"Sas, we're here."
Alto halted.
I stopped too, studying the city.
The city walls stood about eight meters high—clearly neglected for years.
From outside, the castle at the city center was visible. Though ancient, it still radiated grandeur.
By outward appearance alone, Windward Fortress was undeniably sizable.
"Lord Alto," I asked, "how many people live in Windward Fortress?"
"Hmm... roughly twenty thousand."
"Hah! That’s quite thriving. I didn’t expect Windward to be so prosperous."
"Prosperous... *sigh*."
Well, I’d compared it to metropolises like Leahdon.
"Cities like Leahdon might only have forty thousand residents. Twenty thousand here is impressive—it shows the lord’s competence."
Sensing Alto’s hesitation, I elaborated.
His eyebrows lifted slightly; the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
*He’s genuinely pleased.*
"Though this lord outperforms others, the people’s lives haven’t truly improved."
"...True. Their livelihoods remain unchanged."
"Exactly. Forget commerce—even securing basic grain supplies is a struggle now."
Inside the gates, I’d seen almost no merchants.
"Any solutions?"
"Well... perhaps there are."
I didn’t know the real situation. Bluffing would only trouble him.
"*Perhaps*..."
Alto noticed my unspoken words but pressed no further.
I dropped the subject; he followed suit.
Silently, he led me toward the city center.
*Wait—the city center...*
Cold sweat beaded on my skin.
Only one building dominated that area: the castle.
*Only someone with authority would confidently bring me here.*
I stole a glance at Alto.
*Could he be the lord? No—probably a relative or retainer.*
*I’m not deluding myself. Absolutely not!*
"We’ve arrived. This is Windward Fortress’s castle—my residence."
Alto smiled at me.
My back was already soaked with sweat.
*I’d just ranted about how terrible things were right in front of him!!!*
Yet Alto seemed unbothered.
"Sas? What are you waiting for? Come in."
Dazed, I followed him inside.
The castle’s interior defied my expectations.
No opulent decorations—only cheap, forgotten artworks from past lords scattered along the halls.
Few servants roamed the vast, echoing space.
Alto and I walked down a long red carpet.
"Lord Alto."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"...You’re the lord of Baha Balm, aren’t you?"
"Ah, you noticed! My apologies for hiding it so long."
"Was this outfit meant as a disguise?"
*His clothing had completely misled me.*
"Eh? No, this is what I always wear."
"*What?!*"
The clothes weren’t shabby, but no noble would be caught dead in them!
"I adore this attire. Formal noble robes? They make my skin crawl."
"...You dress very accessibly," I managed.
"Your taste is excellent, Sas!"
"T-thank you."
"You’re nobility yourself, aren’t you?"
"Yes."
"Just as I thought. Only nobles carry such grace—but I usually can’t stand them."
"That’s... not very diplomatic," I muttered, dark lines popping on my forehead.
"You’re different, Sas."
"Eh?"
"Somehow, you don’t make me sick like the others."
*...This is going terribly!*
*A bad feeling crept over me.*
"You’ve seen the people’s suffering... 'miserable' doesn’t even cover it."
He continued without pause.
"Every word you said was right—truer than my own thoughts. I feel powerless... I want to help them, but lack the ability."
"Tell me—if it were you... could you help me govern Baha Balm well?"
Silence. I understood his plea.
Few nobles grasped the people’s agony.
Some woke up. Remembered their centuries-old duty. Recalled why they were nobles at all.
But...
"Haha, Lord Alto! Which room am I staying in tonight?"
I forced a subject change. Continuing would be disastrous.
"Follow me, hahaha."
Alto recognized the boy’s reluctance—or his lack of faith.
Yet their conversation had exposed flaws he’d long ignored.
The boy knew more but held back.
What seemed obvious to him struck Alto like lightning.
Watching Sas enter his room, Alto took a deep breath.
【I can’t rely on others. Only myself.】
*That’s what I must do.*
