CH 68

“No matter how……I should be intimidated, cough, cough. I don’t know anything! I just took the money and left the order!”

A bloodthirsty cry rang through the cellar.

The eyes of a black wizard who was bound to a chair and staring at the man who stood in front of him became weary. On his body, there were telltale signs that he had been interrogated.

Ian took the watch out of its hiding place in his chest and checked it.

It’s been quite a while since he entered this interrogation room.

“You are a stickler.”

Ian tilted his head.

“Is your family held hostage?”

“Uh, what…… I really don’t know anything. I mean, I just did what I was told! Please!”

“Or your lover? Either way I’m willing to bet that your loved ones will endure more pain than you can possibly imagine if you choose not to speak up right now.”

Of course, Ian has no intention of hurting an innocent person, no matter how much he is involved with a criminal.

However, the wizard’s eyes widened as if the threat had worked.

“H-How do you know where it is……”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll figure it out in some way. Now, what are you going to do? Are you going to put something in your mouth any time soon?”

The wizard trembled all over his body.

Ian could finally tell that his night shift was over, so he put his watch back in his pocket.

Thirty minutes later, the wizard who had vomited everything passed out as if he were dead.

Ian’s eyes got smaller as he thought about what he had discovered.

‘Nine of the dark guild.’

It was his belonging that the wizard had revealed.

Ian knew about Nine. The Empire’s cancerous existence. A group of worst criminals who will not think twice about taking a life for the right price.

However, they would not have been bold enough to do something openly in the capital city of the empire.

‘Besides, it’s a plan made to bring me out.’

The wizard swore under oath that he did not truly understand what the magic that was for him to use.

He only hit him and said he didn’t know while pouring yellow liquid between his legs, so that must be true.

He didn’t know what the magic circle was for, but if it was to bless himself, it probably wasn’t a magic circle.

‘It’s about someone joining hands with Nine to harm me.’

The culprit was roughly guessed.

Since he has already had the blood of two blood relatives on his hands, it would be nothing to hesitate to remove even the last remaining blood relative.

Ian gave a sneering grin as he thought about Rashid, his older brother.

In recent years, Ian thought he had decided to focus more on his values had rather than his hatred for him, but it seems that he has had a change of heart about this decision.

‘How far can he go?’

After retrieving and inspecting all of the items that had been up for bid in the dark auction, investigators came up empty-handed in their search for a piece of paper that revealed the true name of the great demon.

In the end, it was all false rumors.

Someone must have used a spell to call the incubus to Rycalion, as that is the only explanation for why it was there. Ian, who had doubts from the beginning that such a great demon had descended out of nowhere, immediately sensed that it was an intentional summon as soon as he heard the rumour about the paper with his true name written on it.

And the culprit must be the same person who spread false rumours about this dark auction.

According to the logic that Ian used, Nine and the Emperor would be the ones responsible for all of this.

‘But is he really that insane to think he can let the Incubus loose on the land that I rule over?’

He couldn’t tell.

Over ten years had passed since he had left the imperial palace. It is not known to what extent the brain of his brother, who had been dead for such a long time, has rotted further.

Thinking so, Ian slowly stroked his hair.

It seemed as though his hair, which had turned silver without him even noticing it, was flowing through his fingers.

“Commander. This is Joan.”

At that precise moment, a courteous tone of voice could be heard coming from the direction of the door.

“Please come in.”

When Joan entered the room where the interrogation was taking place, she sported a look of unusual exhaustion on her face that was not usually seen.

It was a portent of the punishment that she would have to endure as soon as she returned to the cathedral.

“What about the saintess?”

“She fell asleep.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re more loyal to that person than I am, as long as I’ve attached you as her escort.”

“…….”

“However, you should never put that person in a situation in which they could be in danger. No matter how much the person wants it. This is my only order.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Joan paused for a brief period of time with her head bowed.

“……I beg your pardon, Commander.”

When Joan finally raised her head again, there was a fleeting look of perplexity in her eyes.

“This is what happened when the saintess encountered the Nightmares today……It’s possible that what I saw was an illusion, but I can’t say for sure.”

There is no way that someone as talented as Joan could confuse what she saw with her own eyes.

Still, the reason she had her doubts was that it was impossible to happen in real life.

Ian had a hunch about what Joan was trying to say.

Ian continued to stare at Joan while slowly opening his mouth.

“There is a bone in madam’s words.”

“…….”

Joan opened her eyes wide.

Even though it was just a simple hint, it was enough to make Joan get it. Ian knew that she had seen the same thing he had. That she was not mistaken.

“The saintess……”

Are you sure she can use commandments?

Unable to finish her words, Joan fumbled her lips.

One word she uttered was still clear in the sight of the Nightmares falling down.

The commandment is never a commonly given power.

An ability that is given like a miracle only to those whom God truly cherishes and loves.

Ian also admires it as a power bestowed by God to the empire, but even he did not have the ability to speak.

‘The fact that the commander blocked the saintess’s mouth at that time… … Could that be the explanation?’

The scene where Ian hugged Irene in the middle of the battlefield was still vivid.

Although there is little known information because it is such a rare ability, it was obvious that it would consume a lot of divine power. Ian stopped Irene from losing a lot of her divine power.

Joan, who quickly grasped the situation, spoke firmly.

“I won’t let the saintess use her power directly ever.”

“Don’t let me down. This time.”

“Yes.”

Ian said to Joan, who bowed her head deeply.

“A spy hid among the maids.”

Joan turned her head because she didn’t expect those words.

“I will catch them right away.”

“No, that’s not necessary. I already know who they are.”

“Then……”

A confused light flashed in Joan’s eyes.

Joan’s eyes lit up with confusion.

Ian’s words made it sound like he knew who the spy really was but was choosing to turn a blind eye to it.

“There is no peril if you know who they are. It’s just a matter of throwing enough useless prey and keeping them in check.”

Joan nodded slowly.

Ian was right. If anyone dared to put a spy in the cathedral, they would try to put in another spy even if they were caught and kicked out.

Instead, it was much better to play with spies in the palm of your hand.

Ian was used to this. It wasn’t a matter of a day or two for the emperor to plant spies next to him.

But this time, the purpose was more obvious. All of a sudden, the spy was put into Irene’s bedroom maid.

“However, I’ll make sure that spy doesn’t mess around with her.”

Ian gave Joan a description of the spy It was to keep them from approaching Irene secretly.

The selection of Irene’s bedroom maid was also scheduled to be adjusted to her personal maid.

Even so, it wouldn’t be too much to spy on what kind of relationship he and Irene would have so that he wouldn’t be too dissatisfied.

Ian looked at the wall clock. A long time after midnight. Even now, his wife would still be in bed by herself.

***

I slept like I was dead.

It was almost noon when I opened my eyes.

The interrogation by Ian made me anxious, and as a result, my entire body was overly tired, but I was unable to sleep for such a long period of time.

‘Is it because of the burden on my heart?’

When I thought back to the task that the shadow had given me the night before, my stomach got tight.

No, it wasn’t a feeling; it was really twisted. My stomach, which had skipped breakfast because I was sleeping, seemed to be at its limit.

“Ugh, how long have I slept?”

Before I knew it, it was time for lunch, so I quickly washed my face and changed clothes before leaving the room to eat.

“Sir Ian arrived at the restaurant first.”

Annette’s whispers made me hesitate.

Still, since we’re married, we eat together a lot when we’re not too busy, and it looks like today is one of those days.

“Hmm. Wouldn’t it be kind of sad if he found out I had been sleeping until now?’

I retrace my steps to get out and put some more water on my face for no reason.

When I entered the restaurant, Ian, who was perfect as usual, was sitting there looking like a famous painting, in contrast to me, who had just woken up and was a little puffy from sleeping in.

“Are you awake now?”

Ian, who glanced at me, said as if he were going to throw it.

As expected, he shows off a lot. I tried to hide the embarrassment I was feeling by sitting down as though nothing had happened.

“I was a little tired. Ian didn’t come in last night, right? I was lonely even in my dreams.”

I put on a show because I knew the attendants to serve the meal. At first, I got goosebumps, but by the end of it, all this acting seemed like nothing.

‘By the way, there are some servants I haven’t seen.’

For example, the orange-haired, pigtails hair girls who served Ian by his side.

“How could you leave your wife? You were really mean.”

Even though I know Ian is busy with work, I did a good job of acting like a charming new bride.

One of Ian’s eyebrows moved up once, but he quickly spoke up without giving it much thought.

“I’m sorry. If I had the same mind, I would never have left your side.”

‘Hoo.’

I whistled inwardly.

People say that humans are animals that can learn, and Ian, who used to be like a wooden rock, now knows how to act as a couple in a pretty natural way.

The moment I thought so, Ian opened his mouth again.

“So please give me a chance to make it up to you.”

Huh? What chance?

As I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected words, Ian smiled at me and said,