Chapter 9 – Part 5

Olivia stayed at Flatd Castle and ordered a reinterrogation of Kellic, the man who had stolen the bomb. She expected him to be more honest now that he had experienced the horrors of prison, worse than hell itself.

‘Useless fool to the end.’

But Kellic continued to claim that it was Harry who ordered him, insisting that he had received a letter with money that bore Harry’s handwriting.

‘Handwriting can be forged.’

With enough practice, one could easily forge handwriting. But if that were the case, Kellic really knew nothing.

“What should I do…”

Olivia slumped down on the dining table, muttering to herself. Flatd Castle had an office for the Duke’s use, but being inside made her feel stifled. So she had retreated to the empty dining room, finding solace in its quiet solitude.

“My Lady, would you like a cup of warm tea?”

In the absence of others, a familiar child placed a cup in front of her. As she straightened up, she recognized the child she had seen before.

“You’re… the one who works here…”

“I’m Lizzy, My Lady. Thank you for helping me last time.”

Ah, Lizzy. She was the clever girl who had witnessed Kellic stealing the bomb. Olivia had remembered her because she had left an impression.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes! Since you made sure I had food that day, the people in the castle have been much kinder to me.”

Indeed, Lizzy looked healthier and had gained some weight. Olivia, impressed by the child’s attentiveness, patted her on the head.

“Really? They were nice to you? No one bullied you like Kellic did?”

“Thanks to you, My Lady, I no longer have to clean chimneys. I don’t cough anymore either.”

Olivia suddenly felt her mind clear. More accurately, the gloom lifted, and she felt as if she had just taken in a dose of caffeine.

‘What am I doing right now? This child’s safety depends on what I do next.’

She felt ashamed for having been so listless, even for a moment. Olivia quickly downed the cup in front of her. The warmth burned her throat, but strangely, it made her feel refreshed inside.

“Gasp… Isn’t that hot?”

Lizzy exclaimed in surprise as she stood next to Olivia, who instinctively reached out and gently hugged the child. The warmth of Lizzy’s small body brought a strange sense of peace.

“I’m sorry for not realizing sooner.”

“Huh? Realize what?”

Lizzy, though confused, patted Olivia’s shoulder as if to comfort her.

“Just… I didn’t realize how hard you were working as such a good, lovely child. And… I forgot for a moment that your father tried so hard to protect everyone.”

Lizzy’s patting hand hesitated for a moment but then resumed. She didn’t reply, but her breath was tinged with tears. Olivia gently stroked the girl’s back. When she looked up slightly, she saw that Lizzy was valiantly holding back her tears.

“It’s truly a shame. Maybe I should forget about marriage and just adopt you as my daughter?”

“W-What!? That’s too much of an honor.”

Lizzy’s tears disappeared, replaced by a blush spreading across her chubby cheeks. Finding it endearing, Olivia playfully pinched the child’s cheek without hurting her.

“Why not! Think about it. I’ll do my best to win you over.”

Now thoroughly embarrassed, Lizzy stammered, her face turning a deep red. Olivia felt a surge of anger rising within her.

How could such a cute and lovely child have been made to clean chimneys? Kellic and whoever else was responsible for that should be… 

“Huh?”

There was a clattering sound from somewhere. Lizzy, who had been shyly hiding her face, quickly turned around.

“W-Who’s there?”

The small child tried to stand in front of Olivia as if to protect her. Olivia placed her hands on Lizzy’s shoulders, pulling her behind her.

“Who’s there? Stop lurking and come out.”

Though she didn’t sense any malice or threat, the fact that someone had gotten this close without being noticed meant they were well-trained. Olivia remained vigilant, focusing on the presence lingering near the dining room door.

“If you don’t come out, I’ll come to get you… Ah?”

Just as she was about to voice her irritation, Olivia’s eyes widened as the door to the dining room creaked open and someone stepped in. Somehow, just as she had suspected!

“I thought it was too quiet. What are you doing here!?”

Though he was wearing a hooded robe, there was no mistaking that massive figure. Olivia was genuinely and thoroughly annoyed.

“I snuck out.”

“You’re breaking the law, you know?”

Olivia, too agitated to maintain her usual politeness, snapped at him.

“Not the law, but I’m defying the emperor’s orders. Are you acting out because you think your title protects you? Are you out of your mind?”

“If I fail, I’ll have to retreat to the countryside with you, so what’s defying an order?”

And yet, there was no sting to his words. Marsden removed his hood and slightly bowed to Lizzy.

“Hello, Lizzy.”

“I-It’s been a while, Your Grace!”

Two distinguished guests in one day. Lizzy resolved to write in her journal tonight without fail.

“Lizzy, thanks for the tea. I’ll call you if I need anything else.”

“Call me anytime, My Lady.”

Sensing the atmosphere, Lizzy quickly picked up the teacup and left the dining room with light footsteps. She didn’t forget to close the door tightly behind her.

“……”

“You expected this, Buddy. Why are you glaring at me like that?”

“I told you that I’d kill you if you came out, didn’t I?”

Olivia growled menacingly, but Marsden remained completely unfazed.

“I saw how you got hurt and how badly, so there’s no way I’d stay at home quietly. Besides, I left Ricardo behind in case I got caught, for your sake.”

Marsden reported succinctly, looking at Olivia with eyes that seemed to say, ‘Aren’t I doing a good job?’ Olivia felt her low blood pressure easing naturally.

“Calm down and sit. I came because I have some information to deliver.”

“If it’s useless, I’ll take off one of your legs every time.”

Does that mean there are only two chances left?

Marsden briefly entertained the silly thought but quickly dismissed it. He seated Olivia in a chair and then sat beside her.

“As you know, we’ve been hunting down sorcerers for many years. But since magic doesn’t take a specific form, capturing large numbers of sorcerers hasn’t completely solved the problem. There are still some left, even now.”

“And?”

“Recently, after the Buck Rodley incident, we started investigating individuals, regions, and kingdoms where we had let our guard down. Do you know where our attention was drawn?”

“No way…”

A name came to Olivia’s mind instantly, and her mouth fell open.

“Katlan?”

“Yes, the kingdom that just recently made a provocative move to put you in a difficult position.”

So this is how it all connects. Olivia’s mind became even more chaotic.

“Are you saying they did that because they had something to hide?”

“We’re not sure yet if it’s a warning or a distraction from something else. But we’ve recently discovered that unidentified goods are being imported into Katlan. The likelihood of something suspicious is high, so it’s worth investigating.”

Olivia pondered over the situation. There were several contradictions.

First, if it was a warning, Katlan was like a grain of sand compared to the vast empire. Provoking them would be akin to digging their own grave.

On the other hand, if it was a distraction, it was just as foolish. Drawing attention to themselves would be a self-inflicted blow.

“Glenn is already there, gathering information. It doesn’t seem like they’re preparing for an immediate attack.”

“They might not intend to start a war… not yet, at least.”

A shadow passed over Marsden’s face. He might be silently blaming himself for the situation.

“I can’t just sit here worrying, so I’ll go myself. What about you?”

Olivia asked, half-expecting Marsden’s response. He gently rested his forehead against her shoulder.

“I’ve prepared a Katlan military uniform for you. I brought a few sizes—one that fits perfectly, and a couple slightly looser. Choose whichever you like.”

“…Ah, well then, let’s leave right away.”

Olivia steadied her wavering heart and pushed Marsden away. She walked determinedly, with Marsden trailing close behind.

“I noticed you seemed to like that child, Lizzy. Do you think if I charm her a bit, I could score some points with you?”

“A kid like her would be scared of someone your size, so don’t go bothering her.”

“As you command, My Lady.”

Olivia quietly stored his playful remarks in her memory.

For when the day comes that they might walk different paths, she wanted to remember every little detail.