After parting ways with Aaron, Perdes headed straight for the underground passage.
When he came in, his pace was slow as he had to find his way, but it wasn't the same when he left.
Knowing all the way, Perdes went forward without hesitation.
Fortunately, the underground passage was unguarded.
He hopes he can get out of this safely.
Perdes had hoped so desperately, but his hopes were dashed in less than half an hour.
This was because sturdy men, each holding a weapon in their hand, were guarding the exit of the maze.
At first glance, the number was clearly over five.
Since he was at a numerical disadvantage and had weapons, he couldn't rush in.
“Shouldn’t we search inside? Judging from the fact that he even carried a mask, he seems to know a lot about the labyrinths of the underground passages.”
“That makes sense. Then let’s split up into teams and investigate.”
As they entered, Perdes pressed himself against the wall.
Cold sweat ran down his back and his mouth went dry.
'What should I do?'
Should I run away to the casino?
Or should I attack head-on?
Perdes, who was struggling with his sweaty hands clenched, eventually chose the latter.
He figured there would be far fewer security guards here than at the casino.
'Good.'
After taking a deep breath, Perdes was about to charge towards them.
When he came in, his pace was slow as he had to find his way, but it wasn't the same when he left.
Knowing all the way, Perdes went forward without hesitation.
Fortunately, the underground passage was unguarded.
He hopes he can get out of this safely.
Perdes had hoped so desperately, but his hopes were dashed in less than half an hour.
This was because sturdy men, each holding a weapon in their hand, were guarding the exit of the maze.
At first glance, the number was clearly over five.
Since he was at a numerical disadvantage and had weapons, he couldn't rush in.
“Shouldn’t we search inside? Judging from the fact that he even carried a mask, he seems to know a lot about the labyrinths of the underground passages.”
“That makes sense. Then let’s split up into teams and investigate.”
As they entered, Perdes pressed himself against the wall.
Cold sweat ran down his back and his mouth went dry.
'What should I do?'
Should I run away to the casino?
Or should I attack head-on?
Perdes, who was struggling with his sweaty hands clenched, eventually chose the latter.
He figured there would be far fewer security guards here than at the casino.
'Good.'
After taking a deep breath, Perdes was about to charge towards them.
Thud-
“Ugh!”
A single scream echoed through the underground passage, accompanied by a heavy impact.
At this, Perdes was startled and looked at someone, who suddenly burst in and subdued the men.
She was wearing a black robe pulled down low so that her face could not be seen, but Perdes immediately recognized who she was.
How can he not know?
Thud, thud-
Her heart is beating so loudly that it clearly reveals her identity.
The woman who had subdued the men in the blink of an eye turned to look at Perdes.
As she took off the hood she was wearing, her lovely red hair flowed down.
Fresh green eyes looked at him with concern, and a pure white hand reached out toward him.
“Are you okay?”
A bright halo was visible behind Adele's back.
The sight was like an angel just descending from heaven.
“Lord Perdes?”
No, it is something greater than an angel.
Because she is his savior.
From the moment they first met until now, there has never been a time when Adele was not his savior.
I'm so glad I met her.
Perdes smiled brightly and grabbed Adele's hand firmly.
I thought it was fortunate... Ugh.
Perdes groaned inwardly and glanced at Adele, who was sitting across from him.
Then, when his eyes met with those of green eyes, he flinched and avoided eye contact.
“Lord Perdes.”
When she called his name, his head lowered like a sinner.
“Now tell me.”
He placed both hands neatly on his knees and moistened his dry lips.
“Why were you in a place like that?”
"That is..."
“Don’t even think about lying.”
Adele's remark became a sharp knife and pierced Perdes' heart.
It's not that he really intended to lie, it's that he already lied and his conscience pricked him.
Adele squinted her eyes as she saw his pupils shaking.
“You were planning to lie.”
Perdes shook his head in surprise.
“No! I was trying to tell the truth.”
“But why are you surprised? I didn’t say anything.”
“I said that because I didn’t know where or how to start.”
If Perdes explains from the beginning, the story will be quite long.
He couldn't just make it brief and to the point, because he was afraid Adele would misunderstand.
“It seems like you’re hiding a lot from me.”
“That’s not it.”
When Perdes immediately denied it, Adele smiled with her lips tilted slanted.
“That means there is something to hide.”
Perdes couldn't bring himself to say no this time either and kept his mouth shut.
Adele stared at Perdes intently, then leaned her upper body slightly toward him and asked.
“You said before that Sir Aldor was well in Leopold’s domain.”
Her voice was monotonous, but her eyes looking at Perdes were fierce.
“I'll ask again.”
"....”
“Was Sir Aldor really in Leopold’s domain?”
A tone of speech that clearly indicates that she knows something.
Instead of answering, Perdes shook his head.
It wasn't difficult to tell the whole story.
Since he found out that Aldor might have been infected with Diabolos, he decided that he had to tell Adele the truth.
Perdes was just going to ask Duke Lucien a few questions and then speak, but somehow the order got changed.
That part bothered him, but he couldn't ask Adele to wait until then.
But he couldn't lie, so Perdes let out a long sigh and looked at Adele.
“No, there wasn’t any.”
Perhaps because she had already guessed what was happening, Adele stared blankly at him without being too shaken.
Her unwavering green eyes were strongly seeking an explanation of the situation.
The moment has come to really speak.
Although it was something he had decided to do, Perdes became nervous when the moment actually arrived.
He was even more nervous because he had already lied to her.
“What happened is... ”
Perdes took a deep breath and told everything he had seen and heard without leaving anything out.
It wasn't all that surprising that Sir Aldor wasn't in Leopold's territory, as I had already guessed.
What was surprising were the other events.
Sir Aldor had a conversation with a suspicious man on the train, and that's why he fought Sor Aaron.
After that, there were only confusing stories, such as how both of them suddenly disappeared, but the most confusing and shocking story was this.
“Sir Aldor... may have been infected with Diabolos?”
"...Yes."
I desperately hoped that I had misheard, but it didn't come to pass.
Shock and confusion came crashing down like a giant wave.
As my mind became confused, my vision became blurry.
“No. That can’t be true.”
I couldn't believe it, no, I didn't want to believe it. I shook my head violently in denial.
“Sir Aldor fell victim to Diabolos. There’s no way something like that could happen. Something is definitely wrong.”
“I wish I could do that too.”
Perdes' expression darkened suddenly.
“I hope not, but from what I’ve heard from Sir Aaron, it’s likely true. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have betrayed you.”
Betrayal.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I couldn’t help it. If I didn’t do this, His Majesty threatened to kill my siblings. So, so...”
When I heard those words, the events of my third life came to mind vividly.
That horrible thing, the child I trusted enough to have as my personal maid betrayed me and poisoned me!
What was even more terrifying was that at some point, the personal maid started to look like Sir Aldor.
Surely not.
It was not possible for Sir Aldor, let alone anyone else, to betray me.
So absolutely not, I hope that Sir Aldor is afflicted with Diabolos.
I closed my eyes tightly, feeling miserable at having to hope for something like this.
My body, consumed by cold air and fear, trembled helplessly.
I was biting my lips and trying to shake off my fear when Perdes came up to me and hugged me.
"Don't worry."
The hand patting my back was affectionate.
“Because that man would never betray you.”
And with that confident voice added to the mix, my anxious mind gradually calmed down.
Thanks to that, I was able to drive away the cold and fear that had been enveloping my body, and I took a deep breath and leaned against his shoulder.
As I was catching my breath in that state, Perdes continued to pat my back and asked me.
“Are you calmed down?”
“Thanks.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“...That’s not fortunate.”
I raised my head and looked at Perdes.
Then Perdes hurriedly avoided my gaze.
“Why are you avoiding my eyes?”
“...”
“Is this because you lied to me?”
Judging by the flinching, I think I hit the nail on the head.
“That’s why I told you to be honest with me from the beginning.”
“...Then you should have gone straight to meet the Duke of Lucien.”
Of course. I need to know where Sir Aldor is.
“That’s why I couldn’t tell you. Because I didn’t want you to be in danger.”
“...It’s just that the timing has been delayed a little bit anyway.”
The fact that we must rescue Sir Aldor, who is in danger, has not changed.
“I must meet the Duke of Lucien.”
Perdes shook his head.
“I’ll go see him. And leave it to me to find Sir Aldor.”
“That can’t be...”
“You’re busy with other things anyway.”
I wanted to say no, it was okay, but unfortunately, it was true.
Since I had to go to the Western Territory for the recapture battle tomorrow, I couldn't spend time looking for Sir Aldor.
I didn't have the energy to care.
Do I have no choice but to leave it to Perdes?
But what if I do that and it puts him in danger?
I hesitated and couldn't answer easily because I was worried, but Perdes grabbed my hand tightly with an expression on his face as if he was about to cry.
"Sorry."
“Ugh!”
A single scream echoed through the underground passage, accompanied by a heavy impact.
At this, Perdes was startled and looked at someone, who suddenly burst in and subdued the men.
She was wearing a black robe pulled down low so that her face could not be seen, but Perdes immediately recognized who she was.
How can he not know?
Thud, thud-
Her heart is beating so loudly that it clearly reveals her identity.
The woman who had subdued the men in the blink of an eye turned to look at Perdes.
As she took off the hood she was wearing, her lovely red hair flowed down.
Fresh green eyes looked at him with concern, and a pure white hand reached out toward him.
“Are you okay?”
A bright halo was visible behind Adele's back.
The sight was like an angel just descending from heaven.
“Lord Perdes?”
No, it is something greater than an angel.
Because she is his savior.
From the moment they first met until now, there has never been a time when Adele was not his savior.
I'm so glad I met her.
Perdes smiled brightly and grabbed Adele's hand firmly.
***
I thought it was fortunate... Ugh.
Perdes groaned inwardly and glanced at Adele, who was sitting across from him.
Then, when his eyes met with those of green eyes, he flinched and avoided eye contact.
“Lord Perdes.”
When she called his name, his head lowered like a sinner.
“Now tell me.”
He placed both hands neatly on his knees and moistened his dry lips.
“Why were you in a place like that?”
"That is..."
“Don’t even think about lying.”
Adele's remark became a sharp knife and pierced Perdes' heart.
It's not that he really intended to lie, it's that he already lied and his conscience pricked him.
Adele squinted her eyes as she saw his pupils shaking.
“You were planning to lie.”
Perdes shook his head in surprise.
“No! I was trying to tell the truth.”
“But why are you surprised? I didn’t say anything.”
“I said that because I didn’t know where or how to start.”
If Perdes explains from the beginning, the story will be quite long.
He couldn't just make it brief and to the point, because he was afraid Adele would misunderstand.
“It seems like you’re hiding a lot from me.”
“That’s not it.”
When Perdes immediately denied it, Adele smiled with her lips tilted slanted.
“That means there is something to hide.”
Perdes couldn't bring himself to say no this time either and kept his mouth shut.
Adele stared at Perdes intently, then leaned her upper body slightly toward him and asked.
“You said before that Sir Aldor was well in Leopold’s domain.”
Her voice was monotonous, but her eyes looking at Perdes were fierce.
“I'll ask again.”
"....”
“Was Sir Aldor really in Leopold’s domain?”
A tone of speech that clearly indicates that she knows something.
Instead of answering, Perdes shook his head.
It wasn't difficult to tell the whole story.
Since he found out that Aldor might have been infected with Diabolos, he decided that he had to tell Adele the truth.
Perdes was just going to ask Duke Lucien a few questions and then speak, but somehow the order got changed.
That part bothered him, but he couldn't ask Adele to wait until then.
But he couldn't lie, so Perdes let out a long sigh and looked at Adele.
“No, there wasn’t any.”
Perhaps because she had already guessed what was happening, Adele stared blankly at him without being too shaken.
Her unwavering green eyes were strongly seeking an explanation of the situation.
The moment has come to really speak.
Although it was something he had decided to do, Perdes became nervous when the moment actually arrived.
He was even more nervous because he had already lied to her.
“What happened is... ”
Perdes took a deep breath and told everything he had seen and heard without leaving anything out.
***
It wasn't all that surprising that Sir Aldor wasn't in Leopold's territory, as I had already guessed.
What was surprising were the other events.
Sir Aldor had a conversation with a suspicious man on the train, and that's why he fought Sor Aaron.
After that, there were only confusing stories, such as how both of them suddenly disappeared, but the most confusing and shocking story was this.
“Sir Aldor... may have been infected with Diabolos?”
"...Yes."
I desperately hoped that I had misheard, but it didn't come to pass.
Shock and confusion came crashing down like a giant wave.
As my mind became confused, my vision became blurry.
“No. That can’t be true.”
I couldn't believe it, no, I didn't want to believe it. I shook my head violently in denial.
“Sir Aldor fell victim to Diabolos. There’s no way something like that could happen. Something is definitely wrong.”
“I wish I could do that too.”
Perdes' expression darkened suddenly.
“I hope not, but from what I’ve heard from Sir Aaron, it’s likely true. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have betrayed you.”
Betrayal.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I couldn’t help it. If I didn’t do this, His Majesty threatened to kill my siblings. So, so...”
When I heard those words, the events of my third life came to mind vividly.
That horrible thing, the child I trusted enough to have as my personal maid betrayed me and poisoned me!
What was even more terrifying was that at some point, the personal maid started to look like Sir Aldor.
Surely not.
It was not possible for Sir Aldor, let alone anyone else, to betray me.
So absolutely not, I hope that Sir Aldor is afflicted with Diabolos.
I closed my eyes tightly, feeling miserable at having to hope for something like this.
My body, consumed by cold air and fear, trembled helplessly.
I was biting my lips and trying to shake off my fear when Perdes came up to me and hugged me.
"Don't worry."
The hand patting my back was affectionate.
“Because that man would never betray you.”
And with that confident voice added to the mix, my anxious mind gradually calmed down.
Thanks to that, I was able to drive away the cold and fear that had been enveloping my body, and I took a deep breath and leaned against his shoulder.
As I was catching my breath in that state, Perdes continued to pat my back and asked me.
“Are you calmed down?”
“Thanks.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“...That’s not fortunate.”
I raised my head and looked at Perdes.
Then Perdes hurriedly avoided my gaze.
“Why are you avoiding my eyes?”
“...”
“Is this because you lied to me?”
Judging by the flinching, I think I hit the nail on the head.
“That’s why I told you to be honest with me from the beginning.”
“...Then you should have gone straight to meet the Duke of Lucien.”
Of course. I need to know where Sir Aldor is.
“That’s why I couldn’t tell you. Because I didn’t want you to be in danger.”
“...It’s just that the timing has been delayed a little bit anyway.”
The fact that we must rescue Sir Aldor, who is in danger, has not changed.
“I must meet the Duke of Lucien.”
Perdes shook his head.
“I’ll go see him. And leave it to me to find Sir Aldor.”
“That can’t be...”
“You’re busy with other things anyway.”
I wanted to say no, it was okay, but unfortunately, it was true.
Since I had to go to the Western Territory for the recapture battle tomorrow, I couldn't spend time looking for Sir Aldor.
I didn't have the energy to care.
Do I have no choice but to leave it to Perdes?
But what if I do that and it puts him in danger?
I hesitated and couldn't answer easily because I was worried, but Perdes grabbed my hand tightly with an expression on his face as if he was about to cry.
"Sorry."
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