C44
"Halt your impulse."
The emperor's sigh deepened in response to the sharp force that made the air tingle.
He stopped the shadows that were about to leap and looked at Erno Etham, who had risen from his seat.
"Recently, Duke Collin found his lost son."
"Useless chatter is unnecessary."
"Listen to me."
Erno Etham frowned at the emperor's threatening words, who opened his eyes fiercely but obediently kept his mouth shut.
Even he thought he was getting more worked up than necessary right now.
"What's the problem with the family registry?"
How can his emotions be so chaotic?
Even when the girl disappeared, he couldn't control his emotions. After all, the girl is in his arms, so it would be good to have a family registry...
No matter how much he thought about the tumultuous feelings, he wasn't used to it. Wouldn't it be better to look for another way?
He barely calmed down. The eyes that had been flickering in red slowly regained their color.
"I heard that the girl named Eirin played a significant role in finding Duke Collin's lost son."
"Haha, what nonsense..."
"The girl had nowhere to go and told me that she decided to adopt her because she was liked by the heir of Duke Collin."
The emperor responded calmly.
Then he heard the story and listened to Duke Collin's request.
"And now..."
"At that time, I didn't think much about it, and it's not common for Duke Collin to ask me for something, so I agreed to settle the debt."
"......"
"Then, as I've already approved it, this is out of my hands."
"Can't you just abuse the power you love so much?"
"So, young duke, are you asking me to become an emperor who reverses his words without reason? Besides, I can't say you're not at fault for being late."
The emperor narrowed his eyes.
Even if he said that, it was clear that the emperor was very pleased with this situation.
"If he returns after making an agreement with Duke Collin, reapproving won't be difficult."
"Ah..."
He lightly brushed his hair and then stood up as if he had cleared his mind.
"Very well."
"I'm glad you understand."
The satisfied emperor nodded.
"Ah, will something big happen if the duke's position is vacant?"
"What?"
"If the duke who posted the request accidentally disappears in an accident, he will naturally lose his approval."
"...Wait a moment. Young Duke Etham."
"I will be back soon."
Erno Etham only left those meaningful words and then disappeared.
It was the beginning of a bloody hell for an aristocratic family.
"...They're very varied."
Recently, Duke Collin was on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to sudden and cruel assassination attempts.
Uninvited guests had been coming to visit him at night, from nowhere, since last week.
Even though security was increased every day, the number of intruders trampling through the garden showed no signs of decreasing.
Fortunately, he was an excellent magician and actually didn't die thanks to the good knights and soldiers.
Lately, he had placed several layers of defensive magic in his son's room and his wife's room.
Fortunately or unfortunately, uninvited guests did not visit his wife or son's room.
They only went to Duke Collin's room and relentlessly harassed him.
As quite a few talented individuals were attacking in groups, Duke Collin was also having a lot of trouble.
Duke Collin, who rarely sought help from others, even visited the "Bright Moon" information guild today.
They were willing to do any unpleasant task, and they were people who could even sell their comrades' lives for money.
They were the people he hated the most, but they were also the only lifeline he could rely on in frustrating times like these.
"Where the hell did these guys come from...?"
Duke Collin clicked his tongue and entered the bar.
"Welcome, sir. A meal or a drink, what do you want?"
"I came to see the other side of the moon."
"...Oops. It's not the time to launch that product."
"Isn't it your job to make it happen even if it's not the right time yet?"
The dark circles under Duke Collin's eyes were quite large.
He pressed his eyelids hard, trying to hide his gaze.
He felt like he was going crazy because he was on edge day and night.
"...I don't know what the hell it means."
Seriously, Duke Collin had even tried talking to the assassins yesterday.
[Who the hell ordered this? If it's a problem that can be resolved, let's talk!]
[Then why steal other people's things?]
The response he received was unique and unflattering.
"What do you mean I stole?"
Duke Collin sat at the empty table and tapped the table with his index finger.
"Is it Count Yutli who lost the new business in the southern continent this time? Or is it the director of the mysterious orphanage who turned the hall into a mess when he said the girl had disappeared? If not..."
Recent events revolved in his head. However, his thoughts always concluded, as they always did, with the girl who had worried him the most recently.
"Eirin, where the hell did that girl go...?"
Because the girl had disappeared without a word, Richard's expression was blank.
Remembering the image of Richard bursting into tears, he let out a deep sigh, feeling pain in his chest.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't solve it.
He should find the girl and find out what the assassin is aiming for.
Tap, tap, tap.
The frustrated fingertips pounded the bar table. After a while, the employee who had greeted him the first time approached.
"Sir, the other side of the moon is ready."
"Let's go."
Duke Collin, who hid his expression, elegantly rose from his seat.
He headed to the back of the bar.
The moment he opened the door and entered, he was already in a completely different space.
"It's a spatial movement magic. It's quite high-level."
"If everyone knew the way to the other side of the moon, wouldn't it be troublesome?"
Duke Collin fell silent at the employee's explanation.
"There's also a device that doesn't allow you to use magic."
He felt the will to keep his customers completely in his hands.
He looked around slowly.
It was a dark and spacious room.
Only dozens of candles in all directions lit the room with a flickering red light.
In the center of the windowless room, there was only a small table and a wide sofa on both sides.
There was a desk at the back, but judging by the papers hanging on it, it seemed to be a workspace.
Someone from the sofa stood up to greet him.
"Welcome, Your Excellency, Duke Michael Collin."
The man wearing a black mask and even a robe whose voice was altered spoke.
It was a voice that was entirely unpleasant to the ear.
"It seems that the owner of the Bright Moon has a lot to worry about, as he doesn't even have the minimum courtesy."
"Haha, I'm sorry. We have so many enemies, so please understand."
Duke Collin closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes.
"He's very meticulous."
He couldn't guess anything except that the opponent was a man.
No, even the gender wasn't certain because he had only guessed the height and build revealed by the silhouette of the robe.
"So, what brought a nobleman to this dark place?"
"Recently, there have been several assassination attempts. Is the moon related to this?"
"Assassination attempts?"
His robe seemed to tremble slightly, and then he shook his head clearly from side to side.
"No, I don't recall receiving such a request."
"Really?"
"Yes, I don't tell unnecessary lies."
Amid the whispering sound, a faint smile stood out. Duke Collin kept his mouth shut and lowered his gaze.
"If it wasn't the Bright Moon, then where did such talented people come from?"
It was a skill that only the emperor's shadows could possess.
However, there was no way the emperor would have made such an attempt. Since he was in debt this time, he would have preferred to complain directly to him.
"Then let's do this for the first request. I want to know who planted the uninvited guests who keep breaking into my house."
He seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.
"It's not difficult, as a bonus, I'll provide you with escorts. From now on, you'll be able to sleep comfortably at night."
"As a bonus, you're saying something quite amusing while thinking about getting all the money."
"Haha, it's not a free service. So, are we in agreement with the first one? Do you also have a second request?"
His already sensitive mind became even more sensitive to the distorted voice he didn't want to hear.
Duke Collin pressed his temples, suppressing his emotions that were about to jump here and there, and the employee who had guided him to this place placed a cup of tea on the table.
It was a tea with a bright red color that made him feel strange just by looking at it.
