The Forest of Glass — Chapter 2

CHAPTER 1. THE BLUE-EYED TITMOUSE

YOUNG MASTER!

WILKERSON.

WHAT IS IT?

YOUNG MASTER, GUESTS ARE BEING HOSTED AT THE MANSION TODAY.

THE MASTER REQUESTED THAT YOU BE SURE TO ATTEND.

And here you are, relaxing all by yourself..!

AH.

IS IT THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS?

YES.

I SUPPOSE IT IS THAT TIME.

YOUNG MASTER, YOU MUST START PREPARING NOW.

THE KITCHEN IS ALREADY BUSY PREPARING THE FOOD,

AND MR. RONALD HAS ALMOST FINISHED TIDYING THE HALL-

LUHAN, THIS IS FOR VIRGIN SHELL.

THE AGENDA?

ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED TODAY,

THE GRAND DUKE WILL PROMISE YOU A TITLE.

YOU MUST SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

EVEN IF IT MEANS LEAVING THE CAPITAL FOR A WHILE, YOU CANNOT LET THIS SLIP AWAY,

LUHAN.

......

LUHAN AB ESTRICHEN.

IT WAS 4 YEARS AGO, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WAR ENDED,

THAT HE WAS GRANTED THE SURNAME OF THE GRAND DUCAL HOUSE OF ESTRICHEN.

LUHAN WAS FORCIBLY CONSCRIPTED INTO THE IMPERIAL WAR AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN AND SERVED AS A CHILD SOLDIER.

WHETHER BY LUCK OR THE BREATH OF THE GODDESS OF VICTORY,

THE UNIT HE BELONGED TO WON EVERY BATTLE THEY ENTERED,

AND HE EVENTUALLY LED THEM TO TRIUMPH.

FURTHERMORE, AT EVERY FINAL MOMENT,

IT WAS LUHAN WHO HELD THE GUN AND SWUNG THE SWORD.

THROUGH THE WAR, HE LEARNED ABOUT THE WORLD, ACQUIRED EMOTIONS,

AND EXPERIENCED LIFE AND DEATH.

THUS, THE COMMONER SOLDIER BECAME AN OFFICER DIRECTLY UNDER THE COMMANDER

AND BEGAN TO BE CALLED THE HERO OF THE IMPERIAL WAR.

AND NOW, HE HAS BECOME THE FOSTER SON OF THE ONLY GRAND DUCAL FAMILY IN THE VARGEN EMPIRE,

LUHAN AB ESTRICHEN.

IF YOU CAN OBTAIN THE ESTATE AND TITLE OF DEANNE ESTRICHEN, THE ELDEST SON OF THE GRAND DUCAL FAMILY,

WE WILL HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR REGARDING OPERATION VIRGIN SHELL.

SO...

I’LL GO WITH THE BLACK SATIN JACKET.

YOUR GRACE, IT IS LUHAN.

RIGHT, COME IN.

GRAND DUKE FELTON AURELIAN ESTRICHEN

I HEARD YOU WERE LOOKING FOR ME.

I THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE IN YOUR BEDCHAMBER PREPARING FOR THE BANQUET.

A TAILCOAT CAN BE PUT ON SLOWLY ENOUGH,

AND YOU LOOK SPLENDID TODAY AS WELL.

THE SATIN SUITS YOU VERY WELL.

I MUST TAKE CARE, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE OCCASION.

QUITE SO....

TODAY IS THE DAY YOU BROUGHT DEANNE'S BODY BACK ON A WAGON.

...I KNOW.

THAT YOU ARE DISPLEASED WITH ME FOR HOLDING A BANQUET ON SUCH A DAY.

...NO. THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

BUT THAT DAY WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU.

THAT IS WHY TODAY—

I INTEND TO EXECUTE THE REMAINING PORTION OF DEANNE'S WILL.

THE WORLD... WILL CHANGE, LUHAN.

I'M... LEAVING VIRGIN SHELL TO YOU.

HAVING SUCH A RELIABLE YOUNGER BROTHER... I HAVE NO REGRETS.

YOU CAN'T GO TODAY, MY LADY!

ALICIA W. EMILHEIM