The path to Senior Delphine’s bedroom was long.
The reasons for this were several; first, Yuridina Castle was simply too vast.
Although I was recently walking the path of success, I was merely the second son of a country noble family. From the beginning, all I had were memories of mingling with people who matched my level, wherever I went.
Until now, my life had only allowed me to see places where nobles lived, which were merely ‘manors.’
Arriving at a ‘castle’ all of a sudden meant I needed time to adapt to its scale.
It was a sad limitation for a lower noble.
After all, I had never been invited to high nobles before.
At that moment, I received a letter from Senior Delphine. Considering the order, it was as if I had skipped several steps.
The Yuridina Clan was a complete lord in the northern region. It was even one of the five noble families of the Empire, making their power incomparable to that of other high nobles.
The place where the owner resided was, therefore, bound to be large and grand.
Fortunately, I had a period of adaptation at the Academy.
Of course, while there was no building that could be called a ‘castle’ at the Academy, some research buildings boasted an area that far exceeded that of a ‘manor.’ I recalled the struggle I had to find my way around as a freshman.
The same was true now.
I had to wander through the long corridors, relying on my clumsy instincts.
Additionally, my meeting with Senior Delphine was a confidential matter.
It was part of the work to root out the traitor in the clan. No matter who the traitor was, it was advantageous not to realize the whereabouts of that blade.
It was also better not to reveal what kind of blade Senior Delphine held.
Moreover, there was another reason to be cautious in my behavior.
That was the fact that Senior Delphine and I were both in the prime of our youth.
At such an hour, would a man and woman of marriageable age be having a secret meeting in a bedroom alone?
I had no excuse for any misunderstandings that might arise. I wanted to avoid such unfortunate incidents.
The scene that had flashed through my mind was from the previous encounter at Percus Manor.
The moment I had a peculiar atmosphere with the Lady Virgin Saint, when Senior Elsi came in holding a kitchen knife.
That azure gaze had looked genuine, without a hint of doubt.
If onlookers had not gathered, something might have gone wrong. Adding to that, the Lady Virgin Saint, who had been showing me an ambiguous distance lately, was also staying at the castle.
I definitely did not want anyone to know that I met Senior Delphine alone in her bedroom.
I was also unnecessarily concerned about Emma.
So, I had to slip through the corridors like a shadow avoiding the light. After a long while of wandering, I arrived at Senior Delphine’s bedroom.
After checking the nameplate several times, I knocked on the door.
It was a moment filled with tension for no reason. Even though I had barged into Senior Delphine’s bedroom countless times before, it felt the same.
It could have been because Yuridina Castle was still an unfamiliar place to me.
After knocking, there was no response from inside urging me to come in. The door simply opened on its own.
With my limited knowledge, I thought this too could be a form of magic.
Even the bedroom door seemed enchanted.
It was something one could hardly dream of without being from one of the five noble families, which symbolized wealth and power. Having one of them on my side was comforting in a way.
I let out a sigh of relief and gradually stepped into the room.
It was a moment of brief calm.
As soon as I took in the scenery of the bedroom, I gasped and jumped back.
“No, Senior Delphine! What are you wearing…!”
“Shh.”
Senior Delphine placed her finger to her lips with an enchanting smile.
The door closed just as it had opened. The dimly lit room became a complete den.
Therefore, I couldn’t even take a step back.
Senior Delphine’s attire was seductive.
Since she was half undressed, it couldn’t be helped. Senior Delphine was barely covering her important parts with red lingerie.
With her pure white skin exposed, I found it hard to know where to look.
Moreover, the lingerie was made of a thin material, revealing the curves without filter. It even seemed to partly reflect the inside through the soft light.
It was a sight that would stimulate a man’s desire.
In the end, I couldn’t hold back and spoke up once more.
“Put on some clothes! I mean, don’t you know how scary it is around men…?”
“Why are you calling me an outside man?”
However, the person in question, Senior Delphine, remained unfazed.
Her white hand held a glass filled with red wine. With her legs crossed, even the act of sipping the drink looked seductive.
Senior Delphine smiled as if she were enticing me.
“I’m your possession, right? So, take a good look at what you have… The higher you rise, the more you need to.”
Of course, that was an absurd statement from my perspective.
Desperately, I turned my eyes away from Senior Delphine’s near-naked body and muttered in a resigned voice.
“I don’t remember saying I would have Senior Delphine.”
“You defeated me, and then you made me submit.”
Senior Delphine said in a nonchalant tone, as if proclaiming a universal truth.
With a clatter, the now empty wine glass fell onto the table.
“So you should have me. Am I not a fine trophy?”
The logic was full of holes.
If I had it my way, I would have liked to hurl a few more retorts at her, but I decided to hold back since the main topic was more important. With a sigh, I took a seat across from Senior Delphine.
She naturally poured more wine.
As the glass filled with a slurp, the fragrant aroma spread.
To converse alone with a woman in her delicate state.
No matter how I thought about it, it was dangerous. A primal sense of crisis flashed through my mind — tonight might be the night of a significant event.
No, rather than a sense of crisis, it might be anticipation.
My eyes glanced over Senior Delphine’s body. She was indeed an attractive woman, no matter when I looked at her.
Of course, it was merely a fleeting moment.
I slapped my face with my palm. It was to regain my spiraling focus. If I became swayed now, it would only lead to bigger problems ahead.
Seeing me like that, Senior Delphine just let out a soft chuckle.
Her eyes seemed to sparkle with a dose of amusement.
From the beaming smile, it was clear she intended to tease me. How had I fallen into the role of a toy for her? My situation felt pitiful.
In frustration, I gulped down the wine.
Senior Delphine threw a few significant words, her smile full of meaning.
“Nice! In the northern region, men are supposed to drink the wine in one go when served in a glass… That’s how you get to be considered manly. Not bad as a prospective groom from the northern region.”
“Please stop teasing me.”
I put down my glass with a thump as I said that.
I could feel the pleasant aroma of the wine rising.
The steam of the fragrant liquid rose up my throat and spread to my nose.
It was a good wine. Of course, since it was something Senior Delphine enjoyed.
I opened my mouth, trying to focus as much as I could on that sensation. It seemed like a way to erase the image of Senior Delphine’s delicate body lingering in front of me.
“By the way, I’d like to hear about the ‘traitor’… How can I assist you?”
Then, Senior Delphine let out a sound of disinterest.
“Hmph,” she snorted while swirling the wine in the glass. It suggested that her thoughts were still not settled.
I patiently awaited Senior Delphine’s words.
It didn’t take long for that time to bear fruit.
“…Head to the front line.”
This was what I had anticipated.
I let out a long breath.
Just thinking about the suffering I would endure made me crave the wine again. I seized the bottle, filling my glass to the brim once more.
And once again, the wine poured down into my stomach.
Senior Delphine continued with a languid voice.
“Recently, elves have been frequently emerging from the coniferous forest. And the frequency of their raids on villages… It’s something the Yuridina Clan must stop. The smaller territories lack the capacity.”
“How should we proceed with the task of rooting out the traitor?”
“The points where information becomes scarce are usually about the elves’ villages. So far, the detailed movements have not been grasped. Recently, the Empire’s Intelligence Department has taken action…”
Senior Delphine’s crimson eyes subtly turned towards me.
They were calm and deep eyes, the kind only someone who knew much could possess.
“Do you have any information to pass on to me?”
Where could information have leaked from this time?
For a moment, suspicion towards Neoris stirred within me, but upon closer examination, the likelihood was low. If that were the case, Senior Delphine wouldn’t need to ask me.
Senior Delphine was a northern native. She didn’t like unnecessary confirmation processes.
I had told Neoris to activate the Empire’s Intelligence Department’s contact network, and perhaps she had sensed something then.
Northern spies were likely investigating the elves’ socializing as well.
I willingly shared the information I had heard from Abiyang with Senior Delphine.
It didn’t seem like new facts anyway. The scale of the socializing that had spread among the elves was significant enough to not be ignored.
As I had guessed, Senior Delphine did not show any dramatic reaction.
“It’s similar to the information we’ve collected… But we still lack data on where exactly the elves are gathering to live and where the socializing is thriving.”
“What about the possibility of the elves simply keeping their mouths shut?”
“Do you think hundreds of elves would?”
That was a valid rebuttal.
I quickly shut my mouth and fell silent. After all, Senior Delphine had mentioned that the frequency of elf raids had increased.
The increased frequency of raids meant that more elves were leaving the coniferous forest.
The number of elves captured by the Yuridina Clan was bound to increase accordingly. It was impossible for hundreds of elves to keep secrets.
Unless coercive means, like magic, were employed.
So, there could be only one answer.
“So, you mean a trustworthy person has to go as a scout?”
“It’s a dangerous assignment.”
It was a mission to keep an eye on the elves’ movements.
Naturally, one would have to infiltrate deep into enemy territory. It would be a lie to say it wasn’t dangerous.
Nonetheless, Senior Delphine showed no sign of remorse.
“That’s why there’s no one else I can trust with this but you.”
She must have gone through her share of contemplation.
The fatigue reflected in Senior Delphine’s face testified to that. In a situation where she had to doubt the vassals she had trusted, it was only natural that Senior Delphine would be suffering the most.
I could understand her feelings.
I too had to suspect my own family back in my hometown. The experience from that day was painfully etched in me, and I felt pity for Senior Delphine’s frail figure.
Above all, the Dark Cult was already my enemy.
Senior Delphine spoke with a bitter smile.
“Of course, I’ll give you an adequate reward. Since I’m your possession now, I won’t have a say if you take anything away from me…”
“I don’t need it.”
Her blood-colored eyes, containing unspoken truths, turned towards me.
Perhaps she had been troubled a lot during that time; Senior Delphine was half-leaning over the table. This was the first time I had seen her so defenseless in front of me.
Thus, I could not ask Senior Delphine for anything more.
I merely wanted to prove that there was at least one person in this world who cared for her.
“It’s your job, Senior Delphine.”
It was a short and clear statement.
In fact, it didn’t really need any further reasoning.
Senior Delphine smiled faintly and lowered her head slightly.
After a while.
Senior Delphine murmured with a voice tinged with intoxication.
“Then can I ask one more favor?”
Her tone sounded so pitiful that I couldn’t say a word.
It was then that Senior Delphine looked up again.
Her face wore a sad smile that was exceedingly attractive. My heart raced, my breath quickened, and all my senses focused on the woman before me.
She was now revealing her vulnerable inner feelings.
That fact felt more stimulating than any words or actions could convey.
“Tonight, let’s sleep together.”
It was a phrase I had often heard from Liya before.
But Senior Delphine surely did not mean it in such a cute way.
If I were not mistaken, it could have only one implication.
It was an invitation to share a bed.
For the first time in my life, I had heard those words from a woman.
