You couldn’t carelessly leave the relics around, and inside her skirt was the perfect place to hide the gun-shaped sacred relic.

“I guessed. If you collect relics, you need a place to store them.”

“That’s right. The Emperor keeps those items deep within the palace in a secret space. On the last day of the banquet, when the Emperor attends, I plan to enter the palace’s relic storage.”

“…What?”

It was undoubtedly a risky move, but the reason was evident. Sacred relics are made by imbuing power into old or valuable objects. Essentially, the imperial family monopolizes them.

But the Duke had more to say.

“I hope it’s not too much to ask, but I’d like you to join my plan.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You, being a noble, can easily enter the palace, and you have a way to escape when things get tough.”

“A way to escape… Oh.”

She wondered if he meant teleportation magic, but recalling their first meeting in the cave, it made sense. She had vanished in blue flames right before the Duke’s eyes.

‘But that’s… Koko’s power.’

Noticing her hesitation, the Duke carefully spoke.

“Of course, you should benefit too. Is there anything specific you want in return for joining my plan?”

“…I’m not sure.”

In reality, the Duke’s proposal wasn’t that bad.

She already had a sacred relic, but she might obtain something helpful for her family.

But the issue was the potential danger on that day.

While Rosha was contemplating, a surprising idea came to her. She was flabbergasted at her thought, trembling slightly, she murmured, “Hmm, in my opinion…”

But right then.

Knock knock-

Someone knocked on the terrace door. A very familiar voice was heard.

“Excuse me.”

…It’s Cedric!

Rosha sealed her lips, recalling the conversation she had with Cedric in a suddenly arriving carriage.

-You know, you’re close to Duke Echerzen, right?

-…We met a few times during academy days. Not exactly close. It was very unusual for him to visit our mansion last time. Why do you ask?

-Just wondering.

-Just wondering?

-Yes, just curious.

It was an impromptu question, but Cedric’s reaction was unusual. Eventually, she had to reassure him that she’d remain distant if the Duke approached.

Obviously, getting caught with Duke Echerzen would be problematic.

‘Why now? Is he checking on me? But that’s overly protective, right?’

Hoping that if she kept quiet, he might leave, but her hope was dashed.

The sound of a key turning in the terrace door’s lock was heard!

Duke Echerzen whispered:

“We can’t let your brother discover us in this situation, right?”

“Of course. Do you even need to say that?”

“Hmm, but I had permission… Alright, come this way.”

Noticing Rosha’s puzzled look, the Duke smirked and reached out. Without hesitation, she took his hand.

Their fingers intertwined naturally, and the Duke gently pulled her close.

As they touched, she felt a peculiar sensation enveloping her, a result of the Duke’s special ability.

‘…It feels like I’m isolated inside a glass tube.’

She felt she might leave the area affected by his ability with even the slightest movement.

Noticing her tension, the Duke embraced her so her head could rest on his chest as the terrace door silently opened.

Cedric appeared, scanning the empty terrace and murmured:

“…It was locked, so I thought maybe, but she’s not here either.”

“She seems lost in her thoughts. What will you do?”

Cedric was with a man dressed as a servant.

Judging by the key in his hand, he seemed to be the one who unlocked the terrace door.

Cedric muttered anxiously;

“We have to keep looking. There’s no way Duke Echerzen just appeared at the banquet for no reason. There must be a motive… And I keep thinking of Rosha.”

“Why Miss Rosha…”

“Last time, the Duke showed interest in Rosha.”

Rosha, who was looking around carefully, met eyes with him and tightly held the Duke’s hand.

Of course, it was a coincidence, and Cedric, who seemed uneasy and flicked his fingers, soon left to look at another terrace.

And after a while.

“Whew.”

The duke, with a faint exhale, deactivated his power. He didn’t say anything, but both the effects of the power and his slightly hardened expression seemed to indicate that it wasn’t an easy ability.

As the situation concluded, a slightly embarrassed Rosha discreetly withdrew her hand and expressed her gratitude.

“Th-thank you. It would have been troublesome if we got caught…”

“Well, your brother is not to be taken lightly.”

“…Haha.”

She subtly moved out of the man’s embrace and awkwardly laughed, feeling the lingering warmth in her hand. Just then, she took a brief look at the half-open terrace door.

An accomplice dressed as a servant calling her ‘Miss’.

Even for an imperial aide, it seemed very suspicious.

‘Cedric… just how much are you hiding?’

However, her thoughts were interrupted as she met someone’s gaze from beyond the terrace gap.

It was Cassis.

* * *

Surprisingly, Cassis didn’t say a word on the carriage ride back from the banquet. Neither that night nor the next day.

‘He surely saw me with Duke Echerzen, right?’

Was it just her imagination that their eyes met? It felt like it.

Rosha spent the second day of the banquet with a restless heart. Under the pretext of fatigue, she returned home early and secretly went out late at night to engrave magic formulas at several rifts.

‘It’s better to be prepared.’

Better to struggle now than to watch hundreds die during the upcoming trial.

With the final battle imminent, after completing most of the tasks, she dragged her tired body back home.

However.

“…”

In her room where the dim dawn light entered, someone was already there.

Leaning against the wall near the door, Cassis, with his ruby-red eyes shining, asked:

“Don’t you have something to explain to me?”

“Huh?”

“I won’t beat around the bush. What’s your relationship with Duke Echerzen?”

“…”

His sudden confrontation caught her off guard.

‘…What should I say?’

Despite thinking about it since yesterday, she couldn’t find an answer. Due to Cedric’s early education, the Duke’s reputation in the family wasn’t favorable.

Rosha just rolled her eyes.

However, Cassis seemed to think something else.

“You… Don’t tell me.”

As he walked over, Cassis, holding Rosha’s shoulder, made a ridiculous assertion.

“Are you two really meeting? I completely disapprove.”

“…It’s not like that!”

“Then what? You were holding hands on the terrace, and didn’t you just meet the Duke?”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Then explain in a way I can understand. Before I go and spill everything to Cedric.”

Cassis crossed his arms, glaring at Rosha.

It seemed he thought he had to somehow intervene if she and the Duke were secretly meeting.

She was caught in such a compromising situation!

‘Haa… I guess I have no choice.’

Rosha started explaining as Cassis impatiently urged her on.