Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Duke's Comet
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"What did you say?"
Hearing my words, she widened her eyes and burst out laughing.
She seemed to find it amusing that she'd been played along by my joke.
Impersonating the dead is taboo, but I had said it so seriously that she didn't seem offended.
Watching the cheerfully laughing Miss Owl, my eyes gleamed.
'Now it's my turn to figure you out. Who are you?'
To identify someone, one would normally consider their minor habits, the refinement in their speech, and their etiquette.
Especially when you have no information, like now.
But I wasn't that kind of conventional person.
"Now, I shall become a prophet."
"So suddenly?"
"All incidents tend to happen suddenly. Our meeting is no different."
"Alright. Let's see you try."
"A slender waist, soft hands, and smooth skin. My type... no, you must live in the northern district, right?"
As I feigned a slip of the tongue to reveal a hint of my interest, Miss Owl chuckled softly.
She seemed to find it mildly amusing.
But after wiping the smile from her face, she immediately retorted.
"That's a rather vague prophecy. Isn't that something anyone could figure out? Someone from the slums wouldn't frequent Mascal."
"Your jawline is sharp and well-defined, and you don't have a cleft chin. With such beauty..."
I stopped abruptly mid-sentence.
Looking at her overall impression, a dossier on the nobles of Troven came to mind.
As it was the center of imperial power, the Rantzverger Assassination Guild was also keeping a close watch on Troven.
Naturally, as a first-class assassin, a considerable amount of information came my way.
'Could she be Adelle, the only daughter of Chancellor Richter?'
Figuring out Miss Owl's identity wasn't that difficult.
I had little interest in the central nobles of the empire, but if it was a woman, that was a different story.
It's only natural that I'd find myself reaching for the dossiers on beauties like Adelle.
'Her nickname... was the Comet of the Ducal House.'
There were two ducal houses in the Vertos Empire.
The first to always be mentioned was Duke Geoffrey Enders, the Empire's Finest Sword.
The second was Chancellor Aiden Richter.
They possessed such outstanding abilities that they were called the two pillars supporting the empire.
However, Duke Richter had one worry: he had no sons.
'As expected, swordsmen have more... stamina. Ah, that has nothing to do with the success rate.'
In any case, Adelle was the princess of the Richter family, a woman known as a rare talent.
She was currently undergoing training to succeed Duke Aiden Richter.
"Why did you stop talking?"
Though I had figured out Miss Owl's identity, I didn't let it show and quickly continued.
"I was about to say that such beauty could only be found in a ducal house. Haha! Did my prophecy hit the mark?"
"..."
Hearing the ducal house mentioned out of nowhere while discussing her looks, Adelle fell silent for a moment.
She tilted her head, mulling over my words.
The train of thought seemed to have taken such a bizarre leap that she needed a moment to process it.
"How on earth did you arrive at that conclusion?"
"That's up to the one drawing the conclusion, isn't it? Shall we call it a kind of insight?"
"Ha!"
Adelle let out a disbelieving scoff, but her eyes were curved like half-moons.
No matter how much she hid them behind the black wire mesh, she couldn't fool my keen eyes.
Sure enough, the words I wanted to hear came from her lips.
"How interesting. Ah, not you, of course, but your peculiar way of thinking."
"If you've found something interesting, then that's a good thing in itself."
From then on, everything went smoothly.
Once the floodgates opened, the conversation flowed naturally.
We talked about various topics, from imperial politics and diplomacy to the rivalries between noble houses.
She didn't return to her original seat, but remained sitting beside me.
Occasionally, our fingertips would brush in a feigned accident, but Adelle didn't seem to mind much.
Of course, that didn't mean she wanted more bold contact.
She was surprised by the knowledge I subtly revealed and was focused on our conversation.
'Ah, being this smart can be tiring at times.'
My interest wasn't in debating boring topics.
I only knew this stuff because I'd lived a long time and encountered it often in the assassination guild.
Adelle would sometimes reveal parts of her face, pretending to adjust her mask.
I caught glimpses of her slightly flushed cheeks and high-bridged nose, and each time, my chest tingled.
She was an even more stunning beauty than she was known to be.
'If only I weren't on the run, tonight... Ugh! What a shame. Such a shame.'
I naturally steered the conversation toward the topic of Troven's high society.
"Do you come here often? From the way you speak, it sounds like you know almost everyone your age."
"I'm too busy to come often. I tend to stop by when I need a little deviation."
"I thought a ducal house would be conservative, but it seems that's not always the case."
"There are many reasons to come here. I simply enjoy talking to various people. I've never had a second meeting with anyone my age, though; they're too dull."
"So you mean a deviation that's just a slight step away from your daily life."
"In that regard, you're the perfect partner. Refreshing and quite... charming."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Adelle was definitely attracted to me.
'It should be about time, right?'
But I couldn't stay with this woman forever.
My purpose for coming to Salon Mascal was to break through the capital's ironclad cordon.
I smiled faintly as I saw the madam approaching.
"Here are the cavé sticks."
"Thank you. It's been a while since I've seen the madam's handiwork."
When paired with Garos Cuer, the cavé sticks' taste and aroma blend to amplify the flavor.
Of course, the people of Troven rarely eat them this way.
But for someone like her, who was currently drawn to the extraordinary, she would surely be captivated by this combination.
I was about to pick up a cavé stick when I noticed the madam was still standing near our table.
She definitely looked like she had something to say.
After all, she knew I was the young lord of the fallen Riverune family.
But she couldn't bring herself to speak rashly.
"...You're sharing a table with quite an unexpected person."
"Beauty is for the brave. Though, she was the one who approached me first."
"Ho ho! Please enjoy your time. I'll see you again."
The madam left a lingering impression as she scurried away.
At that, Adelle's eyes widened as she looked toward the counter.
"So many surprises today. The madam of Salon Mascal bringing the snacks herself... I've never seen her do that before."
"I'm just that kind of person."
"Seeing you bluff like that, you do feel like someone my age. Though your insight is anything but."
"That's just another one of my charms."
"Honestly."
She shrugged as if to say she was at a loss, then picked up a cavé stick with curious eyes.
Seizing the opportunity, I gently grasped Adelle's wrist.
"You don't just eat it like that. Here, dip it lightly in the Garos Cuer."
"Ah..."
Perhaps because of my deft movements, Adelle let out a soft gasp.
Experiencing a new culinary culture and the touch of a strange man at the same time, she seemed unsure how to react.
With a triumphant smile, I tried to move a little closer to her.
It was an instinctive move to share an intimate conversation between a man and a woman.
But right at that moment, it happened.
Just as the atmosphere was about to become thick with intimacy, a commotion erupted at the salon's entrance.
Incomprehensible shouts were heard along with the thundering of heavy footsteps.
It seemed the Luminous Knight Order or the capital's security forces had stormed the place.
Since I had disappeared in this vicinity, it was inevitable they would end up here as they narrowed their search area.
Though their actions seemed a bit faster than I'd anticipated.
Curious about the commotion, patrons from other tables flocked toward the entrance.
They seemed to be going to get a look at the faces of whatever madmen were trying to search Salon Mascal.
"Aren't you going to have a look?"
Adelle, who had stood up, asked the question as she looked toward the crowd.
But I didn't react at all.
I already knew this would happen.
No matter how influential Salon Mascal was, it couldn't avoid a search forever.
"Not really. I don't feel like getting involved."
"Isn't it because you have to leave soon? Because you're being chased?"
"..."
Her sudden words left me momentarily speechless.
I hadn't expected her to guess so accurately.
'As expected of a rare talent. She didn't wear that owl mask for nothing.'
There was a reason she chose the owl, a symbol of wisdom, truth, and foresight.
To hit the nail on the head like this with no real information.
Adelle smiled faintly and pointed at the bottle.
"Come to think of it, we were so busy talking we didn't even drink."
I threw a rather risqué comment at Adelle.
"Let's drink next time. You won't be going home so easily then, will you?"
"You've become quite bold now that it's the end, haven't you?"
"The final blow is always the heaviest."
"Hohoho! With you, I think I could accept a second meeting. I hope we can meet without masks next time."
"I can take off anything else for you."
"I'll look forward to it. Well then..."
Composing her flushed face, she turned her gaze away but couldn't finish her sentence.
Because I had already vanished from Salon Mascal.
'You'll never forget me.'
I was likely deeply imprinted in Adelle's mind.
Because she would never have an encounter this intense again in her life.
After watching her for a moment while hidden, I slipped out of the city through Salon Mascal's secret passage.