IBML 09

Chapter 09

I lowered the capital nobility directory I had been holding upside down over my head. My arms throbbed.

Before I knew it, it was midnight, with a full moon hanging in the sky.

Yawning, I opened the window to cool my overheated head. A gentle yet cool breeze brushed against my forehead.

It must have grazed the vase on the bedside table too, because a single petal seemed to have fallen. The vase was growing fuller by the day.

I heard the fluttering of wings. Come to think of it, I’d heard the same sound when I’d thrown myself to save Paul, and again when I’d stumbled in Recalin’s study.

I leaned slightly out the window. Beneath the deep blue night sky, nothing was making a sound.

“……”

After letting the night air wash over me, I glanced once more around the silent ducal residence and closed the window.

Then I buried my face straight into the bed.

My body felt like it was melting into the soft bedding.

I was planning to appeal to Recalin with an image of Calian as a talent that suited his tastes. To that end, I wanted to arrange a meeting.

Surely Recalin should also take a look at how well the newly hired gardener was doing his job.

Of course, he was probably receiving daily reports from the head butler.

“Do you know how many days are left until the regular meeting, Aide?”
“Hmm, the day after tomorrow, right?”
“Let’s talk afterward. After the regular meeting, we’ll need to prepare summary materials too, so….”

And so, the progress of the “Cupid of Love Project” ran into a slight problem. Still, I decided to be generous about it.

The documents piled on my desk were easily one and a half times yesterday’s amount. Damn it! At this rate, I wouldn’t even get to use the bathroom today.

“The structure is good. I think it’ll be fine if you just revise this part once more.”

Even so, it felt nice to receive praise for my work. Just one more revision, and it would finally be the ultra-ultra-ultra-ultra-ultra-final draft.

I drafted the documents to suit Recalin’s preferences. As long as I didn’t cross the established lines and followed the format precisely, it was actually quite comfortable work.

“Good work.”
“Yes, then I’ll take my leave.”

Once the meeting materials were complete, I felt like I could finally breathe. I walked down the stairs and exited the main building.

The crimson sky before sunset was wonderfully romantic.

Perhaps because the weather was warm and my body and mind were tired, all sorts of sentimental thoughts crept in for no reason.

As I lowered my gaze from the sky, I spotted the back of a head with curly blond hair.

“Oh, Mr. Ripe?”

The familiar head seemed to hear my voice and paused for a moment. He was still wearing an apron, as if he hadn’t finished his gardening work yet.

He turned to face me. Beads of cold sweat dotted his face—it looked like he wasn’t feeling well.

“You came at just the right time, Aide.”
“Pardon?”
“Could you help me for a moment?”

I nodded quickly. He approached and held out his left hand to me. His left hand?

“What’s wrong with your left hand?”
“Could you try touching it?”

I gave a small shrug and placed my hand over the back of his. Really—he could’ve explained it better.

“……Huh?”

The moment our hands touched, I flinched and pulled mine back in shock. It was scorching hot, like it was on fire.

I urged him urgently.

“Give me the other hand.”

His right hand felt about the same temperature as mine. Only his left hand was burning up insanely hot.

“Even cold water won’t calm it down. Should I cut it off?”
“Wait, wait—calm down, Mr. Ripe.”

He swallowed a pained groan. For a split second, it almost looked like a halo the same color as his hair was glowing faintly behind him.

The instant I saw that faint halo, the original story came to mind.

When Calian awakened his divine power, a sign appeared along with it. And that sign manifested precisely on the left hand—just like the one now burning hot.

‘Come to think of it, they did say his left hand overheated badly several times before he awakened his divine power.’

If even cold water didn’t help, it didn’t seem like there was anything I could do immediately.

But judging from how he’d been trying to go somewhere secluded at first, he must’ve been planning to endure it alone. And yet, he’d asked me for help. In that case, as a matter of basic human decency, I had to help him.

Would seeing a healer fix it? He was someone destined to awaken divine power and gain healing abilities later—so at times like this, I should find a healer.

As my thoughts raced, I suddenly realized that an exceptionally powerful mage capable of healing magic resided permanently in the ducal residence.

And that exceptional mage was none other than Recalin.

If I took Calian to him now, it would create a point of contact.

Forming an impact through an act of help, rather than just a shared interest, would be useful.

‘Perfect. The timing couldn’t be better.’

I told Calian I had an idea and gently took his wrist, leading him along.

“Does it hurt a lot, Mr. Ripe? Your face is red.”
“Hmm, if you keep holding me like this, I think it won’t hurt.”
“What are you talking about?”

He really did seem out of his mind from the pain.

I shook my head slightly and walked faster, with Calian following close behind.

Creeeak—

The office door opened, and Recalin, who had been immersed in his work, looked up. His eyes seemed to widen slightly.

After hearing the whole story, Recalin, with his characteristic insight, suggested a different kind of magic instead of healing.

“This doesn’t seem to fall under healing, exactly. In cases like this, it would be better to cool the surrounding area instead.”

Recalin formed thin chunks of ice and wrapped them around Calian’s left hand.

It was his specialty—ice magic. Each shard of ice looked delicate enough to freeze instantly, and was bitterly cold.

After a few minutes, Calian said he felt much better. Recalin withdrew the ice.

Come to think of it, Recalin must never need air conditioning in the summer. I’m jealous.

While I was lost in such trivial thoughts, Calian expressed his gratitude to Recalin.

With a smile as bright as a blooming flower and as radiant as a celestial body—so beautiful it deserved a patent.

If I’d been a painter, I would’ve wanted to capture that face on canvas and cherish it for the rest of my life. Or perhaps I’d have lamented that such beauty couldn’t possibly be captured on canvas at all.

Recalin responded to Calian’s thanks and smile with his usual blunt, expressionless demeanor.

His sharp, sculpted nose looked even more striking in profile. With his glasses resting on it, he seemed even more perfect.

Wow—what a pair of handsome men. Satisfied, I did a little shoulder dance in my head.

“Then I’ll be going now.”
“Wait, Aide.”

Just as I was about to leave the office with Calian, Recalin’s call forced me to stop.

A chill ran down my spine.

Don’t tell me—

“Could you help me finish the remaining work?”

……My worst fear had come true. With a hollow expression, I replied,

“How much is the overtime pay?”
“I’ll pay double.”

At that point, I couldn’t refuse. I immediately straightened up from my slouched posture and spoke to Calian.

“Your hand’s okay now, Calian?”
“Yes, thanks to the Duke, it’s much better now.”
“That’s a relief. It looks like I’ll have to stay for some extra work.”
“……”
“Get home safely. See you tomorrow.”

Calian replied belatedly with a “see you tomorrow” and left the office. I waved goodbye to him.

Recalin cheerfully issued instructions for the remaining tasks in a voice tinged with amusement.

As I listened, my face steadily withered, as though it had never been tidy to begin with.

But hey—the overtime pay was double.

Feigning enthusiasm, I picked up my pen. Recalin offered his thanks.

“Thank you for your help, Aide.”

Recalin’s attire looked slightly disheveled as he spoke, his face marked with deep dark circles.

It was only that his cravat had loosened and he’d taken off the outer garment he wore like a cloak, but even that small change gave him a different air.

As I looked at him, our eyes met, and I hurriedly lowered my head. The golden eyes beneath his glasses gleamed even as they reflected the darkening sky.

Clutching the bundle of documents Recalin had handed me, I trudged down the stairs. Once I placed these in the administrator’s office, it would be a true end to my day.

I brushed off my hands and dragged myself down the steps.

The moment I stepped onto the lawn, heading toward my room, I muttered quietly,

“Is Recalin seriously out of his mind?”

It struck me anew. The remaining work I’d done today was only part of Recalin’s own workload.

And yet, to me, it had been an overwhelming amount. He processed more than double that every single day.

At this rate, if he kept it up, it was obvious he’d die of overwork in ten years.

Ten years? I’d believe it even if you said five.

“Ah, I really want to tell him to hide all his work-related documents and take a break.”

And then, I heard a voice.

Along with the sound of fluttering wings.

Startled, I looked around. The voice burrowed straight into my ears, piercing directly into my mind.

[Let me help you.]

No—could you really call it “someone”?

It was a bird.

Its feathers were mottled with mixed colors, yet it was a being that far surpassed the highest limits of beauty humans could conceive. Its beauty was of a different order entirely from that of Recalin or Calian.

The sight of it was so otherworldly that my vision wavered for a moment.

But looking closer, its feathers were worn, some even missing, making it look thin and shabby up close.

The bird perched on a nearby branch and spoke.

[My name is Libenta. A wind spirit.]

A sudden gust scattered my hair, partially obscuring my vision. A spirit? A wind spirit?

Rather than awe at meeting a mystical being, confusion surged first.

Spirits did exist in the original setting, but their presence was even more insignificant than mine. The sudden appearance of this forgotten element made my head spin.

Yet the spirit, as if it had no intention of answering my questions, beat its wings gracefully.

Then it dropped a bombshell.

[Make a contract with me, Rasha Berni.]