Chapter 44
“Ah…”
So, it really was Alti?
“What? Do you know that name?”
Chaian’s eyes widened as he saw the smile spreading across Ceres’s lips.
Does she actually know how to smile like that?
“I’ve heard of him.”
“Of course. Alti is one of the most famous Tower Lords in history.”
Chaian nodded, as if it made perfect sense.
Even today, both ordinary people and magicians alike often name Arthia as their favorite magician.
Chaian himself had been inspired to pursue magic after reading Arthia’s autobiography as a child.
“But the puzzles are so difficult. Even after combing through all his autobiographies and records, I couldn’t get past the twentieth door.”
“…”
What a mischievous guy.
What kind of building did he create? Even after death, his eccentric antics haven’t changed.
“Aren’t you hungry? Let’s go eat dinner.”
“Alright.”
Ceres, who had been unable to take her eyes off the white building, finally turned her gaze away at Chaian’s words.
‘Does Kai know?’
Does he know that traces of Arthia still remain here, deeply embedded?
Ceres closed her eyes softly.
For some reason, she missed Kainel terribly.
***
“…What is going on here?”
Where Your Feet Rest.
Mark, the only official employee and chef of the establishment, couldn’t hide his confusion at the unprecedented situation.
‘What is this?’
Why had all the mercenaries suddenly disappeared as if fleeing?
Just moments ago, the mercenaries were boisterously chatting and enjoying the stew. But now, they had all bolted outside like foals with their tails on fire.
The empty restaurant, devoid of a single customer, was a sight Mark had never seen since starting his job.
“Ah, Mark, this must be your first time experiencing this.”
Jay, the maid of the Drow Barony who had witnessed this phenomenon several times, nodded in understanding at his bewilderment.
Her gaze then shifted toward the man sitting calmly at the center of the empty restaurant.
“This always happens when he comes.”
Jay glanced cautiously at Kainel and whispered as quietly as possible.
“Whenever he shows up, everyone runs away. Isn’t it fascinating?”
“And who is he?”
“I don’t know much, but they say he’s incredibly scary.”
Mark gulped involuntarily at Jay’s words.
If even those fearsome mercenaries were scared, just how intimidating could this man be?
While Jay busied herself cleaning up the abandoned tables, Mark hesitantly carried a tray of stew to Kainel, his steps careful and slow.
“P-please enjoy your meal.”
Mark placed the plate down as quietly as possible and stepped back politely.
“…”
Kainel didn’t even spare him a glance, calmly picking up his spoon.
Ceres had previously asked him not to come during the busiest hours, but today was unavoidable.
He had been overwhelmed with work these past few days and barely managed to carve out time to visit.
‘Lord Kainel, please eat something. I’ll handle the rest of the work somehow!’
After weeks of skipping meals and treating food like stones, Kainel had finally regained some appetite thanks to this restaurant.
However, he had recently started neglecting meals again due to his workload.
If his assistant Del hadn’t practically forced him out, he wouldn’t have touched a single bite of food today either.
“…?”
As Kainel took his first bite of stew, his brow furrowed slightly.
He took another spoonful, then set the spoon down firmly on the table.
Mark, who had been watching nervously, finally mustered the courage to ask.
“Is something wrong with the food?”
“It’s not right.”
“Pardon?”
Was there really something wrong with the food? The mercenaries seemed to enjoy it just fine earlier.
“Why does it taste different?”
“D-different?”
“Yes. It’s different.”
Kainel’s expression grew subtly downcast—so subtle that it was nearly imperceptible to those around him.
The stew he’d been eating until recently didn’t taste like this. It wasn’t a huge difference, but something about it was off.
Why? Why does it taste different all of a sudden?
‘Come to think of it…’
She wasn’t here.
Kainel found it strange that Ceres, who always wore a peculiar expression when he visited, was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’s the owner?”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t see her.”
“Oh! Lady Ceres doesn’t come out anymore.”
“…Doesn’t come out?”
“Yes, she’s busy with other work…”
“…”
Kainel’s gaze turned toward the kitchen.
She used to always come out of the kitchen whenever he was here…
And now, she’s not here?
After staring silently at his stew for a long moment, he placed the payment on the table and stood up.
“Wait, the food… you didn’t need to pay…”
Mark, looking at the stew barely touched, tried to return the money, but Kainel left the restaurant without another word.
“Ah…”
Mark could only stare blankly at the door as Kainel exited.
Picking up the money left on the table, Mark gazed at the stew and let out a long sigh.
“Do you think he’ll come back?”
“No. I don’t think he will.”
Jay, clearing the leftover dish, shook her head.
“Right?”
Mark nodded in agreement with her, though he couldn’t help but cast his gaze toward the direction Kainel had left, feeling a strange sense of regret.
***
“Chaian.”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t you working?”
“I am working.”
“…I never thought the Tower Lord’s main duty was cleaning floors.”
“Well, now you know! It’s fine!”
“…”
Ceres sighed briefly, watching Chaian lie down and sweep the floor lazily as though looking for entertainment.
She was starting to understand why everyone who entered the office seemed to avoid making eye contact with him.
Just watching him was somehow annoying.
‘Tsk.’
Ceres clicked her tongue softly and skimmed through the stack of documents left on Chaian’s desk by Luka, who had asked him to review them before leaving.
‘If possible, please try to get him to complete at least one of these.’
Luka had also asked her for a favor, though he sounded far from hopeful.
“Chaian.”
“What? Are you bored? Shall we go out?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
“Really? Where to?”
Chaian jumped to his feet, practically wagging like an excited puppy. Ceres handed him a piece of paper.
“To the palace.”
What she held was a summons to attend a meeting at the royal palace.
“No, no, that’s not fun!”
Chaian shook his head vehemently, and Ceres moved closer, holding the paper firmly.
“It sounds interesting.”
“No, no, meetings are not fun!”
“When else will I get to visit the royal palace?”
“I’ll give you a private tour later, as much as you like…”
“Chaian.”
Ceres’s tone dropped a note.
“If you don’t work, then I don’t see the point of me being here.”
“Huh?”
“I can’t just sit around doing nothing while being paid 5,000 gold. My conscience won’t let me.”
Though she had long since thrown away such conscience, she decided to extend some grace for Luka’s sake.
“If you’re not working, why should I stick around?”
At her firm expression, looking ready to leave at any moment, Chaian’s gaze wavered dramatically.
“You’re going home?”
“Yep.”
“For real?”
“Yep.”
“Let’s go! To the meeting!”
“Good.”
Ceres nodded approvingly, secretly chuckling to herself.
‘He really is just like Arthia.’
Arthia, too, had always avoided official duties like the plague.
How many times had she coaxed and persuaded him to get things done?
But Ceres had no intention of going to such lengths to get Chaian to work.
While glancing over the attendance list attached to the meeting summons, her eyes stopped at one name.
<Creel Ellsia>
The current head of the Ellsia family.
The man she had encountered outside the temporary medical station after the Black Forest incident.
‘Something’s been bothering me.’
The fake ring he was wearing.
Why?
Why was he wearing a counterfeit heirloom ring?
‘It wasn’t my imagination, was it?’
There was only one way to dispel her unease.
She needed to confirm it once and for all.
***
“Hello, Father.”
“…Chaian.”
“Hello, Brother.”
“You…”
“Why don’t you all try being on time for once? Do you think you’re the protagonists of some novel? Otherwise, why insist on making an entrance at the last minute every time!”
…Was that coming from the guy who never even shows up to these meetings?
Aserian de Devrica, the Crown Prince, lost his words momentarily when he entered the meeting room and saw Chaian already seated and waving cheerfully.
—
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