Chapter 23
Lord Shuian quietly called out to Axel.
“Why are you calling me.”
Axel responded curtly to his summons, his gaze fixed on the documents.
“……Don’t you think something seems off.”
“What.”
At the casual question, Axel furrowed his brow and lifted his head to look at Lord Shuian. Toward him, who still hadn’t noticed until the end, Lord Shuian sighed and pointed it out.
“You’re holding the documents upside down right now.”
“Ah.”
As if realizing only then, Axel righted the documents. Lord Shuian watched him for a moment before adding one more comment.
“And what you’re holding in your hand isn’t the seal, it’s the ink.”
At those words, Axel hurriedly set down the ink he had been gripping.
Lord Shuian asked his superior, who had been frequently zoning out lately.
“Is something the matter?”
……Is something the matter?
Axel furrowed his brow.
“You seem unusually distracted, Your Highness. You do know that tomorrow is the first day of the festival, right?”
At the word festival, a faint strength entered Axel’s hand gripping the documents.
Yes, the festival. That was the root of all the problems.
Since that day, Judith hadn’t come to his office anymore. Under the pretext of being considerate of him, who would be busy with the approaching festival.
With Judith’s visits to Axel’s office, which had been daily, suddenly cut off, for some reason, an inexplicable anxiety surged within him.
‘……She couldn’t really be planning to go to the festival with that magician guy.’
The fact that he hadn’t gotten a clear answer from her kept nagging at him.
Even knowing Judith wouldn’t come, Axel fixed his gaze on the door and repeatedly tapped the desk.
Then, he suddenly noticed something strange.
‘What am I…… doing right now?’
This was no different from a dog waiting for its master.
His mind was filled entirely with thoughts of Judith. With a confused expression, he denied the situation.
Could this also be one of the lady’s schemes? A strategy to make me anxious?
The image of Judith persistently seeking his attention, hovering before his eyes, came to mind. This wasn’t right. She must be deceiving him with false acting.
……It had to be something like that.
‘Otherwise, there’s no way I’d be like this……’
I can’t go on like this.
After shaking his head once, Axel tried to steady his turbulent mind and force his eyes back to the documents.
That was when the firmly closed door suddenly burst open.
Before even a second had passed since turning his gaze to the documents, Axel’s eyes reflexively shot toward the door.
There, he saw Xenon entering, his arms full of something.
At that sight, an inexplicable disappointment immediately overwhelmed Axel.
It was then. Something caught his eye amid the disappointment.
‘That’s……!’
What Xenon held in his arms was none other than the desserts Judith brought every time she visited Axel’s office.
Axel urgently opened his mouth.
“Xenon. What’s that in your arms?”
“Ah, this? It’s the desserts Lady Melberine handed over!”
“The lady…… handed them over? What do you mean? Did the lady come here?”
“Yes! Just now, the lady said Your Highness seemed busy, so she handed the desserts to me and left!”
“Just now? When just now. No.”
Axel abruptly stopped speaking after reacting hastily to Xenon’s words.
Axel still hadn’t heard who Judith was going to the festival with. This might be his last chance to ask her……
‘Do I really have to go that far? What does it matter to me who the lady goes to the festival with……’
But even as he thought this.
‘No, no. This is just simple curiosity. I’m just curious about who the lady is going with. So I should go ask her right now……’
Thoughts flipped rapidly through Axel’s mind at high speed.
As Axel fiercely deliberated what to do.
Xenon’s face, tilting his head in confusion, entered Axel’s view.
‘……Yes, perhaps.’
With his lips pressed tightly, Axel looked down at Xenon with eyes deep in serious contemplation, then finally opened his mouth.
Having coincidentally run into Xenon and handed him the desserts, I was walking away, reassuring myself.
“I held back well. Me……”
To come all the way to the imperial palace, have Axel right in front of me, and walk out ignoring him—what incredible patience. I was amazed at myself.
‘Of course, the fact that I went to the palace with desserts in the first place was already a problem……’
Well, anyway, as long as we didn’t meet face-to-face, it was fine.
I had told Axel I wouldn’t visit to be considerate of his busyness, but that wasn’t the only reason.
The atmosphere during our last meeting hadn’t been great, and I’d fled the scene like I was escaping.
I figured meeting him would only backfire.
For now, it might be better to take some time before seeing him again. Meeting after a while could bring a bit of longing……? Or something like that. Who knows.
‘……Or not. Maybe he’d be glad I’m not showing up.’
As my mind was filled with thoughts of Axel.
“My lady!”
Turning around at the voice calling me, I saw Xenon running toward me, the one I’d given the desserts to.
“Goodness, is something wrong? Sir Xenon?”
I asked Xenon, who had run over hurriedly and was panting.
“Huff……. Well, I have something to ask.”
“Me?”
At that, I tilted my head and looked at Xenon. What could he need to ask me so urgently? Nothing came to mind.
“Um……. About the festival.”
“The festival? Why the festival? Don’t tell me it’s canceled?”
I gasped in surprise and asked, but Xenon waved his hands with a flustered expression.
“Ah, no! Not that, I came to ask when and with whom you’re coming on the festival day!”
“When and with whom……?”
“Hmm……. Probably alone on the last day of the festival……”
I’d asked Noxi if we could meet to handle everything at once, but he refused. Said he suddenly got busy or something.
Anyway, that’s why I planned to go alone……
As I dutifully answered Xenon’s question, a doubt soon arose.
That aside, why is he asking this?
“Ah, is that so?!”
“Yes, but why are you asking?”
I casually tossed the question at Xenon, who was responding brightly.
Come to think of it, Axel asked the same thing last time……
In that moment, an absurd thought crossed my mind.
He couldn’t have sent Xenon to ask, could he?
But soon, I inwardly scoffed and dismissed it.
Come on, not just anyone, but the Grand Duke wouldn’t do that. What ridiculous thought am I having.
“Th-this is for personnel control purposes. We’re in charge of pa-patrols that day. Haha.”
“Ah……”
But what does that have to do with who I’m going to the festival with……? The thought occurred, but I soon erased it from my mind.
Well, he must have a reason for asking. Given my status, they might be concerned about safety.
Anyway, the festival starts tomorrow……
Xenon bowed his head toward me in greeting.
“Thank you for answering, my lady!”
“It was nothing. You’ll be busy starting tomorrow, so hang in there, Sir Xenon. I’ll be going now.”
“Yep!”
