Chapter 55

Getting involved in someone else’s love life never ends well.

That had always been Cecilia’s belief.

But when the situation unfolded right in front of her eyes, sticking to that belief proved easier said than done.

Last time in Mirpol, they looked so happy, practically stuck together.

Unlike the performances they’d put on not long ago, Rodella seemed like she had genuinely started to open her heart.

Cecilia, who had watched the two closely, couldn’t be unaware of it.

But Rodella, it seemed, didn’t know.

If she failed to figure things out now and came to the wrong conclusion, their relationship might take the long road to nowhere.

Should she intervene? Cecilia hesitated for a moment.

She didn’t want to lose two close friends.

But the longer she thought about it, the more irritated she became.

Flashes of this infuriating, long-winded romance she’d kept quiet about out of loyalty raced through her mind.

A vein bulged on her forehead.

‘Why is she so sharp at work, but so slow with her own feelings?’

“In my opinion,”  she finally spoke, and Rodella turned her eyes to her, desperate.

Why was Aivert suddenly doing things he never used to?

“Usually when someone starts acting differently… it means something’s changed.”

Seeing Rodella hesitate, Cecilia continued,

“Or maybe… they want to change the nature of the relationship.”

At those words, Rodella’s eyes widened in shock.

“And your friend doesn’t seem to dislike it that much either. If she really hated it, wouldn’t she have run away already?”

In other words—you don’t seem to hate it either, do you?

Cecilia added softly.

As she did, she thought to herself:

‘Aivert, you owe me big time.’

***

‘A different relationship? What kind?’

—Clunk!

Rodella kept thinking about Cecilia’s words the entire way back in the carriage.

Aivert wanted… a different relationship with her?

What kind of relationship?

In her mind, they were still friends. They had to be.

If not…

“…No way.”

No, don’t even go there.

Rodella clutched her head.

If she misread her lifelong friend and made a scene, it could ruin everything.

That would be a disaster.

And besides—Aivert was known for being a man who strictly separated the personal from the professional.

“…Is he only kind to me?”

But that didn’t seem right either… she remembered how he’d shielded Felix.

The day they caught that murderous thief—

If it had been someone else under that collapsing building instead of her, would he really have just let them die?

“No, of course not…”

Maybe she was the only one thinking this was special?

Maybe he didn’t feel anything, and she was just—

“This is pathetic.”

Rodella rubbed her face with both hands.

Still, she couldn’t shake the question.

Then why was she interpreting his words and actions differently?

Why did she consider them special?

Why did she want him to treat her differently than everyone else?

“…”

Rodella’s thoughts stopped in front of a single, obvious answer.

She couldn’t let herself go past that point.

What if she asked him—

“Do you… like me?”

What would he even say?

The first image that came to mind was his dumbfounded face.

“Then do you… not like me?”

“…That’d be a relief.”

Rodella clutched her head again.

She recalled the couple in the administrative office who’d gotten thrown out not long ago for fooling around.

A man and a woman who randomly fell for each other, clueless that their feelings were mutual, and who caused a massive nuisance to everyone else around them with their shameless flirtations.

“How can Lady Dinefé be so kind?”

“Kind? Who? Eclat Dinefé?”

The notoriously rude Eclat Dinefé, now looked upon by a male staffer like she was the kindest, most lovely noble lady in the empire—it had been cringe-worthy.

Of course—

“There’s no way someone as handsome and noble-born as Lord Rédiel would ever like someone like me…”

Yet Eclat Dinefé blushed like a schoolgirl whenever Rédiel was around. That was no better.

So much so that even the noble faction within the administrative office shared the same thought as Rodella:

“Why are they the only ones who don’t know?”

Everyone thought so.

“At least stop whining to everyone else about it.”

That exact line from an office staffer suddenly came to Rodella’s mind, and she froze.

‘Wait a second. Didn’t I just… whine about this earlier?’

“…”

Rodella’s face flushed red.

She remembered how she used to look at Eclat Dinefé and Lord Rédiel.

“Complete public nuisances who can’t tell personal from professional. What, did they join the office to date?”

“…”

Rodella shook her head vigorously.

She refused to become someone like Eclat or Rédiel—causing drama everywhere and making others uncomfortable.

***

Rodella returned later that evening.

“Where’s Aivert?”

“…Sorry?”

The moment she stepped into HQ, the first thing out of her mouth was asking where Aivert was.

In the hallway, the senior knight Lorenz, who received the question, looked completely flustered.

She usually called him “Vice Commander.” Have they gotten closer?

“Ah, I mean—Vice Commander Aivert.”

She quickly corrected herself, blushing like a shy bride-to-be.

Lorenz chuckled inwardly.

These two have been engaged for almost ten years, yet they’re still so adorably awkward.

“He said he had some unfinished business in Mirpol and stepped out for a bit.”

Rodella blinked.

“Mirpol?”

Her thoughts shifted back to work, cooling her down a little.

What business did Aivert have in Mirpol?

“Yes, he said he’d stop by one of the shops being remodeled.”

“…?”

There had been an assignment to send someone to oversee the remodeling contractor, but there was no reason Aivert had to go himself.

Rodella tilted her head.

At that moment—

“Is the Commander in?”

A knight came running down the HQ hallway, kicking up dust.

Rodella recognized him—it was Sir Gareth from the Southwest branch, a senior knight from a merchant family.

“The Commander’s out for a bit.”

Lorenz replied, and Gareth’s face turned pale.

“Then the Vice Commander…?”

“He went to Mirpol. Why?”

At that, Gareth turned ghost-white.

“I needed… to request an outside duty assignment…”

He stammered, then suddenly collapsed as if his legs gave out.

“What happened?”

Rodella widened her eyes and rushed to help him up.

“It’s just… something’s happened at home…”

His face was completely drained of color.

“Is it something you need to go in person for? If it’s urgent, I’ll take responsibility and approve it. What’s going on?”

Surely Latine wouldn’t scold someone for taking leave over a family emergency.

“…Well…”

But as he explained, it became clear the matter was far more serious than expected.

Rodella’s expression slowly hardened as she listened.

***

What Gareth shared was devastating—especially for someone from a merchant family.

“So you’re telling me… the Red Order destroyed the entire block where your family’s business is located?”

Aivert and Latine were also present as Gareth explained in more detail.

Their expressions had turned ice cold.

At Latine’s sharp question, Gareth choked up as he answered.

“Y-Yes… The goods, the buildings—they were all ruined… and now no one will trade with us…”

“Obviously your leave is approved. But more importantly—”

Latine’s face turned dark after hearing everything.

“I don’t think this is something you can resolve just by going there alone.”