Give Me the Same Opportunity
A few days earlier, Karina had been granted the title of baroness by the emperor.
The surname bestowed upon the new baroness was Linton. It was a name traditionally given to commoners who had rendered remarkable service to the empire across generations.
Karina Linton. It suited her rather well. I hoped she would live out her life with that name for a very long time. So that she would never share the same surname as me.
“Snap out of it, Ishtel! Snap out of it!”
The sharp voice piercing my ear snapped me back to reality. May the parrot, perched on Hellion’s shoulder, gaped its beak wide at me.
“Idiot, Ishtel! Idiot!”
“Where does this creature get off calling its owner an idiot? Come here—you need a lesson.”
The moment I scolded it, a terrified May ducked its head behind Hellion’s red hair. Hellion let out a soft chuckle and reached up to stroke the parrot.
“How cute.”
Today was the day I received the financial audit report from Hellion. Simply accepting the documents would have been nothing to worry about, but having to meet him face-to-face changed everything.
Every time I encountered Hellion, the memory of that night resurfaced. The evening when beautiful lanterns had filled the sky. Every moment lingered in my mind, yet the clearest of all was the kiss we had shared. Even now, the thought alone made my cheeks burn.
That was why I had brought May. I had dragged the chatterbox along to avoid being alone with Hellion, even a little. Fortunately, Hellion took an interest in the clever bird, and May seemed to like him too; they had grown close in no time.
“What are you thinking about so hard?”
“N-nothing. It’s nothing.”
I avoided Hellion’s gaze and fixed my eyes on the report. To hide my flushed face, I deliberately lifted the papers higher.
“You did an excellent job, Hellion.”
A moment later, I set the report down and spoke.
“A special levy tax. It’s primarily an excess tax system imposed on nobles. The tax on identical goods varies according to the holder’s total assets… How did you come up with this?”
“There are quite a few luxurious boutiques in the capital. The idea came to me while visiting the shops nobles frequent.”
Hellion pointed to the gold bracelet on his wrist.
“Most of the gold mined in the northern mines is bought up in the capital. A large quantity of furs is sent here as well. Gold I can understand, but it seemed strange that nobles were purchasing the majority of the furs too.”
“Why? Furs are expensive items, aren’t they?”
“No, only a few are truly costly. The furs produced in the north are practical garments meant for surviving winter. Aside from black wolf pelts, they aren’t expensive enough to be out of a commoner’s reach.”
“……”
“Yet many commoners living in the capital apparently spend winter without a single fur coat. When I looked into it, I learned that nobles buy up the furs and resell them at inflated prices during the cold months. And it isn’t just one or two people—nobles and wealthy commoners alike are all doing it.”
“Hmm. So?”
“Punishing every last one of them is practically impossible. Even if we imposed taxes after the fact, the furs would already be gone, leaving commoners with nothing to buy. It would be far better to levy taxes on specific items based on total assets from the start, preventing monopolies altogether.”
Hellion picked up the report I had set down.
“It’s not some absurd notion. This taxation system has actually been in place in the Northern Archduchy for several years. Look at this document. There was fierce opposition at first, but once it took root, it has been maintained smoothly ever since.”
Hellion spoke in a calm tone, but inwardly I was deeply shocked. He had only recently come down from the North to the capital. I had not expected him to grasp the capital’s finances so clearly, let alone propose a concrete solution.
He may be far more intelligent than I gave him credit for…
I stole a glance at Hellion as he toyed with May’s tail.
“I will deliver this report to His Majesty exactly as it is. He will be very pleased. Thank you for your hard work, Hellion.”
“Hard work, Hellion! Hard work!”
May’s playful echo marked the end of our conversation, and silence settled between us. I wished Hellion would leave. Instead, he remained leaning back in his chair, completely still.
“Is there something else, Hellion?”
“Don’t go, Hellion! Don’t go!”
When I subtly revealed my true feelings, May flapped its wings in outrage. The parrot landed lightly on my head and began pecking at my hair.
“You go out! Ishtel, you go out!”
“Ahaha!”
Hellion, who seldom laughed aloud, burst into genuine laughter. It was vexing that May seemed to favor him over me, but I was grateful the bird had lightened the mood. Yet once May closed its beak, the atmosphere grew heavy again in an instant.
“Why are you so quiet today, Ishtel?”
In the end, Hellion spoke first.
“Is it because it’s a reporting day? The mood feels too stiff.”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Are you like this when you receive reports from Brother Illid as well?”
At those words, I set my glass of water down at once. If I had taken a sip, I would surely have choked.
Hellion’s pale blue eyes tracked my expression with relentless focus. Left with no choice but to answer, I waved my hands and denied it.
It was a lie, of course…
In truth, things were never like this with Illid. We finished reviewing reports in ten minutes, after which we simply spent time together.
We would share a light glass of wine and talk about childhood memories the other didn’t know, or gossip lightly about rumors circulating through the palace.
More often than not, the appointed time would slip by and we would part later than planned. His Majesty would sometimes worry and tell us to take things slowly when he saw us like that. We would bow our heads and stifle our laughter.
“How have things been with Brother Illid lately?”
Hellion’s voice had grown low and heavy.
“The day you fell into the river and caught a cold, the three of us met. At the time, it looked as though my brother cared for you a great deal.”
“That wasn’t care—it was worry. You’re reading too much into it.”
I deliberately answered with a nonchalant expression. Hellion tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.
“Back then I had made a mistake and was distracted from being scolded by my brother, but when I returned to my quarters and thought it over, something felt strange.”
“What felt strange?”
“You two seem very close. Much closer than I imagined.”
“It’s not like that.”
“You keep denying it, but then how do you explain the meeting times? Did you think I wouldn’t notice how often you’ve been seeing my brother lately?”
The remark struck home. I bit my dry lip. I remembered accompanying Illid on small errands—walks, aviary management, and the like.
In contrast, I only met Hellion for official business. It was only natural that his feelings would be hurt.
Hellion’s expression darkened at an alarming speed. I decided I should soothe him first.
But at that moment—
“Duchess Wintera. His Highness Illid has sent a maid.”
At the voice outside the door, Hellion shoved his chair back irritably and rose. Before I could stop him, he flung the door open.
“Y-Your Highness Hellion!”
Illid’s maid stood frozen, mouth agape.
“What message have you come to deliver?”
“Ah, um… His Highness Illid… that is… to the Duchess…”
“Speak at once!”
Pressed by Hellion’s demand, the maid finally stammered, trembling.
“He asked whether, once your private audience with His Highness Hellion concludes, you might take a walk at the usual place as always…”
“What? As always? The usual place?”
The maid shot me a pleading look through the gap in the door. But Hellion spoke before I could respond.
“You. How long have you been delivering this errand?”
“Approximately… one month, Your Highness.”
“Is that so? Then go and tell the Southern Archduke Illid that the duchess will be spending time with me today, so he need not wait. Furthermore—”
He turned back to me and continued as though making a formal declaration.
“For the next month, I will be the one taking walks with the duchess.”
“No—what do you mean, a month—!”
Bang!
My protest was swallowed whole by the sound of the door slamming shut.
I tried to open it again to call the maid back, but Hellion pushed me back into my seat. When I attempted to stand, he gripped both armrests, caging me in.
“You can at least go for a walk with me, Ishtel.”
“A day or two is fine, but a whole month?”
“You did it with Illid.”
Hellion blinked his red lashes and spoke in a low voice.
“So do it with me too. Give me the same opportunity. If you do, I might become even better for you. Don’t you think?”
“Let go of me first, Hellion.”
I avoided answering and tried to push his arms away. They remained as immovable as iron.
“No. Answer me first—yes or no. Then I’ll let you go.”
This was not a situation I could brush aside. I let out a small sigh and looked up at him. It felt strangely alien that such burning emotion could reside in those ice-blue eyes.
“All right. We’ll go for walks together.”
Only then did Hellion release the chair. The hardness in his face melted away as though it had never existed.
“But only for one month. Understood?”
“Understood.”
Hellion answered, barely containing the smile that threatened to break free.
“Then let’s go right now, Ishtel.”
He took my hand and led me out of the room, wearing the innocent, childlike expression of a boy.
“I’m most worried that the child’s obsession may turn toward you, Ishtel.”
As I walked through the garden lush with greenery, Illid’s words kept echoing in my mind.
Even though I told myself it was fine, that it was only a month of walks, his warning refused to leave me.