“You are tired. So sleep on my shoulder.”
“No it’s…” Noel tried to reject her offer.
“Well if you refuse, I’ll be more embarrassed…” Irene quickly interjected.
It took her courage to offer him, and the longer he waited the more embarrassed she got. It made sense for him to not refuse.
“You have lent me your shoulder many times, so please think of it as a reward.”
“Oh…”
Hearing her speak so firmly, Noel shut his mouth. It wasn’t long before he lowered his tired eyes.
“Then... Excuse me for a moment. If you feel uncomfortable, please let me know.”
“Mmm.” Irene answered.
Noel’s head slowly tilted, and after a while, he leaned over, resting his face on her shoulder. Irene held her breath. She could feel the heavy weight of his head and his leisured breathing through her clothes. She slowly inhaled deeply, wondering if the tension in her shoulders would put a strain on her shoulders.
“…Isn’t it heavy?”
Fortunately for her, he didn’t notice that she was nervous, thanks to the rattling of the carriage.
When Noel’s voice sank into her ear, Irene looked down and squinted at him. He had already closed his eyes. The light of a street lamp fell on his long eyelashes. As she suppressed her urge to stroke his hair, Irene quietly replied.
“It’s not heavy.”
The pace at which his answer returned gradually increased.
“...That’s a relief,” he murmured after a while.
Soon, no more words were heard. Irene glanced at Noel once more. His eyelids were tightly shut, and his lips were stretched into a straight line.
After confirming he was sleeping, Irene looked at him to her heart’s content.
“Good night, Noel.” She whispered as she brushed the hair over his eyes.
After a while, the carriage arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence, but Irene did not wake Noel, until he woke up himself. At first she was just sitting there, unmoving in her posture. Still, she was not tired. How strange. The action was a novelty to her.
♔♔♔
A shadow entered the dark room. Although there was no sign, the owner of the room noticed the presence of the shadow.
“What did you find out?”
When the owner of the room asked, the shadow reported what he had seen today.
“After stopping by the mercenary guild, they headed to the magic tower. I stayed in the tower for quite some time, but I had no idea what was going on in it.”
“Because the tower is a place not anyone can just enter if they want to. After that?”
“It seems that after stopping by the mercenary guild again, he rode a carriage and returned to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“…is it the same?”
While listening to the report, the owner of the room turned his head to confirm what was bothering him. His ultramarine blue eyes gleamed in the darkness.
“You mean you didn’t check where he went in the carriage?”
At Ascardo’s cold voice, the shadow trembled. Along with Noel, he was also one of the sharpest swordsmen in the empire. Even though he was an Amman assassin, he could not stand before him.
“That’s… the Duke noticed us tailing, and hurriedly hid himself.”
“Yeah, there’s no way he couldn’t have noticed that he was being followed.”
At the shadow's words, Ascardo nodded in agreement. No matter what figure he placed on him, Noel would notice one after another. That’s why you told me never to touch you.
“…the magic tower.”
What brought you to the mercenary guild? Are you going to hire some mercenaries? To protect Irene Chase? And the tower…
He had no idea what he was thinking with that indifferent face. But if he didn’t know there was only one thing he could do. Dig it up, and steal it.
Ascardo had to stop Noel no matter the means.
“Split into two groups, one to find out about the mercenary guild that my brother visited, and the other, wait near the tower.”
“What should I do when we wait?”
“Take anything that goes to the Grand Duchy. Take it and bring it to me.”
“Yes.”
Heeding Ascardo’s orders, the shadow was about to leave the room.
“Oh, and.”
Ascardo stopped the shadow, looking out the window towards the room where the Little Grand Duke’s quarters were.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to send a present in advance.”
The moonlight streamed down on his face. His soft lips drew into an arc, but his even so, ultramarine blue eyes were not smiling at all.
♔♔♔