Side Story – The Unchanged Mansion
The hallway of the mansion he entered after a long time gave Vlad a familiar atmosphere.
The mansion of Bayezid, who followed Josef on a cold winter day, carrying only a sword.
However, unlike back then when everything was unfamiliar, this place has now become a place that is almost like another hometown.
“Nothing has changed in this mansion.”
“Nothing in particular will change. “It’s gotten a little crowded these days.”
Vlad, who was following Xayar, was tilting his head and scanning the scenery of the mansion.
Beautiful scenery to see after a long time.
Vlad began to recall old memories as he walked down the paths he had taken when he was a squire.
“But I didn’t know you were a knight commander.”
I passed by the restaurant where I had just shared sausages with Potli.
I could see the training ground below, where I was humiliated because I couldn’t ride a horse.
However, even in the unchanged scenery, what touched me the most was the back view of Zayar seen now.
“You hate trouble, but you somehow managed to accept the position of leader.”
“…I didn’t really have any intention of doing it either. “If it weren’t for Oksana’s request.”
I don’t like things that are bothersome, and I hate things that bring troublesome things even more.
Vlad, who was well aware of Xayar’s temperament, was surprised that Xayar had accepted the position as leader, but it seemed that Xayar had circumstances that made it impossible for him to refuse.
“Oksana?”
“Because of you, the value of my name has increased unintentionally. “Maybe Oksana wanted to make some use of it.”
The continent was now enthusiastic about the existence of the newly appeared Sword Master.
The first sword master to appear since the founding king Frausen.
It was Vlad who recreated a scene from the legend by cutting down the oldest dragon, so Bayezid had no reason not to take advantage of that reputation.
“In the end, you succeeded by having good disciples.”
“…I’m still living in my pride.”
Xayar’s footsteps were gradually heading towards an unfamiliar hallway.
It was the center of the mansion that I could never reach when I was a squire.
“This is my first time coming here.”
“Even if you’ve been there, it’s still a problem. “What about seeds?”
Zayar’s sneer was still visible.
However, the reason why the smile is not unpleasant is probably because of Zayar’s attitude that he still sees himself as someone who needs to be taken care of.
“Go in.”
“yes.”
It used to be Peter’s room, but now Rutger lives in it.
When Jayar stood in front of him and quietly knocked on the door, the wooden door began to open with a dull sound as if he had been waiting.
“……oh.”
A mystery placed by Ragmus, who has now reached peace.
This place, which opens according to the mystery, is the deepest part of the mansion where only those permitted by Bayezid’s family head can enter.
“It’s later than I thought. “Vlad.”
However, in a place that seemed completely unfamiliar, a smile he already knew well was waiting for Vlad.
“Crows have been flying since morning. “You said you were coming.”
In the bright sunlight, there was a black-haired man smiling at Vlad.
It was an office full of decorations symbolizing authority, but the mere presence of Rutger had already made the space in front of me a cozy place.
“That’s it. “Thank you for coming this far.”
Rutger Bayezid will now become the new head of the Bayezid family.
He smiled brightly at Vlad and pushed something out.
“You won’t refuse this time, right?”
“…You seem to be secretly behind the scenes.”
A small thing that leaves Rutger’s hand and flies in a parabola.
Vlad laughed heartily as he saw the peanuts flying towards him.
※※※※
“What can I say these days? “Every day is a time to discover my aptitude.”
Rutger seemed to have relaxed, sitting in a relaxed posture.
Legs spread wide and even a long sigh.
It was a position that was difficult for everyone to get out of because the person sitting in front was uncomfortable.
“I vaguely thought it would be nice to be like this, but being in the position of leading a family is not easy.”
“It seems so.”
Vlad, holding the teacup given by Dorothea, glanced at Rutger, who was sitting limply.
His complexion became paler than usual, perhaps because he had not been exposed to sunlight for a long time.
And even the dark shadows on his eyes, exhausted from the heavy workload.
Normally, I thought they were brothers who did not look alike, but looking at them like this, it was also true that Rutger’s face reminded me of Josef.
“Among such a daunting task, your share is quite large.”
“Me?”
It was Vlad who shrugged his shoulders as if he really didn’t know.
However, Rutger seemed displeased with the sight and just frowned.
“The influence he has goes beyond a single family, but the place he actually lives is just an inn. “Do you know that one or two complaints are caused by you?”
“This is really my first time hearing this.”
“This is already the third time we have blocked Bordan from wanting to step down as mayor. “Kang Cheol-gong said he would give us the land, so why on earth aren’t we becoming independent?”
The first sword master became the emperor who founded the empire.
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However, the newly appeared Sword Master did not even care about the territory he should have, let alone founding a country, so people in the world were curious about it.
“What about Moshiam? “It still doesn’t have an owner.”
“It’s a place I have no connection to, and I don’t like it.”
“Should we just give some of the back alleys to the autonomous district?”
“It seemed to run just fine without me.”
“…….”
A sword master of this era who clearly draws a line as if this is his role.
Rutger sighed again as he looked at Vlad, who had honor but did not care about power.
“Are you so uncomfortable with me being in Shoara? “Isn’t it actually beneficial?”
“yes. That’s right….”
Now that the authority of the imperial family has fallen, there would be no city that would attract more attention than Shoara, where Vlad, who had the right qualifications, was located.
Of course, if you calculate the resulting benefits, it would be better for Vlad to stay.
“But no matter who I am, everyone puts pressure on me. To be honest, it’s a pain in the ass.”
However, in order to hold a shining sword, there is a high price to pay.
The person who stirred things up on behalf of Vlad, who did not give any specific answer at all, had no choice but to be Rutger, who was most closely related to him.
“Anyway, the emperor won’t do it, right?”
It seemed like a question thrown out of the blue, but it was a question that instantly made the atmosphere in the office heavy.
A question that made even Dorothea next to her flinch for a moment.
As soon as Rutger finished speaking, not even the sound of teacups clattering could be heard in the office.
“…Wouldn’t it be better for everyone to start anew?”
In order to end the tragedy that began in an era, that era must be destroyed.
Like Quihano, who destroyed the era of dragons, and like Vlad now, who will destroy the era of empire.
Only then will the stars that are being crushed and suffocated be able to rise up into the sky again.
“I get it.”
Rutger, who was closest to hearing the end of an era, was smiling.
As expected, it was your answer.
“We’ll talk about what we didn’t finish tomorrow. “You must be tired, so just take a break.”
“I guess so.”
It was noon when I entered Sturmma, but the slanted sun was slowly turning red.
“Oh, there are customers looking for you before you take a break, so please check.”
“yes.”
“And it would be nice if you could take a look at the newly collected seeds at least once during your stay.”
“…….”
“In a way, aren’t they all your direct juniors? “Please look at it with affection.”
It wasn’t wrong, but the attitude of asking seemed strangely confident.
Seeing Rutger’s expression as if he was saying that he had to pay the rent, Vlad had no choice but to say that he understood.
“And…”
“And what else?”
Vlad turned around sharply at the sound of Rutger’s voice grabbing him again.
However, I had no choice but to become quiet as I soon heard the words.
“I’d like you to go and see your mother, too. “I’m sure you’ll be happy.”
“…….”
Everyone was bustling about the upcoming festival, but the place where one woman was was filled with deathly silence.
A woman withers day by day, comforting her sorrow with the tombstone outside her window.
Vlad, who remembered her always smiling at me like a mother, nodded and quietly left the door.
※※※※
“……When on earth is he coming?”
In the middle of the now dark hallway, there was a door that opened quietly.
Red hair illuminated by the faint candlelight streaming through the open door.
Jemina, who had been snooping around the hallway with the door open, suddenly curled her neck as if she was scared of the quiet atmosphere in the hallway.
“It’s called Lady. “Is it okay to leave Lady alone like this?”
There was still no news from Vlad, who was said to be going to meet the new count.
Moreover, Goth, who had gone out saying he was going to meet people he knew, had not come in until this hour, probably because he was drinking somewhere, so the only person in the room right now was Jemina.
“These…. Be prepared for everything when you guys come back.”
His tone of voice was harsh, but his voice was trembling slightly.
I didn’t know it in Shoara, which I was familiar with, but when I reached the unfamiliar Sturmah, I became very afraid of the approaching darkness.
“hi.”
“Aaaah!”
As Jemina was snooping around the hallway wondering if she would come again, there was a voice coming from next to her.
It was a refreshing voice to anyone who heard it, but for Jemina, who was already cowering, it was just a terrifying encounter.
“There I am…”
“Dress! White!”
“Could it be Vlad….”
“Aaaah!”
There is an unidentifiable white figure floating alone in a dark hallway.
Moreover, the figure vaguely visible was that of a young girl who did not fit into this mansion at all, so it was quite a frightening sight for Jemina.
“…Shall I come next time?”
“Heeeeee!”
The priestess of the World Tree stopped as if she was embarrassed, looking at Zemina who had collapsed on the floor.
It seemed like it was a mistake to rush over to see the red hair I saw in my dream.
“Who are you?”
When Zemina asked who she was, the priestess scratched her head for a moment.
As a priestess with no particular name, she seemed to be worried about whether she should introduce herself to make Jemina feel at ease.
“excuse me……. “I just wanted to give you this.”
However, as a girl who was not good at speaking, there were not many ways to convey her true feelings.
All I could do was hand him the picture I had originally intended to give him and apologize.
“What is this?”
“I saw it in my dream.”
Gemina grabbed the paper the girl handed her and tried to calm her startled mind and look at the picture drawn inside.
However, with only the moonlight seeping through the window, it seemed difficult to see what the picture I had just handed me was.
“Vlad would be happy to see this.”
“Vlad?”
As soon as she heard the familiar name, the light returned to Jemina’s eyes.
However, the world tree priestess was already taking steps backwards toward the hallway.
“I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer for you to smile at me.”
“huh?”
The girl living in the dream recognized the red-haired woman who had smiled at her.
However, it was still too early for the two to recognize each other when they met.
“See you then, Jemina.”
That is why the world tree priestess turns away after handing over only a picture.
Jemina just sat in her seat, dumbfounded, as she watched the platinum-blond hair running towards the dark hallway.
