Episode 32. The Outcast Chamberlain.
Renisha didn't move.
Laxus scratched his lips with his finger.
His eyes, as he picked at the scraps, were dry and dry. With every step, Laxus's impatience grew.
Henry followed Laxus's movements, holding his breath.
In the suffocating silence, no one spoke.
The servants simply closed their eyes and turned their heads.
They knew that the man before them could take their lives with a single mistake.
"Renisha isn't moving."
Since sending Renisha away, Laxus had been keeping a close eye on the mansion.
He had clearly expected Renisha to move, to do something.
However, while Kassius occasionally went out, Renisha remained hidden from the mansion.
As if she truly acknowledged and accepted her crimes.
The official notice of Renisha's dethronement will be posted nationwide tomorrow.
The imperial scribes polished and polished the text for the abdication decree.
They couldn't be a disgrace to the imperial family, but they also didn't want to insult Renisha, who had endured such absurd circumstances.
It took a long time, but Laxus was so distracted that he didn't even notice.
He was paying close attention to Renisha's actions.
"Why aren't you doing anything?"
Laxus chewed his fingernails.
"Are you really going to accept this and leave, Renisha?"
There was no way. Renisha was tolerating this miserable state...
"Ah."
Was it because of that man?
The slave knight. The man whose gaze had been so disloyal to Renisha.
Laxus slowly ran a hand through his hair.
Kassius's gaze toward Renisha wasn't the kind a knight would give to an Empress.
It was warm for that reason, yet filled with a strange emotion.
Laxus's violet eyes shone sinisterly.
A variety of emotions swirled within them.
"Shall we offer you a drink?"
Henry asked cautiously. Laxus shook his head.
“There’s no need.”
He glared at the books on the table with a sharp gaze.
That night, the only one who would touch them was Renisha. After all, only Renisha knew that he had a habit of throwing the books he was reading under the bed.
He glared at the last trace of Renisha for a long time.
There was no need for this.
Whatever Renisha did, Renisha could just do what she had to, and they could just live on as if they never knew each other.
But something clung to his heart, refusing to let go.
Even holding Canary didn’t bring him the same excitement as before.
“Surely... You expected that?”
Laxus chuckled.
Did he expect Renisha to struggle back to him, to send her to the lowliest of people so she would realize just how good a choice Renisha had been?
Laxus scoffed at himself.
“How stupid!”
How could Renisha's pride have anything to do with that?
Laxus paused, resting his hand on the back of the bed.
His gaze landed on Henry, the old chamberlain, smiling faintly.
"Henry..."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How long have you served me?"
"Since Your Majesty ascended to the throne, I believe it's been eight years."
"Eight years."
Laxus chewed on the number.
Eight years was enough time to know Henry well.
Henry was a good chamberlain. He could discern his intentions before Laxus did, and he often acted as a mediator between Renisha and him.
He knew that Henry would often run to Renisha and cling to her like a bat, but he ignored it.
It always yielded positive results.
"...You were acquainted with Renisha, right?"
Henry bowed.
"That's because she was the Empress."
“Henry, I know you have a soft spot for Renisha. Didn’t Renisha enter the palace at the same time as me?”
“...”
Laxus smiled wryly and approached Henry.
The hand that patted his shoulder was filled with an inexplicable emotion.
Laxus brought his face closer to Henry’s.
As he studied the gaze of the Chief Chamberlain, Laxus’s grip tightened.
Henry didn’t even shed a single tear.
“You’ve had a hard time... by my side.”
Laxus would never say such a thing.
No one relaxed at such sweet words.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Henry was no exception.
“You are a loyal subject. A loyal subject who will serve me.”
“Of course. I swore allegiance to Your Majesty. I will serve no other master.”
“Very well, Henry. So there is something you can do.”
Laxus smiled crimson.
His face was scheming again.
It was the middle of the night when Henry arrived at Kassius’s mansion, carrying his luggage.
His hair was disheveled, a departure from his usual neat and tidy appearance.
The servants who greeted Henry looked bewildered.
All the servants currently working at the mansion had worked at the Empress’s palace.
Kassius’s family consisted solely of the knights and Tesha, so it couldn’t be helped.
So, everyone knew Henry.
Lindy stepped forward with a blank expression.
“What brings you here, Lord Chamberlain?”
“May I come inside?”
Henry asked politely.
“You came at this late hour, and now...!”
“His Majesty’s orders.”
Henry made the same expression he always made when relaying absurd orders to Renisha.
Lindy questioned him.
It was clear that Laxus had done something absurd again.
Furthermore, the luggage Henry was carrying was unsettling.
“What’s the fuss about?”
Renisha appeared on the stairs.
Henry’s eyes lit up.
It had been a long time since he’d seen Renisha.
Renisha appeared without a trace of her former dignity.
Rather, it was Laxus who had abandoned her, who was becoming a complete mess.
Renisha’s face seemed quite at ease, as if she were used to living here. Renisha narrowed her eyes and came down to the first floor.
“Duchess.”
Lindy lowered her head.
“We have an unexpected guest...”
“Chief Chamberlain. What brings you here? Did His Majesty send you?”
“...His Majesty sent me, saying there would be a vacancy for a butler to look after the mansion.”
Renisha raised her eyebrows.
Everyone on the second floor poked their heads out at the sudden commotion.
Kassius was no exception.
Kassius placed both hands on the railing and looked down.
Gleaming golden eyes stared directly at Henry.
Henry forced a smile, feeling a chill.
It was a look in his eyes that would never allow Henry to remain silent if he harmed Renisha.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. It’s my job to run this mansion now. It’s not His Majesty’s business.”
“That’s right. But, ma’am.”
Henry smiled calmly and put the things he was holding down on the floor.
“Get hold of Renisha, even if it means begging her. I need to know what she’s up to, so go in there, Henry. I think this will be my last order to you.”
Failure to comply would result in death or expulsion, and if successful, Henry would follow Renisha to Hiloshine.
Henry, who understood what the Emperor was saying, had no choice but to pack his bags and leave.
Anger and resignation were mixed together, but time had given him patience.
He could endure Laxus's antics one more time.
"I'll die if I don't get in here."
Henry slowly knelt. The servants' mouths slurred.
"Please, ma'am."
"...Henry."
Renisha stroked her chin.
Henry was a resident.
If she were to let him in, Henry would report Renisha's whereabouts to Laxus.
Accepting Henry was a chore.
However, judging by his reaction, he seemed to have been asked to become the ghost of this house.
Laxus would have been more than happy to do that.
'What lingering attachment do you have to me? Or do you suspect I might do something?'
The latter was more believable.
"Lexus's lingering attachment?"
Renisha didn't move.
Laxus scratched his lips with his finger.
His eyes, as he picked at the scraps, were dry and dry. With every step, Laxus's impatience grew.
Henry followed Laxus's movements, holding his breath.
In the suffocating silence, no one spoke.
The servants simply closed their eyes and turned their heads.
They knew that the man before them could take their lives with a single mistake.
"Renisha isn't moving."
Since sending Renisha away, Laxus had been keeping a close eye on the mansion.
He had clearly expected Renisha to move, to do something.
However, while Kassius occasionally went out, Renisha remained hidden from the mansion.
As if she truly acknowledged and accepted her crimes.
The official notice of Renisha's dethronement will be posted nationwide tomorrow.
The imperial scribes polished and polished the text for the abdication decree.
They couldn't be a disgrace to the imperial family, but they also didn't want to insult Renisha, who had endured such absurd circumstances.
It took a long time, but Laxus was so distracted that he didn't even notice.
He was paying close attention to Renisha's actions.
"Why aren't you doing anything?"
Laxus chewed his fingernails.
"Are you really going to accept this and leave, Renisha?"
There was no way. Renisha was tolerating this miserable state...
"Ah."
Was it because of that man?
The slave knight. The man whose gaze had been so disloyal to Renisha.
Laxus slowly ran a hand through his hair.
Kassius's gaze toward Renisha wasn't the kind a knight would give to an Empress.
It was warm for that reason, yet filled with a strange emotion.
Laxus's violet eyes shone sinisterly.
A variety of emotions swirled within them.
"Shall we offer you a drink?"
Henry asked cautiously. Laxus shook his head.
“There’s no need.”
He glared at the books on the table with a sharp gaze.
That night, the only one who would touch them was Renisha. After all, only Renisha knew that he had a habit of throwing the books he was reading under the bed.
He glared at the last trace of Renisha for a long time.
There was no need for this.
Whatever Renisha did, Renisha could just do what she had to, and they could just live on as if they never knew each other.
But something clung to his heart, refusing to let go.
Even holding Canary didn’t bring him the same excitement as before.
“Surely... You expected that?”
Laxus chuckled.
Did he expect Renisha to struggle back to him, to send her to the lowliest of people so she would realize just how good a choice Renisha had been?
Laxus scoffed at himself.
“How stupid!”
How could Renisha's pride have anything to do with that?
Laxus paused, resting his hand on the back of the bed.
His gaze landed on Henry, the old chamberlain, smiling faintly.
"Henry..."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How long have you served me?"
"Since Your Majesty ascended to the throne, I believe it's been eight years."
"Eight years."
Laxus chewed on the number.
Eight years was enough time to know Henry well.
Henry was a good chamberlain. He could discern his intentions before Laxus did, and he often acted as a mediator between Renisha and him.
He knew that Henry would often run to Renisha and cling to her like a bat, but he ignored it.
It always yielded positive results.
"...You were acquainted with Renisha, right?"
Henry bowed.
"That's because she was the Empress."
“Henry, I know you have a soft spot for Renisha. Didn’t Renisha enter the palace at the same time as me?”
“...”
Laxus smiled wryly and approached Henry.
The hand that patted his shoulder was filled with an inexplicable emotion.
Laxus brought his face closer to Henry’s.
As he studied the gaze of the Chief Chamberlain, Laxus’s grip tightened.
Henry didn’t even shed a single tear.
“You’ve had a hard time... by my side.”
Laxus would never say such a thing.
No one relaxed at such sweet words.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Henry was no exception.
“You are a loyal subject. A loyal subject who will serve me.”
“Of course. I swore allegiance to Your Majesty. I will serve no other master.”
“Very well, Henry. So there is something you can do.”
Laxus smiled crimson.
His face was scheming again.
***
It was the middle of the night when Henry arrived at Kassius’s mansion, carrying his luggage.
His hair was disheveled, a departure from his usual neat and tidy appearance.
The servants who greeted Henry looked bewildered.
All the servants currently working at the mansion had worked at the Empress’s palace.
Kassius’s family consisted solely of the knights and Tesha, so it couldn’t be helped.
So, everyone knew Henry.
Lindy stepped forward with a blank expression.
“What brings you here, Lord Chamberlain?”
“May I come inside?”
Henry asked politely.
“You came at this late hour, and now...!”
“His Majesty’s orders.”
Henry made the same expression he always made when relaying absurd orders to Renisha.
Lindy questioned him.
It was clear that Laxus had done something absurd again.
Furthermore, the luggage Henry was carrying was unsettling.
“What’s the fuss about?”
Renisha appeared on the stairs.
Henry’s eyes lit up.
It had been a long time since he’d seen Renisha.
Renisha appeared without a trace of her former dignity.
Rather, it was Laxus who had abandoned her, who was becoming a complete mess.
Renisha’s face seemed quite at ease, as if she were used to living here. Renisha narrowed her eyes and came down to the first floor.
“Duchess.”
Lindy lowered her head.
“We have an unexpected guest...”
“Chief Chamberlain. What brings you here? Did His Majesty send you?”
“...His Majesty sent me, saying there would be a vacancy for a butler to look after the mansion.”
Renisha raised her eyebrows.
Everyone on the second floor poked their heads out at the sudden commotion.
Kassius was no exception.
Kassius placed both hands on the railing and looked down.
Gleaming golden eyes stared directly at Henry.
Henry forced a smile, feeling a chill.
It was a look in his eyes that would never allow Henry to remain silent if he harmed Renisha.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. It’s my job to run this mansion now. It’s not His Majesty’s business.”
“That’s right. But, ma’am.”
Henry smiled calmly and put the things he was holding down on the floor.
“Get hold of Renisha, even if it means begging her. I need to know what she’s up to, so go in there, Henry. I think this will be my last order to you.”
Failure to comply would result in death or expulsion, and if successful, Henry would follow Renisha to Hiloshine.
Henry, who understood what the Emperor was saying, had no choice but to pack his bags and leave.
Anger and resignation were mixed together, but time had given him patience.
He could endure Laxus's antics one more time.
"I'll die if I don't get in here."
Henry slowly knelt. The servants' mouths slurred.
"Please, ma'am."
"...Henry."
Renisha stroked her chin.
Henry was a resident.
If she were to let him in, Henry would report Renisha's whereabouts to Laxus.
Accepting Henry was a chore.
However, judging by his reaction, he seemed to have been asked to become the ghost of this house.
Laxus would have been more than happy to do that.
'What lingering attachment do you have to me? Or do you suspect I might do something?'
The latter was more believable.
"Lexus's lingering attachment?"
Renisha smiled coldly.
"I don't really care about your life. I wouldn't regret it if you left and died like this. Our deal was only useful while I stayed in the palace. You gained as much as I gained. But what can I gain from you now?"
It was the expected reaction.
Henry played his card.
"As you might have guessed, I cannot leave the palace. But please remember what I helped you with."
"What did you help me with?"
“It was I who collected the bodies of the former Duke and Duchess of Lottera.”
Renisha’s expression cooled.
It was only when they were about to leave the palace that she finally saw them.
Two boxes, adorned with gold and ivory, sat side by side in a black velvet box.
And inside them would be the Duke and Duchess.
Renisha was determined to take them to Hiloshine.
Hiloshine was practically the source of Lottera.
Only then could the Duke and Duchess fall into a peaceful sleep.
“Do you know what you just said?”
“Yes, ma’am. But I swear I am telling you the truth. It was I who collected their bodies and cremated them, ma’am.”
“Ha.”
“I have served Your Majesty my entire life, and I pride myself on never doing anything that would harm Lottera.”
“And now I will do something that will harm Lottera.”
Henry slowly raised his head.
Renisha’s spring-flower-like eyes were smiling, but they were not warm.
“...The former Duke of Lottera asked me to look after Lady Renisha. I have kept that promise, my lady.”
“...”
That, too, was undeniable.
Henry worked for the Emperor, but he always helped Renisha in times of crisis.
“Please look into it one more time, my lady.”
Henry bowed his head.
Lindy looked at Renisha with an anxious expression.
Henry was the one who openly volunteered to be a spy.
But if Henry were to be rejected, who would come next? And what after that?
Laxus was a man who would always achieve what he set his mind to, so he would surely do whatever it took to subdue her.
In that case, perhaps it would be better to accept Henry, the most moderate of them all.
Renisha sighed.
It seemed she would have to negotiate with Henry on many issues.
Renisha nodded briefly.
“Come in.”
Henry finally looked up.
At that moment, Henry and Kassius’ eyes met. He leaned forward slightly, leaning against the two railings, his body threatening.
Henry felt that Kassius might lunge at him.
But Kassius turned around obediently.
Henry reached out and touched his neck with his fingertips.
Fortunately, it was still firmly in place. Contrary to his fears.
"I don't really care about your life. I wouldn't regret it if you left and died like this. Our deal was only useful while I stayed in the palace. You gained as much as I gained. But what can I gain from you now?"
It was the expected reaction.
Henry played his card.
"As you might have guessed, I cannot leave the palace. But please remember what I helped you with."
"What did you help me with?"
“It was I who collected the bodies of the former Duke and Duchess of Lottera.”
Renisha’s expression cooled.
It was only when they were about to leave the palace that she finally saw them.
Two boxes, adorned with gold and ivory, sat side by side in a black velvet box.
And inside them would be the Duke and Duchess.
Renisha was determined to take them to Hiloshine.
Hiloshine was practically the source of Lottera.
Only then could the Duke and Duchess fall into a peaceful sleep.
“Do you know what you just said?”
“Yes, ma’am. But I swear I am telling you the truth. It was I who collected their bodies and cremated them, ma’am.”
“Ha.”
“I have served Your Majesty my entire life, and I pride myself on never doing anything that would harm Lottera.”
“And now I will do something that will harm Lottera.”
Henry slowly raised his head.
Renisha’s spring-flower-like eyes were smiling, but they were not warm.
“...The former Duke of Lottera asked me to look after Lady Renisha. I have kept that promise, my lady.”
“...”
That, too, was undeniable.
Henry worked for the Emperor, but he always helped Renisha in times of crisis.
“Please look into it one more time, my lady.”
Henry bowed his head.
Lindy looked at Renisha with an anxious expression.
Henry was the one who openly volunteered to be a spy.
But if Henry were to be rejected, who would come next? And what after that?
Laxus was a man who would always achieve what he set his mind to, so he would surely do whatever it took to subdue her.
In that case, perhaps it would be better to accept Henry, the most moderate of them all.
Renisha sighed.
It seemed she would have to negotiate with Henry on many issues.
Renisha nodded briefly.
“Come in.”
Henry finally looked up.
At that moment, Henry and Kassius’ eyes met. He leaned forward slightly, leaning against the two railings, his body threatening.
Henry felt that Kassius might lunge at him.
But Kassius turned around obediently.
Henry reached out and touched his neck with his fingertips.
Fortunately, it was still firmly in place. Contrary to his fears.
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