TSIMG 17

Chapter 17

“You did very well. Yes.”

“The market in Parnue is different from Marseon, so you found it more entertaining, did you?”

“Why, why didn’t you come even later? Since you were already late, you might as well have stayed another day.”

“…I was wrong, Uncle.”

“The delegation is visiting Heint on official business, so please do not address me by a personal title, Your Highness.”

Duke Filemer twisted his mustache with his finger and said gruffly. The Second Prince didn’t like his manner, but he had committed a crime, so he sat quietly on the floor.

The place they were in now was the holding cell of the security office in Parnue’s 1st District. The Prince had been dragged there by the market people and thrown in on charges of theft and property damage.

Perhaps, though he didn’t know for sure, it was the first time in Heint’s history that a foreign royal had stayed in a holding cell.

Duke Filemer thought so.

He rubbed his throbbing temple as he looked at the grumbling Prince.

“So, when can I get out?”

“They said they’ll open it once the identity verification process is complete, so wait a little longer.”

“No, Duke. What’s wrong with this country? Is this how they treat a foreign prince?”

“…We didn’t enter the country through official procedures. We should be grateful we weren’t kicked out, let alone making a fuss, when we should be keeping a low profile.”

The Prince, shifting his weight from side to side because his butt was getting sore from sitting on the floor, spoke. The Duke sighed and used the spare time to explain Heint to the Prince, who was also his nephew.

About how the monarchy had changed to a republic, the current state of the government, the atmosphere of the country, and so on.

“There’s such an absurd country? So that means I might have to live here if I get married? Really?”

“……”

“No, wait. If the royal family is gone, doesn’t that mean the Princess can’t become Queen either? Then I won’t be the Prince Consort, so I can just go back to my home country!”

Surely the contents regarding Heint’s political upheaval were things learned during the Prince’s lessons. Yet he seemed to have no memory of them at all.

Duke Filemer thought it was truly fortunate that he wasn’t the First Prince, and wiped his chest in relief.

—

* * *

At the very moment the Chedan delegation set foot in Heint, Histein was incredibly busy.

He had to manage the Chancellor’s schedule, prepare for the repercussions of Cheda’s visit, and organize the banquet welcoming the state guests.

That wasn’t all.

He still had a mountain of work at Magnificent Hotel, and he had to finalize the preparations for the hotel accommodations reserved by the Chancellor and his party.

Of course, there were also many other minor tasks besides those.

Looking at the mountains of documents piled on both sides of him, with dark circles under his eyes, he let out a heavy sigh.

At the very least, it would take another night and a half day to finish. Histein ground his molars and scribbled his signature across the papers. Ink drops splattered from the nib, dotting the paper.

“Damn bastards.”

When this welcome banquet was over, Histein’s molars were sure to be worn down. With the sound of his employer grinding his teeth in the background, Rikart placed a small espresso cup in front of him.

“Really, I can’t seem to get used to this black, bitter liquid.”

Grumbling as if chewing on every word, he tossed the espresso, which had been cooled to a suitable temperature, down in one gulp.

He drank it as a substitute for a stimulant, but Histein’s expression was somehow that of a prisoner who had just ingested deadly poison. Rikart took the cup from him and chuckled.

“I wonder how you managed to choose Miss Proxheit’s gift when you hate it that much.”

“That… well, it’s just. I’m not the one drinking it, am I.”

Histein trailed off. That really was fine. He wasn’t sure if it was because he wasn’t drinking it himself, or because it was a gift for someone else.

Without answering properly, he mumbled vaguely. Watching him try to brush it off, Rikart suddenly let out an “Ah!” as if remembering something he had forgotten.

“I almost forgot, but have you decided on a partner, sir?”

“Partner?”

“Yes. Fortunately, my fiancée said she’s free this time, so I won’t have to play the role of a flower on the banquet hall wall this time, but…”

As Rikart spoke, he watched Histein’s expression shift by the second and thought.

‘Ah, he’d forgotten.’

The banquet was in two days. It was a bit tight to arrange the dress code. But it wasn’t entirely impossible time-wise.

Rikart, with his hawk-like sharp eyes, checked Histein’s schedule.

“Fortunately, you have about two hours free starting at 11 tomorrow. If you’re willing to settle for something on short notice, how about asking Miss Proxheit…”

Listening to his aide, Histein covered his face with both hands.

Having been consumed by work for days, he had completely forgotten the condition the Chancellor had mentioned about ‘accompanying a partner of the opposite sex.’

If Rikart hadn’t asked, he surely wouldn’t have realized until the day itself, right before entering the banquet hall.

Would Lodia agree to this unreasonable request?

After a moment’s deliberation, he sighed, reminding himself again that he wasn’t in a position to pick and choose.

—

* * *

And the next morning. The carriage carrying Histein stopped in front of the Proxheit mansion’s gate. Even at the moment he stepped out of the carriage, he couldn’t be sure Lodia would agree to his request.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“Ah… but Miss Proxheit has gone out.”

At the butler’s words, Histein squeezed his eyes shut.

“Did she mention where she was going?”

“When she called for the carriage, she said she was going to Pilheimer Street. She said she was going to meet a friend…”

“Thank you for the information.”

The proactive Rikart dragged the panicked Histein into the carriage.

“If it’s Miss Proxheit’s friends, they’re likely those ladies from before. There aren’t many places on Pilheimer Street where women can spend time together, so let’s hurry.”

“Haa… I should have sent a telegram first…”

His voice was utterly devoid of enthusiasm. Rikart felt the urge to throw his employer out.

While he was running around with his feet practically on fire!

Rikart grumbled throughout the carriage ride, and as soon as they reached their destination, he practically bounced out of the carriage.

The only indoor places where women could spend time together were cafes and bookstores.

Luckily, the two found Lodia at the very first cafe they burst into.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Histein walked briskly, grabbed Lodia’s hand, and pulled her out of the cafe.

“Huh? Ah? Eh?”

“Lo-Lodia!”

It all happened so quickly. Lodia was dragged out of the cafe by Histein’s grip.

If it hadn’t been Histein, Lodia wouldn’t have stood for it. But it was none other than Histein Roatt.

Lodia could tell at a glance that his complexion wasn’t good.

“I’m sorry, Lodia. For suddenly dragging you out like this without a proper word…”

“It’s alright. I was a bit startled, but if it’s you, Mr. Roatt, there must be a reason.”

Lodia answered, touching her wrist. Seeing her action, Histein flinched and bowed his head.

“I’m truly sorry.”

“…It’s really fine. What’s the matter that you came looking for me so urgently? It doesn’t seem to be about my brother.”

“It’s nothing else, I have a favor to ask of you…”

“……?”

Histein took a deep breath as he looked at Lodia, whose face seemed to be floating with question marks.

He always tended to spend his time in a planned manner. So when unexpected things happened, he lost his composure. Histein calmed his jumbled mind with a deep breath.

“…Whatever the reason, as you know, the Prince of Cheda and the Chancellor have entered the country. The Chancellor has prepared a banquet to welcome the state guests, and that…”

When Histein got this far, Lodia also realized what kind of favor he was about to ask.

A man asking a woman to be his partner for an event wasn’t a problem at all. Of course, if the man was Histein, it was a bit troublesome. Because it was obvious what kind of rumors the gossips who loved to chatter would spread.

All things considered, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable for Histein, who had no lover or fiancée, to attend a banquet with his ward, Lodia. But Lodia’s face clearly showed she wasn’t keen on the idea.

A banquet welcoming state guests. That meant the banquet would be held in the banquet hall of Parates Castle.

Lodia bit her lip. The castle, especially its banquet hall, held unpleasant memories for her. It was hardly welcome that she had to attend that very place, for a ‘banquet’ of all reasons. She looked at Histein’s profile, waiting for her answer. When Lodia didn’t immediately agree, he was looking at the floor with an almost resigned expression.

It was the first time she had seen Histein look so deflated. She thought back to everything that had happened. His help with her father’s funeral, graduation, the new house and the move, the gifts he had prepared, and even the small notes. Even if he was her legal guardian, these weren’t things he was obligated to do.

Lodia closed her eyes and opened them again. It might be a crude way to put it as repayment for everything she had received from him, but she felt that since she had received so much, it was right to grant this one favor. Lodia looked at Histein, who had his head bowed, and after a few moments of hesitation, opened her mouth.

“To be honest, it would be a lie to say it’s not a burden. Because you’re going to ask me to attend the banquet as your partner.”

“…I know. We’ve talked about it once before…”

He brought up the conversation they’d had a few months ago about Lodia’s living arrangements.

That getting entangled with a public figure like Histein in any way would be bad for Lodia.

So Histein had interpreted Lodia’s response as a roundabout refusal. What more could he do? Was there anyone else he could ask?

Watching Histein flounder, Lodia couldn’t help but laugh.

A grown man, at a loss because he couldn’t find a banquet partner. And that too, the ‘Histein Roatt.’ If he wanted, he could grab anyone and ask them to be his partner, and nine out of ten would readily accept such an attractive man!

Lodia couldn’t help but laugh, as if a large dog was whimpering in front of her.

‘He’s cuter than I thought.’

Thinking that, Lodia was startled and shook her head.

“Still, I think it’ll be alright.”

“……?”

“I’ll accept your request to be your partner, Mr. Roatt. Let’s go together.”

At first, Histein didn’t quite understand Lodia’s words, but his face slowly brightened at her final words.

In the end, when he smiled brightly, Lodia found herself smiling along with him. He had done so much for her. So surely she could offer him this much help.

That afternoon, Histein canceled all his afternoon appointments and began a tour of dress shops with Lodia. This was the result of Lodia’s strong insistence that two hours was nowhere near enough.

Everywhere they went, madams and customers whispered about Lodia accompanying Histein, but with the banquet only two days away, they had no time to spare.

And so, slowly, rumors began to spread throughout Parnue about the woman who had accompanied Histein Roatt to the dress shops. Absurd rumors started circulating—that she had purple hair and beautiful blue-green eyes, that she was a great beauty, that she was a foreign noble—but none of them reached the ears of the parties involved.

And so, the day of the welcome banquet prepared by Histein and Lodia dawned.