Chapter 126

Episode 126

Sage? Yes, I remember.

I had saved a mother and her two sons from danger during a mission. He was the boy who had bravely wielded a branch against the Wild Wolves.

The reason I still remembered him was because he had shown potential as an aura user.

So, I had given him the emblem of House Walker, telling him to come find me if he ever wanted to become a knight. And now, it had ended up in Balzac’s hands.

‘That was faster than I expected.’

I had to finish discussing Lady Lucia. I needed to figure out why the Healing Magic that hadn’t been working suddenly started working again.

But nurturing talent was also part of a lord’s duty, so I dismissed Jericho for now.

“Bring the boy in.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Sage soon entered the room. He was wearing new clothes, looking neat and tidy. He was visibly nervous.

“Greetings, my lord.”

“Welcome. You came to see me sooner than I expected. Those clothes look good on you. Who bought them for you?”

“The knights at the shelter provided me with new clothes.”

It seemed like my instructions to provide relief supplies had been carried out properly. Of course, I wasn’t going to take credit for it in front of a young boy.

“Good. I heard from the administrator that you kept the commemorative coin safe instead of selling it. You must have needed money to settle down.”

“I couldn’t sell something so precious that was given to me by the person who saved my life.”

I had given the coin to a few people so far. Mahon, the head of the trading company, and Sage were the recipients.

Of course, there was a risk that they might sell it on the black market. The administrator had expressed his concerns when I had ordered the commemorative coins to be made.

But I needed to invest in order to solidify my power. As the saying goes, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”

And the first fruit of my investment was about to ripen.

“But why did you come to see me? You seem a bit young to become a knight.”

“I want to work at the castle. I’ll do any task you give me. And… if I have the opportunity, I want to learn swordsmanship.”

“How old are you this year?”

“Eight years old.”

Sage answered confidently, his nervousness seemingly gone. I liked his eyes. They held a balanced mix of anger and passion.

“I heard you lost your father to monsters. Are you already trying to work to support your mother and brother? You should be running around and playing at your age.”

“My father is gone. I can’t play anymore. I’ll protect my mother and brother. I want my brother to be able to play freely, at least.”

“You’re a good boy.”

I empathized with him, even though I didn’t have any siblings. This wasn’t a sacrifice it was Sage’s choice.

“Alright. Then, I’ll find you a place. Administrator, summon Lady Ionia immediately.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Ionia soon arrived, drenched in sweat. The knights had been training diligently even after the war.

She was the biggest troublemaker in the Walker Knight Order, but her skills were undeniable.

So, people didn’t complain about her attitude openly.

Her salute was sloppy, but I ignored it and asked, “I want to assign you a squire. You don’t have one yet, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Let me introduce you to this young man. His name is Sage. He’s eight years old and wants to become a knight. Take him with you, have him run errands, and teach him swordsmanship when you have time.”

Ionia’s expression clearly said, “Why me?” But she had recently learned that refusing would be tantamount to treason.

“As you command. Sage, I’ll warn you now, I don’t like being bothered. You better behave yourself.”

“Yes, Knight Ionia. I’ll do my best! Thank you so much, my lord!”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Ionia left the office, and Sage followed her. Administrator Balzac, who had been observing from the side, spoke cautiously.

“I’m sure you have a reason for doing this, my lord, but I’m a bit worried. I heard she’s not the type to be patient with children.”

“You’re right. But I think this is the perfect combination. As they spend time together, not only will Sage learn, but Lady Ionia will also gain something. He’s like a younger brother to her.”

“A younger brother… Ah, I see what you mean. As expected of you, my lord.”

Balzac was a man who understood life. So, he grasped my intentions.

A squire wasn’t just an errand boy for a knight.

They were also a partner who fought alongside the knight and helped formulate strategies. Sage was the perfect training partner for Ionia, who was currently acting like a lone wolf.

And I had heard that she was harsh on her superiors but took good care of her subordinates.

She would take even better care of a boy who was like a younger brother to her.

“The other knights might complain, so let’s have them choose squires and assign one to each of them. And contact Mahon, the head of the Majesty Trading Company. He should still be in our territory. Tell him I want to see him.”

“Yes, my lord. I’ll take care of it immediately.”

I finished processing the backlog of documents and went to find Jericho. But I gave up on knocking when I heard his loud snores coming from behind the door.

I headed for the newly relocated Lucius Club.

There was still a question I needed to resolve.

Or rather, a declaration I had to make. I had been outsmarted this time.

“Welcome, Mr. Walker. How are you feeling?”

The sommelier’s expression was still calm and sophisticated. I smiled.

“I’m feeling great, thanks to you. I feel refreshed and energized, as if I’ve gained new strength. You must have added a good medicine to the tea.”

“Herbs can have medicinal effects when blended properly. I was surprised when you suddenly collapsed. You must have been pushing yourself too hard.”

This time, I entered the club first. The sommelier’s hospitality was impeccable, despite my sudden action.

As expected, there were two empty teacups on the table in the back room. The water for brewing tea was boiling.

‘He’s truly unpredictable.’

It felt like he could read my mind. The only consolation was that he wasn’t my enemy.

“The Lady regained her strength today. She’s well enough to resume her daily activities. I came to inform you.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear. I was worried about her.”

“May I see the Dark Souls I retrieved?”

I asked politely, even though I already knew the answer.

“I apologize, but I used it last night for an experiment. But why are you asking about Dark Souls?”

I stood up without answering. I saw a familiar cover on a bookshelf. I reached out and took the book.

“I read this book after the Lady recommended it to me. It’s an outstanding work about the journey of the Demon King’s daughter.”

I waved “The Legend of Aldebaran” for emphasis.

“But at some point, this book started feeling less like a novel and more like a history book. Or a prophecy about the future. I have a feeling that the protagonist of this book is Lady Lucia.”

“Mr. Walker, forgive me, but I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

“If you don’t understand, you can just listen.”

The sommelier placed his hands on his lap and assumed a listening posture.

“The Inspection Unit’s seventh mission was to retrieve Dark Souls. And the mission was to deliver it to you. Forgive my rudeness, but I believe your status is similar to the Lady’s.”

Because my “Mind’s Eye” didn’t work on you.

And your background and everything else are shrouded in mystery.

“My conclusion is that Dark Souls was used on the Lady. I’m not asking you to confirm or deny it. Just keep my thoughts in mind.”

“That’s an interesting idea. If there’s ever a sequel to ‘The Legend of Aldebaran,’ I’d love to include Mr. Walker’s thoughts.”

“Would the author allow it?”

“Well, I wouldn’t know. As you know, the author’s identity is unknown. People only know their pen name. But one thing is certain: the author would be quite interested in your deduction.”

That should be enough.

I sipped the well-brewed herbal tea and conveyed the rest of my business.

“May I have some of these herb leaves? Jericho said he’d love to try them.”

“Of course. I’m a bit nervous to be introducing them to a doctor who graduated top of his class from the Kalisto Academy.”

I didn’t collapse after drinking the tea this time. I took the pouch of herbs the sommelier gave me and returned to the castle.

I went to Jericho’s room, but his snores seemed even louder than before, so I turned around.

While I was working in my office, Administrator Balzac entered and reported, “My lord, Mahon, the head of the trading company, is in town, so I summoned him. He’s waiting to see you.”

“He’s in luck. Bring him in.”

Mahon soon appeared with his subordinates. They were each carrying a large box.

“What’s with all these boxes?”

“It’s our first time meeting you at the castle, Inspector, no, my lord. We have to show our respect! This is a gift from our trading company!”

I opened the boxes and saw various items I had never seen before. Mahon explained that they were specialties he had purchased from different regions.

There weren’t any precious jewels, but each item was filled with sincerity.

“Thanks to you, my lord, we were able to trade gold! We’re truly grateful!”

“Long live Lord O’Brien!”

“Long live!”

“Long live!”

I heard another three cheers. Was this a recurring theme?

“But I heard you summoned me. Is there something you need?”

“I have another piece of advice for you.”

Mahon’s eyes sparkled at the word “advice.”

He had already received my advice twice and had profited greatly. It was only natural for him to be excited.

“There’s a boy who recently joined the knight order as a squire. His name is Sage. Are you interested in sponsoring him?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t refuse advice from you, my lord. I’ll sponsor him in the name of our trading company!”

“I like your decisiveness.”

“By the way, did you find what you were looking for? The wasteland, I mean.”

“Your information about the Milo Plain was very helpful. Instead of just talking, let’s eat and drink while we chat.”

That night, I held a small banquet for Mahon and his subordinates.

They were all heavy drinkers. The butlers were busy carrying barrels of ale.

“Hahaha! This ale is amazing! I’ve never been treated so generously in my life, my lord!”

“Don’t hold back. Eat and drink to your heart’s content.”

“We simple folk don’t know the meaning of holding back! Hahaha!”

We laughed, chatted, and drank, sharing various stories.

But the banquet didn’t last long. A messenger arrived from the Kalisto main castle.

The messenger introduced himself as a servant of the Duchess.

“I bring a letter from Madam to Baron O’Brien.”

His expression wasn’t good.

I received the letter and opened it immediately.