330. 21호의 나날 (6)
“이건 자네의 탓은 아니네. 어디까지나 카이엔의 말썽을 경계하고 단속했을 뿐인 것을, 멋대로 자신을 향한 적의라 단정 지은 그 아이의 문제이지.”
성황이 위로하듯 덧붙였지만, 21호는 차마 고개를 들 수가 없었다.
자신의 존재가 필요하리라 믿어 의심치 않았건만, 오히려 카이엔의 칼날을 성황을 향해 돌리는 구실이 되었다니.
“저는… 그럼 저는 어떻게…….”
“이곳의 일은 아세인 지부에 맡기고, 자네는 지금이라도 황도로 돌아가게.”
“……!”
절대 그럴 수는 없다!
저 미친 자식과 성황을 단둘이 남겨 둔다고?!
21호는 고집스럽게 입을 꾹 다물었다. 하지만 그 역시도 내심은, 그 외에 다른 방법이 없음을 제대로 인지하고 있었다.
결국 카이엔을 어찌할 수는 없으니, 그가 말썽을 피우는 원인이 사라지는 것이 옳으리라.
체벌이 줄어들자 말썽도 줄어들었듯, 그렇게 자신의 아버지에게 독을 먹이는 일이 자연히 줄어들기를 바라면서.
“폐하, 저는…….”
그럼에도 21호가 망설이자. 그런 그를 잠시 내려다보던 성황이 말투를 바꾸어 나직하게 명령했다.
“엔리케. 다시 한번 말하지만, 이것은 네 탓이 아니며 네가 걱정할 일도 아니다. 그러니 이만 황도로 돌아가거라.”
성황은 매번 이런 식이었다. 21호가 정식으로 암살자 일을 시작한 후, 처음에는 그를 다른 길드원들과 마찬가지로 대하는 듯 보였지.
However, sometimes, when I let my guard down or something urgent happened, the same tone of voice I used when I used to scold Kike as a child suddenly popped out.
At first, I thought it was because we had been together for such a long time. But when I came across this situation, I had no choice but to realize it painfully.
To Seonghwang, No. 21 is not a proper source of information, but is still just a baby that needs to be taken care of.
Number 21 was completely resigned.
“I follow orders. I will return to the imperial capital and wait. But, Your Majesty, if things continue like this, you… … .”
To No. 21, who was unable to take his feet even after getting up, Seonghwang spoke calmly, as if reassuring him.
“Don’t worry too much about Cayenne. Don’t you guess it too? “In the end, this end is decided.”
“… … !”
“If I end up not being able to handle Cayenne, I will at least have to make the best choice I can as a father for that child. “I am prepared to do so.”
No. 21’s eyes trembled slightly.
In fact, every time he came to this mansion, he would think about this.
-I hope you cut down that crazy guy who is harassing you right now.
Maybe that was the true nature of the hostility that Cayenne felt.
However, when the words he had been waiting for came out of Seonghwang’s mouth, he felt as if he would suffocate at any moment under the weight of the tragedy.
“your majesty. that… … .”
Seonghwang slightly raised the corners of his mouth towards No. 21, who was stuttering with a distorted face.
It was an expression similar to the dangerous smile he always showed when young Kike gave the wrong answer.
“It’s already something that can’t be undone. Cause and effect in the world always works that way. So there is no need for you to be so sad about that child’s future.”
* * *
After No. 21 left like that.
Surrounded by guild members with blank stares, the father and son quietly ate their meal.
Seonghwang just stayed where he was without even touching the dishes, but Kaien no longer urged him to eat because of the wind.
“In the end, he left like that? You didn’t last as long as you thought, right? Not fun… … .”
When the boy opens his mouth with a somewhat relieved expression, Seonghwang gives him a stern warning.
“Cayenne. “It is very disrespectful to speak with food in your mouth.”
“Uh, um. okay.”
Kaien nodded obediently, chewed his food diligently and swallowed it.
Mutter, gulp.
“… “Was it necessary to push him that far?”
Eventually, Seonghwang waited until the boy’s mouth was completely empty before asking a question.
Then, Kaien furrowed his eyebrows and glared at Seonghwang as if he were displeased.
“of course! That kid is so cocky. “Why is it that he always looks at me and grumbles, saying he doesn’t know why someone like me is his father’s son!”
“… … .”
There was no way Enrique would swear like that out loud. It’s just that Cayenne can easily pick up the voices of other people’s souls, so she may have been exposed to her true intentions that she didn’t even know about.
“Where is that? Since I started torturing my father, from then on he was so anxious that he couldn’t eat me! Are you crazy? “Daddy’s mine, not his?!”
“That’s because it’s his job to protect my safety.”
“What? Do not be ridiculous! “Do you really know how that child’s soul views his father?”
Kaien, who shouted like that, openly pouted, as if he felt bad even thinking about it again.
“Besides, that bastard somehow resembles Aslan! “That annoying guy who always bothered me in the slash-and-burn village back in the day.”
“… … .”
“He’s going in and out and causing a stir all over the mansion! Plus, his skills are so good that it’s not easy to touch his soul. Of course, it’s also because my father steps in and stops me every time I do that… … .”
Kaien, who had been talking up to that point, narrowed his eyes as if he had realized something again.
“Oh yeah! Now that I think about it, the way my father walks around next to me seems somehow similar to Aslan… … .”
“… … .”
“I don’t like that bastard either! “I didn’t just send it back gracefully!”
Seonghwang looked at the table without much response. To be exact, the black poison bottle placed proudly in front of him.
Enrique ordered it to be cleaned up immediately, but as soon as he disappeared, it came back on the table intact. This is evidence that most of the guild members in the mansion have already followed Kaien’s orders.
“That’s enough. “It probably hurt a lot, so why don’t you just forget about him now?”
Then, blood-
Cayenne, who was taking a sip of her drink, spilled arsenic.
“wait for a sec? What a wound. Dad shouldn’t say things like that. “Isn’t it flattering that you obediently took the poison I gave you in front of him?”
“… … .”
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“No, no. Did you need an excuse to completely get that bastard out of here?”
Kaien muttered like that, furrowing his brows and becoming lost in thought.
“difficult. My father really seems to know, but it’s difficult. “Every time I do something, there is not just one purpose, so I often get confused.”
“My father’s soul clearly wants to atone for me. And tell me I can do anything to heal my soul. I thought it was just that, because the soul never tells lies… … .”
“At the same time, you’re trying to protect that arrogant bastard? He willingly participated in harassing me on purpose so that I would quickly lose interest. And as soon as I decided the time was right, I smuggled him away. how is it? “Am I wrong?”
Seonghwang did not make any effort to deny it. Because it was the same for everyone.
Cayenne also had a tendency to achieve multiple goals at once whenever she did something.
The boy wanted to torment Seongwang very much, and he quickly realized that he hated food and, above all, poison. At the same time, I wanted to treat Enrique badly and send him out far away.
There may have been things Enrique didn’t like, but more than anything, it was probably because he got in the way of his guild members being able to follow his own tastes.
Although only the outward expressions were different, the ways of thinking of these rich people ultimately had some similarities.
Rattling.
Seonghwang picked up the black bottle with one hand and opened his mouth softly.
“It doesn’t seem to matter much whether he’s here or not. “The ‘problem’ that remains with us is still the same, and the ‘treatment’ is a temporary measure, but it is effective.”
“That’s right.”
“Then what? “Is this all you have to eat today?”
Then, Kaien paused a little and then shook his head.
“Well, that’s enough for today. Why don’t you feel like it now that that bastard is gone? “It’s not fun anymore because my dad doesn’t seem to be as sad as before.”
“… … .”
“Anyway, if I ask you to eat it, you will always do it. yes?”
Cayenne, who asked that question, raised the corners of her mouth confidently without even listening to the answer. It was truly strange to see the smile of a child who did not know the affection between people seem so gentle.
“okay. Dad should do that to me. “You took my only mother, Martha, from me, right?”
“The woman’s soul has rested safely. I didn’t steal it. Now no one can have her soul or disturb her rest.”
“… What is that?”
Kaien tilted his head.
“Rest? “What does that mean?”
“At least it means a lot to her soul.”
“Nonsense! Martha is my mother, not your father’s mother. She should have died and become completely mine! But why are you arbitrarily disposing of her soul? “Father, you have no right to do that!”
No one has the right to own someone’s soul.
But instead of preaching like that, Seonghwang opened his mouth as if soothing a wheezing child.
“okay. That means there is no need for poison today. So now what do you want me to do for you?”
Then, Kaien quietly glared at Seonghwang with his pitch-black eyes and spat out an answer as if he could not resist.
“Let’s just play chess today and then go.”
“Chess. “Didn’t you say it wasn’t that fun the other day?”
“hmm. But… … .”
Kaien trailed off, then shrugged his shoulders and smiled spitefully.
“It’s quite fun to see your father’s soul being disgusted. Regardless of whether you win or lose the game, isn’t the fact that you’re playing the game the same as if you’ve already won?”
“… … .”
* * *
The imperial palace’s office.
At noon, the chief chamberlain, who was preparing refreshments as usual, was stopped by a sudden crowd.
“Wait, Louis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“… … .”
The Emperor was silent for a moment, looking at the old man who was bowing his head respectfully.
This is someone who does his best to serve the best Melbourne food every day for someone who doesn’t even eat food. I was so impressed by his sincerity that I almost didn’t want to turn him away.
‘As expected, I don’t feel like it.’
To be honest, lately I don’t even want to worry about anything that goes into my mouth, whether it’s drinks or food. Just by looking at it, I could feel the bloody smell coming from my nose.
So I was going to say that.
“Lewis, for the time being, the car… … .”
If only I hadn’t felt a familiar figure rushing towards me from afar.
Ah, now that I think about it, that kid really liked Melbourne.
“No, forget it. “Would you please prepare another cup of tea today?”
“yes. I will do so, Your Majesty.”
Not long after Lewis left the office-
Da da da da da!
Sure enough, someone approaches the office at a fast pace, almost like running. He was his immature son who was always causing incidents and accidents.
“father!”
Jump up!
The child confidently opened the door and walked towards him, holding a small box in one hand.
“Look at this! “Do you know what this is?”
When I glance down, a small, luxuriously packaged tableware catches my eye.
“It looks just like a lunch box.”
“Yes, that’s right. Today, a salmon specialty store finally opened in Hwangdo! “This is Bertran & Lee’s historic first business!”
okay. Come to think of it, there was such a plan.
I expected that it would be difficult to proceed due to the lack of profitability. It seemed that this child, who excelled at only doing what he wanted to do, had really opened up the salmon distribution channel with his gear.
“Yes, you are great. Good job.”
“Haha, nothing to say. But do you know what? Our restaurant has already become a hot topic in the capital. Customers with reservations are waiting in line! Of course, this is thanks to the large-scale advertising banners that were put up a few days ago!”
The son’s subsequent explanation was roughly as follows.
-Enjoy the freshness of state-of-the-art low-temperature carriages. Fresh salmon recognized by Ortona locals! The very taste that even His Majesty the King praised! The food is friendly and the staff is delicious!
It was absurd to listen to the advertising slogans that the child muttered. Above all, the ‘Majesty of the King’ who praised the taste hasn’t even tasted it yet.
When I pointed that out, my son smiled calmly and started unwrapping the lunch box by hand.
“So, as soon as we opened, the first thing I did was pack my father’s. “You haven’t eaten yet, right?”
“… … .”
“Now, come on and try it.”
Soon, a salmon steak neatly placed in a small box appears.
But Seonghwang could not look at it in peace. He eats something. Just thinking about that made me feel nauseous, as if I was going to suffocate at any moment.
‘but… … .’
His son is looking at him with a very flushed face. Isn’t it possible to crush those innocent expectations so cruelly due to one’s own insignificant circumstances?
Hoping that the child would not notice the slightest sense of nausea, Seonghwang slowly put a piece of salmon into his mouth.
“… … !”
At the same time, all kinds of residual thoughts about cooking flooded into my head.
-The Empire is buying salmon for you? Without even going after the price like the Cypriots do?
-okay. What if you are an enemy of your country? After all, if you can feed your family with this, there’s no reason not to sell salmon or anything else.
-Meeee! Stop coming back! If you don’t undo the combination quickly, the contents will be all messed up!
But nowhere in those frantic thoughts did he feel the intense murderous intent he had received through food.
-Give me the freshest and best parts! I’m going to take it to the imperial palace right now!
-How should I cook this, my lord?
-What menu are you most confident in? First, let’s start with the basic yet delicious menu!
Surprisingly, even among the various thoughts that came to mind during the cooking process, there was nothing that reminded me of the terrible smell of blood.
-This day has finally come! There was a time when I thought about giving up.
And the only emotions my son felt as he brought it to the office were great joy and a sense of accomplishment.
When I finally get out of my thoughts, all I can feel in my mouth is the crispy grilled exterior and the soft, savory interior.
There was no feeling of nausea.
“… “It’s delicious.”
At his words that came out naturally, my son smiled brightly.
“Haha, I thought so too! “I thought this would suit your taste just right!”
“okay.”
It fit surprisingly well in my mouth. Just like the foods he tasted while freely wandering around the continent a long time ago.
As I was savoring another dish with such strange emotion, my son personally poured some sauce and continued talking.
“You can look forward to the future. Tomorrow we will bring something even greater! “We invited an expert in cooking salmon, which is said to be the most famous in Cyprus.”
Soon, all kinds of grilled, stewed, and smoked fillet dishes flowed out of my son’s mouth. Even Seonghwang, who boasts that he once tried some salmon, would become dizzy from the variety of menu items.
But isn’t the son who has been bragging for such a long time now pretending to be proud and making a big noise!
“Haha, anyway, now that your father has had a taste, Sir Valerie won’t be able to nag you anymore, right?”
“… Sir Valerie.”
“yes. That Nallari Inquisitor from the Monster Task Force. Well, they were so offended that it was ‘apostasy’ and ‘blasphemy’ to make advertisements that were not true with His Majesty the Holy Emperor, who is God’s representative. “He was so loud all day long that I thought he was going to die.”
“… … !”
“I tried to stuff the guy’s mouth with a piece of salmon, but it was a waste of ingredients. “I need to get paid for each serving properly.”
Seonghwang was momentarily speechless. As for Sir Valery, it was almost acceptable that he was not immediately taken to the Inquisition.
It is an arbitrary fabrication of the words of the ‘representative of God.’ You did such a good thing in front of the hidden powers of the Heresy Tribunal, son!
fantasy,
