Chapter 22. The Tutor

"There is something I require of you."

At Ian's words, the tutor froze. He was a man with nothing to his name, a pauper. Though technically a member of the household, he held even less standing than Ian, who was little more than a political hostage. What could someone like him possibly offer?

"And... what would that be?"

"Arrange a meeting with my father next week. The content of your discussion matters little, but it must take place in the garden, not the office. And make it last for at least thirty minutes."

More than enough time to sneak into the study. The wax needed time to melt for the seal, after all.

The tutor wore an expression of utter bewilderment.

"You don't need to know the details."

"Is this... is this truly enough to keep my relationship with Sir Molin a secret? And my attempt to search the butler's room?"

"Of course. Including your attempt to rifle through the butler's belongings."

"No! That's a misunderstanding, I swear!"

The tutor practically leaped back, waving his hands frantically. Considering how thoroughly he'd been caught, his reaction suggested he had an ulterior motive.

"Then what was it?"

"I wasn't trying to steal any valuables, but—"

The tutor's lips moved, the confession rising to his throat, yet he couldn't bring himself to utter the words. Ian's probing gaze forced him to finally spit it out with a heavy sigh.

"I needed a pass."

"A pass?"

"The front lines of the Bratz territory are off-limits to civilians. But for me, it's a place where I can observe the Great Desert firsthand. It's essential for my research. I especially need to observe the area between the third and fourth towers, but the Earl won't grant me permission, citing safety concerns."

But a pass from the butler?

One directly sealed by Derg would have no such restrictions. After all, if anything were to happen to the Earl, the butler would have to act as his proxy. The tutor, in his pursuit of academic perfection, had sought to steal the butler's pass.

"Is that so?"

Ian rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought. He had encountered many individuals consumed by a singular passion. Their lives might be broken, but their will to pursue their research rarely wavered.

"How far along is your research?"

"I've been here for quite some time now. I've almost finished measuring the climate changes in the Bratz region. My plan is to move on to Blaster and continue my research there."

His thesis was titled The Correlation Between the Climate Change of the Great Desert and the Blaster Sea. Naturally, he would have to venture there and spend an indeterminate amount of time.

A rather intriguing thought suddenly struck Ian.

"Is that right? Then allow me to ask you one more thing."

"Anything..."

"In late spring, I must leave this place and enter the Great Desert, to the encampment of the Chun-La tribe. Can you calculate the climate conditions for that time?"

The desert wasn't just scorching hot all year round, day and night. Amidst the extreme temperatures, how often did sandstorms rage?

At Ian's question, the tutor mumbled awkwardly, "It's difficult to be precise. And it would take some time."

"That's fine. I only need to know the conditions up until my departure. I assume you have a map of the desert as well?"

"I have one, though it's ten years old."

"I'd like you to prepare that for me separately. If you do, I'll acquire a pass for you."

"What? A pass?"

A seal was essential for the pass. While he was at it, he could just stamp an extra one along with Sir Molin's.

The tutor blinked, taken aback by Ian's confident tone. He seemed to have heard, but not quite understood.

"How does that sound? If you provide me with everything about the desert, I believe I can provide you with everything you need as well."

"I-If you could do that, I would be most grateful."

Ian grinned, extending his hand.

"Excellent. Then let's make a deal."

The tutor stared at the boy's hand, hesitance etched on his face.

Should I take it? Is there another hidden motive? Ian's life was in Derg's hands. If he cooperated with Ian, he might very well face execution instead of mere exile. As a scholar, he was utterly clueless in these matters.

"I'm just trying to survive, and you're just trying to live your life, aren't you? Besides, you'll be crossing the border the moment you use the pass, won't you?"

"...That's true."

Then there was even less reason to hesitate. Even if problems arose, he would be traversing the Great Desert by then.

With a resolute glint in his eyes, the tutor grasped Ian's hand. Who would have thought a deal between a middle-aged man and a child could be so fraught with tension? Ian smiled faintly and gestured towards the desk.

"Then, Tutor. Shall we discuss the details while we study?"

The pretext for luring Derg out was set.

The tutor would suddenly resign from his position as a home tutor. Since he planned to leave Bratz as soon as he received the pass, it wasn't entirely a lie.

Ian carefully tucked the damp handkerchief into his pocket and turned to Hana. Thick leather gloves were also essential.

"Hana, did you bring what I asked for?"

"Here it is."

It was just Beric, but her voice was a hushed whisper. Hana produced two small wooden keys that fit snugly in her hand. One was for the study, and the other was for the drawer safe.

"I told the carpenter that we would pay him by next week. Though, honestly, even if we're late, he'd probably be happy with a bottle of liquor."

After that day, Hana had once again snuck into the butler's room. She had taken an impression of the keys using clay and commissioned a carpenter to craft them from wood, a non-conductive material. The surface was even coated with rubber.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Then I'll take my leave."

Creak.

Hana left, and Ian checked the time. It was almost time for his appointment with the tutor. He needed to quickly stamp two seals while Derg's study was empty.

"Are you ready?"

"Haa. Why do I have to get involved in this?"

Thud, thud!

Beric grumbled, but he followed closely behind Ian. His ability to mask his presence was quite impressive. The two of them left the annex and made their way to the upper floor of the main building without encountering anyone. This was partly due to their circuitous route, but also thanks to Hana informing them of the servants' schedules.

"There they are."

Through the window, he could see the familiar back of a man's head. Derg was walking in front, with the tutor beside him. Even the butler was present, a perfect gathering. As the tutor stammered out his explanation, Derg's displeasure was immediately apparent.

"Now, you stand guard here. Don't let anyone come up until I come out."

Zing—

And with that, he channeled his mana into him. Ian's golden eyes gleamed, his hair swirling around him. Beric felt the rush of blood and grinned.

"You look like you're hoping someone shows up."

"Do I? You're observant."

"This is important, Beric. If you mess up, it'll be beyond my control."

"You'll just cut me loose if we're caught anyway. That's what you say."

Beric waved his hand dismissively. If things went south and someone approached, his role was to create a commotion and draw attention. The most natural scenario would be that he was trying to steal gold from Chell's room downstairs.

"I'll be out soon."

For that reason, Ian had infused Beric's body with the maximum amount of mana he could muster. To make it easier for him to escape, or at least recover faster if he was whipped.

Thud, thud!

Creak.

Ian used the prepared key to unlock the study and slipped inside. He hadn't been here in a while, yet nothing had changed.

Thump!

He went straight to Derg's desk without hesitation. He opened the largest drawer and peered inside.

There it is.

A groove in the gap. A hole perfectly positioned to insert the diamond with a simple reach. Ian carefully took out the prepared wooden key.

Zing—

Just in case, he gathered all the mana within his body. Even with the rubber-coated wood, a high voltage could be dangerous. If he felt any other energy through his fingertips, he would instinctively create a barrier. He wasn't sure if it would work with the body of a mere by-blow, but...

Click—

The feeling of the key entering the hole was clean. He pushed it in further, and a secret drawer appeared.

"Ah."

Inside were the seal, a mana brooch, two gold bars, and some old letters. Ian knelt and examined the contents.

He placed the wax holder on top of the candle. While the spoon heated up, Ian decided to examine the letters.

...Is this correspondence with the Chun-La tribe?

Frustratingly, they were all written in the Chun-La language, making them indecipherable. He recognized a few scattered words, but they were too fragmented.

'…Next… female king… after?'

What in the world did that mean? He might have been able to manage other foreign languages, but the barbaric tongue of a border tribe was beyond Ian's capabilities. Instead, he copied the words onto a piece of parchment, hoping to decipher them later.

Sss—

The spoon must have been heated, as the lump of wax melted into liquid. Ian poured the wax and pressed the seal.

Thump! Thump!

Once on the letter to be sent to the central authority, and once on the pass for the tutor. After that, he expertly cleaned up the wax residue. The key was to wipe it with a damp cloth before it solidified.

Sizzle.

The heated iron spoon rapidly cooled, emitting a faint wisp of smoke. Derg couldn't feel the residual heat when he returned, so Ian blew on the spoon to cool it down.

"Done."

Everything was in order. He returned the items to their original places and confirmed that the seals were properly stamped. Now all he had to do was leave...

Thump—

A sudden sound from somewhere.

Ian's body stiffened instinctively. Was it from outside the door? No. If it were, it would have been louder and more jarring. That would mean Beric had created a distraction. Then there was only one other place...

"Your Excellency, are you in there?"

The adjoining office attached to the study. Ian stifled his presence as much as possible and hid behind the curtain. Why was he here? He never stayed in the room alone without Derg.

"Your Excellency?"

Creak.

The door to the small inner office opened, revealing the disheveled figure of the aide. It was fortunate that it was a blackout curtain. He might have been caught immediately if it had been chiffon.

"Strange. I could have sworn I heard something..."

His eyes were swollen as if he had just woken up. He must have fallen asleep here after working late last night. Of all times.

"...?"

Sensing an unusual presence, the aide stared at the curtain where Ian was hiding. And slowly, cautiously, he took a step closer.

Rustle.

The parchment in Ian's hand was so thin that it made a sound even with his breathing. This made the aide even more tense, and Ian even more uneasy.

"Is anyone there?"

Ian turned his head and looked out the window. The bright sky. Sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow. Everything was strangely silent. It was his habit, his attitude.

Serenity instead of tension. Action instead of worry.

Mistakes could be rectified, but failure could not.

Zing—

"Uaaagh!"

The moment the aide grabbed the curtain, Ian struck him with mana. The condensed wind exploded, sending energy swirling around them.

Simultaneously, the aide collapsed backward, blood spurting from his nose. The curtain he had dropped fluttered behind him, but he couldn't see who was standing there.

Thump!

He lay sprawled on the floor, only the whites of his eyes visible. Ian carefully adjusted the curtain and quietly slipped out of the study.

"Finished?"

Beric, who had been sitting on the stairs, jumped up upon seeing Ian. Ian simply nodded curtly and dashed down the stairs. Through the window, he could still see the backs of the three men. Out of the corner of his eye, the tutor glanced up and met Ian's gaze.

The boy's calm expression was all the answer he needed. Everything had gone according to plan.