By Zephyria “Come to think of it, it’s almost your birthday.”
Flynn, who had been looking out the window, opened his mouth while fixing his gaze. In the foggy landscape, trees that looked as if they had been drawn with a brush were lined up in a row. New leaves were budding on the drooping branches. The sight of water particles clinging to the leaves was not eerie, but rather created a dreamy mystery.
After entering the Duke’s estate, there was often a lot of this water fog on the way to the mansion by carriage. Flynn had always loved this scenery since he was a child.
The smell of wet soil that brushed against the tip of his nose was a bonus. The clear air and the scent of nature purified his mind and body, which had been suffering all day.
He was about to open the window a little more, but he realized that he hadn’t received an answer and suddenly turned his head.
“…….”
Opposite him, the Captain was leaning against the seat with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, without moving. They were scheduled to arrive in about 10 minutes, but he carefully closed the window he was about to open, hoping that he could take a nap, even a short one.
However, as soon as the window frame was closed, a half-asleep voice came out.
“You can open it.”
Heavy-looking eyelids opened thinly like a thread. Through the gap, tired eyes were revealed. Flynn flinched and whispered softly.
“Did I wake you up?”
“No, I was awake. We’ll be there soon.”
Hugo replied, rubbing his face dryly. The dry sound of his palm brushing against his face made it clear that he had fallen into a fairly deep sleep. Feeling sorry, Flynn opened the lid of the water bottle and handed it to Hugo.
Hugo, who had taken about two sips, handed the water bottle back to Flynn and asked.
“What did you say a little while ago?”
“Yes? Ah… I said it’s almost your birthday.”
“…I see.”
“Are you planning to spend it quietly again this year?”
As he cautiously asked, a dry answer came back.
“Well, I don’t know if it will be as I wish.”
He was busy, so he might have forgotten about it, but for someone who had realized that his birthday was not far away, it was a lackluster reaction. Flynn knew the reason for that, but he couldn’t help but feel a little bitter.
The upcoming January 13th was Duke Agrizendro’s birthday, and within the Agrizendro territory, it was considered as important an anniversary as the Emperor’s birthday or the founding day. Festivals using the territory’s unique water and waterways were held, and along with the New Year’s events, local specialties from each region flocked to the duchy.
Among them, this birthday was particularly important because it was the end of the past century and the opening of the New Year along with the thousand-year history of Laina Rogia.
Around this time every year, letters and gifts asking whether or not to hold a ball peeked in front of the gate. This year, the quantity would be double that of last year. But ironically, it was difficult to find any movement to prepare for the birthday within the mansion where the person in question was.
The servants were eager to celebrate their master’s birthday, such as planning cake designs two months in advance, but ironically, such small events were all the celebration they could do on the day.
Except for special food being served at meals, Hugo did not commemorate his birthday or hold a separate celebration. Rather, he gave the mansion’s servants free time on that day and encouraged them to enjoy a wonderful dinner and festive atmosphere in his place. Flynn thought that he respected the benevolent ruler’s consideration, but there must be more complex circumstances involved.
His Excellency always humbled himself, saying that he should not hold a banquet before the Imperial Palace in the New Year. But a more fundamental reason was that he didn’t really welcome his own birthday.
The reason why he had been putting it off and only brought it up after all the case briefings were over was also because of that. Of course, most people outside of the mansion didn’t know this fact, so everyone was preparing for a grand birthday celebration within the Council and inside and outside the duchy. Flynn was always in charge of important tasks in the midst of that.
‘I’ll be busy again for a while preparing for the League, so I hope you can enjoy the celebratory atmosphere even a little bit.’
He had been suffering from investigations until recently, so he also hoped that he would consolidate his position at a time when he had regained all his authority and honor. But unlike the heart of a attendant who wanted to serve him with sincerity, it seemed that his master didn’t have much intention of holding a celebration this year either.
“More than that, Flynn, about what we were talking about earlier.”
“Yes?”
Just then, Hugo pushed open the carriage window with his hand. The moist and fresh air unique to the water fog seeped in.
“There was a Magic stone with amplification capabilities in the mansion’s warehouse, right.”
“Uh….”
Flynn hesitated and rolled his eyes upwards. It was not so much because he was wondering about the sudden change of topic, but because he was unsure if there was such a thing.
The Duke’s residence was a royal castle used by the ancestors of the Agrizendro family during the old Rogia era, and it was no exaggeration to say that the deep warehouse was filled with all kinds of things in the world.
Precious jewels that came as gifts, as well as relics passed down from ancient times, each occupied a spot. It was more appropriate to call it a densely organized museum than a warehouse. It was not easy to remember a Magic stone with a specific function in such a place.
Nevertheless, Flynn smiled awkwardly and replied.
“Yes, there probably is.”
“The deadline for confirming the League’s official merchandise is about five days away, so I was hoping to add one more item.”
“Magic stones as League merchandise?”
“Yes.”
Hugo, gazing out the window, replied calmly. Flynn recalled a brief conversation they had in the Legion Commander’s office a few hours earlier.
“Are you sure about this? They must be quite valuable.”
“It’s just something I don’t use anyway, so it’s better if it goes to someone who needs it.”
“Hmm…”
Hugo added casually.
“Not just Leonardo, but anyone.”
The League was not only a place to evaluate and rank participants’ skills but also a gateway for hidden talents from all over to showcase their presence and, furthermore, to gain fame and fortune.
Therefore, to encourage the participation of reclusive masters, there had to be an overwhelming prize that offset the long and cumbersome League schedule. Generally, the Council offered monetary support, institutional membership, and valuable items such as treasures or spellbooks as League prizes.
This was possible because they earned significant revenue during the League by selling game viewing tickets and small tournament betting rights to outsiders. Most of the revenue went to the national treasury and the Council’s operating funds, but about 5% was paid out as prize money for participants and winners.
Some participated in the League every year with this in mind. Of course, there was no limit to the number of participations, except for the winner.
However, Leonardo was not only highly skilled but also had received compensation from the Council, so it seemed unlikely that he would show up for a position that would only bother him for monetary gain. But if an item similar to what he had been looking for was offered as a prize, the story would be different. Flynn nodded without asking any further questions.
“I’ll go in today, look for it, and register it right away.”
“Thank you.”
While answering calmly, Flynn was secretly excited. He wondered if that was why the Captain of the royal guard had asked about the mineral Leonardo was looking for and its purpose.
Perhaps he would have another chance to meet Leonardo. Although he was now free, Flynn, who knew his true worth, always felt sorry and regretful about Leonardo’s life beneath the surface of the world. If he only participated in the League, winning would be a sure thing.
Meanwhile, Hugo, who had suggested the additional prize, was entangled in rather complex emotions. Half of it was similar to Flynn’s: the desire to contact Leonardo again.
But the other half was a slightly darker feeling that he couldn’t reveal to anyone.
‘There are things I need to confirm.’
Hugo, staring blankly at his watch, habitually fiddled with the crown and his wrist.
It was around that time that he sensed an eerie current. The moment his blue eyes darted towards the window, the carriage slowly came to a halt in the middle of the forest.
Before he could even ask the coachman what was wrong, several knights of the Duke’s family emerged from the fog and stood at attention in front of the carriage window.
“My lord, we apologize.”
“What is it?”
Hugo asked, opening the window wide, and one of the knights at the front reported in a stiff tone.
“Today, around 17:26, a report came in that a strange phenomenon of the barrier shaking was observed at the southwestern watchtower of the main residence. We immediately formed an additional patrol team and conducted a search for about two hours. As a result, no intruders were found, but a large number of sacks emitting a strange aura were discovered in this Misrain Forest.”
“Sacks?”
“Yes. They contained scales, claws, and chopped-up tissues, which appear to be the remains of a Silduran-class Dragon species. The initial sighting was 10 minutes ago, so the specific situation is still being investigated.”
Hearing the report, Hugo immediately opened the carriage door and got out. Flynn also got out, lifting the end of his master’s cloak. Some knights tried to dissuade him, saying it might be dangerous, but Hugo’s steps were unwavering.
Looking ahead with the carriage behind him, he saw that there were more people stationed than he had expected, about 50 meters away. They were in the middle of checking things, and as soon as they found their lord, they bowed respectfully. Hugo walked through the misty curtain and went straight to where his subordinates were gathered.
Just then, the person in charge turned his head, lowered his gaze, and saluted with a dark expression.
“My lord, have you arrived?”
The Captain of the Blue Knights, who guarded the vicinity of the mansion among the family’s royal guard, was there in person.
Since he was in such an important position, Hugo sensed at once that something unusual must have happened. The briefing on the results of the investigation into the incident, which was presumed to have targeted the Imperial Faction, had just been publicly announced to the world this afternoon. The discovery of an unidentified corpse on the Duke’s highly guarded property was a very ominous sign.
It could be the work of the same faction that did not accept the investigation results, or it could be a warning from terrorists targeting the Duke’s family. If, as Flynn said, it was a conspiracy to tarnish someone’s reputation, it would have been better. If they went through the reporting process, they could get through it without much trouble, even if there was some noise.
The problem was who and how someone had broken through the barrier and the fortress walls that protected the mansion from all sides.
The defense line surrounding the Duke’s residence boasted a security posture as solid as an iron fortress, comparable to the Imperial Palace. So, if only an anomaly in the barrier had been observed, he would have left it to the royal guard and the security forces to determine the truth.
But this time, Hugo couldn’t easily say that he would do so. With evidence of a gap right in front of him, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of assassination.
He had always been threatened with his life, but it had been a long time since it had infiltrated so close to his residence.
Hugo, who had extinguished the ice spear he had been stirring with, suddenly turned his head. He looked at the dog-shaped Divine Beast waiting next to the knight and asked.
“The search has been going on for about two hours, but the Divine Beasts haven’t been able to smell anything?”
“It seems that the flow of air has been blocked for a certain period of time. It seems that they prevented the smell and traces from spreading in order to buy time to escape. A Magic Circle to suppress the aura of the corpse was also drawn on the sacks.”
The Captain of the royal guard added that the wind had only started blowing in this area recently. Immediately afterward, the Divine Beasts smelled it and followed the patrol team to this place.
“The other party is likely to be a Mage.”
“That’s probably right. If they can control the wind, they must be skilled. It would also be advantageous in finding gaps in the barrier.”
“The security is so tight, is it right to assume that they infiltrated from the outside? I…”
Flynn was about to mention the possibility of an inside job, but he quickly shut his mouth at Hugo’s gesture. The knights searching were stationed all around. Even if it was reasonable to suspect allies, it could lower morale and undermine trust.
Flynn seemed to understand his master’s intentions and nodded in silence. Hugo took off his gloves and handed them to him, then turned to the knights and gave instructions.
“Compare the testimonies of the guards who protect the watchtower to identify the main infiltration routes. The intruder won’t be around here. I don’t feel any signs of outsiders in the fog.”
“Understood.”
Then, his blue eyes stared at the crooked Magic Circle drawn on the sack.
“If they were, I would have noticed.”
“Just in case, I will stop the operation of all temporary Portals installed on the premises. What should we do about controlling the main entrance you passed through a little while ago?”
“Seal them all off. I won’t be going out today anyway. But is there any record of the intruder using the Portal?”
“Not yet. We have also checked all Portals within a 500-meter radius outside the fortress walls.”
“That means Teleport is also possible.”
“Captain of the royal guard, there seems to be a letter here―!”
Suddenly, someone’s shout was heard from the thick fog. Hugo and the Captain of the royal guard, reacting habitually, immediately moved towards the sound. The knights, at the Captain of the royal guard’s gesture, ran ahead to protect their lord as if setting up a barricade.
As Hugo fluttered his white cloak and walked straight through them, the floating water droplets parted to the left and right, widening the blurred field of vision. Thanks to this, he was able to immediately identify the source of the sound: a search dog wagging its tail and barking, and two knights standing in front of a large tree.
Behind them were additional sacks that had been found, and a silver dagger was embedded in the tree trunk at a height that could be reached by stretching out an arm. Underneath it was a brown envelope with protective coloring. When the knight, who was waiting to preserve the scene, pointed to the envelope, Hugo flicked his fingertips as if asking for it.
“Over here.”
The knight pulled out the dagger, picked up the envelope, and carefully handed it to his lord.
“My lord, I will check it first, just in case.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“But, my lord, at least put on gloves…”
The Captain of the royal guard and Flynn rushed to recommend it, but Hugo had already torn off the gold sealing wax with his bare hands.
‘A warning? A threat? A notice of assassination?’
The malicious phrases he had received once in a while flashed through his mind. But no matter what it said, it didn’t matter. He was going to catch them, dig into their identities, and make them kneel before him, roots and all.
Hugo unfolded the folded paper with a hardened expression. Those gathered around held their breath and watched their lord’s cold eyes. His blue eyes, scanning the contents, were so dark in the fog that no matter how much they looked, they could not possibly identify the letters reflected there.
Only Flynn quietly gazed at Hugo’s handsome eyebrows. It was where his master’s emotional state was faintly revealed.
As expected, Hugo’s eyebrows moved slightly as he scanned the letter. But his expression also became quite complex and subtle, as if he had seen something strange.
“What’s wrong?”
Flynn asked him cautiously, as he only stared at the piece of paper without moving. Hugo did not answer and narrowed his brows as he continued to examine the contents.
His gaze went over the sentences, which were simpler than he had expected, and the handwriting, which seemed awkward at holding a pen. Nevertheless, he read each letter one by one, as if trying to write them carefully.
Contrary to the anticipation with which he had opened it, his impression of the first sentence was both bewildering and quite sweet.
My Dear Lord
Happy early birthday
gift for you
―Your Lion―
“…This is.”
His blue eyes narrowed.
‘A lion?’
Was it a coincidence that a certain name came to mind in that instant?
Slowly raising his head, Hugo looked back at the sacks scattered nearby. Dragon corpses and their parts, preserved to maintain their market value. Converted into currency, they would be worth quite a bit of money. …Could this possibly be meant as a gift?
The Magic Circle drawn on the surface of the sacks also caught his eye again. The strokes forming the crooked Magic Circle somehow resembled the poor handwriting in the letter. Thinking that, this grotesque and horrifying sight looked different than before.
Losing his words for a moment, Hugo’s lips twitched, and he unconsciously glanced at the tree where the letter had been hanging.
Approaching the pillar, he stretched out his arm to estimate the approximate height.
‘At this height, it’s definitely…’
Since the reach of the ‘Lion’ he was expecting was long for his height, the height would be about right if he stood here and fixed the letter himself. If it was his doing, then the dragon corpses scattered near the mansion, the lack of footprints on the ground, his ability to control the wind, and the fact that the knights hadn’t found him were all somewhat understandable.
How could his knights possibly encounter the one he alone could find in this world?
Judging by the extraordinary scale of the items left as a gift, only one person came to mind who could make all this possible at the moment.
Hugo rubbed his lower lip with his hand. It was an instinctive attempt to hide his expression, but he couldn’t hide the emerging smile.
“Ha.”
That was the first reaction he had after seeing the letter, so his subordinates stared blankly at their lord’s burst of laughter, not knowing what was going on. Even though they knew it was rude, they couldn’t take their eyes off the handsome man’s face, which had softened warmly.
As if he had never been tense, Hugo lowered his eyes and murmured calmly.
“You should have shown your face before leaving. How unkind to just leave a gift.”
He hadn’t contacted him for months, and then he pulls off such a cute stunt. Until just now, when he was talking to Flynn, he hadn’t been moved, but a birthday greeting message… If it became a medium through which he could hear about the guy’s well-being, he might consider his upcoming birthday a little special.
But still, no matter how much of a king of the jungle he is, how did he get all the way in here?
Just as he was wondering, he found a part of the answer he had almost missed at the bottom of the folded letter.
P.S.
“…Reinforce the southwest?”
Flynn, who had been listening quietly, quickly turned his head to look in the direction of the southwest watchtower. Then, after re-examining the contents of the sacks, he asked Hugo in a tone of disbelief.
“Is it Leo?”
Hugo, glancing sideways, nodded once. Flynn, who had also brightened his eyes, smiled broadly. The captain of the royal guard, who had been carefully observing the reactions of the two, interjected in the middle.
“Lord, may I ask about the contents? Perhaps, is it a declaration of intent?”
“A declaration of intent?”
Hugo, turning to look at the captain of the royal guard, kept his gaze on the letter.
“…A declaration of intent, it’s not wrong to say that.”
His voice was laced with a subtle smile.
His fingertips, not knowing any better, gently stroked the phrase ‘Your Lion’ that had relinquished ownership. Suddenly, the Emperor’s voice mentioning ‘my cat’ came to mind, but it was only for a brief moment. It couldn’t be compared to a small, cute creature, as its destructive power was unmatched. How could a being that dismembers fearsome dragons be someone’s pet?
He is a free man, and only this letter and gift sent by his own will are valid.
The admirable heart that felt like it had been pressed and packed into the short sentence was proof of that.
So, even if he lured the cunning intruder a little in response to his feelings, it would be a humane measure compared to arrest.
Hugo hid his smile and murmured quietly.
“I’ll see you soon.”