Ch.16Bloodline of Sin (2)

The winter of the year I turned fifteen.

It was a time when the foundation of the mercenary group had been firmly established after saving Rodrick’s life seven years ago.

Back then, Rodrick was contacting various types of people with the aim of expanding the mercenary group, and among his suggestions, he actively recommended that we absorb the losers of the era.

In other words, his strategy was to reach out to the forces of the deposed emperor—those who couldn’t escape the blade of judgment wielded by the new powers. However, I didn’t readily accept this. Knowing the shameful past of my father and mother in detail, I was reluctant to extend a hand to them.

Still, Rodrick pressed this agenda on me whenever he had the chance. Eventually, finding it difficult to continuously ignore his opinions since he acted as my brain, I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“They’re among the few who maintained their titles despite being judged. If we take them in now, they’ll be of great help later.”

“Why do they still have titles?”

“Instead of stripping their titles, they were saddled with enormous financial debts. They can only repay through military service. Given the amount, the entire family would have to serve in the military until they become old grandpas and grandmas to fully repay it.”

Since they had fallen out of favor with the imperial family, no other house would pay their debts. Even if someone were to save a ruined family, the benefits would be minimal—that was the harsh reality.

Therefore, Rodrick’s stated purpose was to pay off their debt and acquire a title. Even if I was reluctant to do so.

The area we headed to was the border region—the fortress once ruled by Count Elenot of the border, formerly known as the Sword of the Deposed Emperor.

It was a strategic point bordering another kingdom, so the duties assigned there were truly significant. Also, since it was an area that had not yet selected a new lord, it was governed by a representative of the imperial family.

We received temporary passes and proceeded inside the fortress.

Looking around, efforts to combat the frigid temperature were evident everywhere. Soldiers wearing thick coats and gloves to grip cold metal, and crowds gathering near blazing torches. I unconsciously swallowed at the unfamiliar sight.

It was when I was unconsciously distracted by the surroundings.

Sniff.

Very faintly, the sound of someone sniffling tickled my ear. Judging by the irregular breathing pattern and heated exhales, it seemed like someone was forcibly holding back tears. And as if entranced, I turned and walked toward the direction of the sound.

It was an impulsive action I could take because Rodrick was momentarily engaged in conversation with the border region’s administrator.

Sniff, hic.

The faint sobbing became increasingly clear. I turned the corner ahead and headed toward a well located in a secluded spot. The source of the sobbing I was looking for could be found behind the well.

“Who are you…?”

It was a child. A little girl with dirty white hair the color of winter and round silver eyes filled with tears.

The child asked me again when I didn’t readily open my mouth.

“You’re not from here. I’ve never seen you before…”

“I came looking for someone.”

“Someone?”

“Yes.”

Though curiosity led me to track down the source of the sobbing, once I found it, I felt nothing special. The child’s chapped hands and disheveled face spoke of her circumstances, but I felt only shallow pity. My sentiment ended right there.

Since I’d already started the conversation, I mechanically asked the girl a question.

“I’m looking for people who use the name Elenot. Do you happen to know them?”

“Ennenot? Ennye-not…”

The child sniffled once and then answered quietly.

“That’s me…”

“What?”

“Eshtiennye-not. That’s my name…”

I widened my eyes, slightly taken aback by this unexpected confession. According to my prior information, the last survivors of the Elenot family were a young couple.

“Your parents?”

“Don’t have any.”

“Why?”

“They died. Last year. Today.”

“…”

It seems the deceased couple had a child. She stared at me with round eyes as if finding me curious. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with that, I ended up averting my gaze.

“But why are you looking for me?”

“That’s…”

Just as I was about to part my lips, it happened. Violent footsteps approached at a rapid tempo, and immediately after, a harsh voice boomed from behind.

“Where do you think you’re slacking off! Do you even know what a big problem you’ve caused?!”

The owner of the voice was a middle-aged woman. She had intimidating eyes and a sturdy frame that gave her a frightening impression.

As if I didn’t matter to her at all, she stomped over and forcibly grabbed the child’s hand, pulling her to her feet.

“Because of your mistake, all the laundry is ruined. I wonder where on earth we’re supposed to find any use for this thing!”

“Mistake? What laundry…? I, I was doing it cleanly…”

“Clean? When the laundry is completely covered in dirt?! This little thing is already looking for excuses!?”

“No… really no… ugh.”

The child kept bringing her other hand to her wrist that was being held, as if it hurt. But she was far too weak to overcome the grip of an adult who had lived a harsh life.

So the young girl, caught in a large hand, was forced to be dragged along, matching the adult’s stride. And since I needed to take the child with the Elenot name anyway, I leisurely followed behind them.

The final destination we reached was a laundry area with cold water flowing. There, a pile of muddy wet laundry as tall as an adult person asserted its presence. I presumed this was the reason the woman had angrily dragged the girl away.

“I heard everything. You, angry about being scolded last time, secretly tipped over the laundry basket, didn’t you? You useless thing… how dare you!”

“I didn’t do it…!”

“Ha, then who else did it if not you?”

“That…”

The girl quickly looked around. Then, fixing her gaze on one spot, she stretched out her arm and pointed in that direction.

“Hennyeta auntie did it. But it wasn’t on purpose, it was a mistake…”

“Are you saying Henrietta did it?”

“What, what did you say?!”

The middle-aged woman the girl pointed at—Henrietta—immediately stood up and protested.

“It’s obviously a lie! This child is rotten from birth, so she’s so used to shifting blame!”

“Right, Henrietta has no reason to tip over the laundry.”

“No. It was a mistake… not on purpose…”

“My goodness, are you saying I’m trying to blame my mistake on you? How can you be so shameless!”

“Haah…”

The woman who had dragged the child sighed. Then she gave the girl, now branded as a bad child, a fierce look and spoke.

“You really are hopeless. You need punishment.”

“Punishment…?”

“Throwing you in the flowing water once should wash away those bad thoughts.”

At those words, the child’s eyes rolled toward the cold water of the laundry area. Her eyes turned red as she imagined what would happen next.

“I didn’t do it! No, I didn’t. Actually, I did…! I did it. I really did it. I won’t do it again. I promise I won’t do it again. So please spare me…”

“Now you’re telling the truth? You insolent thing.”

The woman seemed displeased with the child’s sudden change in attitude. As if her threat of punishment wasn’t empty, she dragged the resisting child toward the water with all her might. The more she did so, the louder the child cried.

Just as the child’s feet were about to touch the freezing water.

“That’s enough.”

I grabbed the wrist of the woman dragging the child.

“It’s problematic to harm this child until her treatment is assured.”

“Come to think of it, who are you to follow us here?”

“A guest.”

When I stated it confidently, the woman’s grip gradually loosened. The girl, who had narrowly escaped punishment, looked at me with desperate eyes. It was a look that recognized me as the only lifeline that could resolve the dire situation she faced.

“So, what business does this guest have with this girl?”

“I might be able to take the child away.”

With that one sentence, hope flickered in the girl’s eyes. But with the reality that followed, her eyes sank again.

“Do you know how much debt that thing inherited? Unless you’re one of the world’s biggest fools, there’s no way you’d pay it off!”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

Whether it’s foolish or wise depends on Rodrick’s decision. Because Rodrick is smart, if he decides to pay off the debt, that would be the smart choice.

Meanwhile, the child who was listening to my words turned her head back and forth, looking alternately at the woman at the laundry and me. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she swallowed hard and cautiously approached me.

“Won’t you take me with you…?”

The child said this while slightly tugging at the hem of my pants.

“This thing…!”

“I can really grow up well. I’ll work hard at laundry, and I’ll learn to cook. I’ll do everything I’m told. So please. Please take me with you…”

Eventually, the child even knelt down, regardless of her surroundings.

“Mom and Dad died being ostracized. It feels like the world hates us. So there’s no one beside me. I’m all alone. I don’t want to be left alone… hic…”

“…”

For a moment, strength entered the corner of my lips.

All alone.

That single word rang in my head like a hammer blow.

The three years I spent wandering like a beast after being expelled from the institution stretched out before my eyes.

It was a past where I despaired at the vast horizon, not knowing where to rely or what to do.

The long silence urged my decision. With that, I put my hands under the armpits of the kneeling child and lifted her up.

“Huh…?”

The child made a shrill sound.

“That, that…!”

The woman at the laundry area stammered as if dumbfounded.

“Taking such a bad girl will only cause you trouble, I recommend leaving her even now.”

When I gave no answer, the child, feeling a sense of crisis, frantically gestured with her hands and feet while being held by me and spilled out words.

“She’s lying. Actually, I didn’t spill the laundry. I lied because I was scared. Like, Henrietta auntie did it, like this, like this!”

It was a gesture close to thrashing, so it was actually difficult to understand. Even if I couldn’t understand, it was fine. My decision wouldn’t be reversed anyway.

“What’s your name?”

“My name?”

“Clearly. One syllable at a time.”

“Uh… uh…”

The child tried hard to recall her own name with her tiny head.

“E, shu, ti, el.”

“Eshtiel Elenot.”

When I repeated her name, Eshtiel nodded vigorously with a smile that contained tears.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Call me Rihart.”

“Riat.”

“… Yes.”

I left the laundry area and moved to the place where Rodrick was conversing. I had to turn my body diagonally because Rodrick’s gaze, seeing me carrying Eshtiel, was quite piercing. In that state, I asked.

“Why are you dragging this out?”

“It’s such an exceptional situation that they’re asking for more money. But all the people we were looking for are dead, and only the child is left, so even paying just the principal would be a loss…”

In short, he was being asked for a bribe, and Rodrick didn’t want to lose money.

“Pay it.”

“What?”

“Pay whatever it costs.”

“You…?”

He glared at me for several seconds and then cursed freely.

“Phew, ah shit!”

Rodrick clutched his forehead and looked up at the sky. Then, after a brief conflict, he threw a note with a huge price written on it at the other party.

“This, this is… oh my…”

The representative was overjoyed at the amount that exceeded expectations. Ignoring such a man, Rodrick slammed the table and threatened with a terrifying face.

“I’m handing it over because of orders… but to that extent, if I ever hear news that this child still has debt, or has become a fugitive criminal… you will definitely die.”

Hiccup!

The face of the man putting the note in the storage box turned pale. The murderous threat was so intense that it even caused hiccups, so it must have been quite terrifying.

“Would there… be any issue?”

“Pray there isn’t. For both our sakes.”

And so we left the cold border region with the tiny child.

The departing path was extremely quiet and desolate. Yet, one person alone bloomed like a fully opened baby’s breath, delighting in even the wind that brushed her cheeks.

Eshtiel, who had been all alone, blossomed with innocent childlike joy. It was a smile like a spring breeze that didn’t match the cold earth.