Vermillion

The messenger from Valgren appeared three days later. A tall, large man, looking like a knight forced into ordinary clothes, showed up early in the morning.

“Are you Mr. Kei Nogawa? Mr. Valgren Kremrart has a message for you. “I will be waiting at the southern gate of the first rampart at eight PM this evening.” That’s all.”

The man didn’t seem overly happy about having to do this, and thus quickly left after passing on the message.

“…Who was that guy?”

Jamie, who happened to be present, asked with a bewildered expression, a laundry basket in her hands.

“A subordinate of our acquaintance, or something like that.” Kei answered.

“That so… He was quite hot.” Jamie went, “Haah, isn’t there any hottie anywhere around here?”, and then disappeared to the washing place.

“Actually, that guy was definitely not a commoner, was he…?”

“Looking at his conduct and speech, he must be a knight.”

Kei and Aileen whispered among each other in a corner of the dining hall. Because of the man barging in like that, a weird atmosphere filled the place right now.

“In the first place, aren’t the castle gates closed at 8 p.m.? Somehow I doubt that old man lives outside the first rampart.”

“…I suppose he just has the necessary connections to get through the gate regardless of time.”

At the very least, a minor noble wouldn’t be able to meddle in the gate’s operation. Valgren did give off a high-class aura, be it that messenger from before, or the matter with the gate…

That old man has the same smell as Tahfu’s chief, Bennet.

He looked like a good-natured, amiable old man at a first glance, but at the same time he also had taken the aura of a sly old man up by a notch or two. They had a hard time deciding what would be best for the future – curry favors or not getting involved with him any further.

Until the evening of that day, the two spent their time by throwing away the small items that they didn’t need, while also procuring gadgets they would need on the trip. Even so, the two remained restless throughout the whole time.

Summer days were long. Just as the sun had set, the two finished their preparations and left the inn. They decided to take a lantern, a memo pad, and a fountain pen they had borrowed from the inn. Kei clearly didn’t need it, but they still took the lantern just in case.

As expected, Valgren awaited them in front of the gate at 8 p.m. Unlike last time, he wore a plain ashen robe, though his hairstyle remained as mushroomy as before. And maybe serving as his guard, the man from this morning was also with him, dressed in plain clothes. He had a big leather knapsack on his back, and an extravagantly decorated longsword at his waist, so it was hard to tell whether he was trying to hide his status or not.

“Hey, good evening, you two. It’s been three days.”

Valgren smiled amiably, with a lantern in one hand like Kei.

“Yes, good evening to you too. Did we make you wait?”

Kei asked while scared of the sulky-looking big man. “Not at all,” Valgren casually answered with a shake of his head, “We arrived moments ago ourselves. Now, shall we go?”

He held up his lantern and led the way.

“…If I may ask, Mr. Valgren, where are we heading tonight?”

“Oh, I just thought of borrowing the municipal office. It is quite tall and there are no buildings around that would get in the way, so it should be ideal for astronomical observation, wouldn’t you agree? Kazimir, is everything ready?”

“Yes, I have notified the other party and have received the keys, Your Excellency.” The man referred to as “Kazimir” replied tensely, taking out a bundle of keys from his chest pocket.

“Hey, I told you to stop with that “Your Excellency” thing.”

“Yes Sir, my apologies.”

As Kazimir lowered his head, Aileen looked wide-eyed at Kei. Kei also nodded back with a bitter face.

“……”

They kept walking in silence for some time, and before long the municipal office’s red-brick building came into view. No lights could be seen shining in its windows, and no signs of humans were detectable either.

“I had them vacate it for today.”

Kazimir, who was leading the way, opened the door for Valgren.

“Now then, this is a three-story building. I hope I can handle the stairs.”

“I could lend you a shoulder if you wish, Your Excellency.”

“Haha, please don’t make fun of me now, Mr. Kei.”

Kei made a daring joke which cast a wry smile on Valgren’s face. Behind him Kazimir glared with a scary face, however.

As they got up on the building’s rooftop, they were met with an unobstructed view of the nightly cityscape of the common district. Lights could be seen here and there, but not enough to obstruct their stargazing.

“Now, Kazimir, if you will.”

“Yes sir.”

Kazimir put his knapsack on the ground and took out a wooden box from within. Kei peeked into it, wondering what it might be.

“Oh, a telescope?”

It was a luxurious astronomical telescope adorned with gold leaf and gems. He was tempted to ask if Valgren couldn’t have brought something simpler with him, but as long as it worked it would do the job.

“My eyesight is not that good, after all.”

“Hmm. This part should go here…. Hmm.”

Kazimir set it up with a troubled expression as if he was trying to solve a chess problem. Valgren watched him with a smile without saying anything, but as the eerie silence went on, beads of sweat appeared on Kazimir’s forehead.

“…That part is for this place, right?”

Unable to watch, Aileen spoke up.

“…Hmm. That seems to be the case.”

“And this one should be here, yes?”

“…Indeed.”

“And then we connect this part like this I suppose.”

“……”

Kazimir became silent as he watched her steadily assemble the telescope. Kei and Valgren looked at each other with wry smiles.

Then, Kei’s eyes suddenly stopped at the lantern Valgran was holding.

He felt like the light was too stable. Despite supposedly being a candle, it was not flickering at all.

Then he experienced a visual hallucination of a small winged figure inside that white light.

“…Mr. Valgren, could that be a Spirit?”