‘Everything is going according to plan.’
The two noble ladies were on the verge of a crisis.
With handcuffs on, I secretly smiled.
– I did as I was told.
Elizabeth, who followed behind Luciana, the main contributor to this situation, smirked.
Thanks to her, who became my voice on days when it was hard to approach Luciana, everything went smoothly.
If suspicion has been cast by circumstance,
then flipping the situation itself would solve the problem.
The speculation that the identity of Frost Mane might actually be a demon, and even more so, the fact that this came from the mouth of her respected father,
How would she not accept it?
I assured that it would be much more reliable than any plausible speculation.
This was the result.
“…Understood. I’ll release the servant, so put away that sword first.”
In that tense standoff, it was Camilla who backed down first.
Of course, even Camilla, renowned for personally capturing criminals in the West, was not lacking in strength compared to others.
But her opponent was unfortunate.
This place values strength as the highest virtue in the North.
Luciana became the most notable noble not just because of her lineage but for clear and significant reasons beyond it.
Moreover, the stage where the incident unfolded was just as unfavorable for her.
“This is not the West but the North, what will you do?”
I whispered, audible only to her, opening my mouth.
Camilla glared at me with fierce eyes.
Of course, I didn’t care at all.
If this were the West, she could fully exercise her power, but this is the North.
Moreover, within the Speda family’s territory.
“Lady Speda, listen to me. As a guest, all I can do is express my dissatisfaction like this.”
“I told you I don’t repeat myself.”
But Luciana’s resolve was firm.
Her goal was one.
My liberation.
“So it seems. Time to loosen this up, shall we? Keeping my arms forced behind is quite uncomfortable.”
“…Impudent. You’ll be caught again soon, so enjoy this brief freedom.”
Camilla whispered this thin sound only for me to hear, then turned her head back to Luciana.
“Fine. I will. But promise me. You’ll listen to my story afterward.”
With a reluctant expression, she inserted the key into my handcuffs.
“Phew. I don’t want to experience being detained again. I could really understand what being wronged feels like.”
In truth, I could have unlocked these handcuffs at any time with a little magic.
A bit of inconvenience is bearable.
“Hans, are you alright?”
“Yes, thanks to you, Lady, somehow.”
For a dramatic reconciliation with Luciana, what wouldn’t I do?
She lifted my wrist, which had been handcuffed until a moment ago.
To emphasize again.
She ‘took’ my ‘wrist with her ‘hand’.
Isn’t this equivalent to holding hands? My heart flutters with bold skinship.
A thrilling chill spread from the place warmly touched by my favorite person.
But I desperately held it in.
The red marks created by the pressure of the handcuffs.
She clenched her mouth shut because she saw those marks.
Fortunately, no one saw my lips quiver as I barely held back.
Ah, except for Elizabeth, Luciana’s close friend and ally, whose expression soured.
“I’ll apologize personally later. For now, we need to take further actions.”
Luciana’s cold gaze turned towards Camilla.
“I had no idea the Duke of Roberk would recklessly pick a quarrel with another ducal house. He is our family’s servant. He is not someone you can treat as a criminal.”
For Camilla, who came to celebrate Luciana’s birthday as a guest, it was a hard point to argue against.
But even though she was taken aback, Camilla soon tried to dissuade Luciana with a rational attitude. Indeed, the future famous judge and pursuer was exceptional from the start.
“…Lady Speda. Fraud is a crime that often happens not by complete strangers but by those around you who you trust. This person is undoubtedly the infamous Frost Mane recently.”
“I swear, I have been loyal to you, my lady. I have never even dared to think of betrayal! And to say I am Frost Mane, even for Lady Roberk, that is a baseless accusation!”
But having me as the opponent, is like trying to swallow a sprout in one bite.
Although Elizabeth, who knows my identity to some extent, gave me a cold look, I stood my ground.
Fraud? What nonsense.
I simply hold multiple identities.
A loyal servant to the Speda family, the phantom thief Frost Mane, and the mysterious demon, all are me.
Among them, being a servant is enough of an identity to reveal to Luciana.
Strictly speaking, since I have no plans to betray her, it would be more accurate to speak of perjury and omission of truth!
“Anyone can say that, you despicable pickpocket.”
“Enough.”
Luciana’s face hardened as if she herself had been insulted by the derogatory words aimed at me.
“Lady Roberk, do not insult Hans any further. He is my loyal personal servant and the benefactor who has saved me numerous times.”
“But Lady Speda, evidence doesn’t lie.”
Camilla bit her lip and threw her last bet with a determined face.
“…Evidence?”
“Yes. Let’s go check his room. I found out that the artifact always worn by Frost Mane is in his room.”
The situation where plausible circumstantial evidence has already been overshadowed by more likely speculations, turning into mere fragments.
Therefore, Camilla attempted a frontal breakthrough.
“I arrested Hans Byron without giving him a chance to erase any traces, right as he came out of his room, so if we check now, we should be able to find it.”
“Ah. It’s so unfair that I can’t even speak properly.”
“Quite confident. That means you have no objection to searching your room, right?”
Camilla, brimming with confidence.
I shrugged my shoulders at her, who was under the illusion of having the upper hand.
“Of course. How could I, a mere servant and son of a baronial family, dare to disobey the lady’s words? Do as you wish.”
“…What?”
When I responded sarcastically, it was Camilla who ended up being flustered.
“Hans, are you sure you’re okay? You can refuse if you want. Searching through your room isn’t exactly a pleasant experience.”
“I am innocent. A room search? I will gladly accept it.”
Luciana, perhaps feeling sorry for her previous coldness, seemed ready to call off the search.
‘But why would I refuse?’
This was actually an opportunity.
To completely remove any ground for doubt to take root in Luciana.
***
‘You, surely not! No, there wasn’t time to hide anything. Just bluffing.’
“There’s nothing to hide in the first place. Just the room of a plain and loyal servant, without a single luxury item.”
“Hmph. We’ll see when we turn over the cards. Hey!”
At Camilla’s command, several of her loyal guards responded to her call.
“Search his room thoroughly and find the golden mask.”
“Look all you want. As if it would appear.”
***
The thirtieth drawer that was opened screamed in protest.
The candlestick on the desk nearly toppled from the hasty searching.
“Two hours have passed, is there still more to search in this small room?”
Camilla grew more anxious with each passing moment filled with disdainful remarks.
Despite what her eyes had confirmed.
Was her own magic showing her illusions?
The mask that was surely left on the desk was nowhere to be found, no matter where she searched in the room.
‘Damn, I should have observed for a little longer if I knew this would happen…!’
She had restrained Hans Byron too hastily, confident in the evidence she had secured.
Due to the nature of familiar magic, which consumes a lot of magic power, she couldn’t maintain control over him and keep an eye on the surroundings at the same time.
Who would have thought it would come to this.
“Well, have you found anything?”
Hans Byron, smiling slyly at her, confident of his victory.
Criminals she had caught in her inexperienced days always wore that expression.
That infuriated her, clenching her fists tight.
“Of course not. I couldn’t possibly have such luxurious items like gold.”
True to his words, in the spartan room with only a desk, wardrobe, and bed, there was no sign of a golden mask.
There must be some trick.
It must be hidden somewhere.
But unless she could reveal it right away, she was the one who would be in trouble.
It was rude enough to insult a servant of another household, not to mention trying to oppress him and take him to the west.
“I’ll give you ten minutes. Decide for yourself.”
With a cold voice, the meaning of her words was clear.
Either continue searching for evidence in the remaining time
Or prepare mentally to apologize for what she had instigated.
“…I’m sorry, Lady Speda. I acted too rashly.”
She chose the latter.
Despite trying for two hours to uncover the trick he used to hide the item, it was as if the evidence had evaporated.
Ten more minutes of pondering wouldn’t unveil his method.
Thus, it was right to apologize, even at the cost of a bit of pride and reputation.
“You’ve chosen the wrong person to apologize to.”
“…?”
However, cold anger still flickered in Luciana’s eyes.
“Have I suffered any harm because of you?”
“What do you mean….”
“Shouldn’t you be apologizing to Hans?”
Her apology was fundamentally for infringing upon the dignity of the Ducal House of Speda.
“…That would be difficult.”
Moreover, the apology Luciana demanded clearly contradicted the principles of nobility.
A member of the Ducal family apologizing to a mere baronial offspring?
If this fact became known, it would create significant problems in the succession race.
‘Besides, I have no intention whatsoever of bowing my head to a criminal.’
Her pride wouldn’t allow it, having clearly seen the evidence with her own eyes.
“Is that so? Then I will act as I see fit.”
“…And what would that be?”
“I will formally protest. I will send a letter to the Duke of Roberk detailing all the rudeness you have committed here.”
A measure previously taken against the Count of Baltreon.
However, the implications this time were entirely different.
Initially, since the Baltreon Count and the Speda Duke were on opposing sides of the nobility and the Emperor, the matter ended with Dmitri’s confinement.
Both knew too well what could happen if the balance between the Emperor’s faction and the nobility was upset.
Of course, everyone guessed that the negotiations conducted behind the scenes ended in a way that satisfied Speda.
But what if that protest letter reached the Roberk Duke, who was also part of the Emperor’s faction?
The impact would be incomparable to that with Baltreon.
Especially since they shared the same interests, they would try to take even more.
Especially given the Duke of Roberk, with many children under his care.
He might dismiss Camilla herself to minimize losses.
No, he certainly would.
“…Hans Byron.”
Sometimes, to achieve great revenge, small vendettas must be set aside.
The belief of the noble from the West momentarily bowed its head, breaking her high pride.
But.
“I’m sorry.”
“What? My wrist stings, I didn’t catch that. What did you say?”
‘That…!’
The despicable servant nonchalantly tilting his head in front of her.
Camilla forcefully suppressed the boiling rage within her.
Letting out her feelings now would only show Luciana how she might react.
“Accusing you unjustly, and even forcing oppression… I did.”
“Hmm. I doubt the sincerity, but this will suffice. I accept your apology.”
Yet, his teasing demeanor persisted to the very end. Her body trembled with humiliation. How dare a man of baronial birth, a criminal at that, mock her.
‘I will definitely have my revenge someday!’
A specific means immediately came to mind. He is from the West.
She had never even heard of the Byron baronial family, but what would be so hard about ruining such an insignificant house, given my influence?
“Express gratitude for the leniency. That will be all.”
Camilla quickly fled the scene as if escaping. She felt as if staying any longer in front of that sly man would expose all her thoughts of vengeance.
Meanwhile, Luciana watched her leave, breathing a sigh of relief internally.
‘Hans was innocent. I almost lost a loyal person because of my misjudgment.’
Fortunately, he was spared from the unjust situation he faced. However, she could not deny her share of responsibility for the incident unfolding.
“Hans, I too owe you an apology.” She uttered words of apology, something she would never do for anyone else.
“What are you talking about, Lady Luciana? Apology?”
Unlike with Camilla just moments before, he bowed deeply, showing great remorse. “Rather, didn’t you help me when I was in trouble? It would be improper to act this way.”
“But still…”
“Those in high positions must weigh their words carefully. Those below do not know how to take them.”
His refusal to accept the apology was a roundabout way of saying, making Luciana’s heart sink heavily.
‘Did I disappoint him?’
But then, something was placed in her hand, making her look up again.
“What’s this?”
“Isn’t it your birthday? I prepared a small gift as well.”
In her hand was a glass box the size of a ring case, inside which a rose shone with an enchanting light.
“I pondered quite a bit. I knew well that you don’t fancy lavish jewels like other ladies.”
So, he thought of something practical yet suitable for a birthday gift. And this morning, watching her in the garden smelling the roses, he had a brilliant idea.
“It’s a rose carved from a return magic stone. Please accept it.”
Holding the blue-flowered rose, Luciana was momentarily speechless, caught in a strange emotion. It was as if the feeling that sometimes tickled her heart was climbing up to her throat.
“Thank you.”
She barely managed to say, to which her servant also smiled and replied.
“I’m glad you like it. Please, keep it with you always. The return stone isn’t just for show.”
“Alright.”
However, following his advice was problematic. Carry it around? It wasn’t difficult, being no bigger than a button. The issue was that once a return stone is used, it loses its light and crumbles.
For some reason, Luciana wanted to keep this rose forever. It had no scent, and while the craftsmanship was quite good, it couldn’t hide the imperfections of an amateur’s rose.
“Damn it…!”
Cliche Novel 