Chapter 142. Engagement – Servant
“I’m sorry. I was being a jerk…”
Lena, still with damp hair, apologized in front of the lodge that had a hot spring. Leo Dexter, who had been silently munching something on a small bench, patted the seat next to him.
“Want some?”
As she sat down, Leo split something white and round and handed it to her.
It was ‘Radimu.’
It was a northern crop also known as winter radish or ice radish. It could be eaten raw, and it didn’t spoil easily, making it a common barter item for people living in the north.
The wagons were packed full of Radimu. And since Leo had saved the merchants’ lives, he had the privilege of eating Radimu whenever he wanted.
Lena didn’t decline. She took a bite, grateful to Leo for accepting her apology so casually…
“Ouch! Hey! This is the end part!”
“Hahaha.”
The top part of Radimu, where the stem grows, was sweet. However, the bottom part was quite bitter and astringent, and not many people ate it raw unless they were old folks lamenting, “Young people these days don’t appreciate food.”
After finishing what was in his hand, Leo said, “It would be a waste to throw it away. If you don’t want it, I’ll eat it.”
He snatched it away.
Lena watched him chomp down on the piece that had been half in her mouth, feeling a mix of emotions.
When did he grow up this much?
At some point, Leo had changed. Even his every movement had an air of dignity, and he conducted himself confidently even among older adults.
Even though they had both come of age.
‘Whenever I thought I’d caught up, he was always farther ahead…’
Leo was always like that—always growing a step ahead, leaving her to chase after him.
Maybe it was because they had reached adulthood this time? Leo seemed to have leaped ahead by two steps, no, by five or six steps.
Especially in swordsmanship, he had grown astonishingly. He must have realized something significant, for his skills had skyrocketed.
Honestly, this time, it was… a bit overwhelming.
She felt a tinge of jealousy when Leo easily killed a knight. No, not jealousy… it was more like an emptiness, wondering if she could ever catch up to him.
‘…No, I can do it. Don’t act like a fool, Lena Einarr.’
Encouraging herself, Lena rummaged through her pocket and took out something she had secretly bought for Leo.
“Take this. It’s a birthday present.”
“…Oh, is today my birthday? I completely forgot…”
“What are you talking about? Of course, it’s not today. I’m just giving it to you early, so take it.”
Leo accepted the gift with a puzzled look. She anticipated what he might say and prepared to rebut, but what he said was unexpected.
“You forgot my birthday, didn’t you? You’re trying to cover it up, aren’t you? Tell me exactly, when’s my birthday?”
“Oh, come on. Do you think I’m an idiot? Do you think I would forget someone’s birthday?”
“You confused our friends’ birthdays the last time and gave them gifts on the wrong days…”
Lena quickly covered Leo’s mouth, her face flushing red, and stammered.
“T-That was a mistake. Anyway, how could I forget your birthday? It’s the same as the birth date of King Maunin. I was planning to give it to you during the Maunin Festival… Just take it. You should appreciate a thoughtful gift.”
“Haha. Alright, I’ll accept it gratefully. But… it’s the same as what I bought for you last time, isn’t it? Did you intentionally buy the same thing? I like it.”
She had handed him a long, black leather strap she had secretly requested from a leather merchant. Originally, if Leo pointed out that he had bought it for her, she planned to confidently retort, “You bought it for me, so it’s mine. What’s the problem with giving it back as a gift?”
But contrary to her expectations, Leo spoke kindly, making Lena respond awkwardly, “Y-Yeah. If it’s the same, that’s good, right…”
‘Damn. I should have bought something different. I thought it would be fun.’
When did this guy grow up so much?
Leo’s shoulder next to her looked broad. Even though he was sitting hunched over, his presence seemed to overshadow hers.
‘Ugh…’
At that moment, Leo took her hand. When she turned her head, he gently guided her chin and locked eyes with her.
He wanted to kiss.
Lena turned her head to avoid him. Fortunately, someone was approaching, providing her with an excuse.
“Leo, there’s trouble. I just met with the village chief… War has broken out. So…”
War!
Lena was startled, but Leo responded as if it wasn’t surprising.
“You want to say it’s better to return quickly, right? I agree. We can adjust our schedule. But it’s getting late, so let’s stay here for the night.”
Vernon said, “Of course. We’ll depart in the morning.” and left.
The next day, the caravan hurried out of the village. Although they had been trading and moving calmly, now there was no need for that.
Because they had the excuse of war.
Additionally, fearing that the baron in the capital might harm their families amidst the chaos of war, the merchants hurriedly drove their wagons as soon as winter showed signs of fading. After an arduous march, they arrived in Bernoulli on a clear spring day.
* * *
“Be sure to visit our home! It’s near the south market of the inner city! Mention my name to the merchants and they’ll show you the way!”
“Our home is next door to hers!”
Ann and Lan shouted. Leo and Lena waved to the departing group and then turned around.
“Leo, where do we go now? I’m excited to visit the house where you were born.”
When Lena asked, Leo took out a letter from his pocket. It was a letter his father had written on the spot for his elder brother before they left, and the address was written on the envelope.
– The first alley off Danica Avenue, iron-hinged arch gate.
‘But why did Father write the address on the letter when he entrusted it to me?’
Though perhaps overly sensitive, it seemed like an action that implied his son wouldn’t be able to find his way home. He wondered if his father had noticed that he had no memories of the past, but Leo dismissed the thought.
He must have written it down just in case, since they had left when he was very young.
“Let’s see… It must be this way.”
Leo looked for signposts to find the direction. Asking people along the way, they walked around Bernoulli while searching for the house.
Bernoulli, though not as old as Orville, was a very ancient city. Since the first king of the Achaean Empire, Toddler Akiunen, was born in Toddler Province, north of today’s Belita Kingdom, the Achaean Empire had invested considerable effort in developing the north.
The center of that development was Bernoulli, which had once served as the capital of the ‘Aslan Kingdom,’ founded by King Maunin and Queen Retii after securing independence from the empire. Today, it was the capital of the Astin Kingdom.
The city was built with layers of flat, gray stone, skewed and stacked in a staggered fashion, giving it a crude yet somewhat stylish look, bearing many marks of its long history.
However, there were also many sorrowful traces.
“Are all those gravestones? No, right?”
“…I don’t think so.”
In various parts of the city, letters were engraved on stones that formed the walls and floors. Looking closely, one could read messages like ‘Bruno, father of three children – rests here at the age of thirty-five,’ commemorating victims of the ‘Nine-Day War’ that occurred eleven years ago.
Though a short or long time had passed, depending on one’s perspective, and the Kingdom of Astin and its people had worked hard to heal from past wounds, the dead had not returned.
Feeling a natural sense of reverence, Leo and Lena stepped onto Danica Avenue, treading the numerous stones inscribed with letters.
It was said to be the first alley.
Turning into a fairly wide alley, they saw an old stone wall. In the distance, they noticed an arched wooden gate with five iron hinges.
“It’s packed…”
The wall around what was assumed to be Leo’s father’s house, the home where Noel Dexter likely lived, was filled with countless inscriptions. But the content was vastly different from what they had seen so far – resentment, anger, curses, despair, and occasionally forgiveness.
Noel Dexter, infamous during the Nine-Day War, was a symbol of resentment to the citizens of Bernoulli. Though he didn’t go around killing innocent citizens, he was a knight who played a role in the brutal war and was widely known by the dishonorable name ‘Noble Butcher,’ having been active in Bernoulli. After the war, he became the target of the citizens’ ire.
‘I think I understand why he left…’
Leo knocked on the door. Clang, clang, he hit the door with the metal ring, and soon someone came out.
“Who is it?”
Leo didn’t know what his father’s brother, ‘Elson,’ looked like. But at least he knew that the young man before him couldn’t be his uncle, so Leo introduced himself.
“I am Leo Dexter. I’ve come to see my uncle.”
“You must be the young master. But I’m truly sorry to admit, the master is away at the moment, and I can’t let someone I don’t know into the house.”
“I’ve brought a letter from my father. Won’t my identification and this letter be enough to prove my identity?”
The young man, looking like a servant, shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I can’t read. And from your appearance, I can guess you might be the master’s nephew, but…”
After a moment of hesitation, he continued.
“I understand I can neither turn away the young master at the door nor let a stranger into the house. How about this? I don’t know when the master will return, but he’s definitely gone to his office, so it might be better to visit him there. I’m only suggesting this because I can’t leave you standing at the door.”
It was a rather bold request for a servant to make. But as he seemed unlikely to yield otherwise, Leo asked for the address of his uncle’s office.
– Thud.
As they turned around and walked out of the alley, Leo felt a strange chill. Glancing back, he saw the mansion of the old knight family, filled with the citizens’ resentment, standing silently.
* * *
“My nephew has come! Come here. Let me give you a hug. How long has it been?”
Anyone could see that the person who stood up and spread his arms looked just like Noel Dexter.
The uncle’s office wasn’t very far. It was across two main roads, in a bustling area where nobles and wealthy individuals frequented. The signboard on the three-story building read ‘Dexter Mercenary Group.’
However, there wasn’t a single mercenary in sight. They weren’t absent due to being out on work but because the building didn’t have a lobby or living space where mercenaries could noisily gather.
The building had a cheap yet soft carpet and similarly inexpensive but somewhat charming paintings lining the hallways and salons.
It seemed to be a building meant to receive guests.
“It’s been a long time, Uncle. Have you been well?”
Though it was almost like meeting him for the first time, Leo greeted him as any nephew would after a long time. He also refrained from hugging to avoid discomfort.
Despite resembling his father, he didn’t want to embrace a man he was meeting for the first time.
Elson was slightly taller than Noel Dexter, almost the same height as Leo.
He appeared more substantial, had smaller eyes, and a rougher appearance, likely due to the different life he had led.
Noel Dexter had a scholarly air about him despite being a knight. In contrast, Elson, the mercenary group’s leader, had a bold impression and patted Leo’s shoulder good-naturedly, even after his hug was declined.
“Of course. I’ve been well. Wow, you’ve grown so gallant that you’re almost unrecognizable. My brother would be proud. And…”
Elson’s gaze turned to Lena. He then burst into a friendly laugh and offered a handshake.
“So, you’re Lena Einar. Nice to meet you. I heard you’re engaged? Sorry I couldn’t attend. Honestly… It’s a bit far to travel, isn’t it? Hahaha.”
He winked and seated Lena and Leo on a plush Chesterfield sofa.
This sofa and the table in front of it were the only things that weren’t cheap. Despite his frugality, he knew when to spend money on furniture for guests.
Well, maybe he spent a lot on the sofa because he used it to sleep on.
Leo, noticing the stack of documents pile like a mountain on the desk (also cheap), handed over his father’s letter.
“There aren’t any grand stories here. I don’t know why he wrote to ask me to let his nephew stay. Don’t you agree? Hahaha. Anyway, he’s always been so straightforward…”
Elson quickly skimmed through the two letters and started making small talk while brewing (cheap) tea himself.
‘…He really talks a lot.’
Though it might be rude to describe his uncle this way, he indeed talked incessantly.
The topics changed quickly,
He mentioned how magnificent it was to see Prince Arnold von Klaus and Baron Albazet lead their troops recently. The citizens cheered when the King personally saw them off at the southern gate, but due to the aftermath of the civil war, there didn’t seem to be much genuine welcome. Meanwhile, his own mercenaries were being conscripted, which put him in a difficult spot. But then he received a lot of work all at once, causing him to happily yell. However, some mercenaries who had just returned from escorting a merchant group decided to quit, giving him a headache…
At first, Leo tried to concentrate on what his uncle was trying to say. Eventually, he realized that Elson was just talking for the sake of talking, without any particular purpose.
Still, listening mindlessly was somewhat entertaining, and simple-minded Lena seemed to have already taken a liking to Elson.
“Oh my, look at me. I’m sorry to interrupt when it was getting interesting. As I mentioned, I’ve been a bit busy these days… Another all-nighter today! Yay! Hahahaha. I might not make it home tonight, so why don’t you go on ahead? You know the way, right?”
“Yes. We stopped by before coming here. But someone who appeared to be a servant didn’t let us in, saying they needed the master’s permission.”
“…‘Yuan’ said that, huh. He’s not a servant. You probably know by now,”
Elson’s face, which had been bright until now, darkened slightly.
“He’s my adopted son.”
