Chapter 26: 26

“What Astel was doing in the mansion. Find out.”

 

He didn’t manage the mansion himself, nor had he planted any spy in particular.

 

It was none of my business to know about the rumors.

 

But when it comes to Astel, it’s a different story.

 

He rested his chin on his hand and stared into space, thinking of her.

 

‘My imprint, who saved my life.’

 

Suddenly, his lips loosened and a little girl’s face with a gentle smile came to mind.

 

He closed his eyes and seemed to hear her voice from somewhere.

 

The serious way she talks when she treats me,

 

-‘The treatment is over.’

 

When she realized that she was imprinted, Astel hesitated in embarrassment, but the tone didn’t lose its calmness.

 

-‘The-the Duke is so handsome!’

 

And even a much younger, slightly playful voice.

 

-‘Hey. I have something to tell you, are you listening? Can you hear me?’

 

Astel was always kind, good-natured, and friendly to me, and to other humans, and even to the other shapeshifters in the Castle.

 

Of course, the ‘perfect‘ Astel had one problem.

 

It’s just that she doesn’t have an eye for men.

 

Cassian Gray.

 

A guy who I didn’t like with his rebellious eyes.

 

A man who rationalizes his vulgar games by using words like ‘polyamory‘ as an excuse.

 

Could it be that he made such a remark to Astel and twisted it?

 

Even Astel seemed accustomed to offering material things to such a man.

 

It was as if she was longing for his love.

 

A strange, suspicious feeling of unpleasantness crept into my stomach.

 

By any chance, even in this Duke’s castle, he wasn’t among those being deceived by someone like Cassian Gray.

 

As he was immersed in his thoughts for a while, the aide carefully opened his trembling mouth.

 

“Oh, Astel’s situation?”

 

“Yes, as Astel’s guardian, there was something I wanted to know.”

 

He added kindly to the bewildered aide.

 

“Right now.”

 

 

***

 

That evening.

 

A meeting about the war was held at the conference room inside the Castle of the Duke of Anais.

 

The participants were the Duke of Anais, the heads of the four vassal families, and the commander of the Knights of Roses and Cassian.

 

Among them, Duke Anais was rarely able to concentrate on the meeting.

 

Before the meeting even started, an aide and Astel’s maid had been brought into the office, who had completed the investigation quickly.

 

First, the aide stuttered as he reported.

 

-‘There was an incident in which a guy named Sam confronted Astel at the clinic. Eventually, Astel saved the life of Ricardo, the late founder of the Jaguar family.’

 

The Duke, who was reading the report that summarized Sam’s whereabouts, quietly opened his mouth.

 

-‘What happened to Sam, who confronted Astel?’

 

-‘Fortunately, Ricardo, who almost died because of Sam, was trying to put him in the hellfire. I couldn’t believe there was such a person around. Lady Astel, she must have felt so bad that her face turned pale.’

 

The Duke muttered, twisting his mouth at the news.

 

-‘Tell him that I’m going to kill him. Hellfire was so easy.’

 

(N: Duke wanted to kill Sam.)

 

Next, Sally, who was Astel’s close maid. What she said lingered in my ears.

 

-‘Well, I don’t have anything to tell you about Astel, but…!’

 

The maid trembled as she tried to look elsewhere from side to side as she entered the Duke’s office for the first time.

 

–‘I won’t reprimand you, so just tell me what I need to know.’

 

Even if that maid was hiding something about Astel anyway, I would be able to find out from Astel someday.

 

Because she has an honest personality that she could never hide anything, even if she tries to hide it.

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Sally, the maid, who seemed a little relieved to hear that there was no reprimand, opened her mouth carefully.

 

-‘Astel’s self-esteem was a bit low, I think.’

 

-‘What do you mean?’

 

-‘There are people who don’t really like Astel. I’m sure no one was used to teasing or bullying, but Astel always says it’s okay. But that look on her face was so…’

 

The Duke recalled what he had heard the other day.

 

Astel said she was used to people who bully her.

 

But it was just their bad luck, and if they knew her well, they would have no choice but to like her.

 

Because the gentle and sweet Astel did only good things for everyone.

 

–‘Tell me more.’

 

–‘Oh, yes! And she gives us all the potions at no cost, and she doesn’t take anyone’s money…’

 

The maid began to bring out her worries that had only been built up inside her.

 

-‘I’m really worried because she’s so kind that she gives everything!’

 

The Duke noded leisurely, recalling what had been reported.

 

After hearing that, I came to a conclusion.

 

A sly man like Cassian Gray would have already known Astel’s personality, if even the maid who just met her noticed that.

 

Polyamory or what, I will protect her even if that bastard cheats on me, and I will give you money even if you pretend to be a little pitiful.

 

Astel, who was too good, wasn’t aware of Cassian Gray talking about his many relationships, and she seems to have compassion for him.

 

In his hand, the quill was split in two.

 

In the meantime, the heated debate continued.

 

“It would be better to fight the monster war in spring. Approximately six months later, when all the supplies are running smoothly.”

 

“It was a matter that the Emperor also agreed to.”

 

Except for the fact that the only person who could not concentrate was the Duke, who was the final decision maker, it was a perfectly conducted meeting.

 

However, the longer the meeting, the more exhausting.

 

As the night slowly grew deeper and it was time to end the discussion, the record repository called him, with sweats on his forehead.

 

“Well, sir…”

 

The Duke’s hand motion, which had been touching with the broken quill pen, stopped at once.

 

“Yes, I was listening. It would be good to resume the war in late spring next year.”

 

The meeting came to an end with a blunt response from the Duke of Anais.

 

The Duke was scribbling something while staring intently at Cassian’s smiling face.

 

You’re smiling slyly with a shriveled face.

 

Are you excited about the idea that Astel would give you money?

 

The Duke of Anais recalled some conversations he heard in the hallway on his way to the conference room.

 

-‘Did you say Sir Cassian Gray? It was also famous in the capital. Look at that handsome face!’

 

-‘Really, even though he’s a human, I have to admit it. Because he’s truly handsome…’

 

-‘Oh right. Get a hold of yourself! It’s a human! A human!’

 

You think that face is handsome?

 

I don’t think so.

 

The brown curly hair was polished, and the white face like a parasitic worm wasn’t like a knight.

 

The large green eyes gleamed, like those of a serpent.

 

In short, he was ugly and unlikable.

 

  

The words of the beasts who said that Cassian was handsome have less credibility.

 

-‘The Duke is really handsome! You look good in glasses…’

 

Astel said she thought I was handsome.

 

Somehow I felt warm when I remembered those words.

 

Hiding his boiling feelings, the Duke stared at Cassian Gray’s green eyes with a blank expression as usual.

 

Looking at him again, I thought it was a face that made me feel bad.

 

He wanted to cover his face with something, but when he imagined putting on the glasses, a sense of crisis for no reason rose very slightly.

 

The Duke put his tattered pen down on the table.

 

It was only a brief movement, but in that moment, the heated exchange of opinions that had spread like wildfire subsided.

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