IRGS 44

Chapter 44

“What is it?”

I lowered my head to look at myself and only then understood what Bambi meant.

My robe had come slightly open, exposing some skin, and on the left side of my chest, just off from my cleavage, there was a scar.

As if a red line had been drawn across my skin.

It was a scar that naturally hadn’t existed around this time before my regression.

Because it was the wound I had received when Leoni stabbed me to death before I regressed.

I quickly pulled my robe closed to cover it, but it was already too late for Bambi, who had seen it.

“You… where the hell did you get stabbed…?”

“Don’t say it in a way that makes people misunderstand!”

For some reason, Bambi always ended up discovering the things I least wanted him to know. Before my regression and after it too.

“Then what is that?! Was it the ‘s doing?”

“No.”

Here, “” referred to Leoni.

Now that I thought about it, it technically was Leoni’s doing.

Just not in the way Bambi was imagining.

His expression turned fierce.

At this rate, something bad was going to happen. Before he could come up with any ridiculous theories, I hurriedly spoke first.

“I honestly don’t know either. One day I woke up and it was just there.”

That wasn’t exactly a lie.

I had discovered this scar on the very first day after my regression.

Of course, it wasn’t pleasant to look at.

It wasn’t just a red line; the flesh there was slightly raised, making it stand out even more.

Besides, it was absurd for a noble lady to have a scar this large.

In noble households, servants would rush over as if the world were ending if even the tiniest scratch appeared on their young mistress’s hand.

But I didn’t dislike this scar.

It felt like proof that I had come back alive.

Proof that what happened before my regression hadn’t been a dream or something that never existed.

Naturally, Bambi didn’t believe me so easily.

“What kind of nonsense is that…?”

“If I had really been stabbed, how would I still be alive right now?”

“…”

“Or maybe it’s some kind of mark showing I’ve been chosen by a god.”

Bambi stared at me for a long moment with a confused expression.

Eventually, he ran a hand through his hair.

“…You’re strange.”

“Stop being so arrogant that you think you know everything about me. You need to learn some humility.”

Tilting his head crookedly, Bambi snorted a laugh.

It clearly meant he thought I was being ridiculous.

“You’re the one who keeps driving people crazy in every possible way. Humility?”

Ah. He seemed slightly annoyed.

As expected, Bambi sat down and immediately started lecturing me.

“I leave for a little while, and you’re getting slapped around and mistreated at home. You’re supposedly locked up, yet somehow you end up with a son. That alone is ridiculous. Then you run away without warning, rumors say you’ve been kidnapped and imprisoned…”

“Well, that’s…”

“I hear you’re on your way to get married, so I come looking for you, and you’ve got a stab wound. And that’s not even all. You’re not going quietly either. You’ve got some—”

Some?

Just as my curiosity was piqued, Bambi abruptly changed the subject.

“Anyway, you can’t seriously expect me to sit back and do nothing, Sophie.”

It sounded like he had been about to say something else.

But that wasn’t important right now.

“More importantly, Bambi.”

“What do you mean ‘more importantly’?! Did you hear anything I just said?!”

Even while hissing like an angry wildcat, Bambi couldn’t stop me from taking a few steps closer and asking what I had originally wanted to know.

“Bambi, you came to answer the request I gave you, right? Where is Elouise?”

At that moment, Bambi’s body visibly trembled.

This time it wasn’t my imagination.

It was obvious.

“Okay, I get it, so… move back a little.”

“Why?”

When I asked, Bambi only mumbled awkwardly.

Which was unusual for him.

Why was he acting like this?

Bambi rarely got flustered.

This was a genuinely rare experience.

When I stared at him, the black-haired man covered part of his face with his hand and muttered,

“The smell… is kind of strange.”

The smell?

Was he talking about the bath salts?

I had left my robe near them, so maybe the scent had soaked in.

I buried my nose near my shoulder and sniffed.

It was a little strong, but it smelled nice.

Still, everyone had different tastes.

Besides, because of his profession, Bambi never used perfume or scented products. He was probably more sensitive than most people.

I obediently stepped back.

Though now that I thought about it, it shouldn’t really matter how close I was.

The scent from the bath salts had already spread throughout the entire bathroom anyway.

The sharp-featured young man seemed somewhat relieved.

Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Then opened them again at exactly the same pace.

As though he were trying to collect himself.

But when those eyes turned toward me, I instinctively flinched.

His gaze was sharp, and his irises were red.

They looked as if they were burning.

“Parindolate.”

“What?”

I echoed the word a beat late.

Without taking his eyes off me, Bambi answered.

“It’s the name of a small coastal city in the Kingdom of Noiden. Your sister is there right now.”

Ah.

So he was answering my question.

What on earth had Ellie gone all the way to the Kingdom of Noiden for?

At this rate she’d end up making a complete map of the continent.

But that wasn’t all.

Bambi pulled a small note from his pocket.

“If you send a letter to this address, she’ll receive it.”

“An address?”

“Yeah. She’s staying there for a few days.”

He unfolded the note and showed it to me.

It really did contain a detailed address, right down to the street and building number.

He could even find out that much?

And besides—

“How do you know how long Ellie is staying there?”

“She’s going to get food poisoning. You don’t need to know the details.”

Apparently even Bambi had trade secrets.

“…Amazing.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

And Bambi’s specialty wasn’t even tracking people.

His real profession was assassination.

This level of skill was just from a side job.

“Not yet, Sophie.”

“What?”

Looking slightly toward the floor, Bambi muttered,

“The other request. The one about that kid… it’s going to take some more time.”

Ah, right.

I had also asked him to investigate Arne.

Apparently that search wasn’t going very smoothly.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

In fact, it was probably better that he hadn’t found anything yet.

“You don’t have to do that anymore.”

“What? What do you mean?”

I briefly explained.

Since it was now certain that Ellie had sent Arne, I wasn’t planning to investigate him any further for the time being.

There might be a reason behind it all, so I intended to wait until I heard directly from Ellie.

“Got it, Sophie. Then the request is withdrawn.”

Oh?

That was easier than I expected.

While I stared in surprise, Bambi added,

“But I’ll keep investigating that kid on my own. Regardless of the request.”

“What?”

“And if I decide it’s something you need to know, I’ll tell you.”

How was that any different from the original request?

Still, it was hard to argue.

If Bambi wanted to investigate on his own, I couldn’t exactly stop him.

And if he planned to tell me anything important, that sounded reasonable too.

“…Fine.”

I finally agreed.

As if he had known I would, Bambi shrugged.

Seeing that attitude made me uneasy for some reason.

Even though there was no real reason to be.

So I spoke again.

“Bambi.”

“What?”

“You only do what I’ve authorized. Nothing else.”

I reminded him of our contract.

At my words, Bambi laughed softly.

Strangely enough, even though he was smiling, he still seemed a little angry.

At least, that was the impression I got.

“Think about it, Sophia.”

The black-haired assassin rested his face against one raised knee.

Because his head was tilted, his jawline looked even sharper.

Those red eyes fixed on me.

“If that weren’t the case, why do you think the man who’s supposed to marry you is still alive?”

“! You—what are you—”

I started to harden my expression before suddenly realizing something.

In my previous life, Bambi truly never acted without my permission.

Not once.

He watched my foolishness until the day I died.

He never touched the Marquis because I wanted that man’s love.

And he never touched Arnold either, because even if I didn’t love him, I still needed him.

“You’re right…”

I found myself murmuring.

“Because you’re on my side. Until the very end.”

If I wanted to jump into a pit of fire, you wouldn’t stop me.

You would grab my hand and jump in with me.

So that I wouldn’t be alone.

“Good. Glad you know.”

Bambi summarized all my complicated reflections about my previous life with just four simple words.

Yet he seemed rather satisfied.

Ah, no.

I couldn’t let the conversation end like this.

“Still, Owen—”

“Grand Duke Glentino.”

“Right. Him. You absolutely cannot kill him.”

“I said I understood.”

The handsome young man with crimson eyes nodded casually.

Bambi left the same way he had come in—through the window.

Before leaving, he sniffed his wrist, shoulder, and various other places.

Then he frowned.

“The bath-salt scent got on me too.”

Then go be a fragrant assassin.

“See you again, Bambi.”

“Try not to bathe too much, my lady.”

“Stop worrying and get going already.”

Unlike usual, Bambi lingered.

Almost as if he didn’t want to leave.

Then, just as he placed a foot on the windowsill, he turned back to look at me.

“What?”

I asked.

Bambi hesitated slightly.

Then his expression turned serious.

“That kid.”

“The kid? You mean Arne?”

“Yeah… I’m not completely certain yet, but…”

He stopped there and looked somewhat irritated.

After all, this was the first time Bambi had ever admitted that he needed more time to investigate something.

Aw, so that’s why his pride was hurt.

He could be surprisingly cute sometimes.

But as he continued, I couldn’t help stiffening.

“There’s only one thing I can tell you right now.”

His crimson eyes narrowed.

“That kid is dangerous.”

A brief silence followed.

“Don’t get too close to him.”