Chapter 269: Extra 9 – The Mansion That Remained Unchanged
xGoThe halls of the mansion, which Vlad had not visited in a long time, carried an air of familiarity.Fcts45
Zm5zPThis was the Bayezid residence, the place he had arrived at following Joseph, carrying only a sword, during those frigid winter days.gLOZbuH
hU7VOO5However, unlike back then, when everything felt foreign, this mansion now felt like a second home.NuB
LiD2dCy“Nothing has changed in this mansion.”SaroBs
kRk“There’s no reason for it to change. Although, it’s been a little livelier lately.”RonWxBi
L8cFollowing Jager, Vlad turned his head from side to side, taking in the sights of the mansion.W3bx
TNEgThe scene was nostalgic, bringing back memories as Vlad retraced the same paths he had walked as a squire.jN9
YhE8S“I didn’t know you’d become the Captain of the Knights.”gKV3Sp
yLUxThey passed the dining hall where he had recently shared sausages with Portly. Further ahead, he could see the training field where he had once been humiliated for not knowing how to ride a horse.TyORn
c1nBut among all the unchanging sights, what struck him the most was the figure of Jager walking ahead of him.p7p2C
8c0“You used to say you hated hassle, yet you accepted the position of captain. That’s not what I expected.”3UOrm
z5N“…I had no intention of taking it. If it weren’t for Lady Oksana’s request, I would’ve refused outright.”mtHqE1
RQltSBJager despised inconveniences, even more so those that brought additional burdens.PseSF
uTnKnowing Jager’s personality well, Vlad found it surprising that he had accepted the role. It seemed even Jager had his reasons.qyGMk
SFamLbk“Lady Oksana?”qJg6gxt
aIplCuX“Because of you, my name gained unexpected prestige. I suppose Lady Oksana wanted to capitalize on that in some way.”erL
ykr7Q5The continent was captivated by the emergence of the new Swordmaster.KlkOR
eMAgklCVlad, who had recreated a legendary scene by defeating the oldest dragon, was the first Swordmaster since the founder-king Frausen. It made sense that the Bayezid family would want to leverage his fame.54XG
QcAW“In the end, having a good disciple has helped you rise.”QFbKv
GFq“…Keep living in your little bubble of self-satisfaction.”Mhike
nDnKGTVWithout further response, Jager led him down a hallway unfamiliar to Vlad.JBW74uK
bMA5KAIt was a central part of the mansion Vlad had never accessed during his days as a squire.lkmdAQ
VnU“This is my first time here.”1b8h5
LUVVO“And it would’ve been a problem if you had come here before. A squire has no business here.”9wUb
wPgF4NJager chuckled mockingly, but it wasn’t bothersome.xeS8
WOcPerhaps it was because he still saw Vlad as someone under his care.7rr5
on56j5u“Go ahead. Enter.”NCNt8
iwON“Understood.”kpjQ
ZiqwfThe room that had once belonged to Peter now belonged to Rutiger.BQu8G1
XJ5a8PJager knocked softly on the door, and as if they had been waiting, it opened with a low creak.8wTnJqY
VNuaOkb“…Oh.”YPeRcpz
h9BVI1A mystery protected by Ragmus that had now found peace.CvYEg0
aoyyaA place accessible only to those authorized by the leader of the Bayezid family, located deep within the mansion.pW6
IDCQ“You’re later than I expected, Vlad.”ZUTpZB
S62iFEDespite the unfamiliar setting, there was something familiar waiting for him—a welcoming smile.kfeUvQ
poq“Since this morning, the crows have been circling. They said you’d be coming.”UdS6B
e6LumA man with black hair smiled at him under the sunlight that illuminated the office filled with symbols of authority.oihNZt
CIY2XwYYet even within this formal atmosphere, the presence of Rutiger Bayezid made the space feel warm and inviting.1M5
G3sTM5“Here, it must’ve been an exhausting journey.”3p0YTA
PwcCRutiger, the next leader of the Bayezid family, tossed something toward Vlad with a wide grin.3HqD
21Ip“You’re not going to refuse this time, are you?”JdJn
XqPjM3“…How spiteful you are.”K5zC
e6mxswVlad couldn’t help but smile as he caught a small peanut that Rutiger had thrown at him.r2P
q6Bu***rueGadM
LylR3m“Lately, I feel like each day helps me understand my own abilities a little better.”WzemSj
jSomP8Rutiger, seemingly at ease, was sitting in a relaxed manner. His legs were spread out, and his long sighs indicated his comfort—a posture not just anyone could take in front of another.sRcuhf
TrhG“I always thought I’d be good at this, but leading a family is much harder than I imagined.”zUx
kF1b“So it seems.”bcN
qwiSSfVlad, holding a cup of tea that Dorothea had served, observed Rutiger out of the corner of his eye.D7dz
1hMlRsHis skin was paler than usual, as if he hadn’t seen the sun in a long time, and the dark circles under his eyes were deep—evidence of the toll taken by the weight of his responsibilities.zVvZ7
cKtbGkPAlthough Vlad had always thought Rutiger and Joseph were dissimilar, seeing him now, he couldn’t help but notice a resemblance in Rutiger’s face to that of his late brother.QcXsf
sG9B“And amidst all these challenges, you are a significant part of the problem.”ZEniYG
1rq6“Me?”LlPzKLp
aqfVlad shrugged incredulously, as if he genuinely didn’t understand.t0OByFC
jgCBut Rutiger, irritated by his indifferent attitude, frowned.PLi
waGHg“You have an influence that transcends any single family, yet you live in an inn. Do you know how many complaints I have to deal with because of you?”pW6R5v
VxJj“This is the first time I’m hearing of it.”y4g
iEB6en“It’s the third time I’ve had to convince Mayor Bordan not to resign. Even the Duke of Iron has offered you land—why do you refuse to settle down?”gpeGUg
BUwJThe first Swordmaster had founded an empire. But the new Swordmaster didn’t even want his own territory, leaving everyone baffled.DPj
U2w“What about Moshiam? It’s still ownerless.”GWJS
9Un“It’s a place I have no connection to and don’t like.”zT6
dQqP93t“What if we turn a slum into an autonomous zone?”m017
iZM“There’s no need. They manage fine without me.”ID4y
Sv7v“…”1NA6j75
vljnRutiger let out a long sigh, frustrated by Vlad’s firm refusals.zQ49q
rQ4“Is it so uncomfortable for you to stay in Soara? Isn’t it advantageous?”mBsM8U
pV9xgp“Yes, it is… but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause me problems.”OAP
22MhRNWith the fall of imperial authority, Vlad’s presence in Soara had turned the city into a place of great interest.aXXhhwj
WQIuTWhile this brought benefits, it also placed enormous pressure on Rutiger as the leader of the Bayezid family.KA5D
n6l“But no matter who it is, everyone keeps pressing me. Honestly, it’s a headache.”LSU
Wx6LCguHowever, to wield a brilliant sword, one must bear its weight.1y0V
Fu6PHThe person who stirred things up in Vlad’s name, while receiving no clear answers, was none other than Rutiger, who was most closely tied to him.orad
pjLv“So, you won’t be emperor?”46o3bo
8APThe casually thrown question made the atmosphere in the office tense.fJR7
yK4Even Dorothea, who was serving tea, paused for a moment.vXU
e2fFon“…Perhaps it’s better to start something new for everyone.”n8P
35Kz7pTo break free from the tragedy of an era, sometimes one must destroy it entirely.3Hf
BPkN0rJust as Kihano broke away from the Age of Dragons, Vlad now had to break away from the Age of the Empire.A94
sT8J“I see.”3rJkCmM
dLWxRutiger smiled, as if Vlad’s response was exactly what he had expected.zDvAxk
qhctwhH“We’ll continue this conversation tomorrow. Rest for now.”fEiYb
D94BwH“Understood.”UlABz
rQpJ0ZWhen they had arrived in Sturma, it had been midday, but now the sun was beginning to paint the sky red.g2r
0u8C1“Oh, before you rest, there are some guests who want to see you.”b7tifCx
cvC“Understood.”YFEML9
zKn“And if you have time, you should take a look at the new squires. They’re your subordinates, you know. Give them some attention.”pkKFgqQ
kC9qsR“…”Mla
3zvAlthough phrased as a request, his tone was unusually firm, almost making it seem like an obligation. Vlad could only nod reluctantly.I4nz1
cqO“And also…”vixx5S
x0MNKkZ“What now?”T1L
8aSpsYCRutiger’s voice stopped him, and Vlad looked at him with exasperation. But Rutiger’s next words silenced him.QasH1v
cdZ9E“You should visit our mother. I’m sure seeing you will make her happy.”ASpJ
5NtN“…”OZfJKb
T3mEdSturma was bustling with celebrations for the upcoming festival, but the place where that woman resided remained eerily quiet.r75o0
uiukXNA woman who, day by day, lingered in front of a gravestone, consumed by sorrow.4449pQ
JQnE1C6Remembering the smile she had always given him, as a mother, Vlad slowly nodded before leaving the room in silence.ZdEO7vq
EgS***TrQ4
ewWyZiN“…When is he supposed to arrive?”uDdHP
9fQIn a dark hallway where night had already fallen, a door opened silently.CHc
Rm5dRBeFrom inside the room, the faint light of a candle illuminated a shock of red hair sticking out.AwDm
k1PKZemina, timidly peeking her head through the door and glancing down the hallway, quickly shrank back, intimidated by the oppressive silence surrounding her.uwNtRq
wm884“I’m supposed to be a lady. Is it okay to leave a lady alone like this?”LHHq3
ni1qztVlad, who had left saying he was going to meet the new count, had yet to return.xLOU
aDKa1ivGoethe, who claimed he was off to see some acquaintances, had also not come back, likely enjoying drinks somewhere. At that moment, Zemina was the only one left in the room.422
BlyrV“Those idiots…! When they come back, they’re going to get an earful from me.”g2gzK
NsY7Though her words were harsh, her voice trembled slightly.g8qXVeK
qCaW7K3In familiar Soara, she would never have felt like this. But here, in the unfamiliar Sturma, the encroaching darkness filled her with unease.rukW
Wh79i“Hello.”NdCp
3Dy“Kyaaa!”9va
o4ObAs Zemina peeked into the hallway, hoping someone would finally arrive, a voice sounded beside her.YcZ
oigjFs0It was a clear, refreshing voice, but to Zemina, already on edge, it was terrifying.9wHIt
jrHyh“I just wanted to…”N73G
sfu“A dress! White!”WxWm
vUunFcE“Maybe you’re looking for Vlad—”AS6Gd
8XTgC“Kyaaa!”37hV
qh1regA pale, unfamiliar figure floated alone in the dark hallway.IORk
GBeBarely visible, the faint figure appeared to be a little girl who seemed utterly out of place in the mansion, making the scene even more frightening for Zemina.lTZE4Ak
yhij5“…Should I come back later?”45Lv
Qipu7ik“Hiiik!”e8P
K2NQThe World Tree Priestess halted, seemingly confused, as she watched Zemina collapse to the floor.rNTDqQO
7iNDgpShe had rushed over excitedly, eager to meet the red-haired figure she had seen in her dreams, but it seemed her enthusiasm had been a mistake.kIdVfG
SVc“W-who are you?”DUcQR
tDpSjWhen Zemina finally managed to form a question, the Priestess scratched her head awkwardly.sMxguW
DLSdOBLacking a proper name, she appeared to be thinking about how to introduce herself without scaring Zemina further.eD5
Ro0Y“I just… wanted to give you this.”orV
x9fs640Not skilled with words, the Priestess decided to act instead.wX3E
EfrShe extended a piece of paper, offering the painting she had brought with her, her apologetic expression clear.P4eon
9IYnMrn“W-what is this?”jTAwSw
MYa1“It’s something I saw in a dream.”OOqG
LsOBZemina, still trying to calm herself, took the sheet of paper the girl offered and tried to examine the drawing on it.Fop
8j1But the faint moonlight streaming in through the window wasn’t enough to clearly make out what was depicted.cok5Zhv
pT95B1u“I think Vlad will like this.”aUR
QhGX2“To Vlad?”Dtx
ehyHearing a familiar name, some color returned to Zemina’s face.DMTH
9gQBut by then, the World Tree Priestess had already begun retreating slowly into the hallway.CkA1
rZNYThE“I think it’s going to take a bit longer for you to smile at me.”nEY1H
vy0TyC“Huh?”K4WPw
AYat22In her dreams, the Priestess had seen the red-haired woman smiling warmly at her.xHG2sCq
bbvDf8However, during this first encounter, the distance between them was still too vast for that connection to form.Dgjgl9
9qgfe“We’ll meet again, Zemina.”rVcmFz
zpZWith those words, the World Tree Priestess left the painting in Zemina’s hands and turned to leave.fYPat
1K9Zemina, still in a daze, remained sitting on the floor, watching as the girl’s platinum-blonde hair vanished into the dark hallway.3Vyd
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