Chapter 5
The current empress had married into the imperial family through a political alliance after the death of Henry’s mother, the former empress. She was a princess of Mildrak, a kingdom that shared the empire’s eastern border, and it was as if she had brought her entire country as her dowry.
Over the past twenty years, the eastern part of the empire, stabilized by this marriage alliance, had developed remarkably.
In contrast, the west had seen small-scale border wars.
The emperor had long since appointed Crown Prince Henry as the commander of the western front, while he himself remained comfortably in the capital.
Henry was no different. He stayed in the capital, receiving reports via carrier pigeons, and never actually went to the front lines. Archduke Alexandros, the de facto commander, and Kallias, who fought actively on the front, had single-handedly preserved the empire’s peace. Since his close associates had done the work, Henry considered it all his own achievement.
Yet the empress and Edward, who knew nothing of this, lived comfortably and well-fed, and had the audacity to snatch away the fruits of peace that rightfully belonged to Crown Prince Henry.
For instance, even the abandoned mine that Remington had foolishly picked up originally belonged to the House of Neuberg.
And that was just one of the many resources the empress had slyly stolen away like a fox.
“That scheme you mentioned can still be carried out.”
“What do you mean?”
“After the funeral, there remains the rite of offering tribute in the name of the deceased at the temple, does it not?”
“Ah! That is the duty of the successor, so the little successor will have to crawl out of the ducal residence.”
Archduke Neuberg nodded.
“Spiriting away one brat from the temple is no challenge. Send a threatening letter, and we can immediately pick a fight with Remington.”
“It doesn’t matter whether that bastard gets distracted or the entire House of Alexandros rallies to his side.”
“On the surface, it will appear as righteous vengeance, so no one will be able to interfere.”
If the empire’s attention turned toward Alexandros and Remington, Henry’s grand plan would proceed smoothly.
“We can keep the brat and use him as a leash for the bastard.”
“Yes, indeed. Just as expected of a future wise ruler.”
Archduke Neuberg and Henry smiled at each other.
Mikael pondered the conversation he had had with the pretty person by the lake.
‘He said my uncle likes me very much but is shy.’
After seeing his uncle sleeping last night, he thought that might be true. If he wanted to sleep together, he should have said so outright. Coming to sleep beside someone while they were asleep was something a shy cat would do.
And disappearing all by himself as soon as morning came was exactly like a cat.
Breakfast had also been filled only with things Mikael liked. When he asked the butler, he was told his uncle had instructed it.
‘He really must like me.’
The household members wore black clothes. Mikael and Kallias were both dressed in black from head to toe.
Even the air felt heavy and damp. Mikael remembered days like this.
“Mikael, today there is something you must do with your uncle.”
Kallias carefully broached the subject.
Today was the day of Mikael’s parents’ encoffining at the family tomb. Kallias wasn’t sure if Mikael understood the concept of death.
“Mikael, now you must bid your mother and father a final farewell.”
At Kallias’s words, Mikael’s eyes grew teary.
“I won’t see Mom and Dad anymore?”
It was just like when he had lost his grandfather. Mikael tightly grasped Kallias’s hand.
His father had said that Grandfather, who loved Mikael, also needed a final farewell here.
Now his uncle said he had to do the same with his father. Fear gripped Mikael that he might have to come here again.
“Will I have to come here again?”
Kallias held Mikael’s trembling hand firmly, lowered himself, and looked into Mikael’s eyes.
“Uncle will protect you. I’ll make sure you never have to come here again.”
Mikael nodded.
After the encoffining, Mikael returned to the mansion. By tomorrow, this somber atmosphere would lift, and life would return to normal. That’s how it had been before.
‘One day has passed, so the promise is for tomorrow.’
Mikael fell asleep waiting only for the next day.
When he opened his eyes again, things had not returned to normal as before. The ducal residence was still subdued. Fearsome men with sharp, scowling eyes were everywhere, and people’s expressions were dark.
“Butler, can you give me some cookies?”
At Mikael’s request, the butler, Adam, took out a few cookies. Mikael counted them with his fingers and saw there were fewer than the pretty person had had before.
“Please give me more. Enough to share.”
“Are you planning to share them with Robi, young master?”
“No, I’m going to share them with a person.”
Robi was a cat and didn’t crave cookies. These were a thank-you for the cookies he’d eaten the day before yesterday.
Mikael packed the cookies and food the butler had given him into a bag and slung it over his shoulder.
“I’m going to play alone in my room! Don’t disturb me.”
After firmly giving his orders, Mikael closed the door tightly, patted Robi, who was dozing on a cushion, and whispered that he must not be discovered by anyone.
Pulling the small toy horse under the bed opened a secret passage. It was an escape route Mikael’s father had taught him, leading to a cabin by the lake in Eint Forest.
It was a secret passage he had been taught many times, to be used to escape to this place if anything happened.
There was only one path to the cabin, so even young Mikael could find it easily.
‘Will that person be there?’
Mikael placed a hand over his pounding heart. When he reached the cabin, he cautiously looked outside.
Like last time, the person was sitting on a rock, looking out at the lake.
Mikael smiled and approached.
After the funeral, Kallias worried that Mikael might become depressed. But contrary to his expectations, Mikael seemed less depressed and more distracted. He had hung a sign on his doorknob saying “Do Not Disturb,” shut himself in his room, and had noticeably increased his requests for snacks.
When Kallias asked the butler Adam whether it was alright for Mikael to eat so many snacks, the butler replied that they should just observe for now.
But even though Mikael was supposedly staying in his room, oddly enough, he napped well during the day and slept soundly at night. It was true that young children slept a lot, but that was when they were active. Could he really sleep that much while holed up in his room without moving?
Just looking back at his own childhood and his brother’s made the difference clear: his brother, who only read books in his room, couldn’t sleep properly and tossed and turned all night, while Kallias, who loved to roam far and wide, slept soundly as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Today, Mikael had again closed his door and gone in, telling everyone not to disturb him.
Kallias immediately entered Mikael’s room. But Mikael was nowhere to be seen.
There was no sign that he had left through the door or window. Examining the room closely, Kallias noticed that the bedsheet was wrinkled unnaturally on one side. Lifting it, he saw a small horse-shaped ornament on the floor, just right for a child’s room.
Kallias instinctively knew it was the entrance to a secret passage. When he pushed it gently, the passage opened.
Inside, dust had accumulated, making Mikael’s footprints clearly visible. Not only that, but he could sense that the airflow led somewhere else. Fearing he might lose Mikael, Kallias moved quickly and silently.
The exit door was open. Kallias recognized the place as a cabin near the lakeshore, and memories of his own childhood surfaced.
He used to enjoy this cabin when he got tired of running through Eint Forest, and back then he had been certain it was just a forest keeper’s hut.
‘So that’s how my brother always caught me so easily.’
Whenever he ran away into the forest, he was caught before long.
“That’s far enough!”
It was Mikael’s voice. Kallias immediately stepped outside. Mikael was standing by a tree at the edge of the lakeshore, gesturing to someone. Then he pressed his face against the tree and murmured something.
Kallias instantly recognized who Mikael was speaking to.
‘That woman!’
Lovetta Remington was about fifty paces away from Mikael. She was running fiercely, as if trying to catch him.
Kallias dashed forward like an arrow and subdued Lovetta.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah! We’re just playing.”
“Playing? How did you lure Mikael out? Were you planning to kidnap him?”
“No! Ugh!”
“Don’t lie!”
Kallias didn’t believe Lovetta’s words at all. Instead, he twisted her arm further, trying to force the truth out of her.
Just then, a small hand stopped Kallias.
“Don’t hurt her.”
“Mikael?”
“Are you a bad person, Uncle? You shouldn’t hurt others.”
