Volume 2 Chapter 17 Pursue the Truth!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So… what about the ones who were attacked?”
Sir Tethyrkan asked with a worried look, and Sir Aaron replied in a barely audible voice.
”Apparently, Butler Moore is dead on the spot. Melon got an axe in her back, and for now, it seems she’s not in immediate danger, but she’s seriously hurt. And Karin… she got an axe from her right shoulder to her ribs… her right lung is crushed, and she’s hanging between life and death…”
Hearing those words, I couldn’t stop my tears.
Oh, why did this happen while Yuuta was away…
When I entered the butler’s room, it was already a sea of blood.
I was so flustered… I should have protected those kids better…
Sir Aaron gently hugged my trembling shoulders as I cried uncontrollably.
”I’m sorry, Akari. It’s my fault. I thought it was just a terrorist act at the research building or the town, and I let my guard down… I can’t even apologize properly. I feel terrible for Yuuta too.”
”So, what about the culprit?”
Sir Tethyrkan remained calm.
”They got away. Well, we had to tend to the injured first, so chasing after them wasn’t an option. But… where did that guy come from? A Beastfolk looking like that. You’d think someone would notice in such a small town! The gatekeeper didn’t notice him at all…”
”Maybe he entered from the back?”
”Yeah, that’s a reasonable thought, but the back has a pretty high wall, and it’s been worn down by the weather. If someone climbed over, there should be some traces, but there were none.”
”That’s puzzling…”
”Yeah. But we can’t just sit around. We need to be on high alert until Yuuta gets back. We’ve already strictly forbidden anyone from entering or leaving the manor and closed the gates, so the culprit shouldn’t be able to escape the town easily. Plus, we have to save Karin from the brink of death as soon as possible!!”
”I have some knowledge of healing, so I can help a bit.”
”Please take care of this… So, Tethyrkan. I’m sorry, but could you stay with Karin and take Akari with you?”
”Leave it to me,”
Sir Tethyrkan said as he picked me up and walked alongside me, matching my pace.
* * *
After Tethyrkan and Akari left, Aaron was left alone to think.
Yeah… back then, that assassin definitely said, “Don’t you want to be king again?”
Who on earth is thinking such a grand thing?
When I dismissed that idea, he said, “Then there’s no helping it,” and attacked me.
That mastermind must be trying to mess with the technological innovation this town is aiming for.
And if I had ambitions, would they try to recruit me, and if not, eliminate me? No, that’s not right.
They should be able to destroy the research facility after I say no, right?
No, no… attacking the research facility after ambushing me might be tough… or maybe they’re not even considering me a threat at that tech level and just want to make an example of me…
In any case, this enemy doesn’t seem easy to deal with. Ah, Yuuta. Come back soon!!
* * *
”My lord… Karin… Karin has regained consciousness!!”
Akari said, her eyes filled with tears. It had already been over 2 weeks since the attack on the lord’s mansion. Melon had also regained consciousness but was still in the hospital, on strict bed rest.
”Is that so… Well, that’s good for now…”
I was worried I might never hear that lively voice again, but the fact that she was alive was the most important thing. I should go visit her soon.
”So, how is her condition?”
”Ah, no. For me, just saving her life is more than enough…”
”What’s with that vague way of speaking? What happened to Karin is my responsibility. Speak honestly.”
”Yes… Karin’s right arm is… still attached, but she can’t move it freely like before…”
”What!? Not even healing will help?”
”If she continues rehab patiently, she might be able to move it a little, but grabbing things, throwing, or writing… she can’t do any of that…”
”…What a thing. Did I really make that child carry such a heavy burden…”
”Oh, it’s definitely not your fault, my lord!! If I had been more careful back then, my child wouldn’t have had to go through such a thing.”
”Ugh… Akari. Don’t blame yourself like that. I’m just as guilty. I’ll do everything I can so that child doesn’t have to suffer anymore. After all, Karin is the one who saved my life.”
And then, a week later.
I heard that Karin was allowed visitors, so I hurried to see her.
”Oh, Karin. I’m so sorry. If I had been more alert, this wouldn’t have happened…”
”…My lord, please don’t apologize. I rushed in without thinking too.”
”But if you hadn’t protected me back there, I… that’s why you’re my lifesaver. I don’t know what I can do yet, but I’m determined to repay you for the rest of my life.”
”That’s so dramatic… but… can I ask for one thing?”
”Oh, go ahead.”
”I… I’ve become a bit disabled, but… will you make me your wife, my lord? Oh, it doesn’t have to be right away. When I grow up… until then, I’ll do my best to move my right arm again…”
”Oh, Karin… I understand. From now on, you’re my fiancée. When you come of age, I’ll welcome you as my proper wife!!”
”Yay! Mom, is that okay?”
”Geez… this kid… I’m sure Dad will agree too…”
”Then, my lord… since we’re engaged now, I can just call you Sir Aaron, right? Sir Aaron, can I ask for one more thing… will you give me a kiss? Just on the cheek is fine.”
”Is that all? Then I’ll do it as many times as you want!!”
Saying that, I gently rubbed my cheek against Karin’s over and over.
* * *
After leaving Karin’s hospital room, I headed to Melon’s room.
”Yeah, that’s right. I didn’t notice at all when the thief came into my room. I finished gathering my documents, stood up, and was about to leave when suddenly they were right behind me… and then they hit me in the back with an axe.”
”I see. But it’s a relief it wasn’t a fatal injury.”
”Seriously. I instinctively shifted my body just in time, so the blow missed my vital spots… but I ended up with a pretty big wound on my back. This is probably gonna leave a scar for life.”
”What? You want me to take responsibility too? Fine by me. But only as a side chick.”
”No way, Sir Aaron! I’m making Yuuta take responsibility!!”
”MelMel…”
”Oh, Mama Akari… I’m sorry. But when I thought I might die from that, I started to think about how I want to cherish my feelings. So, is it okay if I become the 4th wife?”
”MelMel… then when Yuuta gets back, we’ll make him take responsibility for that wound.”
Melon looked better than I expected. But seriously, how did he just show up out of nowhere? Can a big guy like that really sneak up behind Melon, who’s a Beastfolk? Is it some kind of teleportation magic? I think there have been cases like that, but I’ve never heard of it happening with Beastfolk. What on earth is going on!? Aaron thought.
* * *
A month passed since the attack on the lord’s mansion, and both of them were still in the hospital, but they were recovering their strength steadily.
I visited every other day to cheer them on.
Karin was already acting like my wife, saying things like what she wanted to eat and where she wanted to go once she got better, giving me all sorts of orders, but it wasn’t too bad.
I guess I’ll just look forward to this girl becoming an adult.
Just then, as I was leaving the hospital, a fast horse arrived. I was told to return to the lord’s mansion immediately.
”What’s going on!? Did something happen again?”
”Well, it’s that… the head secretary from the Royal Capital has come to see you!!”
”What!? It’s not Yuuta?”
I had a bad feeling and asked the messenger.
”Did you tell Yuuta’s family about this?”
”No, not yet…”
”That’s fine. Keep this under wraps until I talk to my secretary!!”
With that, I hurried back to the lord’s mansion.
* * *
At the lord’s mansion, I heard from Secretary Puruun about the gate explosion in the Royal Capital, and I was shocked.
”What the hell… is Yuuta safe!? Can he come back?”
”Right now, I can’t say much. I’ve heard about the arson incident here, and the Queen suddenly decided to send me, but by the time I left the Royal Capital, the gate system was completely useless, and Sistemador was still unconscious… And to think even Sir Aaron was attacked, along with Melon and Karin… Ah…”
”It’s entirely my fault. I can’t apologize enough for the huge damage caused to my secretary’s family.”
Wiping tears with a handkerchief, Secretary Puruun says,
”…But, Sir Aaron. This confirms it. This whole series of incidents is definitely a terrorist attack with something big going on behind the scenes!!”
”Yeah. We don’t have proof that the incidents in the Royal Capital and here are connected yet, but it all seems too fishy. If both places had incidents almost simultaneously, it must be some organized group with a solid plan. So, what will you do, Secretary? Are you going to take this information back to the Royal Capital?”
”What are you talking about, Sir Aaron? There’s no way I’m just going to go home after my family got hurt!! I will definitely catch that criminal!! I heard that since the incident, the mansion has been tightly sealed off. Isn’t the criminal still hiding inside the mansion?”
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply