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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Chapter 2 Meeting the Past (1)
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"Are you a student at Juist Academy?"
"Yes, so I've been told."
"...You're speaking as if it has nothing to do with you."
"I have personal reasons, so please don't concern yourself."
"Hmm."
Next morning, bright and early, Sei-an and Jeron, having resumed their journey in a hurry, were no longer traveling in silence as they had the day before, but had officially become companions sharing the same path.
Jeron, for his part, was once again asking Sei-an questions about Juist Academy, where he was headed.
"You know where Juist Academy is located, don't you?"
"I believe it's in the capital of the Elomaha Kingdom."
The Elomaha Kingdom. A kingdom not far from the Chezaros Empire.
While not militarily or materially a large nation, it was protected by all countries across the continent for the sole reason that Juist Academy was located there.
As a place attended by nobles from various nations, as well as members of imperial and royal families, it was the safest place on the continent, untouchable by anyone.
"That's right. The Black Mercenary Group's headquarters are also there."
Jeron, having just finished a commission and heading back to the mercenary group's base, found it surprisingly easy to decide to guide Sei-an, given that their destination was the very same place as Juist Academy.
"By the way, where did you learn that from yesterday?"
"What are you referring to?"
"The way you subdued that mercenary who drew his sword on you."
"..."
Then Jeron began to ask about the technique Sei-an had displayed yesterday.
Having worked as a mercenary for a long time and seen countless fighters, he had never before witnessed a technique that subdued an opponent so effortlessly.
"I just naturally came to know it a long time ago."
"A long time ago?"
A long time ago, while learning about puppetry, he realized that to create a perfect living puppet, one needed to understand the human body above all else.
From how the body moved to how blood circulated within a person, he had to uncover every minute detail.
Consequently, he had to read every book on human anatomy available on the continent, and purchasing recently deceased bodies for dissection at great expense was part of his daily routine.
Through this study of the human body, he naturally mastered the knowledge of pressure points within it.
Sei-an inevitably came to know not only the common pressure points familiar to ordinary fighters and combat enthusiasts, but also the tiny, less obvious ones located throughout the human body.
"..."
"Hmm."
However, Sei-an, having no intention of elaborating on those facts to Jeron, said nothing further, and Jeron, likewise, did not press the matter.
Among mercenaries, it was rare for anyone to reveal the secrets of their techniques to others.
"I think it'd be best to make camp here for the night."
"Alright."
Thus, the two, who had set out early that morning, managed to enter Mount Huebes by the time the sun began to set.
Though there was still daylight, the mountain was quite deep, requiring half a day to cross. So, they decided to set up camp early, rest, and depart first thing in the morning.
"Is that about done?"
A moment later, having found a spot for their camp, the two began to prepare their resting place with swift, practiced movements.
Jeron simply laid down a blanket to make his sleeping spot, then casually turned his head to look at Sei-an, only to find himself staring with an utterly bewildered expression.
"...Hey, hey."
"..."
"We're just resting here for one night, you know."
"I know."
"Then why are you doing that, knowing full well?"
"What do you mean?"
It was because Sei-an was meticulously cleaning the area around his sleeping spot.
Neatly stacking his discarded belongings and placing them tidily to one side was a given, but seeing Sei-an sweep away stray rocks and twigs from around his sleeping area as if tidying a room, Jeron couldn't help but wear a dumbfounded expression.
He couldn't understand why Sei-an felt the need to clean so thoroughly for a place where they would merely sleep for one night before leaving.
"...I don't even clean my own room that thoroughly."
"Being messy is hardly something to boast about."
"..."
Jeron, who had spoken with a hint of sarcasm, was instead met with Sei-an's disdainful gaze and found himself silenced.
As Sei-an resumed tidying the area, Jeron ultimately couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
'He really is a strange one.'
While on mercenary assignments, he had occasionally encountered young nobles who, while traveling, would feign cleanliness and fussiness, bothering others.
However, he had never once seen someone like Sei-an, who so quietly and diligently tidied his own surroundings.
Most nobles, even when hiring mercenaries for travel, would bring along a retinue of servants and maids.
"Heh!"
A moment later, seeing Sei-an's satisfied expression as he seemed to have finished tidying everything, Jeron couldn't help but let out another small laugh.
"Why are you traveling alone?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't travel alone?"
Then, a sudden question came to Jeron, and he posed it to Sei-an.
"I find it remarkable that parents would send their child on a journey alone with such a sense of direction."
"..."
He thought that any parents who knew their child had zero sense of direction wouldn't simply let them travel alone like that. Especially not a child from a noble family, not just a commoner.
"...Surely you didn't just leave without saying a word?"
Then, seeing Sei-an offer no reply, Jeron was momentarily puzzled and asked again.
He wondered if Sei-an might have embarked on this journey as if running away from home, without his parents' knowledge.
"...I left a letter."
"What?"
To be precise, he had mentioned he would leave and stated his destination, so it wasn't a runaway.
It was just that leaving only a letter, without a farewell or even seeing their faces, was a slight bother.
"Well, there might be one person who'd be upset even if I didn't leave a letter..."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"..."
Then, Sei-an realized for the first time that there might be someone who would be slightly angered by his departure without a greeting or a letter, and he adopted an awkward expression.
'Well, if it's someone as proud as him, he probably wouldn't voice his complaints directly.'
But that thought lasted only a moment before Sei-an easily dismissed it as insignificant, erasing it from his memory.
***
"What did you just say?"
"Pardon?"
"He left?"
"Yes? Ah, yes, Your Highness. Sei-an departed for Juist Academy to complete his remaining studies."
"..."
Prince Idis had recently been feeling a sense of unease due to Sei-an's continued absence from his residence. Just then, he spotted Count Shurayton, who happened to be visiting the Imperial Palace, and inquired about Sei-an's well-being.
Upon hearing the news from the Count's lips, Prince Idis subtly furrowed his brow.
"S-surely he didn't leave without saying anything to you?"
"..."
At Prince Idis's expression, Count Shurayton's own face quickly stiffened, and he spoke in a hurried tone.
He had absolutely not expected that his son would have left without saying anything to the Prince.
"...No. I believe I heard it before. I must have simply forgotten, so please pay it no mind."
"Phew! Is that so? Well, that's a relief, but..."
However, a moment later, Prince Idis told Count Shurayton that he must have simply forgotten, and he no longer brought up Sei-an's oversight.
Of course, this wasn't to cover for the boy.
It was a result of Prince Idis's pride, just as Sei-an had predicted—he didn't want anyone else to know that he had received no word from Sei-an and had been ignored.
'Sei-an, you! How dare you!'
Having concluded their conversation and turned away from Count Shurayton, Prince Idis's expression was subtly contorted.
Feeling a small surge of anger towards Sei-an, who had dared to vanish without a word to him, the Prince, he quickly made his way back to his residence.
"Sei-an, that boy!"
Meanwhile, watching Prince Idis disappear, Count Shurayton also thought of Sei-an and let out a small sigh.
Although Prince Idis had said he'd heard it and then left, Count Shurayton had already grasped the full truth.
It was simply unthinkable for Prince Idis, who was meticulous in everything, to forget something Sei-an had told him and then come asking questions.
Thus, he knew that Sei-an had not informed Prince Idis in advance about his departure for Juist Academy.
"It's a relief that he at least let it go, but..."
Still, it was fortunate that Prince Idis didn't seem to make a big issue out of Sei-an's presumptuous behavior.
'But it is surprising.'
And on the other hand, Count Shurayton was considerably surprised by Prince Idis's act of personally seeking him out to inquire about Sei-an's well-being.
It was already remarkable that the Prince, who showed no interest in anyone and didn't even allow others near him, still permitted his son, Sei-an, to frequent the Imperial Palace. But for him to now show such interest in Sei-an was truly astonishing.
A pleased smile unconsciously formed on Count Shurayton's face.
'Still, when he returns, I'll have to give him a good scolding!'
But as it was wrong for Sei-an to leave without saying anything to Prince Idis, Count Shurayton resolved to scold him upon his return.
