"Follow the Count."
“Yes?”
When Baron Colon saw Kaian, he was surprised to see his master’s face, which had not been in his right mind for a long time. The butler, who had been watching the man who had lost his mind since Claudel disappeared, was about to cry.
When Baron Colon saw Kaian, he was surprised to see his master’s face, which had not been in his right mind for a long time. The butler, who had been watching the man who had lost his mind since Claudel disappeared, was about to cry.
Kaian stared at the disappearing carriage as if he were seeing through something invisible.
“Hurry up.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Why is the Count Makie going out of the castle?”
Count Makie was in charge of managing all the affairs of the palace. Many of the things the King had to look after had to be handled by the Count before they could be placed before Valquiterre.
The Count was the head of the administrative affairs of the palace. It was common for him to assist the King in the palace all the time, to the point where he could not stay in his own territory for even a few days a year.
When such a person left the palace, it was only natural that he would follow the King who was serving him when he was away from the castle for hunting or an event. He never left the King’s side unless it was an exceptional case.
“Valquiterre should be staying in the castle, keeping an ear out for Madame Cronach.”
“I see.”
Baron Colon nodded, understanding Kaian’s words.
“Find out what orders he has received.”
“Understood.”
Baron Colon called the attendant who had just received their horse and ran, then quickly mounted his horse and quickly passed Kaian, and exited the castle gate.
“You haven’t rusted.”
Although his muscles were weaker than they were in his prime after serving as the butler of Rowen Castle for a long time, he thought that Baron Colon would not be pushed back by Makie, even if it came to that.
As Kaian entered the castle, one of the attendants who had been lined up ran over.
“I sent the Mistress of Salon Arbo.”
“Duke Temnes. You have come to the castle...”
Kaian snapped before the formal greeting of welcome was over.
“Take me to where she is.”
It was obvious where Madame Cronach had gone. She would have been guided to the reception room of the room where Claudel was staying.
It was a place where he had once been happily married to Claudel, carrying his wife in his arms as if they were on honeymoon, but when her heart closed, it became a place where he could not even open the door.
He knew that as a lord, he could not just hand over the land.
Kaian's judgment was that it was worth paying that much, that it was something worth enduring.
'Would that really be so?'
Was that the right decision?
Could he have said that he was right without even guessing why Claudel had come to see him with a knife in her hand and how much she resented him?
In conclusion, it was a mistake as a lord and a poor choice as a man.
If he was going to hurt Claudel no matter what he did, it might have been better not to come forward.
The saying that if you stay still, you will get somewhere in the middle was not for nothing.
'Can I give up?'
However, Kaian had a hard time controlling himself, thinking that he could somehow catch her if he had the chance.
When the maids opened the door, he went inside.
He saw the two women sitting tightly together on the sofa in the living room, arms linked and hands held.
Claudel took her head off Madame Cronach's shoulder and stood up awkwardly, then turned her head away in surprise when her eyes met his.
'The King's order is really easy.'
They had no relationship. If they got divorced, it would be a done deal. Kaian's insistence on not getting divorced backfired. When he called off the King's order, they became like they had never been married.
If it was just a divorce, it would have been gossip in the social circles.
Revoking the King's order was considered no different from the King who had issued the order saying, 'Oh, my mistake.' So, no one even mentioned it afterward, because talking about it or speaking about it was considered disobeying the King’s command.
Kaian of Temnes.
Claudel of Vermont.
Both were now young bachelorettes at a good age for marriage.
Kaian’s hands twitched when he saw Claudel.
He wanted to reach out to her, even though he knew it couldn’t be. Then, the woman who had often acted cutely toward him would fly in and hug him like a small bird.
“I sent the Mistress of Salon Arbo.”
“Duke Temnes. You have come to the castle...”
Kaian snapped before the formal greeting of welcome was over.
“Take me to where she is.”
It was obvious where Madame Cronach had gone. She would have been guided to the reception room of the room where Claudel was staying.
It was a place where he had once been happily married to Claudel, carrying his wife in his arms as if they were on honeymoon, but when her heart closed, it became a place where he could not even open the door.
He knew that as a lord, he could not just hand over the land.
Kaian's judgment was that it was worth paying that much, that it was something worth enduring.
'Would that really be so?'
Was that the right decision?
Could he have said that he was right without even guessing why Claudel had come to see him with a knife in her hand and how much she resented him?
In conclusion, it was a mistake as a lord and a poor choice as a man.
If he was going to hurt Claudel no matter what he did, it might have been better not to come forward.
The saying that if you stay still, you will get somewhere in the middle was not for nothing.
'Can I give up?'
However, Kaian had a hard time controlling himself, thinking that he could somehow catch her if he had the chance.
When the maids opened the door, he went inside.
He saw the two women sitting tightly together on the sofa in the living room, arms linked and hands held.
Claudel took her head off Madame Cronach's shoulder and stood up awkwardly, then turned her head away in surprise when her eyes met his.
'The King's order is really easy.'
They had no relationship. If they got divorced, it would be a done deal. Kaian's insistence on not getting divorced backfired. When he called off the King's order, they became like they had never been married.
If it was just a divorce, it would have been gossip in the social circles.
Revoking the King's order was considered no different from the King who had issued the order saying, 'Oh, my mistake.' So, no one even mentioned it afterward, because talking about it or speaking about it was considered disobeying the King’s command.
Kaian of Temnes.
Claudel of Vermont.
Both were now young bachelorettes at a good age for marriage.
Kaian’s hands twitched when he saw Claudel.
He wanted to reach out to her, even though he knew it couldn’t be. Then, the woman who had often acted cutely toward him would fly in and hug him like a small bird.
The inexplicable wish crawled through Kaian’s body like a snake, tormenting him. Even after the days when he had suffered as if his heart would die, he was still alive and in pain.
As they stood there without even greeting each other, Madame Cronach got up from the sofa and bowed her head slightly to him as a gesture of respect.
“Your Highness. Thank you for letting me meet your daughter like this.”
“No thanks.”
As if nothing happened, Kaian's whole attention was focused on Claudel, even as he answered casually.
'Do you think she's a little grateful to me?'
He knew that premature hope was a shortcut to despair, but he couldn't help it. He felt like he wanted to be tortured by hope.
"It seems there were many misunderstandings between the Duke and my daughter."
Madame Cronach, who had many eyes and ears watching and listening in the palace and was teaching Kaian, looked at him.
"I told her about my experiences without offending Her Majesty the Queen, who you protecting."
"I see."
Kaian glanced at Claudel, who was standing there without making eye contact.
'...But why isn't Claudel responding?'
Whether Madame Cronach spoke or not, she didn't say anything, so he couldn't tell if the misunderstanding had been resolved or what she was thinking.
"I'll leave for a moment."
"Ah."
Only then did Claudel look at Madame Cronach with a small voice.
“My daughter wanted to thank you in particular.”
“Me?”
Judging from the way Claudel shook her head and looked back and forth between Madame Cronach and him, it was clear that she would never have said such a thing.
“Then that’s it.”
Claudel seemed very flustered when Madame Cronach left the living room without Claudel even being able to stop her.
Kaian shut his mouth, exhaled through his nose, and slowly sat down on the sofa.
“Sit down.”
Then Claudel reluctantly sat down across from him. Kaian felt relieved only after he had her sit down.
“Don’t be so pale that you’re about to collapse.”
“Your Highness. Thank you for letting me meet your daughter like this.”
“No thanks.”
As if nothing happened, Kaian's whole attention was focused on Claudel, even as he answered casually.
'Do you think she's a little grateful to me?'
He knew that premature hope was a shortcut to despair, but he couldn't help it. He felt like he wanted to be tortured by hope.
"It seems there were many misunderstandings between the Duke and my daughter."
Madame Cronach, who had many eyes and ears watching and listening in the palace and was teaching Kaian, looked at him.
"I told her about my experiences without offending Her Majesty the Queen, who you protecting."
"I see."
Kaian glanced at Claudel, who was standing there without making eye contact.
'...But why isn't Claudel responding?'
Whether Madame Cronach spoke or not, she didn't say anything, so he couldn't tell if the misunderstanding had been resolved or what she was thinking.
"I'll leave for a moment."
"Ah."
Only then did Claudel look at Madame Cronach with a small voice.
“My daughter wanted to thank you in particular.”
“Me?”
Judging from the way Claudel shook her head and looked back and forth between Madame Cronach and him, it was clear that she would never have said such a thing.
“Then that’s it.”
Claudel seemed very flustered when Madame Cronach left the living room without Claudel even being able to stop her.
Kaian shut his mouth, exhaled through his nose, and slowly sat down on the sofa.
“Sit down.”
Then Claudel reluctantly sat down across from him. Kaian felt relieved only after he had her sit down.
“Don’t be so pale that you’re about to collapse.”
Her eyes were a little red and swollen as if she had cried. However, her pale veins were visible on the back of her hand, where she habitually used her face, and her knuckles were thin enough to draw.
“What’s going on? I thought you called Madame.”
Kaian brought up Madame Cronach’s story without a hitch.
“How did you recognize my mother?”
“I just suddenly thought of it.”
“You didn’t recognize her when we met before?”
“Yes. I did.”
“That’s good.”
After that, he had nothing else to say.
“Thank you, Duke.”
Kaian was upset because it didn’t sound good, like an overly polite ‘thank you.’
“You saved my mother. You treated her like that.”
“If there’s someone injured, it’s only natural to help them.”
Queen Sylvia said that he had to check if there were any survivors in the village and finish them off if there were any.
He had a slightly different motive for saving Madame Cronach, but he just wanted to look good to Claudel rather than tell her the truth.
“It’s strange when you say that.”
“What’s strange?”
Kaian quickly asked back, glad that she was interested in him.
“No. Nothing.”
“Don’t you know that changing the subject like that is rude?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. It’s just...”
“What’s going on? I thought you called Madame.”
Kaian brought up Madame Cronach’s story without a hitch.
“How did you recognize my mother?”
“I just suddenly thought of it.”
“You didn’t recognize her when we met before?”
“Yes. I did.”
“That’s good.”
After that, he had nothing else to say.
“Thank you, Duke.”
Kaian was upset because it didn’t sound good, like an overly polite ‘thank you.’
“You saved my mother. You treated her like that.”
“If there’s someone injured, it’s only natural to help them.”
Queen Sylvia said that he had to check if there were any survivors in the village and finish them off if there were any.
He had a slightly different motive for saving Madame Cronach, but he just wanted to look good to Claudel rather than tell her the truth.
“It’s strange when you say that.”
“What’s strange?”
Kaian quickly asked back, glad that she was interested in him.
“No. Nothing.”
“Don’t you know that changing the subject like that is rude?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. It’s just...”
Claudel quickly waved her hand.
“Why was someone with such feelings so cold to me? That’s what I thought.”
A loud noise rang out in Kaian’s mind. He felt awkward because he had nothing to talk about, and he thought he had brought up a pointless topic.
“Just like you helped Mom. If you had accepted me and my...baby...”
Claudel trailed off.
If he had accepted her and the baby, what would happen next? He had been so curious, but that future had disappeared.
“I decided to leave with Mom.”
“What?”
Kaian was taken aback by the sudden words.
‘Leaving?’
Who?
Where?
“I always wanted to be able to decide my own life.”
Claudel continued slowly.
“Because women born to noble families can’t live that kind of life. I thought it was impossible, so I wished for it even more.”
Kaian realized what Claudel was saying to him.
They had not been able to properly tell each other the end.
The misunderstandings had piled up and become a mess, and she had to drastically reverse the King’s order before they could break up.
“Because I found Mom. I want to become my mother’s daughter and live as a commoner.”
She declared her separation from him.
“It may be more difficult than living comfortably, but I want to live that much freely.”
The woman who had seemed to be out of her mind in this reception room the last time and poured out her emotions looked very calm as if she had come to her senses.
So Kaian threw away the composure he had barely managed to keep and knelt before Claudel.
“I’m sorry. Claudel. It was all my fault.”
He had failed to protect the woman he thought he could never hurt.
However, Kaian could not accept that their relationship had ended so vainly. They had married, after all. But it was ridiculous for someone else to do the organizing.
“I saved Madame Cronach. Give me one more chance.”
How could he foolishly take care of the organizing?
Kaian felt disillusioned at himself for having lost her after calculating the pros and cons of the Duke of Vermont, thinking that he could not harm or exploit him through Claudel. He had been raised that way.
“We make each other unhappy.”
The determination he had repeatedly reaffirmed when he had not seen Claudel easily crumbled at her words.
“I want to be happy.”
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