* * *
Seeing how exhausted Jaynon looked, Ed immediately agreed.
“Of course. If there’s anything I can do, just say the word.”
“It’s nothing too hard. I need to step out of the castle for a bit, but today’s mail hasn’t arrived yet. Can you deliver it to His Grace in my place?”
“So, just sorting the mail by category?”
“Yeah, it’s straightforward. I’d ask Tens, but he’s so scatterbrained I can’t trust him with it. Sorry, but could you handle it?”
Before Ed could respond, Tens interjected with a smug grin.
“Come on, give me a shot! I’m good at anything that involves quick hands.”
Jaynon glanced at him with mild disdain.
“This job requires brains too, so I’ll leave it to Ed.”
“Right, because the guy who loses every game to me has such a great track record,” Tens shot back.
Ed patiently waited for their bickering to die down before speaking.
“Alright, just show me how you want the mail sorted.”
Taking a sip of water Ed handed him, Jaynon began explaining the process.
As he talked, Ed pulled a notebook from his coat pocket to jot down notes, which made Jaynon abruptly stop and stare at the notebook.
“Jaynon?”
When Ed flipped through the pages, confused, Jaynon quickly shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Let’s continue.”
“Ah, it’s Ed today, not Jaynon?”
The deliveryman, who recognized Ed from previous mail runs, greeted him with a smile.
“Yes, Jaynon had some business outside, so I’m here to take care of things. Is this all the mail for today?”
“That’s everything. But there’s quite a lot—can you manage it alone?”
“This much is fine. Thanks! By the way, be careful out there—it’s icy all over.”
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Ed carried the mail to the lounge and began sorting it meticulously, recalling Jaynon’s instructions.
‘I can’t afford any mistakes.’
He divided the mail into trays labeled for different regions, double-checking each item.
Finally, he reached the last box.
“Alright, just one more,” Ed murmured.
As he sorted through, he suddenly stopped, recognizing a familiar seal and envelope.
“…The Herbalist Association?”
It was a group Ed himself had requested the Duke to establish.
Could there be an issue?
Curious, but knowing he couldn’t open a letter meant for the Duke, Ed placed it neatly with the others.
“Better deliver these quickly; some could be important.”
Checking his pocket watch, Ed picked up the tray and headed to the Duke’s office.
After knocking, he heard the Duke’s low voice beckon him inside.
“Come in.”
Ed entered, bowing politely. “Your Grace, today’s mail has arrived.”
The Duke’s desk was buried under piles of documents, yet his sharp gaze fixed on Ed immediately.
Feeling the weight of that stare, Ed set the tray on the desk and took a step back.
The Duke chuckled softly as he reviewed the mail.
“Jaynon isn’t here today, so you’re handling things? Anything unusual among the letters?”
“Most are routine updates from regional associations. However, there’s also a package and letter from the Herbalist Association, as per my previous request.”
The Duke nodded, examining the correspondence with a calm but focused demeanor.
Despite the workload from overseeing Roa’s estate last night, he seemed unfazed.
Noticing Ed’s lingering gaze, the Duke paused and looked up.
“No further tasks for me? I’ll take my leave, then,” Ed said, bowing.
“Actually, I’m heading out as well. Let’s go together.”
Gathering the Herbalist Association’s package, the Duke rose, leaving Ed puzzled.
‘Why bring that along?’
Following him, Ed trailed quietly through the halls until the Duke suddenly stopped.
“Ed, do you have any urgent tasks left?”
“No, my schedule’s free until lunchtime.”
“Good. You’ll accompany me somewhere.”
Ed wanted to escape—his face often flushed in the Duke’s presence—but seeing the rare lightness in the Duke’s expression, he could only nod.
“Of course. Is there anything I should prepare?”
“No need. Hmm… your clothes seem too thin.”
The Duke draped his own coat over Ed’s shoulders, sending his heart racing once again.
“The road to the outer castle is quite cold, so make sure to stay covered. I heard this morning that you weren’t feeling well.”
At the sudden touch of the Grand Duke, Ed’s face flushed red once more.
This left Ed with no time to wonder why His Highness was leaving the inner castle for the outer one.
The silence between them, which had persisted for some time, ended as they crossed the cloud bridge that connected the main castle of the northern stronghold to the outer one.
“Ed, you’ve never been to the research wing of this outer castle, have you?”
“Pardon? Oh, no, I haven’t.”
“Then you probably don’t know what the residents here usually do.”
Following the Grand Duke deeper into the outer castle, Ed carefully trailed behind as they ascended a narrow staircase.
As they reached a door facing a large window, a bitter, pungent smell wafted through the air, sharp enough to wrinkle his nose.
“Huh? This smell…”
It seemed similar to the scent of the medicinal herbs Tens had brought earlier.
The door opened, revealing a large laboratory filled with desks, vials, and medicinal herbs.
Ed’s breath caught in his throat as he took in the unexpected scale of the facility.
The Grand Duke gently pushed Ed’s shoulder forward from where he stood frozen at the doorway.
“This is a specialized herbal research facility we’ve been developing since last year for the benefit of the North, where physicians are scarce. Today’s delivery completed the setup.”
The room was filled with the mingling aromas of various herbs, and on the spacious desks lay a plethora of plants and related books.
‘This scale… there’s no way this was put together in a short time.’
Ed glanced around, now inside the lab.
The large bookshelves were crammed with research materials he hadn’t even seen in the castle’s library.
“Your Grace, how did you gather all of this? I asked Jeynon before, and he said it’s hard to collect high-quality herbalism materials. Especially books—they’re rare and difficult to acquire.”
The Grand Duke, watching Ed struggle to conceal his excitement, approached slowly.
“Truthfully, I started this long before I assumed the title of Grand Duke.”
Stopping behind Ed, the Grand Duke reached up and switched on a magical lamp hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm light throughout the room.
“As you said, serious herbal research takes a lot of time and effort.”
The Grand Duke paused, seemingly lost in thought, before picking up a notebook from the desk and gently running his fingers over it.
“When I was young, even minor ailments that could have been cured with medicine often led to death in the North because we lacked both drugs and physicians.”
Seeing the sadness in the Grand Duke’s back, Ed found himself at a loss for words.
“So, my parents, the late Grand Duke and Duchess, sold off their possessions to begin preparations for herbal research. This is the result of their efforts.”
Only then did Ed notice the traces of someone’s presence lingering throughout the laboratory—beyond just the herbs and research materials.
“It should have been completed long ago, but various circumstances delayed it until now. Even Ronen wouldn’t know about this place. He was just a baby back then.”
The Grand Duke pulled a family portrait carefully tucked inside the notebook and handed it to Ed.
“This is a portrait my parents kept of our family.”
With great care, Ed accepted the portrait.
In it, a woman in her early thirties, who bore a striking resemblance to the current Grand Duke, held a child in her arms.
A man gazed lovingly at them, his eyes filled with affection.
“This child here is Ronen, and this is me,” the Grand Duke said, pointing to a young boy standing slightly apart, clutching the woman’s dress with teary eyes.
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Ed asked, “But why does Your Grace look so upset here? Everyone else is smiling so brightly.”
The Grand Duke chuckled awkwardly, scratching his cheek.
“Well… it’s been so long, I don’t really remember. If I’d known this would be the only family portrait left, I would’ve smiled properly. It’s a shame.”
At his subdued tone, Ed instinctively clasped the Grand Duke’s hand with both of his.
“Then, Your Grace, why don’t you and Young Master Ronen commission a new portrait to place here, in honor of the late Grand Duke and Duchess?”
Though initially surprised by Ed’s sudden gesture, the Grand Duke felt warmth spread through his chest at the suggestion.
“Yes… let’s do that. But only if you’re included in the portrait as well, Ed.”
“Me? But I’m not even from the North, and I’ve never met the late Grand Duke and Duchess.”
The Grand Duke, seeing Ed’s eyes sparkle in the magical lamplight, recalled their very first encounter at the Count’s estate.
* * *
Спасибо
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Hello
Romanceeeee
Aaawwnnn overdose de fofura
Thanks
Well, Ed is already included as family ☺️