"Ah."
Now I remember.
To be exact.
'I hate you the most, Banshees. I hate you terribly.'
That's what I said. I didn't say I hated you the most in the world. It's similar, but...
So, what about it?
"So, since I helped you today and said you'd accept my apology, does that mean you're canceling the part about hating me the most in the world?"
Banshees looked at me with eyes full of vague expectations.
I looked at Banshees and tilted my head slightly.
I don't understand.
"Is that important?"
"What?"
"It doesn't matter to you, Banshees, whether I hate you or not."
Yes. I got what I wanted by using Banshees' apology as an opportunity, but that's separate from whether I understand it.
To Banshees, I'm nothing.
'Maybe just a bug at best.'
No. He wouldn't apologize to a bug, so maybe my rank has gone up.
But why go out of his way to apologize to me and get my forgiveness, and even be conscious of what I said?
Unlike Banshees.
I didn't pay much attention, but seeing him like this made me want to know.
To hear the answer, I stared intently at Banshees.
"Th-that's..."
"That's?"
"So, that's..."
"That's?"
"That's... why do you need to know!"
Tadatadat!
Ah.
"He ran away."
In the end, Banshees ran away.
I wondered if he wasn't going to run away today.
'This is really weird.'
Banshees' attitude was strange, but I didn't feel like chasing after him, so I shook off my thoughts and went into the room.
Fortunately, Leagueen hadn't come yet.
I took out the things I brought from the warehouse.
Blueprints and small beads, and other useful things.
Now I have to hide these well...
First, I pushed the items deep into the luggage I brought from the main building.
And the blueprints.
'This will be a good place.'
I slipped the blueprints between the pillowcase and fastened the button when suddenly.
"Milady?"
"...!"
I was startled by the voice that suddenly rang out and turned around.
Leagueen, who was coming in with a tray, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah, that..."
My mind stopped for a moment in this sudden situation.
"Why aren't you lying down?"
Leagueen looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Ah, no.
I might raise unnecessary suspicion.
Desperate, I quickly spun my head and said as I hurriedly got off the bed.
"I, I thought you weren't coming, Head Butler, so I thought I'd go out to meet you...!"
"Yes?"
Leagueen's eyes widened as if surprised at my words.
I realized what I had said too late and bit my lip tightly.
'Of all the things to say...!'
There were many plausible reasons, such as wanting to stretch because my body felt stiff, or wanting to get some fresh air, but of all the things to say, I said that!
'He's definitely going to think it's weird.'
Thinking that, I glanced at Leagueen's face.
Huh?
"...I see. I didn't know you would think of me so much."
For some reason, Leagueen seemed moved.
"If I had known you would be waiting for me, I should have come back sooner. It's my fault. I'm sorry."
"Ah, no."
I quickly shook my head.
Leagueen smiled and put the tray down on the bedside table.
Then he handed me the medicine along with a glass of water.
Ugh, I barely managed to suppress the expression on my face and swallowed the medicine with water.
"Well done."
Leagueen praised me with a satisfied expression.
Soon, I went up to the bed and lay down, following his hand.
After pulling the blanket up to my neck, Leagueen said with an apologetic expression.
"I'm afraid I'll be busy with work for a while and won't be able to visit you often. I'm really sorry."
I shook my head at his words.
Actually, he was visiting more often than usual for Leagueen.
And it was better that way.
'I'll be able to buy time to go to the underground.'
I was relieved inside, but Leagueen sighed and said.
"I would like to stay by your side all the time if I could. Even if it doesn't seem like there are any aftereffects, you never know when they might appear. Besides, since you've been through such a big ordeal, it would be more reassuring to have someone by your side for a while."
No, I'm really okay.
It's actually more comfortable when Leagueen isn't around, but I didn't say it because I thought he would be disappointed.
There's no need to disappoint him.
Instead, I changed the subject.
"Then when is the ceremony?"
If you pass the direct line test, you will have a 'Lord Bell Ceremony', and you can only be recognized as a true Lord Bell by performing this ceremony.
Originally, it was a procedure to prove that the direct line children who passed the test had become true Lord Bells, but for me, it was an important ceremony to be recognized as a Lord Bell.
I hope it's not postponed?
I was worried for no reason.
Maybe he read my mind.
Leagueen said with a gentle smile.
"There have been some setbacks, but the ceremony will be held safely. After the banquet."
"Banquet?"
What is this all of a sudden?
Banquet, there was no such thing originally.
When I asked back, Leagueen looked surprised, but it was already too late.
I asked again.
"Is a banquet being held?"
Leagueen seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then answered with a short sigh.
"Yes. It seems that it would be better to quell the commotion with a banquet."
Ah ha.
I understood immediately.
'They're going to divert attention.'
Since all the leading figures of the empire were gathered in one place, they were going to create a scene to prevent them from thinking about other things.
They'll be too busy managing their connections.
'Besides, the Lord Bell family head and the imperial family are there.'
There couldn't be a more tempting prey than this.
And for me too.
'It's an opportunity.'
Everyone will be distracted during the banquet. I can sneak down to the underground in the meantime.
I was making a plan in my head like that...
"During the banquet, your room will be guarded by thoroughly verified knights, so you don't have to worry."
At Leagueen's words that followed, I raised my head sharply.
Wait, what does that mean?
"Knights...?"
"Yes. It's because it's difficult to manage the movements of visitors during the banquet, so we're tightening security even more. So don't worry. Not even an ant can invade your room."
Leagueen said it to reassure me, but on the contrary, it made me anxious.
If not even an ant can invade, that means I can't get out either.
This is difficult.
'Should I just tell him the truth?'
That I want to see Marin.
I hesitated for a moment, but shook my head immediately.
'If it was before, I would have tried to make a deal.'
Looking at Leagueen's recent behavior towards me, I was convinced.
It seems that Leagueen cares about me quite a bit.
So there's no way he'd take me to a dangerous place like an underground prison.
'I found the blueprints, so should I give up like this?'
After the banquet, I'll go back to the main building right away after the ceremony.
Then I'll never see Marin again.
I won't be able to solve my questions either.
'I can't give up after all.'
Then there's only one way left.
"Then rest. I'll be going now..."
"Wait a minute."
I hurriedly grabbed the hem of Leagueen's clothes as he tried to leave the room.
Leagueen looked back with a puzzled expression.
"Is there anything you need?"
I shook my head.
"It's not that I need something, it's that I want to ask you for something."
"Ask me for something?"
"I too..."
I lowered my head slightly.
Looking up at Leagueen with the most pitiful expression I could muster, I said.
"Can't I attend the banquet too?"
"Yes?"
At my unexpected request, Leagueen looked at me with a surprised expression.
Then he shook his head with a serious face.
"That's not possible."
Then he quickly explained the reason, as if not wanting to cause any misunderstandings.
"We haven't yet found out who was behind the bribery of your maid. Since the purpose was to harm you, they may reappear and threaten you at any time."
Then he knelt down and met my eye level.
Kindness and pity coexisted in Leagueen's expression, which I saw up close.
"It's all to protect you, so I hope you'll understand, even if it's frustrating."
"..."
I stared at Leagueen's eyes.
At this point, Leagueen had done his best to persuade me.
If it were normal, I would have accepted and accepted it in order to maintain a smooth relationship with him.
'But I can't back down this time either.'
But since Leagueen's words are perfect from a rational point of view, I decided to dig into the other side.
Comments
Post a Comment