Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 159
>Chapter Title: I Believe Without Doubt
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Gamo's reception room.
A tense silence hung over the group that had taken their seats.
Gamo, occupying the head seat, kept his eyes closed, not bothering to hide his displeasure. Flanking him were Aster and Fayjin, with Ransi and the Tulk Family's attendant knight seated beside them.
It was only after the teacups on the table had gone completely cold that Bianca, who had kept her eyes closed for a long while, finally spoke.
"Ransi, so the current situation is..."
"Yes. After the circumstances I mentioned earlier, the last thing was when Lord Aster had Young Master Fayjin deliver that... penitential address in front of everyone."
"Penitential... address... ha!"
Bianca let out a disbelieving laugh.
A penitential address—more like a reflection essay.
In other words, Aster had intimidated Fayjin, the young patriarch of the Tulk Family, and made him read a reflection essay in front of the tailor shop's staff.
As for why he had to write the essay—because Fayjin's speech hadn't satisfied him, so Aster handed him a pen and paper to refine it.
"You just stood by and watched...? No, no. There must have been circumstances."
"...I apologize."
Ransi bowed his head without making excuses.
No matter the reason, causing worry to Lord Gamo was a crime deserving death a hundred times over.
It was right then that Aster casually raised his hand.
"Um... Lord Gamo. May I speak on my behalf?"
"..."
Gamo shot him a sharp glare, but Aster didn't flinch and opened his mouth.
"Mr. Ransi...? Lord Ransi? Anyway, I did try to stop it, but I wouldn't listen."
"..."
"I threatened him using that brat's personal safety. So, Mr. Ransi—or Lord Ransi—couldn't do anything about it."
"...Ha."
Gamo felt dizzy.
Did he not grasp the gravity of the situation?
To openly admit taking the Tulk Family's young patriarch hostage!
No, setting aside such trivialities, he couldn't even figure out how to wrap this incident up.
A slum rat from the Black-White Slums, a guest of the Blandoga Family's young patriarch, had taken the Tulk Family's young patriarch hostage? And what did he do with the hostage?
He'd disguised it as an accident, roughed him up, then paraded him in front of everyone to apologize for all the rudeness and wrongs at the tailor shop.
So, it was too weighty to brush off lightly, yet too insignificant to treat severely.
Then, how on earth should he handle this...?
"Hoo."
As he sighed in frustration, Fayjin, seated to his left, slyly raised his hand.
"Lord Gamo, may I have a chance to speak...?"
"Speak."
"My honor has been cast into the gutter. This concerns not only the Tulk Family but the honor of Blandoga itself, I believe..."
"What did you say?"
Gamo's chilling voice filled the room moments later.
"Hic!"
Fayjin let out an involuntary hiccup at the sudden shift in Gamo's tone. No aura had been released, yet his limbs trembled.
"Is the honor of your family, of Blandoga, so lightly regarded?"
"Th-that is..."
"And one more thing."
Gamo slammed his finger down on the sofa's armrest with a sharp *thwack!*, glaring at Fayjin.
"I heard you compared my man to a dog? You dare commit an insolence even your father wouldn't, you presumptuous whelp. Did you think I wouldn't hold your words against you just because you're the young master of Tulk or some noble?"
"L-Lord Gamo, that was just!"
"If that's the case, then I'll let it slide. But I can't help my displeasure."
"..."
By now, Fayjin's face had gone pale.
How could it not?
Gamo wasn't going to publicize it, but he'd fallen out of favor.
"L-Lord Gamo, please show mercy..."
"Mercy? What mercy? Do you expect me to change my mood for your sake?"
"..."
Fayjin clamped his mouth shut.
There was no mercy to be had anyway.
And begging to soothe his mood would be overstepping as well.
"Leave. I'll discuss the insult you suffered with your father."
"..."
Fayjin bowed his head deeply at the cold dismissal.
He had plenty he wanted to say.
Did he have to endure this humiliation over some lowly servant? Was the young master of Tulk worth less than that worm of a girl?
But.
"I-I'll take my leave."
In the end, Fayjin said nothing more and left the room.
It was right then that Bianca turned her gaze to Aster.
"Aster."
"...Yes?"
"I want to know what you were thinking. Didn't you consider the aftermath? If you did this banking on me or Damian's protection, I'd be deeply disappointed."
Her voice was still sharp, but unlike with Fayjin, the tone was much softer.
Her eyes genuinely worried over Aster's recklessness, a thread of warmth hidden amid the sternness.
That is, until Aster spoke.
"Lord Gamo, I'm fine."
"What's fine about it? This could turn serious if it escalates. Haven't you heard the opinions within Blandoga aren't favorable toward you?"
"After rain, the ground hardens."
What ground?
As Bianca furrowed her brow, Aster continued in a resolute tone.
"Justice is the same. It grows stronger amid harsh persecution and suffering. But I believe without doubt that everything will turn out right."
What is this...?
Bianca was at a loss for words.
Aster clenched his fist tightly, his eyes blazing like a lone warrior defying the world.
"The Tulk Family might even thank me."
"What do you...?"
"I turned Tulk's shame—who knew nothing of honor—into a man without violence. So, Tulk owes me gratitude."
"..."
"I'm the foremost reformer on the eastern continent. Ah, he still seems a bit rough around the edges, but don't worry. Aftercare is waiting."
Bianca was speechless at his brazen confidence.
Ransi's mouth hung open in awe as well.
Amid that, Aster's voice pierced their ears.
"I do not yield to evil."
"..."
"..."
Bianca stared at Aster for a moment before turning to Ransi.
"Get him out of my sight immediately."
"...Understood."
Brat, execution, successful.
The results weren't bad.
On the other hand, Bianca pressed her throbbing temples.
'Have I... misjudged him?'
Perhaps the academy hadn't changed only Damian. Just as Damian had been influenced by Aster, the reverse was entirely possible...
'No way.'
Some things can be learned, others cannot, no matter how hard you try.
And that temperament was clearly the latter.
* * *
After the audience with Gamo ended, it was already dark outside.
No, when he'd been caught by Gamo's attendant while educating the brat and dragged here, the sun had already set.
Anyway, it was now deep into the night with the moon fully risen, and Ransi showed me to my room before leaving without lingering.
"I'll send word to Young Master Damian in the morning."
I watched his retreating figure awkwardly before heading into the room.
'Tch, I'm hungry.'
Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten dinner while reforming the brat.
I pulled out some jerky I'd stored in my subspace and chewed on it; the taste wasn't bad.
Munching on the jerky, I took a moment to organize my thoughts.
'I've cast the bait, at least.'
I'd used executing justice as an excuse, but reforming the brat served a few purposes.
Or schemes, rather?
'Something felt off.'
There were a few things to verify.
First off.
'For such a big shot to show up exactly then? At the tailor shop?'
Of course, it was Gamo's choice, so it wasn't just any shop.
Likely the best in the Blandoga territory. Even so, running into the brat was too coincidental.
He claimed it was for the banquet ahead, but a vassal family shouldn't lack a single outfit for that... No, he didn't even seem there for clothes.
'And he didn't look like he was targeting anything specific.'
So, why had that brat visited the tailor shop at that exact time?
My guess: someone had sent him there.
Which led to second.
'Who?'
The most obvious suspect was someone from that 'unusual vassal family' Ransi mentioned.
Of course, the Tulk Family patriarch was possible too, but either way, time would tell.
But what intrigued me most wasn't those two—it was the third question.
"Why?"
Whoever moved the brat wasn't ordinary.
'If I didn't notice any surveillance, it means they have eyes everywhere without needing tails.'
Why would someone like that pay attention to a mere Black-White Slums drifter like me?
"It's suspicious. Really suspicious. No reason for it."
Worst case, if it was that 'unusual vassal family,' they might be using me to gain something from Blandoga.
Even then, this level of interest?
It felt like overkill.
Anyway.
'Whatever it is, I've shown my hand enough. They'll choose accordingly.'
I've shown I'm this crazy! If it was no big deal, they'd back off on their own.
If not, I'd need other measures.
That could wait.
Best case, they'd slink away quietly.
Not only was I pissed, but I'd escalated things more than needed to reform the brat for this reason.
Anyway.
"Tch, no matter how I think, I'm hungry."
I shoved a second piece of jerky in my mouth and grumbled.
That's when a sound came from the window.
*Tok, tok.*
"......?"
When I turned at the noise, I couldn't believe my eyes for a moment.
"...Breakfast No. 1?"
In the dark night, a familiar silhouette at the window. It was unmistakably Breakfast No. 1, whom I'd left far away in Hazen.
Had she sensed my hunger and delivered herself?
"But... it's dinner time now?"
That illusion didn't last.
I soon realized the silhouette wasn't Breakfast No. 1.
It was sleeker, and larger in build.
You might ask how it could be sleek yet bigger, but sleek meant streamlined lines, not skinny.
Up close, it definitely wasn't Breakfast No. 1.
"...Eagle?"
Yeah, an eagle.
As I stared at the eagle, taking it in.
*Thud! Thud!*
The evening meal No. 1, apparently annoyed, pounded the window like it would shatter it.
With that temperamental personality, I had no choice but to open the window. Tied to its ankle was a message tube with a note inside.
And the note read—
Meet me at the Vice Director's Office in the Magic Tower.
—Your friend, Henji von Blandoga
"Oh, for fuck's sake."
A few years' age gap, and we're friends? Friends my ass.
Anyway.
*Squawk, squawk, screeeee!*
I stared at the imperiously screeching Evening Meal No. 1, swallowed my rising curses, suppressed the urge to swear, and started walking.
*Flap flap!*
...Together with Evening Meal No. 1, who had perched on my head.