“What?”
A ridiculous laugh escaped Karl’s lips, suggesting incredulity. Responsibility?
“I believe, based on your recent remarks, that the only advice I can offer is that.”
“Responsibility?”
For the first time, Karl shifted his posture completely towards Clovis. His face displayed a hint of discomfort.
“Just… a woman with suspicious circumstances present herself, addressing you as ‘father.'”
“Isn’t that a bit of a leap? How did the conversation take such a turn?”
Rather than asking a question with a predetermined answer, if there was indeed a woman in such a relationship, and she appeared with a child calling you ‘father’?
It was particularly challenging to read the mind of the usually inscrutable superior today. Just as Karl was about to respond, Karl cut him off.
“And above all else.”
“Above all else?”
“That woman is publicly known to have an intimate partner.”
“Oh? So, you mean, a woman known to the public to have a lover and such… deeds?”
For a moment, a look of astonishment crossed Clovis’s eyes, which usually held a gaze of respect.
Had he ever seen such audacity from the Grand Duke? He seemed like someone who is stern, but to mess with a woman with a lover…? Thoughts flickered across his face and vanished.
Although brief, Karl didn’t miss that fleeting moment on Clovis’s face.
“Why is your expression like that?”
“How is my expression, Your Highness?”
“It just seems quite different from the usual look of respect you give to your superiors.”
“Is that so? Your Highness, you have always been a subject of reverence.”
“You really can’t lie, can you?”
What seemed like a serious discussion had turned into casual banter. Even the knights, who had stiffened at Karl’s unusual seriousness, seemed to relax a bit now.
Clovis had a good reason to ask so brightly like this.
Carl was a man who seemed to have no interest in reason to an extreme extent. He didn’t even have a common lover, and not even the scandals that usually stick to noble young men of similar age were allowed, truly a symbol of asceticism.
Perfect appearance, noble lineage, lofty reputation, and status.
With nothing lacking, rather overflowing with what he had, this perfect Duke baffled Clovis as to why he made it impossible for women to look at him, even more so than at a roadside stone.
Clovis wasn’t alone in this feeling. Everyone in the royal court who served Duke Albrecht began to gossip about Carl, wondering if there was something wrong with not even glancing at women in his vigorous prime.
Toskur Duke, who was often mentioned as a rival to Carl, Franz, was the same. They were of similar age and similar standing in the royal hierarchy, often compared in every aspect. Similar in many ways that were indistinguishable, except in their “relationships,” where their inclinations sharply contrasted.
The person who showed no interest in women at a ripe age, and the one who didn’t hold back with women, like an open revolving door.
Although neither seemed particularly favorable, if one had to choose, the latter was considered better than the former by the majority.
It was better to have many offspring than for the royal line to be cut off, even if they were all different from each other.
“Eh? Are you not going to speak?”
Silence. Carl’s lips sealed tightly again. It was quite serious. Clovis thought he might be joking half the time, but his lips also stiffened.
A strange combination of the two words that least fit – the woman and Carl.
It was no joke. As his advisor, Clovis couldn’t just overlook this. The original purposes, like investigating the Schwaben Duke’s murderer or the investigation team, had long been forgotten.
***
When I bit into the apple, it quieted down as if crying out for when my house would leave. I had heard before that if you eat sweet fruit first, you won’t want to eat milk or baby food later, but I couldn’t help it.
“If you just invite anyone into the house like that, what will happen?”
Hannah’s displeased voice resonated loudly.
“Don’t be so hasty, be kind.”
Pretending to listen, I tried to focus my attention on Valerie.
“Just in time for my return. Oops, if I had done it wrong, you would have been accused without defense and dragged to court, you know?”
“Surely you didn’t mean to do that?”
“No way. The Duke Albrecht himself said so. Suspecting the Viscount of murdering the Duke of Schwaben.”
“That may be so, but….”
Hannah approached loudly with disapproval, snatched the apple from Valerie’s hand.
Valerie, who had her snack stolen, started to cry, but then burst into laughter as she snatched the milk bottle back.
“Now it’s lucky you quietly left, but you might come back tomorrow. Probably.”
“Probably… right?”
The man’s true identity was indeed Duke Albrecht, the protagonist of the novel. Hannah, who had left to buy essentials, returned just in time to see the man, calling him ‘Your Highness,’ kneeling and bowing.
Hannah was one of the closest aides of the Duke Louisette, a member of the Count Celeste’s inner circle.
As both a counselor and a lawyer as well as serving as a guard, she had come down to Wurentum with me on the pretext of caring for my health after slipping into this body.
It was absurd to send off the lord who had succeeded the Viscount alone, and there was no way to stop her from moving with her holstered tools.
The reason I was able to come this far unscathed was largely due to her presence. Hannah, with her robust physique that intimidated even the toughest of men, was born the eldest daughter of a respected playwright.
In other words, she was not only exceptionally knowledgeable in law and common sense to serve as a close aide to the Viscount but also possessed martial arts skills to directly guard him, along with the ability to care for a child. She was both the most necessary and finest companions I could have asked for.
Thanks to her presence, I could adapt and live in this world depicted in the book.
Furthermore, if Hannah wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have spent even a day with Valerie. When Hannah returned five days earlier after a two-week absence to visit the Duke, I felt relieved beyond measure…
〈Whaaah!〉
“Oh, Miss. No, Your Grace… who on earth is this person?”
“Hannah! The baby keeps crying, what should I do?”
Thinking back to that chaotic day, it was truly dizzying.
Anyway, since that day, Hannah, who had heard the call, stopped her punctual commuting and almost resided here, taking care of me and Valerie.
“By the way, what’s going on, really. What happened with the Duke?”
“That’s true.”
Even when I read novels, I thought Celeste was the real culprit. She was described as being executed for the suspicion of assassinating Duke Schwaben.
But now Celeste is gone, and I haven’t harmed anyone. Yet the Duke’s death implies that there was always another ‘real’ culprit, right?
“Don’t worry too much. Even if the Duke decides to summon investigators again tomorrow, I, Hannah, will ensure as the Duke’s lawyer that you, sir, will not be detained recklessly. Just like today.”
I nodded. Valerie, shouting ‘Daddy!’ and clinging to Karl, acted so familiar as if he could really be her father, and Karl, with a bewildered look, seemed to want to say something to me.
I didn’t hear what he wanted to say, thanks to Hannah opening the door and entering.
“Detective Alfonso has no news today either, right?”
“Yeah. He must have thought the one opening the door for the Duke was the detective.”
“They even promised to find him quickly and added a tip, right?”
“That’s right.”
“I went to the office today and it was empty. Maybe they took the money and ran? Anyway, never pay those guys upfront. Always pay half upfront and the rest later to avoid them running away.”
With a clench, Hannah’s fist tightened, veins bulging, a truly menacing fist. For some reason, the detective seemed inclined to concede.
“His Grace will probably bring the warrant he forgot to bring tomorrow. Of course, he won’t come alone, it was just a preliminary investigation today, but next time, the Imperial Investigation Division will be deployed. If the warrant bears the Emperor’s seal, you must go with the investigation team without fail.”
