# 108
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“Is that really true? Did he ask you to come tomorrow too?”
“Hah!” said the Marquis to Diana, “this girl!” If you don't come tomorrow and taste the Marquis cake, you will be reprimanded! I will do this.”
While having tea with the Duchess after dinner, we were joined by the Duke, who had returned home from work.
When Diana graciously imitated the Marquis while talking about her visit to the Marquis' palace today, Duke Ellard burst into laughter.
“Even though he is old, he still talks the same way.”
asked the Duke, who seemed lost in memories.
“So, you are going to the Marquis’s palace again tomorrow?”
"Yes … . The Marquis said that he had injured his leg because of me and asked me to watch him from the side while he was being treated.”
“You have to be very strong.”
When she hesitated to answer, the Duke clicked his tongue and frowned.
However, he added as if there was nothing he could do.
“After the graduation ceremony, we will return to the Duchy, so please be a little patient. Even though he complains, he calmly listens to everything I ask him to do, so I get some of the things I wanted.”
I couldn't help but laugh at the Duke's hurtful words.
Moreover, it was surprising that the Duke understood the Marquis so preciy.
To use the words of a swagger, an official of Terenceum, Marquis Diabelle was a rough-looking “man” type.
The Marquis, who had been gossiping with me for a while about the way I dressed, brought me a set of clothes a few days later and said:
〈I came and picked it up by accident, you can either throw it away or not.〉
The design resembles simple dresses, blouses and trousers worn by the common people, but the fabric was made of materials that cannot be easily found in the market.
It was clear that the clothes were made separately in a high-end clothing store.
Another day, he criticized my rotten body and said it was uess, and asked me if I starved every day like a ar.
Like a fool, I asked the Marquis in surprise: “How did you know that I was a ar?”
After hearing those words, the Marquis immediately blushed and suddenly disappeared as if his tail was on fire.
The next day, I received five three-tier lunch boxes that appeared to have been made by the Marquis' chef and a meal ticket to a famous restaurant.
In addition, the Marquis, who was always providing me with valuables, saying that he had picked them up on his way home, was acting like an impatient person because he could do nothing for me.
'I've spoken to him several times as an employee at a café he frequents.'
. ...Of course, that wasn't all.
In fact, the Marquis must have known.
How could a café that was the headquarters of the largest and most secretive intelligence guild in the empire be an ordinary café?
In particular, I, who was in charge of the counter, naturally assumed that I was a member of the guild.
'Of course, I wouldn't have thought of him as a first-rate detective…'
It was so.
Marquis Diabelle and I met when he visited Terenceum to commission an order.
One day, perhaps trying to hide his identity, an old man dressed as a commoner and using a cane to replace his strange leg came into the café.
I remembered all the photos of the nobles in the empire, so I knew from a quick glance that it was Marquis Diabelle among the ancestors, who had recently returned to the capital.
As I expected, the Marquis asked the master to find someone, and the results that came after a while were, as expected, not very good.
Perhaps because he was upset, the Marquis, who was coming down the stairs after hearing the result, felt weak in his legs and stumbled.
〈Grandpa, are you okay?〉
For some reason, I had been worried about the Marquis since he entrusted me with the order, and fortunately, I was able to catch him before he fell.
In contrast to his famously cheerful personality, the Marquis looked at me with a blank expression and said, “It’s okay, thank you.”
Somehow, this sight made me even more anxious.
So, I quickly directed the Marquis to a table by the window and served him hot tea and my favorite sweet cake.
〈It tastes good, you should come more often.〉
I thought that the words of the Marquis who closed his eyes and savored the taste were just passing words.
Since the results of the request were already poor, she thought there was no reason to visit the Information Guild.
But even after that, the Marquis continued to visit the café, and before he knew it, he had become a regular customer.
< serious ! Don't you eat it too sweet? I don't think it would be good for your health to eat like this. 〉
〈I've wanted to eat this all my life, but now I'm finally able to eat it, so why bother! What's the fun in being old?〉
They keep each other's identities and deepest intentions hidden.
When I spent time with the Marquis like this, I felt like we were real grandfather and granddaughter, even though I knew it didn't make sense.
It was a different feeling from the one I had towards the guild managers I had been with since I was young.
Maybe because I called him “Grandpa” so often back then that it stuck in my mouth, and I almost made the mistake a few times today too.
Although he did not mention it, the Marquis always looked at me with an expression that had something to say.
Even Askart, who was next to him, flinched, making him notice even more.
'Starting tomorrow, I shouldn't make any mistakes.'
I don't know if it would have gone the way I wanted it to, but that was the time I was making a strong decision for myf.
"Why are you so quiet? What's worrying you?"
The Duke called to the Duchess who was sitting next to me and she played with her teacup.
She said with a faint smile.
“Because snowfall is unusual, the capital is like this, but what about the duchy? I’m worried because Lucio will leave early today.”
At these words, I turned my head and looked out the living room window.
The white snow, which still looked small and harmless, was blowing in the cold wind.
* * *
“Ha...”
For some reason, I was so upset that I couldn't sleep.
It seemed like it had been a few hours since I lay down.
She finally got up, turned on the light on the bedside table, sat down, and sighed.
“Is there any way to help the Marquis and Askart?”
As I walked in and out of the Marquis's house these days, I always felt uncomfortable.
I didn't know it before because Marquis Diabelle rarely showed it, but Ascarte often showed his hurt over losing his younger sister suddenly even when they were together.
Although I was embarrassed by Askart, I was also sad.
But there was practically nothing I could do.
Suddenly, an old memory from a long time ago came to mind.
〈Master, the guest here today is Marquis Diabelle, right?〉
Instead of answering what I said, the master was still looking at the documents.
I was used to him ignoring me, so I paid no attention and walked around the master's office and talked.
〈I understand that you recently arrived in the capital, but you are searching for the Information Guild immediately, after all, to find the missing princess... .〉
〈Leia, you, did you hide your presence and listen secretly?〉
〈Yes? Oh, it's not like that!〉
I was startled and jumped.
There were times when I would fist fight with my arguing teammates and pinch their noses, but basically, I wasn't the type to use my abilities within the guild.
In addition, it is impossible for the master to do such an unfaithful thing, such as secretly listening to a request.
The master, seeing my face full of disappointment, sighed lightly and said: “I just tried it.”
Then he told me, as I had expected, that the Marquis had entrusted me with a request to find the missing Princess Bellos.
I was sulking for about a week and didn't even want to talk to the master, but hearing those words somehow kept me going.
<from . …Who decided to take over the mission?〉
〈expert〉
I kept my mouth shut at the master's immediate answer.
My specialty was hiding and gathering information, not finding missing people.
However, he became a little gloomy and looked at his feet and said without thinking.
〈I hope there is good news〉
〈This won't happen〉
I raised my head when I heard the words come rushing back again.
The master explained with cold eyes.
〈I told the Marquis, but the chances of finding the princess are close to zero. However, he insisted that he wanted it, so I had no choice but to accept the request.〉
It has been almost twenty years since the newborn disappeared like dust, and there is not even the slightest trace.
There was nothing to refute the master, who said sarcastically that it was ridiculous to believe that he was still alive and that the positive circle was at the level of an illusion.
“...Nothing will change even if I go back to the past.”
What if I find the missing princess, so I won't know if I know this information beforehand?
Unfortunately, since I didn't have any information, I was uess, just an ordinary nine-year-old kid.
It was a time when I felt very sad because I could not help the Marquis and Ascarte, who were so kind to me.
I thought I heard something outside, so I got out of bed, pulled the curtains a little, and looked out the window.
“I heard they leave at dawn.”
The mages and knights of Rexion were already preparing to leave for the duchy, and a cart full of winter supplies could be seen.
Lucio, who was at the front, was checking whether the departure preparations were going well with an indifferent expression.
After I saw that, I looked up at the sky.
The snow that had begun to fall silently in the evening was still there, but it was just falling.
It was not expected that it would reveal its presence and change frighteningly within a few days.
However, since the capital was not prepared for the heavy snowfall, the teleportation area was temporarily paralyzed.
Of course, it will be restored quickly, so Lucio won't be stranded on his way to inspect the property.
'So the Duchess's fears are unfounded...'
Shrrrrrrrr
I was amazed and quickly closed the curtains and moved away from the window.
I felt like my heart had fallen to my feet and then bounced back up.
I made eye contact with Lucio.