CH:40
“So, Kaon did that, you say.”
“Yes.”
Having concisely explained the recent events between his mother and Kaon, Joseph looked at Leonidas.
His former master—and now the sister of his current one—remained silent for a while, seemingly lost in thought, before slowly nodding.
“Lady Burverly must be deeply disheartened.”
“My mother…”
Joseph trailed off. As the son of Baroness Robert and the attendant to Young Master Kaon, he was torn. Representing his mother’s stance as a son conflicted with his duty as an aide, and fulfilling his role as a retainer made his mother’s face linger in his mind.
“I understand. The Baroness must have only been thinking of Ferdinand.”
“…Thank you for understanding.”
While he stood awkwardly at a crossroads uncharacteristic of him, Leonidas stepped in as if reading his dilemma.
Joseph felt a wave of relief and pressed his lips together. He thought he had grown into a rather seasoned aide, but in front of Leonidas, he always reverted to his inexperienced younger self.
“The two seem to be getting along better than expected. They still have the occasional cold war, but nothing seems too serious.”
“I see. You’ve done well, Joseph. That will be all.”
“Yes. But…”
At the brief pause between words, Leonidas turned her gaze to Joseph.
“Is it alright to leave things as they are?”
“Who knows.”
She replied vaguely to his concerned question. As if weighing something, she looked off into the distance and then spoke again.
“Even a dying ember can reignite with a gust of wind—let alone a lukewarm flame. It could easily flare up again.”
Kaon’s recent behavior was too suspicious for something merely lukewarm, but Joseph understood her meaning easily enough.
“Trials will come their way even without my intervention. There’s no need to throw another obstacle at them—it’s best to just leave it be.”
And with that, he was convinced. After all, emotions weren’t something that could be achieved through sheer will. There was no need to stir things up unnecessarily—just let them simmer and see what unfolds.
Even if a youthful infatuation didn’t end on its own, marriage still required the approval of both families. Ferdinand needed a mage, not a bride. As long as the negotiations were right, Kaon’s personal wishes would likely take a back seat.
Even if Kaon was Leonidas’ only remaining family, to her, the house always came before her brother. Joseph found himself suddenly pitying his still immature master.
On a refreshing spring day with sunlight pouring pleasantly down, several carriages departed simultaneously from House Ferdinand. At last, it was the day to leave for the capital.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve been staring at me.”
“No, I haven’t?”
Ever since they struck a deal to ignore each other’s secrets, the dynamic between the two had changed countless times.
There were days filled with rage from betrayal, days when they ignored each other like strangers, and even days when locking eyes would lead to growling arguments.
Having made it through all that, now they simply bickered out of boredom.
“I can see your eyes moving, you know.”
“You’re accusing me again, huh.”
Today was just another ordinary day. Kaon ignored Alessia’s taunts and turned his gaze to the window. As the carriage rattled along the dirt road, the scenery outside gradually changed.
“Then why were you staring at my neck?”
He had tried to close his eyes for a peaceful ride, but that comment made him flinch.
“Wait… are you some kind of pervert? Do you have a thing for necks or—”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
Kaon couldn’t help but protest. Truthfully, he had been glancing at Alessia. And yes, he’d been looking at her neck.
But not for any vulgar reason—he had his reasons. He just couldn’t explain them now.
“Well, I suppose it makes sense. You do like my face, after all.”
“How many times do I have to say I never—”
She always uses her face as a weapon.
Annoyed, Kaon turned to glare at her, only to see her flutter her long lashes and smile beautifully, perfectly timed. Not a hint of hesitation in the move.
“…I said I didn’t…”
Kaon averted his gaze and trailed off. By now, he should have been used to it, but every time he saw that face, it struck something in his chest all over again.
Kaon sighed. He once brought home a stray dog just because it was cute—gave it shelter, a name, and food.
If he could do all that for a mere puppy, what could he possibly say about Alessia, whom he had fallen for at first sight in the past?
“Yeah, right. Doesn’t seem like it at all.”
Her snide tone made it clear she was mocking him, but Kaon held his tongue.
It was a battle he lost a hundred out of a hundred times. It was wiser to avoid a fight with a known outcome. When Kaon fell silent, the carriage returned to stillness.
‘So typical of that arrogant Ingelos.’
Grumbling inwardly at his long-time nemesis, he suddenly looked over at Alessia again. She had been quietly staring at the tall city walls, but sensing his gaze, she turned toward him.
“I heard your family is attending this banquet too.”
“…Of course. It’s an event almost every noble will attend.”
Her red eyes showed a flicker of emotion—barely noticeable and gone in an instant.
“Didn’t you say you had much older and younger siblings?”
Kaon couldn’t recall the exact ages, but he remembered something like that being mentioned before.
“Yes. Lichier is sixteen years older than me, and Nia is eight years younger.”
“…Sixteen and eight?”
He tried not to show it, but he was shocked. The age gaps were enormous. Even he and Leonidas had a five-year difference, but Ingelos far exceeded that.
No wonder the Duke of Ingelos had passed down his authority so early—the heir was much older than he thought.
“The Duke and Duchess of Ingelos must be quite… close.”
“They see eye to eye, yes.”
Trying to cover his surprise with a teasing remark, Kaon was met with a cold voice in return. Alessia then closed her eyes, signaling she was done talking.
‘…Did I say something wrong?’
Having lost his conversation partner, Kaon sank into his thoughts.
After ten long days, the group finally arrived in the capital, Belloum. And that was with minimal stops to reduce the travel time.
The carriage passed through a massive gate guarded by multiple gatekeepers and entered the capital proper.
Once inside, the grandeur of the kingdom’s heart was evident everywhere.
On either side of the well-maintained roads stood multistory buildings packed closely together. Several new, large constructions also stood tall, indicating rapid growth.
Most of all, Belloum was crowded. Compared to Brie, the most populous city in Ferdinand territory, it felt several times more bustling.
The mere sight of it all overwhelmed Kaon, prompting him to immediately draw the curtains. Alessia, on the other hand, kept gazing outside with full focus—so much so that she didn’t even notice him occasionally glancing her way.
She never looked away from the scenery until they reached the palace.
Even after passing through the palace gates, it was some time before they arrived at their destination. The long line of carriages hinted at the scale of the upcoming court banquet.
“Lord Kaon Ferdinand, Lady Alessia Ingelos. We will now escort you to your rooms.”
After a simple meal, maids assigned to them politely guided them.
Kaon briefly worried they might have to share a room again, but thankfully, each was given a separate room—albeit directly across from each other. Still, better than sharing.
“The banquet will be held over two days starting tomorrow. It begins at Demonis Hall at the time the bell tower rings. Shall I come escort you then?”
“There’s no need. I know where it is.”
“Understood. Please rest well.”
Kaon nodded slightly. He only needed to attend the second day when the king would be present. Leonidas wouldn’t expect him to attend everything anyway. There was no reason to.
As soon as he entered his room, Kaon collapsed onto the bed and stretched out. It was already late, so he decided to rest and sketch out his plans for tomorrow.
‘Maybe I’ll stop by the forge.’
There was a blacksmith on the outskirts of Belloum, famous among knights. The elderly smith had ties to the previous Duke and treated Kaon quite favorably.
He had been worn out lately from constantly dealing with Alessia. Tomorrow, he could finally spend a day without thinking too hard about anything.
With that comforting thought, Kaon drifted off to sleep.
