“Ah… That scared me…”
My heart was pounding so hard that I could hear it in my ears.
I never expected Edmund to voluntarily close the distance and even tuck my hair behind my ear.
I glanced at Edmund out of the corner of my eye.
Beyond a few strands of his vibrant red hair fluttering like silk threads, his expression remained blank.
“This type is the most dangerous.”
The kind who, without even realizing it, ensnares others with unconscious gestures.
The only difference now was that we trusted each other, yet his demeanor had changed drastically.
His gaze before and even now—if it were directed at another woman, it could easily be misunderstood. But I knew for certain that his actions were purely out of goodwill, not affection.
Feigning composure, I smiled brightly.
“Where was I in my story?”
“You were talking about managing the territory and business.”
“Ah, right. Because of that, I think I’ll need to visit the Buell County estate in two days. Since I’m staying here as a guest, I should inform them I’ll be away.”
“In that case, I’ll assign you a knight.”
A knight? I hesitated for a moment.
The soldiers of the Mipedian Duchy were highly skilled, many having participated in subjugation battles. I didn’t doubt their abilities, but guarding someone required more than just combat skills.
For instance, a good guard should be perceptive enough to step away when their charge engages in a private conversation. Besides, the Buell estate was probably safer for me than even the capital.
“Still… having one would be reassuring.”
It wouldn’t be surveillance anymore.
Since I had no real reason to refuse, I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled.
“Thank you for assigning me a knight, little brother. I’ll be in good hands.”
Edmund slowly blinked and nodded.
At that moment, the wind that had been blowing in the opposite direction subsided. As I let my hair fall loose and began mentally preparing for the trip, I absentmindedly rubbed the spot on my neck where his cold fingers had brushed.
Edmund left the terrace, and Rail closely followed him to the office.
As Edmund circled his desk, stacked high with documents, he spoke.
“Is there a knight under Tale’s command suitable for escort duty?”
“Ah, for the visit to Count Buell’s estate?”
Edmund halted abruptly. His golden eyes sharpened as he turned toward Rail.
Rail, standing at the desk, flinched under his piercing gaze.
“How do you know about that?”
“Ah, the Count mentioned it earlier while waiting for you to return.”
“He mentioned it first…?”
Edmund raised an eyebrow, clearly displeased.
Rail’s eyes darted around nervously.
“Could it be that he’s annoyed the Count knew before he did…?”
With an awkward chuckle, Rail met Edmund’s gaze again.
After a brief exchange of stares, Edmund realized he was overreacting to a trivial matter. He rubbed his face, as if wiping away his own embarrassment.
“…Forget it. Assign an experienced knight from the duchy’s ranks when the Count departs.”
“Hmm, then a knight from the duchy rather than the subjugation unit would be better. What about Sir Whial?”
“Someone else.”
Whial was a bit too frivolous for a knight. If he were to flirt with her, it would be… troublesome. Or rather, she might actually like it. He was quite the handsome man.
“Then how about Sir David?”
“Someone else.”
“Pardon?”
According to performance reports, David made too many minor mistakes.
Edmund needed someone at least on par with himself. Well, perhaps not quite his equal, but at least an exceptional knight. That was the only way he could feel at ease letting Etricia go.
After all, last time she had been kidnapped by a awful man he couldn’t even bring himself to name. Edmund justified his meticulous concerns as natural.
Rail scratched his head, looking troubled.
The Buell estate was as safe as a cradle for the Count. As long as the knight had proper etiquette, anyone would do… but who would Edmund actually approve of?
“Ah, I remember!”
Suddenly, a certain knight came to Rail’s mind.
“What about Sir Penfert? Tale mentioned that you once praised his movements while passing by the knight’s quarters.”
“Did I?”
Leaning against the desk, Edmund tapped his fingers on the smooth wooden surface.
Now that he thought about it, there had been a knight with exceptionally swift movements that had caught his eye.
Taking Edmund’s silence as approval, Rail added, “Tale also said he’s of good character and quite handsome, so he gets a lot of marriage proposals—”
“Rejected.”
“Pardon…? Then who should I—”
“…I’ll go to the estate myself tomorrow to choose.”
Rail blinked in confusion, while Edmund, feeling oddly self-conscious, rubbed his elegant silver eyebrows before settling into his chair.
Just then, Rail’s communication device buzzed faintly in his pocket. He turned to check it, and his eyes widened.
With a grave expression, he bowed to Edmund. There was even a hint of tension on his face.
“A message from Tale. A report has come in from an illegal card gambling den in the south. Someone resembling the monster’s portrait was spotted.”
Edmund’s golden eyes flashed.
His once-calm gaze now held a fierce storm.
“The south?”
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Rail swallowed nervously.
“Yes, the details are quite specific this time. Tale seems hopeful. That area is also known for the Lebron Mines. Come to think of it, it’s close to Count Buell’s estate. Will you be investigating personally again?”
Edmund narrowed his eyes.
Of course. Every time a report of a similar sighting came in, he disguised himself and moved covertly. Only he could distinguish between a lookalike and his true nemesis.
And if even cautious Tale was optimistic, this lead was worth pursuing.
“Perhaps this time…”
A glimmer of anticipation flickered in his eyes.
“I’ll go undercover myself. Order the search team to pinpoint the exact location.”
If he moved as the Duke of Mipedian, the commotion could alert his target. He needed to act discreetly.
“Understood. Then about Count Buell’s escort…”
Edmund paused, deep in thought.
If he was going undercover, posing as Count Buell’s escort knight would be the perfect cover. It wasn’t as if he particularly disliked the idea of being by her side…
Rail tilted his head, studying Edmund’s face.
“Master?”
“…No escort is needed. Dismissed.”
“Uh… Understood.”
Still puzzled, Rail exited the office. As soon as he left, Edmund dove into his paperwork.
If he was going to be away, he had to clear as much as possible. The sheer volume would probably make Baron Montree panic.
Inside the carriage heading to the Buell estate, about an hour had passed since I bid a tearful farewell to Lilien.
Throughout the bumpy ride, one question lingered in my mind as I observed the man sitting across from me.
“He said he’d assign a knight, but…”
Edmund, staring out the window, blinked indifferently when our eyes met.
“Is something wrong?”
“…Isn’t this a waste of manpower?”
“I’m traveling incognito as a commoner. I’ve arranged separate lodging. My work won’t be disrupted, so don’t concern yourself.”
“That’s not the issue…”
Why was the famed war hero, the slayer of beasts, playing bodyguard?
Suppressing my bewilderment, I forced a smile.
He casually unbuttoned his collar, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“I have business near the estate. I’m simply accompanying you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
His firm tone left no room for doubt.
I didn’t bother to ask what his business was, and he didn’t explain either.
And so, silence began.
The carriage slowly moved closer to the portal, rolling down a tree-lined road.
The breeze that came through the window gently touched Edmund’s hair as it passed by.
The sunlight filtering through the leaves swept over him like a scanner, and the scene was so beautiful.
It looked like a movie with perfect visuals, filled with all the colors of early summer.
Maybe it was because the sunlight kept flickering in my eyes.
Or maybe I was suddenly feeling motion sickness.
Or perhaps it was because of that dazzling person sitting in front of me.
For some reason, watching that scene made my stomach flutter.
At that moment, our eyes met—
those honey-colored eyes shimmering in the light.
