I’ll Save This Damned Family!

me.”

 

“How dare he… What kind of foul joke is he playing, Your Highness? I will go find this frivolous bastard and eliminate him right away!”

 

Nick jumped up, grabbed his sword, and went as if he was going to run out of the office that very moment.

 

“Nick.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness, I await your command.”

 

“Kneel.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Nick knelt down again.
A stabbing pain came from the tips of his toes, but he held it in.

 

“The information about Gehrig Anton's death is irrelevant because it will be widely known by tomorrow anyway.
However, using this information, Count Elias is determined to learn more about both his children and me…
What should I do? He seems quite absorbed in playing teacher, I wonder what I should do with this guy?”

 

“Is that so, Your Highness?”

 

“I'm thinking I should adjust my own tune to match his.
Let's go.
Doesn't the Elias Family have a wide variety of horses? Shall we go and take a look?”

 

Nick sprang to his feet.

 

“Yes, Your Highness.
I will guide you.”

 

Kyle Amure left just like that, and did not return for three hours.

 

Jason, who had been waiting for him this whole time in the hall, had made it through five cups of tea before realizing he had been stood up.
He rose from his seat furiously.

 

“Damn it.
Asking was a terrible idea, I should have just stolen it or something.”

 

***

 

3 p.m.

 

An hour had passed since he had started training, he was focused solely on the sword in front of him.
No one was permitted to speak with him recklessly while he trained, so the knights stood from afar and watched the prince with awe.

 

His dark hair glistened in the sunlight.
His deep, piercing gray eyes, framed by a sharp jawline and elegant nose.
Drops of sweat ran down his forehead.
His body was lean and strong, and he stood tall, over 185 cm.
And on top of all that, he was a Prince.

 

 

The particular swordsmanship skill he used was a secret that had been passed down from generation to generation.
It was rumoured that the secret technique, which was only passed down within the Imperial family, was only ever mastered once in a century.
And yet, he was one of the princes who had mastered that secret skill.

 

Was there anything this man didn't lack?

 

Nick couldn't hide his envy-filled gaze as he watched his agile form, and the movement of the sharp blade as it sleekly cut through the air.

 

And then.

 

“Excuse me, Sir.”

 

“…
You're the butler.
What's the matter?”

 

“Yes, I was asked to give you this.
I was instructed to please convey this to His Highness by Aria Elias, the youngest daughter of the Count.”

 

“Uh-huh…
I don't take things like this lightly.”

 

“Please take it.
If you don't receive it, I'll be nagged at for the whole month.”

 

The young butler, who managed the annex, looked at Nick with an almost pleading expression.
The envelope he'd brought with him was pink.

 

Nick frowned and looked at the envelope like it was a viper.

 

A pink envelope was dusted with tiny flower petals.
The sweet scent of flowers was strong enough to paralyze his nose.

 

“Sir.
Please…”

 

He couldn't help but take it.

 

“Then I'll check it in advance.”

 

“Here you are, Sir.”

 

In case of any possible danger, he still looked inside the envelope in advance.
There appeared to be nothing wrong with it.

 

It was just a normal letter.
No, it wasn't normal at all.
After glancing at it, Nick immediately had to turn his gaze away.

 

Nick couldn't bear to read it completely.

 

After about 30 more minutes, when the Prince's training had finished, Nick cautiously approached his Master.

 

“Well…
Your Highness.”

 

“……?”

 

“This is a letter from Miss Aria, the youngest member of the family.
As is customary, I looked in the envelope in advance, but there was nothing dangerous.”

 

“Really?”

 

When the Prince reached out his hand, which was just as handsome as his face, Nick very carefully handed him the envelope.

 

Immediately, the space between the Prince's eyes narrowed, and his sharp gaze came up and pinned him to the spot.

 

“What is this wretched thing?”

 

“W–Well, Your Highness.
The butler gave it to me saying that the youngest daughter insisted on it being delivered…”

 

Kyle opened the pink envelope, thickly doused with perfume, and pulled out a piece of stationery with the tips of his fingers that was similarly steeped in fragrance.

 

He opened it gingerly using only his thumb and index fingers.

 

When he opened the letter, feminine handwriting caught his eye.

 

The contents were as follows:

 

[What should I do?

What should a lady do?

 

A mind that wanders aimlessly.

How did you throw stones at this empty heart that rustles like a desert?

 

Something stirs.
Ripples come forth.

An oasis has appeared in the desert, flowers have bloomed, and fragrance pours out.

Contrary to my will, the desert blooms ever further.

 

What shall I do? With my heart, that has grown and bloomed so unconsciously…Far away, a butterfly seduces a lily.

Why is that butterfly so handsome?

Why is that butterfly so outstanding?

Why is that butterfly so seductive?

 

The flowers of the desert will never wither.

What should I do? Now that this heart has changed…

This lady awaits your answer.

 

The flower of the Elias Family, Aria Elias.]

 

Nick glanced at him.

 

It had been a while since he'd seen the Master grimace like that.

 

The face of the Lord, who never lost his cool in any situation, was filled with irritation.

 

And words spewed from his Master's mouth.

 

“Throw it away!”

 

“Yes, Your Highness!”

 

***

 

5 p.m.

 

Kyle was taking a momentary break.
The odious scent of flowers still lingered on the tip of his nose.

 

He was leaning on the sofa in front of his desk in the office for a moment, when Nick came in again.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“…
Who is it this time, the eldest daughter? Or the lady with the axe?”

 

“Yes… The fifth child, Miss Axe.”

 

“Tell her to wait,” he answered.

 

Kyle placed his hand on his forehead and closed his mouth without opening his eyes, but he didn't hear the door shut, so he opened his eyes and looked at Nick.

 

“She's not here to see you, Your Highness.”

 

“…
So what then?”

 

“She's here to find some kind of valuable…”

 

Yes.
Wall lady did seem a bit different.

 

“Tell her you can find it.”

 

“…
About that.”

 

“What?”

 

“She said it's in the office.
The item.”

 

Ha.
Would you look at that?