Before dawn, Rutus left the imperial palace and returned to the ducal estate, loosening his grip on the reins.
After dismounting and returning the horse to the stable, he naturally turned not to his bedroom, but to the place where Ellie’s grave was located.
Following the small path behind the annex, he reached the front of the open area reserved for the members of the ducal family.
“……”
Rutus, walking quickly through the main garden to arrive as soon as possible, rummaged through his memory.
‘…War, he said.’
He had no time to think, let alone comprehend, because of the sudden news.
Immediately after the Emperor said that, he had thrown the two sheets of paper on the table into the fireplace and dispelled the soundproofing magic.
Because it was highly confidential, Rutus was not given a chance to question further and the conversation ended there. It was practically an indirect declaration from the Emperor that he would not permit any objections.
Thus, he had been almost forcibly chased out of the Emperor’s chambers and sent back early.
By the time he came to his senses, he was already on a galloping horse, holding the reins.
Hesitating.
Rutus, who had been walking without focus, moving his feet aimlessly, stopped just as he was about to pass the annex garden.
“……”
He looked down at something he had kicked, and his eyes wavered for a moment.
Unlike the brightly decorated place with lush and splendid flowers and trees, there was a cluster of modest wildflowers blooming together.
‘…Come to think of it, I did order this to be made.’
It was something he had secretly prepared for Ellie, who enjoyed going out for walks whenever she was feeling well.
Seeing her cherish and meticulously clean the small vase every day, he couldn’t help but know it was a precious item to her.
[Do you like it that much, my lady?]
[Of course. Haven’t I told you? This is very meaningful.]
[You’ve told me many times. But you just seemed particularly happy today, so I asked.]
After overhearing that conversation outside their bedroom one day, he paid special attention to the vase.
He noticed that the small flowers in the small vase always remained fresh.
And since the ducal estate never had such small flowers, he thought he should have some new ones made.
“It caught my eyes that the same flowers were always in the vase.”
He figured that the flowers that could be freshly arranged every day to fit the size of the vase were all wildflowers that were easy to find on the side of the road.
So Rutus, after much deliberation, selected only flowers that were small in size but pretty in shape and ordered the flowerbed to be decorated with them.
When the flowerbed was completed, the sun was shining, and Ellie was feeling well.
He had planned to show her the beautifully decorated flowers as a gift.
…Now, most of the petals had fallen off and they were withered and unsightly due to the cold weather.
“Well, it doesn’t matter…”
Rutus looked at the almost finished flowerbed, which would have been completed in a day or two, and then turned his head.
There was no one left to show it to, and it was meaningless to regret something that couldn’t be completed.
Rutus forced his eyes away and started walking again, which he had briefly paused.
Rustle—
Had he not heard something rustling behind the annex, he would have continued on his way to Ellie’s grave.
“……?”
Rutus turned his head reflexively towards the sound and blinked slowly.
‘That was just now…’
It seemed like a person.
Unconsciously, he tightened his grip, making his knuckles crack. Rutus listened to the sound and pondered.
Should he catch them?
Actually, it was a presence that he could have ignored without any problem.
Although he sensed it was a person’s movement, it didn’t seem to be someone trained in martial arts.
What bothered him, however, was…
[We haven’t determined exactly when Rotenia discovered the mithril mine in the border area, but according to our planted agents, Rotenia recently sent spies to the Empire.]
[The Ratcliffe house also hired additional servants about six months ago.]
“……”
It just so happened that the conversation he had with the emperor came to mind at that precise moment.
The presence hesitated, as if scanning the surroundings, then stopped in one place.
‘……It should be sunrise soon.’
Rutus looked up at the sky and thought.
There were not as many people moving around the duke’s mansion at this early hour as there were in the imperial palace, but there were not none either.
Mainly the kitchen staff, including the chef, the servants in charge of cooking, and the knights who had to train at dawn.
‘Some of them will surely come out not long after dawn.’
If several people went in and out of the place where the grave was, and happened to run into them…
TL/N: “THEM” HERE REFERS TO THE SPY.
“……It’s only a matter of time before the word gets out.”
Even if they were silenced for now, it didn’t seem like the secret would be kept for that long.
If the cause of Ellie’s grave being dug up wasn’t found, guards would have to be stationed there.
‘With such issues already brewing, this—’
His head ached, and Rutus instinctively searched his inner pocket.
Realizing he hadn’t brought his headache medicine due to hastily preparing for his entry to the palace, he frowned deeply.
“Sigh…”
Feeling troubled, Rutus pressed his fingers against his temples and started walking.
It wouldn’t take long just to confirm. Instead of wasting time deliberating, it was better to get it over with quickly and move on.
So, the place he arrived at was…
“Ugh, why won’t this burn…!”
The incinerator behind the ducal estate.
It was used to burn trash at high temperatures using a magic device, without producing any smell or smoke. It was placed nearby for convenience without detracting from the view.
Rutus noticed a maid muttering to herself while peering into the magic device, but he quickly lost interest.
‘…Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a spy.’
That’s all that matters. As he thought this and was about to turn his back, it was then.
“I’m sure I learned how to use the incinerator, but this is odd…Is the firepower weak?”
It didn’t seem to be broken. The maid tilted her head and straightened her upper body, which had been bent forward.
The revealed inside of the magic device was glowing red, indicating its high temperature. At that moment, Rutus caught a glimpse of the object the maid was trying to burn.
“…!”
Rutus widened his eyes and strode forward.
Because he had been suppressing his presence, the maid didn’t realize someone was beside her until he was right next to her.
“…Step aside for a moment.”
“…Huh? Who—Ga-Gasp..!”
D-Duke? The maid’s voice trembled with surprise, but Rutus paid no heed and approached the magic device.
Fearing he might be mistaken, he checked the object inside, but the pattern he saw hadn’t changed at all.
Bang!
“Aaaah!”
Before he could think further, his body moved instinctively.
Rutus smashed the magic device with his fist and grabbed the object with his bare hands.
Sizzle.
The horrifying sound of burning flesh filled the air, and a sickening smell spread, assaulting his nostrils.
“Now, why is this, in such a state…”
A lattice pattern engraved on a white background. It was difficult to tell the original color because it was heated and covered in ash, and only a part of the pattern was visible because it was broken and shattered.
But there was no way he couldn’t recognize it. It was the item that had been in the bedroom every day for years.
Rutus trembled with a pale face and turned his head away. Despite his hand being burned by the scorching ceramic, he felt no pain, perhaps due to the shock.
The maid, who met Rutus’s gaze, swallowed hard and spoke.
“Your Grace… Your Grace, it’s not what it seems…”
“Speak.”
“…Yes?”
“Don’t you have something to say? Make your excuses. I’ll listen.”
As he tightened his grip, the heated fragments pressed into his flesh, but no blood flowed due to the immediate burn.
Hearing Rutus’s words, the maid knelt with a face more terrified than before. She instinctively realized that no explanation would suffice.
“I was tasked with staying by the Young Master’s side until he fell asleep. It’s because… the head maid went to rest, and the attendant who usually took care of him in her absence was injured and couldn’t come…”
“And so?”
“Since I was in charge of cleaning the bedroom this morning, I thought it would save time to do it then. I planned to dust while the Young Master was sleeping, but…”
“……”
“I accidentally bumped into the table, causing the vase on top to wobble and fall…”
Her voice quivered with tears. She was probably crying.
Rutus lowered his gaze to the handkerchief sticking out of the maid’s pocket. Sensing his gaze, she quickly took it out and displayed it on her palms.
“I’m so sorry. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I was so scared in that moment that I-”
“There should have been guards patrolling other parts of the mansion. How did you avoid them?”
“I used, sob…I used the servants’ pa-passage…”
Though Rutus had done nothing threatening, the maid began to sob uncontrollably.
Rutus bent down silently, taking the handkerchief from her hands.
In it, he noticed a few crushed flowers, hastily shoved in without care.
“The rest…”
…It’s obvious. They must have turned to ash. Rutus muttered quietly.
“……”
He tightened his grip again. The small flowers, pitifully attached to the piece of cloth, were crushed in his palm… but he didn’t care. What did it matter?
Despite the season being wrong and the flowers not having been replaced for a long time, they looked as fresh as if they had just been picked.
Unfortunately, Rutus didn’t notice this. He only spoke.
“…Ceramics don’t burn. Didn’t you know that?”
His voice, dry and brittle, slipped from his throat, surprising even himself.
The maid, realizing this too late, bowed her head to the ground.
“I’m so sorry! I deserve to die! P-Please, spare me this one time!”
“…Relax. You won’t die.”
“Your Grace!”
Perhaps due to the loud noise from breaking the magic device, the commander of the knights came running, searching for Rutus who hadn’t shown up.
Rutus reached for his waist.
Shwwing.
“Your Grace…! Why are you here, and… what is…”
“Hold her so she can’t move.”
“……”
The knight commander, about to protest as he saw the trembling maid begging for mercy, fell silent upon seeing Rutus’s hand gripping his sword and the shattered fragments on the ground.
All he could do was close his eyes tightly and open them, grabbing the maid’s shoulder as instructed.
“It wasn’t intentional! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose! Please, have mercy…!”
“You should have said that before throwing these into the fire.”
Most of it had already disappeared, making restoration impossible.
His voice bore no malice, and his face remained calm.
He only thought, briefly, how unbearably tired he felt.
“Spare…!”
“I said I won’t kill you.”
The blade gleamed in the moonlight as it came down.
It was just before dawn.
* * * *
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