Even a Scoundrel Gets Tired

147 – The Child Directly Granted Nobility by the Emperor

If it were the 21st century

where I once lived, perhaps…

But this Empire where I reside now has rather poor public order.

So much so that such a saying

had spread amongst the commoners.

‘If you wish to witness a chase scene,

Just stand in front of the

food stall in the marketplace over there.’

Who spread this saying,

The exact source could not be discerned, but

One thing was certain.

That such an absurd

rumor spread because

Thefts happened frequently.

‘Out of the way, get out of the way!!’

‘Seize…seize that scoundrel!!’

‘Is it starting again? I’ll bet he won’t be caught.’

‘Then I’ll bet 100 copper he will.’

Of course, such incidents

didn’t occur so openly.

The guardsmen weren’t just

a profession for loafing about.

Naturally, if such incidents

did occur, they would

Always do their best to capture the culprit, and

Imprison the sinner in the jail cell just like that.

‘There…adventurer, in the Empire,

Eating and running is clearly a crime.’

‘..Ha, guardsmen…

I’m not in a good mood right now, you know?’

‘..So?’

“Go nice and easy, now…

Or perhaps you’d care to sample the taste of my blade…? Grah!”

“Nothing more to see. Restrain him and take him in.”

“Yes, sir!”

Of course, the guardsmen here

were not to be underestimated either.

They were, after all, guardsmen in name and deed,

and could not be overwhelmed by common criminals.

The lords who ruled each territory

selected them with utmost care,

personally choosing each individual.

“Hah…hah… don’t you follow me!”

“W-wait, stop… I said stop!”

“Damnation, that’s…?”

“…Ha, I’m going to catch an earful again.”

Yet, within this Empire, there existed one place, uniquely,

where not a single guardsman

was ever stationed.

That place was Gloom’s Alley.

Commonly known as the backstreets.

No one knew what sort of magic

had been cast,

but even at midday,

sunlight never reached that street.

Continuously,

as if shrouded in eternal darkness.

Of course, the Empire, too,

had tried to remedy the situation.

They installed numerous

magical devices that emitted their own light,

forcing illumination upon the alley, but

the lack of sunlight caused far more inconvenience than they had anticipated.

Without the sun,

it became impossible to tell how much time had passed outside

while within the buildings.

Plants withered away

without the sun’s rays to nourish them.

And people hesitated to venture into any area not illuminated by the magical devices.

The citizens’ grievances,

in one form or another, continued to mount, and

Eventually, people began to cease their steps on that street,

until before long, the street became

a place where not even

the traces of footsteps remained…

“…Hey, how about here?”

“Where…are you out of your mind?”

“No…why, what’s wrong with it?”

“This is *that* place, Gloom’s Street?!”

“Bloody hell…are we in a

position to be choosy about anything?

Let’s just go inside!”

Rather, for the criminals,

that aspect proved to be perfectly suited.

With no people around, they could

saunter about the street

as they pleased, and even if

a pursuit team were to tail them,

all they had to do was

secretly slip into a place

where not a single light shone.

Besides, people used to live on this street,

so there was no need

to find a new nest for themselves, was there?

They could just enter any empty house.

And so, the rumors

about that street began to spread,

and it finally formed.

A street that housed the worst

of humanity within the empire.

“Your Majesty, news continues to arrive

that the movements on

Gloom’s Street are increasingly

ominous as of late…”

“It would be better to dispose

of such filth as quickly as…”

And so, continuing to

expand its power

to the surrounding areas,

naturally this news reached the Emperor’s ears,

and at the same time,

a considerable number of nobles cheered.

“Haha, finally I can kill that b*stard!”

“Huu… if only His Majesty would just kill him… the witness will be as good as gone!”

Many of them already had ties to criminals anyway.

Rather than have their involvement

exposed to the world,

they decided that the method of

silencing them permanently

was more efficient and preferable.

Without knowing what

judgment the Emperor would render.

“Hmm… for now, I shall leave them be.”

“Y-Your Majesty?!”

“B-But Your Majesty, what does…?!”

It was an answer no one had imagined.

They couldn’t believe such words

came from the lips of the most benevolent ruler,

one who cherished and loved his people above all else.

Several nobles already

doubted their own ears,

and among them, some gaped so wide their jaws seemed ready to unhinge.

Naturally, the backlash was severe.

And why wouldn’t it be? They were criminals, after all.

Rascals who had penetrated

the Empire’s numerous defenses and

wormed their way inside.

Their skills, of course,

would be nothing short of extraordinary.

How could they possibly leave them be?

The nobles couldn’t

comprehend the Emperor’s reasoning.

Not until his lips parted once more.

“Such individuals, in any case,

cannot be controlled by us.”

Therefore, wouldn’t it be

more prudent to gather them

in one place and then dominate them?

That was perhaps the very beginning.

Of that street, saturated in darkness,

a lawless zone, nothing less.

Into that street, one which no soul had ever truly governed,

a single sovereign

began to step.

*

A silent room,

and within it, only I remained.

“Hmm…were it my choice, I might

linger a bit longer…but I must be off now.”

“…Pardon? Have you concluded your business with me, then?”

“Frankly, it is not entirely

concluded… but well, what choice do I have?”

“…!”

The instant his words ceased,

once more there emerged

a grasping hand of shadow.

Within that hand, he held

a magical artifact near identical

to the crystal orb I’d just witnessed.

The sole difference, of course,

was that this orb glowed a crimson hue.

The scarlet of the imperial family’s emblem,

symbolizing the sun itself.

“Even *I* cannot afford to

ignore the summons of the Imperial Court.”

No sooner had he uttered those words

than he vanished,

leaving me abruptly alone, marooned in this vast chamber.

Along with this piece of paper

he’d pressed into my hand.

Flutter—

Within the empty room,

only the rustle of the paper could be heard,

and so I slowly

scrutinized the script

upon that flitting sheet.

Why, you ask?

For no particular reason.

Merely to see what manner

of person I was to meet next.

“I thought you should know.”

[I, Leoru von Charlotte, do hereby decree…]

Upon the pristine white paper,

writings crammed so tightly together.

I barely managed to

pick out a single name from amongst the words.

That is, if this *was* his “name.”

“…Black Mule? Is that even a name?”

Black Mule, you say.

Never heard of it.

Must be someone who’s lived

only in the back alleys, most likely.

Because I’d glanced at every wanted poster

while strolling the streets before,

and I’d never seen that name.

“Black…Mule, Black Mule…”

“Tap, tap?! Can I come in?”

As I struggled to burn

the name of this unknown

Black Mule into my memory,

a voice began to knock

from beyond the door.

*Screech*–

And at the same moment, the door opened again.

“Wow, is the story all done?”

“…Miss Sino?”

The person poking her

head into the room was none other than Miss Sino.

The very same woman with

hair the identical colour

to the strands of her father’s,

who vanished without a trace from this room just moments ago.

“Hehe, hello!”

“Where has everyone else

gone off to?”

“They’re eating in the mansion~”

“…I see, thank you.”

Indeed, even before I spirited her

away from the Reinhardt family,

her cheeks had always

She was quite gaunt, truth be told…

Even if I didn’t know for sure,

I could at least tell she hadn’t eaten anything.

“No… well, you don’t have to thank me~”

“..Yes.”

“But, can I ask you something?”

“Yes? Yes, you can ask.”

“What did you talk about with my father?”

“….”

I forced my mouth shut, which had momentarily started to open.

Because of the curiosity swimming

in her eyes.

I knew it.

She couldn’t stand not knowing things.

She’d probably keep at me,

ask me endlessly.

What in the world kind of conversation did I

have with her father, just the two of us?

She might even follow me around.

But… I couldn’t tell her.

‘Ah, and before you go,

is it alright if I ask you a favor?’

‘..Yes?’

‘Because it’s something that could put you

in danger in the future, you see.’

‘….’

‘…If possible, please don’t drag

my daughter into that danger.’

‘….’

‘She’s already a child who causes me great pain.’

He’d asked me as a father

with a daughter of his own…

Even if this meant

I’d be seriously inconvenienced,

I couldn’t break

that promise.

No, I didn’t want to break it.

Absolutely not, no matter what.

“You don’t want to tell me? I’m hurt~”

“…My apologies.”

“Ah, no, it’s not that serious… Haha…”

My brusque refusal left

the air thick with an awkwardness.

Had the mood drooped without me noticing?

Was she now striving to alter it?

The corners of her lips quirked up higher.

Though I had done nothing,

said not a single word.

As if she, herself, found

such a heavy atmosphere

intolerable.

“Oh, that’s right!”

“…?”

“The Academy, when are you planning on returning?”

…The Academy, eh.

It was just about time I thought of heading back anyway.

Between the royal family, the Great Forest, the banquets and all…

So many events I had attended,

so many visits I had made,

that I couldn’t find time

to return to the Academy.

Now that she mentioned it, I was thinking of heading back tomorrow at once.

“Tomorrow? You’re going straight away?”

“Yes, I need to show my face for at least a day, regardless.”

“…Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

What did she mean by ‘alright’?

Had something happened

at the Academy again?

I hadn’t heard even a whisper of such news.

“Never mind…um…no, I won’t say anything!”

“Pardon?”

“Now that I think about it, it’ll be

more entertaining if I *don’t* tell you!”

It was then that I should have realized.

The meaning of the Emperor bestowing a noble title

directly in the Empire,

to those of noble birth,

and that the Academy, as well,

was a den for them all.