The Return of the Prodigal Son (3)

I can't remember when I started not being able to sleep without you… the moment I internally rebutted myself.

"Ahem!"

Baron Roald interrupted the conversation with an exhausted expression as he stretched his hands out to the sides. He then briefly wrapped his hands around his neck, looking somewhat distressed. After a moment of silence, the baron spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Alright, that's enough. Let's stop here, both of you."

Baron Roald turned to Ferdinand and said,

"Lord Ferdinand, let those two and the young master share the room at the southern end of Nidum Tower. It's spacious enough. Since Lord Leonardo hasn't frequently visited his own room in Rondine Tower for some time, it's not a big deal."

He then looked at Leonardo as if to check for his satisfaction.

"Is that alright now? Since it's settled, it's best to disperse. Dismissed!"

Clapping his hands and speaking rapidly, Baron Roald mentioned that he had matters to report to the Count and swiftly disappeared like the wind. What just passed by? As I watched the baron's retreating figure, I decided to focus on organizing the situation in front of me.

"Well… it seems to have worked out. You go get treated first, Leo. I'll head on ahead."

Leonardo nodded obediently and turned his body in the direction of the chapel within the castle.

"And, Lord Ferdinand, if it's not too much trouble, could we leave the two donkeys we brought in the stable?"

Thinking back to the trouble those two donkeys had during the intermission, it seemed only right to let them rest comfortably on a thick pile of hay and feed them crunchy apples as a reward for their efforts. In terms of their contribution to our survival on the journey to El Dante, it would be hard to determine superiority between the donkeys and Leonardo.

Ferdinand nodded readily at this request.

"Of course. Lead the way."

"Oh. Yes, yes! Then we'll drop them off at the stable first before heading to Nidum Tower."

"Well then, see you at dinner."

Ferdinand also took off in a hurry, and Vittorio and I each took hold of a donkey's reins and followed the servant.

The guest room in Nidum Tower was spacious, a far cry from the hell of being crammed into a wagon and sleeping rough. Rather than looking around at other things, Vittorio and I decided to wash off our bodies, which felt grimy from the mud and rain.

"Do you want to go first?" 

I offered to Vittorio since there was only one bathtub in the bathroom, but he hesitated for a while before asking,

"Can't we wash together? Just for today…"

Ah.

Thinking back, it was just last night that Vittorio had been left alone in the mountains while we rushed to El Dante. He had every reason to feel anxious about being alone, so I gently ruffled his hair.

"Should we? It's actually bigger than the bathtub at the inn."

Vittorio seemed relieved, letting his shoulders droop. After the tension of the chase and the landslide, the moment my body sank into the lukewarm water, a sigh of relief escaped me. How long had it been since I felt this relaxed!

The creaking joints and stiff muscles began to loosen, and I felt pleasantly drowsy. As I exhaled, the steam that filled the bathroom swirled away slightly.

"Since it's a rare occasion, do you want me to help you wash your hair?"

Since the first day Vittorio stayed at the inn, when I carefully taught him how to wash himself, he had been able to manage on his own, so this wasn't necessary anymore. The boy quietly rested his head in my hands.

Vittorio's jet-black bob was a very deep in colour. Mine had a bit of chestnut mixed in, but when wet, my hair appeared darker than usual and looked almost the same colour as Vittorio's at a glance.

"Vittorio."

As I tentatively started speaking, my voice echoed, creating ripples on the calm surface of the water. The boy raised his head just as a droplet of condensation fell from the ceiling, running down his smooth forehead.

"I was thinking about how people see us, um, as family. They might do so more often in the future."

Of course, to the people here, it didn't seem unusual for an unrelated adult to protect a child. Still, since it concerned Vittorio, I thought I should bring it up properly at least once. Vittorio's face flushed red from his neck up, and he awkwardly nodded.

"I'm, okay…"

Since we had never discussed why Vittorio had become a street child or whether he had guardians in the past, I wondered if I might be overstepping his boundaries.

"I just wanted to let you know that if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can correct it at any time. I don't want to force anything on you."

Vittorio hurriedly shook his head, causing droplets of water to splash from his wet hair. Oops, I raised my palm to shield myself from the droplets and smiled.

"Are you really okay?"

"…Yeah."

His ears were completely red, peeking out from between his limp hair. As I smiled at this sight, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Now that I think about it, when I first viewed this child's information, Vittorio was labeled as a 'supporting character' and had some details missing. I wondered what it would be like now that I had become a supporting character myself. 

[Viewing information of the specified entity.][Viewing information.]

Rank – Supporting Character (Scenario Weight 30.0%)

Role – Street Child Vittorio

Script – [Considers Leonardo and Isaac as guardians and benefactors and follows them]

[Leads a group of street children]

[Becomes Leonardo's first disciple after learning swordsmanship]

[After leaving Sinistra, he steps down as the leader of the street children but continues to blend into any group with outstanding social skills and judgment, fulfilling his role]

[Introduced as Isaac's child in El Dante].

Dialogue – "So now we'll live separately…?"

When I first checked Vittorio's script, my name was included in the part that stated [Considers Leonardo as a benefactor]. Not just the main character Leonardo, but also 'Isaac'.

'Is this what naming means?'

After floating around in this world like an outsider, I now have enough influence to leave a name in someone's script and change the role information panel.

I can't pinpoint whether this is simply the power of a name, the increased scenario weight, or perhaps the result of being promoted to a supporting character, but the tangible achievement provided by the rules of the stage and script brings a sense of joy.

…Wait a minute.

[Dialogue – "So now we'll live separately…?"]

'Living separately? What kind of absurd talk is that?'

At this point, there's no reason for Vittorio to suddenly separate from our group. There's nothing mentioned in the scenario notes about splitting up, so why would such a script suddenly emerge that suggests the group is about to scatter?

'Could it be…'

After mentally organizing the current situation, I was able to get a clearer picture.

First, externally, Leonardo has gone missing for over a month, and during that time, he was half-confirmed to be alive or dead, returning as a rebellious son who was caught.

Second, the expected punishment in such a case would be house arrest. What is commonly referred to as confinement or a prohibition on going out.

Third, Vittorio and I are merely commoners who have become companions of Leonardo by chance. After receiving the 'debt of the foolish younger brother' that Ferdinand mentioned, we have no reason to remain in the castle.

If I were to say we were looking for a place to trade within El Dante, it might be understood to some extent. But there's a significant gap between the people inside the castle and those outside. Therefore, there can only be one conclusion.

'Does this mean we might be separated from Leonardo?'

Leonardo will be at Ertinez Castle, while we will be in the walled city of El Dante. If this is the way things flow, it would be problematic.

Ultimately, even though I have become a supporting character, my weight in the scenario has just entered the 30% range. Moreover, the way I've accumulated this weight has been by sticking close to Leonardo and gradually building it up.

If my scenario weight battery were to run out here, it would be quite problematic. Has appealing to camaraderie or a deep friendship that changed my life not been enough? Even though we've only been together for a month or two, think of all the life-threatening situations we've faced together during that time. Thanks to that, we've grown closer, but honestly, I wonder if our relationship would still be fine even if we hadn't faced three or four of those life-or-death crises.

'I guess I need to make a bold move.'

Knock, knock, knock. 

After a familiar rhythm of knocks from outside the bathroom, I sensed someone approaching. Now that there's no need to hide the scar on my arm, I called out, "It's me. You can come in." Leonardo peeked his head in.

Although the bathroom was already filled with mist, Leonardo looked like a waterlogged rat that had just come out of a sewer.

"What's this? You're already wet."

"I splashed holy water on myself a few times at the treatment room in the chapel's basement."

"So you're all better then?"

"Hmm."

"Do a full turn. I can't check everything from here."

Leonardo obediently turned slowly in place. Just as he said, his body was smooth, with all the bruises and contusions completely erased. As he wrung out his cerulean hair that clung to his forehead, I gestured with my hand, and he leaned forward. The moment I tucked a fallen strand behind his ear, Leonardo smiled faintly.

"Since you're lounging in the tub like that, you both look alike."

"I would love to wash up, but it's too cramped for both of us to fit in here."

"That's a shame."

"Are you going to break the tub? More importantly, listen. We need to come up with a plan."

It looks like we're about to be kicked out.

***

A few hours later, after we had all cleaned up and changed into the clothes prepared for us by the count's household, the three of us followed our guide to the banquet hall.

The moment the doors to the banquet hall opened and the interior was revealed, strings of text appeared before my eyes.

[A scenario subquest has been triggered!]