C97
Even after Liena and Roland disappeared, Duke Cassius remained there in silence for a long time.
"Father."
After a while, Leheim, who had followed them, returned. The duke asked his son, who was holding his forehead with his hand.
"Why are you holding your forehead?"
"Oh, this? I kept telling him not to go, but my grandfather hit me with the cane he was swinging."
"..."
"It's fine. Liena stopped grandpa and gave him a punch."
"...go quickly and get treatment."
"Are you going to leave the two like this? I agree with my father that staying with grandpa won't be good for Liena."
Leheim frowned.
"That person has been looking at my brother and me with evil eyes for a long time."
"Maybe it's because he resembles me."
The Duke Cassius, who was looking at his son's face, turned toward the stairs.
"I don't intend to wait and see."
His voice was firm, as if he had made a decision.
"I have a paternal duty."
Duke Cassius entered the office and called the intelligence department of the duchy.
Soon, one of the spies working for Cassius appeared.
"You called me?"
"Investigate secretly the whereabouts of Liena and my father. Uncover what they are doing and what your purpose is, and report it to me."
"...Without Lady Liena's knowledge?"
The duke almost asked why he was asking such an obvious question.
However, when he closely examined the embarrassed face of the spy, something came to his mind. This man was brought into the family by Liena herself.
The decision was swift. In an instant, Edman drew his sword with a simple movement and pointed it at the man's neck.
"D-Duke!"
"Stay still."
He then called the most trusted people among his subordinates.
Even before Liena set foot in Cassius, they served as loyal servants to the duke.
"Silently lock him up in the dungeon."
"Yes."
After they took the man away, Duke Cassius gave the remaining man the same order as before.
The person who received the order this time went to carry out the master's instructions without showing the slightest doubt or agitation.
"Is this what you wanted to say...?"
The duke, who was left alone, murmured as he recalled what Kayden had told him in secret before.
[—These days, in Cassius, there are too many people acting for the young lady instead of the duke.]
He truly didn't realize it at that moment, but now he understands that Liena's intentions have changed. The duke's common sense told him.
If the man hadn't been captured a moment ago, he would have run straight to Liena and confessed the whole truth to her.
Moreover, whenever Liena saw someone in trouble or a talented person, she used to introduce them to the family's work.
It was safe to say that there was hardly a place in Cassius where Liena's hand had not been extended.
"In the worst case, I might have to change the water completely."
Duke Cassius's sigh deepened.
---------------------
"Here we are. This is the abandoned mine."
The girl who decided to guide us to the abandoned mine pointed with her hand to a ramshackle entrance halfway up the mountain.
I handed the girl a silver coin.
"Thanks for the guidance."
"I'm really grateful!"
The way her face lit up was so cute that the corners of my mouth loosened.
"I heard that a meteorite fell nearby a few days ago, is that true?"
"Yes, I saw it clearly! It exploded in the middle of the night! The sound woke up many villagers."
"Has anyone found the meteorite?"
"No. I said I would go look for it with my friends, but my parents scolded me."
The girl raised her eyebrows.
"It's not dangerous, but if I have time, I should help with household chores. All the adults are busy. They say we have to work to pay taxes to the lord."