* * *

“…So, have you figured out who sent that letter, Jaynon?”

Inside a moving carriage, Asnel spoke to Jaynon, who sat across from him, sporting a large bruise on his forehead.

“It was a servant from the Herins Count estate. They’ve been there for less than six months.”

“Anything unusual?”

“Both parents are deceased. Initially, he was one of the servants who bullied Ronen, the Count’s adopted son, but after being assigned as Ronen’s personal attendant, he suddenly started taking care of him. If that counts as unusual.”

Hearing this, Asnel’s eyes darkened.

“He might have changed his attitude after realizing Ronen is truly my younger brother. How much farther to the Count’s estate?”

“We’re passing through the southern village of Ormach now, so not much longer.”

As the carriage rolled on, a sign for “Roa Orphanage” briefly flashed past Asnel’s gaze.

“If the child at the Count’s isn’t my brother, I’ll have to check that place too.”

The carriage eventually pulled into the chaotic Herins Count estate.

“Jaynon, find out what’s going on out there.”

Rubbing his swollen forehead, Jaynon hesitated.

“Couldn’t we send Irtel or Tens instead? I’d rather not meet people looking like this…”

“Would you prefer matching lumps on the other side of your head?”

Terrified, Jaynon hurriedly leapt from the carriage, leaving Tens to wave at him mockingly while Irtel shook his head before addressing the Grand Duke.

“If the Ronen here truly is Your Grace’s brother, what will you do about Ed?”

“If Ronen is truly my brother, I should repay him appropriately. But if you’ve been treating him kindly just to gain favor with the Emperor or expecting some reward… Well, we’ll see.”

Asnel had already spent years entangled with the Emperor’s lackeys, who constantly exploited his younger brother.

If this time they intended to use his brother as leverage to harm him or the North, he had no intention of showing mercy.

Some time later, Jaynon came rushing in, gasping for breath.

“Your Grace, young master Ronen… he’s been poisoned…”

Before Jaynon could finish, Asnel jumped from the carriage and headed straight for the Count’s manor.

---

“So, Your Grace, do you think that servant named Ed you met is one of the Emperor’s spies?”

After the revelation that Ronen was indeed his biological brother, Irtel asked this as they discussed Ed.

Asnel shook his head slightly.

“He seems to be hiding something, but it doesn’t seem connected to the Emperor. His reactions and actions are too clumsy. In any case, since Ronen wants him here, it looks like I’ll be staying at this manor to keep an eye on him.”

Even as he observed Ed closely, Asnel didn’t let go of his suspicions.

But…

‘Why does he spend all day helping others with their work? He’s the benefactor who reunited me with my brother; there’s no need for him to work so hard here.’

Yet Ed continued to injure himself while working or fell prey to the cruelty of other servants who exploited his kind nature.

One day, Asnel learned from Ed that not only the Count’s family but also various servants had been tormenting Ronen.

From then on, Asnel exacted revenge on those who bullied Ronen and even those who had tormented Ed, using all sorts of methods to settle the score.

Watching this, Jaynon, Tens, and Irtel began to discuss the Duke’s peculiar behavior with puzzled expressions.

“Is His Grace usually the type to personally handle things one by one? Normally, he would’ve left and arranged for the whole manor to ‘accidentally’ go up in flames.”

Even Irtel, who had been by the Duke’s side for years, found Asnel’s behavior perplexing.

“Exactly… Once he draws his sword, he deals with everything in one sweep, leaving no loose ends. But now, it’s like he’s playing childish pranks.”

Jaynon, acting as if he were privy to some secret, clicked his tongue and beckoned the others closer.

“His Grace seems to have taken a liking to that servant, Ed. He consults him before making any moves. While the matter with the Count’s family may carry His Grace’s intentions, it’s clear where his heart lies.”

Shuddering slightly, Jaynon continued with his arms crossed.

“Ugh, just imagine surviving three years at the Venta Academy, only to come home and find your family ruined and your debts sky-high. Life wouldn’t feel worth living.”

“How do you know all this?” Tens shot him a skeptical glare.

Jaynon sighed as if dealing with a slow learner.

“How could you not see it? Just look at His Grace’s behavior.”

“What behavior? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jaynon leaned in, his tone almost conspiratorial.

“Did His Grace ever personally make you medicine when you were sick? Or tell you to take a break and hand you spending money? Ever buy you shoes? Praise you by patting your head?”

Tens snapped his fingers in realization.

“He did give me pocket money once, but nothing else.”

“I got a custom-ordered sword from him, but yeah, nothing more,” Irtel chimed in.

Jaynon’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“I’ve never even gotten pocket money… or anything for that matter…”

Unbeknownst to them, Asnel overheard their conversation.

But even he didn’t fully understand why he acted the way he did around Ed.

He only knew that wherever Ed went, his eyes would unconsciously follow.

Seeing Ed smile while enjoying a good meal or laugh after a successful prank warmed Asnel’s heart in ways he couldn’t explain.

Under the pretense of revenge, Asnel lingered at the manor, finding reasons to stay close to Ed.

The royal celebration provided the perfect opportunity.

Ronen’s request meant Ed would travel north with them, but Asnel still hadn’t secured his place in Ed’s heart.

At this point, Asnel told himself his feelings were solely for Ronen’s sake.

He thought his attitude toward Ed would eventually mirror how he treated his loyal aides.

But it didn’t.

With Ed, Asnel was not the Grand Duke defending the North against external threats, but simply Ronen’s older brother, Asnel Linden.

When he saw Ed’s sparkling eyes, he felt the weight on his shoulders lift, a burden he had carried since he was eighteen.

His different demeanor around Ed and his retainers stemmed from this very truth.

It wasn’t until one evening, when Ed’s profile was illuminated by the flickering light of a campfire, that Asnel finally understood.

His heart raced, and he realized what his parents had once described as love.

---

Ed, unable to withstand the intensity of Asnel’s silent gaze, eventually lowered his head.

For a moment, Asnel’s eyes lingered warmly on Ed. Then, a well-worn notebook appeared before Ed’s eyes.

“You’re the one who reunited our family. I’m sure my parents would’ve wanted to meet you.”

Ed accepted the notebook with care and glanced up, thinking:

‘It’s a good thing it’s a bit dim here. Otherwise, His Grace might see my flushed face and start worrying.’

“This is a record of medicinal herbs I found in the capital. It’s incomplete, so my parents and I traveled to various places, researching and adding to it.”

Ed opened the notebook, slowly flipping through its pages.

Detailed drawings of herbs and instructions for preparing remedies filled the book.

Toward the end, scattered between entries, were personal memories and even Asnel’s doodles.

As Ed read, his eyes grew misty.

He quickly lowered his head to hide his face.

Asnel gently wrapped his hands around Ed’s, notebook and all.

“I want you to have this.”

Ed blinked in surprise, looking up at Asnel.

“In return, would you help me complete it? Just like my parents did.”

“But… this is a precious keepsake. Wouldn’t it be better to ask an expert? I could record what I learn in another notebook. You have Irtel, Jaynon, even Tens…”

“I want to finish it with you, Ed,” Asnel interrupted softly, his usual confidence faltering.

“Like my parents did. And when it’s done… I think I’ll finally have the courage I need.”

* * *