Derivis, who had been waiting for their conversation to end, finally spoke up.
“So, did Tehard know about Rondun?”
“Yes. He’s a magician who was expelled from the Mage Tower. It seems that even the Tower itself shuns him because of the inhumane experiments he conducted.”
“Then I guess they’re birds of a feather, then.”
Derivis was likely grouping Nine and Rondun together with that comment. Rosalie, who agreed, nodded in response.
“Fortunately, it seems that stopping the experiments won’t cause any harm to Prince Radinis.”
“Thanks to your tip, the Empress won’t be able to move for quite some time. His Majesty is pushing hard not just for treason but also for conspiring with the enemy.”
If they pressed hard with testimony that had no solid evidence, the backlash would be severe. Despite knowing this, Patrick was determined to push forward.
‘Now, all we need is to find the evidence.’
“There are only two places left for our knights to search. By narrowing it down to the lake, as Prince Radinis suggested, the search area has significantly reduced.”
“Before doing anything rash…”
“I’ll be sure to inform you.”
Satisfied with the prompt response, Derivis didn’t nag further.
“Right~. And Rosalie, you should really work on not charging ahead without looking around~.”
Rosalie shot a glare at Nathan, who had seized the moment to add a comment. Nathan pretended not to notice and looked off into the distance.
“Since both of you have worked up a sweat, how about a quick bath?”
“Sounds good~.”
“I agree.”
Rosalie instructed Emma to prepare the bathwater. Derivis, who borrowed clothes from Nathan, whose height was similar, bathed in the guest room, while Nathan took his bath in his own room.
“Are you done?”
Rosalie smiled at Derivis’s face as it appeared between the partially opened office doors. He nodded and approached her, leaning against the windowsill behind her chair, dressed in a comfortable shirt and pants.
“Come to think of it, I was surprised you knew Tehard.”
Rosalie swiveled her chair to look up at him.
“Ah. He was persistent and was always following me around, asking for some of my auror.”
“When Tehard arrived at the reception room, even Erudit was caught off guard.”
Rosalie chuckled softly, recalling the surprised expressions of the two men. Erudit’s presence in the reception room was coincidental, but it seemed that Tehard had been more willing to share information because of it.
“Rosalie, what does Erudit mean to you?”
“I’m not sure why you’re asking, but he’s a good friend and a reliable vassal. He’s also excellent at his job.”
“A friend and a vassal… I’ll take note of that.”
Rosalie tilted her head, puzzled by his sudden question and cryptic response. When she asked why he inquired, Derivis just shook his head, dismissing it.
“And what about the other information you got from Tehard?”
Rosalie recounted her conversation with Tehard in detail, including how he sacrificed others like herself for his experiments.
Derivis listened quietly, rhythmically tapping the windowsill with his fingers.
⊱⊱⊱────── {.⋅ ✧✧✧ ⋅.} ──────⊰⊰⊰
That night, the evening was still chilly though spring was just around the corner. Erudit, who had had more than his fill of alcohol, was exhausted from listening to the grumbling of Tehard, a magician who could drink like a fish.
“Things are already tough as it is, so what’s with that red-haired jerk? What a pain! I’ve got a temper too, you know.”
Tehard downed his drink in one gulp. The tavern was bustling and seemed to overflow with camaraderie.
Erudit had offered to treat Tehard at a high-end bar, but Tehard had opted for a more modest tavern in the capital, saying he disliked overly fancy places.
“…Still, he’s not such a bad person. There was probably just a small misunderstanding.”
As the alcohol continued to hit him, Erudit couldn’t help but think about the lecture he would give Nathan when he got back to the mansion. Of course.
‘Her Grace has probably already given him an earful.’
Even knowing that, Erudit decided he would still scold Nathan, if only to justify all the drinks he had to match with Tehard.
“There you are.”
Erudit and Tehard turned their heads at the sudden voice. They saw Derivis, who had appeared at their table without them noticing, pulling out a chair and joining them as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“…Your Highness? How did you end up here…?”
“Derivis? Are you here for a drink, too?”
“I had a pretty good guess where Tehard would be drinking. Besides, I have a question.”
Tehard called the waiter to bring over another glass and some fresh liquor. Derivis didn’t stop him as he filled a glass to the brim right next to him.
“So, what’s this question? It’s rare for you to ask me anything.”
Tehard chuckled as he raised his glass. Derivis picked up the drink in front of him and downed the strong liquor in one go without even flinching.
“You’ve experimented with my auror, so you should know.”
Tehard, catching on, poured more liquor into his empty glass, then filled Erudit’s as well.
“Is the magician named Rondun powerful?”
“…What exactly are you asking?”
Erudit met Derivis’s unshakable blue eyes. Tehard hesitated, his hand pausing mid-pour, as he glanced at Derivis with narrowed eyes, but Erudit figured right away why Derivis was asking such a question.
“Can I handle him if it comes down to it?”
“Are you asking because of Her Grace?”
Derivis picked up his glass again, not breaking eye contact with Erudit, and took another swig.
“I can’t leave someone who threatens her alone.”
“Wait, what is your relationship with the Duchess?”
Tehard asked urgently, surprised by Derivis’s answer.
“Do you care for her that much?”
“Care for her, huh… I’m not sure that cute word does it justice.”
Tehard shivered at the thought of someone like Derivis using a word as simple as ‘care.’ He rubbed his arms, feeling a strange unease.
Despite his usual calm and laid-back demeanor, something about Derivis’s lack of interest in other people, even those of his kind, made Tehard uneasy.
Derivis just looked at Tehard as if to say, ‘Just answer the question.’
“It would take a pretty strong magician, one specialized in combat, to give you any trouble. You wouldn’t struggle much against Rondun.”
“Good enough.”
Derivis stood up abruptly. Tehard grumbled about him leaving after just asking a question, but Derivis waved him off and left. As Erudit watched him leave, he suddenly stood up as well.
“Tehard, I’ll be right back.”
“What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”
“No, it won’t take long.”
Erudit headed for the door Derivis had exited through, almost running. He caught up to him just as he was about to leave the tavern.
“Your Highness…!”
“When we’re outside, just call me senior. Alright, junior?”
“Ah, sorry, it was urgent.”
Derivis nodded, signaling him to go on.
“So?”
They both knew they had feelings for Rosalie. Nathan might have been different, but at least Erudit and the black-haired man in front of him shared the same feelings.
“You’ve probably heard that Her Grace is someone special.”
Given that Derivis had come to ask about Rondun, it was clear he knew about Rosalie’s secret. After all, Rosalie had confided in him, so she would certainly have told Derivis, who seemed particularly close to her.
“Why do you ask?”
“What would you do if Her Grace were to return to where she originally came from?”
“I’d follow her, no matter what I’d have to leave behind. Since you’re my junior, I’ll answer you, but I’m curious why you’re asking.”
Derivis answered immediately, and Erudit adjusted his glasses, hesitating before speaking.
“I plan to confess to Her Grace.”
No matter what their relationship was, Erudit selfishly wanted to express his feelings, even if it led to heartbreak. Derivis looked at him for a long moment.
“Go ahead. I won’t stop you.”
But to Erudit’s surprise, Derivis responded rather nonchalantly, brushing off his declaration. It was an unexpectedly mild reaction.
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
Frustrated by Derivis’s calm demeanor, Erudit blurted out a question he hadn’t intended to ask. Suddenly, Derivis’s tone shifted.
“But that’s as far as it goes.”
It was a clear warning, a firm line drawn in the sand. It was a message not to test the waters with insincere questions.
The air between them grew heavy, and Erudit, who had tensed up, watched as Derivis relaxedly waved a hand and walked away.
“Take it easy on the drinks and get home safely, junior.”
Erudit stared blankly after Derivis, then clenched his fist. He drank heavily for the rest of the night, only heading back to the mansion once it was close to midnight.
As he entered through the front door, he noticed a familiar face in the lobby where no one should have been at that hour.
“Erudit, did you have fun?”
Erudit gazed at Rosalie, who had come down to the lobby. Though he knew it wasn’t the case, he couldn’t help but hope that she had been waiting for him to return.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was worried because you were out so late. I’ll tell Emma to bring you some tea for your hangover in the morning. Now, go and get some rest.”
Rosalie knew he must have been exhausted from listening to Tehard’s complaints after his clash with Nathan. She planned to instruct the chef to prepare foods that were great for hangovers before she went to morning training.
“…Your Grace, I have something to say.”
Erudit decided to rely on the alcohol still coursing through his veins. He figured that even if it hurt, it might hurt a little less if he was drunk.
“Go ahead. I’m listening.”
However, he hesitated for a long time. Rosalie stood there quietly, waiting for him to speak.
“…I have feelings for you, Your Grace.”
Rosalie went silent for a moment.
Given her usual interactions with Erudit, she might have lightly responded, ‘I like you, too.’ But she realized that his words carried a different weight.
“Erudit. I’m sorry, but…”
“I’m already aware of your relationship with His Highness, but I think I’d regret it if I didn’t tell you how I feel.”
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