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chapter 73
Albus’s trip to the south was, on the surface, known as a family vacation.
However, in reality, he was heading south under the king’s secret orders to capture a spy who had gone into hiding there.
Aitra raised one eyebrow slightly.
“How can you handle that alone, Father? Won’t you have military support?”
“Are you underestimating your father’s skills?”
The White Lion twitched his bushy white beard in mild annoyance.
“Your father is still active.”
Even after retiring, he had continued to train his body consistently, and even now, he could spar with most young soldiers or knights without losing.
In fact, young men would often quietly step aside at the sight of Albus’s white hair and beard.
Albus took great pride in that.
“It’s been years since you retired…”
To his daughter’s eyes, it just seemed like the empty boasting of an old man.
Albus, affronted, shouted back.
“Retired I may be! But in my heart, I’m as young as ever!”
“Just saying that proves you’re old.”
“Do you enjoy seeing your father grow old, hmm?”
With no words to reply, Aitra pouted, and Albus returned to the main topic.
“…You’ve heard the news, haven’t you?”
The Pinichi District explosion incident.
At the mere mention of it, a chill flickered across Aitra’s eyes.
She couldn’t have missed it.
Aitra had been keeping a long watch on a certain man.
She had meticulously gathered all information related to him, and the report she had just received suggested that the Pinichi explosion might have been manipulated.
What was thought to be the work of a spy could potentially have been the act of an insider.
“So, the spy must have infiltrated then.”
“Some of the investigation reports from that time were lost.”
“Lost?”
“The reports from the day the spy presumably infiltrated are missing.”
“That means…”
Albus stepped in for his dumbfounded daughter.
“We don’t know if they were missing from the start or vanished recently.”
Even as he spoke, Albus twisted the corner of his mouth in disbelief.
“Which is why we must capture the spies alive. Only then can we know whose help they had in infiltrating.”
“So that’s why you’re going alone.”
Coincidentally, his grandson was stationed in the southern Sharp territory and had just gotten married. It was the perfect cover to deceive any unknown traitor.
Moreover, the king hadn’t sent Albus alone to catch the spy.
“I don’t like it, but…”
The White Lion frowned and expressed his displeasure.
“I’ll have to get some help from that woman.”
“You mean Captain Advelo?”
At that, Aitra felt relieved—not because she didn’t trust her father, but because she felt comforted that he wouldn’t take on such a dangerous mission alone.
Albus, however, was not pleased with the naval commander he would soon meet.
“That old bat’s annoying.”
“Father…”
“Alright, alright, I get it.”
Albus tried to preemptively stop any further complaints, only to be startled.
Aitra had said something completely unexpected.
“Captain Advelo contacted me recently.”
And it was through a secret channel.
“She said Captain Nyx might be involved in this incident.”
“…What?”
The White Lion’s demeanor changed instantly.
Though he usually had a fierce and intimidating presence, his usually mild demeanor on the family trip south vanished the moment he heard that name.
He felt a surge of uncontrollable rage deep in his gut.
He wanted to get off the train immediately, return to the capital—or even the north—and tear that man limb from limb to calm his hatred.
“That guy’s involved here?”
The White Lion growled ferociously.
“Calm down.”
Meanwhile, Aitra remained composed.
“The opportunity has finally come.”
But in terms of the depth of her anger, it was far greater and heavier than anything Albus could compare.
Aitra concealed her deep, dark emotions behind a calm expression.
Thanks to that, Albus was able to calm himself as well.
“You haven’t exactly been quiet, have you?”
He brushed aside his thick beard.
“Do you think the older one knows?”
“Probably not, I guess.”
Aitra inferred that Captain Advelo had intervened on her behalf.
“Even if he knows there’s a spy, he likely doesn’t know that this person is involved. Otherwise, he would have contacted me immediately.”
“So that’s why Advelo contacted you directly.”
Albus agreed.
Then, in frustration, he unbuttoned three buttons from his shirt, revealing his solid chest.
“…This won’t be a relaxing trip.”
Albus sensed that this southern trip was no ordinary assignment.
An oppressive silence filled the luxurious first-class carriage.
Amidst the stifling atmosphere, the aging father and daughter imagined how difficult the coming future might be.
“By the way…”
Albus spoke up.
“I think there’s a child around Karina’s age in the in-laws’ household as well.”
He didn’t want to start the journey on such a heavy note, but couldn’t resist mentioning it.
“Oh?”
Understanding her father’s attempt to lighten the mood, Aitra willingly followed his lead.
“The in-laws’ daughter is very young.”
“A cute little girl,” Albus said.
He recalled Clare, whom he had secretly seen at the Sharp village hall. Her bright eyes and spirited attitude were impressive for a child.
“I hope she becomes good friends with Karina.”
It seemed like a promising encounter for the shy Karina.
Meanwhile, unaware of Albus’s praise, Clare was being scolded by her older sister after coming home from work.
“Who told you to fool around in the water like that?!”
“……”
“Why are you pouting your lips? Put them back in!”
“……”
Clare pushed her pouty lips back with her palm, but her mouth still drooped with unfairness.
Noah continued her scolding.
“Do you know how worried I was? I couldn’t focus on anything when I heard you were hurt.”
“Really? You were just embarrassed hearing my heroic tale and couldn’t work…” muttered Leto, who was watching from the sofa.
“What did you say?”
Noah, still scolding, turned to him.
“……”
Meeting her gaze, Leto quietly stood up. His polite gesture conveyed his quiet acceptance of defeat.
“I’ll help set the table for dinner,” he said, then dashed off to the kitchen.
“Brother-in-law…!”
Clare’s desperate cry couldn’t reach him.
Her older sister glaring from behind was far scarier than her little brother.
“Traitor…!”
Clare trembled alone with a sense of betrayal.
“What did I do to deserve this?”
“Am I not allowed to speak?”
Now alone, Clare vented her own frustration.
“I was praised for swimming safely! And I won first place in the talent show! And the soldiers and the lady gave me snacks for doing well!”
She proudly displayed the snacks she hadn’t even fully taken out of her bag.
“So what?!”
Noah’s voice grew louder.
“You could have gotten seriously hurt fooling around in the sea! What if you had been really hurt and in pain?”
“I, I…!”
“You might never see your sister again! Do you like that? If you go fooling around in the sea, you could die.”
“I won’t die!”
Clare’s jaw trembled violently. Tears welled in her round eyes.
“She’s crying…”
“…I guess that’s enough.”
Astra and Leto, peeking through the door, were worried.
But Noah wasn’t finished.
“How do you know you won’t die!”
“Your father and mother…!”
Noah suddenly stopped mid-shout.
“Oh, sister…”
She finally noticed her little sister looking up at her with tearful, frightened eyes.
Noah, having regained her composure, exhaled deeply and closed her eyes tightly.
“…Clare.”
After another long breath, her tone softened.
“I was really worried thinking you had been badly hurt.”
Clare nodded slowly, tears streaming down her face.
“You must never fool around in the sea. A wave can sweep you away in an instant.”
“Mm…!”
Once tears started, they poured like a flood, and even her tightly pressed lips quivered as she cried.
“Waaah, waaah!”
Her arms hung limply as she sobbed pitifully.
Noah’s heart ached watching her, but she knew she had to teach her lesson.
“You must never fool around in the sea again. Understand?”
“Yes, mm…!”
Clare hiccupped through her sobs, making her sound even more pitiful.
“…Come here.”
Noah extended her arms, and Clare trudged into her embrace.
“Waaah!”
But the warmth, familiar scent, and comforting patting made her cry even louder.
“I’m sorry! Waaah! I’m sorry!”
Noah lifted her tightly into her arms.
“I’m sorry for scaring you earlier.”
“Mm….”
“I can’t live without you. You’re the most precious to me. If you get hurt or sick, how upset and sad would I be?”
Clare nodded slowly.
Feeling the small face move slightly in her embrace, Noah continued to gently pat her back as they moved through the living room.
“….”
Noah’s eyes met Astra and Leto, who had been peeking outside.
They slipped inside quietly, but Astra had a camera in hand.
“You looked so cute crying…”
Astra awkwardly explained.
“Are you asleep?”
Leto reached out to gently stroke Clare’s hair.
“No, I’m not…”
Clare peeked out from Noah’s embrace. Her eyes were red and swollen, with large tears still glistening.
She sniffled.
