Chapter 4
Yuris, the official in charge of the Imperial Rieta Shelter, widened her eyes.
“Your Grace?”
Leviathan Gebert had appeared suddenly, completely disheveled. He was also an old classmate of Yuris from their academy days.
“What on earth happened?”
This was the first time she had ever seen Leviathan look so urgent.
His immaculate uniform was badly wrinkled, and his black hair was soaked through with rain.
The great knight himself was even panting for breath—just how hard had he run?
“There was a robbery?”
Leviathan strode into the shelter lobby, scanning the area. His violet eyes shook violently.
“Oh, you heard?”
“What exactly happened?”
“There was a robbery. It looks like they were after the donations, but they were sloppy and dropped everything in the backyard.”
“And the children? I heard some were injured.”
“The children were startled and tripped, so some cried—but they’re fine. No one was hurt.”
It seemed the rumors had been exaggerated.
“……”
Leviathan let out a long breath.
Only then did he realize he hadn’t even been breathing properly. His narrowed field of vision slowly cleared.
Yuris’s flustered face.
Children scattering the moment they noticed him.
“Yesterday, the child I brought…”
His throat tightened.
“The child I brought—where are they?”
“Oh, Rubian.”
Leviathan blinked blankly.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t even asked the child’s name.
“Rubian…”
He murmured the name softly.
It seemed fitting—yet oddly unfitting at the same time.
“Yes. Where is Rubian now?”
“They suddenly said their stomach hurt and went to the restroom. But now that I think about it, they’re taking a long time. We need to do a mana measurement.”
“…A mana measurement?”
“It’s an imperial order. Something about capturing a runaway mage.”
Leviathan’s brow visibly furrowed.
That damn emperor. He was already handling it, yet still tried to probe me.
“Everyone who crossed the border is subject to it. You said you found the child near the border when you brought them, didn’t you?”
Leviathan clicked his tongue.
“Anyway, bring the child.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Because of the robbery, security knights were crawling all over the place. Their murderous looks and blue-steeled swords made his stomach churn.
The environment here was… not great.
‘Now that I look closely, this shelter is awfully shabby.’
It was strange.
The Imperial Shelter had been made by completely renovating a noble estate.
And yet, once he truly examined it, everything—from top to bottom—seemed lacking.
“Madam Yuris.”
At that moment, a boy approached.
Bright blond hair. Turquoise eyes.
Leviathan’s chin tilted slightly.
“Oh, Your Highness. Have you had a good look around the facility?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, it’s been very helpful. I think I’ll be able to properly complete the assignment my father gave me.”
The child replied politely with a gentle smile.
“Oh? Duke Gebert.”
“What brings Your Highness here?”
He was the youngest imperial prince of Barmilon.
Licht Barmilon. Why such noble blood was in a place like this was beyond comprehension.
No—more importantly… there had been a robbery while the prince was present, and they couldn’t stop it?
‘This place is worse than a shack.’
What have I done?
The crease between Leviathan’s brows deepened.
“My father asked me to submit my opinion on a shelter being newly established in the south.”
“Who?”
“My father.”
“Report him.”
“…Pardon?”
“Child labor exploitation.”
Licht scratched his pale cheek and laughed awkwardly. The atmosphere around them softened instantly. His breathtaking beauty most closely resembled that of the emperor.
Having just turned twelve, the prince seemed slightly underdeveloped for his age.
Yet his eyes—those alone—were as sharp as any royal’s.
Leviathan felt heavy-hearted.
‘You’re throwing him into succession politics already, Ditrian?’
He cursed the emperor, blue blood to the bone, in his heart.
“I’m fine. I volunteered myself. Ah—more importantly, I heard there was some commotion. Madam.”
The prince turned back to Yuris.
“The child with silver hair hasn’t been seen for a while.”
“Hm? Not in the restroom?”
“Nowhere.”
The boy shook his head.
Leviathan’s hand clenched tightly.
Not here?
Then where in the world—
“Given what’s happened, shouldn’t we search more thoroughly?”
“It’s a large place. It would be better to get help from the knights.”
“Yes… That child looked anxious. I’m worried.”
Leviathan, who had been about to run out, froze.
“Anxious?”
“Yes.”
Why?
It felt like something inside him collapsed.
He recalled the child’s face—smiling brightly even after enduring hardship in the forest.
He’d thought such a brave child would do fine here too.
‘Was I wrong?’
His hands tingled. A voice suddenly came back to him—What good does crying do?
Ah.
That had been the face of someone used to enduring.
“They sighed so loudly. Hardly ate anything…”
The prince’s smooth face drooped with concern.
“Your Grace?”
“Search outside the estate!”
Leviathan kicked off the floor.
A terrible premonition crept over him.
Prince Licht had a highly developed sense of perception. If even he couldn’t find the child despite looking everywhere…
‘Then they’re already gone.’
Leviathan ran straight for the stables, grabbed the reins, and mounted the horse in one swift motion.
By now, a downpour had begun.
Rumble. The violently crying sky felt ominous.
People flinched and stepped back as the horse burst out. Raindrops lashed his face like blades.
Winter wasn’t over yet.
Where could the child have gone in weather like this?
A child used to enduring. A child who smiled while hiding trembling hands.
He’d known.
“I’m glad we have peace, thanks to you.”
So that peace-filled place was the capital.
Not the harsh, rugged north where one spent every day training with a sword.
“Damn it.”
That’s how it goes. Children used to enduring are like flowers blooming in the shadows. They only bloom when nurtured with love and care.
Not beside someone reeking of blood like himself, but among kinder, gentler people—raised with clean affection—only then do they dare lift their heads out of the darkness.
“Can’t you take me with you, mister?”
But if that had been the one thing you didn’t endure—
Leviathan regretted it, too late.
‘If it was going to be like this…’
I should’ve taken you.
If I’d kept you by my side and protected you, this wouldn’t have happened.
‘Damn it, why do I always make the same mistakes?’
Go die, Leviathan Gebert.
He truly hated himself.
Clop! Clop!
The horse tore through the capital streets as Leviathan pushed his perception to the limit, searching for the child’s presence.
‘If something’s gone wrong…’
His first meeting with the child suddenly resurfaced.
The child rummaging through the pockets of corpses.
He admitted it. In that moment, Leviathan had seen his own childhood reflected there.
“Damn it!”
Boom!
Unable to contain his anxiety, Leviathan unleashed his sword aura while searching a dark alley.
A collapsing wall drew a group of knights running toward him.
“What’s going on—Your Grace?”
They were members of the Gebert Knights, who had been nearby.
His adjutant, Leon, hurried over.
“What are you doing here—”
“Find the child.”
Leviathan said in a heavy voice.
“Pardon? A child…?”
“A boy with silver hair and blue eyes.”
The knights looked confused.
After a moment’s thought, he added—
“Their name is Rubian.”
He wiped rainwater roughly from his face. At the very least, he should’ve asked the child’s name himself.
“Find Rubian.”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
The knights scattered.
Leviathan raised the reins again without hesitation. Just as he was about to bring them down—
“…Mister?”
A thin voice pierced through the pounding rain.
Creaking, he turned his head—
And in the alley right beside him, a familiar silhouette was walking out.
“You—”
Leviathan’s eyes widened.
