- Return of Duke Yulpe
Her Majesty the Princess issued an emergency summons. It was an order to immediately return to the capital on the plane she had sent. Lacius and I simply changed into our clothes and boarded the aircraft that the imperial family had sent. There is no need to worry, as the hotel will take care of our luggage and send it to us. The important thing now was to quickly return to the capital.
“Shay, about what you were going to say earlier.”
“Oh, its nothing. I can tell you later.”
It wasn’t nothing, but this bought me a bit more time. With the return of a member of the Duchy of Yulpe, Lacius would be quite busy, giving me the chance to secretly see a doctor.
The subordinate, who had suddenly arrived and interrupted our date, sat stiffly, almost like a statue. He seemed to have sensed that Lacius was in a very bad mood. Since he came here under the order of the imperial family, he didn’t do anything wrong. Feeling a bit sorry for him, I asked a question.
“So, which member of the Duke of Yulpe’s family is back this time?”
The question was directed at Lacius, but the answer came from his subordinate.
“I-I will tell you!”
“Oh, really? Please do.”
“Yes! Please allow me to tell you!”
Mr. Subordinate, whose name I do not know, was desperate. He began the briefing very enthusiastically, as if he wanted to somehow break this cold atmosphere.
“It is Eustaf Yulpe who has returned.”
“Eustaf Yulpe?”
“Well, he is the, uhm… undisputed… and universally acknowledged…”
Mr. Subordinate was trying to explain something but trailed off. He seemed unsure if he should continue. Before Mr. Subordinate’s hesitant words continued, Lacius opened his mouth briefly.
“He’s a narcissist.”
That one word seemed to sum up everything about Eustaf Yulpe. I looked back at Mr. Subordinate, who nodded in affirmation, and then at Lacius, who had an indifferent face.
“How narcissistic is he?”
“Hmm… When we were young, I needed earplugs every time I met him. He would go on about his beauty for an hour straight.”
“Oh my god.”
How handsome must one be to praise one’s own appearance so much? It was hard for me to imagine, having seen Lacius morning and night. I don’t think there’s a more handsome man than him in the world.
“Do you remember the ‘god’ we faced in the desert?”
“Yes, of course. How can I forget that guy?”
“The purple hair he wears is a characteristic of the Yulpe duchy. It seems that person has seen a portrait of Eustaf Yulpe, which is sold everywhere.”
“… It’s being sold?”
“They’re sold on the black market. I’ve heard there are collectors who specifically seek them out, and he likes that.”
He is a man who is the complete opposite of Lacius. Still, if he likes it, who cares about the portraits being sold on the black market?
“Let me brief you about your schedule. First, as soon as you arrive at the imperial palace, you will meet Her Highness the Princess. Following that, there will be a brief return celebration lasting about three hours, and then after that, there will be a secret meeting attended by key members of the two ducal houses, including the Archduke of Schweden.”
Mr. Subordinate held the parchment and recited it one after another. Lacius listened quietly and asked briefly.
“If you announce a secret meeting in advance, isn’t it no longer a secret?”
“Uh, um. Yes, that is true, but Her Royal Highness told me to deliver it this way.”
“… I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
Lacius frowned.
Well, who could understand the princess’ thoughts? However, she did say she’d sent Duke Yulpe to find the dragon, so I can only assume it has something to do with that.
“Whatever it is, if she issued an urgent summons, it must be important. Fly at full speed.”
“Yes, I will relay that immediately!”
Mr. Subordinate stood up with an expression of, ‘Right away.’ and headed towards the front and did not come back. He must have felt uncomfortable being between a couple. Thanks to that, I was able to rest my head comfortably on Lacius’ shoulder.
“Shay, your body temperature is quite high.”
“Is it?”
“I hope you didn’t strain yourself coming all the way to Makarten. You should see a doctor as soon as we get back.”
Lacius touched my forehead, and his expression soon became serious. He’s the kind of man who’s always quick to worry when it comes to my health. I gently squeezed his hand and shook my head.
“I’m fine. If I can’t endure the banquet, I’ll go home first, so don’t worry.”
“You don’t have to go to the banquet. I’ll have them hold a meeting as soon as I get there. I’ll be back quick, so go home first.”
“No, don’t do that.”
No matter what, the duke’s son went looking for a dragon and came back alive, so we should congratulate him. I would also like to see the expressions on the Crisiona family’s faces. I was very curious as to whether they had actually found Krazen.
* * *
“Say that again. What is nowhere to be found?”
A golden throne on a high staircase where only the emperor can sit.
The entire throne, cast from pure gold, was covered with preservation magic to maintain its shape. On the right side of the backrest is a three-headed Trachian, and on the left side is Dragonas. And at its feet, Krazen is carved with his tail raised.
Princess Dioles sat on that splendid throne, looking down without a trace of unease, as if it was a position that had always been hers.
“The… The chalice is nowhere to be found.”
“So you’re saying that the chalice is missing..?”
“That’s right. But I received a clue about it’s whereabout!”
The hair, which started as deep purple and turned silver at the ends, was mesmerizing. The man, who was bowing deeply, had skin as smooth as milk and red lips. Five star-like spots dotted the corners of his eyes, adding to his allure.
The man’s voice was very soft and pleasant to listen to, but it didn’t change Dioles’ cold gaze in the slightest. The man spoke quickly, not daring to raise his eyes.
“Krazen himself said to me, ‘Why come here and ask me to give you something that is already in Terran?”
“Ha, so the chalice is already here. But not in my possession.”
“That is what Krazen said. I went to his temple myself and heard it directly from him, so it’s certain.”
You can now sponsor a chapter by buying me a Kofi! 1 Kofi = 1 extra chapter
