In order not to expose her identity as a spy, and also for Morris’s safety, Dorinia had long decided that whenever there were others present, she must show open hostility toward him.
She also hoped Morris would treat her the same way, so that no one would ever suspect that the two, who always seemed at odds, were actually allies.
However, Dorinia was, after all, a serious and meticulous person—somewhat stubborn, one might say.
She’d only thought of Morris directly giving her the cold shoulder, never considering that he might take a more indirect, mocking approach to act hostile.
And yet, he’d just made a comment that was basically a “confession in front of Elvira.”
That left Dorinia’s mind completely blank, as if she’d crashed.
This was a very dangerous reaction. Even if Elvira knew nothing, seeing her like this would surely make her angry.
Fortunately, Dorinia was facing away from the others at that moment, so she didn’t give herself away immediately. But she couldn’t keep that up for long.
Thankfully, Morris reacted quickly. After a brief pause, he shrugged, a touch of sorrow and self-mockery tugging at his lips as he said,
“There’s no need to look at me with such a cold gaze, is there? It was just a joke, just a little self-mockery in hard times. Elvira really is absurdly lucky to have found such a loyal hound as you.”
Morris’s rescue was extremely timely. With those words, in Elvira’s eyes and the others’, Dorinia’s speechless and motionless response seemed perfectly normal.
Just the usual strict lady swordsman who’d never known a joke, taking Morris’s bad joke too seriously and glaring at him for it.
Especially Elvira—she didn’t suspect a thing.
She only responded, a bit smug, after hearing Morris’s remark:
“Sorry, Morris, Dorinia is a serious person. Joking with her is just asking for trouble. And I really didn’t like that metaphor you used just now. If you say something that vulgar again, I’ll have to teach you a good lesson.”
“Hmph, even if I don’t say it, you’ll still do the same.”
“Oh my, you really do understand my personality, don’t you? See, we get along so well, don’t we?”
Soaking in her victor’s status, Elvira lounged lazily on her throne, smiling down at the man who could only resist her with words. Anyone could see she was in a great mood.
Morris only shook his head, shifting his gaze as if to say, “Say whatever you want, you shameless wicked woman.”
It looked like Morris hadn’t been able to get one over on Elvira.
But in truth, Morris had managed to get everyone safely past an extremely dangerous moment.
While Morris and Elvira exchanged barbs, Dorinia quickly realized what had happened and regained her composure.
She spoke in her usual icy tone,
“…Enough with the jokes. Let’s go, Sir Morris. If you continue to be disrespectful to Her Majesty in front of me, I’ll have to ask you to quiet down for a while.”
“That’s truly frightening. Looks like I’d better keep quiet for my own safety.”
Seeing Dorinia return to form, Morris jumped right back into his role, wearing a self-deprecating smile and spreading his hands in mock helplessness.
“…That’s for the best. I dislike talkative men.”
Regaining her calm, Dorinia nodded solemnly, then bowed to Elvira on the throne and shot Morris an icy look, urging him to leave.
Naturally, Morris played along.
The two left the throne hall one after the other, leaving the remaining three to their own reactions.
Elvira, of course, remained in her victor’s composure, completely oblivious to anything amiss, merely smiling in satisfaction at the scene.
Roselia continued to watch her colleague and the queen’s prisoner with gentle, smiling eyes, as if she had no personal opinion at all.
She still maintained the perfect air of an assistant, holding documents and standing properly at the closest spot to the queen.
But the marquis’s daughter was different. Though her expression was still cold, her gaze held some concern.
The Dorinia she knew was a stern woman, never one for idle talk, and fiercely loyal to Elvira.
If the gentle but strong, efficient and talented assistant Roselia was the queen’s shield, then Dorinia was the sharpest sword Elvira, the Witch Queen, wielded against her enemies.
A knight like Morris, who valued freedom and romance, being left alone with the strict Dorinia, would surely have a hard time. They might even come to blows.
It really made her worry.
Unlike the carefree Elvira, who almost looked forward to seeing Morris suffer.
Sivellinde did not want to see Morris in pain.
But she was just a marquis. There was no way she could criticize the queen’s captive, who was also her friend.
All she could do was pray.
Pray that Morris wouldn’t be targeted by Dorinia.
Now, with her back to Elvira and Roselia, Sivellinde made a gesture of prayer toward Morris’s departing figure, just like a nun.
Of course, Sivellinde needn’t have worried so much.
Because as soon as they reached an empty corridor, the perpetually stern Dorinia changed completely, circling in front of Morris to thank him.
“Thank you for saving me just now, Sir Morris. I was caught off guard and couldn’t keep up with your pace. Fortunately, you reacted quickly, or that woman would’ve noticed something for sure.”
Now, not only had Dorinia’s expression softened, even her voice wasn’t so cold, and her attitude had made a one-eighty: not only was there no hostility, but even a tone of respect.
Instead of being mad at Morris, Dorinia was actually grateful for his rescue.
This only made Morris feel a little embarrassed. It wasn’t Dorinia’s fault for not keeping up with his plan—he was the one who hadn’t considered things thoroughly.
So Morris, too, became much more friendly, his deep and magnetic baritone carrying a touch of melancholy as he apologized to the spy before him.
“No, there’s nothing for you to thank me for. It’s me who should apologize. I’m sorry, I nearly put you in danger.”
With someone like Elvira, who never thought she was wrong, Morris always kept his guard up.
Though Dorinia had also done some things he couldn’t understand, that was a separate matter. Now that she’d bowed her head, Morris would be more honest as well.
He sincerely apologized to Dorinia.
“…!?”
Dorinia, who also thought the mistake was hers, instinctively wanted to argue and take the blame herself when she heard Morris’s words.
But the words that had reached her lips just wouldn’t come out.
Because the moment she looked up, ready to speak, she saw the gray-haired young man gazing at her with deep emotion, his magnetic voice soft with gentle care and a hint of sorrow:
“Miss Dorinia, please don’t take away my mistake. It was indeed my lack of forethought—none of this is your fault. Let’s leave it at that. You should change back into your usual self. After all, this place isn’t safe.”
With that, the gray-haired young man, known as the Debauched Knight, turned around, shielding Dorinia’s expression from view and keeping an eye on the corridor behind them.
With all these actions, Dorinia felt her heart pounding as if she were in the midst of fierce battle.
Is this how Sir Morris is when he’s in motion…? Humble, cautious, responsible, and surprisingly assertive, with that melancholy look and magnetic voice—no wonder that selfish wicked woman was crazy about him… Huh? Now that I think about it, did I take advantage of Morris like this? Ah…
Though Dorinia’s rational side knew she should immediately switch back to her normal self, her emotions wouldn’t allow it.
Just thinking of what she’d done yesterday made her whole face turn crimson beneath her mask, even more than when she’d actually done it yesterday.
In this moment, the young spy finally understood why this older paladin was always entangled with wicked women.