Chapter 12
At those words, the nobles unconsciously began to turn their attention to the children of the grand duke's family.
If the next Sword Saint himself praised someone's appearance, it could not simply be brushed aside.
On the contrary, the title of the next Sword Saint served as a testament to that truth.
"Did you say he was on the verge of dying? It's true his health is weak, but it has never been so bad that he was about to die. Are you spreading false facts while knowing nothing?"
"T-that's not it... It's just... those are the rumors I heard..."
"If that's the case, all rumors from this place must be true. But how many of those actually turned out to be lies?"
"......"
"Probably more than half... No, maybe nine out of ten are lies. But you speak as if it's all fact, so I'm asking you if you can take responsibility for that."
Lang found his opponent's remarks displeasing, but he did not show his feelings.
He merely drew a clear line with a few words.
A man called the next Sword Saint could not stir up a fistfight at a social gathering.
"C-calm down. This friend seems to have misspoken. What are you waiting for—apologize already!"
"I-I'm terribly sorry."
The host was overwhelmed by the tension but resolved the situation with composure.
The next Sword Saint alone had the power to stir up a social gathering, gathering all conversations around himself.
Such a distinguished guest could not be lost over some simpleton's blunder.
"Since we're on the subject, let me say one more thing. Don't underestimate the northern grand duke. He is a hero defending this nation at the very frontlines. And yet, someone like you dares to speak of the grand duke's family?"
With that final statement, Lang completely crushed his opponent.
The Northern Grand Duke, the head of the Radiant family, had inherited that bloodline and had protected the northern territories for ages.
It was an achievement no one else had accomplished, and through their sacrifice, the Agnes Empire was able to seize peace.
How could some pampered noble brat so easily insult the house of the grand duke?
"Lord Phodios, I should be leaving early today."
"Y-you're leaving already?"
"I'll visit again another time. Next time, I'll make sure to bring the grand duke's child."
"Ooh... will you really? A guest brought by you is always welcome."
The host was pleased inside but also sensed Lang's discomfort.
Lang Couster had never in his life caused any controversy.
That meant his sense of justice and pride was strong, and his concern for comrades was exceptional.
But, after his upright beliefs were openly mocked, he now refused to be in the presence of those responsible.
'... Rumors like that are best addressed by the person in question.'
Lang had explained on Alter's behalf, but he knew it was not a fundamental solution.
Rumors kept pouring out of people's mouths, always spawning new ones.
Thus, Alter himself would need to attend the social gathering and put a stop to the rumors with his own words.
'For Brillie's sake as well, this is the right thing to do. I'll have to persuade him carefully later.'
* * *
Alter, lying in bed, would occasionally cough.
He hadn't done anything to overexert himself, nor had he been exposed to the cold.
But before he knew it, he had caught a cold, and eventually found himself unable to move.
'What did I even do to come down with a cold?'
Alter reviewed what he had been doing since settling in the capital.
Regular meals and sleep, expensive medicinal herbs, and walks near the mansion.
Beyond that, the only thing he did was visit the headquarters of the Setinos Knights.
Was that really enough for his body to collapse?
'No matter how weak I am, this is just...'
Alter thought it was unfair, but had already accepted the result.
When he was in the northern region, he always burned firewood to keep warm.
Even then, he always felt fatigue, and at times even standing upright was hard.
Compared to that, life in the capital was easy, so even if he caught a cold, he could endure.
'Is it because my body is cold? In this state, I guess it's easy to catch a cold.'
While vaguely speculating, Alter glanced at the brazier.
Someone had brought in a brazier—one no one else would use—just for him.
Others likely never even felt cold, but from that brazier, he alone took comfort in its warmth.
'It's no one's fault. My body is just unruly...'
From down the hall, the sound of knocking came, and then Cadeon appeared.
Cadeon surveyed the inside of the room before quickly approaching the bedside.
Alter tried to sit up at once, but Cadeon held up a hand to stop him.
"Stay lying down. I'm not so rigid as to expect greetings from a sick man."
"I'm sorry for causing concern. I'll be better in a day."
"I hope so. You can't just keep lying in bed forever."
Only then did Cadeon sit in a chair and quietly look down at Alter.
His face, pale to the point of looking washed out, was now flushed bright red.
Frequent coughs sounded faint, and his eyes seemed filled with heaviness.
"Now that I mention it... you have a handsome face."
"Pardon? Ah... Compared to your eldest son, I think I come up short."
Even while weakened by the cold, Alter praised the eldest son of the Illenat family.
He was Cadeon's official successor; he was to inherit the title.
He was the child Cadeon cherished the most, and praising him was a roundabout show of etiquette.
"I know how to judge faces myself. Not to say my son is ugly... but he's not someone I'd brag about."
"Your son would be crushed to hear that."
"Ha ha! Would anyone really feel sad about that? There will be much sadder things ahead."
"......"
Alter understood the deeper meaning behind those words, but did not break the silence.
Leading a family meant endless effort and hardship.
Let your guard down once, and your family's prestige would suffer—rivals would pounce.
To protect the name and history of a house, and to ensure its continued prosperity, one must always make wise decisions.
"...... It seems you get along well with my daughter. I wonder if you've fallen for her face?"
"I doubt it. She probably spends time with me only because we're engaged."
"You don't know my daughter well. When she feels something is unjust, she'll never bend. She only accepts what she herself deems proper. Aren't you the same?"
"What would make me proper in her eyes?"
"Didn't I just tell you? Sometimes, having a handsome face is good enough."
"......?"
Alter found the reasoning odd but partially understood.
When people meet, they always see each other's appearance first.
That first impression remains, and impacts the ensuing relationship.
Cadeon likely realized this and simply explained it to him.
"That's more than enough. As long as my daughter has no complaints, I'm satisfied."
"... What if she did have complaints?"
"I'd have to soothe her, wouldn't I? That's what being a parent is about."
"If that's the case, wouldn't she also find the sun unjust?"
"The sun, hm... Is it not too hot? When sunlight is too strong, it wilts flowers. Sometimes, I think they might need water instead."
At those words, Alter felt a strange sense of dissonance.
Cadeon was obviously aiming for a political marriage with the crown prince.
If so, he should fixate on the sun—so why mention water all of a sudden?
"Well then, take care of yourself. I hope to see you at the table tomorrow."
Ending the conversation, Cadeon stood up first.
Alter watched until Cadeon was gone, then belatedly sunk back into worry.
'What does he mean by water? The flower is Brillie, the sun is the crown prince...'
He remembered both metaphors clearly, as he himself had thought of them before.
But 'water' had been introduced by Cadeon, and it left no clues as to whom it meant.
What did Cadeon compare to water?
'I have no idea. Is there anyone who could represent water?'
Both sun and water are essential for a flower to grow.
Therefore, Cadeon must regard water as something equivalent to the sun.
But from Alter's perspective, he could think of no one who rivaled the crown prince.
'He can't be trying to give up on the crown prince... What is he even planning?'
* * *
Brillie headed straight for Alter's room as soon as she got off work.
She had stopped by briefly before reporting to the Knight Order's headquarters, but was still uneasy.
If it was just a cold, he'd be fine soon enough, but with Alter's condition, even a minor cold might last longer.
'Has he gotten any better?'
Brillie knocked lightly and stepped inside.
The brazier was still blazing, and there was a faint, musty smell in the room.
She had probably ventilated the smoke, but couldn't have gotten rid of it completely.
"How are you feeling?"
"Much better."
Alter was sitting by the table, sipping from a teacup.
Fortunately, the worst of the cold had passed before dinner.
He hadn't gotten over it completely, though, so he was still relying on the brazier's warmth.
"I shouldn't have suggested we go out..."
"It's not that. If I could catch a cold just from a brief outing, I would have suffered long ago."
There was no need to agonize over the cause of the cold.
A mere visit to the Knight Order's headquarters couldn't have caused it.
It was simply that his weak body made any illness hard to overcome.
"If we were in the northern region, I'd never have recovered this fast. Being in the capital is probably what made my recovery possible."
"But you're not completely better yet, are you?"
"I'm almost there. That's why I'm drinking tea."
Alter answered calmly and emptied his cup.
If not for the management of the duke's household, he would not have recovered this quickly.
Thus, his own limits became all the more obvious.
"...... Do you understand now why I mentioned breaking off our engagement?"
"......"
"I caught a cold even while staying somewhere warm. They even brought in a brazier just for me, and the butler and maids only attended to me. And even then, this is barely enough for me to recover."
"......"
"I'm sure the Duke of Illenat is disappointed as well. But what can I do? This is simply the state of my body."
Taking this chance, Alter revealed his wish to break off the engagement.
The Duke of Illenat had been ambiguous, but the goal itself likely had not changed.
Having seen how easily he succumbed to a cold, Brillie must surely feel a sense of distance.
"Do you still want to marry me, even after seeing this?"
Alter spoke calmly, meeting Brillie's eyes.
Brillie was silent for a while, then finally spoke.
"Hearing you say that just makes me want to marry you even more."
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Mama bear!!!
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】