DGMYF 3

“Isn’t it quite amazing? It won’t be easy to find talent like this anywhere.”

But Kaiso just snorted. He thought he was a good judge of character. This was because he had seen many two-faced people while living in aristocratic society, and had witnessed all sorts of human types while rolling on the battlefields. In particular, he was always in a managerial position, so he was accustomed to evaluating someone. By assigning some as adjutants, sending some to the front, and placing others in the rear, his eye for people naturally developed. Thus, although it had only been a short time, he had already finished his assessment of Troy. Seeing him barge into someone else’s bathtub and cling to the window singing a silly song, the answer was quite obvious.

‘A childish kid who knows nothing of the world.’

That was all. Such naivety was by no means a virtue.

“And the date of the ball is approaching, isn’t it? I’m afraid it might be too late to find a new aide from scratch.”

Kaiso counted the days in his head. There were just over two weeks left until the royal ball. Considering that it took about three days one way from Trianne to the capital, Luxan, and that he had to go in advance to prepare, there was only a week of spare time. The reason he had to hire an aide in a hurry in the first place was to attend that ball.

It would be troublesome if there was a delay in the schedule because of the delay in hiring an aide. Yes, Kaiso needed an aide. More accurately, a tall and strong porter to help him during the journey to Luxan.

Since the situation was unavoidable, Kaiso decided to lower his guard and be generous. He asked various questions to think as positively as possible.

“Where is that fellow named Troy from?”

“Ah, he said he’s from the North. He said it’s his first time in the South.”

A northerner. Kaiso nodded. Certainly, Troy’s snow-white skin was a common characteristic of northerners. The question of what brought him to this distant southern city from the North briefly arose, but it quickly subsided. It was not his business to be concerned with anyway.

“He’s a commoner. What about his education level?”

“He didn’t attend school separately, but he said there was a teacher who lived with him and taught him various things. So even though he’s a commoner, he can read and is quite good at swordsmanship.”

Being a commoner was not a problem. Originally, Kaiso was a man whose identity as a knight was stronger than that of an aristocrat. During his military service, he had gotten along well with commoners and despised aristocrats who acted as they pleased, putting on airs about their status. He had the arrogance of thinking he was different from such arrogant people.

“Like a private tutor?”

“Probably so.”

Unlike aristocrats who received a systematic education, most commoners could not even learn to read in their lifetime, let alone attend school. The prevailing attitude was that learning was a luxury when they were busy making a living, and he had heard that even if a family had some means, they would only send one or two of their most clever children to public school. So, for a commoner family to hire a private tutor meant that he had grown up in a rather well-off environment and was quite cherished.

“That’s probably why he’s cleverer than he looks.”

“A clever fellow who doesn’t even know his own secondary gender?”

“If his whole family was Beta, he might not know. I’ve heard that sometimes entire villages are like that. Since Troy is from the North, there will probably be many differences from us.”

Kaiso nodded obediently. It was not that he was truly convinced, but rather that Gordon’s attempt to defend Troy was touching.

“As it happens, the milk delivery person came by this morning, and as Your Grace knows, that person is an Omega. But Troy didn’t seem to perceive the pheromone scent at all. In my opinion, it seems Troy is indeed a Beta. I’ll tell him to get it confirmed when Teacher Heyworth comes out of his laboratory for a more accurate result.”

“Do that.”

“Yes, then until then…?”

Gordon looked at his master with a face full of expectation. The old butler had worked in this mansion since before Kaiso was born. Kaiso had always spent more days with Gordon the butler than with his busy mother and his father who never returned from the battlefield. Back then, he was surely taller than him, but he didn’t know when he had shrunk like this. Looking at the wrinkled face that had been weathered by the storms of time, Kaiso found his heart softening without him realizing it.

In the first place, the hiring of the aide had been entrusted to Gordon. Besides, as he said, there was too little time to recruit and screen anew. The thought that there was no need to be picky about hiring a mere porter came to mind again.

“Let’s make it a temporary position until the test results come out. We’ll go to Luxan together, and I’ll think again about what to do with him after that.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Thank you.”

Gordon did not hide his delight and repeatedly offered his thanks. Then he went out, saying he would deliver the news to Troy immediately. Kaiso wasn’t sure if his decision was right, but he decided to consider it a good thing in the end since he had secured a useful porter. With this, he erased the matter of the aide from his mind.

Kaiso stared blankly at the apple pie Gordon had left. Warm steam was rising from the tea, which had not yet cooled. Feeling hungry, he reached for the tray.

The pie, filled with apples preserved in sugar, was crispy and sweet. The tea had a clean aftertaste and a very nice aroma. Suddenly, at the end of his gaze, a picture frame hanging on the wall caught his eye. Inside it was a picture drawn with clumsy skill by Ingrid. The movements of drinking tea and chewing the pie gradually slowed down and finally stopped completely. His jaw clenched tightly.

“Ingrid…”

Kaiso found his own tongue, which was tasting the flavor and aroma in the midst of this, to be loathsome. Ingrid might be starving right now, yet her father was sitting peacefully and enjoying the taste of pie. At that thought, his stomach churned. He vomited everything he had just eaten into a handkerchief. Even stomach acid came up, and his esophagus burned as if it were on fire. In the end, he couldn’t eat another bite and pushed the tray aside.

A familiar despair engulfed him again. Now his mind was filled only with worry for Ingrid and loathing for himself for not being able to save his daughter. He replayed his actions on the day his daughter was kidnapped by the dragon over and over, constantly thinking about what had gone wrong. He looked back on the mistakes he had made throughout his life.

God was punishing him because he had committed many sins. He judged that he was paying the price for the sin of enjoying happiness with a treasure like a daughter, which was beyond his station.

‘It’s because she has a father like me that something happened to Ingrid.’

Guilt crushed his entire body. He couldn’t breathe. It felt like he needed to poke something to make a breathing hole. He fumbled his hand out and tightly gripped a pen that was rolling on the desk. He gripped it so tightly that instead of black ink, red blood flowed from the sharp nib.

Just as he raised it high above his head, the outside suddenly became noisy. He tried to ignore it, but the noise grew louder and even closer. Kaiso irritably put down the pen and opened the curtains.

“Woohoo!”

Troy was running through the garden with Gordon slung over his shoulder. He was so happy that he was letting out whoops of joy. As an unfamiliar noise filled the usually quiet mansion, the servants also began to stick their heads out of the windows one by one to find the source of the sound.

“What is all this commotion?”

Kaiso shouted. Troy gently set Gordon down on the ground and ran over here in a flash. He clung to the window and exclaimed in an excited voice.

“Your Grace! I got the aide position! Wow!”

“If you don’t shut that mouth, I might just cancel it.”

Troy immediately clamped his mouth shut. But he couldn’t control his excitement, so his shoulders were shrugging up and down and the corners of his mouth were lifted up to the sky. He looked like he was about to break into a dance.

“Alright, you can go now.”

“Ah, wait a minute! The weather is so nice today, let’s go for a walk together, Your Grace!”

Kaiso coldly drew the curtains before he could finish his sentence. But Troy, undeterred, squeezed his face through the gap in the curtains.

“Huh? Your Grace!”

Looking at his expectant face, the strength slowly drained from Kaiso’s hand holding the curtain. His eyes were too sparkly to be ignored so decisively. He couldn’t help but give a short reply.

“No.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Roughly.”

At that, Troy’s eyes widened, and his mouth fell open, his expression one of shock.

“You have to eat well to have an energetic day!”

It wasn’t that Kaiso didn’t know that. When he was young, he would tear off and eat thick pieces of meat whole, and he wouldn’t get drunk even if he drank a lot of strong liquor. He was that healthy and full of energy every day.

But now, he had no strength in his entire body. He couldn’t eat, so he had no energy, and since he had nothing to be energetic about, he couldn’t eat. And so, he grew weaker and weaker. His eyes were hollow and his expression was gloomy, making him look like a living corpse. His condition was so serious that a servant who came to wake him in the morning had once been caught secretly putting a finger under his nose to check for breath.

“I had three bowls of slowly simmered meat stew this morning. And I had toasted bread with butter and lots of raspberry jam.”

Troy said what he wasn’t asked, quickly and without taking a breath.

“For a snack, I had an apple pie with lots of cinnamon powder sprinkled on it. A bite of pie and a sip of milk, that’s heaven right there…!”

“Well, I think lemon pie is better than apple pie.”

Kaiso answered perfunctorily. At that, Troy rolled his eyes and scratched his head as if he were embarrassed.

“Actually, I made it. I made one for you too, Your Grace. Didn’t you eat it? It’s really delicious.”

Was it delicious? He couldn’t remember. Only the taste of bitter stomach acid lingered in his throat.

“Next time.”

Kaiso gestured with his head for him to go and returned to his desk. He put the blood-stained pen in a drawer and took out a pile of documents filled with complicated numbers. But Troy, whether he was clueless or thoughtless, still had his head poked out and was staring at him. The piercing gaze was quite burdensome.

“…Go and help Gordon now.”

Thinking he might not have understood his meaning, he clearly pointed it out again. But Troy, far from leaving, kept chattering on. Most of it was meaningless chatter.

“The scenery was so beautiful when I took a walk this morning! I wish I could live seeing this scenery every day!”

“Do as you please.”

“I saw a stray cat in the back garden earlier, is it okay to feed it?”

“Do as you please.”

“Actually, I already did.”

Responding to his useless chatter, he couldn’t concentrate on calculating the numbers at all. His ears hurt from the constant chattering, and he became too lazy to answer, so Kaiso left the study. He wanted to clear his head for a moment.

Along the long corridor, there were arched windows at regular intervals. Warm spring sunlight streamed through the windows. Kaiso, feeling displeased by the glaring sunlight, slowly rolled the wheels of his wheelchair.

“Hehe, Your Grace.”

It was useless to have run away; Troy followed him closely along the corridor windows. Every time he saw Kaiso through a window, he would call out, “Your Grace!” as if playing peek-a-boo.

Upon reaching the central lobby, the mansion’s garden came into view through the wide-open doors. He approached the main entrance and quietly gazed at the garden scenery. Nameless flowers were peeking out one by one, willingly responding to the radiant spring sunlight that called to them.

Seeing this, Troy cautiously spoke to him.

“Do you like flowers?”

“I used to.”

“There’s a beautiful cherry blossom path just a short walk from here.”

As he said, the cherry blossom path near the ducal mansion was so beautiful that people would come from other cities to see it. The profusely blooming petals were so vivid it was as if they were painted before his eyes, making it impossible to tell if it was spring or winter.

‘Around this time of year, I used to pack a lunch with Ingrid and go on a picnic.’

The child would flit around trying to catch the fluttering petals. A faint smile appeared on Kaiso’s lips at the happy old memory. Mistaking it for a sign of agreement, Troy grabbed Kaiso’s hands and exclaimed.

“Then let’s go right now! I’ll escort you!”

“You go by yourself.”

Kaiso coldly slapped his hands away. He had no intention of going to see the flowers alone without Ingrid. Even if he went, there was no way he would enjoy it. But Troy, who had no way of knowing his feelings, fidgeted and stamped his feet restlessly.

“If we don’t go see the flowers now, we won’t be able to see them for a whole year. The wind is strong, so I think they’ll fall soon.”

“I don’t care if they do.”

Kaiso stared at the wide-open main door for a long time before finally turning his head. The warm sunlight, the spring breeze, the fluttering white cherry blossoms. They were all luxuries that did not suit him.

Troy’s eyebrows drooped into a figure-eight, and he wore a sullen expression.

“You have to see the flowers, but if it rains tonight, they’ll all fall…”

“I’m not interested.”

Having rejected even his last suggestion, Kaiso turned his wheelchair around. Troy tried to grab the wheelchair handles, but Kaiso’s block was faster.

“Don’t follow me.”

In the end, Troy stood outside, unable to even cross the threshold of the main door. Kaiso left him behind and crossed the central hall.

In fact, Kaiso hadn’t been outside the mansion for a month. No, it would be more correct to say he couldn’t go out. As if there was a giant wall at the main door, he couldn’t even bring himself to cross the low threshold.

It was probably because he wasn’t ready to accept spring. It was rather fine in winter. The world of gaunt, dry trees and cold silence was no different from his own heart. But the world, indifferent, left him in the lonely winter and steadily moved towards spring.

Was it said that April is the cruelest month? Kaiso felt like he would go crazy with jealousy just by facing the warm spring air. It felt as if the whole world was happy while he alone was trapped in hell.

Kaiso knew that his condition was not normal. Just standing in front of the door made his heart pound and sweat trickle down his body. His head would get dizzy and his mind would go blank. If this continued, he might be trapped in the dark house forever, grow mold all over his body, and eventually rot away.

‘It would be a problem if I keep acting this foolishly and can’t go to the ball.’

He didn’t care what happened to his own body, but he couldn’t miss the ball. The royal ball was the last hope for saving Ingrid.

Even after gathering all the knights who were said to be good with a sword and pouring money into hiring mercenaries, he couldn’t defeat a single forest dragon. Even the Windermere ducal family’s proud guard was惨敗, with only a few barely returning alive. Now there was only one way left. The Royal Knights, composed of the most outstanding talents on the continent, had to step forward themselves.

However, until now, not only the king but also the crown princess had deliberately ignored Kaiso’s contacts. Even when he requested a meeting, they avoided him, citing physically impossible reasons such as being busy or being in another region. The royal family had already given their answer.

That’s why Kaiso decided to attend the royal ball. Since the crown princess, as well as many nobles, would be attending the ball, it was a golden opportunity he couldn’t miss. He had already secured promises from the lords of other cities, especially those who had suffered great damage from the dragon, to join him. He had also collected enough petitions from the parents of other abducted children. With this, even the high and mighty crown princess would not be able to refuse the dispatch of the Royal Knights.

Everything was ready. Except for one thing, the fact that Kaiso couldn’t leave the house.

Kaiso wheeled his wheelchair back towards the main door. Troy was already gone. As he got a little closer to the door, the sunlight streaming in through the open door cast a shadow over his lap.

‘…….’

But that day doesn’t have to be today. In a week, he would have to go out whether he wanted to or not. Kaiso hastily turned his wheelchair around. His vision swam. He couldn’t bear it like this. He had to return to his comfortable and dark study quickly. Only in that room, where dead times were piled up in layers, could Kaiso find peace.

Returning to his study, Kaiso tried to get back to work, but he couldn’t concentrate at all. His restless gaze turned to the pile of books next to him. He adjusted his glasses and opened a book.

Until now, Kaiso had gathered every book related to dragons he could find and read every single line without missing a thing. He could now confidently say that he knew more about dragons than dragons themselves, but unfortunately, no book in the world described a way to rescue a child abducted by a dragon. He also couldn’t find any mention of dragons having a habit of kidnapping humans.

Originally, dragons did not often reveal themselves to the world. Their habitats were located in deep forests, underground caves, swamps, or distant seas, making them difficult to even meet unless one went looking for them. Dragons were also famous for hiding amazing treasures in their lairs, ranging from piles of rare jewels and gold coins as high as mountains to very old artifacts. Dragons were so covetous of each other’s treasures that their lairs were located in deep places and were also heavily trapped. Thus, holing up in their lairs and hoarding treasure was one of the biggest characteristics of the dragon species.

So when the sky-flying forest dragon was first discovered, people thought they were seeing things. Or they deluded themselves that it was just a large eagle. But reality could not be escaped, and the dragon’s flames could not be blocked.

When a black shadow was cast overhead, a deafening roar soon echoed through the whole village. The forest dragon chased after the heels of the people fleeing in panic and spewed hot flames. The dragon’s stormy wingbeats blew off roofs and brought down castle walls. The village, reduced to ashes, was filled only with the sound of grief-stricken wails.

The tragedy did not end there. As if not satisfied with attacking the village, the forest dragon now began to kidnap young children. Not just one or two, but more than a dozen children disappeared at intervals of a few days. The witnesses all testified in unison.

‘A green monster that breathes fire flew in, flapping its wings, and snatched the child with its claws!’

The entire kingdom was put on high alert, and the people bolted their doors tightly. They hoped that would be enough to protect their precious children, but it was not very effective.

Even the Duke of Windermere, the wealthiest of the southern nobles and the one with the most powerful guard, could not protect his daughter from the clutches of the forest dragon.

“……”

Why did the forest dragon kidnap young children? No matter how many times he asked, no answer came back. Kaiso, feeling helpless, turned his head to the window. The bright blue sky and the fresh green garden mixed in a mess, blurring his vision. A familiar despair engulfed him again.

At that moment, a strange cherry blossom tree suddenly invaded the corner of his vision. Among the green trees, the cherry blossom tree alone was scattering its snow-white petals here and there. For a moment, Kaiso was captivated by the sight.

“…Wait, a cherry blossom tree?”

Come to think of it, the cherry blossom path was a long walk from the ducal mansion, so it couldn’t be seen from inside the mansion.

“Then what is that?”

The cherry blossom tree shook violently with a thumping sound. The birds that had been sitting on the tree flew up with a flutter. As if the tree were walking, it gradually got closer.

Unable to believe the sight before his eyes, Kaiso took off his glasses and frowned. It wasn’t long before he understood the whole story.

“…Good heavens.”

Troy had uprooted a giant cherry blossom tree and was carrying it.

“Your Grace!”

Thump. Troy set the giant cherry blossom tree down near the study window. The impact caused the petals to fall profusely. It was a beautiful scene, as if it were snowing.

Kaiso, who had been lost in the sight for a moment, shook his head to clear his mind. Then he threw open the window and shouted.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Troy wiped the sweat that had beaded on his forehead. His flushed face looked more joyful than tired.

“Ah, Your Grace! The cherry blossoms are so pretty, aren’t they?”

“I asked what the meaning of this is.”

“Um, well. I really wanted to show you the cherry blossoms. If it rains, the flowers will all fall.”

If so, it would have been enough to just cut off a single branch. But to uproot an entire tree, Kaiso was at a loss for words at his extreme action.

‘No, more importantly. How did he pull that out?’

The tree trunk was quite thick, its branches spread out in all directions, and it was lush with blooming flowers. No matter how strong he was, it made no sense for him to carry that alone.

Troy himself, however, wore an innocent smile that didn’t seem to belong to someone who had exerted such tremendous strength.

“Next time, I’ll pull out a lilac tree. It’s a tree by the stream, and its purple flowers are really pretty!”

“No, that’s enough!”

Kaiso exclaimed in alarm.

In his childhood, countless people had offered him bouquets of flowers, but this was the first time someone had brought him a tree, roots and all.

“But spring is short. There are still magnolia trees, wisteria trees, and plum trees, and also…”

He seemed determined to uproot all the trees in the world if he wasn’t stopped. Kaiso, who had no intention of turning the neat garden of the ducal mansion into a forest, hurriedly made a promise.

“I’d rather go myself, so stop.”

“Really? You’ll go with me?”

“I told you I would.”

Troy smiled a bright smile as if he had gained the whole world. At that moment, a gust of wind blew, disheveling Troy’s curly silver hair. Kaiso stared at him blankly. For a moment, it was as if time had stopped.

Conscious of his gaze, Troy cautiously asked.

“Uh, what do you think?”