12. Flowing Star – 03
“…I’m really going to turn around.”
Without realizing it, I put my fingers to my temples and muttered those words. When I thought about what had happened yesterday, my head started to throb and hurt again. Why can’t I rest comfortably even in my own house?
Other people can have a peaceful and comfortable rest in their own homes, but why do I have to suffer so much because of women who, even in my own home, do not get along well with the word “dog-dog” and turn it into a friendly relationship? What sins did you commit in your previous life?
“…Whoa.”
When I think of the scars of the terrible land, which are beautifully located right in front of the main castle, my heart still trembles and trembles. If the princess had been a little more irritable or had a little more lack of self-control, the slash might have reached the true nature of the Estel family. And if things had gone that way, the Duke of Estelle would have split in two in a physical sense.
According to the commander-in-chief, it was not the first time that the princess and Ariel growled and clashed like this while I was gone. Somehow, even after hearing the explosive sound that resonated throughout the castle, the commander-in-chief showed a terribly calm expression, and behind that, such a source was hidden-
“do you know this? those women When you weren’t there, they growled and fought every single day. It’s like a fighting dog without a leash. He looked so uncultured and his eyes were furrowed that I automatically thought that I shouldn’t be like that. Anyway, what a fuss they are making because of only one man.”
While saying that, Bianca sipped her tea while maintaining a truly elegant attitude. It was only then that I was able to recall the unexpected fact that Bianca was the daughter of the Marquis of Castana, a family with a thousand-year-old history.
‘…But you also intervened and played a role.’
I looked at Bianca with a rather bewildered look. I don’t know if anyone else, but Bianca didn’t deserve to spit out those words. Wasn’t Bianca the woman who could compete for part of the empire without being considerate of others or being petty? According to the fact that the governor-general hinted at me, while I left for the Decaraznan dukedom, Bianca must have been one of the culprits who disturbed the Estelle dukedom by colliding with the princess or Ariel.
But to think that he was able to spit out such impudent words with his own mouth, as if he were not stung by his conscience. It was clear that Bianca, with her childlike innocence, was a titan that I could not dare to measure-
“By the way, where the hell have you been with your father?”
When I asked the question to Bianca, who was sipping tea in an elegant manner, Bianca answered me in a nonchalant manner.
“Well, it was nothing special. Father, no, the duke said that there was a report saying that the speed of recovery of the soil of the farmland located in the Estel Duchy was much faster than last year. Just at the moment when I had nothing to do, I took a look around the area with my father, no, the duke, to check, well.”
“…What?”
I don’t quite understand what this means.
“Isn’t that good news for you? If we can continue this trend, the Duchy of Estel will expand the land available for farming, just like other territories. In other words, it is news that the dukedom of Sun and Estelle may have the same dignity as other territories, even if it is impossible to reproduce the glory of a thousand years ago. Perhaps, it may also be a matter of time before the Empire recovers its dukeish appearance, which is one of only four.”
“…..”
No matter how much I listened, the news Bianca gave me must be good news. It boasts a thousand years of history and tradition, but hopes that it may regain its past reputation, which was once one of the top four prestigious families, escaping from the current miserable reality where only the name value of the family remains at the end of collapse and fall. Because it was nothing to say that this was born.
…But I couldn’t be more openly pleased with Bianca’s words. Because it was strange. That’s because it was incredibly strange and there was a part that couldn’t be explained logically.
‘…was intellect originally a fickle factor that sometimes recovers and sometimes doesn’t?’
Even after all this, I was the only heir to the Duchy of Estel, and I was also the one who took on the role of the general manager who had a clear understanding of anything and everything that happened within this territory. However, in the future I remember, that is, before the return, I had no memory of hearing the good news that the farmlands located in the Duchy of Estel were gradually recovering their intellectual power.
But now, the future has changed. Of course, since I did a lot of things while returning to the past, it would be ridiculous to talk about now and the future I remember, but this and that were on a different level.
As far as I know, restoring the fertility of farmland is one of the things that is absolutely impossible even with magic. If such a thing had been possible with magic, the previous dukes of the Estel dukedom would have tried to revive the farmland in any way possible by calling a wizard.
In the current era, there was only one way to restore the intellect of farmland, and there was only one way to leave the land idle for a long time without farming. That’s why Bianca and the others who don’t know the whole situation seem to nod that their intelligence has been restored because it’s just the right time, but since I’ve returned from the future, I can’t see anything more bizarre than this. .
…it was certain. Due to something I didn’t recognize, the future I knew was greatly distorted. Even more troubling was that I had no idea what the hell was causing this. Information was too scarce. In this situation, any reasoning would be nothing but conjecture.
However, it would have been ridiculous to complain about this story, which was obviously good news, so I decided to put the farmland story aside in my head and turn the subject of the story to something else.
“…well, that aside. I have a question for you.”
“What?”
To Bianca, who tilted her head at me, I pulled a ring out of my bosom. The ring Sarah gave me that day on the island terrace.
“I went to the Duke of Decaraznan, and I ran into some of the friends of Count Cernard, and some of them seemed to know something about the pattern engraved on this ring. One guy in particular, when he saw this ring, made a fuss about it as if his mother, who disappeared when he was young, came back to life.”
“…Huh.”
“Before leaving for Duke Dekaraznan, you said this to me. It is clear that Count Sernard’s family is a gang of rats hiding deep inside the Marquis of Castana. So take care of yourself.”
“…Yes, it was.”
“I can guess why you have been sparing on me until now. Perhaps, compared to you, I was worried that I, who lacked a lot of power, would become a target for them if I installed it for nothing. As far as you think, I also had no intention of forcing you to question me. Yes, until I became a party to the case like this, that is.”
“…..”
“Things are a little different now. Of course, I didn’t leave anything to say about what happened that day in the forest, but Count Cernard, no, the guys behind him must have already started watching me. At least, it would have put them on the line of suspects. I don’t think it’s going to be solved by simply wrapping me up like a child.”
At my words, Bianca looked at me silently with a truly melancholy look and then sighed softly. As if he was forced to say something he really didn’t want to say.
“…yes, I hope you didn’t know about it for the rest of your life, but in the end it turned out like this. Besides, you’re putting yourself in unforeseen danger because of that one nasty girl. It’s a situation I really don’t like. really.”
Bianca seemed very unhappy with the situation I was in.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about them either. However, I do know for sure about two facts.”
“What is it?”
“One is that the rats hiding in the county of Sernard or the marquis of Castana are nothing more than slightly sore fingers to them. And the other is-”
Bianca looked me straight in the eye with a look of indifferent anger.
“…that they have some connection with the ‘endless winter’ that will blow in the near future.”
At Bianca’s remark, I twitched my own eyebrows. So, for a moment, it meant that I couldn’t manage my expression.
“…wasn’t the ‘Witch of Winter’ the main culprit that brought about the never-ending winter?”
It is a matter that the goddess who resides in the heavens has even guaranteed for humans by going down to the oracle. There can be no error in that fact.
“I didn’t say that the rats hiding in the shadows were the main culprits of winter. There’s no way such ugly rats could have such great abilities, right? All I meant was that they had some sort of connection to the winter that hit the entire continent.”
“How did you find out?”
At my question, Bianca only gave a bitter smile.
“Right before the expedition departed, the emperor told others about you. Of course, along with a request to you not to open your mouth.”
“…why was it only me who left it out?”
I don’t think I remember doing anything particularly wrong with that sinister old man.
“Because it’s never a good thing to know. And when the subjugation of the witches is over, there was a plan to wipe them out once and for all. Since you in the future didn’t have the strength to use it as a military force, the purpose of maintaining security also existed. and-“
“…and?”
Bianca’s face, looking at me, seemed to be crying for some reason.
“Cain, do you remember? Nine years from now, when the never-ending winter came, our daily lives were truly messed up. Do you still remember the pain of that time, when countless people shivered and froze to death in the extreme cold in midsummer, and everyone in the empire starved to death due to lack of food?”
“…..”
At Bianca’s question, I gently closed my eyes. The reason I closed my eyes was because I couldn’t afford to look at Bianca casually asking me such a question.
…Yes, I remember. I remember that too vividly. how could i forget I still vividly remember everything about the pain of the time when the entire continent was covered with snow and the bitter cold that seemed to cut off the flesh of all living things on this land blew incessantly. .
Just hold on a little longer and it will be over. If we wait a little longer, this winter will also end and spring will come. The goddess’s oracle that there is a separate ‘culprit’ that brought about the endless winter brings hope and despair to all people on the continent at the same time. I gave it away
The hope that everything would be resolved if only the ‘witch of winter’ was defeated, and the despair that the pain that plagued everyone would continue until just before defeating the witch soon turned into anger, and the anger became an endless resentment that could atone for atonement. I came to find a scapegoat.
The burnt offering they requested was none other than Duke Cain von Estel, the owner of the estate that produced the ‘Witch of Winter’. The crime the crowd demanded was, on the surface, ‘the crime of producing a winter witch’, but the emperor knew that it was just an excuse, the crowd knew it, and I knew it well.
…They just needed something to vent their anger on. Even though I didn’t do anything wrong, I didn’t do anything bad, but I also knew very well that it was nothing more than a screaming out loud, asking, “Why do I have to be in so much pain?”
Normally, this would have been a request that would never have been accepted, but the situation was not very good. Due to the endless winter, various systems of the empire collapsed, and the rest of the materials were so insufficient that security was not properly maintained. In such an extreme situation, the Empire would have had no choice but to use Estelle as a stone to calm public sentiment.
…okay. It’s just that, it’s just a simple story. It’s just that it was a very bitter story for me.
However-
“no. The things you had to go through at that time are by no means accidental.”
Bianca shakes her head at me. Everything I knew was dotted with lies.
“The Emperor revealed the truth to us. It must be those bastards who hid behind the crowd, created confusion, and incited Duke Estelle to be guilty of all crimes. Behind the fact that everyone on the continent is holding you accountable, they definitely exist.”
“…..”
“That’s why I can never forgive them. You had to be criticized, humiliated, and pointed at by everyone as if you were a sinner for something you wouldn’t have done. you did nothing wrong I didn’t do anything wrong. Only you had to go through such a miserable situation.”
Bianca’s words were terribly cold, but I could clearly sense that there was a flame burning underneath that I couldn’t hide.
“That’s why I hate the woman you brought. As long as she inherited Sernard’s blood, she also owes you blood.”
“…Sarah, did nothing wrong. She too, in a way, is just a victim.”
At my defense, which seemed like an excuse, Bianca only raised a silent laugh. In a way, it felt like a mockery towards me, and in a way, it was a laugh that seemed like anger toward me.
“At that time, the rats who raised their voices in the back hole saying that they must kill you must have thought that too. There is nothing wrong with you. However, for their own benefit, you must die. You are just unlucky. okay. It’s such a trivial matter-“
“…I’m sorry, Cain. Around the time I returned to the past after bursting the heart of the ‘Winter Witch’, I made a vow to myself. If nothing else, I will cut off with my own hands all those who touch you, hurt you, and rob you of your laughter. For that, I would do anything. Even if I turn this world into an enemy, I will protect you. You swore that.”
“…Bianca.”
Bianca caressed my cheek very softly and whispered sadly to me.
“So I really hate her. Because that woman has hurt you so far, and it must be the most painful part that will hurt you in the future.”