“Leone. What did you do?”
At her question, Leone tilted his head and looked at her innocently, saying he didn’t know why. In the past, she would have believed it, but it occurred to her that, strangely, he seemed to know why. Well, seeing that the people at the riding arena weren’t afraid of Leone, it didn’t seem like he was threatening the horses or making a fuss. A predator, a predator… but. It’s become more docile now, but wasn’t Leone’s lifesaver originally quite considerable?
“Today, I brought the words used by the knights and tried it, but it is like this. Although I’m sensitive to words, it’s not to this extent…”
The knight’s words sounded like he was a fearsome predator. It’s a lot of trouble. Maybe she should bring in a wild horse that ran through the open meadows. As soon as she had an idea, she wrote it down in the notebook Benjamin gave her.
“Let’s move at once.”
“Ah yes. Next is table manners education.”
“It is lunch time soon. Perfect for learning and using. Trixie. When watching from the sidelines, you should be careful and respect your manners. Keep in mind, again… ”
Benjamin left several requests and nags before disappearing. His back looked very light. She went to the dining room with Leone.
“Leone. why did you push it so hard suddenly.”
As she walked along with the guidance of the attendants, she asked questions she had been curious about. Leone took off the cramped riding jacket and handed it to the attendant next to him. As he walked away, he showed off the advanced technique of taking off his jacket, and he seemed really human.
“Because it’s frustrating.”
“Because of clothes?”
“No. Because I am frustrated.”
“Did you overdo it because you were frustrated?”
“Trixie. I- I don’t know.”
“So you wanted to learn? Do you feel like you don’t know anything?”
“Huh. The human way, Trixie’s way. I wanted to know everything.”
Every time she listened to him, she thought his words had become more fluent. However, they didn’t have long conversations and only talked within the limited vocabulary they usually use. So she didn’t know that Leone was talking more, so she was considerate as usual. But that consideration was in vain.
“I see… Leone, you are all grown up.”
“I’m taller now, taller than me.”
“If you are taller than you, it will be a big deal. Being all grown up means that you have grown a lot and become cool.”
Leone smiled softly at her answer.
“I see.”
He answered in the same way as she did, but it didn’t feel like he was following her like before. Sometimes it’s just the timing of breaks or the scale of words that were weird, but it’s an amazing improvement compared to the past. She felt strange. Couldn’t she call Leone a puppy anymore?
“Hold the fork in your left hand, and the knife in your right hand… ”
The dining room we arrived at was said to be used for dinner. Leone, who was sitting at the top of the long table, moved as instructed by the table manners teacher.
‘Why did he suddenly change so much?’
He had changed little by little until now, but not to this extent. Leone, who changed 180 degrees and accepted human culture and methods, was so unfamiliar.
“Trixie. It tastes awful?”
At lunch time after manners class, he even took care of her when she was engrossed in thought. That was weird. It was clear that there was a change of heart. The Leone she saw right before she collapsed seemed to hate the imperial palace very much. His face stiffened as soon as she got off, and even had a seizure after a long time.
“Tricksy?”
It was strange in her eyes to see Leone being so calm and immersed in her studies and changing like a human. There was a problem.
‘I need to find out…!’
“Leone. Is the fortress schedule okay? Aren’t you too busy?”
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t overdo it. You don’t have to-“
“Trixie.”
“Huh?”
“It’s fine.”
Leone looked at her with a dangerous smile as he spoke softly as if resolute. It felt like a tempting demon was floating behind him.
“Bon appetit, Trixie.”
It was a manly voice that seemed so good that she was infinitely anxious. Just as it suddenly exploded when it arrived at the imperial palace after being okay for a while, it seemed like it would happen again. The Leone she knew had an extreme range of behavioral and emotional changes. This made her even more worried.
“That… Even so, how about adjusting the schedule a bit? A little bit of sleep a day is so little.”
“I will give the knight an order, crab. A guardian is not necessary.”
“You’re not going to shorten the schedule?”
“I am happy, Trixie.”
“What?”
To say it was fun was embarrassing.
“With you. I can talk.”
In the friendly face, Leone’s eyes twinkled. She wanted to answer, but her lips didn’t come off as if they were pressed against each other.
“It’s fun, I’m looking forward to it.”
“…I see.”
She replied calmly and took a spoonful and took a bite of the soup. She could feel the soup going down her esophagus. It was already cold and lukewarm, but it was hot from the inside to the tips of the ears. It looked like the soup was spicy.
“Trixie.”
“Huh.”
She answered Leone’s call without raising her head. Instant warmth hitted her. His hot hand touched the tip of her ear lightly. It was itchy and gave her goosebumps.
“Ear- color. Changed.”
“The soup is too spicy.”
“I see.”
Leone backed away without questioning her explanation.
‘That’s right. The soup looks spicy. Really, next time I will ask for it to be less spicy.’
She let out a deep breath, ignoring her beating heart.
* * *
“General Bede. Do you know why I put you in the guard post?”
The office in the morning with bright sunlight pouring in. Grand Duke Evans, wearing a gorgeously embroidered silk gown, spoke in a languid voice. It was languid as if there was still energy to sleep, but at the end of it, irritation hung.
“I’m sorry!”
“It took 5 years, but in the end, I couldn’t even find the prince, and the prince entered the capital.”
The old man, sitting deep in a chair and examining his kneeling servant, felt a sense of intimidation emanating from his stature, even though he was old. He was unfair with General Bede. He found almost everything. He suddenly hit him on the back of the head like this. Adler, he always was the problem. He pretended not to be, and his quickness of action made General Bead fuck every time.
“I definitely found it. Apparently, one of my men spotted a man who appeared to be the prince in the Meto Mountains!”
General Bede apparently sent assassins with the news that he had sighted a man similar to the prince in the Meto Mountains. He asked them to confirm at least the whereabouts of the prince and Adler, but the news of the assassins they were searching for was cut off. He waited another month and a half, as he expected it to take quite a while to search the mountains. But the assassins never returned. So General Bed was convinced.
‘The prince is right there.’
There were fifteen assassins. Only Count Adler Wickingham in the Empire could defeat that number. However, even with news of his sightings, he could not pinpoint his exact location in the Meto Mountains. Even the most navigating person could become disoriented once they enter the foothills of the Meto Mountains unless they lived there. Again, General Bede had to search the Meto Mountains for several peaks that were supposed to adjoin his mansion. He couldn’t tell Archduke Evans any unreliable information, so he just kept repeating the search. In the end, out of impatience, he searched and searched for the mansion, but when he finally found it, it was already empty without a single person. No, not only that, but some time later, the prince even returned to the capital after 5 years.
“Meto Mountains?”
One eyebrow of Archduke Evans went up.
“Yes. I sent out fifteen assassins and they never returned. This must be the Count of Wickingham!”
“Yes. Tsk. He was there.”
The Archduke clicked his tongue in annoyance. He never thought that there would be someone who could lead people up those rugged mountains without difficulty. The Adler he knew had a reckless side. He settles there… So he hasn’t been able to find it for a while.
“Give me one more chance. Please!”
General Bede appealed in an earnest voice. He’s been failing for five years, so it didn’t matter if I dealt with it. But General Bede’s desperate face stood out. A desperate person was quite useful. General Bede’s life would be over if he went home, probably. His desperation was stronger than anyone else.
“I will.”
“…yes, your Excellency the Grand Duke!”
General Bede bowed his head with thrilled eyes. The prince eventually returned to the capital, and for Archduke Evans, it was better to focus his energy on being vigilant there. And in fact, Archduke Evans wasn’t even that wary of the prince. He made countless assassination attempts, and although he gave instructions to his agents to find the prince, he did not act directly. The reason was because he knew that the prince was a beast himself.
Archduke Evans also saw the prince a few times. When he was first brought by the emperor, when he overturned the imperial palace, when the palace attendant was covered in blood.
If he was killed, it would be easier for him to hold the imperial power, so he told him to kill him, but he was a worm who would not be able to become emperor anyway from the memories he saw then. Besides, he knew that one day he would return to the capital.
The Grand Duke has been unleashing people for five years to find Leone. He didn’t directly step forward, but all those who worked for the grand duke were eager to make their mark and get in the eyes of the grand duke, so in the end even that son was caught. As Adler periodically came down to rescue people, the inevitably left traces became clues. And the Archduke handed over the clue to Count Burkett for investigation.
At the slightest hint, Adler would immediately hide his tail, so he said to be extra careful. If he missed the clue that he barely caught, Adler and Leone would be in the middle of the day again. So instead of loosing guilds or informants, Count Bucket opened a gambling house and called people. It wasn’t a bad way. But at some point, Count Bucket’s contact was cut off. Not only was it cut off, but it also disappeared.
