“Tell him I’m dead when he comes back.”

“He won’t believe it.”

Leone responded without hesitation. I couldn’t say anything else because I also shared the same thought as him.

Leone continued.

“I used to not like him. Remember?”

I nodded at his question.

“Yeah. You were really giving the newbie the cold shoulders.”

When the memories of that time came back to mind, they naturally made me laugh.

At the time, Leone was eighteen, and I really valued ‘him’ who had just joined the team.

So Leone tormented him in small ways.

Taking the advantage of being a senior, Leone often asked him to run errands and nitpick in everything he did.

However, he was calm by nature, so he was indifferent to Leone’s bullying.

It was an anecdote that in the end, Leone fell exhausted first due to that indifference.

“Well, Hecard was similar to me. His age, circumstances, and even the fact that he was saved by the headmaster yourself. So I was worried. I was afraid that you would like him more than me.”

I was astonished at the inside story that I was never aware of.

I didn’t know that’s how he thought of it.

I thought he was being rude just because they were the same age.

“So he won’t believe me if I tell him that the master is dead.”

“…Even so, to say that I have now entered someone else’s body will only create confusion. So you’d better pretend you don’t know anything.”

“The royals of the Lukdem Kingdom have eyes that can see through the essence of the soul.”

“Hecard is an illegitimate child, so we are not sure if he was born with those eyes.”

Leone nodded at my words. Then he muttered in a heavy voice.

“Then it would be better to completely hide the master’s identity.”

I asked, tilting my head at his seriousness.

“Is something wrong?”

“Actually…”

Leone, who stole a glance at me, soon said with a deep sigh.

“I didn’t want to say anything to make you anxious, but I think it would be better for the master to know.”

What was it that made him look so grim?

I looked at him with curious eyes.

“Someone has been looking for you for the three recent years.”

“Me? Who is it?”

“I don’t know. I just confirmed that there is someone stalking the master while hiding their identity with a white cloak. I tried to catch him and interrogate him, but he used magic….”

“A wizard?”

I frowned.

“If it’s a wizard in a white cloak, it might have something to do with ‘them’.”

Them, those who killed me seven years ago. Though it was natural since the wizards basically held hatred toward me.

With the invention of magic tools, the place for wizards to stand has become narrower.

“Hence, it would be better to completely hide your identity.”

“Right. That’s what I was trying to do anyway… But it’s strange. Why did it start three years ago? It was seven years ago that I disappeared though.”

I rubbed my chin and tried to sift through the suspects, but no one came to mind.

Does it even matter?

Now no one knew who I really was, except for Leone anyway.

“Okay, I’ll be careful.”

As the atmosphere grew heavy, I changed the subject.

“Oh and, I received a message telling me to enter the palace a month later.”

“Is it because of the title succession?”

“Correct.”

“Should I accompany you?”

I smiled and shook my head.

“It’s absurd for a duke to escort the young lady of a Viscounty.”

“But…”

“Leone. I’ve felt it before, but you’re over worried… or even overprotective one might say.”

“I’m always worried about you.”

Leone’s expression was serious. Leone never spoke empty words to me. So this statement must have been undoubtedly true.

“If not, I shall send you an escort knight.”

“I’m okay though…”

“Please don’t turn this down. Unless you intend to drive me crazy with worry.”

Leone’s eyes suddenly became desperate.

I had no choice but nod and accept his offer.

And the following day, the escort he sent came.

♔♚♔

“At the order of His Excellency, Duke Leone Finisis, I have come to serve lady Eureia Craycia. I am Hilary Evotte.”

The knight who introduced herself as Hillary Evotte was a woman who gave off a fiery impression.

Contrary to her calm appearance, the scars all over her body were proof of how much hardship she had been through. In particular, she had a long scar on her left cheek.

“Yes, Hillary.”

“Please tell me if you need anything.”

Hillary said quietly. No emotion was detected in her voice. It was the same with her reddish-brown eyes.

She felt like a doll with no emotions.

So that’s why Leone chose her.

Those who served a duke daily would consider it a shame to follow a person of a lower rank than him.

But Hillary didn’t show any signs of that. She seemed to have won Leone’s favour with it.

But I was a little bothered by her over-repressed emotions.

That being said, I nodded casually, as Hillary might be concerned if I let that show.

“Yes, please take care of me from now on.”

“Yes.”

“I’m Eril! I’m the lady’s personal maid and the head maid of the Viscounty.”

Eril, who was by my side, introduced herself with her nose stuck up in the air.

It seemed Eril could not sense the heavy atmosphere.

Hillary nodded towards Eril.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation, miss Eril.”

“Oh my.”

Eril’s face turned red when she was first addressed as ‘miss’.

“If you have any questions, you can ask me, miss knight!”

It came as a surprise, but I thought that those two might get along pretty well. At that,  I moved on.

Eril asked, following me. Hillary also quietly walked along.

“Miss, where are you going?”

I answered her question with ease.

“To buy a lot of dresses.”

I was going to the palace, then shouldn’t I at least look the part?

I smiled brightly.