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"So, Grand Duke Ervin lied to His Majesty the Emperor to get more mages?"
Carrion's face flushed, as if he thought he had found a pretext to attack the Grand Duke.
At that moment, a good idea popped into Riel's head.
'Maybe I won't go back empty-handed.'
Carrion raised Lyman again and asked.
"Where is he now?"
"That's... I don't know right now."
Lyman got up from his seat and trailed off.
"What did you say?"
Carrion's eyes narrowed.
"He was clearly the one who put up the barrier at the Spire, but there was only a novice mage named Johan at the Spire."
Riel studied Carrion's expression and then calmly asked Lyman.
"Then, Mage Lyman, you weren't the one who put up the barrier at the Ducal Palace?"
"It wasn't me. I don't have that much magical power."
Riel, who had been listening quietly, pointed to the door and gestured to Carrion. As if telling him to send him away quickly.
Carrion pretended to be troubled and said.
"Go and rest for today. I'll figure out a way."
"Count, I beg you."
Lyman earnestly pleaded and then went outside.
As soon as the door closed, Carrion came over and asked.
"Riel, it seems like we've got a good card? If we can just find out who it is, can't we get proper recognition for this?"
Riel refuted Carrion's words.
"What if it's the opposite?"
"The opposite situation?"
"What if Mage Lyman is using you, Count, because he wants to leave Ervin? Then you're lying to His Majesty the Emperor."
"What?"
Riel shook Carrion's anxiety.
She hadn't been able to uncover that Iana had committed adultery, but she had obtained evidence that Grand Duke Ervin had flirted with a married woman.
That alone was enough to give the Emperor, who was checking Grand Duke Ervin, the result he wanted.
But Carrion was afraid that if he acted rashly here, even the achievements he had already made would be lost.
'I'll take that credit. By using the Count's fear.'
Riel explained with a cold face.
"You know it too, Count. That mage ran away to save himself, even when the monsters were attacking."
"..."
"He's the kind of person who would do anything to save his life."
Carrion asked with a conflicted face.
"So, we should pretend we don't know?"
"I think that would be best. I'll try to get more information from Mage Lyman for now."
"Riel, you're so smart."
Carrion stroked Riel's cheek as if praising her.
Again, Iana's words lingered in her ears.
"You're clinging to men to endure your hellish life!"
Riel turned her face away in humiliation. As if rejecting him.
"I'll go and find out right now. He might be spreading strange rumors here and there."
"Okay, then."
For some reason, Carrion readily lowered his hand, even though Riel was rejecting him.
Riel could tell instinctively.
The emotional cracks that had begun between Carrion and her...
✦ ✦ ✦
Riel left the detached palace and headed towards the Spire.
After a while, Lyman was seen walking heavily in front of her.
Riel approached and called out to Lyman.
"Mage."
"Lady Riel, what are you doing here? Did the Count perhaps change his mind?"
Lyman looked back at Riel and was delighted, as if a ray of light had come down.
"Let's go somewhere quiet and talk."
At Riel's words, the two walked along the garden forest path.
"Mage Lyman, you were sent by His Majesty the Emperor at the request of Grand Duke Ervin, Your Highness, right?"
"That's right."
"So, the Count can't ask His Majesty the Emperor to return Mage Lyman without any evidence."
"So, you're saying you're refusing my request."
Lyman's face was filled with despair.
Riel gently took Lyman's hands.
"!"
Lyman flinched at Riel's sudden action.
"It's not that, it's that you need to find out who that mage is. That's the only way to have grounds to ask His Majesty the Emperor."
"But..."
"I know how terrible this place is today."
Riel comforted Lyman, pretending to sympathize.
Sure enough. Weak humans easily crumbled emotionally with a little comfort.
"I want to get out of this place as soon as possible."
Lyman's eyes turned red.
"So, find the mage that Grand Duke Ervin is hiding as soon as possible. Send the information you find to Madam Marie's dressmaking shop in Count Dietrian's territory by messenger."
"To the dressmaking shop?"
Doubt clouded Lyman's face.
"Would Grand Duke Ervin like it? If it's discovered that Mage Lyman is in close contact with Count Dietrian's family."
Riel watched Lyman's expression even as she lied.
"Ah..."
"The Count will have a hard time coming forward, so you'll have to move quietly for the time being. So, don't be too discouraged."
"I'll find him for sure, so please tell the Count."
Riel smiled faintly at Lyman's request.
'Maybe it could be a bargaining chip. A chip that could make me a noble without Carrion.'
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana had her right hand treated by the healer Karen once again and then returned to her room.
Iana was sitting at her desk, writing a letter to Marcel.
It was a letter to inform him of the incident in which Riel threatened her with a brooch in the investigation room.
Of course, the incident in which Riel had harmed her was quietly passed over by not questioning Iana's crime of refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
Because of that, she could no longer question Riel about the matter.
'How much has Brother found out about Riel?'
Just as she was lost in thought. Ru, who was placed on her lap, yawned, showing its cute teeth.
Iana held Ru and looked at it affectionately, whispering.
"Ru, thank you for today. I don't know what would have happened to me if it wasn't for Ru..."
Ru bit her finger lightly because Iana was just chattering without putting it to sleep.
"Ah!"
Iana cried out in surprise.
At that moment, a presence was heard outside the door, and Charles hurriedly opened the door and came in.
"What's wrong?"
Iana was surprised and stood up from her seat, holding Ru.
"What happened? Did a monster appear?"
"I heard about it from Karen earlier. She said that you were attacked by Krikan and your hand was paralyzed. That's why I came, but you were screaming, so maybe..."
Charles trailed off with a surprised face.
"I took the antidote right away, so I'm fine. The scream just now was because Ru bit me."
Charles approached with a worried face and said.
"Let me see."
"Yes?"
"The hand that was attacked by Krikan."
Iana put Ru down on the floor and carefully held out her hand.
Charles carefully examined her hand.
"It looks fine to the eye, but does it hurt?"
"No, I'm fine."
An awkward silence flowed between the two.
Then Ru ran over and looked up at her from under her feet with an expression asking her to put it to sleep.
"Ru wants to be petted. You've hurt your hand, so I'll do it."
"I'm not hurt..."
Before Iana could finish speaking, Charles sat on the sofa and stroked Ru's face.
"Ru has pretty eyes, a pretty nose, and pretty lips."
'Not the lips.'
Iana, who was standing next to him, blushed red with embarrassment.
"Not the lips?"
Iana pouted when Charles was confused.
"The face. It's 'the face is pretty'."
"Ah, I was confused. You were the one with the pretty lips."
"..."
Iana's pupils shook greatly.
"Hahaha."
Charles laughed loudly when he saw Iana's flustered face.
Only then did Iana realize that it was a joke.
"Your Highness, are you doing this on purpose right now?"
"Maybe you're not deviating from expectations?"
Iana rolled her eyes here and there to get out of the embarrassing situation somehow. Suddenly, a good idea came to her mind, and she raised her right hand and pretended to be in pain.
"My hand, my hand hurts."
"Does it hurt a lot?"
Was her plan successful? Charles stopped laughing and looked at her hand with a serious face.
Iana felt sorry for having surprised him so much.
"Not a lot, just a little, a little bit hurts."
"Still, it hurts..."
"..."
"I have to blow on it!"
Charles grabbed the tip of her hand and blew on it.
"You're too much."
Iana glared at Charles.
She was unhappy with Charles, who had read her mind and responded with a joke.
"Hahaha."
Charles laughed loudly again.
Ru, who woke up startled by his loud laughter, also twitched its nose at Charles.
"Stop teasing me. I can use magical power now."
Iana shook her right hand as if casting a spell.
It was then.
Chu!
Charles kissed the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry for teasing you."
Iana's face turned as red as a tomato, and she slipped her hand away.
"Your Highness, you look very tired. Go and rest."
"I understand. Then, rest comfortably."
Charles put Ru down on the sofa and stopped as he was about to leave.
"I'm going to send someone to Her Majesty the Empress tomorrow. To inform her about Lady Riel."
Carrion's face flushed, as if he thought he had found a pretext to attack the Grand Duke.
At that moment, a good idea popped into Riel's head.
'Maybe I won't go back empty-handed.'
Carrion raised Lyman again and asked.
"Where is he now?"
"That's... I don't know right now."
Lyman got up from his seat and trailed off.
"What did you say?"
Carrion's eyes narrowed.
"He was clearly the one who put up the barrier at the Spire, but there was only a novice mage named Johan at the Spire."
Riel studied Carrion's expression and then calmly asked Lyman.
"Then, Mage Lyman, you weren't the one who put up the barrier at the Ducal Palace?"
"It wasn't me. I don't have that much magical power."
Riel, who had been listening quietly, pointed to the door and gestured to Carrion. As if telling him to send him away quickly.
Carrion pretended to be troubled and said.
"Go and rest for today. I'll figure out a way."
"Count, I beg you."
Lyman earnestly pleaded and then went outside.
As soon as the door closed, Carrion came over and asked.
"Riel, it seems like we've got a good card? If we can just find out who it is, can't we get proper recognition for this?"
Riel refuted Carrion's words.
"What if it's the opposite?"
"The opposite situation?"
"What if Mage Lyman is using you, Count, because he wants to leave Ervin? Then you're lying to His Majesty the Emperor."
"What?"
Riel shook Carrion's anxiety.
She hadn't been able to uncover that Iana had committed adultery, but she had obtained evidence that Grand Duke Ervin had flirted with a married woman.
That alone was enough to give the Emperor, who was checking Grand Duke Ervin, the result he wanted.
But Carrion was afraid that if he acted rashly here, even the achievements he had already made would be lost.
'I'll take that credit. By using the Count's fear.'
Riel explained with a cold face.
"You know it too, Count. That mage ran away to save himself, even when the monsters were attacking."
"..."
"He's the kind of person who would do anything to save his life."
Carrion asked with a conflicted face.
"So, we should pretend we don't know?"
"I think that would be best. I'll try to get more information from Mage Lyman for now."
"Riel, you're so smart."
Carrion stroked Riel's cheek as if praising her.
Again, Iana's words lingered in her ears.
"You're clinging to men to endure your hellish life!"
Riel turned her face away in humiliation. As if rejecting him.
"I'll go and find out right now. He might be spreading strange rumors here and there."
"Okay, then."
For some reason, Carrion readily lowered his hand, even though Riel was rejecting him.
Riel could tell instinctively.
The emotional cracks that had begun between Carrion and her...
✦ ✦ ✦
Riel left the detached palace and headed towards the Spire.
After a while, Lyman was seen walking heavily in front of her.
Riel approached and called out to Lyman.
"Mage."
"Lady Riel, what are you doing here? Did the Count perhaps change his mind?"
Lyman looked back at Riel and was delighted, as if a ray of light had come down.
"Let's go somewhere quiet and talk."
At Riel's words, the two walked along the garden forest path.
"Mage Lyman, you were sent by His Majesty the Emperor at the request of Grand Duke Ervin, Your Highness, right?"
"That's right."
"So, the Count can't ask His Majesty the Emperor to return Mage Lyman without any evidence."
"So, you're saying you're refusing my request."
Lyman's face was filled with despair.
Riel gently took Lyman's hands.
"!"
Lyman flinched at Riel's sudden action.
"It's not that, it's that you need to find out who that mage is. That's the only way to have grounds to ask His Majesty the Emperor."
"But..."
"I know how terrible this place is today."
Riel comforted Lyman, pretending to sympathize.
Sure enough. Weak humans easily crumbled emotionally with a little comfort.
"I want to get out of this place as soon as possible."
Lyman's eyes turned red.
"So, find the mage that Grand Duke Ervin is hiding as soon as possible. Send the information you find to Madam Marie's dressmaking shop in Count Dietrian's territory by messenger."
"To the dressmaking shop?"
Doubt clouded Lyman's face.
"Would Grand Duke Ervin like it? If it's discovered that Mage Lyman is in close contact with Count Dietrian's family."
Riel watched Lyman's expression even as she lied.
"Ah..."
"The Count will have a hard time coming forward, so you'll have to move quietly for the time being. So, don't be too discouraged."
"I'll find him for sure, so please tell the Count."
Riel smiled faintly at Lyman's request.
'Maybe it could be a bargaining chip. A chip that could make me a noble without Carrion.'
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana had her right hand treated by the healer Karen once again and then returned to her room.
Iana was sitting at her desk, writing a letter to Marcel.
It was a letter to inform him of the incident in which Riel threatened her with a brooch in the investigation room.
Of course, the incident in which Riel had harmed her was quietly passed over by not questioning Iana's crime of refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
Because of that, she could no longer question Riel about the matter.
'How much has Brother found out about Riel?'
Just as she was lost in thought. Ru, who was placed on her lap, yawned, showing its cute teeth.
Iana held Ru and looked at it affectionately, whispering.
"Ru, thank you for today. I don't know what would have happened to me if it wasn't for Ru..."
Ru bit her finger lightly because Iana was just chattering without putting it to sleep.
"Ah!"
Iana cried out in surprise.
At that moment, a presence was heard outside the door, and Charles hurriedly opened the door and came in.
"What's wrong?"
Iana was surprised and stood up from her seat, holding Ru.
"What happened? Did a monster appear?"
"I heard about it from Karen earlier. She said that you were attacked by Krikan and your hand was paralyzed. That's why I came, but you were screaming, so maybe..."
Charles trailed off with a surprised face.
"I took the antidote right away, so I'm fine. The scream just now was because Ru bit me."
Charles approached with a worried face and said.
"Let me see."
"Yes?"
"The hand that was attacked by Krikan."
Iana put Ru down on the floor and carefully held out her hand.
Charles carefully examined her hand.
"It looks fine to the eye, but does it hurt?"
"No, I'm fine."
An awkward silence flowed between the two.
Then Ru ran over and looked up at her from under her feet with an expression asking her to put it to sleep.
"Ru wants to be petted. You've hurt your hand, so I'll do it."
"I'm not hurt..."
Before Iana could finish speaking, Charles sat on the sofa and stroked Ru's face.
"Ru has pretty eyes, a pretty nose, and pretty lips."
'Not the lips.'
Iana, who was standing next to him, blushed red with embarrassment.
"Not the lips?"
Iana pouted when Charles was confused.
"The face. It's 'the face is pretty'."
"Ah, I was confused. You were the one with the pretty lips."
"..."
Iana's pupils shook greatly.
"Hahaha."
Charles laughed loudly when he saw Iana's flustered face.
Only then did Iana realize that it was a joke.
"Your Highness, are you doing this on purpose right now?"
"Maybe you're not deviating from expectations?"
Iana rolled her eyes here and there to get out of the embarrassing situation somehow. Suddenly, a good idea came to her mind, and she raised her right hand and pretended to be in pain.
"My hand, my hand hurts."
"Does it hurt a lot?"
Was her plan successful? Charles stopped laughing and looked at her hand with a serious face.
Iana felt sorry for having surprised him so much.
"Not a lot, just a little, a little bit hurts."
"Still, it hurts..."
"..."
"I have to blow on it!"
Charles grabbed the tip of her hand and blew on it.
"You're too much."
Iana glared at Charles.
She was unhappy with Charles, who had read her mind and responded with a joke.
"Hahaha."
Charles laughed loudly again.
Ru, who woke up startled by his loud laughter, also twitched its nose at Charles.
"Stop teasing me. I can use magical power now."
Iana shook her right hand as if casting a spell.
It was then.
Chu!
Charles kissed the back of her hand.
"I'm sorry for teasing you."
Iana's face turned as red as a tomato, and she slipped her hand away.
"Your Highness, you look very tired. Go and rest."
"I understand. Then, rest comfortably."
Charles put Ru down on the sofa and stopped as he was about to leave.
"I'm going to send someone to Her Majesty the Empress tomorrow. To inform her about Lady Riel."
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