Chapter 37:
Explain it. Gerwer.
Riche swallowed quietly at Celine’s words.
She didn’t think anyone would witness what happened last time. She didn’t sense anyone around.
The incident where Ian fell into the lake.
He hadn’t told anyone except Blake. Not even Deon.
It was a good story for people to gossip about, that Ian, a member of the duke’s family, had such an incident. Strange rumors might spread.
“When was it…?”
“Two weeks ago.”
I saw. Riche’s heart skipped a beat.
But Celine’s answer didn’t end there.
“The week before that.”
“Excuse me?”
“And last year.”
Not knowing what she meant, Riche and Phillip blinked at Celine.
—
“I first found out last fall semester.”
Riche, entering the room, pondered over a cup of tea handed to her by Phillip.
“I didn’t tell anyone. I was afraid to tell other people with abilities… I thought Lady Tryche might find a way to help.”
Riche had confided in Riche about the worries she had been struggling with alone since last year.
Ultimately, it was probably easier for Riche to bring it up than it would have been with members of other noble families or people with abilities.
Leaving aside such issues, it wasn’t bad information for Riche. She was in a position where she had to be concerned about Ian’s life or death.
“Did Hikanka know?”
So, I wondered if he suddenly appeared that day.
She couldn’t ask right away. But there was about two weeks left until the day he said he would take out Pythons again. He would come then. It was a day to endure without sleep.
“Master Gerwer, are you suffering from narcolepsy?”
Phillip, sitting on a wooden chair, asked Riche.
He, too, was concerned about what Celine had said. He had thought Ian Dwayne Gerwer was a fine nobleman and had even saved him from cardiac arrest once.
“Yeah. I think so too.”
“Then it seems someone didn’t forget the master that day. I can’t believe Gerwer’s attendants are so useless. They don’t even know when their master goes out at midnight.”
Phillip clicked his tongue.
“If the illness is that severe, he must be receiving treatment, right?”
“Um…”
Riche couldn’t easily answer.
It might have been a plot by Duke Gerwer. He might have been subjected to something that caused symptoms of narcolepsy instead of receiving treatment.
‘There’s something suspicious about the artifact Ian carries.’
The necklace that prevents the use of abilities.
And Duke Gerwer might have done something else nefarious. He was always someone who prepared two or three contingencies.
‘It would be nice to know the cause.’
If Ian’s symptoms didn’t stop after the first time, there was a possibility that what happened on the day of the entrance ceremony would happen again.
“Shall I ask once?”
“Phillip?”
“Since you can’t speak in front of Master Gerwer, Miss.”
Philip chuckled.
“Are you teasing me?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
He seems pleased. Philip seemed to misunderstand that he liked Ian as a rational person. Based on experience, if he were to explain it here, it would definitely lead to questions about whether he really liked him.
Without saying anything, Riche nodded her head.
“Then I’ll ask for a favor.”
“Yeah.”
With that answer, Philip thought about the list of questions he would ask Ian.
Height, shoe size, wealth, grades, social circle, and what he thinks about his future after graduation…
“Our Miss Riche won’t just settle for anyone.”
Whatever.
With arms crossed like a strict mother-in-law, Philip nodded his head.
—
On the same night.
Ian couldn’t fall asleep and sat on the bed, fidgeting with his necklace.
“Lordwick Duke, I want to ask for your help.”
A few days ago, recalling the silver moon from Riche.
Using the excuse of not feeling well, Ian obtained permission to go out of the academy. Avoiding people’s eyes, he secretly went to Lordwick Manor.
Ian confided in Blake about what Duke Gerwer had done to him.
“My father wishes for me to disappear.”
The medicine he had been taking steadily since he was young. Duke Gerwer’s attitude of restraint towards him. And the symptoms of narcolepsy that he couldn’t explain since entering the academy.
“Got it.”
Blake, who had been silently listening to Ian’s story, said he would look for a solution.
They had agreed to meet again soon, but the problem was today.
When he calculated the cycle of days when he woke up outside, his body was supposed to move again tonight, regardless of his will.
“I’m afraid to fall asleep.”
He thought that if he fell asleep now, he might never wake up again.
He was afraid to lie down on the bed.
Would the night breeze drive away the drowsiness? If he kept walking until morning, could he survive another day?
Ian got up. It was easy to leave the room, but the main door was locked. He went out through the window in the corridor.
And then he kept walking. Passing the dormitory, passing through the garden, and passing the classroom buildings. As he continued to walk through the vast academy, he came across the lake where he had fallen last time.
“It’s dark.”
The scenery he saw when he briefly regained consciousness that day was bright. But now it was pitch black.
Ian stood by the lakeside, looking at the faintly shimmering ripples reflecting the starlight.
At that moment, with a loud noise from behind, he suddenly felt his body being lifted into the air.
“I got you!”
“…?!”
What, what’s going on? Ian was startled and turned his head back. Someone was holding him up. But it was too dark to see their face.
“…Who-”
“I got you! Miss!”
“Nice job! Philip!”
He paused.
Ian stiffened. The voice he heard next was familiar.
A person approaching him with a small stature. It was still a dark silhouette, but it was clear enough to distinguish the faintly sparkling silver.
“Miss Tryche?”
“Gosh.”
Seeing Ian leaving the dormitory, Riche, who had been walking in high spirits, stopped in surprise at Ian’s voice. Her clear eyes met Ian’s.
‘Did she hear everything I said…?’
She must have heard.
His mind went blank.
—
“…….”
“Ha-ha…”
Philip awkwardly laughed as he looked at the master standing in front of him.
I’m going to die. It’s clear I’m going to die.
Those angry red eyes seemed to prophesy his future. You, you’re going to die.
“Coming here suddenly… You must have been really surprised…”
In the middle of the night, a low-ranking knight like himself, who hadn’t even dried the blood on his head, came to the master’s room, so you must have been really annoyed. Did the master not know the intentions of the knight who came to his room like this without bringing any attendants because he didn’t want to be with people? However, the reason I sneaked into the respected master’s room like this today was because…
Excuses floated around in Philip’s mind. He was preparing to spit them out at once, ready to be brushed off by Deon with a tap or a grunt.
‘Why didn’t you ask why I came…’
Deon, leaning against the wall, arms crossed, was speaking with his face.
Get lost. Or you’ll die.
Philip, who secretly wanted recognition from Deon, was in a situation where he could only rely on someone from the Rodwick family again, and he spat out his words like someone in despair.
“Master, Miss Riche…”
“Why.”
“That’s…? You’re curious about what Miss said…?”
“What?”
“Oh, no, nothing!”
“The guy’s mouth is a windbag.” Philip raised his hand and explained his reason succinctly.
“She wants to see you for a moment.”
***
The place Philip led him to was a garden quite far from the academy dormitories.
“Why is he here at this hour?”
Deon furrowed his brow and asked Philip.
“Alone?”
“Miss Liche?”
Of course, he was talking about the miss. Philip felt a chillier atmosphere than before and regretted his words.
“I’m not alone. She’s over there in the pavilion.”
“Oppa! Over here!”
Liche, sitting on a sofa in the garden, waved her hand.
And there sat Ian Dwayne Gerwer.
Deon, who walked quickly, stood in front of Liche.
“What, why are you with Gerwer?”
“Hello.”
Gerwer meeting my little sister in the middle of the night. Moreover, Liche was much younger.
Whatever the circumstances, as an older brother, he had to say something, even hundreds of words. Father would have done the same if he had seen it.
“You-.”
“Oppa, can I sleep with Ian tonight?”
But Deon’s mouth stopped at Liche’s following words.
What did Liche just say to me?
“Sleep with Gerwer?”
I can’t believe it. Deon couldn’t speak out of disbelief. Liche cautiously added an explanation while seeing Deon’s reaction.
“Ian has narcolepsy. But last time he fell into the lake because of it. I’m worried he might do the same tonight.”
“…”
Just fall in already.
Normally he would have said that, but Deon’s mind was complex right now.
‘What is this situation?’
Until this afternoon, my sister imitated a cold because she felt embarrassed talking to Ian Dwayne.
It’s annoying that she’s suddenly advocating for Ian Dwayne as if they were close.
And how can it be that Ian Dwayne fell into the lake last time?
“Gerwer. Have you met my sister before?”
Deon changed the subject.
His sister was so naive that if Ian Dwayne pretended to be pitiful, she would quickly sympathize and agree with whatever he said.
The explanation had to come from here.
“Well, that…”
Ian Dwayne hesitated to answer, exchanging glances with Liche. They met. Deon snapped his fingers. Decision made. He couldn’t just leave Ian Dwayne alone. But Liche grabbed Deon’s hand.
“Oppa, can’t Ian sleep with me often?”
“No.”
“I see.”
Liche nodded obediently at Deon’s refusal.
Since she thought it was an unreasonable request from the beginning, she didn’t plan to push it further. Deon hated people. Nothing could be done. Liche quickly gave up and told Ian.
“Sorry, Ian. As I said earlier, we might have to sneak into the girls’ dormitory.”
Deon quickly turned his head to look at Liche. What nonsense is this?
What’s even more ridiculous is that Ian Dwayne seems to know about it and responds as if it’s normal.
“No. It’s okay. You can sleep in Philip’s room. Just untie yourself from the bed in the morning.”
“You said that last time, but you came out anyway. Use Philip’s room. You can leave in the morning, right?”
The conversation flowed like water.
Bed, body, room, morning… Are you kidding?
“Still…”
“Hey, Gerwer.”
He couldn’t stand it anymore.
If it weren’t for Liche’s presence, he could have used his abilities on Ian Dwayne.
Deon called Ian with an annoyed expression.
So, if I don’t take Ian Dwayne with me, it means I’m going to Liche’s room. Absolutely not.
“Come with me.”
“Yes…?”
