I watched Ruspell leave through the window before asking.

“About Ruspell, wasn’t he really strange today?”

The spirits, who had been hiding and watching us the whole time, suddenly appeared in the air.

• He’s always a strange human, but today was on another level. I seriously don’t get why he’d bother explaining spell formulas to someone who doesn’t even know the Arcane Language. He did the same thing to you before and got the crap beaten out of him.
• Yesterday it felt as though he’d only cracked the door open a little. Today, it was wide open. But Professor Ruspell isn’t the type to open his heart this quickly, is he? Considering that, I’d say his behavior was anything but ordinary.

That was exactly what had been bothering me. I couldn’t figure out why his attitude had changed so abruptly.

The salamander flicked its bright red tongue and snickered.

• Hehehe, I know the reason.

“Huh? Why?”

• He was by himself for a while this morning. I secretly followed him, and I caught him hiding this.

Salamander fished something out of his mouth and spat it onto the floor.

An intricate doll made of paper. An object I knew all too well.

“A paper doll?”

• That son of a bitch was acting crazy just to do this. He wanted to distract you. I bet he hid one somewhere in this room too.

“…That was all? That’s not a big deal.”

So, Ruspell pretended to be friendly just to hide a paper doll without me knowing?

Strangely enough, I didn’t feel bothered by it at all. If anything, I’d expected this day to come

‘So, they’ve finally realized that I’m a hopeless stalker.’

Leonhart had probably told them everything at Charles’ Beer.

In the end, the three of them had joined forces to save their friend from the clutches of a stalker.

I don’t know what Owen’s role is, but Ruspell’s clearly the one keeping watch. Otherwise, why would he hide a Paper Doll in my estate?

‘And the reason Ruspell suddenly changed his mind about helping with the proposal after missing our appointment…right. It was all so he could plant the Paper Doll.‘

Though, for someone who was supposedly just there to plant a spy device, he’d gotten awfully invested in the proposal.

Then again, once Ruspell became absorbed in something, he tended to throw himself into it completely..

“Still… who hides a paper doll in a guest room? Who’s even going to use that room? If you’re going to hide one, at least put it in my bedroom.”

I clicked my tongue before suddenly clapping my hands together.

“Everyone! Shall we start looking for the paper dolls now? If you find one, don’t destroy it; wrap it in something like paper, so that Ruspell can’t spy through it. How does that sound?”

• Ooh! Whoever finds the first one gets to be called ‘Big Brother’!
• I’m in!
• Fuck, everyone move! Gnome! Don’t just stand there like an idiot, hurry up and find one too!
• (Nods!)

The spirits scattered in an instant. I remained alone and finished the design sketches.

I thought I would be short on time, but thanks to Ruspell’s help, I had plenty of time to complete the design.

“Hmm… it’s done.”

For something I did reluctantly, it’s decent enough.

If this were an assignment, maybe a B+? It’s a shame it’ll just be thrown away, but it can’t be helped.

I decided to be satisfied with the fact that I’d finished it in time for the date I’d promised Leonhart.

***

The Grand Plaza.

A crowd of nobles supporting Leonhart had gathered in front of the tent.

Their eyes remained fixed on the entrance to the plaza as they waited for Adrianne to arrive.

“Oh, there she is. She managed to make it on time.”

“She’s as dazzling as ever today. But do you think she actually brought the proposal?”

“She’s far too proud to show up empty-handed. Though I’m sure it’ll be about the level of an academy assignment.”

“Do you really think Her Grace wrote it herself? That’s what I find hard to believe.”

“She probably paid an academy student to do it. It’s not as though she’s short on money.”

“Haha, that would make more sense.”

The nobles whispered among themselves as they watched Adrianne step out of the carriage.

Rumors that Adrianne was preparing a proposal had already spread among the nobles.

Since even the Emperor had shown interest in the Duchess’s proposal, it was safe to say everyone knew.

Of course, no one had any expectations.

Adrianne had no history of writing things like proposals.

She could simply give orders; there was no need to persuade others through a proposal.

For such a person to complete a plausible proposal in just five days was nearly impossible.

Everyone expected Adrianne’s proposal to be beneath even the standard of a school exhibition project or else to be someone else’s work that she’d simply claimed as her own.

Walking elegantly, Adrianne stopped in front of the nobles. Their eyes immediately settled on the leather binder in her hands.

“What are you all gathered here for?”

“Ah, we, uh, we have gathered to assist His Highness to ensure the construction proceeds smoothly—”

“Has construction already begun?”

“N-no, it has not.”

“Then I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Her piercing blue eyes scanned the nobles arrogantly.

Moments earlier, they had been openly mocking Adrianne.

Now, not a single one of them dared utter another word.

Adrianne was a person who could make others submit with a single glance.

Though she was less than half the age of most of the nobles present, the pressure she exuded was on an entirely different level.

“Where is His Highness?”

“H-he is inside the tent.”

After entering the tent, Adrianne came back out shortly after.

Everyone had expected her to get on Leonhart’s nerves, but it seemed she had simply handed over the proposal and left.

That alone was surprising enough, but then Adrianne added something even stranger.

“The inside of the tent is quite shabby.”

“Pardon?”

“You said you gathered to assist His Highness, yet you’re doing nothing.”

“…Pardon?”

One of the nobles asked for clarification, but Adrianne merely gave them a frosty look, as though the question wasn’t even worth answering, before turning and walking away.

The nobles could only stare blankly at one another.

“W-What was that about? Does anyone have any idea what the Duchess meant?”

“Wasn’t she warning us? We are, after all, nobles who support the Third Prince.”

“Ah! You’re right. She was warning us that no matter how much we support His Highness, it’ll all be for nothing.”

“Indeed, she isn’t the type to just leave quietly…”

It was then.

Crash!

A loud noise echoed from inside the tent. Startled, the nobles rushed inside.

The interior of the tent was a mess. Documents were scattered all over the floor.

Seeing the leather binder lying open, it seemed to be the proposal Adrianne had brought.

The nobles whispered behind their hands.

“It seems His Highness threw the proposal!”

“It looks that way.”

Leonhart stood with his back to them, making it impossible to see his expression,  but the atmosphere was ominous.

Ashir eemed to be calmly trying to soothe him, yet it clearly wasn’t working.

Anger radiated from Leonhart’s broad back.

The nobles, gauging Leonhart’s mood, began to pick up the documents and read them.

“…N-no, how did she think of this!”

“Oh, isn’t this a truly groundbreaking proposal?”

“If this plan is carried out, it won’t merely commemorate His Majesty’s birthday; it will benefit the Empire for years to come! This is extraordinary!”

“Wouldn’t following this proposal be far more beneficial than simply building a statue of a hero? His Majesty would likely be more pleased as well.”

“I assumed it was nothing more than a cheap trick to interfere with His Highness… but what on earth is this?”

“How could we possibly guess what the Duchess is really thinking? Still… this certainly puts His Highness in an awkward position.”

“Indeed. His Majesty will undoubtedly ask about it, and anyone can see that the Duchess’s proposal is the superior one…”

“Ahem! Q-Quiet down, everyone. His Highness is deep in thought.”

The noble who regained their senses first gave the others a look to read the room.

The nobles who had been praising Adrianne’s proposal suddenly shut their mouths.

Breaking into cold sweats, they began to compete in belittling the proposal.

“…K-khm! It’s, it’s decent, but if you look closely, it’s full of flaws.”

“E-Exactly. Considering it’s the Duchess of Ivrante’s proposal, it’s… well… not incredible. Just… somewhat convincing.”

“Groundbreaking… it’s absolutely not, though it shows a bit of thought. But it falls short of His Highness’s plan to build a statue. Yes, indeed.”

“….”

The tent fell silent.

One by one, the frightened nobles quietly slipped outside.

Only then did Leonhart turn around and glare at the proposal the nobles had left on the floor.

Ashir sighed and picked up the proposal.

He was genuinely astonished by how exceptional Adrianne’s proposal was.

Had the Duchess decided to support Leonhart? He wondered for a moment.

After all, if this proposal were adopted, the one who stood to benefit the most would be Leonhart.

“Your Highness, what will you do? It seems a shame to quietly bury a proposal like this.”

Leonhart knew it too.

The fact that the Grand Plaza construction should be modified according to Adrianne’s proposal.

That was why he was angry.

Not because her proposal was superior to his.

But because he was disappointed in himself for falling so neatly into her trap.

‘I wanted to build a statue of Adel… so that everyone could remember her.’

Leonhart closed his eyes tightly to suppress his anger.

“Bring Ruspell and Owen.”

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