C180: Wolves and Crows (3)
At Freuden's angry words Rudger closed his eyes quietly.
"Are you going to pretend you don't know now? Give me an excuse."
Rudger, who closed his eyes, thought of Rene.
Yes, I was certainly surprised when I first met her in Theon. I didn't know we'd meet in a place like this. But that's all.
Since they didn't know each other anymore anyway, he didn't make it obvious, and didn't pretend to know. To be exact, he was close to a position where he shouldn't pretend to know.
But is this what fate is all about?
While on patrol for the first time, he intervened in the Rene quarrel with an aristocratic student and solved it. After that, he saved her when she was almost attacked by a werewolf.
When she realized her non-attribute magic, he handed her a book that he had had for a long time.
He also saved her from the attack of Quasimodo at the banquet hall.
At some point, their meeting increased, and when I came to my senses, we became close just like in the old days.
The kite of the past did not stop at Rene. Another party closely related to the events of the day was present in Theon.
'Is this also because of that decision?'
Rudger recalled Rene's eyes and the power she hadn't yet discovered.
From that day 12 years ago to now it was highly likely that the relationship of that day, which had been skipped for a long time, would be faced again here in Theon due to the power of fate.
In a world where gods and magic, different races and mysteries exist it was not strange for fate to exist too.
'It is impossible to argue about what has already happened now.'
Now, Freuden Ulburg was staring at him.
The cheeky and arrogant little boy from 12 years ago had grown up without forgetting what happened that day.
That's why I had no choice but to go wild.
"What do you want me to do?"
"What?"
"After all, it's a thing of the past. What is your intention for revealing it and saying that to me?"
"……You."
Freuden's eyes were disgusted with Rudger.
"I thought you kept that day in mind because of regret and guilt. That's why you came to Theon to help her……."
"Don't be mistaken."
Rudger laughed off Freuden's words.
"I came here with what happened 12 years ago? "You should stop saying funny things."
"Then, why are you here?"
"That's…"
Why did he come to Theon?
Rudger, who recalled the reason, was speechless.
"………You don't have to know that."
"As expected…"
Did he read something from his expression?
Freuden had rather strong doubts.
At least in Freuden memory, Rudger was a hidden wanderer. Then, he suddenly became a teacher of Theon under the name of a fallen aristocrat? Even in the year when she entered school as a freshman? It cannot be a coincidence.
"You try to deny it, but I know what purpose you came here for."
"What a load of crap."
"Even if you act so brazenly, the sin you committed that day will not disappear. Even if you're nice to her due to your guilty conscience, do you think she wants it?"
"So what are you going to do? Are you going to go to Rene and tell her everything?"
When Rudger asked, Freuden closed his mouth.
"Yeah, you can't tell her because you also knew that she had lost her memory, otherwise you would have said it until now."
"……I'm not like you."
"You and I both know what happened that day, but you're ignoring it. If you thought it was wrong, shouldn't you just say everything?"
"What do you know to say that? You don't even know how I feel……!"
"Ha. Should I know that?"
"……!"
Freuden stared at Rudger with bloodshot eyes.
His fists trembled but he did nothing more.
"You can do that if you want to do it. I don't care."
At Rudger's provocation, Freuden bit his lip. He stared strongly at Rudger for the last time, and soon turned his back and left.
If he continued to face Rudger like this, he would be unable to control himself.
'You little thing.'
Rudger sighed a little as he looked at the back of Freuden, who was moving away.
'There's nothing in the world that's not tiring.'
I've already heard of the name Freuden Ulburg. However, I thought he forgot everything because it happened a long time ago.
He was an aristocrat at the time and Rene was the daughter of an unknown commoner woman.
But in retrospect it was also funny to think that he would easily forget what happened that day.
Just as Freuden didn't forget what happened that day Rudger also hasn't forgotten what happened that day.
"Now that he's gone, you can come out. Hans."
"……Oh my God."
When Rudger said, Hans, who was hiding, appeared from behind a tree.
"Sorry, brother. I didn't mean to listen."
"I know. We were going to meet each other, but it's because he intervened."
"……Are you better than that? Looks like you've been caught. Isn't it only a matter of time before you get caught if you keep going like this?"
Hans recalled the reaction Freuden had shown Rudger a while ago. Based on the reaction alone, it was highly likely that Freuden knew that Rudger used a false identity.
"You don't have to worry about that."
"What? Did you prepare something in advance?"
"There's no need to be prepared."
Rudger said, paying attention to the place where Freuden disappeared.
"He can't say it anyway."
* * *
'I'm the same person as him?'
What Rudger said still lingered in his mind and anger boiled cold in Freuden's heart.
'Rather, you should've said sorry as soon as you saw me and her from the beginning.'
But what was his reaction? He brazenly entered Theon and remained ignorant until the end. Rather, he even approached Rene naturally.
It was Freuden's honest feelings that he wanted to reveal everything Rudger had done in the past. But there was a catch at the same time. Rudger is already a teacher who has gained fame in Theon.
Now that he is a student, if he says that Rudger's identity is all false and that he has done wrong in the past, who will believe it?
'In the first place is that there's no real evidence left.'
There is no evidence and no justification to bring down Rudger. On the contrary, it may hurt the reputation of the Ulburg family.
'Did he make his reputation like an iron fortress in case this happened?'
And there was one more reason why he didn't want to tell the truth, his pride did not allow it.
Spreading rumors with his weaknesses was tantamount to admitting that he could not win face to face.
Even though he knew it's not rational he couldn't accept it.
'Even so……Rene needs to know this.'
Rene is a victim of Rudger's crime. It was not enough to go through that terrible incident that day, hey memory was also changed.
"Senior Freuden, are you done with your business?"
Just in time, he ran into Rene, who was passing by.
Erendir went somewhere else?
Now that she was alone it was his chance so Freuden approached Rene.
"Rene."
"Senior, did something happen? You don't look good."
"I have something to tell you……."
He had to tell her about what happened that day and the missing piece of her life.
Freuden spoke with that in mind.
"……."
But strangely, his voice didn't come out as if it was blocked by something.
"……Senior?"
Freuden was suddenly scared at the sight of Rene asking back innocently. If he tells the whole truth, will Rene be happy?
'That can't be true.'
He was sure Rene will be sad if she finds out the truth. The teacher she trusted and relied on, in fact, was the one who erased her memory and killed her mother.
What tragedy was this?
Was it right to make her recall memories that can hurt under the name of truth? It was this point that made Freuden hesitate.
'Can Rene handle this truth? Maybe I'm trying to do something that will hurt her again.'
Obviously, even if a person is hurt and sad, he or she can overcome it and move on but that's just idealism.
There are far more people in the world who cannot overcome their wounds because not everyone is a superman.
The average person cries and collapses at the slightest failure.
What is more irresponsible than advising people to just overcome their sadness?
'Does she really deserve that?'
He wished he didn't knew from the beginning and suddenly remembered what Rudger said a while ago.
– You and I are the same.
It was Freuden himself who was angry at the words. However, at this moment of hesitation, Freuden secretly admitted that he was right.
'No, I'm not like him.'
He had to prove that he was different from someone who lies and deceives people so he shouldn't be silent here.
"Senior?"
"……."
Rene's pure eyes were looking at him with worry.
The moment he saw the starlight of the night sky in them Freuden felt his whole body relax.
"Are you all right?"
"……Yes, it's all right."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"……No, it's nothing."
In the end, Freuden did not say anything.
He couldn't.
"I'm sorry. I wasted your time."
"What? No, no! Absolutely not!"
"Go ahead. I'll be going too."
Freuden turned his back and slowly walked away from Rene.
'I couldn't tell you.'
In the end he also deceived Rene.
He also knew that he was the same as Rudger and hated himself for it.
Nevertheless, he couldn't say.
'I didn't want to hurt you.'
He didn't want to see her cry.
He didn't want to see her sad.
Even if he falls like the man he hates the most he could only protect her innocence now.
'Rene, you probably don't remember.'
That day's meeting.
He was sure she won't be able to remember it in the future but it was okay.
'Cause I'll remember.'
At the same time, Rudger, a man with everything fake, came to mind.
The behavior of the man, who did not stop him, but rather provoked him as if to show off.
'He knew from the start that I would never be able to speak.'
Freuden clenched his fist. He didn't feel good to be played by Rudger.
'Yes, I admit it. Now I don't have the power to bite you. I have to put up with it now but if I get a change Ulburg wolves never miss a chance to bite their prey.'
* * *
"It's okay to ignore Freuden Ulburg for now. He's not a proper wolf yet. I don't know later, but I don't have to worry about him right now."
"What? Oh, yes. If that's what brother says."
Hans replied indifferently, but Rudger said so much, so he didn't take it seriously.
"For now, I collected information in my own way while organizing it while brother was away. Fortunately, yesterday's warehouse fire was judged as an accident caused by insufficient management of firecrackers."
"The president will end it like that."
"Little is known about this case, so everyone seems to be thinking so except for a few."
"It's good that the case won't escalate."
"Since there are some captured people, I think more than that will be a waste of time and manpower."
"What happened to the remnants of the Black Dawn Society?"
"For now, they are detained inside Theon but the subtle thing about this is……."
Hans said, scratching his cheek.
"Surprisingly, the blue-haired lady seems to be interrogating them."
"You mean Casey Selmore?"
"I checked that she entered the president's office, but I don't know after that. However, it is certain that there was some kind of transaction there."
"That's what I wanted. Is it because of the bait from that day?"
"I know you did it on purpose."
Hans asked in a slightly worried tone.
"Will you be alright? She seemed to have a strong temper."
"It's not that it's hard, but it's actually a bit of a bummer."
"If such a girl finds out that she has been taken advantage of……Aren't you going to be a little tired?"
"That's true."
Rudger was also convinced of what Hans was worried about.
Of course, he can comfortably say that he can keep it a secret without being caught for the rest of his life. But is there no guarantee that Casey Selmore will not catch him in the future.
"Maybe she will notice something strange when she reaches a certain step."
"……What then?"
"What can I do? I will deal with it then."
"Isn't that too irresponsible?"
Irresponsible would be right.
"Who knew that she would follow what happened 3 years ago until now?"
"Then you're in trouble."
"What?"
"Three years ago, you used her then, too."
In the Kingdom of Delica three years ago Rudger actively used Casey Selmore as James Moriarty there. She acted on his behalf to dig in a case that involved the nation.
"……."
"If you get caught later, aren't you going to pay for the three-year one at once? I heard that she came to this city right away, too. "
If Casey Selmore finds out that she has been used twice by the same person.
"Well."
"Brother?"
"I hope I won't get caught"
"……What? But you just said that the detective lady will definitely notice one day."
"I did."
"Then what are you going to do then?"
In fact, it was a part that he didn't think too much about. He had other things to care about not other than Casey Selmore but if that really happens.
"I'll have to run away again."
"Oh, my."
Hans sighed as if he knew it.
"Hans, that's not the point now."
"Then what is it?"
Hans, who was trying to ask back, saw Rudger's expression and a thought came into his mind.
'Brother expression……doesn't look good'
When Rudger who never changed his expression made that face it meant that he was nervous.
"Come on, what the hell's going on?"
Rudger closed his eyes and sighed.
"Because of this, my teacher may have noticed that I am here."