Elden was a simpleton.
Born with a temperament akin to a madman, he was far removed from anything scholarly, preferring to settle his affairs with brute force rather than intellect.
His mind was filled not with wisdom or knowledge, but with pleasure and greed, and he had long forsaken any trace of culture to live the life of a common ruffian.
He was far more suited to being a troublemaker from the slums than a noble from a Count’s family.
And…
Such a man revelled in trampling over others and seizing their gains.
That was Elden Raphelion for you.
He spared few words; he preferred to let his fists do the talking.
From time to time, he would struggle to recall words, spitting out conversations that became painfully awkward.
Those unfortunate enough to challenge him quickly learned it was best to keep quiet, as the man was skilled at burying any shortcomings in his education under a layer of intimidation.
He once boldly swiped the glory of being the top graduate for himself.
So naturally, it was expected that he wouldn’t possess the eloquence or rhetorical flair needed for any debate.
And for Lumia, who was fully aware of this fact, it was quite bewildering.
‘…What on earth is going on?’
He was different.
Those crimson eyes, once sharp with feral intensity, now wore a calm and gentle demeanor, and those lips that used to spew crude and harsh words were now finely honed, expelling eloquent phrases.
She had lost.
She, the Third Duchess, had been bested in a debate.
Little did she expect to lose in a verbal spar she herself had initiated.
It felt like she had been arguing with a completely different person.
Had that wild beast somehow transformed after an incident post his graduation from the Royal Academy?
Or had he perhaps awakened after meeting with some unfortunate accident?
When it came to possibilities, the latter was more likely; however, there wasn’t a single record suggesting any incident severe enough to trigger such a shift in character.
Could it really be…?
‘Has he genuinely changed?’
That was absurd.
The possibility of that was nearly nonexistent.
Certainly, this was just an elaborate charade.
He was most likely mimicking another persona with the help of some sorcery or trickery.
Something sophisticated enough to fool even Gelwood.
‘Or maybe…’
Did he possibly recognize her as Erenscia Velroc from their time at the Academy?
While it seemed highly unlikely, if true, then he would be foolish to let such an opportunity slip.
Especially since he openly confessed his ‘misdeeds,’ claiming he was a ‘Villain unworthy of a Duchess.’
Elden Raphelion was the type of person who wouldn’t hesitate to stain his sword with blood for personal gain.
There was no way he would abandon a chance for profit.
‘This is strange, really strange.’
‘If only I had a tiny clue…’
But as frustrating as it was, Elden’s gaze had seemed astonishingly sincere during their exchange.
His voice was uncharacteristically grave and polite.
Far too much so.
‘I must not be deceived.’
Lumia mentally steeled herself.
It was all a ploy.
She couldn’t afford to fall for such a blatant and wicked trick.
After all, human nature doesn’t change easily.
When the time comes, his true intentions would undoubtedly be revealed.
Therefore…
“We shall meet again, Sir Elden Raphelion.”
She offered a response that should have shattered his hopes.
She never intended to back down.
All she wanted was to uncover the truth.
The only dilemma was……
‘…I haven’t uncovered anything.’
His motives felt as elusive to her as dark magic.
If so, she would have to retreat for now and develop multiple hypotheses and scenarios for further investigation.
She would prepare for every possibility.
If by some stroke of luck he was indeed deceiving everyone, the weight of his crimes would only become heavier.
If he had donned the mask of a trickster to harvest rewards from the Betrothal Contest, he would face a hefty reckoning.
For this reason, Lumia summoned Gelwood.
“Advisor.”
“Indeed, My Duchess.”
“Please investigate if Elden Raphelion has experienced any significant incidents that went unreported in public.”
“Understood, My Lady.”
“And also look into his actions following his graduation from the Academy.”
Every unexpected success and failure in research carries its own reason.
Those who seem to have shed their nature usually just developed better methods of concealment for their impurities.
However, Elden Raphelion was a man who, despite knowing such techniques, had chosen not to employ them.
There must be a reason hidden away.
She would dig deep until she discovered it.
After all, Lumia wasn’t the type to leave mysteries unsolved.
To achieve this, she would utilize every tool at her disposal.
“Oh, one more thing, Advisor. I’d like you to assign someone to keep watch over Elden Raphelion. In secrecy.”
And lastly…
She couldn’t help but feel a thrill at the prospect of tackling such a formidable challenge.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Hooded, Lumia returned to the Second Castle after parting ways with Gelwood.
Upon reaching the upper levels, she removed her hood as she ascended the staircase.
‘By the way, I wonder if Marien has returned yet?’
She had merely asked the maid to fetch an experimental ingredient from the castle’s basement, but there had been no word for hours.
As thoughts of Marien’s absence crossed her mind, Lumia quickened her pace.
Having known Marien for only a year since she entered the grand duchy as a maid, she had become invaluable to Lumia.
Their bond resembled that of true friends, with complete comfort and openness, sharing not a single secret between them.
Moreover, Marien was both knowledgeable and bright, excelling in her role as a research assistant for magic and alchemy experiments.
In every conceivable way, Marien was an irreplaceable asset to Lumia.
As she ascended to the sealed higher floors, Lumia called out for Marien anxiously.
“Marien?”
Fortunately…
“My Lady-!”
Lumia let out a sigh of relief as she heard Marien’s voice from beyond her chamber door.
What a relief.
The sprawling Grand Ducal Castle housed more people than one could count, making it common for incidents to occur.
With such high odds of getting caught in trouble, it was impossible for her not to worry.
Were it not for the complex nature of the research materials, she wouldn’t have needed to ask Marien for assistance.
But with her limited contacts on the sealed floors, Marien was her only option.
With a bang,
Lumia threw open the door to her chamber.
There stood Marien, leaning on a crutch.
Lumia’s eyes widened in shock.
“W-What happened?”
Hastily removing her hood, Lumia rushed towards Marien, inspecting her bandaged foot.
“A-Are you hurt?”
“Ah… just a little.”
“How? How much? Where did it happen?”
“It’s nothing serious. Just a light sprain from missing a step while coming down the stairs.”
“You should be more careful! Does it still hurt?”
“Not at the moment, Lady. The healer said that with a few days’ rest, it will heal just fine, so no need for concern.”
Phew.
Lumia brushed her hand over her heart in relief and assisted Marien in sitting on her bed.
“Let me know if you need anything. Understand?”
“H-How can you say that, My Lady…?”
Lumia frowned, her brow furrowing.
“Tsk. Look, if the healer said you need to rest for a few days, you WILL rest.”
“Hehe… Speaking of which, where did you go? I was worried…”
“Ah.”
Their relationship was devoid of falsehood, barriers, or pretense.
There was no need to hide the truth about whom she had met, so Lumia spoke freely about her encounter.
“I just came back from meeting Elden Raphelion. I wanted to find out why he declared his withdrawal.”
And, at the mention of that name, fear instinctively clouded Marien’s face.
“Eek.”
《If you disclose this to anyone, you’ll die for real.》
That chilling warning about murder from earlier had resurfaced in her mind.
“Why?”
“Ah… Haha, well, he’s a… scary person, right? So I was just surprised. Haha.”
Elden’s ominous warning not to make any trouble was still effective.
“Yawn.”
The next morning dawned.
The sun rose on the day the Cooperation would begin.
I awoke, stretching my limbs.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, five little birds perched on the branches by the window sang cheerfully.
For the Regretful Trio about to face their final evaluations, this might feel like a solemn symphony, but to me, it was nothing short of refreshing.
Though my escape plan had faded from view.
‘Well then, let’s wash up first.’
I had no clear answer regarding my withdrawal declaration.
First, I needed to prepare for the evaluations.
According to the official schedule, at 10:00 AM, I would finally have a meeting with the Third Grand Duchess.
At the very least, I needed to make a minimal effort to maintain some semblance of decorum.
Just as I was about to leave the bed and head straight to the bathroom, a knocking sound caught my attention.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
It was my butler, Rendler.
“Have you risen, My Lord?”
“What’s going on so early in the morning?”
I awaited an answer, curious about what he wanted from me at the break of dawn, but Rendler simply gestured from beyond the open door.
And then…
“……”
Three maids stepped into my chambers.
They were dressed in risqué maid outfits that exposed key areas like the chest and groin.
That’s when the memories hit me.
Elden Raphelion.
In the original story, he always started the day with a luxurious bath attended by lovely maids.
He even demanded a different set of maids each day.
Such were the privileges of a noble.
However, in the original work, there was never a portrayal of him violating or mistreating the maids.
He merely took pleasure in the comfort of being bathed by beautiful women.
To a modern-day Korean man like me, though, this felt more like an awkward embarrassment than a pleasure.
And to think that even within this Grand Ducal Castle, such decadent and archaic bathing customs were still upheld…
No matter how patriarchal society might be, it just shows how despicable Elden Raphelion truly was for not abandoning these indulgent practices even while participating in the Betrothal Contest.
“I have summoned the maids prepared to assist you with your bath, My Lord. Shall we continue?”
“No, they can leave.”
“Pardon me, My Lord?”
“I said leave. From today onward, I will wash myself. Please convey this to the Head Maid.”
“W-What?”
Rendler’s reaction was entirely expected.
Ever since Elden Raphelion became aware of his sword’s secret function, this morning routine had become his norm.
This had been ongoing for over ten years.
Of course, for some, being bathed by pretty maids may feel like a fantasy come to life.
But receiving services from those who couldn’t refuse the tyranny of nobility and were dragged here unwillingly like livestock was simply uncomfortable.
Rendler then asked with a befuddled expression, “Y-You mean… you will wash… by yourself?”
“Yes. This is a moment for me to relish solitude and organize my thoughts, so their presence is not needed…”
“Indeed…!”
Before I could even finish, Rendler clasped his hands together, tears shining in his eyes.
Seeing his eyes redden as though a dam was about to burst, I hurried into the bathroom.
Just as expected…
“Sniff.”
I left him to his tears.
Then…
After completing my bath and exiting the bathroom, I received some unexpected news.
In just 30 minutes, significant changes in the original plot had occurred.
“What? The evaluations have been postponed by a day?”
“Yes, it seems they’ll start tomorrow now. They also mentioned some minor adjustments to the planned schedule for the next 15 days and distributed a new timetable.”
It appears that the Third Grand Duchess, Lumia Winterfell, is troubled by an unresolved dilemma.
As I dried my hair with a towel, I looked out the window.
The Regretful Trio must be quite busy with the news of the unexpected delay.
Not only the postponement but also the changes to the scheduled plan would require them to rethink their strategies.
Of course, that had nothing to do with me since I had already voiced my intent to withdraw.
“Here’s the new schedule, My Lord.”
Rendler, being the dutiful butler he was, felt the need to prepare a response plan, handing me the new schedule.
“There’s no need.”
He looked quizzically at my words.
It seemed I now had an extra day.
I intended to make the most of it.
Time to escape this stifling castle and breathe freely for a while.
After all, there were many things I had always wanted to try out if I were to be transported to a medieval world.
“I’ll go out for a bit; you can leave the schedule preparations to our wise Head Butler.”
What I required at this moment was an intermission. A moment to heal and restore.
Rendler, folding the schedule, replied, “Then I’ll inform Knight Rachel to accompany you.”
“Rachel?”
“Ah, it has been a while since you worked together. Surely you haven’t forgotten one of the family’s knights?”
As I hurriedly searched through Elden’s memories, Rachel’s face came to mind.
A woman among the Raphelion Knights with long violet hair, tied back into a braid.
A striking figure, yet her demeanor exuded the typical sternness of a female knight.
I only recalled her name after delving deeper into Elden’s memories, as it had never appeared in the original story.
Moreover, there hadn’t been a need for personal guards while within the Grand Duchy, so I hadn’t run into her since my arrival in this world.
‘Regardless.’
It appeared fitting for Elden’s character to appoint a [Female Knight] as his personal guard.
Still, since I found no memories of Elden mistreating her, it seemed to fit the classic trope of a tyrant exercising power over the weak, but very cautious in front of anyone stronger.
Given Elden’s flinching in her presence, I should manage my interactions with care.
One wrong move, and I might end up with a severed throat.
Of course, the memories also hinted at Elden’s “cautious” efforts to win Rachel over, suggesting that she must be quite special in her own right.
Perhaps a part of his obsession stemmed from wanting to conquer her as a “prize.”
It wasn’t uncommon for the greedy to desire that which they simply could not possess.
And judging by Elden’s memories of Rachel, even a battle-hungry man like him had reason to approach her with caution.
‘After all, entrusting your protection to someone stronger than yourself is quite a logical move.’
Clearing such distractions from my mind, I spoke up.
“I was simply a bit confused for a moment. Inform Knight Rachel that we shall depart immediately.”
I desired to explore the city alone, but it made common sense to have at least one capable knight accompany me on my first excursion in this unfamiliar world.
Especially since many had grievances against Elden Raphelion.
After finishing my preparations, I stepped out of my room to find Knight Rachel, dressed in casual clothing with her sword strapped to her back, bowing her head in greeting.
“I’m at your service, My Lord.”
“Good. Let’s be off.”
And with that, I began my stroll through the city, Knight Rachel keeping pace beside me.
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