The schemes Duke Joubert spouted were so vile and childish that one wondered if he actually believed they would work. Well, to Thierry, even that sounded like Duke Joubert digging his own grave and lying down inside it.
Has the time finally come for the rewards of gradually shrinking the Duke's funding and influence to burst forth?
"You'll start seeing quite a few holes soon. Keep an eye on the Duke."
Thierry twisted his lips after telling Wagen about Duke Joubert, who had been raising his voice in the garden.
Duke Joubert looked anxious after encountering Elisha, though it was certainly related to the former head maid. He had heard from Oscar that the Duke had picked a fight with Elisha not long ago, and although he wanted to cut off his head on the spot, he had no choice but to restrain himself for the sake of Elisha's safety and because it was merely circumstantial evidence.
No matter how self-indulgent a tyrant Thierry may be, and even if the aristocratic faction has lost its power compared to the past, beheading Duke Joubert—a leader of that faction—without cause would undoubtedly cause great chaos.
"Anyway, I keep getting help from the Princess."
It was as if he stumbled upon this while trying to see Elisha, but still, if it hadn't been for Elisha, he wouldn't have heard the conversation between Duke Joubert and the Princess.
Thierry was displeased with the situation in which he was constantly receiving help from Elisha, whom he had always wanted to simply cherish and protect. Moreover, the trigger for this was the danger that befell Elisha. This weighed heavily on Thierry's heart.
Thanks to the arrow Elisha brought from the hunting festival, he was able to discover a poisonous plant called 'Pochi', and thanks to her concern for her personal maid, he was able to catch the maid who was carrying the poisonous plant.
Moreover, she even provided clues about the suspicious relationship between the Duke and the former head maid, to the point where it could no longer be dismissed as a coincidence.
"She is a sharp person. I sensed it when she said she would follow you to the Empire in Ashtad, but contrary to her timid appearance, her decisiveness seems tremendous. It is a bit strange, though, that someone so perceptive becomes so dull only when it comes to you."
Wagen recalled Elisha's clear smile, which seemed to disarm people.
She was like a calm sea, but that didn't mean she was entirely quiet.
In a short amount of time, the gazes of the nobles who had always ignored her were already divided between suspicion and favor, and quite good reviews were circulating among the attendants.
Whether it was because she was naturally skilled at handling situations, it was truly a strange occurrence for someone who tried to live as quietly as possible in the palace.
"...It’s just because it’s unfamiliar. It’ll be fine once she remembers."
"How can you be so sure about her without any evidence? And even if you're right, she could live her whole life without ever knowing."
Wagen furrowed his brow at Thierry's sullen tone. Since there was no way to know of any cases of soul transfer, his desire to shake off that gloomy elf's mind surged even more, but the reality was a situation where it was hard to even catch a glimpse of an elf's tail.
Wagen was investigating in various ways, but the frustration of finding absolutely no clues mixed with a mixture of distrust was clearly evident.
"As long as I'm sure, that's all that matters."
However, Thierry immediately refuted it, appearing even more resolute as if he didn't care.
"My whole gut feeling points to Lari. It is definitely Lari. And while it would be nice if she remembered, it’s okay if she doesn’t. As long as she stays by my side..."
As the chillingly low, hoarse voice gradually faded, an inexplicable passion surged in his red eyes. Unlike the cold atmosphere, Thierry at this moment was so alien that one could simultaneously feel a heat that felt as if he would burn the other person the moment he touched them.
"Hmm."
Wagen let out a very low groan. Until recently, Thierry had merely expressed occasional anger with an emotionless face, but lately he had begun to reveal an unfamiliar side of himself, and Wagen felt troubled seeing him seem to be gradually losing his balance.
Thierry's obsession with Lari was, frankly, abnormal, and there was nothing to say in his defense. After all, he had been trying to find the elf in the first place because of Lari.
Although Wagen had used that to get Thierry on board, lately he has been realizing once again that the extent of his obsession is more serious than he thought.
If it is true that they found Lari as Thierry said, they should just be genuinely happy, so why do they keep acting so precariously, like someone standing on the edge of a cliff?
It was obvious at a glance that it was an obsession craving the affection of the opposite sex, which even the person involved hadn't realized. However, the problem was that the desire not to be hated clashed with the desire to possess, leading to a state where reason was consumed by emotion.
'The plans are getting increasingly delayed because we are constantly watching the Princess's reaction. We have even tentatively suspended the expedition to the neighboring kingdom.'
The location of the elves was like a non-existent island. Even when they managed to obtain a clue to approach them, the security was so thorough that they had no choice but to forcibly break through it. To think that years of preparation had come to a halt in an instant.
Wagen lost his parents to an elf who relentlessly sought out his family while they were living in hiding. He survived alone after his parents sacrificed themselves. For this reason, he spent his entire life chasing the elf, the enemy of his deceased parents, and gained a glimmer of hope thanks to Thierry, who helped him find a clue that had previously been impossible to catch.
It was a hope that might be the first, and perhaps the last. While chasing traces of the elves for a very long time, he met many victims besides himself, but most of them passed away not long after, and above all, no one had a status better suited to revealing their existence to the world than Thierry.
'I feel like I might be able to capture something if I pressure the Kingdom of Ashtad just a little more, but it's frustrating that I can't do anything because of the Princess.'
If things were going to be like this, it would be nice if he could at least stabilize a bit so he could make plans in a different direction, but judging by the fact that the insomnia he developed after losing Lari had actually worsened after meeting Elisha, Thierry was in a very unstable state at the moment.
It looked so dangerous that he had a bad premonition that if an event were to occur that shattered Thierry's hopes or heart, irreversible consequences would follow.
He shouldn't take this lightly anymore.
He began to worry that his relationship with Elisha, which he had been watching with only half-interest, might become an obstacle to his plans. That was why he had gone all the way to the lounge earlier to divert Thierry's attention, even though the information hadn't been fully verified...
Looking back now, he wondered if that was a good idea. No matter how he looked at it, he had a bad feeling that in its current state, even the slightest provocation would cause it to get carried away, making it even harder to manage than before.
"...Just finish what you were talking about earlier."
As Wagen kept his mouth shut tight with a look of having nothing to say, Thierry tilted his head slightly as if suggesting they talk about something else.
But to think the new topic we switched to was something he was just regretting.
Wagen reluctantly opened his mouth, suppressing a deep sigh rising from deep within his lower abdomen.
"...An investigation into the Duchy of Joubert? Or a gift from Ashtad?"
"Joubert, why is Lari being mentioned here?"
The words Wagen spoke when he hurriedly came to see him in the lounge were completely unexpected.
To think there was a report that someone resembling Lari had been seen in the Duchy of Joubert. It wasn't the first time he had encountered such things, as there were a lot of false reports in the beginning, but he was a bit taken aback that rumors about Lari, which he thought had been eradicated due to Thierry's sword fighting, were flowing back in.
It was even more so because it happened to be the Duchy of Joubert. So, as soon as Thierry heard the report, rather than having any expectations, his first thought was that if this was Duke Joubert's shallow ploy, it would soon collapse on its own.
"That’s all I reported earlier. A woman matching your Lari’s description appeared, and since her name is also Lari, I thought it would be best to verify it quickly. So, I thought it would be better for me to go check it out myself, which is why I passed it on as an urgent matter."
"...It’s not like this is the first or second time there have been fake tips, so why are you making a fuss about it?"
"Did you forget that I was the one who moved it myself every time, even if it sounds obvious?"
“I guess so.”
“Is it because of the Princess?”
Wagen asked meaningfully. Wagen gazed strangely at Thierry, who was staring blankly into the air with a pensive expression.
"The more certain you are, the better. And who knows? That tip might be true."
“...Come back.”
After a brief silence, Thierry's gaze slowly turned toward Wagen. His red eyes, gleaming in the light, sank chillingly.
"Because it seems like I need your reassurance rather than mine."
It was a firm voice. Wagen burst into an awkward laugh, feeling as though his displeasure with the current situation had been exposed, and rubbed his eyebrow with his index finger for no reason.
Thierry, who had been staring blankly at Wagen, soon rose from his seat and made sure to give him a word of advice.
"Just inspect the Princess's gift sent from Ashtad to make sure there are no dangerous items, and give it to me right away."
Thierry, who had said he was tired just moments ago, left the room without hesitation. Wagen simply watched the broad back receding into the distance with heavy eyes.
***
"Princess, shall I prepare an evening dress?"
"Huh? An evening dress?"
"Yes. Usually, since this is essentially the start of Act 2, you change into an evening dress around this time and return alone."
I blinked my eyes with a look of surprise. Since people were leaving the hall one by one, I thought it was winding down, so I thought this was the perfect time to return to my room, but now they say the second part is starting.
'The nobles, you really take having fun, don't you? Your stamina is incredible....'
I waved my hand at Marie, inwardly astonished.
"I'm not going, I'm not going. It's almost dawn, so where would I go? I'm just going to rest in my room now."
"Ah. Then, shall I prepare the bathwater?"
“Yes. Please.”
Leaving Marie behind as she hurriedly headed toward the bathroom, I sat on the sofa, half-lying down. It was a debutante party, but it didn't really feel like my business; on top of that, my mind was preoccupied with the Duke of Joubert, leaving me feeling nothing but troubled. Far from properly enjoying the party, I had only gained things to think about.
It just felt like my mind was buzzing with activity, thinking that incidents were happening endlessly.
'Come to think of it, did Thierry go back too? I didn't see him...'
I recalled Thierry, with his bitter expression, who had stepped aside first.
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