CHAPTER 084
When I left the jewelry store, I had two rings on my hand.
The silver ring I bought last time and the ring I just purchased. Both were matching rings with Lewis.
Lewis’s hand was the same.
Looking at his hand with two rings, I asked.
"Why not just wear the new one?"
"Why?"
"You usually find things like that cumbersome."
"Since it’s with you, two rings are fine."
He said it was fine because it was with me. I showed him my hand with the silver ring.
"How about keeping the silver ring as a memento?"
"A memento?"
"Yes. It's the first ring we matched together."
"A memento is nice. I'll keep it separately then."
But knowing Lewis’s personality, would he really show such attachment to a friendship ring?
The fact that he wanted to keep it didn't seem like he’d just toss it aside.
Something feels off...
The possibility I dismissed before was creeping back into my mind.
* * *
Even while I was confused about whether Lewis saw me as more than a friend, I continued to visit him at the tower.
Lewis said he wanted me to come often because of the magic stone he was keeping there.
"Marquis, I'm here!"
I came to see Lewis today as well.
"That magic stone is still the same."
The magic stone Lewis obtained from Silon was kept in one corner of his laboratory.
Unlike this one, the first magic stone he got wasn’t kept separately.
He had already sealed away its magic.
The magic stone in the small transparent case looked ordinary at first glance.
Lewis’s lab had quite a few research magic stones besides this black one.
"How’s your condition? Are you feeling better?"
Pointing to the magic stone, I asked, and Lewis replied.
"I'm fine. As long as you’re here."
Ah, as long as I’m here?
"As long as this is here, we’ll have to stay together."
He said as long as the magic stone was there, he’d keep hearing noise.
Lewis’s words seemed audacious for some reason.
Besides, I was really curious too.
Who on earth had the guts to send that to him through Alain?
How did they manage to evade the pursuit of the tower lord? With Lewis’s magic, it shouldn’t be that hard to catch them...
I spent about 30 minutes there before standing up.
"Why don’t you stay a bit longer?"
"You have work to do. You can't get any work done because of me."
He could just leave me and work, but since he kept focusing on me, it seemed better to leave early.
"And I have something to deliver to Mikael."
"You’re going to the palace?"
"Yes."
Lewis seemed pleased.
"I have business there too. We can go together."
"You too, Marquis?"
"Yes. I have some things to discuss with Mikael."
Since their affiliations were different, it wouldn’t be work-related. Maybe it was some kind of collaboration?
If it was something like that, it’d be better if Lewis came along!
"Shall we go together then?"
"Sure."
Lewis followed me out.
* * *
We arrived at the palace and went to the department where the court wizards worked.
"Mikael, here."
"Thank you, Selina!"
Mikael greeted me with a bright face and took the item I handed him.
It was a magic reagent that Mikael forgot to bring to the palace.
Lewis’s eyes narrowed when he saw it.
"You asked Selina to bring this?"
"Sorry. I meant to bring it in the morning but forgot."
Then Mikael changed the subject.
"Ah, Lewis. Should we move to another room?"
Mikael led us to a reception room inside the department. I followed them as well.
‘It won’t take long, just wait a bit. I’ll see you off.’
Since Lewis would see me off, I figured I could sit with them for a bit.
Lewis and Mikael had a brief work-related conversation. I couldn’t understand most of the terms they used.
It was more serious than I thought...
I quietly sat and poured tea from the teapot, but it was almost empty.
Was what Mikael poured earlier the last of it?
I stood up.
"Continue your talk with the Marquis. I’ll go get some water."
"No, I’ll go. You’re a guest."
When Mikael offered, I waved my hand.
"It’s fine. I have nothing else to do, I might as well do this!"
Then I was guided to where I could get water and left the reception room.
The problem occurred afterward.
Getting the water was fine. But...
"Where was the way back?"
I forgot the way back to the reception room. It was my first time coming this deep into where the palace staff worked.
"Is it here?"
I roughly retraced my steps.
Fortunately, I soon saw a familiar path.
I think I passed through here. This should be, right?
I turned a corner and went deeper, seeing the corridor where the reception rooms were.
"Finally found it."
I mumbled in relief.
Earlier, I came out from where two reception rooms were side by side, so this should be the right place.
Everyone seemed busy working. There was no one in sight outside the reception rooms.
"The room I was in..."
It was the innermost room, right?
The reception room doors were opaque, so I couldn’t see inside from outside.
But I was sure it was the innermost room.
Without hesitation, I opened the door.
"Uh...?"
It was the wrong room.
Moreover, there were faces I didn’t expect to see!
Inside the room were Philip and an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
Philip and the man stared at me with slightly widened eyes.
"I'm sorry. I mistook the reception room!"
I quickly closed the reception room door.
The innermost reception room was supposed to be right. Did I get it wrong?
But that wasn’t the important thing.
It felt like I had opened Pandora's box by mistake.
"What's that on the table...?"
The familiar 'thing' on the table.
They seemed to be talking over a black object that looked very familiar.
A black magic stone with a hint of brown.
It was exactly like the magic stone Lewis obtained!
Lewis said he had artificially infused magic into an empty stone.
Moreover, he mentioned that such stones weren’t originally used as magic stones.
Why was an identical one there?!
What’s going on...
My head felt twisted in confusion, but first, I needed to leave this corridor!
Then the door behind me burst open.
"Lady Elsner!"
It was Philip’s voice.
Ah... Of course, he wouldn’t let it go.
My heart pounded in panic.
I quickly turned around. I couldn’t run away when the crown prince called.
If I had walked a bit faster, I could have disappeared naturally!
"Yes...?"
I put on the most harmless expression I could.
Please don’t ask anything. I didn’t see that magic stone!
"I didn’t know you were here."
"Yes..."
I didn’t know you’d be here either...
I awkwardly lifted the corners of my mouth, and Philip continued.
"But what brings you here?"
"I brought something for Mikael—no, the young Duke Yaniels. Since I was here, I was talking in the reception room, but I got lost while fetching water."
The proof is the kettle I’m holding!
I petted the kettle as if to show it off, and Philip chuckled softly.
"I see. I was talking with the head of the court wizards. I was surprised to see you suddenly."
"I'm sorry. I was a bit out of it."
But why didn’t he mention that?
The thing on the table was definitely the magic stone.
I thought he’d ask if I saw it.
Is he just going to let it slide?
"I should have knocked, but I thought it was my group’s room..."
"It’s fine. It was nice seeing you. Next time, come to visit me. You can come with the young Duke Yaniels."
"Ah, yes. That would be an honor!"
It seemed like he really wasn’t going to mention what I saw.
My conversation with Philip ended there.
I quickly walked back the way I came.
When I turned the corner I passed earlier, I saw Lewis and Mikael. They seemed to be looking for me.
"Selina?"
"The way was that direction. Did you get confused?"
"Was it over there?"
I looked in the direction Mikael pointed with a teary face.
There was another reception room behind a wall.
If I hadn’t mistaken the direction, I wouldn’t have seen that thing.
Or maybe thanks to that, I found a clue faster.
As I followed Mikael with Lewis, I quietly asked Lewis.
"Marquis, do you hear any noise now?"
"No. I don’t hear it. You’re with me."
He said that the black magic stone was like a normal stone without artificially infused magic.
In other words, since Lewis still couldn’t hear the noise?
It means it’s still empty.
I whispered to Lewis.
"Marquis, about the person behind Alain. I think I found a strong suspect."
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