She hung up in a rush at the sight of Dive falling. I should probably contact him again later.

“Seems like you two are closer than I thought.”

“Who? Arsian?”

Jainer, who had been standing beside me, walked up with a gentle smile.

“Because he’s your friend.”

Friend. That word didn’t feel awkward anymore.

And bringing it up in connection with Arsian felt really natural, too.

Like Jainer said... I guess we really did get that close?

I couldn’t deny it. After coming here, the person I’d spent the most time with—more than anyone else—was Arsian.

“That’s all?”

“What is?”

“Hm. If you don’t know, never mind.”

Watching him make that strange smile, Camilla tilted her head.

“Anyway, keep your promise.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t ever lay a hand on the people connected to you.”

What Jainer had asked of me was none other than to rein Arsian in.

More precisely, to stop what he was doing—tracking down Khan branch bases and smashing them.

If I do what you’re asking, what are you going to do for me?

What do you want?

Don’t touch them.

Who?

From now on, don’t take requests involving people connected to me—starting with Arsian.

That’s all?

Yeah.

Fine.

“Will that really be enough?”

Jainer asked again. Whether that was truly the end of the terms.

“It’s not really a condition, but there is one thing I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you later. More importantly, how did you know?”

“Know what?”

“Arsian isn’t the type to listen to other people.”

And yet you were completely sure.

Sure that he’d accept this request.

“I figured he’d listen to you.”

“Based on what?”

“Do you really not know?”

“Know what?”

Camilla looked at him, still full of questions. What exactly don’t I know?

“Kk.”

“...You know, don’t you?”

“Hm?”

“You smile like that on purpose because you know I hate it every time you do.”

“...You hated it? That’s kind of a shock.”

Seeing him act unusually hurt, I snorted a laugh.

“Whatever. Can I ask one more thing?”

“As much as you want.”

“Back then. When you tried to kill me.”

Camilla recalled the assassins who had attacked her during the last festival.

“They only went after me.”

Of course, attacking the target was only natural.

What she found strange was that they hadn’t used Killing Intent at all on the knight who was protecting her, or on Dorman.

Even in that chaotic situation, she’d been worried about them. She might’ve been protected by the magic item Arsian had given her, but the others were defenseless against magic.

“But they didn’t attack anyone except me.”

The assassins’ behavior was odd.

They did fling attacks at the knights, but they never aimed for vital points. They showed their Killing Intent only toward her.

“Khan only kills the target. They don’t commit pointless murders.”

“What a conscientious assassin group.”

Conscience and assassins. The word really didn’t fit.

“Why is Khan based in the Fable Empire? Why not the Gracia Empire?”

After learning that Jainer was the Master of Khan, that had been what I was most curious about. Why go out of your way when your home country is right there?

“Because my father is far more perceptive than you think.”

“The Duke?”

“If we’d operated in Gracia, he would’ve figured it out before long.”

“Hm. Still, isn’t it too far? You can’t even use inter-country magic travel, but you’re going back and forth every time.”

At that, Jainer let out a small laugh.

“I appreciate you seeing Khan as so conscientious.”

“What?”

“The world isn’t made of only what’s legal.”

“What does that... don’t tell me....”

“We’re using magic circles in secret.”

Even though the state regulated it, he was saying they were using magic circles illegally.

“Anything else you’re curious about?”

“No.”

“Then can I ask one thing?”

“What is it?”

Jainer’s lips curved into a smooth arc.

“What happens when a former spirit administrator dies?”

A former spirit administrator...

Dorman?

“Why are you asking that?”

“.......”

Seeing him just smile in silence at my question, Camilla swallowed a dry gulp without meaning to.

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were so indifferent that—

Dorman... I guess you’re going to die.

Chapter. Waiting

“Is that him? The son of the man who was murdered recently.”

“That’s right. I heard he died after being stabbed....”

“Poor kid....”

“He’s pitiful, but what on earth was his father doing that he got murdered?”

“Seriously.”

“Still, it looks like the kid’s smart. If he’s attending here on a scholarship. I heard his family isn’t doing well, either....”

Gracia Imperial Academy.

In its primary division—where only children under ten could enroll—they held a special event around this time every year.

An event where parents were invited to see their children’s achievements over a semester—Parent Observation Class.

On that day, as people entered through the academy gates, they spotted one child and began whispering. He looked about nine years old.

“But I heard that boy’s father worked under Ersh Escra—the one whose crimes were revealed this {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} time?”

“Of course....”

“He must’ve been doing something bad, and that’s why he met his end.”

The whispers only grew louder, and the boy walking alone—Evan—lowered his head even more.

He was young, but not too young to understand those words. These days, even his classmates didn’t play with him anymore.

That kid’s dad was a criminal!

That’s why he died!

My mom told me not to play with him.

At first, he fought back, shouting that it wasn’t true—his dad wasn’t that kind of person.

But as time passed, as more and more people kept saying it, suspicion began to sprout. Evan grew more and more confused.

Was my dad really a bad person?

“Oh my!”

“Look over there!”

All at once, people began murmuring. Every gaze turned to a single point.

The carriages lined up to enter parted one by one, making way as a single carriage rolled calmly forward through the gap.

“That is...!”

“It’s Escra!”

The approaching carriage bore an exquisitely engraved rose crest—the symbol of House Escra.

“Why is that carriage....”

“I didn’t hear anything about a child from House Escra attending the academy.”

“Is the second young master enrolling this time?”

“I heard he chose private lessons, though....”

With everyone watching, the carriage soon stopped, and the door opened. Someone stepped out.

“It’s the eldest Escra young master!”

“They said he returned!”

At Jainer’s appearance, exclamations spilled out from all around. Just standing there in silence, he pulled attention like a magnet.

But it wasn’t over. Another person emerged from the carriage after him.

“T-the Duke of Escra!”

When he stepped down with that characteristically indifferent expression, the area fell silent in an instant. Only the occasional sound of someone swallowing could be heard.

Everyone stared blankly at Jainer wearing a warm smile and the Duke of Escra radiating cold.

“That child.”

“Hm.”

And then, after a moment, the two of them looked at one child and strode straight toward him.

Like everyone else, Evan had been staring at them in a daze. Then his eyes widened more and more.

Because the Duke of Escra and Jainer were coming directly toward him.

“Hello, Evan.”

At Jainer’s greeting, Evan’s mouth only worked soundlessly. Then, realizing his mistake, he hurriedly bowed his head.

“H-hello.”

He didn’t know who they were, but seeing everyone panic, they seemed like people of extremely high rank.

Slide.

“......!”

The child, head still lowered, almost screamed. His viewpoint had suddenly risen.

“He’s much smaller than Dive.”

The Duke of Escra had lifted him up with ease. Holding the child, he clicked his tongue.

“He’ll have to eat a lot.”

Evan’s mouth fell open again. The same was true for everyone else.

What in the world is going on?

“Evan.”

“Y-yes...? Yes!”

Still dazed, the child answered hurriedly at Jainer’s call.

“Starting today, my father and I will be your guardians.”

Unlike the child, who only tilted his head as if he didn’t understand, the reaction around them was explosive.

A child with the Duke of Escra and the eldest young master of House Escra as his guardians—everyone’s mouths fell open.

They couldn’t help feeling confused. What was that child, that those two would step forward as his guardians?

“We owe a debt to your father.”

The Duke of Escra lightly ruffled the child’s hair.

“Let’s go in.”

I’m here in place of your parents.

With those words, the duke started walking toward the academy building—still holding Evan in his arms.

People could only stare at the sight, blank-faced and stunned.

“I picked a whole bunch of wildflowers! I thought you’d like them, my lady!”

“.......”

“Pretty good, right?”

Looking like a flower tucked into his hair would suit him perfectly, Dorman stepped into the room.

“Dorman.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like wildflowers?”

“Aren’t they pretty in their own way? You liked them last time, too.”

“When you die, I’ll decorate your grave with wildflowers.”

“Huh?”

Does this guy know?

That I died and came back to life.

The ones who act all easygoing on the surface are the scariest.

Even after learning everything, Jainer had acted completely calm. He didn’t even get angry at Dorman, the source of the misfortune.

“I-it won’t help even if you kill him. I don’t think he became completely human.”

“Yeah?”

“And if you look closely, he’s not even that bad!”

“I see.”

It looked like he was letting it slide for now, but there was no way to know whether he’d truly given up. He was the kind of man you could never read.

“But the estate is really quiet today. I don’t see the Duke of Escra, and I don’t see Jainer either.”

“They both went out.”

“Where to?”

“The academy.”

“...? Why there?”

“Because there’s something I asked for.”

The ghost who had helped me before.

The ghost who said Ersh killed him—and who brought me Ersh’s secret ledger and all kinds of information—had begged me.

To please help his young son who attended the academy.