Chapter 76

“Why is your expression like that?”

“It’s nothing. Still, I think we should go to Poinsettia Palace and tell His Highness before we go.”

“Artie, if that puts your mind more at ease, then do that. He’ll allow it anyway.”

Essen, so certain that Adrian would permit the outing, was strange.

Wouldn’t that be because the other person is you, Lord Essen?

In any case, to preserve what little conscience I had left today, I headed to Poinsettia Palace.

But there was no one in the office.

Only Diano, carefully cradling a single sword and tending to it delicately.

“Where did Adrian go?”

“Ah, His Majesty the Emperor summoned him, so he stepped out for a moment.”

“Why didn’t you follow him?”

“He said I was bothersome, so…….”

“That’s something to brag about.”

Essen answered Diano curtly and immediately approached the Crown Prince’s official desk.

Then he roughly picked up a document and scribbled something on it.

“Done. Let’s go now.”

“Is it really all right to write on a document like that?”

“Who cares.”

“……What?”

Essen’s attitude was so cold that I was momentarily stunned. The Essen I knew wasn’t this kind of person…….

When I looked up slightly in surprise, Essen smiled brightly at me. It was a thoroughly harmless smile.

“……No. It’s fine. That was a document that didn’t matter much anyway.”

“I see.”

I almost misunderstood Essen as a cold person without even knowing that.

In any case, even though I hadn’t asked for permission directly, the fact that a note had been left made me feel somewhat more at ease.

After changing into simple clothes, we slipped out of the imperial city.

Seeing Essen not in his knight’s uniform but in the clothes commoners often wore had a different kind of appeal.

“Wow. You really look handsome!”

“Do I……?”

“Yes! Lord Essen looks good in anything!”

……And dresses too!

I deliberately kept the last part to myself, thinking that saying it aloud would cause a disaster.

While riding the carriage toward Uncle Helmer’s house, I raised my eyes to look at Essen.

Again, our eyes met immediately. I called out to Essen, who was trying to look away first.

“Lord Essen.”

“……Yeah?”

“What did you write on that document before we left?”

“Um. Just that I’d be out for a bit, so not to worry.”

There had been a small discomfort in the corner of my mind, but if he had written something like that, there seemed to be no need to worry.

Besides, I hadn’t come out alone—I was with Essen, my escort and advisor, which made it even more reassuring.

Actually, Essen was more trustworthy than Terni anyway.

“By the way, Artie. Who are we going to see now?”

“Ah, someone very, very precious to me.”

“……A precious person?”

“Yes!”

After I answered, Essen’s expression seemed somehow odd.

“Is it a man?”

“What? Yes.”

Biologically speaking, Uncle Helmer wasn’t a woman……. When I nodded, Essen turned his gaze out the window.

“Remember that we only came out for a moment, so we have to go back soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The feeling that the atmosphere had somehow become strange—that was just my imagination, right?

Clunk―.

The carriage suddenly stopped, and my body lurched violently. Essen caught me.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes. But it seems we’ve arrived.”

Escorted by Essen, I stepped down from the carriage. Right in front of us was Uncle Helmer’s house.

Essen’s reaction upon seeing the old house was not much different from Terni’s before.

“This is it?”

“Yes. It looks like this on the outside, but the inside is fine.”

“……I sincerely hope so.”

Having lived in worse places than this, I couldn’t understand Essen’s reaction, but I simply smiled.

Knock, knock―.

This time, the door opened the moment I knocked.

“Lara!”

“Uncle Helmer!”

I immediately threw myself into Uncle Helmer’s arms.

He apparently hadn’t even pretended to listen to my words about cutting down on drinking, for the reek of strong liquor wafted off him. I pinched my nose and frowned.

“Uncle, you’ve been drinking again, haven’t you?”

“Ah, no. Lara. It’s all the next-door―.”

“Hans begged you to drink with him so you had no choice but to drink?”

It was a excuse I had heard so many times that I had memorized it. Uncle Helmer, apparently having nothing to say, simply moved his lips.

“Come in first. I’ll give you something to drink. But…….”

Uncle Helmer’s gaze turned behind me. It seemed he had only just noticed Essen.

“Lara.”

“Yes?”

“Since I last saw you, have you developed a hobby of swapping out men?”

“……What?”

What kind of nonsense was he suddenly spouting?

Smack! I slapped Uncle Helmer’s forearm.

“Watch your mouth, Uncle Helmer! This person works in the imperial city!”

“N-no. I mean, the man who came with you last time―.”

Smack!

“That person also works in the imperial city!”

I would have let most things slide, but linking me romantically with Terni was utterly unbearable.

Me. With Terni?! Good heavens, there’s a time and place for everything!

“If it’s not, then it’s not—why are you getting so worked up?”

“Because you were spouting nonsense first, Uncle!”

“Yes, yes. It’s all my fault. Now hurry and come in.”

I glared at Uncle Helmer and brought Essen inside. But Essen’s expression was somehow strange.

“What’s wrong, Lord Essen?”

“Nothing. I just realized how foolish I am…….”

I couldn’t understand what Essen meant. Why was he suddenly putting himself down?

“No. Lord Essen is so wise. More than that, you said we had to go back soon, right? I’ll finish talking quickly!”

“No, take your time.”

Just a moment ago, he had emphasized not to forget that we had to go back soon. What?

“But earlier…….”

“It’s really fine, so take your time talking.”

Essen smiled kindly and warmly. That beautiful sight naturally softened my heart.

“Then would you wait just a little?”

“As long as you like.”

As expected, Essen must be an angel. How could he be so beautiful-hearted and kind?

“Here, Lara. There are cookies you like, so eat plenty.”

Uncle Helmer pushed a plate piled with cookies toward me.

He didn’t even offer any to Essen, so I felt awkward and subtly placed the plate in front of Essen.

Unlike the famous artisan Jürgen, the dishes he used were rough, patternless bowls.

Essen opened his mouth.

“Lara is…….”

“Ah, it’s a nickname I’ve been called since childhood.”

“I see.”

I heard Essen murmur “Lara” quietly. It was an unremarkable nickname, but it seemed to fascinate him anew.

Well, lately I had only been called “Artie,” so I sometimes forgot my real name too.

“How is the maid work these days? Is it manageable?”

“Of course. Everyone treats me well and I’ve gotten used to the work, so it’s fine. I can even go out like this.”

Lying so suddenly made my heart pound a little.

Whether my acting had improved, Uncle Helmer didn’t suspect a thing.

“Come out often. It’s so hard to see your face, honestly.”

Even though he tried not to show it, I could feel it.

Uncle Helmer was secretly hurt that I didn’t leave the palace often.

But he was probably just not saying anything because he didn’t want to burden me.

I smiled as brightly as I could at him.

“I have good news.”

“Good news?”

“Yes. The position I’ve been holding has been raised higher.”

“Oh, congratulations. Lara.”

“So, Uncle.”

“Hm?”

“From now on, it might become difficult for me to come outside the imperial palace.”

Uncle Helmer’s expression darkened. But he soon laughed heartily and patted my back.

“What’s this, I thought something was wrong! Isn’t that a good thing? Congratulations, Lara!”

I smiled brightly along with him, but my heart was uneasy.

Telling him it would be hard to see each other while having to lie about it made me feel terribly guilty.

“In about three years…… I should be able to come out often.”

“Three years?”

Uncle Helmer paused for a moment, then laughed heartily again.

“That much will pass in no time. Just endure a little hardship, Lara. Send letters often if you can.”

Uncle Helmer laughed as if it were nothing, but I couldn’t let my feelings show.

I smiled brightly as if I were looking forward to the new work I had taken on.

“I’ll earn lots of money!”

“Good. It’s about time this uncle got spoiled by you.”

Uncle Helmer answered cheekily.

Thinking that I wouldn’t be able to see Uncle Helmer for about three years made my worries immense.

“Uncle Helmer. You’re not going to drink every day just because I’m not here to watch you, are you?”

“Ah, no. What do you take me for?!”

“A drunkard.”

“What are you saying, Lara. This uncle only drinks once a week! And even that is all because of Hans……. No, anyway. All right, I’ll cut down.”

“And stop smashing your dishes. It’s a waste of materials.”

Actually, it wasn’t so much about wasting materials—there was a bigger reason.

When I gave Uncle Helmer’s work as a gift to Her Majesty the Empress, the impact was far greater than I had imagined, so I couldn’t understand why he smashed them all.

So many people recognized their value, yet the one who made them could not.

“That’s…….”

“Can I take some dishes with me today too?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

It seemed better for me to just take them before he smashed them all. Uncle Helmer didn’t seem to care what I did with the dishes anyway.

As I chatted casually with him, time flew by before I knew it.

Essen hadn’t said a word, but he must have been bored waiting.

“Uncle. I have to go back now.”

“Has it been that long already?”

“I’ll write to you when I get the chance.”

Uncle Helmer saw me off to the door.

The Uncle Helmer I remembered from my early childhood had been young and strong, but somewhere along the way he had aged a great deal. It felt strange.

“Always remember to put your health first, all right?”

“I know. I’ve heard it so much my ears have calluses. More than that, Lara.”

“Yes?”

“Lately, suspicious people seem to be loitering around this area. They knock on doors and then disappear. Even if it’s the Rantree district, you should be careful.”

My eyes went wide.