EMDL 06

Episode 6

Céline blinked.

Just yesterday, Leonhardt had been dressed in simple black leather. The most ornate part of his outfit had been the embroidered ducal crest on his chest — modest, almost austere.

But now, from head to toe, he was dazzlingly dressed.

“Much better,” he said.

“Thank you,” Céline replied sincerely.

Leonhardt waved a hand as if it were nothing.

“If you’d kept wearing that outfit, you’d have frozen to death. I told the tailor who measured you to keep it stored, just in case.”

“Tell him to throw it away.”

Céline shrugged. She never wanted to see that outfit again.

Leonhardt nodded and gestured toward the dining table. A servant stood beside it with a tray full of silver dishes.

“Sit. You should eat.”

Céline sat down on the chair the servant pulled out for her.

“What time is it now…?”

“Three twenty. You didn’t sleep last night — my fault — so I let you rest.”

Something felt strange. She had assumed the lunch was for her alone, but there were two servings on the table.

“You haven’t eaten yet?”

Leonhardt nodded. Céline almost dropped her spoonful of mushroom soup in surprise.

“Why not?”

“Wasn’t hungry.”

But despite that, Leonhardt finished his meal far faster than Céline, who had been eating like a starving person.

‘He keeps looking at me…’

Every time Céline sneaked a glance at him, she found his blue eyes fixed on her.

“Um… is there something weird about me?”

When she finally couldn’t stand it and asked, Leonhardt frowned, looking genuinely puzzled.

“Haven’t you once nearly choked to death while eating? I was worried it might happen again.”

“That was because I ate a poisonous bug!”

Céline’s face flushed as she shouted. Leonhardt’s tone softened slightly, sounding almost apologetic.

“Was it? My apologies. I can’t always know everything in detail.”

“It’s fine. But I’m not that careless, you know. Relax a little.”

A small smile tugged at Leonhardt’s lips.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He didn’t rise until Céline had finished her tea to the last drop.

“I need to visit the imperial palace. It won’t take long, but still — be careful while I’m gone.”

A faint, unrecognized disappointment stirred in Céline’s chest, but she smiled anyway.

“Alright. I won’t die, so don’t worry.”

The imperial palace felt unfamiliar after three years.

As Leonhardt walked its halls, he quietly gathered his thoughts — and his report for the Duke.

Three years wasn’t such a long time, and yet, every servant’s face was new.

‘They’ve replaced everyone already…’

It wasn’t a good sign, but not Leonhardt’s problem to fix.

He carried an ebony box engraved with the ducal crest and made his way toward the Crown Prince’s quarters.

Crown Prince Ricardo Unsolrem stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out the window when Leonhardt entered.

Through the clear glass, the gardens came into view.

Leonhardt knelt on one knee.

“Your Highness, Leonhardt, son of Frederick, pays his respects.”

The Crown Prince turned slowly.

In his mid-thirties, his sharp eyes swept over Leonhardt from head to toe, lingering briefly under the young man’s tired eyes.

“Have you been well?”

“…No issues, Your Highness.”

A smirk slipped from Ricardo’s lips.

“I heard otherwise.”

Leonhardt didn’t react. The real problem wasn’t what Ricardo knew — it was what he didn’t. A Crown Prince so uninformed was a dangerous sign.

Ricardo gestured toward the box in Leonhardt’s hands.

“That must be the letter Frederick mentioned. Hand it here.”

Leonhardt offered the box with both hands and stood silently as Ricardo read.

Then, suddenly—

“Ha… hahah!”

The Crown Prince burst into laughter as he reached the end of the letter.

Leonhardt waited patiently. If Ricardo didn’t explain, he could always ask the Duke later.

“Well, this is something.”

The Crown Prince alternated glances between the letter and Leonhardt before asking carefully,

“Did Frederick tell you what this letter was about?”

“No, Your Highness.”

In truth, the Duke didn’t even know Leonhardt was delivering it.

Leonhardt needed a proper reason to enter the capital, so he had taken the letter from a hesitant courier halfway there.

Or rather, half-forcibly.

“I see. That explains it.”

With an odd chuckle, Ricardo handed the letter back.

“Read it.”

Leonhardt frowned but skimmed through quickly. After half a page of polite phrases and formal greetings came a short report on the state of the duchy — and then:

[My son is still immature. I ask that Your Highness refrain from working him too hard.]

“…Ah.”

Leonhardt wanted to bury his face in the parchment. His entire face burned.

His father might have phrased it crudely on purpose, but still — this was the Crown Prince of the Empire!

“So, what do you think of that, seeing as you’re the one in question?”

“I… I…”

Leonhardt stammered, words failing him. He was only twenty-four — still too young to navigate political games smoothly.

As his father had said: immature.

The Crown Prince laughed again.

“Frederick was right. You’re still young. But unfortunately…”

He opened an ornate drawer and pulled out an envelope sealed with the imperial crest.

Leonhardt knelt again to receive the decree.

“I don’t know why you came, but it’s clear Frederick didn’t send you. Still, that works out.”

There was still amusement in Ricardo’s voice.

“Now then.”

Leonhardt unfolded the decree and read. It said exactly what he expected.

“For the past three years, you’ve only dealt with monsters in the North. I’ll see that you’re given proper support — handle things in the South as well. You’re still a servant of the Empire, after all.”

No mention at all of the leaders of monsters or the dark mages Leonhardt had hunted across the empire.

He moistened his dry lips. The task wasn’t difficult, but a certain unease nagged at him — one only the Crown Prince could help resolve.

“Your Highness, I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“I must bring a woman with me.”

“…What?”

Ricardo blinked several times, then smiled knowingly.

“Ah. Well, you are of the age. Shall I choose one for you? Or will you—”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Leonhardt’s shout echoed in the chamber before he bowed his head deeply.

“My apologies. That was rude.”

“No matter,” the Crown Prince said, amused. “A special lady, then?”

“…Yes.”

“Very well. A northern lady, I assume?”

Leonhardt hesitated briefly.

“Yes.”

Soon enough, she would be staying in the North anyway, and the Duke would see to her status — calling her a northern lady wasn’t exactly a lie.

“Then you must have several maids already. I’ll arrange a suitable carriage, lodging, and attendants for the lady. You’ll depart tomorrow.”

Leonhardt couldn’t admit he had no maids at all. If he did, Ricardo would start asking questions — about who she was, and why he wanted to bring her.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

He bowed deeply and left the palace as quickly as possible.

There was only one thought in his mind: he had to get back to Céline — fast.

Three hours passed.

A woman like her could easily have gotten herself killed by now.

“Hah…”

Leonhardt, who almost never lost his breath, was panting slightly as he burst through the door of her room.

Céline Hunt turned around.

He froze in the doorway.

Her lips glistened, probably from something she had been eating, and her wide rabbit-like eyes turned to crescents as she smiled.

“You’re back!”

A rush of joy — not mere relief — bloomed in Leonhardt’s chest, and his heart began to race uncontrollably.

“You… you’re alright?”

“I didn’t die.”

Céline giggled, but then stiffened as his shadow fell over her.

The next instant, she couldn’t think at all.

She felt warmth, breath, and the weight of strong arms enclosing her completely.

It took a moment before her brain caught up — Leonhardt had stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“W–what… what are you doing…”

Leonhardt jumped back, startled, while Céline rubbed her flushed cheeks and glared up at him.

Amusingly, he looked just as red as she did — shocked and embarrassed.

“T–this… I… I’m sorry.”

Leonhardt buried his face in his hands, mortified.

“Hey.”

Her voice made him look up instantly, as if struck by lightning.

Céline’s cheeks were still pink, but she didn’t look angry.

“You did that because you were happy I’m still alive, right?”

He nodded.

“Then it’s fine. But try to control yourself next time, alright? Or at least say something first. You scared me!”

“…Céline.”

“Yes?”

“Call me Leonhardt. It’s better than ‘hey’.”

Her eyes curved into crescents again.

It would take him a long time to understand why his heart pounded every time she smiled like that.

For now, all he could feel was relief — that she was safe.

“Alright. You know my name already, right? Céline Hunt. Call me whatever you want.”

Céline sank back into the cushions piled around her with a blissful sigh.

“This is amazing…”

The luxurious carriage was far more lavish and comfortable than she had imagined. Across from her, Leonhardt watched her pop a candy into her mouth with a grave expression.

“You understand, right? You must never leave my side. No matter what happens, if you stay near me, you won’t die.”

“Yes, yes, I got it,” she said absently.

He’d already repeated the same warning dozens of times.

Last night, Leonhardt had finally slept properly for the first time in over a month.

Apparently, he was determined not to lose that peace again — he had been glued to her side since morning, nagging non-stop.

Honestly, Céline thought she’d probably be safer staying alone at the hotel. But since she had once drowned in a bathtub by herself, she couldn’t exactly argue.

“Do you usually use a carriage like this on missions?”

“No?”

Leonhardt looked at her as if she’d said something absurd.

“The Crown Prince gave it to me when I told him I was bringing a woman. So, you shouldn’t have any complaints.”