CH 25

The last day that Alstair Astor from the Wizard Orders came to visit.

After he recovered, Noah Sinnet and Duke Maximilian rode in the same carriage and moved all the way along the northern wall. 

The Duke looked intently at the boy sitting across from him. He was wearing a cat mask today as well. 

‘Did they say he was 11 years old.’

Certainly, Noah was small for his age.

However, there were aspects that didn’t match his age.

The way he sat upright was like that, as well as the skilled gaze that could sometimes be felt through the mask.

And above all.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the permission to investigate. I understand that the inside of the royal family is still reluctant to use wizards.”

It was the kind of tone used by the elders.

The young voice before the voice change was awkward. The Duke may have suspected Noah was an adult with a small build.

The Duke stopped staring at Noah and focused on talking about work.

“Sheridan is under my authority. The understanding of the royal family will be obtained soon, so please do not worry and focus on your research, Wizard Sinnet.”    

“I sincerely thank you. Even though… it would be uncomfortable to see me like this.”

He touched his mask awkwardly. 

He seemed a little shy, so the Duke saw him as a little boy for the first time.

“Your master, wizard Astor, guaranteed me.”

The old wizard, who introduced himself by saying that he had only a few days left to live, had explained in detail how great a wizard his beloved disciple was.

“Among the existing wizards, only Noah Sinnet can research the collapsed Golem among the existing wizards.”

The Duke didn’t know much about wizards, but he felt a deep trust in the old wizard’s long career and the elegance of his style.

Besides, Noah was one of the famous five wizards. He didn’t have to doubt his skills.

Although the cat mask is quite questionable.

“The reason Master said that is not because I am a great wizard.”

“…That’s.” 

The Duke stared at the boy and tried to say something but then pressed his lips together.

Seeing that he hesitated, Noah raised one of his hands.

“I don’t care, so tell me.”

“Noah Sinnet, you are the son of the previous Wizard leader.”

The Duke leaned back on the backrest for a moment and looked out his window.

“I also met him when I was young. Until then, there were quite a few exchanges between the Wizards and the royal family.” 

The previous wizard leader was a woman with the same sky-blue hair as Noah.

She is also a golem master who is stronger than anyone else, and even silver monsters didn’t dare to step on human land in front of her. 

“She was so passionate that she went directly to the monster war even when she was pregnant. I also see her as a leader… I respect her very much.”

He looked back at Noah. The boy, who thought he would be sad, was just sitting in the same shape as before.

The carriage began to slow down slowly. They had almost reached the collapsed golem. 

“Are you okay?”

The Duke remembered Noah’s age and asked the question anxiously.

It was because of the various meanings of the collapsed Golem.

It was the remains of the collapsed golem that fought the silver monster 11 years ago.

The collapse of the Golem, powered by the master’s spell, meant the death of the Golem master or the loss of magic.

The body of the previous leader, the owner of the huge golem, was trapped in the deepest part of the pile of stones and has not been excavated until now. 

Noah was the sole survivor of that brutal scene.

It was thanks to Alstair Astor, a young wizard who was following the leader at the time, who managed to rescue Noah from under a relatively light pile of stones.

Perhaps, in the last moment of her life, the former leader of the Wizards had pushed with all her strength the child she had just given birth to over a huge stone. 

In other words, the collapsed golem is Noah’s birthplace, and it was also his mother’s tomb. 

Finally, the carriage stopped.

“That question of whether it’s okay… I’d like to return it to the Duke.”

The Duke laughed bitterly.

He didn’t expect to get the question back from a boy a few years younger.

The collapsed golem was also the place where his father, the previous king, passed away. 

Even the knights and soldiers of the previous king were caught up in the collapse of the golem.

The royal family and wizards, who lost their leader in an instant, sharpened their blades at each other on the spot.

Throwing away the sense of teamwork that came from fighting with the silver monster. 

“I am fine.”

When the Duke said that, the servant opened the carriage door.

“Then I’m fine too.”

The boy answered the same and jumped off the carriage first.

The Duke followed Noah and stood side by side in front of the collapsed golem.

There was a huge red stone that collapsed in a bizarre shape on the cold field.

The newly built memorial stone next to it made him realize that there was a person buried under it.

The Duke glanced back at Noah.

For some reason, he was worried. 

No matter how much he does the work of an adult, he is still a child. 

Only two years older than Clarisse…

“I’ll start researching right away from today.”

“Wouldn’t we wait for other wizards to assist?”

“They will be no more than watchers of the Wizarding Orders anyway.” 

“…” 

“You don’t have to worry about it here. As promised, I will report the progress of my research to Sheridan Mansion once a month.”

Watching a child so small that he couldn’t even reach his chest confidently say that it’s okay to be alone, the Duke naturally thought of someone.

Clarisse. 

The two children had an oddly similar corner. Words and actions are completely different.

“I will leave the carriage at the wall.” 

“….?” 

“I want you to come to Sheridan yourself in a carriage and tell me about it.

This way, he will be able to watch Noah’s situation once a month to see if things are okay.

It would be fine for Maximilian to come to the north periodically, but Sheridan Mansion was a better environment for the boy to rest.

He quietly looked into Noah’s eyes. He wonders if he might be rejecting it.

“Do I have to go that far…” 

As he seemed about to refuse, the Duke quickly brought up another story.

“I hear you’re friends with Clarisse. Shouldn’t you meet once a month?” 

“….Then I can’t help it.”

He sighed as if he was going to die of annoyance and continued fiddling with the mask.

“Ah.” 

Then, as if something had come to mind, he looked back at the Duke. 

“Come to think of it, that child….” 

“Clarisse?” 

“Hmm… No. I must have been mistaken…” 

What was he mistaken for?

The Duke was always curious about the story, but he couldn’t ask more as Noah went to look into the collapsed golem.

* * *

The last night of the year.

Clarisse was stomping her feet in her room, wearing a Sheridan prisoner outfit that was perfect for the cold.

An important fact has now come to mind.

“I am pathetic.”

There was something she decided to do when she came to the northern wall, but she completely forgot because she was paying attention to Noah until today.

“This is why I can’t help it even if I’m called Clarisse who doesn’t know grace!” 

The girl clenched her two little fists.

“Now that it’s like this, I’ll definitely do it when I see fireworks today.”

What is it? 

It is the ‘holding hands’ between the Duke and the Duchess. 

It took Clarisse some courage to take on this important task.

She put her hand against the wall several times and mumbled some lines to practice.

She was lost in practice for a while and heard someone knock on the door.

Clarisse ran and opened the door.

In front of her was Maximilian, dressed in a black winter coat.

“Hello, Duke. What about Noah?”

Clarisse immediately asked about her friend who had gone with him to see the collapsed golem.

“He said he was going to sleep since he was tired. He says he is not interested in fireworks.” 

“It would be nice to go together.” 

Feeling sorry, Clarisse stretched out her hand toward Maximilian. It was a somewhat awkward gesture. 

Now it was her turn to say the words she had practiced against the wall.

“I, I…!” 

However, the results of intense practice were disastrous indeed.

‘W, what should I do?’

For some reason, Clarisse’s outstretched fingertips felt stiff.

The word she practiced was ‘hold my hand.’

In this way, when she holds the Duke’s hand, she can naturally suggest, “I want you to hold the Duchess’ hand, too.” 

‘I… can’t say it.’

To hold hands. 

She had a flashing memory.

A scene from her childhood that she doesn’t recall because she’s too embarrassed.

Clarisse thought the queen was like a “mother” and ran to give her hand.

‘Please hold my hand!’ she said.

Even if something returned— it was only a hand stabbing his forehead fiercely.

Clarisse’s outstretched hand began to slip away.

“…Well, the wind blows on the walls of the castle. We might as well hold hands.”

“Yes?” 

“It would be troublesome if a small, light prisoner flew into the sky.”

“I can’t fly! It’s not light, either. I ate a lot for dinner.”

“That was good.”

After giving her compliments, he gently took Clarisse’s outstretched hand and held it.

Even though they were wearing two layers of gloves, Clarisse seemed to have a lot of warmth. 

“The Duke is like a fireplace…” 

“Hmm?” 

“N, nothing! No, it’s not like that!”

Clarisse was a little flustered and stammered while talking.

“I, I was just worried. Even the Duchess is too light. Right?” 

“…Hmm?” 

“Right! That’s right! She might fly away when the wind blows. No, if the Duke doesn’t hold on to her tight, there’s no doubt such a catastrophe will happen!”

“….” 

“Hold her tight. You have to hold her. You must!”

“Hmm.”

Even though Clarisse kept asking, he didn’t give a definite answer.