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Chapter 17
Perhaps because of their previous clash, Deus and Chandler had maintained an awkward distance between them for some time.
Both of them tried to be careful, but it had become obvious to everyone in the ducal estate that something was wrong between them.
Whether servants or knights, whenever two or more people gathered, whispers about Deus and Chandler immediately followed.
However, no one knew the exact truth behind the incident. As a result, all kinds of rumors and speculation ran rampant.
“Maybe Sir Chandler actually has feelings for His Grace beyond loyalty?”
“Oh my! That makes sense! No wonder Sir Chandler hasn’t been meeting any young ladies lately!”
From rumors that Chandler had feelings for Deus beyond that of a knight…
“To be fair, His Grace has been neglecting his sword training lately. The Knight Commander would know that too. Maybe he should’ve gone easier on him.”
“Exactly! We should’ve preserved the Duke’s dignity.”
…to rumors that Deus had lost to Chandler in a sparring match and was upset about it, the ducal estate of Cervellion was in unprecedented chaos.
At the center of this confusion, Emma shook out a blanket, feeling as though her sanity was being shaken out along with it.
People were far too interested in other people’s affairs. After hearing completely baseless rumors all day, she was starting to feel dizzy.
“Emma, what do you think? You’re the closest to Sir Chandler, aren’t you?”
Eventually, the arrows of attention turned toward her.
Emma gave a weak smile and shrugged.
“I’m not really interested.”
“Oh my, look at her! Acting all high and mighty!”
“How boring can you be? She always backs out whenever something interesting happens.”
The maids folding blankets around her complained one after another.
Emma simply smiled quietly and continued her work. Losing interest, the maids moved on to other targets.
Left alone for a moment, Emma gripped the edge of the blanket.
It seemed she would have to resolve the childish dispute between those two men soon.
For the sake of maintaining her peaceful maid life.
* * *
Unexpectedly, the opportunity came sooner than she expected.
At Deus’s instruction to visit in secret, Emma slipped out of the servants’ quarters after everyone had fallen asleep.
Moving carefully so as not to be seen, she headed toward the office—only to encounter Chandler in the hallway.
“Ah, Miss Emma… It’s been a while.”
Chandler greeted her awkwardly.
Since they hadn’t had the chance to meet recently, Emma took the opportunity and quickly approached him.
“Sir Chandler.”
Emma suddenly grabbed his hand. Chandler’s eyes widened in surprise.
“They say the one who gives in wins.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’re older than His Grace, so please yield this once generously.”
Her words made no sense whatsoever.
Chandler pulled his hand back, flustered.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh come on! You’re older than His Grace! Just close your eyes and let it go this once, okay?”
Emma firmly interlocked her fingers so he couldn’t pull away again.
Chandler stared blankly at their joined hands.
“Sir Chandler? You understand what I’m saying, right?”
He quickly lifted his head. Emma’s eyes reflected him clearly.
It was a strange feeling.
Chandler hastily stepped back.
“Miss Emma, you can’t just grab someone’s hand like that. It’s improper etiquette.”
“Geez, how petty. Did it upset you? A mere maid holding your hand?”
“That’s not what I meant…!”
“Anyway, Sir Chandler, you’re the one who needs to yield first. Got it?”
Cutting him off, Emma smiled brightly and pushed him forward.
Chandler swallowed his words as her movements flowed naturally, like she was guiding him without resistance.
It was somewhat unfair. He and Deus were only one year apart, yet somehow that gap felt enormous here.
“May I come in, Your Grace?”
Emma knocked on the office door, her voice cheerful.
Chandler, however, looked extremely tense beside her.
Emma lightly tapped his back.
“Straighten your shoulders. Be confident, Sir Chandler.”
As she whispered to him, Deus’s voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
Emma opened the door and pushed Chandler inside, then quickly slipped behind the door.
Left alone facing each other, Chandler and Deus looked at each other awkwardly.
“It’s been a while, Sir Chandler.”
Deus spoke first.
“Ah, yes, Your Grace. I… I heard you called for me.”
Chandler fumbled nervously.
Emma, watching from the side, let out a sigh.
No matter how good the stage is, the actors are a mess.
“Your Grace, what is this about?” Emma asked, leaning against the door.
Deus’s gaze immediately shifted to her.
“Today makes five days already. Wasn’t she supposed to return with a reply in three?”
Though he tried to sound calm, anxiety leaked through his voice.
Emma hesitated.
Of course she had relayed the message—but she had no guarantee Rosalyn would actually appear.
“Well… she might have had circumstances…”
She trailed off and avoided his gaze.
Deus bit his lip, troubled.
An uneasy silence followed—until Chandler unexpectedly broke it.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve realized something?”
Emma and Deus stiffened at once.
Suspicious reaction.
Chandler narrowed his eyes.
“Has something happened?”
Deus looked at Emma for help.
Though unspoken, it was practically a plea for her to answer.
Emma sighed and gave in.
“Well… on the day we went to the auction house, we were spotted while hiding. But we escaped in time, so I don’t think they saw us properly.”
“What? So not only did you bring back a mage, you also went spying in secret?”
Chandler pressed his temple as if a headache was forming.
“Worst case scenario… she figured everything out and won’t come anymore.”
Deus’s blue eyes trembled violently at the thought.
Emma shook her head firmly.
“That’s unlikely. If she really figured everything out, she’d probably storm in here immediately and grab His Grace by the collar.”
“…She’s that violent?”
Chandler looked startled.
Emma shrugged.
“People on our side tend to live without much concern for tomorrow. She’s probably the same.”
“Or she could be calmly planning an attack.”
“Then I guess we’ll just have to welcome the attack. We need to meet her first anyway.”
Chandler exhaled sharply. Their perspectives were fundamentally different.
“And the mage without magic will probably arrive soon anyway. Even if there is an attack, it won’t be hard to handle quietly.”
“The mage without magic?”
“Right. The one who can’t use magic.”
Chandler looked at Emma thoughtfully.
“You seem to know quite a bit about him. Are you acquainted?”
“Just briefly. I think he’ll be delayed anyway since he had to create a new identity at the auction house. We can’t just bring someone who dabbled in dark magic into the estate recklessly.”
Emma casually glanced at Deus.
“Your Grace, maybe we should wait a bit longer? There’s not much we can do right now.”
Deus, deep in thought, slowly spoke.
“Maybe there are too many knights in the estate, so he can’t come in?”
Chandler and Emma stared at him in stunned silence.
“Vacation…”
“No.”
“That’s not a good idea, Your Grace.”
The two spoke at once.
Deus looked genuinely wronged.
“Please think about this logically. I just returned from leave not long ago. Do you know how hard I had to cover it up?”
Chandler sighed deeply.
“And if the estate is always empty, it will only raise more suspicion.”
Deus pressed his hand to his mouth, thinking.
At that moment—
“Your Grace, Knight Aol reporting. May I enter?”
A stranger’s voice came from outside.
Emma and Chandler exchanged surprised looks.
Chandler being here was one thing—but Emma being here at this hour was unusual.
Emma’s eyes sharpened.
She quickly grabbed the ink bottle from the desk and spilled it over Deus’s paperwork.
Deus calmly spoke.
“Enter.”
The door opened.
A knight entered, sweat on his brow.
The moment he saw Chandler, he exclaimed,
“Sir Knight Commander! You’re here! We’ve found traces of an intruder near the eastern outer wall. We need you immediately.”
“What are you talking about? An intruder?”
Emma, still holding a cleaning apron, perked up.
“I was about to report it. A vine along the outer wall was strangely bent.”
“Any other traces?”
“None.”
Chandler and Deus exchanged a quick look.
The one they had been waiting for…
had finally arrived.
