BIHNM 15

Chapter 15 

Letter

The next day.

As I was sorting through the mail like usual, I noticed that two letters had arrived for me.

One was from the Dragon Riders’ Village.
It said that things had gotten hectic because they were short on hands, but thanks to a large donation, they were managing somehow. “How are you doing over there?” the letter ended.

──Reading it, I felt relieved that my absence hadn’t caused too much trouble… yet at the same time, a little disappointed that they seemed to be doing fine without me.

I wrote back, “Please don’t hesitate to write again if anything becomes difficult.” Then I tucked their letter back into my trunk.

Come to think of it, how did they even know where I was now?
As I tilted my head, one of the feathers I’d kept in the trunk fluttered out.

──Welfin.

I remembered the aged dragon who’d once owned that feather.
If heaven truly existed, he was probably reunited with his master by now.

“I’m very happy here now. How about you, I wonder?”

I held the feather up to the light streaming through the window. Its surface shimmered faintly blue. Looking closely, I realized that Welfin’s feather resembled the quill pen Marquis Margus used in his study.

At the Riders’ Village, even the slightest piece—a single feather or a fragment of bone—belonged to the dragon’s owner. No one else was allowed to take or use them without permission. Only the original caretaker could repurpose a dragon’s remains.

So, the fact that I still kept Welfin’s feather was a secret. Even if he had given it to me himself.

──That reminds me… what ever happened to his journal?

When his bereaved family had come to visit the grave, I never met them in person. Still, he must have belonged to a highly distinguished family, since they’d made a generous donation afterward.
The head of the facility told me she’d given them the diary I used to write for him, as a small gesture of condolence…
Now, belatedly, I began to worry whether I’d written anything too familiar or improper. Hopefully, no complaints had come.

──If I truly get the chance to train in dragon-riding again,
then I’ll visit the village, see how the young ones I cared for are doing… and visit Welfin’s grave.
Would Lord Margus come with me, I wonder…

While thinking that, I looked at the second letter—and couldn’t help frowning.
The sender was the Clarence family.

I couldn’t just ignore it, so I opened it.
Inside was a long update about my parents: “Lately we haven’t been feeling well…” it began, followed by “Liliana’s wedding has become quite expensive, so could you possibly send us a little money?”

“Honestly…”

We weren’t exactly a wealthy family, but they were still counts.
And to think—not even a single silver coin from the generous sum Lord Margus had paid as my dowry money ever reached me.
Where had it all gone, I wondered bitterly.

Most likely, my parents had grown resentful after losing my monthly wages.
I couldn’t be sure about the inheritance from the Duke of Fontaine—that was only my speculation—but my parents had always been tightfisted when it came to money.
I swore to myself that I would never speak of the vault.

──But the fact that they’d sent me this letter… did that mean they might have written to Lord Margus as well, asking him for money?

Sure enough, there was another letter, bearing the same postmark—addressed to him.

──Of course.

A wave of exasperation, embarrassment, and shame washed over me.
I couldn’t open someone else’s mail, much less dispose of it in secret.

“Lord Margus, you’ve received a letter.”

“Thank you.”

In the end, I did my job as usual—sorting and delivering the correspondence.
I tucked the Clarence family’s letter at the very bottom of the pile, secretly hoping he’d overlook it and leave it unopened. But of course, Lord Margus wasn’t the kind of man to do that.

“Um…”

“…If you’re going to hover there, you might as well sit down.”

“Y-yes, my lord.”

He’d seen right through me—my anxious fidgeting must have given me away.
As he prompted, I sat by the window and watched as his practiced hands began opening each letter.

The envelope bearing the Browning family seal was a bit larger than the rest.
I assumed it was an invitation, but inside was another envelope.

“──Ah!”

I leaned forward involuntarily when I saw the inner seal.
It was from the royal family!

Since Lord Margus hadn’t accepted the letter directly, it must have been routed through the Browning house.

Before I could even wonder how he’d react, he gave the letter a single glance—then tossed it into the unlit fireplace.

A moment later, a flame flickered to life.
He had burned it with magic.

“…”

I was so shocked I couldn’t even close my mouth. I must have looked utterly ridiculous.

“An unnecessary letter.”

It did not look unnecessary—but I didn’t dare say that aloud. I forced my jaw shut with my hand and nodded solemnly.

Lord Margus was angry.
He was not a man who took out his anger on others, which was precisely why it was easy to forget he even felt it. But inside him now, his rage burned like fire.

Still, it wasn’t something I should ask about.
Even those who had known him far longer than I did couldn’t pry into his heart—so I certainly shouldn’t.

“I see… I wasn’t sure what to do with it. My apologies.”

“I don’t blame you.”

He said that quietly—and then reached for the letter from the Clarence family.

This was the real problem.
Whatever anger he felt toward the royal family had nothing to do with me.
But this letter could be disastrous.

He glanced at the sender’s name, then looked up at me with a faint, mischievous smile.

──He’s not in a bad mood.

That alone was a relief… though honestly, I’d have preferred he simply burned it too.

“Y-you could burn that one as well…”

“Algerieta. Since it concerns you, I can’t just ignore it, can I? That’s why you brought it, isn’t it?”

“Well… yes, but…”

My mouth went dry.

Lord Margus calmly broke the seal and unfolded the letter inside.

“…‘Our younger daughter’s wedding expenses have become heavy, so we would appreciate any financial assistance you could provide,’” he read aloud.

The shame was unbearable. I could only force a weak, awkward smile.

He had to know my family had pocketed the money meant for my preparations.
And still, he had kept me here.
For a noble family to beg another for money—it was mortifying beyond words.

“I… I’m terribly sorry for troubling you. Please just ignore that letter. I only brought it to report that it arrived.”

“…Do you want to use the contents of that vault to help your family?”

“No.”

The word came out firmer than I expected.

If I asked, Lord Margus would surely allow me to do so. But—

“There’s no need to hold back.”

“This isn’t hesitation. It’s my own decision. I made up my mind when I left that house—
I will never return there.”

When I said that, I thought I saw a faint smile touch his lips.

“Good. Then that’s settled. You belong to this household now. Live with the Browning family’s interests in mind.”