Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Looking at the map Pielle brought, I began to seriously contemplate.
Since Redius Argenta had been in danger, the real Pero wouldn't be arriving for much longer.
Shouldn't I establish a base to live on even if I leave this place in the meantime?
As I had resolved before the war, it was truly time to prepare.
My goal was to live richly deep within the continent without risking my life. I had already been thinking about the method for a long time.
"Daisy Forest."
The forest covering the center of the continent. The great Daisy River flowing through it.
Currently, it was idle land because few dared to enter the forest, risking the threat of wild animals and monsters.
However, in a few years, there would be movements to create a massive waterway centered around that Daisy River.
Around the time the three Duke families stabilized the external threats.
"As expected, the future lies in real estate."
I was planning to buy land near here before that happened.
The problem was the source of funds to do so...
[The Duke's wife's upkeep expenses are to be paid by the Alloze Dukedom.]
I recalled the absurd sentence in the marriage contract that Duke Alroze had sent to Argenta in the original story.
I don't know why it goes into their pocket when it's originally my money, but it wouldn't be difficult to get that money.
If I said I needed money to operate here, Duke Alroze wouldn't try to take that money away.
I was thinking about that when it happened.
"Krua!"
—Click!
The door opened, and Dielo entered the room, looking somewhat breathless.
"Dielo?"
"I was worried."
Dielo, who came to me in an instant, let out a sigh.
"I wanted to come sooner, but the coast has been getting noisy one after another..."
Dielo explained his situation, gesturing with his hands.
"—In short, you're saying you're sorry for not being by my side when I woke up?"
When I appropriately summarized his words, Dielo touched his lips and nodded slightly.
"I'm sorry. And thank you."
How considerate. I burst into laughter.
"It's okay. You must have been busy."
Listening to his story, he had been spending his time frantically for two days, going on patrols of the noisy coasts himself.
Even in the midst of that, he had come to check on me from time to time.
"But are you really okay? I heard Nias's examination results, but..."
Dielo looked at me with worried eyes.
I shrugged to indicate that I was fine.
"It's my first time using my ability like this, so my body must have been a little surprised."
I waved my hand to reassure him.
Dielo smiled awkwardly.
"...You used your ability recklessly."
"If I hadn't, there would have been great damage."
Being on the same boat, Argenta's uncertain future was the same as my uncertain future.
Dielo sighed briefly at my words.
"Many Argentas were saved thanks to Krua. I should tell you not to do this next time..."
Dielo paused for a moment, then smiled with an even more embarrassed face.
"But it's such an attractive ability to block the Endless Sea that I'm tempted. I'm not confident I can stop you if the same situation comes up."
Dielo cleared his throat and said.
He seemed to be saying it with a brazen face.
"...What should I do, Krua?"
Shining eyes turned to me.
"What do you mean, what should you do? I'll continue to help. Until we drive out the Alloze family, we're in the same boat, right?"
So you don't have to look at me with such sparkling eyes.
I subtly averted my gaze from his sparkling eyes.
Then Dielo lowered his gaze to the table I was looking at.
The place where I was sitting was a chair in front of a small table in the bedroom.
The moment I thought I saw his shining blue eyes, his gentle voice rang out.
"But what are all these..."
He tilted his head, especially when he saw the map.
"Are you interested in the Daisy Forest?"
"Yes. Someday, when I leave Argenta, I want to live near here."
There's no need to hide my plans from someone who already knows I'm going to leave anyway.
I thought so lightly.
But his silence was a little long.
"...Dielo?"
When I called him, who was quietly examining the map, Dielo slowly opened his mouth.
"—When you leave Argenta, you said?"
He quietly savored the words.
It was only much later that I realized that it was an answer to my words, 'When I leave Argenta, I want to live near the forest.'
Was it because of the dim lighting?
His eyes, examining the map, seemed to be strangely shining.
* * *
The day after making those future plans.
A welcome yet unwelcome letter arrived just in time.
[According to the promise to let me meet my daughter once a month, I would like to meet Krua.]
It was none other than my future source of funds... no, Duke Alroze's letter.
* * *
"I'll be back without any problems."
Krua whispered to Dielo in the carriage.
"I'm good at acting, so don't worry."
With those confident words, Krua left for Alloze in the Argenta carriage.
According to the unfair marriage contract between Alloze and Argenta, she was going to see Duke Alroze.
It was clear that it was a meeting to find out how far Duke Alroze's plan to 'take Dielo Argenta's purity' had progressed.
—Neigh!
Dielo stood in the place where he had seen her off until the sound of the horse pulling the carriage faded away.
"......"
He suddenly thought of her last night.
"Daisy Forest, huh..."
Since there was a huge river flowing there, she, who had Alloze's blood, would like it.
But what about the monsters and wild animals in the forest?
He slowly turned his body.
...Well, with the ability to control water, living in the forest wouldn't be a problem.
"......"
He narrowed his eyes.
He didn't think Krua would use her abilities and start a fight with Argenta.
It wasn't because he trusted people well, like his innocent wife thought.
After all, there was no benefit to Krua.
Besides, even if he eliminated everyone with Alloze's blood except Krua and destroyed Alloze to have all the power alone, the numerical inferiority would still exist.
No matter how much Argenta controlled fire and Alloze controlled water, as long as she was a human who had to eat and sleep, there was no way to defeat Argenta alone.
"......No need."
He whispered.
But is there really no need for her to leave this land?
—Swoosh...!
Dielo, who had narrowed his eyes, still seemed to hear the sound of the beach in his ears.
He recalled Krua's appearance there.
Krua.
Her abilities certainly saved many people.
From Argenta's point of view, which had to block the watery Endless Sea, it was much easier to protect the sea with just her alone.
"......"
That must be why.
Because he saw that tempting ability, he was so concerned about her.
Above all, yesterday.
'Someday, when I leave Argenta...'
Her words came to mind again, and Dielo slightly raised his eyebrows.
The image of her preparing to leave kept coming to mind.
Looking at the map, her purple eyes sparkling, she was dreaming of an absurd future.
"I thought you were wise, but why do you know one thing and not the other?"
He turned his body towards the mansion.
He didn't know when the real Pero would come.
But she was already deeply involved in the affairs of the mistress.
It meant that she had learned too much about things that she shouldn't know if she wasn't Argenta.
Of course, it was Dielo Argenta himself who made it that way.
If she didn't properly carry out the work of the mistress, his plan to deceive Alloze by 'pretending to steal' his purity until the real Pero came would be exposed.
Whatever the reason, she had come too deeply into Argenta.
"Do or do not."
According to Argenta's rules, people outside Argenta's fence were not allowed to know about Argenta's affairs.
In other words, she had to die when the real Pero appeared and her usefulness was over.
—That's what he was going to do.
'Krua.'
Dielo repeated her name in his mind again.
She told him everything innocently.
She seemed to feel more sorry for Dielo Argenta himself.
Without knowing that he himself was in the mouth of a beast, she was digging deeper and deeper.
"If Pero is late."
Dielo slowly moved his steps.
And if she truly understood Argenta's rules.
"It might be okay as it is."
No, it might be better now.
Dielo whispered softly. It was a voice that only he could hear.
There were already Argenta people who respected her and had begun to accept her into Argenta.
Above all, she was a person who suited Argenta well.
'You said do or do not, right?'
The bride who had boldly said that and kissed him was too good to be in Alloze.
Yes, she was truly a precious person.
She was a brilliantly shining person who was too precious and pitiful.
If she was the real Pero...,
If she could become the real Pero, even more so.
