IPMB 05

Chapter 5 

Oh. My. God—!

I clutched both my cheeks and screamed inwardly.

He’s not coming back!

I had been pacing around the estate since the crack of dawn, waiting for Kallian to return.

But my hopeless older brother showed no sign of coming back. I couldn’t sense even the slightest flow of mana.

Could he have been eaten before he even had the chance to call me?!

“Hey, little Rosi. What are you doing over there?”

The Wyneac disciples, who never neglected their morning training even while in Delphiam, called out to me.

Little Rosi?

Even though I had lived a total of twenty-nine years—seventeen in my previous life and twelve in this one.

I shot a glare at the man who had spoken to me, Jake, and answered,

“I’m waiting for the young master.”

“The young master? He went out last night, didn’t he? He still hasn’t come back?”

Seeing the worried look on my face, Jake seemed to understand what was going on. His expression immediately grew serious as well.

“Don’t tell me something happened…”

Exactly! Something must have happened, right?!

“Damn it, it’s only been a few days since I got dragged out to clean up the mess last time. I don’t want to get drafted again, ugh!”

Before Jake could finish speaking, Selman, who was standing beside him, kicked him hard in the shin.

Then, in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, he muttered to himself,

“Oh, dear. Our young mas— I mean, our young master still hasn’t returned, has he? I wonder if the lord knows about this?”

“……?”

“I suppose I’d better inform the lord. Our delicate young master, as fragile as a single flower, may have gotten lost in the unfamiliar capital of a foreign country!”

With that, Selman grabbed Jake and sprinted away.

“……”

I could feel my worst fears gradually becoming reality.

He might look like a noble young master on the outside, but inside, he was as soft as jelly pudding.

Our family heir, who had proudly ranked first in the unofficial beauty contest of the Auvie Kingdom, beating out all the distinguished young ladies.

No! The poor lamb’s purity!

Just then, an unfamiliar voice abruptly cut through my worst-case scenario.

“Kallian Wyneac isn’t here?”

I spun around in surprise.

A boy I had never seen before was standing there.

His black hair had a slight wave to it, and his skin was healthily tanned. He was nearly as tall as Kallian.

Because he was standing with the sunlight behind him, I couldn’t make out his expression clearly. All I could see was the glint in his yellow eyes.

“Where is that bastard now?”

At the unwelcome visitor’s appearance, the Wyneac swordsmen stepped in front of me.

I peered between Jake and Selman’s arms at the boy.

He looked around Kallian’s age.

But unlike Kallian’s gentle appearance, the boy before me had a sharp, cold look about him.

That mana…

I knew people who possessed mana like this.

It was different from Wyneac mana, which was refined and flawless like a sharp, sturdy sword.

It was also different from Kirges mana, which was intricately woven and flexible like a net.

This mana seemed to burst forth dynamically, almost explosively.

There was only one group characterized by such mana.

The other of Delphiam’s two Transcendent Houses, apart from Kirges.

The House of Huzel, blessed by the “Messenger of the Formless.”

“Louise.”

Just as I recalled the name of that house, the boy spoke his own name.

“I am Louise.”

“The head of House Huzel.”

The Wyneac swordsmen flinched and took half a step back.

Standing behind them, I muttered in admiration,

“Oh my, you became the head of the house already?”

I remembered.

During the Continental Conference in my previous life, I had seen Huzel’s heir.

The last time I saw him, he had been nothing more than a five-year-old little boy.

So that little kid must have been…

“Was it a jaguar?”

I muttered the words under my breath.

The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow.

So I was right.

Following “the Sword” for Wyneac and “Sorcery” for Kirges, the title associated with Huzel was “Shapeshifting.”

Those Transcendents who received the blessing of Huzel’s guardian star possessed the ability to transform part or all of their bodies into those of beasts.

And if I remembered correctly, the beast form of the boy standing before me was a black jaguar.

I can’t believe he’s grown this much already…

I was suddenly overcome with emotion.

While I had reset my life and started all over again from birth, the little boy from Huzel had already grown into a full-fledged adult.

I had never met Kallian in my previous life, but I had crossed paths with Louise Huzel a couple of times.

So no matter how much he had grown, he still looked like a child to me.

You know, big sis used to pat your head quite a lot.

I still remember you growling and biting my fingers.

The boy, Louise, looked down at me with a deeply suspicious expression.

“Is that little child a Wyneac disciple?”

“What?”

The fond memories that had been resurfacing vanished instantly at his insulting remark.

I stepped forward indignantly.

“That’s a bit harsh!”

Little child? Little child?!

Even if I did call Kallian Wyneac “Oppa” and follow him around everywhere…

I had still lived a total of twenty-nine years—

“Or is she not? Though I suppose she is a little small to wield a sword.”

Louise bent slightly toward me.

Damn it.

Because he was a good two spans taller than me, I lost my chance to protest that I was not small.

Louise asked in his blunt voice,

“You seem to be a child working for Wyneac. Where is your master? I understand he met His Majesty the Emperor yesterday. Has he still not returned?”

“Oh, right.”

His words brought my mind back to reality.

Our soft little jelly! The heir who was like a rabbit dropped in front of a hungry tiger…!

I glared at Louise suspiciously.

“Why are you looking for the young master? There shouldn’t be any reason for the head of Huzel to seek out the heir of Wyneac privately. Especially before the official conference.”

“It’s confidential.”

“That makes it sound even more suspicious, you know. Are you planning to violate one of the prohibitions established by international law?”

The power of the Transcendent Houses, backed by the unprecedented support of their guardian stars, easily surpassed that of most kingdoms.

Therefore, to maintain the balance of power across the continent, they had established five major taboos.

First: They would not establish their own nations.

Second: They would not become involved in any form of diplomatic conflict, including war.

Third: They would not leave the territory of the country to which they belonged.

Fourth: They were strictly forbidden from learning two or more secret arts belonging to different Transcendent Houses.

And finally—

Fifth: The heads and heirs of the Transcendent Houses were forbidden from meeting privately.

The Continental Conference, held once every five years, existed partly to reaffirm these taboos and revise or supplement their details.

In other words, there was no legitimate reason for the head of Huzel to seek out Kallian privately.

Of course, if that soft-hearted idiot had been here, he would probably have smiled sweetly and politely led Louise straight to his room.

But I showed enough suspicion for both myself and Kallian.

“Why are you here?”

After I stared at him persistently, Louise reluctantly answered,

“We are friends.”

“What?”

“He’s my friend. That bastard— I mean, Kallian. I have a permit from His Majesty, and this meeting was arranged in advance. Satisfied?”

There was absolutely no way the expression on Louise’s face could be interpreted as that of someone talking about a dear friend.

His jaw was clenched tightly.

I could almost hear his teeth grinding.

Did Kallian somehow become his mortal enemy?

That was hard to believe.

Kallian wasn’t even capable of making enemies with people unless he went out of his way to do so.

“If he isn’t here, then that’s enough. He must be at the river mouth.”

At the end of his sentence, I thought I heard him mutter something like,

“That damn bastard…”

Hmm.

That had to be my imagination.

Kallian was the sort of person who attracted sympathy wherever he went, not someone who randomly earned curses.

More importantly—

Louise Huzel seems to have a rough idea where Kallian is.

Star of Kirges, please help me one more time. This really is the last time!

My eyes lit up as I watched the boy’s back disappear into the distance.

A rune I had swiftly planted on Louise’s back was glowing.

[ᛏᛖᛚᛖᛈᛟᚱᛏ — Teleport!]

Excellent.

A little while later—

[…?]

Louise, who had just lowered himself into a starting stance, suddenly stopped.

He had realized the weight sitting on his back.

Louise turned around and asked incredulously,

[What the hell are you doing right now?]

The body of the beast covered in sleek, glossy black fur was surprisingly smooth and warm.

As expected, this distance is still easy enough for me.

I sat between the neck and back of the jaguar that Louise had transformed into and pointed forward with my index finger.

Then I spoke solemnly.

“Let’s go.”

[Where exactly are you sitting—]

“Run, Lord Huzel!”

There was no helping it.

Before Kallian could be dragged helplessly into the Emperor’s harem, I had to hurry over there and drag him back myself.