“…I never got to see him often at banquets.”
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Excited at the thought of seeing Albert there, Liam smiled brightly. As he was briefly lost in thought, he energetically asked.
“Who will be attending this banquet?”
“The close aides of His Majesty the King. It will be a small banquet. House Masen is neutral, so be mindful of how you will be acting during the event.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Liam replied bravely, and Duke Masen added with a cold tone.
“Whatever you see there.”
“……”
“You must never interfere.”
It wasn’t the kind of advice that a father would give his son for a banquet they would attend.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
Liam’s brows became furrowed. Only then did he feel that there was something odd about this banquet.
Even though he was still a young boy, it’s impossible not to feel anxious about a blatant warning not to do anything.
I, too, felt that same anxiety.
Albert was going to be in attendance, but it was a gathering of Rosteratu’s close aides, including Marquis Evnen.
“…Why can’t I interfere?”
“It would be considered treason to take the side of the Young Count in that place.”
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“What?”
“His Majesty will be attending. Do not meddle in anything at all. Our family could fall to ruin.”
As Duke Masen’s words sank in, Liam’s expression turned dark. He clenched his hands into fists.
“Liam, justice will give you nothing. There in that place, see with your own two eyes just what exactly the position of the Young Count is in. Face the reality of how feeble a being you are.”
It was difficult to believe that these cruel words were being conveyed by a father to his son.
Liam dropped his head helplessly.
He was well aware that he would not be able to deny what Duke Masen said just now, and what he said about Albert, too.
Duke Masen patted Liam on the back as though to console the boy.
“This is all for you.”
Hah. After all the negative things he had saddled his son just now, everything’s going to be solved later just because he did it all because of fatherly love?
Absurd.
The attitude he showed to Albert earlier, too. I could feel my blood pressure rising to newer heights every second.
Gnashing my molars, I muttered an incantation.
“Electricity.”
In my mind, I wished for him to lose consciousness after being hit by an electric shock, but…
“Huh?”
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My magic’s not working.
I tried a few more times just in case I said the spell wrong, but Duke Masen continued to remain calm. Nothing was happening to him.
“…Is it because I’m in a spectral state?”
I realized one more thing that I didn’t want to believe.
The only people I could use magic for were Albert and myself.
Maybe I should ask Emmett more about the spell on me.
* * *
Since then, Duke Masen said nothing.
As only silence reigned inside the carriage, I realized that I had gleaned all the information I could get today. I returned to the villa.
I found Albert sitting at the table in his room, staring blankly into the air. I stared at him for a moment, recalling what Duke Masen had said.
An invitation to a banquet sent by Marquis Evnen. Albert would not be able to resist.
Given that Rosteratu had prepared for the occasion, it’s clear that this banquet would be an important starting point in Albert’s life.
Instinctively, it occurred to me that this banquet would be a huge part of my ordeal.
And at the same time, it occurred to me that it would be a humiliating event for Albert.
There was no way that Rosteratu would invite Albert through Marquis Evnen if he wasn’t planning to do something bad to him.
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“…Driving me nuts.”
Holding my head, I groaned quietly.
Even at this moment, I had to think carefully. Should I or should I not go against what the future held and prevent Albert from going to the banquet now?
Of course, as much as possible, I wanted to shield Albert against anything that would hurt him.
But at the same time, I don’t wish for my existence to vanish, nor do I wish to change the future Albert.
It’s difficult.
Still, there’s nothing that I’d be able to solve just from thinking about it alone. Doing this only made my guilt feel heavier.
I walked forward and stood in front of Albert.
It would be better to talk to Albert first.
“…What. I thought you left.”
As Albert glanced up at me, he spoke straightforwardly. His expression, too, was no different than usual.
However, his eyes were clouded.
He was always afraid that I would leave.
…It’s a predicament. I couldn’t say that we were going to meet each other in the future.
Pondering for a moment, I soon asked about something else.
“Albert, do you know about the banquet that Marquis Evnen is hosting?”
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“…An invitation arrived for me today. Why?”
“It looks like something’s going to happen there. And it seems like it’s aimed at you.”
I felt nervous as I told him about this. Was something going to change? Was it right for me to say this now?
Hearing my words, Albert blinked and replied calmly.
“I don’t have a choice but to go anyway. Marquis Evnen lent a huge sum to my parents. I can’t refuse his invitation.”
Hearing this sent a slight wave of relief at me, but this only made me hate myself.
While I don’t know what’s waiting for him in that place, I still kept thinking that the future wouldn’t change as long as he would go to the banquet.
At this very moment, I felt so desperate about not being able to do anything about this.
But, no. I found something else that I could do.
He must have been in a terrible mood since earlier, but now, I could at least do something to make him feel lighter.
As expected, the answer was to leave this villa and go sightseeing.
He looked quite happy back when we went shopping together.
“Albert, let’s go out.”
“…What?”
Albert knitted his brows together, wordlessly asking me what I was talking about.
“I’m asking you out on a date.”
“…I never got to see him often at banquets.”
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Excited at the thought of seeing Albert there, Liam smiled brightly. As he was briefly lost in thought, he energetically asked.
“Who will be attending this banquet?”
“The close aides of His Majesty the King. It will be a small banquet. House Masen is neutral, so be mindful of how you will be acting during the event.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Liam replied bravely, and Duke Masen added with a cold tone.
“Whatever you see there.”
“……”
“You must never interfere.”
It wasn’t the kind of advice that a father would give his son for a banquet they would attend.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
Liam’s brows became furrowed. Only then did he feel that there was something odd about this banquet.
Even though he was still a young boy, it’s impossible not to feel anxious about a blatant warning not to do anything.
I, too, felt that same anxiety.
Albert was going to be in attendance, but it was a gathering of Rosteratu’s close aides, including Marquis Evnen.
“…Why can’t I interfere?”
“It would be considered treason to take the side of the Young Count in that place.”
Sponsored Content
“What?”
“His Majesty will be attending. Do not meddle in anything at all. Our family could fall to ruin.”
As Duke Masen’s words sank in, Liam’s expression turned dark. He clenched his hands into fists.
“Liam, justice will give you nothing. There in that place, see with your own two eyes just what exactly the position of the Young Count is in. Face the reality of how feeble a being you are.”
It was difficult to believe that these cruel words were being conveyed by a father to his son.
Liam dropped his head helplessly.
He was well aware that he would not be able to deny what Duke Masen said just now, and what he said about Albert, too.
Duke Masen patted Liam on the back as though to console the boy.
“This is all for you.”
Hah. After all the negative things he had saddled his son just now, everything’s going to be solved later just because he did it all because of fatherly love?
Absurd.
The attitude he showed to Albert earlier, too. I could feel my blood pressure rising to newer heights every second.
Gnashing my molars, I muttered an incantation.
“Electricity.”
In my mind, I wished for him to lose consciousness after being hit by an electric shock, but…
“Huh?”
Sponsored Content
My magic’s not working.
I tried a few more times just in case I said the spell wrong, but Duke Masen continued to remain calm. Nothing was happening to him.
“…Is it because I’m in a spectral state?”
I realized one more thing that I didn’t want to believe.
The only people I could use magic for were Albert and myself.
Maybe I should ask Emmett more about the spell on me.
* * *
Since then, Duke Masen said nothing.
As only silence reigned inside the carriage, I realized that I had gleaned all the information I could get today. I returned to the villa.
I found Albert sitting at the table in his room, staring blankly into the air. I stared at him for a moment, recalling what Duke Masen had said.
An invitation to a banquet sent by Marquis Evnen. Albert would not be able to resist.
Given that Rosteratu had prepared for the occasion, it’s clear that this banquet would be an important starting point in Albert’s life.
Instinctively, it occurred to me that this banquet would be a huge part of my ordeal.
And at the same time, it occurred to me that it would be a humiliating event for Albert.
There was no way that Rosteratu would invite Albert through Marquis Evnen if he wasn’t planning to do something bad to him.
Sponsored Content
“…Driving me nuts.”
Holding my head, I groaned quietly.
Even at this moment, I had to think carefully. Should I or should I not go against what the future held and prevent Albert from going to the banquet now?
Of course, as much as possible, I wanted to shield Albert against anything that would hurt him.
But at the same time, I don’t wish for my existence to vanish, nor do I wish to change the future Albert.
It’s difficult.
Still, there’s nothing that I’d be able to solve just from thinking about it alone. Doing this only made my guilt feel heavier.
I walked forward and stood in front of Albert.
It would be better to talk to Albert first.
“…What. I thought you left.”
As Albert glanced up at me, he spoke straightforwardly. His expression, too, was no different than usual.
However, his eyes were clouded.
He was always afraid that I would leave.
…It’s a predicament. I couldn’t say that we were going to meet each other in the future.
Pondering for a moment, I soon asked about something else.
“Albert, do you know about the banquet that Marquis Evnen is hosting?”
Sponsored Content
“…An invitation arrived for me today. Why?”
“It looks like something’s going to happen there. And it seems like it’s aimed at you.”
I felt nervous as I told him about this. Was something going to change? Was it right for me to say this now?
Hearing my words, Albert blinked and replied calmly.
“I don’t have a choice but to go anyway. Marquis Evnen lent a huge sum to my parents. I can’t refuse his invitation.”
Hearing this sent a slight wave of relief at me, but this only made me hate myself.
While I don’t know what’s waiting for him in that place, I still kept thinking that the future wouldn’t change as long as he would go to the banquet.
At this very moment, I felt so desperate about not being able to do anything about this.
But, no. I found something else that I could do.
He must have been in a terrible mood since earlier, but now, I could at least do something to make him feel lighter.
As expected, the answer was to leave this villa and go sightseeing.
He looked quite happy back when we went shopping together.
“Albert, let’s go out.”
“…What?”
Albert knitted his brows together, wordlessly asking me what I was talking about.
“I’m asking you out on a date.”
