CHAPTER 125…………………………………………
“I invited Kylie to the villa, right? So I thought maybe we should send someone there ahead of time.”
“If it’s a villa, they usually manage it with just minimal staff, so that makes sense.”
“Ah, that’s part of it, but I also want to give Kylie a gift.”
“A gift? What are you planning to give her?”
“Just something to cheer her up. We have some excellent people in our mansion who are great at dispelling sadness.”
A soft smile appeared on Temia’s lips as she recalled fond memories. The stoic but kind gardener, the cute girl with rosy cheeks, and finally, the chef who could make anything taste delicious. Temia firmly believed that together, they would be more than capable of comforting Kylie and bringing her joy.
Once she decided to leave, Kylie no longer hesitated. She packed only the bare minimum in her room.
“I’m not leaving forever, and if I try to sneak out secretly, I’ll just get caught trying to grab everything.”
Since the place had been prepared by Temia in advance, there would be no inconveniences for daily life. Even if there were, Kylie had no intention of fussing over such things while being indebted to Temia.
Seeing Kylie step out saying she would go for a walk to clear her mind, the staff sighed in relief. Her light attire left no reason for suspicion, so leaving the house went smoothly.
Kylie tried hard not to show her excitement at committing a minor act of rebellion for the first time. The faint weight she felt on her shoulder gave her courage.
“Was it invisibility magic? Even if I can’t be seen… I can still feel you close, and that makes me feel safe.”
Camouflaged naturally, Kylie relaxed her tension. She began stepping lightly, moving softly outside.
And behind her, someone quietly followed.
“Where is she going alone?”
A member of Prometheus, sent to watch over Kylie, was flustered by her sudden movement. Their plan was to monitor Kylie’s range of movement as the prospective hostage and wait for the right opportunity to abduct her.
It hadn’t been difficult to plant a mole within the Lacroix household, a minor noble family, and the young Lady Kylie only received trivial messages anyway. Through bribed servants, it was enough to hear about a few tea party invitations or summaries of letters from her peers.
Moreover, the work he had to do was incredibly boring. Like a typical noble lady, she rarely left the mansion, and when she did, it was only for short walks around the grounds.
“I thought if there’s nothing unusual, a little surveillance would quickly give me a chance!”
The unguarded position of the potential hostage was an excellent sign—but he couldn’t let himself celebrate prematurely. His mission wasn’t to kidnap Kylie now, only to observe her surroundings for the right moment and report back.
- The abduction plan will be executed just before the final battle. Eliminating any interference beforehand will increase the chances of success.
All preparations for execution were already made. Nothing frustrated Rigma more than plans being disrupted. Acting recklessly could ruin everything and make the future uncertain.
“But if we want to abduct her, there doesn’t seem to be a better opportunity than now…”
The decision wasn’t his to make. He followed behind Kylie, who chattered brightly, sending a signal to the Prometheus headquarters. At least until a response came, observing her was the best he could do.
Meanwhile, Kylie and Leri, who were walking ahead, didn’t notice the quiet presence following them and hurried along.
“Leri, right? Can I call you that?”
“Of course, Lady Kylie! Since you’re friends with Temia, we’ll see each other often.”
“Thanks. Then I’ll call you that. But… really, no one else came out of the mansion, right?”
Glancing back at the mansion she had just left, Kylie’s hidden anxiety surfaced. The impulsive courage that had led her out ebbed, replaced by realistic worries. Only now did she realize what she had done, and she sighed deeply.
“Hah… This is really okay, right?”
“Pardon? Is there a problem?”
“Temia said she’d help, but I don’t want to be a burden on her.”
“Temia said it! That her home is always open for friends.”
“Y-yeah, but still…”
“She also said it’s not far from here. Are your legs hurting or something?”
The bluebird, still a little naive to subtle human emotions, asked innocently. Kylie’s tension melted at the carefree question.
“No, seeing you makes me realize I was worrying for nothing.”
Letting out a small, relieved laugh, she straightened her body. Her previously gloomy face brightened slightly.
“Accepting kind gestures graciously is also a lady’s duty. Let’s go to the villa!”
“Good idea! Temia said she’ll be there soon too, so we can wait for her.”
“Yeah, that’s the most comforting news I’ve heard today.”
“And Temia said a ‘gift’ will be arriving soon too!”
Apparently, Kylie wasn’t the only one looking forward to this little escape. Feeling like Temia might be even happier, Kylie snorted and asked:
“A gift? What is it?”
“That’s a secret. I don’t know either.”
“Well, fine! Sometimes curiosity turning into anticipation is even better.”
The cheerful pair walked briskly. As they exchanged bright and hopeful chatter, Kylie’s forced smile became natural. Their happy voices rose, enough to reach the ears of the one following them.
The hidden observer kept his distance, holding his breath. Not acting now had been the right decision.
“That’s definitely Lowell van Trea’s summon!”
If he had acted recklessly in a blind rush, everything would have been messed up.
“But it seems they still don’t know our plan, and they haven’t noticed the pursuit.”
Then the opportunity was still available—and even somewhat advantageous. That was a positive sign.
Regaining his composure, he watched the girl and bluebird heading toward a place he had found in his collected information.
“This is… the Etvalga villa? I heard it hasn’t been used much recently. What’s going on?”
Judging by the earlier conversation, Temia Etval was also expected to head there.
“She wouldn’t move alone at a time like this, so Lowell must be with her.”
This person, who had been holed up observing, would provide useful clues about their next moves.
“Unexpected information. A valuable find.”
It seemed an emergency meeting was needed.
Meanwhile, the message sent by Temia was also headed elsewhere: her family estate, the ducal mansion.
It didn’t take long for ordinary mail to arrive. The first to open it was Nanarun, who happened to be strolling in the garden.
“Ah! A letter! I’ll take it today!”
Important messages were delivered directly through the butler or housekeeper, so it wasn’t a problem for the first person to find a mailbox letter to take it.
“If I bring this, I bet I’ll get praised!”
The child loved the gentle praise and affection that came after helping with small tasks. Excitedly gripping the envelope, the thin paper crumpled slightly. Her eyes fell on the writing outside, and they widened.
“O-oh…?”
Seeing her own name written clearly in the familiar handwriting, the child clutched the letter tightly and ran off.
“A letter, a letter has arrived! It’s from Lady Temia!”
Her loud voice carried to the gardener, Himol, diligently working outside. Blushing with excitement, the child ran, waving to Himol, who responded with a familiar wave. The small feet seemed to fly in the rush.
“Himol! This, this!!”
Himol gladly set down his work, meeting the child and lifting her safely. He was concerned she might fall while flailing her arms. Nanarun chattered away rapidly, ignoring being picked up.
“Lady Temia sent a letter! And it’s for us!”
“…Already?”
“Yes. I wonder what’s inside. I thought it’d be better if we read it together. Since it has my name on it, I can open it, right?”
Watching the little hands tear open the envelope energetically, Himol was puzzled. Even though Lady Temia had promised to send regular updates, this felt a little early.
“She hasn’t been away from the mansion long… Or maybe she needs something?”
Once the letter was opened, Himol finally understood why the message had been sent to him.
“This… I’ll need to inform Kaf in the kitchen as well. And I’ll need a travel request.”
“A travel request?! To where?”
Himol read the letter fully, neatly folded it, and placed it in his shirt pocket. Smiling, he spoke gently to the wide-eyed girl.
“The villa. The place Lady Temia stayed before. She’s expected to go there. But Lady Kylie will be there first, apparently.”
Nanarun’s eyes widened. She raised her arms in joy, but then, confused, asked:
“But why Lady Kylie? What’s happening?”
“I don’t know. Anyway, Kaf and I will head straight to the villa today. Pack your things.”
Himol himself looked puzzled. Normally his expression didn’t change much, so this was his fullest display.
The three of them—Himol, Kaf, and Nanarun—puzzled over it together but couldn’t figure it out. Resigned, they fell silent and set off for the villa.
