HSRD 14

Chapter 14

“Even Lily, with her high standards, would cling to someone like him if she wanted to get married.”

At every moment, from every angle, the Duke’s face radiated charm.

Especially since he wasn’t an ordinary human but a powerful beastkin predator—it was more than enough to spark one’s imagination.

…At least, that would be the case if I were a more emotionally expressive person.

Would I have at least blushed in that case?

“…Hmm, I can’t empathize.”

As I briefly imagined myself feeling shy while looking at Duke Lapman, he spoke.

“Where did that artifact come from? It looked broken when I saw it earlier.”

“Ah… it was a gift. It seems its durability wasn’t very good.”

“Ridiculous. Are you saying an ancient artifact has poor durability?”

“That’s unfortunate. I wanted to use it for longer too, but it broke after one use.”

“Hah. And now you’re going to say you don’t know anything about it as well?”

This time, he sounded genuinely irritated, his voice cold.

At his words, I scratched my head.

‘I really do look… suspicious, don’t I?’

This is the moment where “reasonable fabrication” should kick in!

But the ring I had worn just in case remained completely silent.

I glanced at the infuriating ring that seemed indifferent to its owner, then lifted my head and met the Duke’s eyes.

“There’s one thing I can tell you. That artifact I used back then…”

As if deciding to listen to everything I had to say, the Duke didn’t lose his temper and quietly waited for my next words.

After taking a slow breath, I finally spoke.

“…It was made by Radon.”

Revealing the name “Radon” was a major risk from my position of hiding the fact that I was the Evening Glow Nymph.

But at this point, I wanted to confirm something.

Whether Duke Lapman’s search for the “Evening Glow Nymph” had any connection to Radon—or not.

“And frankly, I may have been too casual in brushing off his questions earlier.”

It was time to tell at least one truth.

At the bait I threw, Duke Lapman fixed me with a frost-covered glare.

“Radon? You mean the dragon that was sealed by Duchess Mayville?”

There was even a trace of killing intent in his question. Anyone else would have frozen in place.

But I, who rarely wavered over such things, simply nodded.

“Yes.”

“You said earlier that it was a gift?”

“I can’t tell you who gave it to me.”

“Then why bring it up at all?”

“It was given to me in secrecy, so I have no choice.”

In truth, the divine messenger hadn’t explicitly said it had to remain a secret—but this wasn’t something I could casually tell others.

Thinking that, I made a regretful expression.

At that, the Duke’s face twisted noticeably.

Seemingly frustrated, he unbuttoned a few of the shirt buttons that were fastened up to his neck and let out a sigh.

“I didn’t call you here for this kind of wordplay.”

“I’d also like to speak freely, but I have my own circumstances.”

More importantly, I no longer had anything I was curious about regarding Duke Lapman.

There were three things I wanted to confirm:

First, who caused the regression.
‘He admitted it himself—it was the Duke.’

Second, why the regression was caused.
‘That was also confirmed—to save Izancel Lapman.’

Third, why he was searching for the Evening Glow Nymph.
‘But asking that would likely expose my identity…’

With the exception of the last one, his answers weren’t far from what I had expected.

If no further regressions occurred, I wanted to return to my ordinary daily life as usual.

Preferably without getting involved with Duke Lapman.

‘To do that, I need to reveal as little of my information as possible.’

I could also ask him about the divine messenger or quests, but revealing more here might distance me from the peaceful life I wanted.

‘So for now… I’ll ask Baron Sein and his wife about the ancient artifact.’

If I gain nothing there, then I’ll ask Duke Lapman.

Involving myself with the Duke should be the very last resort.

Thinking that, I glanced at him.

He was still staring sharply at me, so our eyes naturally met again.

I responded to his intense gaze with an innocent smile.

‘Come to think of it, I expected him to get angry and kick me out by now…’

Though his tone and gaze were sharp at times, his reaction was more restrained than I expected.

‘Maybe he’s aware that I’m the one who saved Izancel Lapman?’

At that moment, the Duke spoke.

“Aigle Atlas.”

“Yes?”

“According to the report, you’re quite fearless. Is that why you managed to win so much at the casino? Even amidst that incomprehensible repeating regression.”

“A report? Did you investigate me?”

“If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have invited you to this estate.”

“I see.”

So he had investigated me.

Well, I had lived honestly without committing any crimes, so whether he investigated me or not didn’t particularly matter.

I didn’t feel offended or uncomfortable either.

“…Wait. What if the report mentions my mother?”

That would be problematic.

At that moment, the Duke let out another sigh.

“Is that all the reaction you have?”

“Ah, yes. Does the report contain anything unusual?”

For example… something about my mother?

I asked cautiously, feeling a slight sense of concern.

But unaware of my inner thoughts, the Duke shook his head.

“No.”

Then that’s a relief.

After that, the Duke said nothing more. He simply observed my behavior in silence.

An unexpected silence filled the room.

I calmly ignored his persistent gaze and finished the rest of my tea.

“Then…”

Setting down my cup, I smiled lightly.

“I don’t think we have anything more to discuss, and since I’ve finished all the tea you offered, I’ll take my leave now.”

In social etiquette, when invited, one is expected to remain until finishing the first tea served.

Finishing more than one cup also signals that one can politely leave an uncomfortable meeting.

At my words, he spoke expressionlessly.

“I have much more to say, but since you refuse to speak…”

“Don’t worry. My circumstances won’t affect you at all.”

Saying that, I stood up.

“Even if regression happens again, I’ll just think, ‘Ah, something has happened to the Duke again,’ and leave it at that. I won’t bother you at all.”

At my words, Duke Lapman’s lips curled slightly upward.

“Galek.”

At that, the reception room door opened immediately.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“See the guest off.”

“Yes, Lady Atlas. This way, please.”

I looked at the butler who had entered and then bowed to the Duke.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

I followed the butler out of the reception room.

Even as I left, I could feel the Duke’s sharp gaze on my back.

Just before the door closed, I glanced back.

In the slightly dim reception room, only the Duke’s violet eyes seemed to glow faintly.

Like a beast just before it hunts.

‘As expected of a beastkin—his eyes really do shine.’

The rabbit beastkin family of Phine didn’t have that kind of presence. How fascinating.

With such carefree thoughts, I smiled brightly at the intense gaze directed at me.

Goodbye, Your Grace.

Let’s live in a way that we never have to meet one-on-one like this again.

Thud—

And with that, the reception room door closed.

Clack, clack.

Light footsteps moved away from the reception room.

Alkides quietly watched the closed door and curled his lips into a faint smile.

“Aigle Atlas…”

Remembering the relaxed smile she had shown at the end, he let out a soft chuckle.

Up until just before Aigle arrived, Alkides had been thinking about many things.

What exactly was that woman?

There was only one kind of being who could perceive his regression.

‘A transcendent being…’

Dragons and divine messengers.

Only they could recognize regression. He had confirmed this himself through direct encounters with a divine messenger.

‘Then is that woman a transcendent being?’

Alkides recalled Aigle’s face again.

Her harmless, smiling expression and slow manner of speech didn’t match any divine messenger he knew.

He frowned.

‘That doesn’t seem likely.’

If she were a transcendent being, she would possess a presence unique to them—but he felt none of it from her.

Of course, if they were deliberately concealing their presence, he would have no way of knowing.

But…

‘It’s definitely not.’

His instincts were quite reliable, so he ruled out the possibility that Aigle was a transcendent being.

‘Then… someone who has come into contact with a transcendent being?’

That seemed plausible.

If so, it would explain how she became aware of regression and how she managed to use an ancient artifact to capture assassins.

And also why she couldn’t answer his questions properly and hesitated.

‘Why did she help me…?’

Was the “Guardian of the Moon” involved?

But if that were the case, they would have contacted him through Lysian long ago.

Or perhaps another divine messenger?

They tended to approach humans who had interesting fates.

Alkides pondered many possibilities, tapping his leg.

He had called her today intending to extract information—but had gained nothing.

‘…She really did look completely innocent, like she knew nothing.’

Though he was highly skilled at reading people, her expression was impossible to decipher.

That was why he had repeatedly exerted pressure using the natural intimidation and killing intent of a beastkin.

‘And yet, none of it worked.’

Not only did it fail—it was as if she didn’t even care, calmly sipping her tea.

Unaware of his frustration, she smiled brightly.

She was, in many ways, a very troublesome person to extract information from.

‘If she weren’t my benefactor…’

He might have used force to extract answers.

Even so, he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling.

The more he thought about her, the more absurd she seemed.

Regression is not something ordinary.

He had expected her to bombard him with countless questions.

Yet Aigle had simply left so casually.

“Am I the only one full of questions?”