Judith was sitting not far from the King. Although there were people who came up and talked to her occasionally, the main people she spoke to were Cheraan.
“So, Your Highness. I told you this once before, right? The new bookstore at Roman intersection...”
Judith, who was listening to Cheraan's words with an interested expression, shifted her gaze slightly. As soon as she realized who the person in front of her was, the wariness that appeared momentarily eased.
“Your Highness the Prince.”
As Judith stood up, Rogero grinned and bowed. Although the person he was dealing with was a Princess and King, he was overly polite considering that he was also a Prince. However, his expression was humorous and his movements were as light as a bird, so it was not burdensome.
“Your Highness, are you enjoying the banquet?”
“Isn’t that something I should ask the Crown Prince?”
“Oh, of course, I’m enjoying it to the fullest. His Majesty the King has prepared such careful preparations for us. Wouldn’t it be rude if we didn’t enjoy it?”
Rogero's tone sounded like he was humming like he was humming out of tune. Not only was his unique accent, but it felt even more so because he was excited and slightly intoxicated. Judith smiled brightly and moved her body slightly to offer him a seat.
“Would you like to sit down?”
“If you allow me.”
He gave off a faint scent of musk and saffron at the same time. It was a scent that was hard to recall just by looking at the lively, boyish appearance of Rogero, but paradoxically, it suited him quite well. Judith easily guessed that he would be very popular with women.
“Your Highness, I’ll bring some more drinks.”
Cheraan quietly left the place. Rogero leaned slightly toward Judith, and Judith looked at him.
“You dance very well.”
If she were to choose the person who danced the most at this banquet today, it was clear that it would be Rogero. He danced without paying attention to anyone who invited him and did not even rest. Everyone who watched was impressed by his body movements, which seemed to move nimbly and arbitrarily, yet led the opponent accurately.
“I can dance better, shall I show you?”
“Are you asking me to dance now?”
“There’s no way it won’t work, right?”
Rogero shook his shoulders and joked. His smile became brighter as Judith laughed softly, covering her mouth.
“Does smiling like that mean approval?”
“I wonder how you two became friends.”
He didn't know that Judith had subtly changed her words, but Rogero just smiled instead of pointing it out. He pretended to crane his head towards Franz and rested his chin at an angle on the table. His fingertips tapped the table and then slid straight down.
“At first, I thought there were all these gloomy guys out there.”
Judith looked amused at his words. Perhaps because she thought he did not believe her, or perhaps because he wanted to make fun of Franz, who was not present, Rogero's gestures became more exaggerated.
“Because it’s true. He looked like a scarecrow caught in the rain.”
“A scarecrow caught in the rain?”
“It’s also a scarecrow set up next to the mine after the harvest season is over.”
A roar of laughter erupted. Rogero was dazed for a moment by the refreshing sound that did not convey any sense of coquetry or malice. Even though the environment in which he grew up was flat, he lived his entire life as a member of the royal family, and it was very rare for him to meet someone who reacted like Judith just moments ago.
“He is a little... He is a serious person.”
“If you treat him like a husband like that, he will become spoiled.”
“But it’s still true.”
“Anyway, even a scarecrow caught in the rain can’t keep his mouth shut for the rest of his life as long as he shares the same room with me. I have a special talent for opening other people’s mouths.”
Rogero narrowed one eye. Judith thought his words sounded meaningful, but soon forgot about them. He was so good at small talk that she thought it was acceptable.
“So, His Highness the Prince continued talking until His Highness Franz answered?”
“Of course, I didn’t just talk to him and follow him around. Boys tend to become closer when they physically bump into each other.”
Judith couldn't help but be surprised at the way he raised his fist in such a natural way while saying that. Judith glanced in the direction where Franz was standing and then looked back at Rogero.
“Are you saying you two had a fight?”
“Oh, I didn’t do that. There were a lot of fights, but if you fight at the academy, you get disciplined. Even so, if I had been disciplined for something like that, I wouldn't be here right now. My father would have crumpled me in a box and thrown me into the sea.”
“Then what does it mean to hit someone with your body...?”
“Most of the guys who come to the academy are energetic and have a variety of hobbies. If you just sit those guys down and have them dig up books, an accident is bound to happen somewhere. So there were separate classes such as horseback riding and swordsmanship.”
Since the purpose was not to train military officers, only those who wanted to take physical movement classes were allowed to take them. Even if Rogero had to skip regular classes, he participated in all classes related to horseback riding, swordsmanship, and martial arts. It was during a swordsmanship class that he first realized that Franz was surprisingly good at using his body.
Rogero, who had only seen Franz quietly studying, was surprised at the swordsmanship class he participated in with him. The swordsmanship taught by royals was mostly flashy techniques meant to be shown off to others, so it was of little use in actual combat. Even since Rotair was a place where there had been no war for a long time, he thought that Franz would also imitate holding a sword and swinging it.
However, in the first sparring, Franz cornered his opponent without even swinging his sword ten times. It was a light wooden sword made for practice, but the angle at which it was wielded and the way it used its body were quite skillful. He knew how to pretend to slip away and then sharply catch his opponent off guard and go in.
“So I got interested. I thought he was different from what he seemed.”
“From what you say, it seems that His Highness the Prince is also quite skilled in swordsmanship.”
Rogero, who was blinking, moved his lips and smiled. Unlike the innocent things he had been talking about up until now, that smile somehow seemed like he was wearing a thin mask.
“Ever since I was young, I was better suited to stirring and playing than just digging through books. I spent my childhood gathering servants and soldiers and swinging wooden swords.”
“Didn’t you listen to His Majesty’s scolding?”
“Not at all.”
Considering his temperament and attitude, it wasn't that difficult to imagine a childhood like that. Judith nodded silently and looked back at Franz. He even looked like he was dozing off, leaning against the window. He was so tall that he could be seen from afar with his head slightly lowered and his arms crossed.
“I was also happy to hear that Franz successfully completed all of his mathematics and gained a good reputation.”
Judith's voice lowered slightly and trembled as if she was trying to suppress her emotions. It would have been much easier for Rogero to sympathize with her if he had known what lengths she had gone to send Franz to Delacca, but he only saw her as Judith's newfound excitement for her husband, whom she had not seen in years. He understood her feelings.
“If Franz had been the third or fourth Prince like me, the Emperor would have wanted to keep him in the empire somehow.”
“Is that true?”
Judith asked back. She knew that Franz had received a lot of praise for winning the top prize at the Academy, but she never imagined that the Emperor's trust would have been so strong. Rogero had a proud expression on his face as if he was showing off his well-raised younger brother.
“The Emperor coveted Franz very much. He also said that since the Prince, who is first in line to the throne, is so smart, Rotair will be able to develop infinitely in the future.”
“I’m glad and grateful to hear that. Please tell him that I am very moved by His Majesty’s words.”
"However..."
Rogero's words trailed off in a suspicious manner. Judith looked at him with a puzzled look.
“He came back to his home country, but somehow that guy didn’t seem that excited. In fact, it seems like it has become similar to when we first met.”
“Are you saying that Franz is like a scarecrow caught in the rain?”
Rogero nodded exaggeratedly as if to say so and laughed.
“Yes, a scarecrow caught in the rain. Isn’t it nice to see the decrease in rain? On the surface, it's a banquet for the delegation, but in reality, it's for me. What is that? Since it's lying down like that, no one can get close to it. I’m sure more than one pillowcase will be torn off tonight.”
The story was that women would be disappointed. Judith smiled with a slightly awkward expression. It was unfamiliar that Franz, who was no one else, would receive such attention, but Roger seemed to have misunderstood her laughter.
“No, of course, I’m not saying that Franz should hang out with just any woman. You know, right?”
“I know what His Highness the Prince meant. However, what can I say... That kind of thing is unfamiliar not only to me but also to you.”
Upon hearing her words, Rogero's puzzlement grew even more. Franz said something similar, but Roger ignored it. This was because he knew his personality was accustomed to self-deprecation. However, seeing Judith say this, it finally occurred to him that everything Franz said was not a lie.
“I also heard a little bit about Franz having a difficult time at Rotair.”
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”
“But is that really true? It's hard to imagine. Of course, there are times when that guy sag like dried leather. Even so, I wonder if there is a need to do that now that the situation has changed.”
Earlier it was said to be a scarecrow that had been hit by the rain, but this time it was a completely soaked skin. Rogero's evaluation of Franz went back and forth between extremes. He admired his talent more than anyone else, but his personality didn't seem to match.
Judith slowly smoothed the edge of the table in a somewhat cautious manner. As Rogero said, the situation surrounding Franz has now completely changed. Franz, a distant past that only she remembers and that even now often gives her nightmares, has become a person she will never meet and should not meet again. However, he did not disappear from the threats that were targeting him.
Two series are out now! If you like mystery, horror, and historical genre, you can check it out!
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