Chapter 9
Bang! A loud crash of the door opening brought her turmoil to a halt. Rita instinctively moved her aura (Ord) to her fingertips and formed a magic bullet as she turned around.
“You damn fake!”
The one who kicked the door open and burst in was a red-haired man.
His face was unfamiliar, but Rita immediately recognized him thanks to what she’d heard.
A face similar to Leonhardt’s, with the same violet eyes—though unlike the upright and handsome Leonhardt, this man had a flamboyant, free-spirited appearance.
Richard del Nisa Laskail—the second son of House Laskail.
He glared at her fiercely.
“The fake—so you were the one who tried to strangle someone? I guess you revealed your true colors faster than I thought—”
His fierce words trailed off, crumbling into silence. His eyes widened as he stared at her, dazed.
He murmured like someone spellbound.
“…Lili.”
Rita didn’t respond. No—she couldn’t.
The oath using the name “Lillietta” had just succeeded, and her mind felt like it was about to explode. She couldn’t affirm or deny that name.
As she stood frozen, Richard staggered toward her.
Rita flinched. A strong stench of alcohol hit her from him.
He’s completely drunk, isn’t he?
Though she didn’t drink herself, she was well aware of alcohol’s effects thanks to her close friend Oli Pascal—a brilliant magician, an exceptional firearm maker, and someone whose love of alcohol bordered on addiction.
When a person reeks of alcohol like that, they’re usually beyond reason and prone to irrational behavior.
The only time Oli turns into a fool is when she’s drunk.
Sure enough, Richard suddenly dropped to his knees in front of her.
“I’m sorry.”
“…?”
Wasn’t this the guy who just stormed in shouting about fakes? And now he’s suddenly apologizing?
She had suspected as much from the smell, but this still left Rita utterly dumbfounded. The kneeling man suddenly burst into tears.
“I’m sorry, Lili. I’m sorry… It’s all my fault…”
He began sobbing like a child, babbling incoherently.
“You just… just asked me to stay by your side until you fell asleep, and I’m sorry… You never asked for things like that, but I—I said I was too tired and didn’t listen to you. I’m trash. How could I just tell you to go back to your room and fall asleep again? I should’ve checked on you… I’m… I’m the worst…”
He reached out to her, his fingers trembling—not just from the alcohol, it seemed.
“Ah, Lili… Lili… You don’t know how much I’ve regretted that night. You don’t know. I’m sorry. I really am. If I could turn back time, I would. I had a chance to stop it… I could have saved you… but some things can never be undone. I learned that too late… I… I really…”
Richard clung to the hem of Lillietta’s nightgown and wept.
“I’m sorry, Lili… I’m so sorry…”
Rita couldn’t even bring herself to brush away his hand. She stood there, frozen.
He had barged in screaming, gone vacant, started apologizing and sobbing all by himself.
He’s really wasted.
She couldn’t even make sense of what he was saying.
Dispersing the magic bullet at her fingertips, she looked down at the sobbing man, wondering what to do.
“Young master!”
Just then, someone else burst in through the door Richard had kicked open.
This time, Rita wasn’t surprised. Ever since awakening, she’d habitually sensed the flow of aura around her.
It was a man in his late thirties, wearing a monocle. Judging by his well-tailored uniform and his use of the title “young master,” he was likely the butler of the mansion.
He looked flustered, and when he saw Rita, his surprise grew. He quickly bowed.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lillietta. I am the butler of House Laskail—”
“H-huaaangh… I’m sorry, Lili… I really am trash…”
“…My name is Alfred. My apologies for the awkward first meeting under such circumstances.”
Alfred adjusted his monocle and discreetly wiped his sweaty brow.
Rita sighed lightly and pointed at Richard, who was still apologizing.
“Nice to meet you, Alfred. He’s clearly drunk—can you take care of him?”
“Yes, if you’ll excuse me.”
Alfred gestured.
A group of large attendants who had followed him rushed in and carefully restrained the wailing Richard.
Then one of them uncorked a bottle and dangled it in front of Richard like bait, slowly backing toward the door.
“…!”
Richard turned toward the scent of alcohol, and the attendants gently nudged him in that direction. Once they had all exited, only Alfred remained in the room.
What the… Are they luring him like an animal?
Rita blinked, dumbfounded by what she had just witnessed. As if reading her mind, Alfred calmly explained.
“Sir Richard is a top-class knight. He can wield aura barehanded, so if we don’t bait him into moving voluntarily, everyone’s at risk.”
“Alcohol is the bait? Wait, that actually works on a person…?”
“It’s quite effective when he’s blackout drunk. It’s the safest method.”
Watching the butler answer so casually, Rita realized this kind of thing was probably routine in this mansion.
He’s a complete alcoholic. How did a man who can use aura end up like that? Aren’t knights supposed to be all about chivalry and dignity?
She clicked her tongue quietly, and Alfred seemed to catch her thoughts.
“My lady, please don’t misunderstand. Sir Richard wasn’t always like this.”
“He wasn’t?”
“He didn’t even touch alcohol before. Everything changed after your disappearance. He believes it was entirely his fault.”
“…!”
“On the night Lady Lillietta disappeared, she went to see him. She said she had a strange dream and was scared, and asked him to stay until she fell asleep. At the time, your parents were attending a ball, and Sir Leonhardt was at the academy, so only Sir Richard was home.”
Alfred spoke as though he already knew Rita remembered nothing, explaining slowly.
“Sir Richard, half-asleep, ignored her request. So the lady returned to her room alone. That was the last anyone saw of her.”
Now, Rita understood the incoherent apologies Richard had been making earlier.
“Sir Richard has spent the last ten years regretting that night. Unable to bear the guilt, he began drinking… and eventually, he became what he is now.”
The butler let out a sigh of something like sorrow.
“We’ve since removed all alcohol from the estate, but since he’s a top-tier knight, we can’t stop him from drinking outside at taverns.”
“…”
“But things will change now. Since you’ve miraculously returned… perhaps laughter will once again fill this birch castle.”
His face, filled with emotion and hope, turned toward her. He bowed deeply.
“Lady Lillietta, I sincerely welcome your return. Thank you… truly, thank you for coming back.”
“…”
Still caught in a whirl of confusion, Rita could say nothing.
“I heard you’re disoriented due to memory loss. Please rest well, and if there’s anything you need or wish to know, don’t hesitate to call on us.”
He turned to leave, kind and gentle in understanding her lack of response—but Rita called after him.
“Wait, Alfred.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“I have a question.”
“Ask anything.”
“What kind of child was Lillietta… was I?”
Alfred didn’t answer right away. He fidgeted with his monocle, then looked down and replied softly.
“I’m sorry, my lady. I can’t answer that.”
“Why not?”
“I became the butler after you disappeared. The butler back then was my father, and I was away studying elsewhere. I didn’t know you when you were little.”
“The previous butler was your father? Then surely you know from him—”
“My father…”
Alfred closed his eyes briefly, then continued.
“After you disappeared, he resigned, blaming himself. Not long after… he passed away.”
“…!”
“You did nothing wrong, my lady. Please don’t wear that expression.”
Alfred gave a quiet, bitter smile.
“Your disappearance was like a meteor crashing down—an unforeseen tragedy. The aftermath blanketed this castle and became a shadow that never lifted. So much… so very much happened.”
After a pause, he smiled faintly and added,
“But now that you’re back, everything will get better. That’s why we’re so grateful.”
Luring him out with a bottle of alcohol…wow.