Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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"What? Fire?"
Pielle was the one who brought the news.
I turned to look out the window at the detached annex, but there wasn't even a trace of scorching, let alone flames.
"Yes. Fortunately, it didn't spread to the entire annex,"
she reported.
I tilted my head slightly.
Well, of course.
Wouldn't it be ridiculous to hear that the Argenta of Fire had their detached annex completely burned down by a fire?
But in the first place, does it even make sense for a fire to break out in the Argenta household?
"Can a fire accident even happen in Argenta?"
Pielle smiled faintly at my words.
"Even people get bitten by the pet dogs they raise, you know."
It was a subtly chilling answer.
Reminding me of Mirta.
A pet dog they raised...
"It was an unexpected accident,"
Pielle said lightly.
Yes, unexpected things always happen.
Some prepare for it, but others exploit it. Their deaths will be treated as accidental.
By the Argenta's information department, which 'exploits unexpected accidents.'
I felt a chill run down my spine.
I'm walking on thin ice right now.
On thin ice over a lake where I don't know when the bottom will give way or how deep it is.
If I lose my mind, the bottom will break in an instant, and I'll fall into the depths of the lake.
"Okay, you can go now."
I waved Pielle away.
"An unexpected accident..."
The Argenta were certainly merciless to those they considered enemies.
What would happen if I left this family?
A new thought occurred to me.
Even if I leave here, there's no way I can stay close to Alloze or Kartiel.
Of course, I would stay close to Argenta.
But it seemed I needed to appeal more to Argenta, who tries to prepare for 'unexpected events.'
To show that even if I leave, I will remain an ally of Argenta.
I steeled my newly tense heart.
And then I fell asleep.
And when I opened my eyes.
—Whoosh!
What I saw before me was a fire that seemed to be alive, devouring everything around it.
「Huh?」
I was startled by the heat that I could feel directly.
The walls and objects were all burning.
I was trapped in an unfamiliar building where I couldn't even tell where the door was.
Instinctively, I tried to draw out water, but it was no use.
There wasn't a single drop of water around.
Even if there had been, it seemed like the water had dried up long ago.
That's how intense the fire was.
—Thump!
Something supporting the ceiling fell right in front of me with a loud crash.
「!」
I stumbled backward in surprise, and then I saw someone in the corner of the burning place.
A black-haired boy.
...Ah, it's a dream.
I knew this dream.
Soon this building will collapse, and the boy will be buried under the burning rubble.
That boy is probably that black-haired boy.
The boy was trembling.
「Hey.」
I approached the boy. A youthful voice came out of me.
This dream was definitely the nightmare that Krua occasionally had in the original story.
「…….」
The boy, who was hugging his knees and crying with his head down, looked up.
The eyes that turned to me were a clear Blue Eyes.
「……!」
I paused for a moment.
I wondered if Dielo would look like that if he were about twenty years younger.
Of course, that was a stupid thought.
There's no way the Argenta of Fire would be trembling with fear in the middle of a burning house, right?
Fire is like their limbs.
「Let's get out of here.」
At my words, the boy shook his head with a despairing face.
「The fire is too hot and big. I can't get out.」
The boy's voice was tinged with despair.
The moment I hesitated in the dream, I woke up.
"...Ah."
When I blinked, Dielo was in front of me.
His jet-black hair resembled the boy in the dream. He would have Blue Eyes as well.
But this person was the head of Argenta, who controls fire.
I sighed briefly. Perhaps because of the dream, my heart, which had been pounding roughly, seemed to calm down a little.
I blinked as I watched his chest rise and fall at a steady pace.
But when did this person come?
He definitely wasn't there when I fell asleep, was he?
When I looked at the clock, it was almost time to get up.
Judging from how deeply Dielo was sleeping, he must have been working and then just lay down next to me and fell asleep because I was sleeping.
While holding my hand tightly.
"I was going to wait, but I fell asleep."
I scratched my cheek with the hand that wasn't being held.
Still, it must have been tiring to use his powers to interrogate the traitors during the day.
"... ."
I gazed at Dielo, who was sleeping peacefully.
When those eyes open, clear, shining Blue Eyes will probably stare at me intently.
I thought as I looked at that sight.
I should postpone preparing to leave for now.
Because Dielo seems like he would be anxious.
Of course, there were things to prepare in Daisy Forest.
I can't sleep on the streets, so I have to build a house in advance, clean up the surroundings...
But that should be done after reassuring this business partner.
Otherwise, he might look at me with those sparkling Blue Eyes again.
—Like that.
"...Krua."
I was startled when I heard his voice, who had opened his eyes at some point.
"Good morning."
He smiled brightly.
His sleepy voice sounded strangely sweet.
"Good morning, Dielo."
Dielo looked at me and smiled slightly.
"You woke up early. Did you have a dream or something?"
You're like a ghost, this person.
I nodded.
"Yes."
"A good dream? Or..."
Dielo examined me.
A little sparkle had returned to his eyes, which blinked a few times.
"It was a nightmare."
There was no need to hide it, so I answered lightly.
"A nightmare?"
Dielo's eyes widened.
He placed the back of his hand on my forehead.
He seemed worried that I had a fever or something.
"It's a dream where I'm trapped in a burning house... with a boy."
Dielo blinked at my words.
I continued.
"I have it sometimes, but it's not very scary."
Without realizing it, I said that I have it sometimes. It's my first time having this dream, though.
Still, Krua Alroze in the original story must have been quite tormented by dreams, so this dream will probably keep coming.
Krua Alroze in the original story got stressed out by dreams and even confided in the maids next to her.
Dielo tilted his head slightly at my words, then smiled again.
"I'm glad to hear that."
As he answered, the Lily that was clearly visible between his shirt caught my eye.
Three Lilies.
If those disappear, Dielo will lose his chance to awaken even if Pero comes.
It was something we had to protect.
And as if our plan was going smoothly, the Lily was as clear as it had been on the wedding day.
"Come to think of it, it's almost time for the meeting, right?"
I suddenly asked, looking at it.
Dielo nodded slightly at my question.
I guess the order of the original story that I remember is correct.
...Except for the timing of when Pero comes.
Could it be that the wedding looked too sweet for her to interfere?
Why is only the timing of when Pero comes different?
I tilted my head slightly.
"I should prepare."
Dielo frowned slightly and got up from his seat.
The meeting.
It was a gathering of the three families, Alloze, Argenta, and Kartiel, that took place every three years.
A place to discuss how each family would protect the place that they had promised to protect since ancient times.
...But it was created as such, and in recent years, it had become nothing more than a place to check each other's strength.
"Hmm..."
I looked at Dielo's Lily.
It's one thing for Duke Alloze to know that I'm fake, but it would be troublesome if that Lily was clearly visible even in front of the Kartiel ducal family.
Because they'll think I'm the real Pero.
Since Dielo Argenta, the head of Argenta, who outwardly seems to have the weakest power, wouldn't take Pero, it would be suspicious if the Lily was as clear as it is now.
How do I erase that?
It was when I was worrying.
"...It tickles, Krua."
A voice suddenly spoke.
I was startled and looked up to see Dielo blushing slightly as he adjusted his shirt collar.
The Lily that had been visible through the slightly opened shirt was hidden.
He must think I touched it!
"Ah, no."
I was startled and pulled my hand back.
I must have given him too fiery a gaze in front of this innocent man.
"I didn't mean to."
I reassured this pure herbivore and quickly said.
"I was wondering if there was any way to make that Lily less visible before the meeting."
"Hmm..."
Dielo seemed to have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
In this meeting, there must be a change in that Lily in order to put Duke Alloze off guard.
Besides, Duke Kartiel would also look down on Dielo, who has no change even after the Lily disappears.
"They will try to see my Lily no matter what,"
Dielo said with a troubled face.
Whether it's by spilling water or making him take off his clothes, they will.
If so, there has to be a sign that it's faded.
"There's a limit to what you can do with makeup..."
Dielo nodded at my words.
"Makeup can hide the appearance, but it can't hide the magic of the Lily."
I could also feel a strange magic from his Lily.
Pero's power, and the ancient power blocking the power of the head, Dielo Argenta.
Anyone from the three families would be able to recognize it.
Then I have to be able to hide that magic—
"...Ah! There's a way."
I jumped up from my seat.
Someone who knows how to hide magic. I, who have read the original story, knew that person.
The only small problem was that he was probably in Alloze right now.
