Chapter 19 - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The duke has gone half-mad.

After the palace banquet, the servants of the Rashiane Dukeundefineds castle could not shake that thought.

Their master was known as a perfect man. But recently, his mistakes had become frequent. He often stared blankly out the window or muttered to himself.

The most astonishing thing was that undefinedthatundefined duke had started looking at dessert recipe books.

"This looks easier to make than I thought."

When the duke murmured while flipping through a thin book, his aide staggered as if about to faint from shock.

The aide was very flustered, but this much could be passed off as undefinedhe must have developed a new hobby.undefined

He must be getting tired of life. Doesnundefinedt everyone have such times? The fact that the duke was a vibrant young man about to turn eighteen bothered him a bit, but well, someone like the Duke of Rashiane is different from ordinary people. Thinking that, he tried to pass it off indifferently.

But the problem was that the dukeundefineds eccentricities did not end there.

At some point, the duke started collecting pink or blue items. Among them were quite a few accessories and ribbons that a woman might use.

Why on earth was he collecting such things? Not only the aide but also the other vassals were at their witsundefined end, finding it increasingly strange.

That wasnundefinedt all. When May came, the duke, with a determined face, called the gardener and gave some serious instructions.

The day after the gardener left the dukeundefineds office with a puzzled face, the garden of the Rashiane Dukeundefineds castle was filled with pinkish-red roses. Roses that had never been seen there before.

The summer flower of Rashiane was the lilac. That was as natural as the sky being blue.

But roses had barged in like uninvited guests. Roses of a very peculiar hue. Only Ruwellin knew that this was the color of Rozniaundefineds hair and eyes.

After the pinkish-red roses were planted throughout the garden, Ruwellin spent more time looking out the window.

Staring blankly at the scenery outside, he recalled the lady who had suited that rose color as if painted, her transparent and beautiful pink eyes.

The moment those eyes narrowed and smiled, the white teeth revealed between her pretty lips, the fluttering blue ribbon, the blue hem of her dress.

The most brilliant, beautiful, and dazzling thing in that banquet hall, my memory. My Roznia.

"......"

The more he thought, the more he missed her.

He missed her yesterday, he missed her today, and he would miss her tomorrow.

She flickered before his eyes, but she wasnundefinedt by his side. There was no greater despair.

"How can I meet her?"

"Pardon?"

At the dukeundefineds quiet murmur, the aide raised his head and asked back. The duke answered irrelevantly.

"That damn Adrian Hyll keeps ignoring my letters."

"Igno... Pardon? Wh-who? Adrian Hyll?"

The aideundefineds vision actually blacked out for a moment before returning. The duke, paying no heed to his reaction, continued muttering.

"Thereundefineds no way to send a letter directly to Roznia. All routes are blocked, itundefineds exasperating. Is the Magic Tower Lord imprisoning his own sister?"

"......"

Wait a moment... Your Grace?

The aideundefineds hand, reaching towards the duke, trembled.

Surely undefinedHillundefined didnundefinedt mean undefinedthatundefined Hill? No, but where else in the world was there another family named Hill? The only one, the family of mad mages, was that one.

"Isnundefinedt there some way? Aide? Youundefinedre clever, so you should be able to think of something easily."

"Ah, no, I..."

"I was a stupid bastard. Back then... I was just confused at the banquet."

"......"

"But if I had known that was my only chance, I would have at least tried to talk to Roznia. No, I should have just kidnapped her..."

The latter part didnundefinedt sound like mere muttering; it sounded sincere.

It sounded sincere, and that was frightening.

The aide, sweating profusely and trembling, thought seriously.

His Grace has gone mad.

After much worry and effort, Ruwellin found a way to meet Roznia.

The problem was that it wasnundefinedt in human form.

"Kkiing..."

Ruwellin, transformed into a dog, got off the train. People screamed in surprise when a dog suddenly popped out at the entrance.

The dog was a large retriever, with fine, glossy platinum-colored fur and clear, intelligent green eyes.

A dog with green eyes... some people found it strange, but thinking it might be a mageundefineds pet, they kept their distance.

In Brindos, the southern region ruled by the Hill family, mages were beings to bow down to and avoid if you encountered them.

"Look over there, a dog..."

"Mom! That dog is huge!"

"Isnundefinedt it a wolf?"

"What wolf is that, it looks like a retriever."

"But why is the dog all alone... It looks like someoneundefineds pet."

"Shh, it might be a mageundefineds dog."

People shushed and parted the way for the dog like the Red Sea.

Ruwellin felt considerable humiliation at having to walk around in front of so many people in the form of a dog, but he ran steadfastly with the single-minded determination that he might be able to meet Roznia.

Soon, Ruwellin arrived in front of the Hill familyundefineds villa.

The black iron gate was still firmly shut, and the wind blowing from the villa carried the fresh scent of roses.

Looking closely, the villaundefineds garden was in full bloom with pinkish-red roses, just like four years ago.

Hoping he might finally be able to meet Roznia, Ruwellin ran towards the less-frequented fence side.

If his guess was correct, Roznia would spend her summer vacation here every year.

Thinking that Roznia had stayed at this villa every summer for the past four years without fail made his mouth taste bitter.

Why hadnundefinedt he come here sooner? Why had he only buried that memory? Why had he only tried to shake off the scent of roses from that time, the feeling of his cheeks flushing?

When it was going to end up like this anyway.

Ruwellin stood at a moderate distance from the fence and put strength into his hind legs. Although it was an unfamiliar animalundefineds body, handling it wasnundefinedt difficult. It was easy if he thought of it as a tool.

Thump! Ruwellin leaped powerfully with his hind legs and jumped over the fence in one go. As expected, it was a piece of cake.

He was panting briefly now because he was in the form of a dog, but he was sure that if he were in human form, he would have smirked.

Ruwellin ran like the wind through the bushes of the garden towards the place with the white bench where he had first seen Roznia four years ago.

But when he arrived, Roznia was not there.

Then where could she be?

Perhaps she hadnundefinedt come to this villa. Maybe her terrible brother had locked her up in the Magic Tower...

Ruwellin continued his thoughts, wandering the garden. He was desperate to find any trace of a person.

How long did he wander? After going around the surprisingly large garden once, Ruwellinundefineds tail drooped as he snooped around the villa.

If there was no one inside the villa either, then Roznia really hadnundefinedt come.

Thinking that, his energy seemed to drain away. It was despairing. Would he never be able to meet her forever like this?

Her brother seemed quite insane in many ways. He had heard rumors that he cherished his younger sister dearly, but he didnundefinedt think it would be to this extent.

Adrian Hyll was a man who could easily keep Roznia living only in the Magic Tower for life. After the palace banquet, having had all attempts to reach Roznia blocked, Ruwellin genuinely thought so.

undefinedIs there really no way?undefined

Just as Ruwellin, in the form of a large retriever, was drooping his tail and whimpering...

"...Whatundefineds this dog?"

A faint presence was felt not far away, and a clear, high voice was heard.

"......!"

Ruwellin perked up his ears, raised his tail stiffly, and quickly turned his body.

From his lowered perspective due to being transformed into a dog, the figure of the one he had longed for came into view.

Roznia was looking down at him, her long pinkish-red hair loosely tied and draped to one side.

Wearing a white muslin dress with a blue ribbon at the waist, she looked as lovely as a fairy.

As she took step after step towards him, the thin hem of her dress fluttered lightly.

Ruwellin, experiencing what felt like time standing still, stared blankly at her. When she finally reached him and reached out her hand, he quickly lay down on the ground and rolled over, showing his belly.

Roznia paused. Ruwellin came to his senses immediately after. undefined...What am I doing?undefined

Lying on his back, showing his belly, he stared blankly at the blue sky, at the end of the blue ribbon that seemed to melt into that sky, at Rozniaundefineds flowing rose-colored hair.

undefined...I.undefined

Acting like a dog...

Just as he was about to be overcome with self-loathing, Rozniaundefineds voice, tinged with laughter, reached Ruwellinundefineds ears.

"Youundefinedre really gentle, arenundefinedt you?"

"......"

Itundefineds not that Iundefinedm gentle, my body just moved on its own, Ruwellin wanted to protest, but the moment Rozniaundefineds hand touched his belly, he froze like ice.

Swish, swish. The touch of her hand stroking his belly made Ruwellin unable to move. It was a tremendous shock.

He could feel the soft texture of her palm and her warm body temperature. The feeling of his belly being stroked was so good that he unconsciously opened his mouth and panted.

If he could receive this touch every day, he thought he could live as a dog forever...

But if he lived as a dog, he could never be Rozniaundefineds lover, fiancé, companion, or anything. A dog is just a dog.

undefinedShould I transform into a human and reveal my identity?undefined

For a moment, he felt that impulse, but revealing his identity suddenly felt like it would make Roznia run away.

Or she might call her brother, saying the Duke of Rashiane was harassing her. That would be the worst. He had nothing to gain by facing Adrian Hyll.

In the end, Ruwellin decided to be satisfied with meeting her in the form of a dog for now.

Even if it was as a dog, after gradually getting closer to her... then revealing his identity might have less backlash. That was his calculation.

"Where did you come from? Was the gate open? Or is there a doggy door in the fence?"

Rozniaundefineds chattering voice was pleasant to hear. A voice that was high and clear like a bell, yet calm like a leisurely piano melody.

Ruwellin wished time would stop like this. After receiving plenty of Rozniaundefineds touch, he got up and spun around her once.

Then he lightly brushed the hem of her dress with his tail. When Roznia laughed and held out her hand, he quickly licked it and then acted aloof.

"You little rascal."

Roznia tapped his moist nose, scolding him, but didnundefinedt seem to mind. That was the privilege of being a dog.

He might even get away with jumping up and licking her face, but even he thought that was too shameless.

Ruwellin decided to maintain a shred of conscience.

However, he soon regretted that decision.

"Roz."

Before he could play with Roznia to his heartundefineds content, her brother appeared.

"Whatundefineds this dog?"

That man seemed to walk with darkness itself.

His red eyes, which people feared, watched Ruwellin and shone sharply.

undefined...Perhaps, that man.undefined Ruwellin thought, holding his breath. undefinedMight recognize me.undefined

"Ah, Brother, youundefinedre here now?"

"This dog?"

Adrian Hyll pointed at Ruwellin with a nod of his head and asked again. Roznia looked at Ruwellin, smiled brightly, and answered nonchalantly.

"Isnundefinedt he cute? He was in the garden."

"In the garden?"

"Yeah, I guess thereundefineds a doggy door in the fence or something. Or is he a dog you brought, Brother?"

"Hmm..."

His red eyes, narrowing and scanning Ruwellin, were unusual. Ruwellin prepared for any eventuality and tried his best to act like a dog.

"Roznia, since when have I..."

"Huh?"

"Kept a dumb beast that canundefinedt even speak by my side?"

"Your familiar canundefinedt talk either."

"Thatundefineds a familiar. This is a dog."

Listening silently to their conversation, Ruwellin sensed that the situation was flowing in an unusual direction.

As expected, he seemed to have noticed.

The fact that he was not a dog, but a person. Perhaps, even the fact that he was Ruwellin Rashiane.

Ruwellin quickly judged that he should run away at this point. Being caught by Adrian Hyll at the Hill familyundefineds villa was a very troublesome matter.

But his feet wouldnundefinedt move easily. Roznia kept catching his eye. He wanted to see her for even one more second, one more minute.

undefinedDamn Adrian Hyll.undefined

Before he knew it, Ruwellin was glaring fiercely at Adrian. While still glancing at Roznia standing next to Adrian, it looked bizarre to anyone. It was behavior no ordinary dog would show.

There was no way Adrian Hyll would miss that. Thinking he should slowly catch this suspicious and irritating bastard wearing a dogundefineds mask, Adrian abruptly pulled up mana from his core.

"......!"

Ruwellin, keenly sensing the change, quickly pounced on Adrian.

"You insolent bastard..."

Just as an enraged Adrian was about to use magic, Ruwellin emitted divine power, striking him, and used the opening to quickly run away.

"Brother, no!"

Rozniaundefineds voice came from behind, trying to stop Adrian Hyll. Having taken a direct hit of divine power, he seemed to have already recovered.

undefinedMonstrous bastard.undefined

Ruwellin thought he had been using every curse word he hadnundefinedt used in a while lately. He sped away from the villa.

And as soon as he arrived at the station, he jumped onto a train about to depart, without asking anything.

The train carrying him soon began to speed away.