At some point, Rensley abruptly opened his eyes, startled by a sense of urgency as if he had just had a nightmare. Although he intended to take a short break, he had completely fallen asleep. He couldn’t gauge how much time had passed. Surely the banquet hasn’t ended already? He quickly sat up, and a voice reached him from beside the bed.
“Did you have a dream? Why are you so surprised?”
Startled, Rensley, who had been momentarily disoriented, then noticed Gezell sitting on the bed. Rensley blinked his eyes and crawled towards him.
“Your Grace, how long did I sleep…?”
“You must have been tired. It’s fine to sleep more.”
“No, I can’t. Today…”
They had prepared a lot of food to share for once. The music had stopped, and the silence of the late night hung in the air. Gezell probably considered his own nap more important than the food, and he might not have bothered waking himself up. Rensley became anxious, feeling like something had gone wrong with everyone due to his prolonged sleep.
At that moment, someone swiftly pulled aside the bed curtains. Startled, Rensley turned his head to find a lively gaze staring down at him.
“Up already?”
“Ivet.”
“I’ve made all the food, I just added eggs and cheese! Did you make this stew just to give it to me? The taste of this fish stew is extraordinary! Ren, you seem to be improving in your cooking skills.”
Beyond the curtain, Princess Frida was sitting at the dining table, alternating between tasting the stew and wine. She looked at Rensley and praised him.
“I’ve never had something so delicious. Your Grace, it seems you have a wide range of talents. If you’re a knight of the Duke and also cook, the Duke’s household must be blessed. Your Grace, right away, ask the Duchess to teach you cooking. Why have you let it go until now?”
Rensley stared blankly at the scene in front of him. Even though it was spring, it was a chilly night. On one side, a fire was burning, and upon waking up, he found himself surrounded by his long-lost sister, possibly soon-to-be sister, and his beloved. Instead of waking him up, Ivet, who had cooked to finish the meal, Princess Frida, praising the food, and Gezell, silently watching over him until he woke up.
It felt like an ordinary family gathering. Although the fireplace was far away, Rensley’s face suddenly warmed. Then the man sitting next to him reached out his hand to his forehead.
“Aren’t you feeling a bit chilly? Many people catch a cold when the seasons change.”
Rensley energetically nodded and lifted himself up, grabbing Gezell’s hand.
“No, Your Grace, I’m not feeling unwell at all. Let’s quickly go to the dining table. The food we made today is something you’ve never tried before.”
“I look forward to it.”
As the newly filled glasses lightly clinked in the air, the four exchanged short blessings and started a new meal. When Rensley explained the dishes, Princess Frida, widening her eyes, asked, “This is maw stew?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Yes, it was a gift from the princess, so I tried to cook it more deliciously.”
“Remarkable. It tastes completely different from what I knew. I never imagined it could be so delicious.”
“Wait, Ren. Maw meat? What’s that? Isn’t this fish?”
“Yeah, it’s good for your health.”
Rensley casually answered Ivet’s question and tasted the stew together. Initially, he thought of just pretending, as he doubted he could genuinely eat it, but once he put it in his mouth, the flavor was richer and more irresistible than the fish stew he usually made.
“Does it suit Your Grace’s taste?”
“Your cooking always does.”
After trying the stew, he whispered while taking a bite of egg dish cooked in tomato.
“This dish is also delicious, but it’s a bit spicy.”
“I’ll use less paprika powder next time.”
Although he had been in many enjoyable gatherings, a meal that satisfied him so deeply seemed unprecedented.
Rensley felt a sense of fullness, even without eating, and sipped his wine. Meanwhile, Ivet, who had been silently eating, spoke cautiously.
“But… I’ve been curious since earlier.”
“Oh?”
“Ren, what does ‘Your Grace’ mean?”
Rensley momentarily froze.
Right. Ivet had no idea about the situation. Where should he start explaining? Caught in thought, Rensley remained silent and stared at Ivet. Gezell, however, began the conversation.
“The story was too long to explain in writing, so I wanted to meet you and explain in person.”
“Yes.”
“Princess Ivet, originally, you were supposed to come to Aldrant as my duchess. Sir Maelrosen here came in your stead.”
“That’s correct. As I was in a fleeing situation, it took me a long time to learn about Ren’s news even after leaving Cornia. Unable to come to Aldrant alone, I asked my upper colleagues for help and barely confirmed Ren’s well-being. Moreover, Your Grace, you personally informed me through a letter that he was in good health. I can’t express how relieved and thankful I was… To Ren, I’m only filled with gratitude and apologies.”
Gezell repeated the explanation he had given to Princess Frida. As the story progressed, Ivet’s expression changed dramatically, and when they reached the part where he was to formally become the Duchess, her face, already filled with understanding, crumpled with tears.
“Your Grace, if this is something Ren chose, I wholeheartedly support it! Please take good care of Ren. He is truly a kind and wonderful person. Those rats from the Cornian royal family, how much they made Ren suffer…”
“A kid… Ivet, did you forget that I’m your older brother?”
Although Rensley asked in a teasing manner, Ivet acted as if she hadn’t heard. Frida, who had been silently listening to the three, clenched her fist lightly and then spoke.
“But we can’t make it public. Soon we have to go to Pheraira, and I’m not sure if I should quickly take on such a responsibility. Your Grace mentioned that there was a male Duchess in Aldrant, but it was more of a formality. The records mention someone else’s name.”
“Even if it’s just a formality, the record of the Duchess acting as a representative is still there.”
“What are Your Grace’s thoughts?”
Uncertain about the question’s meaning, Rensley pressed his lips together and looked at Frida. Frida’s gaze was sharp.
“Have you prepared to become the Duchess of Aldrant? Royals and nobles usually undergo ceremonial marriages, pushed by their parents or relatives, but because of that, when you do something that attracts others’ attention, you need even more thorough preparation.”
“Sister.”
Unable to confidently reply that he was prepared, Rensley fiddled with a napkin under the table.
Princess Frida indeed had an excellent sense of discernment. To someone who had commanded soldiers from a cold and harsh northern fortress for a long time, Rensley’s inner thoughts seemed shallow, even with just a few glances. Tricks would likely be ineffective.
Unable to answer, she leaned back in her chair, as if expecting it. Her expression was not that of a commanding officer presiding over a king but rather that of an older sister worrying about her younger brother.
“Gezell, I understand that you are eager because of your affection, but don’t rush. Even if there are no legal issues, same-sex marriages in the royal family are rare and not well-received by the people. Moreover, as the Duchess, he’s a foreigner, so if anything goes wrong, people will blame only him. To Your Grace, who is already living here harmoniously, announcing a new status to the people and going to greet the emperor overnight would be quite awkward. Please consider a bit more.”
Rensley was surprised by her words and stared at her. She seemed to understand Rensley’s feelings more accurately than Rensley did himself.
Feeling guilty about hesitating even though he loved Gezell, Rensley thought only about preparing mentally until the set period. He didn’t plan to wait for anything more.
For the first time in his life, he felt cowardly about creating a position he could proudly boast about. If the shape of the position created by the one who had given him a grateful place was burdensome, shouldn’t he somehow refine himself to fit it?
However, Frida’s words were completely opposite to Rensley’s fears and hesitations.
‘Is this destiny?’
Princess Frida, five years older than Gezell, seemed to be displeased not just with the situation itself. Rensley quietly swallowed the warm lump of heat forming around his neck. While he appreciated the concern for him, getting emotional in front of Gezell, the Duke, due to a public scolding from his cousin felt like an indiscreet act.
Gezell, who seemed lost in thought for a moment, nodded.
“… I’ve heard similar stories from Commander Sorel before.”
“From Anton?”
“The situations were different, but hearing similar words twice must be my issue. Your words are right. I’ll discuss more carefully with Sir Maelrosen.”
“Alright.”
The discussion ended quietly, but the slightly awkward atmosphere didn’t easily recover. Amidst occasional sounds of clinking tableware, Ivet’s cheerful voice was the first to break the silence.
“Still, I think it’s a really wonderful story. If poets hear this tale, they’ll rush to compose songs for both of you, won’t they? I wonder when I’ll meet someone I can reminisce about…”
“Aren’t there good people in the upper ranks?”
“The upper-ranking people don’t even look like men. Oh, speaking of which, I saw a really impressive person earlier. He was the commander of the knights at the Grand Castle.”
Rensley unintentionally glanced at Frida. However, Frida had a completely calm expression and even burst into laughter.
“That’s Anton. He may not be exciting, but he’s a good man. Still unmarried, so why not be kind to him while you’re visiting Aldrant?”
“Really? Is he still single?”
“He almost got married once, but it fell through, so he’s an unmarried bachelor without any flaws.”
Rensley, glancing at Frida’s reaction, quickly intervened.
“There might be someone Commander Sorel has in mind as well?”
“Really? Do you have any information? I’ve been away for nearly half a year, so I don’t easily hear such news.”
“No, there’s no specific gossip. I just thought if there was someone you almost married, you might still keep them in your heart…”
Upon hearing this, Frida laughed even louder.
“I assure you, that’s not the case. I know a bit about that marriage; it was nothing, just something parents pushed for.”
Rensley didn’t ask further and covered his mouth with the wine glass.
Why do people become wise and rational only about others’ affairs? Even excellent insight doesn’t seem to work normally when it comes to one’s own matters. Perhaps, in someone else’s eyes, Rensley Maelrosen might be considered a wise person.
The saying that the world is fair seemed ambiguous in such situations.
Thank you!
Every time they eat I’m getting hungry 🤣