Recently, it has become frequent for maids to gather near Anent Palace.

The reason was to catch a glimpse, even from afar, of Lindein Lachman, the kind, gentle, and beautiful envoy from Pegeia.

When Lynette learned of this, she quietly scolded them, but it was not enough to curb the curiosity of those in their prime. As she was agonizing over it, Ilarid consoled Lynette.

“If there are no complaints from Anent Palace, and it doesn’t interfere with their work, just let them be. It’s quite rare to be able to see a handsome man.”

“… Your Majesty the Empress, are you serious?”

Lindein showed no signs of being bothered by this issue at all. Rather, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it.

When he dressed well and went out for a walk, he received the attention of everyone from the noble ladies who had entered the palace with their husbands to those doing menial tasks.

Today, even more gazes were added to those watching Lindein Lachman.

“He is handsome indeed… No, is he more on the pretty side? I’m dying of envy.”

Eddie grumbled while watching Lindein from a distance. Though not immediately noticeable, there seemed to be at least a handful of gazes following Lindein closely.

“Honestly, that guy is annoying. With that pretty appearance, he’s perfect for bewitching people…”

“Originally, a handsome man’s only enemy is other men. When you look like that, everyone in the world likes you. Even the neighborhood dogs and horses will probably follow that person, saying they like him.”

“Lailo, you’ve been exaggerating a lot lately.”

“Haven’t you seen how the horses’ eyes sparkle when the captain visits the royal stables?”

The horses did follow him well, but was that the reason? Eddie stuttered, unable to find words to counter. Lailo, forgetting that Lebel was nearby, started to joke around.

“Well, right now, the captain is a rose we must protect.”

“Lailo. Do you want to be hit with flowers?”

Lebel’s arm was suddenly placed on Lailo’s shoulder. But this time, he had something to say. Barely enduring the heavy weight, Lailo grumbled forcefully.

“Hey, I said don’t hit even with flowers. If you don’t want to hear such ugly words, stop falling ill and stay healthy.”

Recently, his complexion had become quite pale. Was it simply due to fatigue? Wondering if they might know something, he interrogated the members, including Eddie, but they all said they didn’t know.

Just as they were about to return to their post with a sigh, someone caught their eye.

“Oh, it’s Her Majesty the Empress.”

Before Eddie’s words were finished, Lebel had already turned his head, sensing Ilarid’s presence. Lebel’s eyes narrowed instantly.

Ilarid and Lindein Lachman. A conversation between just the two of them. Tension and anxiety made Lebel’s fingertips tingle. It was worry, but also an ambiguous obsession.

Should he approach secretly? His stealth ability was unreliable, but it was good enough to suppress his presence for a moment.

Eventually, the two walked in the same direction. That direction was Anent Palace, where the Eastern Continent’s envoys were staying. The usual head maid was nowhere to be seen. For what reason did they want to meet privately?

After hesitating several times, Lebel ultimately remained in place, unable to follow. Only a hollow gaze followed Ilarid.

He noticed an unpleasant feeling creeping up from the bottom of his heart.

Possessiveness. The desire for her to look at no one else and only at him. Lebel shook his head invisibly. How dare he, in his position, try to monopolize his lord, who was both the Empress and his lady?

“… Let’s return to our post.”

Following Ilarid like this would disrupt the schedule. Even Lebel himself couldn’t allow himself to hold her back.

But Lebel looked back several times. Had she not noticed? Ilarid didn’t turn her gaze towards where Lebel stood even once.

For Lindein, it was an ordinary walk like any other day. As he was hurrying his steps, enjoying the morning sunlight, a familiar voice came from behind.

“Ambassador Lindein.”

He thought they might face each other and have a conversation someday, but he didn’t expect it to be today. Lindein turned around, trying to maintain a calm expression.

“… Your Majesty the Empress.”

She was holding a small book in her hand. Ilarid’s eyes bored into him. What flashed briefly in the Empress’s eyes was a question. She probably stopped him to ask something.

A strange blue light mixed with slight curiosity and anxiety. Was there such a beautiful color in the world? His lips parted slightly, and a hot breath escaped.

That light brought a small blue wave into Lindein. It was a spray of water a bit overwhelming to fully accept.

He could avoid her gaze under the pretext of etiquette, but how long could that last?

The Empress, who probably didn’t know his feelings, spoke in a calm voice.

“Are you out for a walk?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I hope you’re not too busy. I have a question for Ambassador Lindein.”

“How could I postpone a question from Your Majesty? However, it would also be impolite to waste Your Majesty’s time on the street…”

Lindein noticed the presence of a ‘shadow’ from the other side. How intense it is. Does he always look at the Empress like this?

Rather than a ‘shadow’, perhaps the nickname ‘dog’ would suit him better, circling around the Empress with love disguised as loyalty.

A human with unknown, mysterious life forms dangling on his back that even he doesn’t know about.

Perhaps he’s cursed, spreading that ominousness everywhere. Although quite far away, near the mercenary captain, the sound of a black form spreading through the gaps in the air could be heard.

An unpleasant noise like a many-legged insect crawling on a wooden floor. It was irritating in many ways.

Lindein decided to take a reckless adventure.

“I will escort you to Anent Palace.”

He bowed politely, guiding Ilarid. What expression would that Lebel be making as he watched this scene? A faint smile spread across Lindein’s lips.

For a very brief moment, a fleeting thought of wanting to read his mind crossed his mind. He wasn’t usually the type to enjoy knowing others’ sense of defeat, so this was quite strange.

Every step the Empress took towards Anent Palace was filled with hesitation. Lebel was over there. Ilarid tried hard to manage her expression.

If she turned back now, it might raise suspicions of having assigned a watchdog. The desire to look back and the knowledge that she shouldn’t mercilessly clawed at her insides.

How many steps had she taken? When she finally turned back, Lebel had already left and was nowhere to be seen.

Anent Palace didn’t have a separate reception room. A small garden in the center of the building served that purpose instead.

A table and chairs were placed in the courtyard, and warm tea was prepared. She probably wouldn’t drink it anyway. While the maids busied themselves pulling out chairs, Ilarid observed Lindein’s movements.

‘Is he uncomfortable because I’m the Empress?’

He hadn’t made eye contact with Ilarid the entire way to Anent Palace. And he still wasn’t. They say eyes are the windows to the soul. Lindein seemed like a person who had closed those windows and shut out even the light.

“What would you like to know?”

Lindein went straight to the point. This was much better than beating around the bush. Ilarid decided to match Lindein’s pace. She opened the small notebook she was holding and took out a leaf that had been bookmarked.

It was a leaf from the ‘Selina’ flower she had brought from Cledius’s greenhouse.

“Is there, by chance, a plant with leaves like this in the Eastern Continent? It had beautiful pink flowers.”

“Well…”

Lindein’s words trailed off vaguely.

“I’m embarrassed to say, but I don’t know much about plants.”

“…Ambassador Lindein. Would you please look me in the eye when you speak?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“You keep avoiding my gaze, so I can’t help but be suspicious. It’s as if you know something but are hiding it.”

Oh dear. He clenched his fists. He couldn’t just keep resisting the Empress’s words. He bit his lower lip slightly and met Ilarid’s eyes.

‘You know, don’t you? Tell me.’

What should he do about this? This time, even Lindein felt a bit wronged. He really didn’t know about this plant.

Perhaps it really was just a weed growing wild somewhere in the Eastern Continent. But unless one was a scholar, how could anyone know the names of every plant in this world?

“…I’m sorry. If Your Majesty needs it, I will bring you a plant encyclopedia compiled in the Eastern Continent. It should have records of all the plants native to the Pegeian Federation…”

It should have ended with a simple ‘I don’t know,’ but strangely, he wanted to say more. Lindein realized for the first time that such lengthy excuses could come out of his mouth.

“No, I’m the one who was rude. I interrogated the ambassador out of the blue.”

However, Ilarid didn’t seem to have completely withdrawn her suspicions. Perhaps his acting wasn’t perfect enough. An awkward smile naturally rose to Lindein’s lips.

It was the first time he wanted to know more about someone. At the same time, he didn’t want to read her mind.

He didn’t want to hurt her or be hurt. Lindein Lachman, the mind-reading sorcerer, had long since noticed that the Empress’s heart was directed towards only one person.

Not making eye contact was avoidance born from fear. He didn’t want to confirm the complete absence of feelings for him.

Ilarid scrutinized this enigmatic man again. This man, a sorcerer and envoy from Pegeia, couldn’t meet people’s eyes.

It wasn’t that he was awkwardly forcing himself to avoid it. It seemed as if there was a reason he had to do so. It was as natural as a long-ingrained habit.

“My sworn younger brother who entered the country with me runs quite a large merchant group. I’ll try to find out through them.”

“No, there’s no need to go that far…”

“If it can satisfy Your Majesty the Empress’s curiosity, such effort is nothing.”

The conversation that followed was utterly commonplace. It was polite dialogue wrapped in proper etiquette, communication that didn’t stray from the norm.

That really was the end of it. The Empress left, saying she had another appointment. Only Lindein remained in the central garden of Anent Palace. The black tea, still steaming, looked lonely.

If only they could have stayed together until that tea cooled. Lindein filled the empty teacup. The taste of the over-steeped tea was particularly bitter and astringent.

**

The wind gusted, billowing the clothes of Lebel, who stood on the roof.

Luth and Eddie had offered to accompany him, but he refused, saying it was a tracking mission. Was it because he had just watched Ilarid from afar? A part of his heart felt strangely cold, but it was already in the past.

Would he feel upset just because she talked to someone else? Lebel mocked his own pettiness. Then, with his face hidden below his eyes, he focused on the mission.

People passing through the back alleys came into view one by one. But Lebel was after someone else.

Judging by Cledius’s reaction at the Imperial Palace last time, he seemed uncomfortable with the fact that Ilarid was deliberately visiting the Gloria Foundation.

How much did Cledius know? Was it just about embezzling the donations coming into the foundation, or was he pretending not to know about all the illegal activities going on beyond that?

The back alleys were still lawless zones, just as Lebel remembered. There were cases where disputes could easily lead to knife fights, and it was frequent for people to die lying face down in the alleys without even being reported to the patrol officers.

He waited quietly for his target on the rooftop. Like a bird of prey circling the sky in search of its prey, he had to snatch it faster than anyone else from a position others couldn’t see.

At last, the person Lebel had been waiting for appeared in his sight. Lebel suppressed his presence and moved along the roof, following the target.

The man was cautiously watching both sides, but failed to guard above. It was when the people in the alley had dwindled one by one, and he was finally left alone.

Now.

Lebel lightly dropped down. It was a movement so quick that an ordinary person wouldn’t have even noticed. The sound of landing was not heard.