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Chapter 07
The place I pointed to was the corner of the training hall.
As the knights slowly stepped aside, my view opened up and revealed a boy.
Who would have imagined it?
‘The emperor’s son is sitting on the floor of the Travel Count family’s training hall, polishing armor with a cloth!’
Not even he knew it, and neither did Baron Voltman and his wife, who raised him in place of their dead daughter’s child.
Because he was the son born during the time when the current emperor wandered the empire in disguise, enjoying himself.
At this point in time, even the current emperor probably didn’t know Theon existed.
‘He’s ten years old right now, right? I heard the Voltman barony was dirt poor. Looks like it was true.’
Clothes that clearly didn’t fit his body, probably handed down from someone else, with the sleeves and pant legs folded up. Even though they were nobles, Baron Voltman was too poor to buy proper tailored clothes for the grandson they treasured.
‘But who cares about clothes? Theon is an uncut diamond that only I know about!’
I couldn’t help smiling.
Theon was so focused on what he was doing that he paid no attention to the attention around him and kept polishing the armor.
“He’s young, but his concentration is excellent. I really like him.”
Gasp. I could hear someone getting greedy for my diamond.
Uncle Rex looked at Theon with a pleased smile, then tilted his head.
“But who is he?”
“You forgot already? I introduced him on his first day.”
“What, brat?”
“Thank you for giving me another chance to explain, Vice Commander. He’s the new trainee who joined five days ago. Someone recommended him through an acquaintance of the Count. Anyway, he’s Baron Voltman’s grandson.”
Apparently recognizing the name, Uncle Rex narrowed his eyes.
“Baron Voltman? Wasn’t he a knight who served during the previous emperor’s reign? Did that family have a son to carry on the line?”
At Uncle Rex’s question, the knight glanced at me before lowering his voice.
“It seems the young lady of the family gave birth to a child out of wedlock when she was young. Nobody knows who the father is, so the child was registered under the Voltman family name. The young lady passed away two years ago, and Theon has been raised by the baron and his wife ever since.”
“…How old did you say he was?”
“Ten.”
“Hmph.”
After hearing about Theon’s situation, Uncle Rex rubbed his nose.
“That kid must’ve had a hard life,” he muttered quietly.
Then he cleared his throat and spoke to me.
“Ahem. Young Lady, would you like to wait in the commander’s office together with Theon?”
“My friend’s name is Theon? Yes! I want to go together!”
“Understood. Theon!”
When Uncle Rex loudly called his name, Theon finally looked up.
Unlike his worn clothes, his black hair was neat and his face was clean. It was probably thanks to the upbringing he received from Baroness Voltman.
Black eyes with double eyelids, long eyelashes, a sharp nose, thick brows.
“Come over here!”
He’s definitely going to grow into a handsome crown prince.
At his superior’s call, Theon quickly stood and ran over.
“You called for me?”
“Greet her. This is Young Lady Berry.”
“Hi!”
“Hello…”
Unlike me, who even waved my hand cheerfully, awkward formal speech came out of Theon’s mouth.
‘It’s probably because I look younger than him at first glance.’
There were relatives around my age in Travel, but since Theon had only recently joined as a trainee, I was probably the first direct family member he had met.
‘And the Voltman family is still a noble family. Of course it must feel strange for him to speak formally to a little kid!’
After greeting me, Theon looked at Uncle Rex, waiting for him to explain why he had been called.
That gaze was neat and composed, not childish at all.
‘Aha. So that’s why my other self liked Crown Prince Theon so much…’
I smiled meaningfully to myself.
Seen up close, Theon’s black eyes looked indifferent, yet they reminded me so much of someone I knew.
I could almost feel a warm breeze. Just like Dad’s eyes.
“Theon, you know who Young Master Leytan is, right? The Grand Master who returned to Travel the other day.”
“Vice Commander, technically he’s retired— agh.”
The knight who corrected him had his foot stepped on by Uncle Rex and swallowed his scream.
As if nothing had happened, Uncle Rex laughed loudly.
“He’s on parental leave. Why else do you think Windis refuses to choose another master?”
“Is he coming back?”
“This kid’s sharper than he looks. I like him.”
Uncle Rex patted Theon on the shoulder.
“He hasn’t given a definite answer, but I believe he will. Then do you know this too? That Young Lady Berry here is Young Master Leytan’s daughter?”
“His daughter…?”
Theon’s black eyes sparkled as he looked back at me.
‘Oho. This might be easier than I thought.’
Any child learning swordsmanship would probably admire my dad. He was a man who reached the peak of swordsmen as a Grand Master!
You like my dad? Then do you want to help me save him too? Hm?
“Yep! My dad is Leytan Quartz Travel!”
I smiled brightly and held my hand out to Theon.
Nice to meet you!
My future guy friend!
“Lord Leytan, ten days from now.”
“I know.”
Leytan had just stepped out of the temple doors when a voice stopped him again. Priests were trailing after him like chicks following a mother hen.
The lead chick spoke anxiously.
“The day Windis is expected to go berserk is ten days away. You absolutely must come to the Grand Temple before then—”
“Priest Pin.”
“Y-Yes.”
“I said I know.”
A cold aura spread as Leytan frowned.
The priests who had been following right behind him instantly stepped back.
“O-Of course. I’m sure Lord Leytan already knows.”
Thinking he might have upset Leytan, Priest Pin stammered nervously.
It felt excessive, but to the Auvaut Church, Leytan was their only ray of hope.
The shadows under the priests’ eyes grew darker day by day. No matter how many medicines or nourishing foods they consumed, it wasn’t enough to replace the divine power being drained by the Holy Sword’s rampage.
Windis.
That troublesome Holy Sword.
“How attached Windis must be to Lord Leytan…”
If Leytan refused to return as a Grand Master, the Grand Temple would soon be torn apart by the vortex caused by the Holy Sword.
So what choice did they have? After solving this rampage, they had to somehow put the Holy Sword back on Leytan’s waist.
Even if they had to kneel before him or tempt him with the word “temporary.” They were the desperate side.
“Please travel safely. Sleep well until we meet again, and take care of your health…”
Even while Leytan climbed into the carriage, Priest Pin kept talking nonstop with worry and reminders.
“I understand. I’ll come to the Grand Temple, so stop following me.”
Leytan quickly shut the carriage door.
The peace and quiet in his ears felt wonderful after all that.
But once the noise disappeared, worries about his daughter returned.
‘She’s probably behaving quietly.’
Leytan immediately corrected himself.
The words quietly and Berry could never exist together.
She was always dragging trouble behind her. In Bonwell Village, she never lost even to older kids, and only one year after learning to read, she had finished every book in the village library.
‘That maid is a problem too. No matter how much we hide it, if she stays around Berry long enough, she’ll notice how clever she is.’
The maid Marian had planted.
According to Sherry, she was raising a younger brother. She needed money, so she sided with Marian.
‘I need to learn something that can be used as leverage…’
Deep in thought, Leytan stopped tapping the seat with his finger.
He remembered the conversation he had with Count Travel the previous night.
The count had said Berry’s eyes resembled Leytan’s mother, Julia Quartz. She had been the Count’s second wife.
After the first wife gave birth to the eldest son, Hebant, and then the eldest daughter, Marian the following year—
The second wife entered the Travel family.
“The greatest physician in the Heisial Empire once said this. Julia wouldn’t survive even one year in Travel after giving birth to you. Because of the incurable illness she suffered from since childhood.”
So his mother had an incurable disease.
Leytan’s pupils shook slightly at the story he had never heard before.
Count Travel continued.
As he briefly spoke of the past, the golden color of his eyes deepened. But nobody in the darkness noticed the change.
“It was an illness that caused mysterious high fevers from time to time. But as you know, your mother lived twenty more years. On the grounds of the Travel family estate.”
“…Why are you only telling me this now?”
Leytan’s throat went dry.
He didn’t have enough information to reveal his cards. Countless questions clogged his throat.
Count Travel quietly looked at his son.
Then he asked a question that pierced straight through Leytan.
“How many more years do you think your daughter will live?”
Uncle Rex gave Theon an order.
He was to escort Young Lady Berry to the commander’s office and play with her.
‘Uncle is the best! He’s on my side!’
I had secretly worried other knights might follow us, but Uncle Rex dragged them back, saying training wasn’t over yet.
The knights slumped their shoulders like disappointed puppies who couldn’t go on a walk.
But right now, I had to get closer to Theon.
“By the way, Theon!”
“Yes?”
“Want me to tell you something amazing?”
I lifted the hand I was holding with Theon and pointed at a potted tree in the hallway.
“I’ve already seen this tree three times!”
Flinch!
Theon’s shoulders jerked.
