No Secrets (1)

[The persona gives a dissatisfied sidelong glance.]

Ignoring the information window lingering in the corner of his vision, he subtly asked Ferdinand.

"Do you have a way to help?"

"First, I think we need to address the perception of you as an outsider, Isaac. It would be beneficial if people saw you not as a stranger who will come and go but as a friend who intends to stay by Leonardo's side."

"In that case, I'll need to show that I'm adjusting well. Should I wander around more diligently? But I'm not sure how much is allowed. I still haven't fully grasped the layout of the castle… It would be enjoyable to learn more about the place Leo grew up in."

And, of course, to uncover every secret this family is hiding.

From the enigmatic Count preparing for some unknown grand event to the strange, one-sided father-son conflict and the question of why Leovald ended up possessing the second son of the Ertinez family in the first place.

'A mystery indeed.'

Was it simply a matter of convenience, that a suitable dead body happened to be there? Or was there another reason? Personally, he suspected the latter.

'It's like expecting too much from a script written on the fly, but there's an odd meticulousness in certain areas. Especially with monsters—there's an encyclopedia-level amount of detail on those.'

Lost in thought, he was brought back by Ferdinand's somewhat troubled voice.

"Now that I think about it, we've completely neglected to give you a tour of the castle."

Ferdinand, with a calm apology for the oversight, seemed to reflect on the situation.

"You're a guest, yet it's as if the family itself is treating you poorly, lodging you in an old fortress and making you share in Leonardo's burdens. After all, Leonardo was the one punished."

He continued with a nobleman's perspective.

"You're only here to support Leonardo, yet misunderstandings from servants could lead them to treat you poorly, thinking it's what their master wishes. We've hardly shown you any hospitality, and with so many fiercely loyal servants, it's concerning."

'Who knows…'

When I gently coaxed the stable servant I had previously encountered to find out what rumours were circulating, the worst they said about me was that I was a country bumpkin who blindly followed a noble family without knowing anything about their black sheep.

And the other rumours…

[Um, actually, there was a time when the young master got drunk and completely burned a family heirloom tapestry. Since then, everyone panics whenever he gets near a fire.]

[Is that so…?]

[So, some people speculate that the young master might have set that inn on fire… Do you have any suspicions? Not even for a moment?]

[What?]

[Ahem. It might be helpful to slowly go over why the fire started in the first place… Yes, just something to think about, don't worry too much.]

[…..]

[Ahem! Please keep this conversation a secret from the young master…]

[Yeah…]

In reality, the one who set the fire was one of the sub-writers. I feel sorry for Leonardo, who has been endlessly blamed since arriving in El Dante. Is this the fate of a "black sheep" story?

"Now that I think about it, showing you and Leonardo together during the tour would help the household naturally recognize the change. It might be best to let Leonardo take the lead in the tour…"

No, brother, he doesn't know anything. Even if Leonardo takes on the role of guide, he'll just be another outsider in the castle. However, Ferdinand seemed determined to push this idea forward.

"I'll mention it to Father."

Perhaps recalling the count's angry demeanour from the last banquet, or maybe his emotions spiraled out of control again at the mention of the count, Leonardo slightly furrowed his brows and asked.

"Do you think he'll be persuaded?"

"Honestly, I think Father never expected you to follow the rules so well. He probably thought you'd be one of those who'd just hang around and cause trouble. So I'll at least try to give you some breathing room," Ferdinand firmly nodded and then proposed to Leonardo.

"How about giving a tour while also showing him your room?"

Oh. Is he referring to the original Leonardo's room in the Rondine Tower?

"Even though the Rondine Tower is a private space, it shouldn't be a big deal as long as you're not lodging guests there. Just a quick look around seems reasonable if you're close. It would be a good way to show your friendship."

"Then I'll leave it to you."

After enjoying another bowl of chicken noodle soup—no, chicken dumpling soup—Ferdinand leisurely departed.

After breakfast.

While Leonardo was teaching Vittorio a few moves and sword techniques in the courtyard of the fortress, I was seriously contemplating whether I should plant something in the remaining space of the courtyard. Perhaps pumpkins or tomatoes or something similar.

I had no idea how to prove the changed appearance that the count mentioned at the banquet, so I was considering trying out all the activities that a "black sheep" wouldn't typically engage in—cooking, gardening, and various chores.

At that moment, the drawbridge was lowered again. A sturdy figure that looked like a knight approached confidently.

"Young master. The count has sent word. If you agree to the condition of having guards… If you accept, he has given permission for your companion to give a tour of the castle."

Was the Count worried that Leonardo might try to escape?

Naturally, Leonardo readily accepted the condition. It was a legitimate opportunity to escape the confines of the lakeside exile, so there was no reason to refuse.

The knight kept a bit of distance and followed behind us, while Leonardo found himself taking on the role of a guide in a castle he was visiting for the first time. Fortunately, it was manageable.

'Behind here is the stables, and that building over there is…'

"This is the stables. Behind it is the lodging for the knights. The Nidum Tower, where we stayed on the first night, got its name from the word nest."

As Leonardo recited the information I had personally gathered over the past few days while slowly exploring the castle, he managed to navigate the situation like an expert.

The knight assigned to watch us didn't seem to suspect anything. We continued to circle around, allowing ourselves to be seen by the servants, and finally headed toward the Rondine Tower. It was the tallest building with the longest blue spire. One minor problem was that from this point onward, I was completely in unfamiliar territory. As I stepped inside the tower, a series of characters appeared before my eyes.

[You have encountered the designated target, and a scenario subquest has been triggered.]

Main Objective: Find clues in Leonardo's room (0/3)

Additional Objectives: Distract the observer (0/1), Explore the Rondine Tower (Current Progress 3%)

Quest Participants: Leonardo, Isaac, Street urchin Vittorio

Time Limit: 0 hours 19 minutes 59 seconds

A familiar map image appears in my view. I momentarily felt confused as I noticed a red dot floating in a grey area. 

Clues? Does this mean I need to find some clues in Leonardo's room? Are they related to the grand event mentioned in the notes? Or something else? The title of this scenario note is , after all.

However, the grand event was brought up through the mouth of Count Ertinez, so it seems a bit odd that the clues would come from the original Leonardo's room. With so many possibilities, I don't even know what I'm supposed to be looking for. This bad condition is accompanied by a series of restrictions.

'The time limit is short. I need to search Leonardo's room while avoiding the knight's gaze.'

For now…

'Leonardo's room is at the top of the tower.'

After entering the tower, I noticed that Leonardo's footsteps had subtly slowed. Using to direct him, I quickly racked my brain.

How could I distract the watchful eye? The simplest way would be to separate the target, Leonardo, from the group to divert attention. But is it really the right choice for Vittorio and me to take on the search?

More importantly, considering that Leonardo has been reacting as if influenced by the original Leonardo, if there are clues in Leonardo's room, he's likely to find them. Just then, I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve, causing me to lower my head.

"What's wrong?" 

Vittorio whispered, standing on his tiptoes.

"You look like you're deep in thought…"

Did it show? His observational skills are impressive. As I tried to reassure the child that it was nothing, a sudden thought struck me.

Now that I think about it, the list of participants for the sub-quest didn't only include me and Leonardo; Vittorio was also clearly listed.

"Ah, right. The stairs are a bit steep, aren't they?"

I picked Vittorio up playfully. Instead of questioning what I meant, the perceptive child simply settled comfortably in my arms.

We whispered to each other quietly so the knight wouldn't hear, sharing the situation with Leonardo.

After we finished our silent plotting, Leonardo said, "This is my room."

"There are multiple areas instead of just one room?"

I pretended to survey Leonardo's room for a moment. Honestly, what was there to introduce?

"This is the bedroom, that's the bathroom, and this object is…" 

Then, the prepared actor delivered his line perfectly.

"I want to play hide and seek…"

Perhaps it was a bit embarrassing for a mature child like Vittorio to say, as his cheeks flushed slightly—almost as if they were on fire.

'Sorry, Vittorio… You're doing great.'

That shy demeanour actually made him look like a brave child trying to voice his thoughts. Although it had been discussed in advance, Leonardo reacted as if it were an unexpected suggestion. 

"Hide and seek?"

"Yeah! It's spacious here, and there are so many things… but the fortress is too empty. Everyone finds each other too quickly there, so it's not fun…"

Of course, we had never played hide and seek in the fortress. But didn't that knight know such a fact?

"Hmm, that's true. It was too easy to find everyone."

At that moment, Leonardo jumped in.

"Do you want to play hide and seek?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, then we'll play here."

"But you're always the seeker… Back when we played together with several people in Sinistra, it was much more fun."

I momentarily wore a guilty expression as a guardian, having forcibly separated the child from his friends. Leonardo glanced at the knight. The knight, who had been observing the situation, widened his eyes slightly as if to say, "Why are you looking at me?" Leonardo urged him with utmost seriousness.

"Let him participate."

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. The child wants to play."

"Excuse me?"

"I won't run away. If I turn around at the door, it'll block the only exit. It's not like I can jump out of the window."

"?"

"Don't turn around until I say everyone's hidden."

"….."

I glanced at the knight, who had been forced into the role of seeker due to the power dynamics, and cheerfully shouted, 

"Okay, let's start!"

Now, where should I begin my search?