No, but it felt like she was hoping to be his partner.
“Ah, no. I was just a little curious.”
I subtly avoided his gaze.
Klen had never caused any trouble with such matters.
He wouldn’t have given her any lukewarm responses that could lead to expectations.
It was just me being strangely bothered by this incident.
Dinner was served just as the conversation ended, and the atmosphere was quieter than ever, so silent that even a faint breath could be heard.
Linda’s eyes, assisting with the meal beside us, were almost fixed on the balcony.
Her shoulder flinched at every occasional small chirp or wing flutter.
Knock, knock—
The light knocking that broke the silence rang out.
Vis opened the door cautiously and said, bowing.
“The knight named Rodney requests an audience. He says he brought the item Lady Adrian requested… What should I do?”
“Ah. Let him in.”
“Understood.”
He left, and Rodney immediately stepped inside.
“I apologize for interrupting your meal.”
“It’s fine. We were just finishing up. Would you like some tea?”
“No. I will just hand over the item and leave immediately.”
I signaled to Linda.
It meant to only bring our portion since he refused.
Understanding my meaning without words, she nodded and began clearing the empty dishes.
While the area was being tidied, we moved to the sofa.
Klen and I sat side by side and offered him the opposite seat, but Rodney shook his head and made no move to sit down.
He then took out an item well-wrapped in soft cloth from his pocket and placed it on the table.
When the cloth was undone, the herb I had dredged up from my memory appeared right before my eyes.
“What is this?”
“It is Seiran.”
“Seiran?”
Klen, who had shown and explained the herb to me himself, blinked as if he didn’t recognize it.
“Yes. It is the herb my Lady wished to have dug up.”
“Hmm.”
The light nod he gave then was not at all convincing.
He slowly examined the condition of the herb.
Only with his eyes, not touching it with his hands.
Examining it with the delicate touch of an expert would contradict the image he had cultivated so far.
“Well then, since the herb has been safely delivered, I shall take my leave.”
“Good work.”
“Thank you.”
His expression as he bowed to us and left the room was unchanged from what I saw this morning.
There was even a hint of leisure, as if this simple errand was nothing.
I was disappointed by the look that was different from what I had expected.
To think I had put on an act with a heart-wrenching imagination.
“Did you need this herb?”
Klen asked, as if he had read my intention just by looking at the herb.
The question subtly implied, ‘Was that all there was to it?’
But at that moment, Linda came in with tea and cookies, so my slightly parted lips closed shut.
She had concealed her disappointment like a skilled maid and returned to her usual expression.
“You can rest now.”
“……Thank you.”
But her trying to be strong only made me feel more sorry for her.
Linda quietly left and closed the door, revealing Ebony, who was standing naturally behind it, like a statue placed there as decoration. He bowed slightly.
And when I gestured, he walked over silently and sat on the sofa opposite us.
I offered him my share of the tea.
At that, the teacup that had been next to him was moved in front of me.
“How was it?”
“It seemed he already knew the location, as he dug up the herb first. Then he briefly looked around the area but suddenly stopped and wore a look of despondency.”
“Hmm.”
“A look of despondency. To what extent?”
“If I had to compare it.”
He paused, put his hand on his chin as if searching for an appropriate expression, and bowed his head.
Then, spotting the teacup at the right moment, he picked it up and took a sip of the warm tea.
“The expression of someone who has… lost the world.”
“……”
“……”
Klen and I covering our mouths happened almost simultaneously.
I was trying to hide a hearty laugh, and Klen was probably doing the same.
My lips were trembling as I tried to hold back my laughter, but I tried my best to keep the rest of my facial muscles expressionless.
Perhaps because the expression looked so serious, Ebony continued talking earnestly.
“He had just returned from there, but he wandered around more frantically than usual.”
“Ahem.”
“Hmm.”
When our expressions finally stabilized, I moistened my lips with tea, and Klen quickly grabbed a cookie to eat.
Ebony also started eating the tea and cookie at ease.
He seemed to like the taste, as he ate quite well.
“Was there anything else unusual?”
Klen, who seemed likely to burst into laughter if he spoke right away, ate only cookies for a while before cautiously asking.
“Nothing besides occasionally stopping and observing something while wandering around.”
“……”
It seems Rodney is skilled at using magic without drawing attention.
Does he use a double layer of magic to make it invisible, considering situations where he might be witnessed?
A spy would need at least that level of skill.
After finishing his report, Ebony finished all the tea and cookies and stood up.
“I shall return to my mission now.”
“Good work.”
“Please do.”
“Yes.”
He also moved silently, approached the balcony, and disappeared from sight as if dissolving into the wind.
As I followed his movement with my gaze, the empty bird’s nest came into view.
‘He boasted about being fast, but is he not coming back today?’
Even if he returned from Caldrich today, it would be incredibly fast.
It’s impossible even on a horse known for its speed.
Well, maybe a Pegasus could do it.
Klen’s eyes were also fixed on the nest.
“So, where did Aren go?”
“……He went to the Caldrich territory.”
Since there was no need to hide it when we were alone, I answered honestly.
“Did something happen?”
“No. I was trying to confirm if he could contact me quickly if something happened… but he flew off, saying he’d show me how fast he was.”
“And he hasn’t returned yet?”
“Yes…”
Klen let out a small, quiet smile.
“I wonder if I should praise him for listening so well to his master.”
He muttered softly.
Although he felt the emptiness, he didn’t seem worried.
He must believe that as a Divine Beast, it would know how to protect itself.
I, who remembered the sight of him being easily subdued by Klen, was a little worried.
I hoped he wouldn’t be caught by a crow.
Or an eagle, or an owl.
There must be many flying monsters in the sky. I wondered if his small body could even contend with them.
“Did you deliberately send that knight into the forest?”
“Yes. I was curious what kind of reaction he would show.”
Klen changed the subject, as if to shift the somber mood.
“If Ebony’s description is accurate, the random destruction of the spell formations seems to be quite a shock.”
“Wouldn’t that reaction be proof that he is the spy?”
The mask slipping off, even for a brief moment without realizing he was being watched, resulted in a fatal mistake.
It’s rare for a mage to re-examine abandoned spell formations, but if they were cleanly gone, he should be happy.
Why wear a look of despondency?
