While listening to the nanny's scolding, I got into the carriage and thought about the man who was with Larima. I had left the scene without realizing it, feeling that it was a date, but for some reason, he was quite impressive.
‘Something feels off.’
I had never felt this way before, which was confusing. I couldn't even hide my troubled expression when Oscar asked me.
“Is it because of the man you saw with Larima?”
“Yeah.”
“I heard from rumors that he is the second son of the Penant family. His name is Leivid Penant.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“He’s just a typical nobleman. He enjoys a moderate amount of play and also participates in family affairs...”
From the way Oscar was trying to downplay it, it didn't seem like he was a good guy. I remembered how Xavier had also disliked him when I overheard his conversation with Larima.
“Today, I can't go to the guild investigation. Let's head straight to the mansion.”
After successfully completing my plan to distract Oscar, I leaned my chin on my hand and looked out the window.
‘I should find out more about that guy.’
*** [He was originally nice, but recently he's been messing around with this girl and that girl. In short, he's trash. Oops, sorry, trash.] After reading Casey's note, I frowned. Indeed, the man Larima was with was a bad person, just as I had suspected. I took the opportunity to ask the nanny when Larima and Xavier were not around.
“Nanny, what happens if Larima gets married?”
“Well, she would join her husband's family.”
“What if Xavier gets married?”
“He might return to his territory.”
“What if Xavier and Larima get married?”
“Hmm, they might set up a household in the capital.”
“Would he still be able to stay by my side?”
“Yes, but the idea of those two getting married is quite amusing, isn't it? Hehe.”
As the nanny treated my thoughts as a mere fantasy, I clenched my fists.
‘My stock hasn't fallen yet!’
I have to separate Larima from that trash and get Xavier to like her! If those two get married, it will be happy-happy! ***
“Mabel, the cookies you bought for me were delicious. But why did you spend so little money...”
“I'm busy. Bye, Dad!”
I passed by the surprised Dad and ran off. I was on a mission to find Larima, who had suddenly disappeared.
[You need to go around that way, chick.]
[She was talking to some red-headed guy over there, chic.]
‘Thanks, chick chic!’
As expected, Larima and that guy were together in the garden of the palace. I hid behind a tree and watched them.
“Larima, my jewel. You look beautiful today too.”
“Stop talking like that. It’s embarrassing.”
“But it’s true.”
I felt disgusted by the man's buttery words. They were typical lines from a playboy.
“Why did you ask to meet today?”
“We don’t need a reason to meet, do we?”
Then, the man suddenly grabbed Larima’s hand.
“Oh!”
“Larima, my lovely jewel. I have a favor to ask of you.”
I narrowed my eyes at the man's sudden request.
‘He said they don’t need a reason to meet.’
Sure enough, the man didn't seem to be meeting Larima with pure intentions.
“Even if I ask, it will be hard...”
“Just a moment, please. The Empress Consort’s treasure is what I’m talking about.”
“That’s not my responsibility.”
“This is the famous family treasure, isn’t it?”
“Right. But it’s a bit heavy...”
It was genuinely heavy, so pretending to struggle wasn't difficult. I fidgeted and took off the necklace.
“I guess I should wait until I’m bigger.”
“It will probably take another five years.”
“Yeah. I want to grow up quickly.”
“Empress Consort will be sad. A father is happy and sad when his child grows up.”
“I should go see Dad then.”
With that, I handed the necklace to the man.
“So, can you take it back to the castle for me since it’s heavy?”
“Mabel, that’s...”
Oscar tried to stop me, looking flustered. He seemed to find my behavior strange.
‘I think my actions are a bit strange too.’
But there was a reason.
“It’s okay, Oscar. He’s Larima’s boyfriend.”
“I can carry it...”
“Please, do it for me!”
I grabbed Oscar’s hand and headed for Dad’s office. I had to soothe Dad while saving Larima. If I had two bodies, it would be easier.
‘Saving Larima and soothing Dad... I wish I had two bodies.’
*** When I arrived at the office, Dad pretended to be busy with work. He didn’t even say a word to Oscar and me for a long time.
‘Oh, he’s really upset.’
Even when it was time for training and Oscar left, Dad’s silence continued. I couldn’t hide my troubled expression, and Dad finally asked me.
“Are you upset because of the man you saw with Larima?”
“Yeah.”
“I heard from rumors that he is the second son of the Penant family. His name is Leivid Penant.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“He’s just a typical nobleman. He enjoys a moderate amount of play and also participates in family affairs...”
From the way Oscar was trying to downplay it, it didn't seem like he was a good guy. I remembered how Xavier had also disliked him when I overheard his conversation with Larima.
“Today, I can't go to the guild investigation. Let's head straight to the mansion.”
After successfully completing my plan to distract Oscar, I leaned my chin on my hand and looked out the window.
‘I should find out more about that guy.’
*** When I returned to my bedroom, the necklace was on the desk.
“Hmm.”
Seeing the necklace return, I put aside my suspicions and immediately wrote a letter to Eidan, sending it with a raven. *** Leivid Penant, the second son of the Penant family, hurriedly walked. Today, he had more work than usual, making his working hours longer.
‘I need to get home quickly.’
He felt unusually light-hearted. Perhaps it was because the long-standing problem had been resolved. Just as he was about to leave the palace and start riding, suddenly—
“Ah!”
A flame caught on his collar and began to burn fiercely. The horse, startled by the unexpected situation, reared up.
“Whoa, calm down!”
Fearing he might fall off, Leivid quickly dismounted. As he finally extinguished the fire on his collar, a small hand waved at him.
“Hello. Meeting you here, huh?”
“...Empress Consort?”
Even with the hood pulled down to his eyes, he couldn’t hide his presence. The person who shouldn’t be there waved at him with a small hand.
“It’s dangerous for you to be out here. Please go back inside.”
“But it’s more important to get back the stolen item.”
“Huh?”
“This. The necklace in your pocket. You switched it with a fake, didn’t you?”
The necklace had a spell cast by Casey. It was supposed to catch fire if it went beyond a certain distance.
“But it’s a fake.”
Mabel took out another necklace from her pocket. It looked exactly like the one Casey had.
“This is the real one.”
Mabel smiled.
“Are you a Devlin spy?”
Leivid, cornered, took a step back without realizing it. *** If everyone says someone is suspicious, there must be a reason. I didn’t let my guard down against Leivid and uncovered an unexpected story. [He participated in the border war with Devlin.] And they said his personality changed after that. I speculated that he was recruited during that time.
“...”
Was my guess correct? Leivid tightly shut his mouth.
“Silence is consent.”
Leivid, looking at the necklace in my hand and his own, threw his necklace to the ground.
“I was planning to seek asylum in Devlin soon, you annoying brat.”
“Oh ho.”
Revealing his true nature so quickly was bold. I had expected him to at least put up a show.
“Did Veron take the necklace? What did they offer you as a spy? Money? A title?”
“That’s none of your business. Give me the real necklace. I try not to harm children.”
“Silly. No way.”
I shook the necklace in front of him, and Leivid sneered and walked towards me. He seemed to think that dealing with a child like me would be easy.
‘What an idiot.’
The moment Leivid approached, a thick holy barrier blocked his path.
“What do you take me for?”
I am a seed with immense holy power! Unable to approach me, Leivid gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
“You said you wouldn’t harm children?”
“Children should act like children.”
Leivid thrust his sword at the holy barrier with all his might. It wasn’t a strong attack, but a slight crack appeared. Emboldened, Leivid swung his sword repeatedly.
‘This is fun.’
Finally, the barrier broke as he had hoped.
“Ouch!”
I fell on my butt and ‘accidentally’ threw the necklace. ‘Just so happens’ it flew towards Leivid. He caught it with a triumphant smile.
“You should have given it to me when I asked.”
“Grr. I’m so angry!”
“I’ll spare you if you beg for your life.”
“I’m scared! Please spare me!”
“...”
Leivid, looking at me in disbelief, quickly mounted his horse and disappeared.
“Is he gone?”
I stood up, dusted off my clothes, and picked up the necklace that had fallen on the ground.
“You believed me, naive one.”
‘Actually, this is the real one.’
What Leivid took was the fake he had switched it with.