Chapter 2 (1/2)
Divided Destiny
Back at Ritone’s shack.
「……Mother……Why did you have to die like that……」
Ritone, who was inside the house, crouched and trembled. Although he had memories of his previous life, the one who birthed him to this world and raised him to this day, was his mother. The death of his mother who he admired deeply, had created a shadow in his heart.
「Onii-chan, pull yourself together.」
At his side, Rin desperately tried to comfort Ritone.
「……I’m alright.」
Rin put up a tough front, even though it was just a bluff to hide their sadness, Ritone rummaged under the bed.
Just like his Mother had said, there was a letter from his Grandfather, Eagle Shylock.
「Dear Father. Against your will, I have eloped with a commoner, perhaps I didn’t meet your expectations as a daughter. I lost myself in the moment of pa.s.sion, neglected my obligations as a n.o.ble, and was a fool who knew nothing about the outside world. However, this child whom I bear has committed no crime. Please, raise and receive my child Ritone, I beg of you, please. ~Josephine」
Some words were messy in places and the letter was stained with tears, as if she had been totally lost.
(…… Was it originally her intention to entrust me to Grandpa? At least now I have a chance at being n.o.bility.)
The regret of running away from their house at a young age because of infatuation, and the feelings of a mother who tried to rescue her son from the painful life of a commoner.
(As I thought, love alone is pointless. A happy life cannot exist without a proper foundation. The old man didn’t have it in him, so Mother had to suffer. I definitely don’t want to become like that. No. I will become a n.o.ble!)
Ritone swore as he grasps the ring he received from his mother.
At that time, the door suddenly opened and the Village Chief, together with several villagers, entered.
「Seize him!」
With that, a surprised Ritone was abruptly tied and pushed to the floor.
「Father! What are you doing to Onii-chan!!?」
「Rin! This boy is not your elder brother. He is the son of a ghoul who attacked the village people, honestly, I never liked this boy’s father,
Zouk, in the past at all. After all that guy was a good for nothing with only strength. He ignored me and acted like a representative of this village to the city. Being dismissed as a knight, that defeated dog came back as a ghoul and attacked the village people!」
Hatred covered the village chief’s face. The villagers who were restraining Ritone had injuries that were given to them by Zouk.
「……What are you planning to do with me?」
Seeing Ritone, calm while being bound, the village chief was angered even more, as Rin cried and screamed.
「STOP! Release Onii-chan!」
「Hmph! Your parent’s weren’t liked here, and you are hated even more! For you, a child that came from a mother with a doubtful origin, to put a hand on my lovely Rin. Sell him off to the slave merchants!」
Following the village chief’s instructions, Ritone was taken to the underground prison.
「Fufufu… it went well. That person will no longer trust in humans. Even if that person isn’t filled with wicked desire now, eventually, he will become a p.a.w.n that destroys humanity.」
The woman, Demon Empress Rin Kaiser who was disguised as a man, broke into a grinning smile.
After a while, being overcome by extreme drowsiness.
「Ku… Morning already? No wonder I was sleepy.」
Looking annoyingly at the sinking blue moon, she muttered.
「Demon Emperor… Certainly, if thine hero is worthy of drawing the sword from the seal… Then he will come.」
Laughing loudly, Rin Kaiser vanished.
Unaware of what’s happened, Ritone continued to suffer in prison.
At that moment, someone entered the underground prison.
「Onii-chan……」
A girl entered quietly, as she sat down.
「I’m so…… Sorry. That time, If I hadn’t raised my voice…… Father wouldn’t have done such a thing…… I’m really sorry.」
She bowed to Ritone, sobbing.
「…… Rin, it’s not your fault. It was mine because I was careless. At that time, if I had dealt a fatal blow……」
Rin held out one arm between the prison bars and stroked his head gently.
「But!」
「……If I had the power…… To protect the person who is the most important to me.」
Ritone, continued to blame himself rather than Rin.
Though the strategy that Rin Kaiser had planned, succeeded, there was a miscalculation on two points.
One was Rin, an existence that loves him.
Another, is that Ritone does not have the heart of a 12 year old, but has the unusual memories of a 30 year old adult.
Though he was still a child, because he had the mentality of an adult, he admitted his own weaknesses rather than trying to find other causes.
Why did such a tragedy occur? As a result, he intently blamed himself for being the cause, blaming Rin was never a possibility in his mind.
(It can’t be helped. The life Ritone’s experiencing now is on hard mode. To experience such a thing as a child, wouldn’t it distort his personality and be impossible to overcome? However, this would be the flag that would enable him to meet up with his Grandfather. For this upcoming encounter. What att.i.tude should I take at that time……)
While being in jail, Ritone thought of this.
The village chief who captured Ritone, contacted the slave merchants joyfully.
「I want to sell a brat, who disturbed this village, as a slave.」
「Slave?… Did you obtain his parent’s permission?」
Indeed, the slave merchant with dark eyes questioned.
「You don’t need their permission. His parents are already dead. Anyway, please take this eyesore away quickly.」
「……Understood. At any rate, allow me to see him.」
When the village chief and the man went to the underground prison of the village, a boy was there meditating.
From his body, the magic of darkness rose.
「This person……」
「That is right. Having an unusual magic for a commoner. The price of buying him is expensive.」
Even if the village chief was delightful, the slave merchant was cautious.
「……There are a lot of those who possess magic from having the blood of n.o.bility. This person, could he be one too?」
「This person’s father was a commoner who only had brute-strength. Perhaps the mother may have been one, but no one was able to recognize her.
Now please, buy him quickly.」
While the village chief persuaded, Ritone opened an eye.
「……You, are you the slave merchant?」
「Yes, that is right?」
To the boy who wasn’t shaken by his presence, the slave merchant was momentarily overwhelmed.
The boy raised his hand silently, and the crest on the ring was shown.
The slave merchants complexion suddenly changed.
「……Village chief, I want to speak alone with this person, just the two of us, is that good?」
「I don’t mind. Evaluate him as you please.」
As such, the village chief left the underground prison.
Silence ran between these two people.
「……That ring, where did you get it?」
「It’s a memento from my mother. My mother’s name is Josephine. My parent’s family name is Shylock.」
Hearing that, the slave merchant paled and trembled.
「Su-surely! If, you…Well, you……」
「Please hand this over to Grandfather.」
The letter his mother wrote was pa.s.sed. The merchant respectfully received it and knelt before the boy.
「Let’s get out of here, come together with me.」
「I can’t go, I am anything but a young child to no one. I am a delinquent who disturbed this village. Therefore, I can’t leave because I don’t have any reason to come out of this prison.」
Sitting straight in the cold underground prison, the slave merchant quietly stares, motionless. From his appearance, he certainly felt the boy’s grace.
「I understand. I will definitely deliver this letter to your Grandfather-sama.」
The slave merchant stood up, left the village, and went at full speed to the territory’s capital.
From Roswell Village, it will require three days to reach the territory’s element capital to the main residence of The Golden Duke’s House by carriage.
The second city after the Royal Capital is the commercial city, where commoners gather from all over the country.
In the lord’s residence, a breath escaped faintly, while a person entered the room.
「Milord, we have an urgent report! Please take a look!」
「Milord is in the middle of a state affair. Do not disturb him.」
「This, this letter!」
Seeing the desperate expression of the tired slave merchant with depleted strength, the knight received the letter.
「G-good…」
The slave merchant relieved, sank down on the floor.
The letter in the knight’s hand was carried to the lord’s office.
「An urgent report?」
With wrinkles appearing in his forehead, it is Eagle Shylock who rules this territory.
Disturbing him in the midst of a huge domestic affair is somewhat displeasing.