I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 189

Ariel, having wrapped up her audience, made her way to the designated room.

There, Edgar was already waiting, and his expression was anything but casual.

She figured he must have heard everything from their conversation in the audience chamber through magic.

“Good job. How are you holding up?”

Despite his own dark demeanor, he checked on Ariel first.

Even if he had heard the whole conversation, it was still an entirely different experience to engage face-to-face.

Plus, there was the lingering concern about whether Albrecht might have played any tricks.

“It was nothing major. For now, it seems undeniable that it’s related to the Symbol of Dominion.”

“…Well, I could tell just from the conversation that you were shaken.”

Ariel sat delicately on the bed and said it nonchalantly, but the deep furrows in Edgar’s brow showed otherwise.

When she mentioned the Symbol of Dominion, Albrecht’s attitude and tone had definitely shifted dramatically.

If someone who hadn’t even been present perceived it so clearly, how much more intense must Ariel have felt it?

On the other hand, it was unexpectedly surprising to see the often stoic man displaying such emotions.

It was hard to explain the evident agitation just because a goal had finally been revealed.

“I would have liked to press further, but… it’s a pity that I couldn’t.”

“Nothing could be done. I didn’t have any other expectations to begin with.”

“True enough.”

Ariel seemed a bit disappointed, pouting her lips in dissatisfaction as she replayed the situation in her mind.

Since it was the first time Albrecht had shown so much emotion, she had planned to ask him a few more questions, but alas, the Emperor’s health took a turn for the worse, forcing her to stop.

Edgar felt somewhat dissatisfied as well, but he considered this a major achievement nonetheless.

What bothered him, however, was the thought that if Albrecht’s true aim was indeed the Symbol of Dominion, then why did he desire it? And what could be the implications moving forward?

“By the way, it seems the Emperor isn’t in good shape after all.”

“Yeah. Though he was putting on a brave face, his complexion was far from healthy. He even coughed up blood.”

If Edgar had been there, he would have surely been able to discern the Emperor’s condition much better, but Ariel wasn’t so clueless either.

From the beginning, the Emperor’s complexion had appeared quite grim, and in the end, even though he tried to conceal it, she had witnessed blood seeping out while he coughed.

Though he wasn’t exactly old, considering he was around Yulken’s age, it indicated that his health was declining rapidly.

“Is it bothering you that you couldn’t ascertain everything completely?”

As she shifted closer to observe Edgar’s expression, Ariel sensed something unsettling in his demeanor and asked playfully.

She felt uneasy too, but that was merely a reflection of her somewhat impatient nature.

This was her way of expressing disappointment about not being able to gain any further insights.

In contrast, Edgar was just the kind of guy who could leisurely observe the situation.

Given his personality, it would be reasonable for him to feel relieved and satisfied with today’s events.

However, the fact that he appeared troubled suggested he might have found a new lead or was preoccupied with something nagging at him.

Knowing him well, she was confident that she understood him just as thoroughly.

“It’s not that significant… hmmm.”

“Seems like it’s definitely something.”

Ariel leaned forward, adopting an almost adorable posture, teasing him once more.

Although Edgar possessed impressive reasoning skills, he was notably cautious, often hesitating to speak on mere hunches or suspicions.

During those times, it was her role to pry a bit more out of him, hoping to hear at least a little something extra.

“Honestly, it’s hard to say anything when you read my expression like that.”

“Whose specialty is that, huh?”

“Guess you have a point there.”

Edgar realized he had almost sounded like he was talking about someone else and let out a chuckle.

After all, it was a skill he had often displayed unprompted when interacting with her.

Maybe it was because of him that Ariel felt the need to keep her performance up and learn to read his expressions.

“It’s nothing significant. I just find it quite an unpleasant coincidence.”

“An unpleasant coincidence?”

Ariel tilted her head at his vague remark.

Above all, it was surprising to hear such a blunt expression of displeasure from him, as he seldom spoke so directly.

“Earlier, I was called in to see the Emperor privately, just me.”

“Right.”

The Emperor had summoned him discreetly upon hearing that both had arrived, though it still remained unclear why.

Perhaps, after a long time, the Emperor wished to check on the young man who had made a name for himself on the Hero Stone.

The conversation they had was nothing more than a simple greeting after all.

“At the time, he appeared to be in quite decent shape. At least not like someone who was ill.”

If he were trying to hide it, Edgar likely would have noticed.

Of course, given the wisdom that comes with age, the Emperor might have been trying not to show any signs of discomfort, but Edgar hadn’t sensed any alarm from him.

And Ariel had spoken with the Emperor and Albrecht about thirty minutes later.

It was truly odd how significantly his condition had worsened in such a short timeframe.

Now, while illnesses do fluctuate, it felt all too coincidental at that moment.

Moreover, considering the circumstances, only one person could be described with the term ‘coincidental’—Albrecht, who had briefly lightened the mood and deferred the conversation.

No one else existed in that context.

“Am I reading too much into it?”

Even though it was a deduction he had come to himself, Edgar couldn’t shake the thought that he might just be imagining things.

His previous speculations had proved somewhat accurate, which had unfortunately led him to spiral further into baseless theories.

If what he had assumed was true, it would only escalate the situation out of control.

Or rather, it might be more significant than he anticipated.

“…Nah, forget it. I think I got too carried away piecing things together.”

“If you say so, it’s fine, but… are you really alright?”

“It’s nonsense to begin with. It shouldn’t even be happening.”

With a forced smile, Edgar reiterated his gratitude to Ariel for her efforts and embraced her tightly.

It was a show of affection like usual, but Ariel understood it signified that he wouldn’t discuss such matters any further.

If that was his intention, then she had no choice but to go along with it.

However, it seemed she wouldn’t quite forgive him for asking her to forget it.

After all, it’s not easy for a person to simply erase things from their mind, especially not with her temperament.

She carried too much knowledge to just brush aside the thought that the world might not be swirling with schemes and plots.

Yet, she refrained from bringing it up in front of him, wishing he could take a moment to relax a bit.

Since she had never been on this journey without his assistance from Whitewood until now.

Sometimes, it was necessary to clear the clutter in one’s mind and take a break. That’s what Ariel wanted above all else.

In fact, the reason she decided not to go to the villa today but to stay here was that she wished for him to receive warm hospitality as a guest and catch a breather for a moment.

Though Robeheim Castle and the villa here both provided adequate care, sometimes a change of scenery could do wonders for one’s mood.

‘Lately, I feel like he’s lost weight. I have to make sure he eats well before he returns.’

Noticing that the face of her beloved seemed thinner than before, Ariel gently caressed his cheek and made a vow.

She was determined to make him enjoy the royal feast meant for the Emperor, ensuring he would eat enough for nourishment.

After all, he was the one who would be heading back to take care of her, so it was her responsibility to pamper him sincerely.

“…Hey, where are you looking?”

As her gaze unintentionally wandered downwards and focused on an inappropriate area, Edgar quickly recoiled, covering himself.

In contrast to his usual behavior, his reaction was quite childlike, and Ariel took the opportunity to be bold.

I mean, if she wanted to look, then why not?

She was already aware Edgar had occasionally stolen glances at her here and there.

“What’s with the shock? Can’t I look at what’s mine? You look all the time.”

“What kind of language is that…?”

Seeing a noblewoman of a grand house speaking like a teasing middle-aged man made Edgar completely speechless.

“Am I wrong? You belong to me, don’t you?”

“Yes, I suppose I do…”

It made her think about how odd it was to assert ownership over someone who wasn’t a slave, but Edgar was swept up in the atmosphere and found himself unwittingly replying.

Ariel then sniffed triumphantly, pleased with the expression of satisfaction on her face.

“Honestly, show some respect. If your owner wants a little peek, you should just say, ‘Of course, my Lord!’”

“Are you still going on about that whole ‘owner’ thing? And yet last time you were calling me… ugh!”

“Shut it!? I let you off easy thinking you might be tired, and now you’re getting saucy!”

Ultimately, the serious atmosphere that had filled the room moments before vanished, and the two began to playfully wrestle on the bed like a couple of kids.

Rumor had it that when someone arrived later to attend to them, the two emerged from their playful skirmish, clearing their throats awkwardly, but that’s just a side note.