ATPL 42

Elliot responded to Cesar’s bright smile without expression. Without even glancing at Anais, he continued his answer.

“It seems like you’re trying to buy someone with an enormous sum of money over an engagement certificate that was made without their consent.”

“I want to buy love.”

“Love isn’t something you can buy with money.”

“Wow. Such fitting words from the son of the Princess of Lidens,” Cesar marveled.

Elliot merely raised an eyebrow and said nothing more about his mother, whose fame had spread across the entire continent.

“If you still want to pursue this despite Miss Fleur’s clear refusal, why not start by nullifying that engagement certificate and courting her properly? That seems faster to me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why not!”

At Anais’s words, Cesar blushed shyly and replied in an almost whisper.

“I indeed want to win Miss Fleur’s heart, and I know Lord Resaloniki is right. However…”

“However?”

“At the same time, I have this strong desire to be despised by you… Ah, I wonder if this is what they call ambivalence.”

As Cesar covered his face in apparent embarrassment, Anais thought to herself,

Is this what murderous intent feels like?

“Anyway, we should discuss who made the accusation.”

Elliot brought the conversation back on track. He looked at Cesar and said,

“The Dragon Knight Order receives various accusations, many of them false. But we can’t completely dismiss this one yet.”

“Because the allegation that I helped my master gain unfair profits still stands. You probably want to call in the accuser to confirm it.”

Cesar picked up where Elliot left off. Elliot nodded.

“Yes. Everything you said is correct, except for that ‘master’ nonsense.”

“But to me, ‘master’ is the right word…”

Anais ignored him and raised her hand.

“But wasn’t the accuser anonymous?”

“Yes. They were.”

Elliot nodded and looked at them both.

“Since Lord Cesar Rezaie remains silent about what he did with Number 33 and whether he helped them commit fraud, we have no choice but to find the accuser.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to look for people who invested in Anais first?”

As she said this, Anais let out a sudden “Ah” in realization. Elliot sighed.

“Yes. The reputation Miss Fleur worked so hard to protect, even wearing a mask, would be ruined instantly.”

“…”

“Of course, setting aside the fact that it’s already ruined in Belfast.”

Who are you trying to provoke? Anais narrowed her eyes into triangles. Then she asked Cesar,

“If you know anything, couldn’t you tell us, for Anais’s sake?”

“Hmm…”

Cesar smiled mysteriously, then winked at Anais and said,

“I might, if you order me to.”

“…Never mind.”

It was obvious what he meant by ‘order’. The nerve of him.

Anais felt her energy drain as she closed her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. Just leave.

Cesar let out a bright laugh.

Normally, a man acting like this would be creepy, but somehow, this gentle mage even made that kind of laughter seem to suit him…

Why is someone with such a pretty face acting like such a pervert!

“Well, being hated more… honestly, I’d welcome that too. But wouldn’t it really, really cause trouble for Miss Fleur with the Dragon Knight Commander?”

“That’s hardly worth calling an answer…”

“I’ll tell you.”

Anais unconsciously brightened and leaned forward. Cesar looked into her eyes tenderly and smiled.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You’re saying you didn’t help Number 33’s fraud?”

“That’s right.”

“But… pardon me, Lord Rezaie is known not only for his magic, but as a commercial genius who made his guild prosper. If Number 33 knew about your skills, it seems they would’ve used you as a tool.”

Elliot hesitated, then added with a sigh:

“…especially since you’re so willing to be used as one.”

“Wouldn’t that have been nice?”

Cesar shrugged, provoking Anais’s anger again.

“My master really was a lone wolf. I told them wolves are pack animals by nature, but they wouldn’t listen, oh dear.”

“…Please explain exactly what you mean.”

“They wouldn’t trust anyone.”

It sounded plausible. Elliot and Anais exchanged glances. Cesar smiled.

“When I offered to let them use my money, my master refused. They said they didn’t need money owned by a man. They only trusted money in their own name. That’s why we got engaged.”

At that moment, the truth about the engagement came to light.

“If you became my wife, my assets would become yours too. My body and heart would be yours as well—”

“The latter part won’t be necessary.”

Elliot cut in.

“How cold…”

Cesar pretended to whimper, but it didn’t work at all.

“But did you really not know that Number 33 was a con artist? As someone who manages a guild, you should’ve seen through it.”

To Elliot’s question, Cesar nodded.

“I knew.”

“You knew?” Elliot was taken aback.

“I could tell my master planned to take my fortune and then discard me.”

“Then why…”

“It was so wonderful…”

Suddenly, Cesar’s eyes filled with ecstasy.

“Just imagining my master ruthlessly throwing me away made me so happy…”

“…”

“Do we really need to keep listening to this, Sir Resaloniki?”

Despite Anais’s protest, Cesar clasped his hands together and continued murmuring.

“I’ve always been oppressed by the royal family, but this would’ve been the first time I gave my all and got tossed aside like an old shoe. Those six months in Reims felt so long.”

“I didn’t ask about that.”

“I wonder when you’ll marry me and kick me to the curb…”

At that moment, Elliot and Anais had the same thought.

This mage is truly beyond help…

Then Anais suddenly came to her senses and blurted out.

“W-well, isn’t breaking off the engagement also a way of abandoning you? I want to abandon Cesar, too!”

Then, she remembered.

Cesar’s earlier words about following orders. As the natural conclusion, Anais shouted her command,

“C-Cesar! I’m going to abandon you! Anais is breaking off the engagement! Get out!”

Cesar smiled, a dreamy look on his face.

“No♥”

Anais felt her sanity slipping.

Cesar chirped with his beautiful face:

“I loved my master, but I’ve fallen in love with Miss Fleur again. But I know being abandoned by my master wouldn’t be the same as being abandoned by Miss Fleur. If Miss Fleur abandons me, that would really be the end, wouldn’t it?”

“Wait, how is that any different from Number 33 abandoning you!”

“Ah, about that.”

The mage’s bright, beautiful smile twisted into something darker.

“If it were my master, I would’ve followed them forever.”

A chill ran down their spines. Elliot, clearly disturbed, deliberately stepped between the two.

“Even so, we should find out who made the accusation. Regardless of Lord Rezaie’s claims of innocence, the accuser might know something different.”

“Do you think I’m lying?”

“No. I believe in Lord Rezaie’s good intentions. But I also believe we should hear every side.”

“As expected of the Dragon Knight Order,” Cesar said admiringly.

Elliot looked out the window.

“Anyway, it’s too late for two men to be sitting in a lady’s room. Let’s call it a day.”

“I don’t mind staying later.”

“Lord Rezaie.”

“Alright, alright.”

With those words, the mage stood.

When he first entered the room, he had looked as pretty as a deer. Now, they couldn’t understand why he seemed so creepy.

Cesar bowed politely to Anais.

“Miss Fleur, please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with.”

“There isn’t.”

“There might be.”

“I said there isn’t! Leave!”

Anais pulled the bell rope, but Judy didn’t come in.

In the end, Elliot had to escort Cesar down to the great hall on the first floor.

With so few servants in the villa, it couldn’t be helped, but hearing Cesar say things like, “Wow, being escorted by the Dragon Knight Commander, what an honor,” somehow made them both angry.