The Extra's Regressor Wives

Lathel was still standing by the window after his thoughts about the future had settled.

Morning sunlight had flooded nearly the entire room. Behind him, Leviana lay still on the bed, her breathing steady, her lashes no longer trembling the way they had when she first sank into sleep. Given her current condition, she would likely remain asleep for a long while yet.

Lathel turned to look at her for a moment, then down at his own hands.

Leave House Avarenne.

The thought had been there since he woke, but only now that he was thinking seriously did Lathel realize he still had a very practical problem to solve.

’Money.’

He had almost none.

The stipend House Kirlinghalm gave him had never been much to begin with. Beyond what he needed for daily living, most of the savings he’d put together over the past three years had been sent to the Saint Mariel Orphanage on a regular basis.

He had never regretted that.

Lathel had grown up in a similar place. Children without parents didn’t really ask for much. Sometimes all it took was someone still remembering to buy medicine when they had a fever at the end of the month, or replacing a pair of shoes that had worn through, and life became much more bearable.

The only problem was that the small amount he still had was sitting in his old room at House Kirlinghalm.

Lathel didn’t want to go back for it.

Not right now, at least.

He leaned lightly against the windowsill and began calculating.

’First, find a job.’

Stables, a warehouse, or a merchant caravan would all work. He couldn’t speak, but his body had recovered well enough. Jobs that required physical labor didn’t demand he stand around talking to people all day.

If he could find a place that included room and board, even better.

And if not...

’Sleeping in a stable for a few days probably won’t kill me.’

Lathel wrinkled his nose slightly at the imagined smell, but quickly moved past it. He had lived through worse conditions. As long as he held out until the first paycheck, he could rent a small room with just enough space for a bed and a table.

Thinking that far, Lathel looked at Leviana again.

She had returned to her parents’ side.

Mirelle had even specifically prepared paper and a pen in the room because she remembered he couldn’t speak. The herbalist, the maids, and the guards outside were all caring for Leviana very attentively. He no longer had to worry that the moment he stepped away for a few hours, she would be neglected the way she had been three years ago.

’Just go look first.’

Lathel wasn’t planning to leave House Avarenne today.

First he would scout a few places where he could work, ask about the requirements, then wait for Leviana to wake and talk to her. At the very least, that was better than reaching the day he had to leave and realizing he had no idea where to go.

He glanced at the table beside the bed.

Empty.

The paper and pen Mirelle had prepared earlier had been taken away and replaced with nothing.

Lathel stared at the bare table for a few seconds, then let out a slightly helpless breath.

’Fine. First things first, borrow a pen.’

He straightened his collar and stepped outside.

Two maids were replacing flowers in the vases lining the hallway. One of them spotted Lathel and immediately set her vase down, walked over, and bowed.

"Young Master Lathel, is there something you need?"

His steps slowed slightly.

Young Master.

At House Kirlinghalm, no servant had called him that in a very long time.

Lathel looked at the maid before him, and out of habit raised both hands to sign. She watched attentively for a few seconds, then blinked, her expression clearly showing she understood nothing.

He stopped at once, pointed at the pen clipped to the notebook in her hands, then mimed writing.

"You need paper and a pen?"

Lathel nodded.

The maid immediately produced a clean sheet of paper and the pen. He took them, bent down to write a line, then showed it to her.

[I’d like to go outside for a walk.]

"Go outside?"

Lathel nodded again.

The maid unconsciously glanced toward Leviana’s room, then asked: "Is there something you’d like to buy? If it’s clothes, medicine, or supplies, you only need to tell us. The Duchess has instructed that anything you need can be prepared directly."

Lathel pressed his lips together.

He obviously couldn’t write that he was planning to go out and look for work so he could prepare to leave.

Given Mirelle’s attitude this morning, if she found out, Lathel suspected he wouldn’t even make it past the gate before a squad of guards carried him right back.

He bent down and wrote another line.

[I don’t need to buy anything. It’s been a very long time since I went outside. My body feels better now, so I just want to walk for a bit.]

The maid read it but didn’t answer right away. Her gaze slowly left the paper and traveled over Lathel from head to toe, as though confirming whether he was truly well enough to step through the door.

Lathel was beginning to feel uneasy.

"You really just want to take a walk?"

He nodded very earnestly.

The maid looked at him for two more seconds, then smiled.

"Then please wait a moment."

Before Lathel could react, she had taken the paper and walked away.

He stood in the middle of the hallway watching the maid’s figure disappear around the corner, the corner of his eye twitching.

’It’s just going outside.’

If he were still at House Kirlinghalm, he could vanish for an entire day and probably no one would notice. At House Avarenne, wanting to step through the gate felt like preparing for something very serious.

Nearly ten minutes later, the maid returned.

One look and Lathel knew his instinct had been right.

Behind the maid were two men in light silver armor. Both bore the Avarenne eagle crest on their chests, and the swords at their hips along with their upright posture made it clear they were no ordinary guards.

Lathel looked at the two men.

Then at the maid.

She gave a perfectly natural smile.

"You may go outside. However, your injuries have only just healed, and a great deal has happened recently. The Duchess has instructed these two knights to accompany you for your protection. I’ll also be attending you. If you need to find or purchase anything, at least there will be someone to assist."

One of the knights even bowed his head solemnly.

"Young Master Lathel."

Lathel: "..."

He suddenly felt he shouldn’t have asked.

Lathel bent down, about to write that he didn’t need an escort, but the moment the pen touched the paper he stopped.

A person who had just woken from severe injuries suddenly insisting on going out alone, then refusing guards as well.

If he were in their position, he would also find it suspicious.

Lathel thought for a few seconds, then folded the paper and handed the pen back to the maid.

She tilted her head.

"Shall we go then?"

He nodded reluctantly.

’At least I can still get outside.’

The city under House Avarenne’s domain was livelier than Lathel had expected.

Less than ten minutes from the estate, the main road came into view. Buildings lined both sides, their ground floors mostly converted into shops with all manner of wooden and metal signs hanging outside. Carriages followed one after another, merchants called out to passersby from their doorsteps, and from a nearby bakery the smell of butter and freshly baked bread drifted without pause.

Lathel stood at the head of the street, unconsciously taking in the scene before him longer than usual.

Over the past three years, his life had revolved almost entirely around Leviana’s room. Every morning he woke to check the medicine, her temperature, her body’s condition, then wipe her down, change her clothes, and prepare the medicinal fluid. Whenever he needed to go out and buy something, he always tried to finish as quickly as possible and hurry back.

The last time Lathel had been able to stand in the middle of a street with nowhere he needed to rush to, even he couldn’t remember clearly.

He slowly drew in a breath.

Here, no one knew he was House Kirlinghalm’s adopted child.

No one knew he had been pushed forward to replace Aldric on a betrothal the family no longer wanted their real son to bear.

The people walking by didn’t care who he was. They were busy selling goods, buying supplies, hauling carts, or arguing over prices.

Lathel looked at the street stretching out ahead, and his steps grew a little lighter.

’A place like this wouldn’t be so bad.’

Find work.

Rent a small room.

No servants needed, no young master title either.

As long as he had a bed to sleep in, a table to write on, and enough money for food each day, that already counted as a fairly good life.

That comfortable feeling lasted less than a minute.

Lathel gradually noticed the people on the street looking at him.

At first it was only one or two. Then even the shopkeepers standing in their doorways began to glance over.

He frowned and looked down to check his clothes.

Nothing unusual.

Only when he turned around did Lathel understand the problem.

The two Avarenne knights walked exactly three paces behind him, one on each side. Both wore silver armor, hands always resting near their sword hilts, eyes continuously sweeping over everyone nearby.

The maid also followed directly behind, her uniform bearing the Ducal household’s crest.

No matter how you looked at it, this was nothing like an ordinary person out for a stroll.

A merchant standing by the road had been about to casually invite Lathel to browse his wares, but after spotting the two knights behind him, he immediately straightened his back, his smile growing noticeably more enthusiastic.

"Young Master! Fresh goods from the south just arrived this morning. Would you care to take a look?"

Lathel turned his face away, pretending not to hear.

’...Forget it.’

He wasn’t out here to enjoy the feeling of being a nobleman.

His real goal was still to find work.

Lathel began paying attention to the signs hanging outside the shops.

An apothecary needed someone to move stock and sort herbs. The pay wasn’t high, but he had spent three years caring for Leviana and could recognize quite a few basic medicinal plants.

’Worth a try.’

A warehouse near the commercial district was hiring for morning-to-evening shifts, one meal included. No lodging, but the pay was better.

Lathel noted the location as well.

A bit further on, he stopped in front of a bookshop. A small sign on the door advertised a position copying manuscripts.

This one held his attention longer.

Lathel’s handwriting wasn’t beautiful, but it was at least neat enough for others to read. More importantly, copying books required absolutely no speaking.

’This could work too.’

He continued walking.

After two more streets, Lathel suddenly stopped in front of a commercial stable.

On the wooden post outside hung a rather old sign.

Stable hand wanted. Room included.

His eyes lit up at once.

The pay was lower than the warehouse.

But it included lodging.

If he worked here, he wouldn’t even need to spend his meager remaining funds on renting a room during the early days.

’This one’s the best fit.’

Lathel stood before the sign so long that the maid behind him finally grew curious and stepped forward.

"What are you looking at, Young Master?"

He immediately turned and walked away.

The maid paused.

She watched Lathel’s retreating back, then turned to read the sign.

Stable hand wanted.

Room included.

The smile on the maid’s face slowly disappeared.

The two knights beside her saw it too.

All three looked at one another in silence.

Suspicion appeared on every face at the same moment.

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