Chapter 48

■ Chapter 47. Crisis (6) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

After the conversation with the Marshalls was over, Isaac and Nicole had already left, but the royal siblings still remained in their seats.

The seating arrangement had changed slightly; Lina, who had originally been sitting next to Leort, was now sitting opposite him, in the seat where Nicole had been.

Lina stared at Leort, who was leisurely drinking tea from the opposite seat. A gentle smile played on her lips, making her look like a model in a painting.

"Brother."

"Hmm?"

Leort put down his teacup and looked at Lina, raising one eyebrow as if to ask why she had called him.

Lina, realizing that no one else was in the room, discarded her poker face and made a dissatisfied expression, grumbling like a child.

"Why did you tell them the truth? Honestly, you could have just kept it hidden."

As she said, there was no need to tell the siblings this information. It might have been better for both sides to keep it a secret.

But Leort did not do that. Instead, he arranged a meeting to confirm it, which only made them more suspicious. Even Lina, who had been watching from the side, could not understand Leort's intentions.

"How will they see us? As people who use their authority to intimidate others. What if Sir Marshall gets angry and stops the serialization?"

"Ah, that? You don't need to worry about it. While Isaac and Nicole might not know, Sir Marshall is very familiar with our royal family."

Despite Lina's concerns, Leort answered nonchalantly. This only made Lina more curious.

She had heard many stories about Hawk, the Red Lion, and had a general idea of what kind of person he was, but she did not know the details.

However, Leort spoke as if he knew Hawk better than she did. Perhaps, as the next in line for the throne, he knew more facts.

While Lina was pondering this, Leort, with his usual relaxed smile, spoke.

"Do you know why Sir Marshall retired early?"

"Sort of. I heard it was because of the aftereffects. At least, that's what I know."

PTSD, a common aftereffect for soldiers who frequently face life and death on the battlefield. It was widely known that Hawk retired early due to severe PTSD.

No matter how many dragons he had slain or how many invading forces he had repelled, he was still human. He had witnessed the deaths of many comrades and had blood on his hands, which was a normal cause for distress.

Moreover, his fame brought him political pressure. Some nobles, who found him rude, pressured him, making his life difficult.

The royal family and the military tried to persuade him to stay, but Hawk refused. He visited the temple daily until his symptoms improved, indicating the severity of his condition.

"You know that. But the reality is different. A major incident occurred."

"Incident?"

"Yes. While it was thought that Sir Marshall had driven all the invaders from the border, it was only half true. Some of the invaders infiltrated the empire."

"You don't mean... that..."

Lina's expression hardened as she realized what Leort was about to say. She hoped it wasn't the worst-case scenario she was thinking of.

Leort then gently waved his hand to calm her.

"Fortunately, the worst didn't happen. It was an attempted assault on Sir Marshall's wife, but it failed. We had a royal guard assigned to her at Sir Marshall's request."

"So he retired because he was worried about his family's safety?"

"Exactly. When he retired, Sir Marshall said, 'Even if my strength surpasses others, what's the point if I can't protect the ones I love?' I think he started feeling this way after losing a friend at Aska."

Leort nodded at Lina's question, and she looked surprised.

She had thought he was just trying to avoid publicizing his achievements due to PTSD, but there was more to it. The royal siblings didn't know the full story.

If he became too famous, it would put his family at risk. After experiencing this once, he likely avoided publicizing his achievements to prevent it from happening again.

In the Aska incident, Hawk's name was not mentioned, probably due to the royal family's intervention. As a hero, he was highly respected by the nobility and the military, so the higher-ups likely agreed to his request.

Moreover, reducing Hawk's influence, which had grown to an unmanageable level, was beneficial for both sides.

"...Wait a moment."

Lina, initially fascinated by the story, soon furrowed her brow.

If Hawk had retired for these reasons, shouldn't Leort have avoided mentioning it? It could trigger his trauma.

"Then you shouldn't have done it. He already has PTSD."

"As I said, Sir Marshall is one of the few who knows our royal family well. He might just think we're trying to take credit. Maybe he invited us to his mansion just to chat."

Inviting a mere baron to the royal family might seem odd, but Hawk was different.

It was rare for a commoner to receive a noble title, let alone a barony. Hawk had even been considered for a viscountcy, indicating his status was on par with high-ranking nobles.

While Lina was thinking this, Leort, looking slightly troubled, stroked his chin.

"Still, there's something that bothers me."

"What is it?"

"Why did Nicole admit so easily? It felt like she was using Sir Marshall as a shield. I don't think she would have said that."

"Maybe she just wanted to leave as quickly as possible. They would have suspected us no matter what we said."

"It's painful to admit, but you're right."

Leort smiled bitterly. He had arranged the meeting to confirm things, but given their positions, it likely seemed like a threat to the siblings. They would naturally suspect that the royal family was up to something.

Leort expressed his disappointment.

"If I had known, I would have approached it more gradually. I was too eager, which is painful. Especially since it's about Zyon's story."

"That's part of it, but... do you really think Sir Marshall wrote Zyon's story?"

When Leort expressed his disappointment, Lina asked him cautiously. Leort, hearing her skeptical question, raised an eyebrow in return.

"Of course. Who else could it be?"

"...No."

Leort's confident response made Lina shake her head, but she couldn't stop a smile from forming.

"Hmm?"

Leort looked puzzled at her meaningful smile.

* * *

After the conversation with the royal siblings ended and Nicole and I stepped outside, we entered a suitable café to have dessert and sat facing each other in a soundproof room.

It was a bit expensive, but it was perfect for a private conversation.

"Should we continue?"

"..."

My question made Nicole jump and look at me with wide, golden eyes, clearly surprised.

But her expression soon turned complicated, as if she felt sorry for me. I stirred the coffee I had ordered with a teaspoon, speaking in a frustrated tone.

"There was no need to use Father as a shield. Why can't you just be honest? After all, it's all out in the open now, so there's no need to hide it."

"Isaac, you don't need to blame yourself so much. It's because Leort wasn't honest. The royal family won't touch it."

Her words, which seemed to defend Leort, made me raise my head slightly. Nicole was still looking at me with a sympathetic gaze.

I asked her, puzzled.

"Do you know Leort well?"

"To some extent. He rarely shows his true feelings. I've only seen it once."

"When?"

"Um... that's not important right now, is it?"

Nicole avoided answering my sudden question, which made me slightly suspicious, but I decided to let it go, as she said it wasn't important.

"Anyway, Leort likely arranged the meeting to confirm things. He tends to act rather than speak. Besides, Leort said that if they pressured us to stop the serialization, they would be blamed. It's a mutual weapon."

"Wouldn't it be worse for us if Zyon's story lost popularity?"

"It shouldn't happen, but even if it does, the attention on us would decrease. If you really can't trust it, write to Father. He would gladly help you."

I felt like I was rambling, but one thing was clear: Nicole was trying to comfort me.

Thanks to her, I regained some of my energy, but my heart was still uneasy. I couldn't help but wonder if it was right for my family to suffer for my sake.

"Also, nobles really hate losing. Especially high-ranking nobles, for whom each loss is fatal. So the royal family won't directly interfere with you. I mean it."

"...Really?"

"Yes. They might even help you to avoid being traced. It would be like having a strong backer."

Nicole's words made sense, but I still needed to write to Father to explain the situation.

I sighed deeply again. I felt drained today and doubted if I could write.

"...Isaac."

"Uh-huh."

"If it's too hard, you don't need to serialize it as an obligation. You write because you love it. You might not know, but when a hobby becomes an obligation, the passion fades. I'm worried about that."

Hearing Nicole's heartfelt words, I raised my head slightly. Her golden eyes, filled with concern and worry, met mine.

She then slowly reached out and gently held my right hand. The rough texture from years of holding a sword was vividly felt.

"I remember the first time you showed me your writing. You handed me the manuscript with eager eyes, saying, 'Look at this, I wrote it.' Do you remember how you looked when I said it was really interesting? You looked like you had the whole world. That was the first time I saw you smile brightly."

"..."

"But now, I can see that smile fading. The more the world loves your writing, the more the burden on your shoulders weighs you down. Not just me, but our family wants to help you with that burden."

Before heading to the academy, Father had caressed the callus on my middle finger and said, "I'm proud of you. This is an honor you earned yourself, so be proud."

Nicole's sincere comfort brought back similar feelings.

"So, you don't need to blame yourself. If you really can't handle it, take a break, as you said. Writing should be a happy hobby, not a painful obligation. Understand?"

"...I understand."

I felt a bit relieved. Perhaps because she was family, she understood my feelings perfectly.

Thanks to her, I realized that family is the strongest support for me.

As Nicole said, I don't need to write as an obligation. But ironically, because of that, I want to write even more.

I didn't write for fame or glory; it was just a hobby. The burden of serialization only started when my popularity skyrocketed.

I smiled gently at Nicole, who looked relieved at my expression.

"Then I'll finish the first ten volumes quickly..."

Without the leisure, I felt like I was being chased. But after hearing Nicole's comfort, I made a firm decision.

"I'll take a break before my third year."

I need to take a break to manage my stress and clear my mind.

Nicole, hearing my decision, flinched and then smiled awkwardly.

"Y-Yeah. If that's what you want..."

Her voice, despite her words, was filled with regret.