TLS : Shenks

  "Guest……"

  Kylus tilted his head at the conversation he happened to hear.

  knock, knock

  The knight of the Poirak Palace informed them that a visitor had come.

  Is it not a servant, but a noble lady?

  Perez thought, looking at the lady walking in with her chin raised high.

  "What a rude attitude!"

  Caitlyn protested in a loud voice against the lady who didn’t even greet properly.

  Then the lady snorted softly, then reluctantly bowed her knees to greet.

  "Good morning, Your Highness Second Prince."

  Perez received the greeting with a nod without answering.

  The lady’s eyes trembled, perhaps insulted.

  "I have a message from the Empress. She asked for you to come to the Empress Palace now. Come with me."

  She ordered overbearingly as if she was the empress.

  Perez said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

  "I can’t go now."

  "What?"

  The lady couldn’t hide her embarrassed face and asked again.

  "The Empress’s order is to bring you now……"

  "I’m a little sick."

  Perez said, lowering his eyes under his long eyelashes.

  "Tell her I can’t go because I’m sick."

  "What the hell is wrong with you?……"

  "I’m sick."

  Perez snapped up the lady’s speech.

  "What explanation do I need when I’m sick?"

  "It’s……"

  The Lady had nothing to say.

  Either way, the Prince declined the invitation pretending to be sick even if there was no justification to enforce it.

  "Kylus, see her off."

  Perez immediately turned away from the lady and began to continue eating.

  After Kylus took her out, Caitlyn quietly approached and confirmed Perez’s complexion.

  She was wondering if he was really sick

  Perez spoke.

  "She’s not going to be the last guest today. It would be convenient to have a separate person attending the door."

  And he was right.

  The empress sent another person an hour later.

  At first, the ladies who were her close aides, came one after another, and then later, she even sent officials from Angenas.

  But Perez sent them back, saying the same thing every time.

  I’m sick, so if you have something to say, the Empress can come herself.

  All the messengers who didn’t know Perez would come in boldly and went back embarrassed.

  Eventually, it was about time the sky was completely dark.

  In front of Perez, who is sitting in the drawing room reading a book, Caitlyn put down envelopes of various sizes and colors.

  "These are invitations to banquets and social gatherings for the day."

  Perez looked at a stack of envelopes thick enough not to fit in one hand.

  He expected it to some extent, but the response was hotter. Deliberately walking around the banquet hall and dealing with the nobles talking to him was rewarding.

  It was then.

  "Now, if you’ll just……!"

  A screaming voice came at Kylus’ bewilderment.

  And after a brief disturbance that ensued, the door to the drawing room burst open.

  "……Here you are, guest."

  Perez murmured, looking at the insolent visitor he had been waiting for today.

  "Second Prince."

  It was empress Rabini who was in such a hurry to question the prince.

  The empress, who strode in, donned her smiling mask with chilling eyes that gazed at Perez

  "I heard you’re not feeling very well."

  Perez saw through her.

  He glanced at the empress, quickly swiping the bundle of invitations he was holding.

  "Kylus, Caitlyn. Get out for a second. I think this conversation will end much sooner."

  At Perez’s words, the two paused, but soon went out and closed the door to the drawing room.

  Now only Perez and the Empress remained.

  It was the same situation the last time they talked in the greenhouse.

  "How come you didn’t accept my invitation, Prince?"

  "As I said, I’m not feeling well. And I was a little busy."

  Perez deliberately pointed to the full invitations and said.

  Then the corners of the Empress’s mouth trembled.

  "……The prince, who is going to the academy soon accepts invitations? what can you do?"

  "I’ve told you over and over again that I don’t intend to go to the academy. And with so many people looking for me, I’m losing my mind."

  Perez stopped talking for a moment.

  Then he let out a little more provocative words.

  "And after spending a lot of meaningful time with the Emperor yesterday, I’m becoming convinced that the place I’m supposed to be is not an academy, but the Capital."

  The empress curled her hands to the point where her thick rings left indentions.

  Perez curled up one corner of his mouth as the empress looked angry.

  All of this was a result of careful thought after Lombardy’s visit. What the Empress wants most is for Astana to rise to the throne.

  Then Perez was the biggest and only obstacle to the road. And what they feared most was Perez gaining ground as the second prince.

  So he deliberately talked to the aristocrats at the debut party and spoke as if he were interested in banquets or social gatherings.

  The last invitation by the emperor to the back room was an unexpected harvest.

  Throughout the banquet, Perez used the gaze of the empress watching over him.

  And again, the empress sent people away because of the sweetness from the very day after the banquet.

  "……tell me what you want."

  Empress Rabini spoke in a distinctly different tone.

  "What do you want?"

  "10,000 Gold."

  "……money?"

  Ten thousand gold was a huge sum of money.

  In order to raise that amount of money, Angenas also had to dispose of several estates.

  But if that money can send Perez to the Academy, Astana has nothing to lose.

  That foolish second prince was now saying he would relinquish all rights for mere Gold.1

  The empress, squinting and staring at Perez, suddenly snorted.

  "All you want is money. I guess your lowly origins can never be removed from you."

  The Empress looked at Perez contemptuously.

  But Perez was confident.

  He needed money to walk the path he had in mind.

  However, Perez had no other choice but to support himself in increasing his power than to pay for his living expenses.

  "Yes, I’ll give it to you."

  It sounded as if she was playing a good game against a beggar.

  "Instead, don’t think about coming back to the palace until you graduate."

  "……I will."

  It’s going to be a bumpy road anyway.

  Six years at the academy was an opportunity for Astana, but it was the same for Perez.

  He had no intention of spending a leisurely vacation.

  And, the empress certainly said.

  ’until graduation’.

  It was a six-year academy, but there was an early graduation system for outstanding students.

  After receiving Perez’s confirmation, the empress stood up as if she had no more business.

  On the back of the returning empress, Perez said.

  "I won’t leave until I get paid, so if you want to clean me up quickly, you’ll have to hurry."

  The empress, who was forced to borrow money from the near aristocrats, stared at Perez until the end and left the Poirak Palace.

  Caitlyn and Kylus hurried up, but Perez only looked out at the moon and starry night sky, and said nothing.

  * * *

  Estira, who returned to the academy to complete her research and study, finally came to Lombardy.

  After Dr. O’Malley was expelled, she who had been idle, became Lombardy’s doctor.

  And Estira’s first schedule, which started early in the morning, was my grandfather’s medical checkup.

  "Estira, how’s grandpa doing?"

  I hurried into my grandfather’s office when I heard that the checkup was over, so I couldn’t wait and asked.

  "As expected."

  "As expected, what?"

  "He’s not feeling well overall because of constant overwork. He seems to have neglected to take care of his health while the doctor was away……"

  I knew it.

  Overconfidence in his health was my grandfather’s bad habit.

  I approached my grandfather, who was buttoning up his clothes, and said, crying.

  "Grandpa, you promised to take the nutritional supplements I gave you."

  "Oh, huh, Tia has all the worries about this grandfather…… …… ."

  My grandfather patted my head. It seemed very good for his granddaughter to be concerned about his health.

  "It’s no joke…… No, I’ll have to leave the nutritional supplements to the butler and give them to him every day. And reduce the amount of alcohol, okay?"

  Even if I ask my grandfather to cut down on his work, it was impossible.

  "Yeah, I see, I see. Oh, my God."

  "Are you sure, Grandpa? Both dad and grandpa should take care of your health more."

  "Tia……"

  When I mentioned my father, grandfather seemed to take my words seriously.

  "Yes, this grandfather promises you."

  "Hold your little finger."

  "Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah."

  Grandfather smiled, intertwining his own on the pinky I gave him. My grandfather had another schedule right away, so I came out with Estira.

  "I look forward to your kind cooperation, Estira."

  "Yes, Lady Florentia."

  I came over to the annex and saw a certain carriage for the first time.

  It was a carriage with no family emblem, but it looked very expensive.

  And there, Perez got off.

  "Tia."

  "What are you doing here Perez?"

  "Do you happen to have a schedule today?"

  "Today? No, nothing special. Why?"

  I was going to read a book in my room anyway.

  Then Perez asked me with a light smile.

  "Then, why don’t you go play with me today?"

  I followed Perez out of the Lombardy mansion in a carriage.

  "Where are we going now?"

  I think we’re getting out of the estate.

  "We’re going back to the capital. I have to find some stuff."

  "Yeah, yeah."

  Because Perez doesn’t go well outside the Imperial Palace. I guess he takes care of everything he does once he comes out.

  I opened the carriage window thinking the incoming wind was quite cool. My hair looks a little messy, but whatever.

  I was enjoying my leisure time with my eyes closed. I opened one eye slightly and looked forward.

  "Perez."

  "Yes."

  "My face will be pierced."

  How intense Perez looks at me from the opposite side.

  I can tell even with my eyes closed.

  "Do you have anything to say?"

  "No, not yet."

  "Not yet?"

  You have something to say, but you’ll say it in due course?

  I shrugged my shoulders.

  Well, that happens sometimes in human life.

  "Okay, I’ll wait. Just tell me within today."

  It’s still early in the morning and one day is long.

  "Thank you."

  "Don’t mention it."

  I answered like that and closed my eyes again and enjoyed the wind.

  Then I opened my eyes as the carriage seemed to be moving slowly, and we were already inside the capital.

  But the view from outside the window was a little familiar.

  "Uh, here……"

  "Near Sedakuna Street. I’ve got a little business here in the workshop."

  "The workshop?"

  Wait, if it’s a workshop, don’t tell me.

  The carriage stopped and as I stepped on the ground, I halted my steps.

  Then Perez said, getting off after me.

  "It’s the most beautiful accessory in the Empire these days. I think it’s a workshop set up by a diamond craftsman who originally belonged to Ivan."1

  Perez said and stood by the open of the workshop.

  I think it means I should go in first.

  I swallowed a sigh in my heart that was about to flow out.

  It wasn’t that I couldn’t come.

  Because this was a place where I stopped by with Clerivan whenever we had time.

  The problem is.

  "Tia?"

  That’s the guy who’s tilting his head without knowing anything.

  In the meantime, I have drawn a line between working with Clerivan and private matters like Lombardy’s family and Perez.

  It was to keep track of which is which.

  But when I saw Perez holding the door knob of the workshop, I felt like the two worlds were mixing.

  "Oh, yeah. Let’s go in."

  I ended up in the workshop.

  I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal.

  The employee, who received a small piece of paper Perez handed over, had a couple of words and turned back.

  "They’re bringing things out."

  "I’m going to take a look. Take your time."

  It was a familiar workshop, but it felt a little different when I came as a guest.

  I was looking at the items on display one by one, and now I heard a familiar voice.

  "Someone gave an urgent order after putting money on it, I didn’t expect it was the little owner lady!"

  Grandpa Crowley was laughing at me.

  "The little owner lady?"

  Perez mutters, tilting his head.

  Grandfather Crowley, a diamond craftsman, doesn’t know I’m the owner of Pellet.

  However, the unique sharpness of an old man with accumulated years of age was uselessly shining. [1]

  "Ah, that’s my nickname for Lady Lombardy. They say that she’s the student of the Pellets’ owner, but seeing whatever they were doing, I think Lady Lombardy is more of the teacher."

  Me and Clerivan acted thoroughly in front of others and it was like this even though no one had noticed yet.

  "It’s not me who came to buy things today, it’s him here."

  Perez is dressed in modest clothes today, and rides in a carriage with no imperial patterns.

  He doesn’t want to reveal himself to be a prince.

  "Oh, I see. Now, check it out."

  Grandpa Crowley opened a small box and put it in front of Perez.

  "Hairpin?"

  Inside it was a pair of hairpins.

  It was a design that could be used frequently with simple rubies attached.

  Perez took out a hairpin without saying a word.

  He put it in my hair which was disheveled by the wind a while ago.

  "Perez?"

  I called him in embarrassment, but Perez looked closely at me with a pin and said.

  "……Pretty Tiia."

  "Is this mine?"

  "Yeah. Do you like it?"

  Perez asked me with high expectations.

  It was a pretty hairpin that I couldn’t help but like.

  With a face that looks like it’s going to flutter, I don’t think I can say I don’t like it even if it was to be full of rust.

  "Yes, thank you. I’ll use it well."

  Perez smiled quietly as I nodded and said.

  Perez, who was less emotionally expressive than others.

  So if you translate that smiling face into an ordinary person’s reaction, that is an expression that is excited enough.

  I can’t believe the person who gave me the gift was happier than the receiver.

  I picked up the other one and stuck it in my hair to show that I really liked it.

  Perez’s smile grew stronger.

  ______________________________________________

  [1] Means he was old and experienced enough to tell that Clerivan is actually in debt to Tia, not the other eay around.