Chapter 87
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
Chapter 87
"But Miss, the Duke won't permit it. If you provoke him carelessly, he might even forbid you from going out at all."
"No. He can't stop me from going out."
"How is that possible?"
I nodded firmly.
My parents could never prevent my outings. I had a standing appointment to meet The Emperor twice a week, and Father knew about it. I'd made sure he did.
I had plenty of excuses at my disposal.
"Emma, you didn't intercept Dale's letters in the meantime, did you?"
"I'm on your side, Miss! Emma would never do such a thing!"
"...You're right."
Emma had been my lifeline to the House while I was away. It was a dangerous act on her part, one that risked falling out of Father's favor.
I considered carefully what methods I could employ.
"...That's right. There's one more thing."
I'd received several magical items from Cassion as repayment for the hunting festival incident.
The gift he'd given me, saying it would be most useful to me now, was none other than—
"What is it, Miss?"
I looked at Emma's tilted head and smiled.
"I'll be out for a bit."
* * *
"Miss—!!!!!"
I left the Capital behind, disregarding Emma's resentment.
Cassion is certainly not someone to underestimate. He knew exactly what I wanted.
What Cassion handed me were a teleportation scroll, a map, and a disguise item.
A special artifact capable of completely altering one's appearance through magic.
This was different from the simple disguise potion I used to have or the one I received from the Fortune Teller. This one allowed me to designate the target whose appearance would change. The Magic Tower Master truly is exceptional.
Cassion cleverly provided the disguise items in pairs.
"One to change my appearance, and one to transform a maid into my likeness as my replacement."
After transforming Emma into my appearance, I hurried out before the effect wore off.
After so long, I could see Grunvalt's house.
A beautiful house like a painting, nestled in sprawling gardens. Mine and Dale's house.
"Dale!"
Dale is here.
It seemed Dale hadn't gone anywhere during my absence. The garden was well-maintained, free of weeds.
Though a servant might have done it, Dale's meticulous touch was unmistakable.
'My heart is racing. How many days has it been? Or has it been weeks?'
I pushed open the iron gate and approached the house.
Since it was the day I'd see Dale again after so long, I'd deliberately worn my most beautiful dress.
Since it was morning, had Dale gone to work? Or was he still home?
But I didn't see any servants.
"...Maybe they took a day off?"
With less work, perhaps they'd gone to rest or changed to afternoon shifts. Dale is frugal enough that it's possible, right?
Bang!
I pushed the door wide open and called out.
"Dale~! I'm here!!!"
...Huh?
Is no one here?
For some reason, the house felt eerily quiet. It had the hollow feeling of a new home where no one lived.
"Dale?"
This cold sensation was different from the quiet that came from Dale's absence.
What was this feeling?
I walked carefully, set down the gift I'd brought for Dale in one corner, and casually surveyed the living room.
"Daaale? I'm here? You're not home right now? Dale?"
Only my voice echoed through the empty first floor.
I went to the small reception room on the first floor where we often spent time together. Dust had accumulated slightly on the sofa where Dale and I frequently sat.
I could tell when I wiped it with my hand.
Everything was exactly the same as the day I left—even the position of the books hadn't changed.
"He hasn't used this room."
When alone, Dale seemed to use only his own room, not the living room or sofa. The house felt devoid of warmth.
Though it was spring, Grunvalt grew cold in the evenings, requiring the fireplace to be lit, yet there was no sign of it having been used.
"Ah, could Dale be in his room?"
I headed toward Dale's Office.
The handle turned smoothly. As usual, it wasn't locked.
Knock, knock.
I rapped on the door, but Dale didn't emerge.
"Dale? Are you here?"
I carefully opened the door. This room, too, was empty.
"...Where did he go so early in the morning?"
I'd come out at an early hour myself. Since it was only 6 a.m., I'd expected to find him here.
"Did Dale go on a trip?"
Now that he's freed himself from the time entangled with mine, he might want to go somewhere.
The silence around me was as complete as when I'd been away from the house—as though Dale, too, had vanished.
"He must have gone traveling!"
I should have written him a letter before leaving.
"...Dale didn't send a reply."
Why wouldn't he?
That's not like him at all.
Could the letter not have reached him? I hesitated outside Dale's Room.
"Should I go check if he received the letter? It wasn't in the living room. Did Dale throw it away?"
I tilted my head, then shook it.
"No, it might not have arrived. Dale wouldn't harbor different feelings. Dale isn't the type to..."
Then I suddenly came to my senses.
When had I walked up to Dale's desk? Today, his Office door wasn't locked either.
"...Should I just take a look? Not that I'm particularly curious. If the letter didn't reach Dale, something must be wrong."
But Dale really does read a lot of books.
One side of the room was lined with books. There were sealed documents too. Difficult-looking tomes. Maps of various nations.
And this was...
"Scrolls?"
Why were there so many magical scrolls in Dale's room?
In a small compartment below the calf-height shelf, many papers were inserted—all of them magical scrolls.
Judging by their color, they were long-distance scrolls.
There were a few short-distance ones, but most were mid-range, mid-to-long-range, long-range, and the most expensive ultra-long-distance scrolls that could connect continent to continent.
Seeing these, Dale...
"He really does love traveling, doesn't he?"
So he must be on a trip right now.
Dale wouldn't leave his house empty like this otherwise.
Perhaps until now, bound by our contract, he'd been suppressing his desire to travel.
"I've been so thoughtless toward Dale. I don't even know what he likes or what foods he prefers."
I felt sorry for Dale.
Dale knew remarkably well about me, yet I didn't know even his simple interests.
"I've done nothing but talk about The Emperor."
Once I finish my business in the Capital and come down completely, I'll need to spend more time with Dale.
I settled into Dale's chair.
The cushion seemed to carry his scent, and it made me feel absolutely wonderful. If I were held in his arms once, it would surely feel this comforting....
"Ah, drool."
It happened again, so I wiped it away.
When I was with The Emperor, it didn't matter even if he covered my clothes, but thinking of Dale was different.
I was so eager to see him that I felt thrilled enough to leap up like this.
"But there don't seem to be any letters."
That would mean Dale collected the letters and went somewhere.
I had sent Dale a letter just days ago, and by now it should have arrived.
But if there's not a single letter and everything is clean, does that mean Dale left here not long ago?
I sat in the chair and stared at the trash bin. There were papers torn to shreds.
"...Could that possibly be my letter? No, it couldn't be?"
Dale wouldn't be that kind of person.
Dale couldn't have thrown away my letter.
But without realizing it, my gaze kept drifting toward the trash bin.
"Haa...!"
Smack!
I grabbed my right wrist with my left hand.
"This won't do! Enya! Get a grip on yourself!"
Thud!
My body collided with the wall. For a moment, I felt the wall trembling slightly.
'It moved?'
The instant I turned to look, a hidden space was revealed.
"What is this."
Medicine bottles.
Several different medicine bottles. Morning medicine, evening medicine, and the disguise medicine that Cassion made.
They didn't look exactly like the one I received, but judging by the pattern on the bottles, the disguise medicine was correct.
"Why does Dale have this?"
Something felt strange. Why would Dale have it? Disguise medicine?
Did he need it for work?
And there were also documents about me.
My personal information details. They looked like the documents I gave when I made the request...but there were many notes written on top of them.
Dale's handwriting.
What is this? What did he write?
I slowly turned through the documents.
"Miss Enya."
At that moment, Dale's voice came from beyond the door. The sound of his footsteps was still distant.
I quickly knocked on the wall.
'Damn! How do I close this? Wall! How?!'
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------