The figure before me had black hair with a streak of green that stood out like a rogue sprout, her eyes a light emerald green that evoked the deeps of the forest.
A woman dressed in light leather armor entered the room, closing the door behind her.
Arin.
The Captain of the Black Raven Knights, and the sole Elemental Knight in existence. She was one of the children Evan and I had taken in when they were young.
In the original story, she had appeared as Louis’s personal guard. But thanks to the knowledge of that story, I’d managed to recruit her to my side before anyone else had the chance.
And now, having single-handedly eradicated three nests of the royal family’s covert operatives, she had finally returned to the duchy.
Arin knelt on one knee before me and raised her gaze.
“It’s been a while, Duke.”
“Yes, it has.”
As ever, her tone was terse, rigid.
I’d tried to get her to soften it once, long ago, but eventually gave up. It went against her nature—her clear distinction between work and personal life. There was no loosening that.
I cleared my mind of any distractions and waited for her to speak.
“I have my report ready.”
She stood again and began detailing the information she’d gathered over the last stretch.
“There were thirteen ‘nests’ of the royal family discovered within the Hardenberg Dukedom. We’ve successfully eradicated twelve.”
“Quite a number.”
These royal nests.
They functioned as branches that supported the Emperor’s Eyes and Hands, gathering intelligence. There usually existed two or three of them per region, often holding ties to some of the higher-ups.
To compare with my previous life, they were akin to intelligence agencies in this world. So secretive were they that even dukes such as myself only learned of them once they attained a certain rank.
And yet, thirteen had lain hidden within my territory.
Even factoring in the size of the Hardenberg Dukedom, it was an alarming number.
I resisted the urge to sigh and nodded.
Then Arin continued with her report.
“In the process, we found clues about one of their new projects.”
“What is it?”
Given the nature of intelligence organizations, I doubted it would be good news.
“The project is called ‘Scapegoat.’ From what we’ve gathered, it seems to involve the Hardenberg family.”
“I see…”
So, they’d decided to make their move. To be honest, it was almost too late. They’d been scheming in the shadows for so long without a direct confrontation.
But even if this came belatedly, there was no room for complacency.
This was, after all, the royal family we were dealing with. They were sure to attempt something unimaginable. Our first step must be gathering more information on the project through the Ravens.
“Good work.”
“I, uh…”
She hesitated, her gaze averted as if seeking something. The corners of my mouth twitched with amusement and I approached her.
With one hand, I ruffled her hair rather roughly. She might have grown up, but her occasional childishness remained unchanged.
The little slave girl we’d once taken in had already grown to be such a formidable presence. A feeling of nostalgia struck me, leaving a bittersweet smile in its wake.
“You’ve worked hard, Arin.”
“…Thank you, Father.”
Father?
It had been a long time since I’d heard that title. Evan certainly found it embarrassing now, so he no longer used it.
With a light click, I turned to hear a sudden sound.
There stood Adelle, staring at me wide-eyed.
“So, you have a daughter, Duke?”
“I believe you’re mistaken.”
It seemed she clearly thought otherwise.
“N-no. What misunderstanding could there be?”
Adelle, usually quite poised, seemed unusually flustered. She waved her hands dismissively but couldn’t hide her wandering eyes or the obvious confusion upon her face.
It was clear to me that she had misunderstood — though entirely the wrong way.
I stepped closer.
Adelle swayed awkwardly as I took her hand lightly into mine. Startled by the sudden motion, her eyes widened as they met mine.
A playful thought struck me and, teasingly, I kissed her hand.
“H-!”
Her cheeks flared red like a red radish, and I barely managed to suppress a laugh.
The past few days had worried me, but it appeared her innocence remained undiminished.
“There is only you whom I love, Adelle.”
Her breath hitched, but I ignored the gasp from the background.
“T-that…”
Words faltered on her lips, and she turned her head to avoid my gaze. Amused, I released her hand.
“Are you well?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Her head shook in response to my quiet inquiry, and she stepped back slightly.
Satisfied the misunderstanding was resolved, I relaxed—only for the same sound to echo again from behind me.
Turning, I found Arin, her hands pressed against her face, watching us through her fingers with an unmissably intrigued look.
“Ah! I didn’t mean to interrupt!”
Her exclamation came, and she made to rush out of the room. Grabbing her shoulder, I spoke.
“At least stay for a proper introduction.”
“Ah, that’s right.”
She bowed deeply. “Forgive my intrusion.”
Adelle’s surprise was brief but visible as Arin shifted effortlessly into a formal salute, lifting one hand in a precise ceremonial motion.
“I’m the captain of the Black Raven Knights, Arin.”
“Adelle von Este. The pleasure is mine.”
“Likewise, Mistress!”
Why did everyone address her as ‘mistress?’ I hadn’t imparted such titles in my younger days.
Though the thought crossed my mind briefly, Arin’s robust voice brought Adelle a small, awkward smile as she nodded in return. She seemed still slightly uncomfortable with the rigid formalities.
With a sigh, I added, “She is the captain of the knighthood to which Evan belongs. Also, one of the rare half-elves.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
At the mention of her heritage, Adelle perked up with curiosity and moved closer.
“You’re a half-elf?”
“Yes.”
“Nice to meet you. I am also of elven descent.”
Elven descent?
Her unexpected statement brought doubt to my mind. I’d never encountered this in the original story and found myself surprised.
Looking to Adelle, she muttered, “Lord Louis mentioned it.”
“Did he?”
There was no chance she lied. Elves considered themselves the most truthful race and greatly frowned upon falsehood. Yet her revelation was absent from the original story. Why was this?
Reflecting further, I recalled how odd it was for Adelle, despite being considered an enemy, to receive such favorable treatment from Louis. Was it because she descended from elves?
Could it be…
As these puzzle pieces clicked into place, I wondered if there was a reason he’d let Adelle remain with me. Could it be the same reason why he’d handed information over to her?
This matter required further investigation.
Putting it aside for the moment—
“Really?!”
Arin’s pitch elevated, startling Adelle slightly. Her eyes sparkled with an almost otherworldly light.
Hadn’t I seen this before? Yes, this was unmistakable. In her reincarnation, Arin could be described as a fervent ‘elemental enthusiast.’ Despite the near extinction of elementals, her passion for them was unmatched.
To the point that even Evan, the chatty one, was overwhelmed whenever Arin went into her “elemental monologue.” It was quite something.
Lately, she’d managed to rein herself in, though Adelle seemed to have triggered her old habits.
“Uh-huh.”
Adelle responded timidly, shifting uncomfortably under Arin’s gaze as she stepped closer.
“Do you think you’ve ever seen an elemental?”
“An elemental… what’s that?”
“Hmm, you haven’t, huh.”
Though explaining this was somewhat tricky…
To borrow a phrase from my previous life, she was an ‘elemental otaku.’ Despite the rarity of elementals, her admiration was boundless.
Now, with her hand held out, Arin’s tone changed as a flicker of green flame appeared in her palm.
“Even though I’m a half-elf… I can still show you my friend!”
Her elemental manifested, a small sprite-like figure swirling around the bright flames in her hand, glancing about curiously.
Only after reaching the height of great wizardry had I been able to perceive such elemental spirits without being elven. But there was little need to share that with Arin. I preferred not to be dragged into her fervent discussions.
“Look! They can do tricks like this too!”
Arin’s demonstration carried on as her elemental performed whimsically before them.
“Is that green fire… an elemental?”
“Yes. Isn’t it adorable?”
“It’s adorable.”
If conversation brought them joy, I saw no reason to interfere. My concern about their relationship seemed overly cautious now.
Letting them be, I stepped back, content to observe their newfound fascination.
