He wanted to call Yvonne right away and ask her about her relationship with the Duke of Iels, but they said she had been away for a long time.
He was worried and felt awkward that Yvonne, who used to run around outside like a puppy, was just staying quiet in the mansion these days, and he was sad when she actually left the house.
The Duke of Argenthoz stroked his chin in thought.
'Hmm. What should I do?'
He was afraid that if he got too interested in his daughter's love life and interfered too much, it would be harmful.
It seemed like Yvonne had finally met a decent man and was slowly starting to date properly.
'Pretending not to know and cheering from afar is the refined attitude of a father.'
So he decided to pretend not to know.
Instead, his mouth was very itchy, and he called his son.
This was because he had heard in advance that the unit that Barden had dispatched had also successfully completed its mission and returned to the capital before him.
The Duke was smiling brightly, looking forward to chatting with his son.
“The Little Duke hasn’t returned to the mansion yet, Your Excellency.”
"Hmm?"
“He said he left something at the academy office and was going to go check it out.”
“Oh, I see.”
The Duke of Argenthoz nodded and sent the butler away.
The Duke, leaning comfortably against the back of his chair, stared blankly at the empty office.
The study was quiet and peaceful, with the lights flickering slowly, but the Duke's purple eyes were shadowed.
Is it because I'm getting older?
The kids will be back soon, but why does this house feel so empty just because I'm alone for a little while?
To clear his thoughts, the Duke shook his head and picked up his quill.
The real fight was just beginning.
As the Lord of the Tower and as the Duke of this Empire, there was still so much he had to do.
Late one evening, Duke Argenthoz was buried in work in his office.
Barden, who had gone to the academy shrouded in darkness, was desperately searching for something in his office.
“Wow, this is driving me crazy. I’m sure I brought it to the office.”
Barden grumbled and carefully searched through his desk drawer.
The object he was looking for was a bracelet-shaped portable magic projector.
Long ago, while talking with Crown Prince Adrian in the Verbent Palace Gardens, he discovered an ominous black handprint on a tree, and he took a picture of it with his magic projector to keep a record of it.
At that time, he was busy with various things, including Yvonne's work, so he couldn't check it properly and just threw it in the office.
“Ah, I found it.”
Barden, who had been searching for it while sweating profusely, finally smiled brightly.
He quickly plugged the portable magic projector into the transmission artifact and waited anxiously for the results.
During an operation to remove the artifacts of the warlocks who were attempting to destroy the ancient demon seal altar, Barden discovered another black handprint near the altar.
A familiar feeling.
It was clearly similar to the black handprint left on the tree in the palace garden.
Small size, slender fingers, just like a woman's...
“Ha. That’s an exact match. Huh?”
Barden, who was laughing as he compared the photo drawn from the transmission artifact with the photo he had taken at the altar, frowned when he saw a strange trace behind a tree further away.
‘Huh? Behind that tree...’
Barden's eyes wavered as he looked closely at the photo.
Certainly, that day.
In the Verbent palace garden, there was no one but Crown Prince Adrian and Barden.
Why is this photo showing Princess Cordelia Mare glaring menacingly at something from behind a tree?
He got goosebumps all over his body.
Then, someone called him.
“Hello, Little Duke?”
“!!!”
Looking back, he saw Princess Cordelia Mare standing there with a blank expression on her face.
“Why, why, here...”
“Well, why did I come?”
Cordelia smiled bitterly and reached out to Barden.
That night.
A high-ranking noble, the heir to the Argenthoz family, Duke Barden, has gone missing.
Too bad!
Rudnaine Iels, you idiot! Affectionate but secretly narrow-minded fool!
I was suppressing my anger inside, but when I couldn't hold it in any longer, I threw the cushion I was holding at the wall.
Phew!
'Huh.'
Flapping, flapping, flapping...
The cushion exploded like a bomb, and the soft white goose down that had filled it exploded and fell slowly into the air.
I sighed heavily, feeling resentful of my own strength.
Shouldn't it just hit the wall and fall normally?
Why are you being so extreme?
As I was staring at my hand, Carol and the familiars ran towards me.
“Princess? Are you alright?”
"Yvonne, stop it. This isn't right."
"Yvonne?! It's Yvonne~"
"Master, come to your senses! A rational master is the most beautiful!"
Haha.
30 minutes ago, shocked by Rudnine's threats, I shook him off, asked the maid, and hurried back to the guest room assigned to me.
Carol and the familiars, who had been trembling from afar, unable to speak to me as I returned to the room with a terrified expression, finally rushed over when I started going berserk.
"It's okay."
“What happened?”
I narrowed my eyes, rubbed my throbbing temples, and waved at Carol and the familiars.
I want to be alone.
Fortunately, Carol, who was quick-witted, quickly grabbed the familiars and ran away at a brisk pace.
I chuckled and then, half-lying down on the wide sofa, grumbling again to the master of this castle.
Idiot, idiot, idiot, Rudnine.
I'm doing this because I'm worried about your noble future, and I want to make sure it's as clean as possible.
Rudnine Eels, you idiot who doesn't even know my heart.
Tch.
But the more I cursed him, the heavier my heart became.
Honestly, Rudnine didn't do anything wrong. Thiels is his property, and I didn't entrust it to him.
And, I don't want to curse because I love him so much.
Especially, if someone says even one bad word about him, I will hit his mouth so hard that he won't even be able to touch the hot tea.
I took a deep, heavy sigh and looked up at the ceiling, expressing my thoughts.
“It’s gorgeous...”
The room he gave me was so spacious and fancy that I wondered if it was really a 'room'.
It was a bit larger and more elegant than my room in the Argenthoz mansion, and the furniture was of the highest quality.
‘I don’t think even the guest rooms in the Verbent Palace cost this much...’
He must have given me the best room in the Duke of Iels's castle. Rudnine said he was threatening me with the Thiels' magic stone as collateral, but he treated me with extreme courtesy.
Besides, the servants of the Iels Castle were overly polite to me.
Rather, it made me feel more uncomfortable and sad.
He'd rather be a truly bad person. He should have persecuted me and forced me into some cold, cold place. What kind of attitude is that of a threatening person?
I even felt sorry for the soft-hearted blackmailer.
Huh. I was a little upset and shocked, but I still had to eat if he asked me to.
But contrary to my expectations, Rudnine did not have dinner with me.
“He wants to eat alone?”
“Yes. The master has asked that the meal be brought to the Princess’s room.”
The butler, the head maid, and even the head chef all came into my room to report, and then a feast of delicacies was served one after another.
I guess you're really angry.
As I looked at the delicious food being served on the large table, I felt even more moved.
But still, that's not true. Aren't you going to eat this delicious food?! Everyone worked so hard to prepare it for the two of us?
As a sign of defiance against Rudnine, I chewed and ate a huge amount of food thoroughly.
The chef of the castle, who was about to leave quietly after explaining each dish, watched me until the end, perhaps because he was curious about my appearance, and eventually, he was so moved that he even shed tears.
“Thank you, Princess!”
“This is really cool!”
“You look so healthy. People need to eat well!”
Along with the servants whose affection for me had increased, the familiars who received sweet desserts as gifts were also excited.
I was so full that I fell asleep.
After fighting the familiars, I encountered the disappeared Thiels Mine, met Rudnine, and arrived at Iels Castle.
Still, I felt relieved that I was at Iels Castle, and my tension eased a little.
Anyway, I don't think I'll be able to talk to the angry Rudnain anymore today.
I gave up, washed up, lay down on the bed, and tried to sleep.
Well, I guess we can talk tomorrow.
Rudnine never came in the end.
“Really, he’s not coming. Is this true...?”
I finished breakfast and muttered sullenly.
Carol glanced at the door, looked embarrassed, and started to say something, then closed her mouth.
I was getting more and more anxious, and my heart was getting heavy, and for the first time, I felt sick.
After breakfast was cleared and the trolley was out, I put on my going-out cardigan and said to Carol.
“I’m going to go for a walk.”
“Let’s go together, Princess.”
“Sorry. I want to go alone.”
Carol looked disappointed, but perhaps because she saw my complicated feelings, she nodded and carefully opened my cardigan before giving it to me.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t overthink it.”
“Yeah, yes.”
"Princess, I think it would be good to think about it the other way around sometimes."
“What does that mean?”
“Just think about it while you take a walk.”
Carol's smiling words were difficult to understand at first, but I stuck them in my head for now.
"Yvonne. Don't go alone. Take Gorten with you. You never know, a warlock might show up. Gorten is close to the earth element, so even if he follows you, he won't be able to sense anything. He won't be a bother, right?"
Pembe pointed to the black magic material while chewing on the jelly.
"I'll interpret this today and let Yvonne know."
“Yes, yes. Let’s go, Gorten.”
"Yes, master!"
I went out for a walk with a cute, big-eyed lizard that answered cheerfully while flicking its tongue.
But immediately, the servants and knights waiting outside blocked my path.
“Where are you going?”
“Where are you going, Your Princess?”
“Ah, a walk...”
“I’ll guide you!”
"This is the north! The bitter north wind could blow you away! Dress warmly!"
...they surrounded me and talked passionately for a long time.
As the heated debate grew more and more serious and threatened to destroy the Duke's castle, I quickly raised my hand to stop them.
"I'm fine with this! And I want to go alone, so just tell me the way!"
“But, Princess!”
“I want to do it, so please.”
When I slightly strained my eyes, even the knights took a step back, perhaps because they were scared.
Hmm? I'm a little sorry. Is my impression really that harsh?
But despite being afraid of me, the knights treated me with the same care and guidance I received along the trail, as if I were a porcelain doll that might shatter if I fell.
It's a porcelain doll.
I laughed at the completely different attitude of the servants at the Argenthoz mansion.
What about a porcelain doll! A doll with an axe would suit me better.
As I reached the beginning of the trail, daydreaming about this and that, I gave the knights a firm order.
“I’ll go alone from here.”
"...All right."
The knights glanced somewhere, bowed politely, and then slowly disappeared.
He was worried and felt awkward that Yvonne, who used to run around outside like a puppy, was just staying quiet in the mansion these days, and he was sad when she actually left the house.
The Duke of Argenthoz stroked his chin in thought.
'Hmm. What should I do?'
He was afraid that if he got too interested in his daughter's love life and interfered too much, it would be harmful.
It seemed like Yvonne had finally met a decent man and was slowly starting to date properly.
'Pretending not to know and cheering from afar is the refined attitude of a father.'
So he decided to pretend not to know.
Instead, his mouth was very itchy, and he called his son.
This was because he had heard in advance that the unit that Barden had dispatched had also successfully completed its mission and returned to the capital before him.
The Duke was smiling brightly, looking forward to chatting with his son.
“The Little Duke hasn’t returned to the mansion yet, Your Excellency.”
"Hmm?"
“He said he left something at the academy office and was going to go check it out.”
“Oh, I see.”
The Duke of Argenthoz nodded and sent the butler away.
The Duke, leaning comfortably against the back of his chair, stared blankly at the empty office.
The study was quiet and peaceful, with the lights flickering slowly, but the Duke's purple eyes were shadowed.
Is it because I'm getting older?
The kids will be back soon, but why does this house feel so empty just because I'm alone for a little while?
To clear his thoughts, the Duke shook his head and picked up his quill.
The real fight was just beginning.
As the Lord of the Tower and as the Duke of this Empire, there was still so much he had to do.
Late one evening, Duke Argenthoz was buried in work in his office.
Barden, who had gone to the academy shrouded in darkness, was desperately searching for something in his office.
“Wow, this is driving me crazy. I’m sure I brought it to the office.”
Barden grumbled and carefully searched through his desk drawer.
The object he was looking for was a bracelet-shaped portable magic projector.
Long ago, while talking with Crown Prince Adrian in the Verbent Palace Gardens, he discovered an ominous black handprint on a tree, and he took a picture of it with his magic projector to keep a record of it.
At that time, he was busy with various things, including Yvonne's work, so he couldn't check it properly and just threw it in the office.
“Ah, I found it.”
Barden, who had been searching for it while sweating profusely, finally smiled brightly.
He quickly plugged the portable magic projector into the transmission artifact and waited anxiously for the results.
During an operation to remove the artifacts of the warlocks who were attempting to destroy the ancient demon seal altar, Barden discovered another black handprint near the altar.
A familiar feeling.
It was clearly similar to the black handprint left on the tree in the palace garden.
Small size, slender fingers, just like a woman's...
“Ha. That’s an exact match. Huh?”
Barden, who was laughing as he compared the photo drawn from the transmission artifact with the photo he had taken at the altar, frowned when he saw a strange trace behind a tree further away.
‘Huh? Behind that tree...’
Barden's eyes wavered as he looked closely at the photo.
Certainly, that day.
In the Verbent palace garden, there was no one but Crown Prince Adrian and Barden.
Why is this photo showing Princess Cordelia Mare glaring menacingly at something from behind a tree?
He got goosebumps all over his body.
Then, someone called him.
“Hello, Little Duke?”
“!!!”
Looking back, he saw Princess Cordelia Mare standing there with a blank expression on her face.
“Why, why, here...”
“Well, why did I come?”
Cordelia smiled bitterly and reached out to Barden.
That night.
A high-ranking noble, the heir to the Argenthoz family, Duke Barden, has gone missing.
***
Too bad!
Rudnaine Iels, you idiot! Affectionate but secretly narrow-minded fool!
I was suppressing my anger inside, but when I couldn't hold it in any longer, I threw the cushion I was holding at the wall.
Phew!
'Huh.'
Flapping, flapping, flapping...
The cushion exploded like a bomb, and the soft white goose down that had filled it exploded and fell slowly into the air.
I sighed heavily, feeling resentful of my own strength.
Shouldn't it just hit the wall and fall normally?
Why are you being so extreme?
As I was staring at my hand, Carol and the familiars ran towards me.
“Princess? Are you alright?”
"Yvonne, stop it. This isn't right."
"Yvonne?! It's Yvonne~"
"Master, come to your senses! A rational master is the most beautiful!"
Haha.
30 minutes ago, shocked by Rudnine's threats, I shook him off, asked the maid, and hurried back to the guest room assigned to me.
Carol and the familiars, who had been trembling from afar, unable to speak to me as I returned to the room with a terrified expression, finally rushed over when I started going berserk.
"It's okay."
“What happened?”
“It's there.”
I want to be alone.
Fortunately, Carol, who was quick-witted, quickly grabbed the familiars and ran away at a brisk pace.
I chuckled and then, half-lying down on the wide sofa, grumbling again to the master of this castle.
Idiot, idiot, idiot, Rudnine.
I'm doing this because I'm worried about your noble future, and I want to make sure it's as clean as possible.
Rudnine Eels, you idiot who doesn't even know my heart.
Tch.
But the more I cursed him, the heavier my heart became.
Honestly, Rudnine didn't do anything wrong. Thiels is his property, and I didn't entrust it to him.
And, I don't want to curse because I love him so much.
Especially, if someone says even one bad word about him, I will hit his mouth so hard that he won't even be able to touch the hot tea.
I took a deep, heavy sigh and looked up at the ceiling, expressing my thoughts.
“It’s gorgeous...”
The room he gave me was so spacious and fancy that I wondered if it was really a 'room'.
It was a bit larger and more elegant than my room in the Argenthoz mansion, and the furniture was of the highest quality.
‘I don’t think even the guest rooms in the Verbent Palace cost this much...’
He must have given me the best room in the Duke of Iels's castle. Rudnine said he was threatening me with the Thiels' magic stone as collateral, but he treated me with extreme courtesy.
Besides, the servants of the Iels Castle were overly polite to me.
Rather, it made me feel more uncomfortable and sad.
He'd rather be a truly bad person. He should have persecuted me and forced me into some cold, cold place. What kind of attitude is that of a threatening person?
I even felt sorry for the soft-hearted blackmailer.
Huh. I was a little upset and shocked, but I still had to eat if he asked me to.
But contrary to my expectations, Rudnine did not have dinner with me.
“He wants to eat alone?”
“Yes. The master has asked that the meal be brought to the Princess’s room.”
The butler, the head maid, and even the head chef all came into my room to report, and then a feast of delicacies was served one after another.
I guess you're really angry.
As I looked at the delicious food being served on the large table, I felt even more moved.
But still, that's not true. Aren't you going to eat this delicious food?! Everyone worked so hard to prepare it for the two of us?
As a sign of defiance against Rudnine, I chewed and ate a huge amount of food thoroughly.
The chef of the castle, who was about to leave quietly after explaining each dish, watched me until the end, perhaps because he was curious about my appearance, and eventually, he was so moved that he even shed tears.
“Thank you, Princess!”
“This is really cool!”
“You look so healthy. People need to eat well!”
Along with the servants whose affection for me had increased, the familiars who received sweet desserts as gifts were also excited.
I was so full that I fell asleep.
After fighting the familiars, I encountered the disappeared Thiels Mine, met Rudnine, and arrived at Iels Castle.
Still, I felt relieved that I was at Iels Castle, and my tension eased a little.
Anyway, I don't think I'll be able to talk to the angry Rudnain anymore today.
I gave up, washed up, lay down on the bed, and tried to sleep.
Well, I guess we can talk tomorrow.
***
Rudnine never came in the end.
“Really, he’s not coming. Is this true...?”
I finished breakfast and muttered sullenly.
Carol glanced at the door, looked embarrassed, and started to say something, then closed her mouth.
I was getting more and more anxious, and my heart was getting heavy, and for the first time, I felt sick.
After breakfast was cleared and the trolley was out, I put on my going-out cardigan and said to Carol.
“I’m going to go for a walk.”
“Let’s go together, Princess.”
“Sorry. I want to go alone.”
Carol looked disappointed, but perhaps because she saw my complicated feelings, she nodded and carefully opened my cardigan before giving it to me.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t overthink it.”
“Yeah, yes.”
"Princess, I think it would be good to think about it the other way around sometimes."
“What does that mean?”
“Just think about it while you take a walk.”
Carol's smiling words were difficult to understand at first, but I stuck them in my head for now.
"Yvonne. Don't go alone. Take Gorten with you. You never know, a warlock might show up. Gorten is close to the earth element, so even if he follows you, he won't be able to sense anything. He won't be a bother, right?"
Pembe pointed to the black magic material while chewing on the jelly.
"I'll interpret this today and let Yvonne know."
“Yes, yes. Let’s go, Gorten.”
"Yes, master!"
I went out for a walk with a cute, big-eyed lizard that answered cheerfully while flicking its tongue.
But immediately, the servants and knights waiting outside blocked my path.
“Where are you going?”
“Where are you going, Your Princess?”
“Ah, a walk...”
“I’ll guide you!”
"This is the north! The bitter north wind could blow you away! Dress warmly!"
...they surrounded me and talked passionately for a long time.
As the heated debate grew more and more serious and threatened to destroy the Duke's castle, I quickly raised my hand to stop them.
"I'm fine with this! And I want to go alone, so just tell me the way!"
“But, Princess!”
“I want to do it, so please.”
When I slightly strained my eyes, even the knights took a step back, perhaps because they were scared.
Hmm? I'm a little sorry. Is my impression really that harsh?
But despite being afraid of me, the knights treated me with the same care and guidance I received along the trail, as if I were a porcelain doll that might shatter if I fell.
It's a porcelain doll.
I laughed at the completely different attitude of the servants at the Argenthoz mansion.
What about a porcelain doll! A doll with an axe would suit me better.
As I reached the beginning of the trail, daydreaming about this and that, I gave the knights a firm order.
“I’ll go alone from here.”
"...All right."
The knights glanced somewhere, bowed politely, and then slowly disappeared.
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