Chapter 64
The intelligent beast tilted its head, observing me with an air of understanding, or perhaps not. I borrowed a pen from the br3ast pocket of an awaiting auction house attendant and scribbled a message on the back of my note.
[Never send him to me again. This is a gift. — A]
I slipped the short reply into the tube and placed one of my auction purchases in my palm. The black eagle snatched it and soared into the sky.
“How do you know that bird? And why is its name Adel?” Hestia, who had approached me from behind, shielded her eyes with her hand as she watched the eagle and questioned me.
“Just… we became friends after I realized our names were similar.” Hestia chuckled at my nonsense.
“You seem close. How close are you to give a bird a 3,000-gold gift?” Unlike Hestia, who laughed in disbelief, Seikan’s eyes followed the black eagle’s flight path intently before turning to me.
“What did the bird take?” I had expected him to ask about the bird itself, but his question surprised me.
“That’s personal, Your Grace.” I retorted coldly.
Hestia gestured towards the knights. “If you’re so close with that bird, let us know next time. It would be a problem if it got hurt by the knights.”
Well, we’re somewhat acquainted, but I can’t exactly control it. “I’ll try. Speaking of knights, can we have that knight from before as my escort for the charity party tomorrow?”
“Who?”
“You know, the knight who was on duty the night I slept with you at the temple.” I tried to change the subject as naturally and calmly as possible, but Hestia’s expression shifted nonetheless.
“…Why that knight?”
“I haven’t seen him since. I’m curious. I’m worried he might have been severely reprimanded because of me. Was he demoted or something because of that incident?” I struggled to maintain an innocent expression, feigning naivete. I almost let my lips twitch under Hestia’s intense gaze.
“Alright. I’ll arrange it if you wish.” After a tense silence, Hestia thankfully gave me the answer I wanted.
“By the way, Adelina,” Hestia casually took Seikan’s arm and linked it with hers. “I just remembered there’s something I need to discuss with His Grace privately.” Seikan flinched at Hestia’s natural touch but didn’t pull his arm away.
“Adelina, why don’t you go back and rest? Is that alright?” I was the one taken aback. She was leaving me alone after we came out together?
“…Uh… yeah.”
“See you later. You can take the carriage. I’ll be back soon.” Hestia, still holding Seikan’s arm, led him away. Half of the knights followed behind them.
I had no choice but to climb into the carriage with a lingering unease. I never knew Hestia was so direct in her romantic pursuits. I support her, but watching them disappear arm in arm left me with an indefinable, unsettling feeling.
***
Hestia marched Seikan straight to Clovis’s office.
“Where’s that elf mage?”
“What?”
“I need to have a word with that elf mage.”
“Explain yourself clearly.”
“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, but something feels off.”
“Tell me what’s off. And why have you brought the Duke here?”
“It’s about Adelina.” Clovis’s dark golden eyebrows twitched as he looked at Seikan. Seikan lowered his gaze slightly, a gesture of agreement with Hestia. Clovis set down his papers and crossed his arms.
“It’s unsettling. She feels like… someone preparing for their death.”
“Don’t be absurd.” Clovis dismissed Hestia’s anxious words. Hestia nodded.
“I know. It sounds ridiculous. But still!” If she had been the only one with this premonition, Hestia would have dismissed it. She’s not stingy, but she’s not one to waste money either. When she started spending recklessly, Hestia initially thought it was just stress.
Then, she saw Seikan’s expression as Adelina talked about the dismissed knight, and she became certain. Seikan felt the same unfounded anxiety.
“I want to confirm. It won’t hurt to check. It’s been days since that elf mage arrived, and all we’ve heard is vague talk about ‘treatment and improvement.’ We need a proper explanation.”
Clovis had been concerned about this as well. He had hired the mage at the cost of the golden eyes, the most definitive proof of being a direct descendant of the Golden Dragon. He, too, was dissatisfied with the lack of a clear explanation and the constant refrain to wait and see. Clovis stared at his sister and Seikan, who stood frozen like statues, before finally summoning Lumiere.
“You called for me?” The elf, suddenly summoned, bowed his head respectfully. He had lived longer than the combined ages of the three people gathered in the room. Yet, his ageless youthfulness and intelligence made him appear almost boyish.
“I promised you freedom during your stay here, but it seems I must impose.”
“Not at all.”
“Enough with the pleasantries. I have questions for you.”
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