“Ah, Charlotte. Um… How is His Highness Prince Forcite de Vergne doing these days?”

After discussing romance books for quite a while, the two Saints finally moved on to a different topic after several hours.

Though it was admittedly a sensitive subject.

Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since she’d met Charlotte privately like this, and she had never once brought up Forcite.

She asked as carefully as possible, worried it might come across like an ex-girlfriend asking “How are you doing?”

Charlotte made an “ah” sound before finally appearing to think deeply about something.

“These days, I hear he’s busy with frequent monster subjugation missions, but I’m not really sure. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”

Even then, she spoke as if recounting mundane daily events, as though she hadn’t given Forcite any thought at all.

“…I see.”

Something felt off. Even though Merrien wanted to ask more, she kept quiet seeing how completely uninterested Charlotte seemed in Forcite.

Forcite had definitely brought Charlotte here, and they had even been intimate.

While it seemed the original story was progressing as expected… they didn’t appear to have any interest in each other.

‘Though it’s not like Forcite has sent me any separate letters either.’

Wondering if Charlotte might be putting on an act out of consideration for her, Merrien stirred her teacup with a teaspoon while observing carefully.

However, Charlotte’s attention had already returned to the book.

‘Wait, then what’s going on between these two…?’

Her hand stirring the teaspoon moved faster. Why was there no connection between the original story’s main characters?

Even knowing it wasn’t her business, Merrien continued to worry about it.

Charlotte, who had been reading, suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke up again.

“Ah, Merrien. Have you heard the rumors about you and Duke Hartez?”

“…Rumors?”

Forcite wasn’t the issue.

The rumors she had deliberately tried to forget for a while now came up in Charlotte’s words.

Moreover, unlike how she had brushed off the topic of Forcite, she whispered this with gravity.

Merrien, who had become serious in response, swallowed hard.

Charlotte’s behavior was unusual, pressing close to her side and asking with wide, serious eyes.

‘I really don’t know since I haven’t been reading the newspapers lately.’

Merrien unconsciously bit her nails, perhaps feeling anxious.

She had been busy with various things lately, and since she was constantly meeting Charlotte, there hadn’t been much need to read the newspapers.

…Or rather, she had deliberately avoided them, afraid of seeing more absurd rumors.

There might be huge photos of the two of them splashed across the front page.

Merrien waited tensely for Charlotte’s next words.

Her throat felt parched. She gulped down her still-hot tea.

Clack-!

Only after Merrien set down her empty teacup did Charlotte finally close the book she had been holding open.

In contrast to the serious atmosphere she had created, she spoke with a bright smile.

“It seems the young ladies we met at the tea party were quite intimidated by us. We had deliberately invited those who were good at spreading rumors, and it seems it worked better than expected.”

“What?”

Having prepared herself to hear something terrible while letting her imagination run wild.

Merrien, unable to adjust to the sudden change in atmosphere, asked again.

But it seemed this wasn’t just meant to ease the tension.

Charlotte grabbed Merrien’s hands and shook them up and down excitedly.

“All the strange rumors about you two have completely disappeared. And Duke Hartez’s standing has improved, perhaps because of the High Priest and Count Montina being arrested at the banquet.”

“…Really?”

There was a hint of doubt in Merrien’s voice.

Even though she trusted Charlotte completely, the speed of the resolution seemed almost too good to be true.

‘What about those rumors claiming we were intimate every day?’

And the vicious whispers about Duke Hartez’s impending death?

She had been expecting the worst, but everything was resolved this quickly? Really?

Her gaze naturally shifted to Ariel sitting across from her.

She couldn’t explain why. Her unconscious mind simply drew her eyes to him.

Whether he had known all along or simply didn’t care, he was leisurely sipping his tea.

Merrien kept watching him with an odd expression, caught between a smile and something else.

Charlotte’s voice, sounding even more excited, reached her ears.

“They’re even praising Merrien as an amazing Saint who never stopped healing despite receiving unfair treatment.”

“……Wow, that’s wonderful news.”

Strange. This should definitely be something to be happy about.

Though she tried to act pleased while expressing admiration, something felt off.

She couldn’t fully embrace the joy due to an inexplicable, peculiar feeling.

She never imagined it would be resolved so simply. No, it shouldn’t have been that simple to resolve.

Ariel remained peaceful, still not responding.

‘Come to think of it, was there a monster subjugation today?’

His mind seemed to be elsewhere. Only after Forcite’s name was mentioned did Ariel leisurely recall today’s schedule.

Meanwhile, his hand was busy petting Agnes’s head, supposedly stroking it.

Though this made his curly red hair quite messy, Agnes didn’t seem to mind, maintaining a blank expression.

***

“I’ve finished my part, but you haven’t even started?”

Just past six in the evening.

Forcite, who had just easily dispatched dozens of magical beasts, jumped down from the back of the large monster he had last defeated.

His mocking words, spoken as he sheathed his sword, were directed at Ariel.

Forcite had been irritated ever since hearing that the Tower Master had been consistently showing up for monster subjugation lately.

He’d even heard that the Tower Master single-handedly eliminated monsters so quickly that the Imperial Knights had nothing to do.

Not only was the Emperor pleased with these excellent results, but Forcite had personally heard citizens calling the Tower Master a “hero.”

So after waiting for his chance, he expressed his desire to participate in monster subjugation directly to his father, the Emperor, and arrived at the same location as him.

For some reason, the Tower Master was there rubbing his temples, deep in contemplation.

While surrounded by dozens of magical beasts.

“What exactly are you doing, Tower Master?”

Forcite growled, furrowing his brow.

Despite coming out for monster subjugation, the Tower Master hadn’t quickly dispatched the monsters—he hadn’t even touched a single one.

Saying he didn’t want to get even a speck of dust on his mask or clothes.

It was maddening that someone this casual was being called the empire’s hero.

The Tower Master, Ariel, finally seemed to realize something as his eyes widened.

“Ah, Your Highness. Do you see that monster in the center?”

The center monster? At the sudden question, Forcite’s gaze followed where Ariel’s finger pointed.

A bizarre appearance resembling a giant snow creature with an enormous body. Judging by its howl, different from other monsters, it was clearly a high-rank magical beast.

But so what?

That beast and the others surrounding him kept closing in.

Saliva dripped from the high-rank monster’s fangs, which looked capable of tearing a body in half with one bite.

The Imperial Knights watching from afar were also at a loss, just watching the two men’s reactions.

In this tense situation, Ariel spoke up.

“Wouldn’t it make a perfect next pet?”

It was something Forcite didn’t even want to acknowledge hearing.

The thought of wanting to accidentally take Ariel’s head off while dispatching these monsters rose to the top of his mind.

But Ariel, seemingly not expecting an answer, continued speaking boldly.

“Yes, I think it would make a perfect friend for my Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison.”

He nodded while reaching his own conclusion and casually spread one hand.

Just as the monsters all leaped at him from above, a sharp wind arose from his hand.

The wind sliced through the approaching creatures like a blade, and soon the dozens of monsters vanished without a trace.

It all happened in just about 5 seconds.

“……”

There was no need to press further. His skills were impressive every time.

Though Forcite stared at Ariel with slightly surprised eyes, Ariel merely frowned while brushing off the tiny bits of monster flesh that had gotten on his clothes.