The Genius Perfumer of the Fallen Cult - Chapter 33

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Perfumer of the Fallen Religious Order Episode 33

Sebardo expected this boy to jump up immediately and ask excitedly several times if it was really true, filled with joy. Like someone seeing a gold ingot for the first time would leap and make a fuss.

‘Then I’ll start with the attendant talk, no wait, is it too early to talk about attendants already? Right, then I’ll talk about apprentices first…’

However, unexpectedly, the boy was only slightly surprised at first and remained calm. Sebardo felt a bit awkward at that quiet reaction.

Rozien said nothing until his breathing returned somewhat, then raised his upper body and looked up at him while sitting slumped on the floor.

The joy, hope, and surprise that had filled him when he inhaled slowly escaped with his exhaled breath.

Joy had never come to the boy’s life without a hidden side. If he got drunk on hasty hope, he would stumble over a stone and fall.

“Do you happen to know?”

“Uh… what?”

“About my hair.”

“Your hair?”

Sebardo tilted his head. Rozien continued speaking calmly.

“This was dyed hastily. To stay together when Prim was adopted here…”

Rozien grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled it slightly. The hair near his scalp was red like a newly bloomed rose.

“My hair is actually red. But I don’t think I’ll need to dye it anymore.”

Probably never again.

Because Prim dislikes it.

Rozien recalled Prim pouting her lips in displeasure when she saw his hair turned brown. At first, he didn’t even know she would dislike it.

But when she looked at him and said she hoped he would quickly return to red hair, when she said she disliked brown hair…

Rozien felt light seeping through the cracks of a broken window.

Sebardo’s eyes widened and he unconsciously cleared his throat.

“Ah, no, what’s all this about red hair in this day and age? That’s superstition people talked about a hundred years ago!”

Since all Demon Beasts’ fur was red, rescuing those who were ostracized for having red hair because people claimed they had demon beast blood was also one of the Inquisitors’ long-standing duties.

“Is that so?”

Rozien just smiled faintly with an expression that showed he didn’t agree but wouldn’t bother arguing with his words either.

If that were really true, he wouldn’t have dyed it brown to work at the Noble Family Villa, would he?

Sebardo silently raised both hands to show them. That duty of the Inquisitors was still being carried out. Because there were still those who ostracized red hair as demon beast blood.

Especially Yulberon, who loved roses as much—though it had disappeared now, there was once a rose called Yulberon’s Heart—was fervently protecting those killed for such ridiculous reasons, so they knew it all too well.

“Ahem. Your words aren’t entirely wrong, but at least the Holy Knights won’t ostracize you for your hair color. It’s our job to eliminate such people.”

“…”

“If you become a knight and accumulate just a few achievements, not only will there be no one mocking such superstitions in front of you.”

“They’ll gossip behind my back though, right?”

“Behind your back, they won’t just be talking about red hair, so couldn’t you bear with that much?”

Rozien chuckled and stood up. His whole body was damp with sweat.

“I’m a believer of Varin… would it be alright for me to learn swordsmanship from you, Sir Knight?”

“But wouldn’t becoming a knight be a distant prospect here?”

“Even so, I can’t abandon my faith.”

Sebardo narrowed his eyes and bent his waist.

Though he didn’t judge others’ faith, he too had served as a knight of god for a long time. He could see where a person’s heart was directed.

“Hmm, really?”

“…”

This child’s heart is not directed toward god.

Rozien fell slightly silent. Sebardo ruffled Rozien’s hair once.

“But kid, instead of weighing and considering things so honestly like this, you should step forward saying you’ll learn something even if it means deceiving me.”

“Deceive an Inquisitor? Then that would make me a heretic.”

At Rozien’s sly remark, Sebardo suppressed his laughter with a cough.

“Learning swordsmanship from me, becoming my attendant, doesn’t mean you have to become a Holy Knight of Yulberon. If you have the ability, you can become a secular knight or a Holy Knight of Varin as you wish, and if you lack ability, none of it will be permitted.”

However, even while speaking so strictly, Sebardo could easily imagine Rozien’s future.

A body grown robust like a beast, a beautiful face settled above it, uniform and cloak wrapping around that body, a knight shining with honor possessing overwhelming strength and skill.

That child was already someone who did his best to protect the weak at this age, and also possessed talent that made Sebardo’s spine tingle.

However, Rozien looked down at his now cooled sweaty body without noticing his thoughts.

Though he was bigger than his peers, he couldn’t stand against a full-grown adult. He couldn’t even carry Prim, who was crying in pain, and run away.

Prim had told him to become a knight.

Become a knight, receive a fief, expand that land and finally become a great lord. You can do it.

If he became a knight, if he received a fief, if he became a great lord, could he protect Prim?

If that were possible, he wanted to become that.

Even if it were impossible, he dared to try to achieve it.

Rozien’s emerald-like deep green eyes looked straight at Sebardo.

“I’m grateful for the sentiment, but I must decline.”

* * *

“Sir Knight, aren’t you busy?”

“I’m busy, very busy! No, but I don’t understand, so I’m asking. Why… why exactly won’t you do it?”

When Rozien first shook his head after consideration, Sebardo didn’t know he would be so shocked.

Though he was bewildered, he just thought well, if he doesn’t want to, what can you do.

However, when about two hours had passed, Sebardo admitted he hadn’t accepted anything.

Why won’t he do it?

Even if he went to any decent noble house right now and made the same offer, they would answer immediately before he even finished speaking.

They would say it was the glory of three generations to be called and they would devote their entire body and soul.

He was called Yulberon’s first sword. Though he tried to act humbly in front of people, he also knew he wouldn’t fall short compared to any Inquisitors from other orders.

There were many noble children who wanted to work even as attendants polishing weapons and armor, never mind not being able to become his attendant.

But why exactly?

Sebardo was shocked by the fact that he was shocked. So he had thought Rozien was just bewildered now but would soon be delighted and gratefully accept his grace.

Because it was a position that even renowned nobles coveted.

Because he had been conceited that this offer might be somewhat excessive for this orphan boy who had nothing but talent…

“Oh, Rozien. I really don’t understand, so I’m asking. If someone else… say mercenaries or such people came and made a similar offer? Would you refuse that too?”

“Uh… yes.”

The boy considered his hypothetical briefly and nodded.

“Why?”

“Because I’m not in a position to do that right now.”

“The offer I’m making is to create that position for you!”

Sebardo shouted with the feeling of a nouveau riche fretting in front of something he couldn’t buy.

Rozien asked with an apologetic expression, but plainly.

“When?”

“What… what?”

Sebardo asked back in confusion. Rozien scratched his cheek.

“Being in that position would probably be something in the future, wouldn’t it, Sir Knight?”

“That…”

No matter how outstanding one’s talent, you couldn’t decide to become a knight today, receive knighthood tomorrow, and receive a fief the day after.

“But it’s not such a distant future for you!”

Just from seeing the traces, he knew the excellence of that talent, and when he had him move once, he could understand the feelings of senior knights who had been surprised looking at him.

And when this boy remained calm even before the enormous fortune given to him, he coveted this rough gem even more.

Eyes that don’t cloud even before desire.

“But Sir Knight.”

Rozien looked at him while organizing and weaving the straw in the stables. Sebardo nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, yes. Tell me!”

“We only have today.”

“….”

Sebardo even stopped breathing. He wanted to shout asking what on earth that meant, but his mouth wouldn’t open.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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