Carseain still couldn't stop laughing.
Nox was held back on laughing so much that his face was turning red.
Rovenin : " Why am I being used as bait?"
Carseain : " Obviously because people wouldn't believe that she's in her right mind if she said she loved me."
Nox : ' So, he was aware of that.'
Carseain wiped off the water near his eyes and continued,
" It makes complete sense though...
She can monitor all your actions under guise of--"
Carseain made an innocent-looking face and tried to effeminate his voice
" I must stay with my beloved and breathe ----
What was it again, Nox? "
Nox cleared his throat and continued.
"Ahem..."
He acted out the scene in a much more feminine fashion along with blushing cheeks, a feminine voice and glimmering eyes.
" I must breathe the same air as him or I cannot live on..."
Carseain : " Whoa...Whoa..."
Carseain clapped in amusement and admiration.
" That was wonderful, Nox.
You have a talent for this!
I really thought you were in love. "
Nox started blushing and rubbed his nose.
Nox : " Ehe...hee...
Thank you for your kind words, Young Master.
I only did what you asked of me, I'm glad you liked it."
Carseain was very excited.
" You don't have to be so humble.
I could totally see that maid going crazy over Rovenin. "
Nox : " She was really gung- ho advertising her love."
Carseain : " Whoa... seriously?"
Rovenin interrupted.
" It is very unsightly to see the heir of one of the highest-ranked noble houses in the Empire and one their blood servants get all excited over all little love talk like teenage girls."
Nox and Carseain looked at Rovenin and started whispering.
Carseain : " Do you think he's embarrassed?"
Nox : " He does look a little red."
Rovenin : " I can hear you, okay!
But still, she'd still have work left if she follows us around all the time. "
Carseain : " He's changing the topic."
He whispered.
Nox : " That's right, Young Master."
Rovenin gritted his teeth.
Carseain : " But this does have a point..."
Nox : " It's Sir Rovenin after all..."
Carseain : "Agreed."
A vein throbbed on Rovenin's neck.
" Answer already!"
Nox flinched.
Nox : " Ah..yes. A younger maid voluntarily decided to cover it because....umm...she wanted to ...su ... support her budding love."
Carseain burst out laughing again which just stopped after he worked so hard to stop.
Rovenin palmed his head.
" Do these girls have flower gardens blooming in their heads?"
Carseain interrupted.
" Then again, can you blame them? After all, you're so popular! Aw...man! It's giving me a headache.
The Magic Tower wants your talent.
The Ducal prince wants your brain.
Now, the ladies want your heart."
Rovenin narrowed his eyes.
" Well, you seem pretty amused to me."
Carseain laughed as he patted his back.
"Hahaha...No way, I'm worried, okay?
I'm worried."
Nox: ' I've never seen such sparkling eyes on a worried face.
He seems to enjoy it when Sir Rovenin gets into trouble.
Is he a sadist? '
Rovenin crossed his arms and looked away.
Carseain held Rovenin's shoulder and looked at him with serious eyes and a glint in them.
" Well, I don't know what'll happen in the future you're free to do whatever you want. However, if anything I'll protect you from Lady Gabrielle, Big Brother."
On hearing that name, Rovenin curled up his lips and shivers ran down his spine.
He had goosebumps all over his body.
" For heaven's sake, please don't even joke about that."
Nox : " Oh dear!"
He mumbled.
Carseain was pressing his lips to suppress laughter.
He turned his back to Rovenin and started shaking.
Rovenin looked like he had his soul sucked out of his body.
Nox : ' Well, you can't help but react like that when a Lady, that too, nobility, declares that she lusts after your body.
However, Sir Rovenin seems more scared than grossed out.'
Rovenin sighed.
"If you're done, I think we should return to the topic.
We have much more important things to discuss."
Carseain was still giggling.
" Stop that already!"
He yelled, a bit flushed.
Carseain: " Gee... Alright, I get it, I get it."
He wiped his eyes and went back to his chair.
Carseain: " Well, Nox. You know what you're supposed to do.
Put that young supporter of love also on the suspect list.
Even if you find evidence, Don't take action.
We might have a use for them."
Nox was perfect for the job of investigating servants under the wraps.
His loyalty can't be doubted as he's a blood servant and he gels well with others.
He is also doted on by the maids as he's quite young.
"Blood Servants"
They are servants who have placed their loyalty at the stake of the life of their chosen masters.
They drink a drop of blood from their Masters and when the loyalty is proved a seal appears on their body.
The seal does not appear just because one wishes for it but rather when one is truly loyal.
That seal is the proof of loyalty and remains for a lifetime.
It is similar to a knight's oath but is a bit stricter. An oath is given while the seal is received.
It is an honour for anyone to receive a blood servant.
Rovenin was Carseain's blood servant and Kiha was the Late Marchioness Askaneira's blood servant.
Carseain turned to Rovenin.
"Rovenin, check out which houses have tried to plant spies.
It should be one of them again. "
Rovenin: " As you command."
Nox: " As you command."
They both bowed.
Carseain : " Um...Nox, is there anything unusual going on around Kiha?"
Nox : " Well, nothing to be noted.
Is there something wrong?"
Carseain shook his head
" No, it's just that I don't see her around too often."
Nox : ' Huh? Isn't that normal? Barring the personal attendants, it is no way the Lord of the mansion will be able to see all the servants too frequently.
I mean there are hundreds working here.'
Carseain: " Hasn't she been on outside duties for too long?"
Nox : " Well, it happens sometimes when people are covering for each other."
Rovenin: " Young Master doesn't prefer blood servants staying on outside duties for too long unless it is important."
Nox widened his eyes.
Nox " Excuse me? Blood servant?"
Rovenin : " Eh? You weren't aware? Kiha is also a blood servant like you and me. "
Nox : " What?!"
Carseain : " Oi, oi... she got the seal when she was eight and you're telling me you didn't know? "
Nox : " No, I did not. She never acted like one. "
Rovenin : " Hahaha... She is a bit strange, I guess. Doesn't really flaunt it. She prefers being free. Most of the young maids might not be aware."
Carseain : " I know what you mean..."
He smirked.
Nox faltered.
Nox: " No no no, that's not what I am talking about.
Even if she did not act like one I would have known while talking to the others.
But somehow that topic never came up."
Rovenin : " Are you telling me that someone deliberately kept you in the dark? "
Nox : " Exactly, if I had known she was a blood servant, I would immediately realize something's off."
Any Lord would prefer having loyal servants by his side rather than skilled ones.
Skills can be improved but loyalty is not easily received.
Nox bit his lip.
' The dynamics of our mansion is being toyed with.'
Carseain : ' Even if Kiha herself was still with the situation, it is not correct. Someone is deliberately trying two separate her from me. But for what reason?'
Carseain smirked.
"This shit just got deeper."
Nox palmed his head and sighed.
"Haa... It's all my fault, I should have kept a better eye."
Carseain pointed his quill towards Nox.
"Hey now, don't beat yourself up for it.
You were also busy."
He said in a carefree tone.
Rovenin: ' Yes, cleaning up your mess.'
Rovenin sighed.
" Well, for now, I'll assign Kiha the role of your personal attendant starting tomorrow. Then, the ones who are responsible will start to move."
Nox : " I see...We'll bait them and at the same time keep Kiha close.
Are there any other blood servants that I'm not aware of?"
Carseain : " Nope, most of them are back at the estate. I brought her with me 'cause she said she was stuffy there.
Man, she threw a tantrum worse than I do."
Nox: ' Does he even realize how childish he's being?'
Carseain glared at Nox.
He flinched.
Nox : ' Did he read my mind again?'
Carseain looked away and sipped water nonchalantly.
Carseain : " I just had a brilliant idea."
Rovenin : ' I have a bad feeling about this.'
Nox : ' I have a bad feeling about this.'
Both of them gulped once.
Carseain : " Foxy, why don't you try seducing that maid to wring out some info?"
Nox : ' (I am not amused in the very least )- is what Sir Rovenin's face says."
Carseain : " Come on now, that is a face that Lady Gabrielle, Daughter of a Count, fell for. Be confident.
And of course, with that fox brain, you can spout a few whispers of love."
Nox : " Hm... If it's Sir Rovenin the plan is highly likely to succeed.
I can get that maid's preferences for you."
Rovenin : " What the fuck?! Not you too."
He yelled.
Nox : ' This is the first time he cursed on duty...'
Rovenin pressed his wrinkled forehead.
Rovenin : " Seems like you've caught Young Master's aphonia..."
He mumbled.
" I'm retiring for today. Please bear in mind that I am not going to get roped into your self-satisfying plans.
Have a Good Night."
He went out slamming the door.
Carseain : " Seems like I made him too angry..."
Nox: " Lady Gabrielle's topic is a little disturbing after all..."
Carseain chuckled.
Carseain: " He doesn't know about the reason, right ? "
Nox : " Ah... no, I made sure to exclude it from the report to Sir Rovenin."
Carseain : " Haa...that's great. He'd only be more troubled if he knew why we fought in the first place."
Nox simply smiled.
Carseain also decided to pack up.
Carseain : " By the way Nox, do you know what 'aphonia' means? "
Nox : " Oh, the word Sir Rovenin used?
Um...Nope. "
They looked it up together, later.
[ Aphonia - stupidity , Dumbness , Madness, Insanity. ]
Nox : ' This one word alone describes Young Master perfectly.
How the hell did he even find it?
As expected of Sir Rovenin , I must learn. He's too perfect. '
Carseain crumpled that paper.