Chapter 31

Chapter 31

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Sir Dylan looked at the old man and spoke. From his stiff posture and deferential tone, the elder outranked him. And here, the only person above him was obviously Sir Dylan’s father, Adrein.

Now that I thought about it, the two looked remarkably alike. Though the age gap seemed wider than in an average father-son relationship.

Meeting him so unannounced?! And why did he have to barge in so loudly?!

I hesitated, trying to rise to offer a greeting, but he made a gesture as if to tell me to sit back down. Awkwardly, I sank back into my seat.

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Adrein turned to the Duke and spoke in a gentle voice. The Duke replied with a light smile, his manners impeccable.

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This time, he looked back at his son and said something. His voice was different from before—angry, or perhaps on edge. Not as sharp as a honed blade, but aggressive enough to feel.

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Sir Dylan, by contrast, replied with impeccable courtesy. Then he lightly furrowed his brow and turned his head away. The tension between father and son was plainly not ordinary, so I shrank back into my chair, trying hard not to stare.

Adrein let out a low ‘Hmm’ through his nose, then took the seat beside Sir Dylan. I just raised my eyes to look at him. He looked much older than the version I’d seen in the maid ghost’s memories. His once-brilliant blonde hair had faded entirely, and his face was lined with wrinkles.

Right. It’s been quite a while since Raun disappeared from the map, so of course…

Even so, he had an impressive build. He was neatly dressed in a knight’s uniform, a sword at his hip, and the fierce glint in his eyes — unchanged by age — lent him an aura of dignified authority. He looked every inch the valiant knight. It was hard to believe he was supposedly in poor health.

The servants soon began setting dishes in front of Adrein as well. And we resumed our meal.

‘Hmm… It’s no different from most Krentis food. But it’s tasty.’

I chewed thoughtfully, savoring the food. As expected, my palate is secretly well-suited to Krentis. Nom nom nom nom.

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Meanwhile, Adrein and the Duke were deep in some serious conversation. I had no idea what people meeting for the first time today could have to discuss, but I couldn’t understand Krentis anyway, so I just listened to their voices while eating the delicious food.

“Speaking of which. I hear the Duke of Cuvershaiden’s secretary enjoys tales of Adrein’s heroism.”

Then, Sir Dylan pointed at me and spoke. It was clear Luision. An apparent consideration for me, who didn’t speak Krentis. When the conversation turned to me, I stopped chewing and looked up. I met the gazes of Adrein and Sir Dylan, now fixed on me.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a young person who enjoys such stories.”

Adrein looked at me and spoke gently.

“Don’t you see it all the time, Father? After all, I too enjoy the tales of the hero Adrein.”

Sir Dylan retorted.

“Though I didn’t know I was known in Luision as well.”

Ignoring his son’s remark lightly, he spoke again. I swallowed the food in my mouth and picked words that could sell my act as his fan.

“Even in Luision, the hero Adrein is famous. For my part, I’ve read about the hero Adrein in many books. I’ve also heard oral traditions passed down.”

“I’m not such a great person. Heroic tales tend to be exaggerated, after all.”

He replied with a light laugh.

“Of course, details about my father’s character, his words and deeds, his private life—those were embellished. Naturally, since his story became the subject of plays and novels, dramatic devices were necessary. But the part about his achievements? That’s not a lie.”

Sir Dylan cut in again. Hearing what he said, I could now say for certain: he did like his father. Or maybe, just the heroic version of Adrein.

“……Even setting everything else aside, what the hero Adrein accomplished is extraordinary.”

I stayed in character as the devoted fan and picked up the thread.

Let’s see. How could I look even more like an obsessive fan…?

“I didn’t know there were dramatic additions to Adrein’s heroic tales, but honestly, I’m glad I found out. I wanted to know everything about him—the hero Adrein. And if there are other stories I haven’t heard yet, I want to know those too!”

“That’s simple enough. If you have questions, feel free to ask me.”

“……Are you sure?”

I shot back, my eyes sparkling.

“Of course.”

“Then I’d love to talk more, but… ah. I hope I’m not being a bother?”

“Haha. Not at all. I enjoy talking with young people. And I like having guests in my mansion, filling it with a lively atmosphere.”

Adrein laughed as he answered. His tone, despite his cold-looking exterior, came across as remarkably warm. Well, he did seem a bit harsh with his son, though.

In my head, I quickly sketched out a plan to bring the maid ghost and Adrein together. When it got dark, the maid ghost would reveal herself by my side. And if I were with Adrein at that moment, the two of them could meet naturally.

The problem was that there was still a good while until sunset. I’d need to stall for time.

“Um… if it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to see the garden before then. Is that all right? From the way I came in, the structure looked so unique and beautiful. I wanted to see it before it got dark.”

“Of course. Make yourself at home.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

I answered cheerfully, pleased that things were going according to plan. Then I picked up my meal again.

After finishing the perfect meal—dessert included—I went out to see the garden as I’d told Adrein. The garden, filled with white flowers and statues in all sorts of shapes, blended Luan’s architecture with Krentis’s style, making it look utterly unique. I walked slowly, strolling among the blooming flowers.

‘It’s gotten a bit warmer, but it’s still cold, and Krentis is in the north besides… What kind of flower is this, to be blooming so early?’

A cool breeze blew pleasantly, carrying a sweet floral scent. My heart lifted a little at the early flower-viewing. It would have been even better if I’d been alone in this garden…

“This statue was bestowed upon us by His Majesty the Emperor. A golden lion, the emblem of the imperial house. Is it not beautiful? The sculptor was a promising talent out of Raun, and he serves the imperial court now. For your reference, in all his reign the current Emperor has gifted a symbol of the imperial house only three times. And yet……”

The butler of this manor had come out after me, insisting he would show me the garden. And then he had gone on explaining it without pause. He seemed to take enormous pride in the place where he worked. But that was no concern of mine.

“And this fountain is as old as the mansion itself—at least a hundred years…”

So, not my concern, I tell you…

My head throbbed, but I just bit my lip and nodded, trying to observe at least the minimum courtesy of a guest.

“Laura.”

“Your Grace!”

Just then, the Duke called my name as he approached. The moment I heard his voice, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my chest.

“I have something to discuss with my secretary. Would you excuse us?”

He turned to the butler and said. The butler’s face showed a hint of disappointment, but he nodded with an ‘As you wish’ and withdrew.

Phew…

I watched the retreating butler and swallowed a breath inwardly. Then I turned to look up at the Duke.

“What is it you wished to discuss?”

“Let’s walk for now.”

The Duke stepped ahead of me, leading the way. I quickly caught up and fell into step beside him.

“…I only stepped in because you looked trapped with that butler. Truth is, I didn’t have anything to say.”

He turned his head toward me as he spoke.

Good heavens! Was that it? Such consideration!

“…Thank you. I was actually getting a bit bored. How is it that everyone in this mansion speaks Luision so well?”

I let out a soft laugh and answered. Then I glanced around at the white blossoms spreading before us and spoke.

“Well then, um… these flowers are lovely. Would you care to take a walk with me?”

“Sure.”

He agreed readily, and so we began to walk side by side through the garden.

“By the way, I’m glad I got to meet the hero Adrein. Coming to Krentis didn’t guarantee I’d actually see him, after all.”

“You were lucky.”

The Duke replied curtly. But something strange nagged at the back of my mind.

Hmm… flowers… I’m forgetting something? Flowers… flowers…?

“Aaaah!”

I ended up shouting out loud.

“…What?”

“Flower tea! I completely forgot I was supposed to buy gifts for my friends back in Krentis!”

Good heavens—how could I forget? If I returned to Luision without it, I’d never hear the end of their nagging. Sonia especially would whine endlessly. Just imagining it exhausted me.

“…Why don’t you go out now? I know the local geography, so it’s fine if I accompany you…”

“Huh? Would that be all right?”

“Today’s the only chance we have. If we leave as planned tomorrow, we’ll have to cross the border right away.”

“You keep looking out for me… I feel bad…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Then… thank you.”

Watching him, I realized the Duke had a surprisingly kind streak. He listened to me, tried to accommodate my needs as much as possible. Look at him now—he could easily find it bothersome, yet he’s volunteering to be my guide. He carried that tired, irritable look, sure, but his nature wasn’t truly nasty. On the contrary, he was rather gentle. So he was a good person. At least, toward me.