Chapter 132

Fifteen years ago, after the Duchess and the children disappeared, the gates of the ducal castle had closed and never opened again.

Unlike the guests entering with visibly excited expressions, tension hung over the ducal castle as it welcomed outsiders for the first time in years.

“I have informed not only the knights but also Head Maid Mai. The attendants will report immediately if they see anyone suspicious.”

“If any nobles leave the banquet hall or the monster training center grounds, tail them and find out what they’re doing.”

“Understood.”

Standing on a terrace with a clear view of the castle gates, Calypse lowered his gaze beyond the railing.

As expected, a great many nobles had come.

Everyone the ducal castle could accommodate was already inside, so things would probably begin soon.

He leaned forward, intending to get a sense of the guests’ mood.

What is that...?

Something strange was passing through the castle gates.

“That young lord... There’s something odd about the way he’s dressed.”

An excessively extravagant fox-fur scarf. A long cloak dragging along the ground. Clothes embroidered so elaborately that it looked as though a painter had put an entire landscape on them.

And even feathers hanging from his waist.

Is he part of the opposition?

Calypse straightened from where he had been leaning and was about to head downstairs to investigate when he stopped.

On closer inspection, there wasn’t just one strange-looking man.

As though they had all agreed on some sort of dress code, most of the young lords entering the ducal castle were dressed in much the same fashion.

One of them had even stuck feathers into his hair ornament.

After hesitating for a moment, Calypse asked,

“Dorian. I’m not very familiar with high society, but is this fashionable these days?”

“It isn’t that. It seems they dressed as extravagantly as possible in hopes of catching Princess Aisha’s eye...”

“What?”

At the sudden mention of his daughter, Calypse’s eyebrows rose.

“What does Aisha have to do with this?”

“Those marriage proposals that arrived before. Since the Princess never gave a clear answer regarding them... perhaps they intend to make a good impression on her somehow during today’s event...”

“They think dressing like that will impress Aisha? I don’t think Dandelion has a thing for peacocks.”

The one who suddenly cut into the conversation was Lucas, who had arrived late.

Neatly dressed with his smooth forehead exposed, he stood out more than any of the extravagantly adorned young lords.

“Those bastards are trying to flirt with Dandelion?”

Like father, like son.

Lucas gripped the terrace railing in exactly the same pose as Calypse and scrutinized the young lords with narrowed eyes.

Then, as though he had finished his calculations, he nodded solemnly.

“Father. I can handle the peacocks myself.”

“Then I’ll leave Aisha to you.”

“...This is still the monster training center completion ceremony we’re holding today, correct?”

Dorian asked with a frightened expression, but the two men merely folded their arms and continued glaring at the young lords.

To an outside observer, it looked as though the young lords themselves were the targets of a subjugation.

But Calypse quickly returned to his senses.

Perhaps this is actually fortunate.

He didn’t like the idea of men pursuing Aisha, but it might work in their favor.

Judging by the sheer number of young lords dressed as though they were entering a fashion show, the current topic dominating high society was clearly “Aisha’s marriage prospects.”

Nobles valued the hottest subject of conversation more dearly than their own lives.

Ordinary nobles did, at least.

Then the ones who have no interest in Aisha’s marriage prospects are more likely to belong to the opposition...

Tap, tap.

His long fingers beat a measured rhythm against the terrace ledge.

“Dorian. For now, divide the nobles into three broad lists. Those who did not plan to attend. Those who attended. And those who said they would attend but failed to appear today.”

“Yes, understood.”

Calypse already possessed a list of houses excluding those Grace had identified as the “true royalists.”

If they kept filtering out suspicious individuals through this event, like passing them through a sieve, eventually the most likely candidates would remain.

“Do you have no orders for me?”

Just then, Knox poked his head through the office doorway and asked.

The moment Calypse saw him, a groan escaped his throat.

He had repeatedly ordered Knox to rest for several days, only for Knox to keep following him around anyway, and he was thoroughly fed up with it.

“You aren’t even my official assistant anymore. Just rest.”

“Even if I’m not your official assistant, I’m telling you to officially put me to work.”

“I have plenty of people to order around without you.”

“You don’t have another assistant like me.”

“There’s only one assistant like Dorian, too.”

Feeling his job security threatened, Dorian muttered desperately, but Lucas immediately cut in, so no one heard him.

“When you say the list of nobles, are you referring to the opposition?”

“That’s right.”

“I wonder whether the opposition would dare cause trouble even if they came here. The castle is packed with knights and monsters.”

It was an answer worthy of a proud Young Lord of House Kreutz.

Calypse fell silent for a moment at his son’s confident words before responding a beat late.

“That’s true.”

He swallowed what he had truly wanted to say.

But ten years ago, if Aisha hadn’t been there, would I ever have realized there was a spy inside the castle?

The truth was that Lucas knew far too little.

He knew that members of the royal opposition might attend today’s official event, but he didn’t know that his mother, Ariana, and his elder brother were in Doctia, which was connected to that opposition.

Nor did he know that they were spies.

Ten years ago, Calypse had believed a well-intentioned lie was necessary for the sake of the young Lucas.

But now—

He’s almost old enough to inherit the position of head of the family. I should tell him.

“Lucas.”

“Yes?”

But contrary to his resolve, lips that had remained sealed for ten years did not open easily.

“...Don’t worry about any of this. Just keep an eye on Aisha. She’s always getting into trouble.”

In the end, he couldn’t say it and dragged the innocent Aisha into the conversation instead.

Knowing nothing, Lucas broke into such a broad grin that his even teeth showed, then rose from his seat.

“Don’t worry about Dandelion. I’ll take care of her. I should go find her right now!”

Lucas ran off, but Calypse, left behind on the terrace, couldn’t even tell him to go ahead.

It felt as though a heavy stone had settled on his throat.

He should have sent the servants away and told Lucas when they were alone.

Over the past ten years, there had been countless opportunities.

But ten years ago, he had already seen how deeply Aisha had been hurt while struggling with her own identity.

Lucas, who knew absolutely nothing, would probably suffer an even greater shock.

Not only because of his mother’s true identity.

Lucas was fiercely loyal to the family. What would happen if he learned that the blood of a spy ran through him...?

“Why is raising children so difficult?”

“Tell me about it.”

Calypse scratched his forehead with his index finger and sighed, only to hear an identical sigh beside him.

It was Knox.

“Why are you agreeing?”

“Am I not allowed to find it difficult?”

“No. I mean, you don’t even have children. What are you sympathizing with?”

“...That is a good point.”

“It seems you should begin making your entrance soon.”

The exchange, which had begun to resemble a conversation between two fools, was interrupted by a servant.

Right.

For now, the event about to begin took precedence over worrying about his son.

Calypse gathered his scattered thoughts and left the ducal castle with Knox and Dorian following him.

Countless gazes from the waiting seats turned toward him.

The event began.

***

“So what did you say your name was?”

“I-I’m Lenster of House East, a Marquis’s house. I’m in the same Academy class as Princess Aisha...”

“East... Lenster.”

Lucas stared at the young lord dressed like a peacock and murmured the name under his breath as though appraising an object.

Then he folded his arms and began slowly circling Lenster in earnest.

“You’re about one hundred eighty centimeters tall?”

“Y-yes. That’s correct.”

“You look decently built. I’m not particularly impressed, but a Marquis’s house is respectable enough.”

“Th-thank you.”

“But if you want to be one of Aisha’s suitors, shouldn’t you at least be taller than her own brother?”

“!”

Lenster’s eyes, which had begun to show relief, widened in shock.

I stared at them with an equally dumbfounded expression.

He has to be taller than him? He knows better than anyone that northerners in the Frozen Kingdom are far taller than the average person!

“Brother.”

“What?”

“...What the hell are you doing?”

This situation had started during the banquet.

After the monster training center completion ceremony concluded successfully—

the moment the banquet began, Lucas had started following me around like a stalker, his eyes blazing.

His goal seemed to be only one thing.

Stopping every young lord who tried to talk to me.

“I’m testing whether this guy deserves the right to speak to you.”

He answered sulkily, as though he couldn’t understand why I was even asking.

I glared at him through narrowed eyes.

“And that’s why you’ve already made five innocent young lords cry?”

“Waaah—Mother!”

I pointed irritably toward the young lords in the distance, each sobbing in his mother’s arms.

Lucas merely shrugged.