For a moment, I was so surprised I forgot I had to breathe.
There was no change in his expression.
He wasn’t looking down on me, nor was he smiling playfully.
He spoke calmly as if he were just stating a fact as it was.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”
“……Yes.”
Only then, with that answer, did I find my breath.
In Valuncio, there is a rule that ‘no one should enter the forest recklessly.’
It was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange to be punished for breaking the rules.
Yet, he didn’t get angry at all about my actions in breaking them.
This time, his lips, which formed a gentle curve, continued.
“If you are dissatisfied with that, I will give you information within the limits of what I know.”
“Really?!”
The Count was more favorable to me than ever before.
If I had known it would be like this, sooner…… no, no, no, no.
That would have been impossible.
I pressed the back of my hand against my cheeks, which felt hot as if they had touched fire.
But that heat easily transferred, coloring even the back of my hand.
“Do you have a fever?”
“N-No, I don’t.”
“Since your body is weak, don’t overdo it at times like this, and you should rest well for a few days after all…….”
“I am fine! Please give me the information!”
My shame surged, and I ended up raising my voice.
He soon fell silent.
Then, stroking his chin, he nodded slowly as if saying everyone is like that at that age.
“You likely heard the report just now, but the Kingdom of Mariposa is gathering troops at the border. Since this place is the closest among the adjacent regions, if an emergency occurs, I will be the one to move.”
An emergency would mean crossing the border with those troops as they are.
Tension overflowed, and my throat made a sound on its own.
I was prepared.
But now that a situation where such a thing might actually happen has arrived, I feel so disturbed that my stomach is churning.
“When I am away, Fabian will be my deputy, but Klen and you also have the duty to protect the territory.”
“Yes.”
I nodded firmly.
No matter who rules this place, protecting the territory is a given.
If he had thought I was just a fragile person, he wouldn’t have said such things to me.
The fact that he passed this message on was no different from acknowledging my strength.
That I would definitely be of great help in a dangerous moment.
“And as for the internal problems of the castle right now, there is the incident of a knight deserting…… I have delegated the authority related to that to Fabian.”
“Pardon? To Brother Fabian?”
“I will announce it at the meeting today, but that will be Fabian’s test for the mark of the successor.”
“……!”
With that, the reason the Count was here was explained.
He had stepped back to observe the ability of the child who would succeed him.
Since other families do that as well, a successor test is not a problem.
The only problem is that he is taking this matter too lightly.
‘If that’s the case, won’t Brother Fabian not receive the mark until all the problems I’m worried about are solved?’
It’s as if everything is flowing like destiny.
I stopped the teleportation, so they are trying to invade directly through the border, Rodney has run away, and Brother Fabian has not been given the mark of the successor.
“……May I help?”
“Help if you want to help. However, even if you solve that problem, the credit will not go to Klen.”
The Count’s words were firm.
Did he mean that receiving help from someone during the test would only be evaluated as part of his character, and the subject would not change?
That is actually news I welcome.
“And be careful not to overstrain your body.”
“I’m fine. But won’t the people around me oppose me helping?”
For example, Neser. Guys like Neser.
“Who in this territory would dare defy my command? If there is such a fellow, send him to me.”
“……Yes!”
I answered with a happy heart.
Before I knew it, a full smile had bloomed on my face.
He hadn’t just given me information; he had essentially given me the right to roam inside and outside the castle at will in the Count’s name.
Except for the deep parts of that forest, there is now no place I cannot go.
“But it seems you’ve overdone it today, so go back and rest.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He maintained a pleased expression the whole time.
He probably wasn’t trying to show it on purpose.
He just didn’t seem to realize his face was softening on its own.
I quickly bowed to offer my greetings and turned around.
I felt like if I kept facing him, the shame I had barely suppressed would surge up.
“Adrian.”
“Yes.”
Would you like me to translate the next chapter for you?
But I had barely taken a few steps when the Count called me back.
“It is a good habit to always carry a sword.”
“……?”
“And not drawing it thoughtlessly at any given time can be considered a good mindset as well.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Did starting to carry a sword all the time because of Marcus’s teasing leave a good impression?
However, Count Valuncio rolled his eyes as if that wasn’t his main point.
The hero from a moment ago was gone; he opened his mouth without meeting my eyes.
“And…… get along well with Klen.”
“……?! A-Ah, yes! Yes! Of course! Well, I’ll be going now!”
I finished my reply in mere seconds.
After offering another quick bow, I turned away.
While I had been as light as a feather coming here, making no sound, my departing steps were loud enough to draw attention, devoid of any caution.
Surely, he didn’t mean anything by it.
Telling us to get along just means to get along.
“Haah.”
Only after walking fast enough to lose my breath did I stop.
This time, it was because I ran too fast.
People stared, but surely no one recognized me properly.
Come to think of it, I didn’t show a hint of my ‘fragile’ acting this time.
But I wasn’t worried.
Count Valuncio would likely assume I was overexerting myself for the sake of the family’s honor.
I walked slowly back to the garden, but no one was there yet.
Klen would still be in the meeting, and it would take more time for Aren to return from scouting the exterior.
I turned my gaze to the scenery to organize my complicated thoughts.
“Lord Adrian.”
I turned around at the sound of a cautious voice calling me.
A somewhat familiar face bowed to me.
Familiar, though not through personal friendship; he was someone I knew of unilaterally.
“What is it?”
