Orpheus stood up and opened the door before Erna could say a word. By rule, this was rude behavior, as she had acted on her own before Erna had given permission.
However, it was only natural, as she had welcomed Vanessa warmly whenever she visited over the past 10 years.
'I can't act differently now.'
Erna swallowed a sigh as she watched Orpheus open the door. She had to act as if nothing had happened as usual as possible. At least until she fully figured out what had happened at the ancient ruins.
"How are you feeling, Lady Erna?"
Vanessa came inside and spoke kindly, just as usual.
“As you can see, I’m fine. What’s wrong?”
"Do I really need to come for a specific reason? I just stopped by while passing through."
A remark she would have simply let slide in the past weighed on her mind today. In truth, there isn't a department around here that Vanessa would particularly go out of her way to visit. However, Vanessa always said she just stopped by while passing through.
Had Vanessa come here on purpose all this time just to check on herself?
As Erna took the teacup Orpheus handed her back, she casually tossed out a remark.
“Come to think of it, I have something to tell you. I’m thinking of using a room on the first floor of the Grand Duke’s castle main building. I think I’ll have to clear out all the furniture inside, so don’t be surprised.”
"What? What brings you up all of a sudden?"
"It’s because of the ancient ruins I saw in the Forest of Irgis."
At first, Erna debated whether or not to bring up the ancient ruins. However, after speaking with Callion, she concluded that it would be better to speak about it openly. Of course, she decided to leave out the story of seeing Richard Hessengard inside.
"The fact that monsters have been continuously appearing in Irgis's Forest lately, and the ruins I saw this time... it just feels like there is some kind of connection."
“...Did you not go inside the ruins?”
“Yeah, I didn’t go beyond the entrance because I was worried that if I went in in that situation and something dangerous came out, it would be troublesome.”
Erna feigned composure as much as possible and told the lie she had already coordinated with Callion.
When Erna asked Callion, it seemed he had already told Vanessa that he hadn't gone beyond the entrance of the ancient ruins. He said that the passage had opened again and he had returned.
So, Erna also had to coordinate with Callion.
“Still, I am curious about what’s inside. Besides, it’s fascinating that the passage opened so many times in such a short period. So, I plan to gather and organize all the materials regarding the Forest of Irgis and the ancient ruins there. However, my office is so packed that I thought it would be nice to have another room to organize.”
This statement was not a lie.
“For the time being, I plan to bring wood or rocks from the Forest of Irgis to examine for traces of magical power. So, I intend to keep the room near the entrance vacant and use it as a sort of laboratory.”
"I see. Understood. I will let the people in the main building know in advance."
Vanessa nodded without any change in expression.
Erna watched Vanessa while pretending to drink tea. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, then quickly returned to her usual expression as if nothing had happened.
'Vanessa will probably start moving too.'
Since she spoke as if declaring that she would research it in the future, if there is something she wants to hide, Vanessa will take immediate action.
Erna and Callion decided to track it down.
"Ha..."
As she left the Wizards' Hall, Erna let out a long sigh. She had been working frantically from morning till evening, and before she knew it, it was already evening.
Fortunately, thanks to Abel, who started formal classes immediately today, she didn't have to take any time off for lessons.
'Still, I'm busy.'
Her head was spinning after handling all the piled-up work at once. Even so, the work wasn't finished yet. She wanted to do a little more before leaving, but Orpheus, who had just returned from outside, suddenly pushed Erna's back, telling her to hurry back and rest.
Just as Erna was about to walk toward the main house while adjusting her Grand Duke's cloak.
“Erna.”
Startled by the voice calling her, Erna turned to the side.
“Callion?”
Callion was sitting on the railing near the entrance of the Wizards' Guild. He saw Erna, stood up, and approached her.
“What? Why are you here? Did you have business with the Wizard Order?”
"Yes."
"What is it?"
At the mention of business, Erna's face turned serious. Since the Wizard Order was formed, Callion had never once visited this place in person.
Even when wizards' help was needed to exterminate monsters, it was his lieutenant, Cedric, who came to request assistance; Callion had never come to ask for a favor. So for him to come see me in person?
Erna waited for an answer, nervous that something serious might have happened regarding monsters.
Then Callion raised his hand and pressed and rubbed her wrinkled forehead with his finger.
"I came to pick you up."
"...What?"
"It's time to finish. Let's go back."
Erna gaped at Callion's words.
“You didn't... wait for me?”
"Yes."
Erna could not say anything more about his attitude, which seemed to ask why she was asking such an obvious question. Callion grabbed Erna's hand and pulled her along.
“Hey, hey! People are watching!”
At those words, Callion looked at Erna as if dumbfounded.
“Do you think the people here right now don’t know what we’ve been doing for the past two days?”
“...”
At those words, Erna's face instantly flushed red. Come to think of it, hadn't Orpheus been grinning since today? As Callion had said, there was no way the people of the Grand Duke's castle wouldn't know about the relationship between the two. But...
“Still, I’m ashamed!”
Erna pulled her hand away. Holding hands in front of everyone was a thousand times more embarrassing than rolling around naked in a room where only the two of them were present!
“Hey, you...”
As Erna pulled her hand away, Callion's face hardened. Then he bent down and whispered in her ear.
"If you keep doing that, I’ll carry you along."
What kind of crazy threat is this? Although dumbfounded, Erna subtly extended her hand again. Callion smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment and took the hand Erna offered.
Erna could not get used to seeing Callion like that. Like her, Callion also displayed the dignified demeanor of a Grand Duke outside, unlike when they were alone.
'So, it seems like no one knows, but...'
Erna recalled Abel, whom she had seen that morning. He looked similar to Callion when he smiled, but since Callion rarely smiled in public, it was difficult to tell others that they resembled each other.
'Then am I the only one who knows?'
Erna recalled the sly grin on Callion's face in front of her. The thought that she was the only one seeing that made her sigh, yet she also felt a little proud.
“What are you thinking about so much?”
"The new wizard."
“That guy?”
“What? When did you even see him to call him that guy? Do you have a grudge against Abel?”
“Abel? Is that his name?”
"Yeah. A handsome guy came, and the wizards are going crazy."
“No wonder there were a lot of women around when I brushed past you the other day.”
"By the way, that person looked like you."
"What?"
Callion stopped in his tracks. He was staring at Erna with a face that looked as if he had been betrayed.
"You didn't fall for that face, did you?"
“What nonsense are you talking about? I just said he’s handsome.”
"You've never told anyone else they were handsome until now."
“Well, you’re the best-looking...”
Erna shook her head at Callion's face, which was grinning even though she had only said that much.
Callion's smiling face, still holding her hand tightly as they walked, was simply fascinating. Hey, was he an easy target once he broke down like this?
The two, having returned together, decided to have dinner together in the couple's bedroom. When Erna suggested they wash up first and meet again, Callion was about to ask if they could wash together when she kicked him in the leg, causing him to limp toward his room.
After washing up, the two ate the dinner prepared in the couple's bedroom and talked about what they had done during the day.
As she talked with Callion, Erna felt the stifling feeling she had experienced during the day gradually disappear.
If she were alone, she would still be agonizing over this. She never realized how much of a relief it would be to have someone to discuss it with.
After talking for a while, Erna yawned and climbed onto the bed.
Since they weren't going to be intimate today, she could go back to her room and sleep, but before she knew it, the bed in the couple's bedroom was more comfortable.
As Erna headed to the bed, Callion also quickly climbed in and lay down next to her.
He picked up Erna, who was trying to burrow under the covers, and sat her on his body.
Erna spoke to him with a look of disbelief.
“We’ve done all we could...”
For two days, they kept it slushy and dry without a moment's rest, just as Callion said. And he wants to do it again?
“I’m still down there... It’s tingling.”
"Then I'll just touch the top."
"Isn't there an option to just lie down and sleep? I'm just going to sleep in my room."
Erna rolled down from Callion, who was answering shamelessly. However, Callion's hand immediately grabbed her ankle as if asking where she was going. Then, Erna's hand drew a magic formula in the air.
The power of magic weakens inside the main building of the Grand Duke's castle. Erna does not know what kind of magic the Grand Duke who built this place cast in the past, but thanks to this, it was extremely difficult to take one's life with magic inside the main building.
So, Callion leisurely watched as Erna cast some magic. At that moment.
Click!
The tip of the light that appeared in the air wrapped around his wrist and pulled him in.
“...!”
Callion shook his head in surprise to try to untie it, but the rope bound him even more tightly, then dragged his hand to the headboard and fastened it firmly to the ornament there.
"What's this?"
“What else could it be? I tied you up. I analyzed the magical waves cast here earlier today. I mixed them with the magic I practiced when I was young... and it worked.”
Erna looked at the struggling Callion with a proud expression and lay down next to him.
"Then I'm going to sleep. You sleep too."
“Erna!”
At Callion's shout, Erna giggled and turned over. Then, a funny thought suddenly struck her, and she sat up.
As Erna stood up again, Callion's face brightened, thinking she would untie the ropes. However, his face soon contorted mercilessly.
Erna began to unbutton her clothes one by one in a place where neither his hands nor feet could reach.
It was a clear provocation.
However, it was only natural, as she had welcomed Vanessa warmly whenever she visited over the past 10 years.
'I can't act differently now.'
Erna swallowed a sigh as she watched Orpheus open the door. She had to act as if nothing had happened as usual as possible. At least until she fully figured out what had happened at the ancient ruins.
"How are you feeling, Lady Erna?"
Vanessa came inside and spoke kindly, just as usual.
“As you can see, I’m fine. What’s wrong?”
"Do I really need to come for a specific reason? I just stopped by while passing through."
A remark she would have simply let slide in the past weighed on her mind today. In truth, there isn't a department around here that Vanessa would particularly go out of her way to visit. However, Vanessa always said she just stopped by while passing through.
Had Vanessa come here on purpose all this time just to check on herself?
As Erna took the teacup Orpheus handed her back, she casually tossed out a remark.
“Come to think of it, I have something to tell you. I’m thinking of using a room on the first floor of the Grand Duke’s castle main building. I think I’ll have to clear out all the furniture inside, so don’t be surprised.”
"What? What brings you up all of a sudden?"
"It’s because of the ancient ruins I saw in the Forest of Irgis."
At first, Erna debated whether or not to bring up the ancient ruins. However, after speaking with Callion, she concluded that it would be better to speak about it openly. Of course, she decided to leave out the story of seeing Richard Hessengard inside.
"The fact that monsters have been continuously appearing in Irgis's Forest lately, and the ruins I saw this time... it just feels like there is some kind of connection."
“...Did you not go inside the ruins?”
“Yeah, I didn’t go beyond the entrance because I was worried that if I went in in that situation and something dangerous came out, it would be troublesome.”
Erna feigned composure as much as possible and told the lie she had already coordinated with Callion.
When Erna asked Callion, it seemed he had already told Vanessa that he hadn't gone beyond the entrance of the ancient ruins. He said that the passage had opened again and he had returned.
So, Erna also had to coordinate with Callion.
“Still, I am curious about what’s inside. Besides, it’s fascinating that the passage opened so many times in such a short period. So, I plan to gather and organize all the materials regarding the Forest of Irgis and the ancient ruins there. However, my office is so packed that I thought it would be nice to have another room to organize.”
This statement was not a lie.
“For the time being, I plan to bring wood or rocks from the Forest of Irgis to examine for traces of magical power. So, I intend to keep the room near the entrance vacant and use it as a sort of laboratory.”
"I see. Understood. I will let the people in the main building know in advance."
Vanessa nodded without any change in expression.
Erna watched Vanessa while pretending to drink tea. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, then quickly returned to her usual expression as if nothing had happened.
'Vanessa will probably start moving too.'
Since she spoke as if declaring that she would research it in the future, if there is something she wants to hide, Vanessa will take immediate action.
Erna and Callion decided to track it down.
***
"Ha..."
As she left the Wizards' Hall, Erna let out a long sigh. She had been working frantically from morning till evening, and before she knew it, it was already evening.
Fortunately, thanks to Abel, who started formal classes immediately today, she didn't have to take any time off for lessons.
'Still, I'm busy.'
Her head was spinning after handling all the piled-up work at once. Even so, the work wasn't finished yet. She wanted to do a little more before leaving, but Orpheus, who had just returned from outside, suddenly pushed Erna's back, telling her to hurry back and rest.
Just as Erna was about to walk toward the main house while adjusting her Grand Duke's cloak.
“Erna.”
Startled by the voice calling her, Erna turned to the side.
“Callion?”
Callion was sitting on the railing near the entrance of the Wizards' Guild. He saw Erna, stood up, and approached her.
“What? Why are you here? Did you have business with the Wizard Order?”
"Yes."
"What is it?"
At the mention of business, Erna's face turned serious. Since the Wizard Order was formed, Callion had never once visited this place in person.
Even when wizards' help was needed to exterminate monsters, it was his lieutenant, Cedric, who came to request assistance; Callion had never come to ask for a favor. So for him to come see me in person?
Erna waited for an answer, nervous that something serious might have happened regarding monsters.
Then Callion raised his hand and pressed and rubbed her wrinkled forehead with his finger.
"I came to pick you up."
"...What?"
"It's time to finish. Let's go back."
Erna gaped at Callion's words.
“You didn't... wait for me?”
"Yes."
Erna could not say anything more about his attitude, which seemed to ask why she was asking such an obvious question. Callion grabbed Erna's hand and pulled her along.
“Hey, hey! People are watching!”
At those words, Callion looked at Erna as if dumbfounded.
“Do you think the people here right now don’t know what we’ve been doing for the past two days?”
“...”
At those words, Erna's face instantly flushed red. Come to think of it, hadn't Orpheus been grinning since today? As Callion had said, there was no way the people of the Grand Duke's castle wouldn't know about the relationship between the two. But...
“Still, I’m ashamed!”
Erna pulled her hand away. Holding hands in front of everyone was a thousand times more embarrassing than rolling around naked in a room where only the two of them were present!
“Hey, you...”
As Erna pulled her hand away, Callion's face hardened. Then he bent down and whispered in her ear.
"If you keep doing that, I’ll carry you along."
What kind of crazy threat is this? Although dumbfounded, Erna subtly extended her hand again. Callion smiled as if he had been waiting for this moment and took the hand Erna offered.
Erna could not get used to seeing Callion like that. Like her, Callion also displayed the dignified demeanor of a Grand Duke outside, unlike when they were alone.
'So, it seems like no one knows, but...'
Erna recalled Abel, whom she had seen that morning. He looked similar to Callion when he smiled, but since Callion rarely smiled in public, it was difficult to tell others that they resembled each other.
'Then am I the only one who knows?'
Erna recalled the sly grin on Callion's face in front of her. The thought that she was the only one seeing that made her sigh, yet she also felt a little proud.
“What are you thinking about so much?”
"The new wizard."
“That guy?”
“What? When did you even see him to call him that guy? Do you have a grudge against Abel?”
“Abel? Is that his name?”
"Yeah. A handsome guy came, and the wizards are going crazy."
“No wonder there were a lot of women around when I brushed past you the other day.”
"By the way, that person looked like you."
"What?"
Callion stopped in his tracks. He was staring at Erna with a face that looked as if he had been betrayed.
"You didn't fall for that face, did you?"
“What nonsense are you talking about? I just said he’s handsome.”
"You've never told anyone else they were handsome until now."
“Well, you’re the best-looking...”
Erna shook her head at Callion's face, which was grinning even though she had only said that much.
Callion's smiling face, still holding her hand tightly as they walked, was simply fascinating. Hey, was he an easy target once he broke down like this?
***
The two, having returned together, decided to have dinner together in the couple's bedroom. When Erna suggested they wash up first and meet again, Callion was about to ask if they could wash together when she kicked him in the leg, causing him to limp toward his room.
After washing up, the two ate the dinner prepared in the couple's bedroom and talked about what they had done during the day.
As she talked with Callion, Erna felt the stifling feeling she had experienced during the day gradually disappear.
If she were alone, she would still be agonizing over this. She never realized how much of a relief it would be to have someone to discuss it with.
After talking for a while, Erna yawned and climbed onto the bed.
Since they weren't going to be intimate today, she could go back to her room and sleep, but before she knew it, the bed in the couple's bedroom was more comfortable.
As Erna headed to the bed, Callion also quickly climbed in and lay down next to her.
He picked up Erna, who was trying to burrow under the covers, and sat her on his body.
Erna spoke to him with a look of disbelief.
“We’ve done all we could...”
For two days, they kept it slushy and dry without a moment's rest, just as Callion said. And he wants to do it again?
“I’m still down there... It’s tingling.”
"Then I'll just touch the top."
"Isn't there an option to just lie down and sleep? I'm just going to sleep in my room."
Erna rolled down from Callion, who was answering shamelessly. However, Callion's hand immediately grabbed her ankle as if asking where she was going. Then, Erna's hand drew a magic formula in the air.
The power of magic weakens inside the main building of the Grand Duke's castle. Erna does not know what kind of magic the Grand Duke who built this place cast in the past, but thanks to this, it was extremely difficult to take one's life with magic inside the main building.
So, Callion leisurely watched as Erna cast some magic. At that moment.
Click!
The tip of the light that appeared in the air wrapped around his wrist and pulled him in.
“...!”
Callion shook his head in surprise to try to untie it, but the rope bound him even more tightly, then dragged his hand to the headboard and fastened it firmly to the ornament there.
"What's this?"
“What else could it be? I tied you up. I analyzed the magical waves cast here earlier today. I mixed them with the magic I practiced when I was young... and it worked.”
Erna looked at the struggling Callion with a proud expression and lay down next to him.
"Then I'm going to sleep. You sleep too."
“Erna!”
At Callion's shout, Erna giggled and turned over. Then, a funny thought suddenly struck her, and she sat up.
As Erna stood up again, Callion's face brightened, thinking she would untie the ropes. However, his face soon contorted mercilessly.
Erna began to unbutton her clothes one by one in a place where neither his hands nor feet could reach.
It was a clear provocation.
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