* * *
Cassian bared his true intentions while feigning concern for Mother’s safety.
“As it happens, the missing sword is a piece made by that very blacksmith. If you could tell me why you summoned him, perhaps I could meet him first to ask if there’s a way to track the sword down? He is a low-born man who handles weapons. It’s dangerous, Mother.”
“Cassian, I believe I told you to return to your room. Did you not hear me?”
Her meaning was clear: do not utter another word regarding this matter.
Cassian had no choice but to bite his lip and take a step back.
He watched Mother’s retreating figure with an anxious gaze as she left the drawing room with Howard.
Suddenly, he clenched his fists and glared at me.
‘Glaring isn’t going to change anything.’
He looked like he wanted to vent the frustration of the blacksmith’s disappearance on me.
Since I was more than willing to accept whatever he had to say, I didn’t avoid his gaze and met it head-on.
Cassian spoke through gritted teeth.
“I’m not sure how much longer I can keep putting up with you.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, Brother.”
I replied with a feigned look of confusion.
While I planned to carry out my steps to become the head of the family one by one, I intended to act like a fool—at least on the surface.
Cassian would catch on soon enough, but making him doubt himself would buy me a little more time.
“If it turns out you are behind any of this, I will absolutely not let it slide.”
“Like I said, what on earth are you talking about? You’ve been talking about ‘putting up with me’ and ‘being behind’ things since earlier. You mentioned a blacksmith—did something happen to the man who makes your swords? And what’s this about a stolen sword? Was there a thief in your room?”
“Fine. Keep pretending to be ignorant. Keep acting so despicably in front of me. That might be the only way to prolong your life for even a little bit longer.”
He shoved past me, his shoulder hitting mine with enough force to shatter it.
Then, slam!
He closed the drawing room door with a sound so loud it nearly took the frame off and stormed away.
Once the tension broke, my legs wobbled.
When the knights tried to lead Locke away again, I stepped in front of them.
“Leave.”
“Pardon?”
“I said leave. Now.”
I spoke irritably to the knights, who were just staring at each other in bewilderment.
“Have you decided to stop listening to me altogether? I’ve lost count of how many knights have ignored me yesterday and today. Since Mother is back, perhaps I should ask her if the Hestian blood truly flows in my veins.”
The knights hesitated, then reluctantly bowed their heads and withdrew.
As soon as they closed the door, I rushed over to Locke.
“You don’t have a cramp, do you? That was tough. Let’s get back to the room quickly.”
I grabbed his arm to help him up, but his large hand brushed mine away.
Locke stood up on his own and looked down at me as if his gaze were pinning the top of my head to the floor.
“I am a man, you know.”
“Huh?”
“Is there a need to keep a male servant you dislike by your side? You should dismiss me as you just dismissed those knights and bring in a female servant instead.”
I had no idea which part of the conversation had twisted his mood this time.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to predict what would make Locke upset.
With no other choice, I followed him out of the drawing room with a sulky expression as he walked ahead of me.
“What is it this time? Is it because I didn’t tell you to stand up sooner? Or because I didn’t tell you the plan beforehand and let you worry? Hmm? What is it, seriously?”
I pestered him, asking exactly which part of the drawing room scene had bothered him.
Since he wouldn’t answer no matter how much I asked, I even grabbed his arm, shaking it and leaning my face in close with an “Eh? Eh?”
Only after dragging me all the way to the front of my room did Locke sigh and speak.
“There was nothing I disliked. The Young Master worked hard for my sake, and I am sufficiently satisfied.”
“Really? Then why do you look so full of complaints?”
“Perhaps that is simply how the Young Master wishes to see me.”
“No, it’s not!”
“Well, it’s not for me either, so please go in and rest.”
“I went through so much trouble to save you, and that’s it?”
“Would you like a kiss of gratitude then?”
I flinched. The faint pain in my lips seemed to flare up all over again.
While I stood there blinking, unable to say a word, he opened my door for me.
Feeling self-conscious, my eyes caught his full, large lips, and I scrambled into the room and shut the door.
“How can he say something like that without even blinking?”
Leaning against the door with a thump, I huffed in disbelief before quietly biting my lip.
For some reason, from the moment he said that, my heart felt tingly and restless.
A small inn in a village not far from the estate.
A carriage stopped in front of it—one of the two-wheeled carriages owned by the Hestian family.
The innkeeper came running out and guided the woman who stepped out of the carriage to the third floor.
When Howard, who accompanied her, opened the door, an elderly man sitting in a chair struggled to stand.
“I have been waiting.”
“Are you Hagen?”
“I am.”
“I have many questions, but first, let me apologize. I am sorry for putting you in such a dangerous situation.”
“Why apologize for something that did not happen?”
The two sat across from each other at a small table.
The old man, Hagen, was a blacksmith who made and repaired swords in the square.
His skill was so great that he crafted swords for many nobles, and 70% of the weapons Cassian owned were his work.
“What I want to ask is…”
The woman held out a blade fragment wrapped in cloth.
It was the piece contained in the envelope her youngest son had sent through Howard.
After examining the fragment in silence, the old man brought over a long object leaning against the wall and unwrapped the cloth.
Inside was a sword embedded with a red magic stone, but the tip was broken.
After confirming that the fragment matched the broken section of the sword he had brought, she let out a low groan.
Pressing her hand to her throbbing temple, she stood up, decided there was no need to hear more.
“I am grateful you accepted such a difficult journey. Furthermore, I hope this story does not leak out.”
“They say the mouth of an old man with no lingering attachment to life is as heavy as the weight of the years he has lived. However, Madam… may this lowly one ask one thing?”
“Speak.”
“What exactly is inside Allure’s territory?”
Upon hearing the old man’s question, her brow furrowed instantly, like someone cut by a sharp blade.
“Why do you ask that?”
“Have you ever heard the name ‘Galion’, Madam?”
“Of course. Was he not the one who crafted swords for the Imperial Family? It was said his blades never break…”
Suddenly, her expression turned deathly cold.
Hagen Galion.
In the past, he was an Enchanter who retired after vowing never to be involved with the Imperial Family again following a certain assassination incident.
It appeared the blacksmith was the one who used to craft magical tools for the Empire before his retirement.
She didn’t know why he, who had vanished like the wind, was working as a blacksmith in the square.
But at the same time, she could understand why he harbored such a doubt.
His sword, crafted with magic to never break, had snapped—he couldn’t help but be suspicious.
The woman reluctantly sat down again. She whispered quietly to Howard.
“This conversation may take a while. Ask the innkeeper to bring some tea.”
Once Howard left, she spoke. It was only information everyone already knew.
“There is a monster there that my eldest son captured. Other than that, there are only the mountain beasts that naturally live there. As you know, my eldest son enjoys hunting, so he releases captured monsters there and occasionally practices his hunting.”
“You have already realized this old man’s identity, haven’t you? My swords do not even take a scratch from a monster attack that a human can handle.”
“Then what do you think was stabbed with this sword?”
An ordinary person involving themselves in the secrets of Allure was a matter of losing one’s head.
However, he couldn’t simply ignore a matter that might involve the fate of the nation.
The blacksmith felt a smoky dryness in his throat.
Just then, Howard entered and placed a teacup in front of each of them.
After a slight bow, he quietly left the room, and as the door closed, ripples formed in the liquid within the teacups.
“Before I drink this, there is something I wish to tell you, Madam.”
The old man easily noticed that it was not ordinary tea.
The woman flinched for a moment at being caught, but she tried her best to hide her agitation.
“Go on.”
“What Lord Cassian faced… was likely the ruin of this country.”
“Ruin… what a terrifying word. Is there a specific reason you felt the need to tell me that before drinking the tea?”
“Perhaps it is the feeling that my destiny ends here. ‘He who approaches the territory of Allure shall pay for the sin with his life.’ Is that not the regulation created by the Count’s family? That is likely the reason you brought tea so suddenly.”
The woman let out a quiet sigh.
“You will not die. You will simply lose the memory of the past few days. I am also doing this against the family’s policy, so do not resent me too much.”
“You are a person of deep inner kindness, Madam. If the eldest son takes after the Count, it seems the youngest son takes after you. I must consider it my final stLocke of luck to have met you today instead of the Count. Haha.”
“I will take that as you understanding my position.”
“You must summon a High Sage soon to eliminate it. Please, do not let this old man’s words fall on deaf ears.”
Leaving behind those heavy words, the blacksmith swallowed every drop of the black tea in the cup.
After staggering for a moment, unable to steady himself, he collapsed.
The woman stood up slowly. She looked at the fallen old man with eyes full of sorrow.
“I am sorry, but I might not be able to fulfill your request.”
The pretext of protecting the family.
Would that be enough to justify the cowardly act she committed today?
Staring blankly at the empty teacup, she squeezed her eyes shut in guilt.
The wrinkles around her eyes, which had begun to settle with age, seemed to deepen significantly in just a few hours.
My father returned before the scheduled itinerary was even complete.
Now that Cassian’s crime had been brought to light, it was time to determine the punishment.
Dressed in neat attire, I waited for my father’s summons.
* * *
