The effects of the Serinel infused with divine power were nothing short of astounding.
Arcmund’s condition had improved to a degree that left everyone struggling to believe their own eyes.
“The toxins appear to have been completely purified, Your Grace!”
The attending physician followed Riersha out in tearful amazement, pestering her with questions about how she had managed to obtain a Serinel imbued with divine power.
“Miss Riersha, if we could only continue to acquire this Serinel on a regular basis—!”
It was virtually a cure-all, the physician declared, his eyes shining with barely contained excitement.
Riersha could only smile in response.
Phew. I was starting to sweat, thinking he’d keep me there all day.
She let out a long, relieved breath — and then broke into a quietly proud little grin.
“Hehe.”
Her round, chubby cheeks rose up like two soft hills.
The steps that carried her out of the ducal castle felt as light as air, as though her feet might leave the ground entirely.
With every little skip she took, the layered skirt of her dress fluttered around her like falling petals.
At this rate, I’ll be able to clear Oberon’s name before long.
In truth, she was returning from making a certain proposal to Arcmund.
“Gwandfathew, I have a favow to ask of you.”
“Speak.”
“If I find out who the weaw culpwit is… will you wemove Obewon’s mana-westwaining device?”
Arcmund had not been pleased with the proposal — but in the end, he had accepted it.
On one condition: she was absolutely not to do anything dangerous.
Beneath the warm, gentle sunlight.
Riersha’s eyes sparkled.
It was time to set out a tempting piece of bait and watch what came to take it.
⁂
“Haah…”
“Miss Riersha, did something unpleasant happen today?”
Riersha had barely returned to the estate before she began heaving sigh after sigh. Sona, who had been nearby, immediately drew close with a worried expression.
“No. Nuffing at aww.”
Riersha shook her head, but Sona’s anxious gaze refused to leave her.
Some time passed like that.
Then, quite conspicuously, the corners of Riersha’s mouth curved upward.
“…Miss Riersha?”
“Does my face wook pawwy to you, Sona?”
“Pardon?”
“You fink so too, wight?”
“…”
Sona tilted her head, utterly baffled.
Just a little while ago Riersha had gone rushing off to the ducal castle as though something wonderful had happened — and now she’d come back looking utterly deflated.
Did the Duke scold her?
Sona had naturally assumed Riersha had been given a thorough scolding and come home sulking — and yet here she was, suddenly brightening up and wearing the most satisfied little smile.
“What are you doing, my lady?”
“Mm-hm. I need to look like I’m in a bad mood.”
“Why?”
Well, because—
“I’ll teww you watew!”
Riersha glanced at the time and slipped down from the sofa.
It would soon be time for her lessons at the forest clearing.
She was reaching up to give the door handle a firm turn with her small hands when—
“Hm?”
“…Where are you headed, Miss Riersha?”
Oberon was standing there, a stack of documents in hand, apparently about to knock. His arm was still raised in mid-air.
“Oh, I’m going to my wessons now.”
“I see. When shall I come back, then?”
“Hmm. Aftor snack time.”
Riersha was already striding out of the room when she stopped short, as though remembering something, and turned back around.
“Oh, wait. Obewon!”
“Yes, Miss Riersha.”
Oberon regarded her with slightly drooping shoulders, his gaze drifting downward to meet hers.
Riersha smiled brightly.
“Pink you. For keeping the secwet.”
“…?”
“About Gwandfathew. You awweady knew, didn’t you?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Oberon’s eyes went wide.
His gaze flicked with obvious unease toward Sona, who was still inside the room—
Just as I thought. He did know.
It seemed he had been aware that Arcmund’s condition had been deteriorating day by day.
That was hardly surprising. Oberon had served Arcmund his entire life. Understanding his master’s state was the most fundamental thing in the world to him.
Grandfather must have known that too.
Because Arcmund had known that Oberon was aware of his condition — and yet was staying silent—
That was precisely why he had overruled the elders’ opinions and handed Oberon over to Riersha’s care.
To delay any decision about what was to be done with Oberon, by whatever means necessary.
Nothing else could explain why that meticulous, iron-willed Arcmund would have relented at a single whispered “please” from Riersha.
And so everything Oberon had claimed and done up to this point was without deceit.
This time, Riersha had built her entire plan around trusting him completely.
“Awwight, I’m off then.”
Riersha gave a little wave, and Oberon lowered his head a beat later than usual.
“Yes. Have a pleasant outing, Miss Riersha.”
⁂
Arriving at the forest clearing, Riersha stretched her arms and legs with big, sweeping motions.
Today was an ability training day.
Technically she was supposed to receive training twice a week without exception, but—
“Haahmm.”
Riersha yawned enormously.
That’s strange.
The sun was still riding high in the sky, and yet her body already felt heavy with exhaustion.
“Dear me — did you sleep poorly again?”
“Teachew?”
Riersha turned around.
Standing there was Ian, smiling his gentle smile.
He had arrived at the exact hour of the lesson, and at the sight of Riersha — yawning, eyes rimmed with red — he murmured thoughtfully to himself.
“I adjusted how often we meet, and yet you still seem so terribly tired.”
“I’m sowwy…”
“Are you perhaps not sleeping well at night?”
Riersha made an apologetic face and carefully shook her head.
Ian then knelt down to bring himself to her eye level.
She could feel his pale blue eyes studying her with quiet, careful attention.
After a brief pause, he spoke again.
“Or is there something weighing on your mind?”
“Well…”
“Have I not already heard your very first worry before, Miss Riersha?”
As Riersha hesitated, her lips moving without quite forming words, Ian smiled encouragingly and urged her to go on.
She fiddled with her fingers for a long moment before nodding with resolve.
“Twue is… I fink Gwandfathew might be sick.”
“…You mean the Duke?”
“I saw him secwetwy the other day, and I didn’t know what to do.”
“Have you not told the young Duke?”
Riersha nodded as though the answer were obvious.
There were times when a person, faced with something too enormous, couldn’t bring themselves to speak of it to those nearest to them. Somehow it was easier to confide in someone at a slight remove.
Riersha’s face crumpled into a look of distress.
“What if Daddy hears and gets weally, weally wowwied?”
“…”
“It’s awwight though. This is a secwet…”
Riersha glanced around in both directions, then beckoned for him to come closer.
When Ian leaned in, she whispered into his ear.
“I think I might be abwe to get Serinel with divine power in it!”
“…Divine power, did you say?”
“Yes! Oh — shhh, that part’s a secwet.”
“Of course, Miss Riersha. But… however did you come to acquire something like that?”
“Actuawwy…”
Riersha muttered “I pwobably shouldn’t say this part either,” and then began whispering again.
With every word the child spoke, Ian’s pale blue eyes grew deeper and harder to read.
When at last Riersha finished her explanation and stepped back, he was gazing at her with an expression impossible to decipher.
“…I see. To think you’ve found a way to heal the Duke — that is truly wonderful news.”
“It is, wight?”
Riersha beamed, her eyes dancing with delight. Ian smiled softly in return.
“Well then — shall we begin with a review of what we practiced last time?”
“Yes!”
Riersha lifted her chin and clenched her little fists.
What they’d learned last session was how to stretch a barrier across the entire forest clearing. It had taken a considerable amount of mana, and she distinctly remembered struggling with it.
“Hup!”
The moment Riersha focused and began spreading her mana outward, a vast barrier rose up to envelop the clearing entirely.
Ian watched the barrier expand high into the sky, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly.
“As expected of you, Miss Riersha. No matter what I teach you, you take to it so readily…”
“Hehe.”
“I’m beginning to find myself genuinely at a loss for what to teach you next.”
Ian shook his head with a quiet laugh.
He had been astonished by Riersha’s capacity for learning every single time — and today was no different.
Riersha was gazing with satisfaction at the barrier, just beginning to draw her mana back in, when—
Hm?
The world in front of her lurched.
Stagger.
Her small body swayed.
She was falling — and the last thing her eyes registered before the darkness swallowed everything was Ian standing there, watching her crumple to the ground with an expression utterly devoid of feeling.
