Chapter 140 : Chapter 140

Chapter 140: To Someone, It’s Life (2)

Another brief silence fell.

Count Theodore’s brow gradually furrowed.

“The Order… in Labotas?”

“Yes.”

Count Theodore, who had been leaning forward, slowly pulled back.

He leaned against the chair’s backrest and let out a faint sigh.

“Hmm.”

It was understandable that a man of his bold nature would show such unease.

It wasn’t strange.

After a long pause, he spoke.

“Even as sibling territories, Theodore and Labotas are distinctly separate. As far as I know, there’s no precedent in the kingdom for investing such effort in another’s land.”

Even the Litania Order in Conwell was an exceptional case in scale.

To manage such land and construction costs, mere will wasn’t enough.

Adeline’s insight aside, that choice was only possible because the previous lord had designated her as heir.

‘In the end, it’s a matter of finances.’

It was just my intuition, but even without Bolero, Count Theodore might have pushed for the Solari branch himself.

As a close ally, he likely knew in detail the role Solari played in Conwell’s civil war.

A perceptive man might have seen potential there.

‘The influence of Solari is politically valuable.’

Count Theodore rubbed his wrinkled forehead.

The depth of his deliberation was palpable.

It wasn’t just a burden.

Perhaps my proposal had sparked unexpected suspicions.

Ties with Labotas, the relationship between Conwell and me, even the possibility of an alliance between Labotas and Conwell.

Countless interests and political calculations must be swirling in his mind.

“Explain why I should do this.”

Finally, Count Theodore seemed to set aside his calculations.

The atmosphere now carried a weight beyond the reward for winning the Combat Festival.

But that weight was entirely his to bear.

For me, there were no conditions or calculations.

Only a message to convey.

“…Life.”

For someone’s today, tomorrow, and ongoing life.

“Please let them live.”

Count Theodore blinked.

“Let them live?”

“Yes.”

“…Can you elaborate?”

At this moment, only sincerity was needed.

“Labotas has clung to a single mine for survival. Even that was left in demonic corruption for so long that its economy has collapsed. Even with purification complete, it’ll take time to return to how things were.”

I took a breath.

My throat felt tight.

“The children there survive by stealing. For now, it’s petty theft, but in a few years, they’ll pick up swords. No one knows who those blades will point at.”

“…”

“They desperately need a foundation to live on. A sustainable economic base.”

Count Theodore roughly rubbed his chin.

His rare, low, hoarse voice emerged.

“I’m not unaware of their plight. But what does that have to do with the costly construction of an Order?”

Count Theodore had once said he wasn’t adept at internal affairs.

He likely knew the Litania Order served as Adeline’s refuge and rallying point during the civil war but nothing deeper.

“The Order isn’t just for priests. It creates countless jobs for operation and maintenance—food, clothing, equipment, lodging. Once the economy starts moving, the ripple effect spreads across the entire territory.”

That wasn’t all.

I assured myself I wasn’t overreaching.

“If the ‘Elzerus Alliance’ is formed as planned, a pilgrimage route from the capital to Conwell will be established. Soon, countless pilgrims will travel that path.”

“…!”

“The favor you grant Labotas will one day return as Theodore’s prosperity.”

Building the Order in Theodore would be just another symbol, but in Labotas, it’s survival itself—a starting point for economic recovery.

“Please give them a foundation to live on, Your Excellency.”

Solari Honorary Priest, Bihen Benkou.

…No escaping it now.

* * *

Count Theodore stared blankly out the window where Bihen had disappeared.

Beyond the fluttering curtains, faint moonlight seeped in.

When asked why he didn’t use the door, he put the mask back on and said it was to be Cervantes.

With that, he leaped out.

‘…What a peculiar man.’

Stretching hard, his joints cracked here and there.

Amid his weary body, a strange refreshment spread.

‘Strange, isn’t it.’

In private audiences, Combat Festival champions’ requests were usually predictable.

A knighthood, a guard position, a few chests of gold… that sort of thing.

He’d already decided on Bolero’s request, the likely winner, so he’d sat here without burden.

‘It feels like I’ve been ambushed.’

An unexpected negotiation had unfolded and the opponent was none other than Bihen Benkou.

To approach political maneuvering so cleverly.

In the past, he’d have been too offended to stay seated.

As a warrior, he despised sitting primly and trading words.

Knock, knock.

At the sound, Count Theodore lifted his drooping eyelids.

His youngest daughter entered.

“Linda…?”

His weary voice carried layers of meaning.

His daughter, grounded for days by her mother, appearing here at this hour was unexpected.

“I’m sorry, Father. I overheard everything.”

Count Theodore blinked.

His raised eyebrows and shoulders slowly relaxed.

It wasn’t surprising.

He’d long known his daughter had extraordinary perception.

He’d just pretended not to, fearing it might hinder her marriage prospects.

How many families in this kingdom would welcome such a strong-willed bride?

“Linda, you were right.”

His voice carried a sigh.

Linda looked at her father with concern.

He looked noticeably older.

The bags under his eyes suggested some inner turmoil.

“He’s no ordinary man.”

“You’re right.”

Linda twisted her body.

The father she admired most had acknowledged the man she secretly loved.

It felt like gaining a steadfast ally.

“But it’s strange.”

“What is?”

Count Theodore looked up.

His gaze at his daughter was endlessly tender.

“I don’t feel like I’ve lost.”

The corners of their mouths slowly curled up.

Looking at each other, they realized how alike they were, and their smiles grew wider.

“But…”

Count Theodore suddenly grew serious.

He’d forgotten until now.

“…You’re sure nothing happened with Bihen Benkou that night?”

No matter what, that alone was unforgivable.

* * *

“That’s how it went.”

I told Roberto about my talk with Count Theodore.

“…”

Roberto lowered his head and couldn’t speak for a while.

Only occasional sighs escaped.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be pleased.”

“…”

“Do you have some grudge against magical factions? If so, no need to worry. Solari doesn’t

force faith or chant strange slogans.”

“That’s… not it.”

“Then? Are you worried Count Theodore will retaliate after I leave?”

He shook his head vigorously.

Why did it feel like he was sulking?

My brow furrowed slightly.

“To leave us with such a mountain of gratitude…”

Before he finished, a fat tear rolled down Roberto’s cheek.

“What are we supposed to do?”

I let out a snort.

What a misunderstanding.

“It’s not something to thank me for. You all just got lucky.”

I brushed it off out of embarrassment, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

If Bolero hadn’t been so set on building a branch in Theodore, I wouldn’t have thought that far.

I’d probably have just schemed to get the biggest reward possible.

…That’s the limit of my mind.

So this was the work of Labotas’ people, whose luck—starting with me, Bolero, Linda, Count Theodore, Karim, and others—brought this about.

Their will and effort to survive changed their own fate.

“Not my place to say, but maybe one day, a world will come where no one needs to rely on the sword to live decently. Since Solari aims for that kind of world…”

I lightly tapped Roberto’s breastplate with my fist.

“Let’s work toward it together.”

With that mutual encouragement, I turned away.

Someday…

If I return, I’ll see them again.

Maybe then, I won’t feel embarrassed and can stand a bit prouder.

I hope I can at the end of this journey.

‘…Oh.’

Thinking of the future, I remembered something I wanted to ask and turned back.

“Sir Roberto.”

It wasn’t easy to say.

Imagining myself looking foolish made me angry, so I just blurted it out.

“Could I, someday, be a father like you?”

“…?”

“In your view, could I bear the name of father?”

Roberto paused, then chuckled.

“Well, it’s not easy.”

So unnecessarily blunt at times like this.

* * *

We left Theodore’s region without much notice.

A satisfied smile never left Bolero’s lips.

“Young Lord Declan tipped me off. Count Theodore is eager to push forward with the Order’s establishment.”

“They’ll start construction soon. They say the scale will rival Litania’s.”

The two young priests, Krnock and Deli, whispered at my sides.

If it were me, I’d be too furious about losing sleep, but Bolero seemed to have already forgotten the defeat.

Well, that difference probably makes him easy to be around.

“By the way, Brother, where were you all this time?”

“We couldn’t sleep, worrying about something that happened to you.”

The two young priests looked up at me.

Their glossy scalps and doe-like eyes shone from both sides, almost intimidating.

It was a different kind of pressure than Bolero.

The worst was, of course, mealtime.

“…Why does Solari forbid meat?”

From Conwell to Theodore, I was too preoccupied to notice, but the growing emptiness led me to realize this was the cause.

“Martial priests must train in compassion and generosity, Brother.”

“Abstaining from meat is part of that training, Brother.”

“…”

They smiled innocently.

Pure and untainted, you could say.

I wanted to protest that I wasn’t even a martial priest, let alone a candidate, but I swallowed it, not wanting to seem like a bad adult.

“Great, just great.”

Bolero, sitting across, looked at the two priests with satisfaction, tossing a handful of peas into his mouth.

…You’re the worst, you jerk.

‘Oh, right.’

As I reluctantly picked up a pea, I remembered something I’d forgotten.

“Bolero.”

“Hm?”

“Do you know what this is?”

I held out the green hemispherical fragment Linda gave me.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even know what to call it.

A fragment of the Eight Demons? A core?An essence?

While pondering the name, I noticed it was quiet and looked up.

Bolero stared at me, eyes wide.

The peas he’d been chewing spilled down his chin.

“Tch… That’s… a Remnant Orb?!”

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