Chapter 85: To Wester (Luke’s POV)

“I didn’t want to send you two like this because you’re both still students,” Otou-sama said anxiously. Perhaps, he might look expressionless to others. He’s a damaged person even though he’s my Otou-sama. However, he didn’t care about how anyone thought of him.

I’m wearing simple black trousers and a long white, shiny, silvery jacket that looks silver embroidered with violet threads. It’s the Albans uniform. I probably look a little like an Albans even if I’m only 11.

“Otou-sama, that’s what we’ve been saying. Lei won’t be convinced if I didn’t go. It probably wouldn’t do even if Jude goes. She won’t return easily if she’s not convinced. That’s how Lei is.”

“But…”

“It’s Wester’s capital, so I can go. The Supervision Department won’t let me go if she was in Lentforce, this is actually good,” I smiled to reassure Otou-sama.

“And you know, you’re getting Jude to come with us. And I’ll be with Gill.” I looked at Gill. He’s wearing the same simple black trousers as me, and a black jacket with blue embroidery. The 14-year-old Gill is thin, but he’s almost as tall as an adult.

I’m really grateful because there should be few elements that look down on us because we’re children.

“I think we’ve taken all the measures conceivable together, but we don’t know what will happen. Nevertheless, please take care of yourself and not just Lei and come back safely.”

The things Lei has given me.

Not only lovely Lei herself, but also the free love that she gives.

And, Otou-sama.

I don’t think Otou-sama is a cold father at all. According to what I heard at the academy, noble parents aren’t very affectionate. After Okaa-sama passed away, I was lonely, but I thought it was natural.

But, Lei gave me Otou-sama. She taught him that it was alright to love his daughter and son like he had loved Okaa-sama. It was very warm to receive love from someone like I had from Okaa-sama. Not only that, Lei taught me the joy of showing love.

So even if Lei is gone, Otou-sama will still love me, and I can love him. I reached out to Otou-sama without hesitation.

He hugged me tightly. People around us looked at us in surprise. Are you embarrassed even though you’re old enough to attend school? Don’t do anything you’re embarrassed about. I’ll do it as much as I can. And, I’ll get the courage to move on, Lei and Otou-sama.

After the departure ceremony in front of the royal castle, Gill and I rode the Rug Dragons and headed towards Wester’s capital. I improved so much that I could ride Rug Dragons by myself if we weren’t in a hurry. It’s unusual for people to ride Rug Dragons from when they’re children, and I think that’s why the Rug Dragons became emotionally attached to me. So much so that it surprised the breeders. “Your Otou-sama was the same,” an old breeder had told me, but Otou-sama was the same as always, “I’ve never compared it to others,” so I don’t know if it’s true or not.

Wester’s capital, Sebel, is a little southwest from Kingdom’s capital. So, we weren’t taking the path that Lei’s kidnappers took. We were passing through Earl Rouge’s fief, then Earl Tucker’s.

Therefore, Earl Rouge and Earl Tucker, who stayed at the royal capital, will be accompanying us.

“Annoying,” Gill said, but whether it be Gill or his father, why are the Lisburns so straightforward even though they’re part of the same Four Marquises?

“Gill, I know how you feel, but keep that in your mind.”

“Well, I’m anxious about my uncle, but it’s annoying that I have to care about other guys until we get there.”

“I’m also anxious about Lei. I don’t know why she’s with a Lisburn or why she ended up in Lentforce…”

“Yeah. What’s the likelihood that she’d be with someone else who has the Four Marquis blood when Frontier is so big?”

Of course, even though Lei is alive and healthy, I couldn’t help but worry about the other things. However, the Lisburn child is said to be 11-years-old. Gill is Gill, and he seems to be worried about having to call someone younger than him uncle, but I was probably anxious that myself and memories of me have been replaced because the Lisburn child is the same age as me. Because it’s been more than six months since Lei was kidnapped. What if she calls someone else ‘Niini’?

It would take a long time for Lei to return from Lentforce. She would barely reach Sebel even though a round-table conference was held, the messengers were adjusted, and even if we prepare slowly. We weren’t overdoing it and are heading to Wester on a slow schedule.

Earl Blaze and Earl Blackley enthusiastically said, “You have time anyways, so how about going through Kaylie?” However, Otou-sama knew that they only wanted to appeal to the citizens that they were acquainted with the Four Marquises, so he refused courteously, and a bit rudely.

“When Lei comes back, and you’re able to go wherever you like, then you’re free to travel until you become an adult. But at least for now, I won’t give them anything that will benefit them,” Otou-sama whispered to me secretly. Apparently, he still held a grudge against them because the kidnappers had passed through their fiefs and they hadn’t cooperated in the investigation afterwards. I think it’s interesting that he could actually hold grudges when he wasn’t interested in anything.

On the other hand, Earl Rouge and Earl Tucker are delightful people. Earl Rouge’s fief is an agricultural area that doesn’t connect with Frontier and is far from the mountain range. He didn’t seem obsessed with the Four Marquises and the barrier probably because his fief wouldn’t receive much damage from the Hollows even if the barrier didn’t exist.

Earl Tucker took the current matter most seriously, because his fief is located very close to Wester’s capital. As one of the messengers from Kingdom, he will also accompany us to Wester.

“We originally traded a lot with Wester, especially Sebel. We imported half of their magic stones, and Blackley imported the other half, no, Blackley imported more than us?”

Apparently their current situation. The Albans, who handle magic stones in Kingdom, mainly traded with Blaze and Blackley. That’s why my birth mother is also a member of the Blaze House.

However, I interacted with Earl Neville throughout the summer holidays, and Otou-sama also turned his attention to Farland. And through this, he also turned his attention to Sebel, and not the country, Wester, nor the town, Kaylie.

People around me put their guard down around me because I’m only 11. Of course, I wasn’t told to confirm anything. Still, I decided that I would do as much as I can so that Lei wouldn’t be kidnapped and used again in the future.

“You’re too stiff.”

“Gill, you’re too honest.”

“Lei’s going to hate you if you’re too rigid.”

“Hey, that’s not true. Lei will hug me and call me ‘Niini’ no matter how I am. I’m sure of it. I’m sure she’ll forget about you since you’re just brother’s friend who comes to see me once in a while.”

“Sh-she won’t. I’m sure she’ll call me 『Giww』in her cute voice.”

Lisburn men are optimistic. I feel like I could understand how Otou-sama feels a little.

“Oh yeah, the First Prince of Wester is also Gilbert.”

“Y-you don’t think she calls him Gill too?”

“She might not be able to tell.”

“No. It’s fine. It’s alright,” Gill muttered while looking sideways, and the Rug Dragons slowly advanced through the deep autumn prairie. A little more. Just a little more.

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