kscans

Chapter 101 - The King of Castrato and the Little One

"Well, well... A pleasure to meet you. My name is Count Ibnsaud Al-Jaizary."

"...? I am Chihiro La Jorje. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The silver-haired, blue-eyed gentleman, who was the younger brother of Hyrulia’s late father, smiled warmly. His demeanor was the very picture of elegance. From his gentle manner, it was clear he was a civil official, and unlike a certain count, he didn’t seem to be the fighting type. But what was most curious was his name.

"Pardon my asking, but by any chance... um, is there someone from another country in your ducal family’s lineage?"

At the Little One’s words, the count’s fine eyebrows shot up.

"...Why would you think so?"

"Your name. It’s missing a first name, isn’t it?"

The name the count before her had given was a characteristic Arab name. Over there, names were a series of two or three names. One's own name, a father’s name, a grandfather’s name. They were usually the names of close relatives. Furthermore, when a child was born, one might change their name, adding something like Abu-so-and-so, connecting their child's name as well. If this were a typical Arab, it would mean "son of Saud, grandson of Jaizary," but this Saud was the tricky part. If the Little One’s memory served her correctly, a family named Saud had been royalty on Earth in Arabia. Ibnsaud. Son of Saud. This should be his father’s name. If so, his own first name, which should come before it, was not mentioned.

"...Why do you know that, Chihiro-sama?"

Hyrulia’s eyes widened. Count Jaizary’s eyes widened as well. Neither of them had an Arab appearance, but it wouldn't be strange if their founder was of that descent and they had intermarried within Castrato for generations.

"It seems we have no choice but to speak."

"Please ensure this does not leave this room."

From the two silver-haired individuals who exchanged troubled glances, the Little One heard their story.

Long ago, in the age of myths, when Castrato was not yet a country, a sage visited this land. The sage, who had silver hair and red eyes, brought much knowledge and technology, and created the prototype of the nation of Castrato in this land. He then took a wife and lived a long and happy life.

"That is the ancestor of the Jaizary family. From that point on, this name has been the name of the head of the family."

"And we have a tradition to keep our first names secret. It is a rule that they must never be known."

I see.

"Cesare. Is this in your jurisdiction?"

When the Little One called out to him, Cesare, in the form of Chihaya, tilted his head as if in thought.

"It may be. My memories are still incomplete, but it is likely one of the O-saki I sent. Or perhaps an emissary."

There must have been an Arab among the preceptors from Earth who came to Haze-Leve. One of their descendants probably became an O-saki or an emissary in Haze-Leve and visited Castrato. Something like that.

"But to keep the first name a secret. What could that mean?"

The Little One frowned, puzzled. Then she heard Cesare’s exasperated voice.

"One’s true name is something to be hidden, is it not? As are one’s birth and birthday. They are essential for curses."

"...That is what we have been told."

"Yes, my Hyrulia is also a middle name. Only she and her parents know her first name."

The members from Frontier stared with wide, surprised eyes at the three who spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Curses...?"

Dorfen asked with a somewhat strained voice. Hyrulia nodded firmly. Her attitude suggested it was a matter of course. The Little One couldn't help but hold her head in her hands.

Wait, wait. Curses and such, is that common in Castrato? And training monsters. Isn’t it quite different from other countries?

"Is this common knowledge in Castrato?"

The Little One asked with a wry smile. Count Jaizary shook his head.

"No, it is a tradition of my family. I have not heard of it elsewhere."

Staring at the count’s sincere gaze, Chihiro noticed something. The silver hair of Hyrulia and the count.

"Legion..."

Hearing the Little One’s murmur, Cesare tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"Not you. Legion the oni."

The route he, a former O-saki, took on his journey from Flowers, circling the frontier and returning to Flowers again, should have passed through Castrato and Frontier. And Legion had sent emissaries to the places where he planted seeds. That meant a human had been sent to Castrato. One with silver hair and red eyes. It was surely someone who became a believer or an emissary along the way. Someone from Donautil, perhaps. Silver hair was a characteristic of the northern lands. In the southern lands where Frontier was located, it was a rare color.

You should have told me these things beforehand! No wonder Donautil had an Ottoman Turkish feel. Being close to the frontier, it wasn't influenced by other foreign countries.

The Little One’s mind raced, her head boiling. That oni was hiding too much. The brilliant silver hair of Hyrulia and her family announced their origins. It was likely a remnant of their ancestor, but because Castrato was closer to the interior, European culture had completely taken root. Thanks to that, perhaps only the hair color remained.

But...? Does that mean...?

"That sage, isn’t he still alive?"

"Probably. I can feel him."

Cesare stared intently at the royal palace visible through the large window of the ducal family’s grand hall.

Are you serious?!

The Little One also couldn't help but stare at the royal palace. In the Lord's forest deep beneath it, the O-saki or emissary in question should be there.

As the ducal family members stared blankly up at the royal palace, a loathing that was on the verge of exploding was swirling in its tower.

"It has been a long time, Father."

Charles stood there, a shimmering presence. The King of Castrato was flustered by the sight of him, enveloped in a haze of magical power. There had been many silver-haired people in the past. To reclaim the silver hair, now a symbol of the ducal family, for the royal family, the King of Castrato had gone to great lengths. And thus, the silver-haired second prince was finally born.

He was happy. He was his beloved son. Even though the heir was the Crown Prince, he had thought of marrying Charles to a good princess and having him produce the next heir.

What had he done to that Louis Charles?

The King of Castrato’s expression twisted in agony as he remembered his past deeds. Unconcerned with his father’s inner turmoil, Charles entered the room and unceremoniously drew a dagger from his robes.

"Because of you, I wasted ten years of my life. Because of you, the country is in decline, and my brothers are suffering. ...But above all, your crime of looking down on and trying to defile my bride is grave."

A little over ten years since his childhood. For that long time, the bride from Frontier had occupied Charles’s mind. Compounded by the effects of being brainwashed, the bride he was supposed to welcome had become everything to him. A golden princess he had pathologically adored, yearned for day and night.

More precious and beloved than anything.

She was, literally, Charles’s life itself.

"Tell me, Father. Are you needed in this country?"

The second prince’s eyes glinted with a cruel smile. His pupils were dilated, flickering with an inhuman, eerie light. The King of Castrato backed away, the chains on his feet rattling. Looking down at the pathetic creature, Charles’s lips curled into a brutal smile.

"Let’s go to the palace for now. I need to apply for the delegation of authority to Count Jaizary, too."

The Little One changed into a dress and hurried into the carriage. Count Jaizary, swept along by the people following her, was surprised by the spaciousness inside.

"What is this...? It’s like a room."

The Little One offered a cushion to the dumbfounded gentleman and asked Adonis to prepare tea at the table. Hyrulia chuckled at her uncle’s astonished figure and narrowed her eyes nostalgically.

"I was surprised at first, too. It is apparently the effect of Frontier’s magical tools."

"Magical tools..."

Count Jaizary sat down, his mouth still half-open in amazement. Seeing Frontier’s technology firsthand once again, the count was filled with admiration.

Then, as everyone took their seats at the table and tea was served, the Little One explained the situation to Count Jaizary. That she had to travel the frontier at the request of the gods to create a great Golden Ring. That doing so would revive magic throughout the continent and establish the principles of magic. That various things were happening in connection with that, and that one of the suspicious elements was also in the caverns beneath the Castrato Royal Palace.

After a brief explanation, the Little One observed Count Jaizary’s reaction. Though his eyes were wide with astonishment, he was not flustered. He quietly lowered his gaze and stared at the contents of his teacup.

"If that is the truth, then you are..."

"The Golden King, I guess. In a manner of speaking."

The count felt a wave of dizziness at the girl’s nonchalant declaration. This was a matter that needed to be reported to the royal palace.

"So, you are heading to the royal palace to form a pact with the underground forest?"

"That’s part of it, but I have a strange premonition. It's an inexplicable feeling, like something is slowly building up in the pit of my stomach."

Ever since entering Castrato, the Little One had been feeling a subtle flow of magic. At first, she thought it was the magic she felt from the monsters being kept by nobles, but after buying the monsters from the caravan, she realized it was a different kind of magic. A sluggish, faint magic crawling across the earth. All of the thin, unreliable magic led to the royal palace. Cesare’s explanation revealed the source of that magic, and with it, a bad feeling reared its head in the Little One’s mind.

Something is strange.

Once she started thinking that, she couldn't sit still.

The fidgety Little One suddenly noticed Count Jaizary’s observant gaze on her. "Hmm?" she tilted her head and looked at the count.

"Ah, no. ...I was just wondering why you would tell me such an important story."

"Oh, that," Chihiro smiled and sipped her tea. "It’s not something I can keep hidden forever. Eventually, the whole world will notice, so it’s not really something to be kept secret."

Soon, magic would be revived in all lands. An era where anyone could use magic would arrive. But to achieve that, time was needed, and many collaborators were needed. If she tried to force her way through everything, it would surely cause trouble later on.

"If there’s a forest in Castrato, we need someone to protect it. I know the royal family can’t be relied on. So, I want to share this secret with you, someone Hyrulia trusts."

In Flowers, it was Prince Marcello. In Donautil, it was Marrow and Masahad. People who shared the secrets of the world and the gods like co-conspirators. If he was a person whom Hyrulia, who had been involved in one part of it, deemed trustworthy, then there could be no mistake. With that in mind, the Little One told Count Jaizary a secret that, once heard, could not be unlearned.

"Well, I’ll be..."

The count was speechless at her cunning. This was not the thinking of a child. Underestimating her would lead to a painful lesson.

"We’re halfway there. Until it’s complete, please keep it a secret."

The girl broke into a wide grin.

The ducal family held power second only to the royal family. But their main house was probably the count’s family. The Little One narrowed her eyes sharply. The count’s family, the lineage of the sage who visited in the past, who inherited the name. The ducal family was likely a shield to protect the count’s family. In some parts of Earth’s past, there was a custom of ultimogeniture. It was a variation of the patriarchal system where the older members protected the family from external enemies, and the youngest child protected the extended family. The entire clan protected the house. By that analogy, it made sense that Hyrulia’s father, the eldest son, became the duke and eliminated external enemies, while Count Jaizary, the second son, inherited the name and protected the extended family. The fact that the count inherited the sage’s name was irrefutable proof.

At the Little One’s explanation, the count raised his hands slightly as if in surrender.

"Your insight is admirable. Then shall we keep this a secret between us?"

"Yep. I’ll take it to my grave, so I’m counting on you, Count."

The Little One laughed, nishishi.

Nodding in agreement, the count and Hyrulia gave complex, wry smiles. They never thought the secret of their clan would be unraveled by a name alone.

And so, having gained a new ally, the Little One’s party headed for the royal palace. They did not yet know of the dark, malevolent something swirling deep within the palace.