chapter 13
13. silence of two girls
A silent sozer knelt down in front of Schmitz.
She even broke her promise to ‘never say anything’, and there was something she really wanted to ask Schmitz about.
‘What enables him to overcome trials.’
Schmitz suddenly appeared about a month ago, during the ‘Trial of Fire’, when rebirths were no longer received.
After that, he cleared the task of the ordeal faster than anyone else.
No one in the history of the ordeal passed the ordeal so quickly.
The story of Schmitz, who became a hot potato, reached the ears of the silencer.
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Just because you don’t speak doesn’t mean you can’t hear.
[That boy named Schmitz is said to be 15 years old.]
[I heard that you have already overcome the 4th level ordeal at once… Awesome.]
At first, my impression of Schmitz was just that of a ‘great boy of his age’.
Schmitz was 15 years old, the same age as Silencer.
They’re the same age, but they can overcome trials so quickly…
He himself, who had been here for over a year, was only at the 6th stage of the ordeal.
Of course, this was a great achievement for her age.
In the first place, it did not stand out because he had never told anyone about his age.
It’s a little faster than the average of middle school students in the ordeal.
However, the reason why Silence Sozer became interested in Schmitz in earnest was,
It was after hearing the reason why he was being tried.
[Why are you working so hard?]
[I heard that there are people he wants to protect.]
[Hmm? What does that have to do with trials?]
[Isn’t it to protect the owner no matter what trials?]
[…] Something romantic with a childish theme? Haha.]
Silence Sozer was dazed as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer.
To protect someone, enduring trials?
that…
because it was something he hadn’t done.
“… What do you want to say, silence?”
She was brought to her senses by the gentle voice in front of her.
Schmitz was looking at him gently with a smile on his face.
For some reason, I couldn’t see his face.
She lowered her head and moved her gaze toward Schmitz’s body.
‘… My physical condition.’
She swallowed the saliva that almost came out without realizing it.
Because Schmitz’s body was not normal at first glance.
The robe he was wearing was a mess from the aftermath of the previous ordeal.
Not only was it scorched and burnt, but there were bloodstains everywhere.
Unhealed wounds were clearly visible through the robes that had holes in them from burning.
… How can I talk to you in such a miserable state?
“… later, yo.”
“You mean you’ll talk later?”
“… … ”
Silence Soju nodded his head without speaking.
If you wish, you could have quenched your curiosity right now.
However…
‘Because it’s not something to blindly ask someone who’s been hurt like this… ‘
Blaming his physical condition, Soje again hid behind silence.
Even though I know it’s ugly.
But the girl didn’t know yet.
The fact that her silence was not rooted in fear as before, but in a thrill.
* * *
On the other hand, there was another girl who fell into ‘silence’ in the mansion of the Grand Duke of the North where Schmitz left…
“… … ”
“… Arlot, say something.”
“… … ”
“ha… ”
Arlott’s room.
There was only a bed left in her room, and there was a desolate atmosphere.
Arlot, the Grand Duke of the North, stood in front of him.
“… Don’t you want to talk to Abby?”
“… … ”
The Grand Duke of the North sighed inwardly.
How could her daughter keep her mouth shut?
If possible, I wanted to tear apart the person who made Arlott like that.
… I wanted to do that, but the Grand Duke of the North couldn’t bear it.
Because the cause of her silence was ‘herself’.
“… Good night. Arlot.”
“… … ”
Arlott only stared at the ceiling with empty eyes.
Tears overflowed from the corners of her eyes, which were adding sparkles…
It rides down her chilled cheek and turns into a single ice crystal.
The crystals were already piled up under the bed and on the side of the pillow.
“… sorry.”
The Grand Duke of the North left his daughter’s room with those words.
Because it was hard to see the daughter who was broken.
It was also because he realized that no matter how much he spoke and apologized, it would mean nothing.
The Grand Duke of the North, who was moving aimlessly, stopped in front of a room.
“Master, are you there?”
After leaving Arlott’s room, the Grand Duke of the North found the butler’s room.
He had been a faithful servant of the Eral family even before he was born.
The Grand Duke of the North was also almost the only one he could turn to for advice.
“What are you doing?”
Soon after, the door opened.
As if representing his personality, the butler’s room was clean without a speck of dust.
Even during off-hours, he was wearing a suit with no wrinkles.
The Grand Duke of the North entered the room slowly and sat down on the reception sofa.
“ha… What do you think will happen, Sebas?”
“… Is it because of Princess Arlotte’s business?”
Sebas prepares refreshments with natural movements like flowing water.
But his expression wasn’t good either.
Princess Arlott, whom Schmidt has been in charge of so far.
It was because the attendants who were supposed to wait on her quit their jobs one by one.
[The princess’s body is too… It’s too cold. It’s so cold that I want to cut off my hands even if I wear gloves and use cold protection… I can’t work anymore.]
The first person to talk about retirement was Matilda, the servant in charge of Schmitz’s work.
He was one of the veterans who worked for 10 years at the Grand Duke’s mansion in the north.
She was ashamed to compare her housekeeping skills to Schmitz.
But Matilda quit the job after less than a week.
It was because of the insane cold running through Arlott’s skin.
When Matilda left, the Grand Duke of the North spent a lot of money to purchase magic tools.
It was for the attendants in charge of Arlot to wear it.
… That wasn’t the only problem.
[…] After writhing in pain, I have to clean the sleeping quarters, but it’s very difficult to clean because she doesn’t move at all. … It’s eerie and scary. You didn’t even say anything… I can’t do it anymore.]
Another attendant who came in after Matilda quit her job complaining of psychological trauma.
In addition, those who show tears because it is difficult to watch Arlott’s pain, those who suffer from hearing loss due to Arlott’s tearing screams, those who give up due to vigilant duty, etc…
It’s only been about a month since Schmitz left,
More than 5 servants have already quit being Arlott’s exclusive servants.
Because of that, the chief chamberlain had no choice but to suffer from a headache.
Since it was impossible to have a new servant attendant in charge of the princess, a veteran servant had to be put in.
However, everyone left Arlott’s charge after only a few weeks.
Because of that, rumors even circulated that Arlott’s job in the mansion was a kind of ‘recommended resignation’.
“… You seem to be having a hard time too, sit down.”
“… … ”
The chamberlain sat down in the opposite seat without a word.
Normally, it would be reasonable to politely refuse, saying, ‘I can’t sit next to the one who attends.’
It seemed to be quite difficult.
“Did you say that no one has yet applied to be Arlott’s attendant?”
“Yes, I am in charge now.”
“… This has never happened before, so what happened?”
The Grand Duke of the North could not understand.
Arlott changed after Schmitz left, but the change was not large.
I just stopped talking and stopped moving.
Even so, the attendants continue to quit their jobs… The Grand Duke of the North could not understand.
But.
The butler’s reply again pointed out ‘his vacancy’.
“Because Schmitz had previously worked as her exclusive servant.”
“…Schmitz here too, Schmitz-kun over there.”
“… … ”
The butler had nothing to say other than this.
‘I never thought he would be that important… ‘
Originally, the reason for sending Schmitz as Arlott’s attendant was simple.
Wouldn’t Arlott be a little more comfortable in front of his peers?
Indeed, it seemed to have worked to some extent.
Arlott became more and more bright as he stayed with Schmitz, and Schmitz did not have any complaints either.
‘It’s not that I didn’t have any complaints, but that I endured everything.’
He endured the coldness of her cold as ice, without a magic tool.
Her coldness felt cold even when equipped with cold protection magic tools.
It was just tolerating nothing.
Even in such a situation, he tried his best both physically and mentally for the happiness of Arlot.
All attendants knew the anecdote that Schmitz created a rose garden in the backyard of his barren mansion.
Why did you kick such a perfect talent?
“Have you not found any information about Schmitz yet?”
“I solved all the ‘crows’ in the family… ”
“Whoa… ”
The Grand Duke of the North sighed and looked out the window.
Where the hell have you gone?
If only we could meet… He felt like going down on his knees.
‘I should have cleared up the misunderstanding. I was too hasty.’
The Grand Duke of the North recalls the memory of that day.
The figure of Schmitz holding his dagger with his one and only daughter below.
Even Arlott was shaking and shedding bloody tears.
As a parent, it was a situation where he could not hold on to the strings of reason.
As a result, Schmitz left a letter and left the house.
and…
[Father, Schmitz did nothing wrong. I… I threatened Schmitz.]
[…] What do you mean?]
[I was the one who gave Schmitz the dagger. I… I… ]
Arlott dragged the wheelchair with his own hands and came to the Grand Duke of the North and said.
She was clutching the letter Schmitz had written with both hands.
[To the attendant who worked hard for me… order to kill… ]
… The Grand Duke of the North could not forget her expression, filled with tears and regret.
After resolving the misunderstanding, Arlott tried to get out of the mansion in a wheelchair whenever he had a chance.
Saying that he would find Schmitz himself, he dragged the wheelchair himself with his delicate hands.
One by one, the attendants were tired of her unpredictable behavior, and in the end, the Grand Duke of the North had no choice but to lock her in a room and protect her.
After that, she became what she is now.
He didn’t try to talk to anyone and stopped all movement as if he had become a vegetable.
“Chairman… No, Sebas. my friend.”
“… Yes.”
“Tell me. What have I done wrong and how to make it right?”
Sebas looked at his face quietly.
The Northern Duke’s expression was more desperate than anyone else’s.
To the extent that if asked to sell his life to the devil, he would gladly do it.
However, Sebas could only say one thing.
“…find Schmitz. He is the only solution.”
“……”
The Grand Duke of the North… I had no choice but to keep my head down.