The Song of Flowers - Chapter 2: The Heir of the Lord (4)

Ron thought for a moment before responding.

“Are you investigating human trafficking, then?”

Disappearances were a common occurrence. Once someone vanished, tracking them down was nearly impossible. Most lords didn’t bother looking for a couple of missing peasants.

“Not exactly.”

Deborah shook her head and continued speaking.

“I can’t share all the details with you, but we are conducting an investigation. We believe these disappearances may be linked to something we’re looking into. That’s why we intend to approach this recent disappearance from a different angle. Your task is to create a diversion while we investigate discreetly. Essentially, we need you to pretend to be us.”

“Pretend? What exactly are we supposed to do?” Ron asked.

“Just make it seem like you’re conducting an investigation. If anyone tries to interfere or attack, there’s a possibility of danger. I don’t think that will happen, but we can’t guarantee complete safety.”

“So, what’s my role in this?” Ron inquired. So far, it seemed like Julio was the key figure in this plan.

“You’ll play the part of a knight protecting us. It would look suspicious for a Haran wizard investigating a noble family’s unsolved tragedy to walk around unguarded. Wizards are vulnerable to sudden attacks, so having a bodyguard will make sense. And, of course, we don’t want to put Julio in real danger just because he’s pretending to be a Haran wizard. Your role is to ensure his safety,” Deborah explained.

Ron thought for a moment before responding.

“You’re worried a real knight might figure out that Julio isn’t actually a Haran wizard. You want as few people as possible involved in this. So, I’ll need to be convincing as a knight to avoid suspicion.”

“Precisely,” Deborah said with a smile. She was pleased with how quickly Ron grasped the situation. These two were sharp and professional—exactly the kind of people she wanted for this job.

The younger wizard in the white robe handed over a document. “Here’s the payment for the job. You can read, correct?”

Ron and Julio glanced at the amount written on the paper, and their expressions froze for a moment. It was far more than they had expected.

“There’s no time to consider it further. We need your decision now,” Deborah said, urging them.

Julio nudged Ron and said, “It’s your call.”

“You’re the one this job is most critical for. You should decide,” Ron replied.

“You thought it was my job, so it’s only right you make the decision,” Julio insisted.

Ron didn’t need long to make up his mind. After all, mercenaries made their living by taking risks.

“We’ll do it,” Ron said.

“I’m glad we’ve reached a favorable outcome,” Deborah replied, and they immediately began drawing up the contract.

As Ron signed the document on behalf of both of them, Deborah watched him closely, her thoughts swirling.

Is he really just a mercenary?

Deborah had spent nearly a decade on the continent. Though she returned to Haran once or twice a year, most of her time was spent traveling across various regions, meeting all sorts of people. But something about this young man intrigued her.

Most people were visibly tense around Haran wizards, especially those of noble birth. Yet Ron remained remarkably calm. In Deborah’s experience, only those from high-status families were trained to mask their emotions this well.

There was something about him that reminded her of the nobility or even royalty she had encountered before. While that was just a feeling, there was also a physical feature of his that she couldn’t ignore. So, she decided to ask.

“I hope you don’t mind a personal question, but is your eye color hereditary?” Deborah asked.

“…No,” Ron replied after a pause.

“It’s not? Neither of your parents had the same eye color?”

“I remember both my parents’ eyes very well. Neither had this color,” Ron confirmed.

“I see.”

“Is there a problem with my eye color?” Ron asked, his curiosity piqued by the way Deborah kept staring at his eyes.

“No problem. It just reminded me of someone I know,” Deborah said.

“Couldn’t someone else have a similar eye color?” Ron asked, though he felt uneasy.

Deborah shook her head. “In all my years, I’ve never seen anyone else with the same eye color, except for a particular family.”

It wasn’t just the color—there was a unique quality about his eyes that made them stand out in ways difficult to describe.

“Perhaps I’m mistaken. Don’t dwell on it,” she added, though her thoughts continued to linger on the matter.

That ring, too… Deborah thought. The magic on the ring had felt both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. It wasn’t a spell commonly used these days. Rather, it was an ancient form of magic that was nearly forgotten.

This young man isn’t as ordinary as he seems.

Deborah had deliberately encouraged Ron to try on the ring, partly out of curiosity. She wanted to confirm whether he was the true owner of such a significant artifact.

If she had the time, she would have dug deeper into this mystery. Her personal curiosity urged her to investigate the ring further, and perhaps even trace Ron’s lineage. If the ring had been passed down through his family, it could mean Ron was descended from a once-great noble house. Maybe some of his ancestors had even settled in Haran.

But right now, there were more pressing matters. Solving this mystery would have to wait.

***

On the way back after signing the contract, Julio was more animated than usual. Meeting a real wizard for the first time had left him awestruck.

Most capable wizards had long since fled to Haran, leaving only a handful of mediocre ones on the continent. Those that remained were often tricksters or con artists, relying on sleight of hand and cheap illusions to pose as wizards. Julio had never met a true wizard until now, and he hadn’t realized just how rare they were.

For years, Julio had no idea how his self-taught magic compared to real magic. He often mocked the sham wizards he encountered, but deep down, he worried that a Haran wizard might laugh at his own abilities. That fear kept him from seeking them out. But today, he had received recognition.

Humming to himself, Julio glanced at Ron, who was walking in silence with a serious expression.

“You don’t seem too happy about this job,” Julio remarked.

Ron had been unusually quiet, his face set in a grim expression.

“…No, it’s not that. I was just thinking. The pay’s really generous for what we have to do. It’s a good deal. But what about you? Are you thinking of going to Haran?” Ron asked, eyeing the pocket where Julio had stashed the recommendation letter.

“I’m not sure…” Julio said, his hand brushing over the letter.

“You should go. Learn properly,” Ron encouraged him.

“You make it sound easy.”

“What’s so hard about it? Don’t tie yourself to this mercenary life where we don’t know if we’ll survive tomorrow. Take the opportunity while it’s here.”

“I’d feel bad leaving the captain behind so suddenly…”

In truth, there were few mercenary bands that would accept a wizard. The common opinion of wizards on the continent was no better than Julio’s view of the other fraudsters who claimed to have magical power. Wizards were seen as charlatans, fleecing the ignorant.

But the captain had accepted Julio without hesitation. While Julio had since proven his worth, at the time, even Julio had thought the captain was just an easy mark.

If not for the captain, Julio might have ended up working with the very con artists he despised. Many of the “wizards” left on the continent made their living cheating at gambling or running other petty scams.

“The captain isn’t the type to hold you back out of selfishness,” Ron said.

Julio chuckled, slinging an arm over Ron’s shoulder.

“I didn’t know you had such faith in him.”

“He helped me and Leon, too.”

The captain had taken in Ron and Leon when they were just boys. The man had a soft spot for the weak and vulnerable. He couldn’t walk past a stray dog without taking it in; he was currently raising five of them.

In the rough world of mercenaries, a man with a heart like the captain’s was rare. But despite his kind nature, he was an exceptional fighter. Whenever he picked up a sword, he became a different person—fierce and ruthless. His natural strength and skill had earned him a reputation as a top-tier mercenary, and people flocked to him. Over time, almost by accident, he had built a sizable mercenary band.

However, he lacked leadership skills. He accepted anyone who asked to join but didn’t manage them. He never tried to stop anyone from leaving either. The band only stayed together in name, with no real unity within.

Ron had once discussed the idea of breaking off with Leon to form their own group. It was something he planned to revisit soon, and if they did leave, Ron hoped to take Julio with them. But if Julio had a chance to go to Haran, it would be the better choice for him.

“Julio, do what’s best for you,” Ron said firmly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Julio replied with a grin, ruffling Ron’s hair with a rough hand. When Ron shot him an annoyed glare, Julio just laughed.

“But seriously, why do you keep trying to play the big brother? I’m the older one here, remember?”

“Always pulling the age card.”

“Hey, it’s not just a year or two—I’m five years older than you!” Julio protested with mock indignation.

***

Julio went off to deliver the contract to the captain, while Ron returned to the inn. Leon was nowhere to be seen.

“He was practically dead this morning, and now he’s already gone,” Ron muttered.

Leon could never sit still. Even in a place where they were only staying temporarily, he had to explore every corner, figure out where everything was, and get to know the locals. Soon enough, he’d probably be out drinking and flirting with someone.

Ron, on the other hand, was the opposite. He kept his distance from people, only letting a few close, and avoided revealing too much of himself.

Sitting at the table, Ron pulled the ring from his pocket. He slid it onto his finger again, and once more, it fit perfectly. The ring seemed like it was custom-made for him.

He then tried it on different fingers. Even though the sizes of his fingers varied, the ring always fit snugly. That’s when he realized something strange—whenever the ring slid on, it adjusted its size automatically, shrinking just enough to fit perfectly.

A chill ran down Ron’s spine.

It’s enchanted…

The ring was his mother’s keepsake. After she passed, he had found it in an old box, carefully wrapped in a piece of velvet. It had been attached to a leather cord, which he had always thought odd but had never questioned.

Maybe my mother couldn’t wear it either, Ron thought. If it wasn’t an heirloom from her family, it might have been a gift from a man—possibly his father.

As Ron sat, staring at the ring and lost in thought, the day turned to night, and the room grew dark without him even noticing.

“Whoa, you scared me!” Leon exclaimed as he burst through the door, flipping the light on.

“What are you doing sitting in the dark?” he grumbled.

“Did the job go badly or something?” Leon asked, seeing Ron deep in thought.

“Leon, sit down.”

“I wasn’t out drinking, just went for a walk,” Leon said, nervously sitting down as if trying to cover something up. He had, in fact, had a drink or two, but he figured Ron didn’t know.

“This ring. Have you ever worn it?” Ron asked, holding up the black ring.

“Huh? Yeah, a few times. The leather cord was getting worn out, so I put it on my finger for a while.”

“Put it on now,” Ron said.

Leon shrugged and slipped the ring onto his finger, spreading his hand to show Ron. “There. Satisfied?”

Ron scrutinized him for a moment, making Leon tilt his head in confusion.

“What’s going on?”

“I found out today that this ring isn’t just an ordinary trinket. I met a Haran wizard, and they told me it’s enchanted.”

“This? Really? What kind of magic?” Leon asked, looking at the ring with renewed interest.

“Apparently, no one else can wear it. Julio tried, but it wouldn’t go on his finger.”

“That’s pretty strange. Doesn’t look all that valuable,” Leon said, turning the black ring around on his finger.

“I think this ring might’ve been given to our mother by your father. It could be a family heirloom, something that proves your lineage.”

Leon’s face immediately darkened. Normally cheerful, there was one topic that always wiped the smile off his face: his father.

“He was a bastard who abandoned the woman who carried his child. I kept this ring because it was Mom’s keepsake, but if it came from him, it’s worthless.”

Leon ripped the ring off and tossed it onto the table.

“Get rid of it.”

“Leon, we don’t know for sure what happened between him and your mother,” Ron said calmly.

“If he wasn’t a scumbag, why would Mom have never spoken about him?” Leon shot back, his voice rising.

Ron sighed, watching Leon’s frustration boil over. “I’m not saying it’s certain. But I can wear the ring too.”

Ron put the ring back on to show Leon, who quickly dropped his anger and returned to his usual demeanor.

“Wait… so maybe it’s not connected to him after all. Or… hang on,” Leon said, narrowing his eyes playfully. “Are you my long-lost half-brother?”

“Absolutely not,” Ron replied coldly.

Though they were often mistaken for twins, Ron and Leon weren’t blood-related. When Ron was a child, Leon and his mother had saved his life. They took him in as family, and since then, Ron had considered Leon his only brother and their mother his own.

“Still, it’s clearly something valuable. It might even lead you to your father,” Ron said, trying to get through to Leon.

“Don’t care,” Leon said sharply, slamming his hand on the table before leaning back in his chair with a defiant expression.

“After all this time? I couldn’t care less who my father is. And don’t even think about going off on some quest to find out,” Leon warned.

“…Alright,” Ron replied. But in his mind, he wasn’t so sure. If the opportunity arose after they finished this job, he planned to ask the Haran wizards about the ring.

“So, about the job? Is it really low-risk with top-tier pay?” Leon asked, eager to change the subject.

“It’s a solid job,” Ron said, giving him a quick rundown of what they were supposed to do.

“You interested? It wouldn’t hurt to have another knight guarding the wizard.”

“Do I get paid more?”

“No.”