Night in the Count's Domain
That night, in Bernus's study.
"So something like that happened…"
After hearing the report from Milia and Schwarz, Bernus set the papers down on his desk with a grave expression.
A pack of hound wolves that had charged them as if possessed. The kidnapped people and the enormous cocoon. And the unidentified monster that had burst out of it.
None of it could be taken lightly—but something else mattered more.
"If what you say is true, then the ones who made that cocoon are connected to the assassins from back then… Are you certain?"
"Yes. Absolutely certain."
Schwarz nodded as he answered Bernus's question.
The mana he had sensed from the cocoon that had cradled the monster was the same as the mana used by the assassin who had targeted Milia roughly a year and a half ago.
Silence settled over the study.
"Haa…"
Bernus let out a short sigh and pressed his fingers to his forehead as if a headache were coming on.
"If you insist that strongly, then it must be true…"
"So what now? Their identities are one thing, but an unidentified monster means this could get pretty big."
"I've already reported it to the royal capital. We should hear back soon."
Bernus nodded as he answered Milia's question.
Some might wonder what the fuss was over a single monster, but the words unidentified monster were never something to brush aside lightly.
Monsters came in every variety imaginable—abilities, traits, threat levels, all of it wildly different. In the not-so-distant past, a small border county that had dismissed the appearance of a new species had been wiped off the map overnight.
"Once the investigators arrive… the territory's going to get noisy again."
"Most likely."
When an unidentified monster was discovered, a lord was obligated to report it to the kingdom. That meant investigators dispatched from the capital would come to the county—and for Bernus, that was hardly welcome news.
"In any case, well done, both of you. I've already ordered the soldiers to recover the carcass of the monster you defeated and that mysterious cocoon, so don't worry about the rest. Get some rest tonight."
"Got it."
"Understood."
The two of them nodded and headed for the door. With a soft click, the study door closed behind them.
The lamplight that had filled Bernus's room flickered in the draft that slipped in as the door shut.
"Huu…"
Bernus rose from his seat and walked slowly to the window.
What met his eyes was the northern stretch of the territory—the Skyring Mountain Range thrusting skyward as if to pierce the heavens, and the vast forest spread out beneath it.
Shrouded in darkness, the broad expanse of trees looked almost like a deep abyss.
"I only hope nothing comes of it…"
Gazing out at the sight, Bernus murmured the words under his breath.
And so the night deepened.
Late that night.
"Huu…"
With a short sigh, Schwarz lifted his head and looked at the clock hanging on the wall.
The hour had already slipped past midnight.
"Mmm…"
If it had been up to him, he would have stood guard in Milia's room…
A lady's bedchamber is off-limits to men! Get out already!
Milia had snapped at him and shoved him out the door, leaving him no choice but to leave half by force.
The mansion's security had been doubled, and he had laid thick detection magic all around her room just in case—but even so, he could not rest easy.
"This won't do."
No matter how many precautions he took, nothing was as certain as watching over her himself.
Muttering that, he rose from his seat and was just about to steady his breathing when—
Knock. Knock.
"Hm…?"
At the sound of knocking, Schwarz tilted his head and turned toward the door.
Who would come at this hour?
With that thought, he stood and opened the door…
"Ah, so you haven't gone to sleep yet."
"My Lady?"
Seeing Milia's face through the carefully opened crack, Schwarz spoke in a puzzled voice.
She usually turned in around eleven. By her usual routine, she should have been asleep long ago.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I… I just can't seem to fall asleep…"
"You can't sleep?"
Milia trailed off hesitantly under Schwarz's questioning look.
When he thought about it, it wasn't hard to understand. The disappearances, the Black Forest, the grotesque cocoon and the unidentified monster—and on top of that, the discovery that they might be connected to the people who had once tried to take her life. Even she would have trouble sleeping after all that.
"I thought maybe we could talk until I get sleepy… Is that all right?"
"Of course. Please come in."
Schwarz nodded and answered the hesitant question. The longer he could keep her right in front of him, the more thoroughly he could ensure her safety.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"You don't have to be that formal."
Schwarz gave a sheepish smile at the way she greeted him as if stepping into someone else's house. He stepped aside, and Milia came in and began looking carefully around his room.
"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been in your room."
"Is that so?"
Now that she mentioned it, it did seem that way…
Schwarz made a low sound of thought. Meanwhile Milia crossed the room and settled herself on his bed.
"So. What were you doing?"
"Just… thinking a little."
Answering her, Schwarz sat in the chair and turned it to face her.
"Hmm…?"
"W-why do you ask?"
But Milia narrowed her eyes at his answer and let out a low hum. An ominous feeling prickled at him, yet if he showed it her personality would guarantee an interrogation. Doing his best to look completely natural, he asked her back.
"Don't tell me you were thinking of sneaking into my room?"
"O-of course not…"
When Schwarz trailed off, caught dead to rights, Milia flashed a mischievous smile as if she had found the perfect opening and leaned in closer, eyes gleaming.
"Um… My Lady? Isn't that a little too close…?"
The scent of strawberries.
Thinking that, Schwarz's words faltered.
"Heh heh. That's not the important part. My instincts just caught a suspicious smell."
"Ahahaha…"
Why did she have to be so sharp about this of all things…
He wanted to grumble, but he couldn't quite manage it and only offered another awkward smile.
"Well then… shall we hear exactly what you were thinking about?"
"W-wait a moment, My Lady?!"
Just then, as she rested a hand on his shoulder and pressed the question, Schwarz's voice rose in flustered surprise.
They were close enough that he could feel each other's breath. Milia's warm breath brushed his skin like a gentle breeze, and he felt heat rising to his head as he looked at her.
He needed to react somehow, yet somehow his body would not move. With only the pounding of his heart and the sound of her breathing in his ears, Schwarz squeezed his eyes shut without meaning to.
And in the next instant—
[Smack!]
"Ow?!"
A bright, cheerful sound rang out and light flashed before his eyes. Pain bloomed across his forehead, and Schwarz cried out as he clutched it.
"Puhahahaha!!"
At the same time, Milia's voice exploded into laughter beside his ear.
Wiping the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes, Schwarz opened them to find Milia laughing so hard she looked ready to fall over.
"…?"
What on earth was going on?
Thinking that, he stared at her. It did not take him long to grasp the situation.
"Ah…"
"Just what were you thinking? Don't tell me it was that kind of thought?"
"I-it wasn't anything like that!!"
At her question Schwarz turned his face away, cheeks burning.
Objectively speaking, her looks were outstanding. She had clearly inherited Melissa's blood strongly—skin as white as snow and gleaming silver hair. The golden eyes she had received from Bernus only set her beauty off further. Even at the academy there were few who could rival her appearance. At most Amelia and Arze—and if one widened the range beyond the school, perhaps Elis.
"Hmm… Really? That's a little disappointing. I may not look it, but I was pretty confident in my face."
"My Lady…"
Please tell me she doesn't make jokes like this in front of other people…
Watching her rest her chin on her hand as she spoke, Schwarz let out a short sigh.
"Don't worry. I never make jokes like this in front of anyone else."
"That's a relief, then."
If she did the same outside, unpleasant rumors would spread as surely as the sun rose. For Schwarz, that was nothing he could take lightly.
"Idiot…"
"Pardon? What did you just say?"
At that moment, as Milia muttered the word almost under her breath, Schwarz tilted his head and asked.
"Nothing. I was just thinking that a certain someone who lives around here could stand to be a little more perceptive. Right, Schwarz?"
But Milia shook her head as if it were nothing and, from somewhere, produced a half-crushed black dragon plushie.
"When did you even bring that?"
"I told you. I really like this thing."
"Urgh…"
He could understand everything else, but that peculiar sense of aesthetics was something he simply could not wrap his head around…
Thinking that, Schwarz made a low sound of distress.
"What? Don't tell me you're jealous?"
"Even so, there's no way I'd be jealous of a mere stuffed toy…"
Facing Milia, who asked with her eyes wide and round, Schwarz spoke with an expression of pure disbelief.
"Hmm…? It really does seem like you're jealous, though?"
"If you keep teasing me, I really will get angry."
But Milia was relentless, and under her continuing barrage of questions Schwarz finally cut her off flatly.
"Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing."
Sounding a little disappointed at his reaction, Milia rose from her seat.
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah. You need to sleep too, don't you?"
At her words Schwarz turned his head toward the clock on the wall.
It was already one in the morning. It had not felt like long at all, yet a full hour had slipped by.
"Well then, I'll be going. Good night, Schwarz."
"Yes. Good night to you as well, My Lady."
Waving her hand, Milia stepped out, and with a soft click the door closed.
Silence settled over his room once more. Schwarz gazed toward the door with a faintly regretful look, then let out a short sigh, rose, and lay down on the bed.
"Please… let this night pass safely as well…"
In the dim room, gazing up at the ceiling lit by the moonlight that slipped in through the window, Schwarz murmured the words and slowly closed his eyes.