I Became a Slave to the Man I Abandoned Novel (Completed) - Chapter 133

“Hahaha, that’s absurd…”

“The knight pages couldn’t be helped, but all who pledged oaths of loyalty remain,” Demetri stated.

“Are you all out of your mind?” Nox demanded, his voice sharp. Demetri looked at him as if he didn’t understand the problem. Nox, dumbfounded, briefly clutched his head.

“Common sense… no, you were never particularly sensible.”

“I am merely glad you remember,” Demetri replied, his tone still hard to discern between stoic and brazen. Nox wrestled with whether to laugh or not. Demetri looked at his face, then asked, “Is there a place for us to return to?”

At the question, Nox briefly covered his mouth. To be honest, he had considered re-establishing the knight order. However, the thought of having to rebuild the Rainerio Knights entirely from scratch weighed heavily on him. He’d doubted if any knight would still serve him now, with his body fallen and defiled.

Yet, like fools, they had waited for him. Nox lowered the hand covering his mouth and, after a beat, responded, “…Of course.”

“We are only grateful,” Demetri said, rising and bowing again. His demeanor was unchanged from before. Nox blinked, feeling for a moment as if he had returned to his former self, untouched by suffering. As his gaze drifted, Demetri spoke.

“Your Grace is unchanged from before.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“How can you tell?”

“I’ve known you for a long time.”

“…I could never win a war of words with you, could I?”

“Indeed. Speaking of which,” Demetri continued.

“What is it?”

“That aide who clings to your side.”

Nox’s brow furrowed slightly. Demetri, too, must have heard the rumors that Esterion was Nox’s consort. Was he about to offer some harsh criticism related to that? Nox smiled, a little crookedly.

“Honestly, weren’t you someone who used to be so uninterested in such matters, to the point I wondered if you had issues with your sexual function?” Demetri asked.

“…What?”

“It’s a blessing that you’ve finally found a proper person now.”

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

So, Demetri, this man’s way of thinking is quite peculiar. Having a male consort was, in fact, not unheard of in high society, but it was rare to reveal it so openly. Yet, Demetri saw it as a blessing.

“How do you know he’s a proper person?” Nox asked.

“He looks like he listens well.”

“That much is true, but…”

Nox‘s judgment of people was surprisingly accurate, perhaps even more so than his own. Should I tell him later that Esterion is a fake consort? Nox thought, turning his gaze. Demetri, unaware of Nox’s thoughts, continued, “If you set a date, I will visit your mansion.”

Nox replied without hesitation, “Tomorrow, immediately.” Nox smiled, a rare, unburdened laugh escaping him. “Your place to stay is still there, unchanged.”

“…” Demetri’s eyes widened, then he offered a faint smile and nodded. “As you command.”

Demetri answered without hesitation. Nox looked at him, unchanged, and then, a thought occurred to him, he said, “Will you participate in this upcoming hunting festival?”

Demetri asked, puzzled, “Unless there’s a major change, I plan to. We are a martial family, after all.”

“Right. Because you’re a martial family,” Nox said, as if it were nothing. He tapped and stroked Demetri’s shoulder. “Something interesting will happen.”

“Pardon?”

“It just will.”

“You’ve certainly gathered a lot of secrets since I last saw you.”

“That child who used to follow you around, he’s certainly gone now.”

“A pity.”

“A pity, indeed.”

Nox then left the terrace. Esterion, who had been waiting outside, naturally followed him. Nox looked around. He noticed a few familiar faces, those who had belonged to his knight order. When his eyes met theirs, Nox offered a faint, unconcerned smile.

“It’s best to return early today.”

“You’re leaving early.”

“I’ve seen who I needed to see.”

Nox walked through the crowd and left the party. Esterion, out of habit, shielded his back.

Inside the carriage on the way back to the mansion, Nox fell into deep thought. Esterion remained silent, as if not wanting to disturb him.

‘Every single one of them waited for me…’

Honestly, it was so moving that his eyes felt hot. But now, after some time, a hint of doubt crept in. Did they truly all wait for me sincerely?

‘I can’t tell how far the Emperor’s influence reaches…’

Nox assumed that since Khalid was now within his grasp, if any of the former Rainerio knights had been compromised, Khalid would have already mentioned it. Still, it was better to be sure.

The carriage stopped, and Nox stepped out before Esterion. He then calmly ordered the butler, who naturally followed him:

“The Knights.”

“Yes?” the butler replied, confused.

“Tomorrow, my knights will arrive, so have the Knight Commander’s office, the Vice-Commander’s office, and their living quarters ready by the end of today.”

“Ah, understood.”

Nox continued, “Nothing’s been touched?”

Referring to the knights and the unstated subject, he was asking if any of the former knights had been compromised. The butler, having no knowledge of such matters, shook his head.

“Ask,” Nox commanded.

“Understood.”

He had become a direct line of communication. As the butler nodded, Nox and Esterion entered the room.

The butler stood there, his head aching with worry. So, I need to ask if the knights have been tampered with, and I also need to report that Esterion Launder is spending the night with the Duke? His head throbbed.

Just then, Angela bustled by, carrying a tray with a teapot and cups, heading for the Duke’s room. The butler stopped her.

“Did the Duke call for you?”

“No?”

“…Then why are you going in now?”

“Well, he’s back from outside, so he must need tea, right?”

“…How do you know that?”

“Just a hunch?” Angela said, smiling brightly. The butler gave up trying to think and trudged back to his own quarters. Angela, naturally balancing the tray with one hand, knocked.

Knock-knock.

“It’s Angela.”

“Come in.”

Angela naturally opened the door and entered, placing the tray on a nearby table. Esterion, who was helping Nox with his clothes, looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“I found something out,” Angela said.

“What is it?” Nox asked.

“It’s not about Duke Khalid Via.”

“Then what?”

“It’s about after you attended the party.”

“Did you put a tail on me?”

“More like an informant who was at the party.”

“Can’t let my guard down.”

“There are probably a few people influenced by the Emperor there.”

“The list?”

“It’s fresh information, so I’ll organize it and submit it separately.”

Nox, having finished undressing and now in his gown, asked her, “…How many are there?”

“Not many. About five?”

“The total attendance was one hundred and twenty, so that’s not a large number,” Nox mused.

Angela added, “I’ll also find out the exact reason why they sided with the Emperor as quickly as possible and report back.”

“Do that.”

“Oh, and,” Angela said, smiling as she subtly made a gap with her fingers, “could I sell this story a little?”

“The fact that the Rainerio family has a knight order again?”

“Yes, exactly. We need to be the fastest with information, don’t we?”

“Do as you please. It’s actually surprising you even asked.”

“I’m just friendly,” Angela said, pouring tea into cups with a smile. There were two steaming cups, and she vanished out the door with a “have a good time.” Esterion offered a brief assessment of her.

“I can’t figure her out,” he said.

“Indeed,” Nox agreed. He suspected she held a fairly high position in the information guild. Nox began to examine the letters the butler had placed on his desk earlier that day.

As expected, he casually dropped the useless ones onto the floor. Esterion quietly watched the papers fall, mentally noting to clean them up later.

“Ah, it seems it’s going ahead after all,” Nox muttered.

“What is, Your Grace?”

“The first-anniversary hunting festival.”

“Will you attend the hunting festival?”

“It would be rather awkward if I didn’t.”

“…” There were times Esterion felt he couldn’t grasp Nox’s thoughts, and in such moments, silence was the best approach. Nox tossed a letter bearing the Imperial seal onto the table.

“Get some sleep. I’ll send you out at dawn.”

“Yes,” Esterion replied.

Nox left only one candle burning on his desk. Esterion moved about on the bed for a moment, then removed his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt completely, and collapsed facedown onto the bed.

He’s gotten used to it, so now he does things like that, Nox thought, looking at Esterion, who lay on the bed with his eyes closed. Nox wasn’t sure if he should be exasperated or pleased.