Chapter 20 : The Result of Choice

Knock knock.

“Acting Head of Family, it's Jack.”

“Come in.”

At the short, but cold and irritable voice, Jack, the Captain of the Ducal Family's Knight Order, swallowed hard once and opened the door.

Tollin, his blue hair, now long enough to cover his neck, roughly tied back, was looking over documents.

“How is the atmosphere within the Knight Order?”

He asked, without taking his eyes off the paper.

“Yes. As you said, there were those in the 2nd Knight Order spreading groundless rumors about the Little Duke, so they were punished by having their thumbs and index fingers cut off and were expelled. A restless atmosphere remains, but it seems it will be brought under control soon.”

“Right. There are movements of those who left of their own accord trying to return, but not a single one must be allowed back in.”

“Yes.”

Jack looked at Tollin, who spoke coldly, with pity.

But knowing that such a gaze was of no help to Tollin, he could only salute at his order to leave and exit, his armor clanking.

Agoni Piteos was dead.

Executed by the hands of the Imperial Family, at that.

The blow this dealt to the Ducal family was enormous.

The Piteos family was a family that had served the Great Emperor Sierra in the beginning, and a family that had protected the Imperial Family from their closest side for over a thousand years.

The wealth, unity, and glory the Piteos family had enjoyed—the roots of all of it were shaken.

Jack, too, was unable to recover for a while from the shock that Agoni Piteos, who had been like his dream, had met such a dishonorable death.

Once the reason for loyalty disappeared, the oath lost its direction, and faith withered away.

Many people left, and Jack, too, could not figure out what to do.

While it was true that he had respected Piteos the individual, his loyalty was also directed toward the Piteos that served the Imperial Family.

Why did Agoni Piteos make such a choice?

Why did he betray everyone and choose such an irresponsible death?

Jack, who had witnessed his death right before his eyes, spent his days as if not truly living, lost in despair for a while.

But Tollin…… he didn't even seem to have the luxury to fall into despair.

Tollin, who picked himself up and stood after just one day, had changed as if into a completely different person.

Jack understood him.

Because he was someone who had followed Agoni Piteos more than his own father.

He would be trembling with a sense of betrayal that, if anything, was greater than his own, never less.

Therefore, when Tollin gathered the people of the household, Jack expected him to give the order to hold Agoni Piteos's final funeral.

But the first thing he did upon standing up was to completely exclude Agoni Piteos from the family members.

-Agoni Piteos is no longer a person of the Piteos family. There will be no funeral procedure. He is a person who did not exist from the beginning. The loyalty of the Piteos family will not run dry just because of one traitor.

At his cold and resolute speech, calling Agoni Piteos a ‘traitor’, Jack swallowed his saliva without realizing it.

Tollin, who had closed his eyes for a moment and opened them, looked around the crowd and continued.

-Those who wish to leave, leave. I will not stop you. But keep this in mind. That in Piteos, there remains one who will carry on the thousand-year oath. I will not miss the opportunity to prove our loyalty. And in that process, there will be no room to show compassion to traitors.

Everyone knew that the traitor he referred to did not only mean Agoni Piteos.

And that every single venomous word spat out by him, with his pale complexion as if he would collapse at any moment, was another oath he would protect with his life.

The timid aide who, just a short while ago, had tripped on a stone root at the hunting festival and awkwardly laughed about hitting his head on another stone root, was gone.

He made decisions quickly, handled matters fiercely, and took revenge mercilessly.

Not even 2 weeks had passed before half of the ducal castle's employees were cut off.

They were people sent or swayed by those who sought to tear off the wealth and reputation of the master-less Piteos Ducal Family.

Tollin's relentless advance was a great help to Jack in steadying his wavering heart.

Because Tollin's words were right.

The legitimate successor of Piteos still remained in the mansion, and that meant there was still a chance to prove loyalty to the Emperor at any time.

Assisting Tollin became a guide for the confused Jack.

Jack thought that it probably wasn't just him.

The more Tollin centered himself, the more the Piteos family regained its stability.

It was a natural occurrence because they were surrounded by enemies, but Jack still felt bewildered, and on one hand, sad, that the timid and faint-hearted Tollin had done such things.

In truth, the Ducal family was showing unprecedentedly active political moves, and seemed to be prospering in a different aspect than before, so as the Captain of the Ducal Family's Knight Order, Jack had no reason whatsoever to be sad.

But as a former colleague, Jack just thought it was a little sad that he could no longer see Tollin being teased among the employees and snapping back.

Among the people who had worked with Tollin in the Ducal family for a long time, there were a few who, like Jack, secretly harbored a sadness they shouldn't feel.

“Baron Jones, who has a territory nearby, will claim ownership of the coal mine discovered in the south. He has a debt to the Ducal family from long ago, so tell him to exchange it for that. If we follow the law, he won't be able to do much anyway, even if we threaten him to pay it back right now.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Tollin's aide, Pale, who was nodding at the merciless command, was also someone who missed him before.

However, he was slightly different from Jack in that he was in charge of assisting Tollin right by his side, so he had a small gap to soothe his sadness.

“And, arrange in advance so that we can visit the Temple sometime this morning.”

“……Tollin, since ‘that incident’, the Temple has been temporarily refusing visits from the Piteos family.”

‘That incident’ was a designator mainly used when having to mention the Duke's death, which was difficult to speak of.

Tollin, without much change in expression and without taking his eyes off the documents, took out a piece of paper from the drawer and wrote something down without pause.

The hand gestures, writing without pause, were rough movements, but his handwriting was elegant.

Tollin folded the paper and handed it to Pale.

“Send this with it. Tell them they won't regret reading it.”

“……Yes, I understand.”

Pale, who received the letter Tollin handed him, answered lowly and left his office.

Before leaving the room, through the closing door, Pale captured in his eyes the sight of Tollin, who was concentrating as if about to bury his face in the documents.

***

Tollin, having set aside time during his lunch break, stopped the carriage on the street and looked at the shantytown visible from the window and the vagrant children wandering within it.

In truth, Tollin still could not understand the intentions of his former superior, Agoni Piteos.

He couldn't even tell if those, for whom he had abandoned his life and the Piteos Ducal Family, were truly worth it.

He just didn't want to let his death be in vain.

Many things would change by tomorrow.

That space, which was just filthy for now, would face many changes in the future.

Although he still couldn't know if that would align with the Duke's intentions, or be the opposite.

It was something Tollin could do to honor the dead Duke, and at the same time, it was proof of his oath to protect the remaining Little Duke.

Whatever it was, it also contained something similar to stubbornness, that he would not let things go the 1st Prince's way easily.

After giving a few instructions to the coachman, he turned the carriage around again.

Without noticing until the end the existence of the black bird that was capturing every single one of his movements in its eyes.

***

It was an afternoon with many onlookers.

A rumor had spread by word of mouth that the family who had bought up the surrounding area for an enormous price was none other than ‘that’ Piteos family.

It was the very land that the 1st Prince had coveted.

The behavior of the Acting Head of Family, which at a glance seemed to follow the will of the dead former Duke Piteos, was enough to gather people's interest.

It was also enough to spur on the rumors that the Acting Head of Family had gone mad.

When news circulated that such a person would appear in the square today to announce an important decision, people couldn't bear the curiosity.

The gathered people were constantly craning their necks, looking for the mad dog of the Piteos family who would soon reveal himself.

There were no favorable gazes.

It was human instinct to want to drag down further one who had fallen from walking on the sky, and more than anything, the backlash against the Duke who had defied the will of the Imperial Family was too great.

Around the time the prestige of the sun that had risen highest died, and a chilly energy lingered, the carriage carrying Tollin Crisa arrived.

The sound of people clicking their tongues in dissatisfaction was heard at the carriage, which still boasted a commanding size, and the dignified family crest engraved on the carriage door.

The door, on which was drawn a large crest of two crossed swords, opened, and Tollin finally revealed himself.

He, with an impression that was thinner and sharper than before, walked out to the platform without giving a single glance to those gathered in the center.

It was no exaggeration to say that the malice emanating from the gazes scanning him was stabbing him.

But in Tollin's stride, not the slightest hesitation could be seen.

Standing on the platform, he looked around the crowd with cold eyes.

Most were commoners, but mixed in between were nobles who wanted to watch the fall of the Ducal family with their own two eyes.

Tollin, standing above, did not avoid their gazes.

He, without a word, and slowly, scanned the faces of those gathered.

As if to engrave the faces of everyone in this place into his eyes.

His quiet action made the onlookers feel a strange sense of pressure, so most of the people gathered to mock Tollin swallowed dryly without realizing it.

By the time Tollin's warning-like gaze reached the end of the square, a silence had fallen over the square that had been noisy with murmurs and laughter.

Finally, he gave a dry laugh.

“You've gathered disgustingly.”

At his first words, which were similar to a sneer, displeasure rose on people's faces.

He held out his fingers, as if uninterested in the public's reaction.

“It's two months. Starting exactly two months later, this district will be managed by the Piteos family for 1 year. Those who wander without homes, those who commit crimes, and those who harm the aesthetics of the Temple will be held accountable.”

The murmuring, which had subsided for a moment, returned.

Most were lower nobles and their servants who had come to secretly gauge the situation.

They thought he would follow in the footsteps of the foolish Duke Piteos, who supposedly risked his life just to save commoners, but was it the opposite?

“We do not share the will of the family's traitors. A map does not change just because a drop of ink has splattered. Even if a stain has appeared, what Piteos protects also does not change.”

Tollin added, as if he had read the people's question.

The reactions of the people watching him, who had declared the dead Agoni Piteos as the family's stain, were divided.

Those whose immediate livelihood had become bleak were busy glaring at him as if looking at a demon.

There were also many who were displeased with him for holding onto his pride even in the face of ruin.

And there was one who could not hold back his curiosity.

“Then what is going to be built…… sir?”

The eldest son of Duke Millio, who was hiding among the people and spying on Tollin, opened his mouth, then hurriedly pulled his robe and changed his ending particle.

The corner of Tollin's mouth twisted up.

“A hospital.”

The stirring that started again at his answer grew even larger at the words he added immediately after.

“While the hospital is being built, I also intend to teach the doctors who will work there.”

Medical arts.

It wasn't to the extent of alchemy taught at the Academy, but it was a field of study difficult to learn without a fair amount of status.

Usually, to learn medicine, one needs another teacher to certify that he has learned the proper studies.

But having learned medicine meant that they, too, were from high-status noble families.

In most cases, they were the children of nobles whose status passed to their older siblings and who didn't inherit much property.

They become the court physicians for those with higher titles than their own father or mother, or those with much higher titles receive education at the Temple and work at the Imperial Palace.

It was a path that could be called the most ideal for those who could not inherit a title but were greedy for honor and knowledge.

The sound of swallowing saliva was heard intermittently from among the crowd.

“There's no way nobles would go to such a hospital……”

While someone among them flinched at their own mumble, which rang out louder than they thought, Tollin answered.

“Even if one is not a noble, they can use it as much as they want.”

While the people were surprised once again, Tollin added indifferently.

“Anyone who can pay the fee will be able to use it.”

“H-how can the Piteos family do such a thing……”

The Young Master Millio foolishly muttered again, having lost his bearings.

“The only thing that can stop the Piteos family is the will of a god.”

“How can the Piteos family, which has already defied a god once……”

Besides Young Master Millio, there were many children of nobles who thought that way.

Because even that arrogant Piteos Acting Head of Family couldn't do anything about the fact that he was ultimately abandoned by the god.

Although they didn't say it out loud, they all considered this to be Tollin's last struggle.

If only it weren't for the noisy appearance of the huge carriage that broke through the crowd.

A commotion arose for a moment with the sound of wheels rolling, the sound of horses neighing, and the sound of people screaming as they avoided it.

But no one blamed the ruthless movement.

Because all the people who confirmed the splendid carriage, fitting for its noisy entrance, were busy sucking in their breath.

There was no one, at least in the capital, who did not know the origin of the snow-white carriage, untouched by filth.

Soon, the carriage door opened, and the person who appeared turned everyone's suspicion into certainty.

It was the High Priest, Priest Vesper.

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