“...My Lord.”

Bella interrupted with a cough.

I knew she understood my feelings. It was just way too strange of this guy to tell someone he just saw for the first time that he was going to kill him!

As expected, even though they were from the Tristan Duchy, they still at least had a semblance of justice and common sense—

“What is it, Bella?”

“I completely understand how you feel, but Milady definitely…”

After that, the two began to whisper to each other in a low enough voice that I couldn’t hear them anymore.

“...”

I see. She understood him completely, huh?

So in their eyes, me being friends with Eleanor was a big enough felony for them to immediately kill me.

“...Hm.”

As I pondered about how the world had become such a harsh place, Leonid, who had been whispering with Bella, looked at me before letting out a snort.

His disapproval was clearly plastered in his face, but as the head of the family, he was still obligated to treat me appropriately as I was his guest.

To prove this, he opened the drawer and picked something up.

“Take this.”

It was the key to the room.

“...I’ll be frank. It’s impossible for me to like you, Sir.”

“...”

This guy just said that he hated my guts straight to my face.

Well, I could tell from the way he treated me as soon as he saw me, but since his dislike for me was strong enough to the point that he said such a thing, I couldn’t help but be curious about it.

“...May I ask you the reason?”

Hearing what I said, Leonid snorted theatrically.

“Ask me again after you cut down the number of women around you by half.”

“...”

“Your reputation in Elfante is already great enough, to the point that I don’t even need to do an additional investigation on you.”

“...”

“Just think of it, your one and only granddaughter brought home a weird playboy like you. As her family, how would you feel about that?”

[Well, he got a point…]

“...”

Caliban.

Whose side are you on?

…Well.

His reason was more convincing than I thought.

Honestly, I thought that he was just hating me for a weird reason that I didn’t know.

…Anyway, this guy is a complete fool for his granddaughter,

For many reasons, Eleanor was the apple of his eye.

That was part of the reason why Eleanor, who was practically neglected by Gideon ever since she was a child, didn’t grow up as twisted as expected. It was all thanks to Leonid’s care and love.

And this was why I was so worried when I found out that it was him who called for me.

I mean, it would be a problem if he was planning something bizarre to screw me over. But, it seemed like that was a needless worry, as he was just worried about his granddaughter.

As I thought so, Leonid clinked the key in front of me, as if urging me to take the thing quickly.

“That’s the key to your accommodation, Sir. The place wouldn’t be as comfortable as your home, but do try to make yourself at home the best you can.”

Those words were something I could agree on, there was no way the place would be comfortable.

Then again, ever since I entered the Duchy, I already knew that this whole thing wouldn’t be smooth sailing for me.

“...Thank you.”

As I replied and was about to receive the key without complaining.

The office’s door burst open.

And the one who barged in was someone familiar, so familiar that I unknowingly called her out in a daze.

“...Eleanor?”

Since she was wearing an outfit I had never seen before, I almost didn’t know her. The Eleanor I remembered always dressed herself in the school uniform, including the hat.

She was wearing an off-shoulder dress with black frills. Her long hair was elegantly twisted with hair ornaments. She looked like an exemplar of a Lady from a noble household from hair to toe. Everything about her looked luxurious.

But, even if that was the case, her appearance didn’t give off a vain air.

Because she exuded an aura that turned all those things into mere ‘decoration’.

As if implying that you'd need objects at this level to decorate what was most ‘valuable’. That the the difference in class was what turned such items into things that ‘matched’ her.

“...”

Honestly, it was to the point of giving me chills.

She was beautiful.

I unknowingly stared at Eleanor in a daze.

[...Have you finally lost it?]

“...”

Caliban’s fearful voice snapped me back to my senses.

Huh? What was that supposed to mean?

I mean, she’s that beautiful. Anyone would lose it after seeing her!

[No, not that. I was just surprised to find out that you’re able to feel such an emotion when you see a girl…]

“...”

[So our Dowd isn’t impotent after all…!]

This fucker must have some kind of illness that would kill him if he didn’t talk nonsense periodically.

As I thought so while scratching my cheek, Eleanor trudged towards me and grabbed my wrist.

Seeing that, Bella and Leonid’s bodies stiffened, as if they were getting caught doing something they shouldn’t have done.

Eleanor’s eyes shone coldly.

There was a clear anger in her eyes.

“Grandfather.”

She said in a cold tone.

I swear, she could start a hail during midsummer with how cold that tone was.

“This is the key to the annex.”

“...My dear.”

“The building is near the knightage post in the territory.”

“...”

“In other words, it’s the best place to lock up someone and keep him out of contact with anyone, am I right, Grandfather?”

“...”

Leonid and Bella fell silent at the same time.

Meanwhile, after snatching the key from my hand, Eleanor trudged towards Leonid and put the key on the desk.

There was something strange about the cold air that was coming out from her whole body.

“Grandfather.”

Her eyes were fixed on Leonid as her red iris flashed a dangerous light that almost seemed like blood.

“You may do whatever you want of course, but I have requested you several times to never do anything that could get in the way of my time with Dowd.”

“...Eleanor. I have things to say about that ma—”

“Whatever they are, I refuse to hear them.”

Leonid was about to say something before Eleanor cut his words off.

From her attitude, it was clear that she wouldn’t accept any objection coming from his mouth.

“Grandfather, Bella.”

Then…

In a solemn voice, she declared.

“I hate you.”

“...”

“I won’t see you for a while.”

“...”

I swear this would be perfect if she were to add a ‘hmph’ at the end of her sentence.

[...Is that right?]

Caliban asked, dumbfoundedly. What she ended up saying was ridiculously cute compared to how she set the mood.

The reactions to her words were dramatic.

Leonid and Bella’s expressions didn’t change, but as I had trained my eyes to the point that I could read expressionless faces well, thanks to Eleanor, I could tell what was going on with them.

From how the muscles in their cheeks wriggled and how they failed to hide their shaky arms…

And how Leonid’s beard seemed to have grown longer than earlier…

“...My dear, what does that—”

“It’s as you have heard, Grandfather.”

Her speech had become more relaxed compared to how she addressed him formally just a few moments ago.

However, when they heard that shift in tone, Bella and Leonid’s faces gradually turned pale.

It was as if when she was using this kind of speech, their words would never go through her at all.

“That’s the punishment for the crime of trying to take Dowd away from me.”

Those words…

Came out so firmly, showing her refusal to even consider backing down a little.

●

“...Please excuse his rudeness.”

As soon as we got out of the room and went to the hallway, Eleanor said that while clearing her throat.

“My Grandfather always overreacts to everything whenever I am involved.”

“...Uh, don’t sweat it.”

I replied in an awkward tone while scratching my cheek.

Well, I already roughly knew that Leonid was that kind of person, so I didn’t really feel anything even though he did that to me.

But, it seemed like she wasn’t satisfied with my answer as Eleanor gave out another excuse with a sigh.

“With the Upper Nobles Association keep trying to pick a fight with our Tristan Duchy about every single thing, it was him who had to deal with them since the current Duke is absent. Because of that, he’s probably became more sensitive than—”

Suddenly, her words were cut off.

Then, she walked a few steps closer to me while tilting her head.

“Your face seems a little red. Are you sick?”

“N-No. Don’t mind me, I’m fine.”

I shook my hands and even took a few steps back.

All to hide my face that was blushing even more furiously than before.

“...If you say so.”

She tilted her head again before taking a few steps back.

That made me feel relieved.

God, what’s wrong with me, seriously?

It wasn’t like this was the first time I’ve seen her! Why did my heart keep pounding like an adolescent boy just because I saw her dressed up?!

…Seriously, why?

What was going on with me, really?

As I thought so, completely puzzled, Eleanor, who was walking in front of me, stopped.

“We’ve arrived. This is the place you are going to stay in.”

Her words snapped me back to my senses as I turned my gaze ahead.

In front of me was a huge annex. No, an enormous one—it was as if they had taken off a whole Student Center in Elfante and brought it here.

To put it in a more easy-to-understand way, it was like a 60-story building laid horizontally.

Size wasn’t the only thing it had going on for it. It looked luxurious enough that it could pass off as a building inside the Imperial Palace.

I could tell that it was one of the most expensive buildings inside the Tristan Duchy Territory.

“...Can I just get a small room instead?”

I said, letting out a bitter smile.

Someone with a commoner’s sense like me wouldn’t even be able to sleep in a room in such a luxurious building because it would be burdensome.

However, hearing my words, Eleanor tilted her head.

“What are you saying?”

“Huh?”

“This whole building is yours, though.”

“...”

I looked at the building, then at Eleanor.

Again, I looked at the building, then at Eleanor.

“Sorry?”

“I have already notified the servants. Think of it as your own and use it as you wish. I’ll tolerate anything as long as you don’t do anything bad to the female servants.”

“...”

“Get used to it. Because it is likely to be yours from now on.”

When I could only stand still, at a loss for words, Caliban let out a chuckle from inside the Soul Linker.

[She's so generous. She already prepared the furnishings for the marriage.]

‘...’

[Congrats. You just have to be a pimp daddy and you won't have to worry about making a liv—]

Shut up, please.

I told him off and followed Eleanor, who began to walk again.

When we arrived at the large door that seemed like the entrance to the annex, I could see a huge painting of the person who I assumed was the previous owner of this building.

“...”

Eleanor stopped a moment and looked up at the painting.

Longing. Affection. Remorse. Regret.

A fond gaze that could be described with one of those words,

…This.

I also silently looked up at it.

Though, I did it for a different reason than hers.

She’s quite familiar.

The Gray Devil.

That was why she looked familiar. The woman in the painting looked exactly like the Gray Devil; I even unknowingly connected her with the Devil the moment I saw her face.

Both the woman and the Devil had something in common; Both were a more mature version of Eleanor.

“....Iris Linea La Tristan.”

Eleanor read the letters written below the painting before continuing in a slightly hoarse voice,

“She is my mother. This is the building she used to live in.”

“...Are you sure it’s okay for me to enter your mother’s house?”

When I asked her that in a serious voice, Eleanor turned her body around to face me.

Then, she instantly answered.

“Of course.”

The corner of her lips were slightly curled up.

“Because you are precious to me.”

“...”

Those words struck my heart.

Once again, I realized how tenacious this person was.

Just how could she manage to say such an awkward thing so casually like this?

“Soon, you will become even more precious to me.”

“...Sorry?”

“Dowd.”

She approached me again and poked my nose with the tip of her finger.

Then…

She chuckled.

It was a child-like innocent laughter.

“Change your clothes. Let's eat together.”

“...”

“Just the two of us.”

“...”

Before I could even reply…

Eleanor continued with a wink.

“Do we not have a lot to talk about with each other? Since the night is long.”

After she said so…

A shout that sounded like a scream immediately came out from the Soul Linker.

[Let's gooooo—!!!]

“...”

I don't know how many times I've said this, but.

Mister.

Shut up, please.