IDTRAFTML 43

~Chapter 43~

Richard walked slowly and sat in the chair.

He had prepared the perfect disguise for a secret visit, even taking herbs to change his voice.
But he hadn’t expected Lyssa to be here today.

Her senses were sharp, so there was a risk she could discover his true identity.

“Would you like something to drink…? Is coffee okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Richard answered awkwardly and looked around the counseling office while waiting for his coffee.

The shop hadn’t changed since its opening day, but now a faint vanilla scent lingered, coming from Amelie.
That sweet smell mixed with the coffee aroma and lifted his mood.

“Careful, it’s hot.”

Soon, Amelie placed the steaming cup in front of him.
Richard stared at the coffee, wondering how he should begin speaking.

“Since the shop is tucked inside the alley, wasn’t it hard to find?”

But before he could gather his words, Amelie smoothly began the conversation with a light topic.

“No, it was easy. I heard plenty of rumors.”

“Oh my, from where?”

“From the Imperial Knights.”

“The Imperial Knights!”

‘Finally, she looks relieved.’

Hearing that, Amelie’s face softened, and she looked at him more comfortably.

No wonder—being alone with a suspicious-looking man must have made her uneasy.
Even though he tried to act less threatening, it wasn’t enough.
Still, for Richard, this disguise was the best option.

His distinct hair and eye color always stood out, so hiding behind this messy black hair was perfect.

“Ah! May I ask your name?”

“Please call me Logan.”

Richard gave the false name he had prepared.
For a moment, he remembered the nickname “Lihi” Amelie had once used for him.

Thankfully, Amelie didn’t notice that “Logan” sounded similar.

“Thank you. Sir Logan, are you part of the knight order?”

“I can’t say in detail… but you could say I serve directly under Prince Richard.”

“Oh! That sounds like a secret elite knight from a novel. Someone who moves like a shadow to complete missions.”

Amelie’s bright eyes made Richard almost smile, though he quickly returned to a blank expression.
It amused him that she was guessing his identity, but he had to stay focused.

He took a sip of his coffee.

“Since you serve the Prince, then you must know my friend who just visited.”

“Yes, I know. That was Sir Lyssa Medinael, Vice Captain of the Second Knight Order.”

“That’s right! So you know Lyssa too?”

“She wouldn’t know me. I don’t interact with anyone outside the Prince, and we rarely meet face-to-face. She probably hasn’t even heard of me.”

“So you really do secret work then?”

Amelie looked at him seriously, staring straight at him.

Richard thought she was suspicious and quickly searched for a way to reassure her.

“My identity can be confirmed by asking the Prince directly.”

“If needed, I will. Counseling is built on mutual trust, after all.”

“You shouldn’t trust people so easily.”

Richard spoke firmly.
How could she trust someone she just met so quickly?

He could sense the presence of hidden knights guarding the counseling office from nearby.
Maybe that’s why she felt safe enough to let her guard down so easily.

Still, it worried him.

He wanted her to feel safe around him, yet at the same time, he didn’t want her to lower her guard.

That contradiction unsettled him.

‘That sounded too harsh.’

Realizing he might have been too forceful, Richard corrected himself.

“I didn’t mean you were wrong, Amelie. I only said that because the world is dangerous.”

“You’re worried for me, right? Thank you. I’ll be sure to ask the Prince about you.”

But Amelie only laughed and thanked him.

“So then, Sir Logan, what kind of worries bring you here today?”

The question came at last—unavoidable for a client of the counseling office.

Richard clenched his fist under the table and put on a solemn face.

“I have many worries. It would be impossible to tell them all in one day.”

It was an answer he had prepared in advance, planning to visit multiple times.

‘Guess I’ll have to invent more worries later.’

Even if they weren’t real, he would find a way.

“Goodness, that many? Is one of them because of the Prince? Maybe his strict nature or too much work?”

Amelie guessed wildly, unaware of the truth.

Richard shook his head quickly, unwilling to let the Prince look like a cruel superior.

“The Prince isn’t strict. He’s only more serious about responsibility than others.”

“But isn’t that what people call strict?”

“…Anyway, he isn’t someone who makes his knights suffer. If he were a cold-blooded man who ignored others’ pain, he could never lead the order.”

“That’s true. Richard is far from cold-blooded. I think he’s kind and considerate.”

Amelie smiled as she spoke his real name.

For a moment, Richard lost his words and just stared at her.
His resolve began to shake again.

Should he really keep doubting her?

Bastian’s question echoed in his mind—he still couldn’t fully trust Amelie Garnet.

She wasn’t a bad woman anymore, yet her past kept him cautious.

That was why he had come here, to this counseling office Requies, despite the trouble.

His true purpose was simple: to erase the last shadow of doubt about Amelie Garnet.
He needed certainty about her.

“Well, I’m glad your worries aren’t because of Richard. Then what do you want to talk about first?”

“…Actually, my worry is about Sir Medinael.”

“Lyssa?”

Richard carefully studied Amelie’s reaction.

She only widened her eyes in surprise—nothing more.
No special emotions could be read.

‘What is she looking at?’

He noticed her eyes shifting upward, glancing over his head.

“Since she’s your friend, it feels awkward to say this.”

He continued speaking, but now her eyes flinched, still darting upward.

“Is there something wrong with my hair?”

At last, Richard asked directly.

Her hazel eyes quickly dropped back to his face.

“Ah—no, nothing! I thought I saw a bug on the ceiling. Must’ve been my mistake.”

“I see. I thought you were avoiding my eyes because you felt uncomfortable.”

“No, not at all. Sorry for interrupting you.”

Amelie waved her hands with an awkward smile.

“Alright. If you’re fine, then I’ll continue. Since you’re close to the Prince, I thought you could give me advice.”

“W-wait. Does this have to do with Richard too?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Amelie’s face showed clear unease.

‘Now I just need to see where this conversation goes.’

Richard waited silently for her to speak again.

“Sir Logan… I think I need some time to prepare myself to hear this. Let’s choose another day to talk.”

“…What?”

But her hesitant words were something Richard had not expected at all.