I gently picked up the teacup that I had set down earlier and took another sip, feeling my throat constrict.
The window in the room was open, and the cool spring breeze continued to flow in, but the heat simmering inside me showed no signs of subsiding. Despite my efforts to lower the temperature, Ken's gaze, silently fixed on us, kept raising it back up as soon as I became aware of his eyes.
Even if I wanted to say something, I couldn't find the right words. No, even if I managed to say something, the moment Ken uttered just a few words, I would be unable to speak anymore.
Fortunately, Ken didn't say anything to break the silence. He simply smiled contentedly and stood still, watching us with warm eyes.
As time passed, I started to get used to it.
'I should be thankful that Ken isn't a talkative person.'
If the person in this situation was my father instead of Ken, he would have kept grumbling about what happened earlier, making me feel even more uncomfortable. Thinking that way, I felt more at ease and even felt grateful that the person here right now was none other than Ken.
At least Ken wasn't making fun of me.
'It is sweet.'
Initially, I thought he was teasing me with that remark.
I looked up at Ken blankly, and he was smiling with an expression as if he knew nothing. Yet, it seemed like his gaze subtly encouraged me to do something. I responded to Ken's look with a simple shake of my head and took another sip of my tea.
As the atmosphere relaxed a bit, I decided it was time to address the main issue. Observing Ken, who was completely engrossed in watching me and Elena, I eventually called out his name.
"Ken."
"Yes, my lord. Do you need something? Oh, by the way, it seems you have run out of bar snacks. I'll go back to the kitchen and get some more. Perhaps it's not enough just to have bar snacks; it might be nice to add some whipped cream to make them 'sweet.'"
'No, this old man is really...'
"That's not what I wanted to talk about. Ken, there's something I need to discuss with you."
Surely Ken wouldn't have come to my room for no reason, and it was clear that my father had ordered Ken to call me and Elena.
But still, I thought we would have more time to enjoy the refreshments. It didn't take long for Ken to come after the refreshments arrived, so perhaps my father had immediately told him what he wanted to say.
Now that I thought about it, I had forgotten to think about why Noel and Orcus had come to Sarham.
Well, it was probably fine now. As I would soon hear the reason from my father anyway.
Though it was merely speculation, if it turned out to be true, it could be something of great importance. However, do we really have enough time to discuss it leisurely now?
However, contrary to my thoughts, Ken took out a pocket watch and smiled mischievously. Then, looking at me with a reassuring expression, he replied.
"You don't need to worry too much, Young master. You'll have plenty of time to enjoy refreshments with the young lady."
"Ah, yes..."
I smiled bitterly at his answer and looked at Elena again. She chuckled lightly at Ken's words about having enough time, and when she noticed my gaze, she gave me an enigmatic smile.
"Nyum~"
Elena's face, which had been stained red just a few minutes ago, had returned to its original state as she was cutting the cake and putting it in her mouth, gazing at me.
This situation had me completely trapped.
I thought I could leave as soon as possible to escape the earlier awkwardness, but Ken left no room for escape. Elena also seemed to have grasped something from Ken's words, and her earlier blush had vanished.
Elena had witnessed the exchange between Ken and me, so she was no longer in the same flustered mood as before.
Rather, it seemed that Elena was now happy to have acquired a good way to tease me, and she was biding her time to strike. Or perhaps she was just enjoying watching me squirm.
Ken had entirely changed the dynamics.
Now, she was the one teasing, and I was the one under attack.
"Haha..."
Though Elena didn't say anything, her eyes seemed to say, "Be prepared!"
In response, I looked away slightly and sipped my tea again.
But did she know why I felt so tense right now?
I mean, when have I ever been like this? Honestly, Elena's preparation for an attack was quite cute, like that of a small animal, not a predator, more like a puppy or a cat... well, some small animal like that.
I felt sorry for Elena, but her peculiar gaze not only made me uneasy but also made me want to keep observing her.
If we were the only two people in this room, I might have enjoyed her gaze purely. However, the problem was that there were others present besides us.
I didn't know if it was because I was easily embarrassed, but I felt like I couldn't treat Elena the way I usually do, conscious of the gazes of others.
I wasn't the kind of person who cared about what other people thought, except for Elena. When we were alone together, I didn't care, but the thought that someone else might be watching us made my face heat up.
The nervousness I felt now was all because of that.
Even though it was Ken standing behind me, someone who knew more about the relationship between me and Elena than anyone else, his gaze still weighed on me.
I felt like I should somehow send Ken out of the room or leave myself, but today, since Ken was on Elena's side, there was nothing I could do.
Feeling a bit desperate, I looked at the empty plate and asked Elena.
"Should I bring more refreshments? It seems like we're running out."
"Oh, it's okay, Damian. Soon it'll be dinner time, and we probably won't need more refreshments. Um... but if you really want something 'sweet,' I can add whipped cream to it."
"No, it's okay."
'I give up!'
***
While Elena seemed to enjoy teasing me, we couldn't stay in the room forever. After a while, the time Ken mentioned arrived, and Elena and I followed him to where my father was.
Though we hadn't reached our usual path with Ken yet, I could guess where we were heading. As expected, we arrived at the dining room.
It was still too early for dinner, but it was clear why we were there—the table was empty, with no food prepared.
"It's been a while since I saw all of your faces. So, did you enjoy your time in Merohim?"
As we entered, the first thing I saw was my father's face. He seemed to have let his beard grow, and it was noticeably longer than when I last saw him.
In response to my father's question, Elena and I nodded slightly, and I answered.
"It was quite enjoyable. But I think Sarham suits me better. By the way, Father, did you grow your beard? You seem to look older than before."
"Is that so? Then it's just as I intended. After living for so long with a youthful appearance, I wanted to experience aging a bit."
"If any of your noble friends hear that, they'll probably be furious, don't you think?"
Like Duke Joachim, for instance. My father chuckled at the mention and nodded lightly.
"Yes, that's precisely why I'm doing it."
Of course, it was my same old father. He never changed.
Well, no one could change in just a week.
Father took a chair and sat down, gesturing for Elena and me to do the same.
The seat that Father always sat in, the table head, remained empty as if intentionally left vacant. The chairs were arranged in a way that everyone could face each other around the rectangular table, with two chairs visible on the opposite side of Father's seat. I naturally sat next to my Father, and Elena took the seat next to me.
There was one more chair remaining on our side, where we sat in a row. I knew it was Alphonse's seat. Father looked at the empty chair next to me for a moment, then turned back to me and spoke.
"Alphonse will be joining us soon, so you don't have to worry."
"That's good to hear. But there's something I'd like to ask, if you don't mind."
As I glanced at the two chairs in front of me, Father chuckled lightly in response.
"Of course, go ahead. It's not something difficult to answer. But before that, let me ask you something first. Are you okay with it?"
"Yes."
"What exactly happened in Merohim?"
For a moment, my father's eyes gleamed sharply.
Those golden eyes, much like mine, resembled a dragon soaring in the sky, overseeing everything below. Yet, despite facing such a powerful gaze, I felt neither fear nor discomfort. All I saw was Father's concerned eyes, at the center of the powerful flow shaking the world.
In response to my father's question, I calmly recounted what had happened in Merohim.
"The duke held a banquet two days after we arrived. Thanks to that, I had to receive dance practice from Elena for only two days."
"Uh… is that so?"
"I think that's why I danced quite well on the banquet day, right? Elena?"
"Didn't you hug me because your feet gave out at the end?"
"Let's just consider it a part of the performance and move on."
My father's expression began to change oddly as he listened to my account.
Perhaps he didn't want to hear this story. However, the events I experienced in Merohim were nothing but ordinary daily life that I could have experienced in Sarham. If anything, Sarham was even more peaceful, as I had never encountered monsters here.
In any case, I shared everything I could, such as meeting the Twilight magic tower master and going on a date with Elena at the Merohim night market. I couldn't mention my encounter with Theia as it was a secret. Yet, even if my father had heard about it, my response would not be what he expected.
"In the end, I returned home after sparring with the knights of Edelweiss. It seems Wilhelm's training was highly effective; everyone's skills were remarkable."
"If it's that old wolf from the northern region, no wonder. Even when I was young, he was a figure who undoubtedly ranked among the Empire's strongest knights. Of course, your grandfather too... Never mind. Is this truly the end?"
"Yes. After that, just like when the Duke went back, he sent us back using teleportation magic."
"Hah…"
After hearing my story, Father made a sound that seemed like a sigh of relief. Elena nodded, affirming the truth of my words.
"Well, I have nothing to say, but suddenly the world feels so unfair."
"To say something like that out of the blue... Are you feeling guilty, father?"
"That's not something you should say, you brat! You haven't even turned 20 yet, and you are already on the verge of becoming a Sword Master... I couldn't understand why my father used to look at me that way when I was young, but seeing your talent, I sympathize with him now!"
Father laughed heartily, eventually proclaiming it was Kraus' victory this time as well.
However, I didn't respond to Father's words. Well, that was because I knew who would eventually surpass him and become the youngest Sword Master on the continent.
Of course, that person's journey to becoming a Sword Master would take time and be part of a story unfolding in the future.
Perhaps that individual was now gazing at the same goal as I was.
Reinhard Cromel, the current Sword Master of Cromel and the future top-ranked swordsman on the continent... Wasn't that person the epitome of irrationality? He wasn't even like me, yet he reached the level of a Master just after turning 20 with the help of a single talent.
Did Father ignore the information about him?
Just thinking about that guy made me uneasy.
When I didn't consider him a rival before, it didn't bother me, but now he might become an unpredictable variable. He could be an ally, but he could also be an enemy. The mere thought that Reinhard might be looking at the same goal as I was suddenly made the world feel unfair.
No, I'd prefer to think it that way.
Otherwise, how would he become a Master at such an age if it wasn't his goal?
It's not like he was the protagonist of a novel, smoothly leaping over stages—like a snake jumping over a wall*.
"Hah! How does it feel to suddenly itch all over? It's been a while since I had a chat with my son. I heard you already competed and defeated Gwen, that guy."
"Um...that's..."
I wondered if Father's eyes now gleamed with a different meaning, as if he had somewhat organized his thoughts. I turned my head slightly to look at Elena, and she was giving me the same expression as she did at the training ground earlier.
That meant it was a refusal. I had to reject Father's suggestion, disappointing him.
"I'm sorry, Father. I will practice a little more and then take on the challenge."
"Fine, I guess... I understand."
Father's disappointment made me feel guilty, but at the same time, it motivated me to push forward. Now that I had made some progress, I might be able to see things I couldn't before.
Still, this opportunity wasn't going anywhere, so I decided to follow Elena's advice and take a rest. Rest was also essential.
As the conversation seemed to be coming to an end, I turned my gaze forward again and decided to ask a question.
"Well, Father. Can I ask a question now?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Your Highness the Princess and Prince, did they come here for any particular reason? Did something happen while I was away?"
It was the question I wanted to ask from the beginning.
Why exactly did the Empire's only prince and princess visit Sarham? They were royalty, but they were also the first in line for the succession.
There must have been some reason for their visit without any explanation. I initially thought it might be a military issue, but the knights' calm demeanor suggested otherwise.
Father answered me with a very casual tone, just like at the beginning.
"It's nothing. The two of them came here to congratulate your engagement. There's no other particular reason."
"Really?"
Was that the correct answer?
As I looked at Father with an incredulous expression, he scratched his head and continued.
"Well, that's just the surface reason."
Of course, there had to be more to it. I immediately pricked up my ears, eager to catch every detail of Father's words.
"It seems like His Majesty is concerned that the Princess and the Prince have been confined to the palace all the time. Their visit is not just a congratulatory one; it's also a message for you and Elena. He wants both of them to make some friends."
'Huh?'
--- END OF CHAPTER ---