Chapter 13
After that, the conversation somehow shifted to topics that felt like an outsider shouldn’t casually overhear.
The Imperial Family and the Vatican were mentioned from time to time, but Catherine deliberately ignored them. She had no desire to get caught up in the affairs of powerful people and end up crushed between them. It would be much more productive to go home and think about what she should do next.
Come to think of it…
What is Sir Damian doing by now?
He isn’t actually pulling weeds with his bare hands… is he?
No…
She had only met him twice, but if it was that man, it seemed entirely possible.
Catherine set down her half-empty teacup.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I should be going now. I’m worried Sir Damian might turn my garden into an empty field.”
Spending such a peaceful afternoon in this luxurious mansion somehow made her uneasy.
Cesare seemed to understand without needing any further explanation.
“Sir Damian would certainly do something like that.”
“None of the rumors about him have ever been ordinary.”
It seemed the knight’s uniquely irritating personality was quite famous among the nobles as well.
Cesare nodded before standing up and offering her his hand.
For a moment, Catherine thought he wanted to shake hands.
When she reached out, however, he gently pulled her to her feet.
It was such a small gesture…
Yet for some reason, her heart fluttered.
“By the way…”
“Why did you send that man to me?”
Following where Cesare led her, Catherine slowly left the drawing room.
He glanced back at her before answering.
“Because even if he’s a bit of an idiot…”
“He’s useful in his own way.”
He’s not that much of an idiot…
“So why send him to me?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?”
“Because he’s needed, and because he’s useful.”
Cesare had a unique way of speaking that often awakened the irritation she had been trying to suppress.
Whether he was deliberately hiding the truth or simply teasing her, she couldn’t tell.
Either way, it was frustrating.
“How is that big brown fool, whose only good point is his strength, supposed to be useful?”
“If you don’t lose him and keep him around…”
“I’m sure you’ll find a use for him eventually.”
I’ll probably throw him out before that happens.
Cesare stopped in front of a nearby room.
Even among the beautifully decorated hallway, this door stood out with especially elegant carvings.
“What room is this?”
“My bedroom.”
…What?
“Why?”
“Would you like a tour?”
Seeing Cesare’s faint smile, Catherine finally understood why he had been so difficult on purpose.
He was simply teasing her.
If I opened that door…
It probably wouldn’t even lead to his bedroom.
Knowing his magic, it’d probably connect to the basement instead.
It was as obvious as daylight.
“No thanks.”
She immediately turned her head away.
As she did, she accidentally met Gren’s eyes.
The moment their gazes met, he politely bowed without hesitation.
The maid who had quietly followed them did the same.
“We’ll see you again, Miss Catherine.”
“Miss!”
“We’ll be waiting for you!”
“Please come again!”
“You have to!”
For some reason, she felt embarrassed.
She couldn’t bring herself to promise that she would return.
Instead, Catherine hurriedly walked through the door, leaving behind the peaceful and welcoming mansion that was completely unlike its owner.
“The staff here are really kind.”
“They’re just getting carried away.”
“You don’t have to humor them.”
Even though his words sounded cold, he was probably a very humane employer.
Otherwise…
There was no way the butler and maids could smile so naturally.
Of course…
Calling someone like Cesare—whose true identity was that—”humane” felt strangely ironic.
Click.
The door closed.
Once again, the damp darkness surrounded them.
“Whoever possesses me shall rule the world.”
The familiar voice echoed through the basement.
Shadows fell across Cesare’s bright silver hair.
“I think it would be wise to remember the title of your precious books from now on.”
“Unless you want to go through today’s trouble again.”
“…You’re right.”
“I’ll remember.”
His sharp features became even more striking beneath the dim light.
There was a huge difference between Cesare’s smiling face and his expressionless one.
Only a few days ago, even his smile had felt strangely unsettling.
Now…
It only looked shameless and annoyingly smug.
Why…
Why would he go through all this trouble for me?
“Cesare…”
“Can I ask you something?”
He silently gestured for her to continue before gently letting go of her hand.
“It’s about this magic circle.”
“I’m curious.”
“What kind of magic circle is it?”
“You seem to treasure it.”
“‘Treasure it?'”
“…I never expected to hear such a shocking opinion.”
“So… I was wrong?”
Unlike his usual calm expression, this time he actually frowned.
“Well…”
“It’s not entirely wrong.”
“But rather than something precious…”
“It’s more like carrying a bomb.”
“A very…”
“Very…”
“Very dangerous bomb.”
His cold gaze settled on the magic circle beneath their feet.
He lightly tapped it with the tip of his shoe as he spoke indifferently.
“I’m worried some fool who knows nothing will accidentally set it off.”
“So even if it’s troublesome…”
“I’d rather keep it under my own control.”
“I’m worried some fool who knows nothing will accidentally set it off.”
“You turned out to be much kinder than I expected.”
Cesare looked at her as if she had said something completely ridiculous.
Then he shrugged.
“That’s another opinion I’ve never heard before.”
“If that’s what Miss Panya thinks.”
Brushing past her shoulder, Cesare walked toward the wooden door.
Just before opening it…
He suddenly stopped and looked back.
Their eyes met.
There wasn’t any silent conversation between them.
Only a brief moment of complete silence.
Before she realized it…
Catherine spoke.
“…If I ever need you…”
“How do I call you?”
The moment the words left her mouth…
She immediately regretted them.
It sounded as though she were trying to stop someone she didn’t want to part with.
“…If I ever need you… How do I call you?”
“Do you need me, Miss Panya?”
His tone sounded as if he had seriously misheard her.
Flustered, Catherine hurriedly explained.
“I-I mean…”
“What if Sir Damian runs away in the middle of the night?”
“He’ll experience hell at my hands.”
“That’s exactly why I’d have to tell you.”
“There’s no need.”
“I already have ways of knowing.”
“You haven’t forgotten that I’m quite an extraordinary magician…”
“Have you?”
As if I could forget that.
He just brought me between two mansions with his magic.
The reason Catherine asked was simple.
If she ever needed him again, she didn’t want to go through the trouble of erasing the magic circle like before.
But when he asked why she needed him…
She couldn’t think of an answer.
“Fine.”
“I understand.”
“Just go already.”
“I have work to do too.”
She had spoken without thinking.
Now she only felt awkward.
Cesare quietly watched her.
Then…
Without warning…
He tossed something toward her.
It was a small golden key decorated with coral.
“…What’s this?”
“Hm.”
He thought for a moment before answering.
“You said you needed me.”
“Use that key.”
“As for how…”
“Figure it out yourself.”
The second silence didn’t last long.
Creak.
With the sound of the old wooden door opening…
Cesare disappeared beyond it.
“Hmm…”
Use this?
She carefully examined the key from every angle.
There was no way she could guess what it was for.
In the end, she slipped it into her pocket before climbing the stairs back to the surface.
Catherine returned Soul and Memories to its proper place on the bookshelf.
The tiny empty space disappeared.
That alone brought her an incredible sense of relief.
Now that she had regained her peace of mind…
It was time to restore the peace of her mansion as well.
She headed downstairs, intending to check her mother’s photograph.
Just then—
“Mi-Miss!”
“Waaah!”
“Where have you been?!”
As if the mansion’s ghost had been tormenting her in broad daylight…
Rosé came running from outside and clung tightly to Catherine’s arm.
“What happened?”
“A rude visitor came!”
“A very…”
“Very rude visitor!”
“Calm down.”
“Who came?”
It’s not like rude visitors are anything new in this house.
Rosé pounded her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
“I-It’s someone from the Vatican.”
“The Vatican?”
“Why are they here?”
“I don’t really know.”
“They kept saying strange things.”
“But judging from the sword…”
“I’m sure he was one of the Holy Knights.”
Great…
Catherine closed her eyes with a deep sigh.
Even the heavens seemed determined to make her life miserable.
How could her luck be this bad?
“They wouldn’t listen to a single word!”
“They kept saying this mansion is a nest of demons!”
“They even called both you and me servants of demons!”
“If it weren’t for Mr. Damian…”
“The house would’ve already been destroyed!”
“…Alright.”
“Wait here for a moment.”
First…
She needed to organize the situation.
Why were the Holy Knights calling her house a nest of demons?
Most likely…
For the same reason as the Imperial Knights.
The suspicious magic circle beneath the basement.
Then…
How should she deal with Holy Knights who openly treated her as an enemy?
First…
If Percival was among them.
Second…
If Percival wasn’t.
The worst situation…
Would be the first one.
Catherine searched through the kitchen.
She found a paper bag she had stored away.
Then she pulled it over her head.
She even cut two eye holes in it.
At least that lunatic won’t recognize my face like this.
“M-Miss?”
“You’re not seriously planning to go outside looking like that… are you?”
There wasn’t enough time to explain.
Catherine headed straight toward the mansion’s tightly closed front gate.
Two elegant white four-wheeled carriages decorated with shining gold.
Three knights mounted on white horses.
A golden Vatican banner fluttering in the autumn wind.
And…
Two Holy Knights confronting a man wearing a straw hat inside the gate.
…Wait.
A straw hat?
“Rosé.”
“What… exactly is that?”
“M-Mr. Damian?”
“You told him to pull weeds…”
“So I lent him one for a while.”
Without his armor…
And wearing a straw hat…
Damian didn’t look anything like the fearsome Imperial Knight.
“Did you even know who you were lending it to?”
“Huh?”
“Wasn’t he the new gardener you hired, Miss?”
“…That’s right.”
Yes.
It was much easier to leave it at that than explain everything.
“Ptui!”
Leaning against the iron gate, Damian spat right in front of one of the Holy Knights.
“What’re you staring at?”
“Never seen a gardener spit before?”
“Just try stepping one foot in here.”
“I dare you.”
Where did an Imperial Knight learn to talk like a street thug?
Provoked by Damian, one of the Holy Knights in shining white armor shouted angrily,
“So the Imperial Knights of Iterana have truly fallen!”
“The so-called Black Lion…”
“Reduced to working as a gardener…”
“As expected.”
“Lowborn trash like you isn’t even worth dealing with.”
“You don’t even have any pride as a knight.”
“Pathetic.”
Damian looked completely unimpressed.
“What’ve you been mumbling about this whole time?”
“Can your precious pride stop a punch?”
“Never been hit by a fist strong enough to make your head spin?”
“If you haven’t…”
“Then shut up.”
“Can your precious pride stop a punch?”
For just a brief moment…
A trace of fear flashed across Damian’s face.
It seemed getting punched by Cesare had hurt far more than he wanted to admit.
