Chapter 211

Chapter 211 – I Really Wasn’t, Okay?

My discussion with Evelyn concluded on a note that wasn’t particularly wonderful, yet not completely disastrous either.

“Well, alright. I truly wish you the best with that. Speaking as a companion, I am genuinely cheering for your success.”

“Once I manage to sell off the ornament and secure some capital, I will return the school fees immediately. Your generosity… it means a lot to me.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that. You don’t have to reimburse me. As someone close to you, my only desire is to see you thrive. I mean this from the bottom of my heart, honestly.”

“A companion… Right, a companion.”

Evelyn remained guarded and hadn’t fully opened up, but I wasn’t bothered by it.

An inexperienced youth who still has protectors to rely on cannot yet comprehend the true worth of a genuine ally.

And as a faithful companion, I possessed the kind of temperament that allowed me to wait with endless patience for her to lower her walls. I was like an angler casting a line into time itself.

In any case.

“Should any difficulties arise, do not hesitate to reach out to me.”

“Understood, I will accept your kind offer with gratitude.”

I watched Evelyn depart until she was out of sight, and then I made my way back toward the front counter.

It was precisely at that moment that Reilly sidled up to me, wearing a mischievous smirk.

“But it’s the truth, isn’t it?”

“What exactly are you referring to?”

“You know what I mean. That whole business of pulling someone along by the nose? Just like what happened with me and Shine…”

“If anyone heard you, they would assume I had utterly defrauded the pair of you.”

“Your sense of morality, that…”

“That? What about it?”

“The respected Yang Sim-ja happens to be my instructor. Yet you simply refer to your inner compass as ‘Morality’.”

“Well, that’s just the reality of the situation.”

Reilly formed a pout and began to mutter under his breath.

On any ordinary day, I would have corrected his attitude with a swift dose of discipline, but on this occasion, I chose to restrain myself.

It was because Reilly’s earlier remarks had inadvertently reminded me of how beautiful the act of waiting could be.

“But are you absolutely certain about this?”

“Yes, I have no doubts. I conducted a thorough investigation into the matter.”

“Huh, is that so.”

I gave a nod of acknowledgment to the self-assured Reilly.

Just to clarify, the piece of information Reilly had shared with me pertained to the property regulations within Hazen.

The municipality of Hazen was recognized as imperial territory.

Under normal circumstances, every piece of land was technically the property of the crown, though private citizens maintained the right to purchase and dispose of plots and structures.

To put it another way…

‘A person provides funds to the crown equivalent to the value of the plot, thereby acquiring an almost permanent title of ownership.’

Naturally, if the crown ever demanded the territory back, one would have no choice but to comply, but that was the general framework.

This particular arrangement paved the way for these kinds of conditional agreements, and Reilly had dedicated himself to reviewing the property regulations of Hazen for a single purpose.

“Property speculation is incredibly popular these days. You acquire a dwelling, lease it out to a tenant, and so forth. That kind of business.”

“And where did you get the capital for that?”

“Who actually utilizes their own personal funds to acquire property in this day and age? One secures a loan from a banking institution.”

That was a reasonable point.

I certainly wouldn’t invest using my own finances either. I’d much rather use yours.

“Regardless, proceed with your explanation.”

“When I examined the regulations, I found all sorts of minor stipulations embedded within the rental and transaction statutes, correct? And among those clauses…”

“Sigh, stop dragging out a point you’ve already made.”

Did he think I was oblivious?

I was merely attempting to organize my own reflections in a composed manner.

When I directed a sharp look toward him, Reilly finally abandoned the suspense and spoke plainly.

“Ahem, one particular regulation states: ‘In the event that the leasing party has not reached the age of majority, the signature of a legal guardian is mandatory. Nevertheless, members of the aristocracy holding formal titles are excluded from this requirement.'”

“Which means, in essence…”

“That girl Evelyn from before? She doesn’t belong to the aristocracy, correct?”

“That is accurate.”

While Evelyn carried the family name ‘Flanche,’ she did not possess noble status.

It was highly probable that some distant progenitor had been a member of the nobility, and it wasn’t unusual for descendants to retain the family title.

In short, the entire situation could be broken down as follows:

1. Evelyn had entered into a rental agreement for a workspace within Hazen.

2. However, according to the property statutes of Hazen, underage individuals are prohibited from executing leases.

3. Titled aristocrats are permitted to do so, but Evelyn did not hold such a rank.

Therefore…

“If I may offer my modest assessment…”

“What is it?”

“The young lady has likely been deceived and defrauded.”

“Hmm, that sounds entirely plausible.”

Indeed, it did. It was rare for Reilly to utter something so rational. At any rate.

Evelyn had not reached adulthood, nor did she possess a noble title. Furthermore, there was absolutely no chance that the leader of the Goldrin Trading Company would step forward to act as her authorized guardian at this juncture.

Consequently, Reilly’s conclusion was that Evelyn had fallen victim to a swindle.

This was precisely the reason I had allowed her to leave without any sense of urgency.

‘If she has indeed been defrauded… then this is the perfect moment to step back.’

It was a stroke of incredible luck.

Had I remained ignorant of this fact, I might have become overly eager, which would have spooked this incredibly wary target and caused her to raise her defenses.

Nevertheless, certain unpredictable factors still existed.

“What if she actually managed to secure a legal guardian?”

“Would that change anything? I was under the impression she possessed no operational capital. And aren’t you aware? Running a legitimate enterprise demands an authorized guardian.”

“Is that truly the case?”

“It is.”

This particular detail was something I had been entirely unaware of.

“But how did you come to acquire all this specialized knowledge?”

“Try spending some time as a corporate employee drawing a regular wage. You can’t possibly hope to purchase a residence on a standard salary alone, so you naturally start investigating these avenues. It’s a common topic of conversation among everyone.”

“……”

“……What is the reason behind that look you are giving me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. You simply speak as though you have spent decades enduring the hardships of a common laborer.”

“Well, it isn’t restricted to just that, is it?”

“Just drop the subject.”

I cast a glance of profound pity toward Reilly for a brief moment before shaking my head.

The source of my pity was… well. It was Reilly’s utter lack of foresight, living under the assumption that this current existence would persist indefinitely.

Yet, a sudden thought struck me.

The lingering query of ‘What if she actually possessed a legal guardian?’ continued to hover in my mind, generating a wave of discomfort.

“Could it be that Evelyn was entirely oblivious to this regulation?”

“It is highly probable.”

“For what reason?”

“Why would she need to concern herself with it? As the offspring of a massive commercial enterprise like the Goldrin Trading Company, she would have subordinates to manage every minor bureaucratic detail.”

“…That could very well be true.”

It sounded entirely reasonable.

She might have been in possession of merchandise, but there was no logical reason for the daughter of the Goldrin family to engage in mundane paperwork herself.

Even if the knowledge had crossed her mind, the process might have been so commonplace in her past that she simply overlooked its importance now.

More than anything else…

‘…She appeared to be completely overwhelmed when I saw her earlier.’

The state of panic she exhibited during the registration process indicated that she was pushed to her absolute psychological limits.

“Tch, what if they managed to manipulate that specific requirement?”

Granted, I had turned over a new leaf, but antagonists of Evelyn’s caliber do not operate under the same moral guidelines as ordinary citizens.

Statutes? They simply circumvent them. If one manages to avoid detection, an unlawful act effectively becomes lawful in their eyes—that was their philosophy!

There were countless methods to bypass such obstacles.

‘Utilizing a forged identity document or… something of that nature.’

However, those speculations quickly faded from my mind.

I offered a nod of agreement as Reilly spoke once more.

“The best course of action is to simply remain patient. Agonizing over it won’t produce a remedy.”

“True, worrying accomplishes nothing.”

“Still, I can promise you with absolute certainty that the Evelyn girl has undoubtedly been swindled.”

“If that is indeed the case, it is rather unfortunate.”

“You should wipe that grin off your face… wait, you aren’t smiling?”

“…What kind of person do you take me for, an absolute degenerate?”

“Weren’t you always one?”

“Tch.”

I directed a sharp glare toward Reilly.

To be completely candid…

Isn’t there a well-known sentiment that sums this up?

‘I wish for your well-being, but certainly not to an extraordinary degree.’

That exact conflicted sentiment captured my current state of mind.

While Evelyn encountering misfortune wasn’t entirely disadvantageous for my plans, I didn’t actively desire for her to face utter ruin through a criminal deception.

Well, assuming it truly was an actual deception.

“By the way, what was your original purpose for bringing that youth to this location?”

“…Ah, regarding that matter.”

My initial intention had been to assign her to Reilly to serve as a low-level assistant… but that was an admission I could hardly make under the current circumstances.

Yes, it was best to remain tight-lipped.

“There was no significant motive behind it. Keep maintaining that cheerful expression of yours.”

“It brings a sense of satisfaction. A bit of mutual hardship, wouldn’t you say?”

“……”

Genuinely, this fellow was something else…

The remainder of that day at the institution concluded in such a fashion.

Starting from the following morning, I endured a period filled with restlessness.

Anticipating Evelyn, day one.

“Hmm, I instructed you to commit the abstract to memory, yet you have failed to accomplish even half of the task.”

“Instead, I managed to secure the Fragment of Reverse Heaven.”

“The Fragment of Reverse Heaven…?”

My academic progress was being evaluated by the senior Head Librarian Teheman, and in an effort to evade a lecture, I redirected the conversation toward the topic of the Reverse Heaven.

……There was absolutely no communication from Evelyn.

Anticipating Evelyn, day two.

“I find myself entirely unable to comprehend this. You have unquestionably acquired the piece… what specific trait does it possess?”

“Perhaps it would be beneficial if we dedicated some time to analyzing this matter in unison.”

Possessing a strong aversion to academic labor, I managed to steer our discussion away from spatial concepts and toward the artifact known as the Reverse Heaven fragment.

……There was still no communication from Evelyn.

Anticipating Evelyn, day three.

“My companion, are you currently awaiting someone’s arrival? What exactly are you engaged in?”

“I am currently angling.”

“Inside the dining hall?”

“Damian, this isn’t a novel occurrence that just began yesterday or today. Save yourself the effort of trying to make sense of it.”

“That is a valid point.”

I remained seated within the dining hall for the entirety of the day, waiting for any sign of Evelyn.

Damian and Chenbi chose to focus on their academic materials directly across from me, but even that peculiar spectacle failed to draw my attention.

……Still no communication.

Anticipating Evelyn, day four.

Exactly three days remained prior to the commencement of the academic term.

[Companion, the Moonlight Stone.]

“I am not in possession of it.”

[A commitment was made. A pair in the morning hours, and a single one at nightfall.]

“I never specified an exact timeframe. My current financial resources are quite strained.”

[I observed you. Companion, wealthy.]

“Tch, the juvenile creature is already showing an unhealthy obsession with currency.”

[……Worthless individual.]

Was it merely a trick of my mind that the gaze of the wyvern appeared to grow more intense and critical with every passing day? It was highly likely.

She had always possessed that sort of demeanor… if I recalled correctly.

As I spent my time idling about while keeping an eye out for Evelyn, I ultimately capitulated to the constant prodding of the wyvern.

[Moonlight Stone. Moonlight Stone. Moonlight…]

“Tch, alright, cease your nagging, here it is, take the object.”

Ethereal beings communicate at a speed that operates on an entirely different plane compared to mortal speech.

While a human voice is confined by physical limitations, the intent of a spirit transcends those boundaries, overlapping and echoing deeply.

Ultimately, I gathered my equipment and began making my way toward the city of Hazen with the intention of procuring the requested moonlight stones.

Naturally, keeping an eye out for the whereabouts of Shine was an automatic part of my routine.

‘The vacation period is still ongoing, so there is no requirement to obtain an official exit permit.’

As I stepped past the boundaries of the institution’s gates, a voice suddenly called out to grab my attention.

“Aster… classmate?”

“……?”

It was Reilly.

He had most likely altered the way he addressed me to maintain appearances in front of the other students who might be watching.

“For what reason…?”

“Ahem, a matter of great significance has arisen. Step over this way for a brief moment.”

He offered a deliberately awkward cough before smoothly transitioning back to his usual casual way of speaking. Reilly was clearly gathering his resolve.

I wasn’t the sort of individual to sweat such minor details.

I simply made a mental note to address it at a later date.

Upon stepping into the greeting area, Reilly lowered his posture and spoke in a hushed tone.

“It appears… the target has finally taken the bait.”

“The target… took the bait?”

“Indeed, she has been moving back and forth from the institution incessantly over the past few days…”

“Moving back and forth?”

“Have you ever witnessed an individual whose complexion resembled that of an absolute apparition?”

“I have.”

Any person who had encountered Reilly within the depths of the Great Forest would undoubtedly agree with that description.

But putting that aside for a moment.

“Hmm, so Evelyn is in a truly wretched state?”

“Describing it as ‘wretched’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. When she made her departure this morning, I honestly thought… she looked exactly like a moving corpse.”

“In a similar state to Shine?”

“Yes… precisely like that.”

Hmm, I see.

“It will likely happen quite soon. Shall we begin making preparations? Perhaps organize a small event to mark the occasion?”

I found myself entirely unable to suppress a loud exclamation directed at the smirking Reilly.

“Ha! Exactly where do you think you are?!”

“……?”

Reilly tilted his head to the side, looking completely bewildered. I couldn’t resist the urge to deliver a harsh verbal reprimand.

“Where do you think you are standing, I ask? Offering a toast to celebrate the misfortune of another soul? Do you honestly consider that to be the behavior of a proper human being?! Only a mindless creature of the wild would act in such a manner!”

Real human beings do not behave that way.

If one possesses any humanity.

Good grief. I wonder when he will finally develop into a proper person.

“Let us depart, wyvern. There is an ancient proverb that advises against keeping company with mindless creatures.”

Convinced that his behavior would have a negative impact on the wyvern, I made a hasty exit from the area.

Although the wyvern existed in an ethereal state and remained entirely unseen by Reilly, she was fully capable of observing his actions.

“Hold on, what in the world…”

Leaving behind the confused mutterings of that uncultured fellow, I stepped clear of the greeting area.

It was then that the clear tone of the wyvern echoed within my mind.

[Companion, unusual]

What exactly do you find unusual?

[For what reason are you not laughing?]

No, listen to me… I certainly never desired for things to go to THIS extreme, alright?

I mean it.