After returning from prison, we immediately returned to Esther.
The cold air of a winter night greeted us in Astir.
Amy quickly put a shawl over my shoulders.
‘Aster’s winter is very cold, like Leon said…’
I suddenly remembered what he said.
“Is that offer still valid?”
Leon was holding his heavy coat tightly, his lips trembling from the cold.
Despite its size, it seems to be easily affected by cold.
"What do you mean?
What offer?"
“Going to Palanobo.
Do you still want to go?”
“Ah… Balanobu.”
Leon did not answer directly, but his eyes darted around quickly.
What is this?
As I expected, it was just passing talk.
I couldn't hide my disappointment and laughed sarcastically.
“Okay, it's cold, let's go inside quickly.”
I passed by him and quickly entered.
'What do I do now?'
Why do I feel upset?
It's true that I was a little disappointed to think that he accompanied me to D.C. for this show, but I am grateful to him for accompanying me.
My family is devastated, I can't protect myf, and I have nothing to be proud of.
Do I deserve to feel upset because he hesitated to respond to a vacation invitation?
She stopped and sighed deeply.
“Bill!”
Leon called me from behind as he hurriedly ran towards me.
"Let's go!
Let's go there."
He quickly added.
I felt pathetic.
I realized my fishness after the moment of regret passed.
If we go to Palanobo, he will have to stay with me all day.
How uncomfortable would he be wearing his mask and acting in front of me?
Even though he is publicly considered a fool, he handles most of Esther's affairs, and I know he can't just leave things to his assistants and just leave suddenly.
I shook my head.
“I was joking.”
I felt sorry and smiled exaggeratedly.
Leon looked at me for a moment, then quickly turned his head.
“What is this?
You got me excited in vain.”
He didn't seem excited at all.
Did he say that so I wouldn't feel embarrassed?
I smiled sweetly to understand him and got up.
“It's late at night, go to sleep and let's have breakfast together tomorrow, okay?”
"Good."
When she grabbed his hand, he suddenly shook it off and started running.
“What's wrong with him all of a sudden?”
I stood in amazement, looking at his back as he ran and waved his arms.
After my return, reading the front page of the Empire became the first thing I did every morning.
'Did Walter use the information I gave him correctly?'
There was no big news yet, but the disappearance of news about Marquis Suedon and me from the newspapers, which were constantly talking about us, was promising.
A week later, I gripped the newspaper tightly when I saw a huge headline on the front page:
[Marquis Swedon died of a chronic illness, and his wife and the young Marquis were acquitted of the charges!]
In the end, the acquittal included the Marchioness as well.
'I left that to Walter's choice.'
I felt bitter but I accepted it.
Walter would never give up the Marchioness.
I moved my attention to another article.
There was big news about the discovery of a huge gold mine on land owned by the Emperor.
The information I gave Walter was from the novel I read: the gold mine that will be discovered in the future, the invasion of the Kart Kingdom, and other miscellaneous information that is uess to me.
These were the conversations of the people who gathered in Esther after the collapse of the world.
I ignored this information because I did not want to help the Emperor, but I used it usefully.
For the first time in a while, I placed the newspaper on the table with a light heart.
Leon put the newspaper on the desk after reading it.
He leaned back on the chair and put his arm on the armrest.
“Calsen, what do you think?”
“You mean the little Marquis’ article?”
Leon nodded.
“Of course, I think it's unbelievable.
No sane person would believe this article.”
“Wrong.
If the Emperor says it is true, then it becomes the truth.”
“Why did he suddenly change his mind and protect the young Marquis so fiercely?
Do you have a guess?
I have one.”
Leon thought his guess matched Calsen's.
He nodded.
“What on earth did he do?
Marquis Suidon was one of the Emperor’s closest confidants, so if he had been executed immediately, I would have believed it.
But there was no sign of that when we met the Emperor and left.”
At that moment, a knock was heard at the door, and John entered.
“A message has come from Stefan.
He wants to speak to you directly, sir, so I brought the Communication Stone.”
John placed the glowing stone on Leon's desk.
“What's wrong?”
Normally, non-urgent reports would reach Leon via John.
“Your Highness, I have a report on the Young Marquis.
The succession ceremony for the title of Marquis Swedon will be held soon.”
Leon raised his eyebrows.
If this was just trivial news, he was prepared to get angry.
“It is said that the young marquis requested a private audience with the Emperor after his meeting with the lady.”
As Leon expected, Bella was involved.
“And what?”
“After the meeting, the Emperor’s movements became frantic.
Did you see the article that appeared with the Young Marquis’s article?”
"What?"
Leon grabbed the newspaper and started leafing through it.
“Gold mine?”
“Yes.
The Young Marquis must have told the Emperor about the mine.
The Emperor was not interested in that barren land before.”
“A gold mine, then?
Does this mean that Bella was the one who gave that information to Walter?”
“…I can’t confirm.”
"So, where did Bella get this information?"
“The lady is so moody that she has no close friends in the capital...”
“She's not that fickle.
Watch your words.”
"…I'm sorry."
“Keep an eye on Little Marquis.
If there is any further news, report to me directly.”
"Good."
Leon pressed the button, and the stone's glow stopped.
He looked at Calsen.
"A gold mine, then?
Is it possible that Bella really knew?"
Kalsen looked at him silently, then spoke slowly.
“Well, maybe… just a coincidence in timing?”
“Coincidence...”
“But, there are too many coincidences.”
Leon ran a hand through his hair and leaned back on the chair.
The word "coincidence" has been haunting Bella lately.
Sometimes, it moved in unexpected ways.
He glanced at his Holy Sword Issar, which he cherished more than his body.
There was a knock on the door.
“Sir, Madam is here.”
“Bill bill!”
When the door opened, Leon's loud voice was heard.
His tone was unusually high today.
Didn't he make a mistake in setting the tone?
That seems tiring.
“I came to invite you for a walk, and they said you were here.”
Leon was lying on the sofa in the middle.
“I'm so tired, so I just lie like a worm.”
“Is there a worm that big?”
I looked at him at an angle.
“Bill Bill, you look happy?”
He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"truly?"
I scratched my temple with my finger and continued.
“So, you mean you don't want to walk with me today?”
"No?
Who said that?"
Leon quickly got up and sat up straight.
I nodded to him, and he got up, approached me, and clung to my arm.
'This is a bit strange.
Why does he act like this?'
I went out with Leon to the castle garden.
“Today, it's warm,” Leon said, looking at the sunshine with shrinking eyes.
I nodded silently.
His tone is so high, he sounds tired.
Why is it like this today?
“Looking at the sun hurts the eyes.
Stop it.”
“Yes, I was looking because it is shiny and beautiful.”
“Shiny and beautiful?
Doesn’t it hurt your eyes?”
I didn't know he liked the sun.
Wasn't he complaining about her glare before?
“I like shiny things.”
"Really?
You like shiny things?"
“Yes, of course.
If I had a gold mine, I would fly with joy.”