It was a low and quiet voice. A vein popped on Daiban’s forehead.

Sensing Daiban’s murderous aura, the two men who were conversing earlier spoke with slightly trembling voices.

“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding, young master! We were just joking among ourselves!”

“Th-that’s right. How could we say such things?”

“Ah, is that so?”

Daiban twisted the corners of his mouth into a sneer.

“Do you take me for a fool?”

‘Gasp.’

Even though he wasn’t directly angry at me, I felt a chill down my spine.

‘Daiban is extremely angry.’

It was completely different from when he fought with Michael last time. Back then, he was just childishly excited, but now I could feel a real killing intent.

Soon, I noticed the magic power rippling from where Daiban was standing. It was the same energy that had uprooted trees and shaken the ground last time.

“Da-Daiban!”

I quickly came out of hiding and called out to him.

Daiban turned his head slightly. When our eyes met, he frowned.

“Oh? Who might that person be…?”

“Shh, shh!”

The young man seemed to have not heard any news about me.

The older man next to him elbowed him and said with a knowing smile,

“Haha, it’s the young lady! She must have been looking for the young master! W-well then, we’ll be taking our leave!”

Seeing this as their chance, the two quickly moved away. Daiban’s gaze persistently followed the backs of the two men.

Only after the two had completely disappeared did Daiban turn his head.

“What?”

It was only after I recklessly sought out Daiban that I realized. Daiban was currently angry to the tips of his hair, and I was defenseless in front of him.

‘What if his anger turns towards me?’

But even if I could turn back time, my choice would have been the same. Because earlier, Daiban really looked like he was going to kill those two.

Now, although he was still angry, the murderous intent that had been flashing in his eyes was gone.

“Didn’t you have something to say to me?”

“Ah, um. Well-”

I racked my brain for the right words to say. What would be appropriate to say right now? It’s snack time right now, but…

“Don’t tell me you were worried I might do something to those guys-”

“Let’s have a snack together!”

I blurted it out before Daiban could more accurately figure out my true intentions.

Daiban closed his mouth and stared at me blankly. He seemed a bit surprised.

‘I messed up.’

In truth, I regretted it as soon as I said it. It would sound like I made it up on the spot to anyone listening.

“You came looking for me because you wanted to have a snack together?”

I looked down at the floor, hesitating to answer. Daiban’s words were full of doubt.

I decided to be honest now.

“No, I just said that…”

“Well, whatever.”

At this unexpected response, I looked up to see Daiban had already started walking away with big strides.

“Aren’t you coming? You said you wanted to have a snack together, right?”

“Ah, yes!”

As we walked down the corridor, Daiban didn’t even look in my direction. He spoke as if throwing words carelessly while looking into the distance or somewhere else entirely.

“So you’ve been looking for me all this time?”

“Next time, if I’m not in my room, you can come to Michael’s room.”

“By the way, what do you like the most?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Upon returning to his room, Count Basco slammed the door shut. He could hear the servants outside murmuring, but he paid no attention.

He irritably loosened his tie and threw it forcefully on the floor.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

That little brat, how dare he be so impudent!

“Does he know who I am!”

Although his count family was far inferior to the duke’s family, he was still a person who came to deliver the emperor’s message. Strictly speaking, he could claim to have the qualifications of the emperor’s proxy.

But that bastard who wasn’t even old enough to shave spoke informally to him, spitting out words.

Not just informal speech, but his attitude full of killing intent had even intimidated Viscount Roteil, who had come along to serve him.

The smile he had put on earlier now felt incredibly servile.

Count Basco, unable to calm his excited mind, continued to rage alone in the room, pacing back and forth.

Moreover, where was the room he was guided to now? It was a room in the annex, not even in the main building.

‘Like father, like son!’

Using the excuse that there were no prepared rooms, they had given them a room remaining in the annex.

The size of the main building was truly enormous.

Although not as big as the imperial palace, judging by the widely spread premises around it, it was clear that if they wanted to expand, it could easily become comparable to the imperial palace.

Yet in that vast building, there wasn’t a single room for them to stay in?

‘How dare these insects disrespect me!’

Count Basco angrily threw the teacup he was holding. It fell onto the thick carpet and rolled around without breaking.

“Damn it!”

Count Basco, who had been pacing back and forth, finally unable to control his anger, flung the door open again.

“What, do you need something?”

“Prepare to leave!”

“Eh?! You’re going back right away without resting more?”

“Yes! We’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning, so be ready!”

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day, after having a satisfying breakfast, I was in the study room with the duke.

I sat on his lap, scanning through the list of the inspection team.

Next to each name, there was a small emblem drawn, with one dot and three small dots inside a circle, and so on.

Usually, the order of such lists was based on rank. The person at the top would have the highest rank.

‘The person with one dot is the highest-ranking person.’

The two people Daiban had encountered earlier also had the same emblems on their clothes. I realized that this was the insignia indicating their rank. If so, I could easily tell who those two people were.

‘Count Basco and Viscount Roteil.’

Count Basco was the emperor’s chamberlain. Viscount Roteil also seemed to be from a similar department.

Now I could understand why those two were so boldly criticizing my father at the duke’s residence.

‘They have backing.’

They came to deliver the emperor’s message, and as they directly served the emperor, their noses seemed to have reached the sky.

‘But they almost got taught a lesson by Daiban.’

Even during snack time earlier, I deliberately offered Daiban sweet cake and gave him the world’s most delicious chocolate milk.

I knew he usually ate squid or dried foods. But I offered him sweet things hoping it would improve his mood.

‘Eating sweet things makes you feel better, right?’

“Is that interesting?”

“Hehe, no! I was just looking!”

The duke asked while patting my head. I swung my feet and checked the time.

‘It’s already been an hour?’

I had already checked the list, so there was nothing more to see. I slid down to the floor with an “oof.”

“I’m not busy today, so you can play more if you want.”

“Really?”

That can’t be right, father is usually a very busy person.

“Father wouldn’t be like that, look again carefully.”

“I’m free today. Or should we go for a walk together-”

In the middle of the duke’s sentence, someone knocked on the door. Tok tok tok! It was a sound that anyone would recognize as urgent and anxious.

But the duke acted as if he hadn’t heard it, tightly closing his mouth. Somehow, his expression seemed to have darkened even more than before.

“Someone just knocked on the door!”

“…Come in.”

Reluctantly, the duke gave permission, and Philen burst through the door.

“My, my lord!”

“What is it.”

“Th-that is…”

But Philen’s expression was strange. Half of it was extremely happy, and half was full of worry, as if deeply shadowed.

And the reason soon became clear.

“Count Basco says he’s leaving now!”

[This is the timeline separator]

The duke immediately began preparations with Philen.

The reason for the preparations was that, unlike when they arrived suddenly without notice, it was basic courtesy to see them off to the teleport when they were leaving.

“I want to go too!”

“Alright, get ready and come down.”

The duke readily agreed, so I quickly called Delma. Delma, while choosing clothes for me to wear, said in an excited voice:

“That’s great, young miss! Then before today is over, Lady Sophia will be able to return to the mansion too!”

“Yes!”

That was good for me too. It was fortunate, but I had a small doubt.

“By the way, Delma, what day is it today?”

“It’s the 11th day of the month of Galsen, Imperial Year 1048. Why do you ask?”

“Mmm, it’s nothing.”

Originally, the inspection team was supposed to leave two days later.

This was because using teleportation was taxing on the body, so it was better to rest for at least a day before using teleportation again.

Of course, it wasn’t impossible to use teleportation two days in a row. Depending on one’s condition and recovery rate, it was entirely possible to use teleportation on consecutive days.

However, most people felt extreme fatigue from teleportation…

Leaving right after arriving meant they were willing to endure all of that just to get out of here quickly.

‘Is it because of yesterday’s incident with Daiban?’

When we all got ready and went down to the main entrance, we could see people from the inspection team busily coming out of the annex.

“But why are those people coming out of the annex?”

“We gave them rooms in the annex.”

Philen explained quietly, covering his mouth with one hand. I looked at them with a slightly disgruntled expression.

‘I see…’

Besides the incident with Daiban, it seemed they were also dissatisfied with being given rooms in the annex.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright using teleportation right away?”

“Of course it’s fine. Recently, they’ve even developed teleportation-specific motion sickness medicine in the capital. Ah, but that might be information unknown to you, Duke, who only stays in Hesera.”

Count Basco made no attempt to hide his hostility towards the duke. In contrast, the duke looking at him remained composed.

“That’s fortunate then. Well, although you came without notice, we’ll see you off properly on your way back.”

It was a statement implying that next time, they shouldn’t come rudely without prior notice.

Seeming to understand this, Count Basco snorted like an angry bull and got into the carriage.

“Let’s go too.”

The people seeing off the inspection team were decided to be the duke, Clemens, and me.

‘Still, they’re departing on a different date than in the original story.’

The magic accident at the teleport was supposed to happen tomorrow.

Whatever the reason, if the inspection team returns to the capital now, they won’t suffer the magic accident.

Then the teleport in Hesera won’t be blocked in the future either.

The blocking of the teleport connected to the capital would have been an enormous loss in many ways.

Just considering the duke’s annual visit to pay respects to the emperor, it would take a month for the round trip.

‘But it was resolved unexpectedly easily.’

Although they almost got into big trouble for badmouthing the duke in front of Daiban.

But Daiban was quieter than expected. He wasn’t seen at breakfast this morning either.

‘Is he oversleeping?’