Baby Prisoner of the Winter Castle Chapter 120

No matter how much Clarisse kissed the stone, there was no response. 

 

“Perhaps… is that the reason?” 

 

“W, what do you mean?” 

 

Noah responded, covering the surface of the desk where his nail marks had left an imprint with his palm.

 

“Noah felt uncomfortable with this stone for a long time.”

 

“…That’s.” 

 

“Maybe that’s why it feels discouraged. Just like Sir Outer Wall once did. If Noah asks, maybe it’ll talk.”

 

“I am not the Golem Master. What difference would it make if I asked?” 

 

“That’s not true. The stones at Sheridan Manor also listen to what the Duke or Uncle Quentin have to say. So I think Noah’s stone would probably be the same. It always concerned about Noah’s feelings.” 

 

“…” 

 

Is that really true?

 

Just a moment ago, Noah desperately hoped that the stone wouldn’t speak. 

 

If he was keeping silent because of that effect, then Clarisse was right.

 

“…Now, I want you to answer Clarisse’s question.” 

 

He asked in muttered words. He felt awkward for some reason.

 

“Ah!”

 

At that, Clarisse’s eyes sparkled with joy as if the answer had just come back to her. 

 

“It really asking very carefully if it can talk now. So I said it was okay.” 

 

“Was it really because of me?”

 

As he muttered that, Clarisse was staring at both of his cheeks again.

 

What are they talking about?

 

“Noah is incredibly kind, he wouldn’t get angry… What? Ugly! No way! Pretty. You’re really pretty.” 

 

It seemed like he knew what the content was without even asking. 

 

* * *

 

[I, I… If I step forward… I get scared, Noah…]

 

Noah’s stone stuttered.

 

Maybe it’s an aftereffect of staying silent for a long time? Or maybe it was because it had always been trapped inside the mask, hearing the word ‘monster’ over and over again.

 

[I’m, I’m sorry… I, it must feel bad… when you touch me…]

 

The timid and self-loathing nature of this stone’s personality might be a reflection of Noah’s own character in some ways. 

 

Clarisse smiled, gently rubbing the surface of the pretty stone with her fingertips. 

 

“Pretty, you’re really pretty.”

 

[…A kind person.]

 

“You know, I have something to ask, can you answer it?”

 

[I, I… nothing.] 

 

“I was wondering if you ever heard the stones in the castle talking. Anything is fine, like something about a missing gray-robed wizard.”

 

The stone continued to give no answer. Clarisse continued her story without giving up.

 

“Something like the story about the blood used in the blood test. Or was the name of any noble mentioned?”

 

[…H, heuk.]

 

“…!” 

 

Clarisse was startled and quickly looked up at Noah.

 

“Why are you doing that?”

 

“W, what should I do? I think… I might have come on too strong.” 

 

“Girl wasn’t scary at all. It’s a strange stone.”

 

[I, I’m sorry, Noah….]

 

“Don’t say that, Noah. You should be kind to your friends.”

 

“My only friend is Girl.” 

 

“Ugh, really.”

Clarisse glanced back at Noah’s stone again. Perhaps infused with magic, the red stone seemed to sparkle more than usual.

 

[I, I… Because I fell asleep.] 

 

“I see. It’s only natural if you haven’t seen the full moon for a long time.”

 

[That’s… because… if Noah isn’t in danger… I’m supposed to… be asleep… I shouldn’t wake up right now…]

 

It’s only supposed to happen when there’s danger?

 

Does that mean that the ‘owner’ of this stone left it that way?

 

“What do you do if you wake up when it’s dangerous?”

 

[…It’s a secret, I’m sorry.]

 

“Uhm, I understand. So, for now, let’s just conclude that there’s nothing in the stories heard in the wizard’s castle. Is that okay?”

 

[I, I… It’s trash.]

 

“What do you mean by trash?!”

 

That was such a bad thing that Clarisse screamed.

 

Then, for some reason, Noah was even more surprised and opened his eyes wide.

 

“I, I was wrong!”

For some reason, he offered an apology.

 

“It’s not for Noah to apologize, because the stone is blaming himself too much.” 

 

Clarisse put a little more pressure on her hand holding his cheek. 

 

“You can’t talk bad about yourself.”

 

[…A kind person. I, I like it.]

 

“Mhm, I like it too.” 

 

Clarisse decided to say more kind words to the stone so that it would like her even a little more.

 

“I’ve actually liked you since the first time I saw you. It’s true.”

 

[Magic power… Are you going to give it to me again?] 

 

“Yes, if it’s okay with Noah and you, as much as you want.”

 

[A kind…person.] 

 

“It’s not necessarily just that. I’m just weak when it comes to pretty stones. I’m really glad we could talk today.”

 

[Ah.] 

 

As they were wrapping up their conversation, the stone paused as if it had recalled something. 

 

“What’s the matter?” 

 

Carefully asking, the stone hesitated for a while before slowly answering.

 

[The wizard who was trying to kill Noah… What happened… to him?]

 

Trying to kill… Noah?

 

There was such a wizard?

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Clarisse asked again, but the stone didn’t answer anymore. 

 

In her desperation, she leaned towards Noah’s face with her lips. However, Noah’s hand abruptly intervened between her and the stone.

 

“Girl, if you don’t have any more answers, it would be better to quit.” 

 

“But, there is an answer I need to hear.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“That’s.” 

 

Clarisse dropped her hands from his face.

 

“The stone is saying that someone… to Noah.”

 

“Someone who is trying to kill me?” 

 

Even though she didn’t even finish speaking, he continued as if it was obvious. 

 

“…How do you know?”

 

He smiled casually.

 

“If I die, someone can receive the white robe. Naturally, wouldn’t they want to kill me?”

 

“…How.” 

 

“The color of the robe is not determined solely by effort. Rather, it is influenced predominantly by innate talent. Especially when it comes to shades close to white.” 

 

In other words, in order to move up a certain line, the only way was for a strong person to die and disappear. 

 

“Encountering murderous intent is something I am very familiar with.”

 

“…That’s too much.”

 

Clarisse felt a mix of disdain and concern seeing him casually discussing something dreadful as if it were nothing.

 

“I don’t want to send Noah to the wizard’s castle.”

 

“Girl consider me too weak.” 

 

“But.” 

 

“I have never been weaker than those who want to kill me. It’s been that way since birth.”

 

He created a red ball of light above his raised hand. A long beam of light passed between his fingers.

 

“There is probably only one person in this world who can kill me. I’m pretty sure.”

 

“That’s…who?” 

 

When Clarisse asked, instead of replying, he moved the red magic onto her hand. 

 

The magic floating between her fingers seemed almost alive, and it was slightly warm. Clarisse now guessed that this might not be a particularly affectionate type of magic after all. 

 

“No, I made a mistake.”

 

In response, Noah withdrew the light again and clenched his fist to make it disappear.

 

“Anyway, you don’t have to worry too much about what the stone said. Judging by your expression, it seems like it’s already too late for that.”

 

“There’s no way I wouldn’t care about Noah. Because I like you.” 

 

“…You also said that to the stone.”

 

“Mhm?” 

 

“Hmm, it’s nothing.” 

 

Clarisse sat down on the chair again. 

 

“What if we haven’t found out anything about the gray-robed wizard?”

 

“Hmm, it seems like there is no way for now.”

 

“As expected, I’d rather go to the wizard’s castle… ah.” 

 

Clarisse tapped her palm with her fist as if she had just remembered something. 

 

“Noah!”

 

He tried to put on his mask again, but instead raised his head and answered.

 

“W, why are you doing that?”

 

“By any chance…Do you know the gray wizard’s first and last name?”

 

Of course he knows that. 

 

Unable to understand Clarisse’s intention when she asked this, Noah just nodded his head quietly. 

 

* * *

 

“I hope this can be resolved by today.”

 

Lysander accepted the thin document handed to him by his mother, Amelda, across the wide table in the conference room.

 

“That aside, I’m worried because my son’s face looks very gaunt.”

 

She went around the table and sat down next to Lysander.

 

“Was there something troubling?”

 

The deep brown eyes stared at Lysander intently, implying that there might be a separate answer she desired.

 

“…Brother.”

 

Even though he thought he didn’t like this, Lysander instinctively gave her the answer she wanted.

 

No matter how much he became a king and an adult, Lysander couldn’t dare to disobey Amelda. 

 

“He left.” 

 

“Oh my… I’m sure it must have been difficult. What did he demand this time? It really seems like he was planning to use this opportunity to harass my son by selling his wife.”

 

“It’s not like that. He just asked for the sinner’s pardon…”

 

“A pardon for a sinner?” 

 

Lysander hesitated for a moment as Amelda asked, as if she was interested.

 

He didn’t want his mother to find out about his thoughts or plans regarding Clarisse, even if she knew about other matters.

 

“Yes, but I declined.”

 

He took pains to answer resolutely. Fortunately, Amelda didn’t ask any more questions.

 

“You’re great, truly a fair judgment.  Looking back, I wonder if the Duke deliberately tempted our poor Devina into such actions. He’s always had a talent for captivating women since he was young. Perhaps he wanted to exploit a weakness in the royal family.”

 

“Brother will never…!”

Amelda gently covered the back of Lysander’s hand as he was about to say no.

 

At that moment, goosebumps rose up to the back of his neck and he heard auditory hallucinations. It was a crying, pleading scream. Probably Lysander in his youth.

 

｢M, mother’s hand… it hurts, please stop… Please, just hit me with the cane… Yes? I’ve done wrong. I’ve been bad.｣

 

Lysander, who failed less, was a truly inadequate son.

 

But no matter how foolish he did, his mother never used a cane.

 

To make her foolish son more human, she willingly raised her hand, and each time, her palm would swell horribly. 

 

｢No one can bear this pain for you. Do you understand? Lysander, this is also proof of my love for you.｣

 

Lysander hated himself for always messing up the hands of the only person who loved him.

 

“Anyway, my son, you understand that we cannot fulfill all the demands related to the Duchess’s incident, right?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

What he demanded was as follows,

 

Authority to investigate the incident.

 

Access to the entry and exit logs of all the walls in Haiden.

 

Authority to punish Devina, the servants, and the culprits.

 

Access to the palace records related to Devina. 

 

“As for Devina, her marriage has been annulled and her records have already been burned, so there is nothing we can give to the Duke. If only he had made the request a little earlier, we might not have had to go to such lengths.”

 

However, Amelda erased Devina’s record less than a day after the incident. 

 

Although Lysander didn’t dare to mention it. 

 

“Moreover, the coachman and the assailants committed suicide in prison, so we no longer have the power to punish them. Isn’t it impossible to bring a dead person back to life and hand it to the Duke?”

 

She had a gloomy expression, as if she was truly sorry.

 

“I could certainly provide access to the entry and exit records of the castle walls, but without any comparative data, I wonder if it would be of any use.”

 

Amelda glanced down at the document she had handed out to Lysander a moment ago.

 

“Well … If you want this, feel free to take a look.”

 

Lysander now looked down at the document she had first handed him.

 

It was an official letter of cooperation sent to each castle wall.

 

The plan was to temporarily grant the Duke of Sheridan the right to view all records of those who crossed the castle walls and those who left.

 

It may seem like a meaningless authority… but it’s the best he can offer for now.