Ch.361Reunion

“Finally, you’ve come. I’ve been waiting, Baron of Median. No, should I call you Marquess now? Since you’ve been officially recognized as the successor to the marquisate.”

“It’s better to call me as before. The title ‘Your Grace’ doesn’t really suit me, does it? I don’t particularly like it either.”

“If that’s what you wish, then so be it.”

In Ludwig Wilhelm von Landenburg’s office.

The Margrave of the Border, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, was leisurely smoking a Mana Herb, looking the same as before.

“So… it’s been about a month since we last met? You’ve accomplished quite a lot in that time. First the witch, and now even the king of the Werebeasts… I can’t help but praise you. The warrior who was once merely a refugee has now become nothing short of a guardian of the Empire.”

“To be the successor of the Wall, I should at least be a guardian, shouldn’t I?”

I sat down on the sofa in the office and took out a cigarette, lighting it. The exhaled smoke dampened the ceiling.

“I read the letter you sent me. You mentioned Jahan has defected here—where is he now?”

“That man is being confined in the castle’s basement. Since he claims to be your close associate, I haven’t treated him as a criminal or prisoner, but even so, I couldn’t let a Ka’har warrior of uncertain identity roam freely.”

So he’s been kept in a room without handcuffs.

That was an appropriate measure. If they had tried to restrain him with handcuffs and chains, Jahan would have likely resisted.

“You’ll be able to see him soon… but before that, I have something to ask. What do you intend to do with him?”

“Well… I’ll have to hear his story in detail before deciding. If Jahan has truly decided to defect to the Empire… I plan to take him under my command.”

I’m not sure if the news of his asylum request has reached the Great Plains yet… but if it has, sending Jahan back east would mean certain death.

“Hmm…”

Ludwig’s expression grew serious.

It seems my answer wasn’t very welcome.

“I think you already know this, but the people of the Empire aren’t particularly fond of Ka’har forming groups on Imperial land.”

“I know that. But if he serves under me and earns some merit, won’t things gradually improve?”

That’s how I was accepted into the Empire.

Even before it was revealed that I was a descendant of the Great’s Twelve Knights, as the Were Eater and Baron of Median.

“It’s not such a simple matter. I wasn’t planning to reveal this, but… despite the Grand Archbishop, His Majesty, and I deliberately spreading rumors praising you and suppressing negative opinions about you, there are still people in some regions who harbor resentment toward you. They’re just keeping quiet because they know there’s a high chance they’d ‘disappear’ if they dared to criticize you.”

That was a shocking confession.

Wait, they’ve been manipulating public opinion behind my back? No wonder my reputation has been nothing but praise lately…!

Anyway, if Ludwig’s words were true, this was certainly not a trivial matter.

It meant the rift between the Ka’har and the Imperial people was much deeper than I thought.

“If even a descendant of the Great’s Twelve Knights, who has devoted themselves selflessly to the Empire, faces such treatment, what more for a pure Ka’har who has made no contribution to the Empire? They would consider it no different from releasing the Champion of the Werebeasts into the Imperial heartland.”

…It is indeed something that would invite criticism.

Still, I can’t go back on my promise to Hersella to accept Jahan.

“What can I do? It’s the karma our people have accumulated. I’ll have to endure the criticism. I can’t reject my loyal servant who came all this way to see me just because of some disapproval.”

“…I see. If that’s how you feel, then I should respect your wishes. I won’t try to dissuade you any further. Do as you see fit.”

Ludwig nodded readily, even as he exhaled smoke mixed with a sigh.

“Sir Nigel should know the location of the basement. Go meet him. It’s been nearly eight months since you last saw each other, so you must have much to talk about.”

“Talk… if it’s alright, I’d like to speak with Jahan in private. If anything comes up that you should know, I’ll properly inform you later.”

When I meet Jahan, I’ll have to confess my condition, and I don’t want others to hear such secrets.

“Hmm… a private meeting… May I ask why?”

“I want to discuss some personal matters. Jahan has served me since I was young, so we have many stories that only the two of us know. I don’t want to talk about such things in front of others.”

Ludwig cleared his throat in surprise, his eye corners twitching slightly.

“Ahem, ahem! I see. So that’s why you become extremely sensitive whenever the topic of political marriage comes up. Yes, I understand. It’s natural at your age.”

What kind of misunderstanding is he having now?

“…It’s not that kind of relationship. I just meant that Jahan is like family to me, a familiar subordinate. Not some secret lover.”

[You speak well for someone who abandoned me.]

Well, you’re her family, not mine.

I’m willing to accept you despite the burden, and instead of being grateful, you’re grumbling. You really have no conscience.

“Is that so…? Well, let’s leave it at that.”

This man doesn’t seem to believe me.

What does he mean by “let’s leave it at that”? I’m telling the truth!

…It is the truth, right?

‘Hey, you don’t actually have that kind of relationship with Jahan, do you…?’

[If you utter one more word of such nonsense, I will cut that man’s throat.]

Hmm. So they’re definitely not “that kind of relationship.”

Judging by how strongly she’s showing her displeasure just from hearing it.

“…Anyway, I understand. If that’s what you want, I’ll permit a private meeting. I doubt you would betray the Empire at this point… so having a private conversation shouldn’t be a problem.”

After pondering for a moment while smoking his Mana Herb, Ludwig tapped off the burnt ash and gave his permission.

He’s agreeing more readily than I expected. I suppose the things I’ve done so far have earned his trust?

“Thanks for your permission. I’ll head down now.”

“I look forward to any useful information you might bring back.”

After putting out my finished cigarette in the ashtray, I left Ludwig’s office.

—-

“The basement is down here.”

“Thanks, Nigel. I plan to go down alone from here, so don’t follow me. Please look after Lena instead. This is personal business.”

“Understood.”

After having Nigel guide me to the basement entrance, I sent her back.

She seemed not to understand my business in the basement, as if she hadn’t heard about Jahan, but rather than questioning me, she chose to follow my orders.

She probably considered it presumptuous for a knight to pry into matters I deliberately didn’t explain.

The basement was dark and gloomy.

That’s to be expected, given that its original purpose was to serve as a prison for the castle’s criminals.

[Keeping Jahan in such a place—isn’t that excessively disrespectful?]

‘Be grateful they didn’t try to brainwash him or cut off his head. If a powerful warrior from an enemy nation suddenly came seeking asylum but kept his mouth shut about the reasons, even I would have sent him to the interrogation room first.’

It’s suspicious, too suspicious.

If not for his connection to me, Ludwig would probably have tortured him first, right?

[Well, that’s true…]

Ignoring Hersella’s grumbling, I walked deeper into the basement.

On both sides of the damp corridor were cells lined up with black iron bars.

Perhaps all other criminals had been executed in advance, as the only sound breaking the quiet stillness of the corridor was the noise of my footsteps.

The man confined inside must be hearing them too.

I could feel it even from a distance.

A Ka’har warrior. No, should I call him a Champion now?

Jahan, who had reached the level of Champion while I hadn’t seen him, was emitting a distinctly rough and intense aura.

At that level, he must be on par with Demian.

It would be good training to pit them against each other.

Continuing down the corridor, I finally reached the innermost cell.

The man sitting on the prison bed with his eyes closed slightly raised his head at the presence looking down at him.

A large build covered with scars, and a face that looked like it belonged to a bandit.

Though there were a few more scars than before, it was unmistakably the same Jahan I had seen before.

“…You’re persistent. No matter how much you ask, until Lady Haschal arrives, I won’t say a—”

[“I have come here in person, yet you don’t even think to look up. You’ve grown quite bold in our time apart, Jahan.”]

When I relayed Hersella’s words exactly, Jahan turned his head toward me with a start.

His pitch-black pupils trembled like turbulent waves.

“L-Lady Haschal…!? Such disrespect…!”

Jahan jumped up and quickly prostrated himself, lowering his head.

“Champion Jahan greets his lord!”

His voice was so thunderous it echoed throughout the entire basement.

[“Yes. It’s been a long time, Jahan. It seems you haven’t forgotten who your master is. Don’t mind the disrespect, raise your head. Didn’t you say you had something to tell me?”]

I looked down at him with a slight smile.

“Yes! I am grateful for Lady Haschal’s mercy!”

Jahan bowed his head even lower in respect, then raised only his head while remaining prostrated.

His deepened eye sockets were filled with loyalty and joy.

So, what now…

Should I start by confessing the truth?