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Chapter 22
“You’re late.”
By the time I returned to where the cabin was, the sun had already set. Caius was outside, waiting for me. Judging by the mood, if I’d been even a little later, I wouldn’t have walked back on my own two feet—I’d have been dangling from Caius’s hand.
“What’s with that filthy state?”
“I got bored being alone, so I took a little walk.”
“Looks like you buried someone while you were out walking.”
“That’s impossible.”
On the contrary.
I dug something up that had been buried.
Thinking fondly of Ilaune, neatly stored in my subspace, I smiled with satisfaction. Caius looked me over as if I were insane, but I didn’t care. My heart was full. I could even generously overlook the insolent glare of an unfilial brat.
When Caius and I went inside together, Damon greeted the two of us.
“My apologies for the late greeting. I’m Damon Nielsen.”
“I’m Charlotte Schmidt.”
“I’ve heard about you. You’re the Archducal Castle’s exclusive mage, correct?”
“Yes, though I’m on a fixed-term contract.”
Damon offered me a handshake. I roughly wiped my dirt-covered hands on my skirt and took his hand.
Come to think of it, Damon had lived in seclusion for eight straight years, so he probably didn’t know about my bad reputation. Charlotte becoming a nuisance in the capital through black magic only started about four years ago.
There was no need for me to step in and ruin my image myself.
I stepped slightly away from Damon and whispered to Caius.
“I thought you’d get kicked out. Looks like you persuaded him well?”
“What do you take me for?”
“A narcissistic tyrant with nothing but a pretty face?”
“…….”
“I’m joking. My mistake.”
Don’t glare at me like that.
It’s scary.
“His Highness—the Crown Prince, no, His Grace the Archduke—said that I was absolutely necessary. He said it had to be me, so I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. I feel terribly apologetic and ashamed. To think that an old man who’s been holed up in the forest for eight years would be….”
“As you’ve likely heard from His Highness, the Lucifenia territory has long been a target of black mages. If Sir Nielsen takes charge as head of security, it will be far safer than it is now.”
“I don’t know if someone like me will really suffice….”
What are you talking about.
There’s no one more suitable than you.
“I’ll help you. Don’t worry.”
So if I somehow fail to return to reality even after using the elixir, please—please—help me when you go looking for the divine artifact.
Though that won’t happen.
Hahaha.
“I also heard that it was you, Mage, who told His Highness to persuade me. Just where did His Highness find someone like you?”
What, he told him that?
I looked at Caius, and he shrugged.
You little—how admirable.
“I’d been worried because he kept women at a distance since childhood, but while I was away he went and kept such a reliable person by his side. There’s no need to worry about the position of Archduchess.”
“…Excuse me?”
What kind of disastrous thing is this man saying?
“Sir Nielsen, please don’t say such terrifying things. It would really be a disaster.”
“Haha.”
He seems to think it’s a joke.
He’s capable, but maybe the type who’s a bit oblivious.
What should we do—if he’s going to stick around in Lucifenia, he’ll need to develop some tact too.
“Shall we depart now?”
I asked the two of them.
I wanted to get back quickly.
I needed to make an elixir.
“Did you smear honey all over the Archducal Castle or something?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you so excited?”
“Ah, was I?”
So it showed.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking about on your own, but causing more trouble would be inconvenient.”
“Trouble? I just want to go back quickly. To my home.”
When I answered with a grin, Caius playfully narrowed one eye.
“Since when did the Archducal Castle become your home without my knowing?”
I wasn’t talking about that house.
Seriously, how ridiculous.
Damon, who had been watching us with a pleased expression, spoke up.
“The sun will set soon. I also have quite a bit to do if I’m to sort out the house I’ve lived in for so long. It would be troublesome to come back just to fetch me again, so how about staying here for the night and departing tomorrow?”
Considering the distance, moving in one go would indeed be better.
“Is there a room we can stay in?”
At my question, Damon let out an “Ah,” as if he’d just realized something. Understandably so—the cabin didn’t look like it had been built with guests in mind.
“There is a room, but….”
With an awkward expression, Damon alternated his gaze between Caius and me.
“There’s only one.”
“Ah.”
Why is it that bad premonitions are never wrong?
“It would be cramped for the two of you to share one room….”
“It can’t be helped, then….”
“We’ll impose on you for just one night.”
Caius was faster than I was.
I stared at him in shock.
Share a room?
No matter that this novel’s genre is romance, and that situations like this follow clichés—sharing one room with him is a bit much, isn’t it?
…Just as I was about to say that, Caius stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
“One room is enough. This mage says the clearing out front is sufficient for her.”
“Huh?”
What is he talking about?
I sleep indoors too, you know?
Sure, I could make a place to stay for a night with magic, but that’s a different matter entirely.
I looked up at him with a dumbfounded expression. Caius tilted his head deliberately. A vexing smile played at the corner of his lips.
That damn unfilial bastard.
In the end, Damon insisted that he couldn’t possibly make guests sleep outside, and forcibly brought both Caius and me into the house, giving us his own room.
“There’s a bed and a sofa, so there shouldn’t be any problem sleeping for one night.”
“But still….”
“It’s fine. Please rest comfortably.”
Damon ushered me inside despite my awkwardness and closed the door.
For some reason, I thought I saw a pleased smile through the crack of the door.
Must have been my imagination.
“I’ll take the bed. You take the sofa.”
Caius said calmly, gesturing with his chin toward the small two-seater sofa.
“I know.”
Our unfilial brat has consistently lacked any sense of chivalry. I knew that already, ever since he put a blade to my neck.
But I can tolerate this much.
Why?
Because I have Ilaune.
“Hehe.”
Thinking of Ilaune sleeping peacefully in my subspace, a grin escaped me.
I’ve got a cheat key—do you think I can’t put up with a little brattiness from an unfilial punk? I’m being very generous right now.
As I spread a blanket over the sofa and arranged the pillow, I felt a gaze on my back. Caius was staring straight at me.
What now, what is it.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“When did you start knowing me?”
What is this all of a sudden?
“Pardon?”
“You said earlier, ‘I know you’re uncomfortable with words like that.’ I was wondering since when you’ve known me to say that.”
Gulp.
“Did I say that?”
I’d been so focused on persuading Damon that I hadn’t paid attention to that detail.
Caius narrowed his eyes as if pressing for an answer.
“…Just by looking at you, you seem like the type who can’t say things like that, Your Highness. That’s all.”
“Oh, really? For a moment I thought you’d been watching me for a long time.”
“As if.”
Sharp for no reason.
Before Caius could say anything else, I quickly used magic to hang a long curtain from the ceiling. I hurriedly drew the curtain and was about to turn back when he added from behind me,
“You.”
“What now.”
“If there’s something you want, think about it. I’ll grant a reward for your merits.”
What?
This means I helped persuade Damon, right?
That little—he even credited me earlier.
Robert Gant was the same. He’s cooler about these things than I expected.
“Ahem, I’ll think about it.”
I drew the curtain and headed straight for the sofa, then suddenly stopped.
Wait—if I’m going to make an elixir, I need a laboratory.
An elixir’s production process was complicated, befitting its reputation.
Even if I could somehow obtain the other materials, the location was the problem. My personal room was too cramped to make complex potions, and there was no way I could brazenly make an elixir in Caius’s office while he watched with wide-open eyes.
…Should I ask for a laboratory after all?
After a brief moment of consideration, I pulled the curtain aside.
“Your Highness, then there’s something I’d like to ask for—oh my!”
“…Oh.”
Caius, frozen for a moment with his shirt half off, let out a low exclamation.
“Was the curtain meant for this purpose?”
A-are you insane?
Why are you taking your clothes off?!
