CH 2

Back at Ritone’s shack.

「……Mother……Why did you have to die like that……」

Ritone, who was inside the house, crouched and trembled. Although he had memories of his previous life, the one who birthed him to this world and raised him to this day, was his mother. The death of his mother who he admired deeply, had created a shadow in his heart.

「Onii-chan, pull yourself together.」

At his side, Rin desperately tried to comfort Ritone.

「……I’m alright.」

Rin put up a tough front, even though it was just a bluff to hide their sadness, Ritone rummaged under the bed.

Just like his Mother had said, there was a letter from his Grandfather, Eagle Shylock.

「Dear Father. Against your will, I have eloped with a commoner, perhaps I didn’t meet your expectations as a daughter. I lost myself in the moment of passion, neglected my obligations as a noble, and was a fool who knew nothing about the outside world. However, this child whom I bear has committed no crime. Please, raise and receive my child Ritone, I beg of you, please. ~Josephine」

Some words were messy in places and the letter was stained with tears, as if she had been totally lost.

(…… Was it originally her intention to entrust me to Grandpa? At least now I have a chance at being nobility.)

The regret of running away from their house at a young age because of infatuation, and the feelings of a mother who tried to rescue her son from the painful life of a commoner.

(As I thought, love alone is pointless. A happy life cannot exist without a proper foundation. The old man didn’t have it in him, so Mother had to suffer. I definitely don’t want to become like that. No. I will become a noble!)

Ritone swore as he grasps the ring he received from his mother.

At that time, the door suddenly opened and the Village Chief, together with several villagers, entered.

「Seize him!」

With that, a surprised Ritone was abruptly tied and pushed to the floor.

「Father! What are you doing to Onii-chan!!?」

「Rin! This boy is not your elder brother. He is the son of a ghoul who attacked the village people, honestly, I never liked this boy’s father,

Zouk, in the past at all. After all that guy was a good for nothing with only strength. He ignored me and acted like a representative of this village to the city. Being dismissed as a knight, that defeated dog came back as a ghoul and attacked the village people!」

Hatred covered the village chief’s face. The villagers who were restraining Ritone had injuries that were given to them by Zouk.

「……What are you planning to do with me?」

Seeing Ritone, calm while being bound, the village chief was angered even more, as Rin cried and screamed.

「STOP! Release Onii-chan!」

「Hmph! Your parent’s weren’t liked here, and you are hated even more! For you, a child that came from a mother with a doubtful origin, to put a hand on my lovely Rin. Sell him off to the slave merchants!」

Following the village chief’s instructions, Ritone was taken to the underground prison.

「Fufufu… it went well. That person will no longer trust in humans. Even if that person isn’t filled with wicked desire now, eventually, he will become a pawn that destroys humanity.」

The woman, Demon Empress Rin Kaiser who was disguised as a man, broke into a grinning smile.

After a while, being overcome by extreme drowsiness.

「Ku… Morning already? No wonder I was sleepy.」

Looking annoyingly at the sinking blue moon, she muttered.

「Demon Emperor… Certainly, if thine hero is worthy of drawing the sword from the seal… Then he will come.」

Laughing loudly, Rin Kaiser vanished.

Unaware of what’s happened, Ritone continued to suffer in prison.

At that moment, someone entered the underground prison.

「Onii-chan……」

A girl entered quietly, as she sat down.

「I’m so…… Sorry. That time, If I hadn’t raised my voice…… Father wouldn’t have done such a thing…… I’m really sorry.」

She bowed to Ritone, sobbing.

「…… Rin, it’s not your fault. It was mine because I was careless. At that time, if I had dealt a fatal blow……」

Rin held out one arm between the prison bars and stroked his head gently.

「But!」

「……If I had the power…… To protect the person who is the most important to me.」

Ritone, continued to blame himself rather than Rin.

Though the strategy that Rin Kaiser had planned, succeeded, there was a miscalculation on two points.

One was Rin, an existence that loves him.

Another, is that Ritone does not have the heart of a 12 year old, but has the unusual memories of a 30 year old adult.

Though he was still a child, because he had the mentality of an adult, he admitted his own weaknesses rather than trying to find other causes.

Why did such a tragedy occur? As a result, he intently blamed himself for being the cause, blaming Rin was never a possibility in his mind.

(It can’t be helped. The life Ritone’s experiencing now is on hard mode. To experience such a thing as a child, wouldn’t it distort his personality and be impossible to overcome? However, this would be the flag that would enable him to meet up with his Grandfather. For this upcoming encounter. What attitude should I take at that time……)

While being in jail, Ritone thought of this.

The village chief who captured Ritone, contacted the slave merchants joyfully.

「I want to sell a brat, who disturbed this village, as a slave.」

「Slave?… Did you obtain his parent’s permission?」

Indeed, the slave merchant with dark eyes questioned.

「You don’t need their permission. His parents are already dead. Anyway, please take this eyesore away quickly.」

「……Understood. At any rate, allow me to see him.」

When the village chief and the man went to the underground prison of the village, a boy was there meditating.

From his body, the magic of darkness rose.

「This person……」

「That is right. Having an unusual magic for a commoner. The price of buying him is expensive.」

Even if the village chief was delightful, the slave merchant was cautious.

「……There are a lot of those who possess magic from having the blood of nobility. This person, could he be one too?」

「This person’s father was a commoner who only had brute-strength. Perhaps the mother may have been one, but no one was able to recognize her.

Now please, buy him quickly.」

While the village chief persuaded, Ritone opened an eye.

「……You, are you the slave merchant?」

「Yes, that is right?」

To the boy who wasn’t shaken by his presence, the slave merchant was momentarily overwhelmed.

The boy raised his hand silently, and the crest on the ring was shown.

The slave merchants complexion suddenly changed.

「……Village chief, I want to speak alone with this person, just the two of us, is that good?」

「I don’t mind. Evaluate him as you please.」

As such, the village chief left the underground prison.

Silence ran between these two people.

「……That ring, where did you get it?」

「It’s a memento from my mother. My mother’s name is Josephine. My parent’s family name is Shylock.」

Hearing that, the slave merchant paled and trembled.

「Su-surely! If, you…Well, you……」

「Please hand this over to Grandfather.」

The letter his mother wrote was passed. The merchant respectfully received it and knelt before the boy.

「Let’s get out of here, come together with me.」

「I can’t go, I am anything but a young child to no one. I am a delinquent who disturbed this village. Therefore, I can’t leave because I don’t have any reason to come out of this prison.」

Sitting straight in the cold underground prison, the slave merchant quietly stares, motionless. From his appearance, he certainly felt the boy’s grace.

「I understand. I will definitely deliver this letter to your Grandfather-sama.」

The slave merchant stood up, left the village, and went at full speed to the territory’s capital.

From Roswell Village, it will require three days to reach the territory’s element capital to the main residence of The Golden Duke’s House by carriage.

The second city after the Royal Capital is the commercial city, where commoners gather from all over the country.

In the lord’s residence, a breath escaped faintly, while a person entered the room.

「Milord, we have an urgent report! Please take a look!」

「Milord is in the middle of a state affair. Do not disturb him.」

「This, this letter!」

Seeing the desperate expression of the tired slave merchant with depleted strength, the knight received the letter.

「G-good…」

The slave merchant relieved, sank down on the floor.

The letter in the knight’s hand was carried to the lord’s office.

「An urgent report?」

With wrinkles appearing in his forehead, it is Eagle Shylock who rules this territory.

Disturbing him in the midst of a huge domestic affair is somewhat displeasing.

「Yes, it is impolite, but inadvertently the person pleaded very desperately…」

The knight presented the letter.

「I don’t mind. I needed a change of pace.」

Eagle received the letter and read, with a pale face, he began to tremble.

「……Call that slave merchant at once!」

Just as Eagle instructed, the slave merchant is summoned, and the events in Rozwell are told.

Eagle, after listening, is dumbfounded for a while.

「From what I heard…… then, why didn’t you bring the boy!」

「It’s because, the child is being treated as a criminal, he is being held in a prison and can’t leave……」

When the slave merchant looked sorry, Eagle’s face looked hurt.

「What a foolish thing…… Do you feel inferior to your parents? Eei~, get him out at once…… No, I will go and receive him. Prepare for departure!」

As Eagle ordered, he hurriedly left before the day ends.

After three days.

In Roswell village, the Knight’s group arrives wearing brilliant armor.

It is said that the lord suddenly came to the rural area, all the villagers knelt down to the ground to receive him.

「Your lordship, go-good day to you……」

It’s no wonder that the village chief’s voice is trembling – even if it were the magistrates, to the lord’s eyes, they are nothing more than an underling. To those that haven’t met the lord, his existence is like that of being above the clouds.

「……」

Eagle, whom had gotten off the luxurious carriage glances him coldly.

「E-ehh… What business do you have, Eagle Shylock-sama, to come to such a far-away village?」

「A slave who has the 「Darkness」 magic, he is likely to be of the same family as I. I would like to verify it. Apart from that, I want to have the corpse of the woman who was beheaded on the reports shown to me.」

Seeing the cold face of The Golden Duke Shylock, the Village chief makes a panicking excuse.

「B-b-because the person was bitten by a Ghoul, U-uhm we threw it out in the wilderness outside the village. About this time, the demon should’ve been eaten…」

「What did you say!」

Golden Shylock face became that of a demon. Because they may get killed if they are impolite, the Knights aid flustered entered in between.

「Milord, we have confirmed this.」

「……Ah, mercy. there must be some misunderstanding……」

Though Golden Shylock prayed to the heaven, it soon changed to despair.

The corpse was take home with the village chief’s aid, though there were marks where she was bitten by monsters, the beauty still remained in her face. Seeing her face, The Golden Duke’s tears flowed.

「What an unsightly appearance… You fool. That time if you had just listened to what I said… No, if only I had acknowledged it… Such a thing.」

「Golden Duke-sama, do you know this woman?」

When seeing The Golden Duke become like this, the village driven by uneasiness reflexively hears it.

「This woman! Fool! Josephine is my daughter!」

「Hiii!」

The Village chief pales and kneels on the ground.

The village-brats who were bullying Ritone, and the adults who had treated him coldly paled in color. There was a desire to seize and slaughter them right now, but somehow he managed to control himself.

「And, my daughter’s child, where is he! 」

「Hi~, hii~ I will lead you to him at once…」

「Take me there!」

The anger of The Golden Duke exploded. The Village chief, whilst having a ghastly face, guided him to the underground prison.

Underground prison

Ritone heard the noise of many people walking on the ground and guessed that his grandfather had come.

「After this, there will be a serious matter. I have to create a great first impression.」

Though weakened because he wasn’t given meals nor water, he still managed to sit straight and wait.

A short moment later, a proud elderly person entered.

「Are you my grandchild?……」

The elderly person looked straightly at Ritone.

「Yes, this is my first time meeting you. I am called Ritone, Grandfather.」

Ritone looked back at the eyes of The Golden Duke Shylock straightly, and bowed deeply.

After watching each other for a while, suddenly The Golden Duke grinned widely.

「Hmm, even though you possess the hateful blood of a commoner man who enticed my daughter. You certainly are a mage of darkness, darkness that runs in my family…… It seems you’ve had it hard.」

「Nah, this much is nothing.」

Despite clearly being overworked, having lost a lot of body weight and being wounded and dirty, he still smiled.

Still having the appearance of a straightened back and facing him, The Golden Duke has a good impression of him.

「HAHAHA, to have that kind attitude in front of me. As expected of my grandchild.」

The Golden Duke smiled delightfully, as the Village chief trembled in the back.

「What are you doing, take out my grandchild out of the prison!」

The panicking Village chief, unlocks the jail with the key. As Ritone stood up, his stomach made a gurgling sound.

「I-I’m sorry. I’m a little bit hungry……」

Thus, Ritone feeling a bit embarrassed as he scratches his head , The Golden Duke spouted.

「Hahaha, what a funny little chap. I like you. You are my grandchild, and thus a rightful successor of the Shylock family. As of today, you will

be introduced as Ritone Shylock!」

「Yes!」

Ritone answered vigorously.

After getting out of the jail and into the bath. Fixing his hair and clothes, Ritone’s appearance was very handsome.

Considering the young master’s appearance.

The villagers who sees him would tremble in fear, as they bow down and beg for mercy.

Though The Golden Duke looked fondly at Ritone, with a serious face, he gives a long glare to the villagers.

「You bastard, for what you have done to my grandchild, he had to live a rough life. Honestly, I’m extremely furious. Zouk, who’s a mere commoner, came to this village having enticed and whilst carrying my daughter.」

「……」

「…… I can overlook the matter by 100 steps. However, deserting my daughter’s corpse in the wilderness, having jailed my grandchild, and having the gall to sell him as a slave is another matter!」

「Th-that’s, I didn’t know!」

「This Village chief dog is selfish!」

「Is that so, up until now Village chief, Ritone was overworked and abused, he was treated bad entirely!」

The large chorus of criticism from the villagers to the Village chief was heated.

「Y-you……」

Even as he tried to answer back, the sword from the knight was pointed at him, having resigned, it became quiet.

As for The Golden Duke who observed the situation, he questioned Ritone.

「So, how do you want to deal with these people. Having enslaved one of the blood from the Shylock family, in a commoner’s position, it isn’t possible to let this pass.」

Hearing that, Ritone pondered. He certainly has a grudge against the Village chief. Being overworked until now, and almost unlawfully sold as a slave.

But he’s still Rin’s father.

Looking around the villagers, Ritone troubled, his eyes met Rin who was praying desperately.

(Onii-chan……Father……please let him go.)

Looking at the child who prayed while shedding tears, Ritone realized.

(Now, fate has branched. When thinking properly, the young childhood friend Rin, hated Ritone, such a funny story. It was because, Ritone originally took revenge against the Village chief and its people, that made Rin hate him. If that’s the case, what should I do here?)

Suppressing his vengeful heart frantically, his answer is decided.

Ignoring the Village chief, Ritone smiles at Rin.

「……Rin, I will follow my Grandfather. However, it will surely be lonely. Would you come with me?」

「……Is it alright?」

「Aah, Grandfather. She is the Village chief’s daughter, her name is Rin. For me, she is the only one who saved me from this living hell, an equal existence to a younger sister. There are children who will become unhappy due to the crimes from their parents in this world. If so, I would excuse the parent for the success of the child. If Rin comes, then I would excuse the village chief.」

「Is that alright?」

「……Moreover, the tax drops, for each person killed. We would only lose.」

Ritone explained while smiling wryly.

「……Onii-chan……Thank you……」

Rin being saved and full of tears, embraces him.

「I see…… My grandchild, to be so merciful. I’m pleased more and more…… As you heard, all of you, your lives have been saved by my grandchild. Work until you die, pay your taxes, and return this favor. This year taxes will be more than usual.」

「Y-yes.」

The Village chief raised his voice as he knelt on the ground.