LIGHTNOVELONLINE The Nerd Turned Out To Be The Tyrant
Chapter 118
Luce sat up without realizing it. It was that shocking.
Franz was the most suited to being a knight among the people Luce knew. He had a passion for the work, possessed talent, and was interested in training skilled swordsmen. Why would he suddenly quit being a knight? And without even informing his father, Baron Felice? “You don’t believe it, right?” “Yes, he definitely told me that it was time for him to settle down in one place. That’s why he said he was ending his life as a wandering knight and heading to Menelik County… Really? Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” Yohan gently pushed Luce back down as she suddenly sat up, wearing a troubled expression. “You know, I feel the same way. It’s hard to believe. No offense, but Franz isn’t someone who could do anything else for a living. Even though he grew up with a musician father, aiming at targets with a bow rather than playing instruments is what he’s really familiar with. You know what kind of person Sir Franz is, don’t you, Lucette?” “Maybe he went to another territory because life in Menelik was hard?” “Why do you think so?” Lucette thought about Angel’s letter, which expressed pity for the bird with steel wings, and recalled the information she knew about Count Menelik. “…I’ve heard a lot of rumors and stories while living in the capital. I’ve also heard things about Menelik County. They say the atmosphere is quite different from Xenon or Rodante.” “It’s definitely not a place where you can relax. It’s a bustling commercial city with a lot of people coming and going, so the security is unstable. There are so many pickpockets that there are posters on every street warning you to watch your pockets.” Yohan, who had told her that he had seen it when he went to get the letter, sighed deeply. “But if you had gone somewhere else, you would have received a letter of recommendation. For the wandering knights, the letter of recommendation written by the lord is a certificate of identity and a proof of career. However, when I asked the document manager, he only said that there was no record of issuance. If he had just changed his place of work, he definitely would have told us.” “Then are you saying he just resigned?” “That’s the situation for now….Should I tell the lord about this or not? Why am I always the one to deliver awkward news? Is this the fate of being an aide?” Luce, who was watching Yohan begin to lament his fate, suddenly opened her mouth. Something had come to mind. “Isn’t it possible that he didn’t actually quit, but is on another mission? Something that needs to be done secretly.” “Huh?” “Angel once mentioned something to me. While staying at the Bradbury estate, he worried because Franz would often get called out in the middle of the night and wouldn’t return for a long time. Of course, Angel is young, so he doesn’t know the details of what his father does… But if it were just regular scouting or guard duties like the knights of Rodante do, there wouldn’t be a reason to be called out suddenly, right?” “My father was called out several times in the middle of the night and didn’t come back for days. When he returned, sometimes he would be carrying a lot of swords, and other times he would be covered in bandages, but either way, he always seemed upset, as if he had lost a fight.” “If he took on a task that had to be kept secret even from his family, and his fellow knights had to think he had quit, then wouldn’t it make sense that he was given a new role, considering he worked as a knight for a long time and has experience with confidential missions?” “I don’t know what it is, but it doesn’t sound very good.” “That’s what I’m saying. And according to what Angel said, he would be really upset after finishing those tasks.” “Now I’m even more worried… It really seems like your guess is correct, Lucette. Yeah, there’s no way Franz would just quit without a plan. I guess I was thinking too much in terms of our territory, where we don’t have secret missions like that.” “Could you let me know if you manage to contact him?” “Yeah, sure. It’s better not to report this to the lord, right?” Baron Felice is a person like a wildflower, so he might be shocked if he heard that his son had disappeared. However, Luce, who was about to nod absentmindedly, stopped. “Still, I think that the lord should know the news.” “I thought you would try to stop me by saying that it would be a big deal if the lord found out, but that’s an unexpected answer.” “You know how the lord is, but it is about his son. I think it would be more shocking if he found out later.” After a long silence, Yohan slowly nodded. Even though he spoke sharply, he truly admired and liked his superior. “That’s the right thing to do…I’ll have to stop by Menelik County on the way down. If it’s confirmed that he’s lost contact with his family, I’ll report it. Thanks, Lucette.” “It’s nothing.” Yohan laughed with a very embarrassed expression. “Since you’ve been helping with the estate work so much, I find myself relying on you quite a bit. I shouldn’t be doing this as an adult, though.” “If it helped you, then I’m glad. And besides, it’s about Rodante, well.” “Oh my, this kid is saying something special. When I retire, you should become the aide. The apothecary shop in Rodante isn’t that busy, so you should be able to manage both jobs!” She has been getting a lot of offers from people these days. An assistant and a maid. Luce laughed weakly. Yohan, who almost got his hand bitten while trying to pat Nox, prepared to leave. What stopped him as he was about to say goodbye was a very unexpected question. “Aide, when did you first see me?” Yohan, standing far away from Nox, tilted his head. “Why are you asking such a thing? It was the day of the Rodante Quiz Contest.” “Do you remember the color of my hair back then?” “What is this, some kind of quiz contest between the two of you? It’s straw-colored, your hair color right now. Don’t some people change their hair color as they grow up?” Luce asked to confirm, looking at Yohan who was answering casually. “Do you have a headache or feel dizzy while you’re talking?” “It’s only natural that my head hurts. I’m really stressing over how to tell the Lord. Other than that, I don’t think there’s anything wrong. Are you feeling sick? Are you worried you might pass it on to me?” After sending off Yohan, who was making a fuss, Lucette headed straight to Dominic’s house. “Dominic, has my hair color ever changed?” “Did you have a dream or something? What’s so out of the blue? Your hair color? Of course, it’s sandy-colored. It’s been like that since you were a kid.” “What about Dietrich?” “More like paper that’s been stored in a dark warehouse for about 20 years. Why, Lucette? Are you thinking about changing your hair color?” The words used to describe herself in her memories varied, but they all referred to the same thing. A girl with beige hair. The expressions on their faces remained unchanged. They didn’t experience any headaches. But why? “…Aunt Dahlia mentioned she had been having headaches ever since the fire. Has she been feeling any better?” Even if that was the case, why did Dahlia have a headache for a while? Why couldn’t she leave Chelsea’s burned house for a while? “Well, she still mentions having headaches from time to time. She used to clutch her head whenever she went to the general store, probably because she had so much to worry about. Or maybe it’s because Elliot still isn’t doing his job properly.” “You’re saying her headaches got worse at the general store?” Lucette, who had been gently chewing on the inside of her cheek, gripped Dietrich’s shoulder. “Brother, you said you’d do anything for me if I helped you organize your thesis materials.” “Uh-huh, that’s right.” “This time, you should help me out.” “If you have a conscience, just say you understand, Brother.” “…Could I at least know what it is before I agree to it, my dear little sister and brother…?” Luce didn’t compromise, and Dominic thought it was someone else’s business. Dietrich nodded, feeling as if he was crying while eating mustard. What on earth was she asking for? “I need a book about wizards, Brother.” He felt discouraged. Then Dietrich, who had thought she was asking for something like carrying herbs, laughed loudly. “Are you talking about that romance novel you used to read? You used to read ones where the emperor was the main character, but now you want the main character to be a wizard?” Luce, who had been laughing with him for a while, answered with a smile on her face. “Novels, poetry, essays, articles, historical texts, even just a page from a diary would be fine. I don’t need anything verified or cross-checked. Anything that mentions a wizard—I’ll take it all.” “Uh, all of it?” “I know there aren’t any specialized books because I’ve already checked in Rodante. That’s why I need to gather as much material as possible.” “But it would take decades to research all of that…” “I’m not asking you to conduct new research. Just look at the materials that haven’t been indexed by the history department at the academy. The discarded records that were deemed ‘historically worthless’ because they’re fantastical or lack evidence—those are exactly what I’m looking for. So.” Lucette added brightly. “I’m asking you to give me the Academy’s trash can.” * * * ‘I never thought I’d be doing this kind of work in Menelik.’ Franz looked up at the high ceiling of the imperial palace and swallowed a sigh. He was dressed in a servant’s uniform. Hello! You can also buy the advanced chapter in Ko-fi now, just click the ko-fi button and look for the title of the novel in shop. Thank you for your support!
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