Chapter 17 - Think Of Me As A Comrade (1/2)

Chapter 17 – Think Of Me As A Comrade

The Grand Duke, who they hadn’t been able to contact for a day, went back to his residence.

Kaligo took off his coat and handed it to Redin as soon as he entered his bedroom. “I’m going for a trip.”

With a puzzled face and the coat in hand, Redin asked, “What… do you mean, Your Excellency?”

“I said I’m going for a trip.”

“…Trip?” He stared blankly.

Kaligo called Melanie to bring his suitcase and some clothes. The maid did her work, trembling all the while, and Redin finally came to his senses.

“To where? No, how long will you be gone? This is quite unexpected…”

Kaligo stroked his chin as he watched Melanie packing his clothes. “Are the clothes enough?”

Melanie stood with ramrod-straight back as she answered, “Yes, my lord. However, all of your clothes are thin…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Ignoring how surprised Redin was, Kaligo was busy looking down on his bag while trying to figure out what more he needed. “I don’t know how long it will take, or where I am going.”

“…”

He was asked where he was going; his face was needlessly serious as if he encountered an unexpected difficulty.

“Uhm… it will be a week at most, so try your best not to let the outside world know.”

He didn’t even ask how long they would take. He was afraid that she would change her mind if he asked trivial questions.

“…By the way, Your Excellency.”

“What?”

Alternately looking between Kaligo and his suitcase, Redin continued talking, “Did you know that Kyrian is coming back tomorrow?”

“… Ah.” Kaligo, who already turned his back, looked again at Redin. “Is it really tomorrow?”

“Yes, didn’t you say you’d like to meet him when he arrives?”

‘Hmm’

Kaligo took a deep breath.

Kyrian was rescued alongside Kaligo on the day he was in an accident. As the years passed, the child showed a talent for swordsmanship, catching Kaligo’s attention. Because of this, he was able to receive formal training.

Apparently, he was scheduled to return tomorrow after safely graduating.

“…Just play with him until I get back,” Kaligo said nonchalantly.

He was the least of his troubles.

“Play… with him? Don’t you know how active that child is? I will die, Your Excellency.”

“…”

As Kaligo was busy packing his things again, Redin sighed and said softly, “…I will summon the off-duty knights.”

“That’s better.”

Redin knew that he couldn’t handle Kyrian’s stamina alone. Sparring, sparring, and sparring. He was a monster who could stay up all night training. Redin thought that he should select knights with good physical strength to play with Kyrian on his behalf.

Anyway, about the Grand Duke’s trip… Due to the side effects of the potion, there have been few vacancies in the Grand Duke’s residence… He was worried about Kaligo since Kyrian’s work had been roughly finished.

“By the way, what are you going to do about the side effects? Do you have any countermeasures?”

“Hmm…”

When Kaligo stopped moving and fell into deep thinking, it only deepened Redin’s worries.

The Grand Duke had been making great efforts not to disclose his body’s condition to the outside world. Wasn’t he a Grand Duke who already had a lot of enemies? His health condition was top-secret, and yet recently, Kaligo had been acting without hesitation as if he didn’t care about being found out anytime.

Knowing the efforts he had made in the past until now. Redin’s concerns were only natural. Besides, he was going alone on a trip without a single escort.

“Can you please reconsider, Your Excellency?”

“…”

Kaligo’s head turned to Redin.

“The Grand Duke of the Karhan Empire is traveling alone. You should have four or five escorts by your side…”

“Ah, are you talking about someone who will protect me?” Kaligo raised his eyebrows

Redin’s sigh only deepened. “…It’s not that you don’t know; even a dagger can stab you from behind.”

Heh

Kaligo laughed as if it was a needless worry. “I don’t need someone weak enough to die for me. I have no intention of disposing of the body while on a trip, so don’t give me anyone.”

He wouldn’t be alone, to be precise, but he didn’t want to tell him he would be with Ashia. If he asked questions after that, he would be annoyed.

“Please don’t do that. Wait one more day, then take Kyrian with you when he arrives. Didn’t you train him to keep him by your side?”

“Staying next to me doesn’t mean he needs to stick with me.”

“Then give him a suitable job. Whether it is using his brain or body, else he will lose his mind if his head is just hanging around.”

“Is he a person to be used? Where?” Kaligo laughed silently as he picked up his clothes hearing Redin’s grumbling. “The butler of my family is speaking weakly, is it because you’re getting older?”

“You shouldn’t forget, Your Excellency, that I am younger than you.”

“…If you have time to say things like that, would you like to help me with my luggage?”