I didn’t bother to block all those people’s access.
I had to make people feel familiar with Tristan.
So, it was necessary to make him a slave to the Princess.
Tristan had to look like a weak creature with no power, no anger, no willingness to revenge.
So I had to make people stay off guard.
Only then can you feed the final blow at times no one expected, and when everyone is defenseless. But if there is something a little embarrassing…
“I don’t know if it’ll fill your heart.”
Tristan tilted the teapot in a neat motion. The teacup in front of me was filled with red tea. The aroma was good. The temperature was just right. It tasted great.
“That’s not bad.”
A faint smile on his face was present for a while and then gone.
“Thank you. I’ll try harder.”
These moments.
These moments have always been embarrassing.
He respond faithfully to the class, don’t mind the chatter of maids and servants, don’t care about the knights’ disputes, or pretend he want to show me well…
Does Tristan understand the weak’s strategy?
So you don’t show any disobedience, not showing any signs of being alarmed, and pleasing the superior?
When you want me to let you off guard?
Maybe.
If you can’t die, if you have to live with your enemy, if you’re dreaming of revenge for a powerless subject, then you should. You have no choice but to lower your body, straighten your claws, and wait for the right time.
Like I did to Aurest. As Vathorlia did to Laius. Tristan is also doing it to me.
Even a man who said he wouldn’t do such mean and pathetic things has no choice but to do so.
It gave me a sense of unprovoked emptiness with a low-key repentance.
The taste of tea was rather bitter.
***
Tristan’s classes usually took place in the study.
I was sitting on the couch watching Tristan’s class as usual.
The maid knocked on the door of the study.
“Your Imperial Highness! We have a visitor.”
“Did you show him to the drawing room? I’ll be right there.”
“You don’t have to.”
The door of the study opened. Soon a man with blond hair came in. The man was wearing a white garment with colorful embroidery. The waist was hemmed with rubies and pearls, and the sheath was decorated with gold. He was dressed as a rich man, but he is a man of no power.
Aurest grinned.
“I’m here.”
I stood up from my seat and welcomed Aurest.
“Brother! Come on, you’ll call me when you come! How long has it been!” The maid and Tristan also stopped their classes and got up from their seats and greeted Aurest.
I ordered both of them.
“You two go out.”
“Oh, don’t go out. Just belong to the place you used to be. I have to go anyway.”
Aurest flopped down on the sofa opposite me and ordered the maid to serve him wine. The sequence of movements was so natural that if a stranger saw it, he would mistake this place for the Crown Prince. I poured the wine that my lady-in-waiting gave me into the glass.
“You haven’t been here once. You almost forgot my face.” Aurest stirred the wine with a silver teaspoon. After confirming that there was no discoloration of the spoon, I brushed it in my mouth.
Anyway, I have a lot of doubts.
“I’m sorry. I’m busy with Rowenthal’s property handling problems.”
Aurest finished talking and glanced at Tristan. He seemed to be sure of his reaction.
That’s why he told Tristan not to go out.
“So it turns out that you said that last time, right? The principle is that half of the traitor’s property is confiscated by the imperial family, and the other half is inherited according to the inheritance law.” (Erin)
“Yeah. Only recently, the property investigation was over, and the imperial family took half. Thanks to that, the treasury was very strong.” (Aurest)
“We can make up for the loss of blood from quelling the rebellion.” (Erin)
“Sure. More than that. Is there anything you want? Tell me anything.” (Aurest)
“I’m fine. I’m just grateful for the thought.” I grinned. “But you’re still busy… There’s a problem left, isn’t there?”
Aurest sighed.
“Yes, half the rest of my fortune is a pain in the ass.”
“There must be an inheritance struggle among the aristocracy.”
“You’re clever. The immediate loss of Rowenthal has torn their fortune to shreds, and they’re got their way around.” Aurest rubbed his forehead to think about the mess.
“Thanks to the property inheritance lawsuit, the court is very upset. I wanna eat one more penny, so my eyes turned away.”
“What about the succession to the Duke of Rowenthal?”
“It’s more serious than the property problem. Look at all the fuss about me having to inherit the duke’s throne, even with the bare hands of a nobleman.”
Aurest put his arm on the sofa’s backrest and looked around Tristan.
“Hey! I’m about to swallow up your beloved Rowenthal! How do you feel?” Tristan only bowed his head and showed no other response. Aurest clicked his tongue. “That’s not funny. Are you just playing with him?”
“It’s okay because it has a sweet taste. I thought he’d be proud of me because he is a lord, but he never rebelled. I’m glad I don’t have to swing the whip.”
I filled the empty glass of Aurest with wine.
“Right. Brother.”
“Hmm…?”
“I’ve heard that the West Army’s first division was taken to the capital because of Rowenthals’ rebellion. Tristan’s out of the front.” I glanced at Aurest’s countenance. “Of course, there are many other great knights besides Tristan, but will the Western Front be okay?”
In his days as Crown Prince, Laius incorporated part of the territory of the Kingdom of Runsrönica into the western part of the empire.
Runsrönica, who had a grudge against him, attacked the empire in the name of recaptured the land, and Lauis, who had regretted not being able to completely conquer Runsrönica in the days of the Crown Prince, raised an army as if waiting for him.
The war, which began that way, had been raging for more than two decades.
In recent years, the Tantal army has won overwhelming victories, and the war is turning in Tantal’s favor. That was all thanks to Tristan. Even an eight-year-old child in the capital could be expected to be at risk for the future of the western front, which is missing the western blue knight Tristan.
“Western Front?”
Aurest emptied the wine at once. After refilling the cup, he emptied it halfway and said deeply.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about. Never mind.”
“But how can I not care? If my brother ever leaves for the battlefield again…”
With a shrill sound, the glass in the mouth of Aurest’s hand was shattered. Fragments of glass scattered over the carpet.
Aurest murmured.
“Oh no. Was the alcohol too much?”
“Blood from your hand… Jedis! Bring me bandages and medicine!”
Aurest took a piece of glass out of his palm and tied a bandage around it. The medicine was untouched and no help from others was given.
Before Tristan, it was Aurest who stood out on the front. Aurest, who left for the Western Front at the age of 15, returned to the Imperial City at the age of 20. It was with the release of an enormous amount of prisoners who had been ripped off from Runsrönica. Behind him was dozens of knights who swore allegiance.
Tristan, a fifteen-year-old apprentice knight, was one of them.
Even those who doubted Aurest’s qualifications as the next emperor did not disagree with the fact that he was a great general. Therefore, Aurest will be the first to come to mind of our dear father, Laius, who will be dispatched to fill the gaps in the Western Front.
The problem is that Aurest is not happy with the fact after that.
He would have left for the battlefield without much strength when he was 15 years old, but he would not want to do an inefficient job of going to the battlefield himself until now when he took over the position of the Crown Prince.
The maid brought a broom and a mop to clear the floor.
Aurest draw back the maid.
What’s wrong with him? He doesn’t want to clean up himself. Aurest said as he looked down at the broken piece of glass.
“Erin. You said Tristan never rebelled once, did you?”
“Yes? Yes. Very well-behaved. He listen to me.”
“Even if it’s an order from you, bring this, do that. Clean up the carriage. It’s like this. Have you tried anything more?”
Aurest’s questions were alarming. Somehow it was ominous. I asked carefully.
“What’s more?”
Aurest advised me to fill my glass with wine.
“You haven’t. Well, you’ve always been weak.”
The wine warmed my stomach when I soaked my dry mouth. But my fingertips were cold.
As Aurest leaned forward, his face became close enough to touch his breath.
He whispered quietly.
“It’ll be quite fun.”
I felt the fluff on the back of my neck. Aurest leaned back and leaned against the sofa. He looked back at the maid and Tristan on one side of the study.
“Tristan! Come here.”
Tristan stood right up, perhaps listening all the time. I tucked the chair in and turned around. He came up with a walk that was neither quick nor slow.
“Hey, hey, hey. Stop.”
Tristan stopped. Aurest grinned.
“People walk on two feet. Crawl on all fours like a bitch.”
I swallowed something that almost yelled at me not to.
I shouldn’t have overlooked Aurest’s perverse inclinations.
I expected this to happen. It should have happened.
I should have taken precautions to prevent Aurest’s gaze from reaching Tristan… When I grabbed the hem of my dress tightly, my joints were all worn out. Tristan’s jaw muscles flinched and calmed down. He lowered his eyes and answered in a tone of pent-up voice.
“I’m sorry. My master is Her Royal Highness. You can’t follow unnecessary orders from someone other than you.”
“Look at this, you must have taught him very well.”
Aurest’s sarcasm turned the maid’s face pale. She seemed to be worried about what kind of bullshit was for him.
I had no intention of letting go of the maid’s 30-year service.
I said calmly, organizing the creased dress.
“Tristan! The name of the brother is my name. Come crawling.”
“I’ll follow.”