CH 112

After finishing her conversation with the Emperor and returning to the mansion, Riett fell into deep contemplation. 

‘How can I contact Perante?’

Sitting on the sunny terrace, Riett absentmindedly gazed at the sky and called for Mishan. As a gentle breeze rustled the ground, Mishan appeared before her. 

“You called, master.” 

“Hello, Mishan.” 

Riett had grown closer to Mishan. The more they spent time together and practiced, the more comfortable Riett felt in Mishan’s presence. 

In contrast, Mishan treated her just as before, without any change in familiarity. From the beginning, Mishan seemed to possess a deep internal bond with Riett, so even if it grew stronger, it might not appear significantly different. 

“What do you need me for today?” 

“I have something I want to ask you.” 

“Please, go ahead.” 

Even the household staff in this mansion weren’t as polite and straightforward as Mishan. 

Riett found it fascinating how Mishan always maintained a courteous and respectful attitude toward her. With caution, Riett asked, 

“Can you find out Perante’s whereabouts?” 

“Perante…?” 

In reality, Riett hadn’t previously mentioned to Mishan how they would find the spirit stone. The reckless plan of teaming up with an enemy had only recently been decided, and Riett had thought Mishan would object. 

If asked for a reason, she would have surely said that the odds were high for her to lose against Perante in a confrontation. That’s why she hadn’t mentioned it beforehand. 

Riett calmly explained her plan to Mishan on how to find the spirit stone. He appeared genuinely surprised, and a gust of strong wind suddenly swept beneath Mishan’s feet. 

“So… you mean to find the spirit stone together with Perante?” 

“There’s no other way.” 

Mishan pursed his lips, his expression grave. 

“But… he would be taking it away from you.” 

“Why do you think that way? We’ve worked hard to avoid getting it taken away.” 

It was concerning to see such negative words uttered so abruptly. Riett worried that it might affect her morale. 

“Yes… you have indeed made significant progress, Master. However, we don’t know how much Perante has grown…” 

“No, I can do it.” 

Riett added, observing Mishan’s unwavering expression. 

“If what you’re saying is true, then no matter how much time we spend, it’ll end up the same. If I improve, Perante will also improve accordingly. Does that mean I can never defeat Perante in my lifetime?” 

“That’s not what I meant, but…” 

“Perante is undoubtedly an exceptional spirit mage. But I believe in the progress I’ve made in this short time.” 

“…” 

“And I trust you too.” 

Perhaps the persuasion worked. 

The tension in Mishan’s narrowed brow gradually eased. Then, with a determined voice, imbued with resolve, he spoke, 

“Very well. I will follow your lead, Master.”

“You thought well. Considering how many crises I’ve overcome… I can do this too.”

In truth, Riett’s words were more of a determination than absolute confidence. 

The importance of the spirit stone made it a matter of utmost significance, so Riett had to mentally reinforce herself as if undergoing brainwashing. She couldn’t let her will crumble.

“If you’re asking about what you mentioned earlier, I can find out Perante’s whereabouts. We just need to find Avlam.”

Riett nodded. Whether it was Perante or Avlam, finding either one would suffice. They would be together.

“However, it might take some time to find them. If I move too far away, it might also be difficult for you to utilize the power of the spirit. Are you okay with that?”

Unable to use spirit magic…? Just hearing that made Riett feel overwhelmed, and she let out a deep sigh.

“Yeah… You need to return quickly. It’s hard without you.”

Mishan blinked his eyes in a dazed manner upon Riett’s words. Then, his ears turned bright red as if embarrassed.

“Is it hard without me…?”

Riett glanced at Mishan, who seemed somewhat touched by the thought.

“Well, if you suddenly disappear after being together all day for several days, it feels empty, and it’s… difficult to go about daily life.”

The power of the spirits, once used, was incredibly convenient. 

Now, Riett wasn’t afraid even if someone tried to assassinate her, and she had confidence in winning against multiple opponents. Of course, it also came in handy for tasks like quickly traveling by command, moving heavy objects without touching them, and more.

Riett had already become accustomed to this convenience. However, Mishan seemed to interpret it with a slightly different meaning.

‘To think that you hold me in such regard…’

Mishan’s eyes sparkled with a hint of joy and he fidgeted in excitement. 

“Very well. I will hurry as much as possible!”

“Good, take care.”

Riett waved her hand half-heartedly as Mishan quickly disappeared.

‘Hmm… What should I do in the meantime without using spirit magic?’

Riett momentarily fell into a daze, realizing that there were piles of things she needed to do apart from finding the spirit stone. However, there was one task that had to be prioritized.

He had to meet Duke Kreutz before he returned to the province.

‘I haven’t had the chance to meet him during my training as I took a break.’

While going there, she could also express her gratitude to Duke Kreutz for keeping her parents, who were residing in the territory, from hearing about the noisy situation and discussing matters regarding Perante.

Riett prepared herself to go to the ducal residence. Her steps were light and filled with excitement.

* * *

Upon arriving at the ducal residence, Evan was nowhere to be found, leaving only Duke Kreutz.

‘Well, that’s fortunate.’

Lately, being around Evan felt strange. Her heart would beat irregularly, cold sweat would break out, and her body would move as if it were a robot. 

These symptoms worsened after the incident in the courtroom. Riett briefly contemplated if she had fallen ill with a fatal disease.

However, these symptoms only manifested in front of Evan.

Riett could no longer deny it.

Riett realized that her unusual symptoms were caused by Evan.

‘Why…?’

She had faced that guy for over twenty years. 

In fact, Evan was included in the reasons why Riett had gone into hiding at the mansion after the trial. Just seeing Evan made it difficult for Riett to focus on anything else.

“Riett?”

Lost in thought, Riett lifted her head at the sound of her name. It was Duke Kreutz standing there. 

Despite the signs of aging on his face, Duke Kreutz still looked dignified. Not only his physical appearance but also the atmosphere he exuded was elegant and refined, making it even more fitting.

Riett rushed toward Duke Kreutz like a young child and hugged him tightly, feeling a warm fragrance emanating from him.

“Is the hiding over?”

“Yes!”

Riett had informed Evan and Duke Kreutz in advance about the reasons for her hiding. She told them it was for training in spirit magic. 

That way, they wouldn’t worry. However, she omitted the fact that Evan was part of the reason for her hiding. There was no need to mention it.

Still, Evan’s eyes conveyed a displeased look regarding the hiding.

“Do you really have to go into hiding?”

Swallowing with a dry mouth, Riett managed to respond, 

“Yes.”

Evan ran his hand through his hair and looked at Riett. 

Seeing that, Riett felt like she had made the right decision in going into hiding, as her heart pounded heavily, like that of a sick person.

“Alright, I’ll wait.”

While waiting for what, Riett wondered. But her fingertips tingled strangely in response to those words.

After finishing her reminiscence, Riett refocused her attention on Duke Kreutz in front of her.

“During the break, I didn’t do anything else. I was fully focused on honing my skills in spirit magic.”

“How were the results?”

“Um… I’ll explain in detail in the reception room!”

Riett took hold of Duke Kreutz’s hand and led the way. She wanted to show him a place.

Last year, they renovated the windows in the reception room on the first floor of the Kreutz’s mansion. The view from there was exceptionally beautiful. 

It was Riett’s suggestion to change the interior of the reception room. Even though it wasn’t her mansion, she offered her opinion boldly because she didn’t want the beautiful scenery to go to waste.

The gardens of the Kreutz’s mansion were always beautifully maintained by a top-notch landscape architect. 

One day, while gazing at the garden, Riett thought that it would be nice if guests could also see the garden from the frequently visited reception room.

Riett had proposed the idea to Evan as soon as she met him.

“Sounds good.”

Riett was ecstatic when Evan readily agreed, but she was taken aback by how quickly everything fell into place. 

The very next day, construction workers started coming and going. The result was a stunning transformation of the reception room. 

Through the large glass windows, a beautifully manicured garden was visible, sparkling even more on a sunny day.

As Riett proudly pictured the rejuvenated reception room, she suddenly felt something was amiss. 

‘Why am I feeling so proud, as if I’m the owner of this mansion?’

The real owner was Duke Kreutz, whom Riett was leading. Duke Kreutz might not have even seen the renovated reception room. 

Evan, with his taciturn nature, would have simply informed Duke Kreutz that the reception room had been revamped and he should go see it first, as Duke Kreutz usually spent his time in the study.

Feeling uneasy, Riett opened the door to the reception room. As expected, Duke Kreutz looked slightly surprised, as if he was seeing the transformed room for the first time.

“How do you like it?”

“Riett must have proposed it to Evan.”

Duke Kreutz quickly grasped the sequence of events that led to the transformation of the reception room. 

‘This rich man definitely has a shrewd side.’

“How did you know?”

“Evan wouldn’t have done something like this on his own.”

“Well, you’re right. I was surprised by Evan’s immediate acceptance too.”

For a moment, Duke Kreutz stood silently, looking at Riett. His narrowed eyes indicated that he had something to say.

“Riett.”

Riett sensed unease in Duke Kreutz’s voice.

“Yes…?”

“By any chance… has something happened between you and Evan?”

Riett couldn’t help but emit a nervous cough, even though she was mentally prepared.

“Why… do you think that?”

“The way I saw you two at the trial left a lasting impression.”

At the trial…

“Evan, I did it!” 

“Riett, well done.” 

Riett hugged Evan tightly after using the power of the spirits to save people. And then Evan had audaciously said to Duke Kreutz and the Emperor, 

“You both have quite the talent for ruining the atmosphere.” 

Ah… When she recalled that moment, her face flushed immediately. 

Fortunately, Duke Kreutz hadn’t mentioned that incident separately, but his attitude seemed to suggest that he knew everything.

On the other hand, Duke Kreutz resigned from his parliamentary position and come to the ducal mansion right after. Thus, the affectionate scene between Evan and Riett that Duke Kreutz had witnessed might have seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Riett felt perplexed. Should she tell Duke Kreutz about Evan’s confession while they were in Parman? But Duke Kreutz had the right to know. It wasn’t just someone else’s business—it was about his only son.

In reality, the fact that Evan was Duke Kreutz’s son was merely an excuse. Riett had a stronger desire to confide in Duke Kreutz about the current situation. 

Riett slowly opened her mouth.

“Well, it’s…”