Erich suffered from bouts of illness every year, whether they were brief or prolonged.
It was a fact that anyone who had watched him from up close could not possibly be unaware of.
Of course, that was a story that did not apply to "Lucy Forte."
“I see you are capable of making such expressions as well.”
While she was lost in thought, Müllen Cassus opened his mouth with a gentle smile. Elisha blinked her eyes quietly a couple of times.
Such an expression?
“You need not be so worried. His Majesty suffers from this every year.”
Müllen replied again in a tender voice. Elisha fluttered her eyelashes silently this time as well.
The fever that Erich suffered from annually was a kind of chronic illness that could be managed neither by magic nor medicine. Perhaps it was because he never took care of his own body.
It was not that Elisha was unaware of that, but that did not mean she was not worried.
“Then, I shall take my leave now.”
Having gathered all the materials, Müllen bid Elisha farewell. He seemed to take a few steps forward, but then he turned his upper body slightly and spoke tentatively.
“Come to think of it, Miss Forte.”
“……?”
“Would you mind passing a message to Sir Renard for me?”
* * *
At that moment, Dante Renard was enjoying a peace like a river, the likes of which he had not felt in a long time.
The allied nations’ conference was over, the urgent tasks were all finished, Erich was uncharacteristically not calling for him, and a large number of his scheduled duties had been canceled.
And Elisha was…….
‘Thinking about it just makes my heart restless, so let’s not dwell on it.’
I almost caused ripples in the calm lake of my heart.
Dante shook his head hurriedly and closed his eyes once more.
With his feet propped up on the table and his chair leaned far back, he found even the boisterous noise outside the office to be pleasant.
How wonderful it would be if it could stay this peaceful forever.
No, they say the bigger the dream, the better; if possible, I would like to take a rest at my own estate rather than here.
Or perhaps go to some lake or seaside…….
“Dante Renard.”
At that moment, a rather chilling voice pierced into Dante Renard’s ears.
“Argh!”
Simultaneously, Dante was so startled that he lost his balance and tumbled backward with a loud crash. It was a sight so ridiculous that if Gabriel had seen it, he would have surely blurted out something like, “Captain, you have a real talent for making people laugh.”
‘I wish I had at least fallen in front of the real Gabriel.’
Of all people, it had to be in front of Elisha.
Dante scrambled to his feet, clutching his sore backside.
“I keep telling you to please knock before you enter!”
“Isn’t it strange that you can’t recognize me from the front when you aren’t even asleep?”
“I had my eyes closed!”
My peace like a river, my tranquility is like a lake!
Dante shouted with a look of genuine grievance. Whether she cared or not, Elisha spoke without batting an eye.
“Dante Renard.”
“Ah, what!”
“Let’s go to the bedroom.”
“……What?”
As soon as Elisha’s words ended, Dante asked back blankly.
Did I hear that wrong? Go where again?
To the Bed, why?
“I said let’s go to the bedroom.”
“Are you out of your mind, seriously!”
Dante immediately shouted, wrapping his arms around his body. Perhaps because he was quite flustered, his cheeks and even his neck were flushed red.
‘Does she… does she have no common sense? I’ve seen signs of that before, but to barge in suddenly and say “bedroom”?’
Bedroom? Bedroooom?
“You, you, you haven’t even annulled your engagement yet!”
“Lower your voice, Renard. What will you do if someone hears you?”
“Erich cast a soundproofing spell here anyway, so…… no, that’s not the point!”
Does she really not know what her own words mean? Or am I hearing a specific word strangely right now?
Maybe it’s not the bedroom, but the bed.
‘That’s even weirder!’
It was driving him mad because he had no idea why this woman was acting this way toward him.
“Why are you suddenly doing this?”
Whether she knew Dante’s state of mind or not, Elisha asked as if she genuinely could not understand. Dante stammered, his face still beet red.
“Th-that’s obviously because you suddenly said let’s go to the be-bedroom…….”
“Yes. To Erich’s bedroom.”
“Ah.”
Ah, ah!
Realizing the situation, Dante let out a sigh.
That bedroom. Meaning, not the bedroom at their own estate, but Erich’s…….
“Speak properly, Elisha!”
“I did speak properly.”
“No, that’s…… forget it. What do I even expect from you.”
Dante decided to stop thinking.
“So, why are you trying to go there?”
More importantly, he had to find out why she wanted to go to Erich’s bedroom so suddenly.
Having calmed his heart, Dante asked as if he were acting nonchalant. Elisha furrowed her brow for a moment before answering.
“Erich is sick.”
“Him? Isn’t it too early for him to be sick?”
“It seems the timing was moved up because of the allied nations’ conference.”
At Elisha’s words, Dante nodded slightly.
It was understandable that he would be exhausted from worrying about this and that throughout the conference. Besides, hadn’t he been running all over the imperial palace himself after it ended?
He had been buried in magic research for days, handling state affairs, resolving diplomatic issues, and even checking the imperial palace’s barriers, so it was no wonder he had collapsed.
“No wonder all the schedules for today were canceled.”
“If something like that happened, isn’t it normal to worry about whether something happened to Erich first?”
“To think the words ‘worry’ and ‘normal’ would come out of your mouth at the same time…….”
And I’m someone who wants to stop caring about Erich anyway.
As Dante replied listlessly, Elisha frowned slightly and began to walk slowly toward him.
Dante swallowed hard without realizing it.
It felt as if her words were strangely connecting to what he had said just a moment ago-.
“Dante Renard.”
“Why, why, why!”
Elisha, who had reached right in front of him, leaned her upper body forward to meet Dante’s eyes. Dante held his breath and stared blankly at Elisha.
She was clearly wearing the appearance of Lucy Forte, so why did it feel like he could see Elisha’s true self? Was it because their expressions were similar?
It was as if he were unable to move an inch…….
“You of all people should know how Erich lives when he is sick.”
At that moment, Elisha continued in a calm voice. Dante blinked his eyes rapidly and parted his lips.
Elisha continued to hold Dante’s gaze, speaking each word clearly and distinctly.
“Even when he is burning with fever, he doesn’t let a single lady-in-waiting in and suffers alone.”
“…….”
“Not even Müllen Cassus can enter Erich’s bedroom.”
At least when he was young, he could enter after Erich had completely lost consciousness, but even that had become impossible since Erich invented his barrier magic.
“He has only ever allowed three people to enter.”
Even then, one of those three had already passed away, and another was officially missing.
So, in the end, there was only one person left.
The only one who remained as Erich’s friend, Dante Renard.
“I cannot go alone, Dante.”
Elisha said, lowering her dark eyelashes. She could not have intended it, but it was a terribly alluring posture.
Dante swallowed hard once more and managed to open his mouth.
“Is there no option where I don’t go……?”
“I had a message from Müllen Cassus. He said it would be good if you were by his side, just in case something happens.”
“Ugh, seriously.”
What a slippery human being. He knows I have nothing else to do, so he’s doing this.
Dante groaned, knitting his brows. Regardless, Elisha caught her breath and continued.
“Besides, Erich has many enemies right now. There must be many who harbor resentment because of what he did during the allied nations’ conference.”
“…….”
“No matter how much he reorganized the barriers, there are always loopholes in any security. It is possible that an assassin has already broken into Erich’s bedroom.”
“That seems like a bit of an extreme assumption.”
“When preparing for something, one must always envision the worst-case scenario.”
That must be why Müllen Cassus singled you out.
It was just as Dante was being drawn into Elisha’s logical words.
Elisha lowered the gaze she had kept fixed on Dante and spoke faintly, as if exhaling.
“In such a situation-.”
That child, the child who must still be wandering through his own unconsciousness alone.
“How could I leave him alone?”
For a fleeting moment, Elisha’s eyes curved softly.
At first glance, it was tender, yet bitter.
It was truly a mystery why, but Dante felt a bitter taste on the tip of his tongue for a moment.
Of course, separate from his own feelings, he needed to be cold-headed regarding this matter.
In short, it meant a deal through negotiation had to be made.
“So, what, what are you going to do for me?”
Dante Renard opened his mouth, struggling to keep his composure.
“To speak coldly, you know you aren’t in a position to enter the Emperor’s bedroom right now, don’t you?”
“…….”
“Of course, it wouldn’t be impossible if I insisted you were entering as my assistant, but I can’t help but be concerned about the gossip.”
In truth, Elisha would have to endure the resulting rumors herself.
‘Honestly, I don’t think that’s much of a problem in the current situation.’
Now that the opinion that she was “the Emperor’s lifeline who appeared after the Archmage left” was dominant, there wouldn’t be any nasty talk as long as she accompanied him.
He could just say she went in to cure Erich’s fever.
Some were even saying a new Archmage had appeared, but since she was that person anyway, he would leave that aside.
In any case, he had the absolute upper hand this time, and he couldn’t just let this opportunity slip by.
“Honestly, I could just go alone, but you’re asking me to take you along, aren’t you?”
“…….”
“If there is a give, there must be a take.”
Dante, having landed his calculated strike, offered a faint smile. Of course, due to the lingering tension he couldn't quite shake, the corners of his mouth were trembling.
To be perfectly honest, it was better to have Elisha along than to be alone in that space with him. But saying such a thing would only work against him.
‘Will she bite?’
Just as Dante Renard blinked, watching Elisha’s expression,
“Fine.”
Elisha quietly opened her mouth.
“If you let me go there, I will dissolve the written pact.”
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