Chapter 128
Why me?
There was a question in Clerivan’s head.
He and the Second Prince had never even exchanged proper greetings.
He was just coming and passing by at a Lombardy mansion or banquet.
But why are you being wary of me?
Clerivan greeted Perez politely, hiding his bewildered innermost thoughts.
"Let me say hello for the first time, Your Highness Second Prince. I’m Clerivan Pellet."
But Perez did not answer.
Just staring at Clerivan.
It’s not a facial expression or a serious look, it’s just a habitual blank expression.
The pressure seemed to weigh on Clerivan.
It was like saying ’obey’.
But Clerivan remained calm, recalling the day he first faced Lulak.
The Second Prince is good, but not as good as Lulak yet.
He remembered that fact and tried not to be swayed.
And at some point.
The weight that was bothering Clerivan disappeared like a lie.
You were testing me.
Clerivan was able to realize.
"It’s a pleasure to meet someone who leads the great Pellet Corporation."
"...It’s an honor."
However, the intentional withdraw did not soften Perez’s attitude.
Clerivan could still feel the subtle vigilance.
And it sounded an alarm in Clerivan’s head.
’I"ll have to ask Bate for the information.’
Clerivan decided to send a letter as soon as the banquet was over.
"Can I join you?"
Perez asked Gallahan politely.
"Of course."
"Excuse me."
It was just as Perez sat down.
Bang!
Gilliu hit the table in front of him with his palm and clicked his tongue and said.
"Oh, why are there so many flies? Did you see that, Mayron?"
"Uh. The king of the big dung flies keeps walking around.”3
The twins sitting opposite each other stared at Perez and exchanged words.
It was clear that it was aimed at Perez.
"Gilliu, Mayron!"
Gallahan pressed those two.
Gallahan’s strict voice drew attention from the twins, but the attitude was the same.
"...Both."
Perez broached in a low voice.
"I heard that you have received an oath as a knight. By the way..."
"By the way?"
Mayron asked sharply again.
There was no respect or courtesy for the Prince, but Perez did not mind.
Instead, he threw out a suggestion.
"Let’s have a match sometime."
"Ma, match?"
The eyes of the twins, who had always been hostile, shook.
A battle with a powerful person is an invaluable experience for a person who trains a sword.
This is because depending on the person and sometimes a single battle can bring more than a few years of training.
It was a famous story that everyone knew Perez was a genius who had already created Aura at the age of 12.
In addition, they knew about his spectacular performance at the academy from Florentia.
They hate to admit it, but Perez was far ahead of the twins.
Such a confrontation with Perez.
Perez struck a decisive blow to two shaky men.
"I think I can help you two a lot. I’ll take a day to deal with you. What do you think?"
In the end, Mayron went over.
Gilliu followed.
"I’ll be visiting you as the Knights of Lombardy soon."
Perez’s lips curled up as they looked at the twins nodding their heads with resentment.
Then, Gallahan called the servant walking by with wine and picked up a glass.
Perez, who was next to him, chose a glass himself.
Then he held the glass in his hand and took a sip of the wine.
It was a pretty skillful and familiar look.
Gallahan, who was looking at Perez with round eyes, asked.
"Do you drink?"
"Sometimes."
"Well, now you’re an adult, too. I keep forgetting. I think it’s because the young figure standing next to my bed remains in my head."
Gallahan laughed and asked.
"How was the Academy? You must have had a hard time far away."
Perez, who was taking another sip while looking far away, blinked slowly.
Because he couldn’t find words to answer Gallahan’s question.
For Perez, the academy was a place to go.
The Empress kicked him out and headed alone.
So what he went through there was something he deserved to overcome.
Neither himself nor anyone asked Perez if it was ’tough’.
Gallahan carefully called Perez, who was somewhere in a daze.
"Your Royal Highness?"
"Oh, I’m sorry. It’s the first time I’ve been asked that."
"Haha, I guess it was because Your Highness was so brave. Did you have fun in your academy life?"
Again, it is a difficult question to answer.
Perez tilted his head slightly and asked Gallahan again.
"What is fun?"
"The fun thing is... A lot of memories. It makes you smile when you think about it, and you want to remember it longer."
"Well."
Perez nodded, lost in thought for a moment.
"If you think so, I think it was fun."
Perez got important things from the academy.
Knowledge, experience, and people.
All of them were indispensable for future progress.
At Perez’s words, Gallahan laughed, saying it was fortunate.
"Have you made many friends? It is said that a good friend made in school lasts a lifetime."
"Haha."
Eventually, Perez smiled a little.
It was a strange laugh mixed with a sigh.
Gallahan was surprised and grinned when the Prince, who had been expressionless all the time, suddenly burst into a small smile.
"Why are you laughing?"
"...Now I know why."
Tia, who couldn’t pass by when looking at a person who was having a hard time and was in trouble, was visible in Gallahan.
Green eyes that shine affectionately all the time.
The corners of the mouth are always smiling.
Perez shook his head.
"The academy wasn’t bad."
"Thank God, Prince. Tia worried about you a lot."
"...Tia?"
Perez looked at Gallahan in disbelief.
"Of course, ’Perez must make a lot of good friends’, she said several times."
Perez covered his mouth with a big hand.
She was worried about me.
She thought of me.
That alone made my heart thump in joy almost pop out of my mouth.
It was then.
"Everyone’s here, right?"
He heard a clear and cheerful voice.
Perez looked very slowly toward the side of the voice.
He already knew who it was without looking back.
"Perez, what’s wrong with your face? Did something happen?"
Tia always looked into Perez’s face like clear water, which people couldn’t understand at all.
But she can’t find his heart yet.
Perez answered briefly, hiding the tremor of his heart and shaking his head.
"No, nothing happened."
* * *
The banquet was scheduled to last until dawn.
But having to get busy from tomorrow, I left the banquet before midnight.
Perez followed me to take me there.
"You don’t have to take me there."
"The Lombardy mansion is big. I’ll come with you to the annex."
My house wasn’t far from where the banquet was held.
Walking down a familiar path, I asked Perez.
"When are the friends who graduated from the academy coming? You said they’d follow you to the Capital."
"Soon, they’ll be on their way by now."
"If they come, introduce me. I’m curious."
"...Are you curious?"
"Of course, Perez, the people of your choice... no, friends."
If Perez had picked the same people as my previous life, on the way to becoming a Crown Prince, I would just have to give a little help.
If not...
Then I can help him a lot.
I kept walking down the street thinking lightly.
And before we knew it, we were in front of the annex.
"See you later, then."
I waved to Perez and then turned around.
And as I took a few steps, I forgot to tell Perez and stopped again.
"Perez."
"Huh?"
"Good job. Congratulations on your graduation."
I forgot the most important thing.
What a spirit I am.
Perez blinked a couple of times, a little surprised, and then smiled faintly.
"Tia’s dad said you were worried about me."
"...Dad, right?"
Perez nods his head.
"Well, that’s what I was worried about because you had to adapt elsewhere. I never worried that you wouldn’t make it."
"Never?"
"Yes, not once."
Perez was a brilliant graduate of the Academy under even more dire conditions.
This time a much better environment has been given and cannot fail.
"...Thank you."
"Don’t mention it."
I waved again and entered the annex.
I climbed the quiet hallway and stairs and stood in front of my door.
I could see the door slightly open.
I was going to rest right away, but I can’t.
I went inside with a small sigh.
The dim measures seemed no different from when I left home for a banquet.
But after I lit up the room.
I said, removing the rings and earrings from my hand one by one.
"I’m turning on the lights. Why are you in a dark room, Bate."
Then Bate, who was sitting in a chair in the corner, lifted himself.
"Did you enjoy the banquet?"
"You know I’m lazy about banquets."
"Haha. It was Lady Florentia’s birthday banquet, so I thought it would be a little different."
While I was growing up as an adult, Bate’s information guild was completely grown.
Now, the information obtained through Caramel Avenue boasts complete reliability.
"It’s a big deal to come to my house at a time like this, isn’t it?"
I finally took off my necklace and asked.
"...You told me to find out about the Top of Monak."
"Oh, I did."
I answered and walked slowly to the window.
Was it just to make sure the lights in my room turned on without any problems?
I could see Perez still standing there.
"We’ve identified the owner of the Top of Monak."
"Ah, as expected, Bate. So who’s the one who got our Pellet in trouble?"
I spoke to Bate and waving at Perez in the distance once again
Perez, who looked up at me for a while, waved the same hand like me and walked back to the banquet hall.
Maybe it’s because of the bright lights on the road.+
The thick shadow seemed to be drawn heavily behind Perez as he turned.
Bate said to me, who was leaning against the window sill with a gentle night breeze.
"The owner of the Top of Monak is Perez Brivachau Durelli, the Second Prince."
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