* * *
“Lord Joel, you called for me?”
Right on cue, Robert arrived at the drawing room.
He looked uneasy, clearly wondering what was going on.
Joel, with an air of calm authority, issued his command.
“Yes, you came earlier than expected. Robert, please confirm this for His Highness: I’m not pregnant, right?”
“What? Um, well—excuse me?”
Robert was so caught off guard he almost dropped honorifics in front of the Crown Prince.
But he was quick-witted and composed himself swiftly, turning toward the prince.
“Yes, Your Highness. At Lord Joel’s request, I confirmed the results myself. He is not pregnant.”
Joel felt relieved hearing Robert say it.
The Crown Prince, on the other hand, looked visibly disappointed.
Joel sensed the prince’s unspoken regret and confusion, but he didn’t allow himself to dwell on it.
He had a goal to reach.
“Honestly, I was disappointed too. I even had the test done multiple times, but every time it came back negative.”
“Disappointed?”
The prince echoed Joel’s words with biting sarcasm.
After what happened in the forest, Joel had turned him away, refused to meet him for over a month—and now he had the nerve to say he was disappointed?
Joel ignored the judgment in his gaze.
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be disappointed? I could’ve secured the title of Crown Princess—the role I’ve dreamed of for so long. But as Your Highness knows, it’s almost impossible for the test to be wrong at this point. And I didn’t just test once, I tested several times. Is there really a need to test again now?”
“Exactly how many times did you test?”
Still clinging to hope, the Crown Prince asked Robert.
Joel and Robert answered in unison:
“Four times.”
“Four times, Your Highness.”
At that, the prince could no longer deny it.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Robert.
As Robert left, he shot Joel a meaningful glance, clearly asking for an explanation later.
But the Crown Prince, lost in thought with arms crossed, didn’t notice the silent exchange.
After a long pause, the prince murmured to himself,
“What a shame.”
“You should be saying it’s a relief.”
“Surely not.”
He gave a faint smile, one that seemed all too genuine in its regret.
Joel couldn’t understand what was going through his mind, but he knew one thing: he had to leave now.
This was his best chance.
“Then are we done here? If so, I’ll be taking my leave.”
Joel was already halfway out of his seat when the prince suddenly ordered him to sit.
‘He’s not going to force another test, is he?’
Joel forced a casual, annoyed expression and sat back down.
“Confirming your pregnancy was just a side matter. The real reason I called you—starts now.”
The prince began with a serious tone.
Joel, desperate to escape, looked directly at the clock in silent protest—his way of saying “wrap it up already.”
But then the prince said something that made Joel straighten up instinctively.
“This involves your birth father, Lord Bennett.”
Joel felt a chill.
“For some years now, suspicious religious activity has been detected in Lord Bennett’s territory. They claim to follow the Empire’s official religion, but they worship their leader as the living embodiment of god. By all accounts, it’s a heretical sect.”
As the Crown Prince spoke, Joel’s mind flashed back to his childhood in Lord Bennett’s domain.
It was a small, secluded territory deep within a forest, surrounded by swamps, largely untouched by the outside world.
Maybe that’s why the people there had always seemed unusually kind and naïve.
‘Sir Bennet, Joel’s biological father, had done his best to manage his small domain diligently over the years. The people of the land, who knew this well, genuinely trusted and followed him. And yet—he had deceived those innocent and trusting people?’
Joel could feel the anger welling up inside him.
“Then you should’ve rooted them out immediately. Why did you leave them alone? You said you’ve known about this for years!”
The Crown Prince looked silently at the fuming Joel for a brief moment.
The responsibility of governing a domain fundamentally lay with the lord.
And the lord of the domain where the problem occurred was none other than Joel’s own father.
In other words, Joel was essentially blaming his own father—but the issue was, he had no idea that was what he was doing.
The Crown Prince considered reminding Joel of that fact but decided against it.
Honestly, he didn’t have the confidence to explain such cause and effect to Joel in a way that would make him understand.
“Sir Bennet had managed his lands well for over twenty years. So I believed he would handle this situation well, too. Frankly, most lords don’t appreciate interference from the central government. And the leader of that religious group hadn’t exploited his followers in any particularly alarming way like a typical cult. Most of all, the group was small in scale, so it didn’t seem necessary to intervene.
But things changed when even Sir Bennet got caught up in it. That’s when we could no longer turn a blind eye.”
“Sir Bennet got involved? What do you mean?”
“According to reports from our informants, Sir Bennet has donated all of his assets—including his land—to that religious group.”
“Wha—? My father did?”
Joel jumped to his feet in shock before he even realized what he was doing.
But that couldn’t be right.
His father was supposed to have already traveled to the Kingdom of Phalein and be staying at a foreign noble’s estate by now.
How could he possibly have handed over everything he owned to a cult?
‘No way.’
Joel muttered to himself, stunned, and then quickly turned to the Crown Prince with a flurry of questions.
“My butler—where is he?”
“If you’re talking about the one you brought with you, he’s probably waiting outside.”
“Then, excuse me. I just need to check something quickly.”
Joel dashed toward the drawing room doors.
Just as the Crown Prince had said, Wickham was sitting on a sofa in the antechamber, patiently waiting for Joel.
Joel hurriedly asked him to show the letter that his father had supposedly sent earlier that day.
Wickham hesitated at first, worried that Joel might be about to cause some trouble in front of the Crown Prince.
But after seeing the pale look on Joel’s face, he handed over the letter he had been keeping.
Joel snatched the envelope and returned to his seat.
“What’s that?” the Crown Prince asked, seeing the letter in Joel’s hand.
“A letter from Sir Bennet. It arrived this morning. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet—too much has happened today. May I take a moment now?”
“Go ahead. Take your time.”
As soon as he got permission, Joel tore open the envelope with trembling hands.
While the Crown Prince sipped his tea, Joel began reading the letter with wide, frantic eyes.
[To my beloved son, Joel.
Joel, you probably expect that by now I’ve crossed the border into the Kingdom of Phalein. I must apologize for failing to meet your expectations.
But, my son, I simply could not waste money on something as frivolous as a trip abroad.
As I’ve said many times before, there are many ways to spend money. You can spend it on your beloved family, on yourself, but money only gains its true value when used to help someone in greater need.
Especially someone in the position of a lord—he must be even more careful with his expenditures. After all, the fate of a whole domain can hinge on his decisions.
Joel, the money it would take to go on one overseas trip could instead be used to build new levees in preparation for next year’s flood season, or to repair the reservoir, or to distribute food to the people in preparation for the coming winter.
So how could I justify spending it on something like a vacation?
Oh, you want me to stop lecturing? Alright, I’m sorry.
But you know as well as anyone that I’ve spent my entire life worrying about how best to manage the domain.
That’s why I simply couldn’t bring myself to waste the money on a trip. I hope you can understand.
To be perfectly honest, I came across a golden opportunity to spend my money wisely, and that made the decision even easier.
Seeing such a chance fall into my hands felt like a sign from the gods—that they had recognized my efforts in governing the land. I was overwhelmed with joy.
You probably don’t understand what I’m talking about.
That’s okay. I’m disappointed, too, that I can’t fully convey the spiritual experience I had in just a letter.
After losing your dear mother and sending you off to the capital, I’ve felt terribly lonely.
The one who gave me strength through it all was none other than Reverend John.
Thanks to him, I’ve learned so much. I truly believe that this precious opportunity also came to me because of him.
You won’t understand now, but one day, if you experience a spiritual awakening under Reverend John’s guidance, I believe you’ll understand what I’m feeling.
That’s why, my beloved son, I’ve made up my mind to live the rest of my life as a devoted follower of Reverend John.
When I told him that I would donate all my possessions to the church, he was very pleased.
This money will be used far more wisely in his hands than in mine, and that brings me great comfort. Every single coin of my meager fortune will now serve Reverend John’s great cause.
I am sorry that I did this without consulting you—even giving away the portion I had promised you.
But Joel, when one is blinded by earthly desires, one cannot walk the spiritual path that the divine has laid out. To put it simply, we must not be stingy with offerings made to the work of the gods.
This letter’s gotten long. I’ll end it here, since you must be busy.
Before winter ends, please ask Count Lucas to bring you here for a visit. I’d love to arrange a meeting between you and Reverend John. I’m sure it would be a priceless opportunity for you as well.
With love,
Your father.
P.S. By the way, is this person named Paul really someone you sent?
He kept going on about liquidating the Bennet estate, so I had him locked up for fraud.
But… I don’t think he was lying. Of course, I don’t think you would ever try to steal my money—but please explain. I’m confused.]
While Joel silently read through the lengthy letter, the Crown Prince watched his face anxiously, observing the emotions shift minute by minute.
* * *
