Chapter 28

“Th-there’s no way that’s true! I won’t ask anymore!”

“If… it were true, how would you feel?”

At that low voice, Anasha looked at him and found herself unable to move. His eyes, focused entirely on her, appeared both desperate and cautious, as if longing for something.

Soon he averted his gaze first and stepped back half a step. Anasha couldn’t take her eyes off that widened gap.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. What I just said was merely, Sir Asha?”

At his call, Anasha noticed her own hand clutching his clothes. Realizing she had done this unconsciously, she quickly let go and had to continue speaking incoherently.

“Th-there’s no way I’d be uncomfortable! You’re not just anyone… you’re the Commander. If anything, I feel sorry and grateful that you took on that task because of me… it’s touching, you know! Of course, the reason I avoided your eyes wasn’t because I was uncomfortable, but rather……”

“I see.”

The icy blue eyes that had looked somewhat lonely until just now gently creased. As if relieved that she didn’t find it uncomfortable.

Anasha smiled stiffly in response. While inwardly relieved that the subject had changed, she also found it strange why she had reacted that way earlier. Why she couldn’t properly look into his eyes at that moment.

But she wasn’t the type to dwell on one thing for long. Within just one minute, Anasha shook it off and began walking with him again.

⁕⁕⁕

The next day, and the day after that, Rihirt visited the Princess’s palace. Seeing him visit almost daily, the palace maids secretly gasped in admiration.

Elisia, who always welcomed his sudden visits, also seemed somewhat pleased, which excited the maids even more. They had no doubt that true love had finally come to the Princess they served.

“Honestly, I wondered if there was a man in the world worthy of the Princess, but to think there was someone as perfect as Duke Weilgresle.”

“He comes every day, so he must have feelings for her.”

“Isn’t that obvious? I heard they first met at the ball, and he fell hard for the Princess that day.”

The maids who had come outside today to avoid disturbing their meeting were whispering excitedly. Despite his cold and indifferent expression, the fact that he had been visiting the Princess’s palace daily without fail for several days was enough to ignite the maids’ hearts.

Though he appeared cold as ice, those blue eyes surely held warmth and were filled only with thoughts of the Princess. Watching them get excited as if it were their own affair, Anasha tilted her head thinking, “Is that so?”

She had misunderstood in that way at first too, but the Commander had denied it. Judging by how he had sent all the maids out, she guessed they were probably discussing the assassin.

Meanwhile, Elisia, who had dismissed all the maids from the room and was having tea alone with him, silently put down her teacup. With a gentle smile in her eyes, she parted her smooth lips.

“Have you discovered anything about the assassin today?”

“Not yet.”

The conversation that followed was strictly business-related, hardly suitable for a social tea between a man and woman. It was a conversation that would dismay the maids if they heard it, but neither party seemed inclined to deviate from their professional demeanor.

“I know you’re doing your best. But I think I’ve given you enough time.”

“……”

“I’ll give you until the end of this week. If you still can’t find anything, I plan to transfer the investigation authority to my brother.”

It was impossible to read what the silently brooding man was thinking. As Elisia examined his expression while lifting her teacup, he finally spoke with gravity.

“There is someone I suspect as the mastermind.”

“…Who might that be?”

Elisia looked at him with surprised eyes. But he merely gazed at her indifferently with an unchanged expression. Belatedly, Rihirt offered a formal response.

“It’s just a suspicion. I cannot reveal it yet.”

“I see.”

Elisia answered a beat late. She couldn’t hide her disappointment. But he didn’t seem like someone who would open up even if pressed, so she changed the subject.

“Are you planning to leave soon today as well?”

With a smile on her lips, she looked at him with interested eyes.

“If I’m being intrusive, I’ll leave.”

“Not at all. I don’t consider it intrusive, so please stay as long as you like.”

After saying this, she set aside her tea and began reading the book she had placed on her lap. The sound of turning pages replaced their conversation.

The silence that settled in the room was beyond peaceful—it was almost chilly. After about ten minutes, Rihirt rose without delay.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Yes. You’ll need a maid to guide you.”

Elisia closed her book and rang the silver bell on the tea table. At the cheerful sound, a maid soon entered through the opening door.

“Call Sasha.”

“Yes.”

As if accustomed to this, the maid promptly brought Anasha. The moment he spotted her entering the room, a gentle expression crossed his previously expressionless eyes for the first time.

Elisia smiled at Anasha and nodded once, as if making a request. No specific instruction to escort the Duke outside was needed. Anasha was always the one who saw him off.

Anasha left the room with him again. After guiding him with the proper etiquette that had become second nature to her over the past few days, as soon as they entered an empty corridor, she stretched both hands upward, abandoning her previously respectful posture.

“Nnnggh! Now I feel alive again!”

Stopping completely to stretch, Anasha wore a refreshed expression. Rihirt, watching her standing in the breeze flowing through the open corridor window, spoke up.

“Was there nothing unusual today?”

“Nothing at all! I’ve just been in the room from morning until now. Suddenly another maid started bringing water, so I have nothing to do. That was the only thing that let me move my body at all.”

Her grumbling voice conveyed genuine incomprehension. In contrast, Rihirt looked content, as if pleased by this development.

“By the way, is everything alright with you, Commander?”

“Yes.”

“And the knight order?”

“Nothing unusual.”

“That’s good then.”

Anasha smiled slightly and began moving her feet again. Not wanting to return quickly, she deliberately walked slowly.

“At least thanks to you, I can enjoy this brief freedom. If you hadn’t come, I would have died of boredom. Oh right, will you come tomorrow too?”

“I’ll come tomorrow as well.”

She smiled broadly, grateful that he was walking slowly to match her pace without being asked. Escorting the Commander was definitely her favorite time.

She had thought she wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of the Commander while secretly guarding the Princess, so she was grateful that he came here every day. Of course, the Commander was coming to report to the Princess about the assassin.

Anasha was so excited chatting that she walked aimlessly and even got lost for a while. By now, he had memorized the way so well that he was actually guiding Anasha instead.

Finally reaching the back entrance of the Princess’s palace, the two had to end their long conversation. Before boarding his carriage, he turned to look at her as he always did.

“Contact me if anything happens.”

“You too. If anything happens, I’ll come running to help right away!”

And as always, Anasha gave the same response. The icy-colored eyes gazing at her briefly curved into a gentle arc. He boarded the carriage, and soon it departed.

Even after he left, the warm atmosphere between them lingered like the breath of spring.

⁕⁕⁕

Anasha was having another uneventful day, just like usual. That is, until the Crown Prince’s unexpected visit.

“I’m sorry for making you come all this way when you must be busy.”

“What is there to be sorry about when I’m just visiting my sister?”

Anasha stood by the window, her designated position, listening to the conversation between the Crown Prince and the Princess.

The two began exchanging greetings, showing their close sibling relationship. Crown Prince Erdion was talking about a project he was promoting when something seemed to occur to him, and a deep smile appeared on his lips.

“By the way, it seems Duke Weilgresle just left.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I thought so. There’s quite a buzz among the nobles about him visiting here every day. Hmm… is the rumor true that he’s courting you?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. As you know, he’s in charge of investigating the assassin.”

Elisia explained that he was only visiting to report, but Erdion couldn’t hide his skepticism. Even if it was for work, it was hard to believe that such an aloof man would endure the inconvenience of visiting daily. It was somewhat suspicious.

After all, hadn’t he volunteered to take on the case personally for his sister’s sake?

“Besides, it seems he has someone else he loves.”

At that gentle voice, not only Erdion but also Anasha, who was listening from the front, opened her eyes wide in surprise. Elisia calmly raised her teacup and briefly made eye contact with Anasha.

“Though unfortunately, it seems to be unrequited.”

“Are you saying it’s not you?”

Erdion asked, trying to maintain his composure. It was surprising enough that Duke Weilgresle had someone he admired, but it was hard to believe that person wasn’t his sister.

“By the way, brother, can we talk about what I mentioned wanting to ask you about last time?”