Chapter 248 - Ruderic and the Children (Summer Bonus Illustration 2)

The war with the Heinkel Kingdom was over.

The soldiers returned home to a warm welcome, marching proudly through the triumphal arch. Only thirty had died: four knights and a mere twenty-six infantrymen.

Led by Count Concillus, nobles from across the far east gathered to celebrate Ferda's safe return. A banquet followed, bringing joy to the survivors and comfort to those who had lost someone.

“May we really hold a festival?” Isabella, the administrator, asked with concern. “Things are not going well in the neighboring countries...”

The far east could afford to smile because it had sent few troops and suffered few casualties. The other kingdoms were not so fortunate. The last they had seen of those armies, their steps had been heavy despite the triumphant beat of the drums. They had no noteworthy spoils, only the identification tags of soldiers who had been laughing and chatting just the day before.

Most importantly, the kings who had joined the war were dead. That left the leadership of each nation with a headache. They could scarcely believe their kings had died not as shining examples of battlefield valor, but stabbing one another, consumed by their own desires.

Confused as they were, they understood one thing: going home would not mean the end of the war.

“The Empire is also preparing to begin with state funerals...”

Ureas, the Empire's Second Prince, and Count Ruster, the Veteran of a Hundred Battles, were dead. The simultaneous loss of its most trusted hero and a scion of the golden bloodline was more than enough to throw the council into chaos.

“How is that coming along?”

“They began with a petty debate over whose funeral to hold first: the Second Prince's or Count Ruster's.”

“Typical of the Empire.”

“And now the discussion has apparently turned to what the far east was doing all that time.”

“Also typical.”

He would have been lying if he said he had not expected it. Directing internal discontent outward had always been the Empire's way.

“Still, they won't be able to act rashly.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because I agreed to relinquish all credit for our achievements in the Heinkel Kingdom.”

“Relinquish the credit...?”

To Isabella, that was a shocking revelation. Had they not distinguished themselves in this war through the most efficient and effective tactics? They deserved a thirty-percent share from the Empire, or at the very least, several commercial concessions.

On the surface, however, Ferda's army looked like the most selfish of the lot. People thought that while everyone else died on the front lines, his forces had dragged their feet in the rear to keep themselves safe. The blood of those ground down in battle struck people more deeply than technological progress.

Ferda said to Isabella, “I'm sorry, Administrator. For not being capable enough.”

She would have been lying if she said she was not disappointed. All their upcoming plans were to be funded with the gains from the Heinkel Kingdom.

“We cannot expect everything in the world to go our way.”

Ferda had already accomplished a great deal. By pushing ahead even with things that seemed rather unreasonable, he had achieved growth unlike anyone else's. That was why she believed there must be something behind his decision this time, too.

“I believe you gave it up because there was something worth more to you, Lord Ferda. Could you tell me what that was?”

The decisive incident that had made him surrender the rewards that could have hastened the village's prosperity. Wondering whether she would accept it, Ferda answered.

“Five children.”

* * *

In the town hall's meeting room, Ferda had seated the children and was feeding them food from the village banquet. They began wolfing it down as though they would never get another chance to eat.

“Eat slowly.”

His voice made them flinch.

“No one will take it away. I'll give you more if it isn't enough, so don't rush.”

Only then did they slow down. Ferda addressed the boy who seemed to be the only one he could hold a conversation with.

“You said your name was Ruderic?”

“Yes. What's yours, mister?”

“Ferda Valdrova.”

“You should address him as Lord Regent, not mister, young Ruderic,” Isabella cautioned politely.

“All right. I'm sorry, Lord Regent.”

“It's fine. I'm sure you're well aware that your minds are linked as one.”

“Yes. That young lady who looked like this young lady told us.”

“Ahem...” Isabella cleared her throat softly, looking oddly pleased.

“I heard that elf woman did it so she could make us do lots of work for her.”

“Do you know what for?”

“No. I'm a child. I don't understand things like that.”

Ferda gazed steadily at Ruderic's face. The boy had quite a natural talent for putting on an act. Even so, Ferda could see through a lie of that caliber.

Resting a hand on the table, he said, “There's no need to lie. I made a promise to the knight who protected you.”

“Everyone made promises.”

The boy glanced toward the smallest girl sitting beside him.

“Her name is Yuri. When they took her away, they told her they wouldn't hurt her. And she believed them. But they gave her a drug that hurt terribly. She screamed. She kept screaming even after her voice went hoarse. Do you know what the adults did then?”

“What did they do?”

“They tore out her tongue.”

“How could they...”

That was why she could not speak. Isabella's blue eyes shone with anger. It was a remarkable sight. This rational woman, who almost never lost her temper, was reacting like this.

“Did they punish everyone who screamed that way?”

“No. Only Yuri. But everyone except me forgot how to speak.”

They shared the pain, and therefore the terror as well. All of them had experienced the agony of having their tongues torn out, leaving them unable to speak. Linne must have been pleased. A little rat that came when called without opening its mouth was preferable to one that chattered.

But that left him wondering about one thing.

“Did you feel the same thing?”

“Yes.”

“Then how did you endure it?”

“I'm their big brother.”

Simple and unadorned. Even through pain like that, he had felt a duty to care for the children.

In any case, the point of this story was that adults did not keep their promises. Ferda needed to give them certainty.

“Do you know what Valdrova means?”

“No.”

“It's the Crimson Dragon's name.”

“The Crimson Dragon...”

Perhaps Ruderic's thoughts had reached them, for the children stopped eating and trembled in fear. Apparently, the first thing that came to mind at the mention of the Crimson Dragon was the Evil Dragon.

“I am to become her Consort.”

“Yes.”

The suspicion on Ruderic's face only deepened.

“By staking her name on my promise, I have given it a significance greater than if I had staked my own life.”

“...”

Ruderic looked as though he did not understand. It was proof of his innocence. He was too innocent to grasp how much that oath meant. In that case, Ferda had no choice but to make it tangible.

“Let me tell you one more thing. Even if you don't like me, you have no choice.”

“Why not?”

“Because if you reject me, you'll die.”

“Isn't that a threat?”

“No. It's simply a fact.”

Ferda pointed at Ruderic's stomach. “The mana inside your belly will kill you—” His finger swept toward the other children. “And all your little ones, too.”

“...”

“You don't understand how a Red Circle works. In the midst of emotional turmoil, the strongest emotion forms mana.”

“...”

“Do you know where that magical power of yours began?”

Ruderic met each child's eyes in turn. He held their gazes as though they were talking, then nodded.

“They all said something rises up in their chests when they're scared. They can't control it.”

“Is it happening now?”

“Yes.”

Ferda had already known. He had merely asked the question. The flow of magical power was clear to his eyes.

“And what about you?”

Ruderic's power had a different quality from the other children's. He must have shared the same experiences, yet his power did not stem from fear.

“I... got angry when I saw them scared. That's when I feel it.”

Rage. His magical power was similar in nature to Ferda's. It was also the reason the children had retained their sanity. Even when four were afraid, one fought for them, allowing them to lean on Ruderic and endure.

“To stay alive, those children must keep fearing something, and you must be angry without end.”

“...”

“In that sense, William acted with no thought for the consequences. Had he succeeded, you would have become a bomb that would devastate some village.”

The children's magical power accelerated. Proof that they were afraid.

“That's why I also thought that perhaps freeing you from this harsh reality would be the right thing to do.”

“Please stop.”

Their fear angered Ruderic. He was also angry that Ferda had spoken ill of William. Ferda stopped provoking him and asked him directly.

“Do you want to live?”

“Yes. Of course we do.”

“Then you must trust us.”

Ferda continued speaking to Ruderic. “Few people care for children who have awakened Red Circles as you have. Fewer still know how to care for people whose minds are linked. Even those few would treat you as dangerous bombs and try to eliminate you.”

The leaders of each kingdom had done so. So had he.

“We will help you. Unless we begin with that trust, this relationship cannot last.”

“...”

Ruderic seemed to consider something, then glanced at the children. Meeting his eyes, they nodded cautiously, and he answered.

“That Dark Elf... said she would use us to draw magic circles.”

“What sort of magic circles?”

“She said they were for research. We saw other mages die after helping her. She called them useless and killed them like ants. Then she said she'd made us.”

It was just as Ferda had thought. She intended to use them for intricate magic circles and research procedures that were difficult to perform alone. The information she conveyed would be more precise than anything communicated through words.

“Will you do that to us too, Lord Regent?”

“No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't link my mind with yours. It's elven magic to begin with.”

“Then what if we end up doing that sort of work later?”

“If you want to, you may. If you'd rather live ordinary lives, you may do that. If you want to pursue a great cause, you may do that instead. I won't force you into anything. However...”

Ferda's tone became deeply serious. “Everything you do must be something you could face William without shame for.”

“...”

William. He had faced death, and even afterward, had fulfilled his duty to the very end. They had all cried. Ruderic was no exception.

With a troubled expression, Ruderic asked Ferda, “William... When is his funeral?”

“We cannot hold one.”

Ruderic's eyes widened, asking why.

“He disobeyed his lord's orders and freed condemned prisoners. In truth, even burial in the public cemetery is a merciful end for him.”

“...”

His crimes were too grave for a funeral. For the sake of the others, too, they could not honor his death.

“Then...” Ruderic asked, choking up, “If we become great people someday... what about then?”

Ferda answered, “If the world comes to know that your lives have value, there will be no reason not to.”

“...”

“I promise.”

Ruderic rubbed his eyes hard and lifted his face. Somehow, Ferda saw William in it.

“We will never... let him have died in vain.”

A human death led onward into another life. William's will had been passed clearly to this angry child.

* * *

“Have you made any specific plans for what to do with the children?” Isabella asked.

Only three minutes had passed since the children had been sent out. There was no way he could have a plan already.

“For a start, we can't send them to an ordinary orphanage.”

Their minds were linked, and he had promised William he would look after them. They needed not merely an orphanage, but an environment capable of caring for children with linked minds.

“It would be best to have them stay in the castle, where we can care for them.”

“I expect so.”

“With that in mind, I propose selecting vacant rooms in the castle and converting them into quarters where we can care for the children. What do you think? The proposal is ready.”

“Already?”

“Yes.”

As noted, it had been only three minutes since the children left. He wondered what she could possibly have thrown together so quickly, but the proposal was remarkably detailed and specific. As though she had known this would happen.

Ferda's eyes settled on one part of the proposal.

-Chief Caretaker: Isabella Iorga

“...”

“Is something wrong?”

“I sense a personal motive here.”

“I'm not sure what you mean.”

Isabella's eyes gleamed fiercely. There was nothing rational about them.

“Well, we do need to teach them magic, so your help will be essential, Administrator.”

“Quite right.”

“And I intend to ask Echidna as well.”

“... That gloomy witch?”

This time, she openly scowled.

“Absolutely not. She is certain to be a harmful influence on the children.”

He could understand her reaction.

“She also knows a great deal about Red Circles.”

Having reached the 5th Circle as a child of Philiaz, she was bound to have a thorough grasp of the theory of emotions.

Looking displeased, Isabella said, “Besides, surely that witch would have no interest? She's so obsessed with Miss Mori alone. There is no reason she would care about other children.”

Ferda nodded at that. “Then we can simply ask her.”

“Urgh, that's...”

“What's wrong?”

“... Nothing.”

Ferda contacted Echidna through the crystal ball. When he explained the situation, this was her answer.

-Of cooourse! I'll be right over! Hee-hee-hee!

CRASH! CLATTER!

She had not even ended the connection before the sound of equipment toppling over came through.

“There you have it.”

“... Tsk.” Isabella clicked her tongue.

“To be honest, that witch and I do not get along. And this will be on an entirely different level from handling Miss Mori... I wonder whether it will be all right.”

Ferda agreed on that point.

“That's why I intend to appoint one more suitable person.”

“Who would that be?”

Isabella for magical theory. Echidna for the theory of Red Circles. There was someone who could handle what those two could not.

* * *

“M-me?”

The other person Ferda had chosen was Rize. His clothes were a mess, understandably so: he was on his way back from an adventure and had only just stopped in to report his return to Isabella.

Even so, his bright blond hair and seemingly star-filled eyes were beautiful. Enough to make one forget he was a man.

“Am I asking too much?”

“No. As you say, Lord Regent, as an elf, I am the right person to handle that aspect, but...”

He was about to say that his mind had never been linked to anyone else's. But he held back the words, slapped his cheeks a few times, and said instead, “No. This really is something I should do.”

“If your work as an adventurer keeps you busy, we can make adjustments.”

“My work as an adventurer matters, but caring for those children is important too. A Dark Elf may have done this, but she was once a High Elf... and High Elves must answer for the sins of High Elves.”

The resolve in Rize's eyes was the same as it had been back then.

“So I will take full responsibility for looking after those children, too.”

“Then your work as an adventurer...?”

“I'll try doing both. If I look for a balance, won't I find an answer somehow?”

He was a High Elf who had never experienced a mental link. But he had spent centuries living among and observing other High Elves. Sometimes, an observer's perspective could be more objective and helpful.

“It won't be easy.”

Ferda glanced meaningfully to one side. A scene like a clash between a tiger and a dragon was unfolding there. Echidna the witch and Isabella the Dragon Spawn were glaring at each other, the tension ready to explode at any moment.

It was so menacing that timid Rize went pale. His first instinct was that he absolutely did not want to get caught between them.

“Ugh... I-it's all right. I'm sure it will work out somehow!”

He raised both hands, clenched tightly into fists. The gesture was so feminine that Ferda was at a loss for words.

'Between a Dragon Spawn and a witch...'

Rize thought this was something of a relief. At least he was not being treated like a woman this time, was he? Of course, that was only what Rize thought.

“Hello, Lady Echidna, Administrator. I'm Rize, and I'll be looking after the children with you. I look forward to working with you.”

Making a good impression with his cheerful voice was Rize's specialty. He approached them, confident that he could be an excellent mediator.

The moment Echidna saw him, her hostile expression melted into a silly grin.

“Heh-heh-heh... I-I look forward to it tooo.”

“Y-yes...!”

Rize sensed a different kind of chill in her gaze. There was certainly no malice in it, but that only made it stranger and creepier. It was as though she were looking at prey.

Her creepiness made Rize turn instinctively toward Isabella. But she was no exception. Gazing at him intently, she took his hand.

“I look forward to working with you, Adventurer Rize.”

“Yes. Yes...”

“Now we'll be seeing each other often.”

Her fingers began to move, covetously caressing his hand.

'Is this really going to be all right?'

A sudden unease came over him. Was he about to become their new shared plaything rather than their mediator?

'Surely not.'

Rize wanted to believe that.