I’m In Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me

…Do they know each other?Elsez looked back and forth between the two men with a puzzled expression.Bolton greeted Astaire with an exaggerated gesture of politeness.“It’s been a long time, young master.”At the unexpected title from Bolton’s mouth, not only Elsez but also Cassian, who had entered the room late, stared at Astaire in shock.Only Tezette, as always, remained expressionless, his emotions unreadable.Hearing that title, Elsez quickly pieced together the relationship between Astaire and the man before them.He’s connected to the Ferdian family.The man who tried to sacrifice innocent lives to open a dimensional rift was someone related to Astaire’s biological family…Worried, Elsez carefully studied Astaire’s expression.Astaire’s face was colder than she had ever seen before.Bolton, however, seemed amused by his reaction, smiling leisurely.“It seems we have much to discuss after such a long time. Perhaps you should dismiss your companions for now?”It was a clear request for Elsez, Cassian, and Tezette to leave the room.But Elsez had no intention of obliging.Not because she didn’t trust Astaire, but because he looked far too fragile at that moment. She couldn’t leave him alone.Before she could voice her thoughts, Astaire reached out and gently grasped her wrist.“…Stay here.”His grip was desperate, as if holding on to a lifeline.Glaring at Bolton, Astaire said firmly,
“There’s nothing I need to hide from them.”“Oh dear. And here I thought we could reminisce about old times, young master.”“Cut the nonsense. Let me ask you directly.”Astaire sharply interrupted Bolton’s playful tone, leaning forward over the table to close the distance between them.“Is my father involved in this?”A corner of Bolton’s mouth curled into a smirk.With a sinister grin, he answered,
“I serve only one master.”His words implied that his ‘master,’ the Marquis of Ferdian, was deeply involved in this matter.Astaire didn’t seem surprised, as if he had already expected the truth. But Elsez noticed it—the way his fist, pressed against the table, clenched so tightly that veins protruded.
****

After finishing Bolton’s interrogation, Astaire left the room and gave instructions to Lancelot, who was waiting outside.“Lancelot, prepare to leave for the Ferdian estate at dawn tomorrow.”Lancelot flinched momentarily at Astaire’s command but bowed upon seeing his calm face.“…Understood.”After giving his orders, Astaire turned to the three who had been waiting.“Thank you for your efforts despite the late hour. I’ll see you all in the morning.”Tezette barely acknowledged Astaire’s words and turned away, showing little reaction to the revelation of Astaire’s connection to Ferdian.“You…”Cassian started to say something to Astaire but stopped midway.“…Forget it.”He ruffled the back of his hair in frustration and left without another word.“Your Holiness,”Elsez, who stood beside him with worried eyes, met Astaire’s gaze. He smiled gently, as he always did.“Go rest. You must be tired.”After hesitating for a moment, Elsez reluctantly followed Tezette and Cassian under Astaire’s encouraging gaze.Once alone, Astaire turned toward his quarters within the temple.But before he could take a single step, he closed his eyes tightly and let out a painful sigh.“……”Bolton’s mocking voice echoed in his mind.‘No matter how much you deny it, you cannot change the fact that you are the son of Ferdian.’Bolton had confessed to all the terrible deeds the Marquis of Ferdian had committed.Not out of remorse, but as if he enjoyed revealing a father’s sins in front of his son, confident that Astaire would never dare confront his father’s crimes.Hearing about his father’s sins from Bolton had been excruciating. Not that it was anything new.Astaire had long known what kind of man his father was. Yet, for some reason, it felt like the ground beneath his feet was crumbling away.It was unbearably tormenting.He felt as if insects were crawling through every vein in his body, wherever his father’s blood flowed.If only he could drain every drop of that blood from his body and rid himself of his lineage…“Your Holiness.”A familiar voice and a presence behind him startled Astaire. Elsez had returned.Astaire quickly masked his expression and turned around.“Did you forget something?”“No, I was just… worried about you.”Elsez’s gaze was fixed solely on Astaire.He realized why she had come back.“I’m sorry… for what happened today.”“……”“But I swear to the divine, I won’t let this go. Even if it costs me my position, I’ll make sure the truth is exposed and justice is served—”“What are you sorry for?”Astaire’s question, cutting her off, left Elsez momentarily speechless.She frowned slightly, as if in pain or frustration, and continued,“It’s not your fault.”“……”“I’m worried about you, Your Holiness.”Not the progress of the investigation.If she were in his shoes, she might feel anger toward her father, but she wouldn’t blame herself.It was her father’s crime, not hers.But Astaire was different.As a powerless child, he had known of his family’s misdeeds but had been unable to act. He had never forgiven himself for that.He was the kind of person who would hold himself responsible for not having stopped his father.Elsez approached Astaire, who stood frozen in place.“Your name is Astaire Belcastel, isn’t it?”Everyone knew that Astaire, originally from the Ferdian family, had been disowned by them.Though in truth, he had left by his own choice.“So, the name ‘Ferdian’ no longer has any hold over you.”I hope that you can finally forgive Astaire Ferdian.“……”Astaire stared at Elsez, who had come to stand so close to him.For a moment, her figure overlapped with that of young Ruel, who had once reached out to him.‘Wanna come with me?’But the chilly night breeze swept away the image of Ruel, leaving only Elsez standing there.In that moment, he realized.He was no longer seeing the ghost of someone who had passed away, but the living woman standing before him.Coming to terms with this newfound feeling, Astaire, still in disbelief, softly asked,“Then… will you hold my hand?”“Huh?”“So I don’t fall apart.”Astaire extended his hand to Elsez.Elsez blinked, confused by the sudden request, but then smiled playfully and took his hand without hesitation.“There. Happy now?”She gently shook their clasped hands with a teasing grin.“I’ll hold on tight, so you won’t fall.”Astaire smiled softly, gripping her hand firmly in return.It was a miracle—another salvation, arriving just in time.

****

The next morning, at the royal palace.After finishing his morning shower, Cedric entered his bedroom and poured himself a drink from the bottle of liquor on the table.Having a glass of alcohol after a morning shower was one of his habits to start a pleasant day.And this morning was particularly delightful, thanks to the news Count Gale had delivered the night before.“The Cardinal has caught the Marquis of Ferdian in the act.”Cedric had laughed upon hearing the news.“For a son to expose his father’s crimes… what a tragedy.”It had all gone according to his plan.After Astaire visited the palace following Count Lort’s arrest, Cedric had deliberately pressured the Marquis of Ferdian to act hastily.And then, he simply waited for him to be caught.First, to divert Astaire and his party’s attention toward the Marquis of Ferdian while he proceeded with his plans elsewhere.Second, to force Astaire to face the truth about his father, making him cover up the incident himself.As the Cardinal, possessing power second only to the Saintess, Astaire could easily bury the matter if he wished.“Even if he’s the Saintess’s loyal dog, would he really bite his own father? It’s not like he’s a lunatic like Duke Rittenhouse.”Even if he had left his family, blood was thicker than water.How many children could truly bring their own father to ruin with their own hands?Moreover, if this incident were made public, it wouldn’t only tarnish the Marquis of Ferdian but also damage Astaire’s honor as his son.Although many now viewed guilt by association as unjust, people still had a tendency to project a father’s sins onto his children.“He won’t report his father. He’ll surely ask to cover it up.”If Astaire chose that path, Cedric was more than willing to oblige.And in doing so, he would gain a valuable weakness over the ever-unbending Cardinal, who had never once yielded before him.“I might even use that weakness to my advantage in dealing with the Holy Kingdom.”For Cedric, everything about the situation was favorable.“…Watching that proud face crumble will be quite a sight.”Imagining the expression Astaire would soon wear, Cedric smiled contentedly and raised his glass.On his way back from the bathroom, a servant sent by Count Gale had informed him that “the Cardinal’s carriage has departed,” so Astaire should be arriving any moment now.However, quite some time passed, and even as the moisture in his hair nearly dried, Astaire still hadn’t shown up.Why isn’t he coming?Cedric placed his glass down on the table, a sense of unease creeping over him.Just then, there was a knock at the door.