After making his decision, Lynen moved immediately.

His hands touched only what was necessary. A towel for washing, an outer garment on the coat rack, and a sword leaning against one wall.

—My lord?

“Still haven’t ended the communication?”

—How could I end it before you, my lord! More importantly, is everything alright? At least let me know how you’re doing! Are you injured anywhere? I’m really so worried about my lord who’s so far away, day and night-

“No.”

Click.

After cutting off the now-worthless communication, Lynen opened the door.

There he met Noah, who was about to knock.

“D-Duke?”

Noah’s shoulders hunched at the intimidating presence emanating from Lynen’s tall stature and cold expression.

Suddenly, he felt like a stranger.

But when warmth filled Lynen’s eyes upon discovering Noah, he became the person Noah knew again.

“What’s the matter?”

“…Well.”

He came to warn that Lady Calliphe had hit the seaweed mister, so the Duke needed to try harder too.

Perhaps because of what just happened, it became a bit difficult to speak up.

Instead, Noah reported something else.

“Lady Calliphe says she’s going to cook.”

“What made her decide that?”

Lynen furrowed his brow like he’d heard bad news.

A noblewoman, especially one as proud as Calliphe, wouldn’t have any experience with kitchen work.

“What is she going to proc… I mean, what is she cooking?”

“I think it’s mushroom omelet.”

“Another reason to go out. Let’s eat outside.”

Lynen left the room without further hesitation.

Then he turned to look at Noah, who was standing behind him fidgeting with his hands.

“Would you like to come along?”

“…!”

Noah’s expression brightened.

It would be their first outing together, just the two of them.

* * *

Every villager who saw Lynen and Noah smiled warmly and asked:

“Oh my, father and son out for a walk together?”

Word had already spread throughout the small village about the family tourists with their fancy clothes and appearances.

The villagers had taken a liking to this family who had broken through the seaweed youth’s walls.

“Give this to that young man.”

“This too.”

“And this.”

And they didn’t forget to try to profit from these wealthy tourists.

Most residents tried to sell what they had.

“Would you like some dried meat? I’ll give you a good price.”

“Rather than that, do you have any thorned mistletoe?”

“Huh? Isn’t that just a weed? Well, we’re so poor here that we dry it to make tea.”

A southerner wouldn’t know the use of that plant. It was an ingredient in northern folk remedies.

“I’ll buy it.”

“Then, this much for… 12 gold.”

“……”

“It-it’s precious stuff. Should I lower the price a bit…?”

It was a withered weed that looked like something no one would buy even with money. Even the resident who suggested the price watched Lynen’s reaction nervously.

But Lynen paid without complaint. As the lord of a barren land, he could understand the village’s situation.

However, Noah, who was watching from the side, was shocked.

‘That’s too expensive. I can’t believe the Duke doesn’t know something even I know…’

It seemed the Duke had so much money that he didn’t understand its value.

This kind of transaction happened several more times.

Disappointed, Noah mentally deducted one point from his father’s score. Now 9 points. Perfect score is 10.

“The important business is done. Hmm… Since Calliphe will have ruined all the ingredients, should we buy mushrooms and eggs too?”

“Stop buying things.”

“Hmm?”

Unable to watch precious money being wasted anymore, Noah sat down on a chair in front of a restaurant.

“My legs hurt.”

“Ah, right. I wasn’t being considerate. Shall we go eat?”

“Noooo. I don’t want to. Lady Calliphe is waiting.”

“Then let me at least buy you some juice.”

Though he had gotten the items he needed, there was no progress on investigating the ‘unpleasant air,’ which was most important.

‘I need to look around more… but I can’t drag a child around too much.’

Feeling sorry, Lynen bought juice from the restaurant that Noah might like.

“…How much did you spend again?”

“1 gold.”

“I don’t want it.”

“Then drink it later.”

Maybe he doesn’t want to drink it now. Lynen set the juice down on the chair.

It seemed he would just throw it away if Noah didn’t drink it.

“……”

In the end, Noah drank the juice forcefully while fuming inside. The juice was delicious, but that’s another point deducted.

‘He’s drinking it well.’

Lynen smiled watching Noah, unaware that his score had been reduced.

Just then, above the child’s head. The store’s signboard creaked precariously.

Finally, the joint broke and the thick wooden sign fell toward Noah’s head.

But Noah didn’t notice anything.

Tap.

With surprising speed and silence, Lynen caught the falling sign.

Lynen looked at the sign. It showed pictures of a bed and meal – an inn’s sign.

‘An inn and restaurant. The only lodging in the village.’

His previously indifferent gaze narrowed as something occurred to him.

“What’s that?”

“A clue.”

“…?”

“Wait here for a moment.”

Lynen took the sign and went inside the store.

Fortunately, there were no other customers. Lynen went straight to the owner with questions.

“How long have you run this inn?”

“What? Oh, this sign…?”

“It fell. The joint was old.”

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I kept putting off replacing it.”

This was the first place Calliphe’s group visited when they arrived in the village.

Having met before, the owner acted quite friendly toward Lynen.

“Let’s see, I’ve run the inn for about 5 years. Actually, it’s just two rooms with beds, that’s all. We don’t get many guests here.”

“This must be the only inn in the village.”

“That’s right. All visitors here stay at our place. It’s hard to come and go in just one day, you see.”

Lynen’s gaze sharpened at the owner’s answer.

The probability was high that the clue he was looking for was here.

The identity of the ‘unpleasant air’ Lynen had detected. If his guess was right, the owner must have seen it.

“Have there been any other visitors besides us in the past half year?”

“There were some. Mostly travelers who got lost.”

“Anyone who came here deliberately?”

“…Why are you asking that?”

That question back confirmed Lynen’s suspicion.

“I’m looking for them. Please tell me any information you’ve witnessed.”

Lynen quietly held out a gold coin. But the owner didn’t take it.

“N-no need! I’m not the kind of person who gossips about guests!”

“……”

If this were the North and this person were involved in crime, he would have started the conversation by pinning down his foot with a sword.

‘How unfortunate.’

Glance.

Through the window, he could see the child’s round back of head. He seemed to be drinking the juice earnestly.

After confirming the child wasn’t looking this way, Lynen took slow steps toward the store owner.

“W-w-what are you doing?”

With each step Lynen took closer, the owner’s head tilted back further.

The heavy pressure coming from his large frame.

The blue-gray eyes that had politely hidden their claws slowly revealed a predator’s gleam.

The courteous knight disappeared, leaving only the ruler protecting his territory.

“I already have testimony that you harbored suspicious individuals.”

“Wh-what!? That, that can’t be.”

“Do you think I came here knowing nothing?”

“…!”

The store owner started trembling.

“You, you knew everything when you came?”

“……”

Instead of an answer, a cold smile returned. The owner’s eyes grew large like a frightened puppy, taking his expression as confirmation.

“Military Law Article 59, Section 2. Those who leak or attempt to leak military secrets shall be punished by death.”

“D-d-d-death!”

Swoosh. Lynen leaned in slightly.

His presence grew mountain-like while the owner shrank to insignificance.

Like his lifeline was being squeezed, the owner suddenly found it hard to breathe.

“Answer.”

No doubt about it. This person must be an undercover inspector. Or the captain of the imperial guard, anyway someone very important! He might even be royalty!

The owner burst into tears.

“I-I’ll tell you everything! I was silenced, I had no choice! Really!”

He cried even harder when Lynen suddenly gripped his shoulder.

“I’m sorry! Please forgive me! Huhuhu!”

Noah was watching this scene through the window with curiosity.

‘Why is the store mister crying? The Duke is comforting him.’

I guess the scary Duke I met in front of the bedroom was just my imagination.

‘If I were to get a father… I think I’d like it to be the Duke.’

Though I’m worried that he’s so soft-hearted he buys things at such high prices.

Noah thought calmly while sipping his juice. He had long forgotten about the points he’d deducted.