“…….”
For a short second, my heart skipped a beat. No, no, no. It wasn’t just any ordinary house; it was a mansion. While it was just a simple request to sleep in the guest room, doesn’t that make me seem old-fashioned for feeling agitated?
Instead of starving myself and heading home late at night, I considered that it might be better to eat here, sleep comfortably for the night, and head to work in the morning.
I had been hesitant because of the rumors in the past, but now that I’m officially going to be Ludger’s fiancée, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
‘And to comfortably keep an eye on Ludger in the future, it makes sense for me to stay in the mansion. In that case, staying for the night isn’t a bad thing.’
“…… Yes, then I will accept your request.”
Hearing my answer, Ludger stared at me with a smile.
“Why are you surprised?”
“No. Captain usually declines when I offer something… I thought you’d say no.”
“Well, back then, I had no choice but to protect myself.”
Rumors, status differences, and social positions were all obstacles.
But after entering into this surreal engagement, I felt as if I had shed a layer of those constraints.
“Would you feel more comfortable if I declined instead? If it was just a polite suggestion, I’ll leave….”
“Of course not. I’ll have the meal prepared right away.”
Ludger cut me off and called for the butler, Derrek, instructing him to prepare a meal as quickly as possible.
When the butler heard that I was unfed even at this late hour, he looked as if the sky had fallen. Perhaps he was blaming himself for not being able to prepare a meal the first time I was brought here.
Originally, I hadn’t planned to eat here, but circumstances had changed, so I tried to reassure the butler, who was sweating profusely.
Even though the meal had been hastily prepared, it turned out quite decent. It was likely made quickly with stored ingredients, but the skill involved was evident.
‘Whoever prepared it, I apologize for making you work unexpectedly in the middle of the night.’
After a satisfying meal of smoked duck and white bread topped with warm melted cheese, Ludger spoke, sounding a bit apologetic.
“Since it wasn’t a properly prepared dinner, I guess it turned into more of a late-night snack.”
“It’s fine! It’s really delicious.”
“Well, that’s fortunate.”
Perhaps to avoid letting me eat alone, Ludger sat across from me, sipping wine with cheese as a snack. His posture was refreshingly elegant.
‘It’s a sight I would never get tired of.’
I put down my fork and politely thanked him for the meal.
“Thank you for the meal! Should we head to the guest room now?”
“Ah.”
Ludger set down his glass and shook his head.
“Derrek mentioned he needs to make some preparations. In the meantime, I’d like to show you around the mansion. Is that okay?”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
Previously, I had just passed through the hallways, but I had never actually been shown around the mansion properly.
Since I would be frequenting this mansion for a while, it was better to familiarize myself with it.
‘And…’
I scanned the mansion with curiosity.
Somewhere in this mansion, the ‘Golden Lily’ was likely being kept.
It was a sacred artifact that, paired with the ‘Silver Magnolia Branch’ stored by the Royal Family, protected the Empire from black magic.
This could be an opportunity to see with my own eyes that the Golden Lily was being properly preserved.
That was one of the reasons I accepted this engagement.
I stood up, hiding my true feelings as Ludger smiled and extended his hand to escort me.
It was embarrassing to be escorted while wearing my shabby knight’s uniform, but it would probably seem awkward to others if we acted distant as an engaged couple. I sighed and took his hand.
* * *
The Duke of Kassen’s residence was divided into two large buildings. Originally, there was only the main building, but as the family grew, an annex was added through an expansion.
Since the buildings were constructed in different eras, the architectural styles of the two were subtly different. Yet, despite their imbalance, the way the two buildings harmonized with each other was part of what made the Duke of Kassen’s residence unique and charming.
For reference, the guest room where I had been confined (?) when injured was in the annex.
Since I had my meal in the main building today, this was the first time I was truly seeing the inside of the main building.
“Is His Highness the Duke’s main residence in the main building?”
“That’s right. The Great Chamber where the vassals gather and other workspaces are all located in the main building, so it’s just more convenient than constantly going back and forth to the annex.”
Everywhere I looked, cultural artifacts and decorations, reminiscent of an art gallery, casually placed here and there filled the spaces, truly worthy of being called a Duke’s residence.
The entire building and its interiors had such an atmosphere that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a single work of art.
As I listened to the explanations about statues and paintings I usually had no interest in, I subtly changed the topic.
“Come to think of it, Your Highness…”
“Hmm?”
“There are many old relics in the Duke Kassen’s residence.”
“That’s true. It has a long history that contributes to that.”
“That…. I heard about the relics stored in the ancient temple, which they shared with the Royal Family.”
“……”
“Isn’t it paired with the ‘Silver Magnolia Branch’ displayed during the Lunar New Year festival?”
Ludger lowered his gaze without answering. His expression was oddly cold. I felt a chill run through me at his sudden change of expression.
“…… That’s right. It’s not well known, but you’re quite informed.”
“When I started handling the Heilbronner case, I had to research cultural assets and relics as well.”
In this world, black magic was currently absent, and most people were unaware of its existence.
Because of that, the true purpose of the Silver Magnolia Branch and Golden Lily, as sacred artifacts that protect against the harm of black magic, was something very few knew.
‘I thought… Ludger would know?’
The original description was vague, and my memory wasn’t very clear either.
If Ludger were indeed involved with black magic, he would have eliminated the Golden Lily from his family’s possession, as it would pose an obstacle to his plans.
“Since the Lunar New Year is approaching, I was curious about the paired relics.”
“…Well, the Silver Magnolia Branch is displayed in the square during the Lunar New Year every year, but the Golden Lily is never shown to the public.”
“Right. Is the Golden Lily displayed within the Duke’s residence?”
I asked casually, but Ludger paused before shaking his head.
“It’s kept under strict protection, so it’s not displayed outside.”
“…I see. I was hoping to see it with my own eyes, but it’s a shame.”
“You’ve always had an interest in wondrous relics, I see. I suppose our interests align.”
Of course, I didn’t actually have a hobby of sightseeing artifacts. I just thought that seeing the Golden Lily intact with my own eyes would put my mind at ease, for the sake of the happy future in the original story.
“It’s not really a hobby… I’d say it’s more of curiosity.”
“Well… I’ll probably have a chance to show it to you later at the engagement ceremony. It’s usually displayed for significant family events, much like the Silver Magnolia Branch.”
I quietly took a deep breath, making sure to mask my excitement. It was the best piece of news I had heard all day.
If I could see it then, it meant that the Golden Lily was still safe.
‘But something feels off… When I mentioned the Golden Lily, it seemed Ludger was a bit cautious?’
When he was showing me the other artifacts in the mansion, he remained calm the entire time, but as soon as the Golden Lily was mentioned, there was an unmistakable tension in the air.
I still couldn’t be certain of Ludger’s true intentions. It seemed possible he might know the true function of the Golden Lily.
‘I really need to be cautious.’
No matter how kind Ludger was to me, even if we were bound by an engagement.
As someone possessing the knowledge of the original story, I still had the responsibility to protect the necessary elements to ensure the ending turned out right, even if the plot has strayed.
Just then, Ludger’s soft, beautiful voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Come to think of it, it would be better for Captain to be well informed in advance.”
“Informed about what?”
“A ‘warning letter’ will be delivered soon.”
“……!”
With all the recent chaos, I had completely forgotten about it. Now that I thought about it, it was almost time for the next warning letter to arrive.
“It’s really kind of you to give me a heads-up before it is delivered.”
“Well, I think once you receive the warning letter yourself, your smile will disappear.”
“…Is it that big of a deal?”
“Yeah.”
“…….”
If he said something like that, it meant there was likely to be real trouble…..
I nodded, sighing inwardly.
“Yes, well. I’ll prepare myself for that.”
“I just hope that when you receive the warning letter, you don’t back out of the engagement.”
