Deep Boredom - Part 4

As usual, Chedev, consumed by a listless emotion, turned his head at the unexpected sound of the door opening. It was Lady Robeni, who resembled her father, entering without permission. As anticipated, her intrusion was unruly, as the butler and Onyx followed behind her with uneasy expressions, attempting to dissuade her.

“Never mind.”

Amidst the untimely disturbance, Chedev extended his hand. Onyx and the butler fell silent and quickly withdrew.

Chedev remained indifferent, without any intention of offering hospitality or engaging in conversation. It was an attitude that implied, ‘If you have something to say, say it and leave.’

“In terms of hospitality…”

Izana nonchalantly responded as if such an attitude was familiar to her.

“What’s the matter?”

“I came to deliver the engagement annulment notice.”

“I never knew you had such a kind personality.”

Just a few days ago, it seemed unimaginable that they were engaged. However, upon closer observation, it was always the same attitude. Despite smiling with others in mind every time they met, their conversations were always curt and rough. Chedev’s reaction to Lady Robeni’s words was either to curse or ignore her, while Lady Robeni would pick a fight and be petulant.

To outsiders, it all seemed jovial with their smiling faces. Looking back now, it was astonishing how they had intended to get married. It was evidence that Chedev did not consider this marriage significant.

He pondered the word ‘engagement annulment.’ Considering how he had mercilessly assaulted Lady Robeni’s father with a teapot, it was only natural that a confrontation would arise.

After a moment of thought, Chedev spoke.

“Did you come here to pick a fight?”

The sharp smoke of sarcasm, trapped in his mouth, flowed out like a sigh.

“A fight? About what?”

“About laying a hand on your father.”

Izana laughed as if she had heard an amusing story.

“Not a fight. I wanted to praise you. I was so relieved to hear that news.”

That unexpected response piqued Chedev’s interest, and his gaze naturally shifted. Whether it was genuine or not, Izana was truly wearing an expression of relief.

“The person has a terrible habit of raising his hand. Since I was young, he didn’t hesitate to raise his hand at me either. Having endured such mistreatment without being able to say a word to others, how do you think I felt?”

It seemed that she also had some undisclosed concerns with her father. But since it didn’t concern Chedev in the slightest, he didn’t react. Izana approached him, indifferent as if treating an object.

She approached him closely and scrutinized Chedev.

“So, the story about losing your concubine and becoming a beggar was true. Your handsome face is completely ruined now.”

“Get lost.”

Chedev snapped without mercy. It was because her strong perfume, as she got closer, emitted an overwhelming scent of impoliteness. As he smelled the fragrance, a series of mistakes he had made due to his absent-mindedness flashed through his mind. The heightened sensitivity sparked a sharp sense of rejection.

Thus, the moment she approached, he turned his back to her.

“Not to pick a fight, I came to inform you.”

“….”

“My dog came with some interesting news after a long time.”

Izana watched him as he walked away without any reaction, and her mouth curled into a sneer.

“I heard he saw your concubine?”

Thud.

Chedev’s steps, which crossed the office, came to a halt. The exposed part of his back, illuminated by a ray of light, felt rigidly stiff even through his clothes.

Gradually, Chedev turned his body, feeling his way around. His returning gaze was focused for the first time in a very long while.

“…What?”

“He saw your concubine.”

Chedev’s previously listless steps gained strength. Then the air in the office also changed. It became twisted, bent, and strangely cold. He walked with a heavy gait and stood across from Izana. My dog. The only person Izana referred to with that title was her concubine, a knight in her service.

“Where.”

Chedev’s large hand tightly grasped Izana’s shoulder.

“Where did he see her?”

It was a bone-crushing grip, producing a sound of agony. The strength was so immense that it felt as if bones could be dislocated without hesitation. Izana frowned, unable to properly answer due to the pain. However, Chedev, whose patience had been severed like a short string, didn’t wait. With a menacing transformation, he pushed Izana against the wall.

“Tell me right now!”

“Ugh! Let go of me…”

“How do you, no, how does your knight, know Rasha?”

A frenzied energy surged within his dilated pupils. For a while, it seemed like he would search as if he were about to die if his eyes didn’t roll back.

None of the other nobles knew the face of Rasha, who had lived her life in his arms. His anxious mind drew another wicked imagination. Could these people have something to do with Rasha’s disappearance? Although he could roughly guess that they had no reason from their perspective, Chedev’s thoughts, blinded by impatience, didn’t reach that far.

The fact that Rasha’s traces unexpectedly emerged from an unexpected place made his heart stir.

“Let go of me! Ah, it hurts.”

Izana shouted, barely pushing away his merciless hand.

“He saw her then.”

“Back then?”

“In front of the reception room.”

Chedev easily understood what she was referring to. It was the day she visited the Duke’s residence as his fiance. After finishing the meal, when they were about to move to the reception room, Rasha, who had been in her bedroom all the time, revealed herself.

At that time, Izana and Rasha clearly came face to face. And also the knight who stood behind Izana.

“A few days ago, I had some business, so I sent my knight to the Count of Lippe. They said they saw her there.”

“The Count of Lippe…?”

“I don’t know the reason either. It’s not certain. They said they saw someone who looked similar while passing through the corridor. But even so, I thought even this uncertain information would be valuable to you.”

Izana grumbled, asking how someone could treat others so recklessly, but Chedev didn’t hear a word.

The Count of Lippe.

Among the places Chedev had included in the search area, there was no noble’s residence. He only thought that he was the only noble Rasha had any connections with within the Vellium Empire. That’s why he had been searching only places she could go as a commoner.

But what if that was my misconception? What if Rasha was safely staying there right now?

It was truly a situation where the place under the lamp was the darkest.

He had to confirm if it was true immediately. Even if it was uncertain information, he was so thirsty for any news about Rasha that he would cling to it frantically. The news of her, whom he hadn’t encountered for months, vigorously pumped life into his lifeless heart.

Chedev turned around and hurriedly rushed out of the office. Onyx and the knights waiting outside, who didn’t know the situation, became flustered.

“Your Excellency?”

“W-Where are you going?!”

Suddenly, with an angry momentum, she rushed out and quickly followed the footsteps of the superior, but her question received no response.

Chedev, who had been silent all along, stopped just before reaching the hall. Everyone swallowed nervously at the unpredictable change in their master’s behavior. A vaguely tense atmosphere emanated from him. It had been a phenomenon that had continued since he lost his concubine and his mind was halfway gone, but it was particularly evident now that he had rushed out of the office.

And finally, the reaction they had been waiting for came from their superior.

“Send a message to the palace.”

“What? For what reason…?”

“Dispatch the royal magician as quickly as possible.”

Chedev clenched his fist tightly, his veins bulging.

If it was true that Rasha was there, Chedev had no intention of letting her slip away again.