Praise the Sun (Trash of the Count's Family Fanfic + LotM)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Rumors

           In the Lord's Daryus Burgen's office at night, the room was illuminated by a lamp, and the windows are shined by moonlight. Most people in the Burgen Household are already asleep, but it appears the office has a person who wasn't still sleeping this evening.

Adjusting his reading glasses Lord Daryus Burgen frowned as he read and sorted out his documents.

Currently, he was reading a letter from an important person in the Kingdom. After reading the letter sent to him by Earl Frayson, Lord Daryus Burgen frowned.

It was a request of breaking off the alliance with him. He was sad to learn that Earl Frayson whose a long-time ally and acquaintance think that their visions weren't aligned anymore. Daryus Burgen can only sigh in defeat.

What the Earl said in his letter was the truth.

His and Earl's vision hasn't been aligned with each other anymore for a few years. And it wasn't Earl Frayson's fault but mostly his.

Sighing, the Duke moves on to the next document. It was a report from Viscount Layrin. Receiving a report from this viscount who was under his command has never been a good thing to Duke Daryus Burgen.

Viscount Layrin was the one who was responsible for the oversight of the Hoik Village where the path of no return was located.

In the report, Viscount Layrin mentioned that his knights stationed as near as possible to the Hoik Village mentioned the recent increase in the disappearance of the people from their Southern Territory and outside of it.

Daryus Burgen feel frustrated as he read the report. Why would people go there in the first place? There's no hope on there, People would just end up getting lost there.

Yet, while he complained those in his mind. His subconscious was telling him that he was a hypocrite.

Lord Daryus Burgen has considered more than once going on the Path of No Return when his son doesn't get better and his condition has worsened. But despite the Magic existing in this world, Lord Daryus Burgen didn't believe the legend of the Path of No Return. There's no Dragon in the path of return who would grant any wish.

But other than not believing the legend, it has to do with some of the nobles of the Southern Territory convincing him to not go there. The Southern Territory and the Whipper Kingdom don't need to experience one of their 3 Dukes missing because he believes in the unconfirmed myth of the path of no return of the Oorim Rainforest.

Even though he desperately wanted to go at what he considered one of the worst days of his life, the others convinced him that he was still a noble who have a responsibility to his fief and the Kingdom.

" A Noble? According to people who abhorred my very existence, like some other nobles, I am not indeed a noble to them since I betrayed my father's cause. Let me be more selfish, since they are expecting more disappointments, let me fulfill their expectations! People would be glad if I were gone and disappeared one day. "

" You are a fool Lord Daryus! Then you are giving them a reason to see you more from a bad perspective. "

" Let me go. Just let me be selfish. I need to go. My son– "

" If you haven't been selfish in the first place, the people of the Southern Territory wouldn't suffer. It's all your fault! "

After the talk, Lord Daryus Burgen became sober again. The next days of his life at that time are clear and he decided that he wouldn't kill himself on the path of no return where there is no chance of returning since his son was still fighting for his life.

It was also on that day that Daryus started stopping inside and entering his son's room since he couldn't face him soberly without breaking down in front of his son Dorcas.

Eventually, Lord Daryus Burgen came to the last part of a report from Viscount Layrin. The content of the report almost made him want to tear it apart.

[ According to the information uncovered by the Knights, recent rumors have started spreading in the Southern Territory and reached the other parts of the Whipper Kingdom.

The miraculous recovery of Duke Daryus Burgen's son from his incurable illness has to do with the fact of that Duke Burgen meets the dragon from the path of no return of the Oorim Rainforest.   ]

His son's recovery doesn't have to do with a dragon that doesn't exist. Lord Daryus Burgen gnashed his teeth after reading the contents of the report. He swore to find out the culprit behind the rumors and make them pay for this!

Because of that rumor, there would just be more hopeful people going to the path of no return and never be seen again.

Later, as Duke Burgen finishes reading and sorting out the Documents, he decides to leave his office and head outside of his son's room.

Opening the door, he saw the lump under the blanket which is his son. A smile formed on the Duke's tired face. Just seeing Dorcas being alright and sleeping safely, Duke Burgen felt that he can endure all of his problems and become bearable.

" Please be well, Dorcas. Have a good dream. "

Closing the door, the Duke headed to his bedroom to sleep.

Last week since Miss Safira returned to her duty of teaching his son, she passingly mentioned Dorcas' recent interest in music. His son wanted to learn to play instruments like the lute, lyre, harp, mandolin, shawm, etc.

The very next day, the Duke made sure to fulfill his son's wishes and the Duke found a popular musician in the Whipper Kingdom who can teach his son to play musical instruments. He has also bought several musical instruments of good quality that his son was interested in playing.

Even though his son did get better, it wasn't still certain if his son can start learning swordsmanship or archery. Due to his condition, despite being sensitive to mana around his surroundings and being able to distinguish people by their aura and mana, Dorcas can't learn any magic or Aura.

The Duke was glad that Dorcas has found an alternative to focus his passion elsewhere other than hoping that he would become a strong knight or magician for the Whipper Kingdom.

As Daryus Burgen closes his eyes as he sleeps on his bed, he was unaware that the lump in his son's bedroom wasn't his son at all but a bunch of pillows purposely shaped into something like a human body.

Dorcas sneaking out of the last week wasn't a one-time thing, there came second, third, and until it becomes a regular thing since Dorcas wanted to go to the nearest town and test out the blessings that were granted to him.

Currently, in a tavern with a bunch of drunkards in Thrifa Town, a 15-year-old young man arrived while carrying a lute with him.

Despite appearing calm and carefree outside, Dorcas who was currently in the guise of Derrick Berg was nervous about his very first performance as a Bard.

Dorcas smiled when the drunkards and other people sent him a passing glance, then he sat on one of the chairs and started playing his music and singing an epic story.