It's no wonder Jellack protested.
The answer to the question of why she hit him like that was entirely unexpected.
"Because I was scared."
"I thought Banshees would get up any minute and hit me."
I thought it was ridiculous nonsense.
She hit him too well for someone who was scared.
But on the other hand... it was also true that Lucia had been in danger recently because of the snake Banshees put in her room.
So, it made sense that she said she hit him because she was scared.
So, I took Lucia's side.
No... actually.
'I don't know either.'
Why I took Lucia's side.
But one thing was certain.
─Thank you, Father!
If it had been before, Lucia would have been very happy and said that the moment he took her side.
I vaguely expected that.
But what came back was different from his expectations.
"...Thank you, Duke."
Instead of 'Father' was 'Duke'.
The feeling at that moment was hard to describe.
What was clear was that I felt very dirty.
That's why I couldn't stand looking at Lucia anymore and quickly left the place.
Forgetting about Miracle's existence.
I remembered Miracle after I came back, but I wasn't too worried.
Ligrin is with Miracle, so he will take good care of her.
Jellack Malrid is with Banshees.
And that child has...
'The head of the Aen Lixus Knights will be there.'
Drip.
His pen, which had been racing across the document, stopped abruptly.
The hand holding the pen tensed very slightly.
The head of the Aen Lixus Knights.
In fact, the Duke did not see Aen Lixus in a bad light.
While he was uncomfortable with him, he did not let that feeling affect his attitude and carried out his role reliably, and above all, his abilities as a knight were outstanding.
After he became the head of the 1st Magic Knight Order of Rodbel, the skills of the Magic Knight Order also improved overall.
His reputation among the knights is good, and above all, he is a man who knows how to care for his subordinates.
That he was from a humble aristocratic family was not an obstacle to him becoming the head of the 1st Magic Knight Order.
He judged that he was someone worth keeping by his side without being too bothersome.
But for the past few days, Duke Ego Rodbel was bothered by the head of the Aen Lixus Knights more than anything else.
To be exact, he didn't like Aen Lixus being with Lucia at all.
In the office a week ago, and at the training ground today.
'...I'm not in my right mind.'
Clunk.
In the end, the Duke put down his pen.
Because he realized that his judgment was completely clouded.
He tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his arm.
Fatigue rushed in rapidly.
Only then did Ego Rodbel know why his judgment had become so messed up.
'...I'm tired.'
Come to think of it, I think I've been overdoing it lately.
'That's enough for today.'
If I continue to work in this state, I might even make mistakes I've never made before.
He briefly tidied up his surroundings and left the office.
He was about to head straight to his room.
─Duke.
His steps stopped abruptly at the sudden voice.
It was Lucia's voice.
'...Is it another hallucination?'
The Duke was sure it was a hallucination this time, as he had been hearing Lucia's hallucinations for the past few days.
However, what was different about this hallucination was that it called him 'Duke' instead of 'Father'.
That's probably because it's been quite a long time since Lucia called him 'Father'.
Hallucinations are created based on memories.
'Really unpleasant sound.'
Why do I keep hearing Lucia's hallucinations?
Why am I only hearing Lucia's hallucinations?
If I had heard other sounds, I would have quickly checked my condition and taken action, but why only Lucia...
The Duke couldn't figure out the reason at all.
I wondered if there was something wrong with his head. He thought he should get checked by his doctor soon, and as he took another step.
"Duke."
The voice was heard again.
More clearly than before.
To the point where I couldn't ignore it.
The Duke slowly turned his head.
Then, there was a girl with black hair and red eyes standing there looking at him.
Ego Rodbel frowned slightly as he looked at the girl who was staring at him silently.
'Hallucination?'
Am I seeing hallucinations in addition to auditory hallucinations now?
"Ha."
One thing became clear. That he wasn't in his right mind.
Just as he was about to turn around again, thinking that he should call his doctor tomorrow.
"Please wait a moment."
Tap tap tap.
The girl who rushed over, Lucia, blocked his way.
"I know you don't even want to see me, but please just look at this."
Then, she handed him a book.
It was an old and worn-out book at a glance.
The Duke stared at Lucia silently.
Even though he wasn't accepting it, Lucia was still holding out the notebook with both hands without shaking.
After a while.
Swish.
He reached out to Lucia.
His fingertips lightly touched Lucia's hand in the process of receiving the book.
With that touch, he finally realized that the being in front of him was not a hallucination but a real thing.
But...
Whoosh!
As soon as their skin touched, Lucia pulled her hand away in shock.
Like someone who touched something they shouldn't have...
"......"
"Ah... I'm sorry. I accidentally-"
"What is this?"
He cut off Lucia's words and asked.
His eyes were colder than moonlight.
Lucia paused for a moment, then blinked her eyes innocently and said.
"I accidentally found it stuck between the books in the library, and I thought I should give it to the Duke."
"......Huh?"
The Duke was dumbfounded by Lucia's answer.
To bring such an old book to him because it was not for a special reason and she thought she should give it to him.
'Is she kidding me?'
He glared at Lucia with sharply honed eyes.
If it had been before, she would have shrunk in front of that look, but the Lucia in front of him was still staring at him without shaking.
Looking at that, everything became meaningless.
Him glaring at Lucia, Lucia not reacting much, this moment of facing each other alone.
"Books in the library are prohibited from being taken out. This seems to have been able to be taken out because it is not a formally registered book, but if you do this again, you will be banned from entering the library."
He warned coldly and passed Lucia.
Thud. Thud.
Only his footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.
How far had he gone?
Suddenly.
His steps stopped abruptly.
He was very worried about what was behind him.
It felt like something was there.
It felt like something was running towards him.
That something calling me...
In the end, the Duke couldn't stand it and looked back.
However.
"......"
There was nothing in the long corridor.
Only the moonlight was shining mockingly over the empty corridor, as if ridiculing him.
The Duke looked at the empty corridor for a while and turned around and returned to his bedroom without regret.
After taking a shower and heading straight to bed, a worn-out notebook thrown on his desk caught his eye.
"......"
He still couldn't believe it.
To take a book from the library at will, even though it was not registered, and hand it to him for a ridiculous reason.
'Thinking about it again, it wasn't something to just let go.'
It was definitely something to be punished for.
If it had been before, he would have given the punishment immediately without even listening to the story.
But...
'Why didn't I think that at the time?'
That Lucia had done something very wrong, that he should punish that wrong, nothing came to mind.
Just... I felt bad.
But I don't know the reason.
'Is it because I started seeing her again after not seeing her for a while?'
Or is it because the first thing she says when she comes to me is 'Duke',
She was so surprised that her hand barely touched mine, like she had gotten something dirty,
Even the reason for coming to see me is trivial, is that why?
I don't know.
It seems a little off, but the Duke decided not to think deeply.
Because Lucia is not an object worth thinking deeply about for him.
By the way...
"An unregistered book was stuck between the books, huh."
In fact, that was impossible.
Books in the library must be formally registered with magic when they are brought in.
After that, they are classified through the librarian's hands and carefully managed periodically.
There can be no mistakes in that process, and even if there are, they will be quickly discovered during the management process.
But not only has that not been discovered until now, but Lucia found it?
In many ways, it was unsettling.
"......I'll have to check."
He turned his foot that had been heading to the bed and approached the desk.
He picked up the old book and turned the pages.
Soon his expression froze coldly.
It wasn't... a book.
Inside, someone's name and a high amount of money were recorded in essays.
...It was someone's bribery ledger.
And the owner of this ledger is...
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