The Weight of a Borrowed Name
My introduction drew immediate questioning looks from Rowell and Aegina. With Bagloros, however, no further explanation was necessary. He already understood that I was lying to conceal my identity.
He had no trouble grasping lies born of malice or strategy. It was only playful banter and affectionate wordplay that sometimes escaped him.
Of course, he still did not understand why I felt the need to hide who I was.
“Ah, I see. Thank you for coming all this way.”
The words were nothing more than polite formality. The spark of interest in his eyes faded almost instantly. At his gesture, the soldiers led the horses toward the stables while the servants hurried to unload the baggage. Rowell and Aegina tried to help, but the servants bowed politely and refused, so the two had no choice but to step back.
I, naturally, remained still.
“Please, come inside.”
After giving Rowell and Aegina a light nod, we followed Lord Conwell into the mansion.
The lobby was a grand circular hall. Elegant spiral staircases rose on either side all the way to the third floor, and delicate sculptures of women holding water jars stood along the balconies of the second and third floors.
The bright wallpaper and patterns gave the space a warm atmosphere, yet the overall arrangement conveyed a refined, imposing beauty that overwhelmed visitors.
Lord Conwell, however, smiled awkwardly, as if embarrassed by the display.
“I hope you will not think us extravagant in these difficult times. This mansion was built by my great-grandfather, Maruk Conwell. Fortunately, this region was barely touched by the great war, so it survived intact. That said, we are by no means frugal, but I assure you we do not indulge in excessive luxury or waste.”
Even if they had been a little extravagant, it would have been hard to condemn them. The village we had passed through did not look impoverished, and the villager who had given us directions showed no resentment toward the Conwell family. If the family’s spending benefited the locals as well, and they had not misused reconstruction funds or levied unfair taxes, then how they used their wealth was their own affair.
Of course, standing beside the two people who had poured nearly everything into reconstruction costs made the situation somewhat awkward.
“Your great-grandfather had excellent taste. It is a magnificent mansion.”
“Thank you, Lord Birette.”
He answered, yet his tone carried no real weight. He was not openly dismissive, but he clearly placed little value on my opinion.
“This way, please.”
Following Lady Conwell’s guidance, we arrived at the drawing room. As soon as we sat, the servants quickly brought tea and refreshments. Praise for our exploits, words of gratitude, and somewhat formal conversation followed. Finally, they asked the question they had been holding back.
“By the way, what brings you to the Asus region?”
“Ah, we are…”
Rowell’s gaze turned toward me. He was unsure how to respond to my sudden false introduction. I deliberately set my teacup down with a soft clink, drawing their attention.
“We came to meet Anak. We heard he has been active in this area recently.”
“Has Lord Anak not returned to the village yet?”
Jane asked with a slightly disappointed expression. She seemed saddened that her letter had not yet reached him.
Yes. Those were the same eyes I had grown tired of seeing since our academy days. Eyes that remained fixed on someone else—eyes of a woman in love.
“No, he has not returned yet. I heard that Anak has some connection with the Conwell family. Could you tell me what that means?”
At my question, Jane blushed like a young girl and lowered her gaze. A broad smile spread across Lord Conwell’s face, mirrored by her brothers.
“Well, it feels a little awkward to say this in Lord Anak’s absence, but…”
The man himself was sitting right in front of them.
“In truth, my humble daughter and Lord Anak have become engaged.”
Rowell and Aegina wore awkward smiles. I feigned surprise for a moment before offering a natural one.
“Oh? That is surprising. Congratulations. How did that come about? I had not heard that Anak had a fiancée.”
“It happened quite suddenly, so Lord Anak probably did not have the chance to inform you two.”
Even as she spoke, Lady Conwell did not look entirely comfortable. After all, it was not pleasant to hear that one’s daughter’s fiancé had kept the engagement a secret.
“It was about two months ago. This region has been suffering from a severe drought. Rivers and lakes dried up, and crops were on the verge of total ruin. Even the wells were beginning to run dry. Then Lord Anak appeared in the village.”
What followed was a familiar tale of heroism. Mages, spirit users, or summoners calling rain and finding new water veins to end droughts were not uncommon, and I could have done the same.
“We invited Lord Anak to the mansion to express our gratitude on behalf of the village. When he learned that my daughter has a weak constitution and suffers from a chronic lung condition, he summoned a unicorn on the spot and healed her.”
“A unicorn?”
The question slipped out louder than intended. I realized too late that I had sounded overly serious. As expected, Lord and Lady Conwell stared at me in surprise.
“Is something the matter?”
“No, not at all. Unicorns are rarely summoned. You said it was a mild condition, but it seems your daughter’s illness was quite severe.”
A unicorn’s horn possessed the power to cure illness and repel curses. It could heal not only minor ailments but also serious internal injuries. There were even records of it reviving the dead. However, using that power required storing energy in the horn over a very long time, so unicorns rarely used it unless the situation was truly dire—lest danger befall either the unicorn or its summoner.
“…Yes. The priests and doctors said that while she is still young and may be fine for now, her lifespan itself would be short.”
Lady Conwell’s voice trembled slightly at the end, as if she were swallowing back tears.
“Lord Anak saved Jane’s life.”
That much was certainly true, and it was a noble act. Yet that was not why I was surprised.
“So, out of gratitude for saving your daughter’s life, you decided to marry her to him?”
“I was the one who asked.”
Jane, who had been silent, lifted her head. She had probably sensed something unpleasant in my tone.
“Even though my body is frail, I wished to stay by Lord Anak’s side, so I asked him and my parents.”
“And Anak accepted?”
Aegina spoke up. She seemed worried that leaving the conversation to me any longer might hurt someone.
“……”
Jane hesitated for a moment before continuing carefully.
“…Lord Anak repeatedly declined. But he said that if my feelings remained unchanged after some time, he would reconsider.”
I could roughly understand the situation. A prince on a white horse appearing out of nowhere. A girl saved from danger. Moreover, having suffered from a chronic illness for so long, she likely had few opportunities to meet members of the opposite sex. Falling in love was not strange.
Furthermore, I had heard he was quite—actually, extremely—handsome. Still, there was one thing I could not understand.
“So there has been no exchange of dowry or betrothal gifts yet. And no compensation either. Is that correct?”
They nodded. Though they said nothing, Lord Conwell and one of Jane’s brothers looked at me as if I were a materialistic person, their gazes openly contemptuous.
That was exactly what I could not understand. He had demanded nothing in return. If he was simply continuing to do good deeds without any benefit, then why on earth would he impersonate me?
Some special treatment was understandable. But if he possessed real skill and had performed such feats and good deeds without seeking any reward, would he really be the type to cling to special treatment?
I cannot understand it.
“Then you do not know where Anak is right now.”
“No. We have only heard of his exploits. We have no idea…”
Aegina and Rowell looked at me. Yes, this was where the real problem began. If the impostor had simply been after money or had committed marriage fraud for personal gain, it would have been easier. I could have revealed my identity and said I would catch him. But the current atmosphere made that difficult.
As we remained silent, Lord Conwell spoke first.
“I understand you must hurry to find Lord Anak, but if you would allow us to treat you to lunch, we would be most grateful.”
I nodded at Rowell. I had no particular interest in lunch itself; I simply needed time to think.
“Yes, we would appreciate that.”
Lord Conwell’s face lit up with a joyful smile. He stood up.
“You must be tired from your journey. Please rest in your rooms until mealtime.”
We expressed our thanks to the Conwell family and followed the servants to the guest rooms on the second floor. When we entered, our luggage—already carried away earlier—was waiting for us.
“Please rest comfortably.”
The servants gave only that polite farewell and left. Though a few paused at the door, glancing back at Rowell and Aegina with lingering reluctance.
“So what are you going to do, Anak?”
Once the door closed and footsteps faded, Rowell asked reproachfully.
“Exactly. Why did you hide your name? It only made telling the truth harder.”
“…Yes. That was my mistake.”
Honestly, I had assumed anyone impersonating me was just a common swindler. And swindlers who impersonate famous people usually do so for some gain. No matter how well-crafted the lie, there is always a flaw.
That was why I had planned to let them explain the situation bit by bit, point out the inconsistencies, help them realize something was wrong on their own, and then reveal my identity at the end. It would have been less shocking that way. I had also found it burdensome to shatter their illusions right away.
But he had not taken any monetary gain. Revealing my identity now would only make the shock greater—especially for Jane. And if we told the truth now, it would seem as though we had been mocking their innocence all along.
“I never thought someone would impersonate another person’s name—my name, no less—without any selfish motive.”
Things had become far more complicated.
“What will you do, Birette?”
Aegina. There was no need to say it so sarcastically.
“Shall I go catch that guy right now?”
“No, it is fine, Bagloros. Even if you could, it would not help much.”
The shock the people involved would feel would not change much whether the real person was present or not.
“……”
Honestly, I could not think of a good solution.
“…Should we just leave like this?”
“What?”
“Excuse me?”
“From what I heard, he has not done anything particularly bad, and it does not seem like a formal engagement has been made either, so maybe we should just leave it…”
“You are not serious, are you?”
Aegina. It was probably just a habit, but clenching her fists while talking was not a good look.
“I was just saying it out of frustration. Calm down.”
Truthfully, we could simply tell them the truth now. If we said we had hidden it briefly to avoid causing too much shock, they would have no choice but to accept it, whether they liked it or not. The problem was that I did not want to be the one to say it all and explain everything. I also did not want to face the disappointed looks that would follow.
“Really, let’s just go for now and later…”
“Anak.”
“All right! Please, just unclench your fist!”