162 - Side Story - Leonardo's Perspective - The Ring's Whereabouts 2
I had braced myself, expecting that one day he would come to the residence to investigate as well. But Bertrand's visit was surprisingly late. I had heard from Alf that he was conducting an energetic investigation, so I thought he would come storming in at any moment, but it had been over a week since Alf's report. Jean-Jacques's social connections outside of the Black Knights had been almost entirely severed by last year's Ward's disease outbreak, so perhaps the investigation had run into difficulties. I suppose you could call that a blessing in disguise.
"You're early today. If you're looking for Oscar, I believe he's at Menhishumi Church."
"I did not come to retrieve Oscar today."
I already knew his business, but I deliberately said something else. Up until now, the only business that had brought Bertrand to the residence was related to the black dog, Oscar. I tried to play dumb, pretending today's visit would be about the black dog as well, but Bertrand brushed it aside easily. Bertrand's temperament was not so different from my own. He disliked roundabout greetings and would likely state his business directly.
"I am searching for a Black Knight named Jean-Jacques."
"Jean-Jacques is my subordinate. Might I ask what business you have with him?"
"It is nothing complicated. It seems that man somehow came to possess a ring I have been searching for these many years. I wish to hear the details, so I am looking for him."
...Many years, was it.
The information coming from Bertrand's own mouth was almost the same as Alf's report. The ring, for which he had been circulating wanted notices for some time, had been put up for sale. A report reached Bertrand, and he came to the city of Grenore seeking information. He said that retrieving Oscar, who had been taken in according to reports, was an added errand.
...I think Oscar is quite a loyal dog, personally.
If retrieving that loyal dog could be described as merely an added errand, then perhaps Alf's concerns were well-founded. Bertrand was probably excessively harsh toward those belonging to his inner circle.
"...Jean-Jacques, during the recent infectious disease outbreak, brought the disease back to the city and spread the infection, however unintentionally. For that offense, he is currently serving labor."
"Then, I would ask you to tell me the location where he is serving that labor."
"And upon hearing that, what do you intend to do, Bertrand-dono?"
"Why, of course..."
Bertrand answered that he would go to that location to hear the details. It was a foolish honesty much like my own, but this time I was very grateful for it. Thanks to that, I could reject Bertrand's request head-on.
"Jean-Jacques himself contracted Ward's disease and recovered. You can confirm the details at the Sedovara Church. I believe they will satisfy you there, but it seems that Ward's disease patients retain infectivity in their saliva and scabs for a year even after recovery, so they cannot simply be returned to civilization."
For that reason, all the infected had been quarantined in a place away from the city. For at least a year, and if I had my way, I would keep them isolated for another half year longer.
To prevent the threat of Ward's disease from spreading again, I could not tell Bertrand, whose purpose was to meet Jean-Jacques, the location of the quarantine. As the one entrusted with the fortress and city of Grenore, I refused both to summon Jean-Jacques back and to take Bertrand to the frontier village.
"...Could you not simply stuff him in a sack and speak with him?"
This seemed to be Bertrand's proposed solution upon hearing that saliva and scabs were the sources of infection. Indeed, if only saliva and scabs were the problem, it was not entirely wrong. Tina had also avoided infection by thoroughly wearing a mask and washing her hands.
"In that case, Bertrand-dono, you would have to ride a horse blindfolded to the quarantine site, and the one entering the sack would be you."
When I took Tina to check on the frontier village, we both wore masks to prevent infection. There was truly no need to enter a sack, but this was Bertrand's own proposal. So returning the volley by saying the one to enter the sack would be him would hardly be rude. He was the one who suggested it, and it was a proposal meant as a method of self-protection.
"How much time remains of that one year?"
"It will be the end of autumn, so Jean-Jacques cannot be moved for at least another half year."
It seemed he did not care for the idea of being stuffed into a sack himself. Since his question shifted to the minimum period Jean-Jacques had to be confined, I answered with a slightly longer estimate. The infected had been moved to the frontier village around early to mid-summer, so strictly speaking, the one-year period would pass by early autumn, but it was also true that I wanted some leeway.
"...Then summon someone else."
"Someone else, you say?"
"A blond Black Knight and a member of the Sedovara Church came once to buy back the ring."
The secondhand goods dealer who had sent word to Bertrand seemed to have been careful about Saromon's ring. He had not only sent a report as soon as the ring went up for sale, but also remembered in detail about Jean-Jacques coming to buy it back. His report to Bertrand even mentioned that Alf and Jasper had accompanied Jean-Jacques.
"Accompanying Jean-Jacques... that would be Alf and Jasper, then."
When moving Jean-Jacques out of the city, he had insisted there was something he absolutely wanted to buy back, so I had permitted him to go out under certain conditions. I muttered, as if just remembering it now, that it was Alf who had accompanied him that time. I was not good at lies or acting, but this time it could not be helped. I could not decide whether to tell him right now that Tina was his granddaughter. I wanted to see a little more of how Bertrand would act.
As for Alf, there was no need to deliberately bring him together with Bertrand, who was currently staying at Alf's residence. If Bertrand returned to his lodgings, Alf would come back there as well. Alf, if asked, would answer honestly within the scope of what he could say while smoothly deflecting the rest.
...And there was also a justifiable reason why I could not let him meet Jasper.
As expected, Bertrand did not mention Alf and instead asked about Jasper. To him, I answered honestly without any clumsy concealment. Jasper was currently staying in the guest room of this residence, but I would not permit him to meet with anyone outside of those involved unless even the king's permission was granted. Regarding this, there was no need to explain why I was refusing. A Silver-White Knight stood at the guest room door and the residence gate. Anyone who knew what role the Silver-White Knights served would understand the meaning without needing an explanation.
"...Where is Mey Village?"
Even though he was retired, as a former Black Knight, Bertrand needed no explanation of what the Silver-White Knights protected. I was relieved that he did not seem intent on forcibly demanding a meeting with Jasper. However, I could not help but be inwardly surprised that the word 'Mey Village' had come from Bertrand's mouth. Where had Bertrand heard the name Mey Village? If things went badly, it was possible he already knew that Saromon had a daughter.
"Mey Village was a village south of Grenore, but it was destroyed by disease and nothing remains now."
This was not a lie. Mey Village, destroyed by disease, had been cleansed by fire, so everything from the buildings on down had been burned. If there was anything left, it was only countless graves. And the sole survivor lived not in Mey Village, but in the city of Grenore. So saying nothing remained in Mey Village did not make it a lie.
I added to my explanation to Bertrand that it was Jean-Jacques who had taken command of cleaning up the village and set the fire. And I continued that if he wanted to hear the details, he should either write a letter or wait until the labor service was complete.
[Author's Note]
Typos and omissions will be addressed another day.
Since this is a portion I could not finish writing in time yesterday, it is short this time.
I fixed the typos and omissions I found. I also had north and south mixed up... orz