Episode 37: Her Designated Mission
The residence of the Grand Duke of Lenokhonen in the Imperial Capital.
Violet sat on the sofa, arms crossed, legs elegantly crossed as well. Her brows were furrowed in frustration.
“Still no plan?”
“What plan?”
“Regarding Lady Fervache and Yohan Harsen.”
At her words, Cassis fixed his deep, somber purple eyes on her.
“I can’t act just yet.”
“You’re going to miss the right moment at this rate. What if they get engaged? Then what will you do?”
“I’ll decide when the right moment is.”
Cassis continued, his tone firm.
“I’ll handle it. Stay out of it.”
“How can I stay out of it? Do you have any idea how much humiliation I suffered because of Lady Fervache?”
Violet clenched her teeth, glaring at Cassis. Her voice brimmed with resentment, but he merely stared back coldly.
“That’s your problem to deal with. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Is that how you’re going to be? Even when I have solid evidence against you?”
The evidence she referred to was from the time he mobilized the hyenas to attack Yohan Harsen.
Violet’s words, seemingly intended to threaten him, cast a shadow over his face. His eyes gleamed with icy resolve.
“Evidence, you say.”
Cassis’s low voice reverberated, grating on Violet’s nerves. Each time his amethyst eyes twisted with coldness, she felt the oppressive weight of his deadly aura pressing down like frozen air.
His chilling voice cut through.
“If you’re thinking of blackmailing me, I’d advise against it. It’s pointless.”
His voice was filled with frost. Violet bit her lip and averted her gaze.
“I have nothing more to say to you. Now leave. And don’t concern yourself with this matter any further.”
With that, Cassis dismissed her without hesitation.
“I’ll be watching,” she said.
“Watching what exactly?”
“…….”
At his indifference, Violet gritted her teeth but said nothing more, forced to leave his office.
Thud.
The door closed behind her.
“Hmm.”
Cassis swiveled his chair to gaze out the window, his expression sinking into deep thought.
Yohan Harsen, I haven’t forgotten.
The moment Yohan had humiliated him in the training ground replayed vividly in his mind. His jaw clenched tightly, and the anger he’d suppressed flared up again.
Even after sending hyenas his way, Yohan had stood tall and had the audacity to mock him. Each recollection sharpened Cassis’s thirst for vengeance.
This time, he would show no mercy.
No more leniency. No more delays. The hyenas he would send this time were all first-class, meticulously chosen to ensure a clean execution.
Although Cassis had been the one to initiate hostilities, his infatuation with Francia Fervache had blinded him to everything else.
I’ll strike the next time he embarks on an external mission.
Unlike the First Division, who led from the front lines in battle, the Second Division often undertook missions outside.
That would be the perfect opportunity to move.
Even though his father—the Grand Duke of Lenokhonen—was keeping a watchful eye, he wouldn’t interfere with Cassis simply mobilizing the hyenas.
Besides, no evidence had been left behind last time, so even if Yohan suspected him, it wouldn’t matter.
And there was no need to worry about the hyenas confessing if caught. They were bound by an oath that ensured they would cough up blood instead of spilling the truth.
Yohan Harsen.
Darkness deepened in Cassis’s eyes. The humiliation from their last encounter flickered in his mind, stoking the flames of vengeance.
This time, you won’t survive.
***
As always, Yohan reported to work as a public officer, only to be summoned by the commander.
He didn’t know the reason, but it was probably another designated mission.
“Hello, Yohan.”
On his way to the commander’s office, female officers greeted him with bright smiles.
“Hello. The weather is wonderful today.”
“It really is. Days like this make you want to go out and have fun.”
When Yohan responded with a cheerful smile, the female officers giggled, nudging each other playfully.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I’m going to see the commander.”
“Another designated mission?”
“Seems like it.”
“Take care and come back safely!”
After a brief conversation, Yohan moved on. The women glanced back at him, still giggling as they whispered among themselves.
Finally arriving at the office, Yohan opened the door and found Fedelian seated at his desk, his expression grim.
Judging by his sour look, it was clear he was in a foul mood—likely because of what happened in the audience chamber last time.
That time, Yohan had bluntly pointed out the crown prince as the culprit.
“You’re here.”
Fedelian didn’t even look at Yohan, keeping his eyes fixed on the papers before him.
“What is the reason for your summons? Is it to bask in the favor of the empire once again?”
Yohan smirked playfully, teasing him as if it were a joke.
“If you’re just here to spout nonsense, I’d advise you to stop.”
Fedelian’s serious tone was unusual—normally, he would laugh it off, but it seemed the incident still weighed heavily on him.
“…Anyway, the reason I called you is because there’s another designated mission. Unlike last time, it’s a simple task, so take a look.”
Walking up to the desk, Yohan received the documents from Fedelian and scanned through them.
There was no specific destination or particularly demanding task—just an order to escort someone during a designated time.
“Can such a simple mission even qualify as a designated one?”
Yohan tilted his head in confusion. It seemed odd to summon a Special-Class mage for something so trivial.
“Who knows? Only my fiancée would be able to answer that.”
“……”
Yohan froze at the mention of the word “fiancée.” Could it be that Rudella Bismarck had called for him again?
‘I told her to call me when she needed me… but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.’
Last time, she had even gone as far as having him visit the Topaz Palace.
“My fiancée has been acting strange lately.”
Fedelian’s golden eyes glinted as he narrowed his gaze, almost as if interrogating Yohan.
“What happened back then?”
“Back then? What do you mean?”
“When you were ambushed and had to hide together.”
“Nothing of note happened.”
Yohan truly believed nothing significant had occurred. The only events worth mentioning were him scolding her and holding her hand briefly to share some warmth while offering her a gentle smile.
Could that really stir a woman’s heart? Especially someone as stern as Rudella? It didn’t seem plausible.
“I see. You may leave now. The mission begins immediately, so head to the Topaz Palace.”
Fedelian waved dismissively, clearly eager for Yohan to be gone.
Suppressing a chuckle, Yohan bowed politely and exited the office.
‘He seems really upset.’
And understandably so. Who would have expected Yohan to say such things in front of the emperor?
It could have been considered treason against the royal family, but Yohan had gambled on his understanding of the emperor’s character.
The emperor valued competence above all, regardless of the person’s personality.
That’s why someone as scheming yet capable as Fedelian held the position of crown prince. Despite his dark and sly demeanor, Fedelian was a First-Class knight and outwardly flawless in his role.
‘Guess I’ll go see Rudella.’
Yohan decided he could update Francia later and made his way out of the office.
***
Arriving at the imperial palace, Yohan headed straight to the Topaz Palace.
On the way, he passed through a garden in full bloom with lilies. Under the bright sun, they looked even more beautiful than usual.
The pristine white lilies always reminded him of Rudella—they suited her perfectly.
As he crossed the garden and approached the Topaz Palace, he spotted Rudella standing in the breeze, gazing up at the sky.
“…What are you doing out here?”
Standing beside her, Yohan spoke softly.
“You’ve arrived.”
Rudella turned her head with a faint smile, but her gaze drifted away, avoiding direct eye contact.
“I was waiting for you.”
“The wind is chilly.”
“I’m resistant to the cold, so it’s fine.”
Rudella stood and smoothed out the crumpled hem of her empire-style dress.
“Today, we’ll be heading into the capital.”
“Are you shirking your duties?”
“Indeed.”
Despite her words, Rudella seemed oddly stiff. Her movements were awkward, almost as if she was nervous.
“Escort me until evening. That is your duty.”
“…Understood. I will do my best.”
“You don’t need to be so formal. After all, it’s just a stroll around the capital, isn’t it?”
At Yohan’s serious demeanor, Rudella covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled softly.
“Then, shall we go?”
Rudella took the lead, and Yohan bowed his head slightly before following her.
They crossed through the lily garden and arrived in front of the royal palace, where a coachman greeted them with a courteous bow, as if he had been waiting.
“You’ve arrived, Your Grace.”
“Let’s depart immediately.”
“As you wish, my lady.”
To assist her, Yohan extended his hand from beside the carriage. Rudella hesitated for a moment before trembling slightly as she placed her hand in his.
After she climbed into the carriage, Yohan boarded and sat across from her.
Inside the carriage, the two sat in silence for a while. Rudella turned her gaze out the window, lightly tapping the window frame with her fingers as if trying to mask her discomfort.
“Is something bothering you?”
Yohan asked cautiously. At his low voice, Rudella flinched slightly and looked at him.
Their eyes met briefly before she quickly turned her reddened face back to the window.
“No, not at all… How could there be anything wrong?”
Although this wasn’t the first time they were alone in a carriage, Rudella’s demeanor was unusual.
As the carriage slowly passed through the flower-filled garden, Yohan silently observed the scenery passing by outside the window.
“The road to the capital is quite peaceful.”
Yohan murmured softly. Rudella nodded quietly.
“Indeed. But it’s been quite some time since I’ve taken the time to appreciate it like this…”
However, she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. Fidgeting with her hands as if uneasy, she continued to gaze out the window before sneaking a glance at Yohan, only to quickly avert her gaze again.
“…You really seem like something’s troubling you.”
Finding her behavior odd, Yohan probed further. She had been acting strangely for some time now.
“It’s nothing. Truly… it’s nothing…”
Rudella stammered, shaking her head. She seemed to have something to say but chose instead to press her lips together in silence.
“I see…”
Not wanting to press her further, Yohan simply nodded.
“What do you plan to do in the capital?”
“Uh, well… for now…”
“For now?”
“I was thinking of taking a look around and deciding then.”
Rudella had no particular plans. Summoning Yohan had been an impulsive decision.
“I see. Sometimes, wandering the streets without a plan can be quite enjoyable. It seems you’re considering stress relief.”
When Yohan smiled faintly, Rudella froze for a moment before forcing an awkward smile in return.
“Y-yes. Just as you said, I plan to manage my stress.”
“That’s a wise choice. Stress is the root of many illnesses, after all.”
In truth, the stress Rudella had been dealing with recently was due to Yohan, but she swallowed those words. If he were to discover her feelings, she might never be able to face him again.
“And yet, you still avoid meeting my eyes.”
“D-did I? I hadn’t noticed…”
“You’ve been doing so since we visited the Topaz Palace the other day.”
Yohan deliberately probed further, trying to discern her intentions. If she harbored feelings for him beyond simple goodwill, he would need to distance himself.
Even if that weren’t the case, she was the sharp blade of the Crown Prince. Caution was always warranted.
“Ahem. Ahem.”
Clearing her throat unnecessarily, Rudella widened her eyes and looked directly at Yohan. For the first time, their gazes properly met.
Her sky-blue eyes sparkled brightly, but they trembled incessantly. It was evident she was struggling to keep her gaze steady and not look away.
“…Are you alright?”
“Y-yes. Perfectly fine. No problem. Um…”
She forced an awkward smile and blushed. Seeing this, Yohan felt even more bewildered.
It didn’t seem like she had any ulterior motives. But if she did feel something more than goodwill…
It didn’t make sense.
Rudella?
Yohan couldn’t unravel her intentions as the carriage reached the bustling streets of the capital amidst this awkward atmosphere.
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