Chapter 153 : Chapter 153

Chapter 153 : Unchanging

Luis maintained his composure.

Who could it be?

An enemy?

It was highly probable.

But then, why approach so covertly?

Where and how did they find out my identity?

My mind raced.

Even so, my wrinkled hand was holding onto the employee who handed me this note.

“Umm……”

When I called him in an old voice, the employee smiled and asked.

“Is there anything else you need, sir?”

“It’s not that. You said this paper was on the seat……?”

“Ah. Yes. That’s right. Why?”

“Did you happen to see who put it there?”

“Huh? I don’t know about that. Wasn’t it you who left it, sir?”

I hurriedly smacked my head with my hand.

“Oh my. Look at my mind. That’s right, it’s mine. I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“Haha. It’s alright. Have a good day!”

“Thank you.”

I received the employee's greeting with a smile, but the eyes hidden in the wrinkles around them flashed sharply, scanning the surroundings.

Eating, conversing, looking at the menu, everyone was focused on their own business.

There were no particularly suspicious movements.

‘Is he alone.’

There were no watchers.

That meant he was confident that I would come out the back door as requested in the note.

I trudged towards the back door.

Just as he suspected, now that my identity was exposed, I had no other choice.

‘I’ll handle him here.’

Clank!

I opened the back door and stepped outside.

The alley behind the building.

To the right, I could see the main road leading to the plaza, and on the opposite side, the alley continued deep, creating a gloomy atmosphere.

‘Where is he?’

The man was nowhere to be seen.

But not knowing when or where an attack might start, I tensed up and drew up my mana.

It was then.

I felt a presence.

Rustle!

Behind the trash can for food waste.

I quickly pulled a dagger from my clothes and threw it in that direction.

No. Just as I was about to throw it, I confirmed the silhouette that came into view and, with astonishing dexterity, retrieved the dagger again.

It was, surprisingly, Parnaci.

“……I knew it. It was you!”

His face was overflowing with an unconcealable light of excitement upon seeing me.

***

The staff break room attached to the restaurant.

Parnaci placed a teacup on the table, sat down, and smiled broadly at me.

“Still handsome. Just like when you were young!”

I had taken off my face mask.

I figured there was no point in hiding it since my identity was already revealed.

More importantly, I had a question.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Haha! I knew you’d ask.”

Parnaci grinned.

“Yugen-nim once said something like this. No matter how much a person's appearance changes, there's one thing that never changes.”

Only then did I let out a small gasp.

I remembered hearing this story before.

“The look in your eyes.”

“Right. The look in your eyes. I was already thinking it was strange anyway. A grandpa I’d never seen before, at the same time, in the same clothes. And looking at me with the same eyes. But strangely, the look in his eyes was familiar. At first, I just let it go, but from the second and third meetings, I started to become sure. Ah. This person knows me, and I know this person too!”

“…….”

“And during your last visit, I remembered you.”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't help but raise one corner of my mouth.

Hearing it like this, it seemed plausible.

Especially for someone with a good memory and intuition.

‘I was careless.’

Or maybe, deep down, I had hoped that Parnaci would recognize me first.

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment.”

At Parnaci’s serious voice, I lifted my head and looked at him.

“I believed. That Shadow would return one day.”

A decade is a long time, enough to change mountains and rivers.

But even in that time, there was something that hadn't changed.

“Since that day, I’ve never once forgotten Shadow.”

“…….”

“Thank you for coming back.”

I stared at him quietly.

I could feel his sincerity in his eyes and voice.

It wasn't a lie.

Just a moment ago, I had been half-doubting whether Parnaci would even remember Shadow.

I felt like a fool.

“Thank you for not forgetting, and for waiting.”

“What do you mean thank you. It’s only natural.”

At the same time, I was certain.

That if I asked for help, the Parnaci before me would gladly grant it.

Just as he had in the past, Parnaci would help Shadow in every way possible, as if it were his own business.

Perhaps that’s why.

From this moment on, a great greed began to take root in my heart.

The situation was not good.

With a war against the massive force of the Beltus Cult looming, Shadow was desperate for even the smallest bit of help.

An all-out war was out of the question; it was a war where we only had a chance of winning by waging guerrilla warfare based on informational superiority and the advantage of being in the imperial capital.

In this situation, Parnaci's help would undoubtedly become a strong pillar of support for Shadow.

Parnaci, who had extensive experience in business in Icata, had many connections.

He was also financially well-off, his shop could function as an intelligence post with a little work, and it could also be used as a refuge to hide in case of an unforeseen crisis.

There was nothing more to consider.

“Actually, I was a bit unsure when I saw the wanted poster for the skull mask. But, it seems I was right. What on earth happened? What's this about the Beltus Cult? And what's this about attacking the academy?”

Just in time, Parnaci asked about the matter first.

“First, the wanted skull mask is indeed the master.”

“Huh? Then is the announcement that the skull mask recently attacked the academy true? That’s quite different from the Shadow I know.”

My brow furrowed.

“It is true, but there are complicated circumstances that are hard to explain. We don't have time right now, so I will tell you when I get the chance later.”

“Ah. Then it's fine. Whatever you say, I trust Shadow. If there are circumstances, then so be it.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey. There you go again. What are you thanking me for? If anything, I should be thanking you. You know well how much this Parnaci has received from Shadow, don't you? Starting with this shop, everything I have now, how well I eat and live, is all thanks to Shadow.”

I didn't bother to deny it.

He was right, and it felt easier to bring up the subject since he thought that way.

So I was about to ask for a favor.

“Dad.”

Suddenly, the break room door creaked open, and a small head popped through the gap.

Seeing her, Parnaci's face lit up and he spread his arms wide.

“Oh, my lovely daughter, Jaygie! Come here! That’s right!”

Parnaci, who had hugged Jaygie as she entered the break room, asked.

“Do you remember?”

I nodded my head.

“She’s my treasure. What do you think, she’s grown a lot, right?”

“She has.”

“……Who is he, Dad? Does he know me?”

“Hehe. Of course. I told you before, didn't I? A long time ago, I almost lost our daughter. And I told you about the boy who saved her.”

At Parnaci’s words, Jaygie, who had been constantly glancing at my face, widened her eyes.

“Huh? N-No way?”

“That’s right. This oppa is the Luis-oppa who saved you. Say hello.”

Jaygie's pupils trembled uncontrollably.

Her face, which had already turned bright red.

“Th-Thank you.”

Then, when our eyes met, she hurriedly turned her head to the side, and Parnaci guffawed at the typical reaction of a teenage girl.

“You little rascal. Is he that handsome?”

“B-Be quiet, Dad……!”

Now Jaygie's face was like a volcano about to erupt.

Despite that, she stubbornly didn't leave her spot, and Jaygie, who was standing there as if she urgently needed to poop, suddenly squeezed her eyes shut and reached out her hand next to me.

There was the cleaning uniform vest that I had taken off.

“Th-This. Here. G-Give it to me!”

“……?”

“T-To wash! As, as a token of my gratitude!”

Then she ran out of the break room as if her life depended on it.

The door slammed shut, so I didn't even have a chance to say anything.

“Ah! D-Definitely come to pick up your clothes tomorrow!”

At the urgent voice heard from across the door, Parnaci finally burst into the laughter he had been holding back.

“Pfft. Puhahaha!”

Even after that, Parnaci spared no praise for his daughter.

Saying that although she seems that way, she has the personality of a general, so he sent her to a swordsmanship class where she was told she had talent, and asked what I thought.

A smile never left Parnaci's lips as he bragged about his daughter and I quietly listened to his story and answered before getting up from my seat.

“Huh? You’re leaving?”

“Yes. I’ve been away for too long.”

“Ah, really? That's a shame.”

I quietly watched Parnaci, who was smacking his lips, and then put on the face mask I had taken off.

In the end, I couldn't ask Parnaci for help.

To be precise, I chose not to.

Parnaci. He was currently living a life of perfect happiness.

He had a job, a home, and a family.

He had things to protect that were more important than Shadow.

I couldn't bring myself to force danger upon such a Parnaci.

Yes. It would be forcing him.

A coercive demand, knowing that Parnaci wouldn't refuse, and using that heart.

What's more, in the past, we had the ability to pay ample compensation, both materially and spiritually.

But unlike then, now there was nothing we could promise.

‘……I almost threw away my conscience for greed.’

I smiled bitterly and left the break room.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

Just then, Parnaci, who was seeing me off, asked from behind.

“You’ll come again, right?”

“…….”

“Come whenever you feel like it, like it’s your home. You guys are always welcome!”

I answered by bowing deeply in greeting.

As I left, Parnaci watched my retreating back with a wistful look and muttered.

“You’ve grown so much I almost didn't recognize you. You were just a quiet child back then. You’ve become an adult.”

But, that stubborn look in your eyes is still the same, Parnaci thought.

At the same time, a memory surfaced in his mind.

A memory of that day that he could never forget, no matter how much time passed.

‘Who are you?’

‘I’m hungry.’

A cold winter.

A child with hair as white as the snowflakes falling from the sky and eyes of pure white.

‘Hah. What did you say?’

‘Please give me some food. I feel like I’m going to starve to death.’

‘……Come in.’

That was my first meeting with Parnaci.

“It was absurd.”

Thinking back on it now, that act of kindness was the best choice of Parnaci's life.

In truth, at that time, Parnaci was not in a position to offer food to others or perform acts of kindness.

He too was on the verge of bankruptcy, unable to handle his growing debt.

A shop he had painstakingly opened with a loan.

Fortunately, business was good.

It seemed like he would be able to pay off all his debts.

But the peace did not last long.

From the perspective of a loan shark, it was hard to watch Parnaci's shop do well.

So he hired thugs to appropriately ruin the shop, and as he intended, the shop's sales gradually dropped.

The interest grew, and the debt gradually became unmanageable.

‘Hey, Parnaci. Why aren’t you paying back the money?’

‘Just wait a little longer. Right now, it’s tight just paying my employees.’

‘What? You son of a bitch, are you kidding me? You have money for your employees but the money you borrowed from us isn’t money? What kind of crappy situation is this?’

‘You disappear when it’s time to pay!’

‘Haha. Us? When? Hey, you think you can get away with just talking?’ This won’t do.’

Eventually, the thug reached out to Parnaci's daughter, Jaygie.

‘Please! Please leave my daughter alone! She’s only three! One week! I’ll pay you back in one week!’

‘Double. Huh?’

‘Okay! Double! So just let the kid go!’

‘What nonsense? If you can't pay in a week, she gets a new dad. Here. Peek-a-boo! I’m your daddy now. Say it, Da.ddy!’

Waaaaah──!

‘Geez. Crying like a brat. Anyway, I’ll raise her well, so come find her when you have the ability to pay back the money, okay?’

Parnaci gritted his teeth.

But there was nowhere to ask for help.

And just when he was thinking the worst, the one who reappeared before him was none other than me.

‘……I’m sorry, kid. I’m not doing so well right now, so I can’t give you any more food.’

‘I didn’t come for food. I saw.’

‘Hmm? What did you see?’

‘I saw the thugs taking your daughter. I saw it. Should I find her for you?’

Parnaci lost his reason to anger.

‘You little brat. Are you mocking me? Or are you dying to get yourself killed!?’

Despite that, my shabby eyes shone clearly.

‘Did you forget? You’re the one who saved me when I was about to starve to death.’

‘……!!’

‘I owe you my life, so it’s only natural to repay it with my life. I’m not scared at all. I’ll save her for you.’

Parnaci couldn't say a word.

Because he was ashamed.

Ashamed of himself for just lamenting his situation while his daughter was kidnapped.

And, ashamed of himself for feeling a moment of relief and expectation at the words of an abandoned orphan offering to help him.

‘For a little brat, you sure know how to talk in an interesting way, don't you? You.’

It was then.

That man appeared.

‘Who are you……?’

At Parnaci’s question, the man took off his fedora and introduced himself.

‘My name is Yugen.’

***

“……It was truly a fateful meeting.”

Parnaci, who had been floating in the past, lost in memories, lifted his head and looked up at the blue sky.

“I miss you, Yugen.”

Then, remembering something he had forgotten, he snapped back to his senses.

The busy lunch rush was about to end, and it was break time.

There was a mountain of things to do, like buying and preparing ingredients that were running low for the evening service.

“The kids will be waiting.”

As expected, as soon as he entered, the manager found him with an urgent look on his face.

“Boss! Where on earth have you been!?”

But the reason he was looking for him wasn't because of the shop's work.

“Some customers have been looking for you for a while now.”

“Customers were looking for me? Who?”

At the manager's following answer, Parnaci stopped dead in his tracks.

“……Who did you say? Luis?”

“Yes. Luis.”

Among the people Parnaci knew, there was only one person named Luis.

And that one person had just left after a long-awaited reunion.

‘Then who is the person waiting for me out front?’

For a moment, Parnaci shivered at the inexplicable chill he felt in his neck.

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