Chapter 440: Proof of Existence (28)
Chapter 440: Proof of Existence (28)
A peaceful light flickered in my bedroom.
The crackling of the fireplace had a way of soothing the mind and soul. The fragrant scent of tea and the warmth of the cup made me forget the chilly autumn night. I had even set out some refreshments, something I rarely touched myself.
I figured the guest sitting across from me would appreciate them.
He was a small boy. He looked restless, clearly awkward about being alone with a strange adult. Nevertheless, his determination to maintain eye contact with me was admirable.
Had he asked me to save his younger sister?
This was the first request I’d received from a little guest. When I was younger, I used to admire stories about heroes who granted the favors of villagers.
I never imagined I’d be fulfilling that dream at this age.
I sipped my tea in silence. At first, the boy flinched at my every movement, but now he was at least bold enough to study my expression.
Should I be the one to speak first?
It was then that the boy finally opened his mouth.
“Mister, can you… can you really help us?”
“Isn’t that why you came to find me?”
And it’s ‘Big Brother,’ kid.
I barely managed to swallow the urge to add that last part.
For now, I needed to listen to the child’s story—to do what I could to calm his trembling heart.
“I-I don’t know much, but… everyone said you were an amazing person.”
“I just got lucky.”
As I replied, I quietly met the boy’s eyes. Seeing the desperation in his gaze, I couldn’t help but let a faint smile play on my lips.
“But I’m at least capable enough to help you.”
“Th-then, can you save my sister too?!”
I gave a simple nod. I would need to hear the details, but the boy’s goal and mine were likely aligned anyway.
I wanted to catch the tail of the Shylock Merchant Guild.
Through my experiences over the past few days, I had realized one thing: I needed to uncover the connection between the guild and the Dark Cult as quickly as possible.
To do that, I had to know where the children were being taken. Once I secured concrete evidence, everything else would fall into place.
Of course, it was also true that I still needed certainty.
“How exactly do you want me to save her? To begin with, there’s no guarantee your sister is in danger just because she’s following the guild. Maybe she’ll find a good home and—”
“No!”
The boy raised his voice, sounding indignant. His tone was thick with conviction.
I needed the basis for that conviction.
“It’s all a lie! I know it is…”
“How?”
At that, the boy fell silent. His face looked as though he had suddenly lost all his confidence.
He had probably told this story to countless adults already.
And since no one believed him, he must have come to me as a last resort, clutching at straws.
I asked again.
“How do you know that? No one else seems to suspect anything.”
“…The letters.”
The boy spoke hesitantly, finally breaking his silence.
My brow furrowed slightly. I found it difficult to understand what he meant.
However, the boy looked incredibly serious.
“The letters from the children who left… they’re strange.”
With that, the boy carefully pulled several envelopes from his shirt.
I unfolded the letters.
* * *
“The handwriting is different?”
The group gathered in a dark, secret room.
Senior Elsie, Celine, the Saintess, and even Yuren were there.
Since it was still the crack of dawn, I didn’t have the heart to call for Sir Reynold. I could just share the information through Senior Elsie later.
I nodded in response to Celine’s question.
“Yeah. And it’s not just one or two. The adults just ignored it and moved on.”
“That’s understandable.”
This was the opinion of the Saintess, who had taken the letters from me.
She tossed the letters onto the center of the table with a thwack. She wasn’t even bothering to maintain her innocent act in front of the group anymore.
As she reviewed the evidence, the Saintess actually seemed cynical.
“The paperwork and procedures are all in order. And this crooked writing… to begin with, the children at the orphanage haven’t received a professional education. It wouldn’t be strange for their handwriting to vary a bit.”
“I agree.”
Yuren also expressed his agreement, tossing the letter he was reading onto the table.
Leaning back with his hands behind his head, the man spoke in a disinterested voice.
“Ian, this orphanage isn’t just under Archbishop Aindel’s management. It’s a place that many people, including myself, keep an eye on… It’s not something that can be swayed by one person’s will.”
“But it’s certain that the Dark Cult has some kind of relationship with the Shylock Merchant Guild.”
My gaze flickered toward the Saintess. A small sigh escaped her lips.
She didn’t seem particularly keen on revealing it, but she had no choice.
The Saintess readily admitted to my words.
“I can’t say for sure if it’s related to the Shylock Merchant Guild as a whole. However, traces of the Dark Cult were indeed found on the body of a young merchant dispatched from the guild.”
“Then we should obviously crush them.”
That was Senior Elsie’s clear-cut opinion.
The Saintess pressed a hand to her forehead as if she had expected as much. Anyone who knew Senior Elsie would have anticipated this reaction.
“You can’t say for sure if it’s related to the guild? That’s a bit too optimistic… When coincidences repeat this much, it’s fate.”
“The Shylock Merchant Guild is a massive organization. We can’t force an investigation without any formal charges.”
“Didn’t you just say it? That one of their merchants is connected to the Dark Cult.”
The Saintess fell silent again, and Senior Elsie flashed a relaxed smile. It was obvious whose argument was winning.
Furthermore, Senior Elsie even shot a glance my way.
“And what else is the problem? We have the Dragon Blood Runes on our side.”
There was a hint of pride in her voice.
I could only manage an awkward smile at that. In truth, it wasn’t a power I had obtained through legal means.
Nevertheless, it was a fact that the Imperial Household currently recognized me as the possessor of the Dragon Blood Runes.
It was something the Elder Sword Duke had personally guaranteed not too long ago.
However, the Saintess bristled at those words.
“This is the Holy Kingdom. It is not a place where the Imperial Household can just do as they please.”
“Then you can just explain it well to them.”
“Are you joking right now? Do you have any idea how sensitive this issue is? You can’t just act recklessly in someone else’s country…!”
“Enough.”
Since it looked like it was about to turn into an emotional spat, I decided to intervene.
Fortunately, the bickering between the Saintess and Senior Elsie subsided immediately. Both looked dissatisfied, but now was not the time to fight.
The two of them had mostly laid out their opinions. My eyes turned toward Celine.
Celine was still scanning the letters. Her vacant gaze made it look like she was lost in thought.
She was the only one who hadn't voiced an opinion yet.
“Celine, what do you think?”
“Huh? Oh, uh… me?”
Only then did Celine snap out of it with a start, offering an awkward smile.
It was obvious to anyone that she hadn't been listening to a word.
Lately, Celine had been spacing out quite often. I was somewhat worried about that, but Celine spoke before I could say anything.
“No, it’s just that while I was reading the letters, I noticed something that stood out…”
At those words, everyone’s attention focused on Celine. Everyone else had been so focused on the handwriting that they hadn't noticed, but was there a common feature in the letters sent by the adopted orphans?
However, Celine seemed burdened by the sudden attention.
Scratching her cheek, her voice trailed off uncertainly.
“Well, the mention of a ‘Crimson Gem’ comes up quite often. Not in every letter, but in about half of them?”
Hmm, I thought, scanning the various letters scattered on the table.
I hadn't paid much attention to it, but I did have a vague memory of seeing that word. I had passed over it because it seemed like meaningless filler.
But before this line of thought could go any further, Yuren voiced his opposition once more.
“Regardless, my sister and I are against it. We still don’t even know where that ‘Masked Assailant’ went. We can’t leave the orphanage unattended.”
“Ian, is there really a need to rush?”
The Saintess’s earnest persuasion followed again.
As before, the Saintess did not want to make this a public issue. In fact, if I were in her shoes, I might have felt the same way.
“If we poke the hornet’s nest prematurely, the truth might slip further away. Now is the time to wait and watch.”
“Then what about that orphan kid?”
The one who stepped up to counter her on my behalf was Senior Elsie.
She continued with an argument based on a purely mage-like perspective.
“How many people in this world actually care if a single orphan disappears? If I were researching forbidden magic, I’d definitely use orphans as test subjects. Nothing happens even if they accidentally die… In other words, we’re the only ones who can save that kid.”
“We can just dispatch additional surveillance personnel.”
Of course, the Saintess wasn't one to back down quietly. As if she had already considered that much, she continued her eloquent argument without a hitch.
“If more attention is drawn to them than expected, the Dark Cult won’t be able to move recklessly. To begin with, the moment we attach ourselves to them, it becomes impossible to catch their tail. Logically, they wouldn't do anything suspicious in front of people they can't recruit…”
“We just have to part ways at the right moment.”
The Saintess’s brow furrowed slightly at my firm rebuttal. Being a quick-witted woman, she must have sensed it the moment she heard me speak.
My mind was already made up. I wouldn't be swayed any further.
I had my reasons.
“It’s difficult to continuously monitor a single child. No matter how many guards are attached, they’ll try to dispose of the child as soon as an opportunity arises. Especially if their cover-up operation is already systematized.”
“…Ian.”
But the Saintess was just as firm in her resolve. A faint anger was even beginning to bleed into those pale pink eyes.
“Even more people could get hurt. Chaos always grows by devouring those at the very bottom.”
“Even so, we cannot just stand by and watch the sacrifice.”
“I’m not saying we should just watch. I’m saying we should find a way while stalling for as much time as possible.”
“This is a matter of extreme urgency.”
Two parallel lines with not a single point of contact stood side by side. It had been a long time since the distance between the Saintess and me felt this vast.
“What about the children who have already disappeared? And do you really think this is the only orphanage the Dark Cult is connected to?”
“If we act carelessly, the Dark Cult might vanish without a trace. Then even more children will die and be hurt.”
“The natural order is to save the lives we can save right now.”
“No, because lives are at stake, we must be all the more cautious. You know how many lives our choice is gambling with, don’t you?”
With that, the Saintess studied my face intently.
Her gaze said she didn't understand why I was being so stubborn today. I slightly avoided her gaze and left the decision to my remaining companions.
“What do the rest of you want to do?”
It was a question that didn't really need asking. It was obvious who both Senior Elsie and Celine would support.
“As for me… well, obviously I have to follow Ian Oppa.”
“Of course I must follow Master’s will.”
Three to two.
Under my heavy gaze, the Saintess bit her lip slightly. Then, she slammed her palm onto the table and stood up.
A voice thick with anger leaked through her gritted teeth.
“Then I wish you all luck… May the Lord’s grace be with you. Immanuel.”
It was her way of saying she wouldn't follow my decision even if she died.
This left Yuren in a difficult position. He looked back and forth between me and the Saintess before standing up to follow her, as if he had no choice. His resentful gaze pierced into me.
“Ian, what’s wrong with you? You’re being way too strange today.”
“…I have my reasons.”
I said this while wiping my face with both hands. Yuren’s expression hardened even further upon hearing my words.
“Anyway, never mind the Saintess, you’d better follow us. It looks like things are going to get dangerous.”
“Are you crazy? Why would I go somewhere dangerous?”
Yuren let out a disbelieving laugh and hurried his steps.
He was grumbling, but I knew.
If he really had no intention of following, he wouldn't have even bothered to answer.
Silence fell over the secret room once more after the Saintess and Yuren left. Seeing my troubled expression, Celine and Senior Elsie exchanged glances and tilted their heads.
Regardless, a more distressed sigh escaped my lips.
“…I’ll have to contact the Imperial Household.”
The final battle was approaching.
