ITYVA 61🔐

Chapter 61

“…I will summon everyone.”

Violetti bowed her head and replied.

She didn’t voice thoughts like, “Doesn’t the strength of just one knight order from the House of Serenia surpass the entire army of a small kingdom?”

I’ll need to readjust the justification for attacking the House of Baharman.

She simply measured calmly how much paperwork would need to be rewritten.

Following Loid, I arrived at a large room.

The interior was decorated in a style both antique and luxurious, and judging from the furniture—all seemingly high-end—it wasn’t put together carelessly.

…Even for small fry, a grand duchy is still a grand duchy.

I nodded and looked around the room, when Loid, watching me with a pleased expression, spoke.

“This will be the room Einra stays in. Of course, only until we get married.”

I froze mid-turn, my shoulders twitching slightly.

…Married?

Earlier, he mentioned love letters, and at the last banquet, he brought up love again—does he actually intend to marry me?

If that’s the case, it was genuinely chilling.

How many times had we met for him to start talking about marriage?!

But since I snuck in for reconnaissance, I can’t exactly refuse.

I decided to just gather the information as quickly as possible and leave.

“Until the marriage, Einra will stay here and take the lessons for a Grand Duchess’s wife.”

Loid said with a bright smile.

“Since Einra is a commoner, I thought the role of a Grand Duchess might be difficult, so I prepared this specially. Normally, one would learn all this from their own family first, but you don’t need to feel burdened.”

“Ah, y-yes…”

I half-closed my eyes, nodded vaguely, and wore a tired expression.

“Um… I’m a bit confused and tired right now, so I’d like to be alone.”

The most important thing for now was to contact As.

Pressing my temple deliberately, he looked momentarily flustered as if he hadn’t thought of it.

“Oh, I was too happy to see Einra again to think of that…! I’ll introduce the servants tomorrow. For now, just rest comfortably here.”

With that, Loid turned as if to leave.

Just as he took a few steps…

“Ah, and Einra.”

He suddenly stopped, turned back to me, and folded his eyes gently.

“Until we’re married, you won’t be able to use Spirit Magic.”

“……”

“I just wanted to tell you in advance so you don’t panic if your spirits can’t be summoned. I’ll make sure you won’t be inconvenienced without Spirit Magic, so don’t worry too much.”

Then he added in a voice that seemed to melt into the air, and fully exited.

I stayed stiff until the door closed, and the moment it did, I let out a deep sigh.

I already knew, you grand duke.

Spirit-suppression spells of the same intensity that blocked all my natural affinity were plastered all over the mansion; it would be strange not to know.

Shameless bastards, always ready to cut off arms and legs at a whim.

They made it so I couldn’t do anything.

Good thing I got help from Elai…

I muttered, raising my natural affinity.

With no restrictions, my affinity effortlessly summoned Quiel.

Quiel burst from the air like a water droplet and landed happily in my hands.

I gently stroked Quiel’s small head and whispered,

“Quiel, can you deliver a message to As for me?”

After briefly explaining why I had come to the House of Baharman, Quiel listened carefully and nodded vigorously.

For quick travel, Quiel returned to its natural state and disappeared from sight.

Finally feeling a sense of relief, I staggered over and flopped onto the unfamiliar bed.

…Why a rolling pin in the dead of night…

As my tension released, the postponed sleepiness came heavily.

I yawned and summoned Eldimir, an advanced water spirit, invisibly to anyone else in the room.

The wolf-shaped Eldimir settled nobly beside me.

Much better.

I smiled and petted Eldimir’s fur, then drifted off to sleep.

How long I wandered in dreams, I couldn’t say.

A cold sensation brushed my forehead.

Startled, I flinched, and the thing hesitated before slowly sliding down my temple.

“Mm…”

I instinctively turned my head away from the unfamiliar sensation, but for some reason, I couldn’t move.

Frowning, a low laugh tickled my ear.

…Why… are you… here?

A voice, playful and warm, drifted from beyond sleep.

I smiled without realizing it at the pleasant tone.

The cold touch that had brushed my cheek now reached my curled-up lips.

…I thought… you’d…

At that moment, my eyes snapped open.

“―Huh.”

“…Too bad.”

A voice filled with lingering affection fell near my head.

Startled, I lifted my head and met the gaze of a man entirely wrapped in black robes.

“Long time no see, Einra.”

His familiar yet oddly foreign red eyes curved slightly.

Blinking in daze, I suddenly sat up.

“A-a, Akes?!”

“Hmm, I appreciate the hospitality, though.”

He murmured lazily, reaching out.

A handful of my hair was brought to his lips.

“If you make a loud noise, they might hear you outside.”

Akes pressed his lips gently to my hair and locked eyes with me.

Moonlight streamed through the windows, darkness spread across the room, and long shadows fell.

Within them, his soft, curved red eyes felt somewhat lewd.

Heat crept up my face.

“Y-yeah… I’ll… speak quietly then…”

Muttering as I rubbed my flushed cheeks, I suddenly lifted my head.

Quietly speak? That’s not what matters right now!

“A-Akes, how did you get in here? Is this allowed?”

I asked hurriedly.

Akes smiled, finding me cute, and caressed my cheek.

“No, of course not.”

“Then…?”

“You disappeared from my sight, Einra.”

His voice remained languid.

I had no words, so I stayed silent.

“That’s why I came. To wherever you were.”

The hand that had stroked my cheek now ran through my hair.

I stared blankly at his eyes, unable to even breathe.

Like being thrown in front of a wild beast.

“I originally planned to erase this place from the map cleanly…”

He tilted his head and spoke slowly.

“But Quiel told me you had something you wanted to check here.”

With a gentle shrik, his straight fingers swept through my hair from the back of my head.

“So I decided to wait. Until your curiosity is satisfied.”

Akes smiled softly.

I, barely able to breathe, only exhaled slowly once his fingers left my hair completely.

“Th-thank you…”

“But it’s better to satisfy that curiosity quickly.”

“…Huh?”

“You can’t find out about the dead, can you?”

“Y-yeah…?”

“I’m not generous enough to tolerate someone looking at my lover with filthy eyes.”

Akes whispered softly and carefully laid me back on the bed.

“Now, Einra, sleep. You’ll be busy figuring out what you’re curious about.”

The large hand that pulled the blanket up gently patted my chest.

I blinked blankly, then flushed deeply.

Lover…?

Since when? Was it from that day, the first day? Or the next day?

Ahhh…

My head spun.

I pulled the blanket over my face, hiding it.

Listening to his low laughter by the bedside, I struggled inwardly for a while, eventually dozing off.

A faint sunlight tickled my eyes.

I vaguely realized it was morning but didn’t want to wake.

As my shallow awareness began to sink back into sleep…

Knock, knock.

“…Did you cough, miss?”

An intermittent sound disturbed my sleep.

“Miss.”

“Mm…”

Tossing and turning in a half-sleep, I suddenly opened my eyes wide.

The events of last night flashed through my mind.

I had entered the House of Baharman via Dante’s magic circle and met the Grand Duke.

Then I slept in the room assigned to me…

…Akes!

Akes, wrapped entirely in black robes, had sneaked into the Grand Duke’s mansion last night.

I hurriedly looked around.

Sunlight filled the room, and no one else’s presence was felt.