Flowers of Worship

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“I know Lodkaine is a man of character. After giving birth to twins, the Marquis’ wife died after a difficult childbirth. And now, it was Melanie Fjord who took care of the twins. After about ten years, the two young girls and the Marquis thought they should bring Melanie into their house. He wanted Melanie to do the same. So there was a little trial.”

“A little?”

“No matter how much money Fjord has, he is filing a divorce suit against a person who has lost a heart, and the opponent is the Marquis of Lodkaine. Besides, the Marquis and Melanie were all prepared for a divorce, but Fjord was suddenly struck in the back one day… In the end, he lost miserably. After Melanie divorced and received the alimony, she became Marquis Lodkaine the following year. So Fjord became a man who grinds his teeth and opposes the lady’s extravagance.

“So you’re saying that a nice man who had character seduced another man’s wife had made him his wife and mother of his children? I guess I misunderstood the word personality.”

I groaned and got angry. I know I’m getting angrily crazy, but I can’t stand it. Why? You don’t have to be together to love. You can love even if you are far away. On the contrary, wasn’t there a more affectionate and precious love?!

In my anger, Rizal only looked at my mood. Then he blinked his eyes, scratched his head, rubbed his hands together, then scratched his head again, hit the floor with his foot, next scratched his head again – repeating the process over and over.

“Your highness.”

Whether to say this or not, I’m apprehensive, but it was a two-way conversation.

“Why.”

“That is your highness. Her grace, the Duke of Hastred, and your highness are engaged.”

“… … .”

“It is an arranged engagement, and it remains to be seen whether you will get married or not, and even if you do get married, your marriage is arranged. Do you know what I mean by these words?”

I know.

But I remembered Cili of the night a few days ago. She hugged me and looked after me as I vomited. No one has ever done that in my life. No one. And that alone deserved my allegiance and love.

Of course, she wouldn’t have any interest in me as a child.

But still.

“You shouldn’t think of marriage as common people do. In an aristocratic society, marriage is a contract.”

“Melanie Fjord is breaking the contract.”

“She was a commoner back then.”

“I think the marriage of commoners is not a contract.”

“Compared to the marriage of aristocrats, it is a little more fluid. There are also quite a few love marriages. But in an aristocratic society, it is quite different, your highness.”

“She’s still my wife.”

You better shut your mouth.

I thought so. I continued to think that there was no need to show more of my feelings for Cili. But a particular impulse arose strongly that it made me unbearable. I couldn’t stand it. Why? Why can’t I like Cili? She’s my fiancee. She will be my wife. I’m her fiance, and we’ll be a couple, then we’ll be together forever…

“Your highness, your highness is Grand Duke Irsias, and her grace is Duke Hastred. You have a lot with each other. That being said, there may come a time when the interests are conflicting. As a couple, you might think that you are in the same boat, but surprisingly, as a married couple, I have seen more cases where they become enemy ships aiming artillery at each other.”

It was all in Grosslan, but I couldn’t understand it. I have no idea what you mean. Why did the couple have to be more enemies because they were in a different boat? Rizal looked at my face with a hmm and laughed.

“I have told you a very unrelated story, your highness. I apologize.”

He said so, but we both knew what he was talking about. You won’t understand, so let’s just stop here. That’s what it meant. I wanted to say more, but I kept my mouth shut. It was because I had a strong feeling that no matter how much he listened, he would not be able to understand even if we stayed up all night listening to explanations.

“I… .”

I tried to say, ‘I want to buy a mansion, so check it out,’ but I shut my mouth. Rizal looked at me as if to say something, but I waved my hand and sat in a wrong position on the chair, watching the sunlight coming through the high window. The late afternoon sunlight was as red as Cili’s hair.

Buying a mansion shouldn’t be difficult. However, if I buy an estate and become self-reliant, I will be further separated from the real world. I didn’t want it. It was challenging to spend time with Cili. Moreover, she was beyond exhausted. These days, she’s been told that even ten of her bodies aren’t enough to show her face in the social world, to be summoned by the king., Nevertheless, she and I always had breakfast together. In the morning, it was just that happy. But in the afternoon, that was not enough.

I wish I were an adult.

Then I would have been able to become the Crown Prince without being teased by my uncle. If my father died, I would be king. If I were the king, I would have become a nicer, more handsome, and above all, a more dignified man to Cili. Also, my body won’t be weak either. There would have been no need to have a body like this…

Buying a mansion won’t make me a dignified, adult man to Cili. Then, it is better to enjoy being with her every day. Perchance the reason why I felt heartbroken thinking about it because I was young.

So after five years of becoming an adult, it will be fine.

It’s a long way off, but one day it will come.

***

“I have something to tell you.”

Breakfast usually starts quietly and ends peacefully, often without saying a word, but today was different. From the start, she was talking. Curiously, I stared at her lips. Hearing her voice and looking at her face made me smile because I was so happy.

“Yes.”

“As a matter of fact… No, it is a request, your highness.”

I was even more pleased with her words of a direct request. A woman begging me for something, it was something I’d never seen in Cili. I put down my spoon and pressed my chin. I wanted to take a closer look at this truth and savor it in my heart.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I would like you to bring in one more servant.”

“Is that a request?”

Both Rosemary and Thane were maids and servants chosen by her. Cili determined everyone around me, but I couldn’t figure out why it’s becoming a favor to bring in an attendant now. What does that mean? Seeing my face, Cili rubbed her face with her palm as if embarrassed.

“Paul Hiyen, son of Sophia.”

“Yes?”

“He’s the eldest son. He is a very kind and charming child who is the same age as his highness.”

Why does it feel like the whole story hasn’t come out yet? I couldn’t figure out why Paul Hiyen, who is the same age as me will become my servant. She sighed deeply as I waited for more words from Silly to come out.

“That child isn’t learning.”

“… … ?”

“Honestly, I don’t know if he can speak the Grosslan standard language correctly. It’s not that he can’t speak or anything like that, but it’s because he’s not a kid with a lot of interest in studying. But I want this child to be a servant of his highness for a while.”

You don’t know if he can speak the Grosslan standard language correctly, but you want him to be my servant? It was then that I understood why this was a request. Still, I smiled again at the fairness of Cili. Even though she’s the one who made all the people I need, she even uses the word request and asks me when putting a person I don’t need. That would mean that all the people on me were qualified.

“It’s not difficult; why?” For whom does she hate doing this kind of thing? It was an easy guess. It would be Sophia; being a servant of a superior was considered to be a privilege. I could understand that it would be plausible if the successor of the barony had been a servant with me since childhood, but was it something for her to deal with?

Seeing my puzzled face, Cili smiled softly.

“I want to do something for Sophie.”

“I like doing things for Sophie, too. Sophie is my first sword teacher.”

I’m still learning swordsmanship, but actually, the person who suited me the best was Sophie. Sophie’s bizarre and casual attitude made me feel at ease. Being such a son of Sophie, I wondered what kind of person he would be.

“Thank you.” Seeing her smile made me even happier, and that made me feel good enough. The next day, Sophie showed up.

Sophie, whom I haven’t seen in a long time, is very rare in a dress. Sophia, with her black hair up, was alluring and beautiful. She seemed more suited to a dancer from a southern country than a mother with three children. Even though it was a formal dress, Sophia’s passionate feeling did not disappear at all.

She appeared blushing on both cheeks. Then, with a face that I so moved, she said, “How… I don’t know how to say it, your highness.” She said with tears in her eyes.

At that moment, I thought something was wrong. If Cili wanted to do something for her, Sophie was right to thank her. If it weren’t for Cili in the first place, I wouldn’t have even thought about Sophie’s son’s existence. But why did I move Sophie?

Something was wrong.

“I heard that you said you would make Paul your attendant. I don’t know what to say with your consideration.”

Sophie looked very happy, but I felt strange. It didn’t seem like the Sophie I knew. She always treated me casually and I liked Sophie like that. But now Sophie only treated me as the Grand Duke. I, the disciple who had been taught swords, the fiance of Cili, the one Sophie had been… I felt like I was nowhere in the world, only the Grand Duke, who had her son as his servant.

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