INS 24

Chapter 24

Jack’s pupils trembled.

“Director……”

I rose to my feet. The shawl draped over my shoulders slipped off and fell onto the bench.

Still seated, Jack looked up at me. I reached my hand out toward him and said,

“Let’s go in for today. It’d be terrible if you caught a cold. As for class—let’s talk again after you’ve had a good night’s sleep, eaten properly, and feel less burdened.”

Jack silently stared at my hand.

Even as time passed, he didn’t take it. But I didn’t withdraw it, either.

Finally, after quite a while, Jack took my hand and stood up.

I smiled as if to say he’d done well. Jack’s face flushed slightly.

“Go on inside and sleep. Make sure you cover up with your blanket.”

I spoke to him as we stood by his door. But Jack didn’t go right in—he lingered in front of me.

After a pause, his small voice came.

“……Thank you.”

Leaving only those words behind, Jack darted inside as if being chased by something.

I stared blankly at the door that had shut in front of me, then chuckled softly and walked away.

Back in my room, I began sorting through the conversation I’d had with the duke today.

In the middle of writing, his face suddenly surfaced in my mind, and my pen paused. His words echoed inside my head.

“To think that I’d be protected as well.”

At that moment, a knock sounded, and the door opened.

I thought it might be Jack again, but the one who entered was Chloan.

I rose to my feet.

“Chloan? Why aren’t you asleep? What’s the matter?”

Jack earlier, and now Chloan too—did they both have something to say to me?

Chloan hesitated at my question, then held something out.

When I saw what it was, I blinked in surprise.

“This is…….”

“You… you got hurt because of me this morning. So, I thought you could use this to treat it……”

What he held out was none other than a bandage. He must have meant the injury I’d sustained when I caught him as he fell from the jungle gym this morning.

I thought I’d hidden it well…

It seemed Chloan had realized I was hurt when he fell on me.

Even so, I blinked in disbelief at his behavior. That was because Chloan was different from Jack—he always kept a wall between us.

Normally, even if I’d been injured, he never would’ve bothered to bring medicine.

So this must have been Chloan’s way of apologizing.

A rush of emotions welled up inside me.

“If… if you don’t need it, forget it……”

When I didn’t take it, Chloan grew awkward and started to pull his hand back.

I quickly snatched the bandage from him and spoke in a voice filled with gratitude.

“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”

“Hmph……”

Silently, I reached out and ruffled his hair.

Chloan seemed displeased by the gesture, but he didn’t pull away. It felt like the first time a wary stray cat had finally accepted my touch.

After sending Chloan back, I wrapped the bandage around my ankle.

Once I tied it off tightly, I gazed down at my ankle for a moment—then smiled.

Somehow, I had the feeling that today would become a day I could never forget.

“So you dare report to me that instead of securing patronage, you were driven out by the duke?”

The emperor’s furious roar rang out. The messenger, who had just returned from the <Ciela Orphanage>, trembled as he pressed his forehead to the floor.

The air inside the grand hall, where all the retainers stood at attention, was chillingly tense. So much so that the chattering of the messenger’s teeth was the only sound to be heard.

The emperor, who had seized the bloodstained throne from his brother, glared down at the messenger with frozen eyes.

His lips parted, and a thick murderous aura seeped out.

“Unbelievable. As if disgracing the imperial name wasn’t enough, you dare fail my command and tell me you were driven out by the duke?”

“B-but, Your Majesty! The duke’s presence was overwhelming…”

“Silence!”

“Ugh……”

The messenger thought he would die from sheer injustice.

After all, it was none other than Duke Creymann who had claimed the orphanage as his own territory and expelled him. What power did a mere messenger have to resist?

With no other choice, he had returned and reported exactly what had happened—and now here he was.

He was certain his head would be struck off today.

It was well known that every messenger who brought bad news to the emperor had returned as a headless corpse.

Among messengers, there was even a saying: “Sharpen your neck before delivering ill tidings.”

The reason was simple: to make the end swift and painless.

The messenger lifted his head. At once, he locked eyes with the arrogant and ruthless emperor.

Even meeting his gaze made his knees buckle, but he resolved to finish his report before dying.

“Duke Creymann declared that the <Ciela Orphanage> is already under the duke’s family’s protection and that his house will be its sole patron. He proclaimed that no one else would be allowed to support the orphanage……!”

The moment he finished, the messenger shut his eyes tight, certain his head would soon roll.

But even after some time, nothing happened.

When he cautiously opened his eyes, he was stunned to hear the emperor’s voice tinged with laughter.

“I see. So it is now certain that some kind of relationship exists between Duke Creymann and the orphanage.”

The emperor stroked his chin.

At first, upon hearing the report of being driven out, his fury had been so great his mind had gone white.

He had intended to deal out punishment befitting one who had dared disgrace both the empire and his honor.

But upon hearing the messenger’s further words, he had changed his mind.

A most unexpected harvest.

He might not have secured ties with the orphanage, but now he had confirmation that there was a special connection between it and the duke.

It was unthinkable that a mere headmaster could have given the duke information about sea routes. No ordinary orphanage director would possess such knowledge.

But even if it wasn’t that, it didn’t matter. If there was something unusual between Duke Creymann and the orphanage, that alone was enough to exploit.

That was why he had wanted to build ties with the headmaster—to watch and see. But now, there was no need.

“I shall give you a new order.”

When the emperor raised his hand, an attendant hurried forward and set down pen and paper.

The emperor began to write.

After a while, he folded the paper, sealed it in an envelope, and pressed the imperial seal upon it.

“Messenger, come forward.”

“Y-yes.”

Startled by this unexpected turn, the messenger crawled forward on his knees.

At last, standing before the emperor, he received something from him.

A letter—sealed in blue.

“Deliver this to the orphanage headmaster. This time, you must not fail.”

The messenger’s eyes widened. With trembling hands, he accepted the letter and bowed low.

“I shall obey.”

“Go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The messenger backed away on his knees and quickly left the hall.

When he was gone, the emperor rose from his throne.

“That concludes today’s audience.”

After dismissing the court, the emperor was the first to leave, his attendants following close behind.

Inside his chamber, he shed the heavy cloak draped over his shoulders. An attendant rushed up to take it.

But he did not remove the heavy crown from his head.

Without looking at the attendant, he spoke.

“Have you found the child?”

“Not yet……”

The attendant never finished. An inkwell came flying from somewhere, striking his forehead squarely.

Blood began to run from the gash, but the attendant did not wipe it, nor did he reveal his pain.

He only bowed deeply toward the emperor.

“I despise incompetence. My brother, too, was incompetent—that is why he yielded the throne to me. Do not tell me you fail to understand this.”

“I shall find the child as swiftly as possible.”

“Leave.”

“Yes.”

Bowing low, the attendant left.

When the door closed, the emperor sat down and placed his hand over his chest.

It beat—rough, as though it would burst. But not from excitement.

From fear.

The emperor was afraid. Terrified of the thought that someone, somewhere, might strike off his head and seize the throne he had taken in blood.

That was why he had eliminated anyone who even hinted at coveting his position.

Yet there were some he could not remove.

One was Duke Creymann.

And the other was……

“Brother, just where have you hidden it?”

The emperor muttered softly. His eyes opened again, icy blue light gleaming with a chilling cold.

“No matter where it is—even in the very depths of hell—I will find it and destroy it.”

The emperor sneered.

At someone he could no longer see. Someone he could never meet again.