The Count Family's Young Master
Chapter 32 - Believe (2)

"Stop. No need to hold it."

Valias moved his foot quickly towards the gate where the two guards were trying hard to seal the entrance with a spear in their hand.

Valias. A tall, black-haired figure with a sword at his waist. His hand looked as if it was already preparing to punch one of the guards.

"Let's!!" Valias exclaimed with all his strength. Then Kei stopped. The guard who was about to be hit felt cold sweat running down his body.

Valias finally got there.

"Let him in. Kei. Why are you here?"

Kei did not answer. Just silently looked at Valias who was shorter than him. Seemed unconcerned about the commotion he had caused.

"What's up?!" The man Valias saw two days ago in the palace, who was talking to Hadden and giving orders to the soldiers there, exclaimed with a group of knights behind him.

"Commander. This guy's.." The other guard spoke hesitantly.

"It's okay. He wants to see me. Sorry for the commotion. You can come back." Valias apologized. He had not expected Kei to come to him like this.

"Young master, this man.." The commander, Rudiv, could not just leave.

"He's.."

Valias is confused as to what to answer.

"He's my guest. I'll take him in. You guys please come back." Valias grimaces. Kei did not make any sound at all. Just silently watching the commotion that occurred due to his uninvited appearance.

"Young master.."

Valias raised both hands. "Please don't tell my dad. Don't tell anyone. I need to talk to him. Kei. What's your purpose here?"

"My friends have gone to the southeast at your request." Kei replied after being silent for a few seconds.

Valias nodded. "Thank you. Then you?"

"I want to talk to you."

Valias nodded twice. "alright. Let's go in. I'm gonna change clothes."

Valias is not a person who can wear the same clothes for two days. Last night she was already feeling very uncomfortable having to sleep in the clothes she was wearing one full day. He wanted to go home to clean up and change his clothes but an uninvited guest came.

"Commander..right? Thank you for coming here. Can you please keep this a secret from my father? I'll take her to my room."

Rudiv was not sure what decision he should take. Someone with weapons and clothes who seemed to shout 'I am a bandit' forced his way into the mansion but the young master who was the reason why his master forced himself to come to the palace in the middle of the night two days ago asked him to be quiet.

In fact, if Rudiv was not mistaken, the one who forced his way in was one of the people from the group Rudiv believed to be the one who infiltrated the palace.

"...Young master, are you sure?"

Valias nodded. "Yes. I promise my guest won't cause any trouble. So please keep this a secret from my family."

"Sister?"

Valias heard a familiar voice and felt himself in trouble.

"Danial's."

Danial must have been practicing the sword and heard this commotion.

Danial frowned. "Sister. Who is that guy?"

Her sister has been out of the house lately. Especially since his return from the palace after a week there. And interrogated by Frey Nardeen.

The next day his brother was called back and only returned early in the morning with a shirt full of blood after being picked up by his father.

Then yesterday afternoon her brother left again with young master Dylan the new Danial met for the first time that night and prince Wistar.

Her sister didn't come home, and just came back this morning. But now there was a tall man who came to the mansion to meet his brother uninvited.

"He's my guest. I have something to talk to him about. You go back to training. Kei. Come with me."

With a light step Kei passed the two guards who had been holding him back, following Valias into the mansion. Ignoring the watchful gazes of those around him.

"Young master. I heard there was a commotion outside." Alister opened the door from the inside with his usual friendly smile. When Kei entered, Alister could see the figure of the young man.

Alister shared the mafa with Kei for a few seconds. It made Valias turn around because he didn't feel someone walking behind him.

"What's wrong?"

The old servant and the main character of the story did not respond to Valias. Too busy watching each other.

They why?

It was only after the next few seconds that Alister raised his smile until his eyes narrowed and showed off that smile to Valias.

"It's okay, young master. Looks like you brought an interesting guest."

Kei glanced at Alister before leaving the maid by the door and approaching Valias.

Seeing Kei who had returned following him Valias said nothing and continued his main goal.

Valias took Kei into his room. The morning sunlight makes the room bright without the need for other lighting. The mattress is already tidied up. The books that were nearby had also been stacked neatly. While the expanse of paper and journals on the other side of the room seemed untouched at all.

Valias glanced at the stool she had previously used when Alister tidied her hair and used Dina to sit waiting for her to come out of the bathroom.

"You can sit there." Valias pointed at the green-fusion bench as he saw a pair of clothes folded neatly on the bed. Valias admires Alister's sensitivity as a servant.

Valias looked towards the door and saw Alister standing there giving a smile as if knowing Valias would glance at him sooner or later. Valias smiled obliquely.

"I'll clean up for a second. Tell Alister there's something you want. He'll prepare it."

Without saying anything else Valias took the clothes Alister had prepared and went into the bathroom.

Kei did not obey Valias. Choose to stand still in the middle of the room. Glancing at the expanse of paper with brown spots and the number of books scattered. Kei also paid no heed to Alister's views on him.

The two people in the room stayed in their positions until Valias finally came out of the bathroom with damp hair and slightly messy clothes. He did not want Kei to wait for long so he bathed and dressed hurriedly.

"Let me help you, young master." Ignoring Kei Alister's gaze approached Valias and tidied up the position of his young master's clothes. Valias felt awkward having an old man tidy up his clothes and a younger person two years from him watching him. He felt like a child but on the other hand he felt he had no other choice.

"Here you go, young master."

"Thank you. Kei. Sorry to keep you waiting. We can talk now."

Valias realizes how Kei is focusing his eyes on Alister.

"Alisters. You can get out. I have to talk to him both."

Alister rolled his eyes at the man who had already fought his gaze earlier.

"You sure, Young Master? This guy looks like someone who doesn't hesitate to kill someone." Alister quietly squinted.

Valias agrees to Alister's remarks but has no intention of changing his decision.

"Yes. Leave us both."

Alister removed his smile and lowered his head slightly. "I understand."

With that Alister crossed paths with Kei who was slightly taller than him with a cold gaze divided between the two.

After the door closed, Valias opened his mouth again. "You don't want to sit?"

"The old man was your servant?" kei asked after being silent with a flat face.

Valias nodded. "That's how."

"He's a hit man, you know?"

".......No?"

It is true that Valias already suspected Alister's behavior. But all this time he refuted his own expectations. With Kei who seemed to justify his conjecture all this time..

But how did Hadden accept Alister working here?

That was one of the reasons Valias rejected the conjecture he made himself. If his conjecture is correct, then why would a Hadden who is so protective of him, let a murderer work as his son's personal servant?

Perhaps Hadden did not have enough time to observe Alister's movements as Valias spent a considerable amount of time with him.

"Hm... Forgetit. He never hurt me so I don't think it's a problem. So, what did you want to talk about until you came here?"

The journey from the hill to the residence of Bardev took two days. Maybe his mage friend brought him here. Valias agreed to his assumption.

"You. Why do you know about me. About my sister. About the war you said. How do you know all that? Then. When you said you read it, what did you mean at the time?"

Kei gave a barrage of questions with tense pauses in each one.

If Kei does not want to sit, then Valias will sit on the bench. Valias sat himself down first before speaking.

"There's a story I read."

Kei frowning. He pointed out sharply. "News?"

Valias nodded. "I'm not from here. You're the main character in the story I read. One day I almost fell into the river and the next second I've inhabited this body."

"What's that empty muzzle are you talking about?" tany Kei gritted his teeth. Snarl.

Valias agrees. But he didn't stop. "If you don't want to believe, it's okay. All the things I know I got from that story. No other source."

Valias feels guilty about lying to the person in front of him. The god message? Valias doesn't want Kei to see it as that. He chose to tell the truth at least to the man who was two years younger than him.

Valias observed Kei who was frowning towards him.

Giving smile. "Key. I'm two years older than you. I will treat you as a younger person even though I inhabit a body much younger than you. I know your past and your future. I hope you're willing to help me in the future."

There's gonna be a lot going on. And Kei will experience all that with his friends. But now Valias is with him. Something's gonna change.

"You. I don't trust you."

Valias shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. I told you if you could believe it or not. I never had the intention to hurt you and your friends. You just have to believe that.

"And your brothers, Frey and Wistar. Also daughter of Azna and their mother. You need to know that they have nothing to do with the King. So I hope you don't put your anger on them."

Valias stands. "Key. Let's go to your sister and mother's grave. You haven't visited them in a long time, have you?"

"You-you"

"I told you I know a lot about you. You don't have anything you have to do. Let's just go."

Valias stood in front of Kei. Raised head. "I'll have Alister prepare the horse. I'll ride with you. Okay?" Valias smiled broadly.

Kei still seems to have a lot of questions for Valias. But didn't say anything. Valias took it as an agreement.

After telling Alister his wish, the two of them returned to the gate. Ignoring the curious look of the knights and servants there. The two gatekeepers.

Alister is carrying a healthy looking horse like Dylan's Ben.

"Get it." Valias grins. Kei looked at Valias expressionlessly before stepping on the pedal and going up. Valias.

"We go first." Valias gave a wave to both the gatekeeper and Alister. Including the knights and servants who were there.

Kei carried the horse galloping but Valias had already bravely planted both of his legs on the double pedal of the saddle and carried his hands holding both of the man's shoulders.

"You want to make me bounce?" Valias exclaimed from behind Kei's huge back. Kei did not respond at all. Valias thinks Kei is funny. This time, however, he knew what body pose he should use. And unlike when he was hitchhiking with Dylan yesterday, this time there was another pedal he could step on to solidify his sitting position.

Kei carried Bardev's horse towards the region on the edge of the capital. Towards palace. Two days is the time it takes with a slow-moving horse-drawn carriage. Different from their current speed. They arrive at their destination in the middle of the day.

The place they are in now is an abandoned settlement because Chalis does not like the existence of slums in his kingdom. He ordered the palace soldiers to demolish the buildings where the citizens lived. Now all that is left is ruins and the remains of the furniture destroyed. Also some wooden pillars that used to be the buffer of the house.

Chalis is the antagonist in the story who causes all the suffering that makes Kei what he is today.

Kei pulled the control rope until the horse stopped. Valias did not expect his horse to stand, causing him to almost fall backwards if he did not grab Kei's shoulder.

This fellow.

Feeling Kei silly Valias instantly descended as the horse again spawned its two front legs down.

While with Dylan, Ben did not stand up like that even though Dylan pulled the rope in his mouth.

Valias took an observation on the surroundings once more. He thought that the scene back then was completely in line with how the author described it.

When Valias glanced at Kei, the main character was tying the horse's control rope to the branch of a large tree. He then realized Valias' view of him and countered that view. Valias put on a smile and moved his head, giving the code for Kei to immediately go to the main destination they came to.

At the far end of the settlement, there was a large area of land that residents used to bury the dead.

Kei's mother and sister were also buried there.

After walking for a while the two people who were the only humans there could see rows of mounds of earth with a small wooden pillar stuck on it. On the pillar will be engraved the name of the person buried under the mound of land planted by the small wooden pillar.

Kei left Valias and approached the two mounds at the front and at the far right. The only mound of earth that had no wooden pillars on it.

Because Kei did not want to remember the times when his only two families were still living with him.

Valias saw Kei standing silently staring blankly at the two graves in front of him.

"No praying?"

Whenever someone visits the tomb, all they should do is pray for those who are gone to have a happier life there. But Kei didn't seem to be praying at all. Just shut up with a blank look. Valias wants to breathe.

Because Kei does not pray, Valias will pray. But he would not pray to the gods that existed in that story world. He will pray to his Lord.

What Valias prays for is the welfare of all who are dead. Valias feels a little silly because he is praying for a character whose story does not really exist. But he kept praying.

Because as long as he was here, the pain he felt was real. The warmth within the Bardev family is real. And a future based on novel plot will also be real. Valias chose to assume the world he was in was the world he now lived in.

Where all characters are human beings who breathe and can feel pain. So the characters who have suffered and died have the right to be prayed for by him.

Valias also prays for the future. She hopes to change the story and create happiness for everyone.

Right after Valias finished praying, Kei turned around. Valias begins to think that Kei is actually praying just not showing it.

Kei approached the horse whose rope he tied to the tree branch.

"Key. There's something you have to do."

Kei gave a sharp glint at Valias behind him. But his hand did not stop unbinding the horse's rope.

"There are people who enslave children. You don't want to help them?"

Kei's forehead immediately shriveled at Valias' words.

"Where?"

Valias thin smile. "I'll show you. Hence. Don't leave me here. I didn't bring any money. If you leave I will be attacked and die. You have to protect me."

A world full of dangerous people. Unlike Indonesia which is safer and more peaceful.

Kei frowned even more. Valias could guess what expression Kei had even though that person was turning his back on him.

26/04/2022