Chapter 107

There was nothing in the dressing room. Igrid’s face contorted.

‘Wh-what is going on? I’m sure I heard it! I heard it with my own two ears! But where did he go?’

He couldn’t have escaped in such a short time, so he must still be in the dressing room.

But all he could see were neatly displayed dresses and accessories. It was maddeningly perplexing.

As if possessed, Igrid began to rummage through the dresses.

“Your Highness, isn’t this going too far? Not only did you force your way into the young lady’s dressing room, but now you’re rummaging through her dresses. I shudder to think what the other nobles would say if they found out.”

Finally snapping back to his senses, Igrid clenched his jaw and forced a smile.

“Ah, no… There are just so many beautiful dresses… So much so that I wanted to try one on, and I got a little carried away.”

Having failed to find Dante, he could no longer accuse Astell.

He was already ignoring the privileges of the nobility by conducting this search. If word got out that he’d ransacked her dressing room, there was no telling how the other nobles would react.

“Ah, you did mention you’ve taken a sudden interest in dresses lately, didn’t you? In that case, I understand. It’s not the most conventional hobby, but I’m not one to judge.”

“…Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, but if you’re done looking, would you please leave? This is the first time a man has entered my private space, and it’s making me a bit uncomfortable.”

“…Of course.”

Igrid was all but shoved out of the dressing room.

He exchanged glances with the knights who had finished their search, but it seemed they hadn’t found anything suspicious either.

‘The dressing room is definitely suspicious.’

He wanted nothing more than to search the dressing room again, but even Igrid couldn’t push it that far.

‘If Ruthius weren’t a Duke, I would have done it.’

For now, he had to retreat. He would come back with concrete evidence.

Igrid gave his knights a signal and headed down to the lobby.

Duke Ruthius, who had been standing ramrod straight, leaning on his rod without taking a seat, watched him impassively.

“Have you confirmed it?”

He appeared calm on the surface, but his aura was terrifying—so much so that even Igrid, with his mediocre swordsmanship, could feel it.

Igrid swallowed hard.

‘This is why those sword-wielding brutes are so ignorant.’

It was infuriating, but he had made too big a scene and needed to smooth things over.

“It seems the Royal Guard was mistaken. They clearly reported to me that the phantom beast flew in this direction… but now they’re saying they must have seen wrong.”

Having decided to resolve the situation by pinning all the blame on the Royal Guard, Igrid continued nonchalantly.

The guardsmen looked at him with aggrieved expressions, but he didn’t bat an eye.

“I will reprimand the captain of the guard when I return, so I hope the Duke can understand.”

“There is no need. When morning comes, I will formally seek an audience with His Majesty.”

“…Must you really do that? If the captain isn’t enough, I can reprimand the entire Royal Guard.”

“A moment ago, you told me to hold His Majesty responsible. Why are you now trying to shift the blame to the Royal Guard?”

“Shift the blame! I can’t possibly bother my father over such a trivial matter! Duke, do you have no flexibility?”

“No, I do not.”

“…You’re impossibly stubborn!”

Igrid exploded in anger and stormed out of the main building.

Just as he was irritably yanking the horse’s reins to mount, Astell stopped him.

“One moment, Your Highness! About what you said in the dressing room earlier.”

“What about it?”

“The more I think about it, the more it hurts my heart. Could you spare some time for me one day?”

“…Time?”

“I’ll gift you a beautiful dress. When you have time, stop by the Guardian and have Louis take your measurements.”

“…”

Why would she need Igrid’s measurements? It wasn’t as if he was going to wear the dress.

Igrid bit his tongue as he became the center of everyone’s bewildered gazes.

He was so humiliated he could have died, but he wasn’t so thoughtless as to cause a scene here.

He forced the trembling corners of his lips into a smile.

“Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Igrid seethed, grinding his teeth as he left.

* * *

As soon as Igrid retreated, I frantically rushed upstairs.

“Ugh, you idiot! To think I forgot about the single-use teleport scroll…”

If I had given the scroll to Alex, none of this would have happened. How could I have forgotten?

I entered the dressing room and ran to the window.

There was a bloodstain on the pale cream wallpaper near the windowsill.

It was a relief I saw it before Igrid did; he was almost caught.

When I threw open the window, Alex was dangling just below the sill, holding onto Dante with one hand.

To support a grown man with just one hand—it was a feat only Alex, with his monstrous strength, could manage.

“Alex! Are you okay?”

“Ugh… hurry… I’m going to fall… at this rate.”

He gritted his teeth, his face drenched in sweat. His hand, presumably injured from gripping the windowsill, was dripping blood.

I grabbed his forearm and pulled.

“Ugh! Your arm is too slippery…”

“Damn it, put some muscle into it! I’m about to fall!”

“Well, who told you to hang there in the first place?”

“You’re complaining even while I’m helping! What was I supposed to do? There was nowhere else to hide!”

“Does your hand hurt a lot?”

“…It just looks that way.”

“I’m sorry…”

An awkward silence passed between Alex and me.

“H-hey, little sister? Can you apologize later? Your big brother is literally about to fall, you know?”

“Ah! Right!”

I started pulling Alex up again.

“It’s no use. Your forearm is too slippery to get a grip. I’ll try grabbing you by the collar.”

“Gack! *Cough, cough!* Are you trying to choke your brother to death?”

“Stop being a baby and just bear it for a second!”

“A baby? You try it!”

Just as the two of us were bickering and struggling, a firm, long arm suddenly reached out and pulled Dante up.

“Huh? Wh-what?”

With Dante’s weight gone, Alex was easily pulled up.

Alex and I ended up in a tangled heap, rolling across the floor.

As we irritably pushed each other away and scrambled to our feet, Duke Ruthius was staring at us, looking utterly unimpressed.

“I was watching to see how far you’d go. It looked like you would have kept fighting even as you fell.”

“S-sorry, Father.”

Alex scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. The blood from his hand smeared right onto his neck.

I took a high-grade potion from my inventory and thrust it at him.

“Here.”

“What is it?”

“Can’t you tell by looking?”

“Why would I need a potion for a little scratch like this? Save it for yourself. This will heal after a good night’s sleep.”

“Stop posturing and take it. It’s obvious you’re in pain, so just take it.”

Alex hesitated before taking the potion. He must really be in pain.

“…Thanks.”

“Just treat your wound.”

Alex opened his hand and poured a tiny bit of the potion on it.

The wound was worse than I thought. There were even wooden splinters embedded around the deep gash.

He winced in pain, but upon noticing me, he quickly hid his expression.

“What are you looking at?”

“You call that a scratch? What are you doing? Pour it on!”

“H-hey! It’s a waste!”

“It’ll just go to waste if you don’t use it.”

“Where on earth did you learn to talk like that? Ah, stop pouring!”

I poured half the potion onto Alex’s hand, then forced open his protesting mouth and dumped the other half in.

After that, I was breathless and my limbs felt weak, as if I’d just run a race.

I caught my breath for a moment before approaching Dante.

Dante looked as if he were asleep. His breathing was steady, and the raging fever had vanished without a trace.

‘What is his real identity?’

How could someone who was on the verge of death just moments ago be like this?

Alex, who had followed me to look at Dante, asked quietly.

“Father, where should we take the Second Prince? It should be somewhere the servants won’t find him.”

“Why bother? What if he gets caught being moved back and forth? Your Grace, I’ll just keep him in my room.”

“…”

The room fell silent.

Just as Alex’s face was about to twist into a monstrous scowl, Duke Ruthius’s cold voice cut in.

“The gatehouse will do.”

“Ah! Should we, Father?”

“The one farthest from the main building.”

“A very wise decision, Father.”

“Move him.”

“Yes, sir!”

Alex shouldered Dante again and left the bedroom.

Duke Ruthius, who was following him, suddenly stopped at the door.

“Astell.”

“Yes?”

“We will finish our discussion tomorrow.”

So it wasn’t over. That old man sure can hold a grudge.

“Yes…”

I collapsed onto the bed.

I had made my move, so I needed to come up with a plan, but my brain wouldn’t work. I was so tired I felt like I could die.

I stopped trying to think and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.