Farewell (4)

Leonardo's eyes focus entirely on me again. Standing in the quiet corridor of the Rondine Tower, he looks at me, resting his face in my hand that cups his cheek, and suddenly an expression of realization crosses his face.

"What was that?"

"Oh, I just had a brief chat with the original."

"…In this position?"

I fidgeted with Leonardo's cheek, which fit snugly in my hand, and then realized my mistake. Although I usually kept my distance from the original Leonardo, when had I become so casual with him?

Feeling a bit awkward, I withdrew my hand and started to cross the corridor. Leonardo, who had been trailing closely behind, silently exerted pressure. I had to act as nonchalantly as possible. I was gradually getting used to dealing with him when he acted so persistently.

"Ugh!"

As if upset that I wasn't telling him, Leonardo suddenly swooped in and lifted me up. I hadn't anticipated this. Then,

—he mercilessly tickled my side.

"Feeling triumphant just because you found my weak spot…!"

I twisted my body, placing my hands on his shoulders to keep my balance. The view, more expansive from this higher vantage point, caught my eye. I intended to scold him further, but the open scenery made me unintentionally break into a smile.

'Though I now have more to worry about going forward.'

I gripped Leonardo's shoulders more firmly to avoid falling or staggering. He also tightened his hold on me to keep me secure.

A hint of chill entered the air. Winter was coming.

***

Even though the king seemed to step down quietly, he made one thing clear before leaving: the upcoming leap year grand hunt.

It was firmly stated in which meant that, like it or not, Leonardo would soon leave El Dante for a new stage.

Ferdinand murmured with concern.

"We might end up spending the entire beginning and end of winter on the grand hunt. The gathering of lords and knights, the lengthy and complex ceremonial procedures… given that it's the first ceremony hosted by the young king since the calamity, it holds significant commemorative meaning."

From the day the Count's lonely secret was revealed, the relationship between the Ertinez siblings and the fortress became significantly closer. They visited the stronghold and shared stories about the origins of the grand hunt and the tale of the evil dragon.

[ Persona listens to the fable of the dragon and the warriors.]

Since unlocking his unique ability, Persona, who had been quietly staying in the background, began to appear more frequently.

shows up mainly when misunderstandings arise between Leonardo and me, and appears during suspicious clandestine activities.

…And primarily emerges when there are references to the original.

"Gather at the dragon's spine, those who remember the oaths of ancient heroes, those who know valour and honour."

Celestina, who had brought in turnips from the garden, hummed and recited softly. She mentioned it was a passage once shared by Countess Veronica, though she became bashful and trailed off towards the end.

'The evil dragon, the warriors, the monsters.'

Somehow, this explains why the is unnecessarily verbose. In the original text, Leovald's adversaries were monsters and the evil dragon. That scenario is a classic fantasy epic. It's not a story infused with modern reinterpretations like possession or revenge plots.

So, who is the one blending modern elements into a traditionally orthodox tale?

'…'

Well, that's not the main concern right now. The important issue is understanding King Godric's motives. Someone who targets Leovald's corpse, desiring his body and status.

A sub-writer utilizing that—something even the main author can't control.

At the same time, their intention of targeting the is…

Count Ertinez claimed he had no clue about the king's motives, but he did explain the situation.

[The king and the capital's high nobility recently decided on the leap year grand hunt due to the sudden increase in monster populations. The king personally travelled to persuade the lords to gain unanimous agreement.]

By the way, the Ertinez family's consent was signed by Ferdinand, who was in a state of submission, acting as the proxy lord. No wonder he seemed so busy day and night in his office.

"At that time, I didn't even think to be suspicious…"

Ferdinand seemed to have faint memories and consciousness from the time he was subjugated, but he appeared somber, feeling swept away by the king's intentions.

Celestina, passing by, naturally placed a basket of turnips in Ferdinand's hands and pushed him towards washing the vegetables.

…It might be time to admit that Lilium Fortress has become a refectory.

"Isaac, you promised to leave it to me for now."

Oops. While I was off guard, Leonardo came up from behind and took the pan. Without giving me a chance to protest, he adjusted my disheveled collar with one hand and, volunteering as a servant, told me to just give directions. It's slightly frustrating to be treated as a weakling every time.

'I'm fine.'

「Say that after you're fully healed.」

In a fantasy world where a splash of water can heal external injuries instantly, it's understandable how he might see it that way.

In the end, I sat in a corner of the kitchen, efficiently directing Leonardo with my fingertips.

Celebrating my small victory, I poured a couple of bottles of dry wine into a pot to cool. Of course, the alcohol would evaporate during heating, so even Leonardo, who avoids alcohol, and the kids Celestina and Vittorio could drink it.

"Hold the knife like this… You can cut off the small roots since they are bitter."

"Hmm. Are we peeling the skin as well?"

"When I saw Brother do it, he threw away the skins of the potatoes."

"You don't need to do that with turnips…"

On the other side, Vittorio, with a face that seemed uncertain about whether he should be teaching this, was showing Ferdinand and Celestina how to handle turnips.

The Ertinez siblings, with dirt on their cheeks, proudly brought over thickly sliced turnips. Laughing, I added the turnips to the pan, feeling like I was running a cooking class.

While those two managed to handle two turnips, Leonardo had already finished prepping the carrots, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms. I had been using Leonardo so diligently as a kitchen tool that he was turning into a cooking master with the same skill he used to slay monsters.

Anyway, the prepped vegetables were lightly sautéed in oil. Meanwhile, I poured the wine into a pot and started to boil the broth from the pre-cooked chicken. Next, I added the chicken, which I had cut into bite-sized pieces, along with the sautéed vegetables, bacon, and spices, and simmered everything until the broth thickened.

The chicken lost all its gamey smell thanks to the wine, and a delicious aroma filled the air. The reduced broth, rich with juices, smelled hearty enough to be filling just from the scent.

'If I had soy sauce and red pepper flakes, I could've turned this into braised chicken. Served with fluffy white rice…'

I licked my lips, reminiscing a bit about the spicy flavours.

"Ahem! So this is where everyone was."

At that moment, Count Ertinez appeared, looking quite awkward and out of place. He watched Leonardo bustling around the kitchen with an expression that clearly showed he wasn't used to this sight.

Oops, he caught me directing Leonardo with just my fingertips. Hopefully, he wasn't annoyed.

"…You really do all the cooking."

"Leonardo is surprisingly good at it. He seems to have learned from Isaac."

"R-really?"

The count responded awkwardly, showing a hint of curiosity. His expression was somewhat amusing, so I asked with a smile.

"Would you like to join us for a meal?"

After hesitating, Count Ertinez nodded. Seeing this awkward family, there were so many things I wanted to say… but I held back.

Just then, the coq au vin was finished. We plated the mashed potatoes and the glossy, perfectly simmered main dish.

The small, shabby table in Lilium Fortress was just big enough for six people, so we had to sit closely together, unlike in the grand dining hall of the main castle. Yet, no one complained about the tight quarters. I realized that this was the first time the entire Ertinez family had gathered at one table for a meal.

On the first day we arrived in El Dante, Celestina had been absent, and even after that, the Count hadn't joined us, leaving us to eat among ourselves. This was the first time everyone was gathered together.

The chicken, simmered in wine and broth, was tender and flavourful, with the wine aroma spreading with each bite. The salty broth, made with bacon, paired perfectly with the fluffy mashed potatoes.

As Ferdinand smiled and generously served meat to Vittorio and Celestina, the Count cleared his throat and cautiously began to speak.

"Leonardo."

"?"

Leonardo, cheeks bulging with a big bite of chicken, looked up at the Count.

Surprisingly flustered by his second son's unrefined behaviour, Count Ertinez stammered, "Your appetite has increased," adding an awkward compliment before regaining his composure.

"The reason I came here is…"

Ah, I could guess what he was about to say.

"I want you to lead the knights in the leap year grand hunt. Of course, I've already discussed this with Ferdinand."

The execution of the grand hunt was already a planned event. Furthermore, the Count was likely reluctant to leave the territory due to his dealings with King Godric, and Ferdinand's convalescence from the concussion had extended his recovery period, while Celestina was still too young.

Moreover, both the stage and the protagonist always had to keep moving. Life was one that didn't allow for rest until the goal was reached.

The Count added a few more words. The choice of who would accompany the hunt would be entirely Leonardo's decision, and he was entrusting everything to him. There were a few cautions, as there was a chance he might face King Godric again.

"There's still plenty of time, so take your time to think it over."

And then, the meal continued. Amidst the lively chatter, Leonardo and I exchanged a glance.

'Shall we talk about it in more detail tonight?'

「Let's do that.」

The time to leave was fast approaching.