Chapter 15
“If you keep skipping training, I will report it to the instructor. I have only tolerated this a few times.”
When Simon got angry after seeing Darius lying relaxed, Darius’ smile only deepened.
“I believe you won’t do that, my friend Simon.”
“….”
“That’s why I like you. Want a cup of coffee?”
Darius closed his book and walked to grind coffee beans and boil water.
Simon lost words watching him hum while making drip coffee. His hair was messy like a bird’s nest, showing that he had just woken up.
Simon clicked his tongue and sat down on the sofa opposite where Darius had been lying.
The book Darius left was a fantasy adventure novel that children might like. Next to it, a newspaper was open to crossword puzzles and a popular restaurant recipe section.
Skipping training just to do this useless thing.
Soon Darius returned with two cups of coffee with steam rising softly.
“The smell is good, right? Specialty beans produced in the Watella region. I received them as a gift two days ago.”
Now Simon fully understood why the Duchess complained that her son was irresponsible during the previous tea party.
For a moment, he even considered this son as a future husband candidate for his younger sister. But Simon believed a man should be as steady as a rock and as diligent as an ox, so Darius’ behavior was very unsatisfactory.
After putting down the coffee cups, Darius went to the kitchen and brought several butter cookies on a plate.
“This is my favorite snack. I only take it out in front of important guests.”
“You should have been born as the son of a pastry chef, not a duke.”
“I agree.”
Even though he looked dirty and messy, he smiled brightly like light was shining on him. He looked like a prince from a fairy tale, but inside he was a lazy man. His beautiful appearance felt wasted.
The anger slowly faded, and Simon let out a helpless laugh, but he still had to say what he wanted.
Simon started his lecture.
“If you keep skipping morning training, brew high-quality coffee and hold tea parties after class. If you miss morning training often, someone among your classmates will notice your absence and report it.”
If it were someone without presence, maybe it wouldn’t matter. But sooner or later, someone jealous of Darius would try to find his weakness.
“What are you talking about? Coffee must be morning coffee.”
“Darius.”
At the serious warning, the playful atmosphere on his face disappeared.
“…Haah. Okay, Mom. I will attend training properly starting tomorrow.”
Darius sighed but agreed reluctantly. When he was scolded, he jokingly called Simon “mom”.
Anyway, he was a man who kept promises once he made them. If not, Simon could just mark his absence.
Having achieved his purpose, Simon finished his still-hot coffee in one gulp.
“You’re leaving already?”
“I need to wash and get ready. First class starts in one hour.”
“What about the cookies?”
“Eat them yourself.”
At that moment, just as Simon put down his coffee cup, there was a knock on the door.
“Yes.”
Darius answered briefly.
A delivery boy wearing a large document bag opened the door and bowed. He was a boy who delivered mail and newspapers to cadets.
“Mail delivery.”
He picked out the mail addressed to Darius, and Simon walked over to receive it.
“Could you check if there is a letter for Simon Brant too?”
“Yes.”
The delivery boy searched his bag and handed a letter to Simon.
Then he asked excitedly:
“Do you want to buy the newspaper too? There is a victory report!”
Simon and Darius exchanged strange looks for a moment, then bought two newspapers.
After the delivery boy left, the two sat facing each other and silently read their letters and newspapers.
The newspaper headline reported that the northern war, which had lasted two years, had ended.
It was a meaningless pride fight that started as a small conflict with a weak country.
The common people did not know the details, so the article praised the kingdom’s victory and called Supreme Commander Selfius Dierne a hero who saved the nation. The whole country would be noisy with celebration for a while.
Simon folded the newspaper and opened the letter sent to him by Count Brant.
It said that Ries was planning to hold a birthday party and asked him to apply for leave and come home if possible. Even though it was simple, Simon frowned.
For the past three years, Ries had refused to celebrate her birthday.
Even if now she had memory loss and might not know what her birthday meant, she originally was not a person who liked noisy events.
Ries, who used to stay in her room reading books, was going to host a party, and even make herself the main character?
Come to think of it, her appetite had also improved a lot. She ate fish dishes that she had never touched before and loved sweet desserts that she didn’t prefer.
She still liked reading, but she also enjoyed outdoor activities like never before.
“…It’s like she became a different person.”
Until now, he thought it was good that she became brighter and more active. But thinking carefully, she had changed as if her personality was replaced.
‘Is it possible even if memory is lost?’
Simon raised his head and saw that Darius’ golden eyes in front of him had become darker.
One hand covered his mouth while the other held a letter stamped with the Dierne family seal.
Feeling his gaze, Darius looked up.
“My father is returning to Pellen.”
It meant that Duke Selfius, who had stayed between the battlefield near the border and the Dierne territory in the north, would finally return to the capital.
“He wants me to come to the capital once this weekend and show my face. And at the end of the month, there will be a victory banquet at the royal palace.”
Darius raised the corner of his mouth weakly and spoke calmly.
Why did the son who should welcome his father’s return look so troubled?
Simon showed the letter he received.
“I also need to go home once at the end of the month. We can go together.”
Darius quickly read the letter.
“Oh, Lady Ries will have a birthday soon!”
His face, which had looked like death just a moment ago, brightened.
“If the timing is right, I will go too.”
“…? Forget it. Why would a busy person go to a little kid’s birthday party you don’t even know well?”
“I received congratulations, so I should return it. I am using the golden pin brooch Ries gave me very well.”
Simon also knew about the golden brooch that Ries had given him as a gift. Later he found out it was quite valuable. Even if the other was a duke’s child, it was not something an eleven-year-old child would casually give to someone she just met.
“You can just pass the gift for me.”
“It’s not far from the main house, so I should go personally. I also have something I asked Ries to do.”
“A request? What is it?”
“Of course it’s a secret. Oh, don’t tell Ries that I’m coming. I want to surprise her.”
Darius winked and smiled.
Simon pressed his eyelids.
Putting aside the strange things this guy always does.
Judging from the tone of the letter, it seemed like a small party inviting only a few same-age noble girls. But was it okay to include the duke family’s eldest son in such a place?
Darius often said he had no intention of debuting early in high society. So as far as Simon knew, Darius had never voluntarily gone to someone else’s party except for mandatory events like victory ceremonies.
‘I feel something is going to explode.’
Meanwhile, Simon had a feeling that Ries would be very happy if Darius came to celebrate her birthday.
Although she said it wasn’t true, her sparkling eyes while looking at Darius clearly showed more than simple liking.
But he had already removed this lazy guy from his younger sister’s partner candidate.
Simon suddenly looked at the clock, saw the remaining time, and stood up.
He threw away the problem that would not have a conclusion even if he thought about it and left the room.
“Don’t be late for class later. I’m leaving.”
