Chapter 45
That sentiment was shared by everyone present.
After all, Chaian had only arrived at the meeting room a mere five minutes before the Emperor and Crown Prince.
And yet, he had the nerve to make such comments.
‘What wind has blown him here?’
Aserian found Chaian’s presence fascinating.
Despite sending multiple summons and even personally visiting to request his attendance, Chaian would always dismiss it with indifference.
Could the emergence of the Black Forest in the capital have spurred him to action?
‘As if.’
That’s not who he was.
Chaian would much rather stand aside with his arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold as if it were a spectacle.
The Emperor of Devrica also wore a bewildered expression as he looked at his son.
Whose shamelessness had he inherited?
‘Maybe my late father had a streak of it.’
But as he looked at Chaian, who was smiling brightly, the Emperor couldn’t help but chuckle.
It had been a long time since he had seen his son, and he hadn’t changed a bit. Unafraid of his father or brother, always living life on his terms.
But wasn’t that part of what made him lovable?
“Welcome, Chaian.”
“Yes, Father.”
The other nobles also couldn’t take their eyes off Chaian, who hadn’t graced the meeting room in so long.
When the Emperor’s birthday banquet was held earlier this year, Chaian hadn’t even attended, only sending a gift. That caused quite a stir in the palace.
Rumors circulated that Chaian had fallen out with the Emperor.
But those rumors didn’t last long, as the Emperor was seen wearing the brooch Chaian had gifted him every day without fail.
Regardless, as the second prince and, more importantly, the Tower Lord, there were plenty of people who wanted to befriend Chaian.
The problem was, despite his amiable appearance, Chaian kept people at a distance.
His ever-present kind smile served as a barrier, preventing others from getting too close.
As he habitually returned the gazes directed his way with a radiant smile, Chaian’s eyes suddenly widened.
Spotting someone in the room, a slightly different smile spread across his lips.
“Fancy seeing you here again.”
Chaian waved his hand cheerfully at none other than Kainel, the Grand Duke of Persia.
“……”
Kainel, who had been quietly lowering his gaze until now, glanced briefly at Chaian.
But he quickly closed his eyes again, showing no other reaction.
“Oh, come on. That’s too much. We’re regulars at the same place, aren’t we?”
…Regulars? What kind of regulars?
Everyone in the room widened their eyes at Chaian’s sudden remark.
Were the two acquainted?
Plenty of people present had never even managed a proper conversation with the Grand Duke of Persia. And yet, Chaian was claiming to know him?
Ignoring the burning curiosity in the nobles’ eyes, Chaian clapped his hands toward Aserian.
“Are we starting the meeting or what? I’m a busy man.”
“…Let’s begin the meeting.”
Aserian shook his head slightly, as if exasperated.
Still, the Crown Prince’s eyes softened noticeably, showing he was pleased by his brother’s attendance.
The Emperor, too, smiled subtly, pleased by the rare sight of harmony.
***
‘This place has changed a lot.’
Near the meeting hall was a separate lounge for the assistants and secretaries of key figures to rest.
Stepping into the spacious room, Ceres found herself gazing out the window, lost in thought.
The palace was another place she had frequented long ago.
Back then, the reigning Emperor was a peculiar man who refused medical treatment from anyone but her.
‘It’s hard to even catch a glimpse of you.’
‘And what good would seeing my face do?’
‘Just seeing you feels like it would cure me.’
‘Stop spouting nonsense and take the medicine I gave you. Why didn’t you finish it this time?’
‘It was too bitter.’
‘…Mix it with honey.’
She couldn’t punish him since he was the Emperor.
If he had been a prince, she would have forced his mouth open and shoved the medicine in.
Unlike the Tower, which had remained unchanged, the palace had transformed significantly since her last visit.
While the overall layout and structure were familiar, there were new buildings scattered about, and the surrounding scenery looked markedly different.
“The gardens are lovely, aren’t they?”
A voice broke her reverie as someone approached her side.
Turning her head, she saw a man in his early thirties smiling warmly.
‘Why does he look familiar?’
Something about his face struck her as familiar, though she couldn’t pinpoint where she had seen him before.
“My name is Del. I’ve visited your establishment before.”
“Establishment?”
Was he a customer at the tavern?
But she rarely remembered faces unless they were regulars.
Why did I think he looked familiar?
“I once took some stew to go.”
“Oh, the one with the pot.”
“Haha, yes, that’s right.”
It was then that Ceres realized why his face didn’t seem unfamiliar.
She had only seen him once, but it had left an impression.
There was a rare customer who had come to the tavern to order a single bowl of stew to-go. And he had brought his own pot for it.
Dressed in an impeccably neat suit that screamed wealth, holding a small pot—it was a memorable sight, to say the least.
‘A secretary, perhaps?’
How intriguing. What were the chances of meeting someone who had been a customer here in a place like this?
“I serve the Grand Duke of Persia.”
“…!”
At Del’s words, Ceres’s eyes widened slightly.
This man was Kainel’s aide?
Then the stew he had taken that day was for…!
“…Ha.”
Finally, a lingering question was answered.
She had always wondered how Kainel had found her tavern in the first place.
‘He must have brought it for him.’
She didn’t know why Del had gone out of his way to take stew to-go, but Kainel must have recognized the taste and decided to visit the tavern himself.
Now knowing that Del was Kainel’s aide, Ceres’s expression softened noticeably.
“You must have it tough.”
“Sorry?”
“Just… that’s how it seems.”
The mere fact that this man was Kainel’s aide was enough for Ceres to feel he deserved extra credit.
Del, whose eyes had widened slightly at her sudden remark, soon smiled warmly again.
“Are you working as a secretary now?”
“Yes.”
“Will you continue with this job?”
“It’s only for a month.”
“Ah, I see.”
“…?”
For a brief moment, an expression of deep relief crossed Del’s face before disappearing.
Why would he feel so relieved that I’m only doing this job for a month?
“So, after a month, you’ll return to the tavern? That’s a relief…”
“That’s not it.”
“Sorry?”
“I was only helping out at the tavern temporarily because one of the staff was injured. I don’t have a reason to continue.”
Mark’s arm was fully healed now.
Although she wouldn’t stop going to the tavern entirely, she didn’t plan on taking charge of the kitchen every day like before.
“Ah…”
Del couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Ceres found his reaction puzzling again.
Does he want me to keep managing the tavern?
Why?
“Is there some kind of problem?”
“Well, it’s just…!”
-Screeeeeeech!
“…?”
Everyone turned their heads toward the sound coming from outside.
“What’s that sound?”
“An alarm?”
“Why would…”
“Could it be…!”
The moment Ceres and Del realized what the sound was, they both rushed out the door.
Could it be that a Black Forest had appeared inside the palace?
The noise was unmistakably the alarm signaling the presence of monsters.
-Screeeeeeeeech!
The sound grew louder as they stepped outside.
They saw panicked nobles scrambling out of the meeting hall in a hurry.
Bang!
“Monsters! Monsters have appeared!”
“…Chaian.”
Soon after, Chaian and Crown Prince Aserian also stepped out of the meeting hall.
That’s when Ceres finally realized where the alarm was coming from.
Chaian was holding a red alarm device in his hand, the source of the ear-piercing screeches.
Why did he bring that into the meeting hall?
“Brother! Monsters! There are monsters!”
“……”
“They’ve finally appeared in the palace—”
“Stop it.”
“Yes.”
With a resigned sigh, Aserian cut Chaian off mid-sentence, and Chaian’s exaggerated exclamations stopped as if by magic.
“You triggered the alarm on purpose, didn’t you?”
“You noticed?”
Chaian, who had been wearing a desperate expression, suddenly broke into a radiant smile, as if he had never been panicked in the first place.
“Chaian.”
“What? To me, they looked like monsters. Isn’t their pointless chatter more horrifying than monster cries?”
“……”
Aserian didn’t respond, only letting out a deep sigh as if he had no words left.
What should I do with this guy?
“Even so, what were you thinking, forcing the alarm to go off like that, you reckless fool?”
-Screeeeeeeeech!
As the alarm continued to blare, panicked nobles kept running in all directions, adding to the chaos.
—
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