Chapter 63

"…It seems both of you are riding horses."

"Riding horses means they might be companions for Brother's work, right? Yurana, do we have enough bread?"

"Yes, if it's a knight, he'll eat a lot, so we should probably make more for dinner."

"I'll help too! And, I'm wondering if we should decorate the guest room with flowers. Is it okay to do so?"

"We should definitely decorate with flowers. But after a long day of work, the knight might want to take a bath right away. We should prepare towels too!"

Lucia and Yurana discussed and hurriedly went back into the house.

While listening to them, I was secretly disappointed.

I hadn't completely ruled out the possibility that the person accompanying my son might be a woman who enjoys horseback riding, but the person who became clearly visible was a young man, just like usual.

What a disappointment. The more I had hoped, the more I felt let down.

But Albes is still young. There's no need to rush. We can consider this a rehearsal for the day it will eventually happen.

I tried to pull myself together and looked at the guest again.

His hair seemed very light in color, probably blonde, shining brightly in the sunlight. He had a very good build, still young and slightly slender but well-built, with a sword at his waist.

He certainly looked like a knight, a colleague of my son.

However, the horse he was riding had a very beautiful coat. The clothes he wore, though not overly elaborate, seemed to be of very good quality.

Unlike the usual colleagues of my son, he didn't seem overly excited and was somewhat reserved, which might be because he's not used to country life.

The countryside has a lot of insects. My wife, who was raised in the capital, was also confused by the number of insects when she first came to Laguren.

The atmosphere around him was clearly different from that of my son's friends. He was probably from a high-ranking noble family, and it would be natural to prepare a guest room for such a young man.

"Brother, welcome back!"

Lucia ran to Albes as he dismounted from his horse.

But she didn't jump on him; instead, she pinched her skirt and gave a ladylike bow.

...Hmm. She's become quite graceful. That gesture reminds me of my wife.

As I was lost in such sentimental thoughts, Albes, after ruffling his sister's hair, looked at me.

"Father, I've brought a guest. ...This is Fil, a fellow knight. Fil, this is my father and my sister."

Albes introduced the guest.

Lucia looked up at the newly dismounted guest and smiled. Then, she composed herself and pinched her skirt again.

"Welcome, sir. I'm Lucia. Nice to meet you."

"...Is it Lucia? Can you call me Fil?"

"Yes! Ah, do you have any food preferences, Fil? Do you like beans?"

"I like beans. I don't have any particular dislikes."

Perhaps overwhelmed by Lucia's bright smile, the guest knight was momentarily confused but quickly smiled and looked around.

His hair, which seemed bright, was a beautiful silver. His eyes, looking back at the path he had come from and taking in the Laguren landscape, were a deep, dark blue.

He moved with an overwhelmingly refined grace and smiled warmly at the villagers who had gathered to welcome Albes.

He was about the same age as my son, easily engaging with the talkative Lucia, and his extremely beautiful, capital-style pronunciation revealed his good upbringing.

His face, when he turned to me, was as perfectly chiseled as a statue.

...For a moment, I felt my breath catch.

How long has it been since I last saw that face?

He was beautiful even as a child, and now he has become a dignified warrior. Yet, he still looks so much like his sister, who is known as a beauty of the world...

I felt the blood drain from my body.

I felt dizzy. My son looked worried. The silver-haired guest also had a slightly troubled look on his face.

"I said I would decline to avoid causing trouble for the Viscount of Laguren..."

"Don't worry about it. You've been surrounded by troublesome people lately, haven't you? You don't look well. Here, you can relax without a care, so take your time."

Albes casually patted the shoulder of the silver-haired guest.

...Is it okay to pat that person's shoulder so roughly?

I swallowed hard.

I need to calm down. Since my son introduced him as a "fellow knight," I must treat him as such. What did he call himself to my daughter?

I took a deep breath and clenched my hands.

Lucia, who didn't know anything, looked up at me with a puzzled expression. I can't make her worried. I need to pull myself together. I'm her father. I need to show a calm face!

I took a shaky step forward.

I tried to act as naturally as possible and put on a broad, fatherly smile, just as I would for my son's other colleagues.

"...Welcome, Fil. It's just a simple countryside, but please make yourself comfortable. However, if you decide to let your hair down, please do so within reason."

The silver-haired knight looked at me for a moment.

His deep blue eyes, which seemed to see through everything, made me feel cold.

But then, his carefully calculated smile disappeared, and he broke into a bright, mischievous grin, much like the other young knights my son had brought home.

"I am deeply grateful for your kind words, Viscount of Laguren."

The silver-haired knight—Fil, as he introduced himself—bowed respectfully.

...To me.

I felt the blood drain from my face again. My heart was pounding as if I had just run a marathon.

But since Lucia was happily talking to the guest, I had to maintain my broad, fatherly smile.

Even if he is the Second Prince, Prince Filouard, who is whispered to be a suitable next king in some circles and is often targeted for assassination, I must treat him as my son's friend. That is the secret to the hospitality that once brought prosperity to the Laguren family.

...Haha, what a situation.

I, a mere fallen viscount from the countryside, called the Second Prince "Fil"!

Will I be showing him to a guest room?

Will we be sharing a simple dinner in our old dining room?!

I felt my legs start to tremble.

My stomach was already hurting. ...I'm not as bold as my father.

"Father! I'll show the guest to his room! Fil, this way!"

Lucia led the prince by the hand.

Albes looked like he wanted to say something but, perhaps because Lucia was there, he quickly led the horses away. Yurana also returned to the kitchen, looking busy.

It seemed like a peaceful, lively day. But in reality, something impossible was happening.

"...I never thought I'd welcome royalty to Laguren again..."

I muttered softly. It felt unreal.

But this was reality. I sighed and slapped my face with my still trembling hands.

"—That's Fil. Albes's friend."

I repeated this to myself and forced my heavy feet to move back into the house.

I could hear Lucia's energetic voice from upstairs.

She was showing Fil to his guest room and explaining the view outside the window. As I stared blankly at the stairs, Albes, returning from the stable, cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Father, I... I'm sorry. But he's my best friend, and I couldn't ignore him."

"...I see."

My son, who called the Second Prince his best friend, had a determined look in his eyes.

He had grown taller than me a few years ago. He has become a fine young man. I thought he was as serious as me, but it seems that's not the case.

I forced a smile and patted my son's shoulder.

"Since he's here, let him enjoy the simple country life. I'll treat him as your friend!"

"He'll be happy to hear that. —Thank you, Father."

My son bowed deeply.

He looked more like a knight than the son of a viscount. He's really serious.

"Fil, the living room is this way. We'll have dinner in the other room, but would you like some tea first? I'll bring it right away!"

"Sure, I'll have some. Ah, if you need help carrying it, I'll help too."

Fil, who came down with Lucia, went to the kitchen.

Yurana hadn't noticed yet, so there shouldn't be any problems. But while tea is fine, I'm not sure if our home's pastries are suitable for him... No, I shouldn't worry about it.

That young man is Fil.

Just a friend of my son Albes. There's no need to treat him specially.

"...But it's still difficult."

Albes, noticing that we were short on firewood for the living room, went outside to fetch more, as usual. As I watched him go, I sighed quietly.

It's too difficult for a timid person like me. No, it's my son's extraordinary ability to maintain his composure despite knowing everything that makes it so.

In that sense, my son Albes might be more like my father than I thought.

◇ Special Chapter: A Father's Confusion ◇

Thank you for reading to the end.

【Book Information】

"Even Though My Engagement Was Broken, I Was Invited to My Ex-Fiancé's Wedding. I Can't Refuse, So I'll Go with My Brother's Friend." is now available in two volumes from SQEX Novels.

(Volume 1 is the revised and expanded version of the web serialization. Volume 2 is a new story.)

【Manga Information】

Currently serialized on Gangan ONLINE, the first volume of the manga is available on September 12th!

For more details, please check the activity report.