Chapter 266: Extra 6 – Preparations for Farewell
eKOgThe green spreading up from the south was coloring the continent, though it seemed it hadn’t reached this place yet.7V71wd
z2ZDlHdSturma, the northernmost city in Bayezid territory.opV0xjR
6sWIn one of its rooms, the sound of coughing still lingered—a remnant of winter.oXZ
dazW1rG“…Are you alright?”U0Q
zHUJkThe faint candlelight beside the bed illuminated Peter’s face.reT
gcQbiBut Peter’s expression remained shadowed, as if that small light wasn’t enough to dispel the darkness within.B1h
Eck5HTPeter Bayezid, who had defended the north against the invasions of the Golden Duke and Gaidar, was now praised as the northern wall.3pc
Q65Yet even he bore deep wrinkles on his face, traces of the hardships of the past two years.N4RS
wHSH2NK“Don’t worry.”iV4ve
hceWhere Peter looked, a woman lay, her color slowly fading.P2xMi
ZuthHTHer hair had grown brittle, and her lips were chapped.Qh4T
iSn5Watching Oksana as she lay weakly, Peter’s gaze could not hide his concern.yzgr
E3XOP“I’ll at least try to stand for Rutiger’s succession ceremony.”xwuKHP
WPsEYet Oksana’s vacant eyes were not on Peter but on the window beside her.n2D9
4vMPeter, seeing that she didn’t even seem to have the strength to turn her head toward him, spoke gently.DeRhmq
zydN9q“…That’s not what I meant.”8Gef
xH0nThough she was withering away, losing her will to live, Oksana clung to her sense of duty.WOV9kZ
Azv0D3FSeeing her like this, Peter felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if he were looking at someone who no longer belonged to this world.bw8THI
6ZC“Is the wind making you cold? Would you like me to close the curtains?”rm8
hFkpwThe window was shut, but a chill seeped in through the frames.WO3
9wAB8Even with summer approaching, the northern night air still held a touch of cold.FtXKeY2
40LZ2K4Peter rose to close the curtains, worried about the draft, but Oksana’s voice stopped him.EPw9Yt
jKu“Leave them open.”jdwsxbE
G06BEkThough closing them would be better for her frail body, Oksana’s determined voice, wanting to see outside, made Peter let go of the curtain’s edge.DEW
V7s3Gbf“Keep them open. If I can’t see the outside, I feel trapped.”k5BZx
0lj1“…Alright.”1lAtRu
vcc6leAfter that, silence settled between them.r98JU
ZY5cwIt wasn’t a silence born from a lack of words, but a calm born from caution, making the air in the room feel dense.fujeII
sI6WXyF“The moonlight is bright.”Ug251
a1kCPNight was advancing, and soon it would be time for Peter to leave. Yet his feet remained planted, drawn to the view outside.w2K2Qq
2Fz5Something in the landscape had captured his attention.8Zy
qwiYv“Perhaps it would be better to open the window a bit.”HCrkvS
BcUThere, under the moonlight, a small gravestone stood.oSknlDh
2GfmIt didn’t seem like much time had passed since it was placed, and it was close enough that even Oksana could see it from her bed.j5p
LFD“…”rgk
2LNFkPeter knew it.IQdKyJ
ViFDHe knew that the curtains he held had likely never been closed, not even in the depths of winter.FIa
Iqt0H22For in silent longing, this mother still yearned for her son and didn’t want to look away from him.vtSCj
4GUztIn the deep night, beneath the pale light of the moon, a father, a mother, and their son looked quietly outside.tBUz
JKhIpThat night, the wind felt colder than usual.Vrak8
4Cdg***VZPv
IA8GlYW “…The tea is too sweet.”sp9O
yoDwMDoSunlight filled the mayor’s office in Soara, and Vlad, sitting at the visitor’s table, grimaced as he lowered his cup.DLvYsf
9jdbrLP“Really? I put less sugar in yours on purpose.”uexN
wEyAQRn“I’ve told you before, if you keep drinking tea this sweet, you’re going to die young.”wk59
Y3TgBMuch had changed over the past two years, but the mayor’s office in Soara seemed unchanged.mqy64h
tWgjpuAlthough some faces were now absent, the cozy atmosphere and sweet scent of tea remained the same.6diQn0a
Czlo“Die young? Look at the pile of papers here. With or without sugar, I’ll be gone sooner rather than later.”IJuRQ
JX9n3Mt“…Hmm.”G245c
xvSdsVMIn response to Vlad’s scolding about the sugar, Bordan waved his hands as if to draw his attention to the towering stacks of documents around the mayor’s seat.8GGUm
TsJXmVlad, looking at the piles of papers, took another sip from his cup without a word.43c
X9R“I cleared everything yesterday, but today there’s already another mountain. Why is this city so exhausting?”HAK8vl
liSBetween postwar reconstruction efforts, the never-ending stream of orphans arriving, and the knights drawn to the fame of the Sword Master, Bordan, the new mayor of Soara, had more work than hours in the day.7QVxoh
7AJ“If I die early, it’ll be half your fault. I’ve already noted it in my will.”SSEJGA
l3q“Just drink your tea before it gets cold.”SLzcXLC
FW2uLike a boiling cauldron, Soara continued to function thanks to Bordan, a capable and dedicated mayor.WBR
vpaiAlthough he wasn’t a knight skilled with a sword, Joseph had trusted him for his remarkable administrative talents.wNTy
i92“So, what brings you here?”jV4isU7
DEDny“…I need a favor.”oHzr
oMpvFNb“What kind of favor?”XA1S
CLRjVlad, somewhat reluctant to interrupt Bordan in the middle of his work, began to speak cautiously.oEt
tAa“The convent up the hill.”BJw
QKw“What about it?”gMVVHL
Od6“The ownership seems a bit unclear, and I’d like it to be officially endorsed.”CUNjdZ
E6RaEven a renowned Sword Master had to respect certain principles, especially in Bayezid territory.0rHow
jtWZep“Also, Harven is about to embark on a long journey. I’d appreciate it if you could support him with personnel for repairs to the ship and some supplies.”Y3Zqs
bvtN“…Hmmm.”OXOxgK
n0nTdxBordan, while reviewing some papers, massaged his temples, visibly overwhelmed.st7
pfN1“It’s funny, really. You somehow manage to ask for things that push the limits of what I can grant.”bPbe
XXXir4Bordan frowned as he looked at Vlad, though a faint smile played on his lips.kLBiQCF
N3dv4“You ask for things I can’t easily refuse but are also difficult to grant.”fouR
SVBr9QIt was hard to ignore the request of a renowned Sword Master, and Vlad’s favors seemed precisely calculated, making Bordan agree despite his packed schedule.OZNsM6O
2rr“No matter how busy you are, I learned this here.”zSDNc9p
WLdI“Yes, I see you’ve learned well.”I6UA
0KNwJ2kThe boy from the alleyways, once ignorant of worldly matters, was gone.EUIGJd
7IFNow, before Bordan stood a young man with vision and insight, someone who had learned from experience.HMu3HL
ZBX0K“Joseph would have loved to see you like this.”eiRjRBn
QLm4f0T“…Really?”zxkX
QOEmHearing that familiar name on Bordan’s lips, Vlad couldn’t help but give a faint, bitter smile.PCshjyP
nKSOThat man, whose shadow had always provided him shelter.HrD
lH3y98Joseph, with his presence so vivid in his memories, was an image Vlad could never erase from his mind.Cpw7
eNjJ“Well, I’ll take that as a yes.”tlv0cZv
Giht“Yes, go easy.”3VX0fn
0paPAs he stood up, Vlad took one last look at Bordan, who had returned to his paperwork.56xC
yOAhWxUThe mayor’s office was still familiar, though something about it was subtly different.ZTXwyY
GrSbJlwVlad averted his gaze, feeling strangely unsettled by those small changes.FvTumJB
BkBf***26x3jT
ZjGw“He’s going to feel hurt. If he’s human, he can’t help it.”gF3
YcMxmmAs Vlad exited the mayor’s office and walked down the corridor, the town hall staff quickly bowed their heads in respect.So3ieDa
DRKG7“How can everyone think only of themselves? Don’t they realize who’s responsible for getting them to this position?”DHEIws
rHm“…Can’t you shut up already?”pbbL4EJ
FKfZyv“Shut up? Of course I can. I, Goethe, would do anything the captain asked me to do.”J6MFnN
81SRSFor most people, the annoyance of a Sword Master would be alarming, but Goethe simply answered with a sly grin.X8TXK
5l6c“Just like that time I held the captain up, drunk, beside the grave. Always right there for Sir Vlad, while all those important wizards and captains drift away. Goethe will never abandon him…”naqG0
huY“You said you’d shut up.”Eivyjl
elYAIZVlad grumbled at Goethe, who kept talking as if he’d only been waiting to be interrupted. Yet, the most loyal squire in all the land merely stepped back, chuckling.vX0
dJF“By the way, Captain, when do we leave for Sturma?”cWxkm
ABY“Stop following me.”o2ZgN6E
QHg“I’ve already prepared everything, the servants and the carriage.”ezLd
hDbl“And why would we need a carriage?”d0PzNq
d2arpThough Vlad found his audacity irritating, he knew Goethe was someone who often proved useful.Fv344Y
lH2ip“Are we not bringing Miss Zemina as well? Or did you plan to seat her on a single horse?”kyW3M
ZYcR6gm“…”r4f5cJJ
NIgUKTy“One can’t bring a lady without a proper carriage. I’ve arranged for an elegant one already.”Be9
aIoNCGoethe had stood by Vlad’s side ever since he had disguised himself as Riman in his prayers and, after Vlad’s banishment from Soara, continued to watch over him.RdJdhk1
ty6BG4CHe was one of the few who could anticipate Vlad’s thoughts without a word spoken.ao3Ptp
nVBHCa“…I haven’t decided that Zemina will go with us.”Mhg
d4p“Regardless, we should depart within a week. Though there are no longer bandits in the north, the roads remain dangerous.”NL5
CQMzAs if he hadn’t heard Vlad’s reply, Goethe insisted they should leave in a week. The timing seemed to align with Vlad’s own plan, so he closed his mouth without further objection.uLx6L
T15xs“Oh! Noir, long time no see! Do you remember me?”MdnAG33
xxM*Neigh—*GM6cGY9
bRisB8Reaching the stable, Goethe greeted Noir, putting on a display of exaggerated warmth.QClSdKg
T9lvThat was the essential trait of a rogue: charm. Watching Goethe pour on his unreserved friendliness, Noir only snorted, unable to resist.XEE
sfXfB“Come along, Captain. All you have to do is show up.”DppNIr
KubOk8M“Damn it.”swD36u
ILgWKDespite his smile, Vlad couldn’t suppress a curse, frustrated by Goethe’s persistence. But what Vlad didn’t realize was that his somber expression had already begun to ease, though he was unaware of it himself.sVQbSk4
Hrpl***GOh0
fpTg58Following the setting sun, Vlad returned with a smile like a blooming rose and headed straight to Nibelun’s room.5zvG
rVfQPy“Have you finished packing?”uDfJiH
7cR“Huh? Yes, I’ve got everything ready.”x6S
IC5eNibelun’s room, which had been a mess the day before, was now spotless, as if chaos had never touched it. Only an overstuffed backpack betrayed the rush.gOcP2Q
3Mh3wdH“Then, follow me.”MQq
BZrelY“Where are we going?”PD6LLR
VGz“Even if I told you, would you know where it is?”whz
MCFRT87Nibelun recalled the sorrowful look on Vlad’s face when he’d been drinking the previous night. But today, Vlad seemed to have left behind the melancholy that had recently clung to him.4FkVlCl
6Gr7“Are you missing anything aside from what you packed? Emergency medicine, motion-sickness tools?”OMRL
eYRWxDx“Miss Zemina is preparing those things.”dvU
qRk8AAU“And why didn’t you tell me?”X0zVV2
VkbFb8k“Because you don’t have much money left, Lord Vlad.”HuCgG9
xIaLGiENow that he no longer served Bayezid, Vlad had no steady income. Aware of Vlad’s situation, Nibelun was already receiving some assistance from Zemina.L7d
dtV9ra“…Is that so?”mNH
5OchKgUnable to argue about the money, Vlad led Nibelun to a quiet corner of an alleyway. Though it was now a bit better lit, only a local could navigate through the complicated passageways.APGStsI
wjtn54“Have you recharged your magical artifacts well? For a rugged journey like the Arctic, they’ll come in handy.”UUY
m0Em37“Hehe, not yet. It’s been years of constant use.”Jgcbh
msmpVTThe mage Vlad knew, Nibelun, wielded magic through enchanted items. At first glance, he might appear harmless, but he used objects that held special meaning according to the traditions of his tribe.h0Gh6
xan“Yes, true. You haven’t had a break to recharge them with all the use.”817dYrd
pkpVlad knew well that, since they met, Nibelun hadn’t had time to recharge his artifacts.8XAsT
JgJLFPhOnly he had seen dozens of his magical tools so far.cmM
LA0eq“Is it them?”NoJv
IhqaA“Huh?”7dQ
acGCo1B“I’m asking if they’re the ones who stole your spheres.”PygDWcE
VvPVPsDeep in the alley, Nibelun noticed the watchful eyes of a group of kids surrounding him.soaYEJh
Zc880Among them, some faces looked familiar, and he nodded slightly.FyH
aoIEp“Yes, it’s them.”IDBDJZX
qSguz1“Alright.”nceLydi
yW3Identifying his target, Vlad stepped forward. In his hand, he held a pouch filled with spheres, their soft texture stirring nostalgic memories from his childhood.CxpH
94crMuL“Tell them to send out the leader.”CQdYF
wuNThe feel of the spheres in his palm brought back simpler times.T69htGz
vN75KFor his mage friend, who would soon set off on a long journey, it was the best farewell gift he could offer.5F7MfWa
lgLbsfVlad, the boy who now understood how to handle farewells, tossed the glowing spheres toward the kids, leaving behind a gesture that spoke louder than words.BMmZs
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