Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Before Departing on the Journey
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Creak.
With permission granted, the door slowly opened, and Seria stepped into the study.
In her hands was a teacup steaming with heat.
Unlike moments ago at the dinner table, where she'd seemed to carry the northern blizzard itself with her, now she looked just as she always did.
The perfect picture of the head maid.
But I could tell.
Her eyes were deftly avoiding mine.
Thud.
Seria approached right up to the desk and carefully set down the teacup.
Normally, she would have launched straight into her report, but today, even after placing the cup, she remained silent for a long while.
She simply stood quietly by the desk, clutching the tray to her chest.
"…."
"…."
An awkward silence, thick enough to suffocate, hung between us for a moment.
I set down my pen and stared at her directly.
Sending a silent signal that I'd wait until she spoke first.
"…."
Even so, Seria stood quietly for a long time, as if sorting through her thoughts.
Or perhaps agonizing over how to broach the subject.
Finally, she very slowly opened her mouth.
"Your Grace."
"Yes."
"Earlier... it seemed like you had a very enjoyable—and deeply engaging—conversation with that sudden guest."
Seria tried her best to keep her tone even, like always, but the end of her sentence trembled slightly.
"Even at dinner, the two of you looked... much closer than I'd imagined. As if you weren't meeting for the first time."
"…."
"Might you tell your adjutant what you discussed? There could be matters relevant to our duties."
She was circling around it, but the core was simple.
'What's your relationship with that woman? And what exactly did you two talk about alone in here?'
It was jealousy.
A cute, timid jealousy that suited Seria perfectly.
The sight of her—my cool-headed adjutant—revealing this unexpected charm nearly made me burst out laughing.
Of course, laughing now would spell disaster, so I answered with the utmost seriousness.
"It's nothing. Certainly not the kind of relationship that would cause misunderstandings."
I stood and led her toward the sofa.
Once we were seated facing each other, I laid out the essence of our conversation—omitting only the unrealistic fact that Leonier was possessed like Roselia.
"Lady Baldinmar came here fleeing the crown prince's proposal. Apparently, Damian de Loen was relentlessly demanding it. She found the idea worse than death."
"...So you're saying she rejected the crown prince's proposal and fled in the night?"
"Exactly. That's why she sought me out. In the empire, only Kaltstein can shield her from the crown prince."
"True... Even if Baldinmar is called the empire's greatest martial house, it's still beneath the imperial family...."
As expected of the adjutant I trusted most and kept closest.
Not here for this talk, yet she immediately analyzed the situation.
This was why I liked her.
I pointed to the black box on the desk.
"Anyway, she brought this as payment. She said it's a family heirloom—the bone of a Titan Race member... See?"
"...!"
Seria's eyes widened round.
"A Titan Race bone? That legendary artifact... She really offered it as payment?"
"Yes. How could I refuse a deal like that? I simply conducted a thorough transaction with the client. Nothing more, nothing less."
I met Seria's eyes squarely, emphasizing the word "transaction" to drive it home.
To fully erase her anxiety.
"……."
Seria listened blankly for a moment, then let out a sigh of relief.
The tension in her shoulders finally eased.
"Ah... So that's the situation. I thought...."
"Thought what?"
"Nothing. Lady Baldinmar showed such affection toward you, and she's so beautiful... I wondered if perhaps you felt the same...."
Seria trailed off, bowing her head deeply.
Wanting to hide her expression.
But the tips of her ears were flushed red.
She seemed embarrassed at having misunderstood and suffered alone.
"Seria."
I called her name in a low, serious voice.
Seria startled and looked up.
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Do I seem like that easy of a man?"
"P-Pardon? No, not at all! That's not what I meant...!"
"And with you here, why would I look elsewhere?"
"...Ah."
My straight shot turned Seria's face as red as a ripe apple in an instant.
She fidgeted, her eyes darting around.
Hard to believe this was the same cool-headed adjutant who wielded a longsword on the battlefield—slashing monsters despite her delicate beauty, covered in their blood.
She was utterly lovable.
I chuckled softly and nodded toward the stack of documents.
"Misunderstanding cleared? Anyway, to cut to the chase, the lady will be staying in our castle for a while to evade the crown prince. You'll have more to handle, but treat her as a guest, nothing more."
"Understood. I... worried needlessly. My apologies."
"No need to apologize. If anything...."
I paused, letting the moment hang.
Saying it aloud felt a bit embarrassing.
"Your jealousy... it didn't feel bad at all."
"Y-Your Grace...!"
Seria raised her voice in shy protest, but I just shrugged innocently.
More importantly, what a relief.
The atmosphere had softened considerably.
I returned to the desk and picked up Viscount Dordeo's report from earlier.
"Since you're here, let's handle this first. Things are getting complicated. Winter Forest doesn't sound good either. Reports say the monsters' movements are unusual."
"Winter Forest? Then we should bolster security...."
Sensing my intent, Seria shifted to work mode with a serious expression, though her cheeks remained flushed.
Unable to resist her endearing look, I set the report down again and reached under the desk, fiddling around.
Come to think of it, couldn't we cover work talk at tomorrow's meeting?
Right now, I wanted to savor this ticklish mood a bit longer.
"Hey, Seria."
"Yes, Your Grace?"
"Uh... ahem."
I cleared my throat a few times, fixing my gaze somewhere in the air, and asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
A voice that had never trembled even on battlefields where life and death hung in the balance now quivered faintly.
No, it was trembling sincerely.
"Can I... hold your hand again today?"
"…."
Seria didn't respond.
Worried she might dislike it, I glanced over. She had her head bowed, ears bright red.
A moment later.
She nodded silently, ever so slightly.
I carefully stood from the chair, sat beside her, and reached out.
Her small, white hand fit perfectly into my large one.
It was rough from sword training calluses, but the warmth surpassed any northern hearth.
Though the fierce blizzard still raged outside, the study felt filled with springlike coziness.
A week had passed since that day.
Before any major issues demanding my attention arose, I'd decided to climb Drakenspitze with Roselia.
I'd originally planned to handle the impending Monster Flow in Winter Forest first before departing.
But an opportunity to briefly leave Kaltstein had arisen.
"Please convey my thanks to Duke Baldinmar. And, borrowing this moment, my gratitude to you as well, my lady."
I looked across at Leonier, who was sipping tea, and spoke.
"To think Baldinmar would send troops to fight monsters with us... It's all thanks to you."
"Think nothing of it. If anything, I'm grateful to Kaltstein for protecting Loen's north and safeguarding the empire's people from monsters—and that I could help in some way."
Leonier replied humbly, setting down her cup.
Today, she was so calm it made me question if she was truly the infamous villainess.
Perhaps because of that, I felt like chatting with her a bit more.
I glanced at the clock, confirming about thirty minutes until departure, then looked back at her.
"I see. That said... I'd like a bit more personal time with you today. Could you spare me twenty minutes?"
"...? "
At my words, Leonier widened her eyes in clear surprise, covering her mouth with one hand.
"Oh, the duke initiating a chat... It's an honor for my house."
"I-Is that so? I'm glad to hear it."
Her exaggerated reaction made me briefly regret speaking up, but I had a few personal questions for her, so there was no choice.
I cleared my throat and posed the first question as naturally as possible.
"Ahem. Anyway, first question: What are Duke Baldinmar's plans for a successor?"
"Successor issue?"
"Yes. Rumors abound that Duke Venta Baldinmar plans to take in a son-in-law before it's too late...."
Normally, prying into such a deeply personal matter for a high noble house would be a grave breach of etiquette.
But that's precisely why I needed to grasp Baldinmar's countermeasures as quickly as possible.
If the duke died without a successor, the house would plunge into chaos, rippling from Loen all the way to Kaltstein.
'Of all things, his son had to meet that fate... Tch.'
So I'd simply asked to confirm if they had solid plans.
"……."
"Was that too rude? Or are we not close enough for such talk?"
Leonier stared at me with unreadable eyes, saying nothing.
Or more precisely, that occasional inexplicable gaze felt especially keen today.
After about twenty seconds of silently staring, she slowly closed and opened her eyes before speaking.
"All rumors are false. Grandfather—no, Duke Baldinmar—has already declared it to everyone. The next Duke Baldinmar will be Lady Leonier Baldinmar."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. Who else could take the seat of Baldinmar's master but his sole son's only daughter?"
"A fair point."
Her attitude and resolve suggested no need for concern.
The successor issue mattered, but what I really wanted to check was whether Baldinmar would collapse—not if a son-in-law would enter, but if the sole heir was ready for the burden.
After organizing my thoughts, I lifted my teacup and continued.
"Thank you for answering such a sensitive question so kindly."
"Not at all. I understand your position, so I spoke freely."
"Then, may I ask the next question?"
"Of course."
One question sufficed for Baldinmar matters. Now it was time to probe the woman before me—possessed, regressed, or otherwise unknown.