Chapter 43

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After the sword training with the knights, Cain wanted to go home quickly, but Arundelano wouldn't let go of his sleeve, insisting they have lunch together.

They were led to the cafeteria where they had been introduced during a reconciliation tea party and sat down side by side. The waitstaff came and set the food on the table before leaving.

When Cain asked why they had to sit side by side, Arundelano replied that sitting across from each other would make it too far to talk.

Cain had been nervous, thinking he would be dining with the king or queen, but it seemed they would be having lunch alone.

"Let us give thanks to the gods for today's sustenance."

"Let us give thanks to the gods for today's sustenance."

They said the world's version of "itadakimasu" and picked up the bread. It wasn't particularly fluffy or freshly baked, but it had dried fruits in it.

"Cain-niisan, you ran so much today, that's amazing!"

"Please just call me Cain. Drop the 'niisan,' Your Highness."

"Then, can you call me Al, Cain?"

"...Al, Your Highness."

"Why can you run so much, Cain?"

"I run around the estate every morning and evening. Since I do it regularly, I was able to do it today. That's all there is to it."

"If I run every day, will I be able to run a lot too?"

"Yes, I'm sure you will."

He drank the lukewarm soup with lots of vegetables and used his fork to pick up and eat the torn leafy greens.

"Did you plan to have lunch alone today?"

"I always have lunch alone. Father and Mother are very busy, so it's rare for us to have meals together."

"I see..."

"The other day, when we had lunch with Cain and Dianah, it was fun! When there are guests, I can have meals with Mother, which makes me happy."

Arundelano said with a smile, "Come play again, okay?"

At the Elgrandark household, they had lunch with his mother and the three of them. When Dianah was on baby food, the nursemaid also joined them at the table (though Cain still fed Dianah the baby food).

When his mother was absent, the butler, Ilvaleno, was allowed to join them, and they would eat together as a group of three.

Imagining Arundelano, who was only four, eating alone made Cain feel very sad.

He could understand the feeling of encouraging someone to eat properly.

"When will you come next? Tomorrow? Every day?"

"I won't come tomorrow. I have other studies, and Deputy Commander Fabian has his own schedule."

If he went to the castle every day for sword training and had lunch every day, there wouldn't be enough time for Dianah.

Cain sympathized with Arundelano's situation and wanted to guide him away from the villainous route, like he did with Dianah and Ilvaleno, but the thought of spending less time with Dianah was unbearable.

"Your Highness, you also have other studies, don't you? You need to study a wide range of subjects properly."

"Yes, I'll work hard on my other studies, so come play again."

"Sure, I'll come again."

Cain couldn't understand how such an honest child could end up giving his fiancée to an older man. At the same age, Arundelano spoke more clearly and was more well-behaved than Dianah. He must be a smart child.

Perhaps, like Ilvaleno, who continued his family's assassin business based on a single kind memory, Arundelano had a past that had twisted his heart.

Something that made him attracted to innocent girls despite having a fiancée.

After finishing the meal, Cain said goodbye to Arundelano, who looked sad, and started his way home.

He wanted to help, but as the heir to the royal family, it wasn't easy to do anything.

"Master, you walked back home!?"

"Please call for a carriage at the castle! Batti was waiting eagerly!"

When Arundelano and Sarasiniya called out to him, Cain realized he had just returned home.

That evening, the dinner table was a pleasant and enjoyable time with Dismaia returning home on time. It remained so until Dismaia spoke to Cain.

"Starting tomorrow, go to the castle every morning for sword training."

"I can't. My other studies will fall behind."

"From what I hear, you've already advanced to the level of a third-year student. That's 14 years old. You can slow down a bit."

"What are you talking about? Learning is profound. There's no such thing as being satisfied with what you've learned. One should continue learning throughout their life."

"That's not what I'm talking about now."

Learning swordsmanship directly from a knight, especially the deputy commander, is an attractive opportunity. There's no such thing as too much fighting ability.

The massacre route and the senior route (i.e., the Cain route) can be considered eliminated, but the Holy Knight route still remains.

The Holy Knight route involves Dianah being possessed by the soul of the Demon King and turning into the Demon King, who is then defeated by the heroine and the apprentice knight. If he can follow her when the scenario arises and has the power to defeat the Demon King, he might be able to save Dianah. He wants that power more than anything.

He is also learning magic from a mage tutor for the same reason.

The opportunity to learn swordsmanship intensively from the deputy commander of the knights is a golden chance, and Cain understands this.

"But I won't be able to have lunch with Dianah! If I study at home, I can see Dianah during breaks, but at the castle, even if there are breaks, I won't be able to see Dianah! I won't even be able to see her face or her back! What if she forgets about me! How can you take away the time I spend with Dianah! While I'm honing my sword skills, do you plan to restore the bond between me and my parents! How can you take Dianah away from me! Do you plan to send me to guard the borders of the territory after I master swordsmanship! Are you trying to tear me and Dianah apart! I won't let you!!"

It's a common fact that a young heir's complaints are no match for the head of a ducal family. Despite Cain's protests, it was decided that he would go to the castle every morning for a while.

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