Chapter 62

‘That’s not a thought worthy of me.’

Nine opened a locked drawer and placed the report submitted by Norman inside.

He picked up another document and scanned the text, trying to clear his scattered thoughts, but the idea, once surfaced, wouldn’t disappear.

Instead, it followed its own train of thought, eventually filling his mind with nothing but Chacha.

Nine finally surrendered to it, setting down the document he was holding, and sank into deep contemplation.

Tap, tap.

Nine’s finger lightly drummed against the desk.

According to Norman’s report, all malicious acts were carried out under Princess Oswald’s orders, so it was highly probable that Chacha had been caught up in her scheme this time, too.

‘But.’

If she was innocent, why had she still not revealed the truth to him?

It wasn’t long after he started pondering that Nine muttered.

“…I did act coercively in the beginning.”

He hadn’t been ready to listen to her story in the first place.

Not only that, Nine knew well enough that the rumors about him spread throughout the Empire were not exactly positive.

That’s why everyone at the Academy either feared him or showed no interest—one or the other.

“Is she still afraid of me and unable to speak the truth?”

He briefly considered this, then shook his head, denying it.

Her behavior up to this point had been far from fearful.

A person consumed by fear tends to shrink away. If she were so terrified of him that she couldn’t plead her innocence, she wouldn’t have so actively approached his family.

She wouldn’t have taken such conspicuous action, not knowing how Nine might react.

If so, what other reason could there be for a person like her to remain silent?

‘…Is it because she’s not innocent, after all?’

She couldn’t argue her case because she was not innocent.

This felt more like her.

The Chacha he had personally seen and experienced was smart enough to seamlessly stabilize the considerable and frequent damage from the Eclipse Duchy’s monsters and the complex administrative tasks in a short time.

‘So, it’s unlikely that she didn’t realize this was the wrong way to go about things.’

Was she silent because she was involved in Helena’s plot?

Or perhaps it wasn’t Helena’s plot, but something Chacha herself had done.

‘If that’s the case…’

Nine, whose index finger had been tapping the desk, was astonished that he didn’t feel unpleasant even with this conclusion.

He suddenly recalled his father once saying that love sometimes turns even smart people into fools.

‘If so, it must be because she admired me.’

It was certainly the wrong method. Even though he knew it, his face felt hot for some reason.

“Ahem. Ahem.”

He stood up and threw open the window behind him, but unlike the North, the mild breeze did nothing to cool his heat.

Instead, the spring wind, filled with the scent of flowers, only made his feelings more unsettled, and strange thoughts continued.

‘Since when? Why?’

He briefly glanced at the mirror on his desk.

The person in the mirror had a slight flush but was still pale and not particularly likable.

Nine tilted his head.

‘It can’t be because of my looks. Then what is it?’

Pondering his own merits, Nine soon thought of his status.

He was one of only four Dukes in the Empire. However, there were already three other unmarried young Dukes around Chacha’s age.

He was a full Duke, not a young Duke, which was certainly a good condition for gaining status a little quicker, but that alone didn’t seem to make it worthwhile.

“Ha, what on earth am I doing?”

Nine suddenly reflected on his own behavior and sat down in frustration. The very act of having such concerns was ridiculous.

He picked up the documents again to clear his head, but his resolve vanished before he had even read two lines.

“As expected.”

In the end, he placed his conclusion on the latter possibility.

In any case, Nine did not feel the same way as Chacha, but unlike in the past, he no longer disliked her.

Therefore, he had no intention of tormenting her over something that had already passed.

Knock, knock.

Just then, a knock was heard.

“Come in.”

It was Van who opened the door and entered. Van looked slightly surprised when he saw Nine’s desk.

Puzzled, Nine looked down at his desk and saw stacks of documents that had not been progressed at all. He hadn’t touched a single one due to his thoughts about Chacha.

Recalling that Van usually took these documents at this time, Nine lightly cleared his throat and said.

“Hmm, I will call you when I’m done with the work.”

“Yes, Your Grace. And Lady Chacha said she will be returning late after dinner.”

Nine frowned.

She could easily spend a day, or even a few more, comfortably at her parent’s house.

Nine regretted his decision. He guessed the reason Chacha was rushing back was to prepare for the added social schedule.

‘Should I not have allowed it after all?’

Then, Nine suddenly realized that he had never properly paid his respects to Count Blueberry’s family.

Although his start with Chacha hadn’t been smooth, he had married her, yet he hadn’t seen them since treating them coldly at their first meeting.

‘I can pay my respects this time and return with her.’

Documents were still piled on his desk, but Nine didn’t even glance at them as he commanded Van.

“Send word immediately to Count Blueberry’s household that I will be visiting a little earlier than dinner time. And tell them not to feel burdened by the sudden visit.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Despite the abrupt command, the experienced butler immediately went to carry out the order.

A satisfied expression crossed Van’s face as he turned away.

***

When Nine arrived at Count Blueberry’s mansion, the Count and Countess greeted him.

“Welcome, Your Grace.”

“Thank you for welcoming me despite the sudden visit.”

He hadn’t noticed it when he saw them before, but seeing them again, the Count and Countess had a very warm, comforting appearance.

‘I can see how my wife managed to melt the ducal family.’

Nine thought that the gentleness he felt even in their brief greeting resembled her.

“I should have paid my respects sooner, but I apologize for the delay.”

“Ah, no. We know how busy Your Grace must be.”

The Count and Countess, though unable to completely hide their disappointment, said it was fine.

Nine wasn’t offended because it was genuinely his fault. He was just a little surprised that, unlike Chacha, they couldn’t hide their feelings at all.

“Thank you. And I’d like to see my wife for a moment.”

Nine glanced behind the Count and Countess, but Chacha was not visible.

Upon hearing Nine’s question, the Count and Countess wore slightly strange expressions.

‘What is it?’

Just then, Annie, Chacha’s close maid, spoke up.

“Lady Chacha is currently in the training ground.”

At her words, Nine recalled Chacha from the time he had briefly taught her.

‘It is good that she is taking an interest in swordsmanship.’

Had she taken up the sword a little earlier, she might have become a Swordmaster.

It was best to start swordsmanship from a young age, but she seemed capable of achieving quite a bit even starting now.

“Well, since Chacha is in the training ground, why don’t you tour the mansion in the meantime?”

The Count urgently suggested to Nine.

“Tour the mansion?”

“Yes, we recently acquired a piece of artwork that you might find worthwhile. The head butler here will guide you.”

“Very well.”

Nine replied obediently, but he felt an inner sense of unease.

It was as if they didn’t want him to go straight to the training ground…

“Where would you like to begin, Your Grace?”

The Blueberry head butler asked. Nine briefly considered his odd feeling before answering.

“Let’s go to the training ground, after all.”

A tour of the mansion was fine, but he wanted to see Chacha first.

However, Nine soon regretted that choice.

“…?”

As a Swordmaster, Nine’s senses were keen, and he could feel a presence far away that ordinary people couldn’t detect.

As he headed toward the training ground with the head butler, a sound of weeping reached his ears from a distance.

Nine, who was lightly dismissing it as ‘something happening,’ soon began to run at a speed the head butler could not keep up with.

The presence, becoming clearer as he got closer, was unmistakably Chacha’s.

‘Why is she crying?’

His heart sank.

Nine pushed off the ground, intent on checking on her immediately, but he had to stop when he turned the corner.

“…”

“Huk, h-huk…!”

Inside the training ground, she was weeping sorrowfully, held in the arms of some man.

Her arms were clinging to the man, clutching the fabric of his back, and the man had an arm around her shoulder, patting her head.

At that sight, Nine could not approach her. A thunderbolt of shock fell upon his mind.

A possibility he had never once imagined, despite thinking of Chacha all day, churned in his mind.

The newly emerged possibility overturned every premise he had previously established.

‘What if the person she loves is not me, but someone else?’

If the incident was simply the Princess’s plot, and both he and Chacha were victims?

If she, too, was a victim, should he send her to the person she loves?

“…”

His heart plummeted.

Placing his hand over his chest, he felt his heartbeat accelerate.

Just as his mind went blank, Nine’s eyes met the eyes of the man holding Chacha.

“…”

“…”

Nine immediately turned and fled the scene.

The pounding of his heart was growing louder, filling his ears.