Alesya (4)
Chapter 14
“I’ve come to ask for your help.”
“A-ah, my Lord Count, what brings you here…”
Jimy, who had been comfortably seated in the office reviewing documents, jumped up in surprise.
Phillip Count stopped Jimy from kneeling and got straight to the point.
“Listen. Alesya has gone missing. She teased a maid and then disappeared. Though it should be safe enough for her to wander around the city, I’d like to find her as soon as possible.”
“A, a, yes sir. Please wait just a moment.”
After collecting his thoughts, Jimy spoke.
“Where was she last seen?”
“She encouraged a fairy to try on some clothes at ‘Fairy’s Wings’ and then vanished. It hasn’t been more than three hours since. When our manor staff failed to locate her, they reported to me.”
“Fortunately, it hasn’t been too long. However, um…”
“Has Young Miss perhaps awakened her mana?”
At Matthew’s unexpected question, Mohammed, who was guarding the count, immediately placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“How dare you!!”
Mana is practically a privilege reserved for nobles.
Commoners receive unimaginable support to awaken their mana at a relatively young age. They are taught basic swordsmanship and magic under the guise of etiquette.
However, it is a great offense for others, especially commoners or peasants, to show curiosity about the achievements of young nobles.
Mohammed’s anger was justified, but the count waved his hand to silence him.
“Why do you ask?”
“If Young Miss is exceptionally talented, she might have awakened her mana by now. However, it would take at least two years to properly control it. Otherwise, she might attract the attention of demons.”
“It’s been a month. Was that helpful?”
“…”
Matthew looked at Jimy, who then brought out a map.
Jimy spread the map on the desk and pointed toward the Sigini Mountain Range.
“It would be best to leave minimal personnel behind and first scout around the Sigini Mountains.”
“Alesya has always liked mountains.”
“That… isn’t good news. Even if the probability is low, we must begin our search near the Sigini Mountains. As you know, my Lord, the city is relatively safe. I assure you, it’s right to check the most dangerous places first.”
“That’s helpful. Could you lend us some manpower? I’ll ensure sufficient compensation.”
“Matthew.”
Matthew nodded and immediately went downstairs.
Jimy also left the office, bowing deeply to the count.
“Could you please wait a moment? After arming myself, I will personally head to the Sigini Mountains.”
“I’ll go with you. Hurry back.”
“Understood.”
As Jimy stepped out, Mohammed looked at him anew.
He had thought Jimy was an ignorant leader of the underworld, but his skills in analyzing and organizing situations were extraordinary.
The count, examining the map, said,
“He’s a seasoned mercenary. He’s better suited for this kind of task than a knight.”
“Forgive me.”
“That’s enough. Prepare more horses and gather the soldiers. Leave only the essential minimum force behind.”
“As you command.”
*
An hour after Count Phillip visited Jimy’s office,
Testimony emerged that a child presumed to be Alesya had been spotted near the Sigini Mountains.
An emergency was declared. All reserve troops were mobilized, and Jimy gathered his family. The mercenaries staying in the baron’s territory were all hired.
Jimy brushed his hair back.
The more manpower available for searching, the better—but it wasn’t absolute.
The sun began to set. The sky darkened.
Soldiers untrained in tracking could confuse the search by failing to discover Alesya’s traces.
Having delegated command of the family to Mohammed, Jimy actively searched the area with Matthew.
And they made progress.
“This is…”
Swallowing hard, Jimy bowed to the count.
“These are Wildboar tracks.”
“Wildboars are known to inhabit deeper parts of the mountain range, as far as I know.”
“…”
“But this is still the entrance to the Sigini Mountains.”
“…”
Turning to the silent Jimy, the count asked,
“What should we do now?”
“We shouldn’t disperse our forces too much if we’re dealing with a Wildboar. We need to divide into groups of five and distribute signal flares before continuing the search.”
“We’re already short on manpower, and the search is delayed. And you suggest forming groups of five?”
“…”
“…Very well. Proceed as you say.”
The count’s face was contorted like a demon’s, and Jimy, bowing his head, was fully aware of it.
Both Jimy and Matthew realized that if things went wrong, losing their heads wouldn’t be unusual.
Of course, Count Phillip was a generous and rational nobleman, but whether he could maintain that composure upon seeing his daughter’s torn body was uncertain.
Taking a deep sigh, Jimy and Matthew pursued the Wildboar tracks intensely.
‘Damn it. If only the sun hadn’t set.’
The soldiers marched in long lines up the mountain, while the family and mercenaries scattered to search for other clues.
However, the limitations of ordinary people unable to use mana in the dark were clear.
Even Jimy and Matthew found their search speed reduced by half compared to daytime.
‘This is dangerous. Really dangerous.’
The reason why a Wildboar approached human territories was evident.
Anxiety surged uncontrollably.
If Jimy felt this way, how must the count, Alesya’s father, feel? Jimy couldn’t even imagine.
They continued searching through the seemingly endless mountain range.
Their advance was slow, but the oppressive pressure weighing down on them soaked their bodies in cold sweat.
Before long, sunlight began to peek over the horizon.
The search would become smoother now, but it also meant more time had passed.
Jimy discovered a bloodstain on a leaf.
He chewed it carefully. It hadn’t been more than a day since the blood was spilled, and it was human.
“Shit.”
Jimy wanted to run away.
He lacked the confidence to handle what came next.
At that moment, Matthew’s voice echoed through the mountains.
“Come over here!”
Jimy arrived first, followed shortly by the count and Mohammed.
The count’s breathing was already as rough as it could get.
Matthew, glancing at the count, pointed to what he had found.
“It seems to be… a trace where Young Miss stayed.”
Among the remnants of a fire trampled by something massive, a book familiar to the count lay broken.
[Lucia the Wind Spirit: Empire Travelogue]
“Kk… Kkk… Uhhhhh…”
The count began laughing like a madman.
On his knees, the count clutched a shredded bedsheet belonging to Alesya.
Red tears fell onto the pristine white sheet.
Tightening his lips, Jimy spoke to Mohammed.
“Sir Mohammed, please escort the count back. I will take full responsibility for completing the remaining search.”
“No, no.”
The count shook his head.
“Let’s go. I must see it with my own eyes. Continue the search.”
“…”
Neither Jimy nor Mohammed could dissuade the count.
It was daylight now, and the trail of Alesya and the Wildboar was clearly visible.
As they followed the trail further, even the insensitive would recognize the numerous bloodstains scattered everywhere.
Mohammed supported the staggering count.
Mohammed’s face, too, was distorted like a demon’s.
“This is strange.”
Jimy muttered.
“This… isn’t human blood. It’s from a demon.”
After tasting the blood with his mouth, Jimy scanned the surroundings.
“Someone fought the Wildboar.”
“…Are you sure?”
“I’m certain.”
A faint light returned to the count’s dead eyes.
Hope, which he thought had extinguished, weakly revived.
The count regained his footing.
As they continued following the blood trail, everyone soon discovered something unmistakable.
The massive body of the Wildboar, mutilated and fallen.
“…”
A brief silence fell.
At first glance, the scene was incomprehensible.
Jimy cautiously asked,
“Is there a possibility that the young lady did this herself?”
“My daughter is not a monster.”
Nodding, Jimy approached the Wildboar’s corpse.
“I’ll inspect it.”
Among all the people settled in the baron’s territory, none were better at analyzing animal corpses than Jimy.
Without blinking, Jimy thoroughly examined the foul-smelling Wildboar corpse.
Through the direction the flesh was crushed, Jimy clearly saw what kind of impact the Wildboar had endured.
Continuing to examine the corpse, Jimy spoke.
“Let me report.”
“Go ahead.”
“It wasn’t magic. There’s a high probability it was struck by powerful sword aura. No matter how sharp a famous sword is, without sword aura, it’s impossible to tear the Wildboar’s skin like this.”
After squeezing the Wildboar’s entrails, Jimy revealed his puzzlement.
“There must have been an extremely fierce battle. However, whoever hunted the Wildboar… deliberately mutilated it after killing it. In my opinion, the purpose might have been to erase the traces of the sword aura.”
“Intentionally erased the traces of the sword aura?”
“Yes. Frankly speaking, sir, we should search further, but Young Miss might be safe. However, considering that someone tried to hide the traces of the sword aura…”
“Does that mean someone concealed their identity and abducted Alesya with ill intentions?”
“I apologize for saying so, but yes.”
The count took a deep breath.
Though he still seemed close to losing it, the situation had improved.
Although he had just heard that Alesya might have been kidnapped, moments ago he was prepared to face the sight of his daughter’s torn body.
As long as she was alive, it was fine. As long as she was alive.
“What should we do now?”
“We must continue the search while pursuing this swordsman. Of course, no specific suspicion has been identified yet… but we need more knights. The opponent is a Sword Expert who wields powerful sword aura.”
“Sir Mohammed.”
Squeak-!
The sound of a beast was heard.
The count, about to order all remaining knights to gather here, looked up at the sky.
Mohammed drew his sword but relaxed his grip once he recognized the source of the sound.
It was Bridget, a spiritual creature with blue feathers.
Bridget landed on the count’s arm, extending its leg where a letter was tied.
Both the count and Jimy narrowed their eyes simultaneously.
Bridget, whose tail feather stood upright, was a messenger bird the count had granted to Jimy.
After opening the letter, the count read the first sentence.
“I have taken the runaway Alesya.”
Jimy’s shoulders trembled.
Skipping the middle part, the count read the last word.
“Sent by Jimy.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to Jimy.
His legs gave out, and he knelt down, shouting,
“This is a frame-up!! Ah, no, thinking about it, that guy obviously…!!”
“That’s enough. I think I know who sent it.”
According to the count’s memory, there was only one person with such an audacious handwriting who would dare speak so arrogantly to a noble.
“That scoundrel Ray. Thinking about it, the maid who lost Alesya mentioned asking Ray for help. He must have climbed the mountain before us and saved Alesya from the Wildboar. According to the letter, Alesya is currently at the orphanage.”
“Haha!”
Jimy, drenched in cold sweat, clenched his fists and revealed his joy.
‘Rey, you did it! You succeeded! Hahaha! You saved all of us!!’
Exactly what happened remains unclear. However, the process doesn’t matter.
What mattered was the result—saving the young lady of the Phillip household.
‘I don’t know why he sent the letter in such a manner…’
Jimy, whose heart almost dropped, sighed in relief and attempted to rise.
“Just stay there for a moment.”
“Yes? Understood.”
Placing the writing paper on Jimy’s back, the count pulled out a pen from his pocket and began composing a reply.
“The boy has done a great deed, Jimy. Since the child from the orphanage you raised saved my daughter, this is your achievement as well.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
“However, I’m curious.”
“…?”
“You confidently claimed that the man who killed the Wildboar was an expert-level warrior.”
“…”
“I’ve also heard that Ray can manipulate mana. But surely, a mere nine-year-old couldn’t have reached the level of an expert, right? Yet, judging by your reaction, you seem to believe without doubt that Ray killed the Wildboar.”
Jimy’s shoulders trembled violently.
Only then did Jimy realize he had talked too much.
“Th-that…”
“That’s enough. Regardless, I won’t forget the help received this time.”
“G-grateful thanks.”
“I’ve finished. You may stand up.”
After tying the letter and sending Bridget off, the count gazed at the sky, taking deep breaths.
The terrible pressure weighing down on his chest gradually subsided.
She’s alive, she’s alive.
Tears fell from the count’s eyes as everyone turned away, looking into the forest.
After standing guard for quite some time, the count wiped his eyes.
Though completely drained, he couldn’t lose the dignity of a noble.
Bracing his legs, the count spoke.
“Still, there are contingencies. Sir Mohammed, dispatch three knights to track the swordsman who slew the Wildboar. If the trail leads to the orphanage, order them to return. Also, send the fastest horse to a trustworthy person to confirm Alesya’s safety at the orphanage. If she’s safe, I’ll retrieve her myself in two days.”
“I shall act swiftly.”
“Continue the soldiers’ search until Alesya’s safety is confirmed. I’ll return now. There’s much to organize.”
*
Ray woke up feeling something soft and wet in his grasp.
After pondering for a while, Ray realized it was a child’s cheek touching his hand.
“Ugh… Hmm?”
Struggling to open his eyes and sit up, Ray found the sensation had disappeared.
A flash of red hair passed through the open doorway.
“Ugh… She’s still mad at me.”
Tasting the liquid on his fingers, it was salty.
“Why was she crying… and why am I lying in the orphanage?”
Only then did Ray remember passing out mid-conversation with Arno.
“I pushed myself too hard.”
Searching the entire day, battling the Wildboar, and carrying Alesya down the mountain for several hours to reach the orphanage had exhausted him.
In fact, he was barely conscious halfway through.
Recalling his memories carefully, Ray froze.
“I sent the letter… What exactly did I write?”
Ray instinctively realized he had done something foolish.
No matter how delirious he was, sending such a contextless letter was reckless.
This wasn’t a trivial matter; it involved Alesya, and being misunderstood could complicate things.
Attempting to clean up the mess, Ray sat up as Adele entered and closed the door.
“You’re awake.”
“Thank you for treating me, Adele. I owe you again.”
The healing power of a priest is typically invaluable.
Seeing Ray express gratitude for the favor bestowed upon him, Adele smiled warmly and extended her right hand.
“This bird kept circling your bed. Are you the one it’s looking for?”
“Ah! The reply already arrived.”
Given the situation, all Ray could hope for was that the count understood the absurd letter perfectly.
Rubbing his temples, Ray opened the letter.
[Ray, I assume this letter comes from you.
Thank you for saving Alesya. I won’t forget this kindness.
I’ve learned in detail from Jimy about the intense battle you had with the Wildboar. I hope you’re unharmed.
I’ll visit in two days. Please take care of my daughter until then.
P.S. 1) Next time, please write longer letters.
P.S. 2) Impersonating someone else to a noble can be punishable by fraud or contempt of nobility. This time, I’ll let it slide.]
“…”
Fortunately, the situation seemed to have resolved without misunderstanding.
Considering the phrase “gratitude to a commoner,” Count Phillip had expressed the maximum allowable gratitude to Ray.
Mentioning a visit to the orphanage in two days implies that all human resources in the baron’s territory were used for Alesya’s search and now needed reorganization.
However, what concerned Ray the most was the third paragraph of the letter.
‘Shit, exposed.’
There’s no doubt the use of sword aura to slay the Wildboar has been discovered.
