Chapter 49
Ruan slowly unfolded the story he had prepared.
“Don’t people outside of Reinke view it as a vague object of admiration, as distant as a hero from a fairy tale? To them, the people of Reinke are distant beings who, although they’ve never seen them directly, are protecting them from evil and strong enemies.”
Just like fairies or heroes in fairy tales. And when something becomes such a fantastical existence, it becomes disconnected from the context of reality. Just as when a child’s disappearance is defined as a fairy’s prank, thoughts no longer flow to realistic problems like human trafficking or child abandonment.
The same was true for Reinke.
“As a result, the real suffering and sacrifices of Reinke’s people lose their reality there. The daily reality that Reinke’s people must endure becomes vague and blurred outside of this place. Because it’s not visible, it’s not considered. So, the real Reinke should be seen as becoming more isolated because of this admiration.”
Just as the imperial family intended, who wanted to control Reinke by putting on the shackles of honor while not giving them any real power.
The imperial family hoped that Reinke would be so burdened by their heavily imposed duties that they couldn’t think of ‘other things’. Yet they always wanted Reinke to exist as a string they could pull whenever they needed.
Ruan no longer intended to leave Reinke like that.
“I want the enemies Reinke fights against, the threats Reinke has overcome, Reinke’s way of life to seep into their lives as visible and tangible objects. I want Reinke to exist before their eyes with physicality. Then… won’t the perception of Reinke gradually change?”
Ruan looked into Ralph’s dark eyes, which were listening attentively to his words, as he tilted his head and said:
“I want to bring Reinke into reality. I will make the people of Reinke not distant heroes from somewhere far away, but neighbors and heroes who are actually shedding blood and struggling even at this moment to sustain their daily lives. As beings who could be unfairly oppressed by power, but also ones they could reach out and help. That’s another intention underlying this project.”
When Ruan finished speaking like that.
“You…”
Ralph’s black eyes sparkled fervently… and his already bright, clear face truly blossomed.
Ruan barely managed to suppress the urge to frown unconsciously. He felt like a person watching an adjustable light that only gets brighter no matter how many times you press the button, wondering in the dazzling brightness just how bright it could get.
Ralph, with a face like an endlessly brightening light, leaned towards Ruan and exclaimed:
“You truly care for and are devoted to your pack!”
‘Pack…?’
As Ruan was momentarily confused by the unexpected choice of words.
“To think so deeply for your pack like this…”
Ralph, who had come close to Ruan’s face, spoke with a voice full of sincere emotion.
“Now that the Steiner Guild has also formed a connection with Reinke, we too will do our best.”
It was a more passionate response than expected. Slightly surprised, Ruan replied with his own sincerity:
“Thank you. I look forward to working with you.”
Although strange suspicions kept arising when looking at Ralph, anyway… if the Steiner Guild actively cooperated, it would be an enormous benefit.
In response to Ruan’s greeting, Ralph scratched his head and said:
“Come to think of it, although I’ve met people from Reinke before, this is my first time actually coming to Reinke.”
‘He’s met people from Reinke before.’
At Ralph’s words, Ruan suddenly recalled the passage from the letter he couldn’t understand. Curious about the identity of the ‘old friend’ he ultimately couldn’t figure out, Ruan opened his mouth.
“When you say people from Reinke, are you perhaps referring to the old friend you mentioned in your letter?”
And to that question…
Ralph’s already bright face became even brighter.
“Yes! Oh, have you perhaps heard about it?”
Heard about it?
‘Was this old friend someone I know? I thought it was someone I didn’t know because no one showed any reaction when they heard Ralph was coming?’
The only one who had shown any reaction was the Grand Duke, who seemed to be wary of Steiner.
“I haven’t heard anything special, but is your friend perhaps someone I know?”
As the feeling of confusion grew, Ruan asked directly, and Ralph answered in a cheerful tone:
“Yes! They’re very close to you, Aide.”
“Close to me?”
Not just someone I know, but even close?
Ruan recalled the faces of several people he was close to. As he was wondering who could possibly be friends with this guild master.
Ralph said with a vibrant smile:
“Yes. It’s His Grace the Grand Duke.”
The Grand Duke.
The Grand Duke?
The Grand Duke I know…?
Ruan asked again, just in case:
“Are you referring to the Grand Duke of Reinke, His Grace Dietrich Reinke?”
To Ruan’s careful question, Ralph answered promptly in a fresh voice:
“Yes! That’s right.”
Our child… had a friend?
Ruan’s pupils began to shake uncontrollably as he recalled the stern-faced cat.
Our cat is kind and innocent, but… somehow… doesn’t seem like the type to have such a friend?
Ralph, seemingly unaware of Ruan’s bewilderment, continued speaking nonchalantly:
“When we were young, I met His Grace when he came to the capital and we formed a friendship. It’s been well over 10 years now. I’ve been disappointed that I couldn’t see His Grace even once during that time… But finally, I’ll be able to see him again.”
As he said this, Ralph truly looked like he was recalling pleasant memories with an old friend, causing Ruan to be shocked for a second time.
Ruan tried to imagine the stern-faced cat spending enjoyable time with this lively guild master, but the more he tried, the more he felt a cognitive dissonance.
Meanwhile, Ralph continued speaking with a wistful expression:
“His Grace liked me very much.”
He even liked Ralph Steiner very much…?
Ruan recalled the Grand Duke’s reaction when the Steiner Guild was mentioned.
Didn’t he seem to not just wag his tail, but assault the floor with it at the mere mention of the name?
It wasn’t that he disliked him, but he was a friend he liked?
While Ruan was in confusion.
Ralph said with a face as bright as a light that failed to adjust its brightness:
“I can’t wait to meet him!”
* * *
Friend… you say?
“It’s been a long time, Your Grace!”
Ruan’s gaze turned towards Ralph, who was having an audience with the Grand Duke.
Ralph’s eyes were overflowing with joy and delight as he looked at the Grand Duke.
It wasn’t just his eyes. The man’s delicate and gentle features were not just imbued with, but radiating uncontrollable, overwhelming emotion.
Ruan unconsciously narrowed his eyes as he stared at the handsome face that had once again become infinitely bright, like a light that failed to adjust its brightness.
From anyone’s perspective, this was the image of a young man whose heart was overflowing with joy at reuniting with an old friend.
As Ruan took in Ralph’s appearance, which would make even someone from a different culture who didn’t know a word of the empire’s language say, “He must be really happy to see his friend!”, he shifted his gaze to the Grand Duke sitting in his place.
The Grand Duke, who hadn’t revealed his ears and tail as this was an official setting, wore his usual strict, solemn, and serious face. It was an appearance that the people of Reinke would say was no different from usual – the frightening Grand Duke.
While this was already in stark contrast to Ralph… the Grand Duke’s expression was actually the same even when he was a cat, so the expression wasn’t really important. To read the Grand Duke’s emotions, one had to observe the Grand Duke’s body language.
And right now, Ruan felt as if he could see a tail assaulting the floor behind the Grand Duke for some reason.
‘Friend… you say?’
As Ruan looked at the Grand Duke, who no matter how he looked at him couldn’t be said to be in a good mood, his eyes clouded with doubt.
But. Unfortunately, it seemed only Ruan could see the imaginary tail.
“How upset I was that I couldn’t see you at all after we parted so hurriedly without even saying goodbye… Your Grace must have felt even worse than me, having to leave without saying goodbye. But! Now that I have this wonderful opportunity to see Your Grace again in Reinke, I don’t know what to do with this joyful heart. Right? Your Grace feels the same, don’t you! I knew it. Haven’t Your Grace and I always been in sync?”
Ruan stared in amazement at Ralph, who was passionately expressing his joy at the reunion, deeply immersed in nostalgia and delight, and then even providing an answer to the Grand Duke’s response, which he seemed to understand on his own, while the Grand Duke was looking this way with tightly closed lips and eyes like those of a predator eyeing its prey.
…Friend?
This is…?
