Bahamal, who had finished talking with someone who was once Prince Mahanas’s servant, turned his back. It was about time for his master to come out.

As if his prediction was not wrong, a man with bright blonde hair appeared in the distance. Noticing that his master’s complexion was not good, Bahamal hurriedly approached him.

Up close, the master’s face looked even worse. Bahamal supported the man who was as pale as a sheet. He asked in a low voice.

“What happened?”

The master took a deep breath and lowered his eyes. His gently curved golden eyelashes trembled.

“No, it’s nothing. Just, it seems Ophelia is still not fully appeased.”

Bahamal realized that his master was tightly gripping something. What was held in his hand, clenched so tightly that veins were visible, was something he also knew.

Wasn’t it the marriage gift his master had sent to the Crown Princess of Aglante?

Returning a marriage gift was something that shouldn’t be done without a significant reason. Unless there was a corresponding wrongdoing, it was considered quite an insult. Bahamal’s face hardened.

His master, leaning slightly on him, said with a sigh,

“… It’s unlike Ophelia, but I think she can do that when angry. People don’t always… make the right choices in life.”

“But this is…”

“It’s fine. When her emotions settle, she’ll come back to me. After all, I’m the only one who will always be there for Ophelia… More importantly, did you find out what I asked?”

At that, Bahamal recalled the conversation he had just had with Prince Reden’s servant. He bowed his head slightly and answered.

“Yes.”

The master slightly flicked his hand as if to say report. While supporting him and walking towards where the carriage was, Bahamal recited what he had heard from Silder in a voice only audible to his master.

“Her Majesty the Queen seemed to be doing well. She doesn’t leave the castle or engage in public activities, but it appeared her relationship with her husband was good.”

At this, the master’s face turned even paler. Bahamal, concerned that his words might be causing the young man pain, paused for a moment.

But the master was adamant. He spoke in a cool voice.

“Continue.”

“… Those who thought the relationship between the two wasn’t good due to the lack of public activities have changed their minds after a recent incident.”

“What incident.”

“There was a bit of a commotion in the parliament, and it’s said the king expelled an elder noble for the queen. As it was a family that usually wielded power, everyone thought it must have been quite an affection…”

“Ha, affection.”

The master’s voice carried an unusual contempt. Considering how gentle he usually was, it was a startling change, but Bahamal thought it was because the young man had been deeply hurt. He was already too deeply devoted to his master for his loyalty to be shaken by just that much.

Realizing they had reached where people were, Bahamal paused his words. The master also didn’t ask him to say more.

An attendant waiting outside the castle gates opened the carriage door.

Bahamal, after helping his master into the carriage, also got in. As the closed carriage slowly began to move, the young man spoke.

“Rather than expelling the elder for Ophelia’s sake, he probably used her. It’s a well-known fact even in the Empire that the current Crown Prince doesn’t get along with the council of elders.”

Bahamal fully understood what his master was saying, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the young man was interpreting the situation in a way that would hurt him the least.

Looking out the carriage window with red, transparent eyes, the master continued.

“It must have been a planned move. Find out exactly what the situation is with the family that was affected by this incident.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“I’m always grateful.”

The words of praise in return were brief, but that was enough for Bahamal. He bowed his head briefly.

“Did you hear anything else?”

“Ah, the person sent as the Queen’s servant was working at the laundry.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it seems they were originally under the prince but came along with the wedding procession this time.”

“Then why isn’t she by Ophelia’s side?”

“It seems she was deliberately cast out. I heard the castle’s head servant personally took care of it.”

The young man’s delicate eyebrows twitched. Bahamal saw this through the carriage window.

“The head servant? Not Ophelia?”

“Yes. They said they hadn’t even properly seen Her Majesty’s face. They asked to relay their situation to Prince Reden.”

“They seem to think something will change if their story reaches the prince.”

“As you know, Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen is soft towards her family.”

Rather than soft, it would be more appropriate to say she’s tightly held by them, but Bahamal deliberately changed the subject. It was because she was someone his master held in his heart, rather than because she was royalty.

Still looking out the window, the young man said,

“But would Ophelia have dismissed the servants without anticipating that?”

“Since she’s gone far from home, she might have thought family opinions would also be distant. She is still young, after all.”

“True, Ophelia has only lived in the palace. And now she has a new husband to rely on.”

And the master lowered his eyes, red as jewels. He slightly furrowed his fine brow and said,

“Bahamal, I’m really worried about Ophelia.”

“… For what reason do you say that?”

From an objective point of view, the master had no reason to care for his friend anymore. When she was the princess of Reden, it was understandable to worry as she was under oppressive family members, but now the master’s friend was the Crown Princess of Aglante.

Although Aglante was called a grand duchy, its power was no less than that of an independent country. Even the Empire, which was once a fraternal country, had not interfered in its internal affairs for quite some time.

What was there to worry about for someone who had ascended to the position of queen of such a country?

But the master, kind-hearted and gentle by nature, seemed unable to put his mind at ease with just that.

“They may be on good terms now since they’re newlyweds. But the Crown Prince decided to marry Ophelia after only seeing her portrait. It’s too obvious what moved his heart.”

If only Ophelia had been a princess of a country other than Reden, one could think the purpose was a political alliance, but…

The young man trailed off, but Bahamal immediately understood his meaning. It was natural since he knew well about Prince Mahanas and the situation in Reden.

His master, who had also become gloomy, drove the point home.

“It’s just desire kindled by appearance alone. They may be intoxicated with the heat of newlyweds now… But after that cools, will the Crown Prince still be gentle to Ophelia?”

Netepel knew he would not.

Men’s lust was fleeting. People tired of what they saw more easily than they thought.

How deep could the love of a man who chose his lifelong wife based solely on appearance be? The Crown Prince’s heart would wither as soon as Ophelia became entangled in a few problems.

Netepel knew that when that time came, Ophelia would seek him out again.

Regardless of how strictly Mahanas had raised her, Ophelia was accustomed to men who treated her well. Her former fiancé, Haslen, had treated her like a snowflake in midsummer, and the Crown Prince of Aglante had intoxicated her with newlywed dreams.

So even though she had cut him off sharply now, once her husband’s heart cooled, she would think of him again.

He just had to be patient until then. Ophelia had a soft spot for people even when she pretended not to, so she wouldn’t be able to ignore him forever.

Having consoled himself, Netepel spoke to his servant who probably didn’t understand even half of his inner thoughts.

“Besides, the Crown Prince… this might sound strange, but he felt somewhat unsettling.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just, the person himself. You know. I’ve been sensitive to such things since I was young, always paying attention to my surroundings.”

To be precise, he was someone who gave off an unpleasant feeling that didn’t seem to come from a human, but Netepel didn’t voice that much.

Bahamal didn’t know that he had received divine revelation, or that he had offered his body to the divine and gained senses beyond human.

The servant, who always felt sorry for his master’s discriminated past, didn’t ask further.

While it was true that he was a useful pawn, sometimes his loyalty could be bothersome, so Netepel decided to enjoy the silence.

Looking out the window at the scenery of Edegrun, he recalled the moment when he had physical contact with the Crown Prince.

When the man grabbed his wrist in the corridor of the castle, Netepel felt a discomfort he had never felt from anyone in the world. It was a sensation far surpassing any human aversion he had ever held. As if he had touched something that was fundamentally incompatible…

If he could, he wanted to ask the divine what that sensation was, but the divine hadn’t given him any revelations for quite some time. It seemed they wouldn’t say anything until he obtained the blood of Runtalis.

It was an attitude incomparably more dogmatic than the initial gentle and generous appearance, but for now, there was nothing he could do but comply.

He just had to endure until he got what he wanted. Netepel reaffirmed once again. Once he brought Ophelia to his side, he would no longer care about the divine or sacrifices. After all, the divine couldn’t act without receiving sacrifices, so by then, the initiative would be his.

Looking at the plain beyond the drawbridge they had just crossed, Netepel said,

“On the way back to Reden, I should stop by the merchant guild to press for Prince Mahanas’s debt. It’s true that I’ve been considerate because he’s Ophelia’s brother, but… now the prince also has a presentable brother-in-law in the Crown Prince.”

Bahamal immediately brightened at his words.

“That’s a good idea.”