Although I couldn't see Sir Aldor wearing a dress, I wanted to see him dance with Perdes while doing female steps.
So I tried to take a look, but both Perdes and Sir Aldor flatly refused.
"It's not possible."
“I’ll take a look for a moment.”
“Absolutely not.”
They refused with a straight face, so I couldn't look at it.
As everyone was doing their own thing, the debutante of the Marquis de Lanchot was quickly approaching.
The debutante of the Marquis de Lanchot was held at the Rose Garden in the capital.
In the past, parties were held at mansions to show off the mansions one owned, but these days it has become popular to use gardens specifically for parties, such as the Rose Garden, to protect privacy.
I had to arrive two days in advance so I could prepare in time, so I was planning to take the train to the capital tonight.
“Hanes, if you receive a letter from there while I’m away, take care of it.”
"All right. But is it okay if I don’t tell them that you are really going to the Duke’s residence in the capital, Miss?”
"It's okay."
Because I won't be able to go there anyway.
"And...”
While I was giving instructions to Hanes before leaving, Perdes came by.
“Wait, can we talk?”
After a rumor spread among people that he was not actually an idiot, Perdes spoke slowly and instead of stuttering.
“Haness, come out.”
Once the Haness was out, Perdes took off his mask and asked in his original form.
“I want to leave Jack behind when I go to the capital, but is that possible?”
“Of course it is possible, but can I hear why?”
"Just."
Perdes said, kicking the ground with his toe.
“I think it would be good to stay away from Jack for a bit.”
Ah, I guess you want to be at peace and free from Jack's surveillance.
Whether Jack really betrayed Perdes or was helping the Emperor out of consideration for him, it would be awkward from his perspective.
“I do.”
There was no real problem if he didn't take Jack with him, so I decided to do as he wanted.
But another problem arose.
“Take me with you too!”
It was Jack.
When Jack heard that Perdes was leaving him behind, he held his arm tightly and said,
“If I don’t go, who will attend to Master Perdes? There is no one else to serve Master Perdes other than me! So take me with you!”
Perdes, who is weak-hearted, probably won't be able to reject Jack harshly.
So I tried to take his place, but Perdes violently shook Jack's hand away.
“Don’t keep bothering me.”
Then he looked down at Jack with cold eyes and said.
“There is a good reason for not taking you to the capital, so why do you keep dragging me along?”
“Well, I just want to serve Master Perdes...”
“Other people will do that. Some people are better at this than you, the stablekeeper.”
“...!”
“Don’t follow me and disturb me, just stay here quietly.”
Jack's face turned pale at the barbed words. He must have lost strength in his legs, so he sat down.
Perdes left the bedroom without even paying attention to Jack.
I hurriedly followed behind Perdes.
Perdes arrived at the end of the deserted hallway and leaned his head against the transparent window.
“I couldn’t bear it.”
Bang, the window was hit hard and shook loudly.
“I feel like Jack is begging like that for the Emperor, not me, and the fact that he betrayed me keeps ringing in my head, so I get annoyed... So I couldn’t bear it.”
I looked at Perdes sadly and said something I had never been able to say before.
“Should I send Jack out?”
“...!”
Perdes looked at me in surprise.
I didn't avoid his gaze, and there was a somewhat awkward silence between us.
Perdes looked at me, then lowered his head, then looked at me again and asked.
"Still... Is it okay?”
Of course, it wasn't okay.
Starting with not knowing the Emperor's surveillance role, which was difficult to find out.
Many problems came to mind, including the lack of means to keep Perdes' heart steady, but I chewed it all down and answered.
"Sure."
***
Late at night, the Emperor's Palace.
“Yes, that guy and Adele Leopold are coming to the capital.”
Daimon, who was reclining on a luxurious sofa, had a ring with a red gem on his index finger.
The identity of the ring was a magic communication ring, allowing communication with a person who had a pair of other rings.
[Yes. They just left the capital. I wanted to go with them, but he asked me to stay in the territory, so I had no choice but to stay.]
The person with the other magic communication ring was Jack.
As Adele expected, Daimon asked Jack, 'I'm worried about Perdes' ability to adapt properly in the Duchy of Leopold, so please report back to me periodically.'
Jack, who knew nothing, was happy that the Emperor was finally taking care of Perdes and reported various things about him.
"Right."
About 90% of what Jack said was useless and there was absolutely no need to hear it.
However, it would be a big problem if Jack got discouraged and didn't say what he had to say after scolding him for no reason, so Daimon responded accordingly.
[Besides, recently...!]
“That’s okay, how is their relationship?”
Daimon cut off Jack's words as he seemed unable to stop.
[The relationship between the two is very good! They share the same bedroom at least once a week!]
“Do they only share the same bedroom once a week?”
[Yes! Besides that, they also eat together or go on dates. They really get along well!]
“Yeah, that’s a good thing.”
Listening to Jack's story, it seems like their relationship is very good, but why haven't they had a child yet?
Moreover, he was also concerned about the rumor that Perdes was not actually an idiot.
Because the Perdes that Daimon saw was a complete idiot.
'I'll have to check.'
Daimon, who had cut off contact with Jack, called the chamberlain and gave orders.
“When Perdes and Lady Adele Leopold arrive in the capital, bring them straight to the imperial palace.”
***
I thought he was going to ask Jack to leave right away, but unexpectedly, Perdes said he wanted to think about it more and asked for time to think about it until he returned from the capital.
I answered that I would.
After leaving the Duke's residence, we immediately boarded the train to the capital.
The seats were, of course, first class.
Although we boarded the same train, Perdes' reaction was 180 degrees different from before.
In the past, he would run around here and there like a colt with no reins, but now he just sits still and reads a book like someone practicing in the mountains.
The books he read were books related to administration.
It wasn't an easy book, but it wasn't difficult enough to make you look on the same page for an hour.
“...”
Moreover, the golden eyes staring at the book were out of focus.
As expected, it was obvious that he was thinking about something else, pretending to be reading a book.
I guess he's thinking about what to do with Jack.
Even if he abandons Jack or not, Perdes will live his life regretting, feeling sad, and blaming himself for the choices he made.
...Just like I did.
Suddenly, Line came to mind, and I rested my chin and looked at the darkness outside the window.
In my third life, I sent Line away because she betrayed me and poisoned me... In fact, I regretted it a little.
Because I knew that when Line betrayed me at that time, it was not a sincere decision but an inevitable choice.
I just need to do my best to prevent something like that from happening in this life, but I think I may have made a decision too hastily.
I know that if I were to turn back time and face the same choice, I would make the same choice.
Still, I felt stupid for regretting it, so my mouth felt like I had chewed a herb.
In that sense, I hoped that Perdes would not go down the same path as me.
'To do that, we need to find out exactly the facts between Jack and the Emperor.'
Did the Emperor threaten Jack and force him to join his side?
Or maybe Jack was blinded by sweet riches or a desire for power and took the Emperor's hand.
Otherwise, it would be easier for Perdes to make up his mind if he knew for sure that Jack was doing the Emperor's favor purely for Perdes' sake.
I didn't want to find out because it was like disturbing a large beehive that might be full of wasps... I can't help it.
I was determined to find out the exact identity of the beehive for Perdes.
***
Pooh-
The train stopped with a loud noise.
After getting off the train, I stretched.
First-class seats were several times larger than other seats and had soft beds to lie down on, but they were still uncomfortable.
I guess I could say it felt like I was trapped in a needlessly large, fancy cage.
It seemed the same was true for Perdes and Sir Aldor, as they moved their shoulders and arms around.
Sir Aldor was in charge of my escort again this time.
He is the vice-captain of the Knights of Leopold, but after my father passed away, he actually took on the role of commander-in-chief.
Since it wasn't good for him to be away so often, I tried to entrust the escort to someone other than him.
However, Sir Aldor came out adamant that he would take charge of the escort.
He didn't break his stubbornness even when I explained the reason, so I had no choice but to let him escort me again this time.
“Wow, it’s been a long time since I was in the capital!”
The person in charge of guarding Perdes was Sir Eren, one of the most powerful knights of Leopold.
If Sir Aldor had a personality as cold as ice, Sir Eren was a man as hot as fire.
He had a pretty face, a good personality, and a sense of humor.
He also had a problem, which was that he revealed too much to women.
“Hey. The women of the capital are truly unique!”
Even now, he whistles as he sees women busily coming and going on the platform.
Sir Aldor, who saw this, frowned and said.
“Be careful, Eren. You didn’t come here to have fun, you came here to escort Master Perdes.”
"Yes. I know it very well.”
Lord Eren smiled and spoke to Perdes.
“I will escort you well, so don’t worry, Master Perdes.”
Even to me, who knew Lord Eren's skills well, Perdes nodded with a somewhat shocked expression on his words and actions that seemed completely unreliable.
Then he came closer to me and asked in a voice so low that only I could hear.
“That guy is okay, right?”
“His skills are okay. Even though he looks like that, he is one of the most talented members of the Knights of Leopold.”
Perdes glanced at Lord Eren, who was looking at the woman again, out of the corner of his eye, and muttered an answer.
“I don’t believe it at all, but I will believe that the Young Lady is like that.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment