Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

Chapter 21.1: Unexpected Guests

There are three days left until the end of the year.

Lian’s father, who had gone to the capital for the end-of-year meeting, returned a week ago, along with two knights wearing dazzling blue uniforms complete with cloaks.

As I sit behind my desk, drafting up a budget plan with a list of necessities and materials, I’m able to see the scene through the window.

A huge horse-drawn carriage equipped with four horses comes in through the mansion gate, coming to a stop at the porch. The door opens, revealing the sight of two knights flanking Lian’s father. They drag him, no, alight from the carriage together

The young knight on the right side of Lian’s Father has his straight brown hair tied in a low ponytail. He is wearing silver-rimmed glasses, his eyebrows wrinkled in displeasure.

The young knight on the left side of Lian’s father has mussed up hair a shade of light brown. He looks exhausted as he sighs time and again.

Lian’s father, between them, a man who usually looks prim and proper with his mustache trimmed, sports his dark hair, which he is so proud of, in disarray. He looks frail. His head hangs low, his face somber as he staggers forward with his back slumped and shoulders dropped.

My first thought when I see him: Lian’s father, did you finally do something bad?

As it is, Lian’s father is a haughty and proud wealthy nobleman, who acts according to his opponents’ strength. Weak against those wealthier and higher up the social ladder, and vice versa. A typical simple minded and rich nobleman. In a nutshell, he’s simple, whether for good or bad deeds. I think overly complicated schemes are beyond him.

He shouldn’t have done something that serious. He’s incapable of it, in fact.

Which means, he might have seen something that looked profitable and jumped right in, without realizing it was illegal. Or perhaps his business that walked the tightrope between legal and illegal was found out, which led to the police, no, the Knight Order dragging him out like a suspect.

I put my pen back, squinting at those three people who are explaining something to Lowendal. I cradle my chin in my hand and sigh.

As foreseen, Lowendal comes in and tells me that I need to go to the reception room.

This might be the police interrogation I often saw in crime dramas.

Seriously Lian’s father, why are you inviting trouble during this terribly busy New Year’s Eve? There’s little I can do, though, since they’re inside.

I wonder what he’s done wrong, a headache blooming before having even heard the story. “Excuse me,” I say as I enter the room.

A beat later, Lian’s father stands up from the leather sofa. “Ah, Lian.” His face is pale.

He staggers toward me, stopping right in front of me. As I’m wondering what he is going to say, he prostates himself against the floor, grabbing my arms in a vice-like grip.

He looks up at me, eyes teary, sobs amidst his words.

“Lian… Lian… I’m sorry… I didn’t think it would… that things would t-turn out this way…”

“Father…”

Ah…

So my guess was right, huh?

What have you done, Lian’s father? Is it the classic crime, a bribe? Illegal solicitation of contributions? Corruption? Accounting fraud? Or maybe he smuggled something through the black market?

“I-I just thought it would be for the best. At that moment, it sounded like a great deal for the Owens, you included. I also told him not to do anything reprehensible, and wanted him to handle everything. That’s why I trusted him blindly! I had no idea he would do something like thaaaaaaaat!”

Although I don’t have the full details yet, it seems he was caught because if his greed.

I heave a sigh.

First, I have to ask him how he got caught. Depending on the reason, I’ll have to devise some plan. I hope it’s not something big, but… “Father, what did you do?”

A squeal escapes the mouth of Lian’s father. His face is as white as a sheet, and he begins to shake like a leaf.

It seems I frightened him with my cold attitude, gaze, or voice.

“He committed a truly despicable deed.” The bespectacled knight sitting on the sofa across from us snorts in displeasure as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He narrows his cold eyes, the furrow between his brows deepening.

He glares at us, his arms crossed while one of his finger twitches in aggravation.

To be more precise, he glares at Lian’s father.

“To sell a child for your own gain… You’re trash among trash. No, you’re lower than even trash.”

“Ehh!?” What the actual heck? Unbelievable, to think he’s involved in such a heinous crime! Human trafficking! Selling children! The worst, utterly despicable! How awful! He is honest to god garbage! That’s how trash would act!

“Father… you’re the worst. How can you even do this kind of thing…?”

“N-no! You’re wrong, Lian! I didn’t intend for things to end up like that. I didn’t know! I beg of you, believe me!!”

What do you mean “didn’t intend” or “didn’t know?” Making up excuses right now, how low can you get?

At first, I didn’t find Lian’s father that detestable in the game, a small villain and a little scoundrel’s father who only exists to provoke the hero.

He certainly loves money, but never had I thought he would stoop so low.

Lian’s father seems like he grew up as a spoiled young master, one who never had to struggle in his life, and who only feels greed for what most people covet. He would most likely negotiate with politicians at high-end restaurants, while slipping some money beneath the table.

He’s a coward as well, so he wouldn’t have the guts to commit such a crime.

At least, that’s what I thought…

“I believed that Father wouldn’t do something like that, yet…”

“L-Lian!” Lian’s father trembles in shock, widening his eyes. “Y-you’re wrong! I merely thought it would benefit you!”

“Benefit me?”

“Yeah! I’m certain you don’t want to stay in this kind of backwater countryside, and you’d rather bask in the luxury of the fashionable urban capital, the place where everyone gathers, right?”

I shake my head.

I’m the type that would choose to go to the countryside over the city..

Since I prefer staying indoors as well, I would rather read books, watch TV, write a story, and do garden or house work rather than going out to play.

I also hate noisy places and crowds.

“No. I like my current life. Even if I don’t live in a big city, I’m satisfied with this village. It’s calm, the scenery is beautiful, and the villagers are living leisurely. They are also very gentle, and have been very good to me. I don’t wish for anything more than this.”

“L-Lian…”

“Oh?” The bespectacled knight widens his eyes as he looks at me, and then he narrows them again, looking down at Lian’s father. “How surprising. Unlike you, isn’t he a humble, sensible, and respectable son? You on the other hand—”

“Y-you’re wrooonnngggg! It’s different, Lian! While it’s true I messed up, I was still thinking about you! I really do love you! I admit I have been remiss in my duties, and I apologize for that! But that person promised me a huge sum of money every year for something that will be good for the both of us! And I admit, I was dazzled by it. But the amount is so earth-shatteringly high! There’s no way anyone wouldn’t tempted, right?!”

????? Li a n . . .