The Arrow of Destiny Cuts Through the Night

#21

“I don’t understand what’s going on at all. Helen was certainly until yesterday…”

Nathan’s voice outside the door also clearly showed signs of confusion. To think that the person who had brought meals on a tray here until just recently had actually submitted her resignation yesterday.

I should check this out.

Jersian rose from the sofa. Immediately, Kain Starchis’s voice followed him.

“Lord Jersian, would it be alright if I move along with you?”

It was a polite form of speech he hadn’t used until now.

So he’s not completely ignorant of etiquette, he just chose not to follow it.

“…”

Jersian turned his head back slightly, looking down at the platinum-haired elf sitting on the sofa. His hair, reflecting the bright sunlight, shone so much it almost looked transparent.

Is he offering to come along and help? However, there was no particular need for Jersian to receive an elf’s help inside the Gerold mansion in broad daylight.

Hmm, Jersian narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.

“…What do you intend to do by following?”

It was an imperious tone befitting the youngest son of the continent’s premier Gerold Marquis family.

Despite his large stature that was evident even while sitting on the sofa, Kain Starchis’s white eyelashes moved, exuding an air of innocence as if flowers were blooming behind him. Beneath those lashes were emerald eyes as clear as dewdrops on morning grass.

“I will discern for you who is telling the truth to Lord Jersian.”

“Discern, huh…”

Jersian pronounced the word as if he liked the term Kain had used.

The ability to detect lies was quite necessary for Jersian, who was surrounded by enemies on all sides. Do all elves really have such an ability? There was still a tiny bit of doubt lingering in the back of his mind.

“Alright.”

In any case, it was necessary to check.

“Follow me. But conceal that.”

“Yes.”

Jersian extended his finger, pointing to a guest robe hanging in the corner of the room.

He didn’t want the fellow’s elven identity to be revealed yet.

Kain Starchis immediately understood the meaning and didn’t object.

Whoosh- The elf, deeply hooded in the robe, stepped out into the corridor, following behind Jersian who was walking with steady steps.

* * *

“Oh no, how could this happen! To think that I was completely unaware of what happened in the mansion, I’m ashamed to face you, young master. I’ll immediately have the management department investigate this in more detail.”

Medis, the head butler who had devoted his life to serving the Gerold Marquis family, reacted with a very flustered expression. This was after Jersian had suddenly barged into the mansion’s management department and started talking about ‘Helen’.

He seemed quite surprised.

“…Right, also check if there are others who know she entered the mansion today, and what her actions were like when she submitted her resignation.”

Jersian nodded and made the request to Medis.

Although there wasn’t any significant damage, it was necessary to know more details about the identity of this woman called Helen to understand the exact circumstances.

It was then.

“Again.”

The unidentified man in the deeply hooded robe who had entered the management department with young master Jersian spoke up.

Huh? The head butler turned his head towards the man with round eyes.

“Say it directly that you are not at all involved in this matter.”

Although the man’s face was completely hidden in the darkness, his voice was refreshingly clear and solemn.

Anyway, what did that man just say? It seems like he was talking to me. The brow of Medis, who had been talking with Jersian, suddenly furrowed.

“…Pardon? Young master… who is this person?”

Having served young master Jersian for a long time, he didn’t know who this tall man with his face completely covered by a robe was.

“He’s my guest.”

Not a person, but an elf. There was no need to explain that much detail to the head butler.

Jersian gave a brief answer to Medis and then continued speaking.

“Say it again as he just instructed.”

“…I’m not sure what you mean…”

As Medis subtly tried to dodge the question, Kain Starchis in the robe spoke to him.

“I said to directly state that you have no knowledge of the maid visiting in front of my room today.”

“What a strange request.”

“I admit it. But it’s not a difficult favor, is it?”

It was an imperious tone.

To take such an attitude towards the head butler of the Gerold Marquis family, the person under the robe didn’t seem to be an ordinary commoner.

Medis remained silent for a very brief moment and glanced at young master Jersian’s face. It was a plea for the family member to graciously withdraw this strange order from the suddenly appeared guest. However, Jersian was just quietly watching him as if to say ‘go ahead and do it’.

Having confirmed Jersian’s intention, Medis twitched his mustache. Then, with a face that seemed to say ‘there’s no helping it’, he spoke as the man had instructed.

“…I have absolutely no involvement in that matter. Is that enough?”

There was a hint of displeasure in the head butler’s voice.

Upon hearing this, Jersian checked the reaction of Kain standing behind him. He expected him to tell whether Medis’s words were true or false. Noticing this, the smooth lips of Kain Starchis, deeply hooded in the robe, opened.

“A lie.”

It was a clear voice.

What? Medis’s mustache twitched.

“What do you mean, a lie? It’s not.”

“It is.”

“What nonsense…!”

Just as the head butler took a step forward to lash out at Kain, he was blocked by something. It was the long leg of young master Jersian, who had already far surpassed the normal growth for his age, though still shorter than the robed man beside him.

“Medis.”

“Young master! I feel wronged.”

“Oh? So you’re saying you didn’t just lie?”

“Th-that’s…”

Jersian’s red eyes turned towards the head butler who was breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Did you lie to me? It would be better to answer properly this time.”

“…”

Medis’s pupils wavered back and forth.

There was no doubt that he had lied just now, as Kain had said. But why? Jersian, who had known Medis for a long time, frowned. He was a man very submissive and faithful to the Gerold Marquis family, and moreover, not bold enough to act as a spy under someone else.

For a long while, Medis couldn’t open his mouth. As the silence lengthened, Jersian just tilted his head incredulously, staring at the face of the man who had served him for so long.

“I told you to answer.”

“…Young master.”

“Shall I wait forever?”

Jersian asked Medis, who wore an anxious expression, in a nonchalant tone. Though he didn’t show it outwardly, he was in a very uncomfortable state inside. He couldn’t understand what Medis could gain from this lie. He didn’t like himself for having trusted him even a little.

Medis closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head.

“I cannot tell you.”

The voice continued from the bowed man.

“…I think it would be better for you to hear it from the Marquis.”

By Marquis, he meant ‘Elmerila Gerold’. At the sudden mention of this name, Jersian’s eyes narrowed slightly. He might be lying again out of desperation. Anyone could do it to buy a little time.

“…”

Jersian looked down at the back of Medis’s bowed head for a while, then shifted his gaze towards where Kain Starchis was standing. It was to check if this man was lying again this time.

Kain, hooded in the robe, immediately understood Jersian’s eye signal and shook his head from side to side.

It meant it wasn’t a lie.

Having confirmed this, Jersian asked Medis again.

“From the head of the family? Why?”

“I don’t know the reason in detail either… but if young master Jersian asks, she will probably tell you right away.”

“But you can’t tell me.”

“…That’s correct.”

“What on earth is going on.”

“It would be better for you to hear it directly rather than asking me.”

Medis repeated the same words with a troubled expression.

Jersian frowned and tilted his head.

“Fine. I’ll go right now.”

“Thank you for understanding, young master.”

“I’m not forgiving you for lying to me.”

Not yet.

When Jersian replied curtly, the head butler immediately answered as if it were natural.

“Yes, I understand. I’ll escort you to the office.”

“…”

This is too compliant, I have a bad feeling about this.

As soon as he reached the doorway, Jersian remembered that he had come here with Kain Starchis.

After pondering for a moment, he gave a short order.

“…Just follow me for now.”

“Yes, Lord Jersian.”

Kain Starchis, still wearing the robe, slightly bowed his head and followed behind Jersian.