After parting ways with Gnosis, Perdes walked down the eastern corridor, checking for places where people might be.
You won't be able to enter here, as it's a restricted area for staff.
This is a general reading room, so no one who is a great sage will come here.
After Byblos had decided on the places he would not go, there were only a few areas left.
Perdes entered the most crowded one.
Pale platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, and skin as white as jade.
He is handsome for a man, but despite his handsome appearance, he has a foul mouth and a foul personality.
This was information about Byblos obtained through the Information Guild.
Perdes checked to see if there was anyone who looked like that or similar, but he couldn't find anyone like that.
“This is a dud.”
He has to go somewhere else.
He needs to meet Gnosis before that and hear an interim report.
Because he might have found Byblos first.
There are only about ten minutes left until the hour promised with Gnosis.
Perdes hurried his steps as he had to return to the central hall again.
Just then, as he was about to turn the corner of the hallway.
Bang-
Perdes bumped into someone who appeared on the other side.
“...!”
"Ah!"
Fortunately, Perdes only managed to step back, but his opponent fell hard with a single scream.
The sound was so loud that everyone passing by looked up.
Perdes was also surprised and was about to ask if he was okay, but stopped as soon as he saw the other person's face.
Dazzling platinum blonde hair and blue eyes reminiscent of the sea.
Skin as white as snow as if it had never seen sunlight in its entire life.
He has a handsome appearance for a man.
“Oh my, I’m so unlucky this morning.
...A rough mouth that doesn’t match his appearance.
Could this man be...
“Byblos?”
When Perdes called his name, the man, Byblos, raised his eyebrows.
He jumped up from his seat and hit Perdes hard on the head with the book he was holding.
“How can a young punk call an adult’s name so carelessly without any manners!”
***
It was on a rainy afternoon, a month and a half after he left, that I received a call from Leo.
[It's been a long time since I've contacted you. How have you been, Your Excellency?]
“So-so.”
I locked the door to prevent anyone from coming in, then leaned against the wall furthest from the door.
“I thought I told you to contact me when you arrived at Lumia Island. Did you just arrive now?”
[That's impossible. I arrived early and visited Gloria Island a little while ago.]
“What? You’re already back?”
It usually took about 45 days from Leopold's estate to the Isle of Glois, and even if the time was shortened, it still took 40 days.
But no matter how much I thought about it, there was only one reason why he had already been to Gloria Island.
“It looks like you haven’t stayed on Gloria Island even for a day.”
Leo laughed as if he had hit the nail on the head.
[As expected, you noticed it right away.]
“Why didn’t you stay even for a day?”
[Hmm...]
The silence that followed the silence weighed heavily on my shoulders.
An uneasy feeling crept up from my ankles.
“Why is that? Could it be that you haven’t met the boy?”
[...bad news and worse news. I have two. Which one would you like to hear first?]
“Stop talking nonsense and answer my questions first.”
[This is the answer to your question. Where would you like to start?]
I guess he hasn't met the boy yet.
Why?
Could it be that the Emperor struck first?
So maybe that's why he tried to kill me by causing a volcanic eruption.
You can just put that boy in this seat instead of me.
Anxiety rose to the tip of my throat and my mouth went dry.
I moistened my dry lips and answered slowly.
“Bad questions first.”
[Yes, as Your Excellency the Duke had guessed, I did not meet the boy.]
“Why?”
[He's dead.]
Dead... you say?
While I was frozen in confusion at the unexpected answer, Leo continued speaking.
[He had a chronic illness, but it suddenly got worse early this year and he eventually died.]
“...He wasn’t killed or anything, right?”
[Yes? Are you going to kill him?]
“No. It’s nothing.”
Although I trusted Leo, I tried to change the subject as this was a secret that I couldn't tell him.
“So that’s why you left Gloria Island in one day.”
[Yes. If I hadn't rented a boat, I would have been stranded for several days until the next boat came, but thanks to renting one, I was able to get out right away.]
“I should thank Nicole Tesis for lending me her boat.”
To be exact, it was her connections that lent it to me, but it was thanks to her anyway.
But wait a minute.
I'm sure there was worse news.
“What’s the worst news?”
[According to the islanders, the boy suffered from a disease that gradually paralyzed his tongue.]
...What?
[Because of that, at first, he had difficulty speaking, but later his lips became paralyzed, so he couldn't eat properly. Eventually, his facial muscles became paralyzed, so he couldn't even blink.]
“That bottle...”
[Yes. I think it's Rube's disease.]
Rube's disease.
It is a genetic disease that is not well known to the public, and strangely enough, it only appears in the blood relatives of the Duke Leopold family.
My grandfather's chronic illness was also Rubeosis.
But the fact that the boy suffered from Rube's disease meant that he was a blood relative of the Duke of Leopold.
So that's what it was like.
When what I had hoped for became reality, I was momentarily dazed.
[Of course, this is not certain.]
While I was blankly staring, Leo continued his explanation.
[I didn't see the boy myself, I just guessed that he had Rube's disease from what I heard from people around him.]
Guessing, not being certain.
At those words, I finally came to my senses and let out a long sigh.
“I see. But you know a lot about Rube’s disease. It’s a disease that even the doctors don’t know much about.”
[I did some research on the Leopold family before receiving the request from Your Excellency, and that's when I found out.]
That's what it was.
[Are you offended?]
"No."
It wasn't really hidden, just not well known.
It wasn't something that could be hidden even if you tried to hide it.
“Anyway, are you sure the boy is dead?”
[Yes. I checked the grave and the house where the boy lived.]
“Okay then.”
No matter how wicked the Emperor may be, he cannot bring the dead back to life.
So there was no need to worry any longer about whether the boy was a real blood relative of Duke Leopold.
“Thank you for your hard work. I’m sorry I sent you all the way there for no reason.”
[It's okay. I'm sure you'll be paid a generous amount anyway, and I'm glad that Your Excellency is in a good mood thanks to me.]
“How do you know I feel better?”
[I know just by hearing your voice.]
I see.
I think he said the same thing before.
[I was worried that Your Excellency might be as disappointed as that young lady, but fortunately, it is indeed so.]
“That young lady?”
[The young lady of Count Tesis.]
Oh, Nicole Tesis.
[She was very dispirited, saying that she could not properly carry out Your Excellency's orders.]
“It can’t be helped, there’s no need to do that.”
[I said that too, but she didn't even listen. Before too... ]
Leo complained for a long time, perhaps because he had a lot of complaints piling up.
There was a mountain of work to do, and every second was precious, but I listened quietly, feeling sorry for sending him so far away.
[...Oh my, this is the first time I’ve seen such a boring young lady.]
Finally, the long complaint and grumbling have ended.
“It seems to me that it’s quite liberal.”
[You haven't seen a truly open-minded person.]
“You’ve never met a more annoying person.”
Leo let out a small laugh as he returned the same remark.
[Anyway, if you see that young lady later, please comfort her. She must have been very dispirited.]
“I thought you hated Nicole Tesis.”
[I don't like her. But apart from that, I feel a little uneasy about just leaving her alone.]
When Leo asked me if I wanted to talk right now, I declined.
I didn't even have time to talk to Nicole Tesis.
“Thank you for your hard work coming this far.”
This conversation should probably end soon.
“I won’t make you do anything for the time being, so go travel around the neighboring countries, broaden your horizons, and get some rest before you come back.”
[It sounds like an order not to return to the Empire... Am I mistaken?]
"No."
I tried to beat around the bush to answer, but it was useless against someone as quick-witted as Leo.
I laughed and took the back off the wall.
“I would like you not to return to the Empire for the time being.”
[Even if I ask why, you won't tell me, right?]
“You know me well.”
Thump, thump-
Large raindrops poured down out of nowhere and pounded hard against the window.
Thunder and lightning struck, and the outside of the window flashed with a loud noise.
[Are you upset because I couldn't finish this job properly?]
“No. And this isn’t your fault.”
If you think about it, it was my fault for ordering him to bring in the dead man earlier this year.
[Ummm...]
Even though he said this, Leo remained silent as if something was bothering him.
[So how long do I have to walk around?]
“I think two weeks will do.”
After that, even if you want to come back, you won't be able to because the border will be closed.
The window flashed loudly as if agreeing with my opinion.
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