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IBP 118
“Go? Where?”
At that moment, Agent Jack, who had been cautiously watching from the side, quickly nudged the image sphere that had fallen on the floor.
Caligo stared at the flickering image sphere and unconsciously murmured.
“Cute.”
It was a scene of Coco in the form of a puppy, smiling softly and fluttering her ears.
The tiger, the bird, and the human all clutched their hearts simultaneously.
“Tweet! (How cute!)”
Amius gestured with his chin as if telling Caligo to run to Coco immediately. He added a playful, affectionate head-butt for good measure.
‘Yes, it’s enough that I can help Coco.’
Finally, Caligo made up his mind.
Then, Agent Jack spread his wings majestically, as if telling him to follow.
When Amius gestured toward Agent Jack, a determined Caligo sprinted out, chasing after the flying agent.
“Let’s go, as fast as possible!”
...And so, in an instant, Caligo, Amius, and Agent Jack arrived at the Ardos estate.
They found Coco in the form of a child, playing with animals in the barn.
‘She was definitely a puppy.’
Could Coco’s body change at any given moment?
With a worried expression, he took a large step forward.
“Coco!”
“Wow! Caligo! Hi, Caligo!”
Looking into those innocent eyes filled with affection, Caligo suddenly recalled something Amius had said long ago.
Was it [Love]?
...Though he still didn't know exactly what that emotion was.
“...I don't know. I think I like her.”
It was certain that he liked Coco very much.
At the single phrase he struggled to utter, Coco nodded happily.
“Huck, did you come because you like me?”
“Yeah...”
His earlobes were bright red, but Coco’s weren't. That alone made it obvious at a glance that the weight of their emotions differed.
“I'm so glad! I thought Caligo hated me...”
“I don't hate you.”
“Really? That's a relief! I like Caligo a lot too!”
Yet, strangely, a faint glimmer of hope kept flickering.
Caligo looked at Coco. Then, Coco smiled brightly and hugged Amius, who was standing beside him.
“I like Amius too!”
“...Ah.”
“But I like my big sister the moooost.”
At that moment, Caligo realized.
The fact that Chloe was the absolute priority for Coco.
“...What's wrong, Caligo? Oh, by the way, why did you come?”
Still, from the moment he held the hand that saved him that day.
From the very moment you summoned the courage to save me.
Perhaps I... might have liked you.
“I came because I want to be helpful to you. Together with Amius and that bird.”
“Wow! I happened to need an assistant, so this is great!”
...And, it's okay.
There is plenty of time ahead.
I hope you come to perceive me as someone special.
“Coco, why do you need an assistant?”
“Gillen is coming out of prison soon. And I want Gillen to stay in prison forever!”
Coco smiled and whispered her plan to Caligo.
“So, the engagement ceremony between my sister and Grand Duke Rivera is coming up, right?”
“Yes.”
“Before the engagement ceremony, there's something we have to do...”
Hearing that voice, Caligo vowed to help Coco properly. Though his heart ached once more at the mention of his brother's engagement.
And, watching Caligo lost in his own sad thoughts, Amius thought to himself.
‘I can tell he's in a completely unconscious one-sided love. But why is he sad?’
...No matter how much he pretended to be brave or act older, his imprinted one was still just a child.
So it was natural that he didn't know the Imperial laws well.
Watching the grieving Caligo, Amius recalled something Grand Duke Rivera had said.
“Caligo, shall I explain the Imperial family system to you again?”
“No, forget it.”
Slam.
Grand Duke Rivera seemed to smirk as Caligo shut the door like a moody adolescent.
Then, he had casually left a book titled [Double In-Laws of the Empire] in front of Caligo's room.
‘I even juggled that book just to show it to Caligo.’
Caligo might not have read it because he was drowned in sorrow, but...
‘There's no problem with Grand Duke Rivera and Chloe getting engaged.’
Not only was it legally sound, but it would solidify the bond between the Grand Ducal house and the Ducal house.
As Amius tilted his head in confusion, Coco reached out her hand.
“Let's hurry to the lakeside! There's something we need to do there!”
* * *
Marquis Gillen Amadeus was granted a special pardon.
The Emperor granted the pardon because the Marquis had once been the tutor to the Imperial Prince.
Furthermore, it had been clearly proven that he had been a victim of ship-related fraud.
After being released from prison, Gillen shut himself away in the Amadeus estate.
He glared into the mirror with an anxious face.
‘Damn it, to think my face has become this haggard.’
Having rotted in prison for a few days, his clean complexion had become a mess.
A few days ago, immediately after leaving prison, he had sought out the Imperial Concubine, who had once taken him in, but he was coldly turned away.
“Is Her Highness the Imperial Concubine still bedridden?”
“Yes, her illness is still severe.”
“Damn it...!”
The gates of the Imperial Concubine's palace were firmly shut.
Only one knight of the Imperial Concubine would be guarding the post.
‘Originally, that knight's position could have become mine.’
That great position of being favored by the Imperial Concubine could have been his...!
This was all because of Chloe and Grand Duke Rivera. He didn't know who had dismantled the sturdily designed black magic, but Gillen suspected Chloe had played a part.
An infuriated Gillen tried to contact Chloe by calling upon Duchess Lucrezia Ardos, but he failed.
She, too, was under house arrest and lacked freedom of movement.
Gillen was slowly becoming isolated.
Like water slowly leaking into a boat with a hole, he was collapsing.
However, the Amadeus house was undeniably a family that had enjoyed the favor of the Imperial house. After leaving prison, he put in the legwork and found someone who could help him.
It was Count Male, known to be one of the Imperial Concubine's closest aides.
‘Back when I was successful, I even gifted a shipwrecked jewelry ship to get closer to the Imperial Concubine.’
Perhaps thanks to that past connection.
Avoiding the eyes of others, he was able to summon Count Male to a coffee house he operated.
“What is the matter?”
Count Male had a grumpy expression, but he agreed to meet him nonetheless.
“I am curious about Her Highness the Imperial Concubine's intentions.”
“It seems you wish to regain Her Highness's favor and return to the center of politics.”
Gillen's face turned bright red at the blunt insult, which was unlike a man immersed in social circles.
‘How dare someone like him...!’
Normally, he was not someone to be ignored by the likes of Count Male.
‘Isn't this all because of that damned Dahlia and Chloe?’
Do only wicked women flock to handsome men?
As he let out an exaggerated sigh, Count Male whispered suggestively.
“However, it is not as if there is no way to regain Her Highness's trust and return to the political center.”
“Tell me immediately.”
Count Male whispered in a subtle voice.
“Her Highness mentioned in passing that the House of Ardos seems to have prospered exceptionally since the blessed child arrived, and wondered if that child isn't quite special...”
“He's nothing more than a half-breed. Haven't such half-breeds been quite common historically?”
“Even so, the House of Ardos is protecting that child excessively. Her Highness has been watching the situation until now, but... she said she really must meet that child once.”
“Hmm...”
“If you were to bring that child before Her Highness very discreetly, I believe Her Highness would be pleased.”
“...”
“She could invite him officially, but that would cause a lot of talk and be very tiring. How about meeting him secretly for just a moment and then returning him?”
“What if the child speaks out?”
“You simply prevent him from doing so. You know Her Highness's ability, do you not?”
“...Ah, that's true. More importantly, did Her Highness say anything about me?”
“Ah. Her Highness said this: ‘It is true that you became a useful hand and foot for me, but a prosthetic is meant to be discarded once it is no longer useful.’”
Even while delivering a comment that sent a chill down one's spine, Count Male maintained an indifferent expression.
Upon hearing those words, Gillen bit the inside of his cheek hard.
‘I must take that brat, even if it's just to recover Her Highness's trust.’
He had to regain the Imperial Concubine's trust. Only then could he become 'strong' again.
He heard the child had no particular supernatural ability. From what he knew, all the boy could do was sob beside Chloe.
“As it happens, I have some business to attend to while recovering my own trust.”
After bringing that useless child...
‘It's about time to go to that lakeside.’
Soon, he would be able to change the entire landscape of the Empire.
He smiled sinisterly.
Like a man who lacked even the awareness that what he was about to do was a kidnapping.
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