Chapter 14
“…Master! Master!”
I opened my eyes to the gardener’s voice.
“Master, please wake up. It’s not time for you to sleep in peace!”
It was still early dawn so the surroundings were still dark.
I raised my body, wondering why they were making a fuss at this hour already. The servants walking around the hall were also looking downstairs.
‘What’s going on?’
I dragged my heavy legs into the hallway. I could see the pale face of the gardener.
“What’s going on? Where’s the butler?”
“He’s at the front door! We’re in big trouble!”
“Who?”
The gardener, who was about to speak, saw the Marquis’ appearance and closed his mouth.
His hair was a mess and his pajamas were all wrinkled.
“…Damn it, you should wash up first! Come on!”
The gardener pushed the Marquis into the bathroom.
His hands that pushed Marquis’ trembled like a person who was dealing with his drinking addiction. What is wrong with him?
“Good morning.”
When I looked back, I saw Ulysse, who seemed tired.
“When did you arrive?”
“Two hours ago.”
He must have been traveling all night. Of course he was tired.
“How are you feeling? I checked your condition while you’re asleep.”
“I’m fine.”
“Thank goodness.”
I heard the gardener’s voice when I was about to tell him to sleep more.
“Listen to me while you wash up! Lord Demian is back!”
What did he just say?
“Is that true? When?”
“He came at dawn yesterday, and he’s not in a good condition, but he’s safe!”
“No wonder Ulysse told me to be prepared to leave! It must because the welcoming ceremony is going to be held.”
I glanced at Ulysse in amazement. He was smiling awkwardly.
He had such an amazing ability.
“I’m done washing up. Let’s listen to what the aide is going to say!”
The gardener freaked out and stopped the Marquis.
“Who do you think you’re dealing with? Do you intend to tarnish your family’s name!?”
“Huh? Didn’t the aide come?”
I rolled my eyes as I listened to the Marquis.
‘Whatever. Everything tires me out.’
He yawned as he scratched his disheveled hair, and the gardener shouted out of anger.
“His Highness is coming!”
Thud-! A servant dropped her laundry basket.
Ulysse’s hand that grabbed the railing of the stairs, slipped. And I opened my eyes wide.
“Who’s coming? His Highness? Why is he coming?”
“How can I know that! Shall I go and ask?!”
The distressed gardener caught the Marquis and pushed him.
“The butler is now dealing with the knights. I heard he’s coming to pick us up… Oh, I don’t know anymore! Get ready for now!”
“Ahh, I get it.”
The sleepy Marquis rushed into the bathroom.
I was stunned despite hearing all the clattering from inside the bathroom.
‘Don’t tell me this damn aide is unable to make up an excuse?’
Is he coming to exterminate this family?!
‘No, the butler said he’d come to pick us up.’
The official letter for the welcoming ceremony would be delivered anyway, so why would he come personally?
While I was trying to untangle each question that filled my head, I heard someone gritting his teeth from my side.
“…Indeed, it will be like this. As expected.”
What’s wrong with him? Ulysse flew down the long stairs after uttered a dreary murmur.
I was watching him disappear out of the mansion in an instant, and then the servant spoke in a trembling voice.
“Miss, you should get ready…”
I might die soon, so what should I get ready for?
I sighed in frustration, but a moment later the gardener shouted.
“Ah, right! There’s a letter from the aide, miss!”
***
The butler looked at the familiar knight, Leo.
The knights behind him seemed to be the people who were protecting the empire because they were tall and sturdy.
He wondered why Leo, who went back yesterday, returned here with a carriage.
Leo’s lips, which always closed firmly, opened.
“I’m sorry for troubling you this early morning.”
“What do you mean by troubling? Please be at ease.”
Behind Leo, he could see the sky just dawned.
‘It’s indeed early.’
Everyone except the guards was half asleep, so they didn’t know about what happened just now.
However, he slowly came to his senses when he saw the large object lined up behind Leo and the knights.
The butler tried to smile and asked the knight.
“But that’s…”
Watching the butler’s lips twitching, Leo answered.
“It’s the highest grade horse. It was selected as the best horse.”
The horses lined up behind the knight seemed agile, it seemed like they could run to the capital in a flash, but that was not the problem.
“…But it’s not just one.”
“It’s seven. The carriage interior was specially built to make a smooth journey.”
All eyes were turned to the carriage that was as big as a house.
There was no unnecessary fancy decoration, but the appearance was highly sophisticated even from the outside.
“It’s not just one carriage, but seven…”
When he saw the butler mumbled blankly, Leo spoke.
“Is the number too small? Then I’ll ask them to send more carriage…”
“No! It’s enough.”
The butler raised his voice urgently.
The butler, who was looking at the horse’s lean stature and the flashing carriage, raised his hand and swept his cramp mouth.
“Excuse me, but was His Highness the one who sent it?”
“That’s right.”
“Was it because our young lady asked for it?”
“That’s not true. This carriage is here to move everyone to the capital.”
But why?
While everyone was wondering, there was a loud noise coming from one side of the mansion.
“Butler!”
Out of nowhere, Ulysse, who was still in pajamas, popped out.
The bright lemon-colored hair was so tangled that birds might mistook it for its nests, and his pajamas were all crumpled up.
Ulysse, who ran through the garden at once, shouted with his eyes wide open.
“…tard, where is he!”
A vein sprang up in the butler’s smiling face.
Although he couldn’t hear it very well, he was sure that Ulysse said , ‘That bastard, where is he!’
“That thug-like young master…”
It was fortunate that the knights didn’t understand, but the butler wanted to kick him in the butt.
“Where are you!”
The butler, who couldn’t bear with him anymore, spoke to Leo.
“I’m sorry, but please excuse me for a moment.”
Leo nodded almost immediately.
The butler, who quickly dragged Ulysse into the corner, and shouting as quietly as possible.
“How could you call the Crown Prince of this empire a bastard! Are you out of your mind?”
“No wonder, the star’s movement was weird. So this is what happened.”
The butler urged Ulysse with a look of telling him to shut up.
“Stop talking nonsense and go tidy up your clothes. His Highness is coming!”
“Clothes, my ass. Why must I care about my clothes in this urgent situation?”
“What the hell are you talking about!”
Ulysse burst into laughter.
“Butler, you still don’t get it, do you?”
“About what?”
“His Highness has his heart for Navian since the start.”
The butler, who was speechless for a while, refuted.
“….Stop being delusional. His Highness has never seen our young lady.”
“There are many ways to get her portraits or listen to stories about her. I’m sure he must have seen her somehow. And fell in love at first sight.”
Everyone couldn’t comprehend what kind of nonsense he spouted.
But Ulysse, who was blinded by anger, kept talking nonsense.
“What else would it be? Why does anyone want to be engaged with a stranger? Look at him now! He came all the way here because he can’t hold it anymore!”
Rosin, the knights’ captain, who watched the butler become speechless again, grabbed Ulysse’s shoulder and said.
“Young Master, please.”
“Captain, please tell me. Am I wrong? His Highness wouldn’t be coming all the way here unless he missed our Navian.”
Ulysse rolled up his sleeve with a bright red face and shouted.
“Sure, let’s talk about how great he is! Where are you! Where are you!”
Ulysse swung around his head, looking for the noble thief who tried to take away his precious sister.
“….Should I just knock him out?”
The butler was about to nod at Rosin’s words, but then Ulysse stopped moving. It was because his eyes caught the horse that was stationed a few steps away.
“…..What is that?”
The Butler gave a cold answer to Ulysse’s question.
“It’s a carriage.”
“It’s not a regular carriage, though?”
“It’s the Imperial carriage.”
“But why are there so many?”
Ulysse raised his voice again.
“Don’t tell me His Highness wants to pack up everything?”
That makes no sense! At the moment when the butler tried to refute, the hooves of horses were heard from the distance.
“Welcome.”
At the sight of the distinguished black hair, the symbol of Avita, the knights bowed their heads in a modest gesture.
“…Dear God.”
The butler and Rosin watched Signus come off the horse with the expression as if the world had ended.
“Your Highness!”
Ulysse, who shouted loudly, strode closer with glistening eyes. But Ulysse’s feet stopped in an instant.
“……”
Ulysse’s eyes were drawn to the black hair that was darker yet glossier than the night sky in the north, which he always looked at.
The tousled black hair and white neck created a beautiful combination.
Ulysse mumbled blankly at the picturesque sight.
“…Crazy.”
Ulysse didn’t even have time to think about his messy hair and crumpled pajamas.
That was how dazzling his looks were.
They had left for the north together, but since Signus never got injured, it was almost the first time Ulysse saw him up close.
He looked good from afar, but he looked even more crazier up close.
“Have you come out yet?”
Everyone gasped to the strangely alluring voice.
“Tell them to get out quickly.”
What are you talking about? Everyone was confused, but no one dared to ask.
Signus had an atmosphere that made people feel intimidated.
Then the door of the mansion opened in silence.
Everyone’s eyes were wide open when Navian, who was surrounded by the neatly-dressed marquis and servants, appeared.
Only one person, Signus, laughed as if it was fun.