The world does not revolve around me.
Checking the message from the capital, Karl reflected on the principle of how the world turns.
He learned the full story of the accident two years ago, which had completely changed his life, and new matters related to Valery’s birth came to light that needed investigation.
However, he couldn’t be tied down by his personal matters.
As dawn broke, Karl, having received contact from the investigation team via the Louisette transmitter, realized he could not stay here much longer.
Initially, he had chosen to take refuge for Celeste’s safety, but he was the only person capable of resolving the chaotic political situation.
He was in a position where he had to prioritize the stability of the Empire as much as his family. Franz’s movements were unusual, and news of new evidence regarding the assassination of the Duke of Schwaben made Karl anxious.
Yet, leaving without Celeste and Valery didn’t sit well with him either.
Should he remain in the Grand Duchy to embrace his family, or should he hide them and return to the capital? Whichever choice he made, his anxiety would not dissipate.
Ultimately, to shake off all this unease, he needed to eliminate the source as soon as possible.
Without doing so, the most fundamental insecurity would not vanish. As Karl quickly organized his thoughts, Clovis received a telegram and burned it.
“When will you return?”
“I should depart tomorrow.”
At least today, he felt he had to stay by Celeste’s side. He thought this inwardly.
Considering the political situation, he should return to the capital immediately to handle business, yet he found it difficult to leave Celeste behind.
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall events from two years ago, perhaps due to his increasing closeness with Celeste during their journey together.
Karl could not shake off the desire to be by her side.
“The Duke of Schwaben… Your Highness.”
“Hmm.”
Clovis, appearing to think carefully, began to speak cautiously.
“The discovery of illegally processed magic stones, similar to those found in Urentum, suggests one person attacked both victims, doesn’t it?”
“We can’t be sure until we investigate further, but it’s certainly possible.”
“Does that mean we’ve also learned about the relationship between the Duke of Schwaben and Count Louisette?”
Given that the perpetrator attacked both with the knowledge of the Schwaben Duke’s relations to the Louisette family, it was not entirely unreasonable to assume they aimed to eliminate both simultaneously.
“It’s a possible scenario.”
“Then…”
“Celeste said she secretly bought a magic stone when she left the capital six months ago. As time has passed, memories have faded, so for now, we are focusing on finding the exact location and seller. What’s certain is that we need to capture the one who sold it and interrogate him to find out.”
“Why would they do that? Why did they try to cut off all roots of the Schwaben dukedom? That’s puzzling…”
“…Or it’s possible that the same person sold it in two different places. The mastermind might not be just one. Each incident could have its own background, coincidentally.”
“However, Your Highness, the chances lean towards a single person being behind all of this.”
Karl nodded. In every murder investigation principle, one must keep an open mind, no matter how slight the possibility.
Even the slightest possibility should not be overlooked, and even if the probability defies logic, it must be investigated without fail.
However, Karl was starting to lean toward the idea that one mastermind was orchestrating it all.
“For now, I will make preparations to leave as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow.”
He shook the remnants of a burnt telegram into the fireplace. It was a sign for the other to leave.
“Why?”
But Clovis stood there, looking at him instead of leaving.
When he turned around, he caught Clovis’s gaze, who wore a strange expression as if trying to suppress laughter.
“What’s with that expression? It’s rather unsettling.”
“Not at all, Your Highness. It’s just…”
Clovis made a face by pressing his upper lip down and flaring his nostrils, a typical gesture he made when he was about to play a prank.
“I just wanted to say, have a meaningful… enjoyable time tonight.”
“What?”
“Isn’t that right? After today, if you return to the capital alone tomorrow, who knows when you will be able to be with the Grand Princess again.”
“Clovis.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I think I should check the performance of the new revolver. Will you help?”
“Uh? Y-yes.”
As he spoke, he pretended to aim the gun at Clovis, who finally realized Karl was warning him about his joke.
“Phew. But thank you for not disengaging the safety, at least.”
“Stop with the nonsense and leave, Clovis. One more joke and…”
“I’m just…”
“Shut up and get out.”
“Yes.”
After raising his hand in a salute, Clovis hurried towards the door.
If he continued to mess around, Karl might really unscrew the revolver’s safety and point it at me.
Of course, as the head of the royal investigation team, he would intentionally miss, but still, it would be wise to stop the antics right here.
Click. Clovis hurriedly exited and closed the door. Karl smirked softly as he put the revolver back in its holster.
“What a meaningful and enjoyable night, huh?”
Yet, he couldn’t shake off the thoughts of Celeste that crowded his mind.
He rationalized his actions by saying it was due to his concerns over Valerie, but in reality, he was set to realize much, much later that it wasn’t that at all.
***
Even with countless incomprehensible matters, time flows swiftly.
Resolving what happened to me and how the world moves are separate matters.
Valerie is my daughter, yet the reality is that she can’t be, and that made my obligation to care for her feel particularly heavy.
“Goodness, our little one. Did you eat well?”
“Mom, mama, mommy.”
Despite the chaos in his mind, the child before him was undeniably adorable. Each day, she seemed to grow more and more beautiful.
Each time she blinked, her long eyelashes fluttered, reminding him of a butterfly’s wings.
She clearly took after her father. How could her eyelashes be so long?
Not a single feature on Valerie’s face was anything but charming. He pressed his lips against hers. No one could resist kissing such a face.
“Oh, so pretty. So pretty.”
Amid the sound of smooching, Valerie’s gleeful laughter erupted.
Perhaps feeling tickled by his lips brushing against her face, Valerie pushed his face away with her small hands, laughing joyfully.
The sound of a child’s laughter spread a sun-like smile across everyone’s faces.
Is there anything in the world as innocent as a baby’s giggle? Anyone who hears that sound can’t help but melt their hearts.
After a few more playful kisses, accompanied by the sounds “chok, chok, ppo,” I heard a knock.
“May I come in?”
I was too busy burying my face in Valerie’s laughter to notice the knock. Suddenly appearing out of nowhere, Karl caught Cecilia’s attention, prompting her to lift Valerie into her arms.
“Ma, ma, boo.”
Valerie reached out to me as if she didn’t want to let go, but Cecilia whispered something incomprehensible about not interrupting “the meaningful time of the parents” and quickly exited the bedroom.
Hannah, waiting at the door, also brought in all the attendants with a fearful expression.
What does “meaningful time for the parents” even mean? It was bewildering.
“Valerie looks very happy.”
“Yes, luckily. I thought she might be struggling after the long journey.”
“She’s a child with great adaptability. I wonder whom she takes after.”
“Oh, I heard you’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Yes, there are things I need to take care of.”
“I see, haha…”
After an awkward laugh, silence fell, thanks to Cecilia and Hannah’s fuss about ensuring the royal couple’s last night together before their separation.
It felt overwhelmingly awkward, with not a single ant in sight.
“You must be tired. You should get some good sleep…”
“Have you washed up?”
“What?”
“You need to wash up before going to bed.”
“Oh, yes…”
I was taken aback by that sudden question.
“Then you go ahead and lie down first. I’m not ready yet.”
Karl smiled gently as he spoke, familiar yet strangely distant. When Valerie’s face overlapped in my mind, it felt oddly reminiscent, but the kindness that followed was inexplicably foreign.
Perhaps it was the space of the bedroom itself. It could be largely due to the atmosphere, where everyone seemed to anticipate our passionate night together.
Karl entered the bathroom attached to the bedroom, leaving me alone in the room.
The sound of the shower water soon filled the air, making me feel strangely shy, so I pulled the blanket over my head and lay down.
Just the two of us, a bedroom, and a shower. Looking at just those words, isn’t it a bit too suggestive? For Karl, it’s a memory from two years ago, but for me, the memory of last night’s kiss is still vividly fresh.
I try not to think about it, but every time I see Karl’s face, I can’t help but recall how he looked last night, tipsy and disheveled…
His dazed eyes and flushed lips leaning toward me filled my mind.
Earlier, I pretended nothing was wrong while talking about Valerie, but I struggled to hide my heated ears.
“I can’t believe this. Seriously.”
Am I a pervert? That thought keeps crossing my mind. I pulled the blanket tighter, trying to cover myself up, but my thoughts didn’t fade.
When Karl finishes showering and comes out, what kind of expression should I wear…?
Everything felt dark in front of my eyes.
