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

At the word “fiancée” slipping from Tezette’s lips, Astaire’s expression hardened, while Cassian could only gape before finally stammering out,“Fiancée…?”Cassian had never concerned himself with noble affairs and had no idea that Elsez was the infamous “Duke of Rittenhouse’s betrothed.” It was a revelation shocking enough to leave even him speechless.Tezette took half a step closer to Elsez, murmuring,“So, you’ve started following me even here.”“I didn’t follow you. This is just a coincidence.”“There are too many coincidences.”Elsez pressed her lips together, at a loss for words.It seemed that before her possession, the previous Elsez had practically stalked him.She felt sorry for the man who had been tormented, but being treated like a stalker for something she hadn’t even done was just as frustrating.“This time, it really is a coincidence. I have no reason to seek you out anymore.”“…Reason?”“Because we’re breaking off our engagement.”Elsez spoke firmly, carefully watching Tezette’s reaction.But his expression remained unreadable—his icy gaze held no discernible emotion as he continued to stare at her.‘It’s even more unsettling when he doesn’t say anything…’One of the reasons people feared him was because his emotions were nearly impossible to read.He rarely revealed what he was thinking, nor did he react in a way that allowed others to anticipate his next move.Then, out of nowhere, he would act.It wasn’t random—there was always reasoning behind it—but from an outsider’s perspective, his actions seemed unpredictable, making them all the more disconcerting.‘But logically speaking, there’s no reason for him to refuse the annulment.’That face, that wealth, that power, and to top it all off, the reputation of a hero who had saved the nation.Even three years ago, when he had neither wealth nor influence, there had been countless women desperate to speak with him.Now, with everything at his disposal, there would be even more.Among them, there were surely noblewomen far more advantageous marriage prospects than a Viscount’s daughter who had lost her family and was left with only debt.If he wanted to, Tezette could choose from any of them.“I—”The moment Tezette’s lips parted, a middle-aged man suddenly interjected, stepping between them.“Ah, my apologies. The carriage had some trouble, so I’m a bit late. Your Grace, you arrived ahead of me.”Despite the man’s greeting, Tezette showed no reaction.His gaze remained fixed solely on Elsez.The man, who was roughly the same height as Elsez—a bit short for a man—awkwardly cleared his throat and fiddled with his mustache before addressing the group.“Apologies for the delayed introduction. I am Hamston Gale, cooperating with this investigation.”“Welcome, Count Gale.”Astaire, recognizing the man as the imperial envoy sent by the crown prince, offered a formal greeting.Count Gale glanced at Astaire, Cassian, and then Elsez, rubbing his mustache thoughtfully.“This must be the esteemed hero, Cassian. And this young lady is…?”He clearly didn’t recognize Elsez. It wasn’t surprising—she was relatively unknown among the nobility.Before either Tezette or Cassian could respond, Astaire stepped in.“She’s a guild member I hired. She has extensive knowledge about the Demon God.”“Hmm, I see.”Count Gale squinted at Elsez, his expression doubtful.What? What’s your problem?Noticing his skepticism, Elsez shot him a sharp glare.Startled, Count Gale flinched and instinctively took a slight step behind Tezette.As she continued to glare at him, her eyes met Tezette’s once again—he was still staring at her.Feeling oddly unsettled, she quickly averted her gaze.Cassian, who had been watching the entire exchange, looked back and forth between them before speaking again in disbelief.“So, you two really are engaged—”Before he could finish, Astaire firmly stomped on his foot.“Why the hell are you stepping on me?” Cassian hissed, eyes burning with irritation.Instead of answering, Astaire simply gave him a silent shut up look.If Elsez and Tezette’s engagement hadn’t been fully resolved yet, it was best if Count Gale remained unaware of it.Ignoring Cassian’s glare, Astaire turned to Count Gale and spoke.“Let’s go meet Count Lort first.”   *****   As Elsez and her group waited in one of the temple chambers, Lancelot brought in Count Lort and seated him before them.In just a few days, Count Lort had become disheveled and haggard. Seeing the three imposing heroes standing before him with cold expressions, he shrank back in his seat.Before the questioning began, he recited the Oath of Truth.“I, Phaidan of House Lort, swear upon my name to speak only the truth before the gods.”Of course, swearing an oath didn’t mean he would actually be honest.But it was a long-standing formality, so they let him say it.Count Gale, who seemed convinced that he had already established his dominance, stepped forward with an air of self-importance.“Count Lort, how could you commit such a crime? His Highness is greatly troubled by this matter.”“……”“He has commanded us to investigate every last detail, leaving no suspicion unexamined. You must answer truthfully, without a single lie.”As Elsez watched Count Gale ramble on for show, she suddenly felt a piercing gaze on the back of her head.She turned slightly—and found herself locked in Tezette’s stare.‘If you keep staring like that, you’re going to burn a hole in my skull, you bastard…’Not knowing what that gaze meant made her uneasy.‘The crown prince likely sent Tezette for two reasons.’First, to publicly show that he was personally invested in the matter, by deploying Tezette—a national hero and one of his closest aides.Second, as a warning that he would not tolerate the imposter who had dared to use his name.‘The crown prince is playing his cards well.’But another question lingered in her mind.‘Is Tezette really loyal to the imperial family?’He had never cared for power before, so why had he suddenly aligned himself with the crown prince?It frustrated her to even consider the possibility that he might be an enemy. But it wasn’t something she could ask him outright, which made it all the more frustrating.Count Gale, growing impatient, asked bluntly,“Who is the mastermind behind all this?”“I-I don’t know.”As expected, the answer was predictable.Cassian slammed his fist against the table.BANG!Count Lort flinched, and so did Count Gale.Both turned to stare at Cassian, their faces filled with alarm.“You don’t know? So you just blindly followed orders from someone you’ve never even met?”“Y-you! No matter how revered you are as a hero, you should show some respect when speaking to nobility! How dare you—”“Should I also be respectful to a criminal who lured innocent children to their deaths and tricked people into a cult?”Count Lort, who had been angrily pointing at Cassian, shut his mouth at the sight of the hero’s cold glare.A quiet hiccup slipped through his clenched teeth.“So, do you know who’s behind this or not, noble lord?”Cassian gripped Count Lort’s thick shoulders tightly and leaned in, lowering his voice.“If you don’t remember, I can help jog your memory.”Realizing what Cassian meant, Count Lort started trembling.“I-I truly don’t know! We always met while wearing masks during the meetings—”“Meetings?”Realizing he had said too much, Count Lort clamped his mouth shut.But it was too late.Astaire, who had been watching with his arms crossed, uncrossed them and stepped forward.“What kind of ‘meetings’?”Count Lort hesitated but, seeing the fierce gleam in Cassian’s eyes, he relented.“I-It was where we discussed our plans… Since everyone wore masks, no one knew who anyone else was.”“Where and when do these meetings take place?”“The dates and locations change every time, so I don’t know.”According to Count Lort, only those who received invitations could attend. Everyone remained masked the entire time, ensuring complete anonymity.Astaire made a mental note to investigate these gatherings further.Then, he asked the question he most wanted answered.“The deceased children—do you really not know where they came from?”Though they had found the bodies, they couldn’t return them to their families because Count Lort refused to reveal their origins.Yet, once again, he denied any knowledge.“I-I swear I don’t know! The guild just sent the children to me!”Cassian scoffed.“What kind of family doesn’t look for their missing children after days of absence?”It was then that Tezette, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.“They might not have had families.”Cassian frowned.“But orphanages prohibit child labor.”“What if the orphanages themselves were involved?”Elsez caught on immediately.“So, you’re saying the orphanages could be part of this.”To open a dimensional rift using the Shard of Chaos, dark magic that required a life sacrifice was necessary.Rather than searching for new victims each time, it would be easier to partner with a supplier who could provide a steady flow of lives.And orphaned children had no families to ask questions. As long as the orphanage directors and staff kept quiet, no one would notice.‘Tezette probably made this connection because of his own memories of the orphanage.’She remembered.Years ago, young Tezette had been surviving in the slums, stealing to survive. That’s where he had first met Ruel.The only children who lived in such places were those who had escaped from orphanages.He never spoke about his past, but it was widely assumed that he had grown up in one.Astaire turned to Tezette and said,“Then, Your Grace, I would like you to personally inspect the orphanages—with Cassian accompanying you.”It was a rare moment where he used an honorific title in private.Elsez immediately understood why.‘Since Tezette is the crown prince’s close aide, Astaire wants Cassian there as a watchdog.’It wasn’t pleasant having to suspect an old comrade, but Astaire’s decision was the most rational approach for now.However, Cassian, oblivious to the underlying reason, grumbled in protest.“Why do I have to go with this guy?”Hearing Cassian’s casual way of referring to Tezette, Count Gale interjected.“Shouldn’t you at least address him with respect? He is a duke, after all.”Cassian snorted in disbelief.“The man himself hasn’t said a word, so why are you making a fuss?”“Hah! Such crude behavior—typical of your background.”Count Gale glared at Cassian before turning to Tezette, as if seeking his agreement.But Tezette didn’t even acknowledge him.He simply continued to stare at Elsez.She forced a smile.‘Say something, don’t just stare at me.’Just as the situation grew awkward, Tezette finally spoke.“She’s coming with us.”Elsez blinked in surprise.Astaire frowned, while Cassian quickly jumped in.“Fine, I’ll go with you. Just the two of us, nice and private—”“No, I’ll go.”Before Cassian could grab Tezette’s arm, Elsez took a step toward him and added,“There’s something we need to finish discussing.”