The Male Lead’s Father Refuses to Break Off Our Engagement

Chapter 105

 

He wanted to go to the Adelhard right now and ask them the truth: what happened to the child Julia had given birth to, and if they really died.

Trika had been trying to stop Lionel like this from earlier.

It was finally time for Lionel to sit down on a chair and catch his breath. His aide knocked and came inside.

“His Highness.”

“What’s going on?”

“Your Majesty is calling.”

Lionel took a deep breath.

“Tell him that I can’t go right now because I have work to do.”

However, the aide did not leave, but instead came closer to Lionel.

“What?”

“A message from His Majesty the King….”

The aide cleared his throat once and then muttered in a low voice.

“I won’t listen to the excuse that you’re busy. It’s urgent, so be sure to come.”

Lionel frowned. He did not have a very good relationship with his biological father, the current King. No, I hated him ever since Julia died.

The King also knew this, so he did not invite Lionel privately except for national events. And as far as Lionel knew, there was no important event for the King to visit him at the moment.

But what kind of wind is blowing? For whatever reason, I didn’t feel the need to go.

However, the aide immediately spoke as if he had expected Lionel to come out like that.

“There is a message added by His Majesty the King in case you do not come.”

“……?”

“It is said that someone from the Empire’s Duke Adelhard family is coming.”

“……!”

Lionel got up and walked closer to his aide.

“What….”

“In the Empire’s Duke Adelhard family…”

There was nothing more to hear. Lionel picked up the coat he had roughly thrown on the chair and left the room. The aide followed him obediently.

 

*****

 

“His Highness, you can’t do this! You should tell His Majesty first….”

Lionel pushed aside the attendant who was trying to stop him and opened the door himself. The King, who was sitting on the terrace, clicked his tongue.

“That personality will not change. Leave him alone.”

The servant who was dragged along, almost clinging to Lionel’s arms, bowed politely and went out.

“Your Majesty.”

Lionel roughly adjusted his clothes and walked towards the king.

“What do you mean? Suddenly, someone from the Adelhard family came…”

“Sit down first.”

Lionel felt his stomach boiling, but he sat down obediently. The King, perhaps aware of his burning feelings, slowly poured tea into the cup placed in front of Lionel.

“Take it.”

“I’m sure you didn’t invite me to have tea in private.”

“That’s not true, but wouldn’t someone who hasn’t seen each other for a long time have a cup of tea?”

“Haha…”

Lionel let out a laugh and took a gulp of the steaming tea. Because I was able to use the power of Trika, the guardian of water, the tea cooled down to a comfortable temperature in an instant.

“Now, let’s get to the point.”

“What’s so urgent?”

The King poured tea into the empty cup again and slowly lifted his own cup. Lionel gritted his teeth.

“Your Majesty.”

The King has always been like that. He knew Lionel was Trika’s successor and tried to keep him under his feet from the moment he was brought in. He tried to control my every move.

It was still like that now. The King may be making this pause to show off that he is superior to Lionel.

Even though Lionel knew this, he felt sorry for himself for having no choice but to play into his hands.

The King looked leisurely at Lionel, who was struggling to control his expression, and then put down his glass.

“Technically, no one from the Duchy of Adelhard is coming.”

“Then…”

“Duke Adelhard himself was coming.”

“……!”

Lionel couldn’t hide his excitement. Duke Adelhard was Julia’s younger brother. This is a man who would have become family with him originally.

“I heard that the Duchess and Prince Adelhard are also coming.”

“…….”

The king’s eyes shone sharply.

“Lionel, is there anything you didn’t tell me eight years ago?”

Lionel closed his eyes. At the same time, the events of that day eight years ago were still vivid in his mind.

The day he said he had a girl he liked and that he was leaving for the Empire to be with her.

At that time, he did not mention that Julia was pregnant. This was because he was worried that the King, who heard that, might harm Julia and the unborn child.

He didn’t even mention that the woman he loved was from the Adelhard family.

Only now that Celsion’s successor had appeared did the king begin to suspect that Julia and Lionel had a child. And there is also the suspicion that Prince Adelhard is that child.

If the child thought to be dead were alive and became Celsion’s successor, the King would not leave the child alone.

He would do whatever it took to bring the child to the kingdom. To this hellish place.

Lionel opened his closed eyes and answered as calmly as possible.

“Well, I don’t think so.”

If I insisted strongly that it wasn’t there, it would only arouse more suspicion. So, instead of speaking strongly, Lionel decided to hide it in moderation.

The King’s eyes narrowed further. Lionel continued.

“It’s been so long ago, how can I remember every word I said then?”

“Really?”

“However, I don’t think there was anything left out.”

“I see.”

The King’s expression relaxed and he leaned back against the back of his chair.

“Anyway, you studied abroad in the Empire, so you must be familiar with the Empire’s culture. I want you to prepare for this state visit.”

“I will do as you command.”

Lionel returned to the room, managing his expression until the end. As soon as he returned to the bedroom, he took off his coat and threw it on the chair.

“What on earth was Duke Adelhard thinking…!”

At that time, Trika, who was sitting on the bed in a loaf position and waiting, pricked up her ears and jumped to the floor.

[Lionel.]

“I don’t feel like talking right now…”

[I can feel Celsio energy.]

“What?”

Trika jumped up to the table and made vague eye contact with Lionel.

[It appears that Celsion’s successor has arrived near the border of Cesia.]

As soon as Lionel heard those words, he ran outside carrying only simple baggage. Trika did not stop him this time and quickly followed him.

 

*****

 

“Wow.”

Ruth looked out of the carriage and let out an exclamation.

“It’s amazing!”

The child’s red eyes sparkled. Evelia, who was sitting next to Ruth, stroked the child’s head with a smile on her face.

“Is it that interesting?”

“Yes! It’s a scenery I’ve only seen in books!”

“I see.”

Evelia patted Ruth on the back and then turned her gaze out the window. Outside the window was a wide sandy beach. Clothing was also quite different from the Empire.

A few hours ago, the three arrived near the border using the Mana Portal. From there, they were about to board a carriage and head towards the Cesia border.

As we got closer to the border, the scenery changed. The mountains commonly seen in the Adelhard Territory disappeared, and a vast desert began to spread out.

It was amazing for Evelia, but how amazing would it be for Ruth?

On the other hand, Cassis, who was sitting across from me, did not react. Unlike Ruth, who was very excited, and Evelia, who was a little excited, he had a stern face.

‘Maybe I was too excited’

Evelia calmed down belatedly. If they were simply traveling to the Kingdom of Cesia, it would be okay to like that, but they were not on a trip.

Ruth doesn’t know the circumstances of adults. Evelia had to take the situation seriously.

So she only moderately agreed with Ruth’s chattering words and tried not to show any signs of excitement.

So the carriage ran and ran again and passed the border. Since we had received permission to visit the Cesia royal family in advance, we were able to easily cross the border.

Still, the carriage continued to run. The Kingdom of Cesia had relatively less developed magic than the Empire, and the number of mana portals was small. It took a full day by carriage just to get to the nearest point.

The group decided to stop in a village along the way. The town was larger than they expected. It was also bustling with activity.

Once inside the best inn in town, Ruth clung to the window with excitement.

“Celsion, Celsion!”

Celsion, who still looked like a small puppy, was wagging his tail next to Ruth.

“Is this your hometown?”

[That’s right.]

“Wow.”