Chapter 10: Mason's Secret
"Rolls, what I am about to tell you concerns your father. Do not interrupt me, and do not ask questions. Just listen until I am finished!"
Byrd Mastang felt a wave of helplessness. The little boy who used to be so cautious and timid in his presence now dared to use the same petty tricks Mastang himself had mastered long ago. Yet, he understood; Rolls had established himself in the Backlund legal circles. He had seen much, and he likely sensed that the relationship between them was anything but ordinary.
Rolls, meanwhile, was startled. When Byrd Mastang had previously distorted the concept of "closing the door" into a "seal," Rolls feared his earlier answers had been seen through. He nodded quickly, signaling he would remain silent.
Seeing Rolls finally comply, Byrd Mastang let out a sigh of relief. He was genuinely afraid this reckless young man would try to use "Lawyer" tactics on him. It was fine here, but if he tried that in front of other Beyonders, the consequences would be dire. The "innate" charisma of Lawyers and their knack for finding "loopholes" gave them a notorious reputation among Beyonders.
"I imagine you've guessed by now—the relationship between your father and me isn't as simple as I first told you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so bold."
Rolls gave a sheepish smile and made a zipping motion across his lips.
Byrd Mastang shot him a glare and continued: "Mason and I have known each other for nearly fifty years. When we were teenagers, we hauled cargo together at the Backlund docks for about 15 shillings a week. If we had stayed on that path, we might have married the daughters of poor families before thirty, sired children destined for the same fate, and died in agony by our forties."
"Back then, all I wanted after a day at the docks was to collapse onto my rented floor mat. Mason was different; he insisted on attending the free school run by the Church of the Evernight Goddess. During the day, I would help him carry extra loads so he could find time to study; in his free time, he taught me how to read. We lived like that for three or four years, but life never improved. Just as I thought this was our destiny, your father met my Captain—the Count of White Maple."
The Count of White Maple was none other than Nast, the owner of the Black Emperor and the "King of the Five Seas." His title was inherited from his father, the great pirate Savigny Solomon, and had originally been bestowed by Emperor Roselle himself.
Rolls had assumed that Byrd and Mason had obtained the "Lawyer" potion first and then split paths—one becoming a pirate and the other a lawyer. He never expected they had encountered the "King of the Five Seas" while they were still ordinary men, let alone that his father was the one who met Nast first.
"The Count had slipped into Backlund in secret. Given his strength and stealth, he shouldn't have been discovered. Unexpectedly, he was spotted by the Storm Church's 'Sea King,' Jahn Kottman. High-level powerhouses from the three major Churches and the Loen Royal Family pursued him. Although a friend of the Count drew them away, the Count was severely injured. Because the Churches had sealed the city using Sealed Artifacts, His Excellency had to hide. Following Emperor Roselle's proverb—'The darkest place is right beneath the lamp'—he hid near Saint Samuel Cathedral."
Nast had a moment that pathetic? Rolls thought. He recalled mention in the original history that Nast had nearly been captured in Backlund; this must be that time.
Was Jahn Kottman in Backlund back then? Could it be that because he failed to catch Nast, he requested a transfer to the Rorsted Archipelago? Is that why the Archbishop of the Cathedral of Waves became 'God's Song' Ace Snake?
Still, Nast lived up to his title. The Archbishops of the three Churches in Backlund were usually Saints. Adding the Royal Family's experts and Sealed Artifacts, that was a lineup of at least five Saints. To escape that was incredible.
And this "friend" of Nast's? The original story never mentioned them. Could they have been ditched by Nast? Or was it Bernadette? If it was "Ma'am Iceberg," her help plus Roselle's artifacts could indeed hold off five Saints.
But what was Nast thinking? Of all places, he hid near Saint Samuel Cathedral? Even for a "hidden in plain sight" play, he should have picked the Cathedral of Waves. Didn't he know the Goddess's titles included "Mother of Concealment" and "Empress of Misfortune and Horror"? Wasn't he afraid of a casual curse?
Rolls lowered his head, terrified he might laugh out loud. He couldn't stop mocking Nast's "brilliant" plan in his head.
"Viscount Fear" Byrd Mastang saw Rolls's bowed head and assumed the boy was shocked by the revelation. He nodded in satisfaction. In his view, Rolls needed to realize the terror of the Beyonder world to regain his rationality.
"The Count had altered his appearance and attire. That, combined with the fact that Mason and I had already consumed the 'Lawyer' potion to help him, allowed us to evade the searches. Once the Count's injuries healed, he gave us a choice: follow him back to the Black Emperor, or take a sum of money to live in Backlund."
Rolls looked up. "And my father chose Backlund?"
"Yes. Your father didn't want to be a pirate; he wanted stability. But I couldn't do it!"
Byrd Mastang raised his palm and clenched it into a tight fist.
"I couldn't! I was sick of that life. I would rather have been a pirate!"
Mastang knew in his heart that even without the King of the Five Seas, he wouldn't have lasted much longer. Nast's appearance simply provided a better excuse.
"And so, Mason and I parted ways." Byrd Mastang lowered his head and sighed deeply, sitting in the chair before the desk.
"I didn't hear from him again until he became famous in the Backlund legal world and founded the Adrian Law Firm. I wanted to return to see him, but I had just become a Sequence 7 'Briber.' My mental state was unstable, and with a bounty on my head, returning was impossible."
"By the time I finally made it back, Mason was married and your mother was pregnant with you. Everything seemed normal, except for your father. He didn't know the 'Acting Method,' and having been a lawyer for so long, he was constantly influenced by the potion. His mind was unstable, though he always attributed it to work stress. However, after a decade—and with your birth approaching—his spirit finally seemed to stabilize."