Chapter 17

Chapter 17

TL/Editor: Yana/gummy

As soon as he entered Aster’s room, Ritaus walked towards Aster along the magazine covered floor.

“What are you doing?”

Ritaus’s field of vision was filled with newspapers strewn across the floor as Aster flipped through the newspaper, cut out, and pasted certain articles into his notebook.

It was the same story.

“I’m cutting out some articles. Ritaus, is this the bride who left you?”

Aster held out his notebook with newspaper articles and photographs attached. Ritaus, who was staring at the album, furrowed his brows.

The articles Aster was collecting were about his ex-fiancée Kayla Vesta. They were all articles covering the same event. Photos and printouts showed Kayla curstying faintly at Berg Station. Aster was just collecting photos and prints of Kayla.

“What are you going to do with them?”

When Ritaus asked, Aster’s expression became innocent as a lamb.

“Isn’t this photo funny?”

The photo of the article that Aster showed was of Kayla struggling with her face covered in blood.

“Is your hobby collecting funny pictures?”

It was a picture that appeared worse than it really was. Ritaus wondered why Aster had picked it up.

“Is something wrong? She’s so bright that I can’t take my eyes off her.”

Ritaus remembered how Aster looked at Kayla at Berg station.

He thought Kayla leaping in defense of the trembling Aster was a blunder, however, it seems not.

“At first, I was going to buy only one or two newspapers, but somehow I ended up buying everything.”

Aster’s appearance resembled that of a fan that followed the knights of the Kratie Academy.

“Thanks to this girl, I was able to escape safely without being brave. Even if it was a little late, I would have had to use my powers.”

“If you did, I would have to inform the Palace.”

Aster looked at the photo of Kayla that he had cut out.”

“So the efforts were still in vain.”

“You’ve become a big fan,” Ritaus spoke with indignation as he looked at more newspaper articles on the ground.

“Do you mean to say this is fanaticism?”

When Aster started, as if he had been enlightened, Ritaus repented and said:

“I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Then, as a fan, what would you send her? What can I send? A doll? Flower?”

“Why are you suddenly interested in Kayla Vesta?”

“Ritaus is afraid that you will send Kayla a gift,” said the spirit that remained with him.

“Since you are elemental, are there spirits around you right now?”

Aster closed his eyes to Ritaus’s words.

“That’s what I hate about my spirit.”

Aster, the last of the Spirit King’s blood descendants, was the only person who could speak to spirits, an elemental.

For Ritaus, the elemental’s existence was more alien than magic because he could not sense or see them.

“What did they say?”

“Kayla Vesta is the only one who understands me. Go away.”

Aster’s gaze, which seemed interested and worried, gave Ritaus goosebumps. Spirits can never lie. They always told Aster what they knew.

“I don’t like this girl. She cannot get close because Ritaus is present.”

“The servant who just passed by insulted you because you are not a woman, even if you pretend to be one.”

Because of what the spirit said, Aster’s situation worsened.

“I cannot determine the identity of the traitor hiding from the Duke Lithi …”

“Incompetent spirit.”

“You’re talking nonsense again. Make sure you listen to the spirits in moderation.”

He gave serious advice, but Aster rejected his words.

“It was Schuette, wasn’t it? Part of the Shitsuro Shield Set. They say that they can only be used by the heirs of the Vesta family.”

Aster even wrote the story of the Vesta family in an article and a column on the two treasures.

“Please, just think about staying calm. When did you go out to buy the newspaper again?”

Ritaus was concerned because Aster’s interest in something new did not always bring about good results. Ignoring Ritaus, Aster opened another newspaper.

“Literally in the morning. Should I contact a security guard? Even if I run away, no one will notice.”

“In the morning? You broke discipline for newspapers, of all things?”

As soon as Ritaus looked out the window and saw the guards guarding the mansion door, he glanced at his pocket watch.

“Isn’t it time for you to return to your room? Why don’t you go?” Aster’s voice was full of irritation.

Usually, he would ask Ritaus to stay with him rather than return to the bedroom. This made him feel that somehow Aster was changing.

The Kratie Boarding Academy only altered the rules for staying outside home for students who received the knighthood. So, if the house was nearby, one could immediately go from it to the Academy.

“You have not been here for a long time, even if you received a letter. I was scared to come here…”

At Aster’s words, Ritaus had nothing to say. This was because when Franz was at the Academy, he mostly stayed in the dorm. However, there was no longer a reason to stay there since Franz left.

“I will support you for a while. There is a barrier here but not outside, therefore, please refrain from going outside.”

Aster grumbled at Ritaus’s words, twisting his long hair between his fingers.

“Barriers are useless now. Wasn’t the barrier defective at Berg station?”

“That’s because someone raised the barrier. If the barrier was not tampered with, the Blood Demon would not have been able to enter.”

“I’m sure they must have freed him on purpose.”

He looked at the floor.

‘It looks like Aster is again interested in the unread articles.’

Then he lifted his head as if thinking about it.

“As for the maids and attendants who died while staying with me, I am investigating them. Have you been investigating?”

Aster’s maids and attendants were crushed by the Blood Demon at Berg Station. Ritaus suspected there was a traitor among them.

“I checked their history and everything appears to be fine, therefore, I saw no reason to go to the Palace. But the new guard still has a poison purchase record.”

“Who?”

Aster looked at him with purple eyes.

“Ted Bisson.”

When Aster tilted his head, Ritaus sighed.

“Ted Bisson is the short man with dark cropped hair. When you are with someone try to remember their names.”

“I can die at any moment… So what for?”

“Do not dare say this in front of His Excellency, Duke Lithi.”

“It doesn’t matter how much decisive action is taken against new personnel. Grandpa doesn’t know when to give up… By the way, what kind of poison did I take?”

Aster’s low voice was cold.

Arriving at Berg Station, Aster was poisoned by a cookie given to him by his maid. In addition, the maid who knew about Aster’s predicament provided him with water, which was also poisoned.

“When I inspected the poison left in the water, it turned out to be a medicine that diminished a magician’s power. They were targeting you.”

“Is this a warning to me? ‘Don’t you even think about going out’?”

“Even if we want to know about his intentions, Ted Bisson is dead.”

Ritaus clicked his tongue. He was always agitated that he could not catch those who threatened the Duke.

Aster was never interested in the identity of the traitor, although Ritaus thought he was well aware of the situation.

“Let the evil spirit go to the city. The Mad Empress is insane.”

Aster credited the appearance of the Blood Demon at Berg Station to the Empress. Although there was no evidence, Ritaus agreed with Aster’s idea.

There was no one but the Empress who would try to send Aster to the next world.

“You are about to take the crown from the Crown Prince, and I’m sure you would like to start with getting rid of me, your biggest annoyance.”

Aster was on the verge of death several times. There were many direct death threats as well as poisonings. More often than not, this happened when Aster left his room.

However, Berg has never had such a big event like this.

“Maybe it was the Second or Third Prince… Upon learning of your existence?”

Aster’s mouth twisted into a grin at Ritaus’s words.

“I would kill more promising candidates, I do not think that I would have had time to eliminate the unrecognized bastard if I were them.”

“You are the last descendant of the Spirit King. This is why they are afraid.”

Aster, however, no longer listened to him. He must have found another issue he liked, so he worked hard to carve it out with the scissors.

“I want to personally meet with Kayla Vesta. Can you let us meet?”

“What?”

Ritaus’s furrowed his brows again, but Aster’s face betrayed nothing.

“Let me meet her. Introduce me.”

“We broke up. No matter how well you organize everything, you cannot say that we have a good enough relationship for a social invitation. What will you do when you meet her?”

Aster tilted his head to Ritaus’s question as if pondering something.

“I don’t know… what I should do?”

“What?”

Aster’s reaction stunned Ritaus.

“Why? Is it complicated? What do you want to ask her?”

“It’s a secret…”

Aster was not used to keeping secrets from him. Besides that, of course, Aster was interested in Kayla Vesta.

Ritaus felt dizzy but couldn’t understand why he was so upset.

“Don’t create accidents while you’re in my house. Magic and talking with spirits is prohibited!

“What did I do to deserve that? Don’t you think you’ve decided to ban too much?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know why. In the future, my house will also need to hire a magical healer. All thanks to you!”

Throughout their childhood, all the people who were traumatized by Aster were healed by the magical therapist of Duke Lithi.

The magical therapist was Stefan. He was a highly sought-out therapist hired before Aster was born.

His main task was to heal the victims of Aster, rather than treating his employer.

Fortunately, everyone was unharmed and still working with Count Ayjar. This was because the Duke Lithi offered a considerable payment in exchange for their silence.

“For now, I’ll stick with that, so don’t worry.”

Aster, smiling, took the newspaper at his feet and again began to cut out the photographs, which he then added into his notebook.

‘Is it that interesting?’ thought Ritaus, picking up the discarded newspaper. The article contained a brief description of Kayla’s performance.

[Suddenly a demon appeared that not even the guards could handle! A curious young girl with courage maintains the safety of the Imperial Capital.]

Ritaus recalled the events at Berg Station that he had witnessed.

On that day at Berg station…

‘When he arrived with the Kratie Knights, the situation was already under her control. Everyone was impressed by the fact that only one girl ran without hesitation against the terrible Bloody Demon. Kayla Vesta only held the sword for a few months. The original crew of the Kratie Knights, who were late, had no time to waste. But they also couldn’t take their eyes off Kayla.’

As Aster said, Kayla was dazzling.

‘Perhaps if Franz was there, even if he had Schuette, he would have stood still because he was a sensitive child.’

He had to admit it.

‘But why?’ Ritaus’ heart sank. ‘Why do I keep thinking about her?’

On that day, after a one-on-one meeting with Kayla, his engagement was completely broken off. Since that day, he constantly thinks of Kayla.

His heart was heavy and confused. It was difficult to determine what those feelings were unlike when he quickly realized his feelings for Franz.

He was confused.