Chapter 4:
The Money Worshipper’s Reasoning
THE MORNING AFTER we apprehended Harry, as we were finishing breakfast at the inn, Himari appeared before us.
“You’re back early, Himari,” I remarked.
“Not at all. My plan was to arrive before breakfast. I fear I’m losing my edge.”
“It certainly doesn’t seem that way.”
“Sorry, Himari,” said Sir Osvalt. “We sent you off to alert my brother, but we’ve already caught the trespassers into the Volcanic Miasma Zone.”
“I am aware. I was present when the news was shared with Prince Reichardt.”
Himari must have been reporting to His Highness when Sir Osvalt called on his magic bracelet. At any rate, we were all back together—excluding Leonardo, who was off keeping an eye on Harry.
“I understand the culprit was a merchant from Ashbrugge.”
Lena giggled. “And not just any merchant, either! It’s none other than Harry Freyer, the great tycoon!”
“Great tycoon…? You mean the famous—”
Before Himari could finish, Harry entered the inn, hands tied. Leonardo followed, keeping a watchful eye on him.
“Your Highness,” said Leonardo, “Harry would like to partake in negotiations. Do you accept?”
It was time to let Osvalt take over. I could hardly imagine where their talk would lead.
“Sure. Come on in.”
“My goodness. Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, and please excuse me for interrupting. I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me.”
Harry strolled over to us, wearing a relaxed smile.
“Oh, Himari. This is the guy I was talking about,” said Lena.
“Did you just say ‘Himari’?” the merchant snapped back.
“Huh?”
As soon as Lena pointed at him, a look of astonishment spread across Harry’s face. Himari looked equally shocked.
They couldn’t possibly know each other, could they?
“I-it can’t be. I-is that you, Himari?”
“I-I know that voice. A-are you…Haruya?”
Himari and Harry stared at each other, their voices shaking. Clearly this was no ordinary meeting.
“Do you know Harry, Himari?”
“Harry? That’s not his name. This is Haruya Fuuma. He is the eldest son of the Fuuma family, and my older brother.”
“What? Your brother? Huh?!”
Taken completely by surprise, I found myself raising my voice. As far as I knew, all of Himari’s siblings had passed away.
“I-is that really you, Himari? You’ve been alive all along?”
“Yes… I can’t believe you’re safe as well…”
Haruya stared at Himari, as if unable to grasp reality. Slowly, he took her by the hand.
“I can’t believe it. I thought…I thought I’d lost everything.”
“So did I. I thought I lost you and the rest of the family so long ago…”
This was a serious state of affairs.
After living under the conviction that they had lost their entire family, the siblings had found one another alive. And yet something felt wrong. While Himari was in tears, overcome with emotion, Haruya’s reaction seemed different. He was surprised, no doubt, but the look he was giving his sister struck me as familiar. It was the same look he’d given Sir Osvalt and me when he was sizing us up.
No, I told myself. Enough of that cynical thinking. I refused to put a dampener on the pair’s reunion.
“Goodness me. I do apologize for losing my composure. I never imagined I’d be reunited with my long-lost sister in a place like this.”
Haruya turned toward us, flashing us a friendly smile.
If Harry was Himari’s older brother, he was most likely trained as a ninja, too. The well-trained physique Sir Osvalt had noted now made sense.