Chapter 44

It meant consent.

“I understand.”

He has only taken one step.

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 Aaron’s stomach.

Kugh, grabbing his stomach, Aaron bent his back.

“This is, what….”

“Because I’m in a bad mood.”

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.

He’d 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.

“His Grace has given his permission.”

Soon the gate of the mansion opened.

***

The Eastern Duchy of the Empire, Faust.

The wealthiest land in the Empire has been Edgar’s 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.

“Braman’s been attacked.”

“It’s too late to notice. I’m sorry, Lady Patricia.”

“We knew he’s going to be caught anyway. It’s rather amazing that he’s endured it so far. Is Terrops Andante still missing?”

“Yes, he left the Count’s residence and disappeared.”

“If so, then he must be grasping him. I was wondering if he could figure out anything.”

Patricia Edgar clapped and laughed. She couldn’t 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.

“Do you know when people are at their brightest moment, Yusis?”

After asking the question, she answered without the sight of listening to him.

“It was when they grew up less. When they think they’re 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.”

That way, even though it’s 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.

“I’m finished with the preparations you mentioned and we’re ready to move to the capital. Now, if we just solve the brainwashing of the Duke—”

“Floyd and Dansha? Why do we need to solve the problem already? You’ll only get caught if you take them. Leave them behind.”

“….Alright.”

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 Duke’s 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 Edgar’s direct line to Faust, it was best to seek the future plan on this land.

Tilting the cup, Patricia murmured to herself.

“It’s about time.”

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 Edgar’s opposite, Roa Valros as hostage.

It would have been nice if she weren’t the second daughter of Valrose House, she briefly bit her tongue, recalling the face of the beloved child.

Valrose was never an easy family.

They’ve been in power for a long time, even though not as long as Edgar’s, and they have held the post of the prime minister twice.

She doesn’t 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 couldn’t take the Valrose’s youngest daughter away.

Fortunately, he wasn’t watching her now.

Now, he’s trying to pretend she’s 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 it’s a bit tricky, it wasn’t something that Patricia couldn’t handle at all.

“Didn’t Daaz say anything?”

“Nothing was said. As always, I just said that the sun was going to fall.”

The sun, it’s 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.

“For the Emperor’s unscathed death and the glory of Edgar.”

Patricia Edgar smiled cheerfully.

Even so, the burning emotion in her eyes was neither joy nor pleasure, but hatred.

***

It’s been a while since I went to a tea party.

Ever since I was invited by Nocton, I haven’t 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.

“I never thought you would really come. Lady Roa, do you have any thoughts? No, is it too much shock that you’ve broken your head?”

“I didn’t know you would welcome me that far. Thank you very much, Lady Sheryl. Oh, of course, you invited me to this tea party.”

“Have you forgotten the Imperial language?”

“My head is fine. How sweet of you to worry about my comfort.”

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 didn’t even think that I would really come, so my placement was not very sincere.

A young lady that I’ve never even spoken to—the look with her head down looked like she wasn’t happy with her current arrangement, and the young lord of Elford, and….

“Lady Sheryl was sitting next to me.”

“How splendid.”

Sheryl Bornaine sat next to me and grumbled.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, you came to laugh at me who fell down in the middle of the ballroom.”

“Lady Sheryl. I know lady’s personality is unsightly twisted, but isn’t it too much. Nobody pays me if I laugh at you, so why should I do that at someone else’s tea party? Look at the world a little nicely.”

“You’re speaking without dignity. How can I take a nice look at Lady Roa?”

“Because I was close to Nocton? Do you still like Nocton?”

“Lady Roa—”

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 wasn’t 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.

“You have become very confident because His Grace openly sided with you.”

“It’s not because of him that I’m confident. Rather, I was going to say something else on the spot.”

“Something else?”

“Congratulations, I’m no longer a friend of Nocton Edgar. “

“….Are you having a marriage talk with His Grace?”

I almost spat out my tea.

“Oh, please. Can’t you stop saying that? In a literal sense. Now I’m going to clean up my relationship with Nocton Edgar!”

“You still call him by his name.”

“That’s a good point. I used the honorific title in front of others as much as possible, I couldn’t tell the difference. And if Duke Edgar is to be dismissed in the future, it’s not going to be a big deal.”

“Are you serious about this?”

“If you’re going to ask me for the truth, just skip the nonsense.”

“Then that day, His Grace spoke for someone he had nothing to do with?”

“I’ve caused confusion to Lady Sheryl because I didn’t tell you the details. To be exact, I’m the one who decided to clean up our relationship, and he might have different opinions. Not yet.”

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.

“How long will it last, though, as Lady Sheryl has been saying, this relationship isn’t that precious to him.”

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 don’t like strong tea either.

“Looks like Sir Claymore became the cause.”

“It has nothing to do with Aaron. Aaron is … I’ll ask you again, Lady Sheryl. Nocton … do you like His Grace Duke Edgar?”

“What a peculiar long title.”

She just corrected my mistake of using the title, but it’s too much.

She fixed her eyes, contemplating the answer, then suddenly she looked up.

“Why should I tell Lady Roa about that?”

“You noticed! That’s an incredibly accurate point.”

“And I don’t know if it’s important to like and not like anyone in this world.”

“That’s what I mean. I thought some of you who often talk to me didn’t think so—”

“Don’t make fun of me!”

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Sheryl Bornaine shouted loudly, but she didn’t 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.

But that love is….

‘To be precise, he told you to love him.’