The Adventure of a Boy with the Mind of a Middle-Aged Man
Vol. 1 - Ch. 41 - A Conversation While Confined

The guards took me out of the cold stone prison to what I thought would be a private room, but there were two familiar faces waiting for me there.

"Don't make that face. I had to come with him in order for them to let me meet with you," Sieg said. "And by the way, I'm using soundproofing magic, so this conversation won't leak outside."

Wind magic, huh. As expected of The Sage; he easily incanted the spell without even chanting.

"What do you want?" I brusquely responded. Sieg shrugged and glanced at the golden-haired man.

"Grey, there's a pin here---a blacksmith from your company made it. You should be able to escape with this," the man whispered intently as he placed a pin in my hands.

How idiotic.

From Sieg's composed manner, he knew I wouldn't accept the pin, and yet he still brought Dimer McGwire along. Well, he knows about my teleportation ability, so this is only natural I guess.

"Grandpa, your feelings are more than enough. But don't worry, I have no intention of dying."

"Are you satisfied now? Didn't I tell you? He's more stubborn than you can even imagine; he wouldn't just let himself get captured without any reason."

"No, Grey's a 12-year-old child. He shouldn't be in a place like this," Dimer protested.

How obstinate. He won't move an inch until he's convinced I'm in no harm.

And annoyingly, just by trying to prison break me, he's not even worrying about his own life. Moreover, it's a crime against Duke Cyrus's son, and the crime might even spread to my entire family. I understand why Sieg brought him along now; I'm in a very dangerous spot.

Sieg erased his smile. Looks like he's going to start talking about the important stuff.

"Grey, it looks like they've decided to move you over to Thermax tomorrow morning."

"The timing's almost too good," I noted.

So they're sending me to another location tomorrow morning. Why are they hurrying so much when the undead attack is coming? It's almost as if they want me as far away from Sutherland as possible. Something's bothering me.

"You think so too?" Sieg asked.

"Yes, no doubt about it."

"Since the incident, there've been several rumors circulating about Sutherland," Sieg said. "First, that The Hero and Duke Cyrus's son were done in by a young boy, and that they have no hope for recovery.

The second is about the circumstances. And embarrassingly enough, it's the complete opposite of reality."

"More specifically?"

"The Fools and their vice-leader, still resenting what happened in the past, took action against the Radoru couple and killed them. After they laid their hands on the couple, The Hero and Duke Cyrus's son tried to help, but unfortunately had to kill the vice-leader of The Fools. Then, Grey Millard used his death as reason for revenge and used cowardly means to deal a critical wound onto The Hero. Something like that."

What a brazen rumor just full of lies. In all probability, The Hero and Mawlek probably paid the nobles who were watching and their soldiers to spread this rumor.

"You've suddenly become extremely famous in Sutherland," Sieg said. "You'll be in the spotlight every time you try to walk around."

"That kind of courting is just a white elephant to me. It's a bit disagreeable, too."

I gave Yukihiro and Mawlek the greatest and final mercy of letting them live; a miracle, considering my personality. And yet, they've thrown dirt all over it and even disgraced Zem's honor. Sorry, but there's no future left for them now.

"Don't get so heated," Sieg said. "The Hero and Mawlek are completely unrelated to the rumors this time."

"How can you say that?"

"Just by saying your name, The Hero breaks out into a cold sweat and starts to vomit, and Mawlek has been wrapped up in a blanket, trembling in his own room ever since. I replace it hard that they would spread rumors in that condition."

Sieg waved his hand back in forth in front of his face. It seems I've succeeded in causing them sufficient trauma.

Still, that's still not enough to pay back Zem's death. I'll harass them in every which way for the rest of my life. My personality used to be extremely bad, after all.

"So it's his father running amok?"

"On the surface, yes. But there's a lot of things that bug me."

"Like why Duke Cyrus is hastily sending me away?"

"Yeah, exactly. The empire is currently facing its biggest crisis yet in the undead attack. Normally, we shouldn't have the manpower to spare sending prisoners to another facility. In the first place, wouldn't it be fine just do to it after?"

"In all likelihood, the mastermind is moving along with the undead attack, and it seems they don't want me in Sutherland."

I can teleport whenever, so it'll be fun tagging along Mastermind-dono's plans.

Their objectives definitely involve smashing my plans, so---.

"I believe in you, grandpa, but I have a couple of requests," I said.

"What?"

My grandpa's face transformed from a grandpa worrying about his grandson to commander worrying about his own country, as if he had just finally understood the gravity of the situation after my conversation with Sieg.

"I want you to persuade my comrades to continue the plan. At this rate, they'll cause a scene and might cause all the landmines and pitfalls we've already setup to be destroyed."

To reform this empire, we need to have the Amrzs Kingdom and the Holy Kingdom of Esters, as well as the other surrounding countries, to keep quiet. And the plan we have going should keep them in check just fine; it'll be problematic if we don't enact it.

"I don't mind, but what are you going to do, Grey?" Dimer asked.

"I'm thinking of going along with whatever plan the mastermind has for now."

Dimer's disapproval quickly rose up to his face.

"This man definitely has something foul up his sleeve. Knowing his awful nature, I almost feel bad for the ones attacking."

"Um---you know I'm still here."

The delinquent Sage ignored my protests and continued.

"First of all, we've no need to be anxious about someone who crushed The Hero like he was a mere slime."

He really says what he wants. I mean, The Hero was just too weak.

"I understand."

My grandfather nodded, stood up, and stared at me with his blue eyes.

"Once all the confusion dies down, come back to the McGwire family. Anna will be expecting you."

Just based off context, Anna is probably my mom.

"Okay," I agreed.

My grandfather nodded in content before exiting the room.

"What an impatient man," Sieg grumbled and shrugged. He began to exit the room as well but stopped at the door and look behind him.

"I truly understand just how powerful you are, Grey. But let me say this: I have a bad feeling about this. Don't die on me."

"Yeah, I know. You too."

Sieg's lips curled into a smile.

"Looks like I can't laugh at McBurn either."

And with that cryptic sentence, Sieg exited the room.