Ch.185Time Flows #6

The day after making a provocative greeting to Leonard, the head of the trading company who personally led the caravan.

The three children of Zion moved to accept Leonard’s dinner invitation, leaving a letter for the caravan leader stating that he would not need to take responsibility should anything happen.

After unknowingly eating a meal laced with sleeping drugs, they found themselves locked in a small, dark warehouse with shackles on their arms that blocked the flow of mana, developed by the magic tower.

Until just a moment ago, they had been asleep.

“…Things went according to your expectations, but what are we going to do next?”

“What else?”

No sooner had he paused than a chilling crack! was heard, and Nyx’s arm, which had been tied with sturdy rope and bent backward, made a full rotation. Then, as if a child making a bow, he brought his hands together neatly, followed by another cracking sound as he forcibly popped his dislocated shoulder back into place.

During the process, he frowned as if in pain but didn’t let out a single scream.

It was a sight shocking enough to make even Lachesis, and certainly Clotho, widen their eyes slightly.

“We need to get out.”

“Right. We need to get out. But don’t you think we could have died if things had gone wrong? What do you think the Imperial Trading Company’s head will do?”

“Die? Us? No way.”

When Lachesis glared at him with a sharp voice as if displeased, Nyx tilted his head as if genuinely confused.

A vein visibly throbbed on Lachesis’s forehead, showing her anger, but she couldn’t help but part her lips slightly at Nyx’s next words.

“He’s full of plans to use us, and there’s someone who followed us here, so why would he kill us?”

“What are you talking about…?”

“As I said before, the Imperial Trading Company is determined to restore their declining influence. In such a situation, killing us outright would just be venting frustration before dying. Would a merchant who’s accustomed to weighing profit and loss, and who wants to revive the company, do something like that?”

Moreover, Nyx was convinced that Zion and Helena would have certainly assigned someone to protect them and prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

Even if that person following orders hadn’t revealed themselves yet.

“If someone had followed us as you say, they would have rescued us by now. The fact that they haven’t means…”

“Either it’s not dangerous enough yet, or truly no one followed us. But I believe they haven’t intervened because it’s not dangerous enough.”

Lachesis wondered how to deal with Nyx, who stated his conjectures as if they were facts, but strangely found herself being drawn into his words.

Usually, he acted childish enough to be easy to handle, but now he seemed like a different person, unnervingly calm.

So calm that his hands seemed cold enough to freeze.

“Besides, honestly, we’re not really in danger. Unless they know we can use mana.”

Nyx twisted one corner of his mouth upward, and in the blink of an eye, surrounded his bound hands with a blue aura.

.

Afterward, as if it had been foreseen, the Imperial Trading Company, which had barely been maintaining its lifeline, completely collapsed, and Leonard was made a slave as punishment for his responsibility.

During this process, there was an exchange of letters with the Empire to understand the circumstances and offer perfunctory condolences. Making an Imperial citizen a slave was also a result of this.

The rest of the people were given jobs or placed in the Altram Trading Company, a rather generous disposition that greatly reduced voices of discontent.

There might be some inconveniences in having to live in the Kingdom rather than the Empire, specifically in Duke Krauser’s territory, but those would soon subside.

“With this, the recent incident has been completely resolved.”

Thud. Helena placed the stack of documents she had been holding onto the office desk with a sound and stared at Nyx standing before her.

Despite him causing quite a commotion based on his own thoughts, she showed no signs of anger or regret, just an indifferent gaze as if accepting it.

“Does that mean… you’ve decided on my punishment?”

“Punishment…?”

When he asked with a dejected look, having acted on his own and been told by Helena that she would decide his fate after everything was over, the person in question tilted her head as if puzzled.

This made Nyx wonder what exactly was going on.

Despite being busy lately, it was hard to believe that Helena would forget her own words.

Though she had a somewhat cold side, this was still a matter concerning her son, born from the seed of the man she loved.

“Why would I punish you?”

Unable to understand why Helena was acting this way, he asked with a trembling voice.

“I heard you would decide my fate after this matter was concluded…”

“That was just something I said casually.”

“…Pardon?”

While Nyx was glad to hear an answer, it was so peculiar that he became increasingly confused.

She wasn’t the type to make casual jokes to him, though perhaps she might to his father.

Helena seemed to realize this from Nyx’s bewildered expression and hastily corrected her approach, though she spoke slowly.

“First, sit over there. Let’s talk face to face.”

“Ah… yes.”

Awkward, strange, and confused as he was, what could he do? If the Duchess and his mother invited him, he had to comply. Nyx thought this as he obediently sat in the seat Helena offered.

Though he had visited the office a few times and wasn’t completely unfamiliar with it, he had rarely sat face to face with her here, so he was secretly nervous.

“Yes… you wanted to know how I would punish you.”

Thud. As soon as Helena sat down, she muttered as if talking to herself, and Nyx, watching her, slowly nodded and swallowed dryly.

“Yes. But I was surprised when you said it was just something you said casually.”

“Yes… that’s understandable. Then I should explain why I said such a thing.”

Helena took a moment to compose herself, then gazed steadily at her son, who was still visibly tense.

It was awkward for her, having never really comforted him much, to think about how to offer reassurance, but she needed to speak nonetheless.

If only to avoid prolonging the awkward atmosphere.

“While I can’t deny that your personal feelings were involved in this matter, I thought your actions and justifications were reasonable enough that I won’t impose any punishment. However, if you had risked yourself merely to satisfy personal greed, that would be a different story.”

“It was… reasonable?”

“Yes. Though I had stopped paying attention to the declining Imperial Trading Company, there was always the possibility they could revive with the potential you mentioned. And that revival could have caused significant harm to our family, so I understand your thinking about removing that possibility early.”

In truth, Helena only cared about maintaining the Krauser family’s prosperity during Zion’s lifetime.

She genuinely thought this and still lived by that principle, but… she phrased it differently in front of Nyx.

She didn’t want to appear negligent in front of the child who would inherit the duchy.

“I see…”

Though unable to fully read Helena’s inner thoughts, Nyx was relieved that things were going well.

He showed a childlike gesture of relief, visibly relaxing, especially after receiving what amounted to praise.

“Ah, um… thank you for your generous disposition, Mother.”

So he bowed his head, using formal language to express his gratitude, and Helena inwardly smiled and nodded.

It was almost laughable how he was so obviously relieved, even resorting to flattery. She just didn’t show it outwardly.

“Your flattery has improved. Are you that pleased?”

“Um… honestly, yes.”

I like your honesty. Helena nodded with satisfaction and said,

“Good. But from now on, try not to act so recklessly. Even if you’ve made thorough calculations before taking action. Of course… there are times when you must risk yourself, but don’t do so when it’s unnecessary. Do you understand?”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

Nyx apologized without any sign of resistance, understanding her meaning while appreciating that she respected his judgment.

Of course, he would have bowed his head regardless, but Helena’s show of respect made it easier to accept.

Perhaps because the atmosphere wasn’t bad, and Helena had praised his thinking, Nyx began to feel more relaxed.

As his tension eased, he began to wonder if he might share something with Helena that he had been hesitant to mention.

“Um… Mother. I have a request… could you possibly grant it?”

“A request?”

An unusual request from a child who normally felt a wall between them due to her lack of warmth.

Helena was curious about what it could be and decided she should at least hear him out.

“Alright. Tell me. What is it you want to request?”

“Well… could you give me the daughter of the Imperial Trading Company?”

“The daughter… you mean that red-haired girl? I believe we placed her in the Altram Trading Company for odd jobs…”

Your memory is still impressive, to remember the daughter of the man who led the Imperial Trading Company.

Nyx was glad there was less to explain, though outwardly he continued carefully.

“Yes. To be honest… I like her. The guilt lies with the company head and his followers, not with his daughter who was far removed from the company’s affairs.”

“Hmm… you’re right about that. That’s why I arranged for the remaining people to have a way to make a living instead of disbanding the company entirely.”

“That’s true. You could have just left them to find their own way.”

As Nyx nodded as if he genuinely believed this, Helena also inwardly thought it was the right decision and calmly asked.

“Yes. Thank you for thinking that way. And as for your question… I think that would be fine.”

“Really?!”

When permission was readily granted, Nyx raised his voice in joy, only to tense up again at Helena’s “however.”

“But, if you want that child merely as a plaything, I’d like you to reconsider. Although noble society is corrupt and carries the shadow of bodies mingling in unseen places, I don’t want you to be like that.”

A plaything? How could that be?

Nyx was about to loudly protest that this wasn’t the case at all, but he took a breath to compose himself.

The calmness with which he stepped back to get what he wanted and the dark obsession visible in his eyes were far too deep to be considered childlike.

Most parents might have found such a look frightening, but Helena, as his mother, felt a sense of kinship in that expression.

In fact, it was the first time since Nyx’s birth that she thought, “He truly carries my blood.”

“Yes. Don’t worry. I’m absolutely not asking for her to use as a plaything.”

“Good. Then I’ll make the arrangements. So today, skip your lessons and wait while playing appropriately until she arrives.”

Ah, right. Helena was about to rise but paused, opening her mouth as she recalled that Nyx’s obsession might intensify.

Though she sensed he would follow a path similar to her own, she worried that since his object of affection was an ordinary girl rather than Zion, she might become frightened and distance herself, leading to failure.

“Nyx. Since you probably take after me, I won’t tell you not to be obsessive… but do control the degree. Gradually, little by little, paint over that girl’s thoughts until she becomes someone who can’t live without you, and if you need help in that process, feel free to ask. Understand?”

While most mothers would try to uproot the seeds of obsession through coaxing or discipline if their son showed signs of it, Helena was different.

As someone who had gained love through obsession, she actively encouraged obsession, only seeking to modify its degree and direction.

However.

Ironically, this became an opportunity for Nyx to understand what kind of person his mother was and narrow the emotional distance between them.