I nodded.
"Yes. Your Excellency is not the kind of person to let a dangerous being into the family."
At those words, he narrowed his eyes.
To the outside, he was known as a crazy Duke who chased only his own interests.
That image even led to rumors that he seemed uninterested in his family, and in high society, this was widely accepted as fact.
However, I realized his true nature not long after arriving here.
No, that's not it. Did I come here already knowing?
He finally burst into laughter again. Then, he nodded in admission.
"Aren't you offended that I looked into you?"
"Not really. I think it's only natural."
I nodded.
My existence must have been sudden to him.
The more suspicious a person is, the fewer flaws they have.
In fact, if you hadn't looked into it, you might have thought you had chosen the wrong ally.
Castian smirked in surprise, then approached me.
Castian approached without hesitation and asked me in a whisper.
"Even if I am a more insidious person than you think?"
I saw red eyes that had approached before I knew it, sparkling with a strange light.
I looked into his eyes and nodded.
"If it makes me that safe."
So if only I could change my future.
His clear eyes and mine met.
After a brief silence, Castian burst into laughter again.
"From what I've found out, the power to see ghosts is passed down in Flordel's blood. It seems that the current Viscount Flordel and Young Master do not possess it, though."
But it seems like you have it.
I nodded to him as he looked at her as if to say, "Is that right?"
"Then, did those ghosts you see recognize the key as well?"
"Yes, I looked to see if there was a ghost who knew about that object."
As I turned my gaze toward the mirror, I saw ghosts that seemed to have been following me ever since our conversation.
I closed my eyes slightly.
This was a behavior bordering on habit.
Since there were many ghosts that followed me in my past life, this was an action I took when I didn't want to see them.
-!!!
It feels a bit nerve-wracking, but it was effective.
When I looked in the mirror again, the ghosts had vanished as if they had been driven away by an intangible force.
Meanwhile, Castian's eyes sparkled.
“So, did you find it?”
"Unfortunately, that didn't work out, but there was a ghost who saw the key last."
The mere presence of a witness is of great help to the search.
Castian looked at me with an intrigued expression.
I met his gaze and clung to him.
"However, the Key to the Covenant didn't seem like an ordinary item, but..."
Because there was something I needed to check before speaking.
"Have you ever thought that a key might have a 'will,' as if it were alive?"
At first glance, it sounded almost like nonsense.
But Castian didn't laugh.
"I don't know if it has a will of its own, but it is a strange object."
Instead, he stroked his chin and said.
"Even though he was Edgard's eldest son, he who was rejected by the Key of the Covenant could not properly wield his power."
It was said that, in the end, there were some who could not become the head of the household.
If the object had enough will to choose its owner, the ghost's words would have been understandable.
I said, having sorted out my thoughts.
"According to the ghost who last saw the key, on the night several decades ago when countless people died in Edgard"
At those words, Castian's face stiffened slightly.
It was clear that it was not a topic he would particularly like, but since I had to talk about it, K continued.
"One of the Talons was fleeing with the Key of the Covenant."
I continued speaking as I poured the slightly cooled tea into the teacup in front of me.
"However, an explosion occurred at the mansion, and Talon died on the spot. And they say the key he was holding vanished from its place, heading southeast toward Edgard."
It might have sounded absurd.
"If the key is truly an object with a will of its own, I believe the Duke would be able to fully guess what it intends to do 'in an emergency.'"
"Southeast..."
Castian ran his hand through the teacup and met my gaze.
For this man, for whom silence did not suit him as much as one might think, that alone had the power to command the atmosphere.
I, who met his gaze, could also feel it.
That his gaze was oscillating between curiosity and something dangerous.
"I have a few places in mind. Can't you send the ghosts there?"
"It would be nice if I could send them, but I am not the one commanding them."
There might be a ghost who would grant your request, but they will demand a price.
He looked disappointed, but it wasn't an expression of disbelief.
I looked at him and asked.
"Do you believe me?"
I have seen many people who do not believe in the existence of ghosts in my past lives.
No matter how much I told him that a ghost was sitting on his shoulder, he did not believe it until his herniated disc burst.
There were countless such incidents.
However, Castian did not seem to be like that.
Is it because he is from a world with magical power and vital energy?
The red eyes I met were clear, devoid of any trace of suspicion.
His eyes seemed to narrow slightly, then he emptied his teacup in one gulp and answered.
"The fact that you know not only about the past but also the internal affairs of Edgart that outsiders would not know, without any particular intelligence organization."
He held up two fingers.
"Even the fact that you tore through the Marquis Eden's magical shield and escaped with a power that was neither magic nor stamina. I would believe it even if you told me you possessed a power beyond seeing ghosts. Even if I tried not to believe it, the result is this, so I have no choice but to believe it."
Just as I was about to answer, he put the glass down and spoke.
"So, although there might be some friction with Dofran, I will expand the search direction to the southeast."
I was preparing to explain further, but it seemed there was no longer a need to.
Unlike others, he did not tell me to pretend not to see or to keep my mouth shut.
However, the immediate problem was the story to be brought up next.
"I hope it yields good results... Then, the second thing I would like to mention is."
Actually, even if the results regarding the key were to be shown gradually, this case was the problem.
"I understand that Your Excellency is leaving for an expedition."
At those words, Castian crossed his arms.
"Do ghosts tell me my schedule too?"
Rather, I know because I saw the original work.
I gave a troubled smile and continued speaking.
Because that wasn't the important thing.
"Then, the 'Frost Giants' will come down."
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