CFCF 31

Chapter 31

“Pardon?”
Jesus immediately shook his head.
“It’s just baseless nonsense spread by ignorant folk. Please pay it no mind.”

“Answer me properly, Vice-Captain. I did not ask for your opinion.”

The sharp retort made Jesus instinctively moisten his lips.
“I merely asked if you had seen it for yourself.”
His superior, the Second Prince, could be somewhat eccentric and demanding, but he was generally a quick-witted and intelligent commander.
Perhaps due to the vulnerability of not being the Empress’s son, he even lacked the characteristic arrogance of royalty or high nobility who looked down on their subordinates.
Vice-Captain Jesus both feared and respected such a superior, so he could not bring himself to lie in response to his question.

“…The first time I saw it was after dusk, and I was tired, so I thought I had mistaken it.”

“But you’ve seen it since then, you said?”
Jesus dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

“Jesus Til Natavion, I swear on my family’s honor. The notion that the change in eye color is due to a demon’s influence is utter nonsense.”

Rurik smiled bitterly.

“You’re being long-winded, Jesus. How many times have you seen it?”

His vice-captain reluctantly opened his mouth.

“…About four or five times, I have seen it. However, it never lasted for an extended period.”

“Did it seem like a symptom of an illness, perhaps? Like madness?”
Jesus, still bowing his head, discreetly swallowed.

“Seeing you perfectly fine the next day, I assumed it was not an illness. As you have never made erroneous judgments based on external changes, I also concluded it was not madness. In my foolish estimation…”

His voice grew quieter as he added.

“…I have wondered if it might be the influence of the demon sword.”

Rurik let out a hollow laugh.
“The influence of the demon sword, you say.”
But Jesus seemed serious.

“I looked into it myself… They say cases where eye color changes completely depending on mood or other circumstances are rare. So, I thought about what it is that you possess that is specially different from others.”

Rurik shook his head.
“It’s just a sword some mage casually named. Does it not occur to you that the problem might be the blood of the enemy forces staining this place, not the sword itself?”
Jesus finally lifted his head and answered firmly.

“Since becoming a member of the Charles Knight Order by His Majesty the Emperor’s decree, there has not been a single moment I was ashamed of the direction my sword moved.”

Rurik gave a slight nod.
“You are dismissed.”
After Jesus left with heavy footsteps, Rurik ran his hand over the sword hilt, familiar as his own flesh.

“I have wondered if it might be the influence of the demon sword.”

The preposterous words left by his vice-captain echoed in his ears.

‘Until now, I have carried this sword as if it were a part of my own body.’

But that was because of the Emperor’s recognition embodied in the sword.
Believing in legends about the first Magic Tower Lord melting down a magical beast’s heart to forge it was only for his childhood, before he obtained the sword.

‘Aren’t I too old to believe such tales now?’

Even as he thought this, Rurik made no move to remove the sword, continuing to caress the hilt.

“In about two weeks, it will be the fourth month. The baby is very healthy.”

I thought Len would boast about hearing the baby’s heartbeat when he saw Ernst, but surprisingly, he left that part out.
‘Is he worried Ernst might insist on hearing it too and cause trouble?’
Every time I see Ren’s fierce face making such an exasperated, fox-like expression, I feel my soul being stolen, so I just sat there dazed.

“So, it seems Your Highness has about two months left.”

Phoebe said cheerfully as she removed my wig.
“Phew. Still, since the baby is healthy, I can rest a little easier.”

“But the physician didn’t look too pleased when he heard about the fainting spell,”

Ren said with a worried face.
Actually, it was because I had confided my plan to go away for recuperation and asked for his help.
“He said to be careful for the next few weeks until you reach a stable period.”
Phoebe nodded seriously while combing my hair, which was a mess from the wig.
“Understood. And it’s okay to keep taking Lord Ren’s medicine for morning sickness, right?”
“Yes.”
Ernst placed a hand on Ren’s shoulder.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Ren gave a perfunctory nod.
Normally, he would have been furious, saying he had no business receiving greetings from you, but it seemed he was tolerating it because he was pleased to be the only one who heard the heartbeat.
Still, he said,
“By the way, that physician modified a stethoscope using magic tools, didn’t he?”
“Oh?”
Ernst also tilted his head, as if he hadn’t heard such rumors.
It seemed the noble clients kept the physician’s secret very well.
“Well, it was crude… But I should look into it. If there’s anything that could help Lou, it might be better if I develop it myself.”
I suddenly realized that the man who had been sticking by my side, offering himself as a means of transport, was the Empire’s only Magic Tower Lord.
“Are you returning to the Magic Tower?”
When I asked, Ren approached and stroked my cheek as if I were cute.

“If any other symptoms appear, contact me immediately. Even minor ones. Understood?”

Before I could nod, Ernst cut in.
“I’ll be close by until you return. We can’t leave Lou alone.”
Ren nodded, albeit with a displeased expression, and whispered near my ear.

“Or even if you just miss me.”

I seized the opportunity and whispered back to him,

“If you have any medicine that can make one look pale, send it to me.”

Instead of answering, Ren affectionately nuzzled my cheek and finally departed.
While I stood there, blushing without realizing it, the fireplace flared up.
My mage had vanished in the blink of an eye.

A dissatisfied voice came from behind me immediately.

“Why does it feel like you suddenly can’t take your eyes off Ren…?”

Startled, I turned to see Ernst pouting and sulking.
“Did he finally use a charm spell on you?”
“W-When did I ever…!”
I immediately denied it, but Phoebe interjected.
“Does such a magic exist?”
I was actually suspecting the same, but Ernst just smiled it off.
“No way. If such a thing existed, Ren would have kidnapped Lou to the Magic Tower years ago. Of course, Lord Moghold would have stopped him.”
Lord Moghold?
I instantly realized that unfamiliar name was the master Ren had mentioned.
‘Yes, it’s similar to the signature on the mark.’
I was pondering how to ask more about ‘Lord Moghold’ when Phoebe aptly said,
“Lord Moghold probably would have. Is he still wandering around practicing astrology these days?”
Ernst shrugged.
“He’s a total eccentric, I tell you. No wonder he’s Ren’s master. Seems like even Ren can’t get in touch with him lately.”
In short, the only person who could confirm the magic on the diary had gone off the grid.
‘Sigh, no wonder things seemed to be resolving too easily.’
I was disappointed but quickly composed myself.
If Moghold was close enough to Louise to place a spell on her diary, my sudden desire to know its contents would look highly suspicious.
‘Louise clearly hid the diary with a purpose.’
While I was calculating this, Ernst cleared his throat.
His secretary then appeared holding a small box and said,

“This is a gift His Royal Highness the Crown Prince prepared for the maid.”

“Oh my…”
Phoebe looked at Ernst and asked,
“What is this, Your Highness?”

“A bribe.”

Ernst answered without denial, but he smiled so prettily that the word “bribe” seemed to transform into another, more beautiful word.
‘Aren’t you the one using a charm spell?’
While I was rationally suspecting him, Phoebe opened the box and gasped.
“Wow…”
Then she beamed at Ernst.