392 - Leonardo's Perspective Jin and Chuck
As the season turned to summer, Tina's birthday came right around the corner. This year Tina would turn fourteen, but unfortunately, it didn't look like I'd be able to celebrate her birthday this year. Last year I'd consulted with Ms. Hartmann and the gift I'd prepared had been well received, but this year I was in a situation where I couldn't even ask Tina her own wishes, let alone consult with Ms. Hartmann, so I hadn't prepared any gift at all. It was a shame not being able to celebrate my cute little sister's birthday, but I could always celebrate properly after I got Tina back. For that reason, the only thing I did for Tina's birthday this year was get a new collar for Kokumaro.
"Jean-Jacques Tibode, having completed three years of re-education at Virup Fortress, has returned today!"
As the Recollection Festival approached, Jean-Jacques's re-education period came to an end. Judging from how spiritedly he returned to Grenore Fortress, it seemed he had accomplished the tasks I'd given him.
"So, Commander! Look at this! Right here! Yours truly has joined the Silver-White Knights!"
Saying "So there," Jean-Jacques showed off a silver button bearing the crest of the Kingdom of Ivizia, attached to the Silver-White Knight uniform. But something was odd. It was true that when one was approved to join the Silver-White Knights, they received a silver button. But there was rarely an opportunity to see the silver button itself, since it was attached to the inside of the jacket. Because almost simultaneously with being given the silver button, you were issued a white uniform, and you attached it to the inside of the jacket then and there. Even if you received a silver button, hardly anyone would show it off the way Jean-Jacques did. Rather, the silver button with the crest given to Silver-White Knights lost its meaning if you showed it off to people. It was an important item for proving one's identity in an emergency, something that absolutely could not be counterfeited.
"...Alf."
"It seems Jean-Jacques was judged to still not be quite enough for a full Silver-White Knight."
While reading the report Jean-Jacques had brought, Alf summarized the key points. Regarding Jean-Jacques's admission to the Silver-White Knights, his ability was acknowledged, but there were issues with his manners and decorum. They couldn't possibly entrust him with guarding royalty. However, as a guard for Tina, who was far from the capital and rarely interacted with nobles, he had enough ability. Since guards for Tina were also lacking, and his own wish was to guard Tina in Grenore city, it was decided that he could learn manners as he went, and he was recognized as a Silver-White Knight, albeit on a 'provisional' basis. Since it was strictly provisional, only the silver button was issued. The white uniform, which should have been issued at the same time, would apparently be given later when it was recognized that he had acquired behavior befitting a Silver-White Knight, including proper decorum.
...In other words, this was a special measure for Tina, wasn't it?
For Tina, who was shy around strangers, having a familiar face like Jean-Jacques as a guard would put her at ease. In that sense, it was a special arrangement for Tina. But there was another aspect to it as well. Currently, Tina was missing and not in Grenore city. And for the search, we needed manpower. When it came time to slip into the Zugarri Empire, we'd need to go in a small group to avoid drawing attention. Putting aside his manners, Jean-Jacques had caught up to the Silver-White Knights in terms of ability, so this was likely a consideration that he'd be useful for that purpose.
"So, Commander. Who's yours truly's protection target? Is she still shut up in the residence, doing her little embroidery?"
"Tina is..."
I started to say that Tina had been missing for half a year, but I was stopped by Alfred, who I spotted behind Jean-Jacques, lightly raising his hand. It seemed he was telling me to keep quiet. As I watched to see what he would do, this time Alf placed a hand on Jean-Jacques's shoulder.
"Congratulations, Jean-Jacques. Your first job as a Silver-White Knight is as vice-captain of the Christina Search Party. Keep a firm grip on the captain's reins."
"What's that supposed to be? ...Wait, search party? Tina kid ain't here?"
"You haven't heard yet? Christina has been missing for half a year."
I explained the circumstances of Tina's disappearance, the people who had vanished along with her, that only Kalisa's body had been found, as well as the bodies of the men thought to be the perpetrators. From the clues Kalisa had left behind, we had narrowed down the general area where the culprit lived, and were now gathering information for a swift rescue and preparing the arrangements to infiltrate the Zugarri Empire without arousing suspicion. I introduced Rannvald, explaining that I planned to go get Tina myself, that I was growing out my hair and beard as a disguise, and that I was preparing a substitute to be placed at Grenore Fortress. Jean-Jacques didn't seem interested in Rannvald himself, but he clearly had a lot to say about Tina's disappearance. He slammed his fist on the desk with a look that suggested he was about to grab me, but just before opening his mouth wide, he stopped himself. It seemed he had things he wanted to say, but Jean-Jacques swallowed all those feelings. He probably understood that yelling at me or Alf wouldn't bring Tina back.
...Actually, why was Jean-Jacques reacting so strongly to Tina? They never seemed to get along that well, did they...?
Whenever they met, Jean-Jacques used harsh language and kept making Tina angry. It was a little surprising that Jean-Jacques would get angry just because Tina was missing.
...No, maybe not?
Just because people didn't get along did not necessarily mean they wished misfortune on each other. In Jean-Jacques and Tina's case, it was more like Jean-Jacques would make snide remarks and Tina would get worked up and respond, so maybe they actually had a good relationship.
...Besides, in the end, Jean-Jacques never returned Saromon-sama's ring to Tina.
Jean-Jacques had apparently been trying to buy back the ring, since he'd repaid Tina's kindness with ingratitude. Unfortunately, by the time Jean-Jacques went to buy back the ring, it had already passed into Bertrand's hands. But maybe he was still worried about that. Aside from becoming a Silver-White Knight and being assigned as Tina's guard, he probably wanted to settle things with her on a personal level first.
"Still, a convenient man came back at a convenient time. Setting aside his conduct, he does have ability, and he's a Black Knight whose name was known before. However, because he was in the re-education period at Virup Fortress, he didn't participate in the war with the Kingdom of Saenard two years ago. If we spread a rumor on the Empire's side that he died during the earlier Wards disease incident, no one in the Empire would think Jean-Jacques is still alive."
"If I recall, the rumors about Jean-Jacques known even in the neighboring country were just that he had red hair and was tall. There was nothing about his facial features. The eyepatch and the scars should work as a good misdirection."
"Hmm," Alfred and Alf, stroking their chins, surrounded Jean-Jacques. With the two of them giving instructions here and there, Solana began fiddling with Jean-Jacques's face. They eventually settled on having him wear the eyepatch on the opposite side, the one he claimed was meant to hide the scar from the Wards disease, making the scar more prominent and using that as his disguise instead. According to Jean-Jacques, it was a stylish eyepatch he'd had made by a leatherworker in the capital to show off to Tina, but if the side wearing it changed, you couldn't use the same one. A decision was made between Alfred and Alf to prepare a new, worn-looking one instead, and Jean-Jacques was finally released.
"Once information is gathered, you'll head to the Zugarri Empire to retrieve Christina. Stay quiet for a while so no one realizes 'Jean-Jacques' is still alive."
"Staying quiet at the fortress would be best, but I suppose that won't work. How about using a pseudonym for a while? Let's see..."
Alfred and Alf both tilted their heads and began thinking of a pseudonym for Jean-Jacques. They both looked like they were enjoying themselves, I thought, but there was really only one option for Jean-Jacques's pseudonym. Tina had sometimes called him that before.
"For Jean-Jacques's pseudonym, 'Chuck' should be fine."
"It ain't Chuck!"
"It's Chuck, isn't it?"
"Isn't Chuck good enough?"
Since it was a name the Tina search party would use, a name Tina was familiar with would be best, I said, overriding Jean-Jacques's objections. He put up a token resistance, but he didn't look all that displeased, so in truth, Jean-Jacques probably liked being called 'Jean-Chuck.' Thinking about it that way, it made sense that even after Tina could properly say 'Jean-Jacques,' Jean-Jacques himself would say 'It's Jean-Chuck-sama.' Tina would mispronounce it, and Jean-Jacques would correct her. That whole sequence of events was like a greeting between the two of them.
"If we're going with a name the Tina kid's familiar with, then the Commander's name is Jinbei!"
"Jinbei is a rather conspicuous name, isn't it? It's a Napaji word. For a pseudonym used during infiltration, it's better not to stand out."
Having said it was better not to stand out, the pseudonym for me that Jean-Jacques proposed became 'Jin Bae.' Jinbei was the name of the bear stuffed toy Tina loved. Using it as is would stand out as a Napaji word, but shortening it to Jin wouldn't be all that unnatural.
As 'Jin' for me and 'Chuck' for Jean-Jacques, we would board Cody's wagon as mercenaries when the time was right.
"...It seems the 'Spirit's Seat' in Gumons was successfully destroyed."
Saying this, Alfred read aloud the letter from Ethelbert that Jean-Jacques had brought. As a test, they'd sent Nils, the Spirit's Favored Child, to Gumons. The 'Spirit's Seat,' which hadn't been scratched even when adults struck it or swung axes and hammers at it, reportedly crumbled without a trace when Nils gave it a light tap. Ethelbert had also seen Tina destroy the 'Spirit's Seat,' and the 'Spirit's Seat' that collapsed in the same way seemed to disappear as if nothing had ever been there in the first place.
"It seems the 'Spirit's Seat' can be destroyed by someone other than Christina."
"Is the key, after all, the Spirit's Favored Child?"
The common point between Tina and Nils was that both were Spirit's Favored Children. Neither physical strength nor tools seemed necessary to destroy the 'Spirit's Seat.' Nils was, in theory, a newly grown young man, but he didn't have developed arm muscles like I did. Since even Tina, a girl with practically no muscles, could destroy the 'Spirit's Seat,' the truly necessary element was probably something else.
The goal of sending Nils to Gumons had been achieved, but apparently Nils wanted to stay in Gumons for a while to do some research. The Black Knight assigned as his guard was scheduled to return later, and when Nils returned to Grenore city, Ethelbert would hire someone to escort him back.
[Author's Note]
Since this was a good stopping point, it feels a bit short. Anyway, there are four more 'Spirit's Seats' left.