"Miracle?"
Banshees seemed to find Miracle's behavior strange as well, calling her name cautiously.
Miracle flinched at the call, then slowly turned to look at them.
"Ah..."
She stared at them for a moment, then smiled brightly and asked, "Did you call me?"
Banshees was taken aback by the rapid change in expression, as if she were changing masks.
"Huh? Why?"
"Well, you looked really serious..."
"Ah."
Miracle nodded as if understanding Banshees' words, then replied with a tearful face, "There was a bug."
"A bu-ug?"
"Yes, you know how much I hate bugs."
"Well, yeah, but..."
Banshees scratched his cheek and muttered, "That's strange. They should have fumigated everything before the ceremony, there shouldn't be any bugs."
"It must have been hiding."
Miracle replied cheerfully.
"Really? Persistent."
"I know, so persistent."
Miracle echoed Banshees, then turned to look at me.
When her eyes met mine, she smiled brightly and said, "It's okay now, though. It's gone."
"..."
"By the way, Lucia, what did you want to say to me?"
Miracle asked with her usual lovely face.
I looked at her for a moment, then shook my head.
"It's nothing. I forgot."
"Hmm, I see. I wonder what it was. You have to tell me if you remember!"
"...Okay."
I replied briefly and turned my head away.
I had originally planned to ask Miracle the same question I had asked Banshees, but after seeing her expression, I realized.
'She's lying.'
She talked about bugs and everything, making it sound plausible, but I could tell right away.
That expression was definitely not one you would have if you had seen a bug.
Not on the platform, and not now.
'What did she see to make that face?'
Could Miracle have seen the illusion of the first family head as well?
But if that were the case...
'There's no reason to lie.'
She didn't seem flustered either.
She was afraid, and she was hiding something.
'What is she hiding?'
I turned to look at Miracle.
She was clinging to Banshees, playfully teasing him.
She looked exactly like a pure 10-year-old girl, but...
'I don't know.'
I couldn't know for sure.
What kind of real self was hidden behind that facade.
After the ceremony, the attendees were busily preparing to leave.
Contrary to my expectations that the Duke would summon me immediately, I received no news from him.
Thanks to that, I was able to leisurely watch the departing crowd.
"It feels like we have more luggage than when we arrived."
Marin said while organizing the luggage.
I gave her an awkward smile at her words.
Well, it probably was.
'Because I stole quite a few things from the warehouse.'
I couldn't just leave, so I went to the warehouse one more time.
'The door opened even without Banshees.'
That's because I was officially recognized as a direct descendant of Roadbell through the ceremony.
I still can't forget the thrill of opening the warehouse door with my own power.
'It's going to be neglected unless it's for the qualification test, anyway.'
The warehouse wouldn't notice a few missing items right away.
So I took a bag and packed a lot of things.
That's why the amount increased quite a bit.
It's no wonder Marin is puzzled.
"Haha, some souvenirs..."
"Souvenirs?"
Marin tilted her head with an even more puzzled expression, but soon let it go.
Marin was definitely convenient in this regard.
Another maid would have questioned it and reported it to the head maid or Leagrin.
But Marin was entirely my person, so she didn't question my actions and let them go.
'That's what I was aiming for when I went to save Marin from the beginning.'
Experiencing it directly like this, I feel...
'Reassured.'
The belief that someone will trust me no matter what I do made my heart stronger.
Is that why?
"Marin."
"Yes?"
I smiled at Marin, who looked at me with a puzzled expression, and said,
"Thank you."
I suddenly felt grateful for her existence.
"Ah..."
Marin widened her eyes in surprise, then suddenly...
"Sniff..."
She burst into tears!
Wait, suddenly crying?
Surprised by the unexpected reaction, I hurriedly approached Marin.
I didn't think so, but Marin was really shedding tears.
"Marin, are you okay? Are you sick?"
I asked worriedly, wondering if an unhealed wound had worsened.
Should I call a doctor right now?
"Wait a minute, I'll call a doctor right away-"
"No, that's not it."
Marin hurriedly grabbed me, who was about to call a doctor right away.
I turned to Marin with a bewildered look.
If she wasn't sick, why was she suddenly crying?
"It's not that... well... sniff."
Marin blew her nose with a handkerchief and said, sobbing.
"I'm sorry to you, milady."
Suddenly? Wasn't that already over?
I couldn't ask that question, so I just stared at her, and Marin carefully hugged me.
"You're so lovely and kind. You only say good things to me, but I left you with a big wound."
"..."
"I'll serve you by your side for the rest of my life and atone for my sins. You can deceive me, you can abandon me. My life is only for you."
Marin whispered with sincerity.
I was just thanking her because I was really grateful, but it seems like that touched something in Marin.
I closed my eyes.
'No, Marin.'
Marin is making a big mistake right now.
Marin says I'm lovely and kind, but that's not true at all.
After all, I saved Marin for my own convenience.
Marin's consistent attitude, even after seeing my true self, shook me.
Should I tell her?
What misunderstandings Marin has.
"..."
But Marin's embrace, which held me tightly, was so warm that I couldn't seem to say anything.
However, this embrace wasn't entirely comfortable, so I wriggled my body a little.
It was then.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
Marin released me and stood up.
I thanked the unknown visitor in my heart.
By the way, who is it really? There's no one who would come to find me right now.
'Could it be the Council of Elders?'
From what I can see, the illusion of the first family head doesn't seem to be visible to others.
However, the moment I grabbed the hilt, a purple whirlwind suddenly swept through.
Some of the Elders must have taken that seriously.
And most of the Elders are not happy with me getting the qualification.
They want Banshees to be the successor.
So they might try to step on me in advance.
That's the second reason I saved Marin.
'Even if she was scheduled to be disposed of, surviving in the Dark Guild means she's a great fighter.'
If Marin is by my side, there's at least no risk of being ambushed by assassins.
'The Duke won't leave me alone like that either.'
Anyway, if it's a visit from the Elders, it's bound to be quite troublesome, so I hid behind Marin and glared at the door.
I was thinking of hiding behind Marin's skirt and pretending I wasn't there if necessary.
Marin checked me, who was hiding behind her, and then opened the door.
"Who... oh my."
Marin exclaimed in surprise after confirming the person on the other side of the door.
Who is it that made her react like that?
I was hiding behind Marin's skirt so I couldn't see who it was, which made me even more curious.
Soon, the visitor's voice was heard.
But...
"...Is Lady Lucia Roadbell inside?"
That voice sounds familiar?
I came out from behind Marin's skirt and checked the visitor.
There.
"...Sir Aiden...?"
Aiden Valter, the Crown Prince's bodyguard, was standing there with an awkward expression.
"I apologize for visiting suddenly without an appointment."
We moved to a reception room that was provided for personal use.
Marin was guarding the door, so there was no worry that someone would suddenly enter.
I replied lightly to Aiden's words.
"It's okay. But is it okay? To leave His Highness the Crown Prince's side..."
"Ah."
Aiden nodded.
"I've changed shifts. I have some time before departure."
"I see."
"Yes..."
"..."
"..."
Silence fell after that.
I stared at Aiden silently.
By the way, I've been feeling it vaguely since a while ago...
"Excuse me, Sir Aiden. I want to ask you something."
"Please speak."
"Why don't you look me in the eyes?"
"...!"
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