TMOWM~88

Chapter 88

Winter, Age 16

Hider faced the coldest winter of his life. He learned just how horrifying it was to lose something once you had it.

Rani was not by his side.

“You’re not cold anymore, right? Oh, look at these socks, they’re full of holes! Once I mend them all, I’ll make you a new coat too. Your feet are growing fast—just imagine how tall you’ll become. Young master, people with big feet always grow really tall!”

Ever since Rani changed, Hider had never worn socks with holes. Never… He had never once envied Kartena Sornya.

Hider’s life had been warm and complete because Rani was there. Even winter felt like spring. The attic? It wasn’t scary anymore.

“Hider, why are you reading that letter with such a serious expression?”

But was it really Rani?

“…Rani has left, Grandfather. She said she would wait, and then she disappeared.”

It was a letter from the Catiéron mansion. At first, he thought it had been sent by Rani herself.

But after a long time, he realized the sender was Dania.

“Young master, please find Rani. I don’t have the strength to do it myself. Please help me.”

The letter was brimming with anger and resentment.

The moment Hider received it, he realized the fear that had tormented him for so long had become reality. Rani had truly left.

Taivern scratched his head.

“Tch. So it has come to this.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ll see when we return. Instead of wasting time here, why not take down just one more foe? Only once the purification is complete can you hope to find Rani.”

Taivern swallowed his words.

Hider wanted to know what words had been swallowed. He wanted to desert and go back immediately, but he couldn’t.

Hider needed power and strength—to protect Rani. That was why he had taken up the sword.

Winter, Age 17

*”Thanks to the letter you sent, young master, we were able to hire mercenaries. But it seems someone was following Rani. I think the Aites Marquisate is behind it.

There was something strange before Rani left. Young Master Carte came and met only Rani before leaving. Could this be related?”*

Hider crumpled the letter and clenched his teeth.

Damn Carte.

From the start, he didn’t like the way that man looked at Rani. The way he dared to look at her with those filthy eyes!

“I should have gouged his eyes out.”

“What?”

Taivern turned to look at his grandson in surprise. The face that was shedding its baby fat and maturing into a man was now carved with sharp anger.

“Who… are you talking about? Me?”

“No.”

Hider turned his body away. Taivern clicked his tongue at the sight of his grandson who was increasingly concealing his thoughts.

“That guy… who does he take after?”

Winter, Age 18

Finally, the first source of corruption had been eliminated—the one that had been consuming the eastern forests. With its large size, many monsters had poured out of it. When it was burned, the knights let out triumphant shouts.

“Waaahhh!”
“Well done, everyone! Damn monsters, let’s never see them again!”

Though many sources of corruption still remained in the east, it was a victory after three years.

Among them, Hider showed no emotional reaction.

He quietly asked Taivern,

“Is it still far?”

“Hmm. To eliminate the source in the lake will take more time. Not all the monsters are gone yet. But now that the large source is gone, it should be a bit easier.”

“Why can’t we just burn the entire eastern region?”

“What?”

“…Nothing.”

Taivern looked at the back of his grandson with a displeased expression. His grandson’s height had shot up, his feet had grown larger, and his palms had hardened like stone.

He was growing well, both as a Sword Master and as a man.

Aside from his occasional cryptic remarks, he was a truly fine young man. Capable of being entrusted with the future of Catiéron.

“Tch… just like his father.”

Taivern knew Hider was still chasing after Rani and offered him advice.

“It may be better not to search for Rani until we return. Otherwise, we might expose her location to our enemies.”

“…What if she leaves and disappears forever while we wait?”

At that moment, Taivern hesitated. He had not told Hider where Rani was for a reason.

If Hider learned her location, he would immediately rush there.

But the east still needed Hider. Unlike Taivern, who was like a setting sun, Hider was growing stronger by the day.

It would be impossible for Taivern to manage the unstable eastern lands alone. He scratched his head.

“I hope he’s not thinking of gouging my eyes out too…”

Winter, Age 19

The socks he had carefully worn out had all disappeared. The ones Rani had made had all lost their function.

Even though the steward knights tried their best to mend them, it was useless.

Hider sighed and opened another letter. By now, he had grown used to containing his emotions.

*”Young master,

Over the past few years, we’ve continued the search, but we still cannot find any trace of Rani. Clearly, someone is interfering.

It seems there’s another force at play besides Aites. I cannot tell if they are protecting Rani or taking her.

But I will not give up. And I know you won’t either.”*

Once again, it was from Dania.

“Also, here are some socks. Rani said you hated cold feet the most. She was even making them to send to you before leaving.”

Hider glared at the bundle of socks that had arrived at that very moment. They felt mocking. What he needed now was not socks… but Rani herself.

The longer they were apart, the deeper his anger and emotion grew. Once he regained her, he would never let her go again.

Winter, Age 21

He still could not believe he was still in the east. The only reason he had not left was the damned source of corruption lurking in the lake.

But now, its end was in sight.

“Once we burn that, we can return, Hider.”

“Thank goodness. If we had delayed any longer…”

“Delayed?”

Taivern turned to face his grandson. The young man, now a full-fledged youth, was sharpened by the winds of war.

Hider had never been seen smiling. Even when supplies arrived with beer or meat, or when the knights relaxed, he remained as sharp as a well-forged blade.

“Even if we had been late, what then?”

Hider glanced at him indifferently.

“I had intended to burn everything down.”

“…Hider, my boy…”

“I want to go back. I can feel Rani drifting farther away, Grandfather.”

Taivern exhaled a heavy sigh. Seeing the deadly intent in Hider’s eyes, he wondered if it was finally time to reveal Rani’s location.

Summer, Age 22

“Waaah! Finally, we’re going home!”

“Mother, this unfilial one is finally going home!”

The knights embraced each other and wept. The grueling purification of the east, lasting six years, was finally over. The once-flourishing lands were now completely desolate.

Among the cheers, Hider held onto a letter.

*”Young master,

We finally caught the tail. We’ve discovered who has been interfering with Aites and me in our pursuit of Rani.

It was Stanley and His Grace, Duke Herden.

I am just a maid and can do no more. I leave the rest to you. Please, reclaim Rani.”*

Hider raised his head, a cold light in his eyes.

Stanley was Taivern’s aide. That meant Taivern knew everything.

Hider approached Taivern. The old man flinched at the unnatural aura radiating from him. The instant their eyes met, Taivern was engulfed in a vision of his own neck being sliced.

“Ahem! Hider? What is the matter?”

Hider smiled with a deadly grin.

“Tell me, Grandfather. Where is Rani now?”

Taivern, who had tried to hide it, flinched. Hider was already gripping the hilt of his sword.

“…I’ve been found out!”