Chapter 412: Gold and Silver (17)
Chapter 412: Gold and Silver (17)
Immediately after meeting Reto, I went to find the Alphenhauser twins.
I didn't even need to exert much effort to find them.
The Alphenhauser twins were visiting professors, and I had heard they usually stayed in their office.
It was a visit made without any prior coordination.
Nobles value appointments and mutual understanding. It was common courtesy for the visitor to request a specific time in advance.
Nevertheless, I had no desire to observe such etiquette.
The Alphenhauser family—something about them smelled exceptionally suspicious.
First of all, I couldn't understand their motive for suddenly returning to the Academy at this point in time.
Nor did I understand why they were looking for me.
If they were the ones who wanted something, it wouldn't hurt to be a bit bold.
No, in truth, perhaps I just wanted to vent my frustration.
Celine had met these two, and shortly after, she had gone missing.
Though I didn't know the exact details of the cause and effect, I couldn't shake this ominous feeling.
Just what kind of conversation had they shared?
The person holding the answer to that question was revealed soon enough.
Knock, knock. Immediately after knocking, I was able to enter the office.
It was a room bathed in warm sunlight.
Perhaps thanks to the Alphenhauser prestige, the twins' office was exceptionally well-lit. It was a place where the midday sun offered a friendly greeting.
Outside, it was summer.
The lingering heat should have been stifling, yet the interior maintained a pleasant temperature. I suspected it was thanks to the use of expensive magic tools.
After all, gold coins were the one thing the Alphenhauser family had in disgusting abundance.
The Yurdina family was also considered wealthy, but Alphenhauser's wealth was on a different dimension.
There is no gold coin on the continent that has not passed through the hands of an Alphenhauser.
Such words circulated publicly, and the family moved enough capital for it to be accepted as fact.
Surprisingly, I received a polite welcome.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, so... Rian Percus?"
"It's Ian Percus, sister."
Between the clear rays of light, the two sisters shared a quiet whisper.
The woman sitting in the chair boasted radiant beauty.
Her voluminous silver hair fell behind her back like a waterfall along gentle curves. Her silver pupils were so faint they were hard to distinguish from the whites of her eyes.
And then there was that ambiguous smile playing on her lips.
Her clear complexion and the folding fan in her hand seemed to testify to a lively and arrogant temperament.
In contrast, the woman standing behind her had a pale and gloomy impression.
First, there were her eyes, hidden behind her bangs.
And as if to show she was different from the woman sitting before her, she wore a voluminous bob that just barely covered the nape of her neck.
The woman sitting in front offered a greeting, and the woman standing behind corrected her.
If it were such a peculiar sight, there was no way I wouldn't have heard of it.
After all, they were my seniors.
With a bitter smile, I bowed my head slightly.
"It has been a long time, Senior Sienne. And Senior Luna."
The Sun and Moon of Alphenhauser, Sienne and Luna.
Sienne had a poor memory and always had to listen to Luna's advice, while Luna lacked judgment and always followed Sienne's decisions.
It was as if their fates had been paired that way from the moment they were born.
That was why people didn't call them by their individual names. They were simply referred to as 'the twins.'
In any case, the two were rarely seen apart.
It had been a while since I had called the twins by their respective names as well.
Senior Sienne wore a faint smile.
"I'm honored you recognize us, Sir Vertas. But have we met before?"
"We exchanged greetings at the graduation ceremony two years ago, sister. With the Lioness of the jungle... and it's not Vertas, it's Percus."
"Ah," Sienne let out an exclamation as if she had only just realized.
She showed no sign of being sorry for getting my name wrong.
"The handsome junior the Lioness introduced! It's a pleasure. I was looking for you, actually."
With a grin, Sienne covered her mouth with her fan and smiled with her eyes.
"Would you like to sit first? It seems you've missed us quite a bit as well."
It was a proposal I had no reason to refuse.
I quietly sat across from Sienne and let out a sighing complaint.
"You're still the same. Unable to remember names."
"Because it's inefficient," Sienne declared, snapping her fan shut.
Meanwhile, Luna was preparing teacups and a kettle. Her natural movements showed none of the resentment typical of someone tasked with chores.
Her face was composed, as if this was exactly how things should be.
The same went for Sienne.
"Names, place names, specific figures... why are such trivial things important? All one needs to know is the flow. The grand tide created by those countless facts... only those who can read it can grasp gold coins."
"Is that why you don't remember my name either?"
"Because the brain's capacity is limited."
Trickle. Tea filled the cup.
A fragrant aroma wafted up with the steam. Sienne lifted her teacup with an elegant posture.
"I don't want useless facts distracting my focus. Please, understand."
Nonsense, I thought as I listened to her.
At the same time, my eyes flicked to the side. There, I saw Luna modestly pouring tea into my cup.
If information were truly unnecessary, she wouldn't need to carry Luna around all the time.
However, I didn't bother to break Sienne's stubbornness.
I had more important business.
"I heard you met my precious junior."
Sienne's eyes narrowed as she sipped her tea.
"Hmm," a strange sound escaped her.
It was around then that the teacup, which had been hovering in the air, was placed back in its spot with a clack.
"That woman from the Swordsmanship Department? Let's see, was her name Elin...?"
"It's Celine Haster, sister. She's from the territory where our family's gold mine is located."
"Ah, right. From the Haster Gold Mine?"
My brow furrowed slightly as I overheard their conversation.
'Haster Gold Mine.'
It was a shameless way to talk for people who had forcibly seized a mine that originally belonged to the Haster family.
However, I didn't make the mistake of showing my emotions.
They were people who lived in a different world from mine anyway.
Even if I pointed out their wrongs one by one, they would surely just spout nonsense about it being a legitimate transaction based on a contract.
It would be better for my mental health to finish this conversation quickly.
"Did you perhaps have some friction with Celine?"
What came back was a snort.
Blatant ridicule.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't offended, but the moment I heard that sound, I was certain.
Sienne hadn't touched Celine.
She probably didn't even feel the need to.
"Of course not. There's no reason to provoke the daughter of such a weak family. It's inefficient."
"Then, was there anything strange during your conversation...?"
"Nothing, nothing at all. I only went to ask about your whereabouts. To see if there was any word on when you'd return from the North."
As Sienne shook her head, someone leaned toward her ear.
It was Luna.
As she whispered something, Sienne's attitude softened slightly.
"Hmm? Come to think of it, she kept asking if I'd seen some woman..."
"A woman?"
"Yes, even though it was an empty lot with no one around. Did she go a bit crazy from just swinging her sword? No, no! More importantly, you!"
A hallucination of seeing a 'woman.'
It was a phenomenon I had heard of somewhere.
I was busy rummaging through that elusive memory and didn't even hear what the woman in front of me was prattling on about.
Judging by the way she thrust her fan forward with a smug face, it seemed she intended to propose a deal.
It was a moment later when my consciousness, wandering through the past, resurfaced.
To be precise, it was more like being forcibly awakened.
Anyone would be, seeing platinum coins pouring out in a cascade.
Against the backdrop of my stunned gaze, the woman wore a haughty smile.
"Well? Is it enough?"
The story continued.
"As the price for selling out the Saintess."
And that was exactly when I drew my hand axe.
BOOM! An explosion of sound and a shockwave erupted.
It happened the instant the hand axe struck the table.
The physical strength of a skilled swordsman far exceeds the common sense of ordinary people. In an instant, the plunging white lightning smashed the wooden furniture to pieces.
Platinum coins and wood splinters scattered into the air, framing Sienne's stunned face.
Without hesitation, I raised the hand axe higher.
It was then that a delayed scream erupted.
"Kya, kyaaaaaaak! Y-you... what are you doing?!"
"Are you really asking that right now?"
I growled lowly, clenching my teeth.
Sell out the Saintess?
How could she even suggest such a thing?
The Saintess was not only my comrade but also a benefactor who had saved my life several times. Just hearing the suggestion to sell her out made me feel like my ears were rotting.
I spoke again, my voice barely suppressing my rage.
"You want me to betray my comrade? Surely you didn't think you'd leave here unscathed after such an insult."
"I did think I'd leave unscathed! Where in the world is there a madman who swings an axe just because of a few words!"
Sienne screamed at the top of her lungs, her face turning pale.
It seemed she still hadn't fully grasped the situation.
I took a deep breath to steady myself.
A noble's honor is as precious as their life.
If insulted, it was customary to return it twofold. It just so happened that I was already annoyed by Sienne's condescending attitude.
Even if I didn't go too far, I intended to teach her a lesson so she wouldn't look down on me again.
Luna seemed to have noticed my intention.
Her voice, which had regained some composure, echoed softly.
"Sister, Ian Percus is famous for his violent tendencies. He already has a history of inflicting serious injuries on high-ranking nobles, including the Yurdina sisters."
Only then, perhaps realizing the future that awaited her, did Sienne's face turn haggard.
Of course, her tongue was still moving, searching for a way out.
"No, no, no... I'm just a woman with no power! You, can you really do this to me?! Do you have no knightly honor?"
My body, which was about to bring the hand axe down, came to a sudden halt.
It was a valid point.
Until now, I had only swung my axe against opponents who possessed martial power. My enemies were those who had the means to protect themselves, whether through swords or magic.
But the Alphenhauser twins were different.
They were civilians with no martial power; I couldn't just swing my axe at them simply because I was insulted.
After hesitating for a moment, I soon devised a suitable compromise.
"Then, just enough so it doesn't leave a scar..."
"This guy is a total lunatic!"
In the end, unable to find an exit, Sienne burst into tears and clung to Luna.
Her silver eyes, which didn't even seem to have a focus, filled with moisture.
"Luna, this man is strange... his eyes are gone! Why did we even try to show favor to someone like this?"
To spout such shameless words until the very end—her audacity was remarkable.
Was this what it took to aim for the position of the next head of the Alphenhauser family?
I could only swallow a hollow laugh and retort.
"Favor? What kind of nonsense is—"
"Because it's not betrayal."
I was momentarily speechless and fell silent.
My questioning eyes turned toward Sienne.
Before I knew it, those silver-gray pupils were fixed on me. The fear and moisture from before were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, her gaze held a subtle hint of interest.
"I'm saying you should take your rightful share before you are betrayed. Oh, do they teach you in the Swordsmanship Department that that's also betrayal?"
And facing the meaningful smile rising on Sienne's lips, I...
Tightened my grip on the hand axe once more.
"Kyaaaaaaak! H-he's a real lunatic!"
For a while, screams echoed through the office.
*
I trudged back to the dormitory.
The familiar scenery filled my vision. It was a room I hadn't returned to in a long time, but I simply headed for the cupboard with a tired face.
A bottle of cheap whiskey sat there.
Opening the cap and filling a glass, I recalled the story I had heard that afternoon.
"Do you think you know everything about the Saintess? Pfft, ahaha! A woman so cold-blooded she's spent her whole life acting, even throwing away her own name?"
"Politics in the Holy Kingdom is no easy game, though that's true anywhere. It's a chaotic mess where tongues dance like blades and smiles are treated as scabbards... the Saintess is someone who survived that."
Mockingly, or perhaps pityingly.
Sienne had tossed those words to me like alms. My hand gripped the glass.
So, what had I replied?
"You believe in her? Ah, well. That's fine. It's not bad to regret it after being betrayed. Youth is a process of gaining lessons like that."
With a grin, the woman had said:
"Good luck, Sir Periant."
It's Sir Percus, I grumbled to an opponent who was no longer before me.
My head was a mess.
I wanted to think of it as simple discord-sowing, but Sienne had been so full of conviction. As if she knew a secret of the Saintess that even I didn't know.
And as if that fact would be revealed before long.
I thought of a certain woman.
Silver hair and pale pink eyes, a pure virgin who received all of God's favor.
The reminiscence continued.
The memory of her teasing me with her tongue stuck out, the memory of her crying out and asking why I saved the orphans, the sensation of our hands brushing, the warm heat, the blush on her cheeks, and the scent of her skin.
"...No."
Muttering to myself, I swallowed a bitter smile.
The Saintess was not an evil person.
No matter what secret she was hiding, my faith in her remained unchanged.
If so, there was only one thing for me to do.
I didn't know what kind of plot was being hatched, but a trial would soon find the Saintess.
So, I would protect her.
So that she wouldn't be hurt.
With that resolve, the night deepened, and the next day.
An envelope was placed by my bedside.