Chapter 84

Episode 84

I hesitated to answer.

The princess was speaking to Duke Kalisto. It would be disrespectful for me to interject, no matter how much attention I was receiving lately.

“You want to spar with Sir O’Brien?”

“He’s the one who broke the Bellatrix swordsmanship. I want to experience his potential firsthand. Oh, and don’t misunderstand this isn’t about revenge for my brother.”

Her competitive spirit was strong. If she had been born a man, she would have been hailed as a potential general.

In any case, her request was reasonable.

The Duke turned to me.

“What do you say, Sir Aubrey? Will you accept the princess’s proposal?”

I bowed to the Duke and replied, “How could I, a loyal subject, refuse the princess’s request? However, I believe it would be best for Her Highness to rest and recover from her journey first.”

“Indeed, you’re right. Your Highness, let’s postpone the spar. Please come inside. We’ll prepare a room for you, humble as it may be.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

As the princess entered the castle, I discreetly observed the reactions of those around me. I wanted to know what the vassals thought of me.

Most of them looked surprised, but not overly so. It seemed my exploits in the capital had been appropriately embellished.

Sir Paris approached me and offered his congratulations.

“As expected of Sir Aubrey. Your fame seems to be spreading throughout the continent.”

“You flatter me. But it seems this isn’t the first time the princess has made such a sudden visit.”

“That’s right. She’s done it a few times before. She’s not capricious she’s a very straightforward and genuine person.”

“How skilled is she?”

Sir Paris pondered for a moment and then answered cautiously, “I’ve seen her spar with the Duke a few times. She’s a very skilled spearwoman. I heard she uses the Bellatrix spear technique. It’s both aggressive and agile.”

“I see.”

“But how did you become acquainted with the princess? I heard her call you a friend.”

I was surprised.

She had mentioned friendship when we first met, but I didn’t expect her to tell others about it.

“It’s nothing, Sir Paris. The princess has a quirky side.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to be on good terms with her.”

He was right.

Beatrice wasn’t just a delicate flower. She was a skilled warrior who had mastered spear techniques.

Befriending her could be beneficial in the future.

“I’ll take my leave now. Please excuse me.”

“Come to my mansion on your next day off. My wife has developed a new recipe. She insisted on inviting you.”

He was a true family man. I readily agreed.

I waited in my office in the inner castle. I didn’t know when the Duke would summon me.

Selendis and Jericho visited me while I was waiting.

“Inspector, why is the princess here? Are you going to become her consort? Congratulations!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could a commoner like me marry a princess?”

“You’re a Baron of the Dukedom now. How long are you going to call yourself a commoner? And you defeated Prince Arthur in a spectacular duel.”

I didn’t see the point in arguing. I offered them seats.

“I heard the princess came here because she wants to spar with me. She’s probably impressed by my victory over Prince Arthur, or rather, my ability to counter the Bellatrix swordsmanship.”

“What? She came all the way here for that?”

“It’s not ‘just that.’ She’s serious. She even came with only five escort knights.”

“Then, she must have come here secretly. But you seem to be in a good mood. Well, she is quite beautiful!”

“That’s not why I’m smiling. The princess’s sudden arrival has made things a bit awkward.”

As I organized my thoughts, I realized something. The princess’s visit was perfectly timed.

And it was in our favor.

“Eloan of House Caribe is on his way here to attend the banquet. He should arrive tomorrow. But where do you think the Duke and his vassals are focusing their attention right now?”

“On the princess, of course… Ah! I see! Hahaha! Young master Hylix is going to be frustrated!”

Hylix had devised a plan to marry off Lady Lucia. He had even invited Eloan from House Caribe to arrange a strategic marriage.

But the princess had arrived unannounced.

The banquet for the eldest son of Caribe would now become a banquet to celebrate the princess’s visit.

And no one could object to this change.

Not even Eloan himself.

“Exactly. We don’t even have to lift a finger. The Lady won’t be dancing with young master Eloan. The princess is the main attraction now. Young master Hylix and Sir Romero will be the ones vying for her attention.”

I concluded my explanation and then stared at Selendis. She looked the same as always, but our earlier conversation was still on my mind.

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m always ready to eat. Can we use the castle dining hall today? Oh, that would be wonderful.”

“Let’s eat out. We’ll have a drink too. Selendis has worked hard today. Let’s use the ‘Jericho Chance.'”

Jericho’s face fell.

The “Jericho Chance” referred to a bet I had won against him. He had to provide us with food and drinks for life.

“Sigh, if only I could use time magic, I would slap my past self. But did you complete a mission or something?”

“I did something even more significant. Don’t ask any more questions. Let’s go.”

That night, we went to the commercial district and had dinner at a luxurious restaurant frequented by nobles. Even Selendis, who never drank during missions, had quite a few drinks.

“Ugh… I’m stuffed. My wallet is completely empty, though.”

“You’re exaggerating. Are you heading back to headquarters?”

“Of course. We have a lot to prepare now that the situation has changed. I need to reassign the investigators.”

“You’re working hard.”

After sending Jericho off in the carriage, Selendis and I boarded our own carriage to return to the Walker mansion.

When we arrived, there was an unfamiliar carriage parked outside.

Head Butler Balzac was currently stationed in the former Gerard territory, so another butler greeted us.

“We have a guest?”

“Yes, Master. Grand Duke Hylix is here.”

He was quicker than I expected.

The princess’s arrival must have been a disaster for him. I had anticipated him summoning me to voice his complaints.

I didn’t expect him to visit me personally, though.

“How long has he been here?”

“About two hours. I served him refreshments.”

“Did you make any mistakes?”

“I’m confident everything was perfect.”

I nodded. Balzac had recommended this butler, so he must be competent.

“Selendis, don’t worry and go back to your room. It’ll be fine.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Get some rest. No training.”

But Selendis didn’t leave. It seemed she had something to say.

“Master, it’s not a big deal.”

“What do you mean?”

“About what I told you earlier, about my past. I’m truly fine. I wanted to tell you someday, so please don’t worry.”

Selendis saluted and went upstairs.

I could clearly sense her concern and loyalty, even without using “Mind’s Eye.”

I entered the drawing-room. Young master Hylix wasn’t alone Lady Oracle was with him.

Hylix looked like he was suppressing his anger.

He must have thrown a table or two in his room after hearing about the princess’s arrival.

“I apologize for making you wait, young master. I would have rushed here immediately if I had known you were coming. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“…Sit down.”

I sat down on the sofa, confident in the arguments I had prepared.

My relaxed demeanor seemed to displease him. Hylix stared at me intently, but he didn’t speak.

“The princess called you a friend. How did that happen?”

“It’s an honor. How could a commoner like me be friends with someone so noble? I declined her offer several times, but she seems to consider me a friend.”

“In the Dukedom, the master should be the center of attention. Duke Kalisto, that is. You’re not supposed to be the protagonist. Yet, you’re acting recklessly, relying solely on your abilities. What are your thoughts on this?”

It was a polite reprimand, but I could sense the petty jealousy hidden beneath his words.

Hylix was exactly the kind of person I thought he was.

“I believe there’s a misunderstanding, young master.”

“Ha, a misunderstanding? If there’s a misunderstanding, isn’t it the fault of the person who caused it?”

I stood up and knelt on one knee.

As everyone knew, I only knelt to gain momentum.

“I am merely a servant of the family. I wasn’t aware of the princess’s arrival beforehand. I had no intention of tarnishing the family’s reputation. I will reflect on my actions and be more careful in the future.”

“…”

Hylix looked displeased, but strangely, Lady Oracle was smiling at me.

This strange dissonance intrigued me.

‘Is this a sign of internal conflict? Lady Oracle seems to have other plans.’

Throughout history, most powerful individuals were brought down by betrayal from their closest allies. The history of this continent was no exception.

But I wasn’t close enough to the Grand Duke to point this out.

I had to use this to my advantage.

‘So, she’s supporting someone else as the next family head… Who is it? Sir Romero? Or someone from a collateral branch?’

The successor was usually chosen from among the direct descendants. This was especially true for high-ranking families.

But if an exceptional individual emerged from a collateral branch, or if someone had the support of the entire branch, the situation could change.

‘If we can recruit Lady Oracle to our side, it would make the Lady’s succession bid much easier.’

The odds were fifty-fifty. The key was to understand her plans. This was beyond my control I had to observe the situation and wait for the right opportunity.

“How did you defeat the Bellatrix swordsmanship?”

The young master’s question revealed the source of his jealousy.

‘Strength’.

His vague sense of inferiority had become clear with the princess’s arrival.

“Even if Prince Arthur is a scoundrel, I heard he’s a skilled swordsman. How did you defeat him? And inflict such a serious injury?”

“I was just lucky, young master.”

“Don’t be absurd!”

Hylix stood up abruptly. Lady Oracle grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Young master, calm down. I think you’ve made your point. Sir O’Brien understands.”

“…”

“Let’s go. The princess might be looking for you.”

“I’ll be watching you, O’Brien.”

I stood up after Hylix left the room. My knees ached.

But I was optimistic.

If “The Legend of Aldebaran” was accurate, the next person kneeling in this room wouldn’t be me, but Grand Duke Hylix.