Eustaf slowly handed over the documents. There was no one in the study. In the middle of the silence, only the fireplace occasionally burned with a popping sound. At that time, a low but distinct voice was heard in the dark corner.
"Lord"
Eustaf put down the documents and turned around. The figure of a man hiding in the dark was easily seen.
"Ran?"
"She's coming back safely."
"Yes, and the Elf?"
"I'm sorry to say that I missed it."
"I see," Eustaf replied briefly. Even if you're a trained human being, it's hard to keep up with the Elves in the woods.
Eustaf breathed low.
Perhaps it sounded like a rebuke, the man lowered himself further.
"I'm sorry"
"No, he's an Elf."
Eustaf shook his hand slightly. Rather, I was wondering why Ran is so insensitive to safety.
'If you're an ordinary noblewoman, yes.'
That's a natural.
It's strange that a child who grew up as precious as a flower in a greenhouse has a sense of danger.
However, Ran's behavior made an unbalanced squeaked.
Sometimes she looks like a person who is used to politics, but sometimes she is like an infinitely naive girl.
'And how did she really find out about the Mana Stone? What about the Count's daughter being sick?'
There were many unanswered questions, so Eustaf grabbed the Blue ring. Blue flame chose her.
That was a tremendous start. Blue flame, who has been with the Lazian family, has never allowed anyone who is not a Lazian blood since its beginning.
But you let Ran go?
'Do you know something?'
While touching the cold surface of the blue ring, Eustaf breathed out a short breath.
"See what the Count is doing after Ran leaves."
"Respect."
With an answer, the man disappeared into the shadows as if he were melting.
Originally, it was The Viridescent Shadow, an intelligence group in Lazia that should belong to Patriarch. It was an organization that was known only to Patriarch by introducing the first shadow of The Viridescent Shadow - just called the first - to Patriarch.
But Ran is an unusual position.
Eustaf knew the first. Because His mother told me. Of course, Ran was never introduced. Still, Ran was the runner, but the first shadow came to Eustaf without being embarrassed by the situation, and he did not inform Ran of it.
'Cause she'll be there temporarily anyway.'
He felt that way, and thought he didn't have to expose his power. And I'm still using it very well.
'If it weren't for Ran, the Viridescent Shadow would have been disbanded.'
Maintaining a secret group is not just loyalty, but a huge amount of money. The funds to hide, funds for hiding the body, and such funds cost far more than the general knighthood.
Sometimes Eustaf thought about Ran not saying anything about his allowance.
Do you think she knows and pretends not to know?
Or she really doesn't care. Eustaf laughed when he remembered her insisting on his allowance.
'Worried about my sweet money.'
He doesn't talk about spending his money.
'Thanks to you, it's easy.'
It was too easy to seduce and kill Robbie in the back alley, or to threaten his uncle.
When I threatened Baron Lindbergh, I remembered his face, and Eustaf laughed.
Yeah, there's no need for Ran to know about this. He pulled the document thinking so.
Ran returned late in the evening. Eustaf said it was still before the meal, and Ran opened her eyes wide and laughed.
"You've been waiting for me, haven't you?"
"That's right."
Ran paused and laughed again at the gentle words of Eustaf.
"'Thank you."
"Don't mention it."
The cook made a late dinner and serve it. Time was time, so it wasn't a dinner, but it was a simple evening.
Having a meal with a layer of toast sprinkled with cinnamon powder on butter and honey, Ran simply explained what had happened with the count. Except for Lumiere's story, of course.
"Then the Count's daughter will be healthy again?."
"Yes"
"It's a big deal, so you'd better do this kind of kindness. And you said the Elf would come back?"
"Yes, but when will he come?"
"He's not coming tomorrow at dawn again."
"Ei, really?"
"Do you really think it's possible, or do you just say it?"
"Just, just say it."
"I see."
Eustaf nodded, steadily reducing his share of toast with a fork and knife and placing it on Ran's plate. The toast, which was neatly cut, had a lively angle was alive.
"Thanks for your hard work, have some more."
"Oh? It's okay."
"I don't think it's going to be okay. Judging from the speed at which you eat."
Then Eustaf folded his napkin and picked up a teacup. Ran peeked at him and slipped a fork into the toast.
Actually, I was a little hungry. It's only natural that you went out and worked!
Justifying herself, Ran enjoyed the toast to her heart's content.
Then there was a knock on the window. Eustaf jumped up from his seat.
"E.L.F. doesn't know how to get through the front door?"
His sharp words returned an answer, "Its bothersome."
Eustaf approached the window with a face he didn't want to open.
"The security is weak here."
"I can't afford to worry about anyone coming in through a third-floor window without a veranda. You'll keep that in mind."
Eustaf spoke sharply. Despite such a response, Haresh shook his shoulder and walked confidently inside.
He reached out his hand to Ran.
"Payment"
"Hold on a minute."
Ran said so and got up from her seat. The red ice crystal was handled in strict secrecy and could not be asked to bring it to anyone else.
Ran told Haresh to wait and then went directly to her room and brought a box of two fists together. It was a box that was kidnapped inside.
When it was kidnapped, the Mana Stone did not flow out. Haresh opened the box, checked the mana stone, and nodded.
"Then"
"See you again with good news."
"Good news for whom?"
"To everyone."
With a smile, Ran greeted Haresh as an elf. It was a way of greeting by clenching his fist and tapping his forehead and chest lightly. Haresh greeted each other with a strange look and, as expected, left the window.
'Elf'
Ran sighed.
"I hope we can trade properly with this. How do you intend to contact the Dwarves?"
"Through the Wizard Association. Because I have an exchange with Dwarves because of the minerals. I think I'll send them a call tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, we may see the president of the Wizard Association. No, we can't see it near the ice wall, so it's around the day after tomorrow."
"Huh?"
When Ran looked back at him in surprise, Eustaf said.
"Let's meet them together this time."
"Do you think they'll get back to you so soon?"
"It's a matter of life for a wizard."
"Huh?"
"You haven't told me about the Mana Stone yet."
"Yes"
"Did you think the wizard would be able to connect us with Dwarves?"
"Uh - Wouldn't he?"
"He won't."
"Why? Because we produce ice crystals, it's good for wizards to get along with us, right?"
"Yes, but linking it to Dwarf is one thing."
What a high-spirited race the sorcerers are.
Eustaf thought so and snorted inwardly. They take large ice crystals as samples and don't thank them even with empty words.
He couldn't think that such people would be pure.
"Make sure to write about blue ice crystal in your letter."
Lan nodded at Eustaf's words.
"Okay"
"You're a good Noonim."
That's what Ran said, "Is Eustaf teasing me?" A slight smile passed by his mouth.
Eustaf's prophecy came true.
As soon as I contacted the Wizard's Association, Pabal arrived that evening. It was in the middle of the night that the wizard's envoy, who had withered completely after several magic moves around the space, arrived at the Sky castle.
Certainly! Certainly!
Along with saying that he should meet Lazia Patriarch, roundtable members of the Wizard Association have already arrived nearby.
Ran replied, "I understand because there is no reason to refuse." He advised the envoy to stay overnight, but he insisted on going back with this answer.
After he went back, Ran told Eustaf.
"I didn't expect it to come so soon."
"Because their lives are at stake."
"But..."
Ran nodded. She felt her mouth dry.
The day of the showdown came again faster than I thought. It goes without saying that the agreement with the wizard was more important than anything else.
And all the older wizards may be able to get rid of their own pet peeves.
"Let's go together this time."
Eustaf said again, so Ran lost strength in her shoulder.
"Yes, I'll come with you."
When Ran said, he grinned, untied his necklace, took out the blue ring, and reached out her hand.
"...?"
With a curious face, Ran put her hand on his hand, and Eustaf said, putting a ring on her finger.
"You don't have to worry."
Ran looked at him with her eyes wide open in surprise, but his blue eyes were still calm and agitated.
"The sorcerer is a different race than the prosecutor. You'd better wear a blue ring."
Even if one attack comes, blue flame will protect her.
"What about Eus?"
"I'm fine."
He raised her hand and kissed the blue jewel of blue ring
"May the blue flame bless you."
His blue eyes, which seemed to be one of the blue ones, instantly lost their words. When I thought I had to answer, Eustaf had already let go of her hand.
'U, uwa.'
Ran swallowed her breath and clenched her fist. As expected, Male Lead.
She swept her chest out of her mind.
'You're a little kid.'
There's a place that makes people feel excited. Opening her eyes, Ran thought so, and rolled the blue ring slightly with her fingers.
Somehow, I felt as if I had the confidence.
'Nice'
You can do it. Ran thinks so and relaxes her shoulders.
*******
Kara slapped her hand with a nervous face. As a senior maid, she was a faithful maid who survived a frightening decline in the number of maidens.
The idea of a decrease in the number of maids was that the number of maids serving the Lord was too small. Fortunately, Ran doesn't like to decorate, so he hasn't had anything to do with it.
Today is different.
I couldn't wear fancy clothes because it's been less than six months since my parents' funeral, but I can't wear them randomly because I'm on my way to meet the wizard.
"How do you feel, my Lord?"
When Kara asked, Ran looked in the mirror. A black dress and a pearl brooch that I wore at the funeral.
The head was raised as splendidly as possible, and on top of it was a black hair band with a string of black hair band.
It is colorful for mourning, but it would be better to have this much splendor.
"I like it."
When Ran smiled, Soda, who was helping next to her, sighed without realizing it. Perhaps because of the black color, Ran's skin seemed to glow more white, and her slightly painted lips also looked attractive.
She looked completely different from her pale appearance at the funeral recently.
'Cause appearance is important.'
There is no need to make something ridiculous. Ran thought so and praised Kara and left the room.
"Eus?"
The waiting Eustaf got up from his seat. Ran look him up and down.
"Dress up ······?"
Eustaf was wearing a knight's uniform. The sword hanging from the belt caught my eye.
"Because I'm the escort today."
Eustaf said so and looked at Ran. Ran said, slightly touching her hairband.
"Is it too fancy?"
I'm in mourning.
Eustaf shook his head when he glanced at her.
"No, I thought Noonim was beautiful like this."
"Eck...!"
What? Why? What kind of compliment is that?
Eustaf's eyebrows went up in Ran's reaction. But without a word, he gave her a robe and extended his arm for escort. Ran gently laid her hand on his arm. The feeling of a cool metal guntlet (Gauntlet : an armor that wraps hands and arms together) touched me pleasantly.
"Noonim"
"Huh?"
"I don't have any other intentions when I compliment you."
At his words, Ran blinked and nodded.
"Yes, thank you then."
"Don't mention it."
Eustaf said so and escorted her to the carriage.
The carriage was folding the lid because the weather was nice. (Landau) was Ran's favorite carriage, which opened and folded like an open car. I found out here that there are many kinds of wagons.
As the two people climbed side by side, the carriage soon began to run.
At first, I thought I shouldn't have opened the lid of the carriage, but I thought it was a good idea to open it when I started running down the mountain and running on the flat land.
'I don't think it's that high, but it's colder up there because of the mountain air.'
As I came down to the flatland, the carriage speed increased. It was a meeting place organized by a wizard in a forest 10 kilometers away from the ice wall.
The reason was that I wanted to contact him secretly.
When I arrived near the forest, a wizard came out to meet me.
"Are you Duke of Lazia?"
"Right."
When Ran answered on the carriage, the wizard bowed his back and said hello.
"May the blue flame bless you."
"May the blue flame be blessed. Are you meeting me around here?"
"Yes, you can follow me. I've put magic in the way that is usually invisible to the eyes."
"Then please guide me."
The wizard paused at Ran's words and carefully continued.
"If possible, I would like to take you alone."
"That's a no-no."
Blaine, who followed the escort, shouted strongly.
"Are we going to hurt the Lord?"
The wizard made an unpleasant face. Ran lightly clenched her fist and said, "I won't go alone. I'll go with Eustaf. What do you think?"
"Lord"
Blaine frowned. Ran smiled.
"It's okay, isn't it?"
When I told Eustaf, he nodded lightly.
"That's the limit I can give up. I hope you know how much I give you."
When Ran spoke to the wizard, the wizard bowed his head.
"All right"
After getting off the wagon, the two men told the knights to wait and followed behind the wizard.
Not long after, a white tent appeared as it opened up in front of my eyes.
As I approached, I heard the tent door on both sides. As I went inside, I saw the wizards sitting with a round table.
'Nice'
Ran smiled and took off her robe like a propaganda. Her beauty, combined with the elegant black dress, drew attention for a moment. Some looked shaken and saw Ran. Ran smiled wider and sat on the chair that Eustaf pulled out without understanding.
"Hello, wizards."
Ran crossed her legs and buried herself deep. Let's start the game.