Step step.
Our footsteps echoed in the empty library.
«Woman, what is your name?»
«...I am Harin Savy»
«Your name is as unique as your appearance». Anyone listening to me would consider that comment almost racist. Of course, that was only if the speaker was a normal person.
Being a barbarian is great.
My fellow barbarians and I had complete immunity when it came to being seen as discriminators.
Maybe that's why Harin responded to me without apparently being offended. «You're not the first to think that my name and appearance are unique. There aren't many people in the city who have Eastern Continent blood as thick as mine».
«Were your ancestors from the Eastern Continent?»
«Yeah. My ancestors were merchants who were lucky enough to be in this city when the calamity began. Thanks to that, they were able to survive and avoid devastation.»
«...I see.»
It was a concise explanation that left me no room to ask questions and all the more bewildered by it. Normally, evil spirits would not have as much knowledge about their families and ancestors...
But if she's Hyeonbyeol, that general rule might not apply.
Even though I was suspicious, I proceeded with my next question. «What is your relationship with Countess Peprok?»
«I've been lucky enough to be by his side for a while».
So I hadn't been with her that long. She was beginning to convince me even more, but unfortunately we reached our destination before I had time to question her further.
«Now I say goodbye».
«Okay. Thanks, Harin».
And he left politely.
I put aside my suspicions about his identity and focused on the present, where I encountered a familiar figure with blue eyes and hair. However, unlike before, it had a clearly noble air. Maybe it was the way she wore her hair up, revealing her cleavage.
«It's been a long time, Bjorn Yandel.»
His way of speaking was the same. Its unusual appearance baffled me for a moment, but it didn't take me long to feel a sense of familiarity. «Yes, it's been a while, Ragna. No, I guess I should call you Countess Peprok» now.
«I see you're still making jokes like always».
He wasn't trying to make a joke, though. I was asking seriously. Since he wasn't addressing me as Baron Yandel, I had a feeling I knew what kind of relationship he was looking for. «And you have changed a little».
«Is that so...?»
Was it by hair?
Ragna said the words under her breath as she fiddled with her hair. Even considering her new hairstyle and outfit, she still had a more mature look than before. She had always seemed somewhat anxious then, with an abrasive exterior hiding a soft side. But now... how to say it? She seemed much more approachable, but at the same time more serious.
«I never thought it was possible. I can't believe you're really alive, Yandel».
«I couldn't believe it either when I heard about you. I knew you had the odd story, but I never imagined you would turn out to be the prime minister's daughter».
"...¿Which?"
«...¿Hm?»
Ragna's face froze for a moment, and then she frowned. «What are you talking about? Am I the prime minister's daughter?».
«...Are you not?»
«No! I mean, I don't think so. Unless... Well, that would answer some of the questions I have».
What the hell was going on here?
***
«First, let's clarify things. Yandel, where did you hear that I am the marquis' daughter?»
«Um ...»
«If you're worried about revealing your source, at least tell me to what extent you're sure it's true. I beg you».
«I was sure it was true, at least until now».
«That means the information comes from a reliable source».
Um? Was that how she saw it? But he didn't even know Deer's real name or face.
Although I was a little taken aback by this sudden plot twist, I tried to stay calm. «If possible... Would you mind telling me your story? So maybe I can offer you some advice».
Ragna took a moment to think about my request, but cautiously began to speak shortly after. «Alright. Not that I can hide it forever. And more importantly, it's not something you think should be kept hidden».
Those words alone were enough to show how much Ragna had changed. Before, no matter how much I asked her, she refused to talk about her past and seemed dejected. It was clear that she had matured a lot since the last time I saw her.
As I admired her growth, Ragna slowly began to tell me her story. «When I was a child, my governess always told me one thing: 'Ragna, you should lead a quiet life away from the public eye. Only then can you reward him'. As you know, I'm not actually from the House of Peprok. My father simply made me borrow the name of a fallen house so that I could live a quiet and independent life.»
«Ya veo... »
«I don't know who my father is, but my governess told me that he is an extremely powerful nobleman, so if people knew I existed, it would bring me a lot of problems. Oh, and he told me that even though he couldn't meet me in person because of that, he still loved me and looked out for me. I loved my governess, but I never believed her when she told me she loved me. Still, I decided to listen to him. I led a quiet and discreet life and stopped seeking magic as more than just a hobby. I had a lot of fun learning magic, but for some reason it kept getting the attention of others when I used it».
So that's why a mage of her caliber, whose magic was rank five or higher at such a young age, had been working in a simple library.
«I really loved her. He was willing to make some sacrifices to follow his advice».
«Is the governess you are talking about... her name is Litaniel?».
«Yes that's right.»
It is not surprising that she only appeared under the name Countess Ragna Peprok. His full name was not his real name.
«And what about your mother? Do you know what happened to him?»
«I heard she died the day she gave birth to me».
«I see...» After silently assimilating Ragna's story, most of the questions he had about her were answered. However, what was really important was not the past, but the future. «And what happened next?»
What happened to Ragna while she was trapped in the past? Why had the woman who wanted to live a quiet life away from prying eyes suddenly become a countess?
«Not long after you were declared an evil spirit, Marquis Tercerion approached me with an offer.».
«...Did the marquis do it?»
«Yeah. He offered me the opportunity to relive the fallen House of Peprok if I worked for him. I went and accepted his offer».
That was completely unexpected. «Why did you do that? You didn't even realize he could be your father at the time».
«I, of course, rejected it at first. Although my governess had already passed away, I still didn't feel comfortable entering the public eye so openly, but... I changed my mind after hearing what the marquis wanted from me.»
«Can you tell me what it is?»
«I wanted it to come to the fore so we could begin the process of accepting evil spirits as normal members of society».
For a moment, I found myself unable to respond. So that was the reason why Ragna had reactivated the National Incorporation Bill. However, there was something critical about all this that didn't make sense: why would the marquis suddenly make such an offer? Y...
«Why did you change your mind after hearing what you wanted?»
Why would Ragna suddenly want evil spirits to be accepted? It didn't take him long to explain it.
«It's because I know». His answer was simple. «I know there are also good people who are evil spirits... and I didn't want my friend to be remembered that way». As I stared at her, stunned, Ragna avoided my eyes, her voice getting lower and lower. «Is it really that strange?»
I exhaled the sigh I had been holding back and finally replied: «Yes, it's strange».
Ragna and I weren't very friends. We were something intermediate between acquaintances and friends, no more, no less. We were happy to see each other when we had the chance, but it wouldn't have been strange if we distanced ourselves and lost contact completely.
Right, that should have been the case...
«I see... Then maybe it was...»
Before he could continue to misunderstand me, I blurted out: «But thanks, Ragna. Really».
There was nothing more I could tell him.
***
We remained in awkward silence for an untold number of minutes. Finally, I dared and broke the silence.
«The letter you gave me. I didn't have the time written».
«Oh... well... I forgot to write one because I was in a hurry».
Just what I thought. I smiled as I asked him another question. «Come to think of it, it seems like you've been waiting here for a while. When did you arrive?»
«...I didn't wait that long. Don't worry.»
Well, if she said so. In any case, the issue led to the closure of the library today. I was surprised to see that the entire library was closed. It wasn't entirely absurd to imagine that a countess could rent the library for an entire day, but still...
«I didn't expect you to do something like that».
«It is not good to attract attention unnecessarily».
«Hmm, then you could have asked me to meet somewhere else».
«That's true... but I thought it would be nice if we could meet here again.»
To tell the truth, I felt the same. «So you decided to pull some strings?»
I had said it deliberately lightly to make fun of her, but Ragna simply put on a confused face at my question and, surprisingly, replied shamelessly. «Yeah. Is there any problem? It's okay, right? Act selfish like this at least from time to time».
«Oh, uh, yeah...» I was speechless again.
It didn't take long for the tension to relax again as we continued exchanging short talks. We even talked about Shavin Emoor, a mutual friend. After laughing and having a good time together for a while, we finally got back to more serious topics.
«Ragna, I have something to ask you». To be honest, I hadn't come today with the intention of asking you this. At first, I wanted to recruit her to our side so we could use her to get more information about the marquis. But... «Have you ever considered resigning your position as countess?»
After hearing his story, I didn't dare ask him that. All he wanted now was to help Ragna escape this power struggle.
Of course, my hopes were immediately dashed. «I don't know why you ask me that, but no. I have no intention of resigning from my position».
«Why do you say that? Because the marquis could be your father?».
«That's irrelevant to me. Now I will spend the rest of my life irrevocably linked to that man despite everything.»
«That doesn't explain why you insist on being a countess. I have returned and freed myself from all suspicion. There's no reason to go that far anymore, right?».
«Yes, there is, because this is the most important thing I could do».
«...I don't understand.»
«I've spent all this time combing through countless cases, all to help prove that evil spirits are not inherently evil.»
«...So you're saying that whether I'm in the equation or not, are you serious about this goal of yours?»
«You could think that way, yes».
I had never thought that Ragna was doing all this on a whim, but now I could see how serious she was. I sighed. I had to change my approach. «So why don't you distance yourself from the marquis, at least? You don't seem to have any intention of approving the agenda you are pushing».
«...What do you mean?»
«I heard that when you raised it in the royal assembly, the marquis was the one who most opposed the bill».
«I... can admit that it also seemed strange to me. However, he later explained to me that the basis of my policy was too weak. If I tried to take her further, the other nobles would attack me instead.»
"...¿Which?"
«If in the future I can present a better policy that can also persuade some of the other nobles, he said he would openly support me».
«And you believe it?»
«Why shouldn't I? This was the reason why the marquis approached me in the first place.»
«But...» Sure, that was what it seemed from the outside, but no one could know what the marquis' true point of view was. Ragna had done well on his own, so why would he suddenly approach him with a proposal to accept evil spirits under the National Incorporation bill?
«Yandel, it seems you hate the marquis. Is that so?» Ragna's question was sudden, but unlike before, it carried a hint of scathing disapproval beneath the surface.
...Why did she say she would be with him forever? Is it because he could be his father?
Blood ties were not always so easy to break, even when done of their own free will. Damn, this complicated things even more.
«It's not that I hate the marquis. It's just that... I think his reasons for approaching you seem a little suspicious». I rushed to try to offer some kind of explanation before my relationship with Ragna fell apart.
Fortunately, Ragna seemed to believe me. «I see. I know very well what worries you... but don't worry. Now I can take care of myself».
I was jealous that he could say that.
I should worry about myself first...
After all, he still couldn't say the same about me.
***
It was barely noon when I separated from Ragna and left the library. We had been chatting when she was suddenly pushed aside.
«Harin, did the marquis call me?»
«Yeah. He said he'll explain why when you see each other».
«...Why are you looking at me?». asked. «Do not apologize. I was going to leave soon anyway since I was getting hungry».
«Then I'll get in touch soon».
«Okay. As I said before, don't tell the marquis that you met me».
«Of course. I don't want the marchioness to use our relationship for political gain. Oh, and don't worry. Harin also knows how to keep lips sealed».
Ragna left with Harin, the secretary whose ancestors came from the eastern continent. I saw them slowly walk away.
Harin ...
While talking to Ragna, I also gained quite a bit of information about the woman named Harin. They met a year ago in this same library. Even after leaving her job as a librarian, Ragna visited her frequently to research the National Incorporation bill. That's how he ended up meeting Harin and strengthening ties with her.
«The more I got to know Harin, the more I started to like him. I realized she was more talented than I thought, so I hired her as a secretary».
That was the story Ragna told me about how the couple formed.
Harin... Just as I suspected, she must be Hyeonbyeol.
Now he was sure that Harin was Hyeonbyeol. Well, strictly speaking, there was no one else it could be since Ragna had no helpers other than Harin. The problem was...
She would definitely have realized that Ragna was a noble because of his attire and the air he gave off. Hyeonbyeol must have intentionally approached Ragna to get closer to her.
Having reconstructed what was happening, one thing still worried me.
«Recently, I have made a connection with a powerful person. I can use that to support you».
This «powerful person» that Hyeonbyeol mentioned the other day...
Tap, tap.
Was he really referring to Ragna, or....?
...No. I don't think he was lying when I asked him on orders who worked.
I shook my head. He was sure he knew Hyeonbyeol well. Instead of assuming he was trying to trick me, the most reasonable assumption was this:
Ragna Litaniel Peprok tien un secreto.
A huge secret that I didn't know yet.