"......"
"I think I was happy. Because now I can take care of you directly by your side."
"......"
"I don't think it was fake. Even that was you to me. So, that's why, what I really want to say is..."
"......"
"I'm sorry... for hurting you..."
"......"
"I even hurt you, who already has so many wounds in your heart, so, actually, I..."
Her voice trailed off, and then her body slumped.
"Marin."
"......"
"Marin. Answer me."
"......"
But no answer came back in the end.
I held my breath.
The sudden silence was eerie.
I stared at the slumped Marin without blinking.
And with difficulty, I uttered one word.
"...Is she dead?"
That's when it happened.
"Cough!"
Marin coughed violently.
At the same time.
Thud.
Blood dripped from her parted lips.
She wasn't dead yet.
Not yet...
I looked at the lifeless Marin, then turned and walked away without hesitation.
Heading quickly to the surface, I thought.
I'm glad I came after all.
And a new task has arisen.
There was no more hesitation.
I went back the way I came and returned to the surface.
The fire seemed to be out, and the smoke had cleared considerably.
As I approached the kitchen, a tall figure appeared through the fog.
At the same time as I spotted him, he also noticed me and strode towards me.
I smiled brightly at him and said.
"I kept my promise, right?"
The promise that it wasn't dangerous and that I would be back soon.
Then, Aiden looked at me with a complicated expression and sighed.
"The banquet has been canceled. Everyone has returned to their rooms, so please return to your room as well, young lady."
I looked at Aiden with surprise.
I thought he would at least ask where I had been.
He just guarded me calmly.
This makes me feel even more sorry.
Because.
"I have somewhere to go."
I still have a place to go.
Then, Aiden looked at me with a bewildered expression.
He looked clearly anxious that I might leave him behind again.
I smiled at Aiden and said.
"You'll come with me, right?"
At my words, Aiden stared blankly at me and then nodded.
Immediately, I turned around.
And headed to the person who must be filled with anger more than anyone else at this moment.
"I found this in the kitchen. It's believed to be the cause of the fire."
Ligrin placed what he found in the kitchen on the Duke's desk.
It was a transparent bead with burnt pieces of grass stuck to the outside.
"It's a magical tool commonly used to start fires when camping. It has a function that automatically turns off the fire after a certain amount of time for safety, and it also has the characteristic of producing a lot of smoke to signal location in case of distress."
"......"
"We are currently identifying who entered the kitchen, but it is not easy due to the special circumstances."
"......"
"For now, we will announce that it was a misidentification due to smoke from cooking..."
Ligrin trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
He held his breath.
No, he couldn't breathe easily.
With each breath, icy air penetrated deep into his lungs.
It was similar to murderous intent, but slightly different.
If murderous intent was like pricking thorns, the current energy was similar to suffocation.
Even though the cause of this anger was not his fault, Ligrin felt fear.
'Well, it's understandable...'
The qualification exam is one of the most important events in Rodbel.
It is a place to publicly announce Rodbel's future far and wide, and at the same time, it is a place to show Rodbel's strength.
But in such a place...
'There have been two accidents.'
The banquet was held to handle the ogre raid, but even there, an accident occurred.
No matter how it is handled, it cannot prevent damage to Rodbel's reputation.
'The Lord will not be able to accept it at all, given his personality.'
He has led Rodbel perfectly.
The Rodbel Dukedom, which originally boasted a great status, shone even more brilliantly in this generation.
Having watched the entire process, Ligrin couldn't even begin to estimate how great Ego Rodbel's anger would be.
'A fire caused by a magical tool...'
Ligrin's gaze lowered.
'Another magical tool.'
Accidents have occurred in rapid succession since the discovery of the messenger magic tool.
Although it has not yet been revealed, the power of some magic tool must have been able to bring the ogre into the mansion.
The warehouse that stored this messenger also had a magic tool that could move huge things at once.
But this time, the cause of the fire is also a magic tool.
That means.
'It's the same culprit.'
But Marin, the culprit's minion, is currently imprisoned in the dungeon.
It is absolutely impossible to escape from there without help.
Then there is another insider, or.
'He moved himself.'
This fact...
'The Lord must know.'
Ligrin was about to bring up this topic but quietly closed his mouth.
It was best not to touch the Duke with any words right now.
That's when it happened.
"Ligrin."
At the sudden name, Ligrin immediately bowed his head and replied.
"Yes, Lord."
"It's enough for today, so go out now."
"Ah..."
At his words, Ligrin briefly showed a troubled expression.
This was because there was still so much to report.
But...
"Yes."
No matter how important the words are, you must know when to say them.
Ligrin bowed his head and quietly left the room.
Thud.
At the same time as the door closed, silence came.
The Duke stared straight at the closed door without blinking.
The reason he sent Ligrin out was simple.
It was because he didn't think anyone should be in front of him right now.
Ego Rodbel slowly closed his eyes and controlled the frosty anger flowing through him.
Once, twice, three times.
He kept pressing down.
After a while, his lips slowly parted.
"...Is it her doing?"
Ego Rodbel easily guessed the culprit.
Someone who could access the magic tool warehouse, steal magic tools, and cause a series of accidents.
There were only a few people in Rodbel who could do that.
Even without his notice.
Click.
Rodbel the Duke got up from his seat.
He went straight to the door and opened it.
But.
"Ah."
A clear voice was heard unexpectedly.
His gaze fell down.
Slightly disheveled night sky blue hair, ruby eyes staring at him with widened eyes.
She was holding up her hand as if she was trying to knock, but there was a scar on the back of her hand.
Even when she danced earlier, it didn't seem like she had such a wound.
The Duke silently stared at Lucia and asked.
"What's the matter?"
The voice that came out was terribly cold even to him.
It was a chilling voice that even the knight in charge of Lucia's temporary escort flinched...
"I have something to say."
Lucia replied without saying anything.
"Talk?"
"Yes, are you busy perhaps?"
Lucia asked with a slightly worried face.
Ego Rodbel stared at such Lucia silently and slightly turned his body.
"Come in."
At the sight, Lucia widened her eyes, then smiled brightly and replied.
"Thank you, Duke."
"......"
And she bounced into the room.
The knight tried to come in with her, but couldn't move any further, blocked by the Duke's gaze.
The Duke, who closed the door as it was, turned to Lucia.
Lucia looked around the room for a moment and then turned around and looked at the Duke.
Her ruby eyes were shining innocently.
Rodbel the Duke was a little dumbfounded by such Lucia.
Whether she knew she had almost died several times.
Not only was she chased by the ogre, but she was also attacked by Andro Kroll at the banquet.
At that time...
Ego Rodbel recalled that time.
He knew that Andro Kroll was about to jump out.
He thought he would probably run to him out of revenge, so he didn't take it seriously.
But the target Andro Kroll was aiming for was not him.
His toes turned for a moment and he immediately started running towards Lucia.
At that time, what he did was channel magic into the nearby candlestick, it was an action he didn't even expect.
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