After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 58
The next day.
It wasn’t a servant who came to pick up Vivian at the townhouse, but her older brother, Vishten Helios.
Ayla hurriedly invited Vishten into the drawing room and greeted him with Vivian.
“As a member of the Helios family, I can’t help but express my gratitude. I don’t know how to thank you enough for always getting along so well with my lacking younger sister, Princess.”
Ayla waved her hand and shook her head at Vishten’s formal greeting.
“Don’t mention it, Viscount. Lacking? Vivian is too good a friend for me.”
“Too good. She’s too good a sister for me too. She’s always causing trouble.”
Vivian, who was holding a teacup, bristled at Vishten’s playful shake of his head.
“What kind of trouble do I cause?”
“I heard there was a fight yesterday, Vivi.”
Vivian pouted and protested at his stern tone.
“They tripped me first.”
“Tripped you?”
“They tripped you?”
Ayla and Vishten asked in surprise at the same time, and Vivian nodded her head emphatically, adding,
“Did they just trip me? They even pushed me to make sure I fell properly.”
“Goodness!”
Unlike Ayla, who was shocked by the fact she didn’t know, Vishten frowned and asked back.
“So. Did you just stand there?”
“I grabbed the Princess’s hair. You’d be surprised how much of that shiny silver hair I pulled out.”
“The important thing is, did you win, Vivi?”
“Of course, I won. If His Highness Leomund hadn’t stopped me, Princess Shuelle would have lost half her hair.”
Ayla burst into laughter and felt relieved at Vivian’s boastful attitude, as if she were telling a heroic tale.
“I’m relieved to see you, Viscount. I was worried I’d be scolded for what happened yesterday.”
“My parents and I believe that as long as Vivi is happy, that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about it, Princess.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t want to impose on you for too long, so I’ll take Vivi with me now. You should rest too, Princess.”
“I’m fine, though.”
Vivian winked at Ayla, who was waving her hand, and stood up.
“Rest even if you’re fine, Ayla. I wouldn’t mind if it was just me, but I can’t have you carrying baggage around.”
“So that’s what she thinks. I’m baggage and my sister is a nuisance, what an inconvenience. I should disappear quickly.”
The joke he threw with a handsome face was quite pleasant.
Just as they were seeing the two off, Vishten turned around and subtly expressed his regret.
“By the way, Princess.”
“Yes, Viscount.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to take this opportunity to greet the First Prince.”
“Oh my, what should I do? Someone from the Imperial Palace came this morning and he went to the palace.”
“Ah. I see, to the Imperial Palace. I thought he would be at the mansion the day after the banquet. I’ll have to say hello next time.”
Vishten, who cut off his lingering feelings with a simple smile, opened the door of the carriage.
“Let’s go, Vivi.”
“Okay.”
Vishten, who escorted Vivian into the carriage, felt like the epitome of a kind older brother.
Vivian, you’re really loved.
The two exchanged greetings towards Ayla, who was smiling involuntarily.
“Then I’ll see you again, Princess.”
“Ayla, see you next time!”
“It was nice to see you. Be careful on your way.”
Ayla, who was seeing off the departing siblings, murmured unconsciously.
“Come to think of it. What’s going on at the Imperial Palace again?”
At that moment, the atmosphere in the Empress’s Palace was like walking on thin ice.
This was because Tatiana had not attended the scheduled meeting and had locked herself in her chambers.
It was when the maids were wringing their hands because she refused to eat even lunch after breakfast.
Edward appeared at the Empress’s Palace with a troubled face.
“Your father came this morning.”
“I heard.”
“Did you hear this too? He said he would entrust Leomund with welcoming the delegation.”
Tatiana’s voice was filled with resentment.
“Edward, you’ve been in charge of that until now. But to inform me without discussion. This is not right.”
“My brother just came back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Whatever my father entrusts to my brother, it means someone was doing it anyway, Mother.”
“You! How can you say that?”
Edward sighed and held her hand as Tatiana’s eyes seemed shocked.
“Mother. Please understand Father.”
“…”
“He’s been away from my brother for a long time because of you and me.”
Tatiana bit her lower lip at Edward’s guilt-ridden remarks.
Her son was unnecessarily gentle and kind.
“You! Can you do that?”
“Yes?”
“Leomond is threatening your position. And yet you’re telling me to understand your father?”
“It wasn’t my position from the beginning.”
“No?”
Tatiana shouted in an agitated voice.
“It was your position from the beginning. No one can deny it, it was originally your position.”
“Mother?”
“So you must never let it be taken away. Do you understand? Promise me, Edward.”
Tatiana’s hands, which wrapped around his shoulders, trembled slightly.
Her face was pale, as if she might be gripped by fear.
Edward, startled by his mother’s appearance, which he had never seen before, nodded his head greatly.
“Yes, Mother. Don’t worry.”
“Remember, Edward. Never give up your position. This mother will protect you so that doesn’t happen.”
Tatiana hugged Edward tightly.
Her slender arms were still trembling as if trapped in fear.
Meanwhile, an uncomfortable conversation between Leo and Friedrich was taking place in the Emperor’s office.
“If you had something to say, why didn’t you say it all at once yesterday?”
“If I do it all at once, I won’t be able to see you often.”
“You have a great talent for bothering people, Your Majesty.”
“I need to have this kind of talent to see you.”
It was Leo who got tired of the repetitive conversation first.
“Okay, you came, so tell me what you need.”
“Ah. That’s right, what I need. Before that, does the tea suit your taste? It’s a precious tea from the South. I told them to bring one with less of a bitter taste.”
Friedrich didn’t seem to have any intention of getting straight to the point, and Leo recognized it at a glance.
I knew it would be uncomfortable.
“I don’t know much about tea. I don’t really enjoy it.”
Leo, who swallowed a sigh, gave a delayed reply, and Friedrich, who paused, laughed and said.
“Tea is tea. What else would it be?”
He was telling all sorts of trivial stories, then picked up an envelope on the table. Then he handed it to Leo casually.
“I’m going to entrust you with a task.”
“A task?”
“The National Foundation Day is coming up soon. A delegation will be coming from a foreign country.”
“Ah. It’s because of the trade conference.”
When Leo unknowingly brought up memories of his time in the Imperial Palace, Friedrich looked delighted.
“You remember.”
“I don’t remember, I just know. News comes from Eisenfelt too.”
“Whatever it is, it’s good that you know. I won’t say much. Take charge of the delegation.”
“Oh, come on. Is that an order?”
“It’s a gift.”
Leo closed his mouth because he didn’t expect this answer.
Friedrich added an explanation.
“It’s a delegation that the Drain Kingdom sends every year. It’s also at the center of the trade we have. You happen to have a knight order to use, so it’s perfect for the job, isn’t it? It’s a good thing to build relationships with them.”
“Instead of using my knights for free, you’re going to let me build relationships with them.”
“That’s a gift.”
“Thank you very much.”
“You and the knights will be bored if you’re stuck in the capital. Take this opportunity to get some fresh air for a few days. It will help you, and you won’t lose anything.”
Leo also knew what Friedrich was saying.
Eisenfelt also needed trade, and it would be quite useful to make acquaintances on this occasion.
Friedrich, who was tacitly accepting Leo’s words, laughed heartily and pointed to the document.
“The time and place of arrival of the delegation, and the list of names are all included. Put your heart into the reception, as well as the welcoming and farewell. That is the basic etiquette for treating guests.”
Friedrich’s expression was quite serious.
He wanted to teach his son anything more.
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