Noel and Alma couldn’t participate, so the plan was to hold the training with the remaining members, but the other two, Leon and Kouga, who had gathered the training center, had been deathly depressed from the start.
「To think that living is such a painful and sad thing……」
「I want to be reborn as a dandelion…... I don’t want to be a person anymore……」
Hugo was going to ask the two of them the reason for their despair, but he would only be rubbing salt into their wounds, so he didn’t ask them anything.
Besides, he had a rough idea. The reason why they had abandoned themselves to despair was probably because they had modeled for the pictures of that child called Mary. It was painfully obvious that something terrible had happened even without asking for details. It would undoubtedly be a kindness to leave it alone and not ask anything.
The training itself went as planned, but because the two of them were in such a state, they made no progress at all, and they had no choice but to cut the training short in the morning. He hoped that the two of them would have regained their spirits by the next training day.
Having become free from noon onward, Hugo ate lunch at his favorite restaurant, and then decided to visit the atelier that he had purchased during the time he was active as a doll maker. Even after Hugo had been imprisoned on false charges, he had remained the owner, so the atelier was still there.
If possible, he would like to work as a doll maker again. Of course, he also intended to continue working as a Seeker, but to Hugo, his true calling was to be a doll maker. He had made a comeback as a Seeker because he had pledged his loyalty to Noel, but there was not a single reason for him to give up being a doll maker. For someone of Hugo’s caliber, it was quite possible for him to cope with working two jobs.
Above all, from Hugo's experience so far, he knew that devoting everything to a main profession would conversely make it hard to continue it for long. Having something to live for other than the main profession was absolutely essential. Be it a hobby, lover or family, it was precisely because there was something else that a person could rely on that he could avoid losing motivation for his main profession. When being a doll maker was Hugo’s main profession, he had traveled to various places as a way to relieve stress.
For that very reason, Hugo didn't think twice about making a comeback as a doll maker. Thus far, he had been busy with the Seeker profession and had no time, but he had some leeway now. Noel and other members had also given him their blessings, so there was no problem.
A little less than an hour after taking a horse-drawn carriage from the training center, he was able to see familiar streets. This was the area where Hugo's atelier was located. Hugo, who had gotten off the horse-drawn carriage, thought fondly of the past as he walked along the streets. Although some of them had changed, most of the stores lining the streets were the same as before. The restaurant and tailor that he had frequented had also remained. Hugo reckoned that the store employees would definitely be surprised if he dropped by.
Hugo exited the commercial area and entered a residential area. The atelier was located in a block in the residential area. It was a quiet place with a lot of green, making it a perfect environment to concentrate on making dolls.
Another hour passed as he continued walking. He would reach the atelier soon. Hugo, who was usually calm and collected, naturally started to feel nervous. When he entered the grounds with quick steps, he found before him the atelier, which looked the same as it did before. The yard had become overgrown with weeds, but nothing else had changed.
「It’s been so long, my home……」
When he was about to be overcome with emotion and cry, a well-dressed little girl emerged from the back of the yard. She looked about seven years old and she was holding a Bisque doll with a gentle expression to her chest. Even though her clothes looked expensive, they were dirty with grass stains and seeds because she had entered the unkempt yard.
Hugo and the little girl’s eyes met. He didn’t recognize the little girl at all. Just when he was at a loss on how he should react, the little girl ran up to Hugo.
「Uncle, are you someone from this house?」
「U, un, uncle!?」
Hugo widened his eyes and reeled back at that shocking word. Hugo was currently 24 years old. Certainly, in the eyes of this little girl, he was probably an uncle, but even after taking that into consideration, it was a word that mercilessly broke his heart.
「Hey, so are you?」
「…...Ye, yes, I'm the owner of this house」
When Hugo nodded in spite of his broken heart, the little girl broke out into a wide smile.
「That’s great. I was at a loss because there was no one at home」
Taking a closer look, Hugo saw that the little girl's hands were black and dirty. Hugo could easily picture her pressing her hands to the dirty windows as she peeked into the atelier.
「Do you need something from me?」
「Yup. Uncle is a doll maker, right? Mom said so. That’s why I thought that I'd come and get this little one fixed」
Here, she said as she held out the doll. When he inspected it, he found cracks that looked like lightning on its cheek.
「Hey, can you fix it?」
Seeing the girl ask him anxiously, Hugo smiled and nodded.
「Yeah, I can fix this right away」
Hugo put his hand over the doll's face and activated a Skill.
Puppet Skill: Repair.
It was a Puppeteer’s Skill that repaired broken objects. If there were many damaged parts, he would need materials in order to repair it, but if it was something at the level of fixing cracks on a doll, he could fix it completely just by placing his hand over it.
「Wow! It’s really fixed!」
The little girl was overjoyed and gave the doll, which had returned to the way it was before, a tight hug.
「Uncle, thank you! I’m so happy!」
「W, well. I’m also happy to hear that you’re pleased……」
Being called an uncle hurt, but it was an insignificant problem in front of the little girl's smile.
「Here, please take this as thanks」
The little girl handed him a candy wrapped in beautiful paper.
「Well then, I’m off! Uncle, bye bye!」
Hugo smiled wryly as he saw off the girl as she ran off cheerfully.
「For my first job after my comeback, it was well done, wasn’t it?」
†
†
The state of the inside of the atelier was worse than he had expected.
It wasn’t just covered in dust. He couldn’t have known from the outside, but it appeared that there was a hole in the roof, and water had leaked in. Mold was growing all over the place, the furniture and floor were also rotten, and the tools were covered in rust as well.
「It can’t be helped. First, a thorough cleaning and renovation, I suppose」
Hugo created about ten puppet soldiers and ordered them to mow the yard and clean the inside of the atelier. The emotionless puppets continued to work dispassionately according to Hugo's instructions. In short order, the overgrown yard was mowed, and everything that had been ruined by the water leak was carried outside.
While checking the puppet soldiers’ work out of the corner of his eye, Hugo noted down the things that needed to be repurchased. It would probably take at least two weeks for the atelier to be fully restored to the way it was before, as some of the tools, furniture, and renovation materials that he would need to order would take a long time to be delivered. Even though it would only take a blink of an eye if he had all of the things he needed because of his Skill, this alone was something that couldn’t be helped.
As Hugo sighed, he heard a light knock on the door of the atelier. When he turned to look, there stood an elf woman beside the open door. The woman’s long blonde hair was gathered into a swaying French braid, and she was wearing a white one-piece jacket with double buttons that was reminiscent of military uniforms.
「You are……」
「It's been a while, Hugo」
The woman showing him a gorgeous smile was Sharon Valentine. She was a member of Supreme Dragon Squad, 1st Star of Regalia, and the strongest clan in the Empire. She had played an active role as its sub-master in the past, but she had relinquished that position to her disciple, Sieg Feinstein.
「What are you doing here?」
When Hugo asked, Sharon lowered her eyebrows sadly.
「I thought that I had to apologize to you……」
「Apologize?」
「I'm sorry, Hugo. I wasn’t able to save you. Although I knew that you were falsely accused, I didn’t have any way to prove it……」
I see, said Hugo, who had understood.
Two years ago, he had been imprisoned for a crime that he knew nothing about. Let alone being disgraced as a bizarre murderous fiend, as things stood, he was about to be put to death. It was all thanks to Noel that he became the free man that he was now. Without Noel, Hugo would be lying at the bottom of a grave right about now.
「You don't need to apologize. If our positions were reversed, there wouldn’t have been anything that I could have done for you either」
It would be a lie to say that he hadn’t hoped for Sharon to save him during the two years that he had been imprisoned. He was acquainted with her from the headhunting by the Supreme Dragon Squad, so she had reason to save him. He had lost count of the number of times he had felt bitter about that fact when he was imprisoned.
Looking back on it now, even he thought that he was being really self-centered. It would be one thing if it was after he had officially become a member of Supreme Dragon Squad, but Hugo had refused Sharon's invitation back then. To expect help despite that, there was a limit to how presumptuous one could be.
「It was exactly as you said. I was weak. I thought that even if I was alone, I could live without depending on anyone, but it was the height of hubris. That’s why the responsibility lies wholly on me, who was stupid」
「It helps to hear you say that. What happened to you has always weighed heavily on my mind」
「Thank you for your concern. I'm fine now」
That's why, said Hugo as he narrowed his eyes.
「It’s about time for you to put your cards on the table. What’s your real purpose for coming here? There’s no way someone like you came here just to apologize to me. In the first place, how did you find out that I had dropped by this place?」
「I’m busted after all?」
Not looking guilty in the least, Sharon laughed merrily.
「I’m sorry. But wanting to apologize is the truth, alright?」
「That’s enough about that. Well? What’s your purpose?」
「Hugo――」
Sharon corrected her posture and put a solemn expression on her face.
「Won’t you join Supreme Dragon Squad?」
「Huh? ......I don't quite understand the meaning of what you’re saying」
「The reason why I came here is to headhunt you again. Certainly, the one who saved you isn’t me, but the clan master of Wild Tempest. It's natural for you to feel indebted to him, and something like my proposal will likely not strike a chord with you, am I right?」
But, said Sharon as a callous smile appeared on her face.
「All the same, it's more beneficial for you to join us. The treatment you’ll receive and prospects for the future that you’ll have are incomparable. Above all......」
「Above all, what?」
「You need not fight against us. That's a very fortunate thing, Hugo」
Sharon still had a smile on her face, but her gaze was as sharp as a bullet. It was so cold and merciless that Hugo saw an illusion of himself being shot to death with just her gaze.
「Plotting seems to be the forte of your clan master, Noel Stollen. That’s why your clan has been able to grow drastically in a short period of time. Our boy, Sieg, seems to be quite taken by him, but I don’t understand it at all. After all, even if there is one clever ant, it definitely can’t win against an elephant, am I right?」
It was an astoundingly arrogant way of speaking, but Sharon had the achievements and the ability to allow her to talk like that. She had a long career of supporting the strongest clan in the Empire as their sub-master, and although she wasn’t able to reach EX rank, her fighting ability was unmatched among A Ranks――which was practically the limit of humanity. Even now, after she had relinquished the number two seat to Sieg, her monster-like spirit hadn’t diminished at all.
「Hugo, please take my proposal as a 『mercy』」
Sharon's dark eyes were saying that he would pay if he refused. For that very reason, Hugo held his head high and answered.
「I appreciate your offer, but I refuse」
「......For the time being, can you tell me the reason?」
It was probably Hugo’s mental state that made him feel as if the temperature had dropped all of a sudden.
「The reason is simple. I think that it’s Noel Stollen who is the strongest Seeker. Serving another clan master despite of that is something fools do」
「I see, that's your answer, huh?」
Sharon murmured and turned on her heel. And then, with her back to him, she spoke.
「I respect your choice. But please don’t forget just one thing. As long as Noel Stollen is aiming for the top, the ones standing in his way in front of it are us――the enraged Dragon」
Without looking back, Sharon left with graceful steps. When her back could no longer be seen, Hugo heaved a deep and long sigh.
「What a scary person……」
She was a woman who was much more terrifying than even a Lord. Even if Lords were superior in terms of pure fighting ability, the one who was scarier in a battle was Sharon, who was well-versed in all sorts of tactics.
「However, it's a path that we’ll have no choice but to take……」
Hugo stared at his shaking hands as he murmured. It was just as Sharon said. As long as Noel was aiming for the top, the clash with Supreme Dragon Squad was unavoidable. The day when they would fight against her would definitely come.
Just what kind of outcome awaited them at that time, Hugo wondered. He was scared, but at the same time, he couldn’t help feeling intensely curious.
「Miss Valentine, you’re wrong on just one thing. Noel Stollen is not an ant. He’s a Snake with highly poisonous fangs that is more cunning than anyone」
The Snake and the Dragon, which of them was truly the strongest? The answer would probably be demonstrated before long.
Yes, Hugo had a premonition.
The next day, Lorelei held a press conference with regards to the railway business. The storm that arose at that time was unmistakably the work of none other than the Snake that swallowed everything whole.
What Sharon said is certainly true, Noel is focused solely on become one of the Regalia by taking down Lorelei before the Variant crosses over, but eventually, he’ll have to face Supreme Dragon Squad. While it’s certainly something to look forward to, still no signs of him actually beating Lorelei yet.
Hugo POV chapter this time, yeah it’s 3/4 allies who have had POVs already. Fortunately, Alma’s is a little later, after we finally get some plot. And yes, as is hinted in the end of this chapter, next chapter is the press conference at last! Stay tuned! It’s the start of a series of chapters that’ll lead to an unbelievable twist and reveal! My chin hit the floor when I read it!
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