Renovation (1)

"Wow, is that a snake?"

"It's a lizard...."

From Vittorio's words, it seems like it's a lizard. It disappeared with a rustle through a gap where its tail had fallen off. The fortress was quite nature-friendly in many ways.

On the outside, it looked pretty big, but once inside, it didn't feel empty at all; it just had a slightly worn-out vibe. It seemed like it was maintained regularly since there were no rotten furniture or spider webs, just old and aged facilities.

Vittorio curiously poked around, and I leisurely walked alongside him. It was all quite absurd, but after finishing dinner and seeing the message pop up saying , I couldn't help but think that maybe the writers intended this all along.

[9 hours and 45 minutes until the next scenario note assignment─]

I glanced at the message floating in the air and brushed it away. Meanwhile, Leonardo stood quietly, slightly furrowing his brow. It wasn't just because the Lilium Fortress looked too shabby for his personality and background.

"Is something wrong?"

As I approached and nudged him, he remained lost in thought before replying.

"During dinner, I felt… oddly emotional. There was no reason for it, nor was it the situation for it. It felt like it wasn't even mine."

"Are you talking about when you spoke with the Count?"

"Yeah."

Hmm. It was clear that some uncharacteristic traits were beginning to emerge in Leonardo. He seemed a bit more emotional than usual. Although he generally didn't show much on the surface, a few signs were evident.

I lowered my voice and whispered, "Could it be that you're influenced by the body of 'Leonardo'? The relationship between the soul and the body can be quite complex. Sinistra was deeply connected to Leovald, but this is Leonardo's birthplace, where he grew up and where his family is."

"That could certainly be the case…"

This phenomenon of being possessed often leads to unintended actions or emotional reactions from the host due to the residual thoughts or memories of the original owner.

Possession is ultimately an act of using someone else's identity, so discussions about the original owner are inevitable. The original owner might leave the body, or the spirit might merge with the original owner, or they could each claim their own share and switch roles, with their bodies and souls interchanging, and so on.

'Leonardo is in the first case.'

I didn't think there would be any changes or doubts regarding that. However, coming to the original Leonardo's hometown has brought about these unexpected events.

'It seems that Act Two will involve the Ertinez family quite a bit.'

Finishing my thoughts, I tried to reassure Leonardo, who still appeared somewhat uneasy. I understood all too well how unpleasant it felt to have one's self-consciousness manipulated or to be swept up in situations against one's will. That discomfort resurfaces every time I look at the scar on my right arm. After a moment of contemplation, I repeated the comforting gesture he had given me earlier.

"At least while you're with me and Vittorio, you're still you, right?"

I took his hand, allowing him to feel another's warmth, pulling him back from that vague, unfamiliar, and unpleasant experience into reality.

"…Yeah, you're right."

He nodded lightly. I led Leonardo, who muttered that it was a relief he wouldn't have to face many of the Ertinez family members during our time in confinement here.

Behind the Ertinez Castle lay a lake, and on an island within it stood a structure resembling a typical fortress, enclosed by square-shaped walls. Without a drawbridge connecting the island to the fortress, the only way to access it was by swimming across the lake, making it well-suited for a defensive stronghold.

A stronghold is naturally a space for a protracted battle, and inside the fortress, there were all the necessary living spaces. Vittorio found the kitchen, I discovered the restroom and bath, while Leonardo located a bedroom with nothing but a rigid wooden frame for a bed.

Before sending us into exile, Count Ertinez had said:

[For a month, you will be confined to the Lilium Fortress. Use this time of isolation to reflect properly, equal to the duration of your escapade. Leonardo, your movements will be restricted, but I will allow your friend and his child to come and go freely.]

In short, only Leonardo's movements were restricted. Although we were permitted to live together, the fact that the Count allowed Vittorio and me to come and go freely indicated that he intended to keep an eye on my attitude while leaving us the option to leave whenever we wished.

'Noble families are no joke!'

As Leonardo spread a blanket over the makeshift bed he had found, Vittorio and I nodded in agreement, both wearing serious expressions.

"Isn't anyone hungry? Especially you, Leo."

After the scolding and the heated debate, dinner was barely touched, and Leonardo, in particular, ended up eating only three plates, leaving the meal on a rather sour note. He nodded glumly at my inquiry, and Vittorio had also set down his utensils, looking as if he might choke from the few bites he managed to take.

Honestly, if he was going to interrogate him during dinner, we might as well have skipped the meal altogether. It was disrespectful to the cook who had prepared the meal with care, and it felt wasteful in many ways.

"Tomorrow morning, we need to go out and gather some food supplies," I said.

"It seems like the fortress also needs some repairs," Vittorio added.

Did the Count expect us to bicker and argue through our trials? If the original Leonardo, who grew up in the castle and never suffered, were here, perhaps that would make sense. 

Unfortunately, the one here now was Leovald, the strange young head of a household who had once managed a self-sufficient military camp, much like the tenacious street urchin Vittorio.

"Maybe we should catch some fish from the lake."

Look at that unyielding spirit! Seeing him like that made me chuckle as I suggested, "Want me to make you a worm trap?"

"…W-well, back then, I might have misspoken—"

It seemed Leonardo was recalling my five-minute silent protest due to the whole basket trap incident, and he stumbled over his words. That had clearly not been a pleasant experience for him. He wandered around for a bit, still flustered, before finally heading toward the lakeshore.

At least it was a relief that the Count provided us with basic supplies like blankets and firewood. Vittorio and I thickly spread the blankets on the bedroom floor and gathered firewood to light a fire in both the bedroom fireplace and the kitchen stove.

After a short while, Leonardo returned with some freshwater fish, and we prepared to eat in the most primitive way possible. We skewered the fish on wooden sticks, making incisions, and roasted them over the flames. Freshwater fish had plenty of bones and spines, making it quite a task to fillet them properly. Still, sharing this coarse grilled fish, with its white flesh crumbling like rice in our mouths, felt more comforting than the lavish meal with the Count that had left us feeling queasy.

Vittorio started to doze off after eating about half of his fish, and Leonardo stood up, saying he would lay the child down. While the two were briefly away in the bedroom, I called up the reading window.

[Unique Ability – ]

Due to the sudden increase in immersion from the persona of , I hardly had the opportunity to check this ability until now.

As I squinted and focused, I felt something wriggling in my chest, just like when I activated .

'What the…? There's no change at all.'

To my embarrassment, nothing happened, despite my anticipation of what might occur. As I mumbled to myself and reached for another fish skewer, I suddenly heard someone whispering in my ear.

「Isaac?」

"Hmm…?"

Startled, I turned around, but there was no one behind me. Just as I felt a chill run down my spine, the voice spoke again.

「I'm sure I just heard a voice…」

'Wait a second.'

This voice… it's Leonardo's. Feeling a glimmer of hope, I focused again and concentrated hard.

'Leonardo, can you hear me?'

「Isaac.」

"Isaac."

The phantom voice overlapped with Leonardo's real voice right in front of me. He had rushed over, having just laid Vittorio down on the bed. Seeing his dazed expression, I couldn't help but marvel. I hit the jackpot with this one.

'Leonardo, can you hear my voice?'

"Yeah. Is that you speaking right now?"

"Yeah. And I heard your voice too."

A long-distance communication ability and an inventory? I'm not sure why the writers suddenly started to give me all these practical tools. Maybe it means things are going to get intense enough to need them all. But there's no doubt this is useful. 

Leonardo, seeming slightly ticklish, rubbed his ear and murmured, "I knew you had some unusual powers… but I like this one."

"Convenient, right?"

Even as these bizarre abilities keep showing up, Leonardo doesn't press for details. His relaxed trust surprised me, but, honestly, I liked it. He called my name a few more times.

「Isaac.」

"That tickles…"

When I rubbed my earlobe, he chuckled faintly.

"Should I restrain myself? Can you communicate with others this way?"

"Not sure. I'd test it with Vittorio, but I don't want to wake him while he's sleeping."

Leonardo nodded in agreement and sat down beside me. The crackling of the fire filled the quiet night. I looked at him—his wounds were healed, but I could still see the exhaustion in his face. 

"From Sinistra to here, it's been just the three of us, you, me, and Vittorio."

"It has."

"And on the way here, I realized something. It's not sustainable. You're taking on way too much, and it's only going to get harder from here."

"So you're saying…"

"Now that we're at a new base of operations, it's time to start gathering your knights. Though, there are a few things to handle first."

"Like what?"

"Well… maybe taking over the El Dante underworld first?"

One step at a time, right?