ODD 7

Chapter 7

“Gates are currently perfectly controlled with neodymium. But just as we discovered neodymium, what if the monsters beyond the gates also devised such a device?”

He crossed his legs and propped his chin on his hand.

“What if those monsters hold a grudge against your father, who made the gates close forever?”

“You’re not saying the monsters took my father, are you?”

A chill ran down my spine.

Of course, since the gates had been closed forever eighteen years ago, I had no memory of the monsters.

But I had seen countless records left behind in documents.

Animal-type monsters with massive fangs and sharp claws, insect-type monsters with steel-like forelegs and dozens of eyes.

Their forms varied, but they were all monsters that hunted humans. It took three or four armed grown men working together to barely kill one.

That’s why I was proud that my father was truly a great hero.

“Hey, don’t cry. This is all hypothetical. If they wanted revenge, they could have just killed him instead of kidnapping him.”

I wanted to snap back asking if that was supposed to be comfort, but since I wanted to think positively, I nodded.

“Anyway, this much is certain. When you tried to recall your father, someone erased that memory entirely. Whether the method was hypnosis, brainwashing, or whatever — I don’t know how such a thing is even possible — but judging from the symbol that appeared, there’s a high probability it’s connected to the gates. It’s only a probability, though. It could be someone trying to make it look like the gates are reviving.”

“Who, and why?”

“There are gate-worshipping cults.”

The gate-worshipping cult, Acllo.

They regarded the monsters as something like God’s agents carving out this rotten world.

“Humans who destroy nature and wallow in pleasure! Accept God’s judgment!”

“Be reborn through death!”

Those who believed the beings beyond the gates came down to devour humans and plant a new race dismissed my father as a blasphemer who rejected the punishment of the gates.

“Certainly, I think that’s more likely.”

Acllo had attempted terrorism against Father several times. Of course, they all ended in failure since they couldn’t match him militarily.

“I was taught that monsters have no intelligence. That they’re beings who simply delight in merciless slaughter.”

“Well, that’s what I was taught too. I’ve never seen one myself, so I can’t say for sure.”

It seemed unlikely that such monsters could find a way to counteract neodymium’s effects or kidnap Father and erase his existence.

“So we need to keep all possibilities open. As you said, there might be clues in the work logs. There was actual evidence that your father existed, after all.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I hugged one of the notebooks from the top of the pile.

The volume was larger than I’d expected, but since Father’s name had been erased, it should be easy to find.

“Oh, but why did you come to Robeang Village?”

“Is it a problem for me to visit my family’s territory?”

“It’s not that…”

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been able to get these work logs either.”

It was an arrogant way of speaking, but it was true. Until Aidan appeared, I’d even been thinking about stealing the logs.

“That’s right. Thanks to you, I received them.”

At my thanks, he sharply turned his head the other way. But he’d overlooked something. There was no umbrella here.

Thanks to that, his earlobes — as red as his hair — were perfectly visible.

So Aidan’s ears turn red first when he’s embarrassed. It was an unexpectedly cute trait.

The carriage, which had been moving so smoothly I hadn’t even noticed it was running, slowly came to a stop. Looking outside, we were in front of my house.

I’d thought he would just drop me off as soon as we entered the capital.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I came comfortably.”

“Whatever, it was on the way.”

“Young Master Aidan’s residence is in the opposite direction from my house.”

“What are you talking about. I’m going to the gate research institute.”

“What?”

“In a situation where the gates might be involved, I have to investigate. If something like that really happens, it’s a catastrophe.”

I’d been busy thinking only about finding my father. Do people of high status think so far ahead? No wonder he’s a Young Master.

“Here, instead, you investigate this.”

He handed me the pile of notebooks he’d brought from the mercenary band.

“One day should be enough time, right?”

“What? All of this? I thought we were going to look at it together!”

“I believe you now.”

With those last words, Aidan really left.

“…What?”

So that meant — he believes that Father exists?

Someone believes what I say. Strangely, just that made me feel like I could breathe again.

“Wait, this isn’t the time to be happy. He never even apologized to me properly!”

I should have demanded an apology for treating me like a crazy person!

I was so flustered I couldn’t even bring it up.

Grumbling, I set the notebooks down on the floor.

Still, for Aidan’s personality, saying he believes someone is a big deal. Really surprising.

“No, but telling me to read all of this by tomorrow is too much, isn’t it?”

Father had taken on more than one or two jobs!

“Ugh, let’s start for now.”

I picked up a black rubber band rolling on the dining table, tied my hair up in one bunch, and made strong coffee.

To organize everything here and report to Aidan tomorrow, I had no choice but to cut down on sleep.

Aidan inadvertently turned his gaze to the side.

He recalled the silver hair that had been shining in the sunlight here just moments ago.

“Hmm.”

Cynthia Violetta.

Throughout his three years at the academy, Aidan had never been able to understand her.

A commoner with a noble title she couldn’t even properly use — inherited thanks to her dead parents — she’d stubbornly attended the academy.

Even when all the other nobles ignored her, she never seemed to care.

He could still vividly picture her during exam periods, hair hastily tied up, dark circles heavy under her eyes, the smell of cheap coffee filling the library.

If it weren’t for Cynthia, he would have been the top student all three years at the academy.

Now she was searching for her disappeared father with that same tenacity. More fiercely than anyone.

“Should I have… apologized.”

Startled by his own muttering, Aidan looked around. It was a reflexive action even though he knew no one was there.

An apology? The sole heir of the Winslow family, apologizing? Preposterous.

“Still, well. I should help her.”

Because he’d learned that her father really did exist.

“Young Master, we’ve arrived.”

At the coachman’s voice, he raised his head.

Through the window, the grand building of the gate research institute came into view.

What had started as a small warehouse was now firmly established as the empire’s core building.

Because this research institute controlled the neodymium across the entire continent.

Hearing of Aidan’s sudden visit, the research institute director Stanley came running out in a fluster.

“Oh my, it would have been better if you’d given us advance notice of your visit.”

“Why? Do you have something to hide?”

“What? Th-there’s no way that’s the case.”

Stanley shook his head vigorously. He couldn’t afford to be misunderstood. The gate research institute had been able to grow to this point because of the Winslow family’s full support in its early days.

“What brings you here today?”

“I need some records.”

“Oh dear, if you’d told us in advance, we would have found and organized them for you. What do you need?”

Every time he bowed, the few strands of hair left on his head fluttered in the wind.

“All materials from the first gate that appeared to the last gate. And the neodymium research records as well.”

“What? All the data?”

His short legs, which had been diligently following along, stopped dead.

“Why, is it difficult?”

“N-no, not at all! It’s just that the volume is so vast, it will take a long time…”

“I don’t care. Bring all of it. Without missing a single thing.”

“Y-yes!”

As Stanley went running off in a fluster, Aidan leisurely followed behind.