He was the heir. The legitimate son. The one whose presence actually made sense in this room.
As for me…
I was simply there.
A survivor.
Hilbert resumed speaking.
"There is something else."
The Duke slowly closed his eyes.
"Of course…"
Hilbert placed a second document on the table. It bore the seal of the Tower, a silver circle pierced by a black needle.
"A messenger arrived at dawn. The Tower requests that a representative of the Duchy of Britain attend the annual evaluation of noble bloodlines."
A murmur spread among the ministers.
I tilted my head slightly.
"The annual evaluation?"
Sebastian answered without looking at me.
"A gathering where noble families present their heirs and talents to the Tower. It's also where protections, artifact contracts, and dungeon access rights are negotiated."
"Ah."
So, an ego fair.
Hilbert cleared his throat.
"This year, the evaluation will take place in the inner city of Veyr. Under normal circumstances, Young Master Sebastian would naturally represent the house."
"Under normal circumstances?" the Duke asked.
Hilbert barely hesitated.
"Under normal circumstances, we would not have a border to secure, collapsing finances, and rumors of forbidden magic spreading across our lands, my lord."
I felt the atmosphere change.
Slowly, several gazes turned toward me.
I didn't like that.
Not at all.
The Duke stroked his beard.
"Hilbert… where exactly are you going with this?"
"We cannot afford to send Young Master Sebastian away from the territory. His presence is necessary to reassure the officers and maintain military authority."
Sebastian frowned.
"You want to send Kael?"
The silence that followed spoke louder than any answer.
I blinked.
Then replied with feigned surprise.
"Me?"
Hilbert finally looked directly at me.
"You represent the Duke's name, even if that remains a… questionable decision."
The Duke clenched his fists.
"Hilbert."
The minister lowered his head slightly, though his tone remained unchanged.
"Forgive me, my Duke. I am merely presenting the situation. Young Kael is officially under your protection. He may be presented as a ward of the house. That will be sufficient to fulfill the obligation of attendance."
I let out a brief laugh.
"So I'd be used as decoration?"
"A useful decoration, for once."
Sebastian abruptly stood up.
"Hilbert!"
The minister did not even flinch.
"I speak in the interest of the domain."
"You speak as though Kael were an object."
Hilbert immediately retorted.
"And you speak as though we had the luxury of prioritizing feelings."
The tension rose another level. The other ministers lowered their eyes, as though hoping to disappear into their chairs.
The Duke stood as well.
"Enough."
His voice was not loud, but it cut through the room instantly.
The Duke was not particularly tall, nor did his voice carry far, yet he possessed undeniable presence.
I kept my eyes fixed on the table. I could feel something moving beneath my skin. A faint warmth. Unpleasant. Familiar.
「Breathe.」
I obeyed.
Once.
Twice.
The heat receded.
The Duke looked at me with an expression I could not stand.
His eyes were filled with guilt.
"Kael… I will not force you."
A lie.
Not because he wanted to lie.
But because the situation forced him to. Because the territory needed resources. Because the Tower held the nobles by the throat. Because Sebastian needed to stay here. Because I had nothing to lose.
I leaned back into the chair.
"What exactly would I have to do?"
Hilbert answered before the Duke could.
"Travel to Veyr. Pay your respects to the Tower inspectors. Avoid causing incidents. And if possible, secure a renewal of the commercial protection granted to our Duchy of Britain."
"So smile and lie."
"I doubt anyone will ask you to smile."
This time, even Sebastian had nothing to say.
"And if I refuse?"
Hilbert folded his hands together.
"Then we will have to send Young Master Sebastian. The eastern officers will interpret that as a sign of weakness. Uruk will surely take advantage of it. Merchants will continue fleeing. And within three months, perhaps less, we will be forced to sell part of the secondary territories to pay our debts."
The Duke closed his eyes.
From the look on his face, I understood Hilbert was not lying.
I hated this.
I hated being trapped in a situation where the most detestable man in the room was right.
「Kael, you don't have to—」
"I'll go."
Lena's voice fell silent.
Sebastian stared at me.
"You don't have to do this."
"I know."
"Then why?"
I shrugged.
"Because you're more useful here."
His expression hardened.
The Duke approached me and placed both hands on my shoulders.
"Kael…"
I slightly looked away.
"Don't thank me. I'm doing this to repay my debt."
His fingers tightened.
"You are not a debt."
I didn't answer.
Because if I spoke, my voice might tremble. And I would rather die a second time than tremble in front of Hilbert.
The minister closed his file.
"In that case, departure must be tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow?" Sebastian asked.
"The seal indicates that the first hearings will begin in four days. The journey to Veyr takes three days if one travels quickly."
The Duke took a deep breath.
"Prepare an escort."
"A small escort," Hilbert specified. "We must avoid attracting attention."
Sebastian slammed his fist against the armrest.
"We're talking about magical attacks on the roads, and you want to send him with a reduced escort?"
"A large escort would look like provocation. Or worse, fear."
Sebastian's expression darkened. I could tell he was restraining himself.
"And a small escort will look like a coffin."
The Duke turned toward Hilbert.
"How many men can we send without weakening the domain?"
Hilbert checked a note.
"Four knights. Two coachmen. One servant for appearances. No more."
Sebastian scoffed.
"Wonderful. So we're sending Kael into an unstable region with four men and a servant."
"I can wield a sword," I said.
Sebastian turned toward me.
"Against mages?"
I had no answer to that.
Because the honest answer was no.
The meeting continued for some time after that, but I barely heard any of it. The ministers' voices became background noise. Words like "taxes," "border," "treaty," and "convoy" floated through the air without ever truly reaching me.
My attention was elsewhere.
On that report.
On the internal burns.
On the flames in my nightmare.
On Lena's hand slipping away from me amidst the ashes.
When the meeting finally ended, the ministers left the lounge one by one. Hilbert was the last to leave. As he passed beside me, he stopped.
"A piece of advice, Young Master Kael."
I raised my eyes toward him.
He emphasized the title with barely concealed disdain.
"In Veyr, the nobles will not be as tolerant as the Duke. Your birth will not be forgotten there."
I gave him a faint smile.
"I was counting on your moral support to prepare me for that."
His expression twitched.
Then he walked away.
Sebastian waited for the doors to close before sighing.
"You really have a gift for making things worse."
"I thought that was your specialty."
He stared at me for a few seconds.
Then, unexpectedly, he smiled slightly.
"Idiot."
The Duke sank back into his chair. Suddenly, he looked much older. The wrinkles around his eyes seemed deeper than usual.
"I'm sorry, Kael."
I shook my head.
"Don't be."
"I took you in to protect you. Not to send you into the middle of wolves."
"The wolves were already there before you took me in."
He did not answer.
Sebastian walked toward the window. Morning light slid across his blond hair, almost making it seem as though it glowed.
"I'll choose the knights who'll accompany you."
"Didn't Hilbert say he would handle it?"
"Exactly."
I couldn't help but laugh.
I stood up.
"I'm going to get some air."
The Duke slowly nodded.
"Go. We'll discuss your departure again tonight."
I left the lounge without another word.
The moment the doors closed behind me, I felt my legs grow heavy. I leaned against the hallway wall and closed my eyes.
「Kael.」
"Not now."
「You accepted too quickly.」
"Someone had to do it."
「That's not a reason.」
"…"
「Are you afraid?」
I clenched my teeth.
Of course I was afraid.
Afraid of leaving the manor and traveling roads where bodies burned from the inside out.
"No."
「You lie badly.」
"And you talk too much."
I resumed walking through the corridor. The crystals of the staircase reflected light in every direction.
The kind of architectural beauty that reminded you how easily everything could shatter from the slightest impact.
I descended into the inner courtyard. The gardeners had already begun their work. Bushes trimmed into the shapes of griffins lined the pathways, and a marble fountain sang softly at the center of the garden.
I sat on the edge of the fountain.
The water reflected my face.
Messy black hair. Deep dark circles beneath my eyes. Skin too pale. Eyes that looked like they belonged to someone else.
「You know, you could try sleeping a little before tomorrow.」
"Sleep just to see the same thing again?"
「Maybe this time it'll be different.」
"It never is."
The wind passed through the trees.
Suddenly, a glowing window appeared before me.
[Main Quest Updated.]
I immediately straightened up.
[Quest: Travel to Veyr.]
[Objective: Survive until the Tower's annual evaluation.]
[Reward: Partial access to the sealed archives.]
[Failure Penalty: Death.]
I stared at the last line.
For several seconds, I did not move.
Then I slowly raised my hand and clicked the window.
A metallic chime echoed.
[Do you wish to accept the quest?]
[Yes.] [No.]
I remained motionless.
"Why does it ask for my opinion if the penalty is death?"
「The system has an atrocious sense of humor.」
"That's not funny."
「I didn't say it was funny. I said it had one.」
I stared at the two options.
My finger hovered over "Yes."
The sealed archives.
I had never heard that term before. Yet something inside me reacted to those words. A strange pressure in my chest. As though a memory I did not possess had just knocked against a locked door.
「Kael, wait.」
"Too late."
I clicked.
[Quest accepted.]
[Good luck.]