Reconnaissance (8)

The ledger of Count Ertinez was an item so incriminating that its mere existence was enough to cast suspicion of treason. 

Godric believed that all he needed to take down the Ertinez family was to secure this ledger—and that was it. 

Should this be called obsession? I'm not sure. 

But the Count lingered for a very long time on the first page, where he first created and began recording the ledger. His children seemed to forever wander in the shadow of that loss as well. Then, near the end of Act 2, time finally began to flow again. His obsession with opposing the king was passed down to me. 

And to Leonardo as well. At this point, I don't think it's necessary to distinguish between the original and Leo. After all, the vengeance the original bore for so long, to the extent that he willingly gave up ownership of his very body, and the vengeance harboured by the murdered Leovald against the king who betrayed him, are essentially the same. 

Though they share one body, their dual natures prevent them from ever truly facing one another. Still, I couldn't help but think that Leo's most powerful ally right now might be the original Leonardo Ertinez.

Above all, weren't the two of them siblings in the original story? 

'Considering Leovald's naturally unambitious disposition and somewhat dull personality, it's clear that he meshed well with Ferdinand. But… surprisingly, I feel like he would have gotten along with Leonardo too.'

For instance, Leonardo might have helped Leovald in areas where he was uncharacteristically sloppy. Like now—saving him in this situation where his lack of talent for acting and lying had left him floundering. 

The original Leonardo extended the ledger openly, allowing Duke Marchez to examine it without reservation. 

During the long journey toward the Vernis Mountains, or while sitting shoulder to shoulder with Leonardo after dinner and before sleep, the Duke had thoroughly explored its contents. He already knew what the Duke of Marchez would find within. 

Count Ertinez had pinpointed the moment of the Countess Veronica's death—the moment that resonated deeply with her transformation—as having occurred after Godric's ascension ceremony. 

And after years of meticulous investigation, the Count had uncovered information about the noble families who had attended the young king's coronation, even during the chaos when communication between regions was largely severed. 

As for the rest, they remain alive and well. 

The reason the deaths of these individuals did not arouse suspicion was due to the lack of communication between noble families and the fact that these events occurred over a span of seven years. Moreover, the reported causes of death—illness, old age, accidents, or fatalities in battle—were varied enough to avoid raising doubts. 

"But when you consider that all of the deceased belonged to prominent noble families who controlled vast territories, it's hard to call it a coincidence," Leonardo added calmly. 

In the south, it was the Ertinez family. In the east, it was the Marchez family. 

Duke Marchez clenched his fists tightly, his face betraying no emotion. It was only natural that unrest followed the coronation of a young and inexperienced king, especially in the aftermath of the chaos that had yet to fully subside. 

The noble families had never been particularly friendly toward the monarchy, and with the central authority weakened after the disaster, some nobles—particularly those in remote regions—had begun entertaining thoughts of independence. 

Count Ertinez paid particular attention to those families who had attended the coronation and sent people to investigate them. 

What he discovered was this: a significant number of these families had either suddenly become fiercely loyal to the king, been entirely wiped out along with their bloodlines, or severed all ties with the outside world, retreating into extreme isolation. 

'They were dealt with.'

Dissenting voices had been swiftly silenced, ensuring that the kingdom could remain stable and intact. They were subjugated, killed, or instilled with enough fear to ensure their voluntary silence.

Documents supporting these claims stretched on endlessly. Among them, the Count had meticulously recorded in his ledger the noble families that had suddenly and inexplicably pledged their unwavering loyalty to the king. 

At last, this long chain of deductions could be summarized in one simple statement: 

'Thus, we dare to suspect that our king is using monsters to eliminate his political enemies—or worse, that the monarchy itself has already fallen to corruption.'

It was, without question, treason and rebellion. To suspect one's sovereign of such deeds was to risk charges of treason should the suspicion leak out. 

Yet Duke Marchez neither reacted with shock nor voiced any objections. Instead, he clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white, as if a long-standing mystery that had plagued him for years had finally been resolved. 

He did not ask why such damning evidence was being shown to him so readily. 

The letter that had brought Leonardo here like a whirlwind had been crafted in such a way that it seemed as though the Duke already suspected everything. The situation was constructed to make it appear that Leonardo had simply revealed what the Duke had already known, eliminating room for doubt. 

Of course, the Duke might consider the involvement of a masked figure or some other hidden player, but if one judged solely by the sequence of events, it looked as if the Duke had long since pieced together the entire truth and was merely extending a hand to the Ertinez family. 

And that, after all, had been my plan all along. 

'I'm glad the plan worked. This way, we can smoothly proceed with the cooperation.'

If I had approached him outright and tried to forge an alliance, it likely would have involved a long and tedious process. 

As if sensing my intent, the original Leonardo delivered a final line to neatly wrap things up. 

"Had Your Grace not sent that letter and summoned us first, I wouldn't have even considered the possibility that someone outside the Count's domain harboured the same suspicions. Please forgive the rudeness of this sudden intrusion."

"…"

Duke Marchez didn't seem entirely pleased. He hadn't expected that the Ertinez family, too, had endured something similar and was independently investigating the king. It's likely that he'll want to meet the mysterious figure in black again sometime soon. 

'Hmm, truly a big catch. The weight of it feels substantial,' I thought, savouring the sweet taste of success once more. 

After a long pause, Duke Marchez finally broke the silence. He rose to his feet and extended his hand. 

"I'm pleased to meet an ally who shares the same position. Please continue to act as my retainer in public… and I'd like to discuss more over dinner."

Leonardo accepted the handshake with a faint smile and replied. 

"As you wish."

'Isn't that a bit too much like yourself? What if they start suspecting him of having a split personality because it's so different from Leo's usual demeanour?'

"…I'll… keep that in mind."

「Tsk, so nitpicky.」

The original Leonardo grumbled but eventually adjusted, ending the conversation in a way more in line with Leo's character.

Once the matter was settled, we quickly returned to our camp. 

Even though it was still early morning, the sentries were awake, and enough time had passed during the discussion that other knights were starting to rise. There was no need to draw unnecessary attention by being seen coming and going from the Duke's tent. 

When we got back, Vittorio was nowhere to be found. He was likely at the stream washing up with Raul. 

"Thanks to you, everything worked out."

"Next time you're making a plan, try putting a little less blind faith in our so-called hero. Didn't you notice during the acting practice yesterday? He has no talent for lying. He's good at keeping quiet and pretending not to notice things, but outright lying? Forget it."

The original Leonardo clicked his tongue in irritation. I defended my protagonist. 

"You can't blame him for not being good at lying. Leo's just kind-hearted—"

The original Leonardo's lips twitched into a mischievous curve. 

"Kind-hearted, you say? Him? Really?"

"…What? Why?"

At his ominous tone, I instinctively took a step back, my guard suddenly up. But the original Leonardo, with a sly look on his face, stepped forward purposefully. 

"Why are you backing away?"

"Because you're obviously up to something!"

"Aren't you the last person who should be saying that? Besides, your faith in him is so unshakable, I'm worried you'll get devoured whole. Out of the goodness of my heart, I'll help you out."

"What are you even talking—"

Before I could finish, Leonardo suddenly stepped closer. Startled, I tried to retreat further but didn't notice the sleeping bag right behind me. I tripped and fell backward, landing softly thanks to the bedding. Though unhurt, I barely had time to process the fall before Leonardo leaned down as if losing his balance, his hand bracing the ground beside my head. 

His crooked smile widened as he whispered, "See? You let your guard down and got caught."

He leaned in closer, his hair slipping down over his forehead and brushing lightly against my face. The soft tickle against my skin was distracting, and the strands of hair cast natural shadows over his face, accentuating the sharpness of his features. 

The pale backdrop of his ashen irises contrasted starkly with the black pupils, like intricate spiderwebs spun in grey threads. It was then I realized why Leonardo's eyes, the ones I knew, always seemed brighter than this. 

It was the spotlight that perpetually illuminated the protagonist, casting its white glow onto him, making his eyes shimmer with a lighter hue. 

Only when the original Leonardo reclaimed his body did that focused beam dim, and the irises reverted to their true colour. 

The colour of ash—faded, left behind, belonging to the dead. 

I lingered on that gaze, entranced, until I noticed the first rays of dawn slipping through the tent's entrance. The golden fragments of sunlight scattered delicately, as if only a fine net could capture them, and began to illuminate his face. His cheek grew brighter, glowing softly in the light. 

Under the gentle radiance of the morning sun, he sparkled once more like the protagonist he was destined to be. 

And so, my protagonist returned. 

"Isaac."

Of all times, it had to be when we were lying this close, our noses practically touching. 

Leonardo blinked a few times, his gaze blank for a moment as he processed the scene. Quickly, I saw the flicker of recognition: the realization that there was a gap in his memory, that his surroundings had changed, and finally, that the two of us were tangled in an awkward position. 

He must have deduced that the original Leonardo had taken over for a while. 

Still, he was heavy. 

I was about to tell him to move and promise to explain everything when he suddenly leaned in even closer, pressing his forehead against mine. 

In a low voice, he murmured, "What did he do this time?"

It was a look I had almost never seen before—one of unmistakable wariness, like that of someone whose territory had been invaded.