"For me?"
"I have a favor to ask. If I were to leave this mansion for any reason, wouId it be possible for Cedric to stay behind?"
"Are you leaving?"
Cedric swallowed dryly.
Bridget smiled a calm, inscrutable smile.
"I'll leave my name. I don't want to give up the position of hostess to Penelope."
Cedric guessed that Bridget was trying to go to her parents' house.
It wasn't a very good idea if she wanted to preserve her position as a Countess.
There was no way Bridget didn't know that. That's why she asked for such a favor, but Cedric was worried and couldn't help but try to stop her.
"Do you really have to leave? The master is still talking about divorce like that."
"I have some circumstances. So, while I'm away, please make sure Penelope doesn't act like the mistress of this place."
Bridget added secretly.
"I want Cedric to be my eyes. If you do, I will reward you with a satisfactory reward."
It was an unusual request.
He had a feeling something complicated was going to happen.
Cedric wanted to help Bridget, but he was more anxious to leave Isaac.
He was ashamed to ask Bridget, who trusted him, so he politely declined.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think any compensation will satisfy me while I'm here. All I want is for the place I manage to be remembered as a place to be proud of."
There was nothing to be proud of here right now, and it disappointed him greatly.
Nothing seemed worth it to him unless he cut down the rotten tree called Isaac and pulled up the weed called Penelope.
But Bridget nodded with a knowing look on her face.
"Yes. That will be the reward I will give to Cedric."
"Yes?"
Cedric blinked, momentarily speechless.
"Are you still going to refuse my request?"
Bridget was saying that she would kick Isaac and Penelope out of the mansion.
***
At that time, a quiet rural farm a little way from the capital.
This was where the Duke of Linchester had recently been staying under the pretense of recuperation.
He was living a glamorous life, dominating the political world with his older sister and Queen Dowager Josephine, until Julian rebelled and became King.
It was known that he was now living quietly on a remote rural farm, recovering from declining health and not meeting anyone.
There were open rumors that he would soon retire and hand over the title to his successor.
But in reality, that wasn't the case.
"It seems that Chancellor Langston's movements are unusual."
The farm's warehouse was bustling with nobles.
Although it looked like an old warehouse on the outside, the interior was as luxurious as the conference room of a magnificent mansion.
Among them sat the Duke of Linchester, looking perfectly healthy and not at all sick.
Although he had a thin body and white hair, his eyes were as sharp and powerful as those of young people.
He swept his supporters over with his eagle-like eyes.
His adjutant continued to report to him in front of the crowd.
"The Military Inspectorate has launched a major military investigation. They say there have been suspicious individuals hanging around the Count of Kensington's upper echelons. I suspect they are people on Chancellor Langston's side."
The Duke of Linchester, who had been listening quietly, lit his pipe and straightened his posture with a displeased expression.
"Tsk, I wonder how such a fat and stupid dog could smell something."
The Duke of Linchester was of the opinion that the Marquis of Langston, whom Julian had appointed as his chancellor, was not very capable.
That made him even angrier.
How did the despised Chancellor Langston learn of the Count of Kensington's corruption and launch an investigation?
As long as Julian was Kinh, the army was in complete darkness.
To Julian, who could annihilate the enemy by bringing out legion-level fighting power even when going into battle alone with nothing, the military had little meaning.
The soldiers all returned from the battlefield as Julian quelled the war with the Kingdom of Pelons, which had lasted for decades, in just a few months.
No one was worried about war these days.
The military's primary mission shifted from waging war to defending the nation, and a major reorganization o lf the system became necessary.
However, Julian, the head of state, did nothing after the purge. The prime minister was barely able to maintain the regime that had been established through rebellion.
Knowing this situation, the Duke of Linchester had been embezzling military supplies without anyone knowing-
The current military organization is disorganized and disorderly, but there is an abundance of blind wealth, making it perfect for stealing and exploiting.
But for some reason, Julian eliminated the Count of Kensington without warning, and the Chancellor began investigating the Count of Kensington.
"What does Julian Blake know?"
"I'm worried that if we continue like this, we'll all be involved and even the rest of us will be purged."
"I'm still crawling on the floor, barely holding on to my life.."
The Duke of Linchester's supporters were in an uproar.
After muttering and trembling anxiously for a while, they all looked at the Duke, hoping he would say something.
The Duke of Linchester, who had silently smoking his cigarette, spoke quietly but powerfully after a long silence.
"We're already at the edge of the cliff. There is nowhere else we can go. What can we do? We have to turn the tables."
"Ho can you say that? It's hard to even survive because of that damn shadow curse."
"I plan to give a bow to an enemy that cannot be attacked even with the Shadow curse."
The Duke of Linchester smiled slyly.
***
Entering Julian's bedroom, Milea opened the curtains and opened the window as usual.
"Have a meal."
She also thought that Julian, who had not slept all night, would be curled in bed, neither asleep nor awake.
But the answer came from a completely different direction.
"The zookeeper has arrived."
Julian, drenched in sweat despite the still-cold wind, opened the other door and came in.
"You came back from early morning training."
Millea was delighted.
"The food will cool down while you wash it, so I'll reheat it for you."
Julian's condition has been quite good these past few days.
There were no seizures or hemoptysis, and there was less evidence of him resorting to alcohol to relieve his suffering.
What influence might it have?
Millea thought of Bridget, who had been running around busily a few days ago, trying to remove the magic of the sediment.
Because the sediment has been purified? Or the effect of Bridgetbherself?
It could be both, or it could be neither.
Millea doesn't know for sure, but it's good that His Majesty has regained his energy.
Millea felt glad to see the old, loyal Julian again after such a long time.
He had been waiting listlessly for de lath, but for some reason, he seemed to be gaining strength again recently.
Julian threw his sword down on the floor and took off his outer garments. He glanced at Millea, who was collecting them without showing any sign of annoyance.
"Are you going out?"
Millea, who wears maid's attire when she's at the palace, was wearing casual clothes today.
Julian, who usually acted like he had no interest in her, asked her something like that today.
Of course, she knew that not asking didn't mean he wasn't actually interested.
Even without saying anything or showing it, Milea often felt that Julian knew her every move.
'I think the Shadow Knight was attached to me.'
The Shadow Knight is unable to tell Julian what he has seen and heard, but he seems to play a role in signaling to Julian when Millea is in danger or when he meets someone.
Just by continuously summoning and using Shadow Knights like that, Julian's lifespan will decrease.
But Millea couldn't stop Julian.
Because she knew the fear he had.
He's afraid of what might happen to Millea when she's out of sight.
Julian was a man who would sacrifice his life to protect those precious to him.
It wasn't this bad when he was younger, but his obsession grew stronger three years ago when he barely escaped the last of Josephine's assassins.
"I'm going to visit my parent's house for a bit. I'll check on Eric and..."
Millea added, observing Julian's expression closely.
"I'll also meet Bridget."
Millea watched Julian's gaze wander into space for a moment, his lips trembling.
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