Chapter 100: Ink Against the Crown

“If you are talking about Spes Umbra’s pheromones, I am perfectly fine.”

Even Philius’s pheromones, which stopped everyone else, couldn’t affect me at all. Even though I can smell his pheromones now and know what kind of temptation he is sending me with them.

“That’s a relief.”

Philius showed a genuinely relieved expression. His hand touched my cheek. And he closed his eyes. As if gauging my body temperature felt through his hand. Or as if ruminating on the fact that his pheromones, which dominate the consciousness of others, have no effect on me. That fact seemed to reassure him.

“Phil.”

When I called his name holding his hand touching my cheek, he opened his eyes. Blue eyes shone like gems. Before I could read the emotions contained in them, he turned his gaze and looked down at Spes Umbra fallen on the floor. The light I witnessed had disappeared before I knew it. The eyes looking down at him were just cold.

“Call a carriage and send this man to the Umbra mansion. His father will be very pleased.”

Philius’s words were directed at the only person who had cheered for the officers. He answered obediently with blurry eyes, “Yes.”

“Shall we go back now?”

I said holding Philius’s hand a little tighter.

“Shall we.”

A peaceful smile began to return to his face. I captured that moment in my eyes without missing anything.

****

“It finally hits home that Scott Joyce is one of the publishers of this newspaper.”

The one-page newspaper detailed the incident from a few days ago. Along with a large drawing occupying half of one side. It depicted officers and mercenaries saluting each other.

Unlike the plain article in the first issue, this one was embellished with all kinds of rhetoric and the reporter’s imagination. It was a lengthy narrative describing the perilous voyage they had to endure to return home and the profound sense of loss the brave officers felt at the sight of their unwelcoming homeland. It felt more like a scene from an epic poem than a news article.

And the core of this article was that these heroes saluted the mercenaries who had been treated as insignificant. It was to inform that while elevating the officers who returned after hardship, mercenaries also played a part in Henia’s victory.

“I heard that one is selling the best among the newspapers released today.”

“I thought so.”

It was an article completely different in tone from the Prime Minister’s media, which attacked the King stating it was true that the generals returned and Henia won in the New Continent, or the King’s media, which published articles about tea time in the Red Rose Garden without mentioning officers at all.

Some would have agreed with this article, and some would have been furiously angry. Regardless of their opinion, they would have had to buy this newspaper.

“Will the next issue be published?”

Especially the King’s media seemed to want to erase the word war altogether. As if realizing only now that Henia’s victory does not translate into the King’s glory.

The tea time in the Red Rose Garden was like a signal announcing the weather has become chilly. It was also a means to show off the royal family’s majesty. This time, in addition to that, it contained the intention to advertise that Rubrum Mine is still robust.

But such a stopgap measure couldn’t prevent people’s distrust. According to Paul, the more influential the figure, the pickier they were about rubies. They said they would spare no expense for Pigeon Blood, but most other rubies were being shunned.

It is a situation in stark contrast to the inquiries about synthetic diamonds, not yet on the market, showing no signs of subsiding.

No matter how addicted the King is to drugs, he couldn’t be unaware of this fact. The rumor that Count Umbra, the Lord Chamberlain, is trying to dispose of his assets wasn’t just a rumor.

That’s why the future of this newspaper looked even darker. Since it’s revealing only the parts both the King and the Prime Minister want to hide.

“The declaration to execute Linton eventually caught the King’s ankle.”

Philius said as if it were quite amusing.

“Because there is no law to imprison them yet.”

At the following explanation, I also ended up chuckling. It meant that although this newspaper wasn’t pleasing to the parliament either, they had to block the King’s extra-legal moves.

“It means they can’t legally shut down this newspaper yet.”

“Although there would be many who regret that fact.”

“They should move carefully.”

Still, as long as they are Betas, their personal safety couldn’t be perfect. I lowered my eyes to the bottom of the newspaper. This time too, the last sentence of this newspaper was ‘We thank the many people who helped.’

“Would providing information and hiding places be among the help they receive?”

At my question, Philius answered by smiling with his eyes curved.

I looked down at the picture in the newspaper again. Since there were many figures, it didn’t describe each of their features. However, it was clear that a considerable number of officers were saluting mercenaries.

“Is General Populus’s discharge confirmed?”

“It was already decided so when I took office as Commander-in-Chief. The only reason he wasn’t dishonorably discharged immediately was because the war situation changed right after.”

Is that why he could act more boldly? Even so, it is certain that not a few people follow him. It means he is a general whose leadership at least is certified.

I know it’s a big task to return the abnormally expanded military to peacetime levels after the war ends. To my eyes, those who saluted following General Populus looked like those listed for discharge. Even if there is a clear difference in status, it means the situations of mercenaries and officers saluting each other are not much different.

“Will the King still try to delay the victory ceremony?”

Turning my gaze from the newspaper, I looked out the window. The clear sky blue was dazzling. Autumn had approached before I knew it.

As the season was recognized, my eyes chased Philius. When the leaves lose their current green light, that time comes. Rut. The time when Philius is treated as a monster.

“The King wouldn’t want to miss my Rut.”

Listening to Philius’s words, I stopped breathing for a moment. Is it just my feeling? It seemed a red light flashed in his blue eyes.

“Jay?”

At the voice calling me as if wondering, I exhaled again.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I am not. I just thought of something else for a moment.”

It must have been just my feeling. His eyes were just bluer than the heightened sky.

Although I shook my head at the question if I was hurt, he didn’t withdraw his gaze from me.

It was the moment when my heart, anxious without reason, was about to be relieved. Knock knock. A knocking sound was heard.

“Duke. Duchess Mare has sent a letter.”

Philip’s voice from beyond the door made Philius frown.

What Duchess Mare sent was an invitation. Requesting a visit as soon as possible.

Considering the incident of summoning me, a jeweler of Palmer Jewelry, via transmitter, Duchess Mare wasn’t someone who advocated unnecessary waste of time in the name of tradition. So it was more correct to see this as being polite.

Considering she is the mother of the only Crown Princess candidate at present and an influential royal figure herself, the feeling that she treats Philius politely was even stronger. It must mean he is that important to her.

Philius also just smirked instead of rebuking that it wouldn’t be an urgent matter.

“Are you really not hurt anywhere, Jay?”

Then he examined me again.

“I am fine.”

I quietly met the eyes looking at me. A cool hand touched my forehead as if measuring body temperature. At that touch, laughter came out without my realizing it.

Fingertips coming down from the forehead swept my curved eyes.

“Shall we go together?”

“To Duchess Mare?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled faintly with his hand on my cheek.

“Because the things she will say to me are things you should know anyway.”

I felt like I understood the true meaning of his words about wanting to lock me up a little. He didn’t mean to restrain my body. Rather, he seemed to want something mental. Like him sharing my dream.

“Let’s go together.”

I held his hand touching my cheek and kissed his palm.

****

The place the butler of the Mare ducal residence guided us to was the reception room familiar to me too. Duchess Mare, sitting under the window where sunlight came in brightly, couldn’t completely hide her surprise seeing me accompanying Philius. It wasn’t because I was the jeweler Jay. The cognitive interference magic circle on the blue diamond hid my face excellently from her eyes too. Duchess Mare seemed surprised by the fact itself that Philius accompanied someone.

Her gaze headed to the ring on my left hand.

“So that is the widely rumored ring.”

At the words replacing the greeting as soon as we sat down, Philius let out a low laugh.

“Your necklace suits you well too.”

Around Duchess Mare’s neck hung the citrine necklace I made.

“You must have liked it? You seem to wear it often.”

“Thanks to it, I received a good item.”

Philius and Duchess Mare seemed closer than I thought. Although it didn’t seem right to express it as friendly. The words exchanged seemingly comfortably were full of intent to explore each other.