Searching in the Dark (10)

For all the unsettling conversation, Orlie was actually a fairly decent person. He spoke with a considerate tone, and I could sense he was quite knowledgeable. After exchanging some light banter, I subtly steered the topic in a different direction.

"I've heard a lot about your activities from ten years ago. You and Sir Leovald must be well acquainted, aren't you?"

"..."

Orlie gave a faint smile, one that seemed natural when someone felt uncertain. Did I miss something? But from the innkeeper's keen insight, I was sure I wasn't wrong.

"Leovald, yes. He was a talented swordsman. Even before his talent fully bloomed, he showed abilities comparable to the forces of the Hundred Knights."

Come to think of it, this person probably believes Leovald is dead. Was that the reason for the subtle expression earlier?

"Are you particularly interested in tales of heroes?"

Orlie slid the scripture back into place and asked, his voice steady. Even though I had absolutely no interest, it was only natural to nod along, especially since the information I held about the calamity ten years ago was minimal. Of course, I had no choice but to nod.

I'd tried dropping hints to the extras and minor characters a few times, avoiding Leonardo and Vittorio's gaze, but everyone just turned pale and quickly changed the subject.

I nodded eagerly and let my eyes shine.

"Heroic stories have a way of pulling at people's hearts."

"Well, that's good to hear. I'm sure you'll like this story then."

Clunk. His armour made a clanking sound as he moved. Having finished the tour of the library, Orlie led the way down the corridor. The outer passage was open between slender columns, offering a clear view of the church's courtyard and the consecration area below.

I quickly spotted Leonardo's dark blue head in the distance. He seemed to be waiting quietly in line. Vittorio was there too, standing beside him.

"Ten years ago, Leovald was quite the wild, beast-like boy."

"Excuse me?"

That sweet, gentle kid?

I whipped my head around in surprise. Orlie smiled as if he'd anticipated this reaction, his eyes curling with amusement.

I hadn't noticed before, but now that we were in the bright sunlight, Orlie's skin looked even paler. As a knight guarding the underground sanctuary, he probably didn't get to see much daylight.

"Until then, he had been wandering around with a mercenary group, so it's not too strange. Most people don't know this, but he didn't start being called a hero until quite a while later."

"Huh."

Now that I thought about it, Leovald's information didn't have a family name. "Leonardo Ertinez" always had the surname, but not Leovald. I'd thought it odd before, but perhaps it was because he had an unclear origin, being a mercenary.

Having read countless fantasy works, I knew that in most fantasy kingdom stories, the protagonist's birth origin usually falls into one of two categories:

Either they were born in some underground or poverty-stricken situation, struggling for survival, or they grew up rough but were secretly of noble birth, gradually reclaiming their rightful status as they grow.

Which one was Leovald?

The age-old tradition in royal fantasy tales was usually the latter. The former often led to a lone-wolf ending or a rise in social status through a noble woman of high birth.

There were no family members at the funeral, so Leovald was probably unmarried. Since he had taken over Leonardo's body, a noble lineage, perhaps in the future there might be an arranged marriage subplot.

Oh, and this world allowed same-sex marriage, so the possibilities were broader. Perhaps he might end up with someone of the same gender, or if he needed an heir, he could marry someone of the opposite sex.

I made various guesses and speculated on the future of the protagonist. If such an episode were to happen, maybe I could play the role of a matchmaker to help Leonardo get together with the female lead?

While I was lost in these thoughts, Orlie calmly continued explaining.

"Only after saving Sinistra did Leovald receive a summons to the capital. Around that time, the previous king passed away, and the young king Godric ascended the throne… I've heard that the two young men, being of similar age, spent quite a lot of time together. During that period, it seems Leovald learned many things about etiquette and manners."

It was something I had previously heard from a minor character. They said that Leovald and King Godric were close friends in their childhood. It wasn't the usual case of nobles meeting to form bonds for social reasons; it seems they grew close as a king and a national hero.

In the end, though, Godric had killed Leovald, which makes me wonder if that was really the friendship they shared.

Well, it seems like Leovald really messed up his friendship with him…

"He appeared on the battlefield every time the enemies showed up, and it was after that he came to be known as a hero, then eventually as a saint."

"Enemies, you say…"

"Yes, those ones."

The topic I had been most curious about finally came up. I wondered if this would finally clear up the unease that had started in the underground sewers. My ears pricked up.

"You must have encountered them often too, Sir Orlie, since you fought so hard 10 years ago. I might not be able to represent everyone, but I feel I should take this opportunity to express my gratitude. The whole city owes you a great debt."

"You're too kind. Among the ones I've encountered, those were the most troublesome. Before they even took form, our attacks couldn't harm them. Some of them even blended in among humans without anyone noticing."

The memories of the underground sewers briefly flashed through my mind.

[Why don't they die? Even if you stab it, burn it, or bury it in the water, it won't die. Moreover, it is becoming more and more sophisticated…] 

[This one is imitating my child who died not long ago…]

Is the fact that it has an incomplete form similar to slimes that appear in common RPG games? Since it's said to mimic humans, it might be closer to a [Mimic]…

Earlier, Orlie mentioned that attacks wouldn't work until they had fully taken shape. And the underground notes clearly stated that these creatures mimic humans.

This means that until they fully took on the form of a "person," it was likely impossible to attack them. So, it would follow that the moment they became more human-like and refined, that's when the attacks began.

Which means that what Leovald killed 10 years ago must have all been in human form.

So, does this mean that until the complete liberation of Sinistra, and even after that, they had been constantly fighting against these unknown entities that mimic not monsters, but living or already dead people?

For ten whole years?

Is that something a person could endure and still remain sane?

I placed my hand on the column of the hallway and gazed out into the church's courtyard. Just then, it seemed to be Leonardo's turn, as he drew his sword from its scabbard and accepted the priest's blessing.

The priest only let a few drops of water fall on the leather scabbard, but immersed the blade itself in water for the blessing. As I watched that scene, Vittorio, who had been observing as well, seemed to sense my gaze and turned toward me.

Despite my turbulent thoughts, I smiled brightly and waved at the young boy. Vittorio hesitated for a moment, then waved back. His short bob haircut flowed slightly, concealing his lightly flushed cheeks.

After receiving the priest's blessing, Leonardo followed Vittorio's movements, his gaze traveling upward. The wind tousled his hair, casting a shadow over his perfectly shaped forehead.

His dark grey eyes shone brilliantly under the bright midday sky, reminiscent of pure silver. The noble perfection I had felt when first seeing Leonardo, as if the gods themselves had molded him, returned to me.

It wasn't just his appearance—it came from his very soul.

Because of Leonardo Ertinez' natural facial features, when he remained expressionless, he seemed like a carefree, easygoing man. But in moments like this, when he expressed something, his image was that of a hero, one worthy of being chosen, serious and resolute.

Realizing the situation he was in, I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, like I had spied on someone's inner thoughts.

At that moment, Leonardo's expression changed strangely. His gaze passed over me and landed on Orlie, who was standing in the shadows. It was a look that felt odd, even intimate in a way, and it was the kind of expression that seemed like it would stick with me for a long time.

If I had to classify it, it reminded me of the way a dog would look when it tried to cozy up to a cat at home—kind of awkward, but sincere… I didn't even know what to make of it.

After receiving the blessing, Leonardo seemed like he was about to approach us, gathering Vittorio along the way. Before the kids arrived, I figured I might as well get as much information as I could.

"Orlie, was it difficult for you?" 

He gave a slow, reflective response. 

"Well, I've been through the experience of being an Inquisitor before, so it was bearable. But watching many people suffer back then is a memory that still lingers. It's still very vivid in my mind, but…"

Orlie slowly moved toward the stairs as if he was guiding us out, his tone almost nostalgic. 

"No. Maybe it's true that I still suffer from those memories. When I first took on the role of guarding the underground sanctuary, I can't say I didn't want to escape to a quiet place, leaving all those memories behind."

Here it was—the information about the underground sanctuary. I smiled smoothly, hoping to draw out more details.

"Do you think your choice was to escape?" I asked, my tone casual. "From what I hear, what you're doing now shows exactly what kind of person you are, Orlie."

He looked at me, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're always protecting something. At one time, it was this city, and now it's the sanctuary underground. To me, it looks like you've been facing reality head-on, doing what you can at each moment. If that's not called valour, then I don't know what else to call it. Could you teach me?"

Orlie slowed his pace for a moment, and a faint smile flickered across his pale face, one that could have been painted in black and white.

"Do you truly believe that someone hiding underground, except for the brief moment when the sun is at its highest, is strong?"

Ah, so it's just noon when he steps out. Got it.

"Well, my thoughts are my own, and how you think of them is up to you, isn't it?"

If I wanted to steal the body of Leovald, I'd need to aim for noon. I was pleased with the useful information I'd gathered, when suddenly, hurried footsteps came from below.

The owner of those footsteps was Leonardo, carrying Vittorio in one arm. He rushed up the stairs and shouted.

"Darling."

I blinked. Is he suddenly out of his mind?