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Chapter 24
“A messenger from His Majesty the Emperor?”
“Yes! That’s why we’ve been scrambling with preparations since early morning.”
Despite the rush, the maid cheerfully offered to notify the kitchen that I was awake so they could send up breakfast, then hurried off.
It was completely unexpected.
‘A messenger from the Emperor? All of a sudden?’
I closed the door, then slowly backed away and returned to bed. I slipped under the blanket, covering myself up to my head—as if pretending I hadn’t heard the news would make it disappear.
‘What kind of news could be so important that he sends someone himself?’
“Didn’t he just have a birthday party not long ago?”
Wasn’t it right after that party that Calix came to find me on his way home?
So what grand event could justify sending a royal messenger all the way out here to this distant estate?
“Seriously, what a weird guy.”
I mumbled out loud.
I was trying to relax, but it didn’t change anything. The mansion was still buzzing with tension.
Unable to bear it anymore, I threw off the blanket—just as a knock came at the door.
Two soft but firm knocks.
It was Calix.
“Come in.”
As soon as I replied, the door swung open and his familiar face appeared.
“Why are you up already? You should’ve slept a little more.”
He walked in and gently stroked my cheek, but I jumped straight to the point.
“I heard a messenger is coming from the imperial palace?”
“…Already heard?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“If I said yes, would that upset you?”
“Of course it would.”
Calix smiled. But I knew that expression. That was the face he made when he was hiding something he didn’t want to tell me.
He gently played with my earlobe and said in a soft voice:
“It’s really not a big deal. Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Then you should have no problem telling me.”
“I just didn’t have time to bring it up. I only found out recently too.”
That was a plausible excuse, so I let it go. Instead, I asked something else.
“Should I get ready too?”
“Probably. It’ll seem strange if the estate’s official mage doesn’t show up.”
He replied with a sigh, clearly reluctant.
“If you really don’t want to…”
“…Don’t want to?”
“I could handle things quietly and make it look like an accident.”
It was meant as a lighthearted joke to comfort him, but he actually seemed to like it.
He chuckled.
“That’s my specialty, you know.”
When he says it, it doesn’t sound like a joke.
‘Stop making that your specialty!’
But I just gave an awkward smile and nodded.
Meanwhile, Robert Hohenheim, the imperial messenger trusted by the Emperor, stepped off the train at the Hertio estate’s station.
It was his first time in Hertio. Actually, it was rare for any imperial envoy to travel personally to a noble’s territory.
Especially now—when the social season hadn’t even started, and the noble in question rarely left their estate. Yet the palace sent someone?
And it wasn’t just him. Other messengers like him were probably also heading to various nobles with significant orders from the Emperor.
Behind him, a line of guards and attendants from the palace followed. From afar, they looked like a formal procession.
Robert sighed deeply, clutching the Emperor’s sealed message.
He didn’t know what made the Emperor act so impulsively—but he was His Majesty’s subject. If ordered, he had no choice but to comply. His own opinions weren’t needed.
Turning toward the Hertio estate, Robert began walking.
Calix looked amazing in his formal attire.
‘Too bad there’s no camera.’
That kind of beauty should be preserved for the sake of future generations and their aesthetic appreciation.
I sat on the sofa in his room, watching him make final adjustments to his outfit.
‘Should I have a portrait made once the messenger leaves? It’d be a waste to let this go undocumented.’
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one with such thoughts—maids rushing around the mansion kept sneaking glances at him, their cheeks flushed.
“Rena, what are you thinking?”
“Hmm… just that I want to preserve your look forever.”
I said it absentmindedly while admiring him. Calix made a mock-serious face.
“So I’ll be your first and last collectible?”
“Probably…?”
I didn’t think I’d ever want to preserve anyone but him.
As I started thinking too seriously, he spoke with satisfaction.
“Then I’m happy. Just don’t show me to anyone else—keep me all to yourself.”
“You’re not even bothered by me wanting to preserve you?”
“Why would I be? It just means you want me that much.”
‘This guy really isn’t normal.’
I shook my head, and Calix, now fully dressed, approached. He played with a strand of my hair that barely reached my shoulders.
“Actually, today… your look…”
I followed his gaze to my hair.
It was purple.
“…Do you not like it?”
“No, it’s not that.”
He withdrew his hand reluctantly.
He may say it was fine, but I knew what he truly wanted.
My original hair color.
After returning from Troxia, I started changing my hair color every day. Sometimes every couple of days, sometimes even hourly.
To all the surprised estate staff, I loudly declared:
“A magic potion experiment went wrong!”
So my hair had cycled through black, brown, yellow, blue, red, green, pink, even poop brown. And today…
“Why purple?”
…was purple.
I answered flatly:
“Like I said, the experiment failed. It’s not like I chose the color.”
By now, the excuse had become automatic.
Calix looked unimpressed.
“Then if it’s going to fail anyway, can’t you fail with coral?”
“We’ll see.”
“Try another experiment now. Maybe this time it’ll turn coral.”
“You mean the color your wife used to have?”
I reminded him of what he said in the carriage when we reunited. Calix’s voice shrank.
“…Yeah…”
He looked so cute, but I decided to play dumb. We had more important matters.
“If you’re ready, let’s head down. The messenger should be here by now.”
“…Alright.”
I took his hand and we walked out together.
The staff stood in perfect formation in front of the mansion like they had rehearsed a hundred times. The knights of House Hertio, in formal uniforms, stood to one side.
I slipped between them quietly, trying not to draw attention.
My status was equal to that of the knights—as the estate’s court mage.
Calix had prepared everything this morning as if he were expecting this. That included an outfit for me.
It looked similar to the knight’s uniform but had slight changes to clearly show it was for a mage. I hadn’t even noticed when it was prepared. But thanks to it, I blended in easily.
‘When did he even get this made?’
He didn’t answer when I asked.
I stared at Calix’s back, standing confidently at the front. His well-fitted formalwear showed off his broad frame, even from behind.
He was the perfect image of the Duke of Hertio. The relaxed side I saw in private was gone.
Others must have seen the same. The knights beside me looked more disciplined than ever.
Eventually, the distant castle gate creaked open. A murmur spread among the staff.
Soon, two horses came into view—pulling a carriage. A long procession followed behind.
It was the Emperor’s envoy.
The lead carriage stopped. A plain-looking man stepped out and walked up to Calix.
I watched from within the crowd as Calix greeted him, exchanged brief words, and led him toward the mansion.
As they approached, the staff bowed their heads. The man—clearly the Emperor’s messenger—looked over the group. I followed the others and bowed, trying not to stand out.
Once the group had entered the mansion, everyone finally lifted their heads. No one said anything, but curiosity filled the air.
I was just about to speculate on the Emperor’s intentions when a quiet voice beside me spoke.
“You don’t have to bow that deeply next time.”
“Huh?”
Startled, I turned to look. The knight beside me answered calmly.
“As the court mage, you’re equal to us knights. You don’t need to bow so deeply to a mere imperial messenger—not even if he outranks the Duke.”
“Ah…”
Now that he mentioned it, the knights had only nodded slightly, while I’d bowed much deeper.
I smiled and thanked him.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you, Sir Rodrigo.”
Rodrigo hesitated for a second, then nodded in return.
