A week has passed.

That night, Lutis returned to the ducal palace with the child and continued the thoughts he had in the building.

The Viscount Armando family was a house where the Duke of Duran’s younger sister held the position of head.

‘There was a lot of talk when the Duke inherited the family.’

He remembered that there was much debate about passing it to a strict person instead of the talented student who was the top of the school when he attended the academy, as it was still a rare family that followed the principle of primogeniture.

It’s certain that Duke Duran didn’t look kindly on such a sister who grew up being compared to others since childhood.

Then, was this task assigned with the intention of cutting ties when necessary?

‘…But Viscount Armando isn’t one to have much desire for power.’

It didn’t seem like he would readily agree to such a risky task.

So the most likely hypothesis was that Duke Duran had seduced Viscount Armando’s daughter. Unlike the viscount who lacked ambition, she was known to be quite extravagant, so it was possible.

‘Aside from carrying out such an act in Rattliff territory, it doesn’t make sense that a mere viscount would have connections with black magicians and the temple.’

Therefore, the suspected mastermind was ultimately Alvarez. It wouldn’t have been difficult for a ducal family that had produced the current empress.

Even then, there was only circumstantial evidence and no physical proof, so all Lutis could do in a week was reveal through interrogation that Duke Duran was involved.

The testimony of Lady Armando captured at the auction house and the magic stone containing black magic were submitted as evidence, but given that there was no talk about the magic stone, it was likely that either the temple or the imperial family had covered it up.

“……”

It was very unfortunate that such crucial evidence had vanished so easily, but possessing such an item actually posed a greater risk to the holder.

If discovered keeping it without reporting, one could be falsely accused in reverse, so it was better not to give any pretext.

And anyway…

‘From the auction house interior to the interrogation process, to handing over the magic stone as evidence for the trial, everything was recorded with a video stone…’

That should be sufficient evidence.

It was then, as Lutis was thinking this and blinking slowly.

“Until we return to the capital. Do you know why those people are here? Also, find out about the slave auction matter.”

“……”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“……”

“Those underground, you know? Don’t let them breathe easily, crush them.”

“……”

“I’ll do as you command.”

Lutis, who had been closing his eyes tightly at the child chattering alone across from him for a while now, opened his mouth.

“…Can’t you stop that for a bit?”

“Eh? Why?”

“…If you came to enjoy a boat ride, don’t just look at the doll. Look outside. You won’t be able to ride for a while when it gets cold.”

“Hmm…”

“Alright.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“……”

It didn’t work.

As Lutis’s silence lengthened, the child began talking to himself again.

Since that voice was trembling slightly, Lutis, who realized the child was deliberately teasing him, squeezed his already closed eyes even tighter.

He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t be too harsh on the child anymore.

After injuring his foot and spending a week mostly in bed, he was finally out playing, and the reason was due to his own carelessness.

Guessing that he would repeat the same words like a broken video stone for a while, Lutis said to the child.

“…Only until sunset. After that, we can’t stay because your clothes are too thin.”

“Yes! I’ll do as you command!”

“Haa……”

He felt like diving into the lake right then and there.

But he didn’t actually dive in.

After safely finishing the boat ride and returning to shore, Lutis firmly shook his head at the child clutching his trouser leg and looking up at him.

Even though he said they should go in now since the child seemed to be coming down with a cold, their opinions didn’t align and he had no choice.

“I have work to do, so I need to go in. You stay here alone then.”

He had heard that since they’re still young children, they might be stubborn at first but would usually follow, begging not to leave when you really turn your back like this.

This information was also obtained from consulting with the servants and retainers.

“Huh…!”

“If you don’t like that, then now-”

“Really?!”

“……”

However, the state of the reply that came back was somehow strange.

Lutis looked down at the child, who was asking with a brightened expression.

If he changed his words now, it seemed the child would throw himself on the ground.

“……”

Forcibly taking him in would likely result in crying and a fuss.

And actually leaving him behind was out of the question to begin with.

Lutis finally sighed and said to the child.

“…Only until sunset. No longer than that.”

“Okay!”

As the child was about to run into the bushes along with the reply, Lutis called him back and wrapped a muffler around his neck. He didn’t know if he had done it right since he had never wrapped one himself.

Lutis had never voluntarily worn a muffler before.

He had worn one occasionally, but that was mostly when figures like the Knight Commander, aide, or head servant would block the door insisting it was absolutely necessary for the day, and he reluctantly put on what the servants wrapped around him.

And very rarely…

“……”

Lutis let out a sigh as he unconsciously recalled someone.

Feeling strangely empty in his neck all of a sudden, Lutis absently stroked his bare nape a couple times.

The child had already gone behind the nearby bushes and was lying down playing.

After confirming the faint presence around, Lutis slowly moved his steps.

He sat leaning against an old tree near the bushes where the child had settled.

Lutis took out a book he had brought along earlier when coming out for the boat ride and turned the pages.

It was a book he had finally found after a few days passed, having been too busy with incidents occurring from the first day he came down to Rattliff territory.

‘…It was in the most secluded corner of the secret library, so it didn’t catch my eye.’

Since it was written long ago, it was in ancient language, so it took quite some time to read while interpreting.

He couldn’t stay in Rattliff territory forever, and there were too many eyes watching to spend all his limited time in the library.

So when day broke, he took the book outside.

Since it was an old book, he put a book cover on it separately to avoid drawing attention. It seemed not bad as it caught his eye well even when searching for books in the secret library.

Lutis carefully turned the pages, afraid they might tear, and quickly skimmed the contents inside.

Having intuited that the information he needed would soon appear when reading the night before, there was a hint of urgency in his actions.

Finally discovering the start of the sentence he wanted, Lutis deliberately feigned calmness and blinked slowly.

His fingertips may have trembled slightly, but no one would notice unless the child was watching him.

After reading a few brief lines that didn’t even fill half the page, Lutis momentarily held his breath.

He didn’t know why such content was written in a book that had clearly been abandoned in the library for hundreds of years, seemingly authored over several generations since ancient times.

While most descendants of Rattliff bloodline wielded swords, there must have been some with scholarly inclinations as well.

But he hadn’t expected there to be an eccentric who showed interest in Mason’s descendants, who were said to exhibit periodic strange behaviors, and observed them for so long.

‘Even now, there shouldn’t be anyone who knows about such things happening to Mason…’

Moreover, from what Lutis saw when he was young and dependent on the Mason family, most likely even the Mason family members themselves didn’t know this fact.

Lutis quietly closed the book after reading the short paragraph over and over for a long time.

“……”

This is, certainly something.

According to the narrator’s claims in the book, there were considerable similarities between the situations they supposedly experienced and the scene Lutis had witnessed recently.

Though he only experienced auditory hallucinations, at least the child’s behavior matched.

Even if the differences were that it was a child rather than a spouse, and the child didn’t directly claim to see Aeli.

“If…”

If that ‘apparition’ is really you…

“……”

The thought couldn’t continue further.

He fell into a light sleep as the tension eased.

How much time had passed?

Lutis blinked his now easier to open eyes blankly, suddenly feeling refreshed.

Only then did he realize it had gotten dark around him. Lutis quickly looked around. He had promised the child they would return before sunset, but he had slept too long.

He jumped up and looked around, spotting a few pieces of finger food on the basket that the child had likely eaten and left.

Lutis fixed his gaze straight ahead.

The child was sitting looking at the lake.

“……”

And floating slightly in the air.

At first he thought the child had gotten bored watching the lake alone late into the night to avoid waking him, and used magic out of boredom.

But as he approached the child, he soon realized that guess was wrong.

He paused.

Lutis looked down at the child who had come down from the air and was lying on the grass.

The child with closed eyes… was asleep.

‘Using magic even while sleeping?’

That was impossible. Or even if it were possible, why would he come back down as he approached?

For a moment, Lutis recalled the sentences he had read before falling asleep. He had repeated those few paragraphs countless times to the point of memorizing them entirely.

…it is speculated that the object serves as a medium.

Without realizing, Lutis bent down and picked up the locket hanging around the child’s neck to open it.

In that instant, the wind blew and a petal inside flew out.

At that moment, he had a strange certainty that if he missed this chance now, there would never be another.

Without hesitation, Lutis leapt to catch the petal.

And…

“…!”

He finally saw it.

The unidentified black shadow standing beside the child.