Chapter 57
Calude Lucilante.
The younger brother of Paris Lucilante, the current head of House Lucilante, and the uncle of Ayla Lucilante from Class A.
During the Seven Years' War, he fought alongside Rex on the Western Front. Had his past not held him back, he might have been called a hero alongside Rex.
A problem child who was once called the wastrel of Lucilante, and a magic knight who came to symbolize turning over a new leaf.
The father of Kate, the academy's problem child.
And,
A transmigrator.
…In fact, the idea that he is a transmigrator is entirely my own speculation. Even so, I cannot help but suspect him.
Moreover, it is not as though I lack strong circumstantial evidence or clues that would be impossible to explain unless he were a transmigrator.
Still, one fortunate thing is that he does not seem to know much about me or my master yet.
I can only cautiously speculate that this may be because I am an irregularity who never appeared in ‘the original story he knows.’
‘That’s the only advantage I have.’
I only sampled the novel before tossing it aside, and it has already been over twenty years since I transmigrated. Aside from my parting with Rex and the key material from the beginning, I barely remember anything properly.
But he knows at least as much about the original story as I do, if not more. Perhaps he transmigrated from a point in time further in the future than mine, after the novel itself had already been completed.
Isn’t that a common trope in transmigration stories? Someone dislikes how the novel they enjoyed ends, sends the author a lengthy letter of complaints, and gets transmigrated as punishment for offending them.
If that is the case, I can even predict why he is interested in me. He is trying to use his knowledge of the original story to overcome or prevent another crisis that might befall the kingdom in the future… only for me, an irregularity who never appeared in the original story, to show up.
From his perspective, he must want to dig up everything he can about me. To him, I must be no less than a major setback to his plans.
‘Then, what I need to do is….’
What I need to do is….
…what?
‘This is driving me crazy.’
This is the problem.
I know everything else, but I simply cannot answer the question of, ‘What am I supposed to do, then?’
Convince him that I am harmless? That would be an awfully carefree thing to say to someone who starts by suspecting me without question.
Reveal that I am a transmigrator? That would be putting the cart before the horse. Whatever else may be true, I cannot expose my weakness from the outset to someone who reeks of something so fishy. Besides, he might even reveal it to Rex.
Or perhaps twist things around and pretend to be a regressor? That would be impossible, too. What trick could I possibly pull when I know even less about the original story than he does?
‘…In the end, all I can do is avoid showing him an opening.’
Unless he is at least the sort of transmigrator who is kind to the inhabitants of the original world….
Well, at least my first impression of him was hardly a kind one.
=
‘Think of this mission as simply taking a break.’
Those were the first words I said to the children as soon as I began briefing them on the practical class's weekly mission.
‘The client for this request, Calude Lucilante, is after me. I’ll handle the adults’ business myself, so as a reward for successfully completing the last two missions… yes, just think of it as getting a vacation.’
Of course, the children did not look particularly happy to hear that….
‘I can’t drag children into an adults’ sordid romantic drama.’
“It’s cold even with the windows closed.”
Miriam muttered grumpily as she pulled her collar tighter.
“Hmph, how weak. This much cold is common during winter in my homeland.”
“Achoo!”
“Have you ever seen snow pile up more than ten centimeters? Hunters in the East climb mountain paths covered in that much snow to hunt….”
“There you go again with your Eastern pride!”
Miriam let out a shriek and grabbed Kariya’s coat.
“Then try enduring it after taking all of this off!”
“Let go, damn it!”
Charlotte shouted at the two of them, who had started bickering again.
“Can’t you two stop already?!”
“Eek!”
“….”
Miriam and Kariya immediately stopped grappling and looked at Charlotte.
“The carriage is shaking!”
“…You heard her, right? Let go.”
“But she started it….”
“Miriam!”
“…Okaaay.”
Miriam turned her head toward the window with a sullen expression.
Even then, Charlotte seemed uncomfortable, and she muttered while huffing.
“Honestly, do none of you have any sense? Do you even know what kind of mission this is….”
“Charlotte.”
But I spoke quietly to the grumbling Charlotte.
“You don’t need to worry about it.”
“But, Instructor!”
“It’s fine.”
I calmly shook my head. Charlotte’s lips moved as though she wanted to say something, but she soon closed her mouth and nodded.
“Oh, look, there’s a castle!”
Miriam’s spirits quickly returned, and she shouted as she pressed her cheek against the window.
The main estate of House Lucilante was slowly drawing near.
=
“Welcome, students.”
Calude Lucilante's first impression was that of a tall, strikingly handsome, and genial man.
He had a clean-cut appearance, an imposing build, and a boisterous manner of speaking.
It wasn't that he gave off no trace whatsoever of his past as a wastrel; rather, if you heard only later that he had once been one, you might only murmur, Ah… in recognition.
In modern terms, he looked perfectly respectable now, but like someone who had lived it up a little in the past.
“It’s very cold outside. Please come in first.”
He came out to meet the Class E students in person at the castle's first-floor lobby and led us to the dining hall on the third floor.
“Let’s have a meal first. I’ll explain the mission in due time.”
“This is freaking awesome.”
“Please don’t be so uncouth.”
Miriam and Kariya whispered to each other, while Charlotte, apparently unable to raise her voice in a setting like this, shot them a sharp glare.
The children sensed the unpleasant killing intent and quickly backed down, putting an end to their bickering.
“Wow….”
Roxanna stared blankly at the food spread across the long dining table and let out a gasp of admiration.
Charlotte had stuck close to her side, pointing out each dish and explaining what it was.
She had been born into a mess of a family that was noble in name only, and had lived a life far removed from wealth and luxury. It was fortunate that she had not lost her head and blindly reached for the food.
‘And Charlotte is here, too.’
Even Miriam and Kariya, who were like cats and dogs, seemed capable of reading the room, at least.
Once my worries about the children disappeared, my gaze naturally turned toward Calude, who was seated in the place of honor.
‘All that’s left… is deciding what to do with this bastard.’
Of course, I did not mean anything like burying him in the ground.
I merely meant that, whatever he wanted, I would never give it to him.
“As I believe you already know, the reason I invited you here is to exterminate the monsters that have recently begun appearing around the territory.”
But contrary to what I had expected, Calude began with the general details of the mission.
Apparently, he, too, did not wish to discuss such matters with children present.
“Normally, monsters do not appear during a winter this harsh… but we have continued receiving reports that the number of monsters attacking civilian homes has increased greatly compared to the previous year.”
Calude continued with a troubled expression.
“The troops stationed at the ducal fortress are already stretched thin just holding back the barbarians beyond the border. Normally, once the weather warmed up, they would naturally withdraw, and we would have no trouble dealing with the monsters… but we have never before had monsters attack while an invasion by the barbarians was still underway. The head of the family has been racking his brains over the matter.”
Indeed, it was a plausible excuse. Perhaps he had anticipated the objection Kariya had raised and tailored his story around the ‘barbarians invading over the walls,’ using them as an excuse for not having enough manpower available right now.
“So we invited you here to investigate the cause and exterminate the monsters.”
Calude said this with a genial smile.
Furthermore, he went a step further and said this.
“Of course, I understand why you might suspect me. If I may boast a little about my family, the Lucilante territory is said to be home to the kingdom’s mightiest warriors. We do not normally have any trouble with something as trivial as exterminating monsters… but given the circumstances this time….”
Turning toward Charlotte and Roxanna, Calude continued.
“…despite that ‘unfortunate incident,’ we have been forced to ask this of you.”
Then he bowed his head toward the two children.
“I believe our family certainly bears some responsibility for the two of you getting caught up in such a matter. I am truly sorry.”
This was more unexpected than I had anticipated, so I glanced at Charlotte.
When the so-called ‘Kate incident’ had thrown the academy into an uproar, she had been the most indignant of all.
That was in stark contrast to Ayla, who was directly involved in the incident yet had shown surprisingly little reaction.
Given her uncompromising personality—so straight-laced that Miriam even teased her by calling her an FM—it must have been difficult for her to accept that something like this had happened.
“No, there’s no need to apologize to us.”
To my surprise, Charlotte calmly shook her head. Calude looked relieved when he saw her expression.
But that was a mistake. Charlotte knew how to restrain her anger and express it in the proper way.
“Shouldn’t you apologize to Kate instead of me?”
“….”
“To her, an undeniable blood relative of House Lucilante and your own daughter.”
Charlotte shot back at Calude, who could not hide his flustered expression.
“Since the topic has come up, I’d like to ask you one question. Do you perhaps have any intention of bringing her into the family?”