A few days later, the Jantar Palace.
Theodore entered the spacious guest room on the upper floor and sighed.
Following the Crown Prince all day and playing sports and games that did not suit his taste, the day felt very long.
'When will my father come?'
As he thought about it, he dropped his tired gaze to the desk, and he saw a few pieces of mail that were clearly new.
For a sword master, his slender white hands hurriedly scattered the neatly placed letters.
The father's reply was so simple.
[ This is a birthday present from the crown prince. ]
Speaking of which, there was a small but heavy-looking box lying nearby.
Theodore didn't even bother to open the box, but went through the letter again.
The letters with the names of Caliph and Shion were also left behind.
However, he chose an envelope with nothing written on it and opened it first.
It contained a small ribbon and a letter.
When he opened the large paper, he saw a huge letter.
"Eyes open."
"Ooh. Liana...."
The letters that must have been clumsily drawn while holding onto the wrist with a small hand were so lovely.
Theodore repeated the words of apology to himself.
"I'm sorry, Liana. I'm so sorry...."
Still, he's really glad that she seems to be safe.
Theodore held Liana's ribbon in his left hand and opened Shion's letter.
Seeing that he awkwardly talked about the lesson from the last letter, it seemed that he had been told not to write anything about Liana in the letter.
'Look, Mana must have done that.'
He was similar in age to Caliph, who was two years older, but their personalities were different.
However, Caliph does not misjudge, even though he sometimes becomes disgusted.
If Caliph had kept the castle this time, he would not have made the same mistake.
Theodore opened the letter, prepared that his brother's crude criticism would continue.
By the way...
[ Theodore knows honor and loyalty.
As my father said, do your duty as a servant in the palace.
Even though we are close to each other, we must not be disrespectful to the Crown Prince.
Try to find them often and cheer them up.
I, too, am waiting for the day when I can visit you.
Glory be to the beautiful Jantar.
Oh, your rabbit is well.
Your friend Caliph. ]
Why are you so crazy, line by line?
Caliph hated Crown Prince Bioden since his Academy days.
Of course, Bioden is indeed a bit arrogant, but the only person on this continent who can curse the Crown Prince for his arrogance is Caliph.
His unwillingness to be blamed by the royal family was part of his contempt for Bioden, who did not want to mix a word with the royal family in any way.
The Crown Prince often pretended not to notice Caliph as if he were making fun of him, and Caliph's response to it was the same.
Treat them like servants.
But whenever he was alone with Theodore, he cursed at him one by one.
Let it be and be glorified in the beautiful Jantar?
'Wow, brother, that's amazing.'
Liana's envelope didn't have her name on it, and Caliph must have been wary of being censored.
But why do you do the rabbit order in the last line?
Theodore had picked up the rabbit only once in the past year, and Caliph was angry at the time for saying that he would boil rabbit soup.
Of course, it didn't become a rabbit soup, but it was sick in the first place, so it died within a few seasons.
'But the rabbit is happy...'
Theodore lay flat on the bed and tilted his head.
Then he read the last part of the letter again.
*P.S. I hope to see you on my mother's anniversary
'What the hell are you talking about... My mother's anniversary was last month.'
When he thought about it. He suddenly came to his senses.
Caliph couldn't make such a crazy call for him to stay in the palace for a year.
'It's not just a letter.'
Wait, his mother's anniversary was on the twelfth day of last month.
If you read only the twelfth letter...
[ Theodore knows honor and loyalty.
As my father said, do your duty as a servant in the palace.
Even though we are close to each other, we must not be disrespectful to the Crown Prince.
Try to find them often and cheer them up.
I, too, am waiting for the day when I can visit you.
Glory be to the beautiful Jantar.]
'Look for him on the list.'
It was then that he saw the words that Caliph wrote in front of his name.
"Your Friend Caliph"
Even if Caliph died soon, he was his brother, and he never claimed to be a friend.
'Ugh, brother...'
If he hadn't noticed the order contained in the letter, he would have been treated as a fool.
It sent a chill down his spine when he thought about it.
Look for him on the list...
He must be the son of the Thunder Ship Sischel or Shibel, and since he has already looked up the Sword Master and Auror user lists, all that remains is the noble list.
'A list of nobles....'
Theodore sighed.
The list, which was first recorded by the previous King after ascending to the throne, added many plausible reasons, but in the end, it was made to limit the number of nobles.
And now it is used as evidence of securing tax revenue, so Clement must have it.
Somehow, his father didn't move.
***
The next day, Theodore asked Crown Prince Bioden.
"Is Rosalyn Clement in the palace?"
"Rosalyn Clement? Don't. I saw the minister at the State Council meeting in the morning."
Crown Prince Bioden had been attending the Council of State meetings a few days ago to study state affairs, and Rosalyn was the only daughter of Lenaud Clement, the treasurer of the kingdom.
Bioden smiled mischievously.
"Why Rosalyn? Are you going to ask for a prom partner?"
Bioden's birthday party was scheduled to be the very next week.
He hates everything about prom and partners, but since his father doesn't move, he has no choice but to hold on.
Theodore forced a smile.
"If you don't ask her, shall you do it?"
Bioden whistled high.
"Is it no wonder that Theodore Halias is already looking for a partner for the prom that is more than a week away? I thought the only thing you prepared in advance was a black horse that you love."
Theodore sighed from the heart.
"You saw what kind of humiliation I went through because I didn't prepare for my partner at the end of the academy."
Theodore, who had planned to sneak away to Halias as soon as the final lecture began, was caught at the school gate and suffered the hardship of becoming the professor's partner.
"But not necessarily because of my prom partner... I thought I'd do the rest of my studies while I waited for my father to tell me."
Bioden giggled.
"Oh, you almost failed arithmetic?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
He replied in a dejected voice, and Bioden tapped in the opposite direction of the hallway.
"Across from the large vase, right to the portrait of the former King, is the room. Treasurer's room."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Theodore did not know about the treasurer's room, so it was necessary to create a reason to visit him officially.
***
Knock.
When he knocked on the treasurer's door, he heard a high-toned voice saying.
"Who are you?"
"Rosalyn Clement?"
As soon as Theodore asked, the door swung open.
"Theo! What happened so far?"
"Oh, well... It's been a while since I've been in the royal palace, but I haven't seen you, so I'm going to ask how you're doing."
Rosalyn hesitated a little.
"Oh, we played a card game together a few days ago. Of course, it was a while ago..."
Was it like that?
To be honest, he didn't remember anything at all.
When he plays a game with the Crown Prince, he doesn't have time to pay attention to anything else.
This is because you have to lose without being voted out.
Theodore smiled, embarrassed.
"It's been a few days."
Rosalyn suddenly blushed and opened the door wide.
"Come in if you don't mind..."
Theodore took a look around the room.
As je expected, the sections were separated, and the large space near the entrance was used for the extraordinary meeting, and the two rooms in the back were used by the father and daughter.
Before following her to Rosalyn's residence in the innermost corner, Theodore noticed a mountain of papers on a large table in the center.
'There must be a list of nobles somewhere.'
He didn't have an excuse to visit this room often enough to flip through the papers in his spare time.
So, as soon as the maid brought out the tea, he sighed proudly.
"Hah, I don't want to go home."
Rosalyn's emerald eyes widened.
"In Halias? Why?"
This time, there was a more sincere sigh.
"I think he got a report card. My father left my studies to him."
Rosalyn nodded in deep agreement.
"Poor Theodore, brother of Caliph Halias."
'Caliph Halias' notoriety is very useful in this case.
This year, he graduated early, unprecedented in the history of the Royal Academy.
It was also a second seat.
The fact that he refused to stay at the academy and take advanced courses followed him like a ghost story.
This made it easy for Theodore to speak.
"So, Rosalyn, can you help me while you're in the palace? If I continue like this, I think I'll fail the next semester completely."
Honestly, he wouldn't let Caliph do that.
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