Chapter 39

The room I was led to was very beautiful.

Each piece of furniture was a high-quality item with intricate craftsmanship, yet they maintained a gentle and unobtrusive color scheme.

It was surely not new.

However, the aged quality that suggested the passage of time brought a sense of calm.

I declined the meal, but I was lent a comfortable robe and indoor slippers.

I took off my dress, removed my makeup, and sat idly in the empty room. It seemed that night had fallen completely. However, music could still be heard from the other side of the courtyard, indicating that the ball was continuing through the night.

What brought me back to my senses was a quiet knock.

"…Lucia, are you awake?"

The voice from the other side of the door was my brother Albes.

I was dazed for a while, but when I heard the knock again, I stood up.

When I opened the door, a pleasant aroma wafted in.

Standing in the hallway was indeed my brother, holding a tray with drinks.

Albes looked relieved when he saw me, but quickly broke into a smile.

"I’ve prepared some drinks and light snacks. May I come in?"

"…Of course."

When I opened the door wide, my brother entered the room with the tray.

While I was closing the door, he placed the tray on a small table and moved a chair to a comfortable position.

When I approached, he gestured to the chair.

"First, have a drink. Then… let’s talk a little."

I nodded and picked up the steaming cup.

The pleasant aroma suggested it was herbal tea.

Taking a gentle sip, I felt my body, which had grown cold without my noticing, warm up. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was. Taking another sip, I felt the tension in my body begin to ease.

My brother looked around the room and brought over a stool from the corner.

It seemed too small for his large frame, but it was sturdier than it looked and didn’t creak under his weight.

"…Brother, thank you. This is very delicious."

"That’s good to hear."

Albes smiled as he said this.

However, his eyes had a look of uncertainty. So, I decided to speak first.

"I’m sorry for earlier. …I was more shaken than I thought."

"That’s fine. It’s a normal reaction."

The smile disappeared from my brother’s face.

"I’m sorry for not telling you about him. He wanted to be treated normally, so I prioritized his wishes."

"That’s understandable. After all, Prince Fil was… Prince Filode was very relaxed in our home."

"You can just call him Fil in front of me."

Albes said this and then gazed up at the ceiling absentmindedly.

"He’s been tense since he was young. His older brother was the crown prince, and he was a strong, skilled warrior. There were even movements to elevate him, so he was always thinking about how to avoid threatening his brother’s position."

My brother’s face broke into a slight, wry smile, as if recalling something.

"He even tried to act like a dim-witted prince, but after being beaten by the commander along with us, he gave up. When his brother ascended the throne… he was, well, what you might call a dissolute prince, I guess."

His words became hesitant, and he seemed to be skirting around the issue.

Judging from the way he glanced at my expression, it didn’t seem to be a particularly commendable behavior.

I suddenly remembered what happened after Gorman’s wedding.

The comment that enraged Fil, made by Count Ophelius, might have been referring to that period.

Perhaps my disappointment showed on my face.

Albes cleared his throat, looking troubled.

"Ah, just to be clear, he didn’t seem to be enjoying it at all. And after his transfer to the Third Army, he seems to have changed his mindset and is now a serious and dedicated soldier. I think this is the face that suits him the most."

"…The person I know seems like a completely different person."

I muttered this, and Albes’ expression turned serious.

He looked up at the ceiling, thought for a moment, and then nodded.

"Well, it was a facade, so it’s like a different person. He was always on edge, and I was worried he might break. That’s why I brought him to the Laguren territory… but he ended up really liking it. After that, it’s been as you know."