MTO C79

Chapter 79

“It must all have been some misunderstanding. Did you ever truly learn the full story from beginning to end? Of course not! Once again, you made a unilateral decision without ever listening to anyone else’s words, didn’t you?”

That was why not a single word from that man had been wrong.

Kaidan roughly brushed a hand across his jaw. Even with the truth laid bare, there was no sense of satisfaction—only a heavy suffocation pressing on his chest.

“C-couldn’t you… spare the eagles?”

At that moment, Max’s small, desperate voice rang out. His twin brother also looked up at Kaidan with pleading eyes.

Kaidan studied the children in silence before giving a small nod. There was no reason to kill black eagles that had done no wrong.

“Very well. I will not kill them.”

The instant he gave his word, the twins’ faces bloomed with radiant joy. Kaidan gestured for them to step closer. Though hesitant, they inched forward.

Once they stood before the bars, Kaidan lifted a hand and pointed toward the black eagles. Their gazes naturally followed to the creatures within.

“Look well. Their beaks are sharp, and their talons are strong—they can strip bones from flesh on their own. These are birds that hunt and devour living mountain goats.”

“Ah…”

“You only meant to help by taking out the bones. But if you disturb them mid-meal, the eagle thinks you are trying to take its food away and will lash back.”

When Kaidan tapped the scar on Max’s forehead, the boy hastily clasped both hands over it, his brows drooping.

“S-sorry… I didn’t… know…”

Kaidan had intended to discipline him sternly, but seeing how truly repentant the boy looked, he had nothing more to say. After all, he had not interfered out of ill will.

“If you don’t know, then you must learn.”

No one was born knowing. Even Kaidan’s own knowledge of the eagles had not come from birth. He had simply learned from those older and more experienced.

“They always flew away from me when I approached…”

“Haha. Are you saddened that the eagles fled from you, young master? It is simply because you do not yet know how to approach them properly.”

“……”

“Worry not. I shall teach you what must be done so the eagles will not flee from you in the future.”

Quietly, Kaidan recalled those moments of his past. To his own astonishment, a faint longing touched his heart. He had always thought his memories of this castle were naught but anguish, yet looking back now, he realized there had been good days, too. He had once known peace here as a boy.

While he remained silent, the twins edged toward the bars. Max leaned so close it seemed he might climb into the cage itself.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

At that, one of the nearest black eagles flapped its wings as if in reply. The twins startled, stumbling over each other’s feet and falling hard onto their backsides. They winced and groaned in pain—then exchanged looks and burst into giggles.

Max scrambled up and stepped once more before the bars. His eyes, fixed intently upon the eagle, already brimmed with a deep adoration.

“Th-thank you.”

His brother pressed his hands together and bowed deeply to Kaidan. It was a gesture Kaidan had never seen before, but all the children from Valois Orphanage greeted in that same way. Michel’s influence was plain.

As always, thoughts of Michel came to him unbidden. And with them, the weight in his breast pocket where a golden button lay.

“When Brother Jared returns, you must return this to him with your own hands. Promise me?”

Kaidan found himself, once again, waiting for Michel’s return.

The twins explained that they had overheard knights whispering about the black eagles being kept in the prison. Curious to see for themselves whether the birds truly lived, they had snuck off in search. How they had managed to find so hidden a dungeon, Kaidan could not know.

When he at last brought the children out, the castle was in an uproar. Every inhabitant of Eglence was frantic in the search for them.

Among them was Lawrence, who had collapsed upon hearing the children vanished while the saint was away. Thankfully, the doctor confirmed there was nothing gravely wrong with his health.

“Dan! Max!”

The news that the boys were safe brought the nun running. She fell to her knees, clutching them tightly, her face streaked wet with tears.

“Where on earth have you been? Are you hurt?”

The brothers, still frightened, shook their heads. Even once she confirmed they were unharmed, the nun could not stop weeping, until the other children came to her side to comfort her.

“Y-your Grace…”

In the meantime, Kaidan faced the knights who had been tasked with the children’s protection. He had intended to interrogate them harshly over their failure, but when he saw them worn and weary, the thought left him.

It was not only Kaidan who had been overburdened of late. Perhaps Lawrence’s fainting was also tied to this constant strain. One shock was enough to topple him after such exertion.

Never once in all his time as duke had Kaidan borne the burdens alone. Every order required a steward to pass it on, a servant to feed his horse, knights to take to the streets on patrol, cooks to prepare daily meals, maids to launder their clothes. Even the smallest duty demanded others’ hands.

The more he overworked himself, the more heavily his people suffered. To think he could handle it all alone had been arrogance.

And he wasn’t even able to manage Michel on his own. Then how could so few guards ever hope to fully watch over seven boisterous children? Those orphans, like their guardian, had no talent for solemnity.

No matter how many soldiers he stationed, the children would always slip free and stir up havoc, as they had today—almost as though such mischief were their sworn mission.

It should not be left to only a few knights. The whole household of Eglence must watch and care for them. And the children, in turn, needed to learn how to live here, not just in their orphanage. Only then could they all dwell together without unease.

“You have done well.”

“Y-your Grace?”

The guards blinked, startled by words of praise instead of reprimand. Without further explanation, Kaidan simply clapped one’s shoulder. The man was left looking even more bewildered.

“Ah, these little ones—when they hide, no wonder we cannot find them.”

“Now, sister, the children are back. You must stop weeping.”

Kaidan looked around the servants who had gathered. Smiles slowly spread across their tired faces, some calling words of thanks or relief to him. None seemed quite so afraid now. Many carried with them the tools of their interrupted labor: rags, ladles, broomsticks.

For today, at least, all work should cease, and all should rest. Kaidan was about to order dismissal when—

“Hm? Why is everyone crowded here?”

The great doors swung open, and Michel entered. Shivering violently, his hands tucked into his armpits, he stopped in wide-eyed astonishment at the throng gathered in the hall.

“Director!”

The children spotted him and rushed headlong into his embrace. Michel automatically scooped up the smallest one.

While he laughed and spoke with them, Kaidan instinctively searched the space behind him. Save for the two knights at his side, Jared was nowhere to be seen.

So Michel had failed. Deep down, Kaidan had thought perhaps he would succeed where all else had failed. The disappointment was sharp.

“Max and Dan were missing—we were all out searching for them!”

“What? Since when? And you’ve found them?”

“Yes! Over there!”

A black-haired girl pointed toward Kaidan. Michel saw the twins safe in the nun’s arms and sighed in relief—then his eyes fell on Kaidan, and they lit up as though he had discovered priceless prey.

Even before Kaidan could brace himself, Michel struck like lightning, darting before him.

“Soup!”

“…What?”

“No, not soup, not gukbap… oh, yes! We need soup! You and Brother Jared must share a meal of soup together!”

Clutching the child tightly, Michel proclaimed his demand with fierce insistence. Kaidan could make no sense of his words.

What unsettled him more was the sudden closeness of Michel’s face, so near once again. Just as in the daylight, he had no concept of the distance men kept between them.

The chill of the outdoors clung to him, raising the hair at Kaidan’s nape. The faint sweet scent brushing his nose—was it from Michel, or from the child in his arms? The child merely grinned, amused.

Kaidan retreated a step. Never, not even on the battlefield, had he yielded ground before an enemy. Only Michel made him stumble back. So thrown was he that he didn’t notice when the lively chatter of the hall hushed, as all eyes turned silently toward them.

“Calm yourself first…”

He raised a hand toward Michel’s face, then awkwardly shifted it to press against his shoulder instead—

DANG— DANG— DANG—

Three chimes rang out. In Eglence Castle, that sound was rare. One was to mark the passage of day, two to announce guests or a festivity.

Three… was the signal of danger.

In an instant, all color drained from Kaidan’s face.