58 – Broken Wings (3)
– Thud.
Something falls onto the grass.
And the one who caused the fall.
“Ma, Mark…”
None other than Mark Redeltine.
The deputy commander stood frozen with a pale face.
“What did I just hear? Master… what? Is that your fault?”
“Mark…”
“Explain so I can understand. What did the Master say? Speak up, Radyel!”
Mark began to interrogate Radyel, seemingly forgetting why he had come here moments ago.
It seems he accidentally overheard their conversation here.
“Whether it’s a mistake or not, just talk, Radyel! Clearly, this conversation is related to you and the Master!”
“…”
“What’s Lady Emma doing here? She’s a duchess. What’s the connection between her and our group? Why is she showing up when she has almost no relation with us?”
But he didn’t hear everything.
Vaguely, only Radyel saying it was his fault reached his ears.
‘No. Maybe I heard more than that.’
Otherwise, his complexion wouldn’t have turned so grim.
“I won’t stop until you tell me.”
“…Mark? What are you trying to do? Why towards the Master…!”
“Let go. If you won’t speak, I’ll have to ask directly!”
“Mark!”
“Don’t stop me, Radyel. Now you have to listen carefully. There’s clearly a story between you and the Master that I don’t know. I’m dying of frustration!”
“It’s not like that! There’s nothing between me and the Master…!”
“If there’s nothing, then why were you crying in front of the Master!!”
It was impossible to get an answer from the silent Radyel. Mark aggressively approached, trying to get answers.
Although Radyel tried to stop him, he was like an angry bull.
Radyel couldn’t overpower Mark, and blocking him had its limits.
Before long, Mark broke through Radyel’s defense and came within ten steps.
“…”
“Please tell us, Master. Didn’t you promise not to run away this time and to stay with us!!”
With eyes seeking the truth.
His expression was one that demanded an answer regarding what he had just heard.
Once again, he was inching closer, carefully holding the word “promise” on his lips.
And.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the object Mark had dropped and the status window.
▶ The countdown will end in 5 seconds automatically! ◀
▶ Once the countdown is over, you will automatically acquire the Memorial! ◀
▶ Use the memories of the Memorial to calm Mark down! ◀
An object lying on the grass emitting a bright light.
It was a sword, but at the same time, it was a Memorial.
It was the sword that Radie used, the one that caused him to lose the use of one arm, the sword that Karsain had wielded.
3
2
1
– Cling!
▶ The Memorial will be activated automatically! ◀
Hwaak-!
***
It was also a moment of reflection.
Reflection that always came like clockwork.
Now, the reflection that had become tiresome.
Ironically, thanks to it, Karsain was starting to get used to this reflection.
Whether it was a day or a week that passed, it didn’t matter.
Although the reflection period had ended, allowing him to go outside, the mansion was not a place where he could walk freely with his head held high.
So, the boy aimlessly roamed outside the mansion. He wandered around, searching for places unseen by even the servants, let alone his family.
It was a usual sunny day, but unfortunately, the sky gradually darkened.
– Shooaaa
The sky, which had started to grow heavy, was soon covered with dark clouds, and then it began to pour rain. Thanks to this, the boy, who was out and about, quickly got drenched.
“Rain…”
Even in the slums, avoiding rain was common sense. It was said that one would fall ill if exposed to it for too long.
He could turn around and head back to the mansion to avoid the rain, but…
The boy, after briefly considering the mansion’s direction, suddenly started running straight ahead. He couldn’t return to the mansion.
“Pant, pant.”
He had to find a way to avoid the rain near the building. Running along the alley, he finally found a space where he could take cover.
Since there were no people around, there would be no adults scolding him to go home. He just had to wait until the rain stopped.
However, his body was trembling.
He had found shelter, but he had already been drenched by too much rain.
“C-co…ld.”
The frail boy’s body gradually absorbed the chill, and even through his wheezing breaths, the heat emanated. A cough emerged, and his heartbeat accelerated gradually.
“Hmm? Why is a young child like this in such a place…”
At that moment, a woman approached the boy. The boy was already losing consciousness without the strength to resist.
“Wait. Young master? Oh my! Your body is burning up! Are you alright?!”
As the woman realized the boy was the young master of the Duke’s house, she put her hand on Karsain’s forehead, surprised by the heat.
In that moment of hesitation, wondering what to do, the boy finally couldn’t hold on any longer and lost consciousness.
Even as his eyes closed, the only fear left in the boy was that he would get scolded for this.
Before he knew it, the rain had stopped.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself on a soft bed instead of the hard ground. Sunlight was streaming in under the window, and,
“Oh. You’re awake?”
The blurry face of the woman, who had seemed faint before he lost consciousness, was now visible in front of him.
“My word… you’ve slept through a whole day. You must be very tired, aren’t you?”
A whole day?
No matter how many hours he may have slept, when he heard that a day had passed, at first, he thought it was impossible.
But when he looked outside the window after the rain had stopped, it was indeed true that a day had gone by.
The sun was much further ahead than before the rain. Unless time was flowing backward, there was no other way to see it but that a day had passed.
Carsein cautiously asked the woman, “Where is this?”
“This is the lounge of the proud 1st Knight Order guarding the Vagrant Manor. I am Radiel.”
“Radiel… Did you bring me here?”
“Yes. I was surprised at how high your fever was at first, so I urgently contacted the manor, and the chief physician arrived.”
The chief physician had arrived. At those words, his eyes closed tightly.
If it had reached Shayden’s ears, then surely news had reached the manor as well.
It was obvious he would hear whispers the moment he returned to the manor. From anyone.
“By the way, why did you end up here, milord?” Radiel cautiously asked Carsein, who seemed resigned.
It couldn’t be said that he had escaped from the manor and wandered around aimlessly. She had said she was a knight guarding the Vagrant Manor.
As the word “knight” flashed through Carsein’s mind, he decided to try a trick.
“I also want to become a knight.”
“Huh? You want to become a knight, milord?”
“…Is it not possible?”
Radiel, who had been pondering for a moment, gently smiled and replied, “Of course it’s possible. If you work hard, you can become a splendid knight.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You can do it if you work hard. Of course, to do that…”
Pause.
Radiel held out a soup bowl to Carsein.
“First, it’s important to fill your stomach properly.”
The boy had his meal afterwards, expecting to return to the manor soon.
However, even as time passed, there was no summons from the manor. Instead, there was a summons from Radiel, and the addition of one male knight.
“What are you doing, milord? Hurry and follow.”
“What…?”
“You said you wanted to become a knight. But to wield a sword, you must know how… As you can see, I am a female knight.”
“Physically, I am better suited to teach you. Radiel Commander said so.”
“Yeah. Mark.”
“Why. It’s a valid point.”
“Let’s not talk about it. If I don’t teach you properly, you won’t believe how many rounds I can make you roll.”
“Okay, I got it.”
Watching their back-and-forth, Carsein was perplexed. He had only intended to use a ploy to stay a little longer, he hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.
Still.
-Whoosh! Whoosh!
Following Mark and Radiel’s teachings, wielding the sword was undeniably enjoyable. Although the gazes of the other knights were not favorable, the two of them taught sincerely.
That day, the boy felt joy for the first time.
As time passed, Carsein also received the order to return to the manor. Despite receiving a barrage of reprimands, it didn’t matter.
He could endure the difficult life at the manor because he had found a refuge and could learn what he wanted there.
However.
An unexpected event would soon unfold.
One day, as always, Carsein, who had come to the training ground, headed straight to a particular location.
“Today, you’re calling me to a somewhat unusual place?”
Whenever he escaped from the manor to the training ground, he would usually meet Radiel waiting for him.
But this time, a letter was delivered directly.
A letter from Radiel instructing him to come to a specific location.
Deep within the forest, a bit away from the training ground.
That place is the meeting spot.
There were no particular doubts.
Since it was said that it’s good to do various training by changing the place little by little each time, Karsein thought that Radial had just called him to this place for a reason.
In the dimly-lit forest as the day was fading.
There, Karsein walked to the promised place with a prepared torch in hand, trudging through the thick bushes.
“Radial, where are you?”
Even after looking around, Radial, who didn’t seem to be visible at all, didn’t appear. Mark, who was often seen with her, was also nowhere in sight.
He reasoned that they hadn’t completely reached the meeting spot yet, which is why they weren’t there.
Could they be planning to train in a different way today?
He speculated.
As Karsein walked towards the meeting spot like that, he realized that someone was following him from the silent back.
“Radial, are you there…?”
Karsein stopped mid-sentence, refraining from continuing.
He had a moment of intuition.
That the person following him right now wasn’t Radial or Mark.
‘The footprints…’
Were different.
Even if Radial or Mark were conducting surprise training, how could they leave such simple evidence?
Karsein, in the quiet forest, quietly held his breath, pretending not to notice and started to wander the surroundings again.
Not knowing who was following, he intended to suddenly attack following Radial’s advice.
Karsein swiftly moved in a corner, causing confusion to the pursuer, and as he had learned, he could subdue the opponent’s body.
When he pulled off the hood, the figure of a knight appeared.
“Ugh…! This guy…!”
“You…?”
An apprentice knight who trained with him.
It was Theo Ramstair.
He constantly harassed and bullied during training.
Doing nasty things secretly, avoiding the eyes of other knights.
Where is Radial?
Why was Theo following him here?
Karsein, who had a lot to say, was about to interrogate Theo right away.
However.
Thud!
“Ugh…!”
Karsein, struck in the back, fell to the ground.
Theo, who had subdued him, was released, and two people with reversed hoods emerged.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Damn, this guy used a restraining technique on me as an opponent? Let go. I’ll deal with this guy…!”
“Calm down.”
The one who had been performing the restraint seemed annoyed, scratching his head as if irritated.
“Hey. Let’s handle this properly as we agreed. Why complicate things.”
“Who knew it would turn out like this? I thought it would be an easy task and finish quickly, so I wanted to vent.”
“If you hadn’t been caught in the first place, it would’ve been fine. It was a rare opportunity. Tsk.”
“Hey. It’s not the time to fight among yourselves.”
While they bickered, Karsein groaned and slowly got up from the ground.
“Why are you guys chasing me? In a place like this.”
“You, who are about to be thrown out soon, don’t need to know. You commoner.”
“What…?”
With a foolish expression, they boldly recited their misdeeds now that things had come to this.
After all, they wouldn’t be able to hear anything after this.
“Hey. Did you really believe that letter was from the real Lord? Did you really think the Lord cared for you?”
“On the contrary. You’re stuck with someone like you, so you couldn’t progress further.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Oh. I see. You wouldn’t understand. hahahaha!”
“That person’s attitude is despicable. The fact that Lord Radiel accepted someone like you and reduced the financial support was probably not mentioned.”
“He is quite an extraordinary person. Well, that’s why he could do such secretive things in the duchy.”
“What are you even saying?!”
When the shocked Karsein yelled, they started laughing even louder.
“Tsk. How foolish. Do you think the Lord’s letter would really reach you properly?”
“Sorry, but a request came to us from the duchy to kick you out. The compensation is quite substantial, I must say.”
“That letter is fake. The Lord never sent you a letter in the first place.”
“It’s a seal… You wouldn’t know. That woman might have handled it properly, though.”
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“Anyway, you just have to be led by us and end up back in that alley.”
“Stop thinking about revenge or anything. Tsk. Finally, the cleaning will be done.”
Those were the words left by the three apprentice knights, laughing, to Karsein.
He was being driven away.
By a request from the duchy.
Without anyone knowing. Quietly.
It didn’t matter who made that request.
Karsein just had to grit his teeth and confront them.
“aaah!!”
Even if it meant breaking the taboo of Radiel’s strict order never to draw a sword recklessly.
“Oh, did you draw it?”
“Stay still. I’ll deal with that one.”
“Alright, then. Anger is your business.”
One of the three apprentice knights stepped forward, ignoring Karsein.
It was Theo, who had been overwhelmed by Karsein earlier.
However.
-Clang!
As Theo’s sword clashed with Karsein’s, Theo began to be pushed back.
Karsein, who had been diligently training, was not someone Theo could easily push back.
But that wasn’t all.
Kagagak-
“Ugh?! This, this kid…!”
“Hey. Could it be…?”
“Darn it, unbelievable…! How can such a kid…!”
The mana faintly emanating from the sword.
It was a power that the three apprentice knights had yet to reach.