It was a few hours before the Imperial Palace's security magic was lifted that I received a ring from Zenon—precisely speaking, a communication magical tool disguised as a ring.
Complaining that he'd been tormented too much by the Magic Department people and that it had been difficult coming up with an excuse to see me in the midst of it all, I sat him down in the backyard and immediately told him to stay at the Imperial Palace a while longer.
Though my words took the form of a request, they were essentially closer to a notification or command.
"Excuse me? Why would I stay at the Imperial Palace?"
"I'm moving my residence to Roam's mansion at midnight."
Zenon jumped up and resisted fiercely. However, there was no helping it. If both Zenon and I disappeared at the same time, how would that look?
At least officially, Zenon had to be completely unconnected to my whereabouts.
Moreover, Zenon was someone who had a natural reason to remain at the Imperial Palace while also being one of the few people I could trust.
"Didn't you say the Imperial Magic Department was begging you to stay just a few more days?"
"I won't stay!"
Zenon shuddered as if he'd been betrayed by me.
"Stay here and handle a few things in my stead instead."
"There's Prince Heinrich!"
"I'm going to pass evidence of Roam's corruption to him. I need a courier, and there's no one better than you."
To deliver documents to Heinrich, it had to go through the most trustworthy person. So who else but Zenon?
However, Zenon still wore a hardened expression.
"What about those animals? Can't we just tie them to a cat and send them?"
[That's animal abuse. The author truly has no blood nor tears. I will handle this.]
Ignoring the furious Minte snarling beside me, Zenon stubbornly insisted he absolutely wouldn't stay.
"Things in Roam will be over quickly. I don't intend to drag it out like at the Imperial Palace."
"Even so..."
"Just clean up Roam. After that, I can really travel comfortably."
Because they won't be tracking me in the Imperial Palace, nor in Roam. They'll be in no state to do so.
I said it calmly, but for some reason, Zenon gazed at me with a subtle expression.
As if he had glimpsed some emotion on my face.
He didn't insist any further. Instead, he spoke with a worried voice.
"That place is crawling with nothing but strange people, isn't it?"
"They want me. They won't try to harm my life."
"But they could suppress you in any way to make you submit. Just like the people of this Imperial Palace do."
That was also true. I fell silent for a moment, then slowly parted my lips.
But before I could say anything, Zenon sighed first and continued.
"...I hoped I wouldn't have to use this."
He pulled a ring from his chest. It was a dark brown ring with no patterns, completely smooth. I didn't know what it was made of, but its subtle sheen was somehow elegant.
Staring at the ring, I said in a calm voice.
"I have no intention of marrying yet."
No matter how anxious he is about being separated from me, skipping all the middle steps so pointlessly—what is this?
When I looked at Zenon with a hint of reproach, his face turned bright red.
"Th-that's not it!"
"Not it?"
"It's a magical tool! A communication magical tool!"
"You deliberately made a communication magical tool as a ring?"
"I was flustered when I received it too, but, well, ha, really!"
His face red as he laughed empty laughs into the air, he finally bowed his head deeply and let out a long sigh.
"Yes, well. It's true that I was pleased that it happened to be ring-shaped."
"I like your honesty."
"Really, there's no emotion, no excitement..."
Zenon muttered with a pout, looking defeated. Though when I reached out my hand, he became wide-eyed like a startled rabbit again.
"You're giving it to me, aren't you? Hand it over."
He looked at me with a dazed expression, then let out a deflated laugh. Then he carefully took my hand.
I meant it literally—just give it to me—but he seemed to take it another way.
He lightly held my hand and carefully slipped the ring onto my finger. His action looked very solemn, as if performing a delicate task.
"If you turn the ring this way, you can receive my calls."
Whether to explain how to use the ring or not, he didn't let go of my hand.
"If you turn it the other way, you should be able to contact me."
No, it didn't seem like it was just to explain how to use it.
His fingertips lightly rubbing mine seemed a bit... reluctant to let go.
"It's a high-level communication magic that can do everything from simple voice transmission to summoning the other party's projection. I got it from my brother, so I can guarantee its performance."
'Ah. So Dekin came to the capital—he must have met him.'
As I let out a low exclamation, he continued.
"Especially when summoning a projection, the sender's consciousness entirely transfers to the projection appearing on the receiver's side. So you must absolutely cast it from a safe place."
Even as he listed the precautions in detail, he didn't let go of my hand. Zenon really went on and on about every little thing.
"And..."
"Still not done?"
"It will be. Just wait."
I suddenly grew curious.
Was he putting on an act hoping I'd notice, or did he really think I wouldn't know and was doing this?
Curious to see how far he'd go, I stayed silent, but he couldn't find any more excuses and reluctantly let go.
The ring that had seemed loose faintly glimmered, then adjusted to fit perfectly around my finger.
Finding that fascinating, I was quietly looking down at the ring when I turned my gaze to Zenon.
"What about yours?"
"Ah, I have one too. Here..."
"Give it here."
When I snatched the ring from his hand and put it on his finger myself, the expression Zenon made was...
Honestly, I had to admit it. It was quite cute.
His eyes wandering without a place to settle, his lips pressed tight, the blush on his cheeks that wouldn't fade—all of it.
"I'm not asking you to marry me."
"I-I know!"
It was a rough, thick, masculine hand.
Completely different from Maxel's fair, white hands. Calloused even though he didn't wield a sword, and unexpectedly large enough to cover my hand entirely.
I finally understood a little why Zenon had been touching my hand like that. Because in that moment, Zenon's hand felt quite fascinating to me too.
I had intended to just put on the ring and let go, but I hesitated for a moment for that reason.
...I didn't expect Zenon to miss that split second and promptly interlace our fingers.
"We're not marrying, but you're placing meaning in this, right?"
"Meaning?"
"I confessed to you. We kissed, and we exchanged rings too."
For someone who had been so flustered, it was a remarkably direct expression, and I couldn't help but be surprised.
As I stared with wide eyes in silence, doubt gradually filled Zenon's sparkling pupils.
"Lady Anelli?"
Hmm, indeed, that indignant expression suited him better than being shy.
"You're not planning to play with me, are you? I'm your first love, you know? You're not toying with my innocent heart, are you?"
"Ah, I heard somewhere that first loves don't..."
"There are three people in the Magic Tower alone who married their first loves."
Oh... So the mages of the Magic Tower are all pure-hearted romantics?
"But in high society, broken engagements, new betrothals, and infidelity are frequent."
"Is that damned high society some kind of den of immorality?"
Zenon shook his shoulders in disgust. Yet the fact that he still didn't let go of our interlaced hands was somewhat amusing.
"You can learn about proper and healthy dating culture through me at this opportunity."
"I'll think about it."
"Yes, good thinki... what?"
"I said I'll think about it."
At my calm answer, Zenon's jaw dropped. Naturally, he was filled with a sense of betrayal.
"Didn't we implicitly become that kind of relationship?"
"Just from one kiss?"
"I did this on purpose, even preparing a gift the next day... I knew this would happen. You've been so thoroughly corrupted by that strange noble culture, you shouldn't tease people like that."
Grumbling, Zenon didn't press me any further. Of course, he didn't let go of my hand either.
It was a very... strange and fascinating experience. He pressed nothing upon me, yet he didn't hide his desires either.
'Come to think of it, I was being a bit mischievous.'
Thinking back, if I had been in his position, I might have been quite annoyed too?
—Compared to the Imperial Palace, this mansion is far too easy. Even if you warp, no one would notice.
I snapped out of my brief reverie.
Zenon, in smoke form, was looking around various parts of my room, detecting any potentially dangerous magic that might be present.
It was fascinating that a simple projection could do even that, but Zenon's foresight in buying the magical tool from Dekin as if predicting such a situation was also impressive.
—Call me and I can come right away, so if anything happens, use the ring unconditionally.
"I am the Captain's escort knight, servant!"
—...Please be careful not to remove that person's helmet.
Even without Zenon's warning, Palides's helmet was already firmly secured.
Fixed tightly enough that it wouldn't come off unless someone tried to crush the head with a hammer or axe.
—By the way, are all Imperial Palace mages like this?
After roughly confirming my safety, Zenon sat in a chair and began cursing the Imperial Palace mages in earnest.
Occasionally when the Durahans made responses Zenon couldn't understand, Palides translated each one to him.
Then Zenon would get heated and scold the Durahans, and the Durahans would hover around me as if trying to get a rise out of him.
The first night at the Roam mansion passed in that somewhat noisy manner.
Then, when late night came and it was time to retire to bed, the depression I had felt since entering the mansion had washed away completely.
* * *
There were three "people" with whom Anelli shared her plan to overthrow Roam.
Prince Heinrich, who would maintain balance between the Emperor and Duke Roam with his hollow laugh. The mage Zenon, who would serve as a liaison between Roam and the Imperial Palace.
And the holy knight Samuel, who would have to guide her again after all matters were concluded.
Having coaxed and persuaded the priests who insisted on saying their final farewells to the Resurrected One and sent them away, Samuel sat on the edge of the bed with a drained expression.
Officially, it was known that he had returned to the Grand Temple with the priests.
However, he was currently staying in the capital under a hidden identity.
This was because he needed to prepare new false identification documents for the upcoming schedule and plan a route out of the capital to Belladia Valley.
To the Temple, he had made the excuse that he "must carry out a secret mission in accordance with God's will." In truth, that wasn't wrong either.
"God's will."