Chương 44: A Meeting of Three

Thanks to the brawl with Jullius, the sun was already dipping behind the mountains by the time I reached the Knight's barracks. After giving the guards my name, I was led straight to Henry McCaley's office. Inside, both Henry and Rachel were already waiting. Sophia was sitting beside her sister; the moment she saw me, her wide eyes lit up with joy. Now that she had been bathed and dressed in clean clothes, it was clear she had a pleasant appearance, though still a bit too thin.

I asked Rachel, "When did you get here?"

"I've been here since last night. I didn't feel right leaving Sophia alone."

"Then the palace must be in total chaos right about now, huh?"

"Who knows. They might not even realize yet that I've escaped that locked room." She turned to Sophia.

"You recognize him, don't you?" Sophia nodded.

"Yes... He's... definitely the one who... helped me get out."

"Right. So, what should we say?" Sophia stood up and walked shyly toward me.

"Thank you... big brother." I smiled and patted the little girl's head. She flinched slightly at the physical contact, likely a lingering trauma from her time in forced labor, but she still let me touch her. Rachel also stood up and bowed to me.

"I also thank you for saving her. I owe you a great debt for this. If you ever need help in the future, I will lend you my strength." I took a seat opposite them and got straight to the point.

"I told you, the condition for me saving Sophia was that you reclaim your position as a Hero Candidate. Your sister is safe now, so what is your plan from here?" Rachel fell into a pensive silence.

"To be honest, I didn't think you would actually succeed, so I never gave it serious thought..." Henry interjected, "If she steps forward now and claims to be a Hero Candidate, they will undoubtedly denounce her as a fraud." I thought for a moment, then asked him, "In your experience, do you think the Royal Family values their 'face' more, or a funeral for their only daughter?" Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Henry furrowed his brows.

"You mean...?" I knew he understood, so I turned back to Rachel.

"What I'm suggesting is that we consider having you become Claire Cassandra until the subjugation quest is over." Rachel looked as if she were about to lunge forward and take my head off at any second.

"... Don't look at me like that. I'm only calculating the most beneficial method for you and Sophia."

"I thought when you said you'd help me reclaim my position as a Hero Candidate, you meant as myself, with my true identity?"

"Yes, that's the ideal outcome. But that only works if Claire hadn't been killed by someone," I said, casting a pointed glance at Henry.

"At the very least, if she were alive, you could prove you're the real deal by standing next to the fake. Now that Claire is dead and you're still alive, your word alone won't convince anyone." We both looked at Henry with accusatory glares. He maintained his stone-cold expression, showing not a shred of remorse.

"If Claire were alive, the Church and the Royals would still have hope. You wouldn't be able to win against them," Henry argued. Rachel huffed.

"That isn't for you to decide. Even if I lose, I'd rather fight as myself."

"You've hidden your identity for nearly a decade; what's a few more years?"

"You...!" Rachel bolted upright. Seeing a fight brewing, I had to step in.

"Enough. Arguing won't help. Honestly, aside from not living under your real name, there are many benefits to being the Princess. You can demand the right to show your face, and Sophia will be much safer." The redhead sat back down, crossing her arms in thought. Henry added, "The issue is whether the Royalty and the Church will even allow this to happen."

"The Church certainly won't," I replied.

"But the Royalty is a different story. In recent years, they've been far too dominated by the Church. They might see this as a way to reclaim their reputation among the people." I paused to let them digest the idea before continuing.

"However, if Rachel negotiates alone, the risk is too high. But if a third party steps in to vouch for her... someone like the McCaley family, perhaps?" The "eternal ice" of Henry's expression finally showed a crack. I felt a bit like a bastard for poking his sore spot, but he deserved it for being so reckless as to kill Claire on a whim. The McCaleys were the premier producer of Knights in Averula's history. While not technically a noble house, many of their members held non-hereditary titles.

Even Sword Saint Felix - mentor to both Kale and Jullius - was a McCaley. Because of this, the upbringing of the next generation in that family was notoriously brutal. From childhood, descendants were subjected to relentless training and survival trials. Children deemed "weak" were marginalized and treated harshly. Henry had been one of those "weak" children. Unable to endure the cruelty, he had run away from home when he was barely ten.

Who would have guessed that over a decade later, he would become the most renowned among his peers? The McCaley clan had been constantly inviting him back, even offering him the position of the next head of the house.

"I have nothing to do with that family," Henry said decisively.

"Say what you want, but your last name is still McCaley. They're likely using your fame to bolster the family reputation anyway. Don't you want to demand a little something in return?"