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YUURI and Ernest headed for the parlor on the first floor to speak with Major Conquest. As they entered, they saw a woman with glasses seated next to him. She wore a uniform similar to that of the military police and introduced herself as military secretary Ashleigh Lind.
“I was asked to accompany the major in the hopes that having another woman in the room might make you more comfortable. We thought being stuck in a room with Major Conquest alone might be a little too much to ask.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Yuuri wasn’t afraid of Major Conquest exactly. But after such a harrowing experience, she was grateful to have another woman present.
Especially since the major was being his usual taciturn self. Ashleigh took over and filled Yuuri in on everything, including Dan’s condition. He had a few cracked ribs, but his life wasn’t in danger.
Meanwhile, Rosie was in another room in Ernest’s manor, talking with another member of the military police. Those involved with the incident at Baron Thewlis’ manor had been taken into custody.
“Even if they go to jail, they will likely be out soon. You would do well to exercise caution, Count Selden.”
“I’m well aware. But his father at least should have enough sense to keep him on a short leash for a while…and don’t worry, I won’t make the same mistake again.”
“That's all that matters.”
The one who should have exercised more caution wasn’t Ernest, but Yuuri.
She thought back to everything that had happened up to that point, especially the moment when she told him her welfare was none of his concern.
But even Major Conquest could see the truth that she could not.
She knew that she never wanted to go back to being witch and client.
It made her sick to think that a complete stranger had realized how important she was to Ernest before she had. She just wasn’t ready yet.
As they were talking, a servant arrived with an urgent summons, calling Ernest back to the palace immediately.
“Sorry, but there’s a lot going on right now. Can you handle it from here?”
“Yes. Have a safe journey.”
“Major, Miss Lind, I leave the rest to you.”
After Ernest departed, they asked Yuuri about the events that led up to her being taken to Baron Thewlis’ estate. Major Conquest was aware of everything after the baron entered the parlor.
Yuuri told them about how Rosie and Dan had visited her shop and how she had become embroiled in their quarrel. She also revealed that she had agreed to serve as a witness to their promissory note without due consideration.
They finished questioning Yuuri there, intent on hearing the rest from Dan.
“Still, that Count Selden certainly is a bold man, marching into the Major’s office and demanding use of his troops like that. I couldn't believe the Major just relented immediately."
“Be quiet! I did not cave. I just felt I should be flexible with him was all.”
The way Miss Lind told it, Ernest forced Conquest to lend him his men. But that was against the rules, so they framed it as a “friendly visit”. After all, the military police couldn’t act in a case like this without proof.
“Uhm, did Lord Ernest cause you a lot of trouble, Major? It sounds like he made a lot of unreasonable demands?”
“He did!”
“I'm terribly sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for, Ms. Watoh. The count is lucky I don’t have to reCOUNT his actions.”
“Major, your jokes are terrible.”
“I have not told a single joke in my life.”
“Uh-huh.”
Major Conquest was normally a taciturn, humorless man. But with Ashleigh here, he was different. His speech patterns and attitude might not have changed. And yet today, he seemed gentler somehow. She seemed to serve as the straight man to his understated antics. Watching them made Yuuri feel better.
Yuuri watched them with a smile. The two demonstrated the perfect boss-subordinate pairing.
“Well, we should be going. Are you planning to spend the night here? If you need to return home, we can escort you.”
“Ah, uh…mm, I should wait here until Lord Ernest returns.”
Yuuri didn’t live in this manor, after all. And it wasn’t normal for an unmarried, unrelated woman to be staying overnight the way she did. But she couldn’t just leave while Ernest was away without saying anything.
“That’s right. Count Selden has been busy making preparations for his journey, settling all his affairs and so on. I hope he comes back soon.”
“Preparations for what journey?” she asked instinctively.
Conquest and Ashleigh grew pale as if they had just said something they should not have.
“…Ah, well…”
“Settling what affairs? …Is he leaving for an extended period of time?”
This was absolutely not the sort of thing she should have heard from strangers. If Ernest declined to tell her, maybe it was because he didn’t want her to know.
She understood, yet he wasn’t there for her to ask.
“We thought you knew. It was a gaffe on my part.”
“Where is he going? Is this for another secret investigation?”
“No, this is a public matter.”
“Then it shouldn’t hurt for you to tell me, right? You shouldn’t need his permission to tell me.” Yuuri wasn’t asking; she was pressing them to go on with it.
“…I, uh, suppose you’re right. Count Selden is being relocated to Fosdan to serve as our ambassador there. He’ll be leaving in three months’ time.”
“I see. For how long?”
“It depends on how negotiations proceed. He likely won’t be back for at least half a year.”
Half a year without drinking Ernest’s blood was a death sentence for Yuuri. She hadn’t told Ernest that she couldn’t drink another’s blood or even that she preferred death to being away from him. This must be her punishment for not being open with him.
“Thank you for telling me. I will miss him, but there’s not much that can be done if it’s for work. But not telling me…he can be so cruel….how sad.”
Yuuri wasn’t sure what story her posture and expressions told, but she hoped her words at least were enough to be convincing.
She saw the major and secretary as far as the entrance to the manor.
“You look unwell. Are you all right?” Ashleigh asked, peering into Yuuri’s face.
“Do I? I suppose I’m just tired from everything that’s happened. But I really am all right.”
As soon as she let her guard down, all of her doubt and anxiety had found its way onto her face. Yuuri tried to pull herself together and forge a smile.
“Please, get some rest.”
“Well, we’ll be off now.”
After they left, Yuuri took a break in her usual guest room. It had been a trying day, and she felt at ease under the watchful eye of Tarrah and the other maids.
Once Ernest returned home, she joined him for dinner. He figured out right away that something was wrong. But she refused to reveal the anxieties that weighed so heavily on her heart.
Instead, she said she was just distressed from the events that had taken place at Baron Thewlis’ manor. Yet the truth was that she had almost completely forgotten about the day’s events in favor of her worries over losing Ernest.
To calm her fears, Ernest insisted that she was out of danger once and for all. She could return home without fear. Baron Thewlis was in a place where he could never harm her again. Since the sun had already set, she would stay the night at Ernest’s estate and return to her home the next morning.
Ernest asked Yuuri to resume their conversation from earlier, but she lied and said she was far too tired.