Before dawn broke, Lutis, who had left the imperial palace and returned to the ducal castle, loosened his grip on the horse’s reins.

After dismounting and sending the horse back to the stable.

Naturally, the place he turned his steps towards was not the bedroom of the ducal castle, but the location of Aeli’s grave.

At the very front of the burial ground, where only members of the ducal family are laid to rest, reached by following a small path behind the annex.

“……”

Lutis walked across the main garden, trying to arrive as quickly as possible while searching his memories.

‘…A war, he said.’

He didn’t have time to even think, let alone process the sudden news.

Right after those words, the emperor, who had thrown the two sheets of paper on the table into the fireplace to burn, released the soundproofing magic.

As it was an extremely confidential matter, the conversation ended without any further opportunity to question it. It was no different from the emperor’s indirect declaration that he would not allow any questions from the beginning.

Thus, he was forced to leave the emperor’s quarters and make an early return.

When he came to his senses, his body was already gripping the reins atop a galloping horse.

Flinch.

It was just as Lutis, who had been moving his feet without a clear focus, was about to pass the annex garden.

“……”

Lutis, who lowered his gaze to check something that caught his foot, had a ripple in his eyes for a moment.

A cluster of wildflowers, blooming small and cozy, unsuitable for the place decorated with bright and luscious flowers and trees.

‘…Come to think of it, I had ordered to make something like this too.’

It was something he had been secretly preparing for Aeli, who clearly enjoyed going out for walks on days when she was in good condition.

Seeing her carefully wiping a tiny vase every day, he couldn’t help but know that it was an object Aeli cherished very much.

[Do you like it that much, Young Lady?] [Of course. Didn’t I tell you? This has a really meaningful significance.] [You’ve told me many times. But today, you just seem to be in a particularly good mood, so I thought I’d ask.]

Since overhearing such a conversation in front of the bedroom door one day, he had been keeping an eye on the flowerpot.

Then he realized that the small flowers, arranged to fit the size of the tiny vase, were always kept fresh.

As the ducal residence had never brought in such small flowers before, he thought he should have them newly made on the side.

“The same flowers being there bothered me so much.”

He guessed that the only flowers that could be replaced daily to fit the size of the vase were wildflowers, which were commonly found on the roadside and easy to obtain, so they were always decorated with the same thing.

So, after making inquiries, Lutis ordered the flowerbed to be arranged with only small but pretty-shaped flowers.

On a day when the flowerbed was completed, the sunshine was good, and Aeli’s physical condition was fine.

He had planned to show Aeli the beautifully arranged flowers and present them to her on such a day.

…Although now that the weather had turned cold, most of the petals had fallen off and withered unsightly.

“Well, it doesn’t matter……”

Lutis looked at the nearly completed flowerbed, a place that would have been clearly finished if there had been just a day or two more, and then turned his head.

There was no point in regretting the incompletion anyway, as there was no one to show it to anymore.

Lutis forcibly averted his gaze and resumed his steps that had paused for a moment.

Rustle―

If not for the sound of something passing behind the annex, he would have headed straight to Aeli’s grave along the path.

“……?”

Lutis, who reflexively turned his head towards the source of the sound, blinked slowly.

‘That just now……’

It seemed to be a person.

Unconsciously putting strength into his hand, a cracking sound of joints echoed. Lutis pondered while listening to that sound.

Should I catch that.

Actually, it was a presence that could be ignored and passed by without any problem.

Although what he sensed was indeed the movement of a person, it didn’t seem to be someone who had mastered any special martial arts.

The only thing that bothered him was……

[I couldn’t find out when Rothenia discovered the existence of a mithril mine in the border region, but according to the spy planted there, Rothenia also sent an envoy to the empire some time ago.] [Ratliffe also brought in additional servants half a year ago, perhaps.]

“……”

It just so happened that the conversation he had with the emperor came to mind at that moment.

Only after the presence, which had been hesitating for a while as if observing the surroundings, stopped at one place.

‘……The sun will rise soon, it seems.’

Lutis, who raised his gaze to look at the sky, thought.

Although the ducal residence didn’t have as many people moving at such an early hour as the imperial palace, it wasn’t as if there were none at all.

Mainly the head chef and servants in charge of cooking, and the knights who had to do morning training.

‘Surely some of them will come out soon after daybreak.’

If they were to encounter them while many people were coming and going to the place where the grave was located……

“……It’s only a matter of time before rumors start.”

Even if they could be silenced for now, it didn’t seem like the secret would be kept for long.

If the cause of Aeli’s grave being dug up couldn’t be found, it would be necessary to assign knights to guard the grave.

‘With the situation that will unfold afterwards being a problem, this kind of―’

Lutis habitually rummaged through the inner pocket of his clothing, his head aching involuntarily.

Then, realizing that he hadn’t brought any headache medicine separately due to his hasty preparations to enter the palace, he frowned deeply.

“Ha…….”

Lutis, who pressed his brow as if troubled, took a step.

“…Luckily, it doesn’t seem to be a spy.”

Lutis, who had checked with indifferent eyes the scene of a figure presumed to be a maid muttering while constantly peeking in front of the fire pit, soon lost interest.

He had confirmed it, so that was enough. It was just as he was about to turn his back with that thought.

“I’m sure I learned how to use the incinerator… Is the firepower weak?”

It doesn’t seem to be broken… The maid tilted her head and straightened her upper body that had been bent forward.

Then, the interior of the magical tool was revealed, as if boasting that it had turned red due to the high temperature. And at that moment, the object that the maid was trying to burn was vaguely visible.

“…!”

Lutis, who had widened his eyes, swiftly moved his feet forward.

Because he had deliberately suppressed his presence, the maid did not realize that someone was right next to her until he was very close.

“…Move aside for a moment.”

“…? Who, ugh…!”

Du, Duke? Although a trembling voice, seemingly surprised, was calling him, Lutis approached the magical tool without paying attention.

However, the pattern of the object he found inside, hoping that he had seen it wrong, did not change at all.

Bang!

“Ahhh!”

Before he could even think of anything, his body moved first.

Lutis, who had smashed the magical tool with his fist, picked up the object with his bare hands.

Sizzle.

At the same time as the eerie sound of flesh burning, a nauseating smell spread through the air and stung his nose.

“Why is this in this state now…?”

A lattice pattern engraved on a white background. Although it was heated and covered in ash, making it difficult to discern the original color, and only a part of the pattern was visible as it was broken and shattered.

There was no way he could not recognize it. It was an object that had been placed in the bedroom every day for several years.

Lutis, with a pale complexion, trembled and turned his head. Even though his hand was being seared by the heated porcelain, he did not feel the pain, perhaps due to the shock.

The maid, whose eyes met Lutis’, gulped and opened her mouth.

“Duke… Duke, that’s not it…”

“Go ahead.”

“…Pardon?”

“Didn’t you have something to say? I told you to make an excuse. I’ll listen.”

As strength entered his grip, he felt the sensation of the heated fragment digging into his flesh, but no blood came out, perhaps because it was immediately cauterized.

Upon hearing Lutis’ answer that he would listen to her story, the maid knelt down with an even more frightened face than before. She seemed to have instinctively realized that no matter what she said, it would not get through.

“I was in charge of staying by the young master’s side until he fell asleep at dawn. That’s, that is… While the head maid was asleep! The attendant who usually took care of the young master during that time couldn’t come out due to an injury…!”

“So.”

“Since I happened to be in charge of cleaning the bedroom this morning, I thought it would be good to save time. I was going to just wipe off the dust while the young master was asleep…”

“……”

“But I accidentally bumped into the table, and due to the impact, the vase on top swayed and ended up…”

The maid’s voice was moist as she bowed her head deeply. She was probably crying.

Lutis lowered his gaze a little and looked at the handkerchief sticking out between the maid’s pockets. As if sensing that gaze, the maid quickly took out the handkerchief and unfolded it on her hands to show him.

“I’m so, so sorry. I knew I shouldn’t do this, but in, in the moment, I was so scared that I unknowingly did this—”

“…There should have been people standing guard not only at the door but also in various parts of the mansion, so how did you hide it?”

“I used, sob… I used the passage exclusive to the servants…”

Lutis silently bent his waist to the maid who burst into tears alone without any provocation.

He took the handkerchief the maid was holding and held it out with both hands.

A few slightly crumpled flowers were still attached, as if there had been no time to put them in together.

“The rest…”

…Is obvious. They would have turned to ashes. Lutis muttered softly.

“……”

Strength entered his grip again. The flower petals that had been pitifully clinging onto the small piece of cloth were crumpled haphazardly in his palm…

He didn’t care. What was this trivial thing?

Even though the season was not right and it couldn’t have been newly placed for a long time, the flowers were as vivid as if they had just been picked.

But unfortunately, Lutis did not notice this fact. He only opened his mouth to speak.

“…Porcelain doesn’t burn in fire. Didn’t you know that?”

A voice so dry that he flinched for a moment after uttering it himself squeezed out of his throat.

The maid, as if belatedly recalling it, made an “oh no” face and pressed her forehead to the ground.

“I’m, I’m sorry! I have committed a sin worthy of death! Please… sob, please spare my life just once!”

“…Don’t worry. You won’t die.”

“Duke!”

Whether they heard the roar from breaking the magical tool and came to find out, or whether they came to look for him who did not show up even though it was time.

Lutis, seeing the captain of the knights running from afar, reached out his arm to his waist.

Shing.

“Duke…! Why are you here, no… What is this…?”

“Go and restrain her so she can’t move.”

“……”

The captain of the knights, who had opened his mouth to refute something while looking at the maid trembling and begging for forgiveness, couldn’t say a word upon discovering the sword in Lutis’ hand and the fragments scattered on the floor.

He merely closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, grabbing the maid’s shoulders as ordered.

“It wasn’t intentional! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose! Please have mercy…!”

“You should have said that before throwing these into the fire pit.”

It can’t even be restored now that a part of it has already disappeared.

There was no anger in his voice. His face was only calm.

He seemed to have thought, just for a fleeting moment, that he was too tired to bear it anymore.

“Spare my life…!”

“I said I won’t kill you.”

The moonlight flickered on the blade that struck down.

It was shortly before dawn arrived.