Chapter 93

Saint Miriam Orphanage (3)

“Thank you! Please come again~!”

Would I ever come here again? I wasn’t sure.

I waved back to the bakery owner and walked through the streets of the Holy Nation’s capital.

“To think the great young master of House Leinrant is running errands.”

I looked down at myself in my priestly robes.

A basket full of groceries in one hand.
A memo packed with items to buy in the other.

Looking like this, no one would ever think I was the young master of House Leinrant or the reincarnation of Archimond.

“Cloth brought directly from the capital! Especially cheap today~!”
“That’s what I told you! When dealing with those southern bastards…!”
“Buy dried fish and roe~! Fresh from the Paulwyvern Coast!”

The Holy Nation of Kersias.

The headquarters of the Holy Kersias Order, the largest religious organization on the continent.

Yet beneath the towering temple standing at its center, merchants from all across the continent had gathered, crowding the streets with bustling life.

‘Even if they call it a nation of clergy, people still live the same everywhere.’

As I looked around the lively marketplace, that thought crossed my mind.

“Let’s see, I bought everything Sister Miriam asked for, and what’s left is…”

I was walking among the noisy crowds, looking around at the surroundings, when—

“Kkook!”

With a clear chirp, the pitch-black owl flew down onto my head.

“What, you came back faster than I expected?”

The owl Arin had created.

A letter was clamped in the beak of the creature sitting in my palm.

“So you didn’t get distracted and fly off somewhere else midway.”

I pulled the letter free and tossed it a piece of bread.

It had been about a week since arriving at the Holy Nation.

The first thing I had done was request support from the main house.

It was also a good chance to test whether this thing would actually obey me, so I had tried using it as a messenger bird.

“Eh? It’s all torn up.”

Probably because it had flown through strong winds all day, the wrapping sealing the letter was already ragged.

Thankfully, the contents inside were still undamaged.

“Let’s see…”

After removing the tattered wrapping, I read the letter bearing House Leinrant’s seal right there on the spot.

[I received your letter safely. I’m glad to hear you are unharmed.]

A short greeting.

Reading it, I let out a snort.

Yeah, I’m unharmed.

The reformatory that imprisoned me, on the other hand, definitely wasn’t.

[The items you requested have already departed. They should arrive at the Holy Nation in five days. It may be difficult, but endure until then.]

My heresy trial was in one week.

Two days of leeway was more than enough.

“Hm?”

Just as I was about to look away from the letter, my gaze stopped on a small line written in the corner.

“This isn’t Heinkel’s handwriting.”

Unlike Heinkel’s elegant cursive, this writing was stiff and dominated by straight lines.

It was from Duchess Priscilla.

[To ensure you suffer no inconvenience while living abroad, I have deposited funds into a bank within the Holy Nation. I am acquainted with the bank president there ‘in many ways,’ so things will be handled smoothly.]

A dry tone completely unlike the elegant handwriting.

Rather than a letter, it felt more like an official document.

“She even has connections in the Holy Nation…?”

And what was with that emphasized wording?

Even so, I didn’t feel bad about it.

“Funds, huh. Now that’s good news.”

Muttering that, I wandered through the market and browsed the stores.

‘Can you buy dolls from the shop on Third Street?’
‘I want a wooden sword!’
‘I want cookies!’
‘I want a toy!’

It was a large general store filled with all sorts of things the orphanage children had mentioned wanting.

“… I was planning to give the kids farewell presents too.”

“S-so then, your n-name is…?”
“Klein Leinrant, second son of House Leinrant.”

The Central Bank of the Holy Nation of Kersias, located in the center of the commercial district.

The moment I entered the bank and gave my name, every employee inside went into an uproar.

The direct bloodline of an Imperial Duke had appeared in the bank.

The innermost door immediately burst open, and a plump man hurried out to greet me.

“I-I apologize for the rudeness, but first we will need proof of identity…”
“I believe this should suffice.”

With that, I held out a small metallic emblem.

“Hooo…!”

The crest of House Leinrant, inlaid with blue stone—a northern specialty—into special steel used for knights’ swords.

“N-no mistake…! This is a genuine emblem of House Leinrant…!”
“I’m glad you recognize it.”

A mark so precise that no one but the craftsmen employed by the main house could possibly forge it.

The man who recognized it instantly rose and bowed his head toward me.

“I-it is an honor to meet you, Young Master Klein!”
“Uh… right.”

Watching a middle-aged man nearing his fifties bow so deeply left me feeling awkward.

“I am Vegier, head of the Central Bank of Kersias!”
“Ah… I see.”

A bank president wasn’t exactly a low-ranking position, so why was he acting so submissive toward me?

“Is… Is Her Grace Duchess Priscilla doing well…?”
“She is… healthy.”

The bank president, still bowing and rubbing his hands together, continued speaking rapidly toward me.

“How fortunate. I regretted being unable to assist during that incident, but hearing you were unharmed…”

The man named Vegier continued on and on.

About how much I must have suffered under the vile claws of Helian.
About how this time he had planned to send gifts not to Paulwyvern, but directly to House Leinrant.

Silently listening to him, I was able to piece together the situation.

‘So he’s one of Priscilla’s acquaintances. I wondered why he was acting so nervous.’

I recalled the contents of Priscilla’s letter.

She had definitely said they knew each other “in many ways.”

‘A man with dirt on his hands. He must’ve maintained ties with the branch family to clean it up.’

And the fact that someone like him was bowing to me now was proof that circumstances had changed from before.

Unlike before, he could no longer hide behind Helian and the branch family.

“T-there won’t be any difficulty withdrawing the funds! I personally will handle all the necessary procedures…”

When I stayed silent for a while, the bank president immediately began checking the ledgers.

“No. Before that.”

But I raised a hand and interrupted him.

‘There’s already a mountain of things to do. I can’t just recklessly spend the family’s money.’

Thinking that, I continued speaking.

“You mentioned sending gifts to House Leinrant, correct?”
“Y-yes! Gifts… huh?”

The bank president hurriedly answered before staring blankly back at me.

“Gifts…?”
“Yes. Gifts.”

After saying that, I casually walked toward one side of the office.

“A gift to strengthen the friendship between our esteemed bank president and House Leinrant.”
“Ah, haha! Hahaha!”

When I spoke to him with a sly smile, he seemed to immediately grasp my meaning and laughed awkwardly.

“O-of course! If there’s anything you require, I will personally…!”

As the bank president spoke, I held out a small slip of paper before him.

“…… Hhk?!”

The moment he saw the amount written on it, his face instantly turned pale white.

“Y-Young Master Klein? If you demand this much money…”
“Demand? What a disappointing thing to say.”

Watching him tremble, I recalled something Sister Miriam once said.

“Isn’t this merely a ve~ry small expense to promote goodwill between you and me, Mr. Bank President?”

Once you catch a sucker, strip him clean without leaving even a speck of dust behind.

“Oh! It’s Oppa Klein!”
“Sister! Brother Klein’s back!”

The moment they spotted me in the distance, the children all shouted for Sister Miriam.

“I told you to buy bread and vegetables, so where the hell did you wander off to?! Why are you so la—!”

Just as Sister Miriam was about to start scolding me for being over an hour late—

Thud—

She fell silent after seeing the luggage I set down on the ground.

“While I was out buying dinner ingredients, I picked up a few other things too.”

As I said that, I untied the large pack on my back and revealed its contents.

“Oh!”
“Wooooow—!”

Colorful candies and snacks.
Dolls, toys, wooden swords.
Even all sorts of books and writing supplies I had bought for the children.

“As the official sponsor of this orphanage, I felt a little awkward showing up empty-handed.”

The moment I said that, the children peeking out from behind Miriam instantly rushed toward me.

“Waaah! Waaah! Waaaahhh!”
“Look at this! There are so many dolls too!”

The large bag was stuffed with all kinds of items.

I handed the entire bundle over to the children and told them to unpack it themselves.

“I sent you out to run errands, and instead you robbed a bank or something?”
“Not the bank. I robbed the bank president’s wallet.”

As I said that, I handed Miriam the still-heavy pouch of gold coins.

“Take the kids out to a nice restaurant sometime.”
“Tch. Showing off with pointless generosity.”

Even as she said that, Miriam turned to look at the orphanage window, where laughter could be heard spilling out.

“You’re planning to leave, aren’t you?”

The words were tossed out casually.

After a brief pause, I nodded.

“There are things I need to confirm, and I can’t keep imposing forever.”

At that, Miriam clicked her tongue and placed a cigarette between her lips.

“Those kids are gonna cry their eyes out once you disappear.”

The children, having distributed the toys among themselves, were now completely absorbed in pretending to be heroes while wearing blankets as capes.

“Behold! I am Berkel Leinrant~!”
“Aah~! You’re trying to hog the main character role again!”
“First come, first served, okay?!”

A noisy, lively space.

Watching the children run around from afar, Miriam slowly opened her mouth.

“An old woman like me can be their teacher, but I can’t be their friend.”

What she could give those children was only enough toughness to survive a harsh life.

As I recalled her educational philosophy, Miriam pulled out a match and lit her cigarette.

“I’m not exactly old enough to be friends with them either, am I?”
“In my eyes, you and those brats are all the same damn kids.”

And those little bastards probably think so too.

After adding that, Sister Miriam blew out a cloud of cigarette smoke.

“So… once everything’s over, come back and at least show your face.”

I silently stared at her back when her voice sounded out once more.

“Is Sister Miriam seriously getting attached to the reincarnation of Archimond?”
“Hah! Archimond, my ass.”

I had only tossed out the joke casually, but Miriam’s answer was serious.

“From what I’ve seen, at least, you’re not someone like that.”
“Is… that so…”

Hearing those words, I gave a bitter smile and spoke toward her.

“Then let me ask one favor.”

With that, I handed Miriam a single letter.

“What’s this?”
“You’ll understand once you open it. And what you’ll need to help with too.”

Just as Sister Miriam looked at me in confusion—

Rumble…!

Heavy footsteps sounded from behind me.

“Y-Young Master Klein!”

Turning around, I saw a group of Holy Knights staring at me.

“Y-your trial date has been confirmed! Effective immediately, we are to escort you to the Central Diocese!”

As if this time they couldn’t afford to fail, the Holy Knights placed their hands on the swords at their waists.

‘Judging from their faces, you’d think they were marching off to war.’

I was thinking that while listening to their obviously tense voices.

Meanwhile, Miriam waved dismissively toward them, as if she had no intention of interfering further.

“Y-you’re… not going to stop us?”
“What? You want me to?”

When Miriam snapped at the stammering Holy Knight, he immediately shouted back in panic.

“N-no!”
“Good grief…”

Miriam stepped back several paces, and the Holy Knights immediately surrounded me from all sides.

“Right. On your way there, pass a message to that bastard Brigante.”

Just as the knights securing me began to hurry forward—

Miriam stopped them and lowered her voice.

“If he pulls any dogshit against our orphanage’s sponsor, I won’t sit quietly.”

“……!”

At those words, the Holy Knights’ faces turned pale blue as they hurriedly left the orphanage grounds.

The moment I turned my back and moved farther away from the orphanage—

Miriam read the contents of the letter I had given her.

“Hah, would you look at this bold little bastard?”

I could clearly hear Miriam muttering those words.