Undercover Butler to the Grand Duke — Chapter 26

SHORTLY AFTER THIS INCIDENT,

THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN KADEA AND TENASIS WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

WE COULD'VE SETTLED EVERYTHING THIS EASILY FROM THE BEGINNING!

SETTLED SO EASILY, COUNT?!

IF GRAND DUKE BALLOT HADN'T PERSONALLY INTERVENED,

WE'D HAVE BEEN STUCK HERE FOR ANOTHER WEEK, OR EVEN A WHOLE MONTH!

Thank You For Your Hard Work, Your Grace.

HMM...

STILL, CONSIDERING HOW LITTLE HE USUALLY CARES ABOUT HOW LONG THINGS TAKE,

WHY WAS HE IN SUCH A HURRY TO WRAP UP THIS COUNCIL?

WHAT A RELIEF INDEED.

COULD HIS GRACE HAVE HAD SOME URGENT BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO?

PHEW...

AT LAST, I CAN LEAVE THIS DREADFUL IMPERIAL PALACE BEHIND.

I WAS STARTING TO WORRY ABOUT THE GRAND DUCAL ESTATE AS WELL,

SO I'M RELIEVED EVERYTHING ENDED SOONER THAN EXPECTED.

BUTLER, ARE THE PREPARATIONS COMPLETE? IF SO, LET US DEPART.

YES. WE ARE READY TO LEAVE AT ONCE!

UM, YOUR GRACE.

WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO STOP BY THE CAPITAL'S SHOPPING DISTRICT FOR A MOMENT?

THE SHOPPING DISTRICT?

I'D LIKE TO BUY A FEW GIFTS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED ME.

I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY UNTIL NOW, SINCE I COULDN'T LEAVE THE GRAND DUCAL ESTATE.

...I SEE. THAT MAKES SENSE.

COACHMAN, TAKE US TO LUMIEL SQUARE BEFORE RETURNING TO THE ESTATE.

UNDERSTOOD, YOUR GRACE.

THEN, LET US HURRY.

THANK YOU, YOUR GRACE!

HE AGREED MUCH MORE EASILY THAN I EXPECTED.

WELL, THAT'S A RELIEF.

BESIDES BUYING THE GIFTS,

AFTER ALL, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I NEEDED TO CHECK HERE,

NOW THAT THE MEETING OF THE HIGH NOBILITY HAS CONCLUDED, WE CAN FINALLY BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF.

WHAT A RELIEF INDEED.

I WOULDN’T BE SO SURE ABOUT THAT.

HIS MAJESTY PLANS TO HOLD A CELEBRATOR BANQUET MONTHS FROM NOW,

SO WE’LL HAVE QUITE A LOT OF PREPARATIONS AHEAD OF US.

IS IT TO CELEBRATE THE ALLIANCE?

EXACTLY. APPARENTLY, HIS MAJESTY INTENDS TO USE THE BANQUET TO PUT PAST GRIEVANCES BETWEEN THE TWO EMPIRES BEHIND THEM...

...AND WELCOME A NEW ERA OF PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.

FURTHERMORE, AT THAT CELEBRATORY BANQUET,

SINCE THE CROWN PRINCE OF TENASIS WILL LEAD THE DIPLOMATIC DELEGATION,

SO THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MATTERS TO ATTEND TO.

WHAT?

SERHIN IS COMING TO KADEA?

...WAIT.

WHY AM I SO SURPRISED?

IF SERHEIN HADN'T DIED IN THE FIRST PLACE...

AND SOMEONE ELSE HADN'T TAKEN HIS PLACE AS CROWN PRINCE,

IT WOULD'VE BEEN ONLY NATURAL FOR HIM TO LEAD THE DELEGATION.

...WAIT.

INSTEAD OF FEELING HAPPY ABOUT SEEING AN OLD FRIEND AGAIN,

WHY AM I FILLED WITH SUCH UNEASE?

IT'S AS THOUGH A WAVE OF REVULSION IS RISING FROM DEEP WITHIN THIS BODY...

WHAT'S WRONG, BUTLER? ARE YOU STILL FEELING UNWELL?

NO, I'M PERFECTLY FINE!

I THINK MY BODY IS JUST A LITTLE STIFF FROM SITTING IN A CARRIAGE FOR SO LONG.

...I SEE.

WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. WE'VE JUST ARRIVED, IT SEEMS.

LET US PREPARE TO GET OFF.

YES, YOUR GRACE.

WHY HAVE YOU BECOME SO ANXIOUS OVER NOTHING, FREYA?

IT'S NOT AS THOUGH IT WOULD EVER HAPPEN, BUT EVEN IF I HAPPENED TO CROSS PATHS WITH SERHIN...

AS LONG AS I DON'T REVEAL MY TRUE IDENTITY,

THERE'S NO WAY HE COULD RECOGNIZE ME.

COME ON OVER, EVERYONE! STOP BY AND HAVE A TASTE!

WE HAVE FIORE, THE FAMOUS SPECIALTY OF THE PINDER TERRITORY!

THE HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE OF REDITAR PERFUME IS NOW AVAILABLE!

COME TAKE A LOOK!

SO THIS IS LUMIEL SQUARE, THE BUSIEST GATHERING PLACE IN THE EMPIRE?

IT'S SO LIVELY.

THE SQUARE IS BRIMMING WITH ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT,

AND CONTRARY TO WHAT I EXPECTED, NOT A SINGLE CITIZEN SEEMS TO HAVE A GLOOMY EXPRESSION.

THE PEOPLE OF TENASIS WERE NEVER LIKE THIS...

LONG AGO, WHEN THE WORLD TREE'S BLESSING WAS STILL ABUNDANT,

KADEA AND TENASIS WERE ORIGINALLY ONE LAND.

BUT PROSPERITY NEVER LASTS FOREVER.

AS TIME WENT BY, THE RESOURCES IN THE LANDS FARTHEST FROM THE WORLD TREE BEGAN TO RUN DRY,

AND A FIERCE STRUGGLE OVER ITS BOUNDLESS POWER EVENTUALLY ERUPTED INTO A DEVASTATING WAR.

AND SO, THE LAND THAT WAS ONCE UNITED...

...WAS DIVIDED INTO KADEA, BLESSED WITH THE WORLD TREE'S PROTECTION,

AND TENASIS, LEFT WITHOUT IT.

SEEING THIS PLACE WITH MY OWN EYES, I CAN UNDERSTAND...

...WHY SERHIN CAME TO HATE KADEA SO DEEPLY.

WHEN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS ARE THIS OVERWHELMING, HOW COULD HE NOT COMPARE THEM?

...BY THE WAY, YOUR GRACE.

I APPRECIATE YOU ACCOMPANYING ME,

BUT YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO GO THIS FAR.

You Even Had To Wear An Uncomfortable Cloak To Hide Your Identity.

WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO REST IN THE CARRIAGE INSTEAD?

IT FEELS WRONG TO DRAG MY MASTER AROUND WHEN HE'S ALREADY TIRED,

AND BESIDES, EVEN WITH THAT CLOAK, HE STANDS OUT FAR TOO MUCH!

YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT YOUR OWN HEALTH BEFORE WORRYING ABOUT MINE.

BESIDES, HOW LONG AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR A BUTLER WHOSE KNOWLEDGE OF KADEA COMES ENTIRELY FROM BOOKS?

IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT FOR ME TO SHOW YOU AROUND EXPLAIN THINGS MYSELF.

HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, SO I CAN'T EVEN ARGUE!

YOU SEEM TO HAVE QUITE A FEW PLACES TO VISIT, SO LET'S GET GOING.

P-PLEASE WAIT, YOUR GRACE!

YOUR GRACE!

GOOD GRIEF, WHAT AN IMPATIENT MAN!

HAA...

BUYING GIFTS IS HARDER THAN I THOUGHT!

FIRST, I BOUGHT THE DESSERT RIEL HAD MENTIONED WANTING,

Wow~ You Actually Remembered!

THEN THE RIBBON ACCESSORY ANNA WOULDN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT,

AND CUFFLINKS FOR SIR ALLEN.

You're Getting Me Something, Too?

You're The Best, Butler!

AS FOR MY MASTER'S GLOVES,

I ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE THE AVAILABLE ENCHANTMENTS.

Hmph. Considering Who Raised You, Your Taste Isn't Half Bad.

IT COST QUITE A BIT, BUT JUST IMAGINING HOW HAPPY THEY'LL BE MAKES IT WORTHWHILE.

IF YOU'RE FINISHED, LET US RETURN TO THE CARRIAGE.

PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT, YOUR GRACE!

LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO GIVE SOMETHING TO YOUR GRACE AS WELL.

THAT DAY, THE NAME OF THE OF THE BOY IN MY DREAM

WAS CONFIRMED TO BE CADRIAN, BUT...

BUT A NAME ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH TO PROVE THAT THE GRAND DUKE AND THAT BOY ARE THE SAME PERSON.

WHICH MEANS I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONFIRM IT WITH MY OWN EYES.

IT SEEMS YOUR GRACE HOLDS THE POCKET WATCH YOU CARRY...

...VERY DEAR TO YOUR HEART.

HOWEVER, I'VE NOTICED THAT THE LOOP CONNECTING ITS CHAIN HAS BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES.

IT LOOKS LIKE THAT PART MIGHT BREAN SOON,

SO I THOUGHT I COULD REPLACE THE WATCH CHAIN FOR YOU.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE INITIALS ENGRAVED INSIDE THE POCKET WATCH,

AND EVEN THE HEART SYMBOL BETWEEN THEM.

THE GRAND DUKE MIGHT THINK I'M OVERSTEPPING MY BOUNDARIES,

AND HONESTLY, EVEN I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M SO FIXATED ON THAT DREAM.

BUT IF THAT DREAM REALLY IS CONNECTED TO THIS BODY'S PAST,

THEN I WANT TO SEE THE TRUTH WITH MY OWN EYES.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, YOUR GRACE, MAY I REPLACE YOUR WATCH CHAIN?

SO PLEASE, JUST GIVE ME YOUR PERMISSION, GRAND DUKE.