◈ Episode 211

The story of how Asterike's nanny was brought in is simple.

After making a list of people who were thought to be past acquaintances, I approached them when I had time. The intention was to find out if there were any acquaintances of Asterike.

Their response was very friendly, as if they were not just any news articles.

A somewhat stiff but kind smile, an attitude of listening seriously and saying, "Is that so…?" whenever someone said something. They were kind people, rare to find in such harsh times.

It seems that the 'help' provided by the mountain was very impressive.

'This is how we live, helping each other.'

Anyway.

Inevitably, I heard many stories about Asterike.

- Yes, of course I remember.

― Now it has been burnt down, but there was a branch called 'Terias' that broke off from the Lord Carta family. The only daughter there was Asterike...

― We occasionally ran into each other at banquets. We only exchanged formal greetings. The city is not that big, so if you are the child of a powerful family, you will naturally become acquainted with most of them.

― Even if that's not the case, there are probably many people who remember.

The knight of Kartata said so with a look of discomfort on his face.

― It was an uncommon incident here. The Terias family was completely burned down overnight. There were serious casualties, and not even the bodies were left intact.

- What's the cause? Well.

― There probably wasn't anything that was definitely revealed through the investigation. After all, everything was burned down. So, they had no choice but to proceed based on circumstantial evidence, and I remember it ending like that.

There was no evidence that it was Asterike's doing.

But sometimes circumstances speak the whole truth.

― The innate heat spell of Asterice Terias was quite famous at the time. Naturally, everyone connected it to the incident, and it was naturally pointed out as the cause of the fire.

― There is nothing more to tell you after this. Since it was a holiday, the servant who had somehow managed to avoid trouble and quickly escaped from the mansion was summoned as a witness, but it was of no significance.

― Because Asterique Terias himself had disappeared. No trace of him could be found anywhere. The prevailing opinion was that he had burned himself to death in the mansion.

― How could an investigation be possible if a key witness disappeared?

The incident ended with 'an unfortunate tragedy that happened to the Terius family.'

As time passed, the incident became nothing more than a story. A gravestone was erected on the site of the Terias mansion, and those who had been talking about conspiracy theories moved on to other issues.

This was a secret that even Kim Lee-hyun didn't know about.

The only side story assigned to 'Ast' was about finding a lost sword in Ullants. It is mentioned that she was a noble or something similar, but her past is not clearly revealed.

'There are still doubts.'

If half of the family members were involved, it is highly likely that the [Flame of Regeneration] was activated. If so, it means that Asterike was seriously injured just before the fire broke out.

And all truth was buried in ashes.

As long as Asterike doesn't remember, it won't be revealed to the world.

'Oh, so what?'

From the beginning, Kim Lee-hyun was more focused on the present than the past.

― Are you a survivor of the fire? I see. If you hadn't left Kartata during that time, you wouldn't have been able to find it… . Oh, you mean me? Oh, no. I didn't mean to dislike it… .

So, the conclusion is that they brought in a nanny who worked for the Terias family.

I forgot the name, but it was a reunion made possible thanks to the kind knight.

The next day.

"We talked so much during the night, so much that I can't even remember what we said."

In the morning, Kim Yi-hyeon could see Asterike's eyes, strangely swollen and red. It seemed that she had talked to her nanny all night, as she had just left the room the night before.

"I think I was grateful to my nanny. If it weren't for my nanny, I wouldn't have met Hyun."

"okay?"

"Yeah. The person who sent me out that time was my nanny."

Unlike usual, his speech was extremely slow. Kim Yi-hyeon listened without rushing and drove the car. There was a request from Asterike to go somewhere together.

The distance to the destination was not that far.

"It's here."

Asterike looked around the rows of tombstones. The tomb of the Terias family. The mansion that held ten years of memories was now a desolate landscape.

"I think I was having a nightmare that day."

She began to speak as if to herself.

"I only remember fragments now. When I opened my eyes, everything around me was a pile of ashes. I didn't know what had happened to me or to this place, and I cried and searched for people."

I closed my eyes tightly and the smell of charcoal tickled my nose.

"There was a nanny. She wrapped a blanket around me and said something with a determined look on her face."

The human brain is truly a fascinating thing. Some things are forgotten in less than an hour, let alone a day, while others are vividly remembered for a long time.

"Young lady, you will face difficult times ahead. You are delicate, and you may not be able to endure it. I cannot dare to say that things will get better someday…."

"You're strict."

"When I asked her last night, she said she was afraid that I would believe her empty words and live a stubborn life. That would be too much of a burden for the nanny. In a way, it's a weak point of the nanny."

Asterike chuckled.

"It did get better, just like the nanny said. But still, no, that's why I feel more suffocated here. I guess it's a sense of guilt. The very thought of trying to relieve this suffocation was shameless."

The edges of the heart are blackened. It is an emotion that should not be forgotten or ignored. Even if it was not intentional, a sin is a sin, and the stigma does not disappear.

"So, um. What I'm saying is that I'm a really annoying person. Sometimes I'm doing fine and then I suddenly get depressed, and I have nightmares. Sometimes, like now, I drag Hyun around and just talk to myself."

"It's fortunate that you seem to be aware of it."

"I feel like it's impossible to fix it. What can I do with my personality being like this?"

Instead, she said, turning around.

"I'll tell you this every time."

As usual, a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.

"Thank you always, Hyun."

* * *

As soon as I returned to the capital, I heard the news through Kushan.

"What the heck? I need to get ready right away."

"If we hurry, we'll get there within a week. It'll be quite a forced march, though."

The only fortunate thing is that there is no need to worry about physical strength. The agents should be able to endure it, and all of the Bastitera personnel accompanying them are Pecatum.

Of course, there is no change to the fact that the schedule is tight.

"I guess I should probably get a helicopter soon."

"Even so, after the talks are over, we're planning to stop by Shalem to get supplies. There's the option of going back, but the environment there isn't very good. We'll have to calmly think about our future plans."

"You guys should discuss it among yourselves and decide."

Whether it's Dustborne or Cellbrox Labs, there are plenty of options. But don't think about it right now. You'll have plenty of time to think about it after the main episode ends.

Rather, we should focus on the summit that is just around the corner.

'What should I do this time?'

It's different from last time when I attended as a security company in Cilicia. Not only do I not have time to visit Cilicia, but I also don't know if Dustborne has received a security offer or not.

'First of all, let's assume that it's confirmed that I'm sticking with Bastetira.'

The point is influence.

When I attended as a mere bodyguard, there were inevitably many inconveniences. It was easy to mess around because there were fewer restrictions, but as the representative of Dustborn, I couldn't do anything.

'A minimum of speaking power is required.'

It was a moment when I was thinking of a suitable excuse.

"Hyeon. I have a proposition for you."

"Why does it sound like I've heard it before?"

"…Hmm. I guess it's more of a request than a suggestion."

Kushan opened his mouth as I urged him to continue talking with a nod.

"As you know, I have no place at this conference. I am still a missing defendant from Shiran. You have to put someone forward to represent the lab in my stead."

"You still haven't decided?"

"Originally, I was planning to leave it to the professor…."

He shook his head as he recalled the professor's recent appearance.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind."

ah.

Kim Yi-hyeon was convinced inwardly. The professor had not yet given an answer as to whether or not he would regain his memories. The conflict seemed deeper than he had imagined, and it was obvious how Ku-san would have felt about it.

'Honestly, it's not that trustworthy.'

It wasn't a good choice, even in Kim Yi-hyeon's judgment. It's something the person who caused it shouldn't say. In any case, there may have been consideration in not wanting to pass the burden on to a professor who wasn't in a good condition.

"Leila? Haven't you grown quite a bit lately?"

"Of course, I always keep Leila in mind. She has expertise in the field we're researching at the lab, and above all, she's trusted by the agents. Depending on the circumstances, she could be a better leader than me."

"Oh. You said you were anxious before, but now you're rated quite highly."

"I looked at it from the perspective of deciding on the next research institute director, and it seemed new to me. I also felt like I was growing. It was a more enjoyable experience than I thought."

But then Kushan reversed his words.

"What is being asked for at this meeting is not necessarily professional opinions. We don't know much about the cracks to begin with. Rather than listing research results, it will be a political event."

surely.

If the main topic is terrorism and rifts in Shiran, then the flow will be harsher than last time for CellbroLogics Lab. It is not a place that suits Leila at all. Kushan also feels a little off.

So to speak, shamelessness is required.

"So, Hyun, it's you."

"...Is that okay?"

"If you have an excuse, just make it up. It doesn't matter if you claim to be attending as an honorary advisor to the Lab. There will be fewer people in the conference room who don't know about the agreement between Dustborn and the Lab."

Kim Lee-hyun thought about it with his arms crossed.

'I'm not actually taking on the role of director of the research institute, it's just a one-time thing, so whatever.'

He was already desperately in need of something other than the title of 'CEO of Dustborne Corporation'. If rap were to come up, he would be guaranteed a voice. He could intervene more actively than the royal family of Bastitera.

Conditions couldn't get any better than this.

There is no reason not to accept it this time.

But before you accept, there are steps you must take in good conscience.

"Let me just ask you one question to confirm."

"what?"

"Are you sure it's okay? Even if you show off your face to someone like me."

For a moment, Kushan was gripped by a breathtaking sensation.

If I were to write it down, it would seem like he lacked confidence, but it wasn't really like that. The corners of his lips were slightly raised. His gaze was calm as usual, but it felt a bit murderous.

Those are the eyes of someone about to commit something.

"Phew, wait a minute…."

Kushan closed his eyes tightly. Various scenarios began to form in his head. The main idea was for Kim I-hyeon to cause trouble in front of all the powerful figures on the continent.

If it were before, I would have stopped here.

After Shiran was defeated, there was no turning back.

He opened his eyes with a determination to die.

"Father, please."

"If you say it like that, then I can't help it."

The die has been cast.