CH 2.17

It is not certain, but some who admired him without much feeling may have given up after reading the article that he was already engaged. If so, just knowing that made it easier for him to breathe.

‘That’s a great news.’

Lacius reached for the steaming tea in front of him. Then he attempts to drink it all at once, mindlessly—

“cough!”

“Are you okay, My Lord?”

“Cough, cough, cough!”

The tea has gone down the wrong pipe.

Theobalt quietly performed his butler duties while looking absurdly alternately at the empty teacup and at Lacius, who was now covering his lips.

“I’ll fetch you some ice and burn ointment.”

“…..Cough, cough!”

“Please wait a moment.”

Lacius was about to say it was okay, but he couldn’t take his hand away from his mouth because he was coughing.

The cough went away only after Theobald bought cold ice water with the ointment.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen the master so absent minded.”

Theobalt subsequently applied ointment on Lacius’s inflamed lips. Lacius kept quiet at the old butler’s reprimand.

He decided not to say anything about it.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to share his thoughts with Theobalt, who is like a father to him, but he didn’t want to come forward and discuss it. He was also disappointed in himself.

“I’ll report on the matter you requested an investigation into the other day.”

Thankfully, Theobalt immediately shifted the subject. Lacius quickly tightened his face muscles and assumed a commanding posture.

“First, he appeared in the capital a while ago, mainly going between cheap bars and inns. He is also believed to have a strong interest in newspapers.”

“In the newspapers? Does he know how to read our writing?”

“Yeah, I’m guessing he’s from the ‘Ram’ clan at the very least.”

“No, he might come from the ‘Kun’ clan.”

Lacius’ expression darkened considerably.

The desert’s nomadic peoples are separated into dozens of groups. That was why, despite being formidable warriors, none of them could stand up against the Empire.

However, there are groups with large populations among them, as well as a powerful clan that lives and resides near the oasis.

‘Ram’ and ‘Kun’ were their names.

They were proficient in the Imperial tongue.

They were beings with the potential to be a threat.

“How about his physical appearance?”

“He has black hair and red eyes. He has a tattoo on one side of his face, according to reports.”

“That had to be a ‘Lakum.'”

“Yes, it is a warrior’s mark.”

The desert is a difficult place for people to live.They had to be strong to live, whether they were men or women. So, every three years, they gathered every race to take the warrior test, and those who passed were tattooed with ‘Lakum.’

Only warriors can bear this mark. Everyone in the desert is in awe because just by looking at him, you can know he is a warrior. Of course, it has no meaning in Terran’s Imperial.

“If he has black hair and red eyes, he is most likely a member of the ‘Kun’ clan. Then that might be him.”

“That’s correct.”

His chest scar immediately stings. Lacius tapped his fingertips on the desk.

He was the one who brought together dozens of desert clans to organize an invasion of Terran.

It’s been a while, so maybe he’s planning another attack.

“It turns out he’s been around the mansion for quite some time, except from the day he was discovered by Maynard.”

“Do you have any witnesses?”

“Yes, there is. The proprietor of the inn where he had been staying for a long time said he (desert warrior) read the newspaper every morning as if he was looking for someone. He even inquired about Archduke Schweiden. He’s not sure why, but he seems impatient about something.”

“There must be a reason for that.”

“Yes. maybe… .”

“Shay?”

“It could be.”

It’s not a positive statement.

But Theobalt’s only responsibility was to convey the facts clearly. It was the lord’s responsibility to judge, not the butler’s. He was reminded of Shay, who looked evasive when asked about the desert.

Something seemed off.

‘Let’s say they’re connected…’

He must have tracked out Shay, who had fled to the desert from Edmund’s kingdom. However, she was kidnapped by human traffickers shortly afterwards.

Is that all?

He tried to chase after her, but it would have been difficult to find Shay after she had left the desert and been auctioned off.

Shay’s reaction, on the other hand, remained uncertain.

The fact that he appears impatient and frantic must be due to his affection for Shay. But Shay appears not to know, and she shows no signs of looking for anyone. 

‘Was she telling the truth when she stated her memory was foggy and she couldn’t remember everything?’ 

‘Maybe her amnesia is real.’

Lacius raised his brows and thought.

Could Shay be a desert snitch?

Such doubts arose abruptly, but he quickly disregarded them. The likelihood that he will choose Shay from among the countless slaves is extremely low. The desert people he knew weren’t the type to employ such devious tactics.

“What should I do when we finally meet?”

“Do you want to meet him?”

“No, not yet. Simply keep an eye on it.”

“That’s fine.”

One thing is certain.

A warrior would never leave the desert unless Shay was his ‘Mate.’

Having ‘Lakum’ on his face signifies he is protecting the desert. Except for the sake of their mates, there was no reason to cross the desert boundary.

Because desert clan warriors only have one mate for the rest of their lives.

If you look at it that way, the pieces will fit better.

Lacius gave Theobalt a blank stare. Theobalt set down the freshly brewed tea, which was less hot than before, and then left.

Lacius, who was alone, thoughtlessly raised and lowered the teacup. He also did not take out the documents that he needed to check immediately.

Shay could have been someone else’s lover.

Thinking about it, he felt his gut twisting for no apparent reason.

* * *

The sun was shining brightly.

The sunlight was so bright that it woke me up just by shining directly into my eyes. Then I leaped out of bed like a spring.

“Maid!”

I’m not sure what happened, but it appears I fell asleep before calling the maid yesterday. I wonder why but I usually fall asleep when I go out somewhere like this, sigh. I sighed as I looked in the mirror and saw the same clothing I wore yesterday.

“How come you woke up wearing the same outfit you wore yesterday and still looked beautiful…”