‘Did he build some friendship with the Caesius family without my knowing?’
Although it was said he had gradually reduced contact with the family after becoming His Highness’s close associate, if it was a friendship where father would appear, I couldn’t not know about it. Moreover, seeing the marquis’s reaction, it seemed no one had anticipated their appearance. As I stood unable to hide my bewilderment, the two approached closer and closer. I knew they were trying to greet the marquis, the star of this banquet, but my body stiffened without my knowing.
Father, who always exuded a robust atmosphere, was now quite gaunt due to his illness. Of course, that didn’t mean the imposing presence of someone who had lived their whole life reigning over others disappeared, so I instinctively shrank back out of habit.
“Thank you for inviting me to the banquet. Please forgive my sudden visit.”
“Not at all. We were the ones who sent the invitation.”
The marquis bowed so low it looked slightly servile. Father showed no emotion as if such an atmosphere was familiar.
“Darian.”
When father called hyung-nim in a low voice, he greeted lightly as if he’d been waiting and took out what he’d prepared.
“It’s modest, but I’ve prepared a gift.”
“No. Just your visit is more than enough…”
While the three conversed, I bowed my head just enough to maintain courtesy and avoided their gaze. Unlike me, who had relatively close-range foresight, father was said to sometimes be able to see the very distant future. The frequency with which he saw visions was accordingly lower, but the utility was excellent, lacking nothing to be called a sage.
‘Is that why? It feels like nothing can be hidden before the duke.’
It was a different feeling from His Highness the Crown Prince. If lying to His Highness felt meaningless, before father it felt like my very existence was sinful, and the feeling that I should confess some crime strangled my throat. That wasn’t much different even now, so I wanted to avoid his notice as much as possible.
“I hear the estate’s garden is famous for its beauty. Would it be alright to look around?”
At words suggesting he would soon leave, I was inwardly relieved. Perhaps sensing my tension, I could feel the guard knights were also on sharp alert.
‘Still, I’ve passed the crisis now, right?’
It was around the time I concluded I could find out the reason for father’s visit later.
“Of course. Though it will fall far short compared to the Sayus family, we’ve put quite a bit of effort into it. Please enjoy it at your leisure.”
“I’d appreciate a guide.”
“Ah, our eldest son…”
“He must have many people to greet, so I can’t ask the heir to merely introduce the garden. I’ll go with this person.”
The ‘this person’ father mentioned was me. Darian hyung-nim’s eyebrows also trembled faintly as if surprised. However, he couldn’t question or dissuade father.
“Ah, Aila doesn’t know anything about the garden. Would it be alright if I recommend someone else?”
The marquis seemed to feel great dismay that father had chosen me of all people. However, father didn’t back down.
“I merely need someone to show me the way, so it’s fine. I’ll go with that child.”
It was a firm voice that would allow no further refusal. The marquis was about to say something but answered “I understand,” perhaps worried about displeasing father. Though his eyes were telling me ‘If you do anything unnecessary, I won’t let it slide.’
“Darian, you must have things to discuss with the marquis, so stay here. Well then, I’m in your care.”
Father spoke to me quite formally. His attitude toward me felt more courteous than toward the marquis.
‘I should follow, right?’
If I went against his words here, everyone would find it strange. My body froze stiffly from instinctive fear, but I had no choice.
“Though I’m lacking, I’ll guide you.”
When I finally moved slowly, Darian hyung-nim’s, the marquis’s, and Ian’s gazes followed in order. The guard knights accompanied me without hesitation. When we went outside, I could see a rose garden well-maintained enough to fully understand the marquis’s pride. However, it wasn’t special enough for someone from the Sayus family to bother viewing.
“Do you know the name of that flower?”
Even so, father moved very slowly as if appreciating a tremendously splendid place. I tried to maintain a knight-like posture, unable to even look to the side.
“I apologize. I don’t have much interest in flowers… If you’re curious, I’ll go ask the gardener.”
“No. That’s not necessary. It’s a variety that withers every night and blooms new flowers every morning. The fragrance is quite nice.”
“I see.”
I briefly searched my memory wondering if father had liked flowers, but nothing came to mind. I hadn’t been close enough to know father’s likes and dislikes or to perceive his hidden intentions. As I racked my brain like that, father occasionally explained flowers that caught his eye. Since I was actually the one receiving the tour, I eventually had to bring up the words I’d been holding back.
“I’m ignorant about plants, so I’m worried I wasn’t satisfactory.”
“I just needed a conversation partner, so you don’t need to worry.”
“I couldn’t have been an interesting conversational partner, so I apologize.”
Father’s pronunciation when he uttered the word ‘conversation partner’ sounded awkward. It was probably because it was the kind of word he rarely used in his life. I also noticed that father was deliberately trying to create a gentle atmosphere. Since father had originally never needed or had situations requiring such effort in his life, it gave the impression of wearing ill-fitting clothes.
“I’d like to rest for a moment. My injured body doesn’t move like it used to.”
After being silent for a while, father soon spoke as if suggesting. Fortunately the greenhouse was nearby, so I naturally guided him there.
“There are chairs inside. Let’s go in.”
I was truly fortunate to have roughly confirmed the structure of the Caesius estate after entering Aila’s body.
“Thank you.”
When I extended my stiffly frozen arm to open the greenhouse door, father was entering when he suddenly turned to look at the guard knights as if remembering something.
“By the way, is there a reason to follow like this when we’re just taking a walk?”
It was a cold tone as if his acting like the followers were invisible had been a lie. To be precise, this was the father I originally knew. The knights, who absolutely wouldn’t answer even when others spoke to them at the banquet hall, wavered for the first time.
“Must I endure this rudeness any further?”
When an even colder voice flowed out, Sir Ken finally stepped forward.
“It’s to protect Sir Aila. Please understand.”
“From whom?”
“There are those who wish to harm him.”
“Am I included in that?”
Father’s question contained clear displeasure. The knights flinched but didn’t back down.
“We are knights and cannot break our principles. I believe you know this better than anyone.”
“Then inspect the inside of the greenhouse and wait outside. I cannot bear being monitored by anyone during my rest.”
Father’s attitude was unyielding. I could feel the knights waver briefly. And father wasn’t one to miss that.
“I stake the Sayus family’s name—there will be no danger.”
To refuse further here would mean they doubted the Sayus family. Sir Ken ultimately had no choice but to follow father’s words. After confirming the knights had left, father let out a deep sigh and stared straight into my eyes.
“Well then. I’d appreciate it if you could guide me to a chair.”
“Understood.”
From the moment he sent the knights outside, my body became even stiffer. It seemed father had a reason for going so far as to invoke his family to remain alone with me.
“I’ve committed many sins against my family.”
And that expectation didn’t miss the mark.
“Tienas, I thought I should atone to you first.”
My heart sank. Father didn’t simply suspect—he had certainty. There were those who sometimes used the rhetorical device of speaking as if they already knew what they only suspected to induce confession, but father wasn’t one of them. He didn’t speak of things unless he was certain, and that was one of the few truths I knew about father.
‘But I can’t tell him honestly.’
I couldn’t reveal to father a fact I was hiding even from His Highness. Though he was currently in seclusion, he was someone who could wield the Sayus family at any time. In a situation where the relationship between the family and the imperial house had become ambiguous, I didn’t know what butterfly effect might occur if I leaked such information.
“I heard you recently lost your son. I cannot dare say I understand that so… ahem, sorrow, but if seeing me, someone of a similar age, brings you comfort, I’ll gladly do so.”
For a hastily made response, it was quite natural. I did stumble over my words briefly because I absolutely couldn’t imagine father grieving over my death, but it probably wasn’t unnatural enough to notice.
“I see.”
