'Why is Lazy Blade...?'
The black haired boy in front of him was the same person that he and Lady Orelly had deemed pathetic.
"Really? I thought you wanted me to reveal myself?"
Riley questioned the hooded man.
Riley continued to walk towards him until he was only inches away from him.
"What, did I frighten you that much?"
The man was armed with a dagger, but Riley remained as calm as ever.
In fact, he went so far as to knock on the man's forehead with his right hand.
As if asking him to not just stand there, and speak.
'This...'
It was hard for the man to believe this was the same person who cast away his sword after a single strike in the training ground.
'Is this really the same Riley?'
The hooded man did not dare to make even the slightest movement.
He felt as if any sudden movement would result in his body being torn to shreds.
"It’d be boring if you don’t have any reaction."
Riley continued speaking in a leisurely manner while clicking his tongue.
"I guess it would be difficult to have an intelligent conversation with an untimely guest."
Riley folded his arms, glanced at the dagger on the man's side, then gave him a cold look as he spoke again.
"I'll ask you once. There'll be no second chance."
"..."
"If you answer, I'll let you go."
He had just seen the pathetic strike Riley had made a few moments ago.
And now blackmail?
What a joke.
Yet...
He could not let out a laugh; instead his entire body was frozen in fear.
"What I want to know is..."
His cold eyes grew narrow.
Feeling his heart pounding, the hooded man swallowed his saliva.
He was finally allowed to do so.
"...Why did you visit Lady Orelly's bedroom?"
"..."
The hooded man's lips had already began to tremble before he noticed.
The calm moonlight that lit the corridor slowly began to fade away.
Late in the evening, in the library of the Iphelleta mansion.
"Young master! Where are you? Young master!"
Ian entered the room abruptly, searching for Riley.
There were signs that something had happened here, and Ian took a closer look at the room.
"Young master!"
Riley, who was lying on a couch with a book on his face, groaned and turned his body.
"Young master, wake up!"
"Ah, what? What's it now?"
Riley looked at Ian while rubbing his eyes drowsily.
He frowned, as if to ask 'Why did you bother my sweet nap?'.
"If you want to talk about the sword again..."
"I will get back to that later. But that's not important right now!"
Riley, who was expecting an endless lecture from Ian, tilted his head curiously.
What is it then?"
"A body was found in the mansion."
"Hmm?"