Chapter 17: RMLIP

Chapter 17

One day, after my parents suddenly passed away overnight, my aunt, who ended up taking me in, used to say the same thing over and over.

"Life never goes the way you think it will."

"It's just one unexpected event after another."

Yeah.

When I was a kid, I thought I'd grow up, become successful, and leave my aunt's house.

I'd live in a huge mansion, drive a fancy car, wear expensive clothes, eat delicious food...

...No, that's not it.

'How on earth did things end up like this?'

Inside the carriage on the way back to the mansion,

I stared at Rishid, who sat across from me with his arms folded and his eyes closed.

Honestly, the moment Rishid told Cassel to stay behind, I thought he was going to return to the Grand Duchy.

'I thought everything was over. Now that he'd met Cassel, there was no reason for him to keep staying at the Blandiche Duchy.'

But...

"Your Highness, then you'll be coming back with me now, right? Everyone in the Order has been desperately waiting for you..."

"No."

When Cassel asked after hearing the entire explanation, Rishid answered without the slightest hesitation.

"There are too many enemies in Ephenterion. Even today proved that. In my weakened state, the Grand Duchy might actually be more dangerous for me."

"What? Don't tell me..."

"That's right. I intend to stay with the Lady. Just as I have been."

When the Grand Duke finished speaking and smiled at me, I was so shocked I almost forgot to breathe.

It wasn't his usual cold, distant smile.

At first glance, it even looked... gentle.

I was still staring at him in a daze when Rishid, whom I'd assumed was asleep, slowly opened his eyes.

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

"W-What? M-Me?"

I flinched before hurriedly sitting up straight.

Naturally, I secretly wiped my sweaty palms against my dress.

"N-No, I'm not looking at you at all. I was just... looking at the backrest of the carriage."

"With a face that transparent, do you really expect me to believe that?"

...No.

"If you have something to say, then say it. Stop sneaking glances at me."

"Yes, sir."

After hesitating for a while, I finally spoke.

"Um... Why didn't you return to Ephenterion, Your Grace?"

Originally, in the original story, Rishid only met Cassel after Seria had lifted his curse.

Before that, they only exchanged letters and never met face-to-face.

But because I had interfered between the western nobles and Cassel, the original plot had changed once again, and Rishid chose to reveal himself before Cassel.

So I'd been preparing myself to stop him by any means necessary if he decided to return north with Cassel.

Yet...

Rishid had firmly rejected Cassel's request to go back together.

"I still haven't discovered who placed the curse on me. But whoever it is will undoubtedly come after me to accomplish their goal."

"That's exactly my point, Your Highness! Which is why you should hurry back to the safety of the Grand Duchy—"

"Cassel."

Rishid cut him off.

"When you first heard I was staying with the Blandiche family, what was your reaction?"

"Huh? I didn't believe it at all! Why would Your Highness ever stay with House Blandiche? Everyone knows how much you hate the Bla— Ah... don't tell me..."

Cassel, who had been waving his hands in disbelief, suddenly froze with widened eyes.

Rishid calmly nodded.

"Exactly. Just as you reacted, no one would ever imagine I'd be staying at the Blandiche estate. They'll search only the Grand Ducal Castle and the North."

It was a perfectly logical answer.

'The problem is... I'm the one who cursed him.'

'How am I supposed to deal with that later...?'

As I sighed inwardly, Rishid spoke again.

"I believe I've already explained my reasons."

"Not those superficial reasons."

"What answer are you looking for?"

He frowned slightly.

"There is no other reason besides what I told Cassel. Whatever answer you're expecting..."

Expecting?

"No, that's not it!"

Startled by his misunderstanding, I hurriedly waved both hands.

"I wasn't expecting anything! I just thought maybe there was something else you wanted to accomplish in the capital..."

"There is."

Rishid lazily turned his gaze toward the window.

"To find the person who cursed me."

My shoulders instinctively stiffened.

Fortunately, since he was looking out the window, he didn't notice my reaction.

"Lady."

His low voice broke the silence.

"This time, it's my turn to ask."

"Why did you do that in the ballroom?"

*** * *

"Hm?"

The young lady blinked in confusion before nodding in understanding.

"You mean Marquis Langard?"

"Yes."

Rishid narrowed his eyes as he studied her.

Ephenterion's current standing was... complicated.

Only the North experienced the periodic appearance of monster gates.

Naturally, if the North failed to stop the monsters, the capital and the rest of the continent would eventually suffer.

Yet people failed to recognize that obvious truth.

The North was simply too far away from the capital, and in decades, not a single living monster had ever reached the city.

Which meant that ordinary people never had the chance to see a monster with their own eyes.

As a result, central aristocrats like Airel Blandiche understood only in theory how dangerous fighting monsters truly was.

But understanding something intellectually and facing it firsthand were completely different things.

The nobles of high society, spoiled by luxury and comfort, felt no gratitude whatsoever toward Ephenterion.

But...

"It was just so infuriating."

"...What?"

"If Your Grace hadn't dealt with the monsters that appeared in the West, they might've reached the capital. Yet instead of thanking you, they demanded compensation for damage to their territories?"

The young lady frowned deeply as if merely recalling it irritated her.

Rishid had expected her to say something like, "Because I like you."

Instead, he found himself speechless.

"They get to enjoy their comfortable lives in the capital because of who exactly? Then that idiot had the nerve to spew nonsense with that mouth of his, so I stepped on his foot a little. He probably won't be walking properly for quite a while. Though honestly, he deserves much worse."

Rishid stared blankly.

So...

She had stepped on Marquis Langard's foot...

For his sake?

Almost unconsciously, Rishid glanced down at the tall heels of Airel's shoes.

Then, despite himself...

He laughed.

"Ha..."

Judging from those heels, her prediction that the marquis wouldn't be walking for some time was probably accurate.

Since he had been hiding beneath the hat, Rishid hadn't realized Airel had stepped on the marquis's foot.

Now that he knew...

He simply couldn't stop laughing.

"Your Grace...?"

Airel's eyes grew round with surprise.

"Did... did you just laugh?"

Rishid hurriedly forced his expression back into its usual cold mask.

"...No. Impossible."

But Airel wasn't about to let him get away with it.

"You did laugh! Right? Wow! This is the first time I've ever seen you smile like that! Just now—and earlier too! My goodness, I thought you didn't even know how to smile!"

Beaming happily, Airel leaned toward him.

Rishid frowned and lightly pushed her forehead away.

"When did I? You must have heard wrong."

Then he shifted closer to the opposite side of the carriage to avoid her.

But Airel simply slid across the seat until she was facing him again.

"Come on, I definitely heard it."

"I said you didn't."

"But I know I did."

He folded his arms and deliberately answered in a cold voice.

Yet the smile never left her face.

'How irritating.'

After staring at her for a moment, Rishid finally looked away.

"In that case, you should see a physician tomorrow. It seems there's something wrong with your hearing."

"Oh, fine, fine. You really hate admitting it, don't you? I'll pretend I never heard it. Happy now?"

Faced with her voice, which now sounded as though she were humoring a stubborn child, Rishid gave up replying altogether.

'She really is a strange woman.'

She involved herself in his affairs without permission.

She fearlessly stepped on the foot of Marquis Langard, the leader of the western nobles.

And now...

She was this delighted just because he'd smiled?

'...No. Wait.'

'I almost let her fool me.'

He had never smiled.

Absolutely never.

Clearing his throat for no reason, Rishid quietly composed himself.