CH 28

[Reden’s POV]

What kind of reaction should I show toward Diwen who speaks casually?

Diwen continued talking as if he didn’t really want any kind of reaction.

“That’s why I founded it. The Knights of Hugo. Only to lift my curse. If I kill all the dragons in this world, my curse will be lifted someday.”

As if he was tired of it, Diwen stopped fiddling with his handkerchief and put one leg on the other leg.

“But a month ago, I was caught by the royal family. Thanks to this, my plan to go to the expedition again as soon as the banquet was over was ruined.”

“Isn’t that purely the fault of the Knights of Hugo?”

Reden frowned and stretched out his hand toward his desk. At that moment, a blue energy shimmered at his fingertips, and the energy was connected to a document on the desk.

At the same time, he snapped his fingertips. Following the fingertips, a document moved softly as if flying in the wind and settled in Reden’s hand.

“This report is over a month old. You sent it right after you conquered the Wind Dragon, remember?”

TL/N: Decided to change Bungjo to Wind. Edited chapter 24 too.

“Hmm…”

“Since there is Sir Glass’s signature, Sir Glass must have written it down. Look, there’s nothing here about the damn dragon bones being stolen.”

As Reden spoke, he recalled the past with laughter. When was it? Yes, it was before my sister had a fever for a week.

Clearly, there was nothing wrong with the documents I had read first, so I handed them over to my aide, Solen. And I happened to see it.

Count Sirius, carrying a cane that was clearly made of dragon bones.

At first, I thought it was a mistake. But the magic flowing out of the cane was clearly the dragon’s. I saw it a few times when I was studying magic at the Magic Tower, so there was nothing to be confused about.

Are dragon bones in circulation now? Was it written in the report, but I didn’t see it? All things aside, dragon bones are very dangerous… …

Reden was puzzled and asked his aide to read the documents once more. I asked for the document again.

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“It turned out that he didn’t write it down in the document to cover up the facts. If he had told the royal family honestly, things wouldn’t have gotten this big.”

“Well, I won’t deny it, but…….”

“Didn’t you even say that five dragon bones were stolen? Do you know how urgent it is?”

Reden recalled what happened a month ago. The energy of the dragon that poured out during social activities after sending his sister to return to the mansion.

If he kept thinking about it, the scene of his sister, collapsed, would come to mind, so Reden sighed and tossed the papers aside. The papers returned to his desk with a clean movement.

“It’s just ridiculous to lament that you’ve been held back by the royal family in this situation, when it’s something that happened a month ago and you don’t know where it will happen again, Sir.”

“…….”

“If you want to go on an expedition like that, get the dragon bones back first. The royal family won’t hold you back then.”

Diwen made a hmmm sound, snorted, and had a thoughtful look. Then, he moved the foot on the opposite leg and muttered as if talking to himself.

“I came to ask for your cooperation so that I can subdue dragons while searching for dragon bones… … It was impossible, as expected”

“That’s obvious.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but I understand. Then we’ll take care of it.”

How are you going to handle this.

Diwen got up with a smile on his face and spoke ominously. Reden gave him a cool look and opened his mouth without realizing it.

“By the way, what’s the curse?”

Reden spat out the words and was a little taken aback. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t curious, but even so, it wasn’t why I wanted to know and go out of my way to ask.

Just, for some reason, I remembered my younger sister from earlier and asked. What my sister confided in me today seemed like a curse.

‘There’s no guarantee that it’s true……. It’s stupid.’

Diwen looked at him with an expression that he didn’t know Reden would ask that. After blinking several times and showing no signs of answering, Reden clicked his tongue inwardly and tried to tell him to forget it.

However, Diwen, who was deep in thought, spoke first.

“I don’t know if you believe it or not, but three times a day. A mission pops up.”

“…….”

“I can’t tell you what it’s about, but……. If I succeed, I get a reward, and if I fail, I get a penalty according to the type of mission.”

Diwen laughed as if it was funny.

“It’s ridiculous and insignificant to be called a curse, right? Forget it.”

He muttered lightly as if he had said it for nothing, with a stern expression on his face, and went outside.

Reden stared forward with a rare stupid expression, then suddenly stood up and went out of the office.

“Sir Fergus!”

Diwen turned his back with a surprised look when he saw Reden shouting for the first time in his life. Reden was approaching at a rapid pace.

“What? Ah, have you changed your mind?”

Though thinking to himself that this couldn’t be the case, Diwen slyly asked and put on a puzzled expression for a moment at Reden’s answer that came out coolly.

“Yes, I’ve changed my mind.”

“……What?”

“I said I’ve changed my mind. To subjugate dragons while retrieving dragon bones at the same time.”

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Reden made an annoyed expression. It was as if he was annoyed with himself for saying this.

“If you need my help, I’ll help you.”

“……Wow?”

“But you’re sure, right?”

“What?”

“If you kill all the dragons, the curse will be lifted.”

Diwen was a smart man. He immediately noticed the reason why Reden suddenly changed his mind at his last words.

‘Other than us, there are other people who caught the curse around the marquis.’

Diwen quickly shook his head and answered with a gentle curl of his eyes.

“Of course.”

And looking at Diwen’s expression, Reden noticed that he(D) had noticed that there was a cursed person around him.

“That’s a relief.”

Reden had a business-like smile on his face and held out his hand. Naturally, Diwen held his hand. It was meant to be an alliance, but it didn’t look like an alliance. It was a truly strange sight.

***

[Renée’s POV]

As soon as I arrived at the mansion late at night with Reden, I saw a lot of happy faces. The most notable among them was, of course, Catherine.

“Catherine!”

When I took a step closer to her and called her name, Catherine put on a puzzled expression. I made a fuss while looking around her.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you know how surprised and worried I was when I saw Catherine collapse the other day? Scar? You didn’t get more scars? The scars on our Catherine’s face are enough… … . If you have more scars, you’ll be more cool.”

“Ca, calm down, lady.”

Catherine’s flustered tone made me laugh even more. And it was only after a while that I heard an explanation of what had happened a month ago.

As usual, Catherine was waiting for me in the carriage, and someone knocked on the door. She was attacked as soon as she left, so she couldn’t remember properly.

“I’m sorry, miss. At that time, I…….”

I shook my head at her.

“I’m not curious about that at all. You know what I’m curious about!”

At my words, Catherine blinked and laughed.

“I’m all right, miss. It’s completely healed. I didn’t even have a scar.”

“That’s a relief. Really…….”

“I’m more worried about the lady than I am. You’d better get in there and rest.”

“Urgh! I’ve already rested enough at the palace.”

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I flinched the moment I turned my head as I finished my conversation with Catherine to go to my room. It was because Handel was looking with huge and severe eyes just a few steps away.

Surprised by the appearance, I wondered why she was staring at me like that, and when I looked at her eyes, her face quickly changed to a crying expression.

“Lady…”

Lady, lady. As if she had only one word to say, she kept repeating the same thing over and over until she finally blew her nose with an apron and even started to hiccup.

“Handel… … ! If anyone sees it, they’ll think I’m dead.”

“Don’t say that……!”

She sobbed more at my words. I sneaked up on Handel and wiped her tears. But she must be doing this because she was worried about me.

I was grateful for that, so I didn’t stop at wiping her tears, but awkwardly hugged her and patted her on the back, and I noticed something strange and grabbed Handel’s chin.

Handel’s swollen eyes widened to the limit.

“Wh, wh, wh, what’s wrong, lady? I, I, I was too careless. I, I, I, I’ll calm down.”

As if recalling an old memory, her face immediately turned white and she shuddered. Feeling a little sorry for that, I quickly shook my head.

“It’s not that……. Handel, what’s wrong with your cheek?”

It was as I said. Handel’s cheeks were strangely red. No, it was a mixture of red and blue to be exact. There are even scratches.

“Isn’t this bruised? Did you get hit? By whom?”

Seeing that only one cheek is abnormally swollen, I think my guess is correct. But Handel was startled and shook her head so violently that I could hear a whooshing sound.

“Are you lying to me now?”

“……Th, th, that…….”

“……No, are there other people besides me beating Handel in this mansion? Who is it? What kind of person is it? How dare they to our Handel! I don’t even hit you anymore!”

I noticed that she was reluctant to talk, so I deliberately joked around and moved on. I felt something strange, but she didn’t want to talk about it, so what can I do?

“Make sure to put ointment on your cheeks. Okay? No, I’ll put it on for you now. Urgh, I’m upset.”

I guess I should apply the ointment, so I broke up with Catherine and headed to the room with Handel. I thought it was my turn now that she had often smeared ointment on my cheeks.

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As I was going up the stairs to my room, I heard a strange voice from behind.

“Lady, you’re back.”

Yes?

I turned around because it was clear that she was calling me. Someone was standing a short distance away.

Dressed as a new well-groomed maid, with her hair pulled back and pinned with a hairpin without missing a single hair. She was a woman who looked quite old.

When I thought of seeing her for the first time, Handel bowed in surprise.

“He, head maid!”

Her body trembled, and her bent back showed no sign of straightening. The head that fell down also didn’t budge. As if there was something interesting on the floor.

That attitude was not unfamiliar. Even when I first met Handel, she seemed unwilling to raise her head.

It was like that. Handel was trembling as if she had returned to the day she first met me. She was scared.

Why?

For a moment, I raised my gaze and looked at the person who was called the maid of honor.

Head Maid… … Judging from the fact that she was called that, this must be the same person who is also my exclusive maid. What was her name. Was it Susan?

Susan had such a strong impression that I thought it was strange that I had never seen her while in the mansion. A doll-like neat smile, businesslike eyes, and well-groomed eyebrows. Above all, his attitude was like that of a machine.

The straight appearance, as if measured with a ruler, was terrifying. But is that why Handel is so scared?

“Hell….”

I felt uncomfortable, but since she had greeted me, I was about to greet her. Susan came this way with her back upright.

Then, she swung her hand.