Editing Rakuin no Monshou:The Little Fugitive (section)

=== Part 3 ===

After having sent his mistress back, Jurgen Ozt, a dressing gown flung around his naked body, headed to the room where his subordinates were waiting.

''From here on, I’ll be seeing Dach’s face''.

The thought left Jurgen slightly depressed. He felt as though his sweet mood from spending time with a woman had vanished in an instant. But that man was devoted to his duties. That Dach periodically came to report to him was probably not just for the sake of harassing him.

There were ten or so men in the room, Dach included. He bowed, a longsword hanging from the leather armour covering his chest and waist. He was the only one within the mansion – the only one allowed to bear arms. His nose was oddly long but because of the intensity of his eyes, he did not strike one as being a fool. With his long oval face and the fierce aura emitted from his entire being, he was a man who gave a similar impression to a small and somewhat wild dragon.

“Has there been any progress?”

Jurgen was the first to open his mouth and Dach bent his tall body forward.

“I am very sorry. Being after all from an upper-class household, I did not think that they would manage to lie hidden for long but at any rate, we can assume that they are not being sheltered at the house of an acquaintance. Tomorrow we will extend the scope beyond the city area.”

“Hmph, so they still haven’t been found.”

Jurgen appeared to be gazing at Dach with disdain but he was actually in a very cheerful mood. When spending time with a mistress in the bedroom, he had full confidence in being ‘lively’ to the end. And in relation to this matter, he had from the start taken an optimistic view of things.

“Conversely, it’s convenient that they’ve hidden themselves. They’re the wife and daughter of a criminal. Heh, even if Oddwill’s wife and daughter do plot something, it shouldn’t be any particular problem. Don’t you think so, Dach?”

He called a chamberlain and had him prepare drinks. He was about to offer one to Dach but the latter held up his hand in refusal.

“No.”

At his blunt reply, Jurgen’s expression turned displeased. Dach’s dragon-like countenance on the other hand didn’t change in the slightest.

“Obstacles should be removed without exception. Even if they are but like rubbish scattered at my lord’s feet. Some of them might have shards of glass within them and carelessly treading on them could lead to a serious injury.”

“I get that too.” Jurgen drew back the proffered glass and drained its contents himself.

His mansion was on the bank the River Sarzan. From the window, he could look down to the water’s surface that was sunk in shadows. The view wasn’t bad but it was far from the palace. Even among the aristocrats living in Solon, there were differences.

Jurgen was by no means a high-ranking noble. Having only been granted the task of developing the mines on the outskirts of Solon, his political influence and military strength were practically nil.

Half the reason for keeping a private force of twenty men, Dach included, was in order to keep up appearances as a noble. His purse should have had very little surplus, yet lately Jurgen’s financial standing had somewhat improved. As proof of that, he had increased the number of mistresses he kept.

“We do not know if Oddwill’s wife might bring information to the palace. I do not think that there is anyone there who would listen to her but in order to be make absolutely sure, this is –”

“I get it, I get it. Do as you like,” Jurgen said tolerantly as he waved a hand but his thoughts were easy to read.

''Damn you Dach, don’t be so overzealous''.

They were men that he had lifted up from the position as sword slaves ten years ago. Since, as stated, Jurgen did not maintain his private force out of any pressing need, they might be gotten rid of at any time if they were deemed useless. Here was where they could demonstrate the value of their existence to their master.

''Well, whatever. It’s cute''.

When Dach and the others left the room, Jurgen’s mind was already pondering about which mistress to call next time and when that would be.




Two days later, Jurgen Ozt dressed himself in formal wear and rode a carriage to Solon’s main palace. Those of his rank would attend court once or twice a month at most.

He gave his periodic report on the development of the mine and chatted light-heartedly with several nobles of his acquaintance. He also heard an odd piece of gossip while he was there.

“Oh, the Crown Prince did?”

The rumour was about Crown Prince Gil Mephius whose presence had abruptly grown so large both in Solon and in the palace.

But of course, it could have nothing to do with him, he decided optimistically.

That evening, having left the palace, he was about to board his carriage when,

“Oh, Jurgen.”

Near the gate, from where the shadows cast by the setting sun collected, the person at the centre of the rumours suddenly appeared.
“M-My. Prince Gil, Your Highness.”

Naturally astonished, Jurgen gave a bow. Gil Mephius, with several attendants following behind him, was grinning frivolously.

''Don’t tell me'' – he had a bad feeling. He remembered the rumour from earlier.

Since about the day before yesterday, Gil Mephius had apparently gone to every noble in Mephius and had squeezed them for money. All the inhabitants of Solon would come to watch the prince’s procession when he departed for Apta. When that happened, he wanted to show off and to splendidly adorn the soldiers, horses and dragons that he would be taking with him.

“Even though he may have accomplished heroic feats, His Imperial Highness is still young,” his aristocratic acquaintances had jeered.

“It looks like he has given up on pestering his scary father for pocket money and intends to extort it from we who are in a weaker position.”

''Still, to even come to a destitute noble like me''.

Jurgen frowned privately. He had no particular experience of a life of hardship but in front of those from the imperial family – and especially when the other was the ‘foolish’ crown prince who had been raised without knowing want – he truly felt that he had tasted suffering.

Above all else, he could not stomach the prince’s attitude of calling out to him as they he had known him since forever. Up until now, he had always acted as though he knew neither his name nor his face but when it was convenient for him, he sidled up to him with a know-it-all expression.

As expected, the prince asked for money in a roundabout way.

“One such as myself,” Jurgen smiled, “is not in a position to be able to lend funds to our august Imperial Prince.”

“I heard that recently, you’ve been strangely prosperous.”

“Ha, ha, who has been saying such nonsense?”

Jurgen laughed it off despite feeling a chill. The other nobles would no doubt have mentioned his name to the prince in order to drive him off when he was pestering them for money.

“The nobles have to some extent been gossiping. Would it not be best to pay attention so that this matter does not reach your esteemed father’s ears?”

So as to end the conversation quickly, he brought out the name of Gul Mephius, the father whom Gil Mephius would fear above anyone else. As expected, Gil clearly started to pull back.

''Hmph'' – Jurgen did not believe that the ‘foolish’ prince had accomplished any of the recent heroic feats. In order to somehow lift his prestige, those feats had certainly either been performed by other people or set up so as to make it look as though the prince had accomplished them by himself.

Jurgen held back a sneer, bowed courteously and was about to step into his carriage when,

“Oh, by the way, Jurgen.”

“What can I for you?”

''Right to the very end'' – swallowing his inner feelings as he exasperatedly wondered what it was, Jurgen turned around smiling.

“The affair with Oddwill was so sudden, I can’t believe it.”

His smiling mask fell away and Jurgen was shaken by a violent coughing fit.

“W-What do you mean?”

“Nothing, he just didn’t look like a man who would commit fraud like that. You really can’t judge a book by its cover, I guess. You must have been surprised as well.”

“Y-Yes. I… Yes, indeed.”

It was so sudden and so shocking that Jurgen was unable to fix his expression and kept wiping streams of sweat. He didn’t know how or what he should say.

“Well anyway. I’ve held you back,” Prince Gil said coolly and went back into the palace without sparing him another glance.




Jurgen hurried home. He was going to call for Dach but was informed that he had not yet returned from the search.

''Should I increase the number of people'', he wondered but he was afraid of digging his own grave by acting in a way that stood out too much. Turning away the mistress who came to visit him at the appointed time, Jurgen shut himself away in his room.

''What’s with that damn ‘fool’. He knows Oddwill? Ridiculous. What kind of contact could that man have had with the prince?''

Aimlessly and agitatedly, he paced around the room. This situation was impossible to read.

How many times did he reflect that Dach had been right? He should have made sure of absolutely everything. He should have done everything he could to get rid of every hindrance.

Dach finally returned as the sun was about to set.

Having summoned all concerned, Jurgen Ozt, who had been reeling as though caught in a blast, stood in front of Dach with his mouth gaping open.

“What?”

The timing was so excessively good that for a moment he was bewildered and did not hear any more of the report. The next instant however, a delighted expression spread across his face.

“Is that right, you’ve found them?”

“Aye. They escaped to the slums. Based on my men’s report of her appearance, there is no doubt that it is Oddwill’s wife. I have had them follow her, so by tonight we should know where they are living. We will strike tomorrow night.”

“No,” Jurgen shook his head with surprising speed, “tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Attack as soon as you learn where they live. Got it? Do not fail to kill them. Everything has to be settled before dawn.”

His master, who up until then had almost seemed to consider it someone else’s business, had had a complete change of attitude. Dach stared hard at Jurgen’s face for a while but after all, the opponents were two females. He certainly didn’t think that there was any need for excessive caution.
“Understood. We will deal with both of them tonight.”

Dach nodded his dragon-like face.