Chapter 122: What Is the Truth?

The second residence of the Viscount Arden family. The guest chamber.

Heavy drapes filtered the afternoon light into a muted gold, and the air inside the room lay perfectly still, as though even the breeze had chosen not to intrude upon the tense formality of noble affairs.

Seated opposite Olivia was Ryu, arms folded across his chest in deliberate composure. His posture was rigid, chin slightly raised, the picture of solemn authority. Behind him stood Sebas, ever the dutiful attendant, though beads of cold sweat traced faint lines down his temple.

Needless to say, both Ryu and Sebas were acting.

Every movement. Every word. Every carefully arranged breath.

“…As the wind guides us.”

“Ryu-sama,” Sebas replied smoothly, bowing slightly, “there is no wind within the chamber.”

“…Hmph.”

“…………”

(Oh dear. He’s completely immersed in his Ryoma Sakamoto persona… Now that I think about it, this boy is only fifteen—just like Klim…)

Olivia felt an emotion she could not quite name rise quietly in her chest.

Through the intelligence network of the Blake family, she knew the truth: Ryu had inherited the household at fourteen and had since walked a path filled with war, expeditions, and hardship far beyond his years.

(If the Arden house weren’t strictly patrilineal, he would still be attending the academy right now, doing his best in his studies… His mother must worry terribly.)

From Olivia’s perspective, the Arden baronial line had always passed through male heirs. There had been no alternative for Ryu but to assume leadership. Had they been a matrilineal house—or like the Blake, where either gender could inherit—his mother would now be the viscount, and Ryu would likely be laughing with friends beneath the academy’s summer sky.

(He’s endured so much… Somehow, he’s starting to look rather adorable to me.)

Watching him struggle valiantly between boyhood and responsibility—serving as a lecturer while diligently fulfilling the burdens of a family head—Olivia could not help but feel sympathy. The fact that he was the same age as her son only deepened that instinct.

Sebas cleared his throat delicately.

“Ryu-sama. During an audience with a guest, might I request that you adjust your speech somewhat…”

“Understood de goza—… Understood.”

“Ahh.”

Sebas exhaled in visible relief.

And so, beneath this elaborate performance, the meeting finally began.

“So then,” Ryu said calmly, folding his hands atop his knee, “for what purpose have you come today?”

“I’ve come to apologize regarding my son.”

“Ah. Concerning the black rumors that were spread by him?”

“Yes. That matter. I am truly sorry… This is my failure as a parent. The fault lies entirely with me.”

Olivia bowed deeply—far more deeply than her rank required.

“It’s fine.”

“…Eh?”

She lifted her head, eyes widening.

She had not expected forgiveness to come so easily.

(Well, Klim is already dead. If she were some wretched fool of a parent, I might’ve pressed harder. But she seems like a decent mother who truly cares for her son. There’s no need to bully her further. Still… there’s one thing that bothers me.)

Why had such a composed, sensible woman failed so completely in educating her son?

That single question refused to leave him.

“Truly… you’ll forgive us without demanding anything? At the very least, compensation…”

“There’s no need. Arden is not so cruel as to corner a mother who is still searching for her missing child.”

“What a generous heart…”

(To think Klim picked a one-sided fight with such a gentle noble house… It makes my chest ache even more. I must find him quickly—and bring him here to apologize together.)

Unfortunately, her son had long since been digested by goblins and was now nourishing the forest floor.

(At first, I considered the possibility that Viscount Arden himself might be involved… but judging from this, that possibility is nearly zero. A boy this earnest—this adorably awkward in his struggle through adolescence—would never plot the abduction of another noble.)

The true culprit sat before her.

A black-hearted dragon masquerading as a dutiful boy.

Olivia let out a long, exhausted sigh.

“Why did Klim do such a thing…? He was always such a good child…”

““…Hm?””

(Klim was a good child…? Don’t tell me that idiot put on a perfect mask in front of his mother?)

(I see. So that lingering sense of inconsistency I felt earlier… that must be it. It’s possible Olivia-sama has no idea how much trouble young Klim caused throughout the estate and academy.)

“Olivia-sama,” Ryu said gently, “may I ask… how did Klim behave at home?”

“Like any ordinary noble son. To be honest, he didn’t possess any exceptional talent, but he studied quietly and worked diligently at magic and swordsmanship. Thanks to that, he was even admitted to the Imperial Academy.”

“I see… And did you discuss your children often with Duke Blake?”

“We did, to an extent… but… ah?”

(Come to think of it… I barely ever spoke about Klim…)

When she reflected carefully, conversations with her husband always centered around their eldest son, the heir; their second son, a former academy instructor; their daughter and third son, who had secured positions within the Imperial military’s upper ranks; and their second daughter, who had married into a close marquis house.

She could not recall a single instance of discussing Klim.

Nor did she remember servants ever bringing him up.

“The duke may simply have had little interest in an ordinary son,” Ryu said carefully. “But among the servants… perhaps the topic was treated as taboo. Or perhaps Klim arranged matters that way himself.”

“T-Taboo? Why would it be taboo?”

“That is not for me to say… You might consider questioning the servants directly.”

(The duke probably had no interest in Klim at all. The fact that only the mother came searching says enough. As for the servants… it’s highly likely Klim pressured them. He certainly had the kind of face suited for petty scheming.)

“Allow me to say one last thing,” Ryu added quietly. “It may be that you are the only one truly searching for Klim. That includes the servants… and even the knights.”

“…What?”

(What does that mean? What am I fighting against?)

The meeting concluded without incident. Yet when Olivia departed, she walked unsteadily, as though the ground beneath her had lost its certainty.

Watching her retreating figure, heavy with quiet despair, Sebas murmured:

“It may not be my place to say so, but she was somewhat pitiable.”

“I agree,” Ryu replied. “Though her perspective as a mother was far too narrow. Still… this time, I believe the duke is at fault. The servants can only do so much, but as a father, he should have spoken properly with both mother and son. When Klim caused trouble, he likely left everything to subordinates. …Though I suppose he’s still slightly better than my own late bastard of a father.”

As they spoke, Lena and Esther approached.

“Um… Onii-sama?”

“Oh, Lena. What is it?”

“Could you… stay in that persona for the rest of the day? Somehow… it’s become rather addictive.”

“O-Oh. Very well.”

“Yes!”

Lena pumped her fist in triumph.

“Ryoma,” Esther grinned, “did the meeting conclude safely?”

“Indeed. It has ended, de gozaru.”

“Ka-ka-ka-ka! You resemble that lecherous samurai perfectly!” she roared with laughter.

As they made their way back toward the manor together, Ryu allowed his thoughts to drift.

(…Maybe I should visit my mother sometime. It’s not far if I travel by air.)

Several Hours Later — A Room in the Blake Ducal Second Residence

Olivia once again sat with her head in her hands.

“I’m sorry… I am truly sorry…”

“O-Olivia-sama…”

The servants watched her anxiously.

She had finally asked.

And they had answered.

One by one, they revealed the countless incidents Klim had caused:

Stories of violence and harassment.
Stories of servants driven to resignation.
Stories of collective punishments imposed under the guise of “discipline.”
Stories of students forced into absenteeism.
And how every matter had been silenced through the authority of the duke’s fourth son.

(So this is what Viscount Arden meant…)

This was no mere case of a missing son.

This was an incident capable of determining the future of the Blake ducal house itself.

“After this… I must visit many households to apologize. I suppose I won’t sleep for three days…”

“Olivia-sama,” a servant asked hesitantly, “what shall we do regarding Klim-sama’s search?”

“We will suspend it for now. From what I have heard, there are countless individuals who bear him resentment. Whoever abducted him likely lies among them—but there are simply too many suspects to identify. As a mother, I will never abandon him… but first, I must bow my head before the noble houses he wronged.”

As a duchess, she would not be pelted with stones. Yet for three days—perhaps longer—she would endure cold gazes and silent condemnation.

As for the servants… there were too many victims.

There was no undoing it.

“Parental negligence… is it…? Ha…”

(It was I who was mistaken. All of it.)

In the end, the Blake Second Knight Order left only a minimal contingent behind before returning to their territory.

Olivia remained in the capital, continuing a modest search.

Thus, the matter was settled—for now.

The reputation of Blake would not recover quickly.

Yet in the minds of Ryu and Marquis Grace, Duchess Olivia’s standing had risen considerably.

To earn favorable regard from those two—

It was, without exaggeration, an extraordinary achievement.

A month passed.

Ryu’s lightning magic lectures concluded. Until the long summer break, Class 1-A would now attend wind magic instruction.

Just before the starting bell rang, the instructor for wind magic entered the classroom.

The students recognized him immediately.

““““Huh…?””””

(Why is Professor Ryu here…?)

“I am Ryu Arden, instructor for Class 1-A’s wind magic. From now until summer vacation, I look forward to working with you.”

“O-Onii-sama…!!!”

—Where Lena stands, there stand I.

Thus reads the maxim left behind by a certain black-hearted, sister-loving, tsundere dragon.