I Became a Sick Nobleman

***

“…Ha.”

Ruel let out a long sigh from his new bed.

They chatted for three hours.

Rie was really interested in Setiria.

‘How could she talk about the pure white walls surrounding the capital of Setiria for more than an hour?’

It made him wonder how she had been able to hold back her curiosity for so long.

“Your acting has improved a lot.”

Cassion sarcastically handed over the meat pie.

“If Ruel-nim dies, won’t everything end? Who’s next? If I had heard it without knowing, I would have been deceived.”

“I’m not lying, if I die, what Red Ash wants to do will only begin, not end, right? At that time, I will need someone to carry on my will.”

“I don’t want to die, so Ruel-nim won’t die either.”

“Speaking of which, make copies of the materials and tell Noah to keep them. Spread the word.”

Cassion frowned for a moment.

“Why Noah?”

“It seems like he will survive strangely well even if disaster strikes. It’s a feeling. A hunch.”

“It’s as if I’m making an imitation of a Turbulent Day.”

“Should we make counterfeit products?”

“I know we should.”

Cassion’s voice was filled with discontent.

“But how much is a Turbulent Day worth? I think the more you break it, the more it exceeds the value I know.”

“Can’t you see that I came to serve you, who’s busy and tired already in addition pretending to be a butler?”

“Well.”

Why would the rich owner of an ice castle regret becoming a butler?

Scratch-tch.

Cassion’s eyes grew fierce at the sound of scratching at the door.

He remembered hearing that the door had been repainted three days ago.

“Maybe I should make a Leo-only door.”

When Cassion opened the door, Leo jumped and ran at Ruel.

—This body played with Aris!

Ruel was petting Leo and then flinched at the sight of him wagging his tail so happily.

Leo’s footprints were clearly visible from his play outside, and his clothes and bed were covered in mud.

Ruel inquired, observing Cassion’s countenance.

“…When did Corrence say he was coming?”

“Tonight.”

“Should I push it back?”

“No, you can’t put it off just because of something like this.”

Cassion’s eyes looking at Leo were so fierce that Ruel slightly covered Leo’s eyes with his hands.

—What’s wrong with you?

Leo tilted his head to see as if he was dull or pretending to be dull.

***

‘It’s a good thing I ate dinner moderately tonight.’

As soon as he met Corrence’s face, his stomach felt nauseous, and Ruel soothed his mouth with a refreshing apple tea.

—Give this body a bite too.

As Leo rushed toward the apple tea with his eyes shining, Ruel quietly grabbed his tail.

—Hik!

“Why did you decide to meet me?”

Even though Ruel called him, Corrence opened his mouth as he was silent for a while.

“Did you commit any crime?”

“I’m keeping my vow well. I swear that there is no harm that Lumina has inflicted on Setiria.”

“You came quietly, right?”

“I came out with the excuse of seeing my business partner, and I met her, so don’t worry. Hurry up and tell me what you want to say. You’re not close enough to see her face to face.”

Ting.

Ruel flicked the cup with his finger.

Corrence’s face, which had been hardened, was more crumpled.

“Why do you think we can’t see each other face to face? Didn’t you ask me to be friends with her? I haven’t seen her face lately, so I just called her out for the sake of mixing things up. I think you’re being too cautious.”

“What you have done to me…”

“Isn’t it fortunate that your neck didn’t run away? Or does that mean that the neck is not yours?”

Corrence clenched his fist when he talked about the debt case.

“The merchant of the Kelpe.”

A random word popped out of Ruel’s mouth.

“Why are you talking about my merchant?”

“They’ve handed over something very interesting to Cyronian.”

“Did you do a background check on the merchant?”

Corrence immediately crumpled his face.

“The thing you handed over to Count Iria Promien of Cyronian came into my hands by accident. Anyone would have acted like me when they saw the item.”

“What the hell are you talking about? It’s an ordinary thing.”

Corrence, in a curt response, was looking at Ruel with absurd eyes.

That wasn’t the reaction he expected.

Something was wrong.

“Do you know what you’ve handed over?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s a trade item.”

“In detail.”

“The Count of Promien liked to collect animal skins and feathers, so he turned over the skins and feathers of the animals in Leponia. Is that alright?”

Corrence was a snake.

But now this reaction was irritating.

Annoyance at oneself for annoyingly calling people and talking nonsense.

He needed to check it out.

“Cassion, play it back.”

“Alright.”

He played the magic recording device he obtained from Ganien.

It looked like Iria was the one shedding tears and snot.

The moment he saw him, Corrence took his butt off.

-I really, really don’t know. Well, I just did what I was told… Oh! Lumina! Lumina gave me a plan with weaknesses so I could easily target Leponia!

Corrence looked at the video as if he had been slapped while sleeping.

Click.

Cassion stopped the magic recorder.

“There’s another charge of treason. I’ll show you the data, do you want to see?”

Corrence leaned back on the sofa with an aghast expression on his face and laughed like a person who had lost his mind.

“Wait and see. There’s one more. Do you remember Matyros?”

Corrence stopped laughing and stared coldly at Ruel.

“How can I forget it? It’s a gift you gave me, isn’t it?”

“I’m glad you didn’t forget, your sins will increase soon.”

Ruel smiled.

“That’s not my business!”

Corrence put his hand on the table.

Ruel looked at the hands placed and began to laugh at Corrence.

“Did you know that Matyros took the people of Leponia and sold them as slaves to Cyronian?”

“…How dare he, madman, a dirty thing that doesn’t even know honor!”

“Listen to the end. At that time, Matyros ran the merchant of the Kelpe on your behalf. The merchant of Kelpe is the merchant you manage directly.”

Corrence noticed what Ruel was trying to say.

The merchant that sent its citizens to another country as slaves is the merchant that he manages.

Not as guilty as treason, but a felony.

He couldn’t bear to think of those who would point their fingers at Lumina.

It would have been better if Lumina was caught up in treason and collapsed.

“I am, I am not!”

Corrence’s hand, which had been raised on the table, was urgently lowered, and an expression of injustice was made.

“I know it’s hard to believe because of what I’ve done, but I really don’t do such a thing! At least I  know honor!”

Ruel laughed involuntarily at the bullshit.

‘Honor.’

“Very well, the honorable Corrence Lumina, who made you deliver the goods to the Count of Promien?”

Corrence shut up.

Looking at Ruel’s eyes, only his lips speaking of innocence could shake.

“Congratulations. Thanks to you, Lumina’s name has fallen to the ground.”

Ruel grabbed the cane.

Corrence crumpled his hem hard, expressing that he had no more reason to talk.

Thud.

Thud.

Ruel was seen getting up while Corrence’s heart pounded.

Is it Lumina’s name or a broken relationship?

There’s nothing to worry about.

“Wait a minute!”

Ruel standing looked down at Corrence.

“His Highness, the Second Prince! He made me deliver the goods to Count Iria Promien!”

The corners of Ruel’s mouth went up.

“Are you Red Ash?”

“No! They approached me, but I didn’t accept them! I am…  A nobleman. I didn’t want my ambition to fall into the hands of such dirty people.”

“Prove with an oath that you are not Red Ash.”

“…I understand.”

With his previous oath, Corrence could not touch Setiria.

Having been put on a leash here once more, he is now the perfect dog of his own.

Knowing that, he couldn’t stop his head from drooping weakly.

Corrence signed an oath on the condition that he would not have any connection with the Red Ash, now and forever.

“It’s been signed.”

With Cassion’s words, Ruel sat down again.

Corrence wasn’t really a Red Ash.

If the Matyros incident was not related to the fact that he ordered Count Iria to attack him, there was only one answer.

‘Huan, it’s you.’

Ruel smiled pleasantly.

‘And the Shio family.’

The Shio family was originally a family that supported Prince Huan.

What if you fooled everyone else and are still supporting them?

Tap. Tap.

Ruel hit his thigh and felt soft fur.

—Touch this body’s belly.

‘Woa.’

Leo fell down on his lap and revealed his belly.

Ruel looked at Corrence, touching Leo’s belly.

“There’s something I want you to do for me. I promise you, by no means, will it cause harm to Lumina.”

“…Tell me.”

“Support His Highness Adoris as you are now. Also, do what Adoris tells you to do. I just want you to let me know what’s going on before it occurs. Isn’t it very easy?”

“Now… Is there more?”

Corrence looked at Ruel with doubtful eyes because it was not as big of a request as he thought.

“Not yet. I’m saying this out of resentment, but you’d better not aim for my back.”

“What should I do if his Highness interrogates me?”

“Sell me out or whatever you need to do, so you can survive on your own. Aren’t you good at that kind of thing? But think about where you want to belong. Thinking about what would be the best for Lumina.”

It was a heart-throbbing warning.

Corrence already realized that he was weighed down by Ruel’s spirit.

He has struggled so far to survive among the rest of the four families except for Setiria and Kuhn.

He didn’t know anything else, but the sixth sense told him where he could get an advantage.

Corrence rose from his seat.

He stood in front of Ruel without any hesitation and bent down.

A greeting he only gave to someone of higher standing than himself.

The corners of Ruel’s mouth went up.

“I, Corrence Lumina,”

Honor wasn’t something you could maintain by yourself.

It was maintained only when everyone supported it and everyone thought it was truly noble.

Corrence chose to be pointed at by only one person, even if he bowed his head, rather than being pointed at by everyone.

“I will stand by your side.”

Ruel quietly inhaled Breath.