For a moment, Calliphe doubted her ears.

“What…?”

When she asked again, wondering what he meant, Lynen exhaled with what looked like a smirk and answered nonchalantly.

“Why are you surprised? Surely you don’t want to be comfortable enough to share a bed with me.”

“Of course not! …right.”

Quickly lowering her voice in consideration of Noah, Calliphe glared at him.

That irritatingly impassive face.

‘I really can’t figure out what he’s thinking.’

But since he’s such a moralistic man, he surely didn’t mean anything by it.

‘Obviously, I didn’t think anything of it either!’

Better not to look at him at all. Calliphe shifted from lying on her side to lying straight up facing the ceiling.

Right then, Noah whimpered beside her.

“Nnng.”

Oh no.

Worried he might wake up, she quickly turned back on her side and patted the child’s stomach. Noah’s furrowed brows smoothed out again.

‘Maybe I should have just woken him up? No, children need their sleep.’

When she quietly lifted her gaze, she saw Lynen’s face with closed eyes.

‘Look at that peaceful expression.’

So I must really make you comfortable, huh?

You moralistic man?

‘Well, he was someone who extremely despised Calliphe from the start anyway.’

More precisely, he didn’t even consider Calliphe worth acknowledging.

Thinking back on their old connection, it felt like a miracle that their relationship had improved this much.

‘Come to think of it…’

Calliphe remembered what Lynen had muttered when she told him about the identity of the white ears.

“A person turned into a monster? Then those northern villages… my nephew…”

“Lynen, what’s wrong? What nephew?”

She’d been curious all along but had forgotten momentarily due to various incidents.

This seemed like a good opportunity to ask.

“Lynen. Are you asleep?”

“……”

“Are you sleeping?”

“……”

“Do you have a nephew?”

Lynen opened his eyes.

“Are you trying to wake me up?”

“See? You weren’t sleeping.”

He let out a shallow sigh.

“Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“I’m curious.”

“…You never asked personal questions before. Why now?”

“Yeah.”

She thought he might raise an eyebrow in annoyance at such a trivial reason, but surprisingly, Lynen wasn’t adverse to it.

Instead, he spoke willingly.

“I have a nephew. Noel Ortega. A boy, the child of my brother, the former Duke Ortega. He’s also the more legitimate heir to the family than I am.”

“…Huh?”

Calliphe was momentarily confused.

“How old is your nephew?”

“Eight years old.”

“At that age, he can’t inherit the family. In such cases, imperial law gives legitimacy to you, the second son.”

Lynen shook his head slightly.

“Illegitimate children are the exception.”

Exception… Wait, what exception?

Lynen is an illegitimate child?

This was a setting that wasn’t revealed even in <Marino>. Calliphe was a bit surprised.

“…I thought you were definitely a direct descendant. Since you’re so unlucky.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“No, plus you’re a Swordmaster. What could be more fitting for the head of the sword-wielding House Ortega?”

A bitter expression crossed Lynen’s face at those words.

Had she touched a sore spot? Calliphe tactfully changed the subject.

“I heard rumors that the former Duke Ortega met with misfortune. Did your nephew disappear then too?”

“Yes.”

After a brief pause, Lynen continued.

“After inheriting the position of family head, my brother’s health deteriorated. I heard he could barely wield a sword like before. At the time, I had left the castle right after my nephew was born, so I don’t know the details. But apparently, his obsession with health gradually worsened.”

“…I can understand.”

If you’re from a prestigious magic family, then magic.

If you’re from a prestigious sword family, then swordsmanship.

You’d be criticized as unfit to be the family head if you didn’t match up.

“What about the Duchess?”

“She passed away early after giving birth to Noel, her health having deteriorated. I suppose that affected my brother too.”

Anyway. Lynen returned to the main point.

“One day, a wandering merchant visited the castle. He keenly noticed that my brother desired a healthy body, and tempted him with his words.”

This was all what Lynen had heard from the Duke’s close associates.

But because he had replayed it in his mind countless times, his explanation was as clear as though he had experienced it himself.

“Knight Commander Denford found him suspicious and drove him out of the castle, but before being expelled, the merchant made one deal with my brother.”

“Your Grace. I have finally found a way to restore your health and strength. I will give you what you desire, so please come out alone at night. Alone.”

Eager to finally obtain what he wanted, the Duke met with the merchant without a second thought.

And to give the merchant payment for the deal, he guided him to the forest.

“…To where Lumen’s heart was sealed.”

“……!”

Calliphe’s eyes widened.

“This is insane… Don’t tell me Lumen’s heart was the payment for the deal?”

“……”

A confirming silence.

“That merchant b*stard definitely has something to do with this.”

“Calliphe.”

Lynen frowned while slightly covering Noah’s ears.

“The child might hear. Please use proper language.”

“Ugh.”

Though she grumbled, Calliphe obediently modified her speech a bit.

“Anyway, are you saying that merchant took Lumen’s heart?”

“I don’t know. That process isn’t clear.”

Deep fatigue seeped through Lynen’s voice.

She could feel how much he had suffered and was still suffering over this issue.

“Above all, my brother couldn’t have unsealed the heart alone.”

“The merchant might have been a mage hiding his identity.”

“If he were that powerful a mage, he would have used magic to escape. Rather than taking the risk of using my nephew as a hostage.”

“Hostage…?”

Lynen’s gaze suddenly turned toward the sleeping Noah.

Self-reproach could be felt in his touch as he gently rubbed the child’s cheek with his knuckles.

“…They say the merchant stabbed Noel’s hand to prevent pursuit. Threatening that next time he would stab a vital point if they kept following. But when that didn’t work, he threw him into the river below the cliff.”

“……”

“We searched downstream, but Noel’s body was never found. That’s why I’m still looking for him.”

“……”

“Black hair, green eyes. A boy who looks between 7 and 10 years old, with a scar on the back of his hand… I’ve met hundreds. Maybe even over a thousand.”

“……”

“The vassals have already concluded that Noel is dead and refuse to cooperate further. They want me to focus more on my duties as the head of House Ortega rather than searching for the dead.”

“That’s…”

She couldn’t blame House Ortega’s vassals.

For them, it was a natural choice.

If a duke who must govern vast territories and numerous subordinate houses keeps leaving his post to search for a nephew whose fate is unknown.

Especially if that nephew could potentially threaten the barely stabilized duke position.

For the peace of the territory and family, they would rather the nephew never be found.

“…So, you’re searching alone?”

“Yes. There’s no point in forcibly mobilizing people who want me to stop, as they can’t be trusted.”

Blue-gray eyes shadowed by eyelashes.

Those beast-like eyes reminiscent of a snow wolf lift to meet her gaze.

Containing a fragment of vulnerability.

“…Will you say the same?”

However, Calliphe’s answer was utterly cold.

“Yes. The vassals are right.”

‘Calliphe Offensa’ is also a direct descendant of a prestigious magic family represented by the magic tower.

Someone who would have become the head of the family if nothing went wrong. Although others pointed fingers at her, all her efforts were aimed at being recognized as someone beneficial to the family.

That would have been what ‘Calliphe’ considered the most valuable priority.

“However.”

However, the Calliphe here was also someone who had come to harbor the heart to preciously protect someone through the experience of <My Little Noah>.

“I’m a delinquent, aren’t I? Family or whatever, what I consider important comes first.”

“Are you saying I’m a delinquent too?”

“Think anyone can become one? You’re only a delinquent’s contract fiancé so far.”

The corner of her red lips turned up arrogantly, creating a dimple-like hollow.

Her cat-like eyes curved gently.

Red eyes within golden hair flowing down her slender face. Like flames in a furnace.

At this moment, an enchanting flame drawing someone’s attention like a moth.

“So I have no choice but to help this inadequate delinquent.”

“…You’ll help?”

“Of course, I’m the type to give the stick rather than the carrot.”

Calliphe raised one hand and waved it lightly.

“I’ll hit you with this hand whenever you show weakness. You already know how effective it is, right?”

“……”

The blue-gray eyes forgot even to blink.

Like one finally drawn into the flame.

“Ah, Lynen?”

Suddenly, a hot hand enveloped her slender one.

At his following action, Calliphe unconsciously opened her mouth.