Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Where they ran away, heaven (hereinafter omitted) (2)

His guardian, Dione, filled out some paperwork and paid for his bail. She apologized for the trouble, and when she handed over a huge basket of food and a bottle of champagne, the iron-like knights melted.

“That day, while the mansion was completely overturned, a maid named Mira came to me and confessed, giving me the thousand dinars. You left the cat like you were running far away, so I gave those dinars out as a reward. It had to be hidden, as rumors of kidnapping would’ve turned the whole country upside down.”

In the carriage returning to the capital, Dione intermittently burst into laughter.

“Really, you! Give me some credit! I’ve used plenty of discretion to let Baronet Asel recover his honor.”

“…What did father say?”

“As always, there was no reaction. Why, are you scared now?”

“It’s not like that…”

“Well, now that I found you, it’s done. Your father said he didn’t even blame me, and I got paid! So, young master, was it fun to play outside while getting so many people in trouble?”

“…”

“I felt that you were a surprisingly smart person. I didn’t think that it would take so long to find one boy. But, I guess you haven’t heard the rumors that Baronet Asel’s ability to gather information is even better than the secret intelligence department of prince Melchior.”

Yes, thinking about it, the knights weren’t some detective agency, so how the hell did they catch him? There had to be some spy network behind them.

“Well, does he run such a dark organization?”

“No way. His business is very profitable. However, it is said that information is money, so there’s no way to avoid the eyes of Baronet Asel anywhere on the continent of Dernier.”

‘So that was the kind of opponent I was up against? Uh?’

Kleio was tired and angry as his head buried deeper between his knees. He just wanted to disappear.

“Young master, why did you try to run away from a nice mansion in a luxurious residential area on the west bank? Depending on your answer, I will speak to your father nicely.”

“…I don’t want to join the army.”

Even words felt bothersome, so he cut them short. His feeling about his father’s ambitions, the feeling of being an actor caught up in the protagonist’s fate, and the author’s trials were things he couldn’t explain to Dione.

“Yes?”

Dione’s eyes went wide in genuine surprise, and her lace fan-folded.

“I tried to bail on school because I hated the idea, and my father assured me that he would enlist me immediately otherwise.”

Dione, who put her fan down, touched her forehead and looked off at a distant mountain before looking back at Kleio. Her eyes were full of pity.

“Young master, I thought you were smart, but you don’t have a good head on your shoulders, do you? Now, look at me: I’m a graduate, but have I been in the military?”

Come to think of it, this woman was his senior. She said she was five years older, so she was twenty-two. It was the age that she should’ve been serving, but she said she worked for Baronet Asel.

“Magic class students are exempt from compulsory service if they are in 3rd place for graduation. You can become a researcher or work in the industry. So, for the past two years, I’ve worked hard at your father’s company.”

Kleio couldn’t shut his mouth as he heard the shocking information.

“Anyway, there are often fewer than ten magical students at a time, but it seemed that difficult to reach third place?”

No one told him about that, and it didn’t appear in the manuscript. All of Arthur’s colleagues became knights!

“Why do you think that the magic and swordsman group are divided in the first place?”

Speaking friendly like a real tutor, Dione educated him.

“Swordsmen are people who use ether in their bodies, so they must perform physical training in parallel with ether training.”

Every time she spoke up, Kleio felt mentally beaten.

“But the wizard’s circle is largely influenced by innate aptitude. Even if you steadily circulate the ether, you cannot form a circle in reality. Therefore, wizards are difficult to train. If so, would the state treat the two equally?”

It wasn’t only because of the military that he had planned this great escape, but it was one of the central driving forces. But all was in vain. Kleio laid down on the carriage seat, feeling a stabbing pain behind his eyes.

***

He only slept for the three days that followed. His hope shattered; he felt depressed and sleepy. His head was blank as he didn’t even want to think. When he returned to the mansion, Behemoth was there to greet him. He stuck to Kleio tightly while yelling at him, asking why he left and why he came back. The maids other than Mrs. Canton only thought that the young master had run away due to a youthful stroke of rebellion. After a few days, Behemoth had grown kinder, thinking Kleio was dead. Of course, it also was thanks to the wine delivery coming in. He said things like, ‘All 25 cases were fine. The wholesalers your dad deals with are the genuine article,’ to make him feel better. It was funny that he, indeed, did feel a little better as he rubbed Behemoth’s belly.

‘My escape is blocked, so it is impossible to refuse the main quest of this story. Now, really… how should I live?’

First, there was money. It was his father’s money. There was also the house, which was his father’s house. As Dione said, he could avoid enlistment, but avoiding the path of thorns planned by his father seemed difficult. A couple of times as he laid down, Promise flashed out of nowhere as it said ‘-User’s narrative involvement increases.’ Every time he saw it, he felt offended. Whether he moved or not, the world was heading on toward the next page.

‘What are you asking me for? Well, I understand that there is no easy way to become unemployed now.’

Then, Dione came in with a meal.

“Our sleepy master, do you have any thoughts of getting up now?”

“I think it will help me a little more if you stop using that tickling tone.”

“Oh, then you’ll be bed-ridden forever.”

As she laid the tray on his lap, Dione winked at him.

“Even if you’ll sleep all day, take some meals. Mrs. Canton is nervous because you won’t eat.”

“… I’ll eat it now.”

He had no appetite since he had slept too much, but he managed to push down the fruit and bread pudding. Dione, who watched him eat, pulled out a letter.

“When will you respond to the invitation from Miss Tanpet de Neju? The invitation to a summer party at the Novantes hotel.”

“Should I go…”

Kleio shook his head. He still had some complicated thoughts, so he couldn’t afford to deal with the twins and Celeste.

“Businessmen gather in the summer at Novantes. Are you so insane that you would let go of an invitation to a summer party at the de Neju Hotel, which others dream of getting into?”

“…”

“I told you how to avoid the military. Now, stop shaking and get up. If you go to Novantes, you’ll feel refreshed. One companion can accompany you, so go with me.”

“Is father going there?”

“It’s too small for Baronet Asel.”

Kleio put down his fork, feeling that his dead brain cells would spark.

‘This… might be an opportunity. In the area where father won’t be, maybe I can set something up?’

“Additionally, Novantes has the Trinity auction house. In the summer, many who come on vacation also participate in auctions, so there will be a lot of fun.”

For the first time in three days, Kleio’s eyes returned to their usual liveliness.

“The Trinity auction house in Novantes?”

“What should I do because you lack common sense? I have to teach this man with all my heart.”

“I’ll send a reply. Yes, let’s go.”

“Oh, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m glad you found some energy! I’ll pack up so we can start right away!”

“Meooow? (Did you finally start to think of living like a human?)”

Dione left in a hurry. Kleio felt his heart rate increase for the first time in a few days. The room now felt stuffy as he looked out the window. It was summer outside, and the thick scent of grass blew in vividly as if to display the reality of this world. The world in the manuscript was more brutal and generous than the world Kim Jungjin originally knew. He had been thrown in but not naked. He already knew what would happen here.

Although some of the tapestries had changed, the detailed setting hadn’t. That meant Kleio was like a prophet. What were the good things about knowing the future? He could occupy an extremely advantageous position with the right investments. The Memory function of Promise had already triggered.

‘I didn’t know about the military service exemption, but I know the items that will be at the Trinity auction site in the summer of 1890.’