Temptation in the Mansion (5)

Lerazie wanted to make an excuse, but the words wouldn't come.

She couldn't tell what the elf standing before her was trying to draw out.

…Could she have discovered who I really am?

No. That was impossible.

Lerazie had suppressed every trace of her magic and even changed her appearance. Her disguise was so thorough that a saint of the Church would have had difficulty seeing through it.

Yet the elf was plainly suspicious.

An unfamiliar fear made Lerazie's heart beat faster. She refused to let it show. There was still every chance the maid was merely guessing.

“Wasn't it a puppy? What exactly are you trying to say?”

She tilted her head as though she genuinely couldn't understand the question.

The elf was silent for a while. Perhaps Lerazie's natural response had left her with nothing more to go on. At last she lowered her head.

“I'm sorry. I suppose a cat's fur might have gotten onto your dress somehow. Forgive me for misunderstanding.”

I knew it.

In Lerazie's eyes, the elf was simply suspicious because of the familiar that had been discovered at the mansion yesterday. She had no idea who she was really dealing with.

It wasn't an unreasonable suspicion. Naturally the staff would be on edge after finding a strange cat lurking nearby.

But without proof, the elf could do nothing more. The advantage had returned to Lerazie.

She sighed inwardly, let the tension drain from her body, and smiled.

“Very well. I'm generous enough to forgive you. But if you speak to me so rudely again, I won't overlook it.”

“I won't be so thoughtless again. Thank you for your generosity.”

The elf's words were polite. Her tone still had thorns in it.

She sounded as though she were forcing herself to apologize, and that only made Lerazie want to torment her a little more.

Just as she was considering another remark, a knock sounded at the drawing-room door. Havid's voice rang out.

“Viscount Theorad, head of House Deharem and deputy count of Pelgaroin, has arrived!”

Creeeak.

The double doors swung open.

Theorad entered, impeccably dressed. Beneath his black hair, his light-brown eyes looked a little tired, as though he were thinking about something else. His straight nose and narrow jaw made him undeniably handsome.

Lerazie found herself imagining him on his knees, yielding to her desire.

Oh? He's even better in person.

Now she was glad she'd come herself.

The elf all but disappeared from her thoughts. Lerazie turned toward Theorad with a radiant smile.

“Viscount Theorad! It's an honor to meet you!”

“…”

Theorad didn't answer.

He stopped a short distance away and regarded her in silence. Lerazie was beginning to wonder what was wrong when he finally spoke in a measured, admonishing voice.

“Lady Branda, you're a guest in my house. We haven't been introduced before, have we?”

“…No, I suppose not.”

“Then may I ask why you've come?”

“Well, I wished to discuss the pepper business with you…”

“Precisely. I've arranged this meeting so we can conduct business, not exchange intimate greetings.”

“Pardon? What's the problem?”

He answered with a hard look and more silence.

Only then did Lerazie notice what was bothering him. She'd greeted him while still sitting in her chair, as though he were the one who had come to pay respects.

How tiresome. I don't like rigid men.

She rose, offered the proper courtesy, and introduced herself again.

“I am Branda Frederi, eldest daughter of the Frederi family of the Kingdom of Agela. I've taken the liberty of visiting to discuss Viscount Theorad's pepper business.”

“I am Theorad Deharem, a subject of the Esteban Empire, head of House Deharem, and deputy count of Pelgaroin. Thank you for coming such a long way. Please, sit.”

Once he gave permission, Lerazie sat down. Theorad took the chair opposite her.

Havid and the attendant who had been waiting nearby brought in refreshments and set them on the table between Theorad and Lerazie.

Chocolate from Balgeum and freshly prepared black tea made an inviting display.

This is expensive stuff. He serves it even to someone he's only just met?

While Lerazie was still wondering, Theorad raised a hand toward the plate.

“Please, have some. Even in the capital, Balgeum chocolate is hard to find. I think you'll enjoy it.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

She took a piece and put it in her mouth.

Crunch.

The chocolate broke delicately between her teeth and softened on her tongue, its sweetness followed by a rich, pleasant bitterness.

“Mmm…”

It was excellent.

Lerazie touched her cheek, smiling with satisfaction. Theorad smiled, too.

“Is it to your taste?”

“Yes, very much. I must say, I never expected to be served something like this here.”

She realized a moment too late how that sounded. In a broader sense, she'd just looked down on the Deharem household.

Theorad, however, seemed untroubled. He raised his teacup calmly.

“It's rather costly for a small house like ours to keep such things on hand, but I don't intend to give it up.”

“…Why not?”

“People come all this way to visit us, even when their business brings them trouble. It's only right to treat them well.”

“I see…”

Does he actually mean that?

Lerazie looked for the slightest sign of pretense. There was none. Theorad simply finished speaking and took a sip of tea.

He's nothing like I imagined…

After hearing what had happened to Seredi, Lerazie had expected some depraved, merciless man. Yet this one spoke with an almost disarming consideration for others.

Perhaps he was only ruthless toward those he'd decided were his enemies.

Lerazie narrowed her eyes thoughtfully and swallowed the last of her chocolate.

Well, I'll find out soon enough.

She had plenty of time to uncover Theorad's intentions. There was no need to hurry.

She gave him a pleasant smile.

“Viscount Theorad, there's something I'd like to discuss about the pepper business. Would you mind dismissing the servants for a little while?”

“Hm? Why the servants…?”

“We'll be talking about business secrets. Surely you understand that it's better not to have too many ears listening.”

It was a lie.

She wanted that unnerving elf out of the room.

To put Theorad under her spell, she'd have to release demonic energy. If the elf noticed it, everything could go wrong.

“That makes sense.”

Theorad evidently suspected nothing. He nodded.

“Chamberlain, please take the servants outside.”

Havid bowed and stepped back. With a snap of his fingers and a gesture toward the door, he directed the waiting attendants to leave. They obeyed at once.

“You too. Come along.”

The elf wasn't exempt. Havid caught her by the hand and pulled her toward the door with the others.

Now only Lerazie and Theorad remained in the drawing room.

She rested her chin on one hand and let her eyelids droop.

“Viscount Theorad, what first made you decide to grow pepper trees?”

“Several reasons. But if I had to name one, it's that they're a good long-term investment. Under the right conditions, a pepper plant can keep bearing fruit for almost forty years.”

“Is that so?”

Lerazie smiled agreeably.

At the same time, a little demonic energy began to seep from her body.

It worked much like the pheromones certain insects released. Her magic drew a target toward her before he even recognized that anything was wrong.

“By the way, Viscount, you're very handsome. I imagine you've always been popular with women?”

“Well… Popular… I don't think I was ever particularly…”

His answers began to trail off, his words turning slow and indistinct.

He didn't even seem to notice that the conversation had wandered far from pepper cultivation. That was proof enough: the charm was taking hold.

“Oh, come now. I'm sure you've had plenty of admirers. I have rather strong feelings for you myself.”

“For… me…?”

The alertness faded from his eyes. His conscious thoughts were sinking away, leaving something more unguarded to rise in their place.

Lerazie chuckled softly and wet her lips.

“That's right. So how would you feel about having a more intimate relationship with me?”

She extended her hand and lightly stroked the back of his.

Theorad stared at her with clouded eyes, then answered blankly.

“An intimate… relationship…?”

“Yes. Doing naughty things together.”

“Naughty…? I can't do that…”

He can't?

Usually a man was hers by this point.

Lerazie frowned in annoyance.

“Why? Why can't you?”

“Ashley… I can't cause her any more trouble…”

“Oh? How devoted you are.”

Even on the edge of unconsciousness, he was struggling against his instincts for the sake of the woman he loved.

It was startling.

Still, the spell had already dimmed his awareness. If Lerazie increased its power a little, that resistance would break as well. There had never been a man she couldn't seduce.

She smiled at him like a spider watching prey trapped in its web.

“But that's no matter. Now give that love to me—”

Bang!

The drawing-room door burst open.

Theorad's shoulders jolted. The shock broke his dazed expression, and he blinked around in confusion.

“Huh? What was I…?”

The elf strode straight to him and leaned close to whisper in his ear.

Whatever she said made Theorad leap from his chair.

“What? The chamberlain suddenly collapsed?”

Havid had been a father figure to Theorad. The news struck him hard.

He spun toward Lerazie.

“Lady Branda! I'm terribly sorry, but I must go see how the chamberlain is! Please wait here a moment!”

“Oh… Yes, of course.”

Theorad sprang away as soon as she answered and hurried out of the drawing room.

The elf watched him leave.

Then she turned slowly toward Lerazie.

The red of her eyes seemed edged with an eerie, cold blue light. Her stare was filled with naked killing intent.

“You really have no idea.”

Lerazie went still.

What is she talking about?

“Why would you suddenly say something like—”

She knows.

Lerazie started to pull her hand off the table.

Before she could, the elf seized the fruit knife and drove it down.

Thud!

“—!”

Lerazie's scream caught in her throat. She stared at her hand.

The blade had gone straight through the back of it. Red blood welled around the steel and spilled across the tabletop.

“Ngh…!”

She clenched her teeth against the pain.

The elf leaned forward over the table, silver hair slipping loose across her shoulders. She stared at Lerazie's twisted face without a trace of pity.

Then she gripped Lerazie's chin and forced her to look up.

A shiver ran over Lerazie's whole body.

She was terrified, certain that the elf could kill her—and might do so.

“Ah… Hic…!”

Her cries dwindled into frightened, muffled sobs.

The elf studied her expressionlessly, then spoke one quiet word.

“Cat.”

Her lips tightened beneath those empty eyes.

“It was yours, wasn't it?”