The Visitor (7)
Ferdinand felt the sweat in his palm as he gazed at the person seated in the highest place at the table.
Under the lamps that illuminated the banquet hall, light shimmered on the king's golden, slender hair. With the dazzling halo surrounding him, King Godric appeared serene, like a saint in a holy flame.
"Young Count, since you too have ventured out on the hunt, you must have sensed it. The number of beast hordes has greatly increased recently. This is not just an issue in the Count's domain but a problem affecting the entire kingdom, isn't it?"
Ferdinand silently accepted the wine Godric offered and listened to the king's words.
"I view this crisis as a new national calamity that has arrived on this land," the king continued. "Thus, I seek to revive the ancient traditions."
As the king's long, pale fingers moved lightly across the wine glass, it seemed to serve as a signal, and the musicians playing on the platform smoothly changed the music sheet.
Ferdinand absentmindedly tapped the table to match the rhythm, and Godric smiled.
"Is this a song you know?"
"…Yes, it is."
Whenever they wondered about their father's whereabouts, who often disappeared, and rushed to ask their mother, she would often sing them this song.
At those times, the three of them would gather around their mother and listen attentively.
The young Celestina, Leonardo, who would slack off and complain about training, and even Ferdinand himself, who acted stiff and serious as the heir— all of them.
Leonardo playing the lute with delicate skill to add melody, Celestina laughing and clapping to keep the rhythm— those were memories of a moment that would never fade, no matter the circumstances. Sometimes, his entire life seemed like nothing more than the backstory to that perfect moment.
Lost in memories of better days, Ferdinand reflected on the song. The song itself was a common one, a tale of legend.
A long time ago, there was a wicked dragon. This evil dragon despised all living creatures other than itself, burning and trampling everything it laid eyes on with fire.
Unable to bear these evil deeds, five brave heroes united their strength to defeat the wicked dragon. Where the dragon fell, earth and grass covered the land, becoming what is now known as the Vernis Mountain Range.
However, even after the dragon's death, its poisonous breath did not dissipate. Instead, it gathered and accumulated, corrupting ordinary livestock and beasts with its venom. These tainted creatures were the birth of the strange beasts, or monsters. These monsters not only tormented humans but also sought to revive the evil dragon.
The five heroes, knowing this, swore a vow at the very spot where the dragon had fallen and the mountains were born. Though they would each follow the path their own lives demanded, every leap year, they would gather here to sweep away the monsters.
As long as the poison remained, new monsters would continue to arise. Thus, they vowed to dedicate their lives to ridding the land of the poison, until it was gone for good. And they vowed to pass this duty down to their descendants. Even in the distant future, after the kingdom was established, the tradition continued.
Noblemen and knights, who swore to protect the kingdom, gathered every leap year to carry out the tradition of purging the monsters from the Vernis Mountain Range.
[One day, I hope to become strong enough to help father face the monsters.]
When Ferdinand hesitantly expressed his anxiety, his mother gently patted his shoulder and whispered.
[Soon enough, you will. You have a great talent.]
[But I'm not quick to learn, nor am I special like the heroes in the stories.]
[Hard work is just as important as natural talent, Ferdinand. Remember that.]
His mother grasped his hand, swollen from gripping the wooden practice sword.
[Some efforts are more valuable than innate ability or talent.]
As he quietly reflected on her words, Leonardo, who had been sitting lazily with his feet dangling, interrupted.
[Do you really want to join in on those gruelling marches that reek of sweat and exhaustion?]
[It's my duty, after all.]
[Heh, then I'll make a song about your accomplishments, brother. I'll travel around, selling the story to win the favour of the nobles. It's bound to make money. What do you think?]
[Leonardo….]
[What? You know how much it costs to feed, clothe, and house the knights. Things like this are necessary too.]
[That's…!]
[Ah!]
[Celestina, stop.]
Their meaningless argument ended when Celestina, imitating the healing priest from the fairy tale book she was obsessed with, gave both of her brothers' heads a playful rap, as if knocking on a drum.
Leonardo grumbled as he rubbed his forehead, wondering what on earth he found so admirable about a healing priest who uses a mace to beat down evil demons, and that sound marked the end of the memory.
Pulling himself out of the old memories, Ferdinand turned to answer the king.
"…I once saw my father answer the late King's summons for the great hunt during the leap year. I remember that after he hunted a monster, our whole family had enough furs to make winter coats."
The king smiled, clearly enjoying this little family anecdote.
"Count Ertinez was always so skilled. Unfortunately, due to recent chaos, he couldn't maintain the tradition, but we can't let the legacy of this tradition be lost, can we?"
At those words, Ferdinand stiffened slightly, clearly uncomfortable. The king's intent was unmistakable.
However, with the Count absent, it was difficult for Ferdinand, as the younger lord, to respond to the king's proposal. Especially when the matter at hand involved mobilizing knights and using force.
"…"
He glanced toward his younger brother, who currently held the military authority within the castle.
Leonardo, with a face that gave away nothing, was casually holding his cup near his lips. Fortunately, it didn't seem like he was drinking, but he certainly appeared lost in thought.
Suddenly, it hit Ferdinand—he had unintentionally left Isaac and his son out of things. In his rush to welcome the distinguished guests, he had neglected Isaac, who was one of Leonardo's closest friends. Realizing this now made Ferdinand feel a sense of guilt.
Of course, due to protocol, a commoner like Isaac couldn't officially be seated at this kind of gathering… But even so, amidst all the busyness in the castle, Isaac and his child must have been left to their own devices, isolated like an abandoned island.
That made sense now. Leonardo's distant expression, as if lost in thought, was entirely understandable.
Having gone through difficult times together—almost like comrades—it made sense that Isaac and Leonardo shared a deep bond of friendship.
Feeling a bit down, Ferdinand turned his head to face the king again, ready to resume the conversation.
***
「…So, that's what he said.」
'So he came here, not just for a casual tour, but with a solid reason—to propose that we take action, as the number of monsters seems to be increasing…'
I nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the conversation that reached my ears.
Amid the bustle of servants carrying dishes to the banquet hall, I wouldn't have been able to catch the exchange from the high seats. But since Leonardo was seated nearby, he had been eavesdropping diligently and passed the information to me through our secret exchange.
Since he wasn't actively participating in the conversation and was simply sitting quietly, it was no challenge for Leonardo to listen in.
The role of the old hawk was proving to be useful, as it allowed Leonardo to focus his mind elsewhere. After all, he was sitting in the same room as the one who had pushed him to the brink of death. It was no wonder his mind wasn't at ease.
I busily moved through the banquet hall, carrying food dishes and pretending to be occupied, before subtly heading toward the door.
There, I found Raul, disguised as a guard with his helmet pulled down. Vittorio, who had been busy serving drinks as a young attendant, also came running toward me. We hid behind a pillar, exchanging information quietly.
"So, what have you gathered so far?"
Vittorio, being the seasoned one, shared the gossip he had picked up from the royal attendants while making his rounds.
"I asked a little about how other cities were faring, but all I heard was talk about the kingdom. They're planning to visit other places soon, but this was their first stop…"
So, they prioritized El Dante above all else. I nodded, giving Vittorio a reassuring pat on the head.
When we looked at Raul, who had been waiting for his turn, he scratched the back of his head before responding.
"I haven't heard much, being stuck here guarding the place. But I did notice something odd… the knights' gear isn't light."
"Not light? How so?"
"Of course, the royal guard, especially the ones close to the king, would be fully armoured. But what's odd is that even the extra soldiers, who don't necessarily need to be so heavily armoured, are all decked out in full gear. It's understandable if they're extra cautious for such a rare journey, but it still feels excessive."
Raul frowned as he spoke, his tone tinged with unease.
"Something feels off about this."
It was clear the situation wasn't going to take a pleasant turn. I nodded quietly in agreement, and Raul, sensing my thoughts, asked in return.
"What have you heard? What's going on inside? How's the commander?"
"Ah, well… Leonardo's been pretty busy too. He's been passing on the conversations from his spot."
"What? How?"
"Well… we're sort of working together now, so I guess I should tell you."
I tapped my ear and smiled.
"Leonardo and I are connected. So even though we're apart…"
"Ahh!"
Suddenly, Raul jumped back, slapping his hands over Vittorio's ears.
Vittorio, who had his hair tousled by the action, squinted at Raul and looked up with a raised eyebrow, muttering something about why Raul kept doing that. I was momentarily stunned by Raul's over-the-top reaction as well. Raul's face had turned bright red as he scolded us.
"You—what are you saying in front of a child like that! Good grief! A knight must be chaste and proper!"
"…What?"
What on earth is this guy talking about? Has he already gone mad?