Merchant Noble is out (1/2 chapters for today)
Escort
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In a village belonging to a noble’s territory adjacent to Leo’s territory.
The soldiers stationed in the village discovered a suspicious parent and child.
“I fled with my child to avoid getting caught up in the war.” (??)
“Well, wait. Anyone would be suspicious if two shady people came from Leo’s territory. Until we confirm your identities, we’ll have to detain you for a while.” (??)
“S-Such a thing…” (??)
“Hm? Is something bothering you?” (??)
“No, it’s not that…” (Mother)
“We’ve already sent word to the town. In a few days, a knight-sama will likely arrive.” (??)
There weren’t few residents fleeing from Leo’s territory to other lands due to the chaos. The resentment towards Leo from Louis and the nobles is significant, so no one knew what might happen to the residents of Leo’s territory.
While such refugees were generally overlooked to recover the population reduced by war, there was something strange about this parent and child. Those who could own and ride horses often come from good families. Moreover, their air of nobility was hard to hide.
Perhaps they were connected to Leo. The soldiers decided to apply some pressure.
“Ah, actually, Leo, his son Leone, and the head attendant Verite… these three haven’t been found yet.” (??)
The mother had a vacant expression, but the child reacted with a twitch. Being so young, the child probably didn’t understand what was going on. Unlike the mother, the child couldn’t act. The soldiers decided to push the child a bit.
“Louis-sama and the nobles believe Leo helped the two escape first and plans to meet up with them later. In other words, if we catch Verite and Leone, we can make them tell us where Leo is. How will we make them talk? By pulling out the child’s nails one by one until they scream so much their throat is ruined and they can’t cry anymore. But, if you talk willingly, we’ll guarantee your safety.” (??)
The child visibly started to tremble in fear at the mention of torture, shaking and on the verge of tears. Clinging to the soldier’s empty promise of “guaranteeing safety,” the child looked at the mother, unsure of what to do.
The soldiers were convinced. These two were Leo’s son Leone and the head attendant Verite. They all drew their swords at once.
“You. While holding a child, your posture on the horse hasn’t wavered at all, and there’s no fear in your eyes. You say you’re mother and child, but you don’t even look alike. We’re arresting you.” (??)
Verite, without taking her eyes off the soldiers, quietly spoke to Leone.
“Leone-sama, do you remember the ‘Little Bird’s Song’? Close your eyes now, cover your ears, and sing the ‘Little Bird’s Song.’ You mustn’t open your eyes until the song ends.” (Verite)
“Y-Yeah. Little blue birdie…” (Leone)
“Yes, yes, very well done.” (Verite)
—
Meanwhile, Arc and his group were in the process of transferring Leo to the royal capital.
For Leo, who had his hands bound, it should have been quite unstable to ride a horse without using his hands, but he showed no sign of discomfort, managing the horse with just his legs, a testament to his skill.
“Hey, Arc.” (Leo)
“…” (Arc)
“Arc.” (Leo)
“What is it, Leo-sama?” (Arc)
Arc pulled his horse alongside Leo’s. Despite his earlier fury over Arc’s betrayal, Leo now acted as if nothing had happened. It was very typical of him.
“I have one favor to ask of you. Will you hear me out?” (Leo)
“Depends on what it is.” (Arc)
“I have a female head attendant named Verite. She’s escaping with my son. I want you to protect her.” (Leo)
“Head attendant Verite… Pardon me, but is she a mistress or something?” (Arc)
“Haha! She’s far deeper than a mistress. It would be a real waste to let her die here. If you help her, my son will come along too. How about it?” (Leo)
“Hah. I’ll see if I can find her, after this turmoil settles. But the kingdom is vast, so there’s no guarantee I’ll find them.” (Arc)
To be honest, Arc had no intention of searching. His relationship with Leo had already brought nothing but trouble, so there was no reason to get closer to him.
“No, Verite is likely hiding in the neighboring territory. She’s been my exclusive attendant since childhood. I know her personality, her habits, and her thoughts like the back of my hand.” (Leo)
“The neighboring territory, huh. I just learned some new information. Searches are being conducted not just in your territory, but in neighboring ones as well. After all, Leo-sama hasn’t been found yet.” (Arc)
Not only Leo, but even his son had gone into hiding, so Louis was probably frantically searching by now. There were even rumors that Leo’s residents were being tortured on the suspicion of harboring him. With such a thorough search, Verite and Leo’s child being captured was only a matter of time.
“I hesitate to say this, but perhaps both of them have already…” (Arc)
“Haha! Verite’s not that kind of woman. Just send out a search party. I’ll write a letter for you.” (Leo)
Leo was so persistent that Arc began to take an interest.
Leo only remembered the names of those who intrigued him. According to Leopold, there were five people whose names Leo had remembered which were Grand Chancellor Rubel, his sister Casablanca, General Leopold, Arc, and head attendant Verite. The people Leo remembered always possessed exceptional abilities. Verite might not be an ordinary person after all.
More than that, Arc was interested in Leo’s son, a royal card. Although Arc had already established a close relationship with Casablanca, having another royal in his debt wouldn’t hurt. While Leo’s son may not hold any influence in the future of Laplace Kingdom, he could prove useful in unexpected ways.
“Understood. I’ll send some adventurers to search for them.” (Arc)
The Warden Household wouldn’t conduct the search themselves. If the nobles discovered they were searching for Leo’s son and head attendant, who knows what misunderstandings would arise. So, they decided to send adventurers who specialized in finding people, disguising the request as ‘a wealthy man looking for his wife and son’.
Satisfied with Arc’s response, Leo nodded contentedly.
—
“What… what is this…” (??)
The knights, who had rushed over after receiving a report that ‘Leone and someone resembling Verite were found’, were stunned. The village that had stood here until yesterday was now in ruins, with soldiers lying defeated. It was as if the village had been attacked by an army.
“Knight-sama! There’s a soldier here still breathing!” (??)
A barely breathing soldier was found.
“Knight-sama…” (??)
“What happened?” (??)
“It was Leo’s head attendant. Just one woman did this. I’m sorry. They escaped with Leo’s son…” (??)
“Impossible…” (??)
The knight was in shock.
Could something like this really happen? But then again, it was that woman—Leo’s head attendant. Perhaps wiping out an entire unit on her own wasn’t beyond her.
In any case, based on the surviving soldier’s testimony, the soldiers had been wiped out, and the two had escaped. This was very bad. The lord’s honor would be in shambles. The knight, who was in charge of this area, would also suffer severe consequences.
The knight quickly made a decision.
“Seal the village. We must cover this up.” (??)
“Knight-sama?” (??)
“If word gets out that we let them escape, the lord’s authority will be ruined. As far as we’re concerned, Leo’s son and the head attendant never came to our territory.” (??)
“Y-Yes, sir.” (??)
Fortunately for both the knight and Verite’s group, only this knight knew about their presence in the village. He hadn’t called for reinforcements, intending to claim the glory all for himself.
The village was set ablaze and reduced to ashes, and the deaths of the soldiers were blamed on the fire. At this time, Verite was already at the outskirts of the domain.
Verite came running at full speed, holding Leone in his right hand and the reins in his left.
“I didn’t expect they’d be searching in the other territories as well. Nearby areas won’t do. But even though it’s been a while, my body hasn’t dulled. Though, I am getting old. I’m already out of breath.” (Verite)
Verite was already in her thirties.
As Leo’s head attendant, she had worked to maintain her physical condition, but the decline in her body had become more noticeable with age. Even after swinging her sword only a few dozen times, she was now out of breath. In her youth, she could have fought all day without breaking a sweat.
“Leone-sama, we should be safe for now. Let’s rest a bit.” (Verite)
A quiet stream flowed nearby.
The two decided to take a break there.
“Verite, you’re covered in blood. Let me wipe it off.” (Leone)
“Leone-sama, thank you.” (Verite)
Verite looked at her reflection in the water. Her face was dyed red from the blood of dozens, with her dark eyes darting about from within a crimson mask.
Thinking that this would scare Leone as well, she hurriedly washed her face.
“Hey, Verite… you’re not going to leave me, right? Like Father did… You’re staying with me, aren’t you?” (Leone)
“Yes, I will stay by your side, Leone-sama.” (Verite)
As she looked closely, she noticed that Leone was also covered in splatters of blood. Fighting while protecting someone was more difficult than she had imagined, and she’d inadvertently exposed Leone to danger as well. However, this child had faithfully followed her instructions, keeping his eyes closed, his ears covered, singing the little bird’s song as hard as he could.
Leone was still too young to fully understand what had happened. That was for the best. She didn’t want him to carry any unnecessary trauma. Unlike his father, Leone was gentle and kindhearted. Verite wished to raise him with care, ensuring that he grew up straight and true. She had to protect this child.
“Leone-sama, listen to me carefully. I swear my loyalty to you. So, don’t worry. I will always protect you.” (Verite)
While Verite knelt down and swore allegiance, Leone remained confused, not understanding the words.
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