The sunlight shining on my face made my eyes open naturally. At the same time, a headache crept into my mind, causing an involuntary groan to escape me.
Perhaps it was only natural after staying up all night processing paperwork.
“Haa…”
Since distinguishing myself at the Hunting Festival, I’ve been inundated with all kinds of documents. They range from trivial matters like merchant product recommendations to invitations for betrothal ceremonies. Despite my efforts to quickly sort and deal with them based on importance, the mountain of paperwork continues to grow, rendering my efforts futile.
“Here..”
The rose garden. I haven’t visited much in recent years due to being overwhelmed with busyness, but why did I fall asleep here?
To clear my foggy mind, I circulated my mana throughout my body. As a bit of the fatigue lifted, my memories began to return.
When I turned my head, I noticed a memo attached to the table.
“Please don’t overexert yourself and get some rest. Sleep is important, after all.”
“P.S. You don’t need to return the coat.”
A coat? That’s when I realized a fur coat was draped over me.
Now that I think of it, I came to the garden last night to listen to Adelle’s concerns. I had been worried about her seeming unsettled lately.
To think I ended up falling asleep and received such kindness.
“I need to focus…”
I had been so preoccupied with recent events that I focused solely on the paperwork. Since it was awkward to delegate to Alan, I decided to handle it myself. Pushing myself this hard was bound to wear down both my body and mind.
Ultimately, it was my mistake for not properly managing my condition. Sleep truly is important, as she said. Still, thanks to the coat, I managed to rest comfortably throughout the night.
“…I should thank her when I see her again.”
Had she not covered me with the coat, I likely would have caught a cold. Even though I am a great mage and sword expert, overexerting myself can still harm my body much like anyone else’s.
With that thought aside, I rose from my seat. I passed through the garden and returned to the mansion. The desolate lobby, now familiar to me, greeted my arrival.
It’s due to having sold all extravagant items. Though it would be amusing to indulge in luxury again now.
“Have you awakened, my lord?”
“..Yes. It seems I’ve risen late. Alan.”
“No worries. Seeing that you’ve had a sufficient rest is quite reassuring.”
He chuckled, seemingly relieved. For some reason, his kind words made me smile. After all, he has treated me like family until now.
Had it not been for the servants like him or Lora, I might have gone mad in this mansion long ago.
In the midst of my thoughts, Alan mentioned something.
“By the way, a piece of news has arrived from the guild.”
“News?”
“Yes. They claim to have found a clue to the inheritance.”
Speaking of inheritance…
They seemed to have found it quicker than I anticipated, despite thinking it might take longer.
“Understood. Let’s go then.”
“By the way, breakfast…”
“I’m sorry, but I’m a bit busy.”
“Miss Adelle is waiting for you.”
At Alan’s words, I unintentionally halted my steps. Could she possibly have waited without eating breakfast until I woke up?
Certainly, the information about the inheritance was important and I wanted to hear it as soon as possible, but dismissing her kindness felt rather undesirable.
“Ugh… Didn’t she tell me to eat first?”
“Of course, she did.”
Exhaling once more upon seeing Alan’s smiling face,
“..Alright. Let me have breakfast before leaving.”
Alan, seizing the moment, started heading to the dining room alongside me. With his assistance, I entered the dining room, where a familiar face greeted me.
Dark hair, ruby-red eyes.
Adelle—my fiancée, and the protagonist of this world.
“Did you rest well?”
“Of course. Thanks to the coat you provided, I slept comfortably.”
“That’s a relief.”
Her expression of relief made me feel slightly awkward.
‘Is she concerned for me?’
Normally, returning hostility with hostility would suffice, but receiving such pure kindness makes one feel rather shy. Especially since our relationship started as a purely contractual marriage without any personal affection, Adelle’s kindness seemed out of place.
What began as a simple contract relationship had, somewhere along the line, evolved into something where we worry about each other.
Perhaps the Hunting Festival was the turning point.
Not entirely sure, I paused in thought as breakfast was served on a tray. There were sausages, fried eggs, and bacon—considering it’s breakfast, it was quite a substantial amount.
Adelle delicately picked up her fork and knife and began eating according to proper etiquette. Recalling how she would once devour food carelessly, her improvement was remarkable.
“..Is there something on my face?”
“No. I’m merely pleased to see you following the decorum.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief.”
With those words, Adelle resumed her meal.
Given her petite frame, it is astonishing how endlessly she could eat.
Even in my past life and this one, I’ve always been a light eater. Witnessing her appetite never fails to amaze me.
“Adelle devours her meals quite contentedly.”
“..Mr. Alan said such comments aren’t compliments.”
Saying so, Adelle frowned and glared at me, resembling a little hamster, making me chuckle.
“I meant it as a compliment, though.”
“Abel, don’t you think you eat too little?”
“I’m naturally a light eater, so there’s no need to worry.”
Thus, we continued our light-hearted conversation until the end of our breakfast, when Alan approached me.
“A moment, please.”
“What is it?”
“The Crown Prince is at the information guild, they say.”
I did ask them to inform me if the Crown Prince ever showed up at the information guild. Conveniently, he arrived just when I planned to visit.
Good luck this morning.
“Something urgent has come up, so I’ll take my leave first.”
“Yes, please take care.”
“Likewise, take care, Adelle.”
With that, I immediately cast a teleportation spell.
No complicated calculations were necessary. One of the greatest conveniences of my spatial magic is the ability to teleport instantly to any location I’ve visited before.
Turning my head, I saw the shabby wooden building come into view.
“It’s still the same here.”
The sign hung on the building post was nearly falling apart, and the cobwebs beneath the roof added to the eerie atmosphere. To the casual observer, it looked like an abandoned ruin, making it the perfect hideout for an information guild.
Taking a mask from my subspace, I put it on. This was no ordinary mask—it was imbued with a potent recognition suppression magic. Despite the hefty cost, it was worth every coin.
Knock, knock, knock, knock.
In response came a male voice from the other side of the door.
“The hawk that crosses the moon,”
“Can perhaps cross even the sun.”
The password changes periodically, and memorizing it each time was a hassle. They form random words into sentences that sound quite decent.
“Please come in.”
The door opened, revealing an interior starkly different from the threatening exterior. It was a cozy space warmed by a heater, with people drinking alcohol, and others playing casual games of chance out of boredom.
The information guild deals with all sorts of news circulating in the empire, but it also functions as a broker, connecting clients with investigators.
That’s why quite a few investigators linger here.
A distinguishing feature is that only those with significant contributions can enter without issue.
Lost in thoughts, I realized a man was leading me somewhere.
“It’s been a while, Mr. Cain.”
“Yes, it has been. Is your scar still persistent?”
Cain, huh?
It’s been a while since I’ve heard that name. It was the identity I created to operate in the shadow world. After beginning to independently gather information through the Raven, there was no need to use that alias.
“Yes, even potions don’t seem to work.”
The man scratched the scar across his right eye as he spoke. I didn’t know his real name, but we had worked together several times, forming a slight acquaintance.
“How is the new recruit doing?”
At the mention of Luke, the man paused in thought, then nodded understandingly.
“Oh.. You mean that sharp guy? He’s quite rigid, but he handles tasks cleanly.”
“Seems like he’s doing fine.”
“Yes. And since Mr. Cain recommended him, his skills are indeed reliable.”
That’s expected.
After all, the Emperor’s Sword is no ordinary existence.
