On top of that, the person in question was an Archmage, and Nathan found himself pressing a hand to his forehead.
‘I was trying not to worry about this anymore.’
It wasn’t easy. And there was even a one-in-twenty chance that the person in question was the mad Archmage connected to the attempted assassination of the Emperor.
Tap, tap—
Nathan tapped his desk, then irritably ran a hand through his hair.
“Vale.”
“Yes, Duke.”
His adjutant, Vale, who had been standing to one side like a shadow, immediately stepped forward.
“Keep an eye on Sein Marcus, just in case. And—”
There were currently three places in Olsher that had top-tier mages.
The Imperial Family. The Valencia family. The Labelyn family.
She had no choice but to avoid all three. Of course, in the Labelyn family’s case, it was probably because of Sein Marcus.
“……”
“Duke?”
Both his aide and adjutant looked at him in confusion.
But Nathan couldn’t easily continue. The fact that she had even moved to another residence meant there was definitely a problem.
However, he no longer had any right, qualification, or duty to interfere in Rachel Ingrave’s life.
He had even suggested that they return to being nothing more than a duke and an acting marquis, but—
—He’s someone I dislike.
He slowly blinked.
In the end, Nathan lowered the hand that had been reaching for his quill.
“Keep an eye on Sein Marcus. And continue watching the other Archmages for any unusual behavior, too.”
“……Understood.”
“Everyone, you may leave.”
“Yes, Duke.”
Click. The door closed. Left alone, Nathan leaned back deeply in his chair and closed his eyes.
She was a woman who could take care of herself just fine. Worrying this much about her was unlike him.
Besides, things had ended up this way between them over nothing more than a gaze.
“She wasn’t even looking at me……”
So it was right to end things here. Nathan cleared his mind and stood up. He had returned to the capital after a long absence, so it was time to wash up and prepare for the next day.
Life at the Ingrave residence, with only her younger brother for company, was more comfortable and relaxing than Rachel had expected. Meanwhile, the Ingrave family had quietly begun searching for a top-tier mage, taking care not to let the Labelyn family find out.
However, it seemed that even if they could fool the eyes of the Labelyn family, they couldn’t escape the Imperial Family’s notice.
Before long, Rachel received a letter from the Emperor.
“I recently heard some interesting news. I hear you’re looking for a top-tier mage. There’s no need to look so far away. You could simply ask me. Or is that something you don’t want to do, either?”
“……”
The message was a little different from usual. It almost seemed as though the Emperor was sulking or feeling a little hurt.
……Though she wasn’t sure if those were the right words to describe it.
After thinking for a moment, Rachel sent a reply as she usually did.
“It would be too much trouble to ask this of Your Majesty. Besides, it’s a personal matter, so I couldn’t impose on you. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.”
The reply arrived that very same day.
“It’s no trouble at all. It’s not an imposition, either. And there’s no need to feel bad about it, so why don’t you just ask me?”
“……”
She hesitated for a moment.
Rachel was just about to send another reply declining his offer when Illya, who was having dinner with her, tilted his head.
“What’s wrong, Sister?”
“His Majesty asked if he should send a mage.”
“Ah.”
Illya parted his lips as if to speak, then rolled his eyes. There was something suspicious about his behavior.
“Why?”
“Well, I was summoned by His Majesty after attending the court meeting today. He asked if you had told me anything, Sister. I said you hadn’t, but then he muttered something rather meaningful. I think he said something like, ‘So that’s how it is. I suppose I’ll have to go there myself after all’……”
“……”
An invitation from the Emperor was one thing.
But the Emperor personally visiting a noble family’s residence was an entirely different matter. This time, people might even suspect that she was going to marry into the Imperial Family. In any case, she would end up at the center of all sorts of rumors.
And then even her secret search for a top-tier mage from another country would quickly become public knowledge.
There were already too many eyes watching her.
That would be a real problem. Illya quickly studied her face.
“Sister, are you all right? You look so pale.”
“Yes, I’m fine……”
She really had no choice this time. In the end, Rachel even had her meal cleared away and quietly wrote a reply to the letter.
“It is an honor to hear you say so, Your Majesty. Then, would it be possible for you to send me a top-tier mage? I’m embarrassed to admit this, but an Archmage from the Magic Tower installed a barrier at the Easton residence before leaving. I’ve been unable to properly inspect it because I was told the magic circle is seventh tier or higher.”
She included a brief explanation of the situation. Some people might think she was being overly cautious.
But others might understand it as the sensible decision of a noble who had experienced a threat to her life.
Even though the person who cast the spell was an Archmage from the Magic Tower,
a seventh-tier barrier around the residence of a mere baron was still strange.
“Illya. Tell the aide that there’s no need to continue arranging for a mage from another country. It seems His Majesty will help us.”
“Yes, Sister.”
Illya watched her for a moment, then beckoned to Ton, who had been the deputy butler and was now the butler.
“The new dishes are ready, right? Bring them in.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
While she was writing her reply, Illya seemed to have asked the kitchen to prepare a fresh dinner. Rachel gazed at her younger brother for a moment, then smiled helplessly.
“Thank you, Illya.”
“It’s nothing. Have dinner, then enjoy dessert with me, Sister. I hear the head chef’s new cookies are delicious.”
“All right.”
After enjoying dessert as well and sending another reply to the Emperor, Rachel received a visitor the following day, before noon had even arrived.
It was Hailon, an eighth-tier mage. He was the deputy commander of the Imperial Mage Corps and, apart from the former commander, who had retired from public life, and the current commander, he could be called the greatest mage in Olsher.
“Greetings, Acting Marquis Ingrave. I’ve come at His Majesty the Emperor’s command. I hear you wish to have the barrier around your residence inspected.”
“……Hello, Deputy Commander of the Mage Corps.”
Rachel tried not to show her surprise on the outside. Of course, he had arrived in a carriage with its crest concealed, so there was little chance of rumors spreading.
Still, the choice of mage was more than a little overwhelming. And on top of that, there were a whole bunch of knights—
“……!”
Rachel’s eyelids trembled when she spotted someone stepping out of the carriage behind him.
Although he was wearing a hood,
the sun-like hair she could glimpse and the slightly upturned lips made his identity unmistakable. Rachel immediately dropped to one knee.
“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“My, what a waste of coming here in secret if you’re going to do that, my lady.”
As the startled servants and escort knights paid their respects, the Emperor, Terrius Rogdan di Olsher, approached her and held out his hand.
As she took his hand and rose, Rachel parted her lips.
“I wasn’t informed that you would be coming today. What brings you all the way here?”
“I came to see my lady. No matter how many times I invite you, you never come, so what choice do I have? The person who wants to see someone has to go to them personally. Don’t you agree?”
“……”
The Emperor helped her to her feet himself, then leaned down close to her. He came so near that their foreheads almost touched.
His lowered violet eyes studied her face for a long while.
“Still, I’m glad I can see you this way. To be honest, I was a little angry. But now I realize how pointless that anger was. It almost feels as if I’m angry not because you’re being rude to me, but because I can’t see you.”
“……I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t come here to hear an apology.”
The Emperor lightly kissed her fingers before finally taking a step back. However, he still held her hand.
As he naturally escorted her, the Emperor asked,
“So, there’s a problem with the barrier at your new residence? Let’s go and inspect it together. I wanted to bring the commander of the Imperial Mage Corps, if possible, but Archmages have quite a few restrictions on their movements.”
The Emperor lowered his voice and whispered softly.
“Of course, if that doesn’t work, I intend to bring the commander of the Imperial Mage Corps right away. So don’t worry, my lady.”
“……”
If that happened, rumors about this matter would spread throughout the entire capital.
Rachel whispered quietly,
“……It would be troublesome if rumors spread, Your Majesty. The Archmage hasn’t gone home. He’s staying at the Labelyn residence because he’s Lady Aisha’s teacher and friend.”
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