"Bermont?"
"Yes! Lord Lopez is actually the third son of the Count of Bermont. He married the eldest daughter of the Lopez family and inherited the title of 'Viscount.' As expected of someone with noble blood, he's well-versed in high society culture and has a keen interest in new things. Especially this moonstone necklace here. He was quite fascinated with it. The intricate craftsmanship over the rough stone is the very essence of the Marques style…"
The merchant rambled on about the necklace. I half-listened while I bought the necklace. The merchant smiled slyly and added this tidbit.
"Well, the current Count of Bermont is Lord Lopez' older brother. When the Count is away, Lord Lopez often stands in as the Count's representative. However, the people of Bermont don't like him much."
"They don't like the Viscount?"
"Well, it's a bit awkward for me to say, but… how should I put it… he has a pathological hatred of commoners."
"Well, well."
I clicked my tongue in a somewhat exaggerated manner as I looked around the stall again, then decided to be direct, no need to hide anything.
"You seem to be quite knowledgeable about the nobility. Is there any particular friendship between Baron Roald and Lord Lopez?"
"Friendship between the Baron and the Lord Lopez? Hmm, I'm not sure. The Baron is a vassal of Count Ertinez, and the Lord Lopez is a vassal of the Count of Bermont… I don't know, really. But they're both nobles, so they might be friendly with each other, right?"
It seemed highly unlikely that any visible connection existed between them. I picked something off the merchant's stall and paid a bit more. The merchant grinned widely.
"I run an inn down that alley, so if you ever get hungry or need some company, feel free to come by."
"Of course! Take care, my friend!"
I turned and walked through the market, asking a few more people. Merchants, being so well-versed in gossip, often had a wealth of background information, especially those who had dealings with nobles. They often had the inside track on the behaviour and preferences of the upper class, so I was able to gather more useful tidbits than expected.
The jewelry I bought from the merchants was stored carefully in my bag and tossed into the warehouse. Surely, there would be a use for them at some point.
In conclusion, Lord Lopez seemed to be quite a haughty figure—probably the type to be used as a semi-antagonistic character early in the story.
I tapped the table lightly. After selling information to a few people and helping locals find jobs the previous day, customers had started coming in, having heard the rumours. Based on the information I gathered from the kids in the morning, I was able to satisfy them.
Since I had nothing else to do, I busied myself with the sausages and skewers, which sold well as appetizers. Cooking them wasn't difficult, so I had Leonardo work hard at it.
The guests, having enjoyed the plum candy as a palate cleanser, thought it was a good idea to leave some of the candy out in the shop for anyone to try. Modern marketing techniques were being applied right here. Maybe I should partner with the candy shop.
As midnight approached, the inn became quiet. There were no overnight guests today, just the diners. I called out to Leonardo, who was tidying up the first floor, rolling up his sleeves.
"Let's call it a night. Take a rest."
Leonardo nodded. He started to head up to the second floor but stopped halfway, looking a bit hesitant. Curious, I looked over at him, and a quiet question came from him.
"…Aren't you sleeping?"
"Later."
I waved my hand dismissively. I finished going over the ledgers and checking the inventory. I had a feeling this scenario was coming to an end soon. Now that I thought about it, didn't Vittorio get injured? I should prepare some medicine. I'll need to remember where the local physician's office is in Sinistra. And I would need to guide Vittorio and Leonardo to be in the right place when the carriage passed by.
I had been moving around the scenario area, handling various tasks, and I couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, due to the butterfly effect, the scenario might not unfold exactly on schedule. The objective of this scenario, after all, was for Leonardo to rescue Vittorio.
That day, I spent the whole night worrying about this and that. In the early stages of a business, it's always overwhelmingly busy. When Leonardo woke up at dawn, he greeted me with an almost expectant look on his face. He added, however, a comment that seemed a bit out of place.
"Did you get any sleep? Rest is important."
"Ah, I was waiting for that line from you."
I chuckled and brushed it off. That day, I stayed put and didn't leave the inn. Leonardo seemed rather curious about that.
Then came a rather leisurely period. Since there were no customers at this early hour, we spent the time lounging around the inn. Then, a soft knock—tap, tap, tap—came from the back door.
It seemed like the "guardless" door wasn't as unguarded as I thought, as Leonardo noticed the sound. I waved my hand, signaling him to not worry about it.
"It's just the kids playing around."
I stuffed some candy and coins into my pocket and hung it on the door. The sound of kids giggling and running off with the stash faintly reached my ears.
Street kids. They had been hanging around near the gate and I asked them to let me know when a grand noble's carriage approaches from a distance.
"By the way, how about you and I go out for a bit?"
"The inn?"
"We'll keep it closed until noon. There aren't many customers in the morning anyway."
"Alright. Can you tell me why we're going out?"
I smiled faintly and replied, "Exploring Sinistra."
With that, I pulled Leonardo along and we headed out into the streets of Sinistra. Looking at the general layout of the scenario and the script so far, it seemed like 'Leovald' had some connection to the city. Leonardo seemed to know his way around the area, though he only seemed familiar with the general shape of the alleys. He didn't seem to know what shops were where or who lived where, but he clearly had a solid understanding of the terrain.
"Do you see it over there?"
"…A candy shop?"
"Pick out some of the new candy they have. Any flavour you like."
"Is this some kind of errand for a child?"
"This is all part of the guide. Go over, get familiar with people's faces, you know? And we're stocking up on supplies for the inn, so it's also a bit of work while we're out."
Leonardo, looking a bit uncomfortable, took the money I gave him and headed toward the Golden Droplet shop. Of course, I wasn't just doing this for fun—it was all for the scenario. I needed Leonardo to be positioned there when the Lord Lopez passed by.
Sinistra was a well-paved commercial city, but there weren't wide streets everywhere that could accommodate the carriages of nobles. The roads with that kind of width were limited, and this one in particular connected directly to the city gates. The candy shop I had sent Leonardo to was located on this main street. I had heard that Vittorio often worked nearby as well. In other words, this wide avenue was the setting for the event in this scenario.
I heard the distant clatter of horses' hooves. I scanned the surroundings. People were bustling about, and the faint sound of someone shouting for others to clear the way reached my ears. Ah, and there he was, Vittorio. He was walking down the street with a large, hard loaf of black bread that I had given him the day before. Though it was tough, the large portion made it easy to share with the other street children in the same situation.
Ding. At just the right moment, Leonardo, holding a paper bag under his arm, came out of the shop. The carriage was gradually drawing closer. Then, as if on cue, Vittorio, who had been walking, accidentally bumped into someone in the crowd.
It wasn't intentional—Vittorio, being small and frail, hadn't seen the other person and collided with them, a completely unplanned and unavoidable accident. I watched idly, wondering if this was the work of the scenario.
"Get out of the way, you nuisance! Move!"
Everything happened like a storm. Leonardo dashed out like the wind, the startled horses reared, and the carriage jolted. People screamed in shock, and I, too, was startled, my heart nearly stopping for a moment.
Had he been hurt?
I should have looked in Vittorio's direction, but for a moment, I hesitated, my gaze fixed on the ground. Leonardo, rushing out in a hurry, had dropped the candy bag, and it was rolling on the floor. He had bought plum-flavoured and peppermint candies.
Even if it wasn't for that, everything happened so fast that I couldn't fully grasp what had just occurred. I was afraid the horses, spooked and rearing, might trample over someone, but somehow, both Leonardo and Vittorio were unharmed.
"Damn it!"
A furious voice came from the direction of the carriage. Through the narrow window, I caught a glimpse of Lopez, the young nobleman, with a long face and deeply set eyes.
"Do you even know who you just blocked? You fools… Are you out of your mind?"
Leonardo, who had hidden Vittorio behind him, stared at the nobleman silently. Though he was clearly below the noble in status on the street, his sharp gaze made it seem like he was looking down on Lopez as if reprimanding him.
"It was your fault for rushing the carriage in a crowded street. Why do you scold the child while ignoring your own mistake?"
"You insolent fool! Before that, who knows whether I almost hit an innocent child, or if I was nearly framed by that beggar who jumped in front of the carriage to get treatment money? Seeing this commoner boldly arguing like this, the latter seems much more plausible. This scammer…."
But the moment the nobleman sensed the growing murmurs from the crowd and saw Leonardo's stern gaze, his expression stiffened. Sinistra, being a particularly advanced city, had many wealthy commoners. They didn't tremble or shrink at the sight of nobility. The nobleman, feeling humiliated, said nothing further, lowered the curtain, and hastily urged the coachman to move on.
"I don't have time to deal with such people. Let's go! Quickly!"
The carriage started moving again. As I watched the carriage roll away hastily, I turned to Leonardo.
"…How's the kid? Did he get hurt badly?"
"He's got a few light bruises. But he looks more scared than anything. From his clothes, he's clearly a street kid. He could really use a place to rest for a while. If it's possible…"
"Yeah. Let's take him to the inn."
I nodded in agreement, knowing exactly what Leonardo was going to say. After sending Leonardo and Vittorio ahead, I stopped by the physician's to buy some herbal ointment for the wounds. I also bought some ice—though it was quite expensive, despite the cool autumn weather. They told me it was ice harvested from a lake last winter and stored in a cellar. It was probably the most expensive thing I had bought in Sinistra so far.
When I arrived at the inn, there were two people sitting together in an awkward but not uncomfortable atmosphere. I placed the ointment on one side and brought a basin filled with clean water.
"Alright, both of you, roll up your sleeves."
"Me too?"
"Yes, young master. I don't know if you noticed, but you've got a scrape too."
Vittorio already had bruises forming on his knees, and the abrasions looked painful just to look at. They weren't deep enough to have broken the skin or caused any serious injury, but he was still hurt. I gently cleaned the scraped areas, drying them before applying the ointment. Leonardo also had scratches on his arms and forehead, so I washed those with running water.
"It was Viscount Lopez. The man."
While applying the ointment to Leonardo's wound, I added the comment. It was something I had to emphasize for the sake of survival and the scenario. I needed to present the character's traits based on the information I had to ensure I'd stay alive.
"When he was young, his surname was Bermont. He married the eldest daughter of the Lopez family and inherited the title. The Lopez family has always been known for having daughters. From what I've heard, he's quite arrogant, looking down on commoners and people of low birth. You must've known that, right? Anyway, today I saw evidence of it firsthand."
"Evidence?"
"Oh, there's a scratch on your handsome forehead. How disappointing."
With a light exhale, I blew on Leonardo's wound after applying the ointment and turned my attention back to Vittorio. I hoped his injuries weren't too serious.
"Bruises should be treated with something cold. Hold this on your knee for now. Don't move around too much."
Vittorio seemed slightly surprised by the cold but nodded obediently. Leonardo looked down at his knee while speaking to him.
"Do you know anything about medicine?"
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call this 'medicine.' Anyway, young master, since I applied the ointment, don't let any water get on the wound. And you, kid, don't overdo it with the injured area. At least rest for two days. If you're feeling fine, it's better to stay at the inn."
Vittorio, who had been half-heartedly applying the ice, hesitated before speaking.
"I have to go back."
"Do you have a place to go back to?"
"No. I live in an alley, but I have to go back. If I don't, the others will start worrying."
While pouring the water from the basin into the flowerbed below the window, I interrupted their conversation.
"I'll pass the message for you. Just tell me if I need to relay it to those kids, alright?"
"…..Huh?"
Then Leonardo glanced between the two of us before quietly approaching and asking.
"I sensed the presence of the kids early this morning. Is this one of them?"
Sensing their presence already? How long has it been since his training started? I thought to myself that this was truly a fantasy hero moment and answered casually.
"You knew? Yep, they're my capable helpers. It's always good to have ears everywhere."
Just as I flashed a small smile, a knock came at the back door—three distinct knocks. Tap, tap, tap. A steady rhythm. I opened the door without saying a word. It was the kids from Vittorio's group. Before I could even react, they crowded in.
"Vittorio!"
"You guys…"
"We saw you come in here. Are you okay? You didn't get hurt?"
"Yeah."
"What's in this pocket? Oh! It's cold."
"They said it's for the swelling. Apparently, this will help."
The kids were chattering away, talking non-stop. I didn't realize they were such talkative ones. After a while of busy conversation, things seemed to settle down. That's when I jumped in.
"How about letting Vittorio rest here until he's better? If he keeps running around while injured, it could last longer. You know, later in life, his knees will start to ache."
"Yeah, we'll let him rest. We have money! Please help make Vittorio better."
The little ones started scrambling for their coins, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Didn't we agree when we made the deal? Kindness is part of the payment I give."
"Uh…"
"You're not taking any money?"
"Wow!"
The kids were chattering excitedly. Still, I handed them a bunch of plum candies, feeling a bit amused by their eagerness to check on their friend.
"Go tell the other kids too. Vittorio's going to rest here for a while."
"Okay. For sure!"
"Right. Don't eat too many candies. And be sure to brush with mint leaves. If you don't brush, your teeth will rot. And when they rot, the cavity monster will come and roar and eat you."
"Uh-huh."
The chattering little chicks finally left. I felt drained. Where had all that daytime energy gone?
Leonardo gave a faint smile and said,
"You look like you're the most tired I've ever seen. Both me and that kid… is it a hobby of yours to gather lost souls?"
"Seems like it… I really pick up the strangest things."
Before I could respond further, words flickered in front of my eyes.
[Clear Condition Achieved!]
['Scenario Note #003′ has been successfully completed. There are "2 hours 59 minutes" left until the next Scenario Note assignment. Until the next scenario is assigned, the characters will begin 'Free Actions' to fill the empty spaces in the narrative. Please ensure they act naturally, without recognizing any inconsistencies in the world.]
I thought it might be boring for Vittorio to be left alone in the room, so I placed a chair at the counter and had him sit there. As usual, I prepared the shop for business with Leonardo.
As evening approached, customers arrived. Whether they had witnessed the commotion earlier or had heard about it, they each said something to Vittorio and Leonardo.
"Oh my, was that kid the innkeeper's child? Oh dear, what a disgrace."
"That kid's not here."
"Ugh! That awful nobleman needs to be knocked down a peg or two."
"Hey! I'm not married yet, you know? I'm a young bachelor!"
"Hahaha!"
Pretending to be annoyed, I could tell the customers had relaxed and were now busy teasing me. Meanwhile, Leonardo was also quite popular, but for a different reason.
"They say you're really strong! Fast too, they say—you didn't even seem to move!"
"You were born with the strength of a bull, weren't you? If the opportunity arises, I might ask for your help. I'll pay well. No strong men around here at all."
"Quite a man of spirit! You shot back a retort right there!"
People continued to talk amongst themselves. The night grew deeper, and it was time to start tidying up the inn. Leonardo, who had been carrying a dozing Vittorio, moved him upstairs and returned downstairs. I waved my hand to stop him.
"That's enough for now, go rest upstairs. It's getting late."
"And you?"
"I still have work left to do…"
At that, Leonardo's expression hardened.
"It's been three days."
"Huh?"
"If a person goes without sleep for that long, they could die. Do you know that?"
I was taken aback and responded with a confused look.
"Are you cursing me or something?"
"That's enough. Go to sleep. Since you've been here, I haven't seen you sleep once."
Leonardo now had the face of a strict instructor. Meanwhile, I tried to brush it off, insisting I'd rather take care of the inn alone and tidy up the first floor instead of doing strength training that I missed earlier.
"I'm not tired, though."
"If you're human, you need sleep. Go and get some rest."
"But I…"
"Do I have to carry you like a kid?"
"No, that…"
"Rest. You look like you're about to collapse."
His tone was firm, not allowing any excuses. From his slightly furrowed brows, I could sense his determination. When he came closer, as if to pick me up, I finally gave in and headed to my room on my own.
After three days, my first impression of my room was rather mundane. It didn't really feel like a room at all—more like a waiting area. I didn't feel like going out again, as I had a sense that Leonardo would catch me, so I quietly lay down on the bed. Despite thinking I wasn't tired, as soon as I closed my eyes, my consciousness faded almost instantly.
Had I been more tired than I realized?
The next day, as I sluggishly got up, letters scattered in front of me, swirling in a disorienting mess.
[Clear Condition Achieved!]
['Scenario Note #004' has been successfully completed. There are "58 minutes" left until the next scenario note assignment. Until the scenario assignment is completed, the characters will begin 'free actions' to fill in the empty spaces in the narrative. Ensure they behave naturally to avoid recognizing the discrepancies in the world of the story.]
And it made me suddenly jump out of bed.
What's going on? What did I do that made Scenario 4 end already? Why did it skip?
Is there a replay service or something?
[Archive Access: Retrieving Previous Scenario Notes.]
Take 1. Mansion (Day/Interior).
Baron Roald and the Viscount Lopez greet each other. Baron Roald is calm, while Viscount Lopez is pompous yet unable to conceal his impatience.
Viscount Lopez: "So, Baron Roald, what does Count Ertinez think about the joint investment in the trading port…?"
Baron Roald: (Calmly) "The proposal has been submitted, so he will review it soon."
Baron Roald: (Internal thoughts) "He's far too busy dealing with his runaway child to focus on these matters. Of course, I'm stuck handling such rudeness."
Take 2. Mansion (Night/Interior).
A dinner table with meat dishes prepared. At opposite ends, the calm Baron Roald contrasts with the brash and haughty Viscount Lopez.
Viscount Lopez: (In a displeased tone) "Today, there nearly was a major accident. A half-witted child was blocking the road. I think he did it on purpose to try and extort treatment compensation."
Baron Roald: "Who was injured?"
Count Lopez: "No one. That rude kid stepped in and dragged the other away. His status seemed high, but when he dared question me like that, without knowing how to properly address a noble, it was clear he came from a low-born background. He looked peculiar too."
Take 3. Baron's Office (Night/Interior). Baron Roald sits deep in thought.
Baron Roald: "Dark blue hair, grey eyes… It's almost like he could be from the Ertinez family… No, that can't be it."
He trails off, unsure.
Main Characters: Baron Roald, Viscount Lopez
Scenario Clear Condition: [Baron Roald learns about Leonardo.]
There were scenes where Leonardo didn't appear. Well, stories often have multiple perspectives.
More importantly, if the plot is going this way, Leonardo might get involved with the Ertinez family sooner than expected. There must be a reason why Leonardo is set up as the child of a count. After all, wasn't Leonardo's basic setting originally that of a wild and unruly second son of the Ertinez family?
At this early stage of the story, when the protagonist's main drive is revenge, it's hard to introduce more complex character arcs. The best development to show so far would be something like the reversal of the "wild" second son who returns to the count's family in the body of the character named Leovald.
No, enough thinking about the plot. I should focus on my role in the scenario. How much weight does my character have in the story?
[Viewing personal information.]
Rank – Minor Character (Scenario Weight 4.00%)
Role – Suspicious Innkeeper of Sinistra
Script – [Bosses around Leonardo.], [Runs the inn day and night.], [Takes care of the street kid, Vittorio.]
Dialogue – None.!Warning! – If your scenario involvement reaches 0.00%, your existence will be erased. (Main scenario failure)
Taking into account that my initial involvement was 0.02%, the upward trend isn't bad, but I still haven't shaken off the "minor role" label. It seems like Vittorio at least qualifies as a supporting character.
At this point, I have no idea when I might just vanish into thin air like ashes, so I can't really take this lightly. Drenched in mental fatigue, I quietly sat down, washed my face, changed, and left the room.
The inn's first floor was neat and tidy. The tables had been moved aside for cleaning, and chairs were stacked on top of them. Only one chair had been set down on the floor, and there sat Vittorio.
He was swinging his feet while watching Leonardo, who was doing push-ups with one hand. It wasn't just that I was late because I'd been re-reading the previous scenario, but it also felt like I had overslept.
"Wow, I'm last."
Leonardo, his shirt discarded some distance away, nodded silently, perhaps quite satisfied that he had caught me sleeping in. Shuffling over, I approached Vittorio to check on his injury.
"Mm, good. The ice treatment from yesterday seems to have worked. If you warm it up again tomorrow evening, it won't hurt as much. If there's still swelling, just keep your leg elevated above your heart."
Vittorio nodded. The sharp energy he had carried when we first met in the alley was completely gone now, replaced by a quiet, subdued boy. Though his demeanor remained slightly withdrawn, after being washed and properly dressed, he looked like an ordinary child. I thought about giving him a plum candy but decided against it, thinking, 'dessert comes after the meal.' I headed toward the kitchen.
With two injured people, I figured the meal should help replenish their energy. It's basically just food rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fats, but maybe I'll emphasize the protein a bit more for Leonardo, who's into exercising.
Hmm. Sandwiches should be good today.
I took out some bread and sliced it to a good thickness. The meat was stewed in broth to make it moist, then thinly sliced and placed on the bread. Traditionally, this would just stack the meat without any other ingredients, but since we've got a growing boy and a hungry young man, I added eggs, cheese, salty bacon, and vegetables to make it a bit thicker.
Honestly, I knew Leonardo's stomach wouldn't be satisfied with just sandwiches, so I also made a light potato salad and beef stew with the leftover meat.
Since we had to cook enough for six portions, I ended up making less work for myself, thanks to Leonardo, who helped out after he washed up. For the record, the six portions were split into: 3 for Leonardo, 1 for me, and 2 for the growing boy, Vittorio. I don't eat that much in the morning, so it wasn't an issue.
Vittorio carefully bit into the freshly made, warm sandwich, and Leonardo, with all his refined table manners, consumed an amount far from "refined" but entirely normal for his appetite. By the time they were done eating, the scheduled scenario assignment time had come to an end.
[Wait time expired, a new scenario note has been assigned.]