An Unexpected Encounter
The archive was smaller, older, and, above all, far filthier than he had expected.
"It's... quite cozy."
At this maximum possible compliment one could offer in the face of such a sight, the Elder, standing in the middle of the dust-swirling archive, chuckled softly.
"It's open to anyone, so it gets a bit messy."
Ratel's claim that anyone could read books here as long as they had permission wasn't a lie. The interior was packed with books so heavily used that it was hard to find a single pristine copy, their spines and pages worn down in patches.
"If just anyone can wander in, these precious texts will be damaged."
Jing asked because he couldn't understand managing what were likely the last remaining records of their kind in the world in such a careless manner, but the Elder merely smiled.
"Not 'just anyone,' but 'everyone.' The two are not the same."
That was true. Jing nodded and carefully scanned his surroundings.
As expected, it was ordinary. It made the tension he had carried on his way in feel entirely foolish.
Having once led the charge in executing those who possessed heretical texts in Abaran, Jing had entered with an uneasy heart. But now that he was actually here, he felt nothing of the sort.
"Is there something you'd like to read? 'Everyone' includes you, Jing."
The sudden offer pulled Jing out of his thoughts.
"Ah, do you have books that aren't religious?"
"If we didn't, there would be no reason for this place to exist."
Having never once in his life considered learning the teachings of Amica, Jing could not hide his fluster.
The Elder tilted his head.
"Did you not say you wanted to look around?"
"I... did. Yes, that's right. I did."
"This is the most fundamental book."
Oblivious to Jing's inner turmoil, the Elder held out a book about the thickness of a thumb, which looked to be the oldest of the lot.
It was just a book. A bundle of paper.
Yet Jing, who had never blinked even when all manner of lethal weapons grazed his throat, felt himself flinch as if terrified of this mere bundle of paper.
It felt as though the Imperial Knight Commander, Agoni Fidus, still lingered inside him.
"Punishable by death."
The words slipped out in a low murmur. The Elder's eyes widened slightly at the sudden utterance, but then his wrinkled eyes crinkled into a smile again.
"I suppose so."
He immediately withdrew his outstretched hand.
"If your life is on the line, there's no helping it."
Feeling as though the blade at his throat had finally been pulled back, Jing exhaled a long breath.
"You may come back whenever you change your mind," the old man said placidly, turning back to browse the dusty shelves.
Wait, what was that just now?
Something was wrong. There was absolutely no reason for Jing—who was no longer the Duke of Fides—to be afraid.
Jing stared down at his calloused palms, which were slick with sweat.
The former Duke of Fides's son, whom his father desperately yearned to see, was currently standing at the center of an incredibly embarrassing situation, completely unharmed.
"Seya? Seya? Are you dead? Seya!!"
Beside the fallen older boy, the smaller one shook him in such sheer shock that he looked ready to collapse himself. The Young Duke of Fides watched them with a complicated expression.
The older boy, Seya, had charged at the Young Duke at a fairly high speed just moments ago.
The Young Duke had been startled by the agile movement, but he was, after all, of the Fides Duchy. That meant he had never neglected his training as a sword of the Imperial Family, and he was nimble enough to easily dodge a street kid lunging at him from close range.
Seya, realizing with incredible reflexes that he hadn't collided with the Young Duke, had tried to stop abruptly.
However, his bare feet lacked the traction needed on the ground, and he ended up sliding and faceplanting hard onto the dirt.
Just as the Young Duke felt he could no longer bear the heavy silence that followed the dull thud of the lightweight boy falling, the smaller boy had approached the collapsed figure, blinking back tears.
And that was how they had ended up in this situation.
The Young Duke was utterly bewildered.
He had only stepped in to stop them because the plan he overheard the children discussing was so absurd and dangerous. He had never intended to hurt them.
To the Young Duke, commoners were people who bowed their heads in reverence the moment he showed his face. He had never dreamed things would turn out like this.
"Ugh, hic... Seya, open your eyes."
Because the smaller boy was already crying as if the older one had died, the Young Duke's confusion only mounted.
"Wait. You mustn't shake him like that."
Thinking he should first stop the smaller boy from frantically shaking Seya, the Young Duke reached out and grabbed his shoulder. But that proved to be a poor choice.
The child began to wail as if having a fit.
"Waaah!!! I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!! It's because we're bad bugs...!!! We tried to do something bad, and now we're dying like this!!!"
"N-no, that's not what I meant. No one is dying."
Despite the Young Duke's reassurance, the child's sobbing didn't stop.
"Wait here. I will bring someone. They are not far from here."
Ultimately, the Young Duke had to admit defeat. This was not a situation he could handle on his own.
Moreover, even if they were commoners, a child was injured.
A faint sense of guilt—stemming from the fact that he had done the exact opposite of his original intention, which was to see with his own eyes how the Duchy helped these children—pushed his feet forward.
Turning to leave, the Young Duke looked back at the boy lying on the cold ground and retraced his steps.
"Here, cover him with this first. I told you, you mustn't let his body get cold."
With tear-filled eyes, the smaller boy watched the Young Duke carefully drape his luxurious coat over Seya's body.
Feeling as though those tearful eyes were blaming him again, the Young Duke averted his gaze and spoke.
"Do not worry. The Fidus family will take full responsibility for his treatment."
Leaving these words behind, the Young Duke turned to fetch Tollin. Just as he did, the smaller boy hesitated and asked in a voice as quiet as a crawling ant:
"Thank you, thank you so much. What is your name, noble Lord?"
At the awkward, uneducated attempt at formal speech, the Young Duke hesitated for a moment before replying.
"……Flin."
"Lord Flin. Thank you, thank you so much."
Leaving behind the child who bowed his head repeatedly, the Young Duke, Flin Feedus, ran off with hurried strides.
The smaller boy did not take his eyes off the end of the alleyway until Flin's back completely vanished.
Only when he was certain the Young Duke was entirely gone did he quietly speak.
"You can get up now, Seya."
Seya cracked one eye open. Realizing only his companion remained beside him, he bolted upright.
"You're really smart, Mir."
Seya praised Mir, who had carefully whispered to him while he was down.
Keep pretending to be passed out.
Because Mir always found the right solution, Seya had followed his instructions without a second thought. He had lain there like a corpse, not twitching a single muscle.
And indeed, it had been the right call. Not only had they saved their skins, but they had also secured the noble lord's expensive clothing just as they had originally intended.
Excited, Seya turned the black coat Flin had left behind this way and that, inspecting it.
Is this gold?
If they ripped off the buttons and sold them, they wouldn't have to worry about food for a week.
"He's incredibly rich and seems soft-hearted. Should we just lie down and claim I'm seriously injured? Mir?"
Seya looked at Mir, who wasn't answering.
Mir's eyes were still fixed on the end of the alley where the small head had disappeared.
"No, the Fides Duchy is too big. We should be satisfied with this."
Mir muttered quietly, his gaze still lingering on the end of the alley. Seya found it strange, but since it was Mir, he let it go.
"Let's go then."
At Seya's urging, Mir slowly tore his eyes away and stood up.
"We just conned a noble, so we'd better steer clear of him so we don't cross paths again."
Seya nodded in agreement at the vow.
Clutching the luxurious coat tightly, the two children vanished into the darkness.
The panic-stricken Young Duke who would eventually return was the least of their concerns.
Ever since the meeting at the Imperial Palace, Tollin and the Young Duke had maintained an awkward relationship.
The bizarre situation of not even seeing each other's faces and only exchanging updates through paperwork was gone, but Tollin still couldn't bring himself to treat the Young Duke as he used to.
Perhaps sensing his discomfort, the clever child began to avoid seeking Tollin out unless absolutely necessary, as if walking on eggshells.
His recent insistence on riding the carriage alone might have been a form of such consideration.
How childish of me.
Sitting inside the carriage, Tollin pressed firmly against his throbbing temples.
He intended to speak with him face-to-face today. He couldn't keep relying on a child's consideration forever. At the very least, he had to avoid doing anything that would make him unable to hold his head high before the late Duke.
He had vowed not to let the child develop the strange habit of walking on eggshells around adults, yet he had allowed things to come to this.
"Pale, once we finish up and arrive at the estate, bring the documents to be processed during dinner."
"……My Lord Tollin, you didn't even have a proper lunch."
Pale, who had been watching Tollin rub his temples repeatedly, spoke up cautiously.
"Prepare something simple for dinner. I can easily review the documents while eating."
At the irritable response, a stream of presumptuous remarks rushed up to Pale's throat, but he merely nodded and whispered a quiet acknowledgment.
Whether he noticed Pale's concern or not, Tollin's mind was entirely consumed by the young boy.
As soon as I return, I must ask the Young Duke for his understanding.
I must tell him I'm sorry for not paying enough attention to him because I was busy.
Even if it's only a half-truth, I must put his mind at ease.
It was at that very moment.
Crash!
A significant impact slammed into the front of the carriage, throwing Tollin's body forward.
As soon as he regained his balance, Tollin burst out of the carriage.
"What happened!"
"My Lord Tollin, it is dangerous to step out so suddenly."
Jack took his side. Tollin urgently asked him:
"Is the Young Duke safe?"
Though things had stabilized significantly, foolish factions targeting the Duchy existed everywhere. Threats, both big and small, were not uncommon, but Tollin, who had always taken the utmost precautions to prevent such incidents when traveling with the Young Duke, felt his blood run cold.
"He seems a bit startled, but he is unharmed."
One of the knights who approached them quickly reported.
Tollin let out a sigh of relief. Pointing at the knights, he ordered them to guard the Young Duke's carriage.
Then, he turned his gaze to the carriage that had caused all this.
Despite the commotion of the knights dragging out the fallen coachman from what wasn't even a major accident, no one emerged from inside.
"Open it," Tollin commanded coldly.
He needed to identify the face and the mastermind behind the lunatic who had suddenly cut into the intersection. His gaze was razor-sharp as he stared at the highly suspicious carriage, which bore no crest whatsoever.
Finally, the carriage door opened, and the familiar face of the person who stepped out was more than enough to turn Tollin's expression even icier.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"To think I'd run into you here."
At the nonchalant greeting from his eldest brother, Yigo Crysa, Tollin's brow furrowed so deeply that a needle could have fit between his eyes.