Belfort looked around him. With a bang, an array of fireworks brilliantly burst through the sky. However, there remained palpable tension between the two.
“…Mercy, stay here.”
“But Dad—”
“Stay!”
At the unexpected shout, Mercy flinched.
Mercy’s hand was in the air, about to hold onto Belfort’s robe, but it plopped back down. Her wounded eyes were filled with tears.
However, Belfort was blind to Mercy’s feelings right then. He was much too distracted by Emmett’s words.
“Where do you want to talk?” Belfort asked gruffly.
“…Over there, in that alley.”
Emmett was looking at Mercy, but he soon raised his hand and pointed towards one alley. Belfort took the lead.
As soon as they entered the alley, Belfort thrust his cane menacingly into Emmett’s neck.
“How much do you know?”
I watched this battle of wills with great interest. On Belfort’s part, he was no less than a moth that’s about to go straight into a fire, but it was truly remarkable how pridefully he was carrying himself.
Without any further delay, Emmett spoke up.
“For one, I know that you’re selling children to Marquis Evnen and quite a few other nobles.”
“Do you not know how to shut up?!”
As he was taken aback, Belfort swung his cane. Emmett smoothly eluded the attack.
He raised one hand and grabbed Belfort by the neck. The cane fell from the man’s hand.
Emmett’s voice dropped to a glacial tone. Belfort muttered something back at a suppressed volume. He must be muttering an incantation for a spell.
However, nothing worked on Emmett.
As soon as he realized just how powerful Emmett was, Belfort’s face practically turned blue.
“How did you come up with the idea of using the Young Count?”
Those words sent a jolt through me.
The previous tower lord also dared set his eyes on Albert?
“I intend to pay the proper price before taking him!”
“You’re well aware that your actions are illegal.”
…But it soon occurred to me that Count and Countess Grey might have had a hand in this as well. They were both money-hungry people.
“I-I’ll give you money, if that’s what you want!”
Belfort knew that he couldn’t stand a chance against Emmett, and so he shifted gears and tried to appease the sage another way.
This seemed to be what Emmett wanted to hear. Letting out no qualms, Emmett nodded.
“Well said.”
“……”
Belfort looked perplexed. Even though he was the one who threw the bait, he didn’t know that the other man would bite so quickly.
“Then, give me this much.”
When Emmett held out a piece of paper, Belfort snatched it from his hand bitterly. And soon, he balked at the amount written on it.
“Are you crazy? How on earth am I supposed to pay this much—”
Emmett blinked.
“Should I reveal it all?”
“…I’ll get it ready.”
Even from here, I could see that Belfort was plotting something. It was clear that he’s just planning to give the money for now, then retaliate later.
“Get it ready right now then.”
At Emmett’s words, Belfort’s eyes grew wide.
“If not, I’ll just go ahead and spread rumors.”
Belfort flinched. He gauged Emmett’s capabilities. He must have now realized that Emmett was not one to bluff.
Biting his lips for a long time, Belfort eventually nodded.
“Alright.”
“I’ll see you here in an hour,” Emmett replied cheerfully.
At that, Belfort quickly scrammed.
When Belfort was completely gone, my eyes met with Emmett’s.
“…That man intended to buy Albert?”
“To be exact, he was planning to buy Albert from Count and Countess Grey illegally, erase all his memories, then use him as a slave.”
“He wouldn’t have gotten caught?”
“If he locks the child up in the magic tower and puts an illusory spell on him, nobody will see. The Tower Lord possesses a great amount of magic power too.”
At the unexpected conspiracy, my mouth gaped wide open.
I never imagined that a kidnapping had been planned while Albert was a child.
At the same time, it occurred to me why Emmett had not told Albert about any of this.
He would have wanted Albert to continue his life, not knowing about such a despicable thing.
One question still remained.
“Albert holds the title of the Count’s heir, so why would the Tower Lord do such a thing?”
“He’s aware that Albert could one day be prince, so he’s trying to reduce the puppets that Marquis Evnen would be able to wield. Though the Tower Lord and Marquis Evnen have a beneficial relationship with each other, they constantly keep each other in check.”
In the future where Albert had already become king, both men’s lives had already ended. It was surprising to me that they were so treacherous towards each other in the past like this.
“Belfort has a predilection for pretty faces, so that’s probably the reason. But it’s the first time that he’s bringing in children and selling them.”
…He’s a sexual predator? For a different reason, I gaped. It felt like I was seeing all kinds of things.
“I asked for quite a lot of money… and I’ll erase all his memories about trafficking children.”
In this alleyway, as the sage’s expression darkened, what could be seen evidently was his extreme repulsion.
“I tend to stay out of the affairs of human beings, but…”
Ruffling his hair once, Emmett slowly closed his eyes.
“If it involves Albert, I can’t bring myself to turn a blind eye.”
There was a sense of despondency as he mentioned Albert’s name. His affection for the child seemed to be an unexpected variable for him.
Even if someone had lived for as long as he did, it’s impossible to predict everything in one’s future.
Such was life.
Belfort looked around him. With a bang, an array of fireworks brilliantly burst through the sky. However, there remained palpable tension between the two.
“…Mercy, stay here.”
“But Dad—”
“Stay!”
At the unexpected shout, Mercy flinched.
Mercy’s hand was in the air, about to hold onto Belfort’s robe, but it plopped back down. Her wounded eyes were filled with tears.
However, Belfort was blind to Mercy’s feelings right then. He was much too distracted by Emmett’s words.
“Where do you want to talk?” Belfort asked gruffly.
“…Over there, in that alley.”
Emmett was looking at Mercy, but he soon raised his hand and pointed towards one alley. Belfort took the lead.
As soon as they entered the alley, Belfort thrust his cane menacingly into Emmett’s neck.
“How much do you know?”
I watched this battle of wills with great interest. On Belfort’s part, he was no less than a moth that’s about to go straight into a fire, but it was truly remarkable how pridefully he was carrying himself.
Without any further delay, Emmett spoke up.
“For one, I know that you’re selling children to Marquis Evnen and quite a few other nobles.”
“Do you not know how to shut up?!”
As he was taken aback, Belfort swung his cane. Emmett smoothly eluded the attack.
He raised one hand and grabbed Belfort by the neck. The cane fell from the man’s hand.
Emmett’s voice dropped to a glacial tone. Belfort muttered something back at a suppressed volume. He must be muttering an incantation for a spell.
However, nothing worked on Emmett.
As soon as he realized just how powerful Emmett was, Belfort’s face practically turned blue.
“How did you come up with the idea of using the Young Count?”
Those words sent a jolt through me.
The previous tower lord also dared set his eyes on Albert?
“I intend to pay the proper price before taking him!”
“You’re well aware that your actions are illegal.”
…But it soon occurred to me that Count and Countess Grey might have had a hand in this as well. They were both money-hungry people.
“I-I’ll give you money, if that’s what you want!”
Belfort knew that he couldn’t stand a chance against Emmett, and so he shifted gears and tried to appease the sage another way.
This seemed to be what Emmett wanted to hear. Letting out no qualms, Emmett nodded.
“Well said.”
“……”
Belfort looked perplexed. Even though he was the one who threw the bait, he didn’t know that the other man would bite so quickly.
“Then, give me this much.”
When Emmett held out a piece of paper, Belfort snatched it from his hand bitterly. And soon, he balked at the amount written on it.
“Are you crazy? How on earth am I supposed to pay this much—”
Emmett blinked.
“Should I reveal it all?”
“…I’ll get it ready.”
Even from here, I could see that Belfort was plotting something. It was clear that he’s just planning to give the money for now, then retaliate later.
“Get it ready right now then.”
At Emmett’s words, Belfort’s eyes grew wide.
“If not, I’ll just go ahead and spread rumors.”
Belfort flinched. He gauged Emmett’s capabilities. He must have now realized that Emmett was not one to bluff.
Biting his lips for a long time, Belfort eventually nodded.
“Alright.”
“I’ll see you here in an hour,” Emmett replied cheerfully.
At that, Belfort quickly scrammed.
When Belfort was completely gone, my eyes met with Emmett’s.
“…That man intended to buy Albert?”
“To be exact, he was planning to buy Albert from Count and Countess Grey illegally, erase all his memories, then use him as a slave.”
“He wouldn’t have gotten caught?”
“If he locks the child up in the magic tower and puts an illusory spell on him, nobody will see. The Tower Lord possesses a great amount of magic power too.”
At the unexpected conspiracy, my mouth gaped wide open.
I never imagined that a kidnapping had been planned while Albert was a child.
At the same time, it occurred to me why Emmett had not told Albert about any of this.
He would have wanted Albert to continue his life, not knowing about such a despicable thing.
One question still remained.
“Albert holds the title of the Count’s heir, so why would the Tower Lord do such a thing?”
“He’s aware that Albert could one day be prince, so he’s trying to reduce the puppets that Marquis Evnen would be able to wield. Though the Tower Lord and Marquis Evnen have a beneficial relationship with each other, they constantly keep each other in check.”
In the future where Albert had already become king, both men’s lives had already ended. It was surprising to me that they were so treacherous towards each other in the past like this.
“Belfort has a predilection for pretty faces, so that’s probably the reason. But it’s the first time that he’s bringing in children and selling them.”
…He’s a sexual predator? For a different reason, I gaped. It felt like I was seeing all kinds of things.
“I asked for quite a lot of money… and I’ll erase all his memories about trafficking children.”
In this alleyway, as the sage’s expression darkened, what could be seen evidently was his extreme repulsion.
“I tend to stay out of the affairs of human beings, but…”
Ruffling his hair once, Emmett slowly closed his eyes.
“If it involves Albert, I can’t bring myself to turn a blind eye.”
There was a sense of despondency as he mentioned Albert’s name. His affection for the child seemed to be an unexpected variable for him.
Even if someone had lived for as long as he did, it’s impossible to predict everything in one’s future.
Such was life.
