Kebrilio held back his laughter when he finally snapped back to reality. He barely managed to prevent his giant frame from shuddering with laughter as he gave a disgustingly huge grin. Elric could only thank his stars that Kebrilio was facing away from the others else they would’ve realized something was not quite right here.

As humorous as he found the situation, Kebrilio didn’t forget the situation he was in. Secretly, he fished out the hallow loaned to him by Myron—a large and multi-faceted emerald. Only Elric saw him scratch a small cross over the surface of the gem and the resulting light that came forth from it. Though the change in the hallow was barely noticeable to anyone not in direct line of sight, Kebrilio could sense someone’s eye on him. It reassured him, strangely enough. Given the situation, it’d be even more strange for there not to be someone spying on his actions.

So he decided to put up a show for whomever was spying on him, he was at least confident in his acting abilities. Putting on the most relaxed face he could (which wasn’t very hard), he asked, “My…my dear niece…My dear dear niece…thank the gods you’re safe. Where were you injured, my niece? Worry not, my dear niece…oh…”

It absolutely disgusted Elric to see and hear this oaf of a magus act this way toward him, though he wasn’t going to let that show on his face. The only thing he 

could

 show was a smile as he pretended to be Kebrilio’s niece while his teeth grinded against each other in silence.

Kebrilio, of course, knew what Elric was thinking. Electing to ignore Elric’s hidden sentiments, Kebrilio held the other’s face in his hands and began to rotate it as if trying to look for a scar or wound. He wasn’t expecting to find any, though.

It 

was

, however, the perfect excuse for him to get closer to Elric and activate his hallow. The air around them shimmered almost imperceptibly, leaving Kebrilio and Elric isolated from the rest of the room. From one to the other, the gem was passed on along with a rolled up piece of parchment; both of which Elric quickly stowed up his sleeves.

“My dear niece,” Kebrilio whispered to him, “how pitiful your life is. You have been sold by your princess, do you know that?”

Kebrilio stepped back, smiling a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Madame,” he spoke politely to the hawk-eyed mother of Hughesin behind him. “If it is convenient, I would like to speak to you about my niece.”

　　※※※

Saludy didn’t quite believe Kebrilio was going to take Fantasia away from them, not after that scene. It filled her with some semblance of relief, but the battle had yet to be decided. There was still a discussion that had to be made, and nothing could be guaranteed until it was over. So she had Kebrilio invited over to the lounge.

It was a welcome change of location Kebrilio readily agreed to making. There was no sense speaking about such a sensitive topic in front of the person in question.

A frantic Elric watched the two make their way out from his room. He couldn’t see what they were discussing since their backs were to him, but it was definitely important. Anything relating to him was without a doubt important beyond measure.

He walked up to the wall dividing them. If they weren’t talking in this room, then Elric would have to do his best and try to hear what they were saying. He pressed his ears against the wall in a vain attempt to eavesdrop on the neighboring room. As sensitive as his ears were—as were most magi—Elric could hear very little. The only sound that could be distinguished was the loud obnoxious voice of Kebrilio, but even his words were indistinguishable.

A knocking sound interrupted Elric’s eavesdropping. Stepping away from the wall, he watched as the doors opened for two maids to come in. They were here to clean the room, something Elric was of two minds about. On one hand, he wanted the room cleaned, but on the other, now wasn’t the time for it. 

Left unable to eavesdrop, Elric chose to pace around the room as the two maids went about their work. He felt disinclined to watch them work. All he wanted was for them to be done and gone so he could go back to eavesdropping on Kebrilio and Saludy. 

Because of his extreme impatience for the maids to leave, Elric failed to realize the maids weren’t being as thorough with their cleaning as he thought. The majority of the room was expertly cleaned up by the maids, but he failed to realize the maids’ objective. They weren’t to thoroughly clean the room, but rather, do as their master wanted: to hide the blood-stained  sheets. They placed another sheet over it when Elric’s back was turned, thus successfully accomplishing their task without Elric noticing.

The maids bowed their heads as they walked backwards out the room. Their heads were still bowed when the doors closed in front of them. 

Now alone at last, Elric dashed for the same wall as before and pressed his ear against it. It was time to eavesdrop again.

His impatience, this time, was seen by two pairs of eyes hidden elsewhere.

Barely hidden by the windowpane, Somiret and Hughesin were both spying on the person within. The latter ran off to Somiret’s place the moment after he left Kebrilio’s estate and dragged the man over here. It was widely-known amongst Waldsk’s high society that Somiret was a huge night owl. The man rarely started his day any earlier than the third hour after midday and had very few visitors. Duke Hughesin was one of the only select few able to visit the chancellor’s estate during the morning. And among those willing to visit the estate, Hughesin was again one of the small handful willing to wake him from bed.

Somiret wasn’t confused at first when he was woken from his slumber, but the redness of his friend’s face told the chancellor that the matter was urgent. He just never imagined that the urgent matter would be ‘this’. How bored 

was

 Hughesin if a trivial matter like this was deemed important enough to wake him? Was this 

really

 a matter for the Chancellor of Karth to resolve? 

No, he wouldn’t say so. This was better suited for his darling sister instead.

As impatient as he was with Hughesin’s blathering, however, Somiret did find one thing curious. Kebrilio’s reaction didn’t match his expectations. It was a reaction that was as weird as it was unexpected.

Feeling rather vexed, he strode to a nearby cupboard and withdrew from it a small bottle. He unstopped the bottle, taking a small pill into his mouth and swallowing it. As the medicine began to refresh his mind, he turned to Hughesin to speak.

“I see little value gesticulating here and now. Let us wait and see what Kebrilio plans next.”

He took a small bell into his hand and shook it gently. The bell chimed just loud enough for the maids outside to open the door. They came in, food platter in hand, and offered it to Hughesin when their master motioned them at him.

The duke shook his head. The problems of his heart made it difficult for him to eat or drink in peace. Rather than sit with the chancellor at the table, Hughesin continued to pace around the table nonstop.

It amused the chancellor, seeing his friend move so similarly to a wheel. His friend was normally the stoic-type. Humorous in attitude, but completely unnervable in mentality. Was the little lamb more powerful than Hughesin could comfortably keep trapped?

Hughesin, on the other hand, was less non-plussed with the huge meal Somiret was having. Why in the world did he make an alliance with this person of all people? Judging from the food, Somiret probably would’ve been better off allying himself with the bear, Kebrilio.