* * *
‘Wait, we still have plenty of time before the ball, don’t we?’
He looked like someone being forced to accomplish something outrageous.
But the task Klen had given him was something that, at most, would take two or three days.
I didn’t know the exact date of the ball, but I was sure we had about a month left.
‘Saying “finish it before then” is already kind of ridiculous, but the fact that he had to steel himself so dramatically…’
‘Why on earth is he the head of the Magic Division?’
“My wife’s health has worsened from all the travel, so we’ll be returning now.”
“?!”
Betrayal.
That was what flashed through Elliot’s eyes.
He looked at us as if he couldn’t believe we were really leaving him behind.
‘We can’t help it.’
There was nothing for us to do here.
And shadowing him just to check if he was working properly would be exhausting.
I wanted to go back and examine Levatein again, and most of all—I wanted to rest.
I placed a hand on my forehead and staggered slightly, my body tipping naturally into Klen’s chest.
“Ugh.”
With just a small groan, I’d completed the perfect picture of a sick man.
Klen, used to this act, wrapped an arm around my shoulder and supported me so I could walk.
If I’d truly been unwell, it would’ve been the ideal posture to lean into.
“…In that case, perhaps you should return and rest.”
Maybe I’d become a seasoned actor after repeating this same performance so many times.
There was a slight edge in his voice, but it seemed he’d judged it was better for us to leave.
I suppose it’s hard to concentrate when someone’s watching your every move.
Pushed by his words, we turned to go.
Just in case, I leaned on Klen until we reached the horses.
Once there, I grabbed the saddle and lightly swung myself onto the horse.
“What if he sees through that?”
Klen gave a wry smile.
He didn’t mean Elliot had followed us.
He probably meant Elliot might’ve used some kind of magical surveillance.
But even though Klen gave a warning, I could tell he didn’t truly believe that was the case.
If he did, he would’ve stopped me before I moved.
“With that personality? No way he’d bother with such troublesome magic.”
“Haha. You’ve figured him out already?”
Just like earlier, Klen climbed onto the horse behind me.
We only had two horses, so it couldn’t be helped.
I suppose we couldn’t pretend we “forgot” to bring another one.
It’s not like the distance was too far to return on foot.
Honestly, Elliot hadn’t made the best impression.
Clip-clop, clip-clop…
As I mulled things over, the horse started to move—at a slow, careful pace, almost like it was adjusting to keep from straining me.
‘Is it because we’ll soon be in range of the city walls?’
It felt strange to be treated like an invalid.
He was being gentle, but maybe that was what made it feel so odd.
Knowing this was all an act… it wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling.
“Do you really think he’ll do his job properly?”
“He may be slow when we’re around, but he probably did work diligently. If nothing turned up in the areas he searched, I doubt anything important is left in the remaining ones. If there were, Ebony might’ve found something.”
“Hmm.”
What remained was in areas visible to Ebony and the knights.
Pulling something off without even them noticing would be difficult.
“But something about it is still bothering you?”
“……”
“In my opinion, Elliot might be lazy, but he’s not completely incompetent. Though I wouldn’t say he’s exceptional either.”
“Can you really tell?”
“You can guess, based on how he behaves.”
Can you, really?
I didn’t want to doubt him, but even to my untrained eye, Elliot didn’t seem particularly capable with magic.
“That half-finished spell. He’ll investigate it thoroughly, I’m sure.”
“…!”
As expected, Klen went straight for the part that had been nagging at me.
Among everything Elliot had said, what stood out most was that half-finished spell.
Finding out exactly what kind of spell it was—that mattered.
“Though it might take him a while.”
And of course, he knew exactly what I didn’t want to hear.
“You’ve returned.”
Greeting us upon our return was an unfamiliar servant.
Unlike the others, his bow was impeccably polite—but Klen’s face immediately darkened upon seeing him.
“Lord Fabian is waiting for you.”
“Haah. At this hour?”
So that’s why I hadn’t seen this one before.
He was Fabian’s servant.
Even as Klen let out a deep sigh, his shoulders rising with it, the servant simply stood there quietly, waiting.
“…I’ll go then.”
No choice, really.
Even though night had fallen, Klen left with Fabian’s servant, not knowing when he’d be back.
Once alone, I couldn’t be bothered to keep up the act anymore and changed into something comfortable.
Then, suddenly, something felt off.
A strange sense—unclear enough that I tilted my head slightly.
While mulling over the feeling, I met the servant’s gaze.
‘Ah, is that it?’
I had no right to call Klen cold.
I was just the same as him.
“Um…”
“Yes? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Shall I fetch medicine for you?”
“No…”
All I did was open my mouth, yet they turned pale and immediately checked my complexion, fidgeting with worry, as if I might collapse at any second.
Even though they were the ones looking more anxious than I was.
I took a moment to calm the odd tickle in my chest before speaking slowly.
“Your name was… what again?”
“Ah……”
It had been quite some time since they began serving me, yet I only just now realized—I didn’t even know the names of the attendants who had been checking on me before Klen did.
Even when I belatedly asked for their names, showing my indifference, the two of them just smiled.
One of the attendants stepped forward and bowed gracefully.
“My name is Vis.”
“And you may call me Linda,” the other added.
The one who spoke next was the head maid who’d always looked after me.
Soon after, I began to hear the other attendants introduce themselves in turn.
Watching this, Linda smiled warmly.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just… you used to act like you’d leave everyone behind at any moment, never paying attention to those around you.”
That stung.
My heart trembled as though pricked by a needle.
She was more perceptive than I expected.
“But now, you seem different. I feel relieved.”
“Ah, but even if you had decided to run away because things were too hard, we still would’ve done our best to help!”
“Would that really be okay?”
Vis smiled brightly.
It had been a while since I’d seen such a sincere, unfeigned smile—one that came from a pure heart.
I felt my lips start to rise instinctively, matching his expression…
“Well, though, if you did that now, Lord Klen might just have our heads…”
At those words, my half-raised smile trembled and fell.
He drew a line across his neck with his hand and gave a dry laugh.
…He probably didn’t mean they’d be fired from work.
“But please, don’t feel pressured.”
Linda gave Vis a gentle jab in the side as she smiled serenely—which somehow made her even more terrifying.
She told me not to feel pressured, but the weight of it was already crushing my shoulders.
Not that I had any intention of running away now.
For a moment, I worried they had caught on to Klen’s true nature.
Could all the effort I’d put into acting for so long be crumbling this easily?
‘No way… right?’
If they really knew, they wouldn’t be reacting so calmly.
There’s no way they’d be smiling.
They’d be shaking with fear.
* * *
