The Nearby Wife's Domain - 5
I had begun an unplanned stay at the ducal castle, yet no real problems arose. From the Academy's point of view, an inspector who was not even regular faculty loitering elsewhere caused not the slightest inconvenience, and the club members I was meant to oversee were being diligently guarded by the escort soldiers of the three nations.
Even the Servette Duchy, I was told, had quietly deployed private soldiers for the sake of public order. All of it was an effort to cut off at the source any chance of me saying, "I think I really ought to head back now." With that much sincerity shown, remaining quietly inside the castle was simply the decent thing to do as a human being.
Pretty comfortable, actually.
I lay blankly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Quite apart from the bewilderment of the sudden castle life, my body and mind were, to be honest, quite at ease.
The year before last I had been busy this way and that protecting club members who flaunted their flashy madness and thick thighs, and dealing with the Kraken. Last year I had had no rest facing Trixie's maternal grandmother and playing with the young duke.
But this year was different. Aside from the retainers who took an excessively low posture toward me, I felt neither pain nor fatigue. In fact, even the retainers' excessive deference could be thought of as a preview of life as the consort, so it was not particularly awkward.
This is what a trip should feel like.
Thanks to the flooding sense of peace, my eyes slid shut of their own accord.
Yes. This was a trip. The school trips I had experienced until now had just been school. Only in this final year had I finally found the trip I had lost for two whole years.
It would be a lie to say I felt no regret, but it was fine. This was better than never finding it at all until the end.
—Knock knock
"Your Highness the Consort, it is the steward. I have a matter to discuss briefly; might you spare a moment?"
Just as I was about to enjoy a nap basking in the sunlight that came through the window, the steward's voice sounded from beyond the door.
The pleasant drowsiness fled in an instant, yet I was not displeased. If the steward who regarded me as a superior had come in person, the business must be important.
And with Duchess Trixie present, he would hardly be seeking me out over duchy affairs, so the odds were high that it concerned Trixie. For example, asking me to pay her more attention at dinner, or to share a bed when we slept—something of that sort.
"Yes, of course. Come in."
Thus I answered as I leisurely sat up.
If it was related to Trixie, I was ready to hear him out gladly.
What came out of his mouth was something I could not gladly accept.
"I… I'm sorry, but could you say that once more?"
"There is a villa inside the forest park where Her Grace the Duchess was born. If you enter there, we will lock the door from the outside."
The steward himself hung his head as if embarrassed to utter such a thing, yet he did not yield his purpose.
I was confused. My guess that it concerned Trixie had been correct. But I never imagined the content would be like this. Was it simply impossible for a young man still in his twenties to read the thoughts of a seasoned noble nearing fifty?
"We ourselves can hardly lift our heads for the presumption of locking the two of you in a sealed room."
When I kept silent, not knowing what to say, the steward spoke again. Somehow it felt like a heartfelt plea, so I nodded unconsciously.
"However, Your Highness the Consort. This is a word offered with loyalty for the future of House Catovan. It is by no means from private desire—"
"I do not doubt the steward's loyalty. Trixie herself said that without the steward and the other retainers, she would not be who she is today."
I cut off the steward, who had suddenly begun a loyalty check. Interrupting an elder was impolite, but if left alone he seemed ready to launch into full self-criticism.
"Your Highness…"
Fortunately, rather than my interruption, Trixie's high praise seemed to have lodged itself in his head.
That was why I was confused. If the steward were an ambitious man full of treacherous intent who had pulled a "just stay locked in a corner" on the duchess and her consort, I could have understood the previous statement. But the steward was, as he himself said, a loyal retainer full of devotion. For such a loyal man to declare he would imprison the duchess and consort?
Why?
Really, why? Could it be that Kenne had a culture of locking newlyweds in sealed rooms?
If so, it was an astonishing culture. I would be ashamed of ever having thought of Kenne as a characterless city. Where else would you find a city with such mad character?
"Still, I am rather taken aback. Locking us in the villa—what do you mean by that?"
Of course, since no such culture existed in this world, I asked for a direct explanation.
"W-well, Your Highness the Consort. The truth is—"
And the steward's ensuing explanation was truly tear-jerking.
A difference of race, is it.
I sighed inwardly at the steward's explanation. Certainly Trixie and I were of different races. Though half of Trixie was human, the other half was elf, not human. That a union of human and elf was harder than one of human and human was common knowledge.
Indeed, I recalled that the previous Duke of Servette had taken several years before he saw Trixie. Though Trixie was a half-blood rather than pureblood so it would not take that long, the fact that she carried non-human blood remained unchanged.
"And so, though it is truly presumptuous, we wished to have the two of you stay in a space meaningful to Her Grace… and enjoy private time without anyone interrupting."
At the steward bowing his head again, I was left speechless.
A retainer thinking of the house's future generations? Admirable. Worrying about the pregnancy speed of a half-elf duchess? Understandable. Locking the ducal couple in a sealed room for a quick pregnancy? Extreme, but I could understand it.
But I did not understand why he was telling me. If one was going to lock people in a sealed room, shouldn't it be done in secret?
Sensing that doubt, the steward raised his head with a bitter expression.
"With our abilities we simply cannot confine the two of you, so we had no choice but to take this liberty and request Your Highness the Consort's cooperation."
"I understand that, but if so, couldn't you have spoken to Trixie instead of me?"
"It is Your Grace who is more concerned about the racial difference than anyone. How could we say to such a person, 'Pregnancy will be difficult, so please stay in the villa'?"
At those words I gently patted the steward's shoulder.
If I heard words like that, I could not refuse. He had come to me for fear that Trixie would be hurt in her heart—how considerate these retainers were. As the future consort, I had to accept that aspiration.
"I understand. I will persuade Trixie well and see that we stay at the villa."
"Thank you, Your Highness! I shall never forget today's mercy and magnanimity!"
At my firm answer the steward's expression brightened rapidly.
It was a sight that made me feel good of its own accord. That my small choice made loyal retainers happy.
"We won't come out of the villa for about five days, so don't worry."
"…Yes?"
"I'd like to try for longer if it were up to me, but considering the school trip schedule, five days is the maximum."
I was truly sorry. If I had come to Servette during vacation instead of for the school trip, longer would have been possible.
"No, that…"
The steward stammered a little, as if he too felt some regret.
I understood completely. Still, for now I hoped he would settle for five days.
His Highness the Consort patted my shoulder with a gentle smile.
That warm pat put my mind at ease. How my heart had pounded at the secretary's mad proposal and the other retainers' agreement. However much I was the steward, I could not unilaterally block all the retainers' opinions, and because of my position as steward I had to convey this madness-filled idea to His Highness the Consort.
Even I thought it a crazy notion and had braced myself for a scolding from His Highness, yet His Highness gladly accepted the retainers' whim. It was truly moving.
"We won't come out of the villa for about five days, so don't worry."
One sentence was enough to turn that emotion into bewilderment.
"…Yes?"
I could not help but retort. Five days—what was that supposed to mean.
I'd be grateful for even one day.
No— in truth even five hours would have satisfied me. I had never dared dream of five days.
Perhaps that was why my head went blank for a moment. That the two of them would stay five whole days at the villa where Her Grace was born.
Young Duke.
For an instant I nearly shed tears of emotion. Perhaps a young duke of House Catovan might be born upon this land.
Even if no results came during these five days, considering the will and passion His Highness the Consort showed, good results would come someday.
Without fail.
The forest park near Kenne—its proper name Ariadne Garden, my treasure.
The place Father and Mother had loved, where I was born, where family memories were etched, and now a place to build memories with a new family.
I was walking there hand in hand with Karl.
I wanted us all to go together.
With a regretful heart I glanced back for no reason. Originally we had planned to all come to the park together, but somehow it had become just Karl and me.
"I'm sorry. Maybe from riding the carriage too long—once I lay on the bed the fatigue hit me late."
"My body has been feeling off since earlier too… I think I need to rest today."
It was truly regrettable, but reasons I had to accept, so I could not force them along. If those children caught a cold because of my greed, there would be nothing more shameful.
Of course Rory and Lin could have recovered and come, but the two children actively pushed our backs, saying not to waste time on their account.
It's nice, but…
Time alone with Karl—it would of course be a lie to say it was not nice.
But if that pleasure was built on the children's pain, it could not help but leave a bitter taste. When those children were better, I would yield then.
"Is that it over there?"
"Ah, yes, that's the place."
I hurriedly collected myself at Karl's sudden voice.
"I was born over there."
Then I smiled as I looked in the direction Karl pointed.
The villa of House Catovan nestled deep in the park. A place of memories where we had gone to play with the family at least once a month, no matter what.
Seeing that villa with Karl, my eyes grew hot. Until just a few years ago it had been a place where I had to recall memories with family, yet now I had come with a new family.
"Shall we go in, then? It's where the legend of the magic world began, after all."
"Hehe, let's do that."
I moved my feet with a laugh at Karl's exaggerated words.
The moment we entered the villa, Karl locked the door.
"You can't leave here now without my permission."
"U-uh?"
Along with a firm declaration that would allow no objection.