[Trantor - Pot]


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    Chapter 72: I’ll Be Seeing You Soon


    "Olivier, I’m back!”


    “...!”


    Olivier turned to me with an expression that said he had a lot to say.


    “What’s the matter?”


    “Well, uh… Peter, has everything been alright?”


    Olivier tried his best to match my lighthearted tone.


    “What could possibly go wrong?”


    I grinned.


    “And nothing out of the ordinary for you either, right?”


    “None at all.”


    “That’s a relief.”


    I waved at Julia as she passed by.


    “Good morning!”


    “Huh? Oh, good morning.”


    Julia tilted her head, clearly puzzled by my overly cheerful demeanor.


    She nodded briefly and continued walking, her face saying, Why’s he so excited this early in the day?


    “Want a snack?”


    “!”


    An imaginary exmation mark seemed to pop up over Julia’s head. She quickly dashed back and bit into the wafer I handed her.


    “It’s… it’s delicious!”


    “Chew it all before you talk.”


    “Thank you, Peter.”


    After handing her the snack, I waved her off with a smile.


    “Hehe.”


    “You seem to be in a good mood.”


    Olivier remarked.


    “Of course.”


    We lowered our voices as we headed toward the bedroom.


    “So, did you get what you were after?”


    “Pretty much.”


    “What exactly were you up to?”


    Ah, exining that would take too long. I kept it short.


    “I took over an entire organization.”


    “...For real?”


    Leaving Olivier speechless behind me, I knocked on the bedroom door and opened it.


    “Well, would you look at this guy.”


    There was Peter, fast asleep with drool on the pillow. I kicked him awake.


    “Sleeping sofortably on your own, huh?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    “Ah! You’re back!”


    Peter, still half-asleep, rubbed his eyes before jumping up in shock.


    “Did… did everything go alright?”


    “Well, I had a bit more excitement than you did. You, on the other hand, were sleeping like the world wasn’t ending.”


    “Heheh, the pillow was sofy I just dozed off without realizing it.”


    Peter scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.


    “And I call this guy my attendant.”


    “Actually, Peter was so worried about you that he stayed upte into the night.”


    Olivier came to his defense.


    “Really?”


    I turned to Peter, who nodded sheepishly with a nk look on his face.


    “That’s right! But, um, how did you know?”


    “I heard you rustling aboutte into the night.”


    It seemed Olivier hadn’t been sleeping either.


    “Wow, you can hear that kind of thing?”


    “You must’ve been making quite the ruckus.”


    I teased Peter while praising Olivier.


    “As expected, you’re outstanding. The only truly dependable man around here is you, Olivier.”


    “You tter me.”


    “And you, what are you standing there for? Go fetch some clothes.”


    “Yes, sir!”


    I took off Peter’s clothes and The Mask of Aminicrus at the same time. As I transformed back, I could feel my perspective shift higher.


    “Ah, this is it. The eye level of Peter and me.”


    After spending an entire night transformed, returning to the body of Allenvert was oddly refreshing.


    “Young Master.” Olivier addressed me.


    “Hmm?”


    As I enjoyed the elevated perspective, Olivier continued.


    “What are your ns for today?”


    “Well, first, I’m going to get some more sleep. Tell everyone I’m training. Use that as an excuse to take a rest yourself, Olivier.”


    “Ahem. I’m perfectly fine.”


    “Come on, take the suggestion when it’s given.”


    I set down the snack in its cheap paper wrapping on the floor.


    “Later, I’ll be going to the library. If you’ve got things to do, feel free to handle them.”


    “For whatr?”


    “There’s an old man there who gets bored without me.”


    I was nning to host a small tea gathering. I’d been on the receiving end of his favors for years, and now that I had some sweets, I figured it was a good time to repay him.


    ‘Plus, I’ve got a few questions to ask while I’m at it.’


    “Understood.” Olivier nodded.


    “By the way, when do you n to tell me aboutst night’s events?”


    “Oh, that.”


    I smirked at Olivier’s face, practically dying of curiosity.


    “I’ll tell you if I can’t fall asleepter.”


    ***


    Ludan set down a well-steeped cup of tea in front of an unexpected visitor.


    “Please, have some.”


    “Ah, thank you.”


    For some reason, the man before him exuded a faint presence—one so subtle that it was difficult to ignore.


    ‘A man like a shadow.’


    Ludan thought.


    That was the best way he could describe him.


    “It’s been a while.” the man said, shing a harmless smile.


    ‘This…’


    He had always been someone without a clear title. Perhaps because of this, or for some other reason, his presence felt as fleeting as a ghost’s.


    But Ludan knew one thing for sure: whenever this man appeared within the castle walls, something significant always seemed to follow.


    ‘I don’t even know this man’s name.’


    Ludan didn’t know if he was a coteral rtive, a vassal from somewhere, or a retainer employed in recent years.


    He didn’t even know if the man served under the head of n or the council of elders.


    All he knew was that this mysterious figure always left an impression—and a wake of events behind him.


    Above all, Ludan''s instincts were warning him: It’s best not to take too much interest in this man.


    However—


    “The reason I’vee today is to ask a few questions about Young Master Allenvert.”


    This changed everything.


    Ludan cleared his throat and asked.


    “And what, specifically, might that be about?”


    Detecting the subtle wariness and concern in Ludan’s voice, the man softened his tone further.


    “I have recently been appointed as Young Master Allenvert’s swordsmanship instructor by order of His Grace, the Duke.”


    “A swordsmanship instructor, you say?”


    Ludan’s eyebrows twitched.


    “Ah, of course, I won’t only be teaching swordsmanship but also other disciplines of martial arts. However, that’s not all there is to it.”


    “What more is there, then?”


    “As you know, Sir Ludan, the direct descendants of the Grunewald n undergo various stages of verification.”


    “Yes, that’s correct.”


    “And those processes are conducted under the supervision of the n head and the council of elders.”


    The man gestured toward himself.


    “I am essentially a proxy who oversees those evaluations.”


    “…That is quite the significant responsibility.”


    “Ha ha.”


    The man scratched his head with an awkward smile, but Ludan couldn’t help but suspect that even this gesture was a carefully calcted performance.


    “To summarize, my role is to teach martial arts, including swordsmanship and mana cultivation techniques, while also cultivating governance skills, knowledge, and wisdom. Essentially, I am tasked with ensuring that Young Master Allenvert passes all the evaluations without issue before hising-of-age ceremony in a year. I am both his teacher and an examiner responsible for fair judgment throughout the process.”


    What on earth was this man’s true identity, that such an immense responsibility had been entrusted to him by the n head?


    “As you may have guessed, Sir Ludan, it was never originally intended for me to be Young Master Allenvert’s instructor.”


    “What do you mean by that…?”


    The man’s gaze sharpened.


    “His actions after awakening from his illness have, in a way, rewritten his fate.”


    Ludan unconsciously nodded. After all, wasn’t he the very first to witness how Allenvert seemed not just changed, but entirely reborn?


    “Before meeting Young Master Allenvert in person, I wanted to gather some information and testimony on my own.”


    Ludan furrowed his brow.


    “Is that truly necessary?”


    “You of all people would understand, Sir Ludan—ignorance is weakness.”


    The man’s tone was resolute.


    “If you don’t know someone well, you’ll inevitably be led astray by them. This is especially true when dealing with someone like Young Master Allenvert.”


    The more Ludan thought about it, the stranger the man’s words felt.


    Why would a teacher show such extreme caution toward a student they hadn’t even met yet?


    Was this simply part of his role as an examiner? But as far as Ludan knew, this wasn’t the case for the other heirs.


    “Sir Ludan.”


    Before his thoughts could wander further, the man’s low voice brought him back.


    “You were there on the day Young Master Allenvert first awoke, weren’t you?”


    “Yes, I was.”


    “I heard there were signs of amnesia. Is that true?”


    “It is indeed. But why…?”


    “It’s just that there’s something about that detail that doesn’t sit well with me.”


    "What do you mean by ''unsettling''?"


    The man took a moment, sipping his bitter tea before responding.


    "When someone loses their memory, it’s not just about forgetting what they ate yesterday. Their personality, wisdom, values, and even goals can undergo aplete transformation."


    "…"


    "Yet when I examine Young Master Allenvert’s actions, they consistently exhibit wless judgment and bold decisiveness. He humbled Young Master Barva and Young Master Somerset, dueled with Keseg, and even gained Young Lady Ulbhild’s favor, earning the privilege of learning martial arts from her. Most notably—"


    At this point, the faint, dry smile that appeared on his lips made Ludan flinch.


    "—he stood his ground against Young Master Verdzig himself. That is not something just anyone can do."


    Despite the unease he felt toward this man, Ludan couldn’t disagree.


    After all, who could deny that Verdzig Grunewald was a man of power and cunning, reminiscent of the n head’s younger days?


    "Young Master Allenvert has boldly dered his intent topete in the session race. However, I’ve never heard of someone recovering from amnesia and disying such extraordinary improvements."


    The man idly tapped his teaspoon like a pen, as if scribbling invisible thoughts in the air—a habit of his when organizing his mind.


    "When I first heard the stories, I thought perhaps Young Master Allenvert had been preparing for this moment all along, deliberately retreating into obscurity to n his current course of action."


    Ludan firmly shook his head, rejecting the theory he had heard countless times from others who came to him.


    "Frankly, I believe what has been revealed is the truth."


    Or perhaps, Ludan thought to himself, he simply didn’t want to believe that Allenvert had deceived even him with a calcted fa?ade.


    "Ah, so that’s your perspective."


    The man replied with a smile. Was there a trace of cynicism in it? Perhaps it was over-interpretation.


    "If only everything that was revealed were truly the whole truth, what a simpler world this would be."


    The weight behind those words silenced Ludan.


    "Is that all you wanted to say?"


    "For now, yes. I simply wished to hear your thoughts."


    With that, the man stood up, his expression showing little attachment to the conversation.


    "Thank you for the tea. I’ll take my leave."


    "…Please take good care of Young Master Allenvert."


    "I’ll do my best."


    As he turned and exited the library, his expression grew cold once again.


    ‘Head Butler and the old librarian react the same way. Thorough deception? Or has he truly changed?’


    The logical conclusion was that all of this was part of Allenvert’s calcted ns.


    But the man knew better than most that much of life existed in the gray area between order and chaos.


    ‘Let’s entertain the idea that, as these naive old men believes, Allenvertpletely changed after his fever.’


    It was a bold and improbable theory, but it exined more than one might expect.


    ‘…It’s almost as if another soul has taken residence within him.’


    Yet, as far as he knew, no mage—no matter how skilled—could achieve such a feat.


    ‘Sometimes the truth of a seeminglyplex matter is surprisingly simple.’


    Putting asidemon sense and prejudice for a moment, he reevaluated Allenvert’s actions.


    ‘Terrifying. Right after losing all memories, he gathered information and established his position so quickly?’


    And that wasn’t all.


    ‘He demonstrated his extraordinary martial talent in the most dramatic way possible, ensuring everyone in the duchy took notice.’


    His duels with Barva and Keseg showcased not only his natural aptitude but also his uncanny ability tomand attention.


    He had captivated Lady Ulbhild, expertly maneuvered through the intricate dynamics between his siblings, and skillfully distinguished allies from foes.


    ‘If it weren’t for Verdzig, the heir to the Grunewald n might already have been him.’


    The man, reflecting on the series of events that had unfolded in his absence, allowed himself a small chuckle.


    ‘Fascinating. Truly fascinating.’


    Indeed, the n head’s judgment had been spot on.


    For the first time, he fully understood why he had been tasked with closely observing Allenvert.


    ‘But there’s just one thing I can’t quite grasp.’


    ...What exactly was Allenvert trying to achieve by going to the harbor? Especially under the obvious watch of the Royal Guards and the Head Butler?


    If his intent had been to forge connections with the underworld in such a conspicuous manner, it would have been an astonishingly foolish move.


    ‘And yet, that smuggler Kimret disappeared without a trace.’


    There had been no sightings of him at the Nasrak Inn, despite earlier reports.


    Had the man sensed the rising tension and gone into hiding? Or...


    ‘Perhaps someone acted quickly and already abducted him.’


    In either case, Allenvert had gained nothing tangible from that encounter.


    Still...


    His behavior was so erratic that his intentions and goals were hard to grasp. Could someone really change this much, even such aplete personality change?


    ‘There’s only so much I can deduce from afar. The rest will have to be rified in person.’


    The man smiled, feeling a rare sense of intellectual excitement.


    ‘I’ll be seeing you soon, Young Master Allenvert.’


    [Trantor - Pot]


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