Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 26
Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi
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Chapter 26
“Barca did?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“…Why all of a sudden.”
Chaperil’s condition had stabilized significantly. As a result, adjustments to the medication dosage were necessary, and there needed to be a discussion about the young man with green hair visiting the mansion.
Thanks to that, he ended up hearing the news he didn’t want to hear but had to.
“Even if I said you were absent, it was okay. He insists on visiting the mansion without prior notice.”
“…No. We had to meet anyway. It’s just that when I requested an audience, the answer was to wait, yet he suddenly decides to visit the mansion…”
Barca rarely left the imperial palace.
He wasn’t the type to take risks, and with everything provided within the palace, there was no reason for him to leave. It was curious that he, for the first time since the emperor’s ascension, would visit Grand Duke Blaim’s residence at such a time.
“There are rumors that His Majesty has been secretly searching for Lady Rivette using the imperial knights since the tragedy at the Rivette mansion. The Prince* also mentioned that His Majesty’s movements seemed a bit strange.”
[ T/N: In this case, it was 왕제, which could mean the king’s brother. ]
Barca.
Enfrise fell into thought for a moment as his mind was tangled as he tapped the desk. While he knew that Barca harbored feelings towards Chaperil, Barca didn’t know how to hide his emotions properly.
Well, there might not have been a need to hide them.
The surroundings were eager to cater to Barca, who had been born with the Emperor’s favor after Enfrise, the ‘blood thief.’ He was supposed to be the next emperor.
[ T/N: At that time! So, it meant people would curry favor with the one to be the next emperor even when he was still a prince. ]
However, there was one reason Enfrise sought help from him. Barca had everything, so there was no need to create such troublesome affairs.
— Why doesn’t the Emperor make a proposal to Lady Rivette?
— Maybe he is considering Lady Rivette’s perspective. She seems kind-hearted, after all…
— Well, she hasn’t made any engagement decisions yet… However, if it’s a proposal from His Majesty the Emperor, wouldn’t she change her mind? It’s also a matter of the family’s honor.
— Of course. Who would refuse that proposal?
The reason for Barca’s inaction was unclear.
Still, it seemed to align with their words. Who could refuse the proposal of the Emperor of the entire Imperio Empire?
Moreover, Barca had yet to hold the engagement ceremony. There was originally a woman designated as the crown princess. Barca was supposed to marry her when he turned twenty, but she tragically lost her life in a sudden accident.
Sadness was one thing, but there were things to be done.
The palace buzzed with the need to welcome a new crown princess soon. The Previous Emperor was also heard to have given Barca similar advice.
However, he said…
— For the time being… No matter what, she was supposed to be my wife. Bringing in a new woman without a proper mourning period for her who left the world so miserably and without a proper heir seems difficult for me.
A seemingly ruthless crown prince.
Despite the fact that that was how people perceived Barca, the unexpected consideration he showed earned him an evaluation of ‘someone with their own sense of affection.’ Not long after that, the previous Emperor also left the world, and Barca hastily ascended the throne.
However, although it had been forgotten for a while, recently, the talk had resurfaced.
When would His Majesty officially welcome Lady Rivette?
Such discussions.
Everyone took it for granted that Barca expressed regret over the tragedy at the Rivette mansion, thoroughly investigating whether anyone survived the tragedy. He examined the cause of the tragedy. Enfrise did as well.
In the blink of an eye, the lineage of his beloved woman crumbled away. While the remains of Count and Countess Rivette were discovered in the ruins of the burned mansion, there was no trace of Chaperil.
How deeply was His Majesty burning inside?
Even now, more than two months after the tragedy at the Rivette mansion, people are concerned about Chaperil.
That was why, regarding this matter, Enfrise, who usually kept this matter with Elmare as much as possible, had sought help from Barca since he would likely try to protect Chaperil from a similar position as him.
That was what he thought, at least.
“I need to meet with Barca first.”
The place where Chaperil was located was not far from the Grand Duke’s residence. However, it was difficult to enter due to magical barriers, and it was equally challenging to exit. In case something happened, it would be better to leave ‘that thing’ there.
“….”
For a moment, a faint smile appeared on Enfrise’s face. If Chaperil found out that she referred to the animal as ‘that thing,’ would she get angry again? After all, it was still alive, and calling it a ‘thing’ was strange, she said.
Moreover, that ‘thing’ or rather, that living being, looked quite cute.
Enfrise thought it had an appearance that Chaperil might like, and that was part of the reason why he had impulsively bought it in. Surely, she would like it when she saw it. After this incident was safely resolved, he would make sure to show it to her.
Watching him in such a state, the green-haired young man became awkward. How profound must love be to change a man who always treated others curtly, built walls first, and kept a distance from others? If that was the case, then this man was changed by that love.
No… that wasn’t his area of intervention. There was only one thing he had to do.
…Fulfill the master’s orders faithfully.
“Thanks to you, I could find out in advance and prepare. If this visit ends safely, I will invite you to the mansion.”
The young man bowed quietly, expressing his intention to follow Enfrise’s orders faithfully. Enfrise, who had been quietly gazing out the window, suddenly spoke.
“By the way, Sir Jaha.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you have some skill in painting?”
It was a very unexpected topic.
“Hey!”
Enfrise bit his lip while urging his horse. The notification device trembling on his wrist was urging him like a whip.
If he didn’t hurry, he would lose her.
— I have no intention of running away.
He wanted to believe her.
When was the last time he had such a thought of wanting to trust someone? Since he abandoned his feelings for his father, he never had such a thought. Before that, there were only futile hopes that his father would eventually look at him, but it wasn’t enough to call it trust.
But he wanted to trust Chaperil.
— It’s been a while, brother.
Barca wasn’t much different from his usual self. The reason for coming to the mansion was also simple. He explained that he felt sorry for not accepting Enfrise’s previous audience request due to being busy, so he came to visit instead of calling Enfrise.
Enfrise, who was about to open his mouth to ask what was going on, closed his mouth when he felt the vibration on his wrist.
— …Excuse me, Your Majesty. It seems an incident has occurred in the territory, so I thought I should go and see.
— What are you talking about, Brother?
— This is news I received just before Your Majesty’s arrival… I thought it would be appropriate to explain the situation in person. I apologize for this inconvenience and will submit another request for an audience.
— Wait… brother!
He knew his excuses were unreasonable. There were hardly any cases where someone refused an audience with the Emperor just before it happened.
What a rude thing to do.
He also knew this would be a problem. But he couldn’t just stay quiet.
“I, I want….”
I wanted to believe in those sweet words.
I wanted to believe that all of it was your sincerity. I didn’t want to think it was a lie.
Your words were more precious to me than anyone else’s.
Because they were my light.
However, the notification device that was currently ringing was not the one connected to Frii. It was given to Tambor.
What this meant was clear in the end.
“….”
He clenched his teeth.
In truth, he knew… He shouldn’t believe her.
Everyone lied. Everyone hated him.
After all, the one who ‘stole the blood of the imperial family’ couldn’t be loved by anyone. Not even by his biological parents.
He knew that.
— I’ve been thinking this since we first met, Grand Duke, but you seem really cute.
It was a statement that should’ve upset him.
He was the Grand Duke of this country, the one who inherited the bloodline of the imperial family. Strictly speaking, he originally should have become the emperor. Could anyone dare to say that such a man is cute?
To the words she uttered to shake him, he was shaken more than he could have thought. He was grateful just for the fact that she saw him in a positive light. He was glad that she didn’t see him with eyes of hatred.
— Your handwriting is incredibly beautiful.
— Haven’t you heard that a lot? Your voice is cool.
— Grand Duke, you’re extremely handsome.
All those words were lies.
All lies.
His heart crumbled. Something warm that had accumulated in his heart collapsed and melted away. It coated everything like sticky glue. The fact that all those things she said to him were lies that… hurt just as much as knowing she wanted to leave him.
“Stop right there!”
In the swiftly passing scenery, he saw Chaperil. Only her figure, hanging on the shoulders of a stranger, stood out.
He stopped his horse, jumped down, and stood in front of her.
Chaperil was safe. However, if he left it like this, it would surely become dangerous again. She, who didn’t know his heart and was trying to escape from him, was both lovable and hateful.
“No way, I hoped it wouldn’t come to this. I wanted to believe…”
“Why are you coming now?!”
…It was an unexpected statement.
“Do you know how scared I was? I… I… Huwaaaa.”
Her pale face turned red in an instant, and even the area around her eyes reddened.
And soon, like a spring, tears gushed out.
Seeing those tears gush from her large pupils, the sticky substance that had blocked his chest vanished… all washed away.
In the end, all that remained was his feelings for Chaperil.
—
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SaltedPeanuts
Awwwwwwwww 😢
HeathBar
I want to pat Enfrise on the head. 🥲