Chapter: 12
Meanwhile, in the Northern Rune Knights…
“I miss the captain.”
They were chatting as they cleared snow, as usual.
“Seriously, where did he suddenly disappear to?”
“Probably went to the Imperial Palace. He’s a prince, after all.”
“Is that so?”
At that moment, a knight who had been standing guard appeared, teary-eyed.
He was a large man with short hair.
In his hands, he held a big stuffed rabbit.
On the sole of the doll’s foot, the name “Merida” was embroidered.
“I don’t miss the captain.”
“What, are you sulking again?”
“The captain said our Merida gained weight compared to last year!”
Hmm.
At those words, the knights who were clearing snow gathered around.
“It did gain weight.”
“It got fatter.”
And so, they ended up discussing for three hours how Merida had gained weight.
Not a single person argued that a doll couldn’t possibly gain weight.
Peter Milo was a talented graduate who had finished the Academy with outstanding grades.
Right after graduation, he was appointed as an imperial aide.
Not just any aide—but the personal aide to the Third Prince!
It was an incredible honor for someone so young.
Amid cheers from his family and friends, he entered the Imperial Palace and immediately went to meet the Third Prince.
But the one waiting for him was not the prince, but a palace attendant.
“Greetings! I am Peter Milo, the aide assigned to serve His Highness the Third Prince starting today!”
The attendant replied expressionlessly to his stiff, formal greeting.
“His Highness the Third Prince is not here. And you likely won’t be seeing him in the future either.”
“…Excuse me?”
“He has been away from the palace for a long time and prefers handling everything himself.”
What the attendant said was true.
While the aides of other princes busily ran around, Peter did absolutely nothing.
The Third Prince gave no orders and didn’t even use the allocated budget.
In fact, Peter never even had a chance to meet him.
All he heard were frightening rumors.
That the prince hunted northern monsters alone.
That his methods were brutally ruthless.
On top of that, he never attended festivals or events.
The reason was simple.
He found them bothersome.
Only a handful of attendants even knew what he looked like.
Because of this, Peter spent his days idling at his desk.
“I want to work…”
That was still the case today.
Without even getting the chance to greet the prince upon his return from the North, Peter was reassigned as an official in the Department of Magic.
And still, the prince never summoned him.
Peter spread out a blank sheet of paper and doodled.
“I drew a butterfly yesterday… maybe I’ll draw a bird today…”
The only thing improving over time was his drawing skill.
Then—
Knock, knock.
A sound came from the door.
“What is it?”
Peter replied gloomily.
Then came unexpected news.
“His Highness the Third Prince is looking for you. Immediately!”
“…Pardon?”
So early in the morning…?
Peter asked back blankly.
The attendant, unable to wait, flung open the door.
“Hurry! He said it’s urgent!”
Peter jumped to his feet.
In his haste, his legs wobbled and he bumped his thigh against the desk—but he felt no pain.
His Highness is calling for me…!
Finally, my first task…!
Smiling brightly, he rushed off following the attendant.
“Pay your respects. This is His Highness the Third Prince.”
This… is the Third Prince?
Peter stared blankly at the man before him.
Standing under the sunlight, the tall man was dazzling.
With a face so gentle it was almost angelic, he looked down at Peter.
He was nothing like the terrifying rumors.
A beautiful man.
Ahem! Unable to bear it, the attendant cleared his throat.
Only then did Peter snap back to his senses and hurriedly bow.
Panting heavily from running, he gasped:
“Your Highness… haah… I greet you…! I am… Pe—haah! Milo…!”
“Alright, haah Milo. I called you because there’s something urgent to investigate.”
“Please… haah… tell me anything!”
Edwin tilted his head slightly toward the attendant.
Quick-witted, the attendant immediately left them alone.
“Look into the situation of the Hartwin Barony. How difficult things are—financially and otherwise.”
The Hartwin Barony? It was a minor house he had never even heard of.
Catching his breath, Peter asked:
“Financially… haah… you mean?”
“Yes. If possible, find out their sources of income as well.”
Why would the Third Prince be interested in such a minor noble family?
But a true loyalist does not question orders.
With a determined expression, Peter replied:
“I will report back within a week!”
“No.”
Edwin spoke calmly.
“By the time I return from my trip.”
Peter’s eyes darted.
What is this? A test of his abilities as an aide?
If so, he wanted to do even better.
Edwin added:
“I value results, haah Milo.”
“…Meaning the method doesn’t matter.”
The sharp Peter immediately understood.
Just then, a carriage stopped in front of him.
At a glance, it was a high-class carriage belonging to the Imperial Palace.
Edwin gestured as if to say, What are you waiting for?
He wants me to ride this…?
This was the highest level of treatment an aide could receive.
Deeply moved, Peter immediately departed from the prince’s palace.
I’ll investigate every last detail—even the tiniest speck!
The persistence that once made even his professors shudder during his academy days burned once again.
Dana had to go to work early in the morning for a business trip.
She packed thick clothes from her wardrobe into her luggage and went downstairs.
She quietly looked around.
The maids hadn’t come to work yet, and her family was still asleep.
No doubt they had been drinking in the dining room until dawn after hopping between parties and gambling dens.
Dana took out a cloth pouch from her bag.
Inside the luxurious fabric was a crystal sphere.
Though it looked like an ordinary glass orb, it was actually a video-recording device powered by a magic stone.
Thanks to Edwin, she could easily obtain magical tools.
Following his instructions, she held the top and bottom of the sphere and twisted in opposite directions.
Click.
Recording had begun.
No matter what, I need to capture evidence of the unfair contract.
Dana wanted both her family and Baron Hembern to be punished.
Even if she reported them, her family might try to back out by claiming they were threatened.
So she needed proof that they knew about the contract’s contents.
That’s why she borrowed the recording device.
To provoke them—and secure testimony.
She hid the device deep inside a cabinet.
It was where the baroness stored expensive dishes she only used for decoration.
After carefully checking her surroundings one last time, Dana turned—
“Hey, what are you doing?”
A sharp voice rang out.
“….”
Startled, Dana froze.
Her body turned cold, and a chill ran down her spine.
Cold sweat trickled down her back.
The voice belonged to Jamie.
Leaning against the wall, he held his head.
He looked thirsty from a hangover after heavy drinking.
Pretending to be calm, Dana said:
“What do you mean? I’m getting ready for work.”
“Here?”
“Is it strange to drink water before going to work?”
“Then what did I just see?”
“See… what?”
Her heart dropped again.
Feigning indifference, she frowned at him.
Jamie pointed at her luggage.
“Don’t tell me you’re running away? Because you’re upset about paying the debt?”
“…That’s what you meant by seeing something? My luggage?”
“Yeah! You can’t fool me!”
She barely held back a sigh of relief.
His bloodshot eyes widened.
Dana looked at him as if he were pathetic.
“I’m leaving for a business trip to the North starting today.”
Ah.
Jamie’s face immediately relaxed.
He was always simple-minded.
Easily angered, easily pleased.
“Well, I guess you wouldn’t abandon your family.”
Ignoring him, Dana walked past.
She gave a crooked smile.
Why was he so certain she wouldn’t run away?
Her family had always treated her carelessly.
As if she were trapped in a cage.
As if they knew she could never escape.
Come to think of it… why did I just endure it all this time?
The question resurfaced again.
If she didn’t obey them—
If she didn’t devote herself—
It felt like something terrible would happen.
Even though she knew how unfair everything was, she had silently endured it.
Why did my feelings suddenly change?
Tilting her head in thought, Dana opened the mansion door.
And at that moment—
Her eyes widened.
“…Edwin?”
