Chapter 306: Side Story – The Young Dragons in Search of a Place to Go (3)
ZacRIt was already late afternoon in the city of Nassau.bmFL1
7bgVRInside the governor’s office, a man standing by the window scraped the surface of an old coin between his fingers with his fingernail.AX2
twKkIts silver gleam shone beneath the setting sun.wcX
mgSshIfAfter verifying the Retired Knight’s identity through that coin, the governor of Nassau slowly nodded.KTEJ
H460PcU“You made the right decision. I mean sneaking into Nassau instead of coming directly to see me.”hym
TftXCApparently, the light streaming in through the window was too bright for the Retired Knight.BTuN
FZ2YXoIt was hardly surprising.XR6ups
NUYgLAfter all, he had just come out of a jail cell.jwA1c
sqMm“And what good did it do? In the end, it was all for nothing.”6UU8
1qfAs he raised a hand to shield himself from the evening sunlight, the mustached man let out a deep sigh, as though everything had gone wrong.uayZQss
sriHHe had entered Nassau incognito, even paying a bribe.cvbaCV
wWTrRThen he shot Emil a sidelong glance.O3dz
SxpTLS“…Yesterday, you were the one who said that anything that could be settled on the spot should be settled right there.”QIY9BS
nnGjGvThat brat simply didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.729I
XR3vPerhaps because he was a child, Emil had an incredible talent for throwing the man’s own words back at him.uTH1JUn
ZqEsy7The mustached man could no longer hold back his anger.wSsakD
HXNoNc“Hey! Do you really think that’s what I meant?!”rEIAGC
RrDHe had met every kind of child throughout his life.7tTa72
B6qqsInsolent children.2Foyz
MkInTroublemakers.KWhN7Ed
OGuRebellious children.oDtbe
5R6sdOkHe had seen them all.aR5
1PFNAvBut he swore this was the first time he had encountered one who possessed all of those qualities at once.ycMU
jTD“I told you to stay put! And how many people did you end up killing?! Three?! Four?!”gf4yh
WIFSaThey had only been apart for half a day.KM5FL
cPgmHe had even given Emil money for potato stew specifically so he would stay quietly at the inn.Ynm4gxk
qNVe444And what did he find when he came back?pnrOs
RrBLNDA pile of corpses.IgOc
NqdRh06The boy covered in blood from head to toe.pDA7
uEcl8And then that whole speech about…C7GiAsA
anI0cHA fair payment?DyU
Nao“In my entire life, this is the first time I’ve seen someone kill people and then use it to win over a girl! Is everyone from the North like this?!”mHIe2hP
QHZCat“…I wasn’t trying to win her over.”qEPD
yyiDpEmil puffed out his cheeks slightly.7qZaUfb
nB8BeIw“I only gave it to her because I was grateful.”ADMV
MYViITHe had simply wanted to do it.3rMCf
KgLM0K2He was also grateful for the barley bread she had given him.lX9VbXR
vA5“All right, all right. Calm down, both of you.”el8hP
4q8YTThe governor of Nassau let out a hearty laugh as he watched them continue arguing.zet7OR
Ywag“Seeing you like this brings back a lot of memories.”ZEolb7L
ucvpp88A Retired Knight and a blue-eyed boy.Hh5v7lA
l5tXThey weren’t exactly the same, but long ago he had seen a very similar pair.e05b
wG464“The young master’s father and Sir Auguste used to argue just like this.”9W9SWeN
PNvyjPFThe man’s orange hair glowed beneath the sunlight.Hts
k8JV1He was Stephan, the current governor of Nassau and the former captain of the Thorn Mercenary Company.xk3TNTs
6ws1p7Watching them bicker exactly like those two had done years ago, he smiled nostalgically.zIBUTpe
pTPc“In any case, your journey to Trinova has been exposed. There’s no guarantee there aren’t spies from the center here.”Hd59Llq
bbhxJ0Since the magical telegraph was still out of service, Stephan had been unable to learn all the details of what had happened.Cm8
KetSHowever, the refugees who continued arriving had confirmed the story with their own testimony.o4rxd
KnoUu“I’ll prepare a ship. Young Master, you must leave immediately.”wtiV
u17mnjStephan also agreed that Emil should be sent to Trinova.xeL47yp
QoWT59BHe did not know the exact situation in the North, but he had received reports of suspicious movements along the road to Deirmar.Qq1PNqZ
2Nj0“For now, the best thing is to get you somewhere safe. I’ll handle contacting…”tTVa
cT6qMvT“What about the compass?”J8H6
W1l1pRdThe Emperor.2azUQE
GlSM4gThe Dragon Slayer Knights.trcxi5n
SGvThe enemy was far too powerful for a child to confront.T4sqX
jwa2That was why Stephan’s only concern was getting Emil out of there as quickly as possible.wiMm5
jLgXBut the boy’s attention was focused on something else.4Dr
w2lZjC“What did the priests say? That object is really dangerous.”xDD
wBtz2VIEmil remembered the fog-covered northern prairie.LJR4I
uQM9He remembered the old knight weeping black tears, unable to die.R24
iSUKO2pAnd he remembered that sinister compass.JhO
Wv2syC“It was something the necromancers used. They said it was meant to lure the Deathworm.”w4jKV
RoW3He also remembered the gigantic dragon he had seen above the ruined Sturma.j7YgD
1u98Beneath that creature, he had lost people who were very important to him.n3u
5LkQBRamund.ArTy
yVytvNPortly Kannor.pAv
MrpETelsa.KXKK
9FsPbjEach of those names had been engraved as a deep wound in the boy’s heart.4R0u
SqCGig“Maybe I can help. So…”aYgv
2Lg“Young Master.”NwdJwBG
0HJ873He had lived through all those tragedies.8uP4H
fzp0And precisely because of that, he was willing to do whatever it took.2J8
qD6UNPBut Stephan remained firm.tn9
H3Uuv“Leave this to us and get out of here as quickly as possible.”N3G6
bUHVdStephan’s unwavering eyes looked directly at Emil.2lqYXX
oJB6rR5“Even if you don’t trust us, we have no other choice.”1XQms4
7nT0The child insisted that he could do it.PrU9k
RuRThe adult answered that this was as far as the child would go.0uuvTQ
ElxEmil looked at Stephan resentfully.UFmv
rYn3YTBut Stephan had more than enough reason to stop him.OStUCUE
K2aV“…The priests examined the object throughout the entire night. There wasn’t enough time to complete a perfect analysis, but you were right. The items found in the warehouse really were meant to lure a Deathworm.”kAQH
wzbP4When he heard that his suspicions had been correct, Emil clenched his fist.nii
WgmrCHowever, what he heard next left him completely frozen.QvXj2sZ
N8RZoz“I’m not talking about the compass. There was something else.”FwhreC3
ZvEThe pirates from the Southern Archipelago had stolen the necromancer’s artifacts and were fleeing with them.jvmS
Ig2If everything had gone according to plan, they would have marked the final point to lure the Deathworm toward Soara.yQNiB2t
0IwmvrBut the necromancer leading the operation had died while trying to hunt the Retired Knight.8uSso
tBbzUjCAnd there was one item that the necromancer had guarded with particular care.Cn5Z0K
yAS“…Inside the warehouse you attacked, there was a Deathworm hatchling.”n8FrM
dn8In the deepest part of the warehouse stood a sealed chest.cEpSokg
1hkA coffer protected by an extraordinarily powerful curse.h78gJvM
7R3agpuInside it writhed a tiny Deathworm hatchling that had not even been weaned from its mother.lxGYjZ
r58“It seems they didn’t even know what they were transporting. They only intended to sell it for an enormous amount of money.”F9xEq
0d11mmeWhy had the Deathworm gone mad?nfoF
VF2Why had it destroyed Sturma?VwbF
Xwg0What was it desperately searching for?y6EQBM
iSjIts hatchling.Uj5R
J9YIt was searching for its little hatchling, trapped beneath that curse and writhing in pain.IAc
vcnbshG“T-Then… what if I’m the one who carries the hatchling? After all, I’m a dragon too. That way, the mother will definitely follow me.”OpvE5A
zdAUUpon learning that there was a Deathworm hatchling, Emil was completely shaken.oVk
dadUntil that moment, the Deathworm had been nothing more than the object of his resentment.Phmy
ZroHHe had never imagined such a reality.U9OgD2
m0wsp5b“Let’s take it as far away from any city as possible. While I keep running, we can find a way to break the curse…”Tg1G
RRORRp“That’s exactly why we can’t allow it.”1Vo75w
9n0PbmJThe aimless anger inside the boy began to boil once more.M14ZZM
fwcQlEven so, he forced himself to stay calm.pHJ8A
O5MBut Stephan had already made his decision.clt
OkF9SN“According to the priests, it’s a curse far beyond anything they can break.”jUOEc7l
NkBpStephan’s eyes remained fixed on Emil.GPjE
QHdk“And everything indicates that the curse’s true target is a young dragon.”gJbej
sauUkLThe curse could be transferred.QvSafpl
mUxbThat was what the priests claimed.FcGDp2
iYYbRNo one had asked them about it.CcREcw
MxvdWZEven so, they had made that clarification because they knew perfectly well that Emil was in the city.inYD3I
D3vZ“But…!”0qGBqT1
wYVwtG“Young Master. As the governor of Nassau, I order you.”rFvj
6V3B7Children always strive for the best possible outcome.eYVd
AiO7Because they sincerely believe they can achieve it.L2MP7nm
fCUKBut Stephan, as an adult, could not share that way of thinking.to7i
Qmc“Emil Aureo will depart for Trinova as soon as the ship is ready.”M10
qeTAmZAdults do not pursue the best outcome.wJbLW
e8vc3bBecause they already tried once.lYsm
UHEAnd they know better than anyone how far away that ideal is and how difficult it is to achieve.ogpZq
Ac8u“In the worst-case scenario, I must at least make sure the Young Master survives.”94Necig
vKjDDThat is why adults choose the second-best option.mW0PU
Aqy0WkBecause only those who have realized that not everyone can be happy truly become adults.pSU
JhRZ“…”mqC5l
ml9i2yStephan’s finger pointed toward the door.wSFXzBW
oEzSiUFaced with that cold order to leave, Emil had no choice but to lower his head helplessly.7Ec
qrwGa***1PC
qy1It was the inn near the harbor once again.fAl
vbG5When the freckled girl saw Emil return, she greeted him with a bright smile, but he did not respond.bEi
ieM9GS“This doesn’t make any sense! We haven’t even tried!”nQS
lmmy3FlThe moment he entered the room, Emil began stomping on the floor in frustration.6ikB
OMCx9uuSeeing him like that, the mustached knight answered coldly.kVwKV
8mfP21Q“There’s no need to try. There’s no reason to put you in danger.”gr0jR
CCsEmil wanted to protect Nassau.eyu6v4L
opPpHe did not want to witness another city fall.QDlzNDm
chve4MThe desperate screams of Sturma still echoed vividly in his ears.aUB2m
Suxk“I’m telling you, the curse won’t affect me!”evN3lib
3dC“Are you seriously bringing up that ridiculous ghost story again?”kqn
e5CDHHe had spent the entire night listening to the story about the fog-covered prairie.ipoW
oumThe story of the black-haired man and the moonlight.TB2
sPPBut the mustached man did not believe a single word of it.09LskA
YXp2UpAnd even if he did, he had no intention of putting Emil at risk.GVUQcmw
02Zmcor“Let someone else take the hatchling out. They can even carry it to the center and abandon it there.”rOTA
rbYvl“And what if the mother doesn’t follow it?”p88
DcaOq“Then a city will be destroyed.”poAIwti
XAn61The matter-of-fact way he answered left Emil speechless.tcwC
9b5dnUW“So what if a city is destroyed? People may die. It’s regrettable, but that’s how things are.”yM9rYS1
NUq9sQHe was a man well versed in the calculations of adults.4uQES
NJ5ejQHe knew exactly what had to be sacrificed and what had to be protected.oMKqC
0CaYsCb“A destroyed city can be rebuilt. The people who die? It’s tragic, but that will be their fate.”Vb8j
Tv4eWhat is valuable always comes before what is insignificant.OWciu
3jXcB6RWhat cannot be replaced is always supported by those who can.cw7hd
KjQDZprThat was how the world worked.hYcOAE
9Xp“But you’re different. Because you’re the Swordmaster’s son.”a1t
Zyv8DTtBut.8um8n
m28nyXTWho decided that one thing was more important than another?6wrXspa
gfGX3Who decided who was worth more than everyone else?xZpxX
3kA“The Swordmaster is the only card capable of turning this situation around! And what happens if you do something reckless here and the Emperor ends up capturing you?! All you’ll do is put a leash around your father’s neck!”1m1mVj
MyLiEThe man’s words were completely rational.FWTKjEH
PreXRcPBut standing before him was no longer Emil Aureo.3FD
jnIGUgAll he saw was the Swordmaster’s son.mN6clxN
DRQz“So stop acting like a spoiled child, and let’s go to Trinova!”91fcBWv
t29vKz“I don’t want to!”Reb
pSMBang!YLP5f0i
Q1oThe wooden floor beneath his foot shattered into pieces.Upsq
IMaqIn an instant, the entire room fell silent.e8K
TSwRBH“I can do it!”oK0mLoK
IgLBang! Bang!7mKi
R66bBqA blue radiance began to burn in Emil’s eyes.ODAOnvz
CsfEIt was his anger toward those who refused to see him for who he truly was.nsDLBNV
D2Nsu“My father isn’t here! I’m the only one here! So I have to do it!”L2V
utjfn6This was not the simple tantrum of a child.KKIA8yw
5TbqyIt was the determination of someone who genuinely believed he could succeed.REHr
XCJba“I’m telling you I can do it! I’ve already done it once! Can’t you trust me?!”uA0t
HdIPqfZ“…”C1iGa3j
64qIt was a heartbreaking sincerity.KgjeN
EvqDiejThe desire to stop being nothing more than a bystander.5mq2f
UGxThe conviction that he could do it.P1zC
k9kpGMAs he looked into those eyes, the man found himself speechless.3UVF
B8N“Can you really do it?”HRT
A7PNzJNThe world judges people by its own standards.S0acRs
fDSIt doesn’t matter how much they say they want to do something.6a0Vmv
08F5PeIt doesn’t matter how desperately they ask for a chance.oHkL
hXnvIn the end, it always draws a line and blocks their path.lpHv
w1850“Can you really do it?”hU88joB
8nESaN1Faced with the man’s serious question, Emil nodded firmly.41g
algd8J“Very well. Then tell me.”wGwpF
del6sLuHe had once been the same.P6Uk
gQ4He had imposed his own standards.U9keJu
a7Z9ZqHe had decided that others were incapable.c8rDkb
9b0GMKAt the time, he believed it had been the right decision.sh0C6Wp
73JGBut now, after all these years, he understood something else.l07
JNo“If you say you can do it, then you should be able to say your name with pride.”pD4N
cWOH0HyHe understood that back then, he should not have given up so easily.5xeESt
l1SHe should have given those willing to try a chance.XPSMMZZ
DM1dm5e“So tell me your name, boy.”no0
qu2fThese were words he had never been able to say during the Honor Duel of Deirmar.sQcoKGj
DG7cedPWords he had always wanted to say someday.XPwe8OU
p7P9KhHis lips trembled slightly as he spoke them.xc2BUuN
rqhiVny“Emil.”rqQMnPn
twX6qThe man asked him to say his name.EixDi
YqktfqHe had been unable to do so before.pRV
5AWBut this time, he decided to give the boy who claimed he could succeed a chance.mb8Ej
fsBv“Emil Aureo.”I5NLzTk
VEeupWhat would that road he had never taken have been like?3dCs
YEspkaHe had always wondered.tTa
FthcmFor years, he imagined what it would have been like to choose honor instead of obedience.V82Gog
dIrAnd now, after such a long detour, someone was reaching out a hand to him.VU60z
eHst4Z[It’s been a long time.]YUQu
Wb1ZQpjSomeone had appeared behind the boy who had just spoken his name.7GgAtp
w2UHA dark shadow, like a veil, covered the room.sm9U
NgiZGRTWhen that darkness faded away, it revealed a face the man had known for a very long time.phWXLbc
OqF[This is the first time we’ve met since Deirmar, Sir Zuber of Shazad.]SXvS
ueoAmoqThe black moonlight began streaming through the window, now wrapped in the night.NDqySzp
l0ivRiding upon that light, a man returned.T1I
BJeAFHKHis name was Joseph Bayezid.znO
f0AUni0As Zuber stood frozen in complete astonishment, the Knight of the Black Moon held out a shining silver coin to him.7zej
A9SbiCIt was a genuine silver coin that could only be received by knights who walked the path of honor.lQbf
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