Ch#76
2023.11.15.
Herdin pulled a book related to Black Magic from the shelf lined with magic tomes.
For a long while, the only sound in the quiet room was the rustle of turning pages, until he sighed and closed the book, then selected a new one.
But the new book held no desired information either.
'There was a magic circle drawn on the document that Empress Esmeralda had. And below it, it mentioned Black Magic that reconnects the second condition of the divine beast contract...'
The document Blair had described seemed largely unrelated to the Empress Palace fire incident, but he decided to investigate regardless.
'Why was Empress Esmeralda looking into that?'
He was curious about what could be so important that even he had been kept in the dark.
However, nowhere in his collection of Black Magic books was there any mention of the divine beast contract.
'Black Magic books are designated forbidden across the continent, making them hard to obtain.'
Still, using the Delmark name, it would be complicated and time-consuming, but not impossible.
Herdin paused his search there and left the private study.
Just then, through the window behind the desk, he spotted Agnes and Blair walking from the garden.
After the kidnapping incident, Blair had resumed her usual routine. Aside from being barred from outings.
Unlike Herdin's expectation that suddenly recovering her memories would leave her confused and unstable.
But for some reason, that composure felt even more unsettling.
Thus, he had summoned Agnes to check her condition one last time.
Finally, the two disappeared from view, obscured by the residence. As Herdin turned to sit, a knock sounded.
"Your Grace, coming in."
It was Russ, who had gone to check on external matters.
"How's the atmosphere?"
"As Your Grace predicted, rumors have spread far and wide. That the Duchess was nearly kidnapped."
Not only had the entire Delmark knight order mobilized that day, but the Forest Villa where Blair had been kidnapped had caught fire, making it hard to hush up quietly.
In such cases, it was better to stay silent than step forward with explanations, until the rumors died down.
And above all, he wanted to make Katrina, who was surely watching their reaction after her plan's failure, even more anxious.
A hasty opponent was bound to show an opening.
"They'll quiet down on their own without fresh bait. Any word from the kidnappers?"
"No, not yet."
"They might have caught on and cut tails. Still, keep surveillance on them for the time being. They could be luring us into thinking they've severed ties."
"Understood."
"And separately from the kidnapping, look into this."
Russ pulled a notebook from his inner pocket.
"Your orders."
"Investigate everything on the family's power, the forbidden contract, and any related Black Magic. Even the smallest details."
Russ flinched at that.
Black Magic was forbidden across the continent due to its danger. Discovery as a Black Magician warranted immediate execution.
Even mere inquiry carried the risk of severe punishment.
"May I ask the reason?"
"It's something Empress Esmeralda was secretly investigating, even from me. The details burned with the document, so I don't know them either."
"It'll take some time, but... I'll find out as quickly as possible."
As he finished with Russ, a cautious knock sounded.
"Herdin, it's me. Can we talk for a moment?"
It was Blair's voice. She must have returned after seeing Agnes off.
Herdin nodded, and Russ opened the office door.
"Hello, Madam. How are you feeling?"
"Much better, thanks to you. Thank you for your concern, Sir Russ."
As Blair smiled brightly at Russ, Herdin's gaze, watching the two, turned icy.
"Then I'll leave you to talk."
Russ, oblivious to Herdin's stare, ended the greeting appropriately and left the office.
Only then did Herdin notice the letter in Blair's hand as she approached briskly.
Recognizing it as a party invitation from another house, Herdin looked at her quizzically.
"Why did you bring that?"
"I saw Mason about to discard it earlier and took it. Didn't you say to refuse all invitations?"
After rumors spread of Blair's kidnapping, invitations poured in from various houses.
There had been many inviting Blair and Herdin even before, but now the intentions differed slightly.
Some might be purely to build rapport, but others surely wanted to verify if the rumors were true.
Thus, he had instructed Mason to refuse all invitations for the time being. He had no intention of throwing Blair to the gossip wolves of high society.
But she thought differently.
"Staying silent on the rumors is good, but showing a calm front at times like this could also be effective."
"So, you want to attend the party?"
As Herdin rose and perched on the desk to ask, Blair nodded.
"This happened because of me, so I want to take responsibility."
Her eyes held a resolute glint.
"Let me do that, Herdin."
Herdin chuckled softly at her.
His wife was more responsible, fearless, and stubbornly strong-willed than she appeared. He didn't dislike it.
'She's been cooped up in the residence for nearly a week, so some fresh air wouldn't hurt.'
He unfolded the invitation from her hand, glanced at it, then returned it, saying,
"Do as you wish, Duchess."
* * *
On a languid day, the guild member man, dozing as usual, noticed the sunset draping the window and stretched with a wide yawn, rising.
It was time to prepare for proper guests and fellow guild members.
As he loosened his stiff body, the bell on the door chimed crisply.
"Welcome!"
Reflexively greeting, he frowned at the robed woman, then recognized her as the previous priestess and turned abruptly polite.
"Ah, you've come."
"Anything to report?"
Miela skipped greetings and asked directly. The man found it slightly off-putting, but her commission fees were substantial enough to overlook it.
"Ah, yes. One moment, please."
The man went behind the counter, pulled a paper from his dense notebook, and unfolded it.
"Last week, Countess Lorellaine visited the ducal residence."
"...Countess Lorellaine?"
"One of the vassal houses of Delmark. The Countess is famous among noble ladies as a psychological consultant."
Miela recalled hearing the name Lorellaine among noble ladies sometime.
As a priestess, she inevitably picked up noble gossip.
Noble ladies frequented the Temple, and she was sometimes summoned to noble houses—like treating hungover young noble youths a few days ago.
Come to think of it, she had heard that name a few times.
"Seeing Countess Lorellaine visit that house weekly, we could assume something's wrong with the Duchess's mental state."
The man added speculation to his gathered info. Miela nodded slightly in agreement.
"And the next dawn, the Duchess suddenly took a carriage to the Imperial Palace. Couldn't enter the palace itself, but..."
"The Imperial Palace..."
"She was kidnapped on the way back to the ducal residence that day. Well, that's already common gossip."
Miela knew it well, of course.
She herself had gone to the ducal residence to treat Blair that day.
"Hasn't left the residence since. Could be hiding due to the kidnapping or wary of the rumors."
"...I see."
"If you have more questions or need info, just say."
Miela pondered silently, holding off her response.
'Who was behind the Duchess's kidnapping?'
The long-standing grudge between the Imperial family and Delmark Ducal Family from the Empress Palace incident ten years ago.
Blair, the sole witness who lost her memories. And her weekly consultant.
Then suddenly visiting the Imperial Palace at night, and kidnapped right after...
But why hadn't the ducal house publicized and punished the culprits? To uphold their prestige, they should demonstrate the consequences of touching Delmark.
They might not have found them yet, but another possibility occurred to Miela.
'Or perhaps, an opponent that could harm Delmark if publicized rashly.'
The new and old info swirled and reassembled in her mind until she reached a clear conclusion.
'It doesn't have to be the exact truth.'
Just plausibly convincing.
What she wanted wasn't truth, but a small spark to sow discord between the Imperial family and Delmark.
And if Blair became the sacrificial lamb for that spark, severing their bond, all the better.
Having devised a new plan, Miela spoke.
"Keep monitoring the Duchess's movements, and add a new commission."
"What is it?"
At that moment, her lips curved satisfyingly beneath the flipped hood.
"Spread a rumor."
