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[Perhaps in case you miss me? When I come, I will buy you delicious cookies that you will like.]
[No. You don’t have to buy it. Can’t you just not go? Leto’s house is in danger today. Can’t you go with Gerard tomorrow?]
[Ah, is it because you’re worried that I might be in danger when I go home from work at night? It’s fine. I’ll take a good look around so that you don’t have to worry.]
[No… Leto, then you don’t have to do that, t-take a lot of escort knights with you. You really can’t, today.]
Even though she was a little girl, her heart was quite dignified, so there was usually a reason for her actions.
That’s why the Miss’ behavior today was even more suspicious.
[They say that there are a lot of petty thieves these days, so they secretly chase people home and steal things from inside the house. And there were people who were injured. They say it’s very, very dangerous!]
The Miss is the kind to understand if you explain the reason even if she begs, though.
[Letooooo!]
She even held him and cried.
He thought the Miss was really strange today.
[I’m nervous, Leto. I really wish Leto was here today. Can’t you tell Uncle that you’re off from tomorrow? I’ll do it! I’ll even give you my favorite chocolate!]
Rustle.
He put all the candies and chocolates that were spilled out in a glass bottle.
Did she know that he worked late and left these things behind?
Just a moment ago, fatigue hit his back and it seemed like he was going to collapse at any moment, yet he felt that the fatigue was slowly relieving.
How kind of her.
Leto smiled, grabbed the glass bottle, entered the room, and placed it on the desk.
Then he headed to the dining room to get the tea.
He hummed as if he was barely tired.
***
Early the next morning, Leto put the papers on Kassel’s office desk.
It will never disappear like dust like yesterday.
He would come back after a while, but as he left the room, he looked back for no reason and checked the papers again and again.
Although it wasn’t difficult for him, he didn’t want to stay up all night again.
And an hour later.
Leto successfully completed the report.
Unlike yesterday’s documents that disappeared savagely, today they were intact and passed safely without any criticism.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It’s nothing. Are you planning to go down today?”
Kassel, who had been stretching with his eyes and mouth yesterday, didn’t say anything about whether he was satisfied this time.
“I’ll send the kid off and go down tomorrow. Hold on to it again and fret.”
“Because the Miss likes you very much.”
“Stop talking nonsense and just get off work.”
“I understand, see you tomorrow then.”
“Relax as you rest.”
He was already depressed because a holiday had disappeared, but Leto smiled brightly after hearing that.
He overturns everything if you make a mistake or he doesn’t like it, but the Master who usually takes care of him like this.
Yesterday, as usual, there were no mistakes, so at least it was over at that level.
“Then I’ll see you when I return, Your Lordship! Please have a rest.”
Leto hurriedly left the office, fearing that he would change his words.
Then he simply changed his clothes and left the mansion greeted by the servants.
After boarding the carriage on the way home, Leto belatedly closed his eyes.
He reached into his inside pocket and took out a candy with a rustle.
He had taken a few out of the glass bottle and brought them back.
He popped one into his mouth, then folded the plastic bag four times and put it in his inner pocket.
Beneath it was a dagger that he had brought with him just in case.
No matter how young the Miss who said that, he remembered how anxious she was.
‘I’ll have to tell the Miss that I bring this kind of thing when I go home.’
The crimes that appear in the article aren’t just things that happened yesterday and today, but to think that the Miss is already packing and checking the newspaper…
Shouldn’t it also try not to become a problem for the Miss’ growth?
Soon the carriage stopped in front of a small house near the outskirts.
Though small, it’s a huge two-story house.
A well-maintained but quite run-down house.
Although he was from a commoner, he still had the title of baron named Parad, and the salary was as generous as a general butler.
Even so, there was a reason he insisted on this old house.
Because it is the last house his mother left behind.
He achieved the goal after he succeeded in becoming a son who wouldn’t disappoint her only after she passed away, but there was no other house like this.
Instead of getting a better house, he came back every day off even though he was busy and took care of the house.
“You worked hard. See you the day after tomorrow.”
“What is this?”
Leto got off the carriage and gave the coachman the remaining candy.
“It’s a drug that makes you feel good.”
Then he sent the coachman away, took out the house key, and put it on the doorknob.
Although he put the key in and turned it, the door was locked.
“Hmm?”
Only after another turn will the door open.
That means it was just open until now.
Leto stepped back like lightning and looked around.
He was more thorough than anyone else in locking down the door, always locking it and checking it several times, so there was no way he had forgotten to leave the door open before going to the mansion.
No, like yesterday’s document case, why on earth did this happen?
The front and rear sights were wide open, so there was no place for suspicious people to hide.
“Am I really tired these days, I wonder”
It was confusing because it was a series of mistakes.
However, no matter how much he looked back, the memory of him locking the door remained.
then.
[They say that there are a lot of petty thieves these days, so they secretly chase people home and steal things from inside the house. And there were people who were injured. They say it’s very, very dangerous!]
Inside the house.
There was no guarantee that the crime written in the newspapers wouldn’t happen to him, so it was just in case.
Although he doesn’t like to leave valuables at home, so there’s nothing to steal, it’ll be safe after stealing anyway.
But if that’s not the case…
Leto’s eyes widened.
He reached for the dagger he had hidden inside his clothes and slowly opened the door.
As soon as the door opened, Leto breathed a sigh of relief.
The house was empty as usual.
The upper floor was open, and only the really necessary furniture was placed on the second floor, so it was possible for quick confirmation.
There was no sign of a mess from theft and no damage.
“I was worried for nothing.”
Well, there’s nothing wrong with being careful though.
Leto went inside, closed the door, and hung the lock ring.
Then he turned on the remaining lights, took off his jacket, hung it on a chair, and sighed.
However, that reassurance didn’t last long.
Leto, who had unbuttoned the cuffs on both sleeves, stopped his hands and bent his waist.
Something fell on the floor right next to the chair.
It was a piece of yellow metal that seemed to have been broken somewhere.
“…Wait.”
Leto walked quickly to the desk he used to work at home.
He was meticulous in everything, so he was the one who put locks on all the drawers.
Yet the drawer opened with a jolt without him putting the key in.
Clack, clack, clack.
He quickly opened all the drawers, yet all of them had broken locks.
In addition, the drawers that were always tidy were a mess, unlike the neat house.
As if someone was trying to figure out something.
“…”
Leto headed back to the Marquis of Leguier.
As soon as he arrived, he sent someone home and went straight to Kassel.
Kassel, who was just about to go outside, leaned back on the desk with his arms crossed and listened to Leto’s report.
“I mean… What disappeared?”
“It looks like the culprits failed to find it because I didn’t put anything important. I have instructed them to pursue it first.”
“Which one will come out soon, I wonder.”
It happened every once in a while because there were not one or two families that made enemies of Valliot and Leguier.
Usually, they tend to aim for the family head, but there is no law that says not to aim for subordinates who behave like a limb.
It could have been the guys who attacked Seria.
The enemy was in many ways.
Not only do they risk one’s life to protect it, even if they die and go to hell, they have a treasure in their arms to protect, making Cassel’s nerves even sharper.
“If Leto had gone home yesterday, you would have been killed.”
Even so, on the outside, he pretended to be calm and made jokes.
Leto felt shame at the corner of Cassel’s lips, which smirked.
“Your Lordship, what kind of bloody joke are you talking about?”