and drivers were all coughing awkwardly!
“Why? You said it might be dangerous. Aren’t you going to protect me?”
Don’t look at me with those cute, pitiful eyes now, Senior! In the first place, you were one of my biggest nightmares!
“…If you wish, I can set up a barrier ten layers thick.”
I pushed down the slight, fleeting flutter in my heart and the regret that he wasn’t a woman, then deliberately summoned the old fear and nightmares that had been creeping back in. After spending so much time with him these past few days, I needed to keep that distance on purpose.
“Or should I protect you instead?”
Watching him link his arm through mine again, I genuinely thought it would be better to sleep with a barrier up tonight. Come to think of it, I had forgotten—I probably wouldn’t be able to visit Rofena tonight either. Hopefully nothing would happen.
‘Please don’t go back on your word and burn the books or anything.’