Entering the Royal Capital (1)
Time flowed on, and Roy arrived safely in the royal capital.
A city far larger than Parolas—larger even than any town in the Bacon territory—spread out before his eyes.
Crown City.
True to its name, mountains rose like a crown on every side around the vast metropolis at its heart.
On the mid-slope of one of those many peaks stood a magnificent castle. Whether the mountain itself had been carved away to raise it, the structure’s majesty was overwhelming; even in wartime it would not fall easily.
Below the hill that climbed toward the castle, ornate rooftops rose in glittering ranks. That was the noble district, where the residences of the central aristocracy clustered.
But that was not the direction Roy was heading.
Land prices over there must be insane.
The Greenhilt family’s capital mansion lay some distance from the castle, prepared in a location near the Knight Academy.
“So we’re splitting up here?”
“Hmm? I’m heading that way too. Toward the Knight Academy.”
“Really? Not the noble district?”
“We have a mansion there as well, but it’s too far for school. I’ll unpack near the academy first, then go visit the relatives in the noble district.”
“I see. Well then, hop back up. We’re going the same way.”
“Okay.”
The carriage that had paused on the hill overlooking the cityscape started moving again.
Roy would spend the next four years here. What kinds of things would unfold? Even with the memories of a past life, his heart was racing for some reason.
“Once we part today, we’ll meet again inside the Knight Academy?”
“Probably.”
“I don’t like that much.”
“…?”
Roy was baffled. What was this girl suddenly talking about?
“Can I come visit where you’re staying?”
Roy’s eyes went wide. He was the one who was supposed to be reeling her in, yet she was the one making the offer first.
“Of course. A young lady from a count’s house coming to visit? I’d be honored.”
“Great. When would be good? There’s still three days until the entrance ceremony, right?”
“Come anytime. You’re always welcome.”
The boy and the girl made their next appointment, each with a purpose of their own. Neither Roy nor Chloe yet knew that the other wanted something from them.
“Royyyyyyy!”
The moment she spotted him, Anna came running and threw her arms around him. It had been a full year since they last met.
“Anna, how have you been?”
“Good. I missed you, Roy.”
“Doesn’t look like you’ve grown much in a year.”
“Have not! You’re just the one who grew more, that’s all.”
The distance back home was so great that once Greenhilt children entered the Knight Academy, they rarely returned to their territory. Of course there were cases where they went back depending on circumstances, but the decision was left to the children’s own judgment. If they wanted to go home they could; if not, they could simply stay in the capital. They did, however, have to act with a clear and proper purpose. Choosing to remain in the capital meant building connections with other nobles and carefully managing one’s reputation. But as always, the children’s private tradition was to tell convenient little lies so they could avoid the nearly month-long round trip of tedious travel.
The Greenhilt mansion in the capital was respectable enough. There was ample space for carriages and horses, and the house itself was spacious and splendid. Among the mansions of various baronial houses, it would rank near the top.
Roy, however, was thoroughly dissatisfied.
This basement is too cramped to be of any use.
The reason he had arrived with two carriages was none other than the goods needed for his business. He intended to transplant the enterprise he had run back home and open it right here in the capital. Yet there was no suitable place inside the mansion to use as a laboratory. His own room was not an environment where he could light fires freely.
And the garden isn’t exactly large either…
Because the mansion sat inside the city, the garden was extremely small. There wasn’t even room to build anything separate. Twenty paces out the front door and you were already on a city street.
Roy dumped all the luggage he had brought into the room next to his and sealed the entrance. Only he and Marek were allowed access.
“It’s been a long time, Grandfather.”
“My, my, you’ve grown so much, Roy. I hardly recognize you.”
He paid his respects to the current master of the mansion—his grandfather. Terry Greenhilt. Barely twenty years earlier, the man had been the lord of the Greenhilt territory. This was Roy’s first meeting with him in six years, since the funeral of the baron’s older brother, Billy. After that, Terry had never come down to the territory again. Roy had assumed the death of his eldest son had left a deep wound.
Former family heads who stepped down from the lordship generally took one of two paths. They either settled somewhere quiet and spent their remaining years in leisure, or they came up to the capital to participate in central politics. The latter was usually done either to lend support to the next lord—or out of personal hunger for power.
Terry was a little different.
“Why didn’t you ever come down to the territory?”
“This old man likes noise and bustle. I’m thoroughly sick of that countryside now. New things are always overflowing here—food, spectacles, everything. And I get to watch my adorable grandchildren go to school, too. Hahaha.”
He was absolutely not a political man. Just an old fellow who loved to play. The one silver lining was that he wasn’t increasing the number of his wives. Having finally found freedom at this age, he claimed he was going to enjoy the single life, or something of the sort. Perhaps the reason so many commoner children possessed powerful mana was old men like this.
Roy had no desire to learn the details of the old man’s twilight years. It unpleasantly reminded him of his own final years in his previous life. In any case, Terry was a free-spirited old man, and Roy himself had no wish to be interfered with by anyone in the capital. So he decided to buy him off.
“Grandfather. How about this: I’ll give you some pocket money so you can do whatever you like. In return, we stay out of each other’s private lives. What do you say?”
At present Terry lived on the allowance his son the baron sent him. If that support stopped, he would be in serious trouble. To keep receiving it, he had to thoroughly supervise the grandchildren in the capital and send regular reports back to the territory. Of course the reports were written by the butler who handled Terry’s affairs, but that didn’t mean Terry himself did nothing.
“That won’t do. I may look like this, but I’m still your grandfather, you little brat! You think I’m here to share pocket money with my grandson?”
“Pocket money? No. I’m offering you money I earned myself…”
“You earned?”
“Yes. You’ve heard about my master, haven’t you?”
“Of course. This place was once in an uproar with rumors about that man. Still is, for that matter.”
“I’ve got a stake in that business myself. I’ve put together a fairly nice little sum.”
“Is that so?”
Roy produced a pouch stuffed full of gold coins from his clothes. It was clear he had planned this from the start.
“How about this much? Consider it one year’s worth for now.”
One hundred gold coins. Terry was so astonished that every wrinkle he had accumulated over sixty years seemed to vanish from his face.
“Th-this kind of fortune from a child like you…”
“I’ll give you more next year. What, don’t you want it? Then I’ll just give this money to Anna as—”
“Ahem…”
Terry casually snatched the pouch and tucked it into his robes. Feeling the heavy weight, the corners of his mouth climbed without end.
“If you’re sharp enough to make this kind of money, there’s no real need for me to watch over you, is there? That Clive of ours seems to have better luck with children than I did.”
“If you need more, just say the word. Though please don’t go throwing it around just anywhere.”
“Hah. You sound exactly like your father.”
“Blood will tell, won’t it? Hehe.”
“Hahaha. Fine. Live as you please. But never forget that I’m still your grandfather. I can’t turn a blind eye if you go around acting like a complete wastrel.”
“Of course not.”
It was a fine deal. At last Roy had gained the freedom he had waited eleven years for. Of course the shackle of having to attend the Knight Academy without fail still hung around his ankle.
A few days remained until the Knight Academy entrance ceremony. Roy intended to go shopping at once. There was plenty to buy and plenty to see, and a mountain of things to do.
“I’m coming too!”
Anna came chasing after him. It wasn’t that she wanted him to buy her something. She simply wanted to stick close to the little brother she hadn’t seen in so long.
“Sure. Just say the word. I’ll buy you anything you want.”
“Really?”
Anna was a little surprised that Roy—who had always treated her as a nuisance—agreed so readily. And the thought of touring the city together made her feel as if she might float away.
“Of course. Anna, your birthday was a little while ago, right? I’ll get you a birthday present too.”
“Wow! Awesome!”
Having spent her first birthday without the family and feeling lonely, Anna was deeply grateful that Roy would even say such a thing. That didn’t mean she was going to squeeze him dry—that wasn’t her style. She linked arms with Roy and pressed herself close.
“Is this okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? We’re brother and sister.”
Before he knew it, Anna had begun to look every bit the young lady. She was no longer the tomboy of their childhood. Mixing with various noble young ladies in the capital had calmed her temperament as well. Especially from dealing with higher nobles, she had acquired a demureness that didn’t quite suit the old her.
But today her face was completely different. It was as if the Anna of old had returned. The servants of the capital mansion watched the boy and girl from the corners of their eyes, looking surprised.
“Is there anything you want?”
“Hmm… Nothing I particularly need, but once we’re out I’ll probably want to buy everything I see, so I’ll look around and choose. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. As much as you like.”
“Yay! Thank you, Roy.”
Anna hugged her little brother tight. Roy didn’t mind; he indulged her. Out of habit he even stroked her hair.
“Hmm?”
“What?”
“Ah, nothing. It just feels nice.”
Roy realized his mistake. It seemed Noah had given him a strange habit. Stroking someone’s head without thinking…