That dawn, the two arrived at Raysendella’s detached palace. Not only Raysendella, but also the key figures of the Liberation Force were waiting for them.
The reception of Raysendella was not bad, but the entrance of the Liberation Force was quite awkward. Especially, the change in Noah was noticeable. His once dull wheat-colored hair was glossy. His always short clothes were now fitting his arms and legs, showing off Peregrine’s uniquely slender and strong frame.
Ciello opened her eyes wide and asked Noah.
“Did you grow taller?”
One of Estribal’s eyebrows, who was standing behind Ciello, shot up.
Noticing his expression, Noah snorted, lifted his chin, and confidently replied.
“You just noticed? I was always tall.”
Suddenly, Ciello stepped closer to Noah.
At the same time, Estribal’s mouth twitched, and Noah’s eyes widened as he shrank back.
“What, what are you doing?”
Suddenly reduced distance made Noah stutter as if he was broken. But Ciello nonchalantly reached out and measured her height against Noah’s.
Ciello nudged Noah’s foot with her toe. Frozen, Noah straightened his back as much as he could. For some reason, he wanted to stand on his tiptoes. But Noah’s pride wouldn’t allow it. Ciello, having finished checking, withdrew her hand and spoke.
“You’re taller than I thought? I thought you were about my height.”
Ciello looked up at him with curious eyes. At her gaze, Noah’s face turned red. To hide this, Noah quickly rubbed his face a few times with his hand and shouted.
“Hey, of course! At least half a foot taller…”
“To me, you look about the same.”
A low voice cut off their conversation. Suddenly, Estribal, who had approached, was standing behind Ciello.
At that moment, Noah quickly realized. The reason he wanted to stand on his tiptoes was because of that man.
“Aren’t you too tall…isn’t it? It’s not good to be too tall.”
Noah glared at him and retorted. Thanks to the elder’s nagging, Noah’s tone was quite polite compared to before. But Estribal shrugged off his sincerity.
“There’s no harm in being big.”
As if to show off, he wrapped his arm around Ciello’s shoulder and pulled her back. Then, Ciello naturally leaned into him.
“Hey, what are you doing all of a sudden?”
Ciello looked at Estribal with a dumbfounded face, but Estribal bent his waist and whispered in Ciello’s ear while resting his head on Ciello’s shoulder.
“What did I do? It’s the same as usual.”
The low whisper tickled Ciello’s earlobe. Her ear was hot.
“Uh…”
Ciello tried to pull away, but he calmly tightened his grip. Ciello glared at him and muttered.
“You’re doing a lot. It’s not the same at all.”
He tapped Ciello’s arm with his index finger and pretended not to hear. Noah frowned and grumbled.
“Ah…Why are you so big? Are you really from the empire? Your hair is so dark.”
Noah said without thinking, but Estribal flinched as if he was suddenly tense. The elder, who was watching, clicked her tongue as if listening. Around that time, fortunately, the sound of Raysendella’s wheelchair echoed in the hall.
“Enough with the height talk. Will everyone adjust to my eye level?”
The people gathered scattered at the dignified voice. Ciello quickly got away from him and sat down, and Estribal, who had been momentarily flustered, also sat down next to her as if nothing had happened. The elder put the newspaper she was holding on the table.
“Well, it’s time to discuss the results you two have achieved.”
On the front page of the newspaper, under the emperor’s face that shone brightly even in black and white, there was an article announcing the founding ceremony.
[The founding ceremony is the same as in previous years…More grand than ever…]
Raysendella looked at the newspaper with a complicated expression and opened her mouth.
“The eagle has finally crawled out of its nest without fear. What bait did you shake?”
“I advised to switch the real one with a fake before it passes the inspection of the palace magician and is moved to the exhibition stand.”
“And then?”
“I plan to replace that fake with the real one just before it is moved to the founding ceremony exhibition stand.”
“The security will be strict. That big statue, and in such a short time?”
Raysendella looked at him suspiciously. The elder spoke to Ciello.
“It seems that’s your job.”
Ciello nodded coolly.
“Yes. I’m going to rewind the time of the space itself to when the real statue was there. It’s actually possible because the time is short. I’ll need to practice a bit though.”
“It’s interesting to hear again. This is the first time I’ve encountered a story about magic like this.”
Raysendella stroked her chin and spoke. The elder picked up the conversation with a smile.
“Anyway, I know Ciello’s skills best. It’s perfect with Serpiente’s help. We’ll prepare the fake…Noah?”
The elder looked back at Noah. Unlike the others, Noah’s expression was not very good.
“Noah. If you have something to say about the plan, speak up.”
At the elder’s words, Noah spoke as if he had been waiting.
“The plan is good. But does Cello have to do it…”
“Ciello.”
Estribal corrected Noah’s words. Noah grumbled with a displeased face.
“Yes. Yes. Anyway, does Ciello really have to do it? It’s too dangerous.”
“You’re making sense for once. I agree with that part…”
Unexpectedly, Estribal nodded at Noah’s words.
“Well, I appreciate the concern. But I’m really okay.”
Ciello looked at the two with a dumbfounded face, but a subtle joy seeped from her slightly raised lips and excited voice.
“I’m not worried about your safety. I’m worried about accidentally revealing your abilities, so don’t get me wrong.”
And Noah quickly realized it.
“I’m worried about her safety.”
“What did you say?”
Estribal looked at Noah with a stunned face. Noah laughed and retorted.
“Why? Can’t I worry about a person?”
Ciello coughed awkwardly and opened her mouth.
“Uh-hum, anyway. Then, who can climb up to the 3rd floor along this wall?”
“I can do up to the 3rd floor.”
Estribal quickly answered. Noah grumbled.
“Are you a spider or what…”
“Is that comment for me?”
“No!”
Ciello chuckled and turned her head towards Estribal.
“Anyway, Duke, have you tried opening the window?”
“Of course. That much is…”
“Oh, you can’t break it.”
At that, Estribal closed his mouth. He had never thought of a way to open a door without breaking it.
Ribbons are cut and wrapping paper is burned. Door handles are broken and rooms are burned. That was his policy.
At Estribal’s silence, Noah quickly stepped forward.
“I’ve done that a few times!”
Ciello clapped her hands.
“Wow, then Duke, you can carry him up and open the window?”
“Uh.”
“I respectfully decline.”
The expressions of the two men crumpled fiercely as if they didn’t even want to imagine it. Ciello chuckled.
“Okay, then who can climb the wall, open the window, enter the storage room, and also rewind time?”
Only then did the two men quiet down. A subtle smile appeared on the elder’s wrinkled face.
“Then we can conclude this discussion here. Also, we need to open a retreat route for Ciello to escape safely…”
“Can’t I use this?”
Ciello shook the dragon scale hanging around her neck. But Estribal shook his head.
“You can’t bring a magic tool into the palace.”
“Huh? Then are spirits possible?”
Ciello asked Estribal with a tilt of her head.
“Why, you said before that if I go to the casino, I’ll be detected by the magic tool detector…”
“Of course it’s a lie. Spirits are not tools.”
Estribal replied without changing his expression.
“Huh? Duke!”
Ciello’s eyes widened, but Estribal shrugged and spoke.
“As long as there is no direct contact with the emperor, there should be no major problem. Anyway, I will take care of the retreat. I know the inside of the royal palace like the back of my hand.”
But this time, Raysendella blocked his words.
“You will have a hard time moving freely. You are a duke of the empire, aren’t you?”
“However.”
“If you don’t want to arouse unnecessary suspicion, don’t stand out.”
As Estribal was about to open his mouth again, Noah cut in as if he had been waiting.
“Then I’ll do it.”
“You look like you’re going to rescue two people in a hurry. If you become a burden, I’ll leave you behind.”
At Estribal’s blunt words, Noah also shot back harshly.
“Ha. The great duke of the empire is wagging his tail next to the emperor bastard.”
Estribal’s face twisted.
“Noah.”
The elder stopped Noah. Estribal retorted sarcastically.
“That’s right, who else but me can wag their tail in front of the emperor? I don’t know what you’re rushing into, believing in your replaceable skills and connections.”
“Duke…!”
Ciello grabbed his arm. Estribal flinched at her touch and shivered. He sighed low and grumbled.
“Little kid…”
“Is it something to be proud of to be old?”
Noah muttered. Raysendella clicked her tongue and summarized the situation.
“If there are no more opinions, let’s conclude the meeting here. Perez, Noah. You two go ahead. I have something to ask the duke.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
“Just a moment, I…”
Noah seemed to have something to say to Ciello, but he left his seat as if he was dragged away by the elder. After the two disappeared, Estribal asked.
“What are you curious about, Your Highness?”
“You.”
Raysendella looked at him with sharp eyes.
“I’m curious about you.”
Raysendella put down a thin file and spoke.
“The Duke Trepe. Duke Cartasion who first received dukedom from the Peregrine punishment, but did not appear in the social world afterwards, and the official record also…great fire in the year 186, flood in the year 209, fire and loss in the year 237. Every time a record was accumulated, it suffered a disaster. Is your family a rebel?”
Estribal calmly replied.
“It’s not my family, but the disaster called by the emperor. It’s natural for the emperor’s assassination to erase traces, isn’t it?”
Raysendella tapped the file with her finger.
“The only thing I found is the succession permit. The ancestors, and their ancestors, continued the generation without any record of marriage. Without relatives or a family tree, how did they keep the generation going?”
Ciello swallowed his saliva and looked at Estribal. As Raysendella said, the room used for the duke’s companion was empty as if it had not been used for a long time.
“Duke. Who are you exactly? Who is your father, and who is your father’s father?”
