Chapter 58

That night, after returning from work, Dismaya called Cain to his study after dinner.

"Did I hear correctly that the suggestion for the Crown Prince to participate in official duties came from you... Is that true?"

Sitting across from Dismaya, Cain couldn't sense any anger. Whether Dismaya was perfectly concealing his emotions as a noble or was genuinely not angry, Cain couldn't tell.

"Yes. His Highness Al mentioned that he didn't spend much time with his parents, so I thought of a way to create more time with the Queen and offered my humble advice."

Cain tried to keep his voice as neutral as possible. He couldn't say that he had suggested pushing Alundirano onto Dedini, who turned out to be a married woman, as a second-best plan.

"Since I started participating in sword training, I've had more conversations with Father. Although I don't join him for work, I realized that even just sharing the carriage ride to work gives us more time together. I simply proposed the same idea, Father."

He subtly implied that the idea was inspired by his father, shifting the responsibility.

"Did you also take him to the orphanage for a practice run beforehand?"

"Previously, His Highness had made Dian fall. It wasn't out of malice, but a result of a misunderstanding that led him to pull her hand forcefully. The orphanage has children of various ages, including younger ones and those around my age. I thought that by seeing the older children taking care of the younger ones and everyone helping each other, His Highness might become kinder to Dian and other girls. It wasn't intended as a practice run, Father."

Cain conveniently ignored the fact that he had tried to burn Alundirano's brain due to a misunderstanding. Of course, he had taken him to the orphanage as a practice run, so saying "it wasn't intended" was a lie.

The trip to the orphanage was officially approved by the Deputy Commander of the Royal Guard, Fabian. The maid, who had lost sight of the two children, didn't realize they were gone from the courtyard until Fabian returned with the necessary permission. Officially, the maid had handed the children over to Fabian, so there were no issues.

Since the action was deemed harmless, the Elgrandark family received no reports or notifications. Everyone assumed that Cain had informed them in advance about Alundirano's outing.

After hearing Cain's answer, Dismaya sighed deeply and closed his eyes, deep in thought. He tapped his knee with his index finger and then, after another deep breath, opened his eyes and stared intently at Cain.

"Cain, you didn't do this to improve the Crown Prince's or the royal family's reputation, did you?"

He asked with a probing look.

"Although the outcome is positive, that wasn't my intention. I simply wanted His Highness Al and the Queen to become closer."

Cain's answer was truthful. He had prepared in advance to ensure success, as a failure could have strained their relationship.

"Understood. I'll decline the event selection. Or do you want to do it?"

"No, such a significant responsibility is beyond me. Please decline it. I beg you."

"Alright."

Dismaya leaned back into the sofa, resting his head and shoulders against the backrest.

"Phew~"

Cain looked at Dismaya, who sighed deeply, as if expelling all the air from his lungs, with a surprised expression. Since he hadn't been dismissed, Cain remained seated, watching his father.

"Cain, you're so competent that I'm intimidated! You can do anything and seem to grow on your own, but then you suddenly talk about a 'secret base' like a child, and when I ask about your future dreams, you say something mundane like working as a clerk in the castle! With such a flashy face!"

Rarely did the mask of the Duke of Elgrandark slip. Cain relaxed, leaning back into the sofa.

"What do you mean by a flashy face? I inherited it from both of you. I look like a mix of both, don't I?"

"Amazing how the placement of features can change beauty so much! Everyone praises you for your studies, magic, and swordsmanship. You should take on a more glamorous job. You're still a child, so your dreams are limitless!"

"Then I want to be an adventurer."

"You're the eldest son of a ducal family! Have some self-awareness!"

"There you go. Even dreams have limits."

The Elgrandark family, the leading ducal house, is said to have power second only to the royal family. Dismaya, the current head, lost his parents at a young age. His grandparents are still alive but have retired to their estate, where they manage it with his younger brother.

Dismaya, who became the head of the leading ducal house at a young age, struggled considerably. Cain sometimes heard his mother, Elise, complain about those difficult times.

Dismaya works as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice but is also a member of the Council of Elders, an organization that consults on important national matters, including the king. The Council of Elders consists of the heads of the four ducal families and the three marquess families that have existed since the founding of the country, totaling seven families.

Dismaya, who became the head of the family shortly after marrying Elise in his early twenties, faced many challenges. He was often bullied by elderly marquesses who refused to step down and continued to dominate the Council of Elders, using their experience to force him to comply with unreasonable demands.

Within three years, Dismaya had learned to maintain the calm and composed demeanor of a ducal head, but occasionally, his guard would drop, and his childlike side would show.

"Even recently, Dian came to show us her ladylike greeting, saying, 'Nice to meet you!' after being my daughter for four years! And apparently, you greeted her first again!"

The conversation was drifting. In such situations, the best course of action was to leave it to his mother, Elise. Cain stood up to take his leave.

"Ah, Cain. I think we can decline the event selection, but if the schedule is already set, we might not be able to avoid a meeting with the king. I'm sorry, but if you can go with the mindset of visiting a friend's father, it would be a great help."

"Meeting a friend's father isn't the same... I accept the audience. Can I buy appropriate clothes?"

"Sure. I'll tell Parepantel to let you choose."

Cain finally took his leave and went to say goodnight to Dian before returning to his room and getting into bed. The futon smelled of herbs said to promote sleep.

Thank you for always reporting typos. It helps a lot.

Thank you for all the feedback. It's very encouraging.

I'll take it easy and keep going.