#6
The fact that Bashur, who was always so cautious, was insisting this strongly meant there had to be something more to it than simply celebrating his son’s birthday.
Judith briefly checked his schedule.
Since it was Wednesday, he had no particular plans other than his lesson with Bashur.
“If I join a family party, wouldn’t that be a burden?”
“A burden? Not at all. It would be an honor if you came and graced us with your presence.”
Judith hesitated before asking in a quiet voice,
“I don’t want to attract attention, so… after our lesson, would it be all right if I went with you in the same carriage?”
It was practically an acceptance.
Bashur’s expression immediately brightened.
“Of course. Absolutely.”
Bashur smiled brightly at Judith’s acceptance.
They briefly discussed the competition before going their separate ways.
“One, two, three, four… I can borrow one more book.”
At the Imperial Library, people could borrow a maximum of five books at a time, regardless of their social status.
Judith did not know whether others could borrow more, but he would rather read until the library closed than use his authority to get extra books.
Even if he tried to use his authority, he doubted it would work. The librarian was quite strict.
Four of the books he had were about Herut, so Judith decided to use his last borrowing slot for a book about banquets.
He headed toward the bookshelves.
It had grown dark enough that he could barely read the titles unless he held the books toward the light behind him.
“Ah, there it is.”
The book he was looking for was well above his height.
He stood on tiptoe and stretched out his hand, but he could not quite reach it.
He was getting frustrated.
If I can’t reach it this time either, I’ll have to bring over a stool.
Just as he was thinking that, a huge shadow fell over him.
“You’re a prince, yet you walk around without a guard.”
A low voice came from behind him.
The back of Judith’s neck stiffened.
He quickly turned around and assumed a defensive stance.
A chill ran through his entire body.
Kalid’s figure, illuminated by the dim light behind him, looked almost grotesque.
“I thought you had already left.”
“Ah. I had a book to find.”
Earlier, Kalid had at least used polite speech in front of Viscount Bashur.
Now he was speaking to Judith completely casually.
Unlike earlier, when he had smiled behind a mask of politeness, he now looked dangerous even though he was smiling.
Judith instinctively reached for the dagger he always carried.
Then he remembered.
Because he had been scheduled to meet the Emperor, he had left his dagger in his room.
The ointment Kalid had applied was still thickly spread across Judith’s neck.
But Kalid was the kind of person who could easily grab that unhealed neck and snap it if he wanted to.
“…”
Judith swallowed nervously and looked up at him.
Kalid smiled and reached a hand toward him.
Unable to endure the tension, Judith squeezed his eyes shut.
“Is this the book you’re looking for?”
At the unexpected words, Judith slowly opened his eyes.
There was a book in the Duke’s hand.
Everything About Banquets.
It was exactly the book Judith had been looking for.
He had never told Kalid which book he wanted.
How had he known?
“Yes, it is. But how did you…?
“I’ve read that book before, when I had a banquet coming up.”
Judith ran his fingers over the cover of the book and looked at Kalid.
Had this man ever gone through a time when he didn’t know how to hold a banquet either?
It was hard to imagine.
He seemed like the kind of person who would have greeted everyone around him with a cheerful ‘Nice to meet you’ the moment he was born.
It was a topic Judith might have wanted to discuss at least once with someone else.
But he wanted to get away from this place, so he cut the conversation short.
“I see. Then I’ll head back first.”
“You like him.”
“What are you talking about…?”
Judith pretended not to understand, even though he knew exactly what Kalid meant.
“Viscount Bashur.”
“…”
“You like him, don’t you?”
“That is a ridiculous misunderstanding. As you know, he is married and has children.”
It was something Judith had repeated to himself countless times ever since he began developing feelings for Bashur.
The teacher has been married for a long time.
He loves his children and his wife.
“Is that so? Then I suppose I went to unnecessary trouble.”
“…Trouble?”
“Yes. Since I had been teasing you, I thought it would be better to leave and give the two of you some time alone.”
“…”
Even as Kalid said that, he clearly did not believe Judith at all.
Judith avoided his gaze and bit his lip.
“When you make a face like that, it makes me want to tease you.”
Judith had no idea when they had become so familiar that Kalid could act like this.
It was unpleasant and uncomfortable, but he could not show it, which only made him more frustrated.
“Want me to tell you something interesting?”
“…”
“Bashur is my man.”
Judith’s hand, which had been pretending to organize his books, suddenly stopped.
Kalid smiled in satisfaction and continued.
“And he’s the kind of person who doesn’t have the courage to save Your Highness, so he asked me to kill you quickly.”
Judith’s face turned deathly pale.
“How about it? Do you still like Bashur after hearing that?”
Kalid crossed his arms and smiled down at Judith.
His words were probably true.
He did not seem like the kind of person who would lie just to tease Judith.
Judith glared at Kalid, who was looking down at him with amused eyes, clearly curious about how he would react.
But Judith had no intention of giving him the reaction he wanted.
“Is there something wrong with that?”
Judith glared at him and snapped sharply.
Kalid’s eyes widened slightly, like a predator that had unexpectedly been attacked by its prey.
Judith did not feel betrayed by Bashur.
He had simply chosen what he believed was the best option available to him.
But Kalid was different.
He was the worst.
He had carelessly thrown out words that could tear apart the relationship between two people simply because he wanted to make a joke.
“Most people live according to what benefits them.”
“…”
“So is it wrong for me to feel affection for someone who treated me like a person even though I was of no benefit to him?”
Kalid had not expected Judith to respond like that.
Judith’s words strangely struck somewhere deep inside his chest.
Judith looked desperate.
As though if he lost even that last bit of affection, there would be nothing left in his life to love.
Kalid stared at Judith for a moment before speaking.
“All right. My joke went too far.”
“……?”
“I apologize.”
Judith was slightly taken aback by the quick and sincere apology.
He had expected Kalid to tease him again or perhaps become angry, but instead, the Duke apologized surprisingly politely.
“I thought if I kept teasing you, I might cross a line I shouldn’t. Even herbivores bare their teeth when protecting their young.”
“…I’m glad you understand.”
Talking to Kalid was exhausting.
Judith wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
“Then I’ll be going now…”
“Would you like a gift as an apology?”
“No, thank you.”
Judith flatly refused.
Kalid gave a hollow laugh, apparently finding his response ridiculous.
“You don’t even know what I’m going to give you.”
He did not need anything.
He had said he would even become a puppet emperor if it meant surviving.
But every time he talked to Kalid, it felt as though his remaining lifespan was being shortened.
He wanted to hurry back to his room, but Kalid beat him to it.
“There’s a banquet at Count Craven’s estate three days from now. How about it? Will you accompany me as my partner?”
“…”
Judith bit his lip.
It was not an offer he could casually refuse.
The Craven family had suddenly risen to the ranks of the great wealthy families after a ruby mine was discovered on their private estate a year ago.
They had originally been viscounts, but after giving a portion of the mine to the Imperial Family, they had been elevated to counts.
After that, perhaps in an attempt to buy connections with money, they began holding banquets almost every other day.
Even Judith, who rarely attended banquets, knew their name.
They often held unusual types of gatherings, such as masquerade balls, for nobles who had grown bored with ordinary banquets.
Judith had actually wanted to attend one himself.
“You haven’t answered, so I suppose that means you think it’s a good offer.”
“…”
The man’s face was full of mischief, as though asking, Isn’t it?
Judith found this man unbearably irritating.
He wanted to reject the offer immediately and tell him he did not need anything like this.
But he was furious with himself because he could not.
“If you take me as your partner, the other princes will become wary of you.”
This was also why Judith had been unable to readily accept Bashur’s invitation.
It could put Bashur in danger.
At Judith’s words, Kalid gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
“Do you really think I can’t handle a little childish sulking from the princes?”
“…”
While other nobles were keeping their heads down and carefully watching the princes, Kalid dismissed their reactions as nothing more than childish sulking.
Judith was left speechless.
It was absurd.
But at the same time, he was envious.
Envious of the power that allowed Kalid to speak like that.
Then I should use him.
Whether his offer is a joke or a genuine favor, I’ll use every bit of it.
I’ll use it as a stepping stone and climb as high as I can.
