“It looks like a plant root.”
“A root?”
Ciel nodded. His opinion was that it seemed to be a plant root ground into a fine powder.
However, even for him, there was no way to tell what kind of plant it was.
It wasn’t a whole plant, and with the roots finely minced like this, identifying the species was clearly not going to be easy.
However, it was certain that if they could identify the species, it would be a major breakthrough for the case.
“Should we look into contacting some botanists outside the order?”
Cedric asked Chester. It seemed best to seek expert help.
“Ah.”
A low sound escaped Ruite’s throat.
Everyone’s eyes turned to him once again.
“Can I take charge of that? I think I might be able to find someone who can help.”
“Go ahead.”
Chester nodded without a moment’s hesitation.
Deciding to discuss the rest of the information with the other combat unit members during the briefing, Ruite and Chester left the laboratory.
“Um… Captain.”
Once the two had left, Cedric spoke to Ciel cautiously.
“Yes?”
“Is that rumor actually true?”
“Rumor?”
“Yes, the one about Ruite and Commander Chester being… you know, in that kind of relationship… ahem.”
Cedric couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, looking embarrassed to even mention it.
“There’s a rumor like that between them?”
“You didn’t know, Captain?”
Ciel shook his head. His innocent, oblivious attitude actually made Cedric understand; Ciel was someone who only cared about work and research, so he was naturally uninterested in the various gossip floating around the headquarters.
“Yes. I didn’t know either, but some of the members were talking. Especially in the combat unit.”
Within the combat unit, talk was spreading secretly that the relationship between Chester and the research department’s low-ranking knight, Ruite, was unusual.
Of course, it wasn’t like that from the start.
But the prickly Chester, who rarely let anyone close, would dash to the research department every time he had a break.
Moreover, the man who always ate alone was now having dinner with Ruite every single night.
There was even an eyewitness account from a member who claimed to have seen Commander Chester resting his chin on his hand, looking at Ruite with an incredibly fond expression while Ruite was eating.
Since Chester, who usually kept a strict distance from everyone, acted like a large dog following its master whenever he was in front of Ruite, such rumors were inevitable.
Cedric, who had many close friends in the combat unit, was quite shocked when he first heard it.
He had initially thought they were just close because they were Academy classmates, but whenever he saw Chester visiting the research office at every opportunity, the doubt—‘Is that rumor really true?’—naturally crept in.
Also, what happened earlier was surprising.
Cedric hadn’t known Chester was capable of making such a desperate face or using such an urgent tone of voice.
“Hmm, it definitely seems like there’s something there,” Ciel agreed after a moment of thought.
“Right? I’m not the only one who thinks so, am I?”
“Yeah. But well, it’s not like it’s a problem. Our headquarters doesn’t exactly forbid dating within the Knights.”
“I know that. It’s just… it’s hard to get used to Commander Chester acting that way.”
“Is that also because of Ruite?”
“Pardon?”
“When I was talking to Varen a while ago, he said Chester’s personality seems to have softened compared to before.”
Ciel recalled his conversation with Varen.
Thinking back, Varen had been smiling like a pervert—he probably already suspected the truth about those two.
“Well, hearing that, Commander Chester’s aura really does seem to have changed a lot.”
“They say the power of love is great for a reason.”
Ciel let out a small laugh.
Completely unaware that Ciel and Cedric were gossiping about them, Chester and Ruite had just stepped out of the lab.
“Chester, if I want to send a mana carrier pigeon to another branch, I just have to apply for it, right?”
“Yeah, but why?”
“I have something to ask Colin.”
The moment the name ‘Colin’ left Ruite’s mouth, the look in Chester’s eyes changed instantly.
“Colin? Why him? You’re not planning on exchanging personal letters, are you?”
“If I were going to send personal letters, I wouldn’t use the Knights’ mana pigeons. I really have something to ask him.”
Chester still looked worried, but he nodded without saying much else.
“By the way, why do you hate Colin so much?”
“I don’t hate him. I just hate him being close to you.”
“Colin is just a friend.”
“I know. But worrying about it is a separate matter. Every Alpha that approaches you is a target for suspicion.”
“Geez. You worry too much. If someone heard you, they’d think Alphas were lining up in front of me.”
Chester had much to say but held his tongue.
It seemed Ruite didn’t realize his own charm—not just his looks, but the fact that his personality easily won people over.
“Anyway, we should focus on the case for now. Since the headquarters even formed a dedicated team, we have to solve it perfectly, right?”
Watching Ruite clench his fists with burning determination, the tension in Chester’s expression melted away.
It was a mystery to him how Ruite managed to get cuter every time he saw him.
“Is it for a promotion?”
“Huh? What promotion?”
“Aren’t you saying that because you want to get promoted?”
If they solved this case perfectly, Ruite would be in a much better position than other knights of his rank to be promoted to an aide-de-camp.
“Ah… I’m not particularly obsessed with promotions. I’m just doing it because of you.”
“Me?”
Chester tilted his head at the unexpected answer. Ruite scratched his head a few times before speaking slowly.
“This is just my thought, but…”
“Go on.”
“If we solve this case, I want to prove it to Duke Callaway. That you’re not doing this to rebel against your predetermined path, but because your conviction as a knight is stronger. It’s a sort of ‘operation show-them-what-for,’ I guess?”
Chester, who had been listening quietly, slowly came to a halt.
“…Have you been thinking that this whole time?”
“Oh? Yeah.”
When Vilter first told him to join the dedicated team, Ruite hadn’t understood why he was chosen among so many experienced research members.
But when he learned Chester was the person in charge—and that he was struggling with his father’s words—he made up his mind.
He thought that if they solved this case, it would prove that Chester was no longer bound by his father, and that no matter what the Duke said, he couldn’t shake Chester’s solid heart as a knight.
Naturally, Ruite wanted to solve the case for the safety of the Empire, but separately, he wanted to help Chester in any way he could.
Of course, even if things went well, it wasn’t like Benger would suddenly say, “I’m sorry, my son,” or admit his faults, but Ruite wanted him to know: the child you ignore is already living the life he wants perfectly well.
“So, I’ll definitely help you make that happen.”
Ruite looked back at the standing Chester and grinned.
Coincidentally, the clouds parted at that moment, and a beam of sunlight illuminated Ruite.
Chester’s dark eyes were filled with the sight of his sparkling, lovely partner.
“Sigh.”
Chester let out a deep breath and swept his hair back.
“Why? Is my plan bad? We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”
Ruite added quickly, as the reaction was different from what he expected.
If they could do it, that was great, but if Chester didn’t want to, Ruite had no intention of forcing it.
After catching his breath, Chester took a step closer, grabbed Ruite’s hand, and pulled him in.
Tilting his head slightly, he held the back of Ruite’s neck and kissed him.
“Chester, we’re outside…!”
“…You get lovelier by the day.”
Ruite bit his lip, his entire face turning bright red from embarrassment.
Chester felt a surge of regret that they were outside and not in the dormitory.
He wanted to pull Ruite into his arms right now, kiss him, and fully enjoy the warmth that made him feel this overwhelming emotion.
“And you only say things that get more embarrassing by the day.”
Ruite, still awkward with such words, scratched his head and let out a dry cough.
“What can I do? It’s the truth.”
Yes, how could he not call him lovely?
A person who took his pain and worries as his own and walked the same path to face them together.
Chester’s feelings for Ruite grew more precious with each passing second.
What kind of life would he have lived if he hadn’t accepted Ruite’s existence?
He couldn’t quite imagine it, but he felt that any future without Ruite would not have been a very good one.
“Ruite.”
“Yeah?”
Bracing himself for more sweet words, Ruite looked up at Chester.
“When this is over…”
But Chester couldn’t finish the sentence.
His lips moved a few times before he sank into his own thoughts.
“No. I’ll tell you after everything is settled.”
Hearing that only made Ruite more curious, but for now, he simply nodded.
