APML 06

Chapter 06

“She said she wanted to look at books, so I took her to the library. By now, she’s probably tired and back in her room.”
“Books?”
“Yes. She said there was something she wanted to look into.”
“Hm. A commoner looking for books.”

Not all commoners were illiterate, but it was still unusual for a commoner’s first instinct to be to seek out books.

Kain tilted his head slightly, then headed toward Evelyn’s room with Jade.
But her room was completely empty.

“She’s not here?”
“Could she still be in the library?”

Kain and Jade exchanged glances and then made their way to the library.

“……”
“……”

As soon as they entered the study, both Kain and Jade fell silent, staring at a single spot.

Evelyn hadn’t even noticed them entering. Without blinking, she was completely absorbed in her book.
Beside her was a tall stack of books she seemed to have already finished reading.

After watching her for a moment, Jade cleared his throat to announce their presence.
Even then, she didn’t so much as twitch, her attention fixed firmly on the page.

“Evelyn.”

Jade finally stepped closer and called out to her carefully.

‘Evelyn?’

Kain looked at Jade in puzzlement as he called her name so familiarly.

“Oh, Sir Jade. You’re here?”

Evelyn finally looked up, smiling brightly.

‘Sir Jade?’

Kain now eyed Evelyn with suspicion as well, since she responded just as familiarly.

Still smiling at Jade, Evelyn suddenly noticed Kain. She hurriedly stood up and bowed her head.
Kain then walked over to the two of them.

“Looks like you were reading.”
“Yes.”
“Worth reading?”
“Yes.”
“Anything come to mind?”
“Not yet. What I told you before is all.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”

While Kain and Evelyn were carrying on what could hardly be called a conversation, Jade checked the titles of the books Evelyn had been reading.

‘Huh?’

All of them were difficult, heavy-looking books.
Not the light novels Jade had expected, but books related to law.

“Evelyn, was it the law you wanted to look into earlier?”
“Yes.”

Jade’s gaze toward Evelyn shifted subtly.
Without a word, he showed the book titles to Kain.

Only then did Kain’s expression change slightly as he turned back to Evelyn.

“Why were you researching the law?”
“Oh, you see, the neighbors who used to run stalls at the market entrance were suddenly driven out. Their livelihoods are in trouble, so I wondered if there might be some kind of compensation they could receive.”
“Wouldn’t it be enough to ask the administrator?”
“They said the law had changed. I just wanted to check, just in case.”
“So, did you find anything?”
“I couldn’t. Ah, it’s not that I’m suspecting anything.”

Since Kain was involved in administrative affairs while stationed in the Snople region, Evelyn couldn’t openly say she found it suspicious and instead trailed off.

“Jade, look into it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Really? Thank you.”
“That’s fine. It’ll be faster if I check from my side anyway.”

“It seems you’re quite close with your neighbors, Evelyn. You even came all the way here to find a way to help them.”
“Oh, they’re all very kind people. I don’t have parents, so they helped me a lot.”

Evelyn said it lightly, but Kain and Jade both froze and fell silent.

Used to seeing that reaction whenever she mentioned having no parents, Evelyn simply smiled.

“It’s really okay. The neighbors took care of me in my parents’ place, so it wasn’t all that hard.”

Strictly speaking, it had been since she woke up in this world—but in any case, she’d been lucky to have such warmhearted neighbors.

“So I want to hurry up and properly pull my own weight, too.”
“You’ll do well, Evelyn.”

Jade spoke reassuringly, and Evelyn’s eyes sparkled.

“Speaking of which, you said I’d be an exclusive counselor, right? If I become a full employee, what’s the annual salary like? Is room and board provided? Ah—and since it’s a permanent position, there wouldn’t be a fixed contract term, right?”
“You think you’ll become a full employee?”
“Yes. Of course.”

Kain watched Evelyn, who answered with unwavering confidence, with a doubtful gaze.

Not believing in prophecies, Kain formed two hypotheses.

One: Evelyn had ‘accidentally’ overheard someone talking and learned about the attack that way.
Two: someone backing her had deliberately sent her to approach Kain with a clear intention.

By intentionally leaking information about the attack through Evelyn, she gained Kain’s trust, stayed by his side, and then either gathered information—or aimed for his life.

The most likely candidates behind such a plot were his father the Grand Duke’s political enemies.
But recently, as Kain had begun commanding the army in place of the Grand Duke, the nations he’d clashed with—including Shuran, and especially the southern Parnas Empire—were also prime suspects.

Given how specific and confident Evelyn’s information had been, the second hypothesis seemed more plausible.

Of course, neither scenario explained why she’d chosen to approach him using a “prophecy.”

Still, until he could confirm the truth, Evelyn needed to remain at Kain’s side.

“Full employees receive top-tier待遇.”
“Ah… yes.”
“However, during the probation period, there’s no salary.”
“What?”
“Room and board will be provided instead.”
“Ugh…”

Evelyn furrowed her brow, looking troubled.

“What’s with that expression? Are you dissatisfied?”
In your current situation? Don’t be ridiculous.

Reading that meaning clearly from Kain’s face, Evelyn hurriedly shook her head.

“No, not at all. Even though my house is very close by, the quarters you provided are much nicer than my old room. I’m really grateful. Truly.”

She bowed quickly, forcing a smile.

“Um, but… would it be alright if I went home for a bit?”
“Why?”
“There’s something I need to pick up.”
“You should have everything you need already.”

As Kain looked to Jade, Evelyn quickly waved her hands.

“Sir Jade prepared everything so well that I’m not lacking anything at all. I just think it’d be more comfortable to use the things I’m used to—clothes, for example.”
Kain tilted his head and glanced over Evelyn, who was still wearing the black robe.

“If it’s something like that robe, why not just forget it? Unless that’s your taste, of course.”
“My taste? What do you mean? There’s no way something this ridiculous and pitch-black could be my taste.”

She even crossed her arms and let out a scoff. Evelyn bristled at that, then quickly lowered her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful.”
“…….”

Kain stared at Evelyn, frowning.

She spoke her mind freely, then suddenly shrank back, yet apologized quickly when needed.
A completely unpredictable woman.

“Ah, it looks like the sun has set.”

Just as Jade, who had been watching quietly, spoke while looking out the darkening window—

Grrrk.

A loud growl came from Evelyn’s stomach.

“Ah!”

Blushing furiously, Evelyn clutched her stomach in embarrassment.

Jade burst out laughing, while Kain stared at her as if dumbfounded.

“You’re something else.”
“……I’m sorry.”
“I was about to suggest dinner anyway. Your timing’s perfect.”
“Kh—.”

“Let’s go.”

As Kain turned and started walking away, Jade followed after him, gently comforting the red-faced Evelyn.

“Sit.”

Kain said indifferently to Evelyn, who stood awkwardly before the head seat of the table where dinner was prepared.

But Evelyn only looked more flustered and couldn’t bring herself to sit.

“What are you doing?”
“Um, th-this is where we’re eating? Me too?”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“It’s not exactly a problem… or maybe it is.”
“What problem?”

At Kain’s question, Evelyn hesitated before speaking.

“Well, I’m not familiar with table manners in places like this. If I end up being rude and offend either of you—”
“If you don’t even know the etiquette, how would you know whether you’re being rude or not?”
“Pardon?”
“Stop worrying about pointless things and sit.”

Growing impatient, Kain urged her curtly.

“What are you waiting for? Sit down already. I’m hungry.”
“Ah, yes. Then, excuse me.”

Evelyn finally sat down carefully.

At Kain’s gesture, the servants skillfully began bringing out the dishes.

‘Wow… this is incredible. It looks like something you’d get at a ridiculously expensive restaurant.’

As an ordinary person with no connection to nobility, there were many dishes Evelyn had never seen before.

She started off marveling at them, then gradually grew thoughtful, which made Jade smile.

“Don’t worry, Evelyn. It’s not a last supper or anything.”
“…Right.”

Was it that obvious?

Having never experienced such excessive hospitality in this world before, Evelyn forced away her embarrassment and smiled awkwardly.

Kain, who had been listening silently, asked as if puzzled.

“Last supper?”
“You know, like the meal death-row inmates get the day before their execution.”
“Ah, that.”

Kain let out an amused chuckle.

“If you’ve got nothing weighing on your conscience, there’s no need to think that way.”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Eat as much as you can while it’s there. Your stomach was growling pretty loudly earlier.”
“Gah.”

Flustered, Evelyn shot Kain a look, then quickly turned her gaze back to the food laid out before her.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Saying so confidently, Evelyn picked up the outermost fork and knife, relying on the shallow bits of knowledge she’d picked up in her previous world.

After sneaking glances at how Kain and Jade ate, she tried her best to imitate them and bring the food to her mouth.

“……”

Why she was being so self-conscious when it didn’t suit her at all was anyone’s guess.

After watching Evelyn, who looked visibly tense, for a moment, Kain roughly set his knife down on the table with an audible clatter.