C160: Children and Adults (2)
"……My goodness."
Hans, who heard all of Rudger's words, looked blank and soon relaxed his shoulders and laughed.
"I think you really like children."
"Do you mean me?"
"Are you going to deny that? Even though you say I shouldn't get caught, what you do is always attract people's attention."
It wasn't that Hans didn't know either. Rudger's various actions so far sometimes seem different from his purpose.
He hid his identity, revealed his abilities, did dangerous things, and taught important magic freely. It was all mainly when he was involved with students.
"Considering it's forced, isn't it just a teacher's job? Well, I've known for a long time that my brother cares about children very much."
"It's not because I like children. It's just a duty for me to act like this."
Rudger couldn't do what he wanted to do in his previous life because his mother's teaching and the path he wanted to go were completely different. Nevertheless, he did not break his stubbornness until the end, but his end was not good.
The same was true in his present life. He couldn't even imagine enjoying something in the present life as much as he couldn't achieve in his previous life. He had to contend with death at an age when he should've lived in peace like any other child.
He lived that kind of life and walked that path. Rudger just didn't want anyone else to follow in his footsteps. Hans, who knew part of Rudger's past, looked at him with sad eyes and said.
"……You may not know, but it's amazing that you think of others as a duty and know how to think of others. There are many people in the world who couldn't do this."
"Isn't it funny to see someone who couldn't do that and settle down with relief that he's better than someone like that?"
"But everyone does."
"Yes, everyone does. But I don't do that."
"I think you're a teacher by nature. If you had lived without hiding your identity, you would have gone somewhere to teach children."
Hans shook his head, thinking that Rudger was stubborn in this regard. Then he suddenly realized something and lifted his head.
"But isn't it a bit absurd to call the students here children?"
"What do you mean?"
"Students, who attend Theon, should be treated as adults already in terms of age."
Hans' point was valid. The average age of Theon's students was 18. In this world, considering that you become an adult at 17, they were not children.
There were definitely younger students, but it could have been rude to treat them as children considering that they would be almost 20 years old after the third grade.
"But aren't they younger than us?"
"Hey, don't you know that there's not much age difference between 5th graders and me?"
"What? Hans, how old were you?"
When Rudger asked, Hans laughed as if he was dumbfounded.
"Did I not tell you? I'm 24 years old this year."
"……."
Rudger opened his eyes wide as if he were shocked for the first time.
"Oh, really?"
"Why are you so surprised? What's with that face?"
"No, I'm just…… Well."
"Don't apologize."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize!"
Rudger stared at Hans with sad eyes. Honestly, when he saw Hans, he thought he was over mid-30s even if he wasn't in his 40s but he was younger than him.
'Come to think of it, he's been calling me hyung(older brother) since we first met.'
At that time, he thought it was because he was just stronger than Hans, so he called him hyung for protocol. In the world they live, seniority is divided according to skills, not age. He thought so, but he didn't know Hans called him brother because he was younger.
Rudger offered his consolation to Hans.
"I understand. If a person lives a rough life, he may lose a lot."
"Saying that only makes it worse! I haven't aged!"
Rudger life was more than 10 times tougher than Hans, but isn't there a big difference in their appearance? From Hans's point of view, he was just about to die of unfairness.
Considering how he lived Rudger should've looked like he had one step in his coffin but instead his skin was good and he was handsome.
It was said that the ladies work hard to take care of their skin to stop the flow of time but Hans realized how meaningless those words were.
'Management is not important. After all, if they're all born with it it's all natural.'
People who are strong don't look old easily even with the passage of time or if they go through hard times. The world was full of this unfair absurdity and Hans had no choice but to lament inside.
"Hans, how's everything going out there?"
"I didn't want to die like this, but……What did you just say?"
Hans, who was complaining to himself, belatedly realized that Rudger called him.
"I asked if things were going well outside."
"Oh, they're pretty smooth. First of all, the magazine is becoming more popular now, so the outlook is bright, and the first demonstration of the musical was also held, and the response was hot."
That day Rudger planted several seeds in a dark, damp back alley that people didn't visit. The seeds that have not rooted yet, but the possibility that will inevitably come out someday.
Circus got a good response from people after its first successful musical performance.
The magazine business conducted by Old Kids was going smoothly and gradually recording a large sales volume.
"What else?"
"With the Women of the Black Rose in the lead, an entire street was refurbished and turned into an artist's street. They cleared out the trash and filth and changed the whole building."
"I'm glad it's going well."
"The only thing to be careful about is that other commercial districts that have been closely watching our movements have begun to keep us in check."
At first, people in the surrounding commercial districts were busy snorting at the behavior of the lower class in the back alley. It was because they thought that even if they tried to do something, they would end up wasting money and time but it didn't take long for the sneer on their faces to turn into anxiety.
The projects of the poor, which they ignored, began to expand at an unusual pace, and they felt a sense of crisis. The musical, which was laughed at, became a hit from the first performance as the magazine was sold out in an instant.
It was clear that the street of fashion people to be opened later would be successful if it went on like this.
"They're trying to keep us in check by feeding the city and the police money."
"Of course, because I was expecting this to happen in the first place. When I showed them the permit, they shut their mouths. It was good to spend a lot of money to lobby in advance."
However, Hans continued.
"Since then, it's been a little quieter, so it seems like they're planning something. They are not the type of persons who will stand still with just one stab."
"Just in case, warn others to be careful."
"I know, brother. Oh and the last one."
Hans took a bottle of red reagent from his pocket and handed it to Rudger. Rudger accepted naturally and no one around me noticed the secret exchange.
"This is."
"The medicine that brother brought during the werewolf incident. The analysis is over."
It was the experimental drug obtained by sweeping all underground bases of the Shamsus School during the werewolf incident. The drug, which turns humans into monsters by diluting it and administering a small amount, was a product created by the Black Dawn Society and the Shamsus School.
"Belaruna had a hard time with it. Still, well, she succeeded in the end."
"What's the result of the analysis?"
"There was one magic reagent with all kinds of black magic that stood out. They used narcotic hallucinogens from Peluma plants."
The herb called Peluma has been used as a medicine in the past because it has an intense pain relief effect. Now, it was a material that was practically banned because it was highly addictive and had a high risk of hallucinations.
"As you know, Peluma has one famous trait that everyone knows."
"That the place they grow is very limited."
"Yes, and there is only one place in the Exilion Empire where you can collect Peluma, the thorn forest adjacent to Baltanung city. This plant grows only there."
Baltanung was a nearby city adjacent to Leathervelk.
Rudger nodded.
"If we investigate the place, we will be able to catch the tail of a secret branch of the Black Dawn Society. If we're lucky, we can find a hidden base around there."
"I'll go check it out once the business I'm working on becomes stable."
"Yes, it's not an urgent job."
Above all, the urgent fire that had to be put out immediately was nearby.
"I heard you've identified the First Order Esmeralda."
"Yes, I did."
"I have to ask you how it was, but looking at brother's expression, I guess it was not very pleasant?"
Rudger nodded.
Hans and Rudger stood side by side and stared at the children who were chatting and playing with the mini golems. In that state, Rudger told Hans the truth he had found out. Esmeralda's identity and how she ended up joining Black Dawn Society.
"Huh."
Hans sighed when he heard the whole story.
"I didn't think she'd hide her identity in that way. Is it better to know even now?"
"Knowing is better than not knowing."
"So, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"I'm asking if you're ready."
Despite Hans's point, Rudger was not able to answer hastily.
"………Brother, I'm asking you just in case, but are you seriously thinking about it?"
"……."
"I fully understand your position. You wouldn't want to have to kill your fellow teacher whom you're close to."
Turning his head, Hans caught the scene of a peaceful festival in sight.
Hans looked up at the sky for no reason at the sight of people happily enjoying the festival under the light. The sky was so damn bright as if it didn't notice their situation.
"Still, you know. Otherwise, brother could die."
"That's right
"Innocent victims are bound to come out all the time. Of course, I'm not trying to justify that. That's unfortunate. But you've been through it too. Even if we are careful with cancer, there will be victims."
And that you can't save everyone even if you try to struggle.
At Hans' words, a scene from the past was overlaid on Rudger's retina. A boy was seen bleeding to death under the children playing.
He approached slowly and raised the boy's torso with both hands. The boy's body, whose life was nearly lost, was as cold as ice.
-Mr. Moriarty. My brother, please.
The child closed his eyes at the end of the sentence. He believed in and followed him, and his dream of becoming a great scholar one day was blown away by the wind. Only red blood, which once proved that he was alive once, was dripping from his hands.
"Brother?"
Hans' voice brought Rudger to reality. Rudger looked at his hands. His hands were not red and there was no blood on them.
"Are you okay?"
"……Yes."
"Anyway, this is what I'm trying to say. If it's something you have to do, don't hesitate. You know the unwritten rules of the people who live in our world."
"We, who live in a world of violence, always have this in our hearts."
"It's bitter, but that's the reality. If I don't kill, I'll die so I have no choice but to kill."
Hans tried to say something to Rudger but ended up staying quiet. This gentleman always seemed strong on the outside, but he was actually more sensitive than anyone else.
He is a man who acts like a human butcher when dealing with bad people, but cares too much about innocent people.
"Well. All of our members, including myself, see and follow your human side."
Still, it was not comfortable for him to see Rudger falling into trouble so Hans said words of support to cheer him up.
"Haha! What are you scared of? You'll do as well as you have done so far anyway!"
Hans slapped Rudger on the shoulder with his palm. Patting his shoulder with too much pressure.
"Ah."
The atmosphere quickly turned cold.
"……."
"Uh, well, I didn't mean to, I just……I was trying to help you because you looked down. It's…."
Hans blurted out the end of his words. Rudger ended up smirking at the sight of Hans, who was always scared and couldn't speak properly.
"I know."
"Ha, haha. As expected, right? I believed that my brother wouldn't keep it inside with this!"
"More than that, Hans."
"What?"
"There is also a small animal shelter here in Theon and it has a collection of endangered species, so why don't you stop by there?"
Hans broke out in a cold sweat at his words.
* * *
The third day of the festival had dawned and it was time for Rudger to go on patrol.
'How did I end up here?'
Tables and chairs with a white tablecloth spread out in the wide open air and even people of noble status would share a glass of wine and chat here.
The place he was in was an outdoor banquet hall that only authorized people could enter during the festival.
"Heh heh heh. Drinking in the daytime is also good."
Hayrack Kadushan chuckled next to Rudger.
'And why does this person keep sticking to me?'
This is why he didn't really like festivals.