Refusing Your Ex-Husband’s Obsession: A Guide - Side Story 7

Side Story 7

Translator: Yonnee

—

After breakfast in the village, we set off again on our journey. I didn’t forget to provide him with guiding from time to time, and we also didn’t forget to have lunch with the simple packed meals we prepared from the village.

We took the broad expanse of land filled with trees and the blue sky as our scenery and sat atop a tree to eat. The landscape felt even more delicious than eating in a restaurant.

Flying through the air in his arms felt exhilarating. Even when cold winds made our noses tingle, it was still exciting. Moving this way, it seemed we quickly arrived at our destination.

“Is this the Clausent domain?”

“It seems so, doesn’t it?”

“Let’s go down.”

The Clausent domain was much larger than the Closch domain. From the entrance of the city, the vitality of the territory’s inhabitants was palpable. We presented our identification tags to pass through the city gate.

“Hmm? I haven’t seen this emblem before…”

The gatekeeper was puzzled by our family emblem. Understandably, the emperor had only recently granted us the grand ducal title, and since Ciel had personally designed the new family emblem, it was reasonable for him not to recognize it.

Our house’s coat of arms featured the holy sword against the background of blue flames and gisella roses combined with the star Irene. It was inspected multiple times by the gatekeeper before being returned to us.

He scrutinized us up and down with a skeptical look till the end.

If it were any other noble, they might have taken offense, but we saw it differently.

“He’s doing his job very well, isn’t he? Should we take him to the Grand Duchy?”

“It’s not a bad idea, but I feel sorry for Lady Lacie…”

“For a gatekeeper? If it doesn’t matter, I’d like to scout him.”

“If you think so, Ciel, I can’t object.”

Most nobles might belittle a gatekeeper. However, the most critical duty lies not with the knight commander but with the gatekeeper. To guests, he becomes the face of the family, and to enemies—a formidable shield.

“I really like him.”

Ciel kept saying this until we entered the town, seemingly quite impressed. I thought about casually asking Lacie later.

“Here we are.”

We arrived at a place that rented carriages. It didn’t seem right to just fly in unannounced on our first visit.

“Welcome!”

“We’d like to rent your finest carriage.”

“Oh, then you’ve come to the right place. Deneb! Please take the guests inside!”

“Yes! This way, please.”

Deneb, the young man, gestured politely and smiled as he led us. At that moment, Ciel tilted his head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hmm, something feels odd.”

“Dear guests, the carriages inside are premium carriages used by those visiting our lord from other regions. Are you perhaps here to see our lord as well?”

He seemed to be examining our attire closely. While it appeared we were dressed simply, the riding clothes I was wearing were specially tailored by Ciel, worth a year’s living expenses for a territory inhabitant.

“Similar, but a bit different. We came to meet the Count’s daughter.”

“…H-Her Ladyship?”

Deneb’s suspicious behavior made me suspect why Lacie had called us here. Up until now, Lacie was the only female Esper in the Empire, and her male Guide was also unique.

And if that Guide was a commoner, it would make sense for Count Clausent to oppose it.

According to the empire’s laws, within the aristocratic households, only the eldest son was allowed to inherit the family title. Since Lacie was an only daughter, it would be a problem if the person marrying into the family wasn’t of nobility.

Of course, there were new laws in the empire now, but it seemed they were not widely known.

“Deneb is a constellation name, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s correct, ma’am.”

“So, you’re Lady Lacie’s Guide?”

“…Yes?”

His eyes widened at my question. His eyes were a light blue, almost sky-like, perfectly complementing Lacie’s pink eyes.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Ciel quickly grabbed Deneb’s hand and then let go. He spoke with a peculiar expression.

“I can feel aura guiding from him.”

“This must also be why we were called here.”

Perhaps Lacie hoped to teach Deneb what he needed to know as a Guide, among other things.