Chapter 62.
The steward was just as bewildered.
“Well… I don’t know the reason either. Should I send someone to find out why?”
The effects of the Stich fruit had only recently become widely known.
The Bernt family had long cultivated it as an ingredient for health-boosting medicines that aided the knights’ training, but due to the skyrocketing demand, it had become a product that was impossible to keep in stock.
The Stich tree itself required at least 30 years to bear edible fruit, so the shortage worsened day by day.
In such circumstances, even the royal family had gained the right to ask for a reason.
“…No, if His Majesty wants it, we must bring it to him. I’ll go myself.”
Clears rose to end the meeting.
The vassals showed signs of discomfort at his gesture to conclude the meeting.
“Hmm, is it really necessary to devote yourself to such an extent?”
Clears’ rear, which had been shifting restlessly, settled back into the chair.
No matter that he was the head of the Bernt family, he could not lightly disregard the long-serving vassals’ words.
Moreover, the vassal was more than three times his age.
“What do you mean?”
“I was worried you had forgotten what the royal family did to the Bernt Dukes,” the vassal said cautiously.
“…I haven’t forgotten.”
The Bernt family’s resentment toward the royal family did not build up in a day or two.
It was a house that had grown alongside the nation’s history. After all those years, such emotions could not simply be wiped away at once.
The first head of the Bernt family had been a knight who earned great merit.
He received the Bernt family for his achievements but did not forget his duties as a knight and devoted himself to training.
The reputation of the Bernt Knights, built this way, was illustrious.
Yet, the royal family had used that knightly force as if it were their own military in wars, big and small.
Thus, as long as they remembered the sacrifices, there was no way the Bernts could see the royal family kindly.
“You must remember and engrave this: the Bernt family has always been ostracized by the royal family, yet whenever they were called to fight, they were deployed at the frontlines, bleeding for the crown. The royal family only ever offered formal thanks, turning a blind eye when the Bernts suffered.”
The vassals of the Bernt family naturally hated the royal family as if the sky were above them and the ground beneath them.
Until recently, Clears had felt the same.
But Ellie was different from such royals. Moreover, Ellie was not even a real princess of the Narendis royal line.
Clears could confidently say she was different because he had felt it himself.
He had already erased all resentment toward Ellie.
Ellie was completely innocent.
However, there was no way to explain this to others.
“There’s also the matter of your predecessors.”
When his parents’ incident was suddenly brought up, Clears clenched his jaw tightly.
The distant ancestors’ events felt somewhat far removed, as he had not experienced them personally.
But his parents’ incident was his own ordeal.
Recalling that sudden day still made his chest sink.
“It was a tragic accident that occurred as they rushed to the palace at the royal family’s sudden summons. It was an accident, but… calling them urgently on a rainy day was itself a mistake.”
The Bernt family firmly believed that the royal family had killed them.
After all, being summoned late at night during a storm, lightning flashing, was tantamount to an order to die.
Clears had believed the same until now.
But perhaps because his trust in Ellie had grown stronger, a part he had never considered before lingered in his mind.
“What kind of message arrived for my parents that day?”
“That… I only delivered the sealed envelope, so I don’t know.”
The steward answered awkwardly.
“After my parents checked it, where did they put that envelope?”
“Well… the late Duke personally took it. Perhaps it’s somewhere in a drawer?”
Clears shook his head.
After the late Duke and Duchess passed, Clears had searched every drawer and document in the study.
He did it himself to see what he needed to know.
Yet among all that, there was no letter from the royal family.
“It wasn’t there.”
“…Then perhaps it was thrown away or burned?”
The steward’s words were a reasonable assumption.
Clears had thought the same until now.
But why hadn’t the late Duke and Duchess explained to Clears at the funeral why they had been summoned?
If it had been truly urgent, they would have told the new Duke of Bernt, Clears.
‘It’s all because of my own failings. I’m sorry, Duke of Bernt.’
That was all the late king said to Clears at the funeral.
At that time, Clears had felt it was a confession of his own crime.
Since he had done wrong, he was apologizing.
Even the apology felt humiliating.
There was a culprit, but no evidence. And it was impossible to accuse the culprit without evidence.
If they did, the entire Bernt family could have been destroyed.
So he endured it at the time. Everything was clear, so there was no need to dig further.
But what if the late king had deliberately summoned the previous Duke and Duchess on that rainy night, and the accident on the wet road wasn’t just an accident?
“Duke, while you should never forget your enemies, do not dwell too much on past events. So do not show the royal family excessive kindness or loyalty.”
A vassal left Clears with this serious advice.
Clears nodded slowly.
But it was not because he accepted the vassal’s words.
‘I need to find out.’
He was convinced something was behind his parents’ death.
But there was something more urgent.
“…First, prepare the Stich fruit.”
Most of the Stich fruit cultivated on the estate was sent to the warehouse of the guild. However, the portion for the knights’ use was always kept in the mansion.
“Also, prepare to go to the palace.”
His parents’ incident had already happened, so it could be investigated later.
But filling Ellie’s body with the Stich fruit was an urgent and most important task that had to be done immediately.
Following Clears’ orders, the steward hurriedly commanded the servants and followed.
They prepared outfits for entering the palace, prepared the carriage, and a flurry of chaotic activity ensued.
Soon, Clears stood in front of the carriage holding a box of Stich fruit.
The royal servant who came out to see him was startled.
“D-Duke, you came out yourself?”
“I’m going to the palace.”
“Eh?! You could have just sent the items…”
“No, since it’s a precious item, it’s right that I deliver it personally.”
“Ah, yes… very well… then I will guide you.”
The servant tried to mount the horse he had ridden.
“Wait. I have a question.”
“Yes? Speak.”
Clears exhaled deeply as he looked at the servant.
The servant wore the attire of palace staff.
It had blue buttons and cuffs. Other servants in the palace wore red buttons and cuffs.
“Is that color for those who serve as messengers?”
“Ah? Yes, that’s right. Besides this, staff working unseen wear black, those handling external affairs wear red, and those dealing directly with money wear gold, among others.”
On the day his parents passed, Clears did not see the messenger personally. It was already late, and they were asleep.
“Do messenger servants work day and night?”
“Usually they work during the day, but if something urgent must be delivered, they rise even at dawn to carry it out.”
“Do they do it alone?”
“Oh, of course not. The palace sends out far more communications than you think. Even if His Majesty doesn’t send them personally, there’s endless messaging for purchasing items or coordinating events. That’s why there are almost a hundred messenger servants.”
“A hundred…”
Clears muttered in a low voice.
“Do they all know each other?”
“No, not at all. Departments often change, and many quit due to the difficulty, so only close colleagues know each other.”
“…I see.”
He had hoped to gather some information through the servant, but that failed.
“Shall we depart, then?”
“Yes.”
As Clears was about to board the carriage, he finally noticed the box of Stich fruit in his hands.
“…….”
“Duke? Is there something wrong with the box?”
The steward peered in.
“It looks small.”
“…Yes?”
“How many are in it?”
“Ten, generously.”
The Stich fruit was consumed one per month per person, based on an adult male.
For Ellie, it would have to be split into halves or even quarters. Ten was already more than sufficient.
It had been packed generously in case it needed to be mixed with other medicines.
“It’s too small.”
For Clears, a ‘small box’ was a trauma.
Whatever he brought to Ellie had to be large, abundant, and magnificent.
