Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Old Stories - 4
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It was a statement laced with some tension on my part, but Viscount Javeil nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“This is a matter that needs to be widely known throughout the Empire.”
“Yes. As the lord, you must have connections with other lords, right?”
“To some extent. We can’t survive without goods coming in from outside, so we have to maintain ties with other territories.”
Ugh. Tears.
Anyway, I racked my brains and spoke up.
“Let me name a few places for you.”
Starting from Drucker, I listed off all the territories I’d visited up to now.
Putting each one into words brought back old memories, stirring up a strange mix of emotions.
Viscount Javeil meticulously jotted down every territory name.
“And these places?”
“They’re spots where I handled some minor issues. They’ll especially remember my name well.”
“......”
“No matter how much we say Kaild is a fake, the feats he’s accomplished so far aren’t lies. So......”
“Spreading the word to those territories that Kaild is a fraud won’t get us any favorable responses. I get what you mean.”
It wasn’t a lie that he was a promising talent—he grasped my intent immediately.
“First, you should communicate with the territories aligned with so-called Sir Maide.”
“Yes. If we just put out a statement based solely on Hasfil Territory’s name, we’ll be ignored and that’ll be the end of it.”
“But if the territories you’ve named back us up......”
“It’ll be far more persuasive.”
I delved into my memories and continued.
“Especially talk to Lady Ariena of Avis Territory.”
Ariena had been the wisest and most thoughtful lord I’d met so far.
But unexpectedly, Viscount Javeil burst into laughter.
“Haha. She’s not a lady. You must be mistaken about something.”
“Yes?”
“She drove out her father and inherited the family. Countess Ariena is the rightful lord of Avis Territory.”
Oh ho.
A grin crept across my lips.
Offense chuckled warmly from behind.
“See? I knew it would turn out that way.”
“Offense. Didn’t you kidnap her back then?”
“No memory of that.”
“Shameless.”
Serein then picked up on Jenia’s words.
“Jenia? Who are you talking to?”
Cut it out. I’m gonna cry.
We wrapped up the discussion and rose from our seats.
Before leaving the room, I asked Viscount Javeil as if it had just occurred to me.
“I know this isn’t something you’d handle personally......”
“Are you asking about your imprisoned mother?”
I was impressed by how quickly he caught on.
I heard my party members gasp behind me.
“Yes. How did you know?”
“The moment I heard the hero was coming, I ordered a search. I figured you’d want to see her.”
“Is she still alive?”
“Yes. Ahem. Well...... honestly, I can’t say she’s been treated well.”
“No, no. Don’t say that. There’s no need for special treatment just because she’s my mother—treat her like any other prisoner. Just let me visit her once.”
“Of course.”
He instructed a guard to guide us to the underground prison.
As we followed the guard, Neril cautiously asked.
“Can I ask what that was about?”
I turned to see not just Neril, but everyone staring at me.
They were clearly curious, but given that my mother was a prisoner, they weren’t sure if it was okay to pry.
“It’s nothing much.”
I explained lightly, in as casual a tone as possible.
Even though I tried to soften it, everyone’s faces darkened.
After I finished, Adwin muttered.
“No wonder...... I always felt like you avoided talking about family, bro.”
“It’s not like I hid it due to trauma. It just wasn’t relevant to our journey, so I didn’t mention it.”
“Bro.”
“More importantly, while I’m visiting, could you wait outside for a bit? I need to talk to her alone.”
They all nodded as if it were obvious.
By then, we’d arrived at the prison.
I left the group behind and descended underground.
The guarding jailer stepped aside.
Once everyone was gone, only I remained inside with the prisoner...... my mother, Dian Mohan.
I spoke to her.
“Long time no see.”
She flinched.
Mother slowly lifted her head.
A spark of light gradually entered her vacant eyes.
She shot to her feet.
“M-Maide? Is that my son?”
Mother rushed toward me.
Clank.
But the chains fixed to the wall kept her from reaching.
She stretched out her hands desperately and said.
“It is my son, right? Please, hold your mother’s hand.”
I let out a light sigh and extended my hand through the bars.
The hand of my mother that I grasped after so long was far more gaunt and rough than I remembered.
“Ahh. My son, it really is my son.”
“Mother.”
“How many years has it been? You were just a child, and now you’ve grown so much.”
“......”
“How have you been? Tell me.”
I couldn’t help but be surprised.
I pulled my hand back and asked.
“Didn’t you know, Mother?”
“Know what?”
“Uncle Ben reported you, but I was the one who told him about your ‘crime.’ I’m the one who investigated diligently and dug into both you and your affair partner.”
“......”
“The reason you’re locked up in here right now is all because of me.”
I had to put in quite the effort not to get worked up.
But Mother smiled softly instead.
“Of course I knew everything.”
“Then why? Why are you looking so happy to see me?”
“It’s not because of you that I’m here. I committed a crime. I conspired and carried out my husband’s murder.”
“......”
“And that caused you immense grief and pain. How could I blame you for it?”
I bit my lip and said.
“Why did you kill Father?”
“......”
“Was it because Father abused you?”
Mother’s eyes widened enormously.
In a trembling voice, she asked.
“H-How did you......?”
“You two always showed me the picture of a happy family. But from the moment I went to bed, it turned into a complete hell.”
“You knew?”
“Father was vicious. He obsessively targeted spots that wouldn’t show to kids or neighbors. Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“Ahhh.”
Mother covered her face and collapsed.
She sobbed so violently that I worried her frail body might give out.
After a long while, Mother spoke.
“Because you admired your father more than anyone.”
“......”
“I thought if you learned how he treated me, it would affect you badly somehow. You might turn violent following his example, or hate him and go astray.”
“Mother.”
“And it wasn’t like I had nowhere to vent. People can endure if you just give them one small outlet.”
I had a feeling I knew who that ‘outlet’ was.
“Uncle Soiyan, right?”
“Yes. Your father’s old friend.”
“......”
“At first, I just wanted comfort. I felt like I’d go mad if I didn’t tell someone. But before I knew it, I’d fallen truly in love.”
“......”
“But Soiyan died in this very prison. I have nothing to say to you.”
I refused to believe the wetness on my cheek was tears.
So I didn’t bother wiping it and spoke.
“You didn’t mention Father’s abuse at the trial for my sake, right?”
“I know you might not believe it, but yes.”
“......”
“Let’s stop with that talk now. I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
In the end, I wiped my face.
Then I turned sharply and said.
“I’ll be going.”
“Son! Wait. Can’t we talk a little longer?”
“Even if I look like this, I’m a hero.”
“A hero?”
“I’ll kill the Demon King and come back. So until then...... please stay healthy, Mother.”
Then came the sound of Mother crying from inside the cell.
She sobbed for a long time before saying.
“I heard from the jailers. A new one of the Five Great Heroes came to our territory. So that was my son.”
“I’m leaving.”
“......In that case, I have no choice but to tell you.”
Her meaningful words made me turn back.
I tilted my head and asked.
“You have no choice but to tell me? Tell me what?”
“It wouldn’t look good if the hero’s mother turned out to be a notorious criminal who murdered her husband.”
“What are you saying?”
“You’re not the child I bore.”
For a moment.
It felt like the world flipped upside down.
My stomach churned, and dizziness hit.
Thud.
I leaned against the wall and asked.
“What do you mean all of a sudden?!”
“One day, Arald brought you home from the mountains, abandoned. He said we should raise you like our own.”
“Lies. Don’t lie.”
“Son, your mother can’t get pregnant. I don’t know if it’s a illness or if the gods curse me, but that’s my body. That’s what sparked your father’s violence.”
I was stunned.
Mother stroked her belly and continued.
“At first, he said he’d love me even like that, so we married. But eventually, regret crept in, turning to violence.”
“Mother.”
“You’re not a criminal’s son. Neither I nor your father are your blood relatives.”
“......”
“I don’t know the details, but heroes must walk a glorious path, right? I hear past heroes did too. So don’t worry.”
In the end, I covered my mouth and sobbed.
Then, turning away with effort, I said.
“I’ll come again.”
“Yes. I’ll wait.”
Staggering.
Even facing Kaild, or the Demon King before regression, hadn’t been this draining.
I called out to Trail.
‘Use the Eye of Omniscience.’
[......Whose secret between whom?]
‘Me. Me, Maide Mohan, and Father Arald Mohan’s secret! I need to know if Mother’s words are true.]
[Hmm. One moment.]
A screen popped up.
The moment I saw the text, I couldn’t help but laugh.
[Error. Secret between ‘Maide Mohan and Arald Mohan.’ is S-rank.]
[Eye of Omniscience Level 5 required to view.]
S-rank.
My identity was S-rank.
I wiped my face and calmed myself.
Then, forcing a casual tone, I said.
‘Wasn’t A-rank the limit?’
[When did I say that?]
‘Hah. Well, the hero’s birth secret would have to be S-rank at least.’
[You okay? Your face is pretty pale right now.]
‘Party would freak if they saw. Give me a few minutes to compose myself before I go out.’
I leaned against the stairwell wall.
But Trail spoke in a firm tone.
[Just go out.]
‘What?’
[Go out with that pitiful look and get comforted by your comrades.]
‘What are you talking about? I’m their leader. A leader can’t show himself shaken like this.’
[Just do as I say. You have good comrades I never got—why not lean on them? Wasteful.]
‘......’
[Try it. You’ll feel better.]
I hesitated briefly but decided to follow Trail’s advice.
I opened the door and stepped out into the light.
With the sunlight at their backs, I couldn’t see the party’s faces clearly.
But their voices rang out loud and clear.
“Maide!”
“Maide! What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Bro, your face......”
“To think you’d make that expression.”
“Did you cry? Ah, want me to wash it away with a water spirit?”
“No way. You’re always smirking smugly—what happened?”
Their voices brimmed with genuine worry and shock.
Feeling a lump in my chest, I said.
“Serein. Jenia.”
“Yes!”
“Yup.”
“Sorry, but could you look after my mother for me? She’s weakened from being locked up so long.”
They nodded in unison.
“Of course!”
“I told the lord no special treatment earlier, so sorry for going back on my word.”
“No, it makes you more human—I like it. I’ll head down quick! Serein, come on.”
“I’m going, don’t drag me—I’ll trip.”
As the two headed down, Adwin hurried toward me.
But Offense and Risel grabbed his shoulders from both sides.
They looked at each other.
“Hm? You too?”
“Offense too?”
“How’d you know?”
“I thought about what I’d do if Grade made a face like that. But how’d you know? You don’t seem experienced in this.”
“Lately, everyone’s been getting mouthy with me.”
Adwin whipped his head back and forth.
“What nonsense are you two spouting? We need to comfort bro now.”
“We will. Someone else first.”
“Huh?”
“Come on, let’s go down.”
They hooked their arms through Adwin’s and lifted him like a crate.
“Wh-wh-what.”
Adwin let out some weird yelp like a short-haired dog as he vanished.
With everyone gone underground, only Neril remained.
She studied my face intently before speaking.
“Wanna cry more?”
“I didn’t say I cried.”
“Red eyes like that, and you give that unconvincing answer. Though something felt off since this morning.”
“......”
“Come here. Maide.”
Whoosh.
It was almost like a sneak attack.
Neril pulled me into her embrace.
A mage’s sluggish movement, yet I couldn’t react.
“N-Neril.”
“Ah. Stay still. I’m super embarrassed right now too?”
“......”
“But I thought I had to do this. No idea why.”
“......”
“You can cry now.”
So, did I cry? Or not?
I don’t know.
I just erased it from memory.
The only thing that stuck was how warm Neril’s embrace felt.
‘Even so, hugging me like this out of nowhere—what gives.’
Not for nothing called the Saintess of Coercion.