Chapter 70

Wilgaren Kühn Marquise was my great-uncle, the younger brother of my grandfather who passed away early.

In the corridors of this Fulftball Castle, portraits of the successive lords and their families are displayed. Naturally, the family portraits are limited to the previous and current generations, with those of earlier family members carefully stored in a dedicated room for paintings.

When I saw the portrait of the first generation, I thought it somewhat resembled my grandfather.

In the family portrait from my grandfather's childhood, the figures of my great-grandparents and the young versions of my grandfather and great-uncle were depicted.

When I saw that family portrait, Nebel said that I looked like my great-uncle.

Not in terms of facial features, but in a general sense. And this was something my grandmother had also said when we first met.

In fact, my great-uncle had a face that could be described as a beauty of the world, and if he had worn a dress with long hair, he would have been extremely popular with men.

Nebel, looking at me as I was frozen in front of the family tree, asked worriedly, "What's wrong, Al?"

"Hey, do you know that my grandfather had a younger brother? The one displayed in the east corridor on the second floor."

"Yeah."

"His name is Wilgaren."

I pointed to the name next to my grandfather's.

"Wilgaren Kühn Marquise... He's already passed away, right?"

"When my great-grandfather and grandfather were away, there was an attack. A young lady who wanted to marry my grandfather targeted my grandmother, who was his fiancée. I heard that my great-uncle protected her by putting himself in harm's way."

"...Wow."

"Yeah, it's amazing."

My grandfather, in his youth, was not the kind of dazzling beauty you'd see in an opera, but a strong and handsome man. Perhaps the young lady who targeted my grandmother thought he would make a good husband? Probably so.

This is all in the past, and there's no point in digging it up now.

"Did he pass away before reaching adulthood?"

"It seems so. I wish he were still alive so we could hear his story."

Both my great-uncle and I have the name of the first generation. It doesn't seem like a coincidence. But we can't talk to someone who has passed away.

It's a shame, but we'll have to look for clues elsewhere.

"Is His Highness Albert here?"

While we were talking, a maid who was not Yanna, my mother's personal attendant, came to call me.

"Princess Liette is calling for you."

This person wasn't around when my mother was a concubine, so she must have been hired after we moved here.

Maybe the guest my mother mentioned this morning has arrived.

"Yes, I'll go after I tidy up."

"Your Highness, I'll take care of the tidying up. Please go to Princess Liette."

The librarian, who had helped me with the documents, started tidying up the desk.

"Is that okay?"

"You seem to be in a hurry, so I'll take care of it."

"Then I'll tidy up."

"No, Nebel, you should go with the young master."

Nebel and I exchanged glances. Hmm? Was today's guest that important?

I don't think we were being rushed, but it seemed we should prioritize the guest over tidying up. So, I left the tidying to the librarian and followed the maid with Nebel.

We were led to a terrace that led to the garden, where, in addition to my mother, there was a woman of about the same age as my mother and a child around my age.

I recognized the woman. She was the wife of the Margrave of Northern Meckel, Matilde Perde Hindenburg, whom I had greeted at my mother's remarriage announcement tea party.

Her maiden name was Matilde Perde Einhorn, the sister of the Duke of Einhorn.

To be honest, I think Matilde Hindenburg looks more like the king than her brother, the Duke of Einhorn. That means she also looks like me.

"Greetings, Prince Albert."

Hindenburg greeted me with a warm smile.

I don't know why, but I honestly think that Matilde Hindenburg has more of a regal presence than the Duke of Einhorn. Wouldn't the Kingdom of Rave be more stable if she were the queen? But it seems that Hindenburg doesn't consider such matters important.

"Hello, Lady Hindenburg."

I greeted her with a smile, and she exclaimed, "Oh, Prince Albert, I told you to call me Matilde."

"Calling the Margravine of Northern Meckel by her first name would be disrespectful."

"Oh, my, if the Crown Prince says such things, we wouldn't know where to put ourselves."

"That title will disappear eventually. Once I come of age, there's no need to show respect to something that will vanish like a bubble."

Ugh, I'm not good at this kind of noble exchange. Mother, help me.

"Matilde, that's enough. While we're in Fulftball, Albert is a member of the Marquise family."

Even in the palace, Albert is a member of the Marquise family.

"...Alright."

At my mother's words, Hindenburg folded her slightly opened fan with a snap. The spiky, weapon-like parts disappeared in an instant. Wow. My mother... No, I'll stop there.

"Albert, Matilde is a friend of your mother's. There's no need to be so formal."

Ah, I see. So, I should be respectful but also more relaxed. Got it.

As we were having this conversation, a boy with hair that looked like a drop of blue in black and eyes like tanzanite, the same as Lady Hindenburg's, let out a small laugh.

"Prince Albert."

Oh, the 'Highness' is gone.

"Two years ago, at the tea party announcing Liette's remarriage in the capital, I introduced you to my youngest son, Theodor. Please remember him."

The son she introduced was another beautiful figure, the kind you'd expect to see as the protagonist in a fantasy world.

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