TSIMG 02

Chapter 02

Rodia stared at him with a dumbfounded expression.

“W-Wait a minute.”

She turned toward the security officer.

“Are you saying Mr. Roat is Miss Prokheit’s legal guardian?”

The officer looked just as stunned as Rodia did.

The man who had introduced himself as Histein Roat simply shrugged and smiled gently.

“That’s correct. Here—this is the notarized documentation from the law firm. Rather than calling it something grand like a legal guardian, you can think of it as being more like a guardian or custodian.”

At Histein’s words, his adjutant, Ricard, handed the prepared documents to the officer.

Since they had been issued by a law firm, there was no legal issue whatsoever.

Standing beside the officer and reading through the papers herself, Rodia immediately understood.

She was still a university student, but she knew enough law to understand what she was reading.

No matter how many times she reread the documents, the result was the same.

The man standing before her truly possessed legal guardianship over her.

Why all of a sudden?

Rodia knew that her older brother Damian had been her legal guardian.

Yet now some stranger had appeared, insisting that he had inherited that authority.

With notarized documents, no less.

She was speechless.

“By what right? Are you my brother or something?”

“I’m not your brother.”

Histein smiled faintly.

“But your brother asked me to take his place.”

“…”

He never actually said who had asked him.

Even so, Rodia instinctively knew he meant Damian.

“For now,” Histein continued, “let’s go to the Security Corps first. Once we’re finished dealing with this matter, we can sit down and talk about Damian’s request. Agreed?”

“…All right.”

She nodded.

“But… could you wait for me in front of the Central Library? I need to pack up my things.”

“Of course.”

The moment Histein nodded, Rodia hurried out of the Chancellor’s Office and ran toward the library.

The rain had soaked the open corridors, and she nearly slipped several times.

Even so, she never stopped running.

“Rodia? What’s wrong?”

The instant she reached the library, she swept everything off the desk and into her bag.

Her friends stared at her in alarm.

“The Security Corps… came to the Chancellor’s Office.”

“They found… what they think is my father’s body…”

“They asked me to identify him…”

She snapped the cap onto her pen before looking up at her friends.

Her face had turned deathly pale.

“I have a terrible feeling…”

“I think it’s really him.”

“Rodia…”

“Ridi.”

Granger grabbed both of her hands tightly.

“You have to go now, don’t you? We’ll explain everything to the professor.”

“Hurry.”

“And call us, okay?”

Only then did Rodia realize how violently her hands were trembling.

“…Okay.”

She forced a nod.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll go.”

With her bag over her shoulder, she left the library.

The man waiting outside immediately stepped forward.

He took her bag from her hands and raised an umbrella over her head.

“Th-Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“This way.”

Inside the carriage sat Histein.

After confirming Rodia had climbed aboard, the man who had escorted her closed the carriage door and returned to the driver’s seat.

“…”

The silence inside the carriage was suffocating.

Rodia let out a heavy sigh before stealing a glance at Histein.

Honey-blond hair that seemed woven from sunlight.

Turquoise-green eyes.

Large, sharp eyes without double eyelids.

Light ivory skin.

Neatly combed short hair.

Well-kept fingernails.

He was, by any standard, an exceptionally handsome man.

Histein Roat.

The most famous—and wealthiest—unmarried man in all of Heint.

Of course she knew who he was.

But this was the first time she’d ever seen him from so close.

As she secretly observed him, one thought kept surfacing.

He looks so much like the boy from my dream…

The boy who had been her first love.

Just then—

“…Staring at someone’s face like that isn’t exactly polite.”

Histein spoke in a flat voice.

“Ah!”

“I’m sorry.”

Caught red-handed, Rodia immediately apologized.

Both of her cheeks flushed bright red.

Anyone could see how embarrassed she was.

The faint freckles beneath her eyes reminded Histein painfully of Damian.

His chest tightened.

Just moments ago…

This young woman may have lost her father.

And soon…

He would also have to tell her about Damian.

That the letter he’d received might very well be Damian’s final farewell.

That she might have no blood relatives left.

For some reason, Histein’s lips suddenly felt unbearably dry.

He found himself biting them unconsciously.

Unaware of his thoughts, the carriage continued steadily onward until it reached its destination—

District Four Security Headquarters in the capital city of Panyu, where the body believed to be Piagen Prokheit had been taken.

“This way, please.”

The officer who had arrived earlier guided them toward the morgue.

With trembling legs, Rodia forced herself to follow.

Her thoughts spiraled endlessly.

What if it really is Father?

What about all his debts?

What if it isn’t him?

Should I have gone home first?

“…Miss?”

“Is something wrong?”

“N-No…”

She couldn’t bring herself to step through the open doorway.

If those cold silver doors opened…

And the person lying inside really was her father…

Her shoulders shook uncontrollably.

Watching her silently, Histein let out a quiet sigh.

“Miss Prokheit.”

“Could you come over and identify the body?”

The cold scent of death hit her immediately.

The white sheet was pulled back.

The man lying on the metal table was somewhere between middle-aged and elderly.

His skin had turned pale with a bluish tint.

The rushing river had battered his body against rocks and debris.

His face was bruised almost beyond recognition.

Dried blood crusted along his eyebrow.

One swollen eyelid had turned a deep purple.

“Ah…”

Rodia staggered.

Standing beside her, Histein instinctively caught her shoulders.

Through his hands, he could feel her trembling violently.

Still supporting her, Histein lowered his eyes toward the body.

Dark reddish-purple hair streaked with gray.

Eyes forever closed.

Colorless lips.

Though swollen and battered beyond recognition…

Seen up close…

He unmistakably resembled Rodia Prokheit.

“I-It’s him…”

“It’s really my father…”

“Oh… God…”

Tears pooled in Rodia’s blue eyes.

He had become a father consumed by gambling, alcohol, and drugs.

A man who wandered the streets instead of coming home.

Who squandered every last coin he owned…

Then buried himself in debt.

There had been times she’d hated him so much she never wanted to see him again.

Even so…

He was one of only two blood relatives she had left.

She had wished for him to live safely.

Never once had she wished for him to die.

And now…

He was gone.

Just like that.

In a single day.

When no one was beside her.

Rodia collapsed to her knees.

The cruel reality struck her without warning.

Tears burst from her blue eyes like water from a broken dam, soaking her pale cheeks.

Once…

Her father had been a proud Royal Guard.

A man who had stood closest to the king, sworn to protect him.

But history had changed.

Unable to withstand the tides of a turbulent era, he had fallen.

Though he had been a father…

He had ultimately failed to protect his own family.

“Miss Prokheit.”

“This way.”

Histein gently helped the sobbing Rodia back outside.

Following behind them, Ricard gave the officer a subtle nod.

Understanding the silent signal, the officer respectfully covered the body once more.

Meanwhile, another guard led Histein and Rodia to a nearby lounge.

“Here.”

Histein placed a cup of warm water into Rodia’s hands.

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

His reply remained as curt as ever.

The warmth slowly seeped through her fingers.

Gradually…

It reached the frozen place inside her heart.

“…It’s strange, isn’t it?”

She stared blankly into the cup.

“The Baron Genedin is dead…”

“So why…”

“Why am I crying?”

“I don’t have to worry about his debts getting any worse anymore.”

“No.”

Histein answered immediately.

“There’s nothing strange about it.”

“He’s still your family.”

“…Thank you.”

She smiled weakly through tears.

“For saying that.”

“…Ah.”

“You said you were my brother’s friend, didn’t you?”

She had nearly forgotten.

Histein nodded.

She knew Histein Roat as the owner of the Magnificent Hotel and the Chief Executive’s aide.

But she didn’t know Histein Roat…

Damian’s friend.

The siblings had spent their entire lives struggling just to survive.

Neither had the luxury of keeping track of each other’s friends.

Their father—

Now dead—

Had been like a flower vase with a hole in the bottom.

Damian had become the frog desperately plugging that hole.

Rodia had been the tiny fairy standing atop the frog’s back inside the vase.

That was how they had survived.

Somewhere along the way…

Rodia had stopped knowing who Damian’s friends were.

Of course, she’d heard Histein’s name before.

Histein Roat.

There wasn’t a single person living in modern Heint who didn’t know it.

Five years earlier, after a bloody struggle lasting ten long years, the Revolutionary Army of Heint had overthrown the monarchy and established a republic.

The Roat family had been one of the nation’s founding noble houses.

Yet despite that legacy…

They had thrown themselves into the revolution.

Chelian Roat, head of the family at the time, had become the right hand of the First Chief Executive and one of the heroes who successfully led the Fleur Citizens’ Revolution.

His only son—

Histein Roat—

Had become famous as the aide to the Second Chief Executive and the president of the Magnificent Hotel.

That was all Rodia knew about him.

She had never known he and Damian were close friends.

“I’m sorry.”

“My brother never told me anything…”

“No need to apologize.”

Histein shook his head.

“Did Damian ever send you any letters?”

“No.”

She answered immediately.

“Nothing.”

“The only letter he ever wrote was the one he left when he ran away from home.”

“He hasn’t contacted us once since then.”

“I see…”

Histein turned his head.

“Ricard.”

“The envelope.”

Ricard, who had been quietly standing against the wall, handed him a large brown document envelope.

Histein accepted it.

Then placed it carefully into Rodia’s hands.

Somehow…

She knew this envelope contained the explanation she’d been searching for.

“As you can see…”

“This is the letter addressed to me from Lombelli Law Firm.”

“And this…”

“…is the letter Damian left for me through them.”

Rodia lowered her eyes and began reading.

The legal document was long and complicated.

But its conclusion matched exactly what Histein had told her.

And then—

Damian’s letter.

Entrusting Rodia to Histein.

“…Ha…”

“This idiot…”

Her voice trembled.

Her brother’s letter.

No—

Could she even call this a letter?

It felt as though the ground had vanished beneath her feet.

Damian had disappeared three years ago after discovering something inside the Prokheit family’s old castle on the day it was sold.

He had run away carrying whatever he’d found.

She had assumed—

Whether he had fled because the family had gone bankrupt…

Or whether he was simply traveling somewhere…

He had promised he’d come back.

So she’d believed he was safe.

Living well.

One year ago…

He had left Heint through Palermo Harbor.

That had been the final trace of him.

“Ah…”

“…Ah…”

“You idiot…!”

Even after all this…

He had prepared everything for her.

Money.

A future.

Even a trusted friend to become her guardian if something happened to him.

“So what does any of that matter?!”

She cried through broken sobs.

“You’re not here!”

“You’re gone, Damian!”

“You stupid idiot…!”

The tears she had only just managed to stop burst forth once again.

“You were supposed to be here!”

“You were supposed to stay beside me at a time like this!”

“What am I supposed to do all by myself?”

“What am I supposed to do now…?”

Unable to crumple what felt like her brother’s last letter…

Rodia clutched it tightly against her chest and wept uncontrollably.