Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: A Double Agent and a Flying Instructor
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"......What? Are you telling us to leave?"
"Yes. Please leave."
Baon gestured firmly toward the door. Aser sighed and spoke to the remaining elders.
"It would be best to comply for now."
"Hmph! Hmph!"
The elders of the Loisar family, who had remained seated, reluctantly left the room.
Once he was alone, Aser looked tense.
He seemed worried that the Astrofel family would make a one-sided demand.
"Now, please tell me. Why did you ask me to stay behind alone?"
"It's nothing complicated. I just wanted to be certain. Now, I will state our demands."
Baon seemed to be organizing some documents as he began to speak.
"Our demands are simple. First, do not inform the Artban family of what happened today."
"That's not difficult... but is that the only reason you made the other elders leave?"
For an act that involved clearing the room, the demand was absurdly simple. Aser frowned.
Surely, this wasn't the end of it.
I narrowed my eyes and watched Baon. As expected, he got straight to the point.
"You will have to become a double agent for us."
"......A double agent? You want me to spy on the Artban family?"
Aser drew in a sharp breath.
"You understand correctly."
Baon smiled sweetly. Aser, seemingly at a loss for words, said nothing.
It was because the risk for the Loisar family to act as a double agent was immense.
With their heir held hostage and the family head's seat now vacant, they would be overwhelmed just trying to reorganize for the time being.
To have to act as a double agent on top of all that—I could understand his feelings.
Aser let out a sigh. He nodded reluctantly.
"Now I see why you sent everyone out. ...Very well. It's not as if I have a choice. What do you need me to do?"
"Unfortunately, while we obtained a confession from the spy we interrogated, we lack physical evidence."
"You want me to bring you physical evidence."
"Precisely."
Indeed, if the Loisar family played their part as spies properly, gathering evidence didn't seem like it would be too difficult.
And perhaps, this could also be an opportunity for the Loisar family.
The fact that Kaide wanted evidence of the Artban family's involvement meant he intended to see this through to the end.
If that happened, the Loisar family could get their heir back and no longer be swayed by the Artban family.
Although, it came with a great deal of risk.
"I heard the Artban family recently underwent a change in leadership."
"That's correct."
"What kind of person is the new head?"
"He is......"
Aser's expression immediately darkened.
His gaze flickered upward for a moment, as if recalling a memory, before returning.
"He is a dangerous man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He has descended upon not just our family, but several others, and abducted their heirs."
"My."
Baon's eyes narrowed.
"He's a man who drove out his own father to seize control of the family. Does that give you an idea?"
"......He certainly sounds like the type of person I'd rather not encounter."
Baon muttered distastefully at Aser's words.
It was understandable. This was a man who would cast out his own father for his ambitions.
That alone made it easy to guess just how ruthless the new head of the Artban family was.
Kaide, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
"Why did he order them to bring Aileen?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but it's highly likely it was out of curiosity."
Aser said, looking at me.
"After all, he did not attend the recent banquet held in the south, did he?"
"That's right. The head didn't come at that time, only some of the elders attended."
Kaide nodded, his brow furrowed.
"I thought it was strange, but it's not an unheard-of occurrence, so I let it be."
It seemed Baon also remembered that day.
"The change in leadership happened during that period. All the core elders of the family were away at the banquet."
It was a ridiculously sordid story.
To think something like that could actually happen.
But the thought of such a man being curious about me was unsettling.
Aser continued.
"In the midst of that, rumors reached the east. News that the Astrofel family had announced a new heir."
I felt utterly dejected.
To think that the very event I had been so excited and happy about—being introduced in front of everyone at the banquet—had caught the attention of the Artban head.
While I was enjoying the banquet that day, something so terrible had been happening in the east.
It was all a series of things I didn't want to believe.
"It seems he was intrigued that the egg he sent had hatched alive. Furthermore, hearing her eyes were red, he must have wanted to see for himself."
I sensed something was off and tilted my head.
At a glance, it sounded fine, but it wasn't.
Aser had specifically said he was intrigued because I had been born 'alive'.
What did that mean? Did it mean I wasn't supposed to be born alive?
My mind grew complicated.
Looking around, everyone else but me seemed to understand the meaning of his words.
This wouldn't do. I absolutely had to get to the bottom of this.
"What's so intewesting about me being bown awive?"
"Ah, that's......"
Aser, not expecting my question, fell silent in surprise.
His inability to answer easily suggested it was something I'd be better off not knowing.
Or perhaps he judged that I couldn't handle it yet.
But I couldn't stay in the dark forever, could I?
"I need to know. So tell me wight now."
Honestly, if Aser hadn't added the word 'alive', I might have let it slide.
Kaide smiled with satisfaction at my sharp question.
"Times like these, you're too smart for your own good."
"What is it? Daddy, you tell me."
I looked up at Kaide.
He seemed to have no intention of hiding it and readily opened his mouth.
"You were born in an egg, using my pheromones as nutrients."
"What about it?"
"Normally, you would have been unable to withstand the pheromones and would have perished instantly."
"......Gasp."
I covered my mouth. I had never imagined such a terrifying reason.
Then wasn't my birth itself a miracle?
Baon, displeased by the fact that the Artban head was interested, scowled.
"Dragging this out would be unwise. We must resolve this as quickly as possible."
"I share your sentiment, but... I question whether the Artban head will be fooled."
"Making that happen is your job, Sir Aser."
His meaning was clear: figure it out yourself.
To add a little more, it seemed to imply that if he got caught, that was also his problem to deal with.
As Baon spoke so brazenly, the corner of Aser's mouth twitched.
"Didn't you say you would do your utmost to ensure my family's safety?"
"That depends on you bringing back proper evidence."
"......About that."
"Yes?"
"I know a certain amount. ...Some time ago, I was ordered to deliver a certain box to the Artban family."
"I assume the egg was inside that box."
"That is my assumption. And if one were to search the family head's office, something might turn up."
"Excellent."
I felt a strange sensation.
To be learning about my own unknown past in real-time. And to think Aser had been the one to transport me.
Baon seemed to write something on a document, then looked up.
"Then let's move on to the next demand. From now on, you are to come to the Astrofel estate once a week to report on your progress."
"Once a week? If I'm away that often, it could arouse suspicion."
"In that case, you can just be honest."
"......Are you telling me to say I'm going to the south?"
Aser reacted as if he couldn't comprehend it at all.
Baon clicked his tongue.
"It's just that you seem like the type to give yourself away when you lie. It would be easier to deceive them if you were simply honest."
"Honestly."
Aser let out a huff of disbelief. His brow darkened, as if his pride had been subtly wounded.
Pfft. I almost burst out laughing. I managed to press my lips together, but it seemed I was too late.
Aser was looking at me. I hastily shook my head.
"I wasn't waughing."
"Do I look like someone who can't distinguish the sound of laughter?"
"......Sowwy."
But Baon was right. I couldn't imagine Aser being a double agent.
He didn't seem to realize it himself, but Aser's thoughts were often written all over his face.
It had been the same just a moment ago when he heard about Gray's atrocities.
Aser spoke sullenly.
"Is that all for your demands?"
"It is. Just adhere to these two, and we'll let you know if anything else comes to mind. Oh, and of course, you understand that everything discussed here is to be kept secret, right?"
"Of course, I do."
Aser let out a low sigh. It seemed his heart was already heavy.
It looked like the negotiation was over. Just as the atmosphere was winding down, Kaide said, "Ah," and spoke.
"Let's add one more thing."
"What......?"
Baon, who was gathering his papers to stand, looked on with curiosity.
His expression asked what else could possibly be left to say.
Kaide gestured toward me with his eyes and said.
"I'd like you to give Aileen flying lessons."
Aser didn't answer.
Instead, his golden eyes seemed to ask if they were now going to demand even something like that.
Kaide smirked.
"You have to take responsibility."
"......I don't know what responsibility you're referring to."
"As I understand it, you played a significant role in the reason Aileen was born into my family."
In other words, if he had any conscience, he would also teach flying lessons every time he came once a week.
Aser, who looked like he was about to burst, simply nodded his head as if he had given up on everything.
"I understand."
And that's how I got a flying instructor.