Chapter 10.10

What was that supposed to mean?

Brienne blinked, dazed.

Hadn’t this man been worrying about her all this time?

“……Every morning when I open my eyes, I want to see you. No matter who I meet or what I see, I think of you all day.”

Herace gazed at her trembling pale green eyes, paused, then asked playfully,

“Didn’t you worry about me when you decided to enter the academy?”

His gentle gaze and quiet whisper settled between them. Grasping Brienne’s wrist, Herace lifted her palm and rested his cheek against it.

“You once said you might fall in love with me someday. I was just upset you left without a word. So I’m waiting patiently, until you truly love me.”

His polite words were tinged with a faint smile. Flustered by his sudden change in mood, Brienne tried to pull her hand away.

But Herace held her hand even tighter, clearly unwilling to let go.

“But since you allowed me that day, you’ve been avoiding me ever since. I need your attention, Brienne.”

Brienne knew exactly what day he meant. Looking around, her cheeks flushed again.

“H-Herace…… That’s not an answer. That’s not what I was asking.”

“Is that so? I thought that was answer enough.”

Herace smiled and pressed his lips to her palm.

Brienne instinctively swallowed the breath that nearly escaped her lips.

The embrace, the breath felt so close, the lips that gently touched her as if she were precious. The more she remembered that day, the faster her heart raced.

She was once again completely captivated by the man before her.

Her gaze wandered, lost and flustered.

“……If that’s not enough, I’ll say it again. I don’t distrust you, I distrust myself. If you’re with another man, I get so jealous I can barely stand it, no matter who it is.”

“…….”

“So if it’s something you absolutely have to do, I just want you to take me with you. Wherever you go, I’ll follow, so please let me stay by your side.”

His earnest gray eyes slowly swept over Brienne’s face. He hadn’t meant it that way, but she’d clearly misunderstood.

Embarrassed, Brienne nodded hurriedly.

She grew anxious, thinking someone might see them.

“Ah, alright……. I’ll tell Lusell in advance that you’re coming too. That’s enough, right?”

Satisfied, Herace finally let go of her hand and nodded.

“Good. Please keep that promise.”

His low laughter drifted to Brienne on the rose-scented breeze. The tickle at her nose made Brienne drop her gaze and nod.

The more tightly she gripped the palm where his lips had touched, the more her lips tingled.

* * *

“Earl, there’s trouble……!”

Early in the morning, the head maid of Bailey Manor raced up the stairs. The Earl, awakened by her urgent voice, frowned and checked the time.

“What’s the emergency at this hour?”

Annoyed, the Earl pulled on the robe draped over the sofa and scowled.

Melosi Bailey—had she caused some new incident?

Since confining Melosi, he’d heard stories of the young lady trying to sneak out through the window, bribing maids and knights with jewels to let her escape, and trying every trick imaginable.

Ah, a few days ago, she’d even staged a show of hanging herself with the curtains.

But that was all.

The Earl had already gathered all the knights and staff, making it clear that anyone who helped Melosi Bailey escape should be ready to lose their life.

Who in this house would risk their life for such a girl?

So it couldn’t be news that she’d disappeared.

The Earl clicked his tongue and tied his robe loosely. His weary steps toward the door betrayed years of fatigue.

“What’s the matter?”

Finally opening the door, the Earl looked at the head maid with a sleepy face.

“E-Earl, I’m sorry, but Miss Melosi……”

“What about her now?”

“S-She’s nowhere to be found. I questioned the maids, and they truly didn’t know. She was furious and wouldn’t let anyone into her room……”

The head maid quickly explained, bowing deeply in embarrassment. But her words barely registered with the Earl.

So.

Did she dare escape?

Melosi Bailey?

“……Melosi, that girl!”

Leaving the head maid behind, the Earl dashed to the study, his face pale. He knew Melosi would never leave quietly.

And then—

“No!”

Sure enough, the study’s lock, which he’d secured just in case, was undone. Wide awake now, the Earl fumbled at the study door.

Creak—the door swung open, revealing a scene of devastation.

Drawers left open, papers and pens scattered on the floor, toppled candlestick and vase.

The study was a complete mess, as if a thief had broken in.

“P-Papers……!”

Rushing inside, the Earl opened the desk drawer with trembling hands.

There should have been papers secretly recording the tasks ordered by the Duke of Bannon, in case he betrayed him.

But……

“……Impossible.”

Staring at the empty drawer, the Earl collapsed to the floor.

“F-From now on, servants are strictly forbidden to enter……! This must never leak outside! Especially if the Duke of Bannon hears about it……!”

The Earl’s voice, trembling uncontrollably, cut off as he collapsed backward in shock.

“Earl!”

The servants, who had been anxiously pacing over Miss Melosi’s escape, turned pale.

* * *

As the hot summer waned, a cool breeze swept through Roeta.

The sunlight that had poured over the Academy faded, the heat slowly dissipated, and the weather grew cooler—just as the library in front of Brienne began to regain its former atmosphere. Brienne, seated there, looked down at her exam results with a joyful face.

“I did it……!”

The week-long exams and today’s last class were finally over. Brienne’s face, who had worked hard every day with only brief naps, was filled with relief and pride.

After Professor Ruyten’s infamously difficult magic theory exam, Brienne kept up her tension and didn’t neglect her other subjects.

As a result, news spread throughout the Academy that there was a single perfect scorer among the first years. All the review she’d done before entering had finally paid off.

Though she had struggled to fit in with students approaching her, today Brienne had risen to fame as a recognized student at the Academy. She bounced on her toes and stood up, her face brimming with excitement.

‘I need to write to Mother and Father right away. And to Shylo and Marie.’

She smiled as she remembered how her parents had sent her more than ten letters after the last explosion incident. They’d worried so much—she could only imagine how happy they’d be to hear this news.

And……

Brienne paused and glanced toward the assistant’s office building, where Herace would be.

She wanted to show off her exam results to him as soon as possible.

Just then, Felix appeared before Brienne as she walked lightly toward the dormitory.

“Miss Brienne!”

“Oh, Student President? What brings you here?”

Had Felix heard the news about her? Brienne smiled brightly, waiting for Felix’s reply.

But what Felix brought was not congratulations.

“Uh, please go to the administration office quickly. Miss Brienne, you have a v-visitor.”

“Huh? A visitor?”

Felix nodded and checked the time.

“Yes, she said she’s your maid……. She’s been waiting since morning, until your classes ended. Please hurry.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Brienne nodded, looking puzzled, and headed toward the administration office. A maid? Was it Marie? But Marie hadn’t mentioned coming.

Marie would never come without contacting her first, so Brienne felt something was off.

‘Who could it be?’

Arriving at the administration office, Brienne was guided to the same reception room as before. Upon entering, her eyes widened instantly.

“……Miss Bailey?”

A woman in a thin robe pushed back her hood, revealing pale blue eyes that locked onto Brienne.

Melosi Bailey, whose atmosphere seemed even colder, smiled and asked,

“How have you been, Miss Ford?”

Was it just her imagination that a chill lingered in that enigmatic smile? Brienne awkwardly sat down before her, looking puzzled.

“What brings you all the way here? I heard you’ve been waiting for me since morning.”

“That’s right. I waited quite a while.”

Melosi nodded lightly, then suddenly stared at Brienne’s school uniform. For a moment, an unreadable emotion flickered in her eyes, but Brienne couldn’t guess what it was.

“Miss Ford, you seem to be doing well.”

Melosi only said that, smiling.

“What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. When I heard you’d be attending the Academy, I wondered how long you’d last. But seeing you thriving like this makes me feel unfair.”

Just as Melosi’s barely concealed hostility began to make Brienne uncomfortable, she got to the point.

“Anyway, since I waited all day, I’ll get straight to the point. Last time, you visited me without any notice, so I hope you won’t consider my visit rude.”

“……Alright, go ahead.”

“I came because there’s someone I want to find through you.”

Brienne’s eyes wavered as she watched Melosi’s faint smile. If she meant Kaiden Bannon, Brienne could say nothing. She hid her nervousness and spoke.

“Miss Bailey, I should tell you in advance that I……”

“Oh, don’t bother lying that you don’t know where he is. I just met your student council president, who told me Kaiden came looking for you.”

“……The student council president?”

“Yes, I said I was your maid. When I asked whether you had met Kaiden—he told me right away that he brought a letter from Kaiden.

That was a mistake.

She’d shouted Kaiden’s name in the courtyard that day, so she’d worried Felix might have heard. But she hadn’t expected him to tell just anyone.

Brienne frowned.

“……No, he must have mistaken him for someone else. I haven’t seen Kaiden.”

Melosi let out a soft laugh.

“Money and jewels don’t make mistakes about people. Even the most upright person will waver if a fortune is in front of them. Should I give you one too, Miss Ford?”

Melosi rummaged inside her robe and placed a small jewel on the table. Realizing what was happening, Brienne shook her head firmly.

“I don’t need it. To be honest, I don’t know where Kaiden is, either.”

“What do you mean, ‘don’t know where he is’?”

Melosi’s persistent questioning made Brienne sigh.

“I mean, it’s true we met, as you said. But it’s completely over between us. We agreed never to acknowledge each other again.”

Brienne chose her words carefully and rose from her seat.

“So please leave. I have nothing more to say to you.”

“Sit down!”

Melosi suddenly stood and grabbed Brienne’s arm tightly. Even though Melosi had never been friendly, Brienne was startled by her intensity.

“……Miss Bailey, please let go.”

“If you don’t want to talk for free, fine. Let’s make a deal.”

“A deal? As I said, I don’t need your jewels or money.”

“No! Even you, Miss Ford, will be curious about this.”

Melosi pulled Brienne’s arm gently, her lips curling up.

“Derrick Harrington’s whereabouts……. You’ve been searching for him, haven’t you?”