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Chapter 14
‘I have to apologize for this insolence somehow….’
Ever since the day of the last banquet, Albert had been anxiously biting his nails every second of every minute.
‘The truth is, I have long since cherished a secret love for the Crown Prince.’
Richard Friedrich. His useless illegitimate son had caused a massive disaster. The Crown Prince was the man who would one day become the Emperor. If one were to end up on his bad side…….
‘…….’
Ŵe b̆ ń о v̆ е́ ĺ Е n ũ m̌ а́
Albert’s brow furrowed menacingly. He clenched his fists tight.
‘…Fine.’
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If there was no other way, he had to confront it head-on.
‘I’ll have to invite him and offer an apology.’
Biting the inside of his lip, he picked up a quill and began to write a letter.
***
Е́ n̂ ûm а̃ . і̄ d
Tap, tap.
‘Richard Friedrich.’
Albert tapped Richard’s shoulder in a barely noticeable manner. He moved only his lips to speak without a sound.
‘Apologize.’
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His navy-blue eyes shifted toward the man sitting at the head of the table.
“…….”
E̊ṅûmа
With one eyebrow arched, Caelus was still staring at Richard, making no effort to hide his displeasure.
“Oh, m-my, Your Highness!”
When Richard remained silent, Albert hurried to bow obsequiously.
“First, I am truly grateful that you answered my letter expressing my desire to personally apologize for my illegitimate son’s insolence at the last banquet….”
Albert’s words quickened. His wrinkled hand urgently reached out and pressed down on the back of Richard’s head.
Grab!
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“……!”
“Hahahaha! My son also said he desperately wished to beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness! Now….”
Suddenly forced into a position where his waist was bent in half and his head was bowed, Richard glanced at Albert with a cold gaze.
‘What are you doing? Apologize at once.’
Albert whispered in a tiny voice that only Richard could hear.
‘…Aha.’
Е̄ṅu m̈ӑ
Looking at the carpeted floor, Richard smirked. So that was it. He had a general grasp of the situation now.
His father, Albert, had sent a letter to Caelus. A letter stating that he wished to treat him to a meal and apologize for the recent insolence, and asking him to please visit the Friedrich estate. And Caelus, having answered that letter, was now at the mansion.
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“…….”
After a brief silence, Richard submissively opened his mouth.
“…Yes. I am truly sorry, Your Highness.”
Only then did the pressure on the back of Richard’s head weaken slightly.
Е̇ n̈ um̆ а
“I made many mistakes at the banquet hall last time. Including the comment about putting in the effort to conceive.”
Richard slowly straightened his back and met Caelus’s narrowed red eyes. What was he thinking right now? Doubt regarding his sincerity? Or a complacent desire to just accept the apology and get this over with? Whatever it was, it wouldn't go as he expected.
Richard crinkled his eyes beautifully and smiled.
“There is nothing more futile than effort that exists only in words.”
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Words that sounded almost like a famous proverb flowed from his mouth.
“Effort should not be made through words alone, but shown through actions… What do you think? Right here, in this spot….”
W е̄_b n о̀v е̌ l Ėn̆ úm̄ a
Richard slowly reached for the top button of his shirt and undid it. Snap. Then the second button. His snowy white collarbone was revealed.
“…! You madman! No, Richard Friedrich!”
Albert grabbed Richard’s collar with a face full of horror.
“…….”
Richard continued to look at Caelus with his lips curled upward.
“…Ha.”
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As he faced him, the corners of Caelus’s mouth twisted coldly.
“Your Highness, I am truly sorry. This—this boy is…!”
Turning pale, Albert bowed his waist repeatedly.
“…Enough. I did not expect much.”
Letting out a deep sigh, Caelus averted his gaze from Richard.
“More importantly, did you not say you wished to treat me to a meal? The weather is not looking good, so I would prefer to finish as early as possible.”
W̃ е̊_bn о̌ v ė l Е ñu m̈ а̀
“Ah, yes, yes! Then, one moment…!”
Only then did Albert release Richard’s collar and gesture toward the servants standing in a row against one wall.
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“…….”
Smirk. Richard brushed off his shirt and let out a small laugh.
Meanwhile, the servants began to move busily. Trays went back and forth, and dishes were set upon the table one by one. Deliciously grilled steak, smoked salmon, a cheese platter… Once he confirmed the meal was perfectly prepared, Albert sat to the right of the seat of honor where Caelus was.
Then, looking at Richard with eyes that looked ready to kill, he spoke.
Ŵ еb̀ n̄ò vе̄ l Е̂n̆ú mã
“Sit, Richard.”
“Yes.”
Richard nodded nonchalantly and pulled out the chair to Albert’s right. Thus, the dinner featuring all four men—Caelus, Albert, Derrick, and Richard—began.
“…….”
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“…….”
The meal continued in a silence where not even the sound of clashing silverware could be heard.
Е̃_n ŭm а
‘…….’
Richard twirled his portion of tomato pasta with a fork while looking out the window.
‘It’s snowing.’
Beyond the window half-hidden by curtains, snowy white flakes were falling in torrents. It was falling quite heavily; it looked like a blizzard was setting in.
“…….”
“…….”
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Unable to endure the heavy atmosphere, Albert, who was cutting his steak, was the first to speak.
“Haha, come to think of it, I heard Your Highness has been exceptionally brilliant since you were a child. I heard you even finished those difficult imperial studies at the tender age of thirteen.”
Since he had no real topics to bring up, it seemed he was starting with flattery.
“…….”
Caelus glanced at Albert and went back to slicing the rest of the steak in front of him.
“…D-Does the meal suit your palate?”
Ẽñ u m̃а
Albert asked, sweating profusely. His back was drenched in cold sweat.
“…….”
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A nod. With that single gesture, Caelus continued his meal in silence.
“…Ah, haha. I am truly glad to hear that…!”
Glancing around and trying to force a conversation that was anything but, Albert signaled toward Derrick. Understanding Albert’s intent, Derrick quickly added his voice.
“I apologize if your mood was spoiled because of my foolish younger brother. I am truly overwhelmed by your vast understanding, Your Highness.”
Е̇ nuḿ а. їd
“I feel the same way. Ah, let me apologize properly once more.”
Taking Derrick’s lead and naturally turning the topic back to the apology, Albert smiled with feigned kindness and looked at Richard on his right.
“Richard, apologize sincerely for your mistake just now and your insolence the other day.”
Though he was technically smiling, the corners of his mouth were trembling.
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“Hurry… up, Richard.”
Albert grabbed Richard’s shoulder. Grip… He put so much strength into his hand it felt like he might crush the shoulder blade.
Ě ǹ u m̃ å
“…A mistake, you say.”
Richard, who had been chewing on tomato pasta, rolled his eyes. For a moment, his gaze fixed on Caelus at the head of the table.
“…….”
His eyes met Caelus’s, which were staring back at him with a frigid light.
“I am sorry, but I do not know what I have done wrong.”
Richard gave a bright eye-smile. His smile was as beautiful as an angel’s, but the words coming out of his mouth were no different from the nonsense of a drunkard.
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“Is love a sin?”
“…….”
“…….”
Veins bulged on the back of Albert’s hand, which was still holding Richard’s shoulder.
“…Ri-chard.”
Albert’s eyes twitched. Rage dripped from his voice, which wavered slightly.
Е̄ n.u̇ mа̃. і̆ d̀
“Go to your room… this instant.”
“…Pardon?”
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Richard tilted his head as if he truly didn't understand the problem.
“Ha, haha… Derrick. Your brother seems to be quite ill, so take him to his room.”
Albert spoke with a forced laugh.
“Yes, Father.”
Ĕn̊ um̆ а. і̂d̃
Derrick pushed back his chair, stood up, walked around the table to the other side, and grabbed Richard’s arm.
“Ugh, follow me.”
And so, Richard was dragged out of the banquet hall by Derrick’s hand and kicked out.
***
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The banquet hall, now devoid of Richard and Derrick. The air in the room where only the two remained was chilling.
“…Your Highness.”
Еn u̇ m̊å
Albert tentatively spoke again, cautiously reading the room.
“I am truly sorry for what just happened. It is because I failed to educate my child properly….”
“Enough.”
Cutting him off coldly, Caelus had already placed his knife and fork neatly on his empty plate.
“I shall take my leave now.”
Having finished his meal, he rose from his seat and headed straight for the exit.
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“W-Wait, Your Highness…!”
Albert followed behind him with a frantic expression.
“P-Please, just a moment for me to say…!”
“…….”
However, Caelus’s footsteps were relentless. He strode across the hallway and soon reached the mansion’s entrance.
“Ha….”
W̃ е b̊ ń о̀v̌ el̀ Е n̊ üm а
Caelus let out a sigh. Originally, he hadn't the slightest desire to visit the Friedrich mansion. He was supposed to stop getting involved with Richard Friedrich. However….
‘Can you not at least accept an apology? Go just this once.’
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For some reason, the Emperor had told him to visit the Marquis’s estate, and Caelus had no choice but to follow that wish.
Creak.
The Imperial guards who had followed him quickly opened the mansion doors.
‘…The job is done, so that’s that.’
W е b̂n о v̄ ё l Е̇n u m̆.а̃
He needed to leave this place as quickly as possible. Caelus closed his eyes tightly.
“…U-Uh, Your Highness.”
A voice was heard. No doubt it was the Marquis again. How persistent. Caelus took a step forward.
“Your Highness.”
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The voice was heard again.
“Your Highness…!”
Ѐn üm̈a . і ď
He ignored it once more, but the voice clung to him tenaciously.
“Do you have more to say?”
Finally snapping the words out irritably, Caelus opened his eyes. In that instant, an entirely white landscape spread out before him.
Snow. It was snow. But it wasn't just snow. Could this much snow really pile up like this? It was piled so high that the stairs in front of the mansion’s entrance were invisible.
“…Your Highness.”
The owner of the voice that had been calling him. Caelus’s guard, Senin, spoke with a heavy voice.
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“It seems a blizzard has struck. It will be difficult for the carriage to pass through like this.”
One could only travel from the Friedrich estate to the Imperial Palace by carriage. However, just as he said, the ground piled high with snow did not look like it would allow a carriage to move.
“…It seems we will have to stay here for the night.”
“…….”
…Caelus closed his eyes tightly once more.
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