“Ah, right! How come Sir Assisi looks the same as when he was in princess’ childhood. We are all getting old here, right, Miss Serira?”
“I’m not saying that.”
“But even Your Majesty isn’t getting older! Rather, the more he seems to age, the more he takes over the ladies’ hearts in the capital! It is such a foul thing! Foul, I tell you!”
Elene’s nose flared.
I realized something and objected.
“But, why are we not taking Ferdel into consideration?”
Elene naturally replied as if nothing happened.
“Oh, he’s a married man. Besides, Mr. Ferdel is handsome, but he isn’t the most handsome man in the nation, right?”
“Ferdel will cry when he hears that.”
For sure. 100 percent. I could be sure of his reaction.
If he heard that, he would cry and whine! It was better not to let him know, or else he would start asking people who the handsome one was.
Well, he should be glad he wasn’t being referred to as the handsome middle-aged man of the century.
“But, how is our knight getting so cool when he grows older? Even when I was young, the maids used to say that he had a gloomy feel around him, but he looks more attractive now. What was it called, the love which heals the wounds? I want to pull him into my arms and tear down his walls.”
“That is a pretty dangerous statement.”
So Elene was such a woman. Gloomy… what? Takedown walls?
“Elene, didn’t you hate Assisi?”
“Hm… I didn’t like him. I felt uncomfortable when he was around. I was young back then. A man with a great life ahead of him but decided to onto his forged sword was scary.”
It was scary. I was never of such thought when around Assisi, probably because I had already seen dad. Well, I admit that dad was sterner than Assisi.
“Thanks to a certain lady, he’s more approachable now.”
Even if she didn’t emphasize it, I knew who she was.
Avoiding her gaze, I bit the candy, and it broke in my mouth. I heard someone approach the door. I asked for them to enter.
Who could it be at such a time?
“Uh, Ferdel!”
“Are you feeling good, Princess?”
Shocking. It was Ferdel who had come to visit me.
Once Elene saw Ferdel, she felt a bit bad.
Elene took a step back after seeing Ferdel’s hurt expression.
He heard it; he definitely heard it. I looked at Ferdel.
“You must have been very busy. Did you come to check on me?”
“Yes. I might not be the most handsome man of the century, but I am still a handsome one.”
“…”
Was he hurt?
Elene turned gloomy. I couldn’t help but smile.
Haha, what would happen to our country? The future looked so bleak.
“I might not be the most handsome one of the century, but I am a kind, smart, competent, cool, genius, and handsome man.”
“…”
“I might not be the most handsome one of the century, but I am a perfect man with no missing screw in his head, with a family, academic background, appearance, and many more.”
“Stop.”
He had to stop! Enough!
I was wondering how long he would list his qualities. Elene was already looking crushed with cold sweat breaking out of her forehead! She could have just said that it was an accident, but Ferdel was a sore loser…
Serira took Elene out of the room.
Right, leaving was the best solution.
I would think of a way to help Elene in the future, and at that moment, Ferdel smiled. What? He couldn’t just tease people around like that!
“Ah, by the way, I have something to tell you.”
“Uh? Did Ferdel have to say it directly?”
“Yes, it’s important.”
What was it that he had to come to my room for?
A bad feeling began to creep into my heart.
Ferdel’s smile widened as he spoke.
What? Did something happen?
“Tomorrow, messengers from Shertogenbosch will arrive.”
“… messengers?”
“Yes, Ancief and Parten-Kiehern messengers have already arrived and rested with quite a few ambassadors from the north other than Shertogenbosch.”
Why was he telling me this?
I asked him to talk quicker by nodding. Ferdel understood it.
My uneasy feeling increased. I never felt like it in recent times.
“I would like the princess to be in charge of the envoy from Shertogenbosch.”
“…”
“Huh?”
Hold on now. Did I hear something wrong?
“Wait, Ferdel?”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
‘Wow, way to use your smile.’
“You want me to face their messengers?”
‘Them?! Huh?!’
I didn’t want to divide the country, but Shertogenbosch was an empire with a massive influence on the north. That was an opponent I could never deal with.
Ah, look at this man’s guts. Was he entrusting them into someone as weak as me?!
I had to reject it!
Reject! I couldn’t do it!
Fardel sighed at my response then asked.
“Then, should I ask Your Majesty to do it?”
“… I’ll do it.”
If he puts it like that, I wouldn’t be able to refuse. Rotten!
Ugh, I gulp after seeing Ferdel smile.
‘Ah, that guy. Ferdel is no good to me. I’m sure!’
“Then let’s move.”
“Why so quick?”
“We have some things to deal with.”
Fardel seemed a little tired. It was my first time seeing him display his exhaustion.
What? If he acted so weak, I wouldn’t be able to counter him at all! No way, some mid-life crisis? However, Fedel seemed like he wasn’t going through anything. Man, he had my sympathy.
It was a shame.
“I heard that you couldn’t enter your home for three weeks while working in the palace.”
At my words, Ferdel pondered for a moment.
“Has it been three weeks?”
“…”
What was with this man?
He didn’t even remember when he left his house?
I felt bad for Silvia, who would be waiting for Ferdel to come home.
Poor Silvia, her man didn’t even care about returning to his home, ugh. Just die. Bloody workaholic, ugh!
My poor, poor Silvia!
I was worried about Silvia when Ferdel spoke.
“There were too many things which had to be done…”
My thoughts halted.
A moment’s stillness.
However, something felt different about the air around us; in a moment, it felt like a massive gust of wind headed towards us.
This new wind seemed stagnant.
Fardel seemed different for some reason.
What was it?
I wondered for a moment, what was it? However, Ferdel didn’t say anything. He just soon smiled.
“Anyway, thank you. I believe that the princess will do well.”
“Don’t just believe it blindly!”
I yelled, but Ferdel smiled as he walked out of the door with relaxed shoulders.
Wow, I hated him!