IRLDM 13

Chapter : 13

Come Visit

He had expected it, but entering the Heinstein estate was no easy task. Because a protective spell enveloped the entire mansion, Leon was only able to step inside after holding what Lowell said she had received from Aria as an entry permit… though in truth, it was closer to a small stone than an actual pass.

“If this keeps happening over and over, doesn’t your mistress already know? That someone threatening will appear, I mean.”

When Leon asked Lowell that, he wasn’t in a particularly good mood. Setting aside the fact that Lowell had followed him out of concern, he felt as though he had abandoned his knightly principles and was sneaking into someone else’s estate.

Still, seeing Lowell glance around like a cat crouched in thick bushes oddly eased his mood a little.

“Yes. She probably knows. But the methods are getting more and more elaborate, and in the meantime, milady has grown very listless. At this point, something bad could really happen to her.”

After scanning their surroundings for a while longer, Lowell looked up at Leon, her eyes shining with deliberate seriousness.

“I just want to protect milady from every possible danger, as much as I can.”

“That almost sounds like you’re saying you’d save the young lady even if it meant sacrificing yourself.”

Leon said it without much thought—half as a joke. He didn’t believe in sacrifice or devotion to begin with, and the reason he was here now was precisely because there was no one around him with that level of altruism.

“If it means I can save milady, I’d gladly do it.”

But the answer he received didn’t waver at all.

“That’s why I made a contract with you, Leon.”

With words that sounded anything but a joke, Lowell added that and smiled brightly at him.

“……”

For a moment, Leon could clearly read Lowell’s feelings for someone precious in that smile. A strangely unfamiliar sensation welled up inside him—

“Oh! Hide!”

Before Leon could reflect on his emotions, Lowell grabbed his clothes and pulled him down beside her.

“What—”

As Leon opened his mouth to ask something, Lowell’s hand landed over his lips, silencing him instantly.

Rustle.

Only then did Leon turn his head away from Lowell’s face toward the source of the sound outside the bushes.

Standing by the mansion wall was a man with light brown hair, diligently scanning his surroundings.

He was holding a stone similar to the one Lowell had, and after looking around for quite some time, he eventually vaulted over the wall without incident. It seemed he, too, had been granted entry permission by someone.

“Viscount Davis….”

Watching him, Lowell muttered through clenched teeth.

Seeing her previously innocent eyes flare up in an instant, it wasn’t hard to guess that this “Davis” was the one who constantly put Lady Aria Heinstein in danger.

“Let’s go.”

Once the man disappeared into the estate, Lowell stood first and held out her hand.

Following him inside, the two leaned against a wall and watched as the man tied a rope directly below where Aria’s room was located.

His impatient curses, spat out when things didn’t go as planned, made his agitation obvious.

“At that level, we could just—”

Leon thought it would be easy enough to subdue him. But before he could finish speaking, Lowell dashed out first.

“Stop.”

Bursting out of the bushes, Lowell stood before Andy and pulled her hand from beneath her cloak. With the sudden movement, the cloak came loose and fell to the ground.

“Ah!”

Startled by the unexpected appearance, Andy nearly jumped out of his skin. Bowing his head as if to identify who it was, he soon recognized Lowell’s face and let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

“What the hell? Aren’t you the maid who was with Aria back then? How dare you boss me around—do you even know who I am?”

Perhaps embarrassed that he’d been so startled by a mere servant, Andy chopped his words sharply as he walked closer to Lowell.

“You came to steal milady’s mana. I know. You do it every time. So this time, please just leave quietly.”

Lowell didn’t back down, continuing to glare at him.

“And if I don’t?”

Andy sneered as he closed the distance between them.

Swish.

In that instant, a magic circle formed swiftly beneath Andy’s feet, and all his movements froze. It happened so fast that he couldn’t even let out a gasp of surprise.

“It’s a paralysis spell.”

Finishing the incantation she’d been murmuring, Lowell stepped closer to Andy.

“Mmph….”

“Be quiet. You’ll wake milady.”

With eyes gone cold, Lowell looked down at him. Just as she reached to take the magic orb from his hand—

Thud!

The weakly applied spell broke, and Andy shoved Lowell aside and bolted.

Lowell had failed to restrain him.

“Huff… huff… what the hell.”

Having just escaped Lowell, Andy panted heavily as he hurried over the duke’s estate wall.

‘What was that—did that woman use magic? Good thing I brought a magic orb with an attack spell. What the hell was that…?’

Forcing oxygen into his brain, Andy quickened his pace.

Bang!

That was when his body flew through the air and slammed into the ground.

“Ghk….”

An unfinished groan spilled from Andy’s mouth along with blood.

“Andy.”

Someone entered his field of vision.

“You really never change. It happens every time, so I’m not even surprised anymore.”

Standing where his gaze landed was Aria, staring down at him with eyes full of contempt.

“I have no intention of dying at the hands of trash like you. My death will be used somewhere far more meaningful than that.”

Those words were the last thing Andy heard before he lost consciousness. The final image etched into his memory was Aria’s cold, sunken eyes.

Right after Andy fled, Lowell slowly opened the eyes she had tightly shut against the incoming magic.

What gradually came into focus was Leon, holding her protectively by the shoulders.

For a moment, Lowell was dazed, unable to grasp the situation. Then she noticed a sharp, acrid smell, and following it with her eyes, she saw black smoke rising from Leon’s shoulder.

“Ah—are you okay?”

Leon had taken the magic orb Andy threw as he fled.

“The spell’s still unstable. That’s why accidents like this happen.”

Unlike Lowell, who was so startled she’d almost forgotten how to breathe, Leon spoke calmly, his voice flat, still holding her shoulders.

“……”

At his words, Lowell’s trembling gaze lingered on Leon’s face before dropping to the ground.

Leon felt a strange sense of guilt at her appearance and was about to offer comfort—or at least advice—when—

“Lowell?”

A voice cut between them.

Aria, on her way back to her room, had spotted Lowell. Her eyes immediately went to Lowell’s hunched shoulders, and her voice rose sharply in an instant.

“What happened? Did Andy attack you? Are you hurt?”

Breathing out anger, Aria hurried over to Lowell.

“N-no. Thanks to him, I wasn’t hurt.”

“What?”

At Lowell’s words, Aria took a step back and looked at Leon.

It felt to Leon as though she was only just noticing his presence in the same space.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Leon Riefman.”

Since their eyes had met, Leon removed his hand from Lowell’s shoulder and greeted her politely.

“…So you’re Lowell’s husband. I’m Aria Heinstein.”

After looking Leon over from head to toe, Aria narrowed her eyes slightly and returned the courtesy.

“……”

A suffocating silence followed—at least, that was how it felt to Lowell. She had never intended for the two to meet like this, and caught in the unexpected situation, she was tense, feeling as though something might happen at any moment.

“I was wondering why Andy was running away. So it was because of you. Thank you.”

Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long. Aria, her guard noticeably lowered, reached out her hand to Leon first.

“Well—”

Leon glanced at the outstretched hand, instinctively about to correct her. The magic restraining that man hadn’t been his, after all.

“……”

But then he noticed Lowell’s fingertips trembling slightly with tension, and he changed what he was about to say.

“It was nothing. I happened to notice signs of an intrusion while passing by and barely managed to stop it.”

As he shook Aria’s hand, Leon helped conceal what Lowell wished to keep hidden.

“Is that so? More than anything, thank you for protecting Lowell.”

With eyes full of warmth and concern, Aria looked at Lowell.

“You must’ve been really scared, Lowell. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. What about you, milady?”

“Hm? I’m fine too. See? I’m perfectly okay.”

Holding Lowell’s hand, Aria smiled brightly to reassure her.

Watching the two, Leon glanced around and added,

“I came out for a night walk this way and happened to run into that man. Somehow, I ended up inside the estate. I apologize for the intrusion.”

“No, not at all. You’re the husband of my dearest friend.”

Putting strength into the hand she was holding, Aria turned back to Leon.

“I’m actually sorry I couldn’t invite you properly. Oh—soon I’ll be staying at my winter villa for a few days. Would you like to come with Lowell?”

With a lifted smile, Aria looked back and forth between Leon and Lowell.

“Pardon?”

Caught off guard by the sudden offer, Lowell’s mouth fell open.

“Come visit, just the two of you.”

And on Aria’s face as she said that was a gentle smile that Lowell would find nearly impossible to refuse.

“Great sovereign of the demon race, at last, that power has begun to be detected again.”

In the darkness, a figure cloaked in black robes bowed deeply.

“Again… you say.”

A low voice, dark as pitch, descended from the highest place.

“The human capital, Akintia. There is someone there who possesses that power. However…”

The words trailed off, leaving a hesitant pause. The next words came only after some time.

“This time, humans have stationed troops around the boundary, so we cannot remain for long.”

At that, the one standing highest slowly lowered their head.

“It doesn’t matter. Even if only for a moment, as long as I can confirm it.”

“……”

“This time, I must return that person’s scent to me.”