Soon after, I saw knights gathered far away in my sight when I arrived close to the drill hall without encountering even a single person.

I took a glance, and fortunately, I didn’t see the owner of the blonde hair whose presence was so powerful.

Still, if I came closer to the knights and greeted them, I was sure there would be someone who would report it to Orion.

That would be troublesome.

After thinking about it for a moment, I looked around and found someone walking.

The workers of this mansion, which was usually too burdensome, strangely couldn’t be found even for a person today.

Suddenly, someone showed their presence behind me, who was looking troubled.

“Ahem, khm. Is there anything you need, Young Lady?”

Strangely, the servant who talked to me with leaves on his head appeared from the dense garden, not the walkway.

“Erm, can I meet the knights for a moment without Young Duke Orion knowing?”

“Pardon?”

“I want to meet Sir Bayhan Rune. Without the Young duke knowing.”

At my request, the servant’s eyes sparkled greatly.

Then, he nodded loudly and said with a happy face.

“Of course I can call Sir Rune for you. Because that person is! The closest person! To the Young duke! Surely I will actively cooperate.”

What is it that you will actively cooperate?

I took a closer look at the servant in front of me.

He looked fine on the outside, but seeing the corners of his mouth twitching and his eyelids shaking, tiredness must have accumulated within him.

Maybe that was the reason.

The reason why I couldn’t find any workers today.

I wondered if they were resting because of the accumulated tiredness.

“Please just tell him this. ‘I want to have a talk alone with you.;”

“Of course!”

Then I added seriously,

“Please take a rest after you finish your work.”

“Of course, of course.”

After answering to trust him, the servant disappeared with a proud expression.

Not a long after, a maid came closer and secretly whispered to me.

“Please follow me.”

The place she guided me to was a separate house behind the mansion.

If the whole mansion exhibited elegance and antiqueness, this place had a lighter and more comfortable atmosphere.

As soon as I sat down carefully, someone showed their presence behind me.

“Did you call me, Young Lady?”

Sir Rune, who approached quickly, sat in front of me with a light smile as usual.

This was our first meeting after the awkward parting last time.

Looking up at his sweaty bangs, I reached out the handkerchief next to me.

He smiled brightly.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Putting down the handkerchief, he opened his mouth.

“This is the first time our Lady visited the Duchy on your own. You’ve always rejected the invitation with any excuses.”

“I know.”

Come to think of it, that was right.

This time again, I eventually came to this place because of my needs, so I felt my conscience aching.

Sir Rune asked softly, with his shining and friendly eyes.

“What is the reason you look for me, Our Young Lady?”

He wasn’t a subordinate who had to obey my request.

If I dare to say, he looked like he didn’t really like me.

However, there was no other person who was good at adapting to the situation no matter what kind of situation it was other than him that came to mind.

My friends were too noticeable, and even if I tried to hire an actor now, it would be difficult to find them in a short time.

Therefore, this was an action that bloomed from my desperate situation.

I took a short breath then braced myself to say my request.

“I want you to be my brother.”

Right at the moment I said that, I could hear a noisy sound behind me.

When I looked back in surprise, I saw a brilliant blonde running out of the hidden space inside the wall.

It was the owner of the blonde hair that I was worried about if he was in the drill hall.

I looked in the direction where he disappeared without a trace, then asked carefully.

“Where did Orion show up from just now?”

Somehow, Sir Rune covered his face with his hands and didn’t answer.

At the same time, the door opened and several workers holding firecrackers popped out accompanied with a bright and cheerful sound of instruments.

The people surrounding Sir Rune and I hardened there with flustered expressions.

The excited instrument stopped, and the servant who came in late said quietly,

“Lord Young Duke left the house on a horse. His destination is unknown.”

“. . .”

Why did he suddenly tell me about Orion’s destination, and why did everyone look confused?

I carefully asked Sir Rune who had not said anything yet and was still covering his face.

“Can’t you explain to me about this situation?”

So, why did Orion run away like that?

No, in the first place, where did that person pop up from?

Sir Rune, who. kept his silence only raised his head after a while later.

He, who always wore a light smile, somehow looked very tired.

I looked at the direction where Orion came out.

At first glance, it looked just like a wall.

Well, of course there would be a secret passage in the Duke residence.

I wondered if I found one of them.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“That is not the problem, oh, please, this Young Lady . . .”

Sir Rune’s voice sounded very dark.

Silence surrounded us.

Since I couldn’t understand this situation, I couldn’t easily say anything.

Sir Rune sighed as if he was troubled.

The loud bands and the servants stepped back in a hurry and the scattered petals remained on the ground.

Why did they come here with a bunch of musical instruments?

And why did they leave this place in a hurry with such pale faces?