I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 185

After the crisis was resolved, Ariel had a moment to converse with Yulken.

She conveyed to Edgar that he should take care of Sonia by his side, but since he had someone to leave her with for now, he opted to stay.

“Escaping from you, you must be quite the expert.”

“I truly didn’t think you’d resort to such measures. I apologize.”

“Well, there’s no need to apologize. Of course, it stings that I couldn’t catch him… but for now, we should be thankful there wasn’t much damage.”

Although a few soldiers, including the ones caught by the Shepherd during the explosion, had died, it wasn’t a significant blow to the Robeheim Family.

“Before we get into it, I must apologize on your behalf. Due to our lax defenses, the child has been severely hurt…”

Before getting to the main topic, Yulken bowed his head slightly and offered sincere condolences to Edgar.

He felt embarrassed as he kept bothering him.

At this rate, the reputation of the Robeheim Family would certainly be in tatters.

Edgar was also in a tough spot seeing Yulken so humble.

While he felt bad for his younger sister, part of him also recognized that it was unavoidable.

After all, the larger the entity, the more likely it is to have small gaps, and the enemy merely took advantage of that.

The only unfortunate thing was that Sonia happened to be present at that time.

That nothing escalated further from there was a relief.

“Don’t worry about it. My parents asked me to tell you that if your father mentions anything, please don’t take it to heart.”

“…Is that so? It seems I’ve caused your family quite a bit of trouble.”

In the past, because Yulken fell into the hands of enemies, he endangered Edgar, and this time, his lax guard led to trouble for his sister.

Yet neither Edgar nor his parents had ever expressed any grievance.

Of course, Yulken understood that the relationship between the families meant they couldn’t stir up too much of an uproar, but he believed these three would have easily forgiven him even if their families were on equal footing.

“Well, if you’d like to apologize, why not gift a toy to my sister later? That should suffice for her.”

“A toy… I should consult my wife about that.”

Edgar made a joke to lighten the mood, but Yulken took it very seriously.

At this rate, whether or not Helene was concerned, he’d definitely end up asking anyone around him about toys.

Seeing Yulken lost in thought over a mere toy for a child, Ariel couldn’t help but smile wryly.

After all, how much knowledge would Yulken have about children’s toys?

Meanwhile, Ariel surprisingly knew quite a bit about that topic.

Having had toys to play with as a child and also hearing stories from her friend Silvia, who had a younger sibling, contributed to her knowledge.

“Don’t worry, I’ll convey the toy myself, Father.”

“Hmm, then could you help me find one? I have no knowledge in that area, and I’d struggle.”

Yulken’s face lit up at Ariel’s suggestion, indicating he wanted to be the one to give it once it was obtained.

Even if it was a child, he wanted to personally apologize for the trouble caused by his family’s shortcomings.

‘This could be a chance to build rapport.’

To be honest, seeing Sonia’s playful demeanor was charming, and he hoped this could be a stepping stone to striking up some conversation, given that Helene seemed to be getting along well with Sonia while he hadn’t exchanged any words with her yet.

“Anyway, let’s put the preliminaries aside… do we have any leads on that intruder?”

“No, not particularly.”

With that, the three began their serious discussion about the identity of the intruder.

Since Yulken wasn’t present at the scene, he could only offer opinions based on what Edgar and Ariel had seen and heard, but even then, the two didn’t have any solid leads, which was a problem.

The only thing they could be certain of was that the intruder was a subordinate from the Carvita Tribe that had reached out to them.

This could be inferred from the fact that the intruder’s objective was none other than to procure Kelrag, based on the testimony they had.

“Could it be a ruse?”

However, one point of concern was that all of this could only be substantiated by Kelrag’s testimony.

Edgar and Ariel, who arrived afterward, couldn’t be sure what the intruder’s actual goal was since they hadn’t heard their conversation.

Thus, Yulken suggested a possibility that Kelrag could have hired someone and orchestrated the incident.

While his bravery in facing the enemy with bare hands despite being unable to function due to the curse was commendable, he bore the unavoidable duty of keeping a cool head about the situation.

Edgar also briefly considered this notion, allowing Ariel to voice her opinion instead.

“It’s not impossible. But I think the likelihood is low.”

“Any reason for that?”

“He didn’t defeat the enemy; he was buying time.”

If Kelrag still harbored thoughts of striking the Robeheim Family and orchestrated this event to build trust, a more straightforward method would have been available.

Instead, fabricating the situation to claim he defeated the captured enemy would have sufficed.

However, Kelrag was stalling for time while keeping Sonia hidden and waiting for reinforcements.

In a scenario where the intruder was captured and tortured, the plans could leak.

Edgar believed that if he had the position to manipulate things, he wouldn’t have done such a thing.

“…You’re not wrong. Honestly, I have my own doubts too.”

Since Yulken was merely voicing a concern, he didn’t press Edgar for more answers.

Above all, he had a considerable amount of faith in his instincts, and he didn’t think Kelrag’s behavior toward Sonia was a façade.

“Moreover, to put it harshly, he doesn’t strike me as someone clever enough to play such tricks.”

“I agree with that sentiment.”

As Yulken gave a slight smile, making a statement that seemed half-joking and half-serious, Edgar chuckled and agreed.

After all, the incidents that occurred when they attacked Whitewood were just actions dictated by the plans of the shadowy figure behind it.

In other words, this suggested that Kelrag himself wasn’t particularly sharp or clever.

The only one who seemed to have potential was Burik, and all conversations between him and Kelrag were reported to Ariel by the guards.

Putting it nicely, he was a straightforward man; put harshly, he was somewhat lacking in intellect.

That pretty much summed up the evaluation of Kelrag as a person.

“In any case, there’s no need to rush. Perhaps we’ll get a signal soon.”

“A signal? What do you mean, Ariel?”

As Ariel, who had been quietly listening to the men’s conversation, finally spoke up softly, both men turned their attention toward her, as though her words suggested she had devised a plan to uncover the enemy’s backers.

With a haughty smile, she delicately tilted her teacup and added with a casual tone, looking as serene as though she hadn’t just nearly fallen victim to an ambush.

“Earlier, when the explosion happened with that man, just before his magical power completely vanished, I set something up.”

“You did that?”

Edgar’s eyes widened in surprise upon learning about this as he had been unaware.

With her eyes gently closed, Ariel tilted her cup, then opened one eye and winked as if to ask, ‘How about that? Impressive, right?’

“So when do you think that signal will come?”

“I don’t know. It might not arrive at all… but I believe it will.”

“Hmm?”

Yulken tilted his head at her quite peculiar response.

She said it would come but then added it might not, which sounded like a rather vague statement.

“What a strange thing to say. You just said it would come, and now you’re saying it might not?”

“Just wait and see. Something entertaining might unfold.”

“Don’t be so nonchalant. Do you realize how serious this is?”

“What’s the harm? Besides, when we hear news, you’ll likely find it quite amusing, too.”

Regardless of anything, Ariel seemed simply excited about waiting and emptied her teacup with a smile, seeming to relish the possibilities.

—

Three nights later.

The emperor, Bartheus, who had been momentarily lost in appreciation of the resplendent moon outside, decided to step out of his quarters for some fresh air and headed towards the garden.

The view here was quite open, offering an unobstructed sight of the surrounding landscapes.

He moved to a spot where he would usually enjoy tea with his wife, and seeing the brightly blooming flowers around him somewhat eased his mind.

“Your Majesty, it’s quite chilly. Perhaps you should return to your quarters…”

At this, Abel, the emperor’s loyal aide and guard, spoke softly, expressing concern based on the fact that he was well aware of Bartheus’s declining health from having observed him closely.

“Just a moment longer. I’m in an unusually peaceful mood today.”

“…As you command.”

However, to Bartheus’s gentle yet firm refusal, there was nothing left for Abel to do but obey.

After all, who would dare go against the emperor’s command?

Moreover, on the other hand, Abel wanted to afford Bartheus some relaxation after a day filled with meetings and audiences, leaving him little respite.

There was little else he could do as a subordinate.

“Lately, Albrecht’s actions have been peculiar.”

In the middle of this, Bartheus suddenly mentioned something, causing Abel to flinch slightly.

He wanted to avoid hearing bad news, but considering his duty as a servant, failing to convey the truth would only be deceitful.

Thus, he had no choice but to speak plainly.

How Bartheus would interpret it after hearing it was entirely his responsibility.

“Yes. He has always been that way, but we’ve received information that he’s been quite bold lately.”

“Whatever his goal is, it seems he’s coming closer. Children tend to behave that way.”

The more reckless they are, the more they tend to act impulsively when something appears before them.

Though it might not be right to compare a man whose motives are unknown to a childish demeanor, Bartheus deemed it an adequate description in this instance.

“Will you continue to conceal him?”

“I suppose so. That is my remaining duty. What, do you find it pathetic?”

“I believe it’s unavoidable.”

In other words, he acknowledged it as a necessary evil but didn’t view it negatively.

Even in front of the emperor, Abel displayed his honest feelings.

“…That’s fair. I suppose that might be the most ordinary response.”

Bartheus simply nodded slowly, wearing a faint smile without scolding or reproaching Abel.

“I find myself rather foolish as well. As the emperor of a nation, I not only fail to seek help from others but merely hide a villain while hoping for a hero to appear.”

“Do you think one will truly show up?”

“It’s likely a futile hope. Yet, still, I continue to dream.”

With a smile, Bartheus gazed into the distance.

What lay beyond his line of sight was something even Abel could not discern.

Following that, they plunged into a long silence.

Neither could easily break the quietude, and thus, an uncomfortable lull settled in as they simply wandered around the garden.

Piiing-!

After about twenty minutes passed, suddenly, from the spot Bartheus had been focusing on, a white beam of light shot up with a small sound.

To his ears, it must have sounded like a significant explosion, considering the distance from the light.

Bartheus widened his eyes in surprise and turned to Abel to inquire what was happening.

“What is going on over there?”

“I-I’m not sure. Based on the distance and direction, it appears to be coming from the Bertus Family…”

The Bertus Family’s castle is located reasonably close to Hildak.

Though they ruled over separate lands, the reason their castle was built in such a desolate mountain area remained a mystery to everyone.

In any case, Abel rationalized that it must be from there, and even while he was flustered, he made sure to respond diligently, prompting Bartheus to murmur softly.

“It resembles a signal shot in wartime. Albrecht, is this his doing?”

“I wouldn’t think he’d be so brazen as to engage in such open displays.”

“True enough. In that case, I shall ask my lords tomorrow if anyone knows the reason behind it.”

What an unexpected ruckus in the dead of night.

Yet somehow, Bartheus felt a sense of lightness, as though his burdens were being lifted into the sky with the light beam.

‘At least I got to witness some entertainment.’

Regardless of who fired that light, he felt inclined to offer a modicum of gratitude if they appeared before him.

If it truly was Albrecht, he might have to give it a bit more thought.