Ch.15Bloodline of Sin (1)

I spent several days as if time in the world had stopped.

I was so confused and flustered that I kept my mouth shut for days. On the other hand, I nodded at the rationalization that my limbs and head had gone beyond control. But when reason began to sprout, I quickly shook my head and denied myself for rationalizing my misconduct.

My time remained frozen at that evening.

Daringly, at that evening when I kissed Serin’s forehead.

Even while visiting various villages and walking forest paths, I was dazed, constantly fighting with the recurring thoughts and endless conflicts.

How could I have acted that way? Like someone bewitched, I boldly approached and committed an act I shouldn’t have. This was clearly harassment and a manifestation of a broken mind. Even though I grew up in a bad environment, it’s not like I never learned morals and rules.

Indeed, I am a person with clear flaws. I can only conclude that. Perhaps from childhood until now, not a single thing about me has changed.

‘I… I’m still living in that slum.’

It had been a long time since the slums of the empire disappeared and an era of peace arrived due to the new Emperor’s good governance. But I felt ashamed that only I remained in the vanished slum. I resented myself for not even understanding the motives behind my own actions.

If it were Serin, she would say it’s okay.

Because she’s a good person.

Because she’s a woman who maintains a strong personality even when bullied in the imperial palace.

Because she’s someone who doesn’t match with me, who is covered in mud and ashes.

As soon as I realized my situation alone, my chest felt tight. It’s a very strange feeling. If expressed in colors, would it be deep, dark navy blue and dizzying reddish-brown? I didn’t want to know these colors of the world. I’d rather return to monochrome.

The man who had been watching me for a long time seemed to easily notice that I was troubled. When I shut myself in for three days after returning to the mercenary group’s headquarters, he forcibly opened the door to find me, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

“What have you been doing here for days?”

“I don’t know.”

“‘I don’t know’… I told you to avoid such answers. I told you to squeeze out an answer somehow, didn’t I?”

“…”

Rodrick looked down at me as I crouched in the corner with his arms crossed. I deliberately avoided his eyes.

No “I don’t know” answers. It was a kind of promise between us.

While building the foundation of the mercenary group, Rodrick had always taught me. In that process, he always asked me questions. Just like Serin during our journey.

What emotion are you feeling now, what thoughts come to mind when you see that, what action should you take in this situation—his questions were diverse.

It was an attempt to correct me, who was far from normal in every way. To instill concepts of morality and discipline, to learn ordinariness.

I think he fulfilled the roles of both a normal parent and a teacher simultaneously. It was inevitable that such a Rodrick would keenly detect my condition.

“First, let me ask, is this the kind of trouble I can help fix?”

“No, Rodrick can’t.”

“Then can you?”

“I… probably can’t either.”

“Could it be about the princess?”

“…”

“Speak up.”

“I won’t answer.”

“Huh?”

Rodrick opened his eyes wide as if genuinely surprised. Whatever was so surprising, he forgot to interfere with me for a while.

“Well, well, the rebellious phase that didn’t come in your teens is finally here?”

“It’s not a rebellious phase.”

“What do you mean it’s not? Have you ever hidden anything from me until now?”

“Now, I have.”

“Haha… Well, that can happen.”

Rodrick let out a hollow laugh, but somehow it sounded empty. Then, with a rather serious attitude, he asked a critical question.

“That’s fine, but clarify this clearly. Is this trouble something that could harm the mercenary group?”

“No. It shouldn’t be.”

“Then that’s fine. I’m uneasy, but I’ll stop pressing here. Having one secret you can’t talk about is part of being an ordinary person.”

“Is this ordinary?”

“At least it’s far from abnormal.”

“I see…”

I nodded at this small realization. Then Rodrick slowly approached and sat down right next to me. After enjoying a few seconds of silence, he casually opened his mouth.

“Seems like it was a pretty satisfying journey, despite your worries.”

“Yes.”

“What kind of person was the princess?”

“A good person. Very much so.”

“Specifically?”

“She’s extremely good at washing dishes.”

“…What?”

Rodrick raised a question mark above his head, but I ignored it and continued.

“Sometimes she’s vulgar and forceful… but I found I didn’t dislike that. She’s also good at fighting, so even if we gathered our entire mercenary group, we wouldn’t be a match for her.”

“Well… she is the eldest daughter of the man who tore apart the beasts of the unexplored lands beyond the north with his bare hands. She’s different from birth. Though not as much as you.”

“She’s a strange person.”

“That’s an unusually rude choice of words from you.”

Rodrick let out a snicker. Beside such a Rodrick, I continued to rummage through my recent past.

“She kept trying to steal my mask whenever she got the chance, which was difficult.”

“When a physical monster of that caliber is constantly on the lookout, it doesn’t just end with ‘difficult.'”

“She tried to invade my room by climbing a rope.”

“That’s literally a crime.”

“I shouted for the first time.”

“You did?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of terrifying disaster happened?”

“I had just taken off my mask, and she suddenly visited without knocking.”

“…So what did you do?”

This time, even Rodrick swallowed and listened attentively. I added a casual explanation to reassure him.

“Fortunately, the bed was right next to me, so I jumped in and covered myself with the blanket.”

“That’s quite the comedy.”

“But then she tried to snatch the blanket away like she was going to tear it.”

“And then?”

“With the blanket still over me, I ran to the table where my mask was.”

“You’re no different from a child.”

“I had no other choice.”

“Heh, I suppose not.”

The conversation between Rodrick and me went on and on. It was just a nine-day journey, but I had so many stories to tell. My daily life with Serin was so colorful that it naturally turned me, who had no talent for speaking, into a storyteller.

“From here on, it’s briefly about business.”

“Hmm? Go ahead.”

“Make a contract with Baron Raden at the lowest possible rate.”

“Understood.”

“You’re not going to question anything?”

“If you, the leader of the mercenary group, order it, I should follow. Unless it completely ruins our finances.”

“Ah, I see.”

Rodrick’s clear distinction between public and private matters was his strength. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call Rodrick the actual power of the group. I acknowledge that too, but I was always the priority in Rodrick’s decision-making.

“Remember. You’re no longer the child of the deposed emperor, but the master who controls the empire’s best mercenary group with a gesture.”

“I will.”

“Well, even all combined, our strength is no match for you or the princess… but we’re still useful men with backbone, more useful than the average knightly order.”

“Yes. I felt that this time.”

It would be a sin to compare them with Baron Raden’s mercenaries who were only big in the shoulders. That’s why helping Baron Raden, who had a security gap, would be a great help to Serin’s situation.

As I was reminiscing about that night at the Baron’s estate, Rodrick told me about another matter separate from Baron Raden’s case.

“Come to think of it, I should have mentioned this first… Count Elenot’s young lady came looking for you.”

“Eshtiel?”

“Yes, she was sitting next to that unpleasant female knight, learning strange words.”

“Learning bad words is problematic.”

“If you know that, hurry up and get her away.”

“Hmm… I should go see her first.”

“I figured you’d say that, so I called her here in advance.”

Rodrick was like a prophet. Because no sooner had his words ended than the door opened, and bright silver eyes showed off their round shape.

Whoosh!

The air from outside and inside circulated, bringing a cool breeze. In that gentle movement of air, long white hair fluttered. The little girl with a mischievous and confident demeanor spotted us and immediately ran over.

“Brother Rihat!”

“Not Rihat, but Rahart.”

“Rihat.”

“Rahart.”

“Rihalt?”

“…Yes, let’s go with that.”

“Mm, Brother Rihart.”

Eshtiel proudly accepted the incorrect pronunciation until the end.

Rahilt. That’s my superficial name as the mercenary leader. Having been called Rian for a short time, even I felt uncomfortable hearing and saying it.

I asked Eshtiel with her sparkling eyes what brought her here.

“What brings you here, Eshtiel?”

“I came to show off.”

“Show what?”

“I can write a diary well now.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Yeah, so can I go to the Academy now?”

“If you correct your pronunciation, maybe.”

“When will that be?”

“Well, shall we ask Rodrick?”

At my words, Eshtiel’s head quickly turned toward Rodrick. Then she sent him a silent demand with her eyes, sparkling with burdensome aspiration.

Of course, it was a trick that wouldn’t work on the cold-hearted Rodrick.

“It’s years too early for a youngster like you.”

“Sir Rodrick!”

“See? Didn’t I say I needed to separate her from that damned knight?”

“…Yes. Definitely.”

I thought Rodrick was making a fuss, but you’ve grown into more of a tyrant than I imagined, Eshtiel. At this rate, I can only understand why Rodrick is so desperate to take her away…

“Brother Rihart said I could. Why can’t I?”

“He’s already at a level where he should go as a professor, not a student, little one. Let’s talk again when you can say his name properly.”

“Then if I learn from Brother Rihart, I’ll improve quickly? Can I then?”

“Let’s do that.”

When I readily agreed, the two showed opposite reactions. Of course, Eshtiel was the one cheering, while Rodrick was the one sighing.

“You’re too soft on the little one.”

“Eshtiel is fine.”

“Anyway, how did it come to this…”

“Brother Rihart is really the best of the best of the best!”

“If Eshtiel says so, then it must be true.”

I lightly picked up Eshtiel as she nestled into my arms. As her body floated in the air, a pure smile appeared on Eshtiel’s face.

“Hehe.”

Eshtiel let out a happy laugh. I repeated the usual request to the lively girl.

“Eshtiel, you can tell me whatever you want anytime. So if there’s something you want to do, don’t hold back and tell me.”

“Mm!”

“Good.”

I stroked the head of Eshtiel, who gave me a confident response. This special girl, in a different way from Serin.

Eshtiel, the young lady of Count Elenot.

The last bloodline surviving from the family known as the Sword of the Deposed Emperor.

She was the child born from my original sin.