Chapter 9

I must continue to learn and grow from here on out. Slain stood with a firm expression, slightly bowed, thinking this to himself. Monica peered at his face.

"Your Highness, you must be very tired. Would you like to take a short rest? Shall I bring you some tea?"

"…Yeah. Please do."

Although there is much to learn, one cannot continue to advance without taking breaks. The road ahead is still long. Slain gratefully accepted Monica's suggestion.

Monica, who had temporarily left the room, returned not long after with a tray of herb tea. A few days ago, when he had fled from the presence of the hereditary vassals and received Sieghart's persuasion, Monica had quietly offered him herb tea. It was made from the same type of herbs that his mother had grown.

Although he had not particularly liked this tea before, Slain found himself strangely fond of it, and since then, he had been having it served whenever he took a break.

"Still, Monica, you are a baron's daughter, right? Is it okay for you to do a job like making tea? Isn't it something that can be left to the servants?"

While sipping the tea, which was just warm enough, Slain asked. Monica smiled and shook her head gently.

"I am your Highness's adjutant. When you need tea, I can serve it the fastest, so it is only natural for me to do so. I feel deeply honored to be able to take care of you, Your Highness."

"…If that's the case, it's fine."

Slain answered, feeling a bit bewildered. Monica had been unusually kind to him since the first day they met.

"Excuse me, Crown Prince."

At that moment, the door to the office was knocked on, and a maid's voice was heard. It was around four in the afternoon, so it couldn't be to announce lunch or dinner, and there shouldn't be any cleaning during the day when Slain was using the office. Both Slain and Monica seemed to share the same question, and she walked to the door, opened it slightly, and exchanged a few words with the maid. Then she turned to Slain with a smile.

"Your Highness, it seems that your belongings have arrived from Lutware."

Hearing this, Slain remembered that he had arranged for all his belongings from his hometown, the small city of Lutware, to be transported to the castle.

"Got it. Should I go now…?"

"Of course. You've just finished memorizing up to a good point, so let's end today's studies here. I'll show you the way."

Slain had not yet memorized the layout of the vast castle. Following Monica, he left the office, went down the stairs from the third floor to the first, and walked down the corridor to the room where his belongings had been delivered. There, lined up, were the furniture, clothes, accessories, and books that had surrounded him since he was a child.

"…Ah."

Although they looked shabby compared to the grandeur of the castle, the nostalgia was stronger. Slain couldn't help but let out a sigh of amazement. Just a few days ago, he had been living surrounded by these things, but it felt like a distant past.

"How is it, Your Highness? Is there anything missing?"

"Yeah… It's fine, thank you."

While being captivated by the belongings, Slain answered. He approached the neatly arranged items and picked up a book. It was one of his mother's books, a story book based on history that Slain particularly liked. He flipped through it and put it back, then approached his mother's vanity and touched it gently.

"…Is this your mother's?"

"Yeah. It was the only luxury item she had."

Monica asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt Slain's sentiment. Slain answered with a slightly sad smile.

"The black oak vanity is probably a masterpiece made in the kingdom of Leuvonia, famous for its woodworking. King Frederick preferred solemn black oak, and there are many black oak furnishings in the castle… This was probably a gift from the king to your mother."

Indeed, Slain thought.

"Mother liked a simple life, but she never sold this vanity and always took good care of it. She would sometimes look at it lovingly… I never asked how she got it, but I always thought it was a gift from my father."

I never thought that my father was the king of this country. Slain chuckled as he said this. To his mother, this vanity was a gift and a memento from a man she loved but could not be with.

"King Frederick must have thought of you and your mother, and your mother must have thought of the king."

"…Yeah. I think so."

Moved by Monica's gentle words, Slain nodded, remembering his mother's face. The transported belongings were carefully stored in the castle, and the books were placed in Slain's private room, providing comfort to his unfamiliar life in the castle.

……

The announcement of the deaths of the royal family, including the king, caused a significant shock both domestically and internationally. The nobles and lords throughout the kingdom were deeply shocked, bewildered, and confused. Even the common people, who had little direct contact with the royal family and knew them only by name, were stunned.

Envoys from neighboring countries were sent to convey their condolences, as the death of the entire royal family was a significant event. The envoys sent were all nobles of considerable rank. The news caused a stir both domestically and internationally, shaking the society of the Kingdom of Hassenveria.

However, Slain only knew about these events through second-hand information from Monica and Sergei. The explanations to the nobles and the people, and the reception of envoys from neighboring countries, were all handled by the officials, led by Sergei. This was out of consideration to spare Slain, who was already struggling to adapt to life as the crown prince, from additional mental strain, and also out of caution that he might make a mistake if he appeared on the public stage. Although it was not directly stated, Slain understood this.

Despite the stir in society, thanks to the efforts of the officials, there was no significant chaos. Therefore, Slain continued his steady studies in preparation for the state funeral, which was approaching.

With less than a week until the state funeral, the basic knowledge about the kingdom's nobles and the royal families of neighboring countries had been covered, and today marked the beginning of specific preparations for the funeral and the subsequent social events.

"It is my honor to meet you, Your Highness. I am Arthur, the bishop of the Eynsion Church in the Kingdom of Hassenveria."

In the audience chamber, Slain faced a man in his thirties dressed in the attire of a clergyman of the Eynsion Church, the state religion of the country. The man, with a gentle smile, bowed to Slain in the manner of a clergyman.

Bishop. This is one of the titles of the Eynsion Church, representing the position of overseeing the clergy of a country in the western part of the Sarestakia continent, which is dotted with small countries that follow the Eynsion faith. Below the bishop are priests and deacons who manage the churches in various regions.

When the western part of the Sarestakia continent split into numerous small countries, the Eynsion Church also split and weakened significantly. Although its political influence is small, the church is still closely tied to society and people's lives, and cannot be underestimated. Their presence is essential for important ceremonies like the state funeral to demonstrate tradition and dignity.

"Y-Yes, please. Raise your head."

Slain, somewhat nervous, replied, and Bishop Arthur raised his head.

"First, I would like to offer my deepest condolences for the passing of King Frederick of Hassenveria and the royal family. Since I heard the news, I have been praying for their eternal peace every day as a servant of God."

With a calm expression, Bishop Arthur began to speak. Slain and the bishop, who tended to be verbose due to his clerical nature, exchanged words for a while. When Slain's tension eased a bit, Bishop Arthur seemed to take this as a cue and changed the topic.

"Your Highness, I will now explain the procedures and etiquette for the state funeral. There is still some time until the day of the funeral, so I hope you will gradually memorize them."

The reason why Monica is unusually kind to Slain will be explained later.