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Chapter 06
At that question, Cesare fell silent for a moment. Fiddling with his glass, he began speaking with a reluctant expression.
“After all the masters died, we managed to get by for a few months. But then the brothel owner said he had the contract for this place and kicked us out.”
So it would’ve been better to kill that bastard after all. Cesare continued speaking calmly.
“When the money ran out, there was no choice. Arkel hyung did earn some money, but it wasn’t enough.”
Arkel was the oldest disciple. Though even he was only an 18-year-old kid.
Arkel—the only adult, the eldest. He must have been the one bringing in money. He must have been the one taking responsibility for the younger ones. Everything I should have done.
“After another half-year passed like that, Arkel hyung gathered us and said something.”
Cesare spoke in a subdued voice.
“That he didn’t want to take responsibility for us anymore. He told us to live on our own.”
I couldn’t even begin to imagine how the children must have felt hearing that. Nor Arkel’s feelings either.
No one was truly at fault. And yet it was more than enough to break the bond between the disciples. I carefully asked Cesare,
“Do you resent Arkel?”
“No?”
Cesare looked entirely unburdened. Casually stuffing bacon into his mouth, he said,
“At the time it was a shock, but I understand now. Even if he was the eldest brother, how could an 18-year-old kid take care of four others? Holding out for half a year was already impressive. He must have been exhausted too.”
I fell silent at the unexpected response.
Cesare had grown up far too quickly. During the time I had failed to protect them.
He continued speaking calmly.
“The youngest, Jenia, was sent to an orphanage. I followed some mercenaries. The others left behind notes saying not to look for them, and then disappeared.”
“Not to look for them”—why would they leave such a message? I clenched my fist tightly and asked,
“Have you ever gone back to that orphanage?”
“Yes. When I went to look for her as an adult, it had already shut down.”
Cesare’s eyes darkened. So he had tried to find Jenia after all. I tried to comfort him.
“Then at least we have a lead on Jenia. Let’s start there.”
The other two were also concerning, but Jenia seemed the most likely starting point.
Even if the orphanage was gone, there should be at least one person who remembered it. Cesare simply nodded.
“Well, sure. No harm in checking. Since we’re done eating, shall we head out?”
“No. Let’s go to the Valanus Domus. We’ll use it as our base.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Cesare stood up, both hands in his pockets. Outside, the sun was setting.
As we walked along the brick road tinted in crimson light, Cesare looked around several times with a puzzled expression.
“Uh? Why are we going here?”
We were heading into a residential district. I approached one building and inserted a key.
“Go inside.”
Inside, there was no furniture or belongings—completely empty—but it was clean and well-lit by sunlight.
He looked around and asked,
“Where is this place?”
“The new home of Valanus.”
At that, Cesare’s eyes widened.
“What? Isn’t the Valanus Domus supposed to be in the slums near the brothel?”
“I sold it. That place wasn’t safe enough, and it wasn’t proper to live in a place once used as a brothel.”
I quietly looked around the interior under the sunset light. The faint scent of old wood, distant laughter from outside.
“I want the children to live in a bright, comfortable home when they return.”
I ran my hand along the window frame. The old, small building had a bit of dust on it, but even that felt warm somehow.
“From now on, we’ll rebuild Valanus here. I’ll make it a famous domus. A place the whole world will know the name of.”
So that when the children hear that name, they can find their way back.
Cesare, like I had, ran his hand over the table as if feeling for a dream. In a low voice, he muttered,
“…So I finally have a home now.”
He stayed silent for a long while before turning to me. With an expression free of any smile, he asked,
“If the others are satisfied with their current lives, would you still bring them back?”
I paused.
Fifteen years. Long enough for them to settle into new lives and find new families.
As Cesare said, they might be satisfied with their lives now. They might not want to return to Valanus.
In that case, I had no intention of forcibly taking away their lives or controlling them as I pleased. What I wanted was their happiness.
“If they are living well, I won’t force them. But if they’ve gone down the wrong path or are living in misery…”
My eyes, reflected in the window, gleamed darkly.
“…I’ll bring them back even from hell.”
2. On the Road
I recall Balanuus from the past.
Days when masters and disciples spent time together. We often went on outings.
I looked at the small lake in front of me. This was the kind of place where the kids used to play in the water excitedly.
Chezare, when he was young, was a bit timid, so he usually sat under the shade of a tree. A small child dipping his feet lightly into the water by the shore.
Yes, that’s how it was.
Even though right now he’s vomiting.
“Uweeeek…!”
Chezare was clutching a tree and emptying his stomach. The lakeside behind him was so beautiful that the contrast made the scene even more absurd.
“Chezare, I told you to drink less.”
Before leaving the city, Chezare said he would go say goodbye to some acquaintances and left the house.
It was early morning, so I didn’t suspect much. But a few hours later, he returned completely drunk. Chezare said, looking sheepish,
“No, it’s just… I thought it was water, and after that I couldn’t control it. But I’m fine!”
“The thing in front of you isn’t me, it’s a rock, Chezare.”
Chezare was kneeling in front of a rock. He subtly turned his body toward me.
“But I can still fight. Really.”
In the end, I raised my fist. After a solid hit to his back that knocked the drunkenness out of him, he finally seemed to regain his senses.
“Agh! Ahh! I get it! I won’t drink again, I swear I won’t!”
He was whining in pain, but there was at least some light back in his eyes. He’s a good kid—as long as he doesn’t drink.
“From today, no alcohol. Stop immediately. Let’s rest for ten minutes before we leave.”
He still didn’t seem in good condition. I sat down under a tree, and Chezare cautiously sat beside me. He looked at the shimmering lake and spoke.
“How far is it to the orphanage where we left Jania?”
“About thirty more minutes.”
Jania. A girl with pink hair and clear, watery eyes. How much has that face changed now?
My youngest disciple. The last time I remember Jania, she was about five…? I think. She was the youngest, at least in my memory.
At the mention of Jania, Chezare scratched the back of his head instead of smiling.
“But I don’t know if we’ll find any clues. The orphanage is gone, and no one knows what happened to Jania.”
“Maybe things will be different this time. But…”
From the edge of the forest, I sensed something. Rustle, rustle. The sound of grass being stepped on approached.
I turned my head. Semi-transparent blue wolves were walking out. Ten of them. Slimes mimicking the shape of animals.
I instinctively reached for my sword—then stopped.
In that moment, Chezare grabbed his spear and stood up.
“This is the disciple’s job. I’ll handle it.”
He dashed straight into the pack of wolves. The monsters howled in unison and bared their fangs. Veins bulged on Chezare’s arm gripping the spear.
—SPLASH!
The spear pierced through the core of the first wolf. Chezare’s eyes gleamed, a cruel smile forming at his lips.
“Guess this is worth the price of a drink.”
—GROOOOAR!
One by one, then two. With every swing of his spear, the monsters lost their form and collapsed. Blue slime clung wetly to Chezare’s feet.
There was no refined technique. No elegant form. It was the raw fighting style of someone who survived on the streets.
And yet, or perhaps because of that, it was even more overwhelming.
—Grrr…
As Chezare tore through another wolf, one more leapt from behind. Blood suddenly burst from his right arm.
The wolf had sunk its teeth into his arm, twisting its head as if to tear it off. With that bite force, it could easily rip a limb apart.
But Chezare’s arm didn’t budge. Instead, he smiled as if amused.
“Oh? Thinking, huh?”
—THUD!
His left fist punched straight through the wolf’s chest. Ignoring its struggling, he grabbed the pulsating core inside.
—CRUNCH!
The core shattered effortlessly. The wolf collapsed, melting like water.
The fight ended. Yet Chezare remained standing, still gripping his spear. The killing intent in his eyes hadn’t faded. As if he wasn’t satisfied yet.
Then he covered his mouth.
“Ah, damn it. If I move too much suddenly, I feel like I’m gonna puke…”
I briefly looked away from him. He had looked quite impressive a moment ago.
I handed him a waterskin, and he drained it without even pausing to breathe.
“You really can’t underestimate bloodlines. I didn’t think you’d become this strong.”
“Even if I hate my parents, I guess I have to thank them for that. At least they gave me decent blood.”
His tone was sarcastic, but at least half of it was sincere. In this world, Chezare knew better than anyone how important bloodlines were.
Strong bodies, high-purity mana, even special abilities are inherited through blood.
His instant movement ability was likely also due to his lineage. He collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.
“Ugh, I’m dying. They weren’t anything special, but still annoying. They won’t show up again, right?”
“Who knows. You could probably handle them easily. Even better than me.”
“Eh? Better than you? Master, with your strength you could take them out in one hit.”
Chezare looked confused. I lowered my head while applying healing medicine to his arm.
“In a sense, I am weaker than you all. That’s why I need your help.”
Chezare blinked.
“Because my bloodline is bad?”
This bastard?
