It’s The First Time For Both Of Us - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Translator and Editor: Bunny and Wyvern
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Chapter 19
Hilla was wearing indoor clothes, not outdoor clothes, and he wasn’t carrying a visiting bag. It was strange. When Luna went to find him earlier, she said he hadn’t returned yet.
(T/N: A visiting bag is something doctors/nurses use when they visit their patients with the tools and materials they need.)
‘I thought he would take a few more days.’
Hilla didn’t even look like a person who just returned.
‘It’s much better than coming late, at least.’
Kuhn and I followed Hilla as he headed to the opposite side of the mansion, right into the small forest of the Grand Duke’s. It was a well-decorated forest….
I thought he was going to get some herbs, so I followed Hilla from far away as possible with Kuhn.
* * *
“Isn’t she so lovely?” Dante’s voice was excited. He was different from now before Mariette came here. Perhaps, it was him who acted more serious than Callen.
“…”
Feeling worn out because he hadn’t drunk his paralysis medicine, Callen had his eyes closed.
“She’s really so bright. She goes along well with the employees. Everywhere she goes, they say she was very cute and that there going to die from her cuteness. The chef was particularly crazy about her.”
“…Because she’s Yurie’s daughter.” Callen’s eyes opened. Dante’s excitement could have bothered his sensitive nerves, but strangely, he was so calm inside. “Dante.”
“Yes? Please go ahead.”
“Mariette will be announced as the successor at the upcoming regular meeting.”
Dante’s eyes widened. He was going to nag his master about it sooner or later anyway. “… Ar- are you really sure about that?”
“That’s right.”
His saddened expression changed to surprise immediately. “That was a great decision! It was an excellent choice. The sooner to discuss important matters like this, the better. The Descartes’ direct descendant has returned.”
“…”
It seemed like Dante was about to dance merrily. “That’s really a relief. Since last winter, it has been difficult to pacify both sides. In particular, Viscount Rohel had been very explicit about it.”
The vassals of Duke Descartes weren’t satisfied with Yurie because she was a commoner. They took pride in their wealth that was comparable to the imperial family’s.
Yurie’s status was very shabby in comparison. Although she was born from a baron, her noble status and title were obtained through magic. That was why no one honored the Dilton family as part of high society.
In particular, because Callen was a talent that even the temple was eyeing, the vassals thought that he could take the seat (as a patriarch) any time so they were even more strict with him. If Callen were feebler than his predecessor, he would have been unable to resist the request of the vassals to adopt a child upon Yurie’s disappearance.
Callen had consistently ignored that for years, but it was true that he was also bothered by the issue of having a successor. But not anymore. He stood up with his back facing the table.
Dante looked at his back and started teasing him. “Speaking of which, Your Excellency, I’d like to say this. At this meeting, make sure to put that ill-mannered….”
“…”
His attention was somewhere else. It seemed like she was playing around that place in the past few days, but he couldn’t see where she was now. Callen realized that he was unconsciously looking out at the window so he drew his attention away.
“Have you finally found a way to contact them?”
Dante, who was smiling, coughed and quickly changed his expression. “Yes? Are you asking about the temple? It’s currently being tracked down, but that’s really fascinating. It has been hard to reach for years, but the traces now had been revealed as if the fog has been cleared.”
“Say it.”
“Yurie’s footsteps were almost in line with what we’ve been tracking.”
Callen stopped moving for a moment. Dante took a look at his expression with full attention.
“Hmm, so about that… What I mean is your intuitions were right, however… however, we were just a little late…”
“…”
“I’m sorry. I’m not good enough.” Dante felt guilty at saying something pointless. Callen’s only reason to succeed as the Grand Duke was because of the superior intelligence-gathering ability of Descartes, but it ended up being useless. “I’ll find out about her relationship with the temple as soon as possible.”
“…Fine.”
While listening to Dante, Callen’s gaze started to move again from left to right – as if it was looking for someone. Eventually, unable to find the little fluff ball, he pondered over Dante’s words and was lost in thought. The traces that he couldn’t find no matter how he frantically searched for it were now being discovered.
‘Morning Dad.’
At that moment, he had the illusion of the bright voice he heard in the morning echoed in his ears.
This illusion was repeated every day after the child came.
‘Dad, did you sleep well? Did you have a good dream?’
‘Dad! Let’s have dinner together.’
“…”
Right now, she didn’t know anything and thought of herself as a baby, but it would change when she grew up and learned the truth. The sadness of losing her mother might come belatedly, and then it was obvious where her resentment would be directed. Now that he has found a child, it was his role to protect her until she took over his position.
‘Bring her what she needs and raise her without lacking anything.’
After he announced her as his successor, it would bring her some attention, but he would definitely be able to protect her. That was why it was just right to keep his distance from her.
‘Mom doesn’t want to be blessed.’
He could still vividly remember the firmness of the little girl who refused the temple. There was definitely a relationship between the two of them.
Knock knock
Dante received a short report along with a sealed letter on a tray. His elated expression turned brooding. He handed the letter to Callen. “I guess rumors went into the temple. There is no way that the temple, which has always been watching Your Excellency, will stay still. Well, it’s later than I thought.”
“…”
Callen tore the seal of the letter and checked its contents. The letter was all about the Pope still looking forward to meeting him, on the pretext that he would come to the Grand Duchy and confirm the existence of the child from the rumors he heard. To be exact, it was to find his weakness.
The temple made the empire powerful. That was a definite fact.
He didn’t want to belittle their achievements, but he wasn’t happy about the Pope trying to control him. It felt unpleasant that they were looking for a weakness that could shake him if he didn’t move as they wanted. If the temple wanted to use his child against him, Callen could always point at them with the tip of his sword. Although… there was also that short time he was loyal to them.
“Reject it.”
“Yes, I thought so. They weren’t thinking the young lady has the qualities of a paladin, right?”
Instead of answering, Callen burned the letter as it was.
Crackle
The paper disappeared, leaving only ashes.
“Don’t worry, Your Excellency. I will him a few jewels and he’ll be quiet for months.”
“Take care of it.”
“Or, how about announcing the young lady’s existence through the imperial family? Don’t you have to go to the capital because of the prince’s birthday soon? I’m sure there must be a lot of children the same age as the young lady… No, please forget my impertinence.” Dante gulped when he felt the murderous aura from Callen.
But instead of reprimanding him, Callen had a different command. “Find me the blood relatives of the Diltons.”
“What… What? Do you mean…?”
He once tried to find them as a gift for Yurie, but he stopped looking at them when she disappeared
“We might need them.”
Such signs of life from his master excited Dante. The search was suspended about five years ago, so he was probably back to square one, but it didn’t matter. If it was the lady’s family, he should find them.
“I received your orders.”
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