Chapter 88

The town, bustling with the demand for artificial magic stones, seemed far from the end of the night. The restaurants were brightly lit, actively inviting the increasing number of adventurers who had been coming in and out of the town recently.

As I walked through the still crowded streets, the number of people gradually decreased.

"Lord Frederick"

"What is it?"

"…I'm glad you look so happy."

"Eh? ……Do I really look that happy?"

"Yes, at least… I've never seen such a relaxed and peaceful, happy face on you when you were with Lady Mariera."

I was slightly anxious that I was making such a happy face, visible even to Riana, but right after that, I almost choked when I heard my mother's name for the first time in a long while. I still only have a difficult relationship with her. Even though I wasn't raised by her… I wonder if I'll ever be able to feel grateful for being born to her.

I looked up at the sky, recalling the past.

The town center was still bright, but it was quite late, and many of the surrounding houses had their lights off. With the recent increase in people coming from outside, the security has worsened, so David said it's better to carry a light even if the path is still visible after it gets dark… I remembered this and took out a magic lantern from my expandable bag.

I subtly stopped Edi, who was about to say he would carry it. It would be too unnatural if a well-dressed young boss like me was seen walking with a lantern.

For Edi, it was a habit ingrained since birth. Recalling this, the familiar distance felt nostalgic, and I couldn't help but smile.

With the dim light in hand, we resumed our walk. We continued in silence, and I eventually invited him into the apartment room where I've been only sleeping recently.

Ah, right, I need to think of a way to introduce him to the people around me. It's easy to make mistakes with information that greatly differs from the truth, so I need to think about how to say it. Hiding the complicated parts… "an old friend who works at a government office" might be good.

No, even if I say it's just for now, Edi will never stop using honorifics or formal language with me, so that would be unnatural. …Then, let's go with "Fred, a former noble's son who was kicked out of his home for being a screw-up, and his childhood friend and servant, Edi."

Edward sounds too aristocratic. I also need to ask him to change how he calls me.

However, I still feel a great sense of loneliness when I return to this room after spending time with Riana and the others.

I entered the room first, which was as cold as the outside air.

It's much better today because I'm not alone. We have a lot to talk about tonight… I might take a break from adventuring tomorrow. Fortunately, I have enough money for now.

I casually offered him a chair and prepared a drink while Edi looked a bit embarrassed, smiling.

Somehow… I never thought I'd be able to sit across from him and have tea again. It's been five years, I thought, looking at him. Of course, his face was a bit different from the Edi in my memory, who was still eighteen.

"…I still believe that Lord Frederick would have been a good king. Lord Clovis also wished for that."

"Edi… no. I made the choice. I chose to abandon it and run away."

The night was cold. We walked in silence for a while. Edi, perhaps warmed by the tea, said this out of the blue.

"Yes, Lord Frederick didn't want to be king. Watching you… no, this is just my personal opinion. Even after finding you, I thought… living in a place where Lord Frederick isn't bound, in peace, without the fear of your life being threatened… wouldn't that be happier? I thought so, on my own."

"Actually, that's what I wanted."

"I've always… regretted it. If Lord Frederick had stayed there… if there was a way to live without any worries. I still think there might have been more I could have done."

That's impossible, there was no way to stay there and not be killed. Besides, I think it was for the best that I left and abandoned my status.

I wanted to say this out loud, but I swallowed my words. I felt it would be better not to say this to Edi now. It would probably just make my dear childhood friend, whom I left behind, feel even more cornered.

"But, seeing Lord Frederick happy in this town, I thought it was a good choice, and… I comforted the guilt in my heart."

"……"

I didn't answer. Edi didn't apologize either. If he apologized and I forgave him, he would just suffer again. That's the kind of person he is.

An awkward silence continued.

But in the past five years, I haven't had a serious conversation like this about myself. I ended up acting as I usually do.

"…Hey, Edi. Even if, as you say, I could have lived without danger in Midgarand, I would have definitely left that house. I can say with certainty that I would never have stayed in the royal family no matter what."

"! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make Lord Frederick say such things…"

"No, I'm not worried about Edi. You should understand just by looking at my mother, right? No way. I would have collapsed from stress. Even without the danger to my life, I wouldn't have stayed there."

"…"

After a moment of speechlessness, Edi slowly understood and had a rather vacant expression.

Indeed, knowing my mother, this message would be very well received. He had been watching her by my side all along.

Thinking about it now… I really did put up with that person just because we were related. Every day, I was fed words like curses. "Frederick, you will be king. You must never lose to that girl." If there was anything she didn't like, it would start with, "Why can't you beat that girl? Why are you embarrassing me? Do you hate me? Are you trying to embarrass me on purpose because you hate me?" There was no right answer to these questions. Whatever I said, the lecture would only get worse.

Ah… I want to comfort my younger self. But now that I'm an adult, I realize that if my father or the people around me had tried to protect me from "this"… they could have, but they didn't.

If it weren't for people like Edi and Petra, my wet nurse, I wouldn't have grown up properly.

By the way, despite telling me to be "so excellent that no one can complain," that person herself wasn't capable of it, even from a child's perspective.

She would often make excuses about her low birth, but she never tried to improve. She liked to dress up and host parties and tea parties, but it wasn't for socializing; she just enjoyed being fawned over by her entourage.

Of course, many nobles disliked her, but she had some strange supporters, and since she didn't take serious matters seriously, the problems usually fell on me.

Thinking about it makes my stomach hurt.

"No, really, I realized after leaving. Even though she's my mother, I really don't get along with her. The current situation where I can't contact her is very comfortable. In fact, even if the situation was such that leaving would increase the danger to my life, I think I would have left eventually."

I spoke with passion.

"Hehe… Indeed… Lord Frederick always looked… melancholic."

"Right?"

A smile appeared at the corner of Edi's mouth. I smiled too. It wasn't a bad conversation, and we could talk about other important people.

"Is Petra and Elka, and Edi himself, still the same? Has anything happened since I left…"

"Thank you for your concern… Prince Clovis also cares, and the whole family is doing well. By the way, Elka got married two years ago."

"Really?! To who? Someone I know?"

"Yes. To Cedric, the guard."

Of course, I remembered him. He was a loyal man who stayed even during the continuous machinations of the Harmonia Dukedom, Prince Clovis's maternal family.

I had known Elka since she was a child and thought of her like a relative. It surprised me to realize she was old enough to get married.

Cedric is a bit older than Elka, but from Edi's expression, it seems they are a good couple.

Edi's mother, Petra, left the castle after I left and opened a private school for etiquette and manners for wealthy commoners. It's quite successful, apparently. Though not openly, it seems Prince Clovis has been supporting her. Of course, it's only natural. Without me, it would have been difficult for her to continue working at the castle.

I recalled her straight posture and gentle smile.

In private, she was like a real mother, raising me and Edi. Later, Elka joined us. It's nostalgic.

…Today, I learned they were all safe. I'm glad. I've always been worried, but I was afraid to investigate because it might reveal my location.

Of course, my life is the top priority, but hearing that everyone I wanted to protect at that time is safe and well, I felt relieved deep down.

"Clovis… has he been made the crown prince? I know from foreign newspapers, but…"

"Yes, he is a very excellent crown prince, but… Ah, about that, there's a letter from the prince. It would be less moving and surprising if I explained it first."

"…? Okay, I'll read it."

I took out a thick envelope and thought. It looks like I'll be up all night. I briefly considered having a drink to help, but decided against it.

"…By the way, do you know how Isabella is doing?"

"Lord Frederick doesn't need to worry about her."

I asked without thinking about a memory that came to mind, and Edi coldly spat out this response. He really dislikes her, even though he never showed it in front of her.

Isabella, a political marriage arranged to strengthen my position, was the daughter of the Maristeen Duke, who was the second-largest faction in Midgarand at the time.

I knew it was a very unwilling engagement for her. From the first meeting, she always complained about having to marry a man with "common blood." Of course, Edi always heard me being belittled by her.

Trying to get along… I gave up quite early. I knew she was a victim of my mother and her entourage's machinations, but…

"But, at least I didn't have to entertain false hopes like 'maybe I can get the Maristeen Duke's support to peacefully renounce my succession rights' or anything. It was good that she also wanted to end it."

If Isabella had tried to make it work, I would have felt crushed by guilt, even if I didn't want to die.

It's a bit regrettable that the breakup was so rough, but maybe she can be more lenient about not having to marry someone with "dirty common blood." I doubt it, though. I was really hated, so anything I did would probably anger her.

When I said this, Edi looked up and seemed to be thinking about something.

"…Do you remember the words the Maristeen Duke's daughter used to decline escorting you at your last birthday party?"

"Wasn't it something like 'I'd rather die than take the arm of a half-commoner to a ball'?"

And something else. Right, "Well, if you grovel and kiss my feet and beg, I might consider it." It was a strong refusal that made me inwardly chuckle.

Usually, I would have tried to calm Isabella down, but since I had already decided to flee the country, I quickly gave up and entered alone.

There are many other memorable lines, but that one is definitely in the top ten.

"Yes, Lord Frederick has always… attracted the attention of troublesome young ladies, even when you least expect it…"

"Ah, thinking about it, I'm glad Isabella didn't become one of those 'people who go crazy' because of me."

As an adventurer, I've had innkeepers take money to sneak into my room at night, been drugged, and almost kidnapped. If the Maristeen Duke's power and money had been used against me, I might not have been able to escape.

"…Did you know that while she was constantly belittling Lord Frederick, she publicly claimed that she was 'loved so much that she could do anything and be forgiven'?"

"I knew. It was a performance to show a good political relationship… but it was a bit too much, wasn't it?"

I think everyone knew I was hated. When I said this, Edi laughed.

"What's so funny? You suddenly started laughing."

"Hehe… It's just amusing to see that it didn't work. By the way, I heard that the Maristeen Duke's daughter married her lover. It turned out as she wished."

"Really, I'm glad if she's happy with the person she truly loves."

I felt a bit of guilt lift off my shoulders when I heard this.

"Will she be happy…? The person she truly loved seems to be happy now…"

Edi gave me a meaningful look.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, just talking to myself. Let's have a more constructive conversation."

Edi urged me to read the letter from Clovis and prepare a reply quickly. I had no objections, as I intended to do that anyway, but I felt the topic was deliberately changed.

Edi is here on Clovis's orders to investigate the artificial magic stone industry, and he will report back using the commercial guild's magic communication device. Since cross-border communication can be intercepted, the actual reply will be delivered when Edi returns to the country, but I need to prepare it by then.

First, I need to buy a letter set since I don't have one. I thought about my plans for the next day while opening the letter.