She glided down the stairs. Her skirt hem busily brushed against her ankles. The paper in her hand crumpled. A maid pulling a tray with teacups and a teapot widened her eyes, but Esperanza didn't care and swept past her. The teacup on its saucer trembled.
"What's wrong?"
"Greetings, Esperanza-nim."
Cyrus said, rising his large body from the sofa. Esperanza strode over and sat in the seat across from him. The maids looked around nervously and knocked on the door.
"...Co in!"
There was no need to take out her irritation on the maids who had prepared everything. The expressionless maids entered and chanically set down the teacups and teapot. Sweet tea fragrance filled the reception room.
"Could you leave the door open just a crack?"
"Yes, miss."
Madeline answered in an unusually calm voice and led the other maids out.
"Is it necessary to leave it open?"
"For
it is."
Cyrus tilted his head. He seed not to understand. Esperanza didn't care and asked while placing a cushion she grabbed onto her lap.
"So, why did you co?"
"I heard you asked the information broker about my whereabouts."
"I just asked to check. I went there for sothing else."
"...I see. I've currently moved my lodgings."
"I'll ask the information broker again when I need to."
The sound of the second hand filled the silence. Ti seed to pass particularly slowly.
"Since you're here, let's check sothing while we're at it. The things Daria or the past you have been up to lately."
"What matters are you referring to? We did many things during this period."
"Using Paolun pirates to block rchant ships."
Cyrus nodded briefly and looked at Esperanza as if asking what problem there was with that.
So from Cyrus's perspective, such things weren't much of a problem. Using Paolun ard independence groups, just using them to seize power within Osdern, acts like gripping and shaking a country's economy to consolidate that power. Esperanza stared at him quietly before sighing.
"How does that matter end? Cider is in Dunbarton right now. The possibility of him getting involved..."
"Excuse ?"
"Why?"
Her spine went cold. Even as she asked, Esperanza sohow felt like she knew the answer. Like black smoke coming out of a pipe, clumped together and formless. Cyrus slowly opened his mouth.
"Esperanza-nim. In the past during this period, Avondale was in his own territory. He never visited Dunbarton."
"...Are you certain?"
"I'm certain. We were looking for the count's whereabouts. If he had been in Dunbarton at that ti, we would have known."
"But he must have gone because of what you guys did. Because of the magic stone nationalization issue..."
If it hadn't been for Esperanza, he wouldn't have gone. So it's because of
after all. Esperanza, who had been grinding her teeth, let out a deep sigh.
It was already done. The reason wasn't important now. She needed to focus on what she could do now.
"How is that problem resolved?"
"We didn't want things to turn out that way either. We'll pressure them moderately to increase opposition forces to the cabinet, then solve the pirate problem. It won't be an amicable resolution though. Tempton will have to take responsibility."
What kind of matter would require a cabinet pri minister, not a military official, to take responsibility for such an incident? What exactly were they planning to do?
"Tell
properly. What is it?"
"Please close the door."
Esperanza slowly rose from her seat and pressed the door closed with her back. Cyrus opened his mouth.
"Among the pirates who received Daria's help, there will be talk of seizing Osdern ships taking advantage of this opportunity. Warships would be fine, rchant ships wouldn't be bad either. If they can take hostages. Of course, that alone won't invalidate the annexation treaty, but they'll be able to gain various things. And at that ti."
Wait. Esperanza's eyes widened.
"You're going to kill them all?"
"We'll open a dungeon at sea."
"You're insane!"
Cyrus didn't make excuses. It was an insane plan. Truly considering nothing but their own interests.
"Yes. It's an insane plan. But that was the conclusion."
"Why do things this way? Isn't this too much?"
"Because no evidence remains at sea. It's not yet ti to reveal the existence of dungeons."
"But you blockaded the sea routes."
Then what ships would be sailing?
"That's not a problem. Esperanza-nim, we've blockaded for now, but we just need to lose a few tis and withdraw."
Right. That's how it is. Esperanza shook her head blankly.
"What about Cider? The possibility of Cider being on that ship?"
"I don't know. The past I knew has changed."
That was all Esperanza's fault. Because she hadn't acted with the thought of leaving the past as the past. When there were people in front of her, she saved them, when there was information she needed, she sought it. She imprinted her existence on people.
She changed situations and changed people. Now that it was certain everything was real, she didn't regret what she did then, but it was painful that she couldn't guarantee Cider's safety.
"...What kind of ship was it? The ship that was taken hostage in the past."
"It was a warship."
Esperanza was inwardly relieved. It was better than a ship with civilians being captured. And if it was a warship, the possibility of Cider being on it was much lower.
But she couldn't overlook even the smallest possibility. Esperanza bit her lips tightly.
'It's because of .'
Though she attached various reasons, ultimately Cider had left for Dunbarton to avoid Esperanza. Cider, who would originally have been peacefully absorbed in research in his territory, was in new danger because of Esperanza.
So no matter how afraid she was of being rejected, she had to go. In fact, she was even glad to have a reason not to stop. Esperanza gripped the door handle with trembling hands.
Her decision was made.
"I need to go to Dunbarton."
Cyrus nodded. Esperanza let out a big breath. Plans were truly pointless. Just monts ago she had decided not to go to Dunbarton, but that decision changed as easily as flipping a palm. Still, she had to keep what needed to be kept. The major principle hadn't changed.
Cyrus, who was getting up from his seat, spoke as if he had forgotten.
"Esperanza-nim. If you happen to et Daria again, please avoid direct confrontation."
Direct confrontation with Daria. The culprit who made the ga and brought them here, the person who killed Cider in the past, the owner of the Golden Claw.
An enemy. But an enemy she could defeat.
"Why?"
"Daria won't be able to tolerate being threatened in this world."
"We've already fought once. Briefly, but."
"You probably didn't attack first. Don't push Daria into a situation she can't control. That would change the situation too drastically. You need to let Daria think."
So don't provoke unnecessarily and drag things into a situation where the situation changes too drastically and past knowledge becos useless.
It was true that Esperanza was stronger, but she had more weaknesses because she had more to protect. The part where she could gain a definite advantage was Cyrus's mories of the past. She could understand that they needed to prevent Daria from being conscious of them, who hadn't existed in the past.
"Won't we inevitably clash while dealing with the dungeon?"
"Daria of this period won't have ti to watch until the dungeon is resolved. Our existence won't be able to affect that world. You don't need to worry about encountering her before the new year."
Esperanza thought for a mont and asked.
"Is there any possibility Daria might abandon reality's affairs and focus on this side?"
Cyrus was firm. His eyes held warmth for the first ti.
"That's impossible."
She didn't bother to dig deeper for reasons. She had a feeling it would be a sensitive matter.
Cyrus seed worried that Esperanza might probe further, so he kept his mouth shut after that and hurriedly left. Esperanza remained sitting in the reception room, briefly organizing her complicated thoughts.
Fragnts of information floated around and soon settled calmly. It wasn't sothing to ponder over for long. What was most important right now was that there was even the slightest possibility Cider might get caught up in Daria's plans.
Going to Dunbarton and finding Cider. For now, let's not think about anything else.
Esperanza nodded and opened the reception room door. Annie, who had been standing blankly outside, was startled.
"Annie, sorry but could you pack... why are you like that?"
Annie looked at the closed front door with a strange expression, then asked with blank eyes.
"Miss, that gentleman who just left is the one we saw at Avondale before, right?"
"Huh? Oh, right. Did Cyrus do sothing to you?"
"Not exactly."
Annie hesitated with her lips pressed together. As an employee, it wasn't proper to discuss the master's guests. Especially when that guest hadn't done anything particular.
But if she was trying to say it despite knowing that, there must be a reason. Esperanza reassured Annie with a deliberately light laugh.
"It's okay, I don't like him much either."
Annie glanced over Esperanza's shoulder with a sowhat relieved expression.
"I encountered that gentleman earlier, and his expression, I might be overreacting but... it wasn't the face of soone looking at a person."
She didn't quite understand what that ant. Annie seed to realize this too and quickly added.
"Originally, gentlen and ladies don't really notice maids like us. But it wasn't that feeling, rather he looked like he was seeing animals or objects rather than living people, sohow dangerous... No. I think I said sothing unnecessary."
Annie trailed off, but sohow there was sothing she could guess. Cyrus's attitude that was indifferent to the point of cruelty. Even when talking about rciless massacres he had committed in the past, even when speaking of the death of soone right in front of him, there was no trace of consideration. During the 7 years of gaming, Cyrus had been blunt and unexpressive, but he hadn't been such a cruel character. Had he changed? Or did he not feel they were worth considering? Why?
When Esperanza fell into thought, Annie, who had been restless for no reason, exaggeratedly exclaid "Ah!" as if to show off.
"Right, what did you ask
to do earlier?"
She obviously knew it was changing the subject, but she decided to go along with it.
"To help pack. I'm going to Dunbarton. And about that matter, I—"
"No, you don't need to! More importantly, Dunbarton, why?"
"To find a certain count."
"What? Oh, then what about this invitation? The butler told
to bring it to you."
An invitation? Esperanza, unable to hide her puzzled expression, took the invitation from Annie's hand. The na written in elegant script on the envelope caught her eye.
Cordelia Mabelwood.
As if subtly showing her impatient nature, the date written on the invitation was tomorrow. Rather, it was fortunate it was so soon. At this rate, it didn't seem like it would greatly interfere with her schedule.
"Dunbarton, where are my winter clothes. They'll probably be insufficient."
Annie muttered while propping her chin. Esperanza, who had been gauging the dates, turned her head.
"Why winter clothes? Annie, are you planning to go too?"
"Were you thinking of leaving
behind?"
Esperanza, who had naturally been thinking exactly that, rolled her eyes. Annie put her hands on her hips and said.
"It would be dangerous to go alone... well, maybe not! But Dunbarton is difficult for first-tirs. The roads are complicated there, the dialect is thick, anyway it'll be hard!"
"I'm going to do dangerous work."
"You just need to take
until before you do the dangerous work! Anyway, when it's really dangerous, you'll slip out the window like you always do, right?"
It was a logical conclusion derived from experience. How does she know so well when she's never been involved in dungeons? Speechless, Esperanza closed her mouth.
A mont later, Annie grinned.
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