Chapter 383 - Side Story 20

Side Story 20: Two-Arm Scale (11)

Kaldem's Grand Inn was where the most distinguished guests visiting the Commercial City of Oldek stayed.

It was a massive inn made up of four large buildings right at the entrance of Oldek. The two tallest buildings were dedicated to catering to the most distinguished guests, with all of the rooms being luxuriously decorated.

One guest alone was given two entire floors for their personal use. It was hard to imagine, but for the sake of the most distinguished guests on the continent, that much couldn't be considered extravagant.

As the inn had been catering to the highest of nobles and aristocrats for a long time, they were rather experienced.

However, with the Saint of the Holy Capital Karpea suddenly arriving on a day's notice, it was too much for them to prepare.

As soon as they heard from the director of Oldek's Government Office that Saint Clarice was coming, they worked towards preparing her room with all they could. However, no matter how much they tried, they were unable to reach the standard she deserved given the short notice they had.

However, within six hours they had managed a fairly respectable level of preparation. As a result, the Holy Father Building voiced no complaints about the room that had been arranged. In the first place, the visit itself had happened without notice only because of Saint Clarice's sudden whim.

"I was supposed to go and hold a service in the Holy Father Building…"

"I'm extremely grateful that you were willing to reschedule on such short notice for my sake. I am greatly in your debt."

"Well, I know that you aren't one to suddenly call on me without reason, Sir Ed. There must have been a good reason for you to ask me to come."

With so many eyes watching them, she was forced to speak to Ed in an overly formal manner.

In the most luxurious room of Kaldem's Grand Inn, Saint Clarice and her aides sat together. The atmosphere was no different than back in her office at the Holy Father Building.

As she was a Saint whose every move was carefully observed, if she treated Ed as she did at Silvenia Academy, it would surely cause an outrage.

Ed was aware of that as well, so he showed no sign of confusion at Clarice's formal manner of speaking. Aside from Clarice herself feeling uncomfortable about it, it was not a major issue.

"…The battle of ownership over the Elte Company will be of great importance to the Holy Father Building in the future."

Since he had called Saint Clarice to Oldek without any explanation, he first needed to explain the situation. Since Ed Rothstaylor had called for her, she quickly came all the way to Oldek. However, friendship and loyalty weren't enough to justify such actions.

The Saint was an extremely important person who practically controlled the entire religious group. Each of her actions greatly affected the entire schedule of the Holy Father Building, forcing her various servants to follow her.

That was why Saint Clarice needed a good reason to have traveled so far on such short notice. She fully trusted that Ed had such a reason.

"This will be a great chance to gain the favor of the future head of the Elte Company. More than that, it will also be valuable in securing more power and authority that will personally benefit you, Saint."

Hearing that, the Saint's aides started to look at each other. Even though Clarice might be the face and one of the heads of the Telos Religious Group, that didn't mean she had complete authority over everything.

The Holy Father and Archbishop were also watching over everything, out of the public's view… Just like every other group that held power, the Holy Father Building was no different.

They were also a group that was split and led by a few people who held authority.

And it was only human nature to quarrel. One needed to wield as much independent power as one could, in order to hold authority over others.

"The deal with the Elte Company… I see. It was a 'plan' you had come up with yourself, Sir Ed."

The mutual relationship between the Holy Father Building and the Elte Company. Saint Clarice would be the one who confirmed that the deal regarding the Holy Father Building and the Elte Company was led by Lortel.

There was no person greater than Saint Clarice to support Lortel in a deal that would bring incredible profit to the Elte Company. With Saint Clarice and Lortel personally teaming up, it would be impossible to tear Lortel from her position as the next head of the company.

As for Clarice's position, being the person who had personally managed the deal with the Elte Company, which would also benefit the Holy Father Building, would allow her to increase her voice and influence within the Holy Father Building.

The more the Holy Father Building became dependent on the Elte Company, the more power Saint Clarice would hold. After all, she was the one that the new head of the Elte Company would be personally indebted.

Ed Rothstaylor was the person in the middle of the two, creating this opportunity and acting as a neutral middleman.

Saint Clarice and Lortel Kehelland… They were only able to take action because they both had full faith in Ed.

The saint's aides swallowed their dry saliva when they looked towards Ed, who quietly had his head lowered.

It felt as if he were playing a game of chess on a large map over the entire empire. The attack on the Elte Company would be seen as a mere accident that stemmed from an internal power struggle.

People would eventually turn their attention towards Saint Clarice, who arrived in Oldek, and Lortel, who would become the new head of the Elte Company.

While that happened, the name of the aristocrat who broke into and destroyed the Elte Company's headquarters would be quietly forgotten…

The name of the blond-haired aristocrat who was the real power behind everything.

In events like this, the name of the person truly at the center of everything rarely rose to the surface. That was why the Saint's aides in the room, feeling as though they had overheard something they should not have, could only hold their breath in silence.

"Then from my point of view, there is no reason to refuse your offer, Sir Ed."

Clarice listened to Ed's explanation while smiling kindly. She couldn't smile as brightly as when they met at Silvenia Academy, but she could still at least show her favorable feelings. Either way, she never had any intention of refusing Ed's offer.

"Then there was plenty of reason to travel such a long distance and change my schedule."

"Thank you for thinking so."

"I'll instruct my aides to take care of the contract. But…. As for how we are going to deal with the aftermath of the attack…"

After saying as much, Clarice looked towards two people kneeling and bowing at the entrance of the room. One was Bell Maya, a maid who was calmly and collectively showcasing her perfect etiquette.

The other was a girl who was hesitating awkwardly, unsure what to do… Lortel Kehelland. Unable to bear with the serious atmosphere of the room, Lortel began to panic in a rather cute way.

"With Lady Lortel being in such a state… I am unsure of what to do. It would be great if she were to quickly return to her normal state and take the position as the head of the Elte Company…"

"…The only thing we can do is wait for time to pass to fix things."

"Well, it's no urgent matter, so I don't mind. But I don't think Slogg will stay still."

They had come to the Grand Inn right after the ruckus that was caused at the Elte Company's headquarters. Thus, Clarice—who did not know of the entire situation—couldn't help but have various worries.

"…You don't have to worry about that." Ed closed his eyes slowly as he spoke. "Slogg Keldricks is dead. I saw it with my own eyes."

* * *

"You have done a great job, Young Master. I will send a letter to Lady Tanya saying that business with the Elte Company has been taken care of."

"You did great too, Bell. You followed my orders just as I told you to."

The accommodation Bell had reserved wasn't luxurious, but good enough. She had followed my instructions to find an inn that could easily see the quayside. A place where you could see the various ships across the coast.

On the other side, you could see trees stretching out across the hill all the way to the horizon.

I put my arm on the table as I enjoyed the breeze, relaxing. Lortel, who had been following Bell around, was already asleep on the bed. Seeing everything at peace made me feel rather warm inside.

"What are your plans for returning home? Silvenia Academy's new semester will soon begin, so I think it would be best if you soon return to Acken Island to make it in time."

"Yes. I had the same thought, but there is still something I have to take care of here in Oldek first. For now, I'll hand Lortel back over to Secretary Lienna."

Secretary Lienna would take good care of Lortel until the curse was lifted. However, Secretary Lienna also seemed to have her hands full dealing with those who tried to betray Lortel… So, she is probably too busy at the moment.

"…Young Master Ed…"

"You don't have to say it. Since this is the first time you've been away from the mansion for so long, the state of the mansion must be rather poor."

As I had said many times already, Bell was the main person responsible for managing the mansion. Since we still did not have enough people to replace all the work Bell handled, it was obvious what state the mansion would be in without her. Of course, Bell could not help but worry.

When I entered the room, I saw that Bell had already packed her luggage. The fact that she didn't get a room for herself made it obvious that she was getting ready to head back.

I put my feet on the table as I laid back in my chair. Feeling the midday sea breeze come in through the curtains, I could feel my fatigue slowly being lifted.

"You can head back first. I have a couple of things left to do here…then I'll head back as well."

"Thank you for understanding my position. I will make sure to take care of the mansion as quickly as possible so that when you return, you will not be ashamed."

Bell had gone through quite a bit during the trip to Oldek. She had to travel such a long distance by carriage, and as soon as we arrived, I gave her all sorts of miscellaneous orders… She surely had to be tired as well.

However, now that the main issue had been taken care of…

Since it was the first time she'd been out of the mansion for such a long time, I thought she would use the trip as a chance to rest a bit… But it seemed that she would rather head back home quickly and get back to work.

Thunk.

She lifted the wooden suitcase she had packed earlier and set it on the table, doing one final check to make sure she had everything. I looked at Bell, who moved through the task with her usual expressionless face, and then suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, Bell?"

"…Yes?"

"How long have you been working as a maid?"

She had first run out of House Flanchel, briefly stayed in Cledric Monastery before going to Ophelis Hall, and was now residing at the Rothstaylor Mansion. Bell had been working as a maid her entire life. She couldn't even count with both hands just how long she had worked.

"…I've never counted the exact number of years before. Like I told you before, I have been working ever since I was a young girl…"

"I see."

"Yes. Is there something that's bothering you?"

"…No." I laid further back in the chair, then added, "I just wanted to ask if you're tired."

"Thank you for worrying about me. However, I also make sure to take occasional breaks to avoid overworking myself. It's important for a maid to take good care of her own health."

"It's not that I was worried… I was just curious. I don't know what it feels like to do only one thing for your entire life."

"…May I ask why you are curious about such a question all of a sudden?"

"…I'm not sure."

I rested my head back, looking out the window. The sky was blue with the sun high above. The sea breeze flew past my face. I could hear the quiet whispers of Lortel sleeping and the rustling of the curtains.

"When do you think you'll retire?"

"…Retire…?"

"Yeah. I was just wondering… When do you think you'll finally feel like you should stop working?"

"…I never thought of it before. Let me think for a moment…"

Bell stopped as she looked out the window, thinking it over for a moment. She then opened her mouth.

"…Do you remember when I worked at Ophelis Hall?"

"Of course."

"The former head maid, Elris… Things didn't end well for her, but… She only decided to quit after her body stopped working as well. I think it'll be the same for me. I think I will continue to work as long as I can continue to move."

Bell looked down before closing her eyes and saying, "Retiring from what I've been doing my whole life… It's not an easy decision."

"…Yeah." I looked at the pier outside my window. It was still full of busy merchants. "Well, I guess it's the same for everyone. I'm sorry for bothering you with such a stupid question."

"Not at all."

Then I slowly let myself drift off to sleep. I was sure that, by the time the sun rose, Secretary Lienna or the government office would contact me.

Until then, it was time to take a sweet break. As I relaxed my overworked body, I quietly exhaled.

* * *

Thunk!

I woke up to the sound of something being hit.

Before I closed my eyes, the sun was high in the sky. However, when I opened my eyes back up, the sun was already setting. The sky was painted red as those who were busy making a living at the pier were wrapping up their long day.

The sound of the screeching seagulls had also become quiet.

With the red sunlight coming in through the window, the area around the table I slept at looked completely different. The room had become quite dark. I was only going to take a nap, but I ended up sleeping longer than I planned.

I suppose I was pretty exhausted.

There was a letter left by Bell on the table. It seemed she had quietly left for the mansion, afraid to wake me up. I gave her permission in advance, so it wasn't a problem.

I fixed my hair as I rose from my seat. My throat had gone dry, so I lifted the kettle to pour myself some cold water, only to find it empty.

Come to think of it, I had already drunk it all before I fell asleep, as I was thirsty. I figured I should go down to the lobby and get some more.

"Ugh…"

I stood up straight as I began to stretch my body. Lortel was still sleeping under a blanket in the room. I took the kettle with me as I left the room and headed toward the lobby.

I stepped on the creaky wooden floor as I went down to the lobby, asking the staff for some more water. The employee took the kettle with a kind smile as she quickly refilled it with cold water.

"Uhm… Should I go out and buy new clothes?"

"…What?

"Ah, I apologize if I was rude… I shouldn't have asked…"

I was confused by the strange question she asked, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I brought the cold water back upstairs, but before I went back into my room, I could hear a strange noise inside.

It seemed that Lortel, who had been sleeping quietly, had just woken up. Since she had fallen asleep before I did, I had expected her to wake soon enough. After everything that had happened that day, she must have been both startled and exhausted, so I figured I should go in and calm her down.

I nodded my head as I opened the door and entered.

"Hey, Lortel. I see that you woke—"

Fwoosh!

When I opened the door and entered, Lortel was startled as she quickly went under the blanket.

I wondered why she was so surprised. I walked into the room and put the kettle on the table in front of the window. I sat down on the chair and spoke in a relaxed manner.

"Bell went back home first. She is rather busy herself, so it was hard for her to stay with us here any longer. But there's no need to cry that Bell is gone. I will call Secretary Lienna to come and watch over you soon…"

As I spoke, I started to have a strange feeling. Looking towards Lortel, who was underneath the blanket, something didn't seem right…

"…Lortel?"

As I looked near the bed, I saw some clothes that had fallen on the floor. They were the children's clothes that Lortel was wearing…

"Lortel…you…"

There was no response. Lortel continued to hide under the blanket, not coming out. Seeing the shape underneath the blanket, she seemed bigger than usual.

It would be best not to say anything in haste. Even though I was a person who was rather ignorant when it came to such things, even I knew the bare minimum.

Feeling thirsty, I poured myself another glass of water. Only the sound of me gulping the water could be heard in the silence. The hellish silence continued for a while longer.

After drinking a few more cups of water, I put down the cup as I wiped my dry face.

But we couldn't stay in silence forever. I wiped my face again and again. I let out a short exhale as I slowly crept to the side of the bed where Lortel was lying.

I sat down on the bed as I slowly spoke.

"…Hey…"

Silence.

"When did you wake up…?"

"I-it's…been about…an hour…"

The tone of her voice was clear. It was definitely the Lortel that I knew.

"If it's not too much, can you tell me about your physical condition…? I think I should know if there are any side effects… Like pain, or your psychological state…" I spoke as calmly as I could, looking at the blanket Lortel was hiding under.

"My body… I think…it's okay…"

"Alright."

"It's been a while since I woke up… But I was hoping you would sleep a bit more, Ed…"

I watched her silently.

"Uhm… Clothes… I don't have clothes that fit… So… I'm rather embarrassed… I was going to run out wearing a blanket…but…it didn't go as planned…"

That weird question from the worker downstairs—I finally realized what it was about.

"So… Uhm… Sorry if it sounds like gibberish…"

"No, it's fine… Take your time…" I reassured her calmly.

Probably…the memories she made while under the curse… She was remembering all of them…

Nightmare fuel—it wasn't enough to just express it with such a simple term. The situation was much more nightmarish and deadly.

Lortel then spoke painfully with a soft voice. "Uhm… Ed… Please don't misunderstand what I'm going to say…"

I waited.

"…But I want to die…"

Yeah… That was understandable. But this is just the beginning… This is going to be a hard fight against yourself. I hope you can brace yourself, Lortel!

-x-X-x-

Side Story 21: Two-Arm Scale (12)

"Lortel."

It felt as if I'd been sitting still for about twelve minutes, waiting. Lortel was hiding under the blanket, lying on the bed. She would suddenly wriggle around like a live fish that had just been caught.

Whenever she remembered something, she would wriggle around as if her body was struck with a bolt of electricity. Since I could imagine what she was going through, I could only close my eyes and wait.

"I'll…go get more water…"

I had already finished all of the cold water I brought up earlier. I couldn't help but feel my throat get dry. I had no choice but to head back down to the first floor lobby with the kettle.

"Uhm… About the clothes you mentioned before…" I said to the worker.

"…Pardon?"

"It's a little late, but could you go out and buy some women's clothing for me…? I'll pay for it."

She stood still for a while before suddenly nodding her head. She must have been wondering what in the world happened in the room where Lortel and I were staying, for her clothes to be torn apart to the point where she needed new clothes. From the position of the young female worker, she couldn't help but have her imagination run wild. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed as well.

"Y-Yes…then…I will go and buy clothes that are similar in size to mine…"

When I returned to the room after that strange conversation with the worker, Lortel, who had somewhat regained consciousness, was sitting on the bed.

Anyone who had only ever seen Lortel ordering others around as a leader might have burst into laughter if they saw her at that moment.

Even though her reddish-brown hair was messy, it still looked fiery even in the darkness, lit only by the moonlight. However, her usually confident and bright eyes were fixed on the floor. She held onto the blanket tightly as she wrapped it around her body.

Her face was bright red. Since it looked like she would explode at any moment, I quickly poured some water to give to her. Lortel gulped the water down, unlike her usual self. She sighed for a moment, trying to calm down.

About three seconds later, she leaned her head against the wall and covered her face again.

Because of the curse Slogg had put on her, she had acted cute and childish back at the Rothstaylor Estate. She always had a bright, innocent smile on her face as she looked at Lucy with respect and held onto Yennekar's sleeve, following her everywhere she went. She even asked people to pat her on her head.

She looked as if she had just remembered it all… As well as the fact that I had read Lortel's secret notebook…

She probably wanted to die of embarrassment.

"I see… Slogg Keldricks…"

After explaining things to Lortel for thirty minutes, she nodded her head before finally speaking like her usual mature self. I explained everything that happened while she was incapacitated, as well as everything about Slogg Keldricks.

Now, Lortel Kehelland was the only one that could hold the powerful Elte Company in her hands. Behind her was the power of House Rothstaylor, which was supported by both the Kroel Imperial Household and the Holy Father Building.

She had become perhaps the most powerful and influential merchant in Oldek.

Despite that, Lortel didn't look relieved or happy in the slightest. She only lowered her head with a complicated expression on her face, a blanket wrapped tightly around her body.

"As expected, you're not happy."

"Right now… I can't really think straight… But normally I'm not someone who has such a hard time controlling my feelings and thinking clearly. Do you think it's an aftereffect of the curse…?"

Lortel clasped the blanket tightly as she held it close to her shoulders. She always wore expensive clothing and accessories, but at that moment, she wasn't even wearing a thread.

Before she was a merchant, she was human.

It was clear that Lortel, who was called a devil who was willing to sell her soul for money, was human just like the rest of us at the end of the day.

"…I think you just have a lot on your mind right now."

"Maybe. But the situation isn't all that complicated. It's just…"

Only then did Lortel act as if she had returned somewhat to her usual self. She started to show an embarrassed smile.

"If I act embarrassed and weak like this, I wonder if I can stimulate your protective instincts, Ed."

She was acting like a fox like usual with her sensual smile in place. Normally, I would smile seeing that, but…

I didn't at that moment.

"…Maybe it was too much to try and just gloss over it like this…"

"From experience, it's better to just say you're having a hard time when it's tough."

But considering the life Lortel had lived, that wasn't easy to do. The city was full of wild animals that were desperate to find any weakness of hers. After all, showing weakness in such a city was no different than giving up your life.

That was why Lortel had grown a habit of hiding her weaknesses.

Even when she was confused, unsure, or embarrassed, she always acted like a sneaky fox with something up her sleeve. Seeing that, it wasn't hard to imagine just what type of life she had lived.

"I'm not having a hard time, it's just… I don't know… Maybe I'm just afraid."

She was sitting on the bed with the blanket wrapped around her, her pale feet sticking out at the end.

The gentle starry night sky illuminated the room, and in front of her, all she could see was me. Because we were alone together, Lortel could finally speak to me about her feelings without worrying about showing weakness.

"Struggling to survive in Oldek all this time, it feels like I'm walking in a thick fog. I don't know where I am, and I have to be wary of every single sound I hear, unable to make anything out."

The way she lowered her head, it felt like she was a delicate piece of glass that could break at any moment.

"But walking down such a path, waving your weapon at everyone who passes by, you end up cutting the necks of those who could have been on your side. Just like Slogg was."

"…"

"It was something I did quite a bit before I met you, Ed."

What I saw on Slogg's face as he bled out and closed his eyes was a man who had foreseen it all. No matter what he did, Lortel would have never come to trust him. She grew up and survived in a city where betrayal and colluding were taken as natural. Slogg knew that fact better than anyone else.

"It's idiotic. Pushing away and rejecting everything that comes your way with your own hands, only to finally end your journey being eaten away at by solitude."

It was unusual for Lortel to mock herself like that. She was in a position where she always had to show an undisturbed appearance anytime, anywhere.

"But I couldn't help it. Because I had to survive."

Slogg wasn't the first.

Lortel has walked down a path covered in gold. In the process, she surely pushed aside countless people who could have become close companions or friends, those she would honestly talk to. It wasn't something that only applied to Lortel.

That may be the case for everyone in the merchant city. One misjudgment leads to spilled blood. The world of commerce was such a place.

"No matter what you do in this city, you can never escape solitude and taxes."

She held her knees, talking half-jokingly. She raised the corners of her mouth, showing a smile, but there was still an empty feeling and bitterness in her expression.

It was night. It would be a while until sunrise.

That night would feel longer for Lortel than it would anyone else. Even though she was walking down a path that led her to push aside and lose countless people, she could never get used to that sense of loss and solitude. That was what it meant to be human.

Lortel could only bury her head in her lap. Just like Slogg, she doesn't know how many more people she would have to bury in the ground… There was no way for her to ever know that.

"Ed."

I could feel it as she briefly called out my name. She could convey such emotions with a weak exhale that came out at the end of her words.

She didn't look like her usual fox- or snake-like self, who would mock and grin at others. In fact, I couldn't see her expression, as she was burying her head. I could only see the hair that fell down the nape of her neck.

There was a big difference between the Lortel of the past and the present. It was the fact that she now had someone near her.

"Can you give me a hug?"

It was a faint voice, like the fading light of a lighthouse. She unconsciously raised the tone of her voice. However, I could tell from her soft voice and the tension in the room…

Normally, it seemed as if she were going to make a joke, put on a large grin, or burst into laughter at any given moment. But as a second passed, five seconds passed… Lortel never ran away while making a 'joke.'

She simply kept her head buried in her knees, quiet in the soft silence. The chronic disease known as solitude, which had been stubbornly following her throughout her life, had a rather obvious cure.

The realization that you had someone next to you. The certainty that you would no longer have to spend long dark nights alone. That was probably what Lortel wanted the most at the moment.

The existence of someone that you could lean on emotionally when you were struggling. That was why… Seeing Lortel, who always glossed over things with jokes and a smile, look the way she did—I couldn't take her lightly.

Her fragile appearance was like a candle that was about to go out. If someone were to ask me if I could leave Lortel in the room alone at that moment…

I could only reply by saying, 'That's not possible.'

But at the same time… I couldn't stop thinking about Yennekar in one part of my mind. I had held Yennekar close and promised her that we would live a happy and romantic life together. Though, thinking back on it now, that was rather cringy.

So, wrapping my arms around Lortel's shoulders and hugging her close—wouldn't that make me a shameless piece of trash?

…Was I determined to become a piece of trash?

Suddenly, the meaningful words that Merilda whispered in my ears that day, with a playful expression on her face, penetrated deep into my heart.

If I wasn't prepared to become a piece of trash, I needed to prepare myself to go the opposite way. I was determined to leave the room quietly. To shake my head at Lortel and quietly leave the room.

Determined to leave Lortel alone in the dark room, to go outside and quietly blend in with the crowds of people on the street at night.

…But it wasn't as easy as that.

It felt as if I were in checkmate. It was as if someone was pushing a knife to my throat, a situation where I needed to be determined to make a decision between the two.

My head was spinning as I thought of every possibility. But at that moment, just 'thinking' may be enough to hurt and insult them.

So, at most, I only had a few seconds to think about it.

I needed to quickly come to a decision. It was an extreme and unreasonable situation I was placed in. Struggling to breathe, I looked up towards Lortel.

The nape of her neck was red. The color behind her ears was also starting to rise. It seemed as if she would burst at any moment. Fortunately, she couldn't see my reaction, as she was struggling herself.

Seeing that, I slowly started to calm down to my usual self.

Yeah. From the start, my mindset was wrong. It wasn't important whether or not I became a piece of trash. It wouldn't be polite to Lortel to have such thoughts, given how she used all the courage she had to ask me that.

The important thing was at the end of the day. It wasn't about decency and morals. It was about where I truly thought of Lortel as a woman.

No matter what, Lortel was a good woman.

I wasn't just talking about her beautiful looks and wealth.

She had incredible insight and was open-minded. At the same time, there were fragile parts of her that seemed like they would collapse at any moment if not supported. She acted selfishly at first, but once she was certain of you, she was willing to do anything for your sake. Everything about her was attractive.

She was a reliable person to have by your side.

I couldn't help but admit it. I found Lortel a very attractive woman. I couldn't deny that.

My life where I struggled just to survive another day had ended. Now that I lived a stable life, I could take a look back. I remembered every moment she was kind and favorable towards me. I realized just how important her sincerity was to me.

From the moment we first met at Silvenia, we had gone through so much together.

I went through several hardships that could put her life at risk, but she never hesitated to help me. She always walked the same path as me, helping me with any favor without hesitation. After thinking about all of that, I came to a definite conclusion.

I could never abandon Lortel.

I wiped my face as I pushed my bangs aside. I let out a heavy exhale. I then stood up and I went towards the window.

Fwoosh.

The sound of the waves at night and the gentle breeze calmed my mind and body. I looked at the night view for a while. Finally, I said Lortel's name.

"Lortel."

"Keuk!"

She suddenly trembled as she made a strange noise. It was as if she was holding her breath. I only said her name, but it was as if I had punched her in the stomach.

Upon seeing her rather embarrassed reaction, I also struggled to immediately say anything else. It must have been a difficult sight to watch the two of us. I thought it would be too cruel to ask Lortel anything else. So, I closed my mouth as I turned around.

I slowly walked towards Lortel, sitting beside her. I then held her shoulders close.

"E-Ed…"

My heart was pounding. I had no idea I was so nervous. But listening closely, I realized it wasn't the sound of my heart beating.

As if the thumping noise was embarrassing, Lortel took a deep breath to calm down. Unfortunately, the sound never stopped. That couldn't be helped. I gently held Lortel's chin as I quality moved it towards me. I then leaned forward, kissing her.

I used my other hand to support Lortel's back as I gently pushed her onto the bed. Lortel had followed my movement unconsciously. On top of the soft bed, she looked up at me.

"Relax your hand."

Only then did Lortel realize that this entire time, she was clenching my forearm. As Lortel relaxed my arm, a handprint remained on my wrist. It was proof that she was nervous.

"E-Ed… I… Uhm…"

I waited.

"I-I know I asked you to, but… Uhm… I…don't know what to do…"

It was natural to be in a panic without any experience. It was also funny to think about the fact that I would need to instruct her step by step.

"Just stay still. I didn't do it on purpose, but… I know what you want…"

"H-huh…? Wh-what…?"

Lortel was a smart person. From what I had said, she could easily figure out what I meant. She then held her breath.

She had caught on. I had read everything in her secret notebook that she carried around, but it couldn't be helped given the situation. I needed as much information as I could get.

And…it couldn't be helped that I even ended up learning some unwanted information.

She had written all sorts of embarrassing things on the last page of her notebook, in case anyone would look. Since it looked pretty old, it seemed that she had forgotten about it for some time as well. In fact, it was more like a list of delusions than notes.

Lortel was just a young girl who had no experience of dating. What she wrote were girlish delusions. It must have been embarrassing to have someone else read it.

Some might laugh reading through it, but you couldn't just mock her. A girl of her age having romantic feelings towards another, and the imagination that came with it… It was embarrassing to say aloud, but it was something that everyone did at least once before.

So, I didn't mention them out of consideration for Lortel. However, with the situation as it was, the best thing to do was what was in the notebook. After all, they were all things she wished for and wrote down herself.

…She even wrote down how she wanted her hair to be brushed behind her ears… All of which was rather detailed…

Thud!

Lortel suddenly sat up as she moved further away from me. She was trembling with her naked back against the head of the bed. It seemed that she finally remembered what she had written in that old notebook of hers.

"E-E-Ed… H-h-how far…?"

"D-don't panic… Lortel… In this situation, it's actually a good thing to share our inner desires openly like this…"

I needed to be as calm as possible and act as if it wasn't a big deal. That way, she wouldn't be overwhelmed.

"Th-then…"

"Y-yeah, Lortel. But… Unfortunately, I can't really prepare scented freesia candles or a bath with roses…"

"Kyaaak!"

Lortel let out a horrified screech, unlike her usual self. She looked rather pitiful as she pulled on the blanket and breathed heavily… Still, it seemed that she was still able to maintain some level of reason.

Her eyes were wide open, and her face was completely red. She no longer seemed like the same merchant who was willing to sell her soul for gold coins.

"So… Lortel…"

She didn't make a peep.

"I'm sorry, but… I…um… Comparing your beauty to a flower…comparing your eyes to the stars… I can't really say such romantic metaphors… That's a bit… I'm sorry…"

In short, those lines that were written down in her notebook were a little hard for me to say. The Ed who existed in Lortel's delusions seemed to be quite good at saying those romantic lines. Unfortunately, the real me wasn't good when it came to things like that.

I could try, but after thinking about it, that would just make things worse.

"…Ed…"

I remained silent.

"…Please…kill me…"

I'm sorry, but that's hard for me to do. In a world that is full of ups and downs, even if times are hard, we still have to survive…

-x-X-x-

Side Story 22: Two-Arm Scale (13)

From that moment on, it was entirely up to me what happened next. Lortel was inexperienced, and with no idea what to do, she simply followed my lead.

Given the situation, and the fact that I had just revealed I'd read the secret thoughts in her notebook, she was completely flustered. It was as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face.

But I was still a man.

After coming so far, I couldn't just calm Lortel down and quietly leave the room as she wore a blanket. I was not good when it came to understanding women, but even I knew that wasn't right.

It was the perfect time to move further. I slowly pulled Lortel's shoulders closer to mine, bringing her back into my arms.

Lortel was like a doll that naturally fell into my arms. Her shoulders started to tremble a bit in shock.

Only then did I realize just how small she was.

She was the new head of the Elte Company, ordering around the other merchants. But holding her like that, my arms easily wrapped around her. I could feel Lortel's breath as she exhaled on my body. Lowering my head, that cold-blooded merchant was nowhere to be seen.

"Th-this is dangerous, Ed…"

"What is?"

"E-everything. N-nothing is going like I had expected it to…"

Even though she was a veteran merchant who could calculate interest rates on the fly in minutes… In bed, she couldn't even control her facial expressions properly.

It couldn't be helped. God was fair, after all. He may have given Lortel the gift of a merchant, but not the instincts of a lover. And for what she lacked, someone had to make up the difference.

"S-since things are like this, I should tell you… I imagined about it quite a bit…"

"…Imagined?"

Lortel nodded with a bright red face that looked as if it would explode at any moment.

"You don't think I'm an easy woman, right?"

I remained silent.

"I-it's just… It's already been a few years since I openly confessed to you. With so much time passing, I couldn't help but imagine all sorts of things…and…um…well… It's not a sin to imagine."

Thinking back on Lortel's notebook, it seemed that there was a high chance that her imagination was extremely far from reality. In the world of merchants, she was more cold-blooded and realistic than anyone else. But imagining her first time, her imagination was wild and romantic even for a young girl.

"Th-there were many scenarios I had predicted, but…"

"But what…?"

"…I forgot them all."

In fact, Lortel already seemed on the verge of exploding just from my touch. She had grown a habit from work to carefully have everything planned out, no matter what it was. However, things didn't always go as planned.

"Still…This is a rather incredible feeling…"

For the moment, I decided to wait until Lortel's fingertips stopped shaking. She took a deep breath as she buried her face into my chest, speaking in a whisper.

"The happiness that comes with being hugged by the person you love… It can't be converted into money."

"…"

"No matter how expensive the room I'm in, or what kind of fine alcohol or food I enjoy, none of it could ever compare to this feeling… It's irreplaceable."

Lortel's hands slowly stopped trembling. Finally, it seemed that she was starting to relax.

It was just us in this dark room. The only thing we could see was the crescent moon out of the window. The moon shone gently onto the night sea. It strangely seemed as if it was turning away from us that night, as if pretending to not see us.

Lortel smiled under the soft moonlight.

She was the head of the Elte Company who always had an insidious, merchant-like smile on her face. A girl that was always smiling like a fox. I never imagined there would be a day when I would see her look so innocent and pure.

I was sure that she would also be surprised if she saw herself in the mirror.

Then, slowly, my hand came down Lortel's shoulders as it reached down to her curves.

It was a long night.

There was no need to rush. Even though everything must have been unfamiliar to her, there was plenty of time to slowly get accustomed to it.

My hand gently brushed across her body before moving further inside. The more my hand slowly moved down her body, the more I felt Lortel's body shake. Still, there was no resistance.

Rather, she had completely entrusted herself to me.

Was she afraid?

She was a girl that was never flustered even in the most competitive of marketplaces where gold coins came and went. But from the touch of my hand, she would flinch.

Every time my hand moved towards an area of her body no one had ever touched before, she would look at me with tearful eyes. She wasn't hiding her fear.

I whispered as gently as I could that there was nothing to fear. Those words seemed to comfort her as Lortel started to come closer to me.

It didn't take long for Lortel's voice, which had been nervous the entire time, to turn into moans of pleasure.

Lortel put her arms around my back as she held me closer, closing her eyes tightly. She started to feel and get accustomed to my every movement as she moved her body.

I felt her warm breath on my neck.

Then, Lortel realized that she was breathing heavily on me. She quickly put her hand over her mouth, covering it.

Perhaps because she was embarrassed by it, she started to blush again. I told Lortel once more that there was nothing to be embarrassed of. I then gently pushed her down onto the bed.

Lortel's body naturally followed along as she held her breath, looking at me. There was no need to rush anything. What was most important was to make sure she could relax.

I slowly brushed my fingers over her neck, being considerate of her. That alone was enough for Lortel to gently close her eyes and hold back her voice.

Whatever I did, I made sure to do it slowly. Just as time was passing slowly, I made sure to take care of Lotel so she could fully get used to and feel everything that was happening.

As if she realized I was purposely being gentle and slow towards her, Lortel wrapped her arms around my neck as she whispered in my ear, "It's all right, do whatever you want."

At that moment, I lost patience. I jumped immediately to the point. Time, which had been moving slowly, had suddenly begun to move very quickly.

Lortel first let out a grunt of pain, but slowly, the emotions hidden in her voice started to turn into a more passionate pleasure. Lortel learned quickly, no matter what it was.

At the start, she was being led by my hands. However, at some point, she started to get used to it and followed the flow herself. Her body moved to the tempo as she would brush her hands across my body or bring her lips to mine.

Moments ago, Lortel had been panicking, at a loss for what to do, and constantly blushing. However, at some point, she had regained her usual relaxed smile. Then she started to lead the flow herself. She would pull on my shoulders, hold my arms tightly, or move me over.

She still felt more pain than pleasure. Everyone's first time was like that. However, at some point, Lortel showed no signs of pain. Rather, she looked happier than ever. For Lortel, the time we spent together at night was more precious than anything else.

I could hear her whispering my name. When I came back to my senses, Lortel had flipped me over, now on top with her hands on my chest.

I'd always known that she was a genius and quick to learn. I'd witnessed that many times before, but… Before I realized it, Lortel had taken the initiative and was now on top of me.

Seeing Lortel from below was entirely new for me. She was beautiful in an entirely different way.

Lortel continued to indulge in the unfamiliar euphoria she was experiencing for the first time in her life. She was a woman who always achieved her goals with her own hands. Even in the inn late at night, that forward-looking attitude didn't change. She wasn't a person who would sit still and passively accept that feeling of happiness and pleasure.

Whenever the opportunity arose, she would take it. She would try and do everything she could. That was the greed she had towards me, the man that she had her unwavering eyes on for years.

It was a moment that only Lortel and I would share. As if every second was more valuable than any gold or treasure there was, she tried to keep me to herself for even a little while longer.

Without realizing it, at some point, I didn't even need to do anything. As we continued to exchange heavy breaths with each other for a while, we finally reached our limit.

Lortel laid down next to me as she held my face. We finally ended that precious moment of emotions together.

We took a break as we exhaled heavily, trying to catch our breath. While we held each other, Lortel whispered my name once more, saying that the night was still young. I knew what she meant, but for the moment, I needed to catch my breath.

It felt as if the tables had turned.

Lortel then sat on my waist, looking down at me. She looked much more emotional than before. She had a sense of endless excitement in her as if I had helped open her eyes to something new.

Was that how I was going to be devoured?

Even though I hadn't experienced everything, I would say that I was still decently skilled…

But Lortel's relentless greed started to overshadow my confidence.

It was true that I had been neglecting Lortel for some time, even when she only had eyes for me, but I had never expected that helping her open her eyes like that would come back at me.

But I couldn't tell her to stop. I never thought I was the type to worry about things like that, but I guess it's my sense of pride as a man. Being in front of a beautiful woman who was so enthusiastic and obsessed with devouring me, it wouldn't be right to retreat.

And I was a man who survived in the wild while Lortel was a merchant. There was no way I would lose to her physically. I was sure of that… But as Lortel hugged me close and whispered in my ear, I had a strange feeling that I was wrong.

"The night is long. There are lots of things I want to try."

Lortel's words made me feel as if I were being sucked away, little by little.

* * *

The night was a little longer than usual.

I washed my body clean, changed my clothes, and opened the door to go out and get more cold water. However, there was something on the floor of the hallway.

I looked down, curious as to what it was. Looking closer, it was the clothes I had asked the worker to buy.

It was a neat dress that was often worn by female merchants of Oldek. Looking at it briefly, I thought it would suit Lortel well. It seemed that being a worker in an expensive inn gave her good judgment.

But come to think of it, I didn't hear her knock or anything… The worker must have realized what was happening in the room and left it behind, not saying anything.

I felt rather embarrassed and awkward about it, but it wasn't like anyone did anything wrong. I quickly grabbed the clothes and went back inside.

On the bed, Lortel had covered herself with the blanket as she wiped her face.

It seemed that she belatedly remembered what we had done last night and was only now feeling embarrassed.

"Ed… D-don't get the wrong idea. J-just now, I was… I was just wiping something off… I wasn't embarrassed…"

"There's no need to be so worked up. It's natural."

"A-ahh… M-my back…"

Lortel frowned as she complained about the pain. I handed her the clothes I got from the worker as I briefly explained the situation to her. Lortel thanked me as she quickly changed under the covers.

As for why she was on my bed—it was because Lortel's bed was no longer usable.

Lortel kept on wiping her face. She seemed to be imagining just how embarrassing it would be when the worker came in later to clean the room.

I sat by the window, I enjoyed the early morning breeze. There was still no sign of the sun rising. Oldek's nights really were long.

"…Ed."

Lortel was dressed in her new clothes as she approached the window, sitting opposite me. Lortel and I felt much more relaxed now.

But suddenly, Lortel said something rather surprising.

"…Thank you for being by my side."

Lortel was probably used to the long, dark nights in Oldek. Nevertheless, she was still afraid of the dark. After all, spending long nights alone only made that feeling of solitude worse.

"Hey, Lortel."

With that thought, it was time to slowly head out.

"I need to head back to the Elte Company. I'm supposed to meet with Secretary Lienna. I'll let her know that your physical condition is back to normal."

"This early in the morning…?"

"Well, there must have been urgent business she had to take care of… I should get going."

I put on my coat and said, "But before I meet with her, shall we walk down the pier together?"

-x-X-x-

Side Story 23: Two-Arm Scale (14)

"When do you think you will retire as a merchant?"

It was the same question I had asked Bell. It seemed like the right time to finally ask her about it. These days, I had my own reasons for having such thoughts.

"…What? All of a sudden?"

"You lived your whole life as a merchant. I was wondering when you think you will quit doing what you've done your entire life?"

"…I don't really know why you're asking me that, but… I'm not sure. I never thought about retiring before. It's still too early…"

The sea breeze blew gently. It was probably a little past four in the morning. It was too close to morning to consider it night, but it was still too dark to consider it early morning. We continued to walk together as we listened to the sounds of the crashing waves.

There was a large boat that was docked. Soon, the hardworking workers would show up and begin loading the day's load.

Most of the ships left early in the morning. That was why, even at such an early hour, there were already quite a few ships that were prepared in advance.

"And usually… Retirement isn't a good thing for a merchant."

Lortel looked out at the pier, which she must be quite familiar with by now.

"In this line of work, you end up getting stabbed in the back, betrayed, and killed. When the work becomes too much to handle, you get kicked into the gutter. Enemies are always looking for your weaknesses so they can tear you down. Because of that… most of us end our lives in the dirt."

I listened in silence.

"But now… I want my life to have more meaning. Of course, I know if I live my life with such a reckless goal, there will certainly come a time when I come crashing down. That's the life of a wealthy merchant. Falling into greed, trying to chase and pursue higher ideals, only to eventually fall to your death."

It wasn't easy for a person to stop having such ambitions and peacefully end their life's journey. Most people were like butterflies jumping straight into the fire, living a life of desire before burning to the ground. That was what it meant to live the life of a wealthy merchant.

And it seemed that Lortel thought no differently of herself.

"I'm not sure. I've always lived my life walking on the edge, but I don't think I'll be retiring any time soon."

Lortel still had the ambitions of a merchant. And more than anything else, she was still too young. Even if she were to retire, there was still a lot of work ahead of her that she would need to take care of.

"I see…"

"In the first place, it's not easy for merchants to retire…"

Lortel looked down at the ground and said, "By the time you realize it, you're already trapped, entangled in countless relationships that form one's better interests. They aren't things you can so easily just break free from. And once you learn the secrets of the trade, it becomes impossible to simply retire. The market here in Oldek could drastically change with just one man's retirement."

"That must be difficult."

"Well, some merchants make sure to build plans for the future. That way they can retire without any trouble… There are also those that steal money and erase any trace that leads back to them. Though, cases like that are rather rare."

"…"

"But probably just as you'd expect, in most cases, merchants don't retire until death."

Sad as it was, death was the easiest and cleanest way to retire. Lortel quietly told me those words. We continued to walk along the pier together while having such a conversation.

The cool early morning air had become much colder. Summer was over and autumn had arrived.

Lortel hugged my arm as she smiled, talking a bit brighter. She changed the subject as if the depressing topic wasn't something worth discussing yet.

"Well, it feels special to walk along the pier here in Oldek with you, Ed. I've lived my entire life here in this place that's filled with merchants, but on this quiet early morning, the atmosphere is much different than I'm used to…"

"It won't be long before those hardworking merchants come back out on the streets."

"That's right. This city has always been like that. Anyway, you asked me to walk with you to help me feel better, right? But there's no need for you to be so considerate. I'm really fine."

The corner of Lortel's mouth went up. She rubbed her head on my shoulder as she uttered words of happiness.

"Well, that was part of the reason, but there was also something I wanted to check."

"Something you wanted to check?"

"Well, it's not that big of a deal, but there's someone I wanted to help."

"What?""

At the moment Lortel responded, someone could be seen farther down the road. He had a large body and a shabby robe. It was hard to see his face from where we were. He walked slowly. The way his frayed robe moved, he looked like a ghost that was walking down the pier of Oldek.

…But he was just a passerby.

Lortel and I were simply walking to the Elte Company, where Secretary Lienna was waiting. But that man far away, who slowly walked along the pier, looked as if he were trying to take the boat out at early dawn.

Lortel and I walked closer to him with our arms interlocked.

Lortel and I… didn't say a word. However, the mysterious man in the robe continued to carefully walk step by step… When he was right in front of us, he paused for a moment.

Then, very slightly…he lowered his head. And then he continued to pass by us as if nothing had happened.

Like that, the two of us continued moving towards our own respective destinations. He was going to his destination. We were going to ours.

As was the case with most relationships in one's life.

Just a passing relationship.

Lortel, who was hugging my arm, suddenly opened her eyes. Did she notice something? Lortel was smart enough to notice something the moment I responded to her question in a strange way as we walked down the pier.

However, there was no need to explain anymore.

"Excuse me."

Lortel quickly called out to that man.

The man had already passed us by and was now far away. He seemed quite busy as if his ship was soon to depart.

No one knew why the man was rushing to board a ship that left so early in the morning. After all, that was his own business.

Not turning her body around, she only moved her head… She then looked towards that man.

The man wearing the shabby robe also turned his head slightly. Of course, we still couldn't see his face. Because of the robe that completely covered his body, it was hard to even make out the shape of his body.

It was a situation where it would be impossible to recognize who he was, yet Lortel was convinced that she recognized him. Then, she started to smile.

"The seasons are changing, so the night air is getting cold. Once you head out to sea, I'm sure it will be even colder."

The man still hid in the darkness of the robe, not moving one inch.

"Please dress warmly. It will be very cold."

After Lortel said that, silence filled the air. On the quiet streets of Oldek, there was a moment of emptiness.

"…Ha."

The man stayed silent for some time as if wondering what to say.

The sound of seagulls. The sound of the crashing waves. The sound of workers heading to work in the distance.

The sounds that make up the early morning of Oldek slowly began to fill that empty silence.

After staying silent for a while, he finally opened his mouth.

"Alright. I'll keep that in mind."

And like that, he responded as if it wasn't a big deal. From his tone of voice, you could infer that he was an elderly man.

"Thanks for the advice."

After that short exchange of words, they both turn their heads, going back down their own path.

That was how merchants said goodbye.

Meeting in passing and breaking up in passing. If they became close, perhaps they would share a conversation and brag about a good deal. Other than that, they would simply walk away from each other.

And just like that, the two of them walked away from each other.

Lortel held onto my arm tightly as we continued to walk down the road. She had a smile on her face.

The gentle sea breeze passed through her hair.

"…I didn't even give him his severance pay."

Lortel walked with her head buried in my shoulder, lamenting briefly. The crescent moon that was still in the sky looked as if it were smiling with her.

* * *

The two-arm scales of the Elte Company were always balanced.

The merchants of the Elte Company always laughed at such a deceitful saying. That was because merchants knew better than anyone that there was no such thing as a perfectly balanced scale in the world.

"Wow. You really went wild."

As we walked into the lobby, Lortel was in shock. The outer walls were broken, and the entire interior of the place was in shambles. I had to create as big a scene as possible, so it couldn't be helped.

Still, Secretary Lienna seems to have taken care of the major things.

She had already finished compiling a list of merchants that were on Slogg's side. Now that Slogg—the former head of the store—was dead, there was no room for them.

"You went through a lot."

"Lienna, I've shown you a rather shameful side of me."

"No. That was inevitable…"

Like always, Lienna was very reliable. Being Lortel's secretary for such a long time, she has become rather capable herself. Lienna went through a lot herself, being kidnapped and imprisoned by Slogg… Still, at the end of the day, it seemed that Slogg had released her with his own hands.

After all, Secretary Lienna was just another card that the old merchant used to make sure his plan would be complete.

"You must have a lot on your mind still. Please rest for a little longer. I will be able to sort out the destroyed headquarters myself. We have a lot of workers to use. Before the sun is high in the sky, we will be able to take care of everything urgent."

"But it would still be better for the two of us to stay here. We need to check the damages, after all."

Since I was the one who caused the damage in the first place, I felt a little embarrassed. But like I said already, that couldn't be helped. Without causing that much of a scene, the merchants of the Elte Company wouldn't have been so easily deceived.

"And maybe it's an early celebration, but…" Secretary Lienna spoke with her head down. "You'll finally become the official new head of the Elte Company. Congratulations."

"Like you said, it's too early."

With a soft smile, Lortel thanked Lienna.

Nearby workers, who were cleaning up the broken building, started to look our way. That was right. Now Lortel Kehelland had finally become the new head of the Elte Company.

Behind her was the powerful House Rothstaylor, the empire's capital Kroelon, and the holy capital Karpea. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she had every major trade route on the continent in the palm of her hand.

"And the name the 'Elte Company' is starting to get old…"

It was the first decision she made after coming to power.

The age of the Golden King was over. Now it was the time of Lortel Kehelland. The name Elte would disappear from history.

"We are much too big to simply call ourselves a company. Considering all the small businesses under our control, it would be far better to call ourselves a major commercial union."

As Lortel said, the Elte Company had become much too big to just be considered a single company.

It wasn't just a place for business… It was now a group that gathered and listened to the voices of all merchants.

And the leader sitting on top of the union was none other than Lortel Kehelland. She is the one who has the authority to coordinate internal union regulations and negotiate with other groups as the representative.

It was safe to say that she had become a queen, reigning above all merchants who risked their lives for money.

"There will be more paperwork for the government office as well," Secretary Lienna responded with a subtle smile. "I will gather the necessary documents to have them processed, Union President."

Having abandoned the name of the Elte Company, it was time to rename it as a commercial union. There were countless names that could be put together, but Lortel wasn't particularly worried about that.

As if she was led by something, she naturally uttered the new name. Lienna smiled and nodded her head upon hearing the new name.

* * *

The room that used to be the Elte Company's head office was also completely destroyed.

When Ed and Lortel entered together, there was barely anywhere to sit. That was because of all the dust and debris that came from the outer wall being broken into.

Lortel looked around as she swept the dirt off the table to sit on it. She then called on Ed to come over and sit next to her. She buried her head on his shoulder as she had the brightest smile there was.

Outside of the broken wall, you could see the boats at the pier getting ready to set sail. There probably weren't many people trying to leave Oldek so early in the morning, but it seemed they were still ready to depart.

That ship was ready to set sail out towards the ocean, far beyond the horizon.

In Oldek, when the night ended but before morning came…that boat left as if it were being chased.

Then, as if nothing happened, the sun in the commercial city would rise again.

It was still dark out. The crescent moon could still be seen above the horizon.

With that soft moonlight shining down on the continent, others would still be asleep for a while longer. However, there were always going to be hard workers who opened their eyes at such a time.

In the carriage heading to the Rothstaylor Estate, Bell opened the window as she looked up at the stars in the bluish night sky.

Tanya Rothstaylor, who sat in her office, checked the messenger pigeon that was sent from Oldek.

Secretary Lienna was giving out instructions to the workers, clearing away the debris of the destroyed building.

As for those who would have a bright day when the sun rose, they were still fast asleep. But even when the rest of the world was asleep, the moon still smiled down on those who were working hard.

* * *

"Th-that can't be…! Th-that's not what you said…! I'm sure you said the boarding fee to Telos would be seven coins! How can you do this?!"

On the pier at late dawn, a boy was having a scuffle with a sailor.

For the first time in his life, that young boy was getting ready to set sail. He complained to the crew with a depressed expression, but the crew paid no attention to him.

"You're the one who's acting out, kid! Look at the scale! It's obviously not in balance! And if ain't balanced, we can't help you! Are you sure your coins are even real!"

"Wh-what are you saying?! That's ridiculous! I just got these coins from the bank!"

"How are we supposed to believe that? You need to pay us the right amount! Throw in another coin!"

Anyone could tell that it was unfair. The scale the sailor had put on the table wasn't level at all. The boy felt wronged, but he couldn't get eaten by those vicious-looking sailors.

"If you can't pay the fare, you can't ride the boat! That's the ru—"

Clink.

Just before the altercation intensified any further, a gold coin was thrown onto the scale.

As it was a heavy gold coin, the scale tilted completely. It was nearly the pay of six people's boarding fees.

When the boy turned his head in surprise, a man in a shabby robe was putting his wallet back in his pocket. The sailors started at each, completely stunned. They then quickly went over and guided him.

"P-please come inside and aboard."

"Thanks."

The man in the robe patted the boy on the shoulder a few times before disappearing further into the ship.

Caw. Caw.

A few seagulls were out on the deck, staring at the distant horizon. The man in the robe also stared blankly out at the distant sea, leaning against the ship's railing.

"Th-thank you for earlier. I-I was sure I had the right amount of coins, but… I don't know why the scale wasn't balancing…"

"You should have checked the scale properly. It's a common trick used against people who look gullible. Next time, make sure to not fall for such an obvious trick."

The boy was surprised to hear the rough voice of the man. The sailboat, which left Oldek at early dawn, was always full of people with all sorts of circumstances. Yet among all of them, that man seemed to be the most special.

"I…I never thought they would mess with the scale…"

"You should have known from the start that there is no such thing as a perfectly balanced scale."

The boy dreamed of becoming a peddler who ventured around the world. He was embarrassed that he couldn't even see through such a basic trick.

"Uhm… Can I ask you what you usually do?"

The man thought about how he should answer. He then showed a smile on his face. Seeing the boy reminded him of his own childhood where he was constantly stabbed in the back and tricked because he couldn't use a scale.

Everyone goes through a time like that.

The golden king Elte. The union president Lortel. At the start, they were all inexperienced and anxious rookies.

The man pulled his hood off. His grayish-white hair could be seen. A veteran merchant. A man who had spent most of his life in Oldek.

But now, that was all in the past.

"I used to work with money myself. But now I'm a retired old man."

In the boy's eyes, he was looking at a veteran merchant that was full of stories. He was in a daze. Standing next to him, the boy looked out at the moon over the horizon.

The man had boarded a ship to leave the commercial city of Oldek. A place he had spent his life.

Far in the distance, he could see a broken building. After looking at it for a moment, the old merchant looked down with a smile on his face.

"Let me tell you something, boy."

The old man who had experienced it all was going to tell a story to a young boy who didn't even know how a scale works.

"A two-arm scale can never be perfectly balanced. But that doesn't really matter."

"…What?'

"That's just how relationships are."

As you received help and gave help, the scales would always end up leaning to one side. In the end, something would face a loss.

But when you met someone who didn't care about that, that was who you could call a companion for life.

In fact, in a way, before a merchant finds a partner, it is probably better for them to find a lifetime companion.

After all, if you had people on your side, you could survive in the world for a long time.

The sea breeze passed, ruffling his robe. The man patted the hem of his clothes a few times as he leaned against the railing, looking out at the scenery.

The ship was still far from reaching its final destination, but now there was someone to talk to, so it wouldn't be a boring journey.

Looking at the broken building in the distance, he started to think to himself.

Oldek's nights are long. It would be great if one were to take a long break.

But not yet. There was still a long way to go.

* * *

With the sea breeze passing by, Lortel fell into a short rest. The two-arm scale was slanted, but she didn't care.

Lortel Kehelland. The head of Oldek's General Commercial Union, Three Golden Coins.

Before she was a cold-blooded merchant, she was also a woman.

-x-X-x-

Side Story 24: Chasing Butterflies (1)

I once saw a stray cat chasing a butterfly while I walked down a quiet street.

Its eyes were drawn to the butterfly's fluttering wings as it eagerly chased after them. Sadly, such butterflies were rarely ever caught by a cat's small paws.

But eventually, that cat was led to a flower field that was full of butterflies. He watched them all fly high into the blue sky.

The sight of the butterfly flapping its wings looked like a flower in flight. The cat would keep following it all the way to the flower field.

It was an animal with no home. Nowhere to go back to.

Not tied down to anything, it spent its days simply chasing the butterfly… Before he knew it, the scenery around him had drastically changed. It was impossible for him to know just how far he had traveled since he first started chasing it.

But that didn't matter.

The road was his home. For the cat that continuously chased butterflies for a long time, as if possessed, none of it was a major change to his life.

It would always fall asleep on the ground with the sky as its roof. And when the sun rose, it would continue its leisurely walk down the road.

Like that, time continued to pass by.

That was the life of a stray cat.

* * *

"Amputator Zellan."

At the start of the new semester, the scenery of Silvenia was quite different than usual.

The students and faculty were all still full of energy, but as time passed, the campus would slowly become busier and wither away at their excitement.

At that moment, the atmosphere was like a flower that bloomed in the warm spring. Those who thought of their school life as a romantic journey would praise the atmosphere, calling it the most beautiful and brilliant moment of their lives.

"My old comrade… You should find her…"

Outside of the lively school atmosphere, there was a man who looked as if he was about to die.

My senior professor, Kaleid Roxster.

Seeing him rub at his chin like that was a rather pathetic sight. He had been hungover since early morning, but when he saw me smoking off in the corner, he waved his hand as he came over to me.

As for me, I was busy trying to come up with the curriculum for the semester's Elemental Studies class. I was on my way to meet with the other professors.

That was when I ran into Professor Kaleid. When I saw him, I remembered I had something to ask.

The body of the ultimate wind spirit, Tyrcalaques.

When I showed him the ultimate artifact I had found in Yennekar's hometown, Kaleid opened his eyes wide as he looked at me.

When I asked him how I should make good use of it, he ended up saying the name of the famous magician, 'Amputator Zellan.'

"I don't know where you found the body of an ultimate-rank spirit, but there's no one on Acken Island that can afford such a thing."

It was just a small, bead-like object, but its value was tremendous. It required a special type of magic power processing to properly utilize it.

"Ugh… Wait…I feel so nauseous…"

"Did you drink yesterday?"

"I did… Yesterday, the day before… Three days ago…"

I was no longer surprised to see Professor Kaleid drunk before school started.

He groaned for a moment as if he were on the verge of throwing up. He let out a deep exhale before he laid back on the bench.

"It's something I found in Pulan."

"Hey. I heard that you were causing a mess in Oldek for some internal dispute, so when did you make the time to go to Pulan? It seems our new professor had a very fruitful break this time."

"I just did it all while doing the work the school assigned to me."

I would've complained to him about how busy I was as I worked my ass off during the break, but I knew Professor Kaleid wouldn't care about that.

"Anyway, my old friend Zellan was quite skilled when it came to processing artifacts like these. I still remember her quite clearly. She helped me a lot during the war with the non-humans."

Inquisitor Glast, Outlaw Kaleid, Amputator Zellan.

The names of the three magicians who were said to have slaughtered the largest number of non-humans in the world. I heard countless stories about how they helped the Guardian Obel Forsyth, making great contributions to the subjugation of the non-humans in the northern regions.

However, Glast had tragically died and Kaleid had stepped away from the front lines to become a professor.

But where was Zellan now? And what is she doing?

"That girl must be old now… Maybe not a grandmother's age yet. But an auntie…?"

"Can you think of a place she is?"

"Well… She's someone who always disappears, only to show up in the most random of places… Still, they say for the past few years she's been walking the Lamelin Mountain Range researching the archmage Glockt."

Even though she was old, she was still full of energy and passion. After he said that, he took out some more tobacco. Professor Kaleid had an awful appearance, not suiting the image of a teacher.

"Glockt Elderbane?"

"Yeah. The one every magician on this continent is familiar with. That man has left behind many relics and magic engineering devices."

Glockt Elderbane. A magician who was well-versed in all fields of magic. The relics and magic engineering devices left behind must all have been of a high level.

"Those items he used or studied when he was still alive are all over the place. However, there are rumors that a fully intact and completed item was hidden somewhere in the Lamelin Mountain Range."

"I've never heard of that rumor before…"

"Me either. After all, if such rumors were well known, treasure hunters would have filled the entire mountain ranges, tearing everything down to find the treasure Glockt left behind."

It was a bit of an exaggeration, but many people would have certainly searched every inch of the mountain range.

Glockt Elderbane was a famous magician. The book he wrote before his death was now worth thousands of gold coins alone. So, whatever was buried in the mountains was valuable in terms of magic research, historical significance, and monetary value…

"I think it's just some stupid rumor, but it seems Zellan knows something."

I didn't know everything, but it seemed that Zellan was wandering around the Lamelin Mountain Range to find whatever Glockt had left behind.

"Hmm…"

"Why, do you have any guesses?"

"No. But as you know, I'm protecting Glockt's favored pupil at my estate."

"Ah. That small girl that's like a stray cat."

Lucy Mayreel.

A magician who was so powerful that she could control the world if she so pleased. However, at that moment she was taking a break and restoring the magic power she had lost.

"She was personally taught by the Archmage Glockt and lived with him in the Lamelin Mountain Range for several years. So, she probably knows Glockt's past residence better than anyone else."

"…Zellan would be happy to hear that."

"Do you think if I tell her the location of Glockt's past residence, she will help me process Tyrcalaques?"

"Of course. In fact, you could probably get money out of her as well."

I felt like I was starting to learn more about the Amputator Zellan. She was curious, adventurous, and a decent person. I also heard that she was the one who asked the Abbess at Cledric Monastery to protect the non-humans.

Although she was nicknamed 'Amputator' after slaughtering countless non-humans, she still protected the young non-humans who did no harm.

"Though, I find it hard to believe that something was left behind in Glockt's old residence…"

"You think so? Rather, don't you think there is going to be something big, worthy of a famous archmage?"

I heard that Lucy left Glockt's residence as soon as he died… Chances were that the residence was still exactly the same as when Lucy left it.

Of course, since it was a simple log cabin, it might have deteriorated and collapsed over time.

The problem was… How to find Zellan?

The issue was that the semester had started. I couldn't just leave my responsibilities as a teacher behind. Like I said before, I needed to work my hardest given how much I was paid.

"Well, if it's not urgent, you can just take your time to think about it. Or was there some reason you had to process the artifact right away?"

"That's not it…" I sat on the bench as I continued to smoke my tobacco. "But I have some ideas…about Ultimate-rank Spiritual Skills…"

I continued to talk as I gathered magic power at my fingertips. At the tips of my fingers, a small amount of wind blew before fading away.

I was already fully accustomed to using the power of the high-ranking wind spirit Merilda. That was why it was time for me to move on to the next step. Professor Kaleid listened to me with a grin on his face.

"As expected, you're wild."

If I had to pick which one of us was wilder, I thought Professor Kaleid would be closer to it.

"Anyway, for the time being, I'll just have to focus on my work as a professor… I can take my time and think things through. When I go back to my estate, I'll try talking with Lucy. Though, I don't have any plans to head back home soon."

"Well, that can't be helped. But as you know…things don't always go as planned."

"…Why would you say something so scary?"

"Well, no reason."

Professor Kaleid laid back on the bench, laughing. Despite everything, he was still a good man.

* * *

"Professor Ed. All of the documents you asked for have been organized. Should I bring them to the classroom?"

"No, you can give it to me now. I'll look over them when I have time."

"Yes. Please wait a moment."

In the laboratory that the school prepared for me, I had six different assistants. One of them was a clever guy holding a stack of documents. As I had asked him to do, he put the documents down on my desk one by one.

"Uhm… Professor Ed. May I ask you a personal question?"

"…What is it?"

"While I was reviewing Silvenia Academy's academic records, I happened to see Lucy Mayreel's records…"

He was a quick and smart kid, so I decided to take care of him. Hoping I could answer his questions and help him, I listened to what he had to say. But surprisingly, he ended up saying Lucy's name.

"Uhm… What was Lucy like when you were a student?"

I was silent.

"Given how legendary Lucy is, she must have been a model for all the students…"

The name Lucy Mayreel was already a legend at Silvenia Academy.

Lucy had reached a point where all the students thought of her as an idol, even though she never graduated or finished her academic studies, as she had dropped out.

Still, made sense. Ever since entering Silvenia Academy, everything she had achieved went far beyond setting records at the school. She was reaching glorious achievements that would go down in the history of the empire as one of the greatest.

She had fought against the Holy Blue Dragon Velbrok for hours on her own. She neutralized the magic of the Great Sage Silvenia… No one could predict just what kind of monster she would grow up to become if her talent continued to blossom.

Because she was considered the most talented magician of this century, countless rumors about her circulated here in the school.

Intellectual appearance. Always walking with a sense of dignity and grace. Beautiful and thoughtful. She walked around with a gentle smile on her face, representing the students of Silvenia.

…Rumors were bound to be exaggerated, but anyone who knew Lucy Mayreel personally would know that was beyond ridiculous. Of course, there was no reason for Silvenia Academy to say otherwise. So, naturally, those false rumors were never proven wrong and only continued to grow bigger.

"She's…like my idol…"

I was speechless for a moment, looking at this boy's curious and innocent eyes. Even though he asked me what she was like in school… There was no way I could lie and say she was a hard-working student.

However, I couldn't disrespectfully trample on the dreams and wild imagination of such a young child…

"…Lucy…"

Yes…I was also a part of the school. So, it only made sense for me to do things that benefited the school. And regardless of whether it was true or not, as long as it motivated the students to work hard, wasn't that fine?

I couldn't avoid answering any longer. I decided that sometimes, honesty was not the answer.

"Yes…Lucy… She was an incredible magician. One that every magician looked up to…"

"J-just like I thought… I always wondered what kind of person she was…"

It was a relief that her astronomical number of demerits and absences weren't left behind in her academic records.

Thank the heavens she chose to drop out.

"Even though she could quickly master any magic without much ever, she never neglected her training and was always sincere."

I… I felt kind of guilty saying such things…

Anyway, Lucy was stuck at the estate after losing her magic power… It wasn't like anyone was going to meet her soon. And that way, I could at least motivate the student to study…

"I also want to become a magician like Lucy someday…"

"It's possible if you work hard. Everything is achievable, so continue to work hard towards your goals."

"Yes… I might be weak now, but I'll do my best to someday be like Lucy."

My assistant clenched both of his fists with a fire in his eyes.

Yeah… That was enough.

* * *

Once the semester started, Ed Rothstaylor was rarely ever able to return to his estate. It couldn't be helped, as he was busy taking care of his job as a professor.

I miss Ed… It was only natural for her to start having such thoughts.

Lucy Mayreel lay on her bed in her pajamas, staring at the ceiling of her room.

It had already been a few years since she lost her magic power and entrusted herself to the Rothstaylor Estate. Now, she could handle some magic power on her own. But considering the enormous amount she used to wield in the past, that much was far too weak.

She shot flame from her fingertips, sending it flying into the air. She then raised her hand, grabbing ahold of it.

Even though years passed, she could now use beginner magic. Even though it wasn't a powerful spell, in the hands of Lucy, that changed.

Veterans who had wielded knives for decades were able to overpower beasts with just their knives.

Although it was only beginner magic, Lucy's magic power resonance was incredible. That meant she could use it infinitely by only requiring a small amount of magic power to cast it.

Even though it was just beginner fire magic, in the hands of Lucy, that power was completely different.

After staying at the Rothstaylor Mansion for so long, she had already learned the lifestyle patterns of the maids. Not having seen Ed Rothstaylor for some time now, the tip of her nose was starting to get itchy.

Looking up blankly at the ceiling, Lucy suddenly said, "…Maybe I should escape…"

…That was a sign of a major incident.