CHAPTER 69……………
The Marquis of Skylar, who had already withdrawn from the frontlines due to poor health, was lost in thought.
He had hoped that Callisto would quickly inherit the family business, but his son—driven by an unshakable passion for learning that even his parents couldn’t suppress—had insisted on going abroad to study, to everyone’s dismay.
Still, the marquis hid his disappointment and asked,
“Is your study-abroad preparation going well?”
“Yes, everything is in order.”
Callisto’s expression remained clouded. He knew exactly what his parents wanted for him.
Defying their wishes left him uneasy.
Sensing his son’s troubled heart, the marquis smiled and said,
“That’s a relief. Cal, we respect your decision, so lay down that burden in your heart.”
It was rare for their son—who usually complied with his parents’ wishes—to assert himself this way.
That was precisely why the marquis wanted to honor his son’s choice all the more.
The marchioness felt the same.
“Thank you, Father, Mother.”
Callisto smiled gratefully at them.
“And on that note, I have something to tell you. The boy Clemens sent—he’ll be accompanying me on this journey abroad.”
“That boy…”
The marquis and his wife exchanged glances.
Lennox Euclid.
They had long known about his existence—the youngest son of Duke Euclid, the last surviving heir.
The marquis quickly understood his son’s intention.
Callisto wanted to keep the boy away from the battlefield, to protect him.
“Very well, if that is also what the boy wishes, then it is best.”
“Yes. Then please have a peaceful night, Father, Mother.”
“You as well.”
Just as Callisto rose to leave, the marchioness—who had seemed hesitant throughout the conversation—finally spoke.
“Cal… then what about Clemens?”
“…Pardon?”
“Weren’t you and she seeing each other positively?”
“My dear.”
The Marquis of Skylar, who almost never interrupted his wife, was taken aback and tried to intervene.
“It isn’t proper to tie our family to House Jacqueline under such circumstances.”
Mentioning the history between House Jacqueline and House Euclid left his face strained. But the marchioness calmly and firmly refuted,
“Clemens is different. She was the one who pulled that boy out of the mire and brought him here. A parent’s sins should not be branded upon their child. Besides… what if those so-called sins were fabricated by someone else?”
“That may be so, but…”
The marchioness, who valued character above all else, had taken quite a liking to Clemens.
She was intelligent yet warm-hearted.
To gentle Callisto—who was often too yielding to others—she seemed the perfect match.
“Mother, Clen and I are not in that sort of relationship.”
Callisto waved his hands in embarrassment.
“There’s truly no possibility?”
Her open disappointment was unfamiliar. Callisto gave a small smile.
“Please rest well, Mother.”
As he left the parlor, he unexpectedly bumped into someone.
“…Ren?”
It had been four years since he’d last seen Lennox, who lived mostly at the academy dorms.
In those years, he had grown tall, carrying an air of intimidation.
Callisto marveled at the change for a moment before realizing something. His face stiffened.
Did he overhear our parlor conversation?
He watched Lennox nervously.
Lennox’s blank expression revealed nothing, but he was always unreadable—Callisto dared not assume.
Glancing briefly at the parlor door, Lennox spoke slowly,
“I came to pay my respects after graduating, though it seems I arrived a little late.”
Callisto let out a breath of relief.
So, he didn’t hear.
Seizing the moment, he invited Lennox to his study—he had something to say.
Once inside, Callisto spoke directly.
“Ren, I have a proposal for you.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
Lennox waited, calm and unblinking.
“You’ve heard I’m going to the Empire of Balt as a student?”
This was news to Lennox.
“No.”
“Ah… so Clen never told you.”
Callisto muttered, though Lennox caught the words clearly.
He continued,
“If you want, you can come with me.”
“…Me?”
Lennox frowned slightly.
“I know it’s sudden. But it’s better than being sent to war.”
“…”
Contrary to Callisto’s expectation of a quick acceptance, Lennox stayed silent.
“If you come, you likely won’t return for… several years.”
“Then I will not go.”
“Then you can’t avoid conscription. You’re fine with that?”
Lennox nodded.
“Wait… Ren, may I ask why you’ve chosen this?”
“There are things I want to do.”
Callisto was about to ask what, but a knock interrupted.
Knock knock.
“Enter.”
“Young Master, the delegation from the Balt Empire has arrived.”
“At this hour? We must receive them quickly.”
Callisto rose at once and moved toward the door.
“Ren, we’ll discuss this later.”
“Yes.”
Lennox nodded. Watching him leave, he stood rooted in place, lost in thought.
Then something caught his eye.
A letter. And the handwriting was unmistakably familiar.
Though he knew he shouldn’t, he couldn’t stop himself from reading.
Once he realized it was Clemens’s hand, he couldn’t put it down.
A smile touched his lips—only to vanish as he read.
Callisto, I’ll send over a separate contract regarding Lennox’s study-abroad expenses.
So hurry and send him abroad.
– Clemens Jacqueline.
Expressionless, Lennox set the letter down.
The next morning, I woke earlier than usual, heavy with thought.
When I’d arrived back at the estate yesterday, Agathe, Lisa, and Julia had prepared a little homecoming party, but the joy didn’t last long.
A letter from the imperial palace had arrived.
The Emperor wants to see me.
It ordered me to come for an audience in the near future, but I hadn’t yet gone.
Staring at the letter again, I asked Agathe,
“It says ‘in the near future’—does that mean he wants me to drop everything and come immediately?”
“Yes.”
“Damn it. I don’t want to go.”
I had a rough idea what it was about. Likely business matters.
Word of the aircraft development must have reached his ears.
I could already see how that warmonger wanted to use it.
But I couldn’t stall.
Last night, I could excuse myself with the pretense that I didn’t wish to disturb His Majesty’s rest at such a late hour. But now, the morning sun was shining bright.
This is the lunatic who killed two of his own sons, after all.
I weighed my options, but the decision came quickly.
Better to get the beating over with.
If I went in early, perhaps the Emperor would still be drowsy, too sluggish to lash out properly. Yes, maybe he’d brush things off just to get back to his rest. That was a solid strategy.
As I finished preparing to leave, Julia appeared.
“My lord, a message has arrived from the Skylar household.”
“Oh?”
I quickly took the letter. I had been waiting for his reply.
Lennox’s study abroad.
I was certain it had been resolved smoothly.
Who in their right mind would choose the battlefield over study abroad?
“I’ll read it later.”
Tucking Callisto’s letter into my breast pocket, I climbed into the carriage headed straight for the imperial palace.
