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 masterâand now the sister of his current oneâremained 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. Youâve 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 windâlet 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 themâitâs best to just leave it be.”
And with that, he was convinced. After all, emotions werenât something that could be achieved through sheer will. There was no need to stir things up unnecessarilyâjust let them simmer and see what unfolds.
Even if a youthful infatuation didnât 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, Kaonâs personal wishes would likely take a back seat.
Even if Kaon was Leonidasâ 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.
âWhy are you staring like that?â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âYouâve been staring at me.â
âNo, I havenât?â
Ever since they struck a deal to ignore each otherâs 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.
âI can see your eyes moving, you know.â
âYouâre accusing me again, huh.â
Today was just another ordinary day. Kaon ignored Alessiaâs taunts and turned his gaze to the window. As the carriage rattled along the dirt road, the scenery outside gradually changed.
âThen why were you staring at my neck?â
He had tried to close his eyes for a peaceful ride, but that comment made him flinch.
âWait… are you some kind of pervert? Do you have a thing for necks orââ
âWhat the hell are you talking about?!â
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 reasonâhe had his reasons. He just couldn’t explain them now.
âWell, I suppose it makes sense. You do like my face, after all.â
âHow many times do I have to say I neverââ
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.
â…I said I didnât…â
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 cuteâgave 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?
âYeah, right. Doesnât seem like it at all.â
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.
âSo typical of that arrogant Ingelos.â
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.
âI heard your family is attending this banquet too.â
ââŚOf course. Itâs an event almost every noble will attend.â
Her red eyes showed a flicker of emotionâbarely noticeable and gone in an instant.
âDidnât you say you had much older and younger siblings?â
Kaon couldnât recall the exact ages, but he remembered something like that being mentioned before.
âYes. Lichier is sixteen years older than me, and Nia is eight years younger.â
ââŚSixteen and eight?â
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 earlyâthe heir was much older than he thought.
âThe Duke and Duchess of Ingelos must be quite… close.â
âThey see eye to eye, yes.â
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.
ââŚDid I say something wrong?â
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 kingdomâs 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 focusâso much so that she didnât 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.
âLord Kaon Ferdinand, Lady Alessia Ingelos. We will now escort you to your rooms.â
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 roomâalbeit directly across from each other. Still, better than sharing.
âThe 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?â
âThereâs no need. I know where it is.â
âUnderstood. Please rest well.â
Kaon nodded slightly. He only needed to attend the second day when the king would be present. Leonidas wouldnât 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.
âMaybe Iâll stop by the forge.â
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.
