“It’s a precious item, so I’ll be careful not to lose it.”

Yvette muttered, clutching the bracelet in her hand.

At any other time, she might have refused, saying it wasn’t necessary.

But now, it seemed better to have it just in case of unforeseen situations.

“It’s late, so Noel should head back too. Be careful on the night road.”

“……I’m not sure who’s worrying about whom here.”

Noel let out a deflated laugh as he turned around.

“Well then, I’ll contact you again tomorrow.”

“Take care on your way in.”

Eventually, the two parted ways at the entrance.

***

“Any news on Baron Larishi yet?”

“No. We’ve sent out search parties, but there’s been no significant progress yet.”

“He couldn’t have gone far, so search every corner of the capital if you have to.”

“Yes, understood!”

The tense knight saluted and left the study.

As his presence faded, Noel clicked his tongue and leaned back in his chair.

“……He’s quicker at running away than a rat.”

As soon as he returned from Marquis Theron’s, he had sent knights to search for Baron Larishi.

However, by whatever means, he had already vanished without a trace.

Noel closed his eyes, recalling the conversation he had with Sid a few hours ago.

[He must have had help from someone. It’s impossible to disappear so completely otherwise.]

[……Are you saying he has an accomplice?]

[Yes. If not that, then it means Baron Larishi is a magician.]

The idea of Baron Larishi being a magician was absurd.

All magicians in the empire are legally required to register their names with the Mage’s Tower.

“Which means the Baron must have an accomplice.”

Noel muttered lowly as he picked up a paper from his desk.

The document, disguised as official paperwork, read as follows:

[Baron Larishi. 49-year-old male. Hasn’t returned home for about a week. Current whereabouts unknown.]

Noel, who had been skimming the contents indifferently, paused at one particular sentence.

His gaze then turned cold.

[Note: Last known contact was with creditor Viscount Magnus. Currently confirming his whereabouts.]

***

About a week after Marchioness Theron’s party ended.

Today too, Yvette was sitting at her study desk, dealing with mountains of correspondence.

The sound of turning pages echoed through the study.

After some time had passed like this.

Yvette suddenly looked up from the letter she was reading.

“……Noel.”

As if he had been waiting for it, a response came immediately.

“What.”

Noel, who had been reading a book on the sofa, slightly raised his head.

He looked as comfortable as if this were his own home.

“Just wanted to call your name once.”

Yvette smiled brightly and lowered her head again.

Noel, without saying anything, returned his gaze to his book.

Yvette watched him from the corner of her eye and inwardly clicked her tongue.

‘Is it really okay for a Duke to be lounging around like this?’

Since returning from Marquis Theron’s, Noel had been visiting Wheatley more frequently.

He said he was just dropping by, but it felt more like he was checking on her safety.

Of course, she had some idea why he was doing this.

‘It must be because of Baron Larishi.’

At any other time, she would have nagged him about whether a Duke could afford to be this idle.

But this time, Yvette decided to pretend not to notice.

It was because of a letter she had received from her aunt not long ago.

[To my niece, Yvette Your uncle has disappeared. I heard he last met with you. If you know anything, please let me know.

-Your aunt.]

The letter from Baroness Larishi was brief.

However, its contents were not as simple as its length.

‘……Baron Larishi has disappeared?’

The last time she saw him, he was collapsed on the floor.

After that, she was too busy avoiding Viscount Magnus to check what had happened to Baron Larishi.

‘He probably just ran away because of his debts.’

Even while thinking it was probably nothing, she couldn’t easily shake off her uneasiness.

Yvette let out a soft sigh and put down the quill she was holding.

Her head was already killing her, and looking at the mountain of letters made her feel nauseous.

‘……The letters that came this time are all related to the alumni association too.’

Most of the letters she received today contained the same content.

Namely, requests to sponsor their children attending the alumni association.

The Ruhen Academy’s alumni association was an event created with the intention of building networks between seniors and juniors regardless of social status, and promoting friendships.

Of course, the event rarely lived up to this intention.

The nobles were busy networking among themselves, and the commoner students couldn’t easily blend into that atmosphere.

At best, a few exceptional commoners received sponsorship offers, but their numbers were few.

‘It wouldn’t be bad to sponsor a good student if there was one… but right now, I can barely take care of myself.’

Yvette sighed.

When she’s so busy trying to save her own life, where would she find time to look after someone else’s child?

‘If it weren’t for the original story, I’d just not go.’

There was only one reason why she was enduring this trouble to attend the alumni association.

It was to meet Kervel Petoras.

‘In the original story, it clearly stated that he had infiltrated as an academy student.’

Ruhen Academy wasn’t a place one could enter at any time.

So when the opportunity arose, she had to try to find Kervel inside.

‘When I meet him, I’ll ask him to lift the curse right away.

Then at least one of the worries troubling me would be resolved.’

Yvette let out a deep sigh. The more she thought about it, the more complicated her situation seemed.

It was then.

“Looks like things aren’t going well.”

Noel, who had put down his book at some point, approached her side.

As he picked up one of the letters, Yvette buried her face in her arms as if collapsing.

“If I see the phrase ‘I humbly request’ one more time, I think I might faint.”

While she was groaning, Noel quickly skimmed the letter in his hand.

“Are all of these letters related to the upcoming alumni association?”

“Yes. And without missing a single letter, they’re all asking for sponsorship.”

Yvette mumbled with her face still buried in her arms.

“Honestly, shouldn’t they be asking you for sponsorship instead of me? You’re much richer, Noel.”

“They know such letters don’t work on me.”

Noel answered lightly, putting the letter back on the desk.

“If it’s too hard, couldn’t you just say you won’t attend the alumni association?”

“That’s not possible.”

Yvette lifted her head abruptly and spoke firmly.

It seemed to be an unexpected response, as Noel wore a surprised expression.

“Why is it not possible?”

At his question, Yvette realized her mistake.

She was planning to attend the alumni association to meet Kervel.

However, she couldn’t tell Noel that.

“……It would be awkward to change my word now. The rumor that I’m attending has already spread.”

Yvette answered a beat late, avoiding his eyes.

It wasn’t as if she was committing a crime, but she felt unnecessarily guilty.