~Chapter 27~
Sertien didn’t give me a moment of boredom.
As I spent time reading him storybooks or playing together, a thought suddenly came to me—there was something I needed to say to Latryne.
I realized I needed to go back to the palace.
There wasn’t a pressing reason, but the letters I had left there were on my mind.
“Serti, I’m going to see your dad for a moment. Stay here and behave, okay?”
“Okay,” Sertien nodded.
He then went back to concentrating on the picture he was drawing on the desk.
I left the room and started walking down the hallway of the mansion.
For some reason, it reminded me of the time I had wandered around Latryne’s villa looking for him.
But unlike back then, the day was bright and the weather was nice.
The mansion looked fairly new.
The walls, the furniture—everything seemed brand new.
I stopped in my tracks, wondering again where Latryne might be.
I realized that just like before, I had wandered off without a plan.
Fortunately, a servant spotted me from afar and approached.
I felt relieved.
At least today, I wouldn’t be aimlessly wandering around like last time.
“Is there something you need?” the servant asked politely.
“Yes, where is Latryne right now?”
“The master is currently in the drawing room… with a guest.”
A guest?
Well, Latryne was an important figure in the palace, so it wasn’t surprising that he would have visitors.
But I thought he was taking time off from work, just like me, since we were both recovering from our injuries.
So why did he have a guest now? Perhaps someone had come to check on him?
Either way, I decided to wait and find out.
I didn’t want to disturb them, so I planned to linger nearby until his guest left.
As I approached the drawing room, intending only to confirm that Latryne was inside, I suddenly overheard a conversation that made me stop in my tracks.
“What a shame… Commander Alpress is the most suitable match for the Duke, but now things have turned out this way.”
It sounded like they were discussing Latryne’s marriage again.
After everything that had been said the other day about not wanting to marry, had they not given up yet?
Curious, I decided to eavesdrop for a little longer.
“The Commander is too perfect for me,” Latryne replied.
“That’s exactly why you’re a good match. The Duke needs someone that is perfect. Oh, is it the rumors that are holding you back? If that’s the case, I can understand.”
I could sense Latryne’s discomfort without even seeing him.
“Anyway… even if it’s not because of those rumors, if the Commander is so firmly against it, there’s not much we can do.”
“Why are you visiting me when I’m supposed to be resting?” Latryne asked, clearly wanting to change the subject.
“I heard you’re attending the exchange meeting with the Kingdom of Sylvia.”
Hearing that made my eyes widen.
The Kingdom of Sylvia was where Latryne had first met Erias, if I remembered correctly.
And now he was going there for an official exchange? It felt like a twist of fate.
I wondered if Latryne wanted to avoid going there, but he was someone who rarely showed his true feelings, so he had probably agreed to go without much fuss.
“Yes, that’s right,” Latryne answered.
“Well, on that note, I’ve heard there’s a suitable match for you in Sylvia.”
I nearly fell over at those words.
So now that they couldn’t push me as the marriage candidate, they’d found someone else?
I wanted to barge into the room and protest, but I restrained myself. If I interrupted now, I’d likely cut off the conversation and miss hearing the rest.
Instead, I gripped the wall beside me tightly, feeling frustrated.
“A suitable match?” Latryne asked, his voice filled with uncertainity.
“Yes, the princess there has just come of age and is looking for a marriage partner. A princess of another kingdom would be a fitting bride for a duke of our empire.”
“I’ve already made it clear that I don’t want to marry,” Latryne replied firmly.
“Your opinion doesn’t matter. It’s your duty, as someone born into your position, to accept this. It’s inevitable.”
“…”
“I’ve already discussed the matter with the Kingdom of Sylvia. You should meet the princess while you’re there. She doesn’t seem opposed to the idea.”
“…Understood.”
‘Understood? What do you mean “understood”? You should be refusing!’ I thought to myself, frustrated.
Listening to the conversation, I grew even more annoyed, but it seemed Latryne wasn’t going to put up much of a fight.
“Good, then I hope you have a successful trip to the exchange. That was the reason I came to see you today, so I’ll take my leave now.”
I heard the sound of the guest getting up from his seat.
I knew I had to get out of there before they noticed I’d been eavesdropping.
Relying on my well-trained reflexes, I silently moved away from the drawing room and headed toward the nearby stairs, hoping to avoid being seen.
It was ridiculous that I was using my training for something like this, but I figured it was better than getting caught and dealing with the awkward aftermath.
From a distance, I saw Latryne escorting the guest out.
Once I heard the door close behind them, I carefully approached Latryne as if nothing had happened.
“Latryne.”
“…Litya? What brings you here?”
“Nothing much, really. I was just thinking about the letters I left in the palace, and they’ve been on my mind. There’s nothing too important in them, but I’d prefer it if no one else reads them. I thought I should go get them.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll go retrieve them for you. You should stay here and rest.”
“What? Latryne, you’re injured too. And besides, don’t you have to prepare for the trip abroad soon?”
It seemed that many people were already aware of the exchange trip Latryne was going on.
Latryne didn’t seem too surprised that I knew about it.
“That’s true. So, you already knew?”
“Well… when you spend enough time in the palace, you hear things,” I said, smoothly lying to cover up the fact that I’d overheard everything.
Latryne paused briefly before answering, “I’m sorry.”
“Huh?” I asked, not understanding why he was suddenly apologizing. But his reason turned out to be simple.
“I wanted to make sure you could rest comfortably, but it seems I won’t be able to do that. I’ll have to leave for the Kingdom of Sylvia soon.”
“I’m not a child. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re welcome to stay in this mansion for as long as you like. It might be more comfortable here with the servants taking care of things for you.”
“…What about Sertien?”
“I’ll have someone look after him while I’m gone. I’d like to take him with me, but it’s a crucial diplomatic exchange, so I can’t.”
“I see. It sounds like you have your hands full. I hope the trip goes smoothly for you.”
“…Thank you.”
Latryne responded, looking slightly puzzled that I was taking the news so easily.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be just fine resting here while you’re away.”
“…”
‘That’s what I said, but…’
I was now standing at the train station, wearing a hat pulled down low to avoid drawing attention.
The fastest way to get to the Kingdom of Sylvia was by taking this train.
After hearing Latryne’s plans, I had secretly sent a message to the palace, where I learned that Latryne’s delegation would also be taking this very train.
I had already bought a ticket for the same time and train, carefully ensuring that I would be on board without Latryne knowing.
Assistant Commander Shun had handled all the arrangements for me.
I had thought Shun would be busy since I wasn’t there to work, but surprisingly, he seemed more relaxed than usual.
When I’d secretly met with Shun behind the mansion, away from Latryne’s eyes, he had looked healthier than ever.
Shun, whom I knew, always had a pale, exhausted look from overwork.
“Shun, you look well-rested.”
“Do I? …Actually, His Majesty reduced our workload significantly while you’re away. I didn’t expect him to cut back this much, though.”
“That’s a relief. I was worried I’d be asking too much of you with this favor.”
“Not at all. If you need anything else, just let me know… By the way, what’s with those rumors…? Is it true that you have a child…? Are those rumors really true?”
Apparently, even Shun had heard the ridiculous gossip.
I sighed and pressed a hand to my forehead in frustration.
“Of course it’s not true… People must have seen me with Sertien and jumped to conclusions, spreading rumors.”
“I figured it was just gossip, but… Jetton visited recently to report on some business in Reid.”
Hearing that Jetton had visited, I felt a pang of regret for not seeing him.
Shun had known Jetton well, as they had trained together back when I was the commander in Reid.
“That must have been nice to catch up.”
“Yes, we had lunch and talked for a bit. But even Jetton asked me if the rumors were true… He said, ‘Was that child really your biological son?’ He seemed to believe it.”
“No way! Next time you see him, please make sure to tell him it’s absolutely not true!”
I couldn’t believe Jetton had fallen for the rumors, too.
When I shouted in frustration, Shun seemed a bit flustered as he mumbled, “…I don’t know when I’ll see him again…”
“Ah… Anyway, sorry for raising my voice. So, did you manage to take care of that thing I asked for?”
Shun reached into his pocket and handed me a slip of paper.
“Here it is. I even booked a train ticket just in case. I hope it’s alright.”
I was more than satisfied with Shun’s thoroughness.
He really was the most efficient person I knew.
“Shun, you’re always so on top of things without me even having to ask. Thank you.”
