There Is No Eternal Supporting Role

Despite being called a small palace, the Palace of Dawn, where the Emperor’s only younger brother resided, was quite sizable by its name. And to maintain such a large palace, a significant number of people were needed.

In the strict social hierarchy of the society, people’s movements and living spaces were divided accordingly. As an intermediate priest and a theology teacher, Elena often had encounters with Duke Levi, even outside of class hours, as it was happening now.

“What would you like for lunch?”

“Bring me anything with meat.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

In the dining hall, there were only Elena and Duke Levi.

“Me too.”

“Yes, Sister.”

After the servant left, there was only a slight noise between Elena and Duke Levi.

In this Palace of Dawn, there were only Duke Levi, the only people who would sit and eat in the dining hall were Duke Levi, the master of the palace, and the two teachers. But Rosaline usually ate alone in her room without coming down to the restaurant.

Elena, who unfolded the neatly folded napkin and placed it on her knees, turned her head to Duke Levi.

“Your Highness Duke Levi.”

“Why?”

“What is your favorite food?”

“What?”

“Your favorite food. Since you just ordered meat, I assume you like meat, and I’ve seen you frequently have desserts, so I thought you would like sweet food as well.”

From what she had observed, Duke Levi really liked sweet things. Although she had seen him refuse to eat meals because he didn’t have an appetite, he never refused desserts. When a sweet treat was placed in front of him, he would eagerly indulge in it, his chubby cheeks glowing as he savored every bite, like an innocent child.

“Are there any other foods that you particularly prefer?”

In response to Elena’s words, Duke Levi replied brusquely,

“That’s none of your business.”

“It’s just, it’s good to know.”

Elena said, recalling the knight she was supposed to meet at sunset today. She didn’t know what the person would be curious about, but information about the tastes of the person he would serve in the future would be valuable.

“And I’m curious too.”

Being a teacher by name, I should know about him, right? Elena had a simple thought, but Duke Levi raised an eyebrow in response.

“You want to know about me?”

“Yes. It’s natural to become curious about someone you get close to. When you meet frequently, you become interested in that person and start asking questions, which eventually leads to conversation.”

Get close? Duke Levi’s little heart skipped a beat.

“We have classes every day and even eat together like this. It would be very uncomfortable if we weren’t close.”

To most people, Duke Levi was someone they had to please. Even though he was young, age didn’t matter, and his demanding personality made them even more nervous.

That’s why people thought it was important to familiarize themselves with Duke Levi before getting to know his face. So there was no need to explicitly state what he liked or disliked. Everyone already knew.

“You’re curious…”

Duke Levi wrinkled his brow. But he wasn’t angry. He simply hadn’t had this kind of experience before.

“Yes.”

A faint blush appeared on Duke Levi’s cheek.

At that moment, the servant who had left the dining hall earlier returned with the food. Today’s lunch was a top-quality steak. Elena’s eyes sparkled when she saw the menu. She loved meat as much as Duke Levi did.

Delicious, it’s delicious.

Elena’s attention was fixated on the steak approaching on the white plate. The conversation she had just been having with Duke Levi vanished into the distance.

“I will enjoy it.”

The appetizing smell stimulated her nose. When she put a bite-sized piece in her mouth, it melted effortlessly without needing to be chewed. As Elena was about to cut a second piece and put it in her mouth, Duke Levi, who was sitting across the table, abruptly interjected.

“If you’re curious, ask.”

Duke Levi’s ears turned red as he spoke.

 

At the same time, in the reception room of the Imperial Palace where the Emperor’s office was located, Renier lay stretched out on the sofa. His hair was soaked with sweat, and crimson scars adorned his pale face.

“Even so, is it necessary to push your cousin this far?”

As Renier reached out his hand to accept the cold towel that Hugo brought, an agonized sound escaped his mouth.

“Is that what you have to say after relentlessly going after me and ultimately ending up in a draw?”

Adrei, who was sitting on the opposite side of the sofa, spoke softly.

“Meanwhile, it seems the sword has become sharper.”

“Haha, didn’t I always say so? Your Majesty’s sword is excessively honest. Whenever you see an opening, you must strike without mercy! Ah… my shoulder.”

Renier groaned again as his previously injured shoulder throbbed.

“I have brought the requested potion.”

A servant approached, politely placing two vials on a tray lined with the finest silk.

“Ooh, come on, come on.”

Seeing the potion, Renier enthusiastically extended his hand, his lifeless complexion turning rosy. But the servant remained still, waiting for Adrei’s command.

This potion was made solely for the emperor. Even Renier, the emperor’s cousin, couldn’t lay a hand on it without the emperor’s permission. Adrei, who was leaning on the armrest, gestured once, and only then did the servant extend the tray to Renier.

“Ah, as expected, the potion made by His Holiness the Pope is incomparable to those made by other priests.”

Renier drank the potion, a hot sensation running down his throat as if he had drunk a strong drink, the medicinal properties spreading like water soaking into dry paper. His muscles, which had been tensed and tightly strained beyond their physical limits, began to loosen, bringing a pleasant sense of vitality to the body.

Renier rolled the empty potion bottle in his hand. The potion made by the Pope was on a different level than the potions paid for and made by ordinary priests.

Even if it was made with utmost care for several days, a typical potion could only alleviate colds and reduce fever. But even that required a large sum of money that an ordinary family could live on for months, and the number of priests who could make it was limited, making it as hard to come by as catching a star in the sky.

“Hurry and deliver it to His Majesty as well. Since he injured his hand.”

Startled by Renier’s words, the servants quickly approached, and Adrei shook his head.

“No, I’m fine.”

“Why? Your injury must be quite serious.”

Adrei hurt his hand when he hastily tried to lift his body, which had lost its balance due to the impact of the collision that injured Renier’s shoulder. The impact of being pushed away and the entire weight of his body had concentrated on one hand.

“I have something to… check.”

It was a completely incomprehensible statement, but as Adrei seemed unwilling to explain any further, Renier shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, there should be a few more of those potions prepared for His Majesty, so please make sure to drink it before the pain worsens.”

“It seems like you’ve become more naggy all of a sudden.”

At Adrei’s curt remark, Renier chuckled softly, seemingly enjoying himself.

“No one has someone to take care of them, so we should take care of each other. Isn’t that right?”

Of course, Adrei felt no need to respond. The butler who had brought the potion had disappeared in an instant. In the drawing room where only the two of them remained, the sound of Renier flopping onto the sofa echoed unusually loudly.

“The movements in the west are suspicious.”

Adrei spoke in a low voice.

“I heard about it too.”

Renier’s voice, with his arms on his forehead, sounded empty.

“Keynes, Sequoia, and Bern have doubled the taxes, and the surrounding territories are buying grain.”

It was not a good sign. It was still early spring. It was a time when the frozen land was just starting to thaw and everyone was busy, but the food was scarce. In other words, it was the wrong time to raise taxes. A move like that at a time like this.

“And we are also keeping an eye on the developments in the north.”

Not only in the western region, which was the empire’s granary, but also in the north, where military forces were concentrated, there were signs of unrest.

“This year will be quite long.”

Adrei muttered while staring at Renier. At that moment, Hugo entered the drawing room with several documents that required Adrei’s approval.

“Hugo, bring Tito’s lesson journal.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After a short time, Adrei read through the class records, holding them in his hands and flipping through each page.

“Hugo.”

Setting down a nutritious snack on the table to replenish his energy, Hugo stepped closer to Adrei’s call.

“What are your thoughts on Tito’s teachers?”

Without hesitation, Hugo paused for a moment to ponder the sudden question before answering.

“Please forgive me, Your Highness. I have only personally interviewed Lady Francis among the two teachers.”

“What is your evaluation of her?”

Hugo raised his grey eyes and briefly locked his gaze with the young emperor he served.

“She is sharp, quick-witted, and possesses a splendid appearance.”

He conveyed nothing more than plain facts. Adrei trusted Hugo because he always spoke only about precise facts rather than personal opinions.

“At least the handwriting matches your words.”

The clean and fluent handwriting filled the records. Adrei’s blue eyes scanned each line of the journal. And then, his gaze stopped at one particular place.

I suggest increasing the curriculum hours for His Grace. While he has already achieved remarkable progress, I’m concerned that at this rate, he might lag behind other noble children. Furthermore, considering that there doesn’t seem to be any improvement in the peculiar ailment he is currently suffering from, I believe proactive treatment is necessary in this regard as well.

Peculiar ailment. Adrei’s brow subtly narrowed. He checked the date of the journal.

“So it was on that day.”

The teacher who wrote this journal was about to take Tito outside the palace gates when they encountered each other in the Palace of Dawn.

There was no need to write a journal in the morning, so this must have been written after that incident. He doesn’t know what this teacher means by ‘proactive treatment,’ but he doesn’t want to see Tito collapse again as he did before.

The subsequent entries in the journal were not much different. It was filled with stories about what was learned that day. She couldn’t tell what Tito, the student, was thinking or if he was showing more interest in any particular subject.

Suddenly, he remembered the priest who had rushed to Tito’s aid after he had fallen, tending to his wounds, and speaking bitterly to the baron’s lady.

“Today.”

Looking out the window, the sun was still high in the sky.

 

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T/N: Sorry for the (very) late update I will be updating soon~