Bab 191: The Presence Hiding

I opened my eyes, the trace of a smile playing at my lips. "Oh. So you've been watching as well."

Alfred, who had been standing silently at my side, immediately noticed the shift in my demeanor. His keen senses were always attuned to even the slightest change in my behavior. He cleared his throat softly before speaking, his voice as composed and respectful as ever. "Is there any matter, my lord?"

I glanced at him, appreciating his attentiveness but knowing full well that this next part was something I had to handle alone. "It's nothing, Alfred," I replied, my tone casual as I turned my gaze back toward the spiraling staircase leading up. "There's something I need to check upstairs. Wrap things up here."

Alfred's brows furrowed ever so slightly, a rare crack in his usually stoic expression. "My lord, perhaps it would be wise if I accompanied you. The tower is still in a state of dungeonification, and the creatures within are unpredictable."