Chapter 208: Lingering Scent

Ferda came out together with Olivia.

It was about time for them to leave.

Olivia quietly asked one of the attendants,

"Is the Second Prince still examining the weapons?"

"Yes, Your Highness. We informed him ten minutes ago, but..."

As the representative, he should have formally bid farewell before leaving.

Instead, that representative had his attention completely occupied elsewhere.

'Personally, I'm happy because it means I get to spend more time with Mr. Ferda…'

Yet at a time when he should be demonstrating his qualifications as the Emperor's representative, this was how he behaved.

Suppressing her disgust, Olivia spoke.

"I suppose we'll have to go and fetch my brother ourselves."

"Very well."

Ferda showed that he didn't particularly mind.

Olivia walked beside him.

"Oh my, I don't remember seeing that before. Was it added during the recent renovation?"

"Yes."

"That's something that's currently fashionable throughout the Empire. Did you decide to follow my suggestion and keep up with the trends?"

"As more and more people have begun visiting, it seemed necessary."

She wasn't truly interested in the changes.

She simply asked about them.

Olivia felt she was beginning to understand why women became fools in front of the men they liked.

If they didn't start conversations like this, the men never would.

When Ferda emerged from the Magitech Engineering laboratory, his expression was strangely complicated.

It held satisfaction...

And yet was filled with dissatisfaction at the same time.

"So? What did you think?"

At Ferda's question, Ureas answered enthusiastically.

"I liked it very much! I wanted to fire that enormous magical cannon too, but they wouldn't let me."

Ureas shot Vernel Marquis an irritated glare.

Vernel quietly stepped closer and whispered into Ferda's ear.

"He kept pointing the rifle's muzzle at the researchers, so we had no choice. He insisted on seeing how powerful the cannon's explosion was. If something had gone wrong..."

"..."

What an utterly embarrassing fool.

Patting Vernel on the shoulder in appreciation for his efforts, Ferda turned to Ureas.

"They say the Spellcraft hasn't been fully stabilized yet. If something goes wrong, it could explode. My apologies for the inconvenience."

"Really? Even if it exploded, how dangerous could it possibly be..."

Exactly.

I should've just let him use it regardless of the danger.

Watching that body of his blown into tiny pieces would've been quite a sight.

While cursing inwardly, Olivia gently leaned toward Ureas.

"Brother, please don't say such things."

"Hm?"

"What if you were injured? Are you trying to give me yet another thing to worry about?"

With practiced skill, Olivia let tears gather in her eyes.

Even the hopeless Ureas was flustered by them.

"S-Sister! I was obviously joking! Do you think I'd do something so dangerous while leaving you behind? Of course not!"

He desperately tried to soothe her until she finally smiled.

Only then did he relax.

Olivia quietly glanced toward Ferda.

The look in his eyes resembled that of someone watching a circus performer who had somehow managed to tame a lion.

She didn't feel particularly pleased by it.

"I'll see you to the gate."

Ferda guided them along the carpeted path.

As they approached one of the corridors leading to the entrance, a woman stood directly in their way.

At a time like this, when guests were present, only one person could get away with such discourtesy.

Grand Duchess Valdrova.

A woman with the body of a beautiful lady, yet bearing two pairs of fearsome horns and a tail.

Her gentle face was once again hidden behind her mask.

Everyone respectfully bowed.

"We pay our respects to Her Highness Grand Duchess Valdrova, the Aspect of Fire."

"Y-You're leaving already?"

Valdrova asked stiffly.

Since she was addressing Olivia, the princess answered.

"Yes. I had a wonderful conversation with the Regent."

"I see."

Valdrova fidgeted uneasily.

Unable to endure it any longer, she quietly slipped herself between Olivia and Ferda.

Olivia knew exactly what this was.

The jealousy of a woman who didn't want another woman walking beside the man she'd set her sights on.

She had thought Valdrova was somewhat absent-minded.

But in the end, she possessed the same desire for possession as everyone else.

Olivia was convinced of it.

But that certainty was spectacularly shattered.

Something soft gently wrapped itself around her left hand.

At first, she shivered.

Then she realized...

It was a hand.

Valdrova's hand.

"Hehe..."

Valdrova laughed shyly.

That innocent laugh completely destroyed the scenario Olivia had imagined.

This wasn't a wall built from jealousy at all.

She had simply wanted to hold Olivia's hand.

Realizing once again that Valdrova's intentions had been completely pure, Olivia felt embarrassed.

Smiling softly, she squeezed Valdrova's hand in return.

Ureas and Olivia climbed aboard the carriage waiting outside the castle gate.

Valdrova waved at them until they disappeared from sight.

***

"So, our guests have gone."

"Will you miss them?"

"No. Just as there are times when Lyudmila has to return home, it's only natural, isn't it? Besides..."

Valdrova quietly approached and took Ferda's hand.

"I still can't do things like this very well..."

"You may do so whenever you like."

"But we're in front of other people. I can't embarrass you, Mr. Ferda."

Her hand was as soft as silk.

Her fingernails were as smooth as polished jade.

Holding hands had become perfectly natural between them.

So why did it still make his heart race?

Ferda walked beside Valdrova along the path they had come.

"Did you enjoy spending time with Princess Olivia?"

"She was incredibly intelligent. She's eloquent, and she's beautiful too... I almost think I may have fallen for her."

Ferda couldn't simply ignore that remark.

"One woman who loves women is already more than enough for this castle."

"Would it be so bad if there were two?"

"Then one of them will have to disappear."

Ferda fully intended to kill Penelope without mercy.

Ignoring the murderous aura surrounding him, Valdrova continued.

"So... we talked for a while..."

"And?"

"I asked if we could be friends."

"A friendship with the Imperial Princess... What did she say?"

"She agreed."

Ferda noticed the subtle emotion in her expression.

"But your voice sounds rather heavy."

"Well..."

"If it's difficult to talk about, you don't have to."

Seeing her hesitate, Ferda gave her space.

Her fingers fidgeted as she gathered her thoughts before speaking again.

"It's just..."

Valdrova remembered Olivia's expression.

When she had asked if they could become friends...

Olivia had accepted.

But Valdrova had seen it clearly.

Behind that beautiful face...

Lurked an emotion she had become all too familiar with.

"I realized..."

"...That becoming friends with everyone isn't as easy as I thought."

***

The ceremonial royal carriage completed the departure ceremony before passing through the main gate.

At that moment, Olivia raised her hand.

The carriage came to a halt.

"What is it?"

Ureas asked while absentmindedly admiring the Magitech Engineering equipment he'd acquired.

"I just... want to return alone."

"Hmm... very well."

His face clearly showed disappointment.

Smiling warmly, Olivia gently stroked his hand.

He had once said her touch reminded him of their mother's.

"My thoughts are a little... complicated right now."

Though Ureas looked sulky, he reluctantly let her go.

Olivia boarded another prepared carriage.

Only after she was completely alone did she finally let out a long sigh.

"I'm exhausted..."

It felt as though an entire month's worth of fatigue had descended upon her all at once.

Much of it had accumulated while spending time with Valdrova.

But she couldn't blame her.

Valdrova hadn't made things difficult.

She herself had simply exhausted herself.

She had shown nothing but the ugliest parts of herself.

She decided to forget about it.

Laying down inside the carriage, she was about to close her eyes.

"Hm?"

Something inside her clothes felt unfamiliar.

She carefully reached in and pulled it out.

"Ah..."

It was a red handkerchief.

One completely out of place with her clothing.

The very handkerchief Ferda had lent her after she had foolishly spilled tea on herself because of her own misunderstanding.

She had meant to return it after washing it...

But had forgotten.

"..."

Olivia stared quietly at the handkerchief.

If it had belonged to any other man...

What would she have done?

He would surely use it as an excuse to approach her again.

She would have immediately sent it back through a servant, leaving no room for such an opportunity.

Or perhaps she would have quietly dropped it somewhere and denied ever receiving it.

Silently, Olivia gazed at the handkerchief.

Amid the floral fragrance filling the carriage...

Another scent slowly emerged.

She raised the handkerchief to her face.

Its scent lingered vividly alongside her memories.

The spilled black tea.

The perfume that had stained her hands.

This isn't what I'm looking for.

She searched deeper.

There it was.

Like discovering a single ray of light inside absolute darkness...

Joy welled up within her.

The scents of tea and perfume gradually faded.

Another fragrance became unmistakably clear.

It was Ferda's scent.

In Olivia's mind...

Ferda's hand became vividly clear.

"Lord Ferda..."

The handkerchief she held seemed to gently caress her cheek.

It was an incredibly vulgar and indecent fantasy.

Yet Olivia couldn't stop herself.

She wanted to believe...

That at least this small part of Ferda still remained in her hands.

***

Deep beneath the Imperial Palace of the Arken Empire...

Inside the torture chamber.

People often said that wherever brilliant light existed, equally deep darkness would be found on the opposite side.

This place embodied that saying perfectly.

To obtain information...

No methods were forbidden.

Five executioners skilled in torture surrounded a single man, accompanied by two Mages responsible for monitoring the prisoner's condition.

The man's name was Perry Yurei.

As a Duke of the Heinkel Kingdom, he was someone who should never have found himself in such a blood-soaked, filth-ridden place.

His face had swollen beyond recognition.

***

"Did you sleep well, Your Grace?"

"..."

"Of course not. Every time you tried, we smashed your hands with clubs. Hahaha!"

"..."

"I imagine your greatest wish is simply to sleep for three hours. I can grant that wish."

"..."

"What a stubborn fellow. Shall we increase the voltage?"

Crackle!

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Electricity surged through Duke Yurei's body.

He convulsed violently.

"Now then... tell us."

"Who exactly are you?"

"You filthy Imperial dogs... I am Perry Yurei... Duke of the Heinkel Kingdom... No matter... how much humiliation I suffer in this place... do you think I'd betray my kingdom?"

"Whether you want to or not, that's exactly what's going to happen."

The interrogator smiled.

"Outside, everyone's arguing about whether there'll be war. The Heinkel Kingdom is no different."

"But over there..."

"They're hoping for peace."

"Who doesn't want peace? What nonsense."

"That's not what I mean."

"When something happens..."

"Someone always has to take responsibility."

"...The kingdom..."

"...Is abandoning me?"

"Exactly."

"Your territory is overflowing with evidence linking it to the Demon Followers."

"So now you're one yourself."

"They've already decided they won't recognize you as a Duke any longer."

"..."

"You should speak while you still have value."

"One testimony."

"That's all we need."

"...What testimony?"

"Simply state that the Heinkel Kingdom also harbors Demon Followers."

"And what happens to me?"

"We'll release you."

"If necessary, we'll even ensure you live the rest of your life in comfort."

"Even if I become a Demon Follower?"

"Whether you truly are one or not doesn't matter."

"What we need..."

"...Is a justification."

Duke Yurei lowered his head in silence.

No one came to save him.

Even the rumors reaching him from outside were nothing but despair.

The world was abandoning him.

Betrayal.

And betrayal almost always led to more betrayal.

Finally...

Duke Yurei spoke.

"Heh... Hahaha!"

He burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Isn't it ridiculous?"

"A torture specialist who can't even tell a convincing lie."

"You expect me to betray my kingdom because it's supposedly abandoning me?"

"Do I really look like the sort of man who'd sacrifice everything just to save himself?"

"Fool!"

"You people know nothing of a noble's honor!"

"How could you ever understand me—"

"Gghhh!"

A surge of electricity forced his mouth shut.

"It doesn't matter either way."

"The war must happen."

"You cowardly..."

"...Despicable Imperial scum..."

"Farewell."

"The world will remember you as nothing more than a miserable pawn of the Demon Race."

The moment those words were spoken—

Crash!

A glass bottle shattered.

Everyone instantly turned toward the sound.

One of the executioners had apparently dropped a bottle, spilling white powder across the floor.

"My apologies."

"My hand slipped."

"What's wrong with you?!"

"Who is that?"

"Which executioner?"

"...I don't know."

"What?"

"Are you playing games with me?"

"I truly don't recognize that voice."

"Who are you?"

The executioner raised a torture dagger menacingly.

The five executioners assigned to this chamber all knew one another.

None of them had ever heard this high, clean voice before.

"Oh, me?"

"Don't bother trying to figure that out."

The man remained perfectly calm.

In his hand, he casually held another glass bottle filled with a crystal-clear liquid.

"My hand's about to slip one more time."

The bottle fell.

Crash!

BOOM!!

The instant the powder mixed with the liquid...

An enormous cloud of smoke engulfed the entire torture chamber.

"Cough! Cough!"

"What in the world is this...?"

Before anyone could finish asking...

The executioners collapsed one after another.

The two Mages immediately erected magical barriers, blocking the smoke.

Completely unharmed, they spotted the silhouette of the executioner who had caused it.

Both activated their Magic Circles.

Security in a chamber of this level allowed no hesitation.

Then—

A crimson light burst through the smoke from the executioner's silhouette.

The instant it reached the Mages...

Their Magic Circles collapsed.

"What is this...?!"

It wasn't merely the Magic Circles forming in their hands.

Their protective barriers shattered as well.

Their safe zone disappeared.

The smoke poured through the openings.

"Damn..."

The remaining two collapsed.

Silence descended.

Only two people remained standing.

The mysterious executioner.

And Duke Yurei, whose mouth and nose were tightly covered with cloth.

To avoid losing consciousness, Duke Yurei had desperately held his breath.

"Your Grace, there's no need to hold your breath."

"The mask filters out the smoke."

Trusting those words, Duke Yurei cautiously inhaled.

Just as promised...

He remained conscious.

"Still..."

"You look completely different from the last time I saw you."

"I guess prison life treated you pretty well."

"Your face has puffed up nicely."

"...Who are you?"

Even Duke Yurei had never heard this teasing voice before.

"You know who Ferda Valdrova is, don't you?"

There was no way he could say he didn't.

"I'm his messenger."

"I've come under his orders..."

"...To get you out of here."