I Became a Sick Nobleman - Chapter 139: Exhale (2)

***

—It’s delicious!

Leo smiled brightly, lifting his face from his special rice bowl, which was filled with various snacks.

However, Cassion’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he observed that the bowl was already more than halfway empty.

It seemed like Leo had been eating more than usual.

“It’s nice to see you eating well,” Jan said quietly as he sat in front of Ruel.

Aris, who had been engaged in conversation with Jan, joined the small dinner gathering as well. Every time Ruel took a bite, Jan smiled contentedly.

“It’s burdensome,” Ruel said, annoyed, taking a bite of strawberry cake.

“I’m sorry. But will you let me keep watching? The time that passes by for me is different, so the moments we spend talking and seeing each other are very precious to me.”

 

Reluctantly, as Ruel had only planned to eat the snacks and leave, he nodded in agreement at Jan’s sincerity. He replied, “Yes, please feel free to do as you wish.”

 

“When do you plan to leave? I’ve been thinking a lot as I walked here. I made a soft bed with the hope that you would sleep comfortably…”

“I’ll have this before I go. Cough.”

Suddenly coughing, Ruel tasted the peculiar beverage that tastes like beer in his mouth.

It was perfect as an accompanying drink with apple tea, but it left a slight sense of disappointment.

“A-Are you leaving already?” Jan was visibly flustered, stumbling over his words.

“Yes. Now that the business is finished, is there a need to stay longer?”

Originally, Ruel’s purpose for this short journey was to find out where the spirit was heading after growing up.

Along the way, he ended up learning other various things, but his main objective was to take a break and perhaps do some fishing at Lake Prina.

Jan gazed at Ruel with deep sadness, as if he feared that he would never see him again.

He wondered how long it had been since the previous Setirias had shown such expressions.

Ruel picked up the last strawberry from the cake with his fork and reassured Jan, saying, “But Leo enjoys being here, so I will come to visit often.”

This place is just as wonderful as Lake Prina.

It’s a perfect place to clear his mind and it’s not even cold.

“Is that really true?” Jan asked, expression filled with hope.

“Have you been deceived?” Ruel replied playfully.

Seeing Jan’s delighted expression, Ruel couldn’t help but smile.

“I don’t think I was fooled. It’s just that those children probably don’t like this place where there’s nothing but flowers.”

With a nostalgic gaze, Jan gently touched Ruel’s hand, as if he had been deceived more than once.

Sensing that he had unintentionally stirred painful memories, Ruel silently stuffed a piece of chocolate cake into his mouth.

“Ruel-nim,” Aris spoke up, his eyes sparkling like Leo’s.

“What is it?”

“While I was talking to the Spirits’ Progenitor, I discovered an interesting fact.”

Aris was typically interested in topics that stimulated his curiosity, such as the relationship between magic and nature to fundamental questions about magic and spirits.

In other words, he wasn’t particularly interested in academic matters that he didn’t find interesting.

“I’ve heard that the reason the Spirit’s Progenitor here is visible to me, even though he’s a spirit, is because he’s been granted the powers of a king, but then so has Leo! If this is how it works…”

It was the same as when Cassion explained about the swords.

Ruel stared at the spinning spirit in front of his bowl and chewed the cake he had stuffed into his mouth.

In short, Leo had the king’s genes mixed inside him, allowing him to control what is visible and invisible to human eyes.

In other words, he was a more special existence compared to regular spirits.

After finishing his explanation, Aris held his notebook carefully in his arms. He expressed his disbelief, saying, “It’s unbelievable. I want to inform Tyson-nim and Sister Drianna as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, they will definitely find it fascinating,” Ruel agreed.

Aris’s explanation had been somewhat lengthy and sluggish, but he was genuinely interested in the topic.

He knew that Tyson, Drianna, and Aris had discussed the principles behind Leo’s ability to appear and disappear multiple times.

Ruel had been forced to participate in those lengthy and tedious discussions.

He had listened to half of it attentively and had fallen asleep during the other half.

“Child,” Jan said with a happy expression.

“Yes?”

“It has been a long time since so many humans have visited here, and I have never been this happy.”

Jan expressed his sincere gratitude, causing Ruel to change the subject for no apparent reason.

“May I investigate and study this place?”

Before Jan could respond, Aris suddenly stood up from his seat, looking astonished. “Really?”

Ruel could already imagine the reaction of the Magic Knights.

‘They will absolutely love it.’

They were still conducting research on the Beast Forest and had a lot of work to do.

Ruel had concerns about the consequences of extending their research to a place with spirits. However, on the other hand, he couldn’t simply ignore how much the Magic Knights would enjoy it.

“If it’s an investigation, will more humans be coming?” Jan asked cautiously.

“Yes, they are the Magic Knights accompanying me.”

“In that case, bring as many as you want.”

“Do you trust me that much?” Ruel asked with a hint of surprise.

Surprisingly, he granted his permission so easily.

“Of course. As I mentioned before, we owe a tremendous debt to Setiria.”

This place was created to escape the Red Ash and monsters.

Ruel smiled brightly for the first time in a while, knowing how significant Jan’s decision was.

“Thank you.”

“No, my child, that’s something I should be saying. Thank you.”

Jan smiled with joy.

***

-Lord Setiria.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ruel answered while waiting at the gate leading to Setiria.

As Aris blocked outside sound with magic, Ruel was able to talk to Banios comfortably.

-Where did you go, leaving your guests behind?

“You told me to take it easy, so where am I going and why are you asking about my whereabouts? I was just following your orders.”

-Even though I said so, I didn’t expect Lord Setiria to follow my orders so faithfully.

“I don’t know what you think of me, but I’m a better listener than you might think.”

-So… ha.

Banios sighed deeply.

He’d said what he’d said, and if he took it back, he’d be an asshole.

Ruel raised the corners of his mouth as if he was amused.

-How am I supposed to know what’s good to explore in Setiria?

“I’m sorry. I don’t know either.”

-…Lord Setiria, is that my cue to start laughing? Am I missing something? Should I be careful in asking this?

“It’s not a joke. I just hope you remember that I’ve been imprisoned for five years.”

There was a brief pause in Banios’s voice.

Ruel chuckled unconsciously as he remembered Jan seeing him off while trying to inhale Breath.

Jan’s nervousness resembled that of parents sending their child to kindergarten for the first time.

He really resembled Tyson.

-Oh, I may have asked a very rude question indeed. I seem to have forgotten that fact.

“It’s okay. Come to Lake Prina. I’ll see you there.”

-Fine. The location… no. I’ll find my own way. Well then.

Banios ended the communication.

When Ruel looked at Aris, he immediately released the sound-blocking magic.

As the voices of many people reached his ears, Ruel inhaled Breath and looked around.

He was not a hero.

Even if enemies were to come here, he was too weak to save even one person, but he certainly wasn’t cowardly.

Even if he couldn’t become a hero, he didn’t want to become a coward.

“Cassion, we’re going to Lake Prina instead of home,” Ruel said.

There were so many stories he wanted to share with Banios.

If the Great Man and the Red Ash had a global impact, he had to play his part in that grand scheme.

The time he had spent until now was not meaningless.

Ruel smiled.

***

The sky over the lake turned red as the sun set.

The sound of Leo swimming playfully broke the silence of the lake.

—There is sun on the lake today! Even the stars cannot be caught by the hands of this body. Why aren’t they caught?

Leo looked sullen at his short front paws while swimming.

“In other words, it’s quite a frustrating situation,” Ruel summarized, observing Leo’s sullen expression. Meanwhile, Banios remained frozen, his face filled with astonishment, not even realizing that his fishing rod was shaking vigorously.

“Your Highness, it seems you’ve caught something,” Ruel pointed out.

“What? What have I caught?” Banios asked, his face filled with surprise.

“A fish, Your Highness. Your fishing rod is shaking,” Ruel replied, gesturing towards the rod. In contrast, Ruel’s own fishing rod showed no signs of activity.

“Do you perhaps not know how to fish, Your Highness?”

“Hmm.”

Cassion, standing by Ruel’s side, struggled to contain his laughter.

Who was scolding whom?

Ruel couldn’t believe that Cassion was laughing simply because he had asked him to bait the hook.

‘Is this what they call a loyal butler?’ 

It had only been a day since Cassion had declared himself a butler, and he was already changing his tune.

Banios, as if possessed, tugged on the fishing rod and suddenly burst into laughter, seemingly bewildered by his own actions.

“Lord Setiria.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is it an appropriate time to tell this story while fishing?”

“Does it really matter if we talk while fishing or elegantly slice the fish?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Banios agreed.

Releasing the fishing rod from his grasp, as if he had momentarily lost, Banios sank deeply into his chair.

‘It seemed like quite a big catch.’ 

Ruel glanced at his motionless fishing rod.

“I… to be honest, I’m feeling a bit confused,” Banios confessed, stumbling over his words. Ruel chuckled lightly in response.

“Just imagine how confused I am as the person directly involved.”

“I apologize. I didn’t take your feelings into consideration.” “I was just teasing.”

“I was joking.”

Banios was as astonished as when he had first heard about spirits and monsters.

“L-Lord Setiria? Please tell me I didn’t hear that correctly.”

A joke?

It didn’t seem like something Ruel would say.

Banios seemed very confused as to how to accept the series of surprises that continued.

“Just call me Ruel,” Ruel said, gazing at the setting sun in a relaxed manner.

Cassion, standing beside him, Aris, engrossed in his notebook while sitting on a rock, and Banios, who had heard Ruel’s words, all looked at him in surprise.

“Your Highness and I are in the same boat now. Besides, you owe me a significant debt, don’t you? It’s time for you to repay it,” Ruel stated.

Banios chuckled, his lips curling into a smile. “Well, that’s a shame. I thought I was on board from the beginning.”

“I had my doubts,” Ruel replied calmly, his gaze fixed on his motionless fishing rod.

Banios couldn’t help but softly laugh at the sincerity in Ruel’s words. “It seems like more than just a bit,” he remarked.

“In any case, we need to move forward,” Ruel said.

“Lord Setiria, I mean Ruel…”

Banios chuckled at the still awkward words.

“Yes,” Ruel responded nonchalantly.

“To be honest, I enjoy working. Maybe that’s why I like getting things done.”

It was no wonder he was considered a workaholic.

“The reason the royal family came to Setiria was to check on Leponia, just as I told you.”

Ruel covered his mouth as he coughed while inhaling Breath.

Cassion’s eyebrows twitched.

‘His coughing seems to be getting worse.’ 

Despite having taken all the medicine, Ruel’s condition was worrisome.

As Ruel’s cough subsided, Banios spoke up again. “But I don’t think today is the day.”

“What do you mean?” Ruel asked and inhaled Breath.

“How about we simply enjoy fishing?”

Clearing one’s mind by hiking in the mountains felt great, but considering Ruel’s current condition, fishing seemed like a reasonable alternative.

Ruel smiled softly. “I’m glad you finally understand my intentions.”

“You seem to have a lot on your mind,” Banios commented.

Banios had no idea what emotions were hidden behind Ruel’s calm expression.

He decided to let Ruel be, thinking that he wanted to conceal his feelings.

Everyone needed a break sometimes.

Banios’s version of a break was spent with alcohol.

“If you ever need a drinking buddy, just call me. How about meeting in two months?”

“I can’t drink,” Ruel replied.

“Of course, you’re still a kid. How about we have a drink together in two months?” Banios found it amusing and chuckled.

Ruel felt a little embarrassed at being treated like a child but clarified the misunderstanding.

“I did try drinking once, but it didn’t sit well with me. Remember how I drank and vomited blood a few times, Cassion?”

“That happened more than a ‘few’ times,” Cassion replied, causing Banios’ laughter to vanish.

He asked in surprise, “N-no, are you serious?”

Cassion looked at him with a stern expression.

“I understand,” Banios said, his hands trembling slightly as he held the fishing rod.

Since it seemed unlikely that Banios could regain control of the situation, Ruel decided to intervene.

“How about having tea instead of alcohol?”

“Pfft!” Banios burst into laughter abruptly upon hearing Ruel’s unexpected suggestion.

Knowing from past experience that once Banios started laughing, it was hard for him to stop, Ruel remained still, holding onto the fishing rod without any intention of moving.

‘Why isn’t my fishing rod moving…’

When Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion familiarly gave him a piece of meat pie.

Ruel took a big bite of the pie.

Crunch.

Eating outdoors made it taste even better than usual.

—Heh! This body wants to eat too!

Leo, who was swimming hard, pricked up his ears and looked at Ruel.

Ruel chuckled at the sight of him suddenly coming towards him.

‘His ears are sharp.’

“Sorry. Once I start laughing, it’s hard to stop,” Banios said, embarrassed, only staring at the fishing rod.

“It’s okay. So, how about considering my suggestion?”

“I’ve never thought about having tea instead of alcohol, but it’s fine,” Banios reluctantly agreed.

Although it seemed like Banios was giving an unwilling approval, Ruel didn’t mind.

He never particularly enjoyed relying on the effects of alcohol to express himself.

—Cassion! Cassion! Give this body too!

Leo approached Cassion, still dripping wet.

“Leo, you need to dry off,” at Ruel’s words, Leo stood tall and looked at him.

—The wind will dry this body. But since Ruel told this body to pretend to be a fox outside, this body has no choice but to shake it off.

“Just a mome…” Before Ruel could finish his sentence, Leo shook off the water.

—Hup…!

Looking surprised, Leo stared at Ruel after shaking off all the water.

Ruel, completely soaked, calmly gazed at Cassion.

Cassion pointed his finger at Aris.

Externally, Cassion was an ordinary butler, and Aris was his knight.

Regardless, Aris had to be the one to protect Ruel from any external harm.

When Ruel looked at Aris, he seemed engrossed, as if he were shut off from the world and focused on something.

‘Right. He said he was studying, so I can’t say anything…’

“Are you alright?” Banios rummaged through his magic pocket, searching for something.

Cassion took out a towel from his magic pocket and wiped Ruel off.

He briefly glanced at the fishing rod.

“Ruel-nim, the fishing rod is shaking.”

—Is that so! This body will help!

Ruel quickly grabbed Leo’s tail.

—Hic! With Leo’s surprised cry, the lake quieted down.

Fishing was indeed enjoyable.

“Achoo!” Ruel sneezed, causing Leo’s ears to twitch.

—This body is at fault.

Seeing Ruel covering himself with two blankets and heat patches, Leo hurriedly hid his head in Ruel’s clothes.

—This body thought this body only had to watch out for Ruel’s surroundings. Today, this body learned that even getting wet can give you a cold.

It’s not Leo’s fault; it’s just funny how his body gets a fever from getting a little wet.

Ruel petted Leo.

“Are you okay?”

Ruel responded to Banios’ question nonchalantly.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Cassion said sincerely.

It was a great relief that Banios had brought the carriage.

Author’s Thoughts

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