Chapter 54
Chapter 54
This had been the main conflict in the original novel as well.
Within the imperial family, the Crown Prince and the Second Imperial Prince, born of a commoner imperial consort, were establishing opposing factions.
Similarly, in the east, the eldest son and the second son born of a commoner were fighting.
And in the midst of all that, Alpheus had become a marquess born of a commoner, so his very existence was bound to grate on certain groups.
"Good heavens. You're fourteen years old, Gilav. Don't you think you're past the age for playing at factions?"
"I'll be waiting to hear from you. And don't repeat what was said today in front of Leopold."
I did remark that faction games had come too late for us.......
But the world, it seemed, had already begun playing at factions.
If the version of me in the original novel had survived, I might well have sided against Alpheus.
'At the very least, Mother would certainly have been on the opposing side.'
Then what about Leopold?
I gazed at the handsome boy's profile.
'He probably wouldn't care either way.'
He possessed everything, so he had the luxury of observing in peace.
In the original novel, he did help Alpheus, but he never particularly took anyone's side. He simply watched with the composure of the strong.
'How nice it must be to have so much.'
Meanwhile, I was already being forced to choose because I was the weaker one.
With such thoughts, I climbed into the carriage.
By the time we arrived at the Grand Duke's Residence, it was already night.
The Grand Duke's Residence had already been notified, and rooms had been prepared for us.
"You may stay in the Tulip Hall."
At the same time, maids came pouring out from behind the butler.
They looked at us and stepped forward to offer guidance.
"Please follow us."
Alpheus strode off first, following behind the maids.
I, too, was about to hurry after them.
Then a small note was pressed into my hand.
'Hm?'
Leopold had slipped a note into my hand.
[Tonight at 9, in front of the storehouse behind the Iris Rear Garden. I'll leave the door unlocked.]
I swallowed dryly. There was even a rough map marking the route.
[I have something to say, so come alone.]
It was clearly going to be about the black mage who had tried to take my life.
He probably wanted to meet just the two of us, without Alpheus knowing, just in case.
[You need to arrive by 9:10. It's a bit of a roundabout route, but you must use this path. Otherwise, the servants might spot you.]
I gave Leopold a small nod.
* * *
The Tulip Hall was very pleasant to stay in.
It was a little removed from the main building, but that made it cozy and nice. It was even very close to the Iris Rear Garden Leopold had mentioned.
Naturally, we each received our own room, and Alpheus personally came by to inspect my sleeping arrangements.
"I can't make up my mind."
After looking around my room once, Alpheus sat down in a chair and sighed.
"Leopold Nozen—I can't tell whether I dislike that boy or like him."
"But he bothers you?"
I sat across from him and put on a serious expression.
"Hoo, first, be honest with me. This is a fairly important matter."
At my grave tone, Alpheus tensed up.
"Yeah? It's important?"
"Of course, Alpheus."
I let out a deep sigh and explained.
"Every feeling starts with someone being on your mind...... but even if he's tall and mature, Leopold is a minor. Don't try to sort out those feelings. Just put them away."
"Put what away! I have no intention of ever unfolding such a hideously multifaceted heart, not even if I were reborn a thousand times!"
Alpheus leapt up.
"I'm only saying this because he was your former fiancé. The boy who dared send my little sister a notice ending the engagement......."
"Then there's even less reason for you to be bothered."
I settled the matter firmly.
"It's not even something that bothers us. Our relationship is the same whether we were engaged or after we ended the engagement."
"Ah...... just friends?"
Hm.......
Leopold and I...... friends?
"That's definitely not it."
I shook my head.
"Because Leopold doesn't have friends."
There were people he associated with casually, but I was certain there wasn't a single person he considered a friend.
Even if someone asked Leopold directly, "Are you Brisa's friend?", he would probably say no.
The same went for me.
I didn't have friends, so I didn't know for sure, but in any case, friendship meant being at ease with someone...... and I wasn't particularly at ease with Leopold.
If anything, Harrison was more comfortable to be around.
Harrison was the youngest son of House Naisar, the southern marquessal house. He was one year above me, so we attended the academy together for a year.
In any case, Harrison was also hard to regard as a friend. He was three years older than me.
Moreover, after he graduated from the academy, contact had ceased. The south was in turmoil, so I thought that was understandable.
'As expected, I have no friends either.'
The conclusion came quickly.
I said haughtily,
"Anyway, just treat the engagement as if it never happened and deal with Leopold accordingly."
I, too, had been treating Leopold that way.
In truth, I had done so for a long time.
"No, just don't take an interest. Leopold probably has no particular interest in you either. It's simply a relationship that leaves you nothing to agonize over."
Of course, things between the two of them were somewhat different in the original novel.
Leopold helped Alpheus and, at the same time, supported the north's independence.
And so the ending was Alpheus and the female lead establishing a new kingdom in the north.
The west never became independent, so I had no way to know what would happen afterward. At least in the original novel, Leopold never married.
Nor did he ever become engaged again.
Alpheus tilted his head.
"Is that so? I thought I got along with that boy fairly well in conversation."
That was a truly remarkable delusion.
I could guarantee that Leopold would absolutely never think so.
"Anyway, good night."
With my chin propped on my hand, I gave him a clear hint that he should leave. Nine o'clock, the time I had promised Leopold, was approaching.
"You must be tired after doing so much physical work today."
"Ah...... right. I was shoveling in the tomato field."
Alpheus scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"But Brisa, are you really going to Seldoche Plain tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I just need to check the site, and then I'll have a way to solve it. You have work to do, so go to bed early."
Nevertheless, Alpheus did not get up. He had clearly failed to understand my roundabout hint that he should leave.
Normally, I would have coldly driven him out with, "Get out. I'm going to sleep."
'But.......'
Yet today, for some reason, it was hard to say such cold words directly.
Today, when he had been disregarded by Gilav and treated like an impurity by the westerners.
'Even for an adult, it must be hard.'
What's more, he hadn't even used any baseless metaphors just now. The fact that his way of speaking was becoming normal meant his descent into darkness had begun.
I slowly stood up.
"Get up. I'll walk you to your room."
If he still didn't take the hint, I had no choice but to leave myself.
"What? What are you talking about? Why would a child escort an adult?"
"That sort of etiquette seems to have existed in some corner of some etiquette book in some country, so just get up quietly and follow me."
"......B-Brisa?"
I moved haughtily and opened the door.
Alpheus scrambled after me.
After walking down the corridor a little, Alpheus's room appeared. I flung open the door to Alpheus's room and went in.
Come to think of it, I had never entered Alpheus's room even at the Sears Marquis Residence.
The room was tidy, as the maids had apparently finished unpacking everything.
I shoved Alpheus, who had scrambled in after me, toward the bathroom by his back.
"Wash up thoroughly and sleep well. Don't dwell on idle thoughts."
That was when it happened.
Something caught my eye. It was a book on the desk.
<Understanding Livestock, Vol. 1: Definitions and Types>
I blinked slowly. A bookmark was tucked fairly far into the back.
The first conversation we had ever had, through my door, came to mind.
"What book? I really love literature too! If it's a book I've read, we could even discuss......."
"<Understanding Livestock, Vol. 17: Mating and Reproduction>."
Had he remembered this book ever since then?