327. Days of No. 21 (3)
A long time ago, there was a time when No. 21 deeply followed someone he had only known for a short time as a protector.
At the time, he was not yet called Enrique, but by his nickname, Cike. At the time, with the help of the Astros mercenaries, he was hurriedly fleeing the battlefields of the civil war to the south of the continent.
The journey quickly across the wasteland is not easy, even for the mercenaries accompanying you. Naturally, young Kike had to endure each day with all his might.
But to make matters worse, there was someone who made his life even more difficult: his father, Prince Benicio.
-Now even you, my son, look at me that way! Yes, I was jealous of my brother’s throne and split this country in half! So do you think my appearance is funny too?
Pow! Kike was suddenly hit by a flying bottle of liquor, and fell to the floor and was unable to come to his senses for a while.
-You ungrateful bastard! I don’t even want to look at it! Can’t you just get out of here?
Benicio was drunk every day and tried to slap Kike.
I had to sacrifice the friend I trusted the most, and ended up hearing the news of his death. From then on, Benicio, who had been the spiritual leader of the Republican Party, collapsed horribly, unable to regain his former intelligence.
-Ah, father… … !
-No, no. Let’s just end it here. Please die with me so that I don’t have to see this misery any longer! Well, how do you feel?
Although he was drunk, the moment in his father’s eyes was that he was living with a clear spirit. Kike, who was very frightened, stumbled and ran outside, trying to control his dizzy head.
-Come here, Enrique.
The only comfort to Kike was Seonghwang, a boy called ‘Bart’ at the time.
-brother! Bart! listen! My father just tried to kill me!
-He was just very drunk. I absolutely don’t mean it. Now, I’ll treat your wounds, and from today onwards, sleep next to the mercenary campfire.
Bart was a mercenary I met at the front, and he was an amazing boy who was fluent in the Ortona language and even had healing powers.
Moreover, he was not at all bothered by Kike who followed him around, and in fact, he took good care of him instead of his father.
It was only Bart who always called him ‘Enrique’ instead of his childhood name.
‘It would be better if Bart were my real father or older brother… … .’
Every night, Kike would wrap himself in a blanket next to his trustworthy guardian and fall asleep while imagining such absurd things.
Then one day it happened. One of the Astros mercenaries who was taking a break during the move witnessed something strange.
-Oh, look at that fox! They’re all dying, but it looks like they managed to crawl all the way to the cave like that.
-That wound… Did you get hit by a weasel?
Hearing the noise of the mercenaries, Kike also looked at the small crypt with curiosity.
Indeed, there was a fox there, deeply wounded and bleeding, staggering and slowly crawling into the burrow.
‘Poorly. You wanted to close your eyes in your own nest… … .’
It was a time when Kike was immersed in such pitiful sentiments.
Kyung! Keying! king!
Suddenly, a faint scream began to be heard from inside the crypt. It was a death sentence for little fox cubs.
-Uh, wait a minute! That, that… Are they biting all the babies to death?
-Tsk. Are you taking out your anger at the weasel on the cub? That’s why they are beasts!
… what?
Kike’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the unbelievable truth.
‘You get injured somewhere else and then kill your own babies that have nothing to do with you?’
I’m crying.
Kike felt strong anger welling up in his chest. So he picked up the biggest stone around, gritted his teeth, and threw it with all his might toward the crypt.
Perhaps it was because the fox that had bitten and killed its cub in a dying state reminded him of his father, Benicio, who had hysterically thrown a bottle of alcohol at him not long ago.
-You dirty beast! Just bury yourself in the dirt and die!
Pow! Patter-
The soil at the entrance to the crypt crumbled after the impact.
Nevertheless, Kike, whose anger had not subsided, had just picked up the second stone while grinning.
-Enrique.
Tuk.
Bart’s hand lightly touched his shoulder.
-Don’t do anything you’ll regret later. Even if you don’t do that, that mother fox will die soon anyway.
-So what? What about that?
Can something like that be forgiven just because you are about to die or because you feel pity? Does this mean that it is truly acceptable to take out one’s anger on innocent children just because one’s life is in danger?
-Brother Bart! Such a wicked beast deserves to die! You don’t deserve to be a mother! I can never let you die in peace!
Kike shouted indignantly.
But Bart, who was looking down at him, smiled faintly without answering. The polite smile that Kike usually gave whenever he gave a wrong answer, as if he was saddened.
At that moment, Kike instinctively realized something.
Ah, I guess I did something wrong again.
– Think about it. Judging by the timing, those fox cubs may have just opened their eyes. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to wean it off. In this situation, what would happen if they lost their mother?
-… … !
-okay. Shouldn’t they cry next to their mother’s corpse until they wither and die? Or, they will be cruelly eaten by predators who come after hearing that sound. Maybe the weasel that attacked its mother will come visit us in person.
A voice that continues quietly.
The strength suddenly left my hand holding the stone.
-So what is the last thing a dying mother can do for her cubs?
-uh… … .
-Isn’t the situation of the mother fox who had no choice but to make that choice truly pitiful?
-that… … .
‘I never thought about it like that… … !’
Patter.
Perhaps because the intensified emotions were accumulating again and again, tears suddenly poured out of Kike’s eyes without warning.
Looking back now, No. 21 couldn’t remember exactly what he felt at the time.
I just felt sorry for the mother fox in the den, and I also felt sorry for my father Benicio’s situation, so I couldn’t bear it.
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Perhaps it was mixed with sadness for his father, who was deeply buried in his own pain and could not understand his son’s suffering at all.
Tears were pouring down endlessly.
I still vividly remember the calm hand patting my head as if to comfort me.
-But everything in the world always works that way. So there is no need for you to be so sad.
* * *
“female! Kike! “You see me often these days?”
As he was leaving the branch, a familiar person waved his hand warmly in front of him. His behavior did not match his magnificent body, and he was so light that he seemed as if he would fly away.
“… “It’s not Kike, it’s number 21, Chief Justin.”
“Okay, okay, Kike.”
Justin Astros.
The former leader of the Astros mercenary group, and the current leader of the Asean branch after the mercenary group was transformed into a guild.
Just like Seonghwang, it could be said that it was a fairly old relationship for No. 21. Of course, despite all those years, he was still a person I didn’t have much affection for.
In the past, if the Emperor had stubbornly called him Enrique, that person was also steadfastly sticking to his childhood name for Number 21, who had grown up like that person.
It felt like he was secretly treating people like children, so No. 21 would feel unpleasant inside every time he encountered him.
“I don’t understand why I see you so often. I think it’s been a few months since I’ve seen the branch manager. “I heard that you don’t come to the branch often these days.”
“what? That’s because everyone doesn’t know! “I was always attached to the branch!”
“But so did Aslan. “I said it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen you, branch manager, right?”
“Haha, that’s because she doesn’t know. I come here every day and keep an eye on Aslan, right? “It’s just that he either doesn’t notice me or doesn’t remember meeting me at all.”
“… … ?”
Don’t you remember meeting? What on earth is this person talking about?
Number 21 furrowed his brows.
If you think he’s serious, he suddenly says something nonsense, and if you think he’s joking, he immediately looks straight. Although he had thought about it since he was young, Justin Astros was a person who could not easily understand his true feelings.
“Anyway, how are you? I heard everyone is busy these days with Bart’s troublesome son? how is it? Do you two seem to be getting along well?”
“If that were the case, why would I go through this trouble?”
Number 21 sighed softly.
“There is so much trouble every day that the mansion is never quiet. Several guild members in charge have already changed.”
“If you are having a hard time, leave it to the Asean branch. Is there a need for such tight security from the side? “It’s not like Bart’s personality told you to do that, so why do you voluntarily go through the trouble of going back and forth between the imperial capitals every time?”
“But can you leave it to just anyone? “If I don’t see it in person, I become more anxious and can’t rest comfortably.”
“hmm… … .”
Then Justin narrowed his eyes and looked at number 21.
“But I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but it seems like you really like him being ‘Bart’.”
“yes?”
“Every time you use this guy’s homunculus, your face gets especially bright. “Don’t you know that yourself?”
“… “Not at all!”
Number 21 responded firmly.
There are so many things to worry about every time you move the homunculus, so how can you say that you enjoy the hardships?
‘Of course, the burden on my mind to assassinate that person as soon as possible is somewhat reduced.’
In any case, the Homunculus is not the true body of the Holy Emperor, so there is no use in trying to take his life.
So, all you have to do is perform your duties as an exclusive informant by your side. That’s all.
“Branch leader, don’t you know how weak a homunculus’ body is? However, it’s not like His Majesty really cares about that. Thanks to that, there are more than a few times when I feel nervous just watching him do what he does next to me.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how many times I’ve warned you not to use dolls because it’s dangerous. But every time, you don’t even pretend to hear.”
Then Justin Astros’ smile disappeared and he asked in a very serious tone.
“Hey, Kike.”
“This is number 21. “Branch manager.”
“Yes, Kike. “Aren’t you making a big mistake?”
“… yes?”
“Do you, Bart, look like he’s really weakened? “Just because I’m in the body of a homunculus that breaks easily and I can’t use my aurors properly?”
“… … .”
“There is no one else in the world to worry about. Hey, since he seems to be being incompetent on the outside, do you think you should do the opposite and help him this time? “Are you thinking that you are Bart’s protector?”
Number 21 was unable to answer that question readily.
‘Guardian… . Yes, it would have been better if that had really been possible.’
No. 21 filed a complaint.
This was because I had never felt so helpless since I started walking the path of an assassin.
fantasy,
