To the Bayezid family (4)
Square- Square-
In an office where you can hear the sound of a feather pen cutting through paper.
All of the furniture there was so expensive that it was difficult to judge its value, but it was not decorated extravagantly.
“Vlad?”
“yes. father.”
A quiet but powerful voice filled the room.
“okay. “In the meantime, there was no one who had magical powers except Zayar, who was given to you by your mother.”
“······.”
Thick eyebrows, tightly closed lips, and straight black hair that has turned gray.
However, the count’s brightly shining eyes made the growing gray hair not a symbol of aging, but evidence of experience.
“This time, if you can raise him to become a worthy knight of the Bayezid family, I will reward him.”
“thank you.”
“I know your forte is not the sword, but never forget that this is Bayezid.”
“······yes.”
Although he was talking about giving an award, it was also a rebuke to Josef who had not been able to create or recruit proper knights.
“······Are you feeling okay?”
“it’s okay.”
“Say hello to your mother on the way. “I was looking forward to your return.”
“yes.”
Josef smiled bitterly when he saw his father asking about his well-being only after all the reports had been completed.
It was true that I felt disappointed, but I fully understood it.
Josef was no longer a child, and he knew very well how heavy the position of Count Bayezid was.
“Go out. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“All right. father. Rest in peace.”
While Josef politely walked out.
“······.”
Peter noticed that his son was limping slightly.
“······I guess I should at least give you some medicine.”
“I will be glad if you do so. Oksana too.”
“She is a woman who takes great care of her son. “The reason Josef has managed to become self-reliant is only because of his strong will.”
Peter Bayezid.
The 5th head of the Count Bayezid family and one of the knights representing the North.
He was a man who could not easily show himself as a father even in front of his son because he was burdened with so much.
“What do you think about Josef’s report?”
“······You will have to accept it deeply. “It’s a series of unusual things.”
“hmm.”
Peter once again picked up the report written by Josef and read it.
The contents reflected under the quivering candlelight were ominous and not easily overlooked.
“How dare you mess with the legitimate son of the Bayezid family in my land? “I need to find the mastermind.”
“Ask your church for support. The knight’s sword is a shining one, but when illuminating the deep darkness, the grace of the Church will be more effective.”
Peter nodded at the advice quietly heard.
“Are there any reports from the church in Varna?”
Peter asked, looking at the old man standing next to him.
“The initial report came in through the magic sphere.”
“What did you say?”
An old man with a white beard wearing a long robe.
He was the only wizard of the Bayezid family and also Peter’s advisor.
“It is said that the magic of lion resurrection and curse is cleverly combined. “It is said that he is either a very noble warlock or the result of a collaboration between two or more warlocks.”
“Hmm.”
After listening to the words of his advisor, the wizard Ragmus, Peter let out a slightly longer sigh this time.
“If there are more than two, it could be an organization or group.”
“That’s right.”
Peter neatly folded the report Josef brought and put it in the drawer under his desk.
“Even if that were the case, nothing would change.”
Squeak-
The sound of friction made by a chair being pushed resounded sharply in the otherwise quiet office.
“The Bayezid family will always stand firmly here.”
The master of the Bayezid family was standing up from the darkness.
“We are prepared to do anything to those who stand in our way.”
“You deserve it.”
On one wall is a bookshelf full of books.
On the other wall, shiny armor and a sharp sword.
Peter said as he walked towards where the sword was placed.
“I hope you quickly find those who dared threaten my son and disturb my territory.”
“All right. “Count.”
There was a sad light in Count Bayezid’s eyes as he caressed his sword.
※※※※
“Did you wait long? “It’s late at night.”
“it’s okay.”
Vlad and Goth, who had been waiting for Josef in the drawing room, quickly stood up and bowed their heads to meet him.
“The report I gave to my father took a long time… and my mother didn’t let me go easily.”
Josef said with a humble smile.
“Are you sleepy?”
“no.”
Xayar, who was standing next to him, looked at Vlad and laughed.
Even though he was saying no, the boy’s blue eyes were full of fatigue that could not be easily hidden.
“Okay.”
Josef leaned deeply against the back of the chair and let out a short groan.
“Did you say goth?”
“yes. “Mr. Josef.”
When Goth heard his name called, he looked up at him with eyes full of great anticipation.
“I’ve prepared a room for you, so you can stay there. “We will talk about your compensation tomorrow.”
“······yes.”
All he was given was a dry wedding reception.
At Josef’s words, Goth came out of the living room with a sullen expression, like a dog that had lost its bone.
“Now then, let’s tell our story.”
Josef looked at Vlad with his hands clasped together.
“Please speak.”
When Goth left, the only people in the drawing room were Josef, Xayar, and Vlad.
“I brought you here to pay you your fair share.”
Vlad swallowed his saliva without realizing it at the sudden change in atmosphere.
Josef had been smiling comfortably just a moment ago, but now he had the appearance of a nobleman.
“You are the one who saved my life and also decided to sacrifice your sword to me in the future. Am I right?”
“That’s right.”
Vlad nodded at Josef’s words, which clearly summarized the situation.
“You said you had a job to do and I understood that you had to be free. Am I right?”
“you’re right.”
“You decided to offer your sword to me, but your story of wanting to be free is at odds with each other. “We have to address this.”
After hearing the arrogant conditions that Vlad had put forward again, Xayar twitched his eyebrows, but did not dare to step forward.
Now, this was the negotiating room between Josef and Vlad, and the blonde brat was the one who earned the right to sit here by saving Josef’s life.
“Why do you want to be free? What exactly are you trying to do? “If you tell me this, I will be able to clearly calculate what I will give you.”
“······.”
Vlad listened to Josef’s words and thought quietly.
Can I tell you everything?
Is Josef a trustworthy person?
Vlad looked into Josef’s eyes reflected through the candlelight.
There was an opportunity there.
And if there was an opportunity, there was no reason to hesitate.
Vlad has lived like that all this time.
“······.”
Moonlight fell behind Josef.
There was a moon there beyond the window.
It was emitting the same blue light as that day.
“······Do you know the knight named Godin? He is under Count Gaidar.”
Since that day, I have never forgotten it even for a moment.
He was the one who killed his benefactor, the one who destroyed the world he was standing on, and the one who could not help but admire him.
Godin was the strongest and brightest person I had ever seen.
The boy has been running after the moon.
“······.”
Just a moment ago, Vlad had been hesitant to speak, but this time, Josef found it difficult to continue speaking.
It wasn’t just Josef.
As the names of big names that he had never dared to think of came out of Vlad’s mouth, Xayar also opened his eyes wide and was surprised.
“Godin… Gaidar…”
Josef was truly lost in an embarrassment that he could not bear.
I thought he was just a useful kid, but now I see he has an unusual background.
Even though it was something extraordinary that came from resentment.
“······Was the unknown person who broke the rose’s smile the knight Godin?”
Josef wrapped his tongue around his dry lips and lost himself in thought.
“Right.”
And decided.
“I can’t help you. “They are beyond my reach.”
“······Is that so.”
Vlad nodded, wiping away bitter saliva.
It will happen.
I don’t know much about the world of nobles, but Josef was only the son of a count, and there were probably countless people in higher positions than him in this world.
In a way, it was an expected result, so Vlad humbly accepted it.
I was just grateful to Josef for being honest.
“then······.”
“Let’s amend the contract.”
Vlad was planning to get up after asking for something that would be considered polite, but Josef had no intention of letting Vlad go easily.
Because it was Josef who saw the boy’s shining potential closer than anyone else.
“We propose a seven-year contract. Vlad of Shoara.”
“yes?”
Not only Vlad but also Xayar were surprised by the unexpected remark.
“I don’t know about you, but now I have put aside my pride as a nobleman. “Keep in mind that this action was done with great determination.”
“······.”
It was true that he put aside his pride as an aristocrat, but this was also a decision made with careful planning.
Josef was now presenting the second plan he had prepared.
Vlad could not understand exactly what Josef was saying, but he realized that what he was doing was very unusual.
Because Xayar, who was standing behind now, was becoming more ferocious.
“I plan to clothe, feed, and train you for these seven years and turn you into a great knight who will never be defeated by anyone. “I promise you, who saved me, a bright future.”
“article······.”
Vlad was fascinated by the resonance of the words that came out of Josef’s mouth.
So I ended up imitating that word without even realizing it.
“okay. article. “Don’t you want to become a knight?”
Josef had a deep understanding of Vlad.
He knew very well what the boy wanted and what he truly wanted.
“In return, you are loyal to me during this period. I only do what I am told and what I am allowed to do. Of course, we can’t do anything about Godin and Count Gaidar.”
“······but.”
It was a great offer, but there were more things on Vlad’s mind than Godin.
The faces of people who would be in the place he missed appeared in the boy’s mind.
“If it is related to the back alleys of Shoara, it is permitted. “I might be able to help you with that.”
“······.”
“I heard that a child named Jemina is currently in a convent.”
“······!”
Josef smiled inwardly as he looked at Vlad’s wide eyes.
Josef had been analyzing the boy named Vlad in detail.
The past you have lived, the present you are in now, and the future you want to become.
Because he was truly a desirable guy.
“If you go back with just one sword, will you be able to kill the person holding the back alley?”
Josef said, leaning back deeply in his chair.
“Swords are not the only sharp things in this world. I also have my own weapon. “Let me help you.”
Vlad looked at the black eyes in front of him.
“What are we going to do, Vlad? Will you accept my offer?”
Josef’s eyes were so intense that they seemed to absorb anything.
※※※※
Right after Vlad left the drawing room.
“The target was a great kid.”
“Is there any reason to hang on like this? “There are plenty of useful kids other than that guy.”
“Maybe so.”
Josef tilted the whiskey bottle and poured out the last drink.
“Every young thing has potential, but whether it blooms is another question.”
“Do you think that guy can live up to Joseph’s expectations?”
“of course.”
Josef answered while looking out the window.
A blue moon was rising there.
“Seven years is not such a short time. “It’s enough time to put the leash on, and it’s enough time to comfort and soothe the child.”
“but······.”
“And that guy is no ordinary wolf.”
Josef drank his last drink while watching the rising moon.
“It was a wolf chasing the moon.”
The glass that Josef was looking at contained a blue moon.
“He has a strong will, he has potential, and his goals are high, so he will definitely become big.”
Josef looked at the blue moon in the glass and poured it all over in one go.
“You can’t give up a guy like that easily.”
A boy whose goal was to become the Knight of Blue Moonlight.
Although he didn’t know if the boy would really destroy the moon, Josef was confident that he would at least become a star in the night sky.
Because the boy’s eyes were looking up at the high sky.
“That guy is mine now.”
Seven years would be enough.
Enough to build a cage big enough for the wolves to feel free.
