CHAPTER 30
“Commander, a letter has arrived from the Archbishop.”
“…I see.”
Sitting in his office, Killian took the Archbishop’s letter from Michael.
He usually appeared aloof and serious, but today it was even more pronounced.
Noticing the atmosphere, Michael cautiously added a comment.
“It seems His Majesty the Emperor is showing signs of recovery.”
“…So it seems.”
“Aren’t you going to read it?”
“…”
Only then did Killian open the envelope and begin to read the letter.
But from his expression, it was impossible to guess the contents of the letter—or what Killian was thinking. Michael, unsure what else to do, forced a smile.
“Commander, when did the Archbishop say he would arrive?”
“In two days.”
The short reply didn’t sound particularly pleased. No, it was more than just displeasure.
This was the same man who had once waited each day for a letter from the Archbishop after he had been forced to assume the proxy position and sent to the Imperial Palace. But now, something had changed.
In fact, it felt as though the thought of the Archbishop returning in just two days filled Killian with unease.
Killian, who had even forgotten to tell Michael to leave, simply stared down at his desk. Feeling helpless in the tense atmosphere, Michael tried to lighten the mood by opening a window. The laughter of children floated in.
“Ah, children will be children. When they first arrived, they were little terrors, but look at them now.”
As expected, Killian didn’t respond, and Michael gave up. Instead, he tried to be even more cheerful himself.
“Still, that won’t last long. Once Lady Agnes returns to her family home, those kids won’t have much to laugh about.”
“That wom—no… Why is she leaving?”
“Pardon? Well, because her term of service is ending, naturally.”
Killian’s expression, which earlier had simply been discontented, now looked genuinely shocked.
Michael hesitantly continued.
“And Lady Agnes said from the beginning that she would stay only until the Archbishop returned…”
“Why.”
“I—I’m not really sure…”
Did I do something wrong…?
Michael couldn’t hide his confusion and scratched his head. But someone else was doing so even more roughly.
“Hoo…”
Darkness settled in Killian’s blue eyes.
There was no point in blaming someone else. He, more than anyone, knew why she had stayed here—and who she had been waiting for.
“…I’m serious. Once the Archbishop returns, I’ll find a suitor. Honestly, I should just say it openly. Out of all the knights here, maybe one of them will catch my interest, don’t you think?”
“Lady Adelaide.”
“Not all knights are like you, Commander.”
“Commander?”
It felt like he had just been insulted.
Michael glanced at Killian with a look of disbelief, but silence lingered in the room.
Right… of course he won’t respond.
He had grown so used to this that resignation came easily.
Looking for an excuse to leave, Michael leaned out the window.
“That Reynald guy seems to be reporting to the training ground like it’s his job lately. Out there again today.”
“…Reynald?”
“Says he’s mentoring the children or whatever, but before Lady Agnes came, he couldn’t stand kids. Clearly trying to get on her good side.”
“…”
“Commander?”
Even when no response came, there was a clear difference between Killian merely staying silent and him feeling completely absent.
Barely ten seconds had passed, yet somehow, the space behind Michael felt empty.
“…”
Am I seeing things? Michael rubbed his eyes.
Even for someone as swift as Killian, not even on the battlefield had he disappeared this quickly.
Killian was nowhere to be seen in the spacious office. Nor was the sacred sword that had been hanging on the wall.
Let me know if you’d like this adapted into a smoother prose style or formatted for a specific type of story or script.
