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Chapter 17
Kalec took his eyes off the crown prince he had been observing and lifted his teacup.
“Look at this!”
A wide-eyed child thrust forward a small pouch clutched in one hand. Behind him stood an attendant wearing a troubled expression.
The emperor let out a deep sigh.
“…Argen. We’re in the middle of a meeting with the Duke.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Argen notice Kalec, sitting cross-legged and calmly drinking his tea. His unruly hair bobbed as he bowed.
“Hello! Um, so… Young Master of Winterwald!”
“Y-Your Highness! A member of the imperial family shouldn’t bow like that—! And besides, Sir Kalec inherited the ducal title a few days ago. How could you not know that yet?”
The flustered attendant whispered urgently from the side.
Argen blinked, then broke into a sheepish grin.
“Oh! I’m sorry. Duke Winterwald.”
“It’s fine.”
Kalec replied indifferently.
Perhaps because he was used to it at home, the child’s chatter and lively energy didn’t bother him as much as he expected.
“More importantly, Argen. Didn’t you have lessons today? You skipped them again, didn’t you?”
Tsk. Clicking his tongue, the emperor asked sternly. The prince finally stiffened in alarm.
“Ah, well… the weather was so nice, and I wanted to play in the garden with the servants…”
“Honestly. How long do you plan to socialize only with servants? Those lessons were arranged so you’d mingle with other noble children. I even had to ask the aristocrats for their cooperation.”
The emperor’s voice dropped lower and lower, his displeasure obvious.
“I’m sorry… but I like playing more, and… just… I just…”
“Stop mumbling and speak properly, how many times have I— ha. Enough. Go.”
The emperor waved his hand dismissively. Argen’s shoulders slumped like a rain-soaked puppy. The way he clutched his pouch looked pitiful.
“Come now, Your Highness. Let’s go to class.”
The attendant who had been watching quickly wrapped an arm around Argen’s shoulders and coaxed him along.
“Don’t be too discouraged. If you finish your lesson well, I’ll give you some jelly. You like that, don’t you?”
“Mm…”
Thud.
Once the door closed, the emperor cleared his throat heavily. The wrinkles around his eyes seemed deeper somehow.
“Sorry you had to witness that, Duke. Let’s postpone the meal. I’m tired.”
“Yes.”
Kalec hadn’t planned to eat anyway.
“Then, I’ll see you on the day of the procession.”
Freed at last from the tedious audience with the emperor, Kalec left the audience chamber.
Prince Argen, huh.
The last time he’d seen the boy, he’d been around four years old.
He was calmer back then.
The emperor had three children.
The crown prince had yet to be chosen, but the eldest princess—soon to come of age—or the second prince were the strongest candidates.
As for Prince Argen…
Well.
His age, for one.
And judging by what he’d just seen, his aptitude too.
It would be difficult, in many ways.
Then again, that might be a more peaceful life for him.
Receiving a title and territory at the right time and living outside the palace might not be such a bad option for a prince treated like a burden at court.
The image of worn clothes and unkempt hair resurfaced in his mind.
“…”
As if trying to shake off an unidentifiable irritation, Kalec quickened his pace.
* * *
On his way back, Kalec abruptly stopped.
Ahead of him, sitting in front of the flower bed, was a familiar figure seen from behind.
“…”
According to what Ruska had told him earlier, the child had spent the entire day roaming the estate as if it were her own home.
Amid the rigid, monochrome ducal residence, a splash of pink hair had intruded.
It was wildly out of place—like a mismatched puzzle piece—but the sight of the manor holding that harmless little figure wasn’t unpleasant.
“Gyaaah! Put me down!”
He lightly hooked a finger around the back of her neck and lifted her up. The child flailed her short limbs like a startled bird.
“What do you think you’re doing? It’s me.”
“Huh!”
“You’ve been running around all day—where exactly have you been?”
What on earth had she been doing…
The hair he’d tied that morning had come loose, and her dress was smeared with dirt.
She must have been playing in the flower bed. Looking around, he saw several small, cave-like sand structures nearby.
“Hey! I’m busy!”
Meanwhile, Lirin felt wronged in her own way.
She’d only planned to step out of Kalec’s office to get some fresh air and look for a protective magic tool.
Who knew she’d get caught so perfectly!
“I was having a very important discussion with the trees!”
“Yes, of course. Busy enough to single-handedly manage the entire estate, I hear.”
“Heh. I kind of am.”
“I was being sarcastic. Why are you proud?”
With a short sigh, Kalec started walking again.
6:30 p.m.
The third unavoidable task of the day—something that had to be done even if the world ended—had arrived.
Feeling a stab of self-loathing, Kalec tucked Lirin under his arm and carried her toward the dining room. This was, truly, unavoidable.
Then he spotted a familiar silhouette in the hallway.
“Miss Maid, take care of that.”
At those words, Lirin snapped her head up.
“Theo!”
The child jumped down and rushed over to Theo, who stood sulking with his face buried in his arms.
“Why are you sulking again?”
Several maids stood around them, unsure what to do.
“Oh dear. Did you wake up from your nap and find your sister gone?”
She was surprisingly good at soothing him. The chestnut-sized baby wriggled into Lirin’s arms.
Watching the scene, Kalec tilted his head slightly.
Come to think of it, Theo had never once come over to cling to him.
Not that he wanted him to.
Anyway, Kalec lifted both children and continued walking.
“So that’s what it was. Our Theo got lonely, didn’t he? I get it—there aren’t even any toys here…”
Chatter, chatter.
Lirin babbled nonstop as she comforted her little brother.
Before long, Theo had completely relaxed, listening to her with wide, curious eyes.
“Oh! Duke! Can we go out tomorrow?”
Seated in the dining room filled with delicious smells, Lirin suddenly looked up.
Kalec’s brow creased sharply.
“Go out?”
“Yes!”
Since we’re out anyway, I’ll check the entire parade route!
Lirin giggled to herself as she reviewed her plans.
Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Kalec let out a harsh scoff.
“You look like you’d lose a fight to a passing cat, and you’re talking about going out? Do you think that’s remotely reasonable?”
“Geez, if you’re worried about sending us out into a cruel world, you don’t have to say it in such a roundabout way.”
“I’m not.”
He really wasn’t.
“We’re not going to play! We’re just running errands with the maid sisters!”
Lirin shot her hand into the air. The maids attending them—Kate and Isa—failed to hide their rising smiles.
Then, a low voice slipped out, sounding oddly displeased.
“…Errands?”
Huh? What’s with him? Lirin’s eyes widened.
“What errands could you possibly have outside? Who told you to do something like that?”
At the strangely twisted tone, the servants stiffened.
Kate was the one who bravely stepped forward.
“My lord, I simply thought I might take Lirin and Theo along while visiting the clothing shop tomorrow.”
She glanced briefly at Kalec’s hand.
“I didn’t realize you disliked the combination of the words ‘Lirin’ and ‘errands’ enough to pulverize tableware. I’ll reconsider entirely.”
“…”
When did this split clean in two? Kalec slowly unclenched his tightly balled fist.
“No! No reconsidering! I want to go on errands! You may not know this, Duke, but errands are important for an eight-year-old! Back in Reppy Village, I even ran errands to buy five eggs! For real!”
That’s… actually impressive.
That such a reckless eight-year-old could buy five eggs without breaking them. Truly, a formidable little hard candy.
More importantly, did she say a clothing shop?
His gaze drifted to Lirin’s worn dress.
Since things had come to this, he might as well get rid of that eyesore.
“Errrrands…”
Kalec grabbed Lirin’s face—still shooting daggers at him—and turned it forward, then spoke in his usual cold tone.
“Fine. Go. However.”
“…!”
“Take an escort of about five hundred knights—no, fifty—no, five. Also, you’ll need money to buy things, so take seventy million gold—hm. Seven thousand—no. Just seventy gold.”
That’s still too much…
The maids thought so, but said nothing.
Crunch.
Kalec’s grip on the spoon turned white.
Now even this mouth of mine…
How dare it betray me.
That day,
Not a single piece of tableware survived the dining room intact.
Kalec was far too busy lamenting how impossibly hard it was to say even one proper sentence with his unruly tongue.
