Chapter 47

■ Chapter 46. Crisis (5) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

Leort suddenly designated my father, Hawk, as the author of the Zayon Chronicles, instead of me. It felt as if he had abruptly turned the steering wheel just before reaching our destination, leading us to an unexpected place.

“…?”

I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes and looked ahead. Leort was looking at us with a confident smile.

Lina, sitting beside him, was calmly sipping her tea with a relaxed expression.

Despite the extreme tension I had felt until a moment ago, I couldn't speak, but a question rose in my heart, piercing through the tension. The pounding in my chest and the sweat that soaked my clenched fists remained unchanged.

Why did Leort decide that my father, Hawk, was the author of the Zayon Chronicles, instead of me? Given the situation, my mind wasn't functioning well, but it seemed that Nicole wasn't convinced either.

After listening to Leort's confident words, Nicole maintained silence for a moment before slowly opening her mouth. Her voice was as low as if it could pierce the ground.

“…If I say it wasn't me, will you believe me?”

“It could harm your family. Paying taxes implies having income, and as a noble, you must report where that income comes from and how it will be used to the higher-ups. This isn't a threat but a legal requirement. Only the Emperor can make laws.”

The "Emperor" Leort mentioned must be the highest authority in the empire. The way he spoke about the Emperor suggested he had planned this from the start.

Nicole's face, which was already stiff, became even harder. The tension in her fists, placed on her thighs, was evident.

“You don’t need to make such a face. Anyway, it seems certain that your father is the author of the Zayon Chronicles.”

“…Why are you so sure?”

“… …”

I realized that the flow of the conversation had taken a strange turn. Despite my presence as the real author, Leort seemed to see this as an opportunity to continue the topic, suggesting he was mistaken.

However, the more he did this, the more uncomfortable I felt. It was as if I was using my father as a shield.

My father had dedicated himself to me, and treating him as a shield was something I couldn't tolerate. Just as I was about to speak,

Guaak-

Just before I could open my mouth, Nicole silently grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly, as if telling me not to say anything.

I was momentarily taken aback by the silent pressure, but when I saw Nicole's expression, I had no choice but to give up on speaking. Her expression was that serious.

Although it felt like betraying my father, it seemed that Nicole had her own thoughts, so I had to trust her.

“There’s a reason for everything.”

During this time, Leort’s smile grew wider as he leaned back in his chair, exuding a subtle charisma that drew our attention.

“Taxes are a very complex matter, as I mentioned earlier. Especially in our Minerva Empire, the tax system is very strict, making it even more complex. However, this complexity ensures clear and effective results. The reason our Minerva Empire has more capital than other countries is due to this system.”

“… …”

“However, it’s not perfect. At this very moment, there are people evading taxes. The method used by Sir Marshall had a high potential for tax evasion. If he had wanted to, he could have hidden his identity perfectly without paying taxes. Fortunately, his strong resolve from his knight days prevented this.”

It seemed that Leort was convinced that my father was the author of the Zayon Chronicles. I couldn’t decide whether to be happy or not.

While Nicole and I were focused on Leort, Lina, who had been drinking tea, put down her cup and spoke in her characteristic gentle tone.

“At first, it was hard to believe that Sir Marshall was the author of the Zayon Chronicles. But considering his achievements and experiences, there are too many matching points.”

“…Achievements?”

Finally, I opened my mouth. Before I entered the academy, I didn’t know, but my father was once a knight of high standing.

He was the leader of the Navy Knights, a group filled with human monsters, and had achieved feats that I could hardly imagine.

These achievements were so remarkable that he should have received a baron’s title instead of a viscount’s. For a commoner to receive a noble title is already surprising, but a baron’s title shows how great my father’s achievements were.

“Hmm…”

Lina let out a subtle sound and stared at me intently. Then, she smiled and spoke to me in a gentle tone.

“Isaac, do you know what achievements Zayon made in the Zayon Chronicles?”

“Of course… I know.”

How could I not? The protagonist of the Zayon Chronicles, Zayon, achieved feats that left one’s jaw dropping.

For example, he defeated a fierce dragon with the help of his comrades, saved the country from the threat of demons, and recovered holy relics thought to be lost, among other things.

Each achievement had a significant impact on the world, which is why the name Zayon became widely known.

Lina nodded at my answer and began to recount my father’s achievements.

“Sir Marshall did even more, if not more, than Zayon. Thirty years ago, a dragon that had lost its offspring and became fierce attacked the capital.”

“Oh, that’s the…?”

I had seen it in a recently published history book. It was called the ‘Askanal Incident,’ named after the dragon Askanal, which attacked the imperial capital.

In this world of fantasy, dragons exist, but they are not the mythical creatures that can polymorph, use magic, or hoard treasure. They are just giant lizards that fly.

The Askanal Incident happened due to human greed. Smugglers found a hatchling, brutally killed it, and were in the process of dismembering it when they were discovered by the mother.

Naturally, the mother, enraged, attacked the closest human country, the Minerva Empire. The problem was that the smugglers were from another country, not the Minerva Empire.

From the Minerva Empire’s perspective, it was like a bolt from the blue. The attack by the enraged dragon must have been a chaotic situation.

“I know. The army was in a panic and tried to suppress the dragon…”

“The records say that, but the army was busy evacuating the citizens. The one who actually defeated the dragon was your father, Sir Marshall. Coincidentally, he was in the capital on leave.”

“…You mean he defeated the dragon?”

“Yes.”

I was stunned by Lina’s unbelievable story. In this world, the title of ‘Dragon Slayer’ is a prestigious honor given to those who defeat dragons.

Achieving such a title requires the power of an ‘army’ to defeat a dragon, and even with that power, no one can gauge the extent of the damage they will incur.

Yet, my father, with the help of the army, defeated the dragon alone. It was shockingly similar to the feats I had written about Zayon in the Zayon Chronicles.

“…I’ve never heard this story before, Lady Lina.”

It seemed that Nicole had never heard it either. Lina answered her skeptical question with a slightly sad expression.

“It couldn’t be otherwise. During the Askanal Incident, Sir Marshall had a close friend who was helping him, but the dragon’s breath…”

“… …”

Lina’s genuine sorrow made Nicole’s expression soften slightly. As a sister who knew my father better, she seemed to have noticed something.

I could understand why my father would be reluctant to talk about the Askanal Incident. No matter how strong he was, he would remember his friend who was incinerated by the dragon’s breath every time he thought about his achievements.

The tragic story brought a silence over us. Fortunately, Lina quickly broke the silence.

“Perhaps Zayon’s feat of defeating the dragon with the help of his comrades in the Zayon Chronicles was inspired by this. Although it was tragic for him, Zayon must have wished not to lose any comrades.”

“…Then what about the others?”

“Yes. He also eliminated a demonized orc, repelled invading goblins and elves multiple times, and his nickname ‘Red Lion’ began when he joined the Navy Knights.”

It felt like listening to the heroic tales of a great person. It was a bit strange and hard to accept that this person was my father.

After all, my father was just a devoted family man who loved his family more than anyone else. It was hard to believe that he had defeated a dragon and had a high reputation.

While I was feeling a bit confused, Lina stopped speaking and looked at Leort. Leort took over the conversation.

“Before Sir Marshall took up his post, the border region was a place where casualties from battles with goblins were frequent. Moreover, it was difficult to stop the goblins unless they were at the level of the Navy Knights. But things changed after Sir Marshall arrived.”

“Changed…?”

“Sir Marshall eliminated most of the goblins living in the border region. When the goblins, sensing the crisis, combined their forces and launched a total offensive, it turned out to be a mistake. If it weren’t for Sir Marshall, we might have lost not just the border but our territory. The goblins were incredibly strong.”

It was a feat worthy of being called a ‘hero.’ I was genuinely impressed.

The reason the goblins often crossed the border was probably due to the environment on the other side. It was unsuitable for farming, and from the goblins’ perspective, it was easier to take it by force.

Moreover, the goblins’ innate enthusiasm for battle also played a role.

“Thanks to this, our empire saved a significant amount of human and material resources. The military budget invested in the border was beyond imagination. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Sir Marshall greatly boosted the empire’s economic power. This is why I am convinced that Sir Marshall is the author of the Zayon Chronicles. Having experienced so many battles, he could have written the Zayon Chronicles.”

“…I see. You said the Navy Knights were necessary to stop them, so it makes sense. But…”

Nicole’s voice trailed off as she stared intently at Leort and then turned to look at Lina. Both Leort and Lina had inscrutable smiles.

Did they receive poker face training at the royal palace? I couldn’t tell what they were thinking at all.

Nicole, giving up on reading their thoughts, spoke in a low voice.

“What do you plan to do with my father?”

“You’re no longer denying it.”

“With everything exposed, denying it wouldn’t make the conversation go anywhere.”

Nicole’s straightforward answer seemed to please Leort, who nodded with a satisfied smile.

He then leaned forward, clasped his hands, and rested his chin on them. Then he gave an unexpected answer.

“There’s one thing you’re misunderstanding. The royal family has no intention of touching Sir Marshall or you. This meeting is just for confirmation.”

“Do you expect us to believe that?”

Finally, Nicole, unable to hold back, raised her voice and huffed. I didn’t speak, but I glared at Leort with a look that said, “Are you kidding?”

To push someone to this extent and then say you have no intention of touching them? Only a fool would believe that. If they really had no intention of touching us, they wouldn’t have called us here.

Leort, seeing our intense reactions, waved his hand. It was a gesture to calm down, so Nicole’s expression softened.

“You have every right to react this way. But this is the truth. If we pressure Sir Marshall and he stops the serialization, and if it’s known that we pressured him, can you imagine the reaction?”

“… …”

“Of course, it would be serious in many ways. The current influence of the Zayon Chronicles on the world is terrifying. No matter how greedy we are, we won’t cut the goose that lays the golden eggs. Moreover, Lina and I are also enthusiastic readers of the Zayon Chronicles. The reason we called you here is simply for confirmation.”

Should I believe this? If it were someone else, I might have, but this is a royal family deeply involved in politics.

Who knows how many snakes they have in their stomach? I can’t just accept it.

Since Nicole and I couldn’t easily accept it, Lina, who had been watching, took action. She looked directly at me, placed her hand on her chest, and spoke.

“Isaac, I swear on the name of the princess. No harm will come to Sir Marshall, your family, or your lineage. Instead, we can help prevent your identity from being revealed.”

“…Then what’s in it for you?”

“The next volume of the Zayon Chronicles will come out faster. That’s all.”

Is that really all? I smiled skeptically at Lina’s answer.

I know her smile is fake because I’ve seen it many times. That’s why I can’t help but be suspicious.

As I hesitated,

“I understand.”

“…Sister?”

“Please, keep your promise.”

Nicole accepted them with a solemn and firm voice. It was a situation I hadn’t expected at all.

I looked at her with a bewildered expression, and Leort, hearing Nicole’s answer, nodded with a satisfied smile.

“Thank you. I repeat, we have no intention of touching Sir Marshall. Before he is the author of the Zayon Chronicles, he is a person who cannot be handled lightly by the royal family.”

“You flatter him.”

“It’s not flattery. Sir Marshall is that kind of person.”

What kind of achievements must he have had for the crown prince Leort to say such things? Anyway, it seems we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Using my father as a shield felt uncomfortable in many ways, but it would be best to take comfort in the fact that he would understand. Of course, I plan to write a letter as soon as I return to the dorm.

‘What should I write? First…’

I sighed inwardly, pondering what to write in the letter.

Meanwhile, while Leort and Nicole were discussing my father, I felt a gaze from the front.

I looked up to see Lina staring at me intently with one hand on her chin, wearing a mysterious expression.

I was momentarily captivated by her beauty, which seemed crafted with great care, but fortunately, I managed to regain my composure.

“… …”

She stared at my face for a moment, then her gaze shifted slightly downward. I couldn’t tell what she was looking at, but I could tell her gaze was