“Send her away!”
"Your Highness, you should sleep at our house and go straight to work from here tomorrow!"
"No. I have to go home today."
Nike spoke urgently.
"Hnnggg~ Why? Whether you sleep here or at the Imperial Palace, Vania is here, isn't she?"
"..."
"Why is the Imperial Palace allowed, but my house isn't?"
What the hell!
Are you really asking because you don't know, or are you just teasing me while knowing the answer?
"Send her. She's my wife."
However, Nike, unable to bring himself to explain the reason, wailed and cried out repeatedly, begging to be sent.
"Before she is Your Highness's wife, she is like a younger sister to me, like a daughter!"
Argh, when will this end!
Will Nike and I be able to return home, avoiding the spiteful lion?
We really need to go home today and write history in a cozy atmosphere!
Who will be the winner of this seemingly endless battle...!
***
One day in December when the first snow fell.
I have had a lot of things happen to me during this time.
...Isn't it?
Yeah, nothing special. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that I 'played' a lot.
I am spending my days going back and forth between the Imperial Palace and the Count's mansion, so happily that I feel like every moment is a waste. It is fun playing with my husband, and I am happy just joking around with my family.
You're saying I'm a Princess, no less, and yet I don't do any work?
Originally, the Princess does not work.
It is the Crown Prince and his wife who handle the affairs of the Imperial Palace; in fact, I am not someone who should be at the Imperial Palace right now.
If the Prince marries, he must receive the title of Grand Duke and leave the Imperial Palace, while I am a person who must handle the affairs of the Grand Duke's estate as a Grand Duchess.
However, thanks to the Crown Prince, who even built a separate palace for Nike, I am enjoying a peaceful time while dragging out my independence (actually, Nike wanted to move out, but I am holding out).
"You've properly sorted out the titles for Duke Belzer, right?"
My older brother asked with a worried expression. I nodded, as I was having a casual tea time with the Crown Princess again today.
"Yes. It hasn't quite stuck with me yet, so I do make mistakes sometimes, though."
"Make sure to call him "brother" even when you are around, so he gets used to it. And make sure to use honorifics when addressing him in front of others."
“Yes, Your Highness.”
This is a story about Ryan and me.
Ryan, who received the dukedom from the Emperor the other day after the trial of the Wassenberg members concluded
Now, Duke Belzer, he has also completely sorted out the personnel records.
Richard and Christa, the unmarried brothers, took the Belzer surname as Ryan's younger siblings, and Alex and I, who were his children on paper, also found our rightful places.
I had been wearing the Valencia surname for a long time, so I didn't need to organize any separate documents; I just needed to correctly correct Alexander to be Ryan's brother.
Alex, who is used to calling Ryan 'Father,' is feeling very awkward trying to correct himself and call him 'Brother.'
But even if it feels awkward, you should stop calling a single man 'dad' now...
If a single man goes around being called 'Dad,' even the women who used to approach him might run away.
"Duke Belzer needs to find a lady of the house soon, too; this is a big problem."
The Crown Princess, resting her chin on her hand, tapped her fingers on the table and let out a deep sigh.
"I feel bad because I should be the one taking the lead in meeting with the noble ladies, but I keep leaving it all to you."
"Oh, no. Brother, you must rest completely right now to meet His Royal Highness in good health. I have no difficulties at all, so please do not worry."
“Haha, thank you”
The Crown Prince has taken on all the duties of the pregnant Crown Princess, and I am also helping with her social affairs.
One of the duties of the Crown Princess is to regularly meet with the ladies of noble families and keep an eye on the political situation between the clans. I am helping with this, and while I am at it, I am also looking for a match for Ryan.
"I heard you held a gathering with Countess Schwartz last time; that was a good move. Even I think Countess Schwartz is the most suitable match for Duke Belzer..."
"Older brother."
I shook my head.
"Countess Schwartz did not meet my brother's age requirements."
"What?"
The Crown Princess was flustered.
Countess Schwartz is twenty years old this year.
"How much younger of a woman do you want to meet?"
"No, quite the opposite. My picky older brother says that, in good conscience, he absolutely cannot tolerate an eight-year age difference, so he says he will only accept partners up to four years younger than himself."
That four-year age was also a standard Ryan had carefully set while considering the age difference between me and Nike.
The Crown Princess blinked blankly for a moment, then burst into a hollow laugh.
"Wow, he's a man with a conscience who is picky."
“It’s kind of like that.”
Even the lineage of noble ladies who had missed their marriageable age had dried up, and on top of that, one had to be over twenty-four years old, brave enough not to be afraid of Ryan, and have the permission of the head of the opposing family.
Is there such a woman?
I wish I could just find a needle in a haystack!
"To be honest, I think I've half-given up. These days, I just think that if it's meant to be, they'll meet."
"Still, you have to try as much as you can. Let you endure the hardship a little longer. He's your precious older brother, after all."
"... Yes."
Honestly, it's so hard!
Just send me to the desert!
Because the needle will come for you!
Knock knock, knock.
Just then, a slightly urgent knock was heard.
The person who entered when the door opened.
“Oh, honey!”
It was my husband. He hadn't even been at work for half a day; just how much must he have missed me to rush all the way to the main palace?
"Vania, come out for a moment."
"...?"
For some reason, Nike's face was pale.
***
Wassenberg's retainers were sentenced according to the severity of the karma for their wicked deeds.
Most of them were executed and hanged on the gallows. One of them was the Marquis de Ballach, Diana's husband and my brother-in-law.
"Why on earth! Dad... no, why did my brother take them?"
Diana and Marquis Ballach had three children.
They are currently thirteen, twelve, and ten years old, respectively.
"If I knew why they took me, I wouldn't be worried. Since I don't know, I have to find out."
My mind went blank at Nike's words.
My brothers had each started their own families a long time ago, so naturally, even those who deserved to die had children.
All of them are ordinary people, not people with special abilities.
And it includes children so young that they don't even know what their parents have been doing.
It is simply that they were born into a rich family, so they have lived wearing nice clothes and receiving special treatment.
Not knowing where that money and power came from, or even if they vaguely sensed it, they are at an age where they do not yet have the strength to become independent from their parents or rebel...
If I had to be picky, they are my 'nephews'.
There is no guilt by association in the Valencia Empire.
Through trials, the guilt of those involved was thoroughly investigated, and if wrongdoing was found, a sentence was imposed.
I heard the news that some nephews were punished for acting exactly like their parents.
Of course, some are innocent.
So, the situation right now is that Ryan dragged out his 'innocent' young nephews.
Where did you go?
As soon as...
"They left the islands two days ago, so they probably haven't boarded a ship yet."
It is Abyssinian Island.
Yes, it is the island where the prison camp 'Abyssinian,' where Ryan unjustly served 12 years in prison, is located.
"But you can't catch them before getting on the boat anyway."
“I guess so.”
The surviving brothers with supernatural abilities were scheduled to be escorted there, and Ryan left the day before yesterday as he was responsible for concluding their punishment.
I knew about that schedule and even saw them off.
I didn't know that the nephews had been taken away because they didn't say anything.
"They must have taken him, right?"
"Of course. If I wasn't going to take him with me, why would I have smuggled him out?"
"Why, why? What are you trying to do?"
"...Well"
Nike and I stared at each other, speechless.
Even if he is the child of criminal brothers, it is not easy to see that Ryan is not the kind of person to harm an innocent child.
Yeah, I know.
Did you take Diana's children with you when you went to meet her?
Of course, it wouldn't be that he intends to show her children's faces out of pity for his older sister.
I don't know Ryan's intentions, but honestly, I can't picture a good picture in my head.
What could be the reason you didn't give me any heads-up beforehand?
It must be because he didn't want to go out of his way to mention the 'purpose' of taking his nephews along.
"What on earth are you trying to do?"
I trust Ryan, but at the same time, I can't help but be worried.
On the one hand, his cold-hearted side as an executioner.
That is why Nike has turned pale and is running toward me now.
"I have to go along. Let's pack."
I nodded at his words.
***
Abyssinian Island.
A man stepped onto the frozen ground.
When he left, he was a criminal who had lost even his castle, but today he returned as a noble of the Empire.
A return after about four and a half years.
“Hmm.”
Ryan spread his arms wide to the sides, took a deep breath, and shouted.
"It smells like home!"
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment