I Picked Up My Father Who Left Home 56
Count Kiehran cringed under Lia’s gaze.
The aura of a child who had just turned twelve was too intimidating to be considered an ordinary child.
Lia exuded the same power that the Duke of Sithran exuded in his youth, when he held the nobles in his grasp.
However, even though he had flinched, Count Kiehran had no intention of backing down.
He hoped that Jeshuan would still hide his dead-like presence as before, confined in his palace.
He didn’t want him to reveal himself without good reason, and he didn’t expect him to solidify his position.
Of course, that wouldn’t easily put him in the position of crown prince, but his presence was annoying and uncomfortable.
Isn’t there news circulating that he might become the next emperor, considering that the current emperor has no signs of getting married or appointing a new empress?
That was an unwise thing to say.
He is a time bomb that can explode at any time, and he will become the emperor of an empire.
Unless he want to see the first emperor in history who will kill his own people and destroy his empire with his own hands, but he cant let that happen.
Count Kiehran did not think his thoughts were far-fetched.
Considering the danger Jeshuan could pose, it was a distinct possibility, and he wasn’t the only noble who thought so.
“I’m sure His Majesty is well aware of that. Don’t you think so?”
The form of the words is clearly a question, but the meaning being conveyed is not at all like that.
So Lia interrupted once again.
“If the emperor said that he was not a dangerous person, would you believe him? Because it sounds like you are asking a question with a predetermined answer.”
“However, I really don’t understand, since earlier the Duke has been acting as if the Duke is the spokesperson for His Highness.”
He wanted to know if she, the Duke, was trying to encourage the Crown Prince.
Considering the former Duke of Sithran was more favored by the crown prince than any other noble, it wasn’t too impossible.
If that was the case, he felt like he would be in trouble.
What’s Duke Sithran was like.
Those who didn’t know well might wonder what would change if one duke gave power to the crown prince, but considering how great the duke’s power was, that would be a variable that could shake things up.
“I’m just fulfilling my obligations as a noble and regional ruler, what’s wrong with that.”
Obligations as a noble.
By looking after the people in the name of the emperor, who cannot look after everyone individually, and becoming the hands and feet of the emperor.
Jeshuan was not yet emperor, he was still just a crown prince, but he was still someone who held power over all the nobles.
Lia pointed out that fact.
“The emperor’s family members are still part of the empire, right?”
The nobleman felt Lia’s behavior was unacceptable because she was indifferent and too partial to the prince.
He couldn’t see Lia falling for the crown prince completely at this rate, and he was worried that Lia would make him unnecessarily greedy. (Throne)
In his anxiety, he momentarily forgot his boundaries.
He wanted to end things as calmly as possible, but when Lia refused to back down, he felt uncomfortable and spoke confidently.
Lia’s mood changed when she heard those words, and so did Jeshuan.
The Count’s behavior so far had been rather rude, but that was something that could be overlooked.
His attitude is nothing new, and there is nothing to be gained by taking issue with his attitude either.
But what he said now was different.
It was a clear insult to the imperial family.
When Jeshuan was about to say something, Lia spoke up.
“You should watch your mouth, Count, if you still wish to use your mouth in the future. Regardless of how he looks in your eyes, to me his highness is just an ordinary man, his highness, not someone dangerous who can harm Thus, I think it would be a good idea for you to have your eyes checked.”
Even though his eyesight was excellent, he did not recognize the real Jeshuan.
When she said that, Lia didn’t hide her feelings.
“Duke, you are still so young, so ignorant of what is happening in this world, so lacking in so many things, but you talk too much….”
“I think that’s what I should say.”
Interrupting the excited Count, Jeshuan said coldly.
And for the first time since he met Lia, the smile completely disappeared from his face.
And with that smile gone, Jeshuan looked like a completely different person.
It felt very cold and icy.
Its appearance looked ferocious and dangerous, as if it would bite another person’s throat at any time.
“No matter what you think, I am the crown prince. Isn’t that right?”
There is a limit to his tolerance.
Only by treating him as if he were a dangerous beast let loose without a leash could he be ignored.
He wasn’t the only one who thought so.
They had their reasons, especially, and Jeshuan understood their attitude.
Of course, that’s an unpleasant thing.
But he still endured it, purely for his father’s sake.
He was the one who inadvertently burdened his father.
To protect himself, he ignored the protest letters he received from the nobles every day.
In such a situation, if there was even the slightest problem between him and the nobles, they would take the opportunity to bite him.
He would still refuse to let it go, and then the relationship between the nobles and him would be severed.
Jeshuan hoped that such a situation would not arise because of him.
He didn’t want his father, who loved him very much, to experience something he didn’t need to experience because of him.
So he endured it.
So as not to give the nobles the slightest reason to take him down.
Because the most important thing for them is not who is at fault, but what danger they will face.
All Jeshuan could do for him was isolate himself, lowering himself to the bare minimum.
But… he shouldn’t touch Lia.
She didn’t do anything wrong.
She didn’t deserve to be treated like that by the man in front of her.
He shouldn’t treat her like that, just because she was with him, just because she defended him.
He can’t stand it.
“…That, that….”
Count Kiehran flinched at Jeshuan’s unusual behavior.
There was a dangerous aura about him that could not be ignored.
He felt as if at any moment he would strangle his neck and tear his body apart.
“Count Kiehran.”
Jeshuan remained silent, trying to contain his anger.
“… Forgive my mistake, Your Highness, and forgive my rudeness.”
Count Kiehran could be so impudent because he knew that Jeshuan would not punish him.
And even if he did, he felt there was nothing to worry about.
But now it’s different.
Especially since he had overstepped his bounds, and had brandished his sword towards the crown prince.
Of course, he and the crown prince were not the only ones present.
There was also Duke Sithran, the Emperor’s most trusted confidant.
He had now turned two of the Emperor’s favorites against him at the same time.
“Was your rudeness directed only at me?”
Jeshuan looked at Count Kiehran, who shook his head, his face cold and without the slightest emotion.
“I also apologize to the Duke.”
“I will remember the count’s face, so please, in the future… remember your duties as a noble.”
Lia did not accept the Count’s apology. It wasn’t something he deserved in the first place.
So she warned him instead.
Because she didn’t want Jeshuan to be treated like this again.
And with that, she walked beside Jeshuan, passing by Count Kiehran’s side.
There was silence between Lia and Jeshuan as they walked back to the palace.
Because they are each busy with their own thoughts.
After a while, Jeshuan spoke first.
“Do you really think so, Lia?”
“W-what? What’s that.”
Lia, who had been lost in thought for a moment and didn’t hear Jeshuan’s words, repeated with a confused face.
“Do you really think I’m not dangerous?”
It wasn’t easy for Jeshuan to say these words.
Even myself thinks so.
I was a dangerous person who would hurt those around me.
It was even harder for him to ask the question because he felt it was an acknowledgment of the fact.
But what he want to convey is…
A small hope, an expectation.
“At least from what I have seen so far, Jeshuan is not a dangerous person.”
Lia said with full confidence.
“It’s possible that Lia doesn’t know the truth. Oh no, I could also have deceived you.”
He had hidden the most important thing from her.
About the condition.
So it was a very ironic situation.
He was acting weak on purpose because he didn’t want to be a danger to her, but here he was asking her if he really didn’t seem dangerous to her.
And then he said it as if he felt regret.
The statement made Jeshuan feel bitter.
“That may be so, but I know that what you said to me, and the way you looked at me, was not a lie.”
Lia also knows that.
That he is not as he seems in front of her.
She could tell just by comparing him to the man he was when they first met.
But that’s just how it is, isn’t it?
We all put on a little pretense when we want to impress someone, don’t we?
So, just because it’s different from how he treats other people, doesn’t mean it’s bad.
“How can you be so sure?”
