I Became a Sick Nobleman

“Ruel-nim, Jirie and Dion have come to visit. What should we do?” Cassion asked, while polishing his sword.

—How does Cassion know who is here?

Leo, who was happily playing with the spirits, paused for a moment looking at Cassion.

Cassion reluctantly answered the large sparkling eyes looking at him.

“I hear their footsteps.”

—Wow! That’s amazing! Leo exclaimed, spinning around Cassion and the spirits followed suit, jumping and shouting “Kuroo kuru” excitedly.

Although it was chaotic, Cassion looked at Ruel with a calm expression.

“Let them in.”

Ruel fidgeted with his hand that had an IV in it.

Last night at the training ground, he saw the moon instead of the stars, but he didn’t catch a cold.

Instead, pain occurred while he was sleeping, so Cassion brought Fran to him.

This time, the pain did not subside easily even after vomiting black blood, and Fran eventually gave him an IV.

“How is your condition?”

Cassion looked at the pocketwatch in his hand and asked.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore. Can you take it out now?” 

It was uncomfortable to have something stuck in his arm.

“After meeting Jirie and Dion, I will call Fran.”

“Okay.”

Cassion got up and went outside.

—Does it really not hurt?

Leo jumped up and clung to the bed.

“Yeah.” 

Compared to when the condition was severe and the pain came several times a day, he was doing much better now. 

However, it was a little difficult to rush around without any time to rest.

Ruel inhaled Breath and continued with the paperwork he had put off.

—Aren’t you going out today?

Leo looked at Ruel with a look in his eyes that suggested he wanted to go for a walk.

“Do you want to go out?”

—This body wants to run on the training ground.

Ruel stroked Leo’s head. “You go running with Aris first. I’ll go out when it feels better.”

—Okay.

Leo soon lowered his head, as if making a decision, and resisted the temptation with determination.

—This body will go out with Ruel. It’ll be a big problem if Ruel is sad.

“I’m not sad today, so you can run with Aris first.”

—Really?

“Yes.”

—This body understands!

Leo laughed and ran to his exclusive door. Just before he went out, he turned back and looked at Ruel intently.

—Are you happy today?

“Um, a little? The food was delicious.”

—This body is happy too! Leo exclaimed, raising his short front paw as if he were cheering and quickly ran out the door.

Kuroo kuru.

Ruel reacted with astonishment when he saw the spirits gather around the paperwork, almost as if they were comforting him.

“I’m really not sad, so go and have fun.”

Only then did the spirits disperse again.

Even if he was the medium of the barrier that blocked the Great Man, nothing would change.

Get rid of the Red Ash and survive.

That was it.

Ruel put down his pen and turned his stiff shoulders. 

‘I should take a break after finishing this.’

Since it was winter, it was obvious that there would be people who would object if he said he wanted to go out and wander.

Knock. Knock.

“Come in.”

“P-patriarch!”

Jirie and Dion rushed in so urgently that their hair was disheveled by the wind.

When Ruel smiled happily, they stopped and froze like the others who came before them.

Smiling at their confusion, Ruel gestured towards the chairs in front of them. 

“Please, have a seat.”

“Are you okay?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jirie and Dion spoke at the same time and were busy looking at Ruel.

“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine,” Ruel reassured them.

They made subtle expressions.

Although there were no injuries, he still did not look healthy.

First, they took a deep breath and sat down on the chairs that Ruel had pointed out.

“What exactly happened?” 

Jirie asked cautiously.

However, although Ruel understood his feelings, this incident was not a story he could share casually.

Instead, Ruel prepared to bring up another story.

“Cassion, give it to Jirie.”

Cassion handed a piece of paper to Jirie.

It was a certificate authorizing the trading of royal goods received from Banios.

Jirie’s face hardened as he read one letter at a time, and the hand holding the certificate trembled.

The eyes soon moved quickly.

As nothing changed after reading it again and again, Jirie looked at Ruel with a face filled with emotion.

He seemed on the verge of kneeling down in gratitude.

“You are my representative.”

In addition, Jirie expressed his admiration in a hoarse voice at Ruel’s comment, which reached its peak.

“Th-thank you. Thank you so much, my lord! I don’t know how to repay this favor!”

“As always, you just have to show your skills.”

At Ruel’s smile, Jirie stood up and bowed deeply.

“This humble person will always work for you, my lord!”

“You must have heard about the new village being built, so please provide as much support as possible.”

“Of course! We have already researched what is needed and are preparing the items!”

As expected from a merchant, he was quick with information. 

Ruel then turned to Dion, who seemed to be expecting something.

His gaze was reminiscent of Leo’s, seeking approval. After a moment of thought, Ruel spoke.

“The recent back alley incident was largely handled thanks to you. I should have told you back then, but I apologize for the delay.”

“It’s okay.”

“What do you want?”

“Just a word of thanks from you is enough, my lord,” Dion replied, genuinely satisfied.

Ruel was always concerned because the Birds had no material desires.

“As I mentioned before, we exist for you, my lord. The support is already sufficient, and you don’t need to give us more.”

Dion seemed like he wouldn’t accept anything this time either, but Ruel had to give him something else to do.

‘Should I give him that?’ Ruel thought for a moment and then called Cassion.

“Cassion, just give me a piece of paper.”

Reluctantly, Cassion took out a piece of paper from his pocket, which had now become a store.

Cassion didn’t know what Ruel would ask for, so he had everything prepared.

Ruel immediately started writing on a piece of paper, the sound of the pen filling the room. 

Jirie and Dion waited quietly, suppressing their curiosity.

“Take it,” Ruel handed the neatly folded paper to Dion, who reluctantly accepted it.

“It’s a letter.”

“Thank you. I will cherish it,” Dion replied with a warm smile, carefully tucking the letter into his pocket.

Now that they had received something, he had an excuse to make a request. Ruel spoke up, “I want to give you one more task. Is that okay?”

“Please command as you wish. We follow your orders,” Dion replied.

“There are rumors and people to investigate within the Royal Family. Cassion will pass on the details. Can you and Jirie handle it?”

Jirie smiled proudly. 

Now that his influence reached the Royal Family, it was natural that his scope of investigation would expand. 

There was more brilliance overflowing from Ruel than when Jirie first saw him.

It was like an object whose value increases the more you polish it.

Jirie was able to take a small risk with that insight.

“I will follow as the Lord commands.”

“Our birds always follow their master.”

***

Dion spoke with Jirie with a serious expression, unable to overcome his continued curiosity.

“Mr. Jirie, would you like to go first? I will follow soon.”

“Alright.”

Dion sent Jirie away first and then unfolded the paper as if he were handling the most precious item.

He soon bit his trembling lip.

Then again, Dion carefully took the letter in his arms.

‘He knew.’

To become a bird, the first thing Dion had to do was give up his name.

The real name, which he had never mentioned since he was given the name ‘Dion’, and not just one, but the real names of all the birds, were written as if they were precious.

Someone remembered them, who had no choice but to be forgotten by everyone.

Dion is so grateful for that. He just burst into tears.

***

Banios, Adoris, five family heads, and barons visited Setiria.

Ruel was scolded by the two princes and scolded by the barons, but he was relieved and shed tears, so he thought he should stop blowing up carriages.

From that day on, Ruel worked out from time to time to build up his basic physical strength, and increased his mana among the spirits.

Ruel spent his days drawing mana for the experiment with the black water, sometimes spent his days and nights looking at the sky. Now it was time to start moving, and Ruel made a loud announcement that the enemies could hear.

“Lord Ruel Setiria has awakened!”

It was a week after the carriage accident.

***

“I see you, Prince Huan.”

Diagos bowed politely to Huan.

It was the first time in almost two years that Huan had called him publicly.

“Please, have a seat.” Huan gestured to a chair. 

When he smiled, Diagos felt like he was sticking his head into a beast’s mouth. It didn’t feel good. 

Nevertheless, Diagos smiled brightly and asked about his well-being.

“You look better. It seems like things are going well for you.”

“Thanks to you, everything went well.” Huan replied, his voice slightly heavier than his words suggested. As his gaze settled, he continued speaking.

“I went to visit Lord Setiria in his mansion and met your daughter, Serti Shio.”

When Serti was mentioned, Diagos had a vague sense of what was coming.

“I’m worried about what impertinence she might have shown to you, Your Highness,” Diagos pretended not to understand and changed the subject.

“Isn’t it you who has been impertinent?” However, Huan caught Diagos’ tail.

“I only sent the child away because I was busy.”

“Diagos Shio, don’t evade the topic.”

“Your Highness…”

“Did I order you to send your daughter to Setiria? Or did you use your daughter to get on Setiria’s side?”

It was only then that Diagos desperately got up from his seat and prostrated himself in front of Huan. 

“Your Highness! I, I have made a mistake! I thought my plan would be helpful for Your Highness.”

“Didn’t I clearly tell you not to do anything other than what I tell you to do?”

“I swear I will never do something arbitrary like this again!”

Huan rested his chin on the back of his hand and looked down at Diagos, who was lying face down.

“Your daughter is indeed something you can be proud of.”

Diagos felt an unexplainable sense of foreboding at Huan’s words, whose meaning he could not understand.

“It seems like I have relied on you too much all this time.” 

“My, my lord.”

“Do you particularly favor Serti?”

At the mention of using Serti, Diagos felt a surge of anger. 

He could tolerate anything else, but not when it came to his daughter. 

His beloved daughter, Serti. 

She was more precious to him than his own life. 

What had that child suffered at the hands of that venomous snake in Setiria? 

The memory of seeing Serti returning from Setiria, crying, flashed through his mind.

“Your Highness, that child is still young. Please punish me for my mistake,” Diagos pleaded.

“Leave now,” Huan said, coldly gesturing towards the door.

“Your Highness.”

“I said, leave.”

“I will take my leave for today. I will come back to ask for forgiveness another time,” Diagos said as he got up and bowed to Huan, who didn’t even spare him a glance.

As Diagos stepped out of the room, deep anger flashed in his eyes. 

He was a lord, but he couldn’t escape Huan’s grasp after the incident five years ago. 

He never thought that what he had done to secure a golden future would turn into a noose around his neck.

‘Huan Leponia.’

The words Huan had spoken to him were a warning. 

A warning not to commit such acts in the future. 

As much as he relied on Huan, Huan also needed him, but he had touched a nerve.

Serti should not have been touched.

‘If I die, the next one to become a dog will be my daughter.’

He should have bitten first before Huan bit his neck.

‘Serti, no matter what happens, your father will protect you.’

Diagos clenched his fist and walked down the hallway. 

His footsteps echoed fiercely.

Author's Thoughts

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