Aaron thought so, but the Duke approached him. Aaron looked at him with his eyes slightly drawn, as he did not seem to change his words very soon, and there was no sign of bloodshed.
Then, by the time the distance was narrowed by one step, the Duke suddenly kicked Aaronâs stomach.
Kugh, grabbing his stomach, Aaron bent his back.
âThis is, whatâŠ.â
âBecause Iâm in a bad mood.â
Even though he was only beaten by one.
Rather than feeling painful to be hit, Aaron looked up because he was dumbfounded, but the Duke had already lost interest in him and turned away.
Aaron had no brothers, but what to say, at that moment, Nocton Edgar looked like an immature younger brother.
Heâd rather not have such a scary brother.
Still, he was a little less nervous now because he saw such a human aspect.
As he took a long sigh while organizing his thoughts, the guard who went inside came out.
âHis Grace has given his permission.â
Soon the gate of the mansion opened.
***
The Eastern Duchy of the Empire, Faust.
The wealthiest land in the Empire has been Edgarâs since its founding. It was such an old land, and the Duke Castle built on it has been there for a long time.
As is the case with castles that have passed many masters, the Duke Castle in Faust also had many secret spaces.
Patricia Edgar, who set up an office in one of those room, was getting a report from Yusis, who came to the land together with her.
âBramanâs been attacked.â
âItâs too late to notice. Iâm sorry, Lady Patricia.â
âWe knew heâs going to be caught anyway. Itâs rather amazing that heâs endured it so far. Is Terrops Andante still missing?â
âYes, he left the Countâs residence and disappeared.â
âIf so, then he must be grasping him. I was wondering if he could figure out anything.â
Patricia Edgar clapped and laughed. She couldnât stand it because it was so pleasant. She did not check it with her own eyes, but she was delighted with the assurance that things were going her way.
âDo you know when people are at their brightest moment, Yusis?â
After asking the question, she answered without the sight of listening to him.
âIt was when they grew up less. When they think theyâre all grown up, everything seems funny. When they do not know how many, and they think that they have found out all the tricks of others just by finding it.â
That way, even though itâs a young kid in the eyes of others.
Stretchingly, she grabbed the cup on her desk. The water floating on the white grain shook the cup as it tilted. Taking a sip, Patricia beckoned. It was a signal to continue the report.
âIâm finished with the preparations you mentioned and weâre ready to move to the capital. Now, if we just solve the brainwashing of the Dukeââ
âFloyd and Dansha? Why do we need to solve the problem already? Youâll only get caught if you take them. Leave them behind.â
ââŠ.Alright.â
It sounded cruel, but Yusis lowered his head without saying much.
Losing interest in him, Patricia began to think about the Nocton Edgar.
When his black magic was discovered, he trembled as if he was driven to the edge of the cliff. but soon afterward, he took the mind of everyone in the Dukeâs mansion.
After being hypnotized while trying to hand over the holy water, Patricia was unable to escape from the brainwashing. Had her not been assisted by a black wizard, she would never have been able to regain her reason.
Even after the brainwashing on her was broken, most of the others were brainwashed, so it was unreasonable to fight back.
Patricia pretended to be brainwashed, and the moment Nocton decided to send Edgarâs direct line to Faust, it was best to seek the future plan on this land.
Tilting the cup, Patricia murmured to herself.
âItâs about time.â
Having already had a record, she knew that the current Duke could not be overpowered by force.
Therefore, Patricia was preparing a more reliable way.
Yes, for example, taking Nocton Edgarâs opposite, Roa Valros as hostage.
It would have been nice if she werenât the second daughter of Valrose House, she briefly bit her tongue, recalling the face of the beloved child.
Valrose was never an easy family.
Theyâve been in power for a long time, even though not as long as Edgarâs, and they have held the post of the prime minister twice.
She doesnât know what Nocton Edgar was whispering about, but there are dozens of secret escorts attached to the child when she leaves the mansion.
At least now, Patricia couldnât take the Valroseâs youngest daughter away.
Fortunately, he wasnât watching her now.
Now, heâs trying to pretend sheâs not precious to him. A treasure should be put in his arms and kept, but the young Duke was terrified and trembled.
So even though itâs a bit tricky, it wasnât something that Patricia couldnât handle at all.
âDidnât Daaz say anything?â
âNothing was said. As always, I just said that the sun was going to fall.â
The sun, itâs an undeserved term for a helpless scarecrow.
Nevertheless, when she was in a good mood like now, she could laugh at the mere words. She lifted the cup she was playing with, like champagne.
âFor the Emperorâs unscathed death and the glory of Edgar.â
Patricia Edgar smiled cheerfully.
Even so, the burning emotion in her eyes was neither joy nor pleasure, but hatred.
***
Itâs been a while since I went to a tea party.
Ever since I was invited by Nocton, I havenât felt so good everytime I heard the word
tea party
.
I was surprised at my return to tea party activities, but there was someone in front of me who was more surprised at the appearance of Roa Valrose than anyone else.
It was Sheryl Bornaine.
Rather than a hostess welcoming the guests, the young lady of Bornaine greeted me with a sour face, like a master who met a beggar.
âI never thought you would really come. Lady Roa, do you have any thoughts? No, is it too much shock that youâve broken your head?â
âI didnât know you would welcome me that far. Thank you very much, Lady Sheryl. Oh, of course, you invited me to this tea party.â
âHave you forgotten the Imperial language?â
âMy head is fine. How sweet of you to worry about my comfort.â
With an impassive face to the stunned Bornaine, I shrugged my shoulders, and I headed to the table with my name on it. I sent a reply saying that I would attend, but I sent it a bit urgently and she didnât even think that I would really come, so my placement was not very sincere.
A young lady that Iâve never even spoken toâthe look with her head down looked like she wasnât happy with her current arrangement, and the young lord of Elford, andâŠ.
âLady Sheryl was sitting next to me.â
âHow splendid.â
Sheryl Bornaine sat next to me and grumbled.
âAre you feeling better?â
âYes, you came to laugh at me who fell down in the middle of the ballroom.â
âLady Sheryl. I know ladyâs personality is unsightly twisted, but isnât it too much. Nobody pays me if I laugh at you, so why should I do that at someone elseâs tea party? Look at the world a little nicely.â
âYouâre speaking without dignity. How can I take a nice look at Lady Roa?â
âBecause I was close to Nocton? Do you still like Nocton?â
âLady Roaââ
As Sheryl Bornaine tried to get up from her seat, a clear bell rang. It was a bell to announce that all the invited people had arrived. In other words, it was time for the organizer to start the tea party.
It wasnât necessary for the host of a small tea party to have a grand procedure. Sheryl Bornaine rose, hiding her angry expression.
She thanked everyone who attended, introduced the tea that was served to the party, and ordered the servants to prepare refreshments. The process seemed very skillful.
If my memory serves me right, she was one of the nobles who held tea parties the most.
While I was eating the cookies, Bornaine sat down on my side after finishing her duty.
Just as there was no process of getting up in the middle, the words we were sharing just now naturally continued.
âYou have become very confident because His Grace openly sided with you.â
âItâs not because of him that Iâm confident. Rather, I was going to say something else on the spot.â
âSomething else?â
âCongratulations, Iâm no longer a friend of Nocton Edgar. â
ââŠ.Are you having a marriage talk with His Grace?â
I almost spat out my tea.
âOh, please. Canât you stop saying that? In a literal sense. Now Iâm going to clean up my relationship with Nocton Edgar!â
âYou still call him by his name.â
âThatâs a good point. I used the honorific title in front of others as much as possible, I couldnât tell the difference. And if Duke Edgar is to be dismissed in the future, itâs not going to be a big deal.â
âAre you serious about this?â
âIf youâre going to ask me for the truth, just skip the nonsense.â
âThen that day, His Grace spoke for someone he had nothing to do with?â
âIâve caused confusion to Lady Sheryl because I didnât tell you the details. To be exact, Iâm the one who decided to clean up our relationship, and he might have different opinions. Not yet.â
Out of breath from the prolonged conversation, I stopped talking for a moment.
Then, before Sheryl Bornaine can make sarcastic remarks, I hurried to the points.
âHow long will it last, though, as Lady Sheryl has been saying, this relationship isnât that precious to him.â
After an easy hit, there was a moment of silence.
Sheryl Bornaine opened her eyes wide as if she was trying to see through my inner thoughts.
She looked like a detective.
I had nothing to be bothered about, so I shrugged my shoulders and tilted my cup as if it were obvious. The black tea is so thick, I donât like strong tea either.
âLooks like Sir Claymore became the cause.â
âIt has nothing to do with Aaron. Aaron is ⊠Iâll ask you again, Lady Sheryl. Nocton ⊠do you like His Grace Duke Edgar?â
âWhat a peculiar long title.â
She just corrected my mistake of using the title, but itâs too much.
She fixed her eyes, contemplating the answer, then suddenly she looked up.
âWhy should I tell Lady Roa about that?â
âYou noticed! Thatâs an incredibly accurate point.â
âAnd I donât know if itâs important to like and not like anyone in this world.â
âThatâs what I mean. I thought some of you who often talk to me didnât think soââ
âDonât make fun of me!â
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Sheryl Bornaine shouted loudly, but she didnât look hurt. Every occasional encounter with Bornaine, she always raised her voice, but her heart was clear.
With Nocton as the topic, she scratched me for not knowing the topic and bit me if there was anything to attack, and she was angry and distressed enough to go too far if I used Nocton to counterattack.
It was an intense and obvious love that was only seen in novels and plays.