ISGJV 23

Chapter 23

After overhearing the conversation between Lady Lilyfen and Cassia, Edmund had been trapped in a tangle of emotions ever since.

To anyone listening, it had sounded like Cassia was humiliating herself—accepting money and submitting to the duchess’s orders.

Willes had even gone so far as to say this about Cassia at the time:

“She’s a girl blinded by money, just waiting for the chance to sell the young duke out.”

Willes already knew, from Edmund himself, about what Cassia had done so far.

Even so, Willes did not trust her. He had emphasized it again and again to Edmund.

“She’s clearly trying to lull you into lowering your guard with a few acts of kindness.”
“Do you really think it was a coincidence that she collapsed right in front of you?”
“Never trust her.”

Edmund’s reason agreed with Willes.

He couldn’t trust her.

No—more precisely, he mustn’t trust her.

And yet, there was clearly another voice inside Edmund that objected.

Who gave me the clothes I’m wearing now?
Who made it possible for me to eat without fear?
I accept everything Cassia teaches me without hesitation, yet I say I can’t trust her?
Then how am I any different from my uncle?

Whenever his suspicion toward Cassia surged, these counterarguments rose up in his heart.

Edmund was caught in a brutal conflict between doubt and trust.

It feels like I’ve been torn in two.

And yet, the moment Cassia held out a small object to him, the storm raging inside his heart suddenly fell quiet.

It was a fountain pen—clearly a high-quality item.

The body was carved from ivory and decorated with gold trim, and a garnet was set into the tip.

Anyone could tell at a glance that it had been chosen specifically to suit Edmund.

Unable even to think of accepting it, Edmund just stared blankly.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

Cassia tilted her head and asked again.

“The nib on the pen you use is completely worn down—it keeps tearing the paper. That’s why I bought this. Is it no good? Should I exchange it?”

“…N-no! It’s fine!”

“That’s a relief.”

The girl let out a small sigh and smiled.

“What’s a relief about it?”

“A gift has to be something the recipient likes, right? I was worried you might not.”

Cassia was still smiling, pure and unguarded.

“Otherwise it’d be meaningless! It’s yours!”

Edmund was certain of one thing.

Cassia clearly had no idea how deeply he doubted her.

Even at this very moment, he was suspecting some hidden motive behind the gift.

He couldn’t help it.

What weighed heavily on the boy’s chest was guilt—and a stab of conscience.

That was why, when Cassia spoke again, he followed her words without thinking.

“Then hurry up and take it! It’s yours!”

“H-huh?”

Holding the fountain pen in a daze, Edmund lost his voice for a moment.

He looked vaguely shaken.

Cassia noticed.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

She reached out again, trying to touch Edmund’s forehead.

Edmund, his face burning red, flinched back in alarm.

“…!”

As a result, Cassia’s hand waved awkwardly through the air.

This time, Edmund was more startled than Cassia.

“N-no!!!”

That was why he screamed.

Cassia was more shocked by Edmund’s desperate shout than by being refused a temperature check.

“W-what do you mean, ‘no’?”

“I-it’s just that! This time I didn’t dodge because I dislike you or because I’m scared…!”

“Oh. That’s a relief.”

“And I’m not sick either. I’m fine.”

A satisfied smile spread across Cassia’s lips.

Just as a faint blush threatened to bloom on Edmund’s cheeks—

Edmund’s eyes met someone hidden behind old furniture in the corner behind Cassia.

Right. Willes was here.

Because Cassia had suddenly barged in while they were talking, Willes had hidden himself for a moment.

He had concealed his presence with magic, so Cassia hadn’t noticed at all.

Willes was glaring at Cassia with eyes full of anxiety and suspicion.

There was even killing intent in his gaze.

The moment Edmund noticed that, he spoke without thinking.

“I know exactly what your intention is.”

“Huh? What intention?”

“You’re walking a tightrope, aren’t you?”

Cassia immediately understood what Edmund meant.

“You mean between the duke and you?”

“Yes.”

Edmund felt himself being convinced by his own words.

“You were sent by my uncle. But you’re not completely on his side. What you’ve done for me so far proves that.”

And then he realized—

These words weren’t just for himself.

They were also for the mage Willes, hiding behind Cassia and radiating hostility.

“You’re siding with neither my uncle nor me completely—because you’re trying to survive.”

At the very least, he was telling Willes:

Cassia Florence is not entirely Edmund’s enemy.

So don’t openly threaten her.

Willes looked at Edmund with eyes full of doubt.

Though he didn’t speak aloud, Edmund understood the question.

Are you serious?

Edmund answered silently.

Yes. It’s an order.

…If that is your will.

Willes could not disobey.

Retracting his killing intent, the man melted back into the darkness like a shadow.

Only then did Edmund finally let out a breath of relief.

He lifted his head and looked at Cassia again.

Seeing her carefree, pale face made irritation bubble up inside him.

Did Cassia have any idea what kind of danger she had just been in?

Cassia clapped her hands together and beamed.

…She definitely doesn’t know.

“That’s great!”

“What is?”

After being directly told, ‘You’re playing both sides right now, aren’t you?’

“This is huge progress!”

“Progress toward what?”

Cassia pointed at Edmund with her index finger and exclaimed,

“You didn’t trust me at all in the beginning!”

“…I literally just said I still don’t trust you. Nothing’s changed.”

Cassia shook her head.

Her soft, chestnut-brown hair swayed gently.

“Nope. It’s completely different. Totally!”

She seemed genuinely excited—oddly so.

“Back then, you thought I was entirely the duke’s person. That I’d come to spy on you and torment you.”

“…That’s true.”

“But now, at least, you think I’m not fully on the duke’s side, right?”

“…I guess.”

After all, that logic was exactly what he’d used to stop Willes earlier.

“I went from being your enemy to being someone who might not be your enemy.”

“……”

He couldn’t bring himself to deny it—not as a joke, not out of spite.

Cassia came to her conclusion.

“That’s a huge step forward for me! My efforts paid off!”

Suddenly, a question crossed Edmund’s mind.

If it was a step forward… did that mean she wanted to move even further ahead?

Does that mean… she wants to get closer to me?

The boy pressed down hard on his heart, which was starting to pound without permission.

After Cassia left,

Willes emerged from his hiding place and stood before Edmund.

“I still cannot trust that girl.”

“Neither can I.”

“…I’m glad to hear that.”

What he left unsaid was: Haven’t you already started to trust her?

Neither Edmund nor Willes bothered to point it out.

“Just give me what you brought and leave.”

At Edmund’s curt words, Willes produced a hidden glass vial.

It was an antidote Willes had made.

An antidote to the poison the duke had been feeding Edmund continuously for nearly seven years.

After secretly obtaining samples of the poison from Edmund’s meals in the kitchen, Willes had created a counteragent.

“The poison that’s built up in your body must be detoxified slowly.”

Edmund uncorked the vial and swallowed the medicine in one gulp.

“And the materials I can secretly obtain here are far too poor.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“So under no circumstances must you ingest any more poison. You’re already in a very dangerous state.”

At that, Edmund felt a faint sense of regret.

I thought that once I had the antidote, I wouldn’t have to share meals with Cassia anymore.

Whether he trusted her or not, he didn’t want to see her collapse again with a pale face.

Then it happened.

Willes said something unexpected.

“May I hold onto that item for a moment?”

He was pointing at the fountain pen in Edmund’s hand.

“At least allow me to check whether it’s poisoned or cursed.”