IWIAHC Chapter 28

Julia assessed the situation with cool practicality.

"Though dangerous, we gained significant ground today. We found a lead and secured His Grace's protective charm safely. It would have been problematic had it fallen into other hands or vanished without trace."

Lily answered while glancing sidelong toward the door.

"Exactly. Then I'll invite His Grace in now."

Though Aiden was already inside the room, Lily opened the door and stepped out anyway. He followed her movement.

Aiden had gone rigid, as though his earlier excitement over the outdoor excursion belonged to the distant past.

"Are you all right?"

At Lily's question, Aiden's eyes shifted to look at her.

[I'm sorry.]

The unexpected apology made Lily's eyes widen. It carried far too much weight for a simple apology about entering without permission.

[About all of this. I told you not to invite danger, but the truth is being involved with me at all is dangerous. Mrs. Dienta is correct. Successfully fleeing that day would have been the best future for you.]

Apparently he'd overheard most of Julia's regrets.

'Even so, isn't the apology a bit excessive? He's become rather fragile since that unauthorized leave.'

While Lily stood bewildered, Aiden continued.

[The truth is, if I genuinely wanted your safety, I should release you even now. Not doing so while merely telling you to be careful is tantamount to deceiving you. But please understand me, Lily.]

Lily blinked.

[You know, don't you? That I have no choice but to hold onto you. Instead, I won't endanger you from now on. I'll protect you from every threat...]

Aiden Casimir had made countless similar requests before her.

Don't leave, don't abandon me, return quickly, and so forth. Yet somehow, today felt distinctly different.

Staring directly at Aiden's face, Lily identified the reason. There was no trace of calculated fabrication whatsoever.

Previously, she'd detected his intention to manipulate her. He'd acted quite deliberately, comprehending precisely how to cultivate favor.

Not that she'd felt offended or deceived by Aiden's behavior. It was simply natural human habit.

The difference lay only in degree—all people endeavor to make situations flow favorably for themselves. Lily herself often acted deliberately agreeable to please superiors.

Therefore, when Aiden artfully crafted his phrasing and expressions to beguile her, she'd simply thought, 'What dedication.'

But now there was no smooth smile, no caressing voice. He was displaying his desperate feelings in their raw, unadorned state.

It pressed down on Lily's heart with unprecedented weight.

[Lily.]

She swallowed.

'Does he realize what his voice sounds like right now?'

The low voice that dropped downward existed somewhere between craving and pleading.

As though he desperately wanted her. As though she were tremendously important...

That all of this welled up from his genuine feelings was astonishing. But what elevated her most was that both suppositions were actually true.

An insignificant maid was indeed the most desperate and important existence to Aiden Casimir.

Slightly gratified by this fact, Lily spoke with the air of a noble young lady.

"Though I'm merely a maid, I do know how to keep promises. I absolutely won't leave before safely returning Your Grace to your body. Whenever you doubt my resolve, ask me as many times as you like."

Lily smiled with crinkled eyes.

"I'll answer every time."

A declaration composed purely of sincerity, delivered with a radiant smile.

An elation that even Aiden Casimir himself found difficult to comprehend spread through his being.

Lily brought Aiden into the room. Julia offered respectful greetings before immersing herself in work. Lily also returned to the window and produced the ring.

The ominous energy remained constant. When she brought her finger near the rippling aura, it felt entirely unlike cutting through empty air.

'I understand that the protective charm contains a soul that was about to depart. Then can it be extracted? If I extract it and stuff it into his body...'

Lily attempted to grasp the haze and tear it away from the ring. Nothing changed. She tried twice more with identical results.

It was clearly an important object, but she couldn't determine how best to utilize it. Lily placed the ring on the windowsill with a sigh.

Frankly speaking, the color was so ominous she had little desire to handle it.

'Why is it so disgustingly dark? Is the emperor's soul naturally this rotten color? Though hasn't it grown cloudier than when I first saw it? Or am I imagining things?'

She studied the ring intently while pondering, but achieved no particular insight.

Eventually she concealed Julius's ring in the back of a drawer and passed time tidying Julia's room or reading her translations.

By afternoon, someone knocked. It was Wolfram. Lily's face brightened. She had numerous matters to discuss with him.

Just as she was about to mention Aiden's protective charm, he raised his palm to halt her words.

'Right, he's nobility. Fine. Let's see how important your business is.'

Lily mentally sneered at that irritating gesture.

"The emperor is searching for His Grace's protective charm."

"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you!"

Lily declared in exasperation while rummaging through her pocket.

"I have it. I retrieved it this morning."

She extended her hand. Wolfram's mouth fell open as he stared down at it.

"His Grace's soul is bound here. It seems he can't separate beyond a certain distance. Thanks to that, His Grace is currently present."

"Therefore..."

Wolfram made a contemplative sound. He bowed his head lightly toward the direction Lily indicated before speaking.

"The emperor has turned the entire main building upside down searching for that."

"Upside down?"

When she questioned whether she'd heard correctly, Wolfram nodded.

"There'll be much to tidy when you see it. Drawers and boxes everywhere—absolute chaos."

"An emperor conducting daylight robbery—the empire truly concerns me... Though it is an object he desperately wants."

"I have many questions for you."

"One moment."

Lily enacted petty revenge by retrieving Julius's ring from the drawer.

"This is His Majesty Julius's ring. His Majesty's actual soul is bound here. His Majesty should be somewhere in his quarters as well."

Wolfram's mouth worked silently before he spoke.

"Let's have this discussion after I order tea."

Marie entered carrying a tray for tea time.

She regarded the highly curious situation—the room's owner seated at her desk scribbling something, while the maid and baron sat facing each other—with considerable bewilderment before setting down the tray and departing.

Most graciously, Wolfram volunteered to pour the tea himself. Meanwhile, Lily retrieved the ring she'd pocketed to avoid curious eyes.

"So this is the—oh!"

"Are you all right?"

As Wolfram extended the teacup and Lily displayed the ring, their hands collided, causing tea to spill onto Lily's arm.

[Lily, are you all right?]

"Is something wrong?"

With so many people crowding the room, even minor incidents created commotion.

Aiden's hand passed futilely over Lily's arm. Wolfram wiped Lily's arm with his handkerchief through that translucent hand.

"I'm fine. It wasn't terribly hot."

[Still, you should cool it with cold water.]

"Should I? Ah, let me cool it briefly and return."

Lily collected the ring without much thought before rising. Wolfram regarded her with an uncomfortable expression.

'Why that look?'

Bewildered by the inexplicable gaze, Lily was then struck in the head by the suddenly opening door.

"Oof."

"Oh my, Lily! I'm sorry! Are you all right?"

Marie, having forgotten to bring refreshments, had rushed in without knocking and collided with her directly.

Marie felt terribly apologetic about a mistake she wouldn't normally make.

"Mmm. I'm fine. Come in first."

Lily exited the room while rubbing her forehead and descended the stairs.

[Lily, you should be more careful.]

Aiden spoke with concern.

[You fell in the main building earlier as well.]

Lily nodded. Following his advice seemed prudent.

Getting scalded by hot water, struck in the forehead by a door—a triple threat in one day. She wasn't usually this clumsy, which made it peculiar.

The moment that thought occurred, with five steps remaining on the staircase, Lily's foot slipped. Fortunately, she caught the railing and barely avoided tumbling.

She sat awkwardly while scowling deeply.

'What? What is this?!'

Julius Scheiwartz hid at the top of the stairs, stealing glimpses of the maid sitting inelegantly on the floor.

The instant he saw Aiden approach and kneel beside her, he spun around and fled. Far away, even farther, so the evidence of his crime wouldn't see him.