To calm his anger, Joel pulled out the piece of the cloak he had hidden in his clothes.
As he buried his face in the fabric and took a deep breath, the fresh bergamot scent of the pheromones filled his lungs. Joel felt much better.
‘And… don’t forget that I told you I have something to say to you.’
Perhaps because he could feel the Crown Prince’s pheromones, the Prince’s last words suddenly brushed past his ears.
Joel wondered what the Prince had intended to say, but he shook his head to clear away the idle thoughts, knowing this was not the time for them.
What should he do now?
If he saved his remaining money carefully, he could still reach the Kingdom of Palein.
The problem was whether he could travel that long distance on his own.
The thought of crossing the border alone filled him with fear and a sense of hopelessness.
Still, he couldn’t turn back now.
He had run away after leaving such a bold letter; if he walked back on his own feet after only three days, he would become the laughingstock of the whole world.
And since his belly would soon start to grow, this might be his last chance to escape.
Joel pressed his face hard into the cloak, bracing himself against the urge to shrink back in fear.
“Fine, let’s just do it.”
Finally making up his mind, Joel pulled his face away from the piece of cloak.
He folded it carefully and tucked it away to keep the pheromones from fading, then stood up bravely.
A wide plain stretched out before him.
In the distance, he could see houses and a large ranch.
If he went there, he might be able to find livestock for travel.
With a spark of hope, Joel began to walk with energy.
Sir Bennet, who had arrived at Count Gray’s castle two days later than the Crown Prince, was living in a state of constant anxiety.
He hadn’t received any word from the Prince yet, and everyone was tight-lipped in front of him, but looking at how things were going, it seemed certain that Joel’s escape had been discovered.
Contrary to his and Joel’s expectations that the Crown Prince wouldn’t be very attached, the Prince was now desperate to find Joel.
Sir Bennet was extremely worried that the Prince might have noticed Joel’s pregnancy or guessed that he had helped his son escape.
If the Prince didn’t suspect him, Sir Bennet couldn’t think of any reason why the Prince would have insisted on bringing him to Count Gray’s estate.
“Sir Bennet, would it be alright if we spoke for a moment?”
While he was sitting on the sofa worrying about Joel as usual, the Crown Prince suddenly knocked on his door. Sir Bennet hurried to get up.
“Please come in, Your Highness.”
As soon as the door opened, the Prince strode in and sat on the sofa.
The Prince looked like a mess.
His eyes were bloodshot, dark stubble covered his chin, and his hair was wildly tangled.
He was covered in dust from riding his horse all day.
Remembering how the Prince had maintained a perfect, neat appearance even while searching the underground mansion, Sir Bennet felt a surge of guilt despite his anxiety.
Come to think of it, the Crown Prince loved his son enough to give up his soul to turn back time in the past.
Joel had mocked himself, saying the current Prince didn’t remember the past, but seeing how he had worked so hard to help with the matter of John the cult leader, it didn’t seem like the Prince was dating his son lightly.
It seemed the Prince had no intention of breaking up with his son at all.
Was letting Joel leave really the right choice?
Moreover, it wouldn’t be easy for his son to settle in a foreign country alone while pregnant. Sir Bennet was debating whether to tell the truth and bring his son back when the Prince spoke in a calm tone.
“I haven’t been able to say anything to you because of the chaos. I’m sorry for bringing you here so suddenly; you must have been very surprised.”
“No, Your Highness.”
“Before we left your estate, you asked me if something was wrong with Joel, didn’t you? I lied to you then.”
“Pardon? Th-then…”
“Joel has disappeared.”
Sir Bennet squeezed his eyes shut, feeling that the moment of truth had finally come.
The Prince was surely going to interrogate him.
Remembering his son’s face as he begged for help to escape, he knew he should deny everything, but lying to the Imperial family could result in both his and Joel’s execution.
Sir Bennet trembled, not knowing what to do, but the Prince’s next words were completely unexpected.
“The reason I brought you to Count Gray’s estate was because I knew you would eventually find out Joel was gone. I thought you would be anxious if you were left all alone without knowing anything.”
“Ah…”
“Based on the situation so far, it seems Joel left on his own because he was tired of life in the capital, but we cannot completely rule out the possibility of kidnapping. However, I am using the Imperial Knights to search the Empire thoroughly, so do not worry too much. I will definitely bring your son back safely.”
Fortunately, the Prince didn’t seem to notice that he had helped Joel escape.
Sir Bennet peeked at him nervously and muttered, “I see, thank you for being so thoughtful…”
Before he could even feel relieved, Abe, the 4th Knight Commander, knocked on the door.
“Crown Prince, I have obtained new information.”
“Come in.”
Abe walked in quickly and glanced at the Prince.
The Prince had instructed him to be careful with his words in front of Sir Bennet, fearing the elderly man might collapse from shock if told about Joel’s disappearance too abruptly.
The Prince told Abe, “I have already informed Sir Bennet about Joel’s disappearance, so there is no need to hide it anymore. Sir Bennet is likely curious about the progress of the search, so speak.”
“Yes.” Abe bowed and began his report in a tense tone.
“In a small village at the border of Count Gray’s territory, there was a witness who saw a small man with blonde hair traveling in a horse cart. Based on the description, we believe it is Young Master Joel.”
“Really? Did he stop in the village to speak with anyone?”
The Prince asked urgently, hoping Joel had left a clue about his destination.
“He didn’t, but they said the cart was heading North.”
“North… North, you say…”
The North was the exact opposite direction of Sir Bennet’s estate.
The tiny hope that Joel might be hiding at his birth father’s home was shattered.
Then where on earth was Joel planning to go?
The Prince prayed fervently that Joel wasn’t planning on crossing the border.
“Joel wouldn’t have left aimlessly without a destination in mind. Search the Lucas mansion in the capital to see if he was looking for a place to hide. And strengthen the border inspections even more.”
“Yes, I have already given those orders.”
“Any new reports from the tracking team?”
“Not yet.”
Sir Bennet watched the Prince and Abe exchange quick words with a nervous gaze.
It was a relief that he hadn’t been caught yet, but seeing how they had sent out tracking teams, it seemed Joel would be caught before long.
Intending to buy his son some time, Sir Bennet said to the Prince, “Your Highness, I am deeply ashamed that my foolish child has caused you so much worry. I will also help in finding him. So, why don’t you try to get some sleep? You don’t look well at all…”
Of course, the Prince rejected the offer immediately, saying, “I am fine.”
“More importantly, Sir, did you notice anything suspicious about Joel lately? Even something very small is fine. Did he ever mention wanting to go somewhere…?”
Sir Bennet barely hid his flustered reaction.
He was confused about whether he should confess to the Prince, but remembering Joel’s pleading face, he felt helping the escape was still the right thing to do.
“I… I have no idea. It is embarrassing, but I was so focused on John the cult leader that I didn’t pay enough attention to my son,” he lied, and the Prince believed him without suspicion.
“Then I shall take my leave. If you remember anything, please tell me or Abe at any time.”
After finishing his words, the Prince stood up before Sir Bennet could even nod.
He walked away quickly with Abe as if he couldn’t waste a single second.
Left alone, Sir Bennet thought skeptically about whether his son’s escape could actually succeed.
