Chapter 50
“What did you just say?”
“A… a son… was born….”
“Damn….”
After Leo’s death, a child was born, his final remnant in this world.
“Uu…”
The child’s weight was far below average, and he barely cried.
But there was an even greater problem.
“A son?”
A male.
The child born from Leo and Carbon, unfortunately, was a boy.
In this world, men were regarded as weak.
At least, too weak to inherit a family known for its mastery of the sword.
“Tch, look after him yourself.”
“Pardon? But he’s the son of the former lord….”
“So what? Do past petty ties matter more than the current Oldeire?”
“N… no, they don’t….”
The child’s name was Alben.
The masculine form of “Elma.”
“Uwaa…”
Alben was extremely frail.
Perhaps inheriting this from Leo, even as an infant, he was often unwell.
The one who cared for him devotedly was…
“Alben, it’s okay. Sister is here.”
“Uwaa!”
“Yes, yes.”
It was Elma.
At first, it was only because of her promise to Leo.
She wanted to pass on the love she had received to the child he had left behind.
It was an action driven more by duty than anything else.
“Aah…”
“No, Alben. You need to take your medicine to get better.”
“Ugh.”
“Pfft! What’s that face?”
Then, at some point, she began to feel pity.
She received Leo’s warmth simply by being born a bit earlier.
However, this child could not receive the natural love and warmth that should have been his, despite being Leo’s blood.
“The love this child should have received… I ended up taking it all.”
The hand that had helped her endure this harsh family.
There was no man left to pat that small head now.
Pat, pat!
“Uu?”
“…So soft.”
Thus, she realized she had to take on that role.
Her actions were now driven by guilt.
“Alben! I’ll read you a book today too.”
“Nunya!”
“Hmm… What should I read today?”
“This one! This is my favourite!”
“But we’ve read it so many times already.”
“Hehe, anything Nunya reads is the best!”
And so, time accumulated.
One hour became a day.
A day became a month.
A month became a year.
Layers upon layers of time.
All of it was built upon love.
“Alben, what’s that wound?!”
“Huh? It’s nothing!”
“Nothing? Tell me now!”
“Mom… I mean, the lord just hit me a bit!”
“…The lord?”
“I said I wanted to learn the sword… hehe. It was my fault. Boys with swords, after all.”
At some point.
Elma’s actions became driven by something more than duty.
“What is the meaning of this behaviour! Didn’t you promise not to touch Alben?!”
“He overstepped his bounds first.”
“What’s so wrong about him saying he wants to learn the sword?!”
“…You’re more worked up than usual. Leave before you say something you’ll regret.”
It made her raise her voice, even in front of Carbon, whom she usually could not oppose.
“Cough… I’m struggling to breathe, Nunya….”
“It’s alright… it’s alright…! I’ll make sure you’re not in pain!”
It kept her awake through the night, holding the sick Alben’s hand.
“Wow… so this is the kind of snack they sell outside…!”
“I bought all kinds, so make sure to eat them sparingly. And remember, the servants… you know?”
“Shh! Hehe, of course I know.”
It compelled her to sneak out of the family estate to buy snacks for him.
These actions were driven not by duty but by something else.
That something was…
“Mm! So tasty!”
“Really?”
“Yes! Nunya, you try some too!”
Love.
The very same love that Leo had shown her.
“Nunya’s fine. I’ve eaten plenty.”
“Really?”
“Really. In fact, that’s just what was left over.”
“Ugh….”
“Pff! Just kidding.”
Since Leo’s death, Alben had been the only colour in Elma’s gray world.
‘Leo and Alben.’
Both gave her a reason to live, in the same way.
***
As Alben grew older, he began to resemble Leo more.
His eyes, nose, and lips.
Apart from the unique ashen-gray hair, everything mirrored Leo.
“Alben.”
“Oh, you’re here, Nunya?”
Alben closed his book and smiled brightly.
Alben now lived in the room Leo had once occupied.
Alben, greeting her with Leo’s same face, in the place where Leo had once been.
Each time she saw it, a part of her heart ached.
“You haven’t been feeling sick anywhere recently, have you?”
“Huh? All of a sudden?”
“Like, struggling to breathe out of nowhere, or if you suddenly have a fever or headache….”
“I’m completely fine.”
“Haa… that’s a relief….”
“Hehe. Nunya’s always been so serious every time I got sick.”
Alben grinned mischievously.
Then, he pulled out a small box from under the bed.
“Ta-da!”
“What is this?”
“A gift! You’re heading to Polaris soon, right? I prepared this especially for you.”
Elma took the box in her hands, caught off guard.
When she unwrapped it, the contents were revealed.
“A handkerchief…?”
“I read it in a book. Giving a handkerchief as a gift means, ‘I wish you victory.’”
Elma already knew the story well.
It supposedly originated from the custom of the founding emperor, who washed his hands right after defeating his enemies.
“If possible, win.”
“I’m not even taking an entrance exam. And why does winning matter so much?”
“Still, it’s better to win than lose, right?”
It’s better to win than to lose.
Elma mulled over those words, smiling softly.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Hehe. I guess I’ll be lonely when you’re gone.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll write to you every day.”
On the surface, she acted calm, not wanting to worry Alben.
But the person most worried was her.
Carbon didn’t like Alben.
Not in a hidden way, but in a way so obvious that it was palpable.
‘He’s always looking for any excuse to send Alben away whenever he gets the chance.’
She accepted the role of deputy head of the family, a position she didn’t desire, just to protect Alben.
By shielding Alben from her position, even Carbon couldn’t carelessly banish him.
“Alben, if something difficult happens while I’m gone….”
“Ah~ seriously. You worry too much, Nunya.”
Alben shrugged his shoulders high.
“I don’t like it when you can’t focus on your studies because of me.”
“But still….”
“Nunya, you need to live your own life now.”
“…Alright. But I’ll still write letters regularly, okay?”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
She decided to let go of some of her worries.
Though she couldn’t help but feel uneasy, she could still influence things by writing letters or visiting the family during school breaks.
Above all.
If she wanted to make Alben the head of the family, she also needed to focus on strengthening her own abilities.
“Then, I’ll be going now.”
“Take care.”
And so, Elma left for Polaris.
At the academy, her life was a series of peaceful days.
Her exceptional swordsmanship was recognized, and she even achieved the feat of being elected as vice president of the student council.
Most importantly, the world outside her family was so beautiful.
There was no oppressive gaze from Carbon, nor were there whispers from the servants.
She didn’t need to act as the deputy head of the family.
She could live almost as an ordinary student.
Of course, she never forgot to write to Alben.
When she shared her experiences at Polaris in her letters, Alben would send back replies filled with excitement.
“Someday, I hope to attend Polaris with you.”
It was a simple hope.
For the first time since Leo’s death, she felt happiness.
That happiness crumbled at the end of her third year.
“Is it an assignment?”
“It’s an urgent matter. Even rising seniors are being called in.”
This was after Elma accepted a certain “assignment.”
“Children have gone missing. In the ‘gap.’”
“The gap? Children? Why?”
“What else? The locals have lost their minds, trying to conduct that ancient sacrifice by offering 99 children as a tribute to the dragons.”
“What….”
“Crazy, aren’t they? Sure, I understand they lost their homes to the war.”
But still, to do that to children…!
Jane sighed and added.
“Anyway, I’m going. The kids need saving.”
“I figured you would, Jane.”
“So, what about you? Don’t you usually go back home at the end of each term?”
“I….”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. This mission alone will take at least a month.”
She wanted to forget about the assignment and return to her family, where Alben was.
“…I’ll go.”
They were short-handed as it was.
Thinking of the children trembling in that remote place was unbearable.
‘Alben….’
Anxiety sprouted inside her, but.
Until the end of her third year, Carbon hadn’t made any moves.
There had been no attempts to send Alben away.
She didn’t believe his mind had changed, but.
‘For about a month.’
Even if she didn’t write or visit home, nothing major should happen to Alben.
“Let’s get ready.”
“Alright! Let’s go!”
That’s what she thought.
But she was wrong.
“Alben…?”
“Young Lady, you’ve returned.”
“Um… where is Alben…?”
“Well… Young Master Alben…”
“Where is Alben!!!!”
When Elma returned home after completing all her assignments.
“No… no!”
Alben had lost his place in the family.
Foolishly, she was too late once again.
“Alben! Alben!!”
She had acted thoughtlessly.
Carbon hadn’t given up.
She hadn’t been idle.
She had simply waited for the right moment.
A moment when Elma would be away from the family for an extended time.
Like a predator lying low, biding its time.
“Alben!! Ahhhhh….”
Tears she thought she’d never shed again.
Drip, drip.
They fell, dampening the floor.
—
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