Ch#125
"Not black hair, so this one's out."
Inside the conference room, filled only with the sound of turning pages.
Veil leaned over the desk and muttered.
"Nope, not this one either...... Man, humans come in all shapes and sizes."
The members were systematically dividing up the volumes to search through the organization chart.
"What about ones that are kinda brownish-black and ambiguous?"
"Mark those with this."
Veil handed Raoul a thin thread.
He was inserting the thread into pages marking candidates who could be Tie's dad.
Once a volume was reviewed, Veil pushed it toward Tie.
"Kiddo. Check it out."
Tie set aside the materials she was looking at.
She carefully checked each marked section in the volume Veil passed over, then.
"Not here either......"
Her eyebrows drooped down.
Veil hurriedly replied.
"I-It says the West Continent stuff is in here! Your dad's in the Empire, right?"
Tie nodded.
"Just checking to be sure, so you keep looking through the Empire ones quick."
"Yeah......"
Tie pulled her materials back in front of her.
According to the butler, all Holy Knights of the Talochioum Empire were in the first, second, and third volumes.
The child flipped through the pages listlessly and murmured weakly.
"Tie really gonna find Dad......?"
The members searching through the materials hesitated and looked at Tie.
Tie had already gone through about half of the first volume with eyes wide open.
But not even a speck of info on Dad had appeared.
"What if, even after checking all three volumes, Dad's not there......?"
"No way. We'll definitely find him."
"That's right, Captain! The knights' portraits are so realistic too. You'll recognize your father right away."
Enzo pointed to the drawings in the materials.
As he said, the portraits in the materials were incredibly lifelike.
To the point where if Dad was really in there, Tie couldn't possibly miss him.
"......Yeah! Fighting!"
Tie shouted, pulling herself together again.
Only then did the members' expressions brighten faintly.
* * *
Once the review of the first volume was done, it was late at night.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Someone knocked briefly and entered the conference room.
Tie staggered to her feet.
"Carriage uncle?"
"Sovereign King, or rather, Miss Tie."
Alexander looked at Tie kindly and asked.
"How's it going? Found your father yet?"
As Tie's eyebrows drooped to both sides, Basto carefully answered instead.
"Not yet."
Alexander let out an 'Ah......' and stared at Tie.
In front of Tie was the first volume of the full organization chart, just covered moments ago.
Alexander comforted the child.
"Don't be too disheartened. He'll definitely be in the rest."
Tie nodded weakly.
Then Alexander turned to the other members and said.
"More importantly, isn't it too late today?"
He was looking at the utterly exhausted Tie with a worried expression.
"Father has prepared separate rooms for you to stay in. Why not rest for today since it's late, and continue the review tomorrow?"
Veil exchanged glances with Basto.
It was because he suddenly recalled what the Grand Commander had said at dinner.
'Take as many days as needed.'
That it was fine to check over several days since the amount was vast, no need to rush.
But he hadn't realized it meant staying over at the mansion.
"Of course, I know your own home would be most comfortable. But as I mentioned, this act itself carries quite a risk for us."
In other words, if Agavert came and went from the Lumenen mansion every morning and evening, someone might see.
The problem was if word spread that outsiders were perusing Church secret documents......
"Wouldn't it put us both in a bind as accomplices?"
Nordics nodded.
"That's right. We'll stay here tonight."
He gestured toward Tie, slumped in her chair like jelly.
"Astie looks very tired too."
Alexander smiled politely.
"Very well. Then allow me to show you to the bedrooms."
As he signaled for the members to follow and turned,
"Carriaaage uncle......"
A pitiful voice came from behind.
Turning around, Tie was looking at Alexander with a sulky face.
"Uncle, carry Tie......?"
Alexander froze in place, flustered.
The members' eyes went wide as they alternated stares between Tie and Alexander.
Tie wasn't shy around people.
She approached strangers easily and chattered away when given the chance.
But this was the first time she'd asked to be carried by someone she'd just met.
Alexander came to his senses and nodded hesitantly.
Then he carefully approached Tie.
"The amount of materials is huge, after all. Going through each one isn't easy."
As he awkwardly picked her up, Tie immediately rested her cheek on Alexander's shoulder.
Alexander turned to the members.
"Then now, how shall we......"
"Ah, could you guide us to the bedrooms?"
Alexander nodded at Basto's words.
As he left the conference room, Veil whispered to Nordics.
"What the heck, old man? Why's the kiddo acting like that?"
Nordics was gazing at Alexander's retreating back with a curious expression.
"Reminds me of something I've thought often before."
"What?"
"Tie tends to judge by appearances a bit."
Veil furrowed his brow in disbelief.
But Nordics just added nonchalantly.
"That's why she took to calling me grandpa right away when she first saw me."
Veil gaped at him in bewilderment.
And only after a long moment shook his head.
A short while later.
"Here we are."
Alexander stopped at the end of the wide, long second-floor corridor of the mansion.
The members looked up in amazement at the ornate arched ceiling.
Marble tile floors, walls carved with intricate wooden sculptures.
"You can each use one room. We've prepared a separate room for that eternal summon too, since it has a human form."
Alexander's gaze turned to Lucarion standing at the back of the members.
Veil stared at Alexander.
"......What? How'd you know Blackie's an eternal summon?"
Alexander smiled.
"Father discerned it with Holy City's Awakening. He said its mana texture matches yours, Miss Tie."
Basto nodded as if it made sense.
Then he said.
"Thank you. Then now......"
He held out both arms to Alexander.
Meaning hand Tie over now that they'd reached the rooms.
But.
"Eeeeng......"
For some reason, Tie clung tightly to Alexander and let out a pitiful whine.
"Carriage uncle stay! Until Tie falls asleep snoring......!"
A massive shock washed over Basto's face.
Alexander was just as flustered.
"Me, you say?"
Tie hugged Alexander's neck even tighter instead of answering.
In the end, Nordics stepped in as he watched.
"Then could you look after her just for tonight? Seems the Sovereign King quite likes you."
After a moment of silence, Alexander nodded.
"Very well. I will."
"Old man! Are you crazy?!"
Veil's eyes went wide right away.
Basto protested too.
"Y-Yes, old man. Even so......"
But Nordics was calm.
"Tie wants him, doesn't she."
In the end, Veil clamped his mouth shut.
Then he stared at Alexander with a displeased expression.
"......Keep the door open while she sleeps. Wide open, all the way!"
Alexander smiled as if it were no big deal and nodded.
"Understood. Then good night."
With not a hint of hesitation, he carried Tie into the room.
The members watched with expressions like they'd lost their country.
Meanwhile, Tie clung tightly to Alexander's neck and thought.
'Feels like Dad......'
Ever since closing the first volume with no leads.
Dark rain clouds had already gathered in Tie's heart, pouring down.
Tears she'd shed unknowingly trickled onto Alexander's shoulder.
'......If only Carriage Uncle were Dad.'
Alexander resembled Dad in face and speech, so to Tie, he truly felt like Dad.
