The interior of the Harpyrion Restaurant was as magnificent as any noble mansion. It was natural for a place that served nobles to pay attention to its interior, but few restaurants had it to this degree.
Between the antique crystal chandelier and the luxurious decorations, there was a round table covered with a white tablecloth. Elze, Shan, and the Duke of Seraph sat facing each other in front of the table, which was decorated with fresh flowers in the middle.
Because of Adam Geth, the meal time was a little later than scheduled, so the Harpyrion staff were busy making sure the food they had prepared didn't get cold.
When the appetizer plate arrived, Elze forgot the situation for a moment and her eyes sparkled. The salad bouquet made with fresh vegetables and the seafood neatly arranged and drizzled with vinaigrette sauce were truly beautiful.
Especially the salad bouquet, with its color combinations and the way the vegetables were arranged, felt like a bouquet of flowers. She thought she should ask the chef at Targayel to make something like this.
Duke Seraph didn't take off his gloves even during meals. It was against etiquette, but knowing his fastidiousness, he left it alone. Shan said bluntly.
“I don’t know if it will suit your taste, Your Excellency.”
It was a polite remark. Duke Seraph answered with a smile.
“Since it’s dinner with the Countess, I think I’ll be happy to eat whatever’s on the menu.”
But despite saying that, he only pretended to eat. Shan also only ate one or two pieces. Elze, who happily finished the appetizer and was waiting for the next course, briefly considered whether she should not eat either.
There was no special conversation until the main course was served and dessert was served. It was a strange meal where only ordinary and superficial conversations continued, and no one touched the food, but Elze ate it all by herself. After dessert was served, Duke Seraph calmly opened his mouth.
“It seems like Madam has eaten something...”
His clear blue-gray eyes looked at Shan.
“It is time to get down to business, Count Targayel.”
At those words, Elze realized that Shan and Duke Seraph had been waiting for her to finish her meal. They were strangely considerate people. Shan answered Duke Seraph only after confirming that Elze had had enough of dessert.
“What’s the main point? These are just small talk.”
Duke Seraph smiled broadly, perhaps pleased with Shan's answer.
“Yes, Count. Small talk.”
This was the beginning of a three-way confrontation.
Elze put down her fork. The clanking sound of the fork hitting the plate was the signal, and it was Duke Seraph who spoke first.
“Let’s go neatly without any mess.”
Duke Seraph rested both hands under his chin. He looked at Elze. Her blue-gray eyes, which met his gaze, were as clean and beautiful as clear glass beads. The Duke smiled and asked.
“What do you want?”
Elze was momentarily taken aback by Duke Seraph's words. Naturally, she thought he would shake her up with some flowery sweet talk. However, what he actually said was a straightforward and blunt ball. And that straight ball was thrown straight at Elze.
It wasn't that surprising. If you look closely, everything had been going according to Elze's wishes. On the surface, it was a meeting between Count Targayel and Duke Seraph, but from the beginning, the protagonist of the three-way meeting was Elze.
Elze looked at Shan furtively. He nodded slightly. It was a signal that he was letting Elze take the lead in the conversation. Elze quickly recalled in her head the things she had planned with him. She had already agreed with Shan on how far she would go in speaking and what kind of cards she would show.
What she wanted was simple and clear. Elze looked straight into Seraph's eyes and said.
“First of all, there is something I need to clear up.”
Duke Seraph smiled faintly. He asked, brushing back his platinum hair that had fallen slightly.
“What are you talking about?”
Elze could sense it in his amused blue-gray eyes. He asked, even though he knew what Elze was going to say.
Anyway, Elze was not the type to beat around the bush, and the other side wanted her to leave directly. Elze decided to leave openly. And she said one word clearly.
“Hunting competition.”
Duke Seraph couldn't hold it back and let out a small laugh. It was a laugh that was both mocking and empty. Elze continued speaking without wavering.
“I know that Your Excellency has done this.”
Duke Seraph kept giggling as if he was having so much fun. He looked like he was having so much fun that he didn't know what to do.
“You are so sure, Madam. What will you do if I say no?”
What kind of joke is this guy talking about? Elze grabbed the tail of Duke Seraph's horse as he tried to slip away.
“There’s a lot more to tell you.”
The Duke smiled prettily, folding the corners of his eyes, and asked Elze.
"For example?"
“You brought the Mazehag flower to the Crown Princess.”
“Ah...This can’t be happening.”
Duke Seraph's eyes were sadly downcast.
“I never thought you would believe that I had done something so horrible and heinous...”
He spoke softly with a sorrowful look on his face.
“Madam. My beloved sister is my blood relative. In a palace where there is no one to rely on, I am the only family member he relies on... How could I do something like that?”
Duke Seraph took a long breath and continued speaking in a moist voice.
“It makes me even more upset that you, of all people, are harboring such misunderstandings.”
I knew it would turn out like this. Elze clicked her tongue inwardly. He really was a man with a pitiful face.
Duke Seraph knew better than anyone the power of his face, and he knew exactly how to use it. Just looking at the Duke’s expression, it seemed as if Elze had made a ridiculous misunderstanding.
Who wouldn't fall for that, with that angelic face and words like that? If Elze hadn't known his dark intentions, she would have been fooled too. And she would have apologized instead.
Elze called him, thinking that if he had been an extreme actor with that beautiful face and ghostly acting skills, he would have become a great actor that no one could keep up with.
"Your Excellency."
Duke Seraph stared blankly at Elze. His watery eyes appealed to Elze about his innocence. However, Elze was not taken in by his appearance. She simply continued to speak with a calm face.
“I don’t care what Your Excellency has done so far or what you will do in the future.”
“...”
A faint tremor passed over Duke Seraph’s face. What Elze was saying now was not what he had expected.
“I just don’t want my people to be touched.”
Elze was not a good person. She did not sacrifice herself for a third party whose face she had never met, and she did not burn with indignation and a sense of justice. However, she could not tolerate anyone touching the fence that Elze had built.
Duke Seraph asked Elze's words.
“Is Her Highness the Crown Princess among those people?”
“Yes.”
He was silent for a while after hearing the answer without hesitation. His face looked like he didn't understand.
“I wonder...”
Duke Seraph, who opened his mouth after a long time, whispered slowly.
“What is it about Her Highness that so captivates Madam’s heart?”
Elze didn't answer. It seemed that Duke Seraph hadn't been expecting an answer to what she had said.
“Madam, do you know that?”
Instead, he told a completely different story.
“There are many who want to protect their own people. They are like rocks rolling around in the street.”
The Duke of Seraph held a fork in his hand. The silver fork felt unusually cold in the Duke’s hand. He placed the fork on the dessert soufflé and slowly pressed it down.
“But there aren’t many people who actually have the power to protect it. And even if they do have that power...”
The sturdy fork dug right into the center of the round soufflé. The fluffy, tender soufflé was helplessly giving its flesh to the fork.
The Duke of Seraph had no intention of eating the soufflé from the beginning. He was just poking at it for fun, which was unpleasant. The Duke put his fork down again and said with a grin.
Elze looked at the mess of a soufflé. The soufflé that had been baked nicely in the soufflé dish was now a mess.
It was a trivial act, but somehow it seemed to encapsulate the things that Duke Seraph had done so far. Elze spoke to him in a low voice.
“...What do you want to say?”
Duke Seraph looked at Elze with eyes filled with love and whispered.
“Madam’s behavior is so strange that it makes my heart ache.”
“...”
“What a noble and lofty will, contained in those beautiful blue eyes, this is truly...”
He declared in a voice that was excited by the heat.
“I don’t want to break it?”
Before Elze could answer, the Duke continued speaking in a quick voice.
“My heart is pounding with excitement at seeing those firm eyes crumble, shedding tears and suffering, pleading with me.”
And then he spoke to Elze as if confessing his feelings with a gaze full of gloomy affection.
“My perfect blue.”
“This son of a bitch...”
Elze, who had been absentmindedly watching Duke Seraph's offensive, suddenly heard the unexpected words and turned to Shan in surprise. Shan made an excuse with a calm expression.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Your Excellency. I was just thinking about it, but I blurted it out without thinking.”
Duke Seraph, who accepted the excuse, was also incredibly calm. He responded with a smile.
“I understand.”
He couldn't figure out what he meant by understanding. Shan, who had been leaning back leisurely, leaned slightly toward Duke Seraph, placing both arms on the table. He began to speak on Elze's behalf.
“Your Excellency would not want to make this matter public. Neither would I.”
Shan continued speaking in a low but clear voice.
“Our demands are simple. First, no more interference with Targayel.”
Unlike Duke Seraph, who spoke fluently and smoothly, Shan's syllables were distinct. His words felt stiff and stuck in the ears.
“Second, make sure that the Count of Epernon is not sentenced to death at his trial. He doesn’t even have to go as far as being acquitted; just spare his life. And third...”
Shan stopped talking. After a moment of silence, he brought out the words that needed the most emphasis.
“Hands off Her Highness the Crown Princess and.”
Duke Seraph didn't even give it a second thought. He refused outright.
“It’s impossible.”
Then he added some subtle words and tried to persuade me.
“But wouldn’t it be possible to negotiate? A compromise where both sides can come up with a better outcome for each other... something like that?”
"Your Excellency."
But Shan was one of those who was not taken in by Duke Seraph. He said with a look on his face that said, “Don’t try to trick me.”
“There is no negotiation. If you don’t accept it, it’s a breakdown.”
"Yes."
It seemed that the Duke had not expected persuasion either. Duke Seraph continued speaking in a calm tone.
“Then I will reveal the truth that the Countess Elijah’s Elze.”
But the words that came out were anything but ordinary.
“Under the watchful eyes of all, under the whole world.”
Elze opened her mouth slightly and slowly bit it. Duke Seraph chuckled at Elze’s appearance.
“As far as I know, there were some things that would have been a bit difficult if I revealed the truth.”
“...”
“Ah, His Highness the Crown Prince must be very disappointed right now. The Count he trusted so much has completely hidden such a big secret from him.”
As Duke Seraph finished speaking with a bright smile, the surroundings became cold. Shan slowly opened his mouth.
"Your Excellency."
Duke Seraph waited for Shan to speak as if to say something. Shan spoke in a suppressed voice.
“...I can tolerate anything else you touch.”
Shan's eyes were sharp and cold, like broken shards of ice. He growled with a terrifying glare.
“But not my wife, Your Excellency.”
Duke Seraph smiled and asked back.
"So?"
He threw his head back and put both his hands out to the side. The Duke spoke, completely defenseless.
“If I touch your wife, what will you do? Will you kill me?”
“No way.”
A clear voice answered in place of Shan. The voice was clearly different from Shan’s low tones, and the Duke of Seraph looked at Elze. Elze smiled as the Duke had done.
“How can you say such horrible things? If anyone heard us, they would think we are extremely evil people.”
As expected, Duke Seraph was not someone who could be solved through dialogue. He could not be defeated by attacking him with common sense. So Elze decided to go out of her way as planned. Elze said, waving her hands.
“Shall we share a light story to lighten the mood?”
Duke Seraph's eyes narrowed as he felt something strange in Elze's words. Elze met his gaze and opened her mouth as if she knew nothing.
“They say the capital is swarming with thieves these days.”
There was a reason why she called Duke Seraph to the Harpyrion Restaurant. There was a reason why she took as long as possible to eat the course meal and keep the conversation going. So this should be enough for now. Elze continued speaking in a soft voice.
“It is said that thieves who raid nobles’ mansions for money sometimes steal important secrets as well, and some people suffer because of that.”
“Now... what.”
A large crack appeared on Duke Seraph's face for the first time. He spoke with a distorted look in his eyes.
“What have you done?”
Elze smiled at him and asked him a question.
“Have you finished your work well, Your Excellency?”
The Seraphs' employees had a strong sense of pride in their master, Enoch Seraph.
Their master was someone who even the most arrogant nobles looked up to. No matter how tall and tall they were, the moment they set foot in the Duke Seraph's residence, they would naturally bow their backs in fear.
And what a beautiful appearance that is!
Duke Seraph, whose appearance was so beautiful that it was almost holy, made people nod their heads in agreement even to the groundless rumors that he was the incarnation of an angel, the symbol of the Seraph family.
However, many employees who do not serve the Duke closely think that way, and when you peel away the pretty outer shell, the hidden reality is not so beautiful.
The maids, who suffered from the Duke's obsessive-compulsive disorder, were forced to clean flawlessly, and the maids and servants who served them trembled in fear of making even the smallest mistake.
The employees who knew even the most secret hobbies of the Duke of Seraph were always walking around with pale, corpse-like faces. They were all prepared to be buried in the Duke's mansion.
It wasn't because of loyalty. They had no choice but to follow orders because they knew what kind of future would unfold the moment they made a single mistake, as their weaknesses were known. In fact, they were no different from puppets.
But all of this was a secret, and those who did not know were simply happy to serve a successful master.
The soldiers guarding the Duke's mansion today were also among those who knew nothing. Because Duke Seraph was out, the most important of the knights followed the Duke and the rest guarded the mansion.
The atmosphere in the mansion was a little chaotic, as it was rare for the Duke Seraph to have dinner with someone. However, no matter how chaotic it was, it was the Duke Seraph’s residence. The soldiers patrolling the back garden in pairs were not letting their guard down.
It was then that a cute voice was heard along with a light tap from behind.
“Excuse me, Sir.”
“Ugh!”
The two soldiers looked back in surprise. The person who approached them from behind without making a sound was a cute girl.
The girl wearing a large coat that didn't fit her body didn't look like a noblewoman. She didn't look like a maid doing chores either. Crucially, she was wearing a black mask that covered half of her face. The girl, who was suspicious at first glance, blinked at the two soldiers observing her.
“What, what! How did you get in here!!”
When one of the bewildered soldiers asked, brandishing his sword, the girl grinned like a mischievous child and asked,
“They say the Duke here is such a pervert. Is that true?”
The soldier was about to shout something in shock at the outrageous remark.
“...?”
He felt something hot and deep. The soldier looked at his comrade next to him. He was looking at him with wide eyes. A large arrow was piercing his comrade's neck.
“!!”
That was the end of the two soldiers. Thump, thump, there were two heavy crashes. The girl shrugged and gestured into the darkness.
"Let's go."
The faint movement of the girl's hand moved silently. Two of them slowly appeared. A slender and handsome man and a muscular and large man. They were wearing sharp clothes that fit their bodies well, and like the girl, they were wearing masks that covered half of their faces.
The large man lifted one corpse in each hand and hid it gently among the bushes. Then, catching his breath, he asked the girl.
“Is this really it?”
Instead of answering, the girl frowned and grumbled.
“It’s hard to take stupid kids with you. Oh, except for Rapine.”
“What, this little brat...!”
“Tarkun, Ivanna. On a mission.”
Tarkun and Ivanna fell silent at Rapine's words. Rapine sent a signal to Epen, who was keeping quiet, and urged Ivanna on.
“I can’t afford this.”
“Right, let’s hurry up and rob the house and go home.”
Ivanna pouted and took the lead. She walked briskly as if she had come to her own home, and found the side door through which the maids and servants came and went.
“Uh, the lock...”
Ivanna frowned. It was late and the lock on the side door seemed to be locked.
“Should I break it?”
"Ah..."
“Ivanna!”
Tarkun quickly approached Ivanna. Ivanna muttered with a pale face.
“This crazy kid...”
“Ivanna, what’s wrong?”
Rapine asked calmly. Ivanna barely managed to spit out the answer.
“Duke Seraph... was in collusion with Heglatan.”
He pulled down the mask that Rapine was wearing with his hand and slowly asked again.
“Are you talking about Heglatan?”
Ivanna nodded. Rapine and Tarkun's faces hardened simultaneously.
The Elijah Mercenary was a major player in the Hundred Years' War, standing at the forefront of the Baluar camp against Heglatan, and making a lot of money during that time.
But they never missed the Hundred Years' War, because they had experienced countless tragedies and disasters more keenly than anyone else.
Living each day without any promise of tomorrow, they went back and forth between life and death every day. It was a peace that they had painstakingly achieved while soaking their whole body in the smell of blood. Duke Seraph was trying to start that kind of war again.
“Why?”
Tarkun clenched his teeth. Deep anger surged beneath his eyes.
“Why is this kid trying to start a war again?”
Rapine answered Tarkun's question, which he could not understand, in a soft voice.
“While Crown Prince Raymond was the commander-in-chief and fighting the Hundred Years’ War, the capital was empty. During that time, Duke Seraph was the one guarding the palace.”
Ivanna sighed and continued Rapine's words.
“He missed the days when he was Emperor.”
The old and sick Emperor had long since been as good as dead. In the palace without the Crown Prince, Duke Seraph would have acted as Emperor.
When you think about it, it was natural that Duke Seraph would push away the foolish Raymond and covet the throne. It was surprising that the Duke, who was so confident and arrogant, had been bowing down to Crown Prince Raymond all this time.
The three of them were silent for a moment. The bloody smell of the battlefield that had approached them faintly tickled their nostrils, sending a chill down their spines. The first to come to their senses was Rapine. He took the book and letter from Ivanna’s hands and spoke.
“I think it would be a good idea to take this with you. Is there anything else that would be useful?”
Tarkun said, looking around.
“There’s nothing that catches my eye right away. And it seems like quite some time has passed.”
“Yes. Let’s go find Kalia in the basement and join them.”
As Tarkun and Rapine were leaving the office, Ivanna quickly grabbed them.
“Oh, wait a minute.”
Ivanna unfolded the hem of her coat. Inside were numerous glass bottles. Ivanna took one out.
“It would be a shame if you just left.”
She laughed like a rascal, shaking the glass bottle in her hand.
“Let’s hold a little event.”
Between the antique crystal chandelier and the luxurious decorations, there was a round table covered with a white tablecloth. Elze, Shan, and the Duke of Seraph sat facing each other in front of the table, which was decorated with fresh flowers in the middle.
Because of Adam Geth, the meal time was a little later than scheduled, so the Harpyrion staff were busy making sure the food they had prepared didn't get cold.
When the appetizer plate arrived, Elze forgot the situation for a moment and her eyes sparkled. The salad bouquet made with fresh vegetables and the seafood neatly arranged and drizzled with vinaigrette sauce were truly beautiful.
Especially the salad bouquet, with its color combinations and the way the vegetables were arranged, felt like a bouquet of flowers. She thought she should ask the chef at Targayel to make something like this.
Duke Seraph didn't take off his gloves even during meals. It was against etiquette, but knowing his fastidiousness, he left it alone. Shan said bluntly.
“I don’t know if it will suit your taste, Your Excellency.”
It was a polite remark. Duke Seraph answered with a smile.
“Since it’s dinner with the Countess, I think I’ll be happy to eat whatever’s on the menu.”
But despite saying that, he only pretended to eat. Shan also only ate one or two pieces. Elze, who happily finished the appetizer and was waiting for the next course, briefly considered whether she should not eat either.
There was no special conversation until the main course was served and dessert was served. It was a strange meal where only ordinary and superficial conversations continued, and no one touched the food, but Elze ate it all by herself. After dessert was served, Duke Seraph calmly opened his mouth.
“It seems like Madam has eaten something...”
His clear blue-gray eyes looked at Shan.
“It is time to get down to business, Count Targayel.”
At those words, Elze realized that Shan and Duke Seraph had been waiting for her to finish her meal. They were strangely considerate people. Shan answered Duke Seraph only after confirming that Elze had had enough of dessert.
“What’s the main point? These are just small talk.”
Duke Seraph smiled broadly, perhaps pleased with Shan's answer.
“Yes, Count. Small talk.”
This was the beginning of a three-way confrontation.
Elze put down her fork. The clanking sound of the fork hitting the plate was the signal, and it was Duke Seraph who spoke first.
“Let’s go neatly without any mess.”
Duke Seraph rested both hands under his chin. He looked at Elze. Her blue-gray eyes, which met his gaze, were as clean and beautiful as clear glass beads. The Duke smiled and asked.
“What do you want?”
Elze was momentarily taken aback by Duke Seraph's words. Naturally, she thought he would shake her up with some flowery sweet talk. However, what he actually said was a straightforward and blunt ball. And that straight ball was thrown straight at Elze.
It wasn't that surprising. If you look closely, everything had been going according to Elze's wishes. On the surface, it was a meeting between Count Targayel and Duke Seraph, but from the beginning, the protagonist of the three-way meeting was Elze.
Elze looked at Shan furtively. He nodded slightly. It was a signal that he was letting Elze take the lead in the conversation. Elze quickly recalled in her head the things she had planned with him. She had already agreed with Shan on how far she would go in speaking and what kind of cards she would show.
What she wanted was simple and clear. Elze looked straight into Seraph's eyes and said.
“First of all, there is something I need to clear up.”
Duke Seraph smiled faintly. He asked, brushing back his platinum hair that had fallen slightly.
“What are you talking about?”
Elze could sense it in his amused blue-gray eyes. He asked, even though he knew what Elze was going to say.
Anyway, Elze was not the type to beat around the bush, and the other side wanted her to leave directly. Elze decided to leave openly. And she said one word clearly.
“Hunting competition.”
Duke Seraph couldn't hold it back and let out a small laugh. It was a laugh that was both mocking and empty. Elze continued speaking without wavering.
“I know that Your Excellency has done this.”
Duke Seraph kept giggling as if he was having so much fun. He looked like he was having so much fun that he didn't know what to do.
“You are so sure, Madam. What will you do if I say no?”
What kind of joke is this guy talking about? Elze grabbed the tail of Duke Seraph's horse as he tried to slip away.
“There’s a lot more to tell you.”
The Duke smiled prettily, folding the corners of his eyes, and asked Elze.
"For example?"
“You brought the Mazehag flower to the Crown Princess.”
“Ah...This can’t be happening.”
Duke Seraph's eyes were sadly downcast.
“I never thought you would believe that I had done something so horrible and heinous...”
He spoke softly with a sorrowful look on his face.
“Madam. My beloved sister is my blood relative. In a palace where there is no one to rely on, I am the only family member he relies on... How could I do something like that?”
Duke Seraph took a long breath and continued speaking in a moist voice.
“It makes me even more upset that you, of all people, are harboring such misunderstandings.”
I knew it would turn out like this. Elze clicked her tongue inwardly. He really was a man with a pitiful face.
Duke Seraph knew better than anyone the power of his face, and he knew exactly how to use it. Just looking at the Duke’s expression, it seemed as if Elze had made a ridiculous misunderstanding.
Who wouldn't fall for that, with that angelic face and words like that? If Elze hadn't known his dark intentions, she would have been fooled too. And she would have apologized instead.
Elze called him, thinking that if he had been an extreme actor with that beautiful face and ghostly acting skills, he would have become a great actor that no one could keep up with.
"Your Excellency."
Duke Seraph stared blankly at Elze. His watery eyes appealed to Elze about his innocence. However, Elze was not taken in by his appearance. She simply continued to speak with a calm face.
“I don’t care what Your Excellency has done so far or what you will do in the future.”
“...”
A faint tremor passed over Duke Seraph’s face. What Elze was saying now was not what he had expected.
“I just don’t want my people to be touched.”
Elze was not a good person. She did not sacrifice herself for a third party whose face she had never met, and she did not burn with indignation and a sense of justice. However, she could not tolerate anyone touching the fence that Elze had built.
Duke Seraph asked Elze's words.
“Is Her Highness the Crown Princess among those people?”
“Yes.”
He was silent for a while after hearing the answer without hesitation. His face looked like he didn't understand.
“I wonder...”
Duke Seraph, who opened his mouth after a long time, whispered slowly.
“What is it about Her Highness that so captivates Madam’s heart?”
Elze didn't answer. It seemed that Duke Seraph hadn't been expecting an answer to what she had said.
“Madam, do you know that?”
Instead, he told a completely different story.
“There are many who want to protect their own people. They are like rocks rolling around in the street.”
The Duke of Seraph held a fork in his hand. The silver fork felt unusually cold in the Duke’s hand. He placed the fork on the dessert soufflé and slowly pressed it down.
“But there aren’t many people who actually have the power to protect it. And even if they do have that power...”
The sturdy fork dug right into the center of the round soufflé. The fluffy, tender soufflé was helplessly giving its flesh to the fork.
The Duke of Seraph had no intention of eating the soufflé from the beginning. He was just poking at it for fun, which was unpleasant. The Duke put his fork down again and said with a grin.
“No one before me has been able to defend it.”
It was a trivial act, but somehow it seemed to encapsulate the things that Duke Seraph had done so far. Elze spoke to him in a low voice.
“...What do you want to say?”
Duke Seraph looked at Elze with eyes filled with love and whispered.
“Madam’s behavior is so strange that it makes my heart ache.”
“...”
“What a noble and lofty will, contained in those beautiful blue eyes, this is truly...”
He declared in a voice that was excited by the heat.
“I don’t want to break it?”
Before Elze could answer, the Duke continued speaking in a quick voice.
“My heart is pounding with excitement at seeing those firm eyes crumble, shedding tears and suffering, pleading with me.”
And then he spoke to Elze as if confessing his feelings with a gaze full of gloomy affection.
“My perfect blue.”
“This son of a bitch...”
Elze, who had been absentmindedly watching Duke Seraph's offensive, suddenly heard the unexpected words and turned to Shan in surprise. Shan made an excuse with a calm expression.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Your Excellency. I was just thinking about it, but I blurted it out without thinking.”
Duke Seraph, who accepted the excuse, was also incredibly calm. He responded with a smile.
“I understand.”
He couldn't figure out what he meant by understanding. Shan, who had been leaning back leisurely, leaned slightly toward Duke Seraph, placing both arms on the table. He began to speak on Elze's behalf.
“Your Excellency would not want to make this matter public. Neither would I.”
Shan continued speaking in a low but clear voice.
“Our demands are simple. First, no more interference with Targayel.”
Unlike Duke Seraph, who spoke fluently and smoothly, Shan's syllables were distinct. His words felt stiff and stuck in the ears.
“Second, make sure that the Count of Epernon is not sentenced to death at his trial. He doesn’t even have to go as far as being acquitted; just spare his life. And third...”
Shan stopped talking. After a moment of silence, he brought out the words that needed the most emphasis.
“Hands off Her Highness the Crown Princess and.”
Duke Seraph didn't even give it a second thought. He refused outright.
“It’s impossible.”
Then he added some subtle words and tried to persuade me.
“But wouldn’t it be possible to negotiate? A compromise where both sides can come up with a better outcome for each other... something like that?”
"Your Excellency."
But Shan was one of those who was not taken in by Duke Seraph. He said with a look on his face that said, “Don’t try to trick me.”
“There is no negotiation. If you don’t accept it, it’s a breakdown.”
"Yes."
It seemed that the Duke had not expected persuasion either. Duke Seraph continued speaking in a calm tone.
“Then I will reveal the truth that the Countess Elijah’s Elze.”
But the words that came out were anything but ordinary.
“Under the watchful eyes of all, under the whole world.”
Elze opened her mouth slightly and slowly bit it. Duke Seraph chuckled at Elze’s appearance.
“As far as I know, there were some things that would have been a bit difficult if I revealed the truth.”
“...”
“Ah, His Highness the Crown Prince must be very disappointed right now. The Count he trusted so much has completely hidden such a big secret from him.”
As Duke Seraph finished speaking with a bright smile, the surroundings became cold. Shan slowly opened his mouth.
"Your Excellency."
Duke Seraph waited for Shan to speak as if to say something. Shan spoke in a suppressed voice.
“...I can tolerate anything else you touch.”
Shan's eyes were sharp and cold, like broken shards of ice. He growled with a terrifying glare.
“But not my wife, Your Excellency.”
Duke Seraph smiled and asked back.
"So?"
He threw his head back and put both his hands out to the side. The Duke spoke, completely defenseless.
“If I touch your wife, what will you do? Will you kill me?”
“No way.”
A clear voice answered in place of Shan. The voice was clearly different from Shan’s low tones, and the Duke of Seraph looked at Elze. Elze smiled as the Duke had done.
“How can you say such horrible things? If anyone heard us, they would think we are extremely evil people.”
As expected, Duke Seraph was not someone who could be solved through dialogue. He could not be defeated by attacking him with common sense. So Elze decided to go out of her way as planned. Elze said, waving her hands.
“Shall we share a light story to lighten the mood?”
Duke Seraph's eyes narrowed as he felt something strange in Elze's words. Elze met his gaze and opened her mouth as if she knew nothing.
“They say the capital is swarming with thieves these days.”
There was a reason why she called Duke Seraph to the Harpyrion Restaurant. There was a reason why she took as long as possible to eat the course meal and keep the conversation going. So this should be enough for now. Elze continued speaking in a soft voice.
“It is said that thieves who raid nobles’ mansions for money sometimes steal important secrets as well, and some people suffer because of that.”
“Now... what.”
A large crack appeared on Duke Seraph's face for the first time. He spoke with a distorted look in his eyes.
“What have you done?”
Elze smiled at him and asked him a question.
“Have you finished your work well, Your Excellency?”
***
The Seraphs' employees had a strong sense of pride in their master, Enoch Seraph.
Their master was someone who even the most arrogant nobles looked up to. No matter how tall and tall they were, the moment they set foot in the Duke Seraph's residence, they would naturally bow their backs in fear.
And what a beautiful appearance that is!
Duke Seraph, whose appearance was so beautiful that it was almost holy, made people nod their heads in agreement even to the groundless rumors that he was the incarnation of an angel, the symbol of the Seraph family.
However, many employees who do not serve the Duke closely think that way, and when you peel away the pretty outer shell, the hidden reality is not so beautiful.
The maids, who suffered from the Duke's obsessive-compulsive disorder, were forced to clean flawlessly, and the maids and servants who served them trembled in fear of making even the smallest mistake.
The employees who knew even the most secret hobbies of the Duke of Seraph were always walking around with pale, corpse-like faces. They were all prepared to be buried in the Duke's mansion.
It wasn't because of loyalty. They had no choice but to follow orders because they knew what kind of future would unfold the moment they made a single mistake, as their weaknesses were known. In fact, they were no different from puppets.
But all of this was a secret, and those who did not know were simply happy to serve a successful master.
The soldiers guarding the Duke's mansion today were also among those who knew nothing. Because Duke Seraph was out, the most important of the knights followed the Duke and the rest guarded the mansion.
The atmosphere in the mansion was a little chaotic, as it was rare for the Duke Seraph to have dinner with someone. However, no matter how chaotic it was, it was the Duke Seraph’s residence. The soldiers patrolling the back garden in pairs were not letting their guard down.
It was then that a cute voice was heard along with a light tap from behind.
“Excuse me, Sir.”
“Ugh!”
The two soldiers looked back in surprise. The person who approached them from behind without making a sound was a cute girl.
The girl wearing a large coat that didn't fit her body didn't look like a noblewoman. She didn't look like a maid doing chores either. Crucially, she was wearing a black mask that covered half of her face. The girl, who was suspicious at first glance, blinked at the two soldiers observing her.
“What, what! How did you get in here!!”
When one of the bewildered soldiers asked, brandishing his sword, the girl grinned like a mischievous child and asked,
“They say the Duke here is such a pervert. Is that true?”
The soldier was about to shout something in shock at the outrageous remark.
“...?”
He felt something hot and deep. The soldier looked at his comrade next to him. He was looking at him with wide eyes. A large arrow was piercing his comrade's neck.
“!!”
That was the end of the two soldiers. Thump, thump, there were two heavy crashes. The girl shrugged and gestured into the darkness.
"Let's go."
The faint movement of the girl's hand moved silently. Two of them slowly appeared. A slender and handsome man and a muscular and large man. They were wearing sharp clothes that fit their bodies well, and like the girl, they were wearing masks that covered half of their faces.
The large man lifted one corpse in each hand and hid it gently among the bushes. Then, catching his breath, he asked the girl.
“Is this really it?”
Instead of answering, the girl frowned and grumbled.
“It’s hard to take stupid kids with you. Oh, except for Rapine.”
“What, this little brat...!”
“Tarkun, Ivanna. On a mission.”
Tarkun and Ivanna fell silent at Rapine's words. Rapine sent a signal to Epen, who was keeping quiet, and urged Ivanna on.
“I can’t afford this.”
“Right, let’s hurry up and rob the house and go home.”
Ivanna pouted and took the lead. She walked briskly as if she had come to her own home, and found the side door through which the maids and servants came and went.
“Uh, the lock...”
Ivanna frowned. It was late and the lock on the side door seemed to be locked.
“Should I break it?”
Ivanna shook her head at Tarkun's words. Then she took a small piece of wire out of her pocket, inserted it into the lock, and opened it without much fuss.
"Oh..."
As Tarkun exclaimed in admiration, Ivanna playfully winked and asked,
“Why do you think you’ll fall in love with me?”
“You, you, you...!”
Tarkun muttered, his face turning bright red.
“Anyway, there’s nothing that this little thing can’t do.”
“You’re just a big guy who can’t do anything.”
When the two showed signs of bickering again, Rapine reminded them again that they were on a mission. Ivanna quietly closed her mouth and began to lead the way. Invisible signs moved along with Ivanna, who was leading the way.
The mission that Elijah and Kalia received today could be summarized in one word from Tarkun: burglary. While Elze and Shan met with Duke Seraph and distracted him, they planned to completely rob the Duke’s residence.
Elze had secured a lot of evidence to put pressure on Duke Seraph, but there was nothing that could decisively move Crown Prince Raymond.
What happened to Crown Princess Iarin was not a problem for Raymond. If Crown Prince Raymond had to choose between Crown Princess Iarin and Duke Seraph, he would choose Duke Seraph.
Elze wanted something more certain, and she led the burglary.
Although the Duke's mansion was said to be heavily guarded, the difference between a house with an owner and one without an owner was huge. Even that small difference was enough for Elijah and Kalia to dig in.
Rapine, who had entered the mansion, made a quiet gesture. Then, the Kalias moved first, eliminating those they encountered along the way. When they had entered a certain depth inside the mansion, Rapine divided the group into two.
According to the map he had obtained, there was a secret space in the basement of the Duke's residence that only a few employees knew about. He doesn't know what it is, but it must not be a very open place. Elze ordered a concentrated search of the basement and the office. Rapine sent Kalia and the others down to the basement.
“Epen, please take Kalia and the others underground.”
Epen nodded and led Kalia and the others underground. Rapine confirmed that Kalia had disappeared and then whispered.
“We’re going to the office.”
Elijah and his men all made no sound and cautiously approached the office. The mansion was quiet at night. However, it was not dark because lights were hanging here and there in the hallways.
After Rapine confirmed that there was no one around, she opened the door to the office. The three people who quickly entered the room looked around, and all of them had tired expressions on their faces.
“What is this...”
Ivanna took up Tarkun's muttering and spoke softly.
“I guess he really is obsessed with perfectionism.”
The office was perfectly clean. Not a speck of dust was a given. The bookshelves that covered the walls of the study were arranged so neatly that they looked like straight lines, almost like sharp angles.
There was no desk to speak of. All sorts of documents were lined up at exactly the same intervals, sorted by type. The curtains on the large windows were drawn on both sides, and the number of pleats, the position of the tassel decorations, and even the direction were all the same.
There were other creepy corners, but the most impressive was the carpet on the floor. The carpet was white. Although it had a pattern of blue and gold, the white area was so large that you could tell right away if it got even a little dirty. The scariest thing was that the white carpet was so clean that it looked bluish.
“Does this kid buy new carpets every day?”
“That might be the case.”
Rapine nodded to Ivanna's serious question, and Tarkun strode briskly across the carpet. His large, black footprints clacked against the white carpet as he walked. Ivanna was so surprised that she couldn't stop Tarkun and called him out awkwardly.
“Uh, uh uh... Hey...”
Tarkun shook his head, looked around the office, then nodded.
“What are you doing? You’re going to wake them up.”
“...”
Sometimes, that simple-minded nature was useful. Ivanna and Rapine looked at each other, then followed Tarkun and put their feet on the white carpet.
From then on, it was unstoppable. While Rapine was watching closely for signs of approaching the office, Ivanna and Tarkun searched the office. Tarkun, who was rummaging through the neatly organized mailbox, picked up a piece of paper and made a face.
“Hmm...”
“Why? Did you find something?”
At Ivanna's words, Tarkun handed her a piece of paper. It was a letter with very ordinary content.
-The weather has been chilly lately. As we transition from fall to winter, it is the time when we need to take the most care of our health. I am always worried about you. I hope to see you again sometime, Enoch Seraph.-
The letter, which ended with a few short sentences, had no recipient or sender. There was no trace of a wax seal. Tarkun tried to put it back in its place, but Ivanna stopped his hand.
"Wait for a sec."
Ivanna read the contents of the letter carefully again.
“Why? Let’s not waste time on useless things.”
Ivanna asked quietly at Tarkun's calm words.
“Tarkun. Do you think there is a friend who would send such a critical letter to Duke Seraph?”
“Absolutely not.”
After answering, Tarkun's eyes widened as he realized something strange. Ivanna spoke briefly.
“It’s a password. It seems to be a codebook password...”
“What is that?”
“A password that even I can’t crack.”
"What?"
When Ivanna said she couldn't do it, Tarkun and even Rapine looked at Ivanna in surprise. Ivanna chewed her lower lip and flipped the letter over and over as she spoke.
“You need a code book.”
Codebook ciphers were a type of cipher that exchanged ciphertexts by creating a codebook that paired numbers and words, or words and words. It used to be broken by reading multiple ciphertexts and finding patterns, but it was impossible to decipher with just one letter. However, it was a cipher that could be easily read if you had a codebook.
“But where did you hide the code book...”
Ivanna looked around the study anxiously. The code book could be made from any book. It was impossible to find it without any clues. Ivanna, who had been thinking with her lips pursed, suddenly raised her head and called the two people.
“Tarkun, Rapine!”
Ivanna said, clutching the letter.
“Find me the oldest book here. Something with a folded spine or otherwise showing signs of having been used a lot.”
It is impossible to change the codebook every time. It must have been used several times. Considering the nature of Duke Seraph, who keeps everything in pristine condition, it is likely that the codebook was the one he used the most.
As soon as Ivanna finished speaking, Tarkun and Rapine began to carefully examine each book, one by one. As luck would have it, Rapine quickly pulled out a book.
“They are all new and clean books, except this one, which has a slightly wrinkled corner. I’ll check to see if there are any others.”
Ivanna picked up the book without even giving Rapine a chance to answer and quickly started leafing through it. Some of the pages were slightly creased. She started comparing the letters with those pages. Ivanna, who was mumbling something to herself and trying to decipher the code, suddenly dropped the book from her hands.
"Oh..."
As Tarkun exclaimed in admiration, Ivanna playfully winked and asked,
“Why do you think you’ll fall in love with me?”
“You, you, you...!”
Tarkun muttered, his face turning bright red.
“Anyway, there’s nothing that this little thing can’t do.”
“You’re just a big guy who can’t do anything.”
When the two showed signs of bickering again, Rapine reminded them again that they were on a mission. Ivanna quietly closed her mouth and began to lead the way. Invisible signs moved along with Ivanna, who was leading the way.
The mission that Elijah and Kalia received today could be summarized in one word from Tarkun: burglary. While Elze and Shan met with Duke Seraph and distracted him, they planned to completely rob the Duke’s residence.
Elze had secured a lot of evidence to put pressure on Duke Seraph, but there was nothing that could decisively move Crown Prince Raymond.
What happened to Crown Princess Iarin was not a problem for Raymond. If Crown Prince Raymond had to choose between Crown Princess Iarin and Duke Seraph, he would choose Duke Seraph.
Elze wanted something more certain, and she led the burglary.
Although the Duke's mansion was said to be heavily guarded, the difference between a house with an owner and one without an owner was huge. Even that small difference was enough for Elijah and Kalia to dig in.
Rapine, who had entered the mansion, made a quiet gesture. Then, the Kalias moved first, eliminating those they encountered along the way. When they had entered a certain depth inside the mansion, Rapine divided the group into two.
According to the map he had obtained, there was a secret space in the basement of the Duke's residence that only a few employees knew about. He doesn't know what it is, but it must not be a very open place. Elze ordered a concentrated search of the basement and the office. Rapine sent Kalia and the others down to the basement.
“Epen, please take Kalia and the others underground.”
Epen nodded and led Kalia and the others underground. Rapine confirmed that Kalia had disappeared and then whispered.
“We’re going to the office.”
Elijah and his men all made no sound and cautiously approached the office. The mansion was quiet at night. However, it was not dark because lights were hanging here and there in the hallways.
After Rapine confirmed that there was no one around, she opened the door to the office. The three people who quickly entered the room looked around, and all of them had tired expressions on their faces.
“What is this...”
Ivanna took up Tarkun's muttering and spoke softly.
“I guess he really is obsessed with perfectionism.”
The office was perfectly clean. Not a speck of dust was a given. The bookshelves that covered the walls of the study were arranged so neatly that they looked like straight lines, almost like sharp angles.
There was no desk to speak of. All sorts of documents were lined up at exactly the same intervals, sorted by type. The curtains on the large windows were drawn on both sides, and the number of pleats, the position of the tassel decorations, and even the direction were all the same.
There were other creepy corners, but the most impressive was the carpet on the floor. The carpet was white. Although it had a pattern of blue and gold, the white area was so large that you could tell right away if it got even a little dirty. The scariest thing was that the white carpet was so clean that it looked bluish.
“Does this kid buy new carpets every day?”
“That might be the case.”
Rapine nodded to Ivanna's serious question, and Tarkun strode briskly across the carpet. His large, black footprints clacked against the white carpet as he walked. Ivanna was so surprised that she couldn't stop Tarkun and called him out awkwardly.
“Uh, uh uh... Hey...”
Tarkun shook his head, looked around the office, then nodded.
“What are you doing? You’re going to wake them up.”
“...”
Sometimes, that simple-minded nature was useful. Ivanna and Rapine looked at each other, then followed Tarkun and put their feet on the white carpet.
From then on, it was unstoppable. While Rapine was watching closely for signs of approaching the office, Ivanna and Tarkun searched the office. Tarkun, who was rummaging through the neatly organized mailbox, picked up a piece of paper and made a face.
“Hmm...”
“Why? Did you find something?”
At Ivanna's words, Tarkun handed her a piece of paper. It was a letter with very ordinary content.
-The weather has been chilly lately. As we transition from fall to winter, it is the time when we need to take the most care of our health. I am always worried about you. I hope to see you again sometime, Enoch Seraph.-
The letter, which ended with a few short sentences, had no recipient or sender. There was no trace of a wax seal. Tarkun tried to put it back in its place, but Ivanna stopped his hand.
"Wait for a sec."
Ivanna read the contents of the letter carefully again.
“Why? Let’s not waste time on useless things.”
Ivanna asked quietly at Tarkun's calm words.
“Tarkun. Do you think there is a friend who would send such a critical letter to Duke Seraph?”
“Absolutely not.”
After answering, Tarkun's eyes widened as he realized something strange. Ivanna spoke briefly.
“It’s a password. It seems to be a codebook password...”
“What is that?”
“A password that even I can’t crack.”
"What?"
When Ivanna said she couldn't do it, Tarkun and even Rapine looked at Ivanna in surprise. Ivanna chewed her lower lip and flipped the letter over and over as she spoke.
“You need a code book.”
Codebook ciphers were a type of cipher that exchanged ciphertexts by creating a codebook that paired numbers and words, or words and words. It used to be broken by reading multiple ciphertexts and finding patterns, but it was impossible to decipher with just one letter. However, it was a cipher that could be easily read if you had a codebook.
“But where did you hide the code book...”
Ivanna looked around the study anxiously. The code book could be made from any book. It was impossible to find it without any clues. Ivanna, who had been thinking with her lips pursed, suddenly raised her head and called the two people.
“Tarkun, Rapine!”
Ivanna said, clutching the letter.
“Find me the oldest book here. Something with a folded spine or otherwise showing signs of having been used a lot.”
It is impossible to change the codebook every time. It must have been used several times. Considering the nature of Duke Seraph, who keeps everything in pristine condition, it is likely that the codebook was the one he used the most.
As soon as Ivanna finished speaking, Tarkun and Rapine began to carefully examine each book, one by one. As luck would have it, Rapine quickly pulled out a book.
“They are all new and clean books, except this one, which has a slightly wrinkled corner. I’ll check to see if there are any others.”
Ivanna picked up the book without even giving Rapine a chance to answer and quickly started leafing through it. Some of the pages were slightly creased. She started comparing the letters with those pages. Ivanna, who was mumbling something to herself and trying to decipher the code, suddenly dropped the book from her hands.
"Ah..."
“Ivanna!”
Tarkun quickly approached Ivanna. Ivanna muttered with a pale face.
“This crazy kid...”
“Ivanna, what’s wrong?”
Rapine asked calmly. Ivanna barely managed to spit out the answer.
“Duke Seraph... was in collusion with Heglatan.”
He pulled down the mask that Rapine was wearing with his hand and slowly asked again.
“Are you talking about Heglatan?”
Ivanna nodded. Rapine and Tarkun's faces hardened simultaneously.
The Elijah Mercenary was a major player in the Hundred Years' War, standing at the forefront of the Baluar camp against Heglatan, and making a lot of money during that time.
But they never missed the Hundred Years' War, because they had experienced countless tragedies and disasters more keenly than anyone else.
Living each day without any promise of tomorrow, they went back and forth between life and death every day. It was a peace that they had painstakingly achieved while soaking their whole body in the smell of blood. Duke Seraph was trying to start that kind of war again.
“Why?”
Tarkun clenched his teeth. Deep anger surged beneath his eyes.
“Why is this kid trying to start a war again?”
Rapine answered Tarkun's question, which he could not understand, in a soft voice.
“While Crown Prince Raymond was the commander-in-chief and fighting the Hundred Years’ War, the capital was empty. During that time, Duke Seraph was the one guarding the palace.”
Ivanna sighed and continued Rapine's words.
“He missed the days when he was Emperor.”
The old and sick Emperor had long since been as good as dead. In the palace without the Crown Prince, Duke Seraph would have acted as Emperor.
When you think about it, it was natural that Duke Seraph would push away the foolish Raymond and covet the throne. It was surprising that the Duke, who was so confident and arrogant, had been bowing down to Crown Prince Raymond all this time.
The three of them were silent for a moment. The bloody smell of the battlefield that had approached them faintly tickled their nostrils, sending a chill down their spines. The first to come to their senses was Rapine. He took the book and letter from Ivanna’s hands and spoke.
“I think it would be a good idea to take this with you. Is there anything else that would be useful?”
Tarkun said, looking around.
“There’s nothing that catches my eye right away. And it seems like quite some time has passed.”
“Yes. Let’s go find Kalia in the basement and join them.”
As Tarkun and Rapine were leaving the office, Ivanna quickly grabbed them.
“Oh, wait a minute.”
Ivanna unfolded the hem of her coat. Inside were numerous glass bottles. Ivanna took one out.
“It would be a shame if you just left.”
She laughed like a rascal, shaking the glass bottle in her hand.
“Let’s hold a little event.”
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