Chapter 212

"This book, where did you get this from?"

Chanton Sushou asked Perez in a low voice.

The little prince, who is still only 11 years old, stared at Chanton.

His eyes were so mysterious that one couldn't think of it as an eye of a child.

The Prince's swordsmansip class teacher, Juves, was injured during training and was unable to teach a sword skill to the Second Prince.

However, it was not possible for anyone to be send to teach the Prince's swordsmanship class, so the head of the knight, Chanton Sushou, had visited the Poylac Palace as a temporary swordsmanship teacher.

However, after seeing the title of the book on the Second Prince's desk, Chanton Sushou seemed to feel cold.

He picked up the book.

"Why is this..."

Why does the Prince have this?

The Imperial Family did not deserve to have a possession of this book.

As he watched Chanton Sushou barely swallowing his anger, Perez said, "It's mine."

His blunt voice was full of vigilance.

Chanton Sushou took his gaze away from Perez and looked down at the book in his hand.

And when he turned over one page, he saw his name.

Gerard Brown.

It was the name of the predecessor of the Patriarch of Brown, who died at the hands of Angenas.

A very old memory came alive in Chanton Sushou's head just like yesterday.

****

"Run away, Master!"

Chanton Sushou's father, Ralph Sushou, cried out to Gerard Brown.

"Or ask for the help from the lords around you, the knights of the Empire who follow the Brown family! At this rate, everyone will die!"

Ralph hurried to find his teacher when he heard rumors that Angenas would raid the castle where the people of the Brown family were taking shelter.

At that time, Gerard Brown was watching the swordsmanship of Chanton, the son of Ralph Sushou.

No matter how much Ralph held back, no matter how much Ralph was forced to hold the wooden sword and swing it, Gerard Brown devoted his heart to the son of his pupil.

"Please, Master!"

Ralph, who was burning inside, cried out again.

"Ralph, you are going back to Sushou today."

"Sushou..? Master? .... No, I won't! I will remain and fight with the Browns. I am a knight of the Brown family!"

"No, you are just one of the many Browns who have been entrusted with the Southerners to learn the swordsmanship."

"However-----!"

"Are you going to let your son die?"

Gerard the Patriarch of Brown, who deliberately twisted his student with harsh words, bent one knee and aligned his eyes with Chanton.

"Chanton, you said you wanted to be a knight, didn't you?"

"Yes!"

Gerard, the Patriarch of Brown smiled as he looked at the young boy's bright eyes.

"Then there is one thing you need to keep in mind. Can you make a promise with this teacher that you will keep it?"

"Yes, Sir!" Chanton nodded vigorously.

"Always lift the sword for the weak. Keep your promises and don't lie. And lastly,..."

Gerard Brown said, as if looking into the future of young Chanton, who has a genius talent for swordsmanship.

"Finally, if your sword is stronger and sharper than anyone else, become an Imperial knight. And in our stead, protect this Empire and the Emperor Durelli."

At the last words of the Patriarch of Brown, Ralph clenched his fist.

And Chanton answered vigorously without knowing anything.

"Yes, teacher! I'll do that! I will definitely be a knight of the Imperial!"

"Yes, that's very reassuring!"

Gerard Brown laughed heartily as if he was truly relieved.

****

That afternoon, Ralph Sushou returned to the Sushou family with his son, Chanton.

And that night.

Angenas attacked the Brown family.

He became an imperial knight to keep that promise.

And although he took over the title of the head of the Imperial Knight, Chanton Sushou had no loyalty to the Imperial Family.

The Durelli royal family was uglier than any other family.

They weren't the ones who could offer loyalty.

Chanton Sushou was unhappy.

In the end, tomorrow, he was about to put down the position as the Commander of the Knights.

"Give me this book."

Chanton Sushou said so to the little Prince.

It would be better for this book to return to the palace with himself, rather than the Prince who might die at the hands of the Empress.

He thought so.

"That book is very precious to me."

The Second Prince replied with a frown, not looking like a child.

Only then did Chanton take a closer look at the book.

How many times did he read it, there was stains of hand all over the bookshelf.

The leash that tied the book was also loose.

Then the Second Prince sighed softly.

"Take it."

"...Didn't you say it was precious."

"Because I promised to give. If someone asks for it, I promised to give it."

Chanton Sushou frowned because he didn't understand what the Second Prince murmured.

"If I don't give it, Tia will be disappointed."

However, it seemed quite sad that the young Prince who said so had his shoulders drooping.

Chanton Sushou felt emotional as he seemed to have become a bully who had taken away precious things from children.

The Second Prince snapped at Chanton Sushou, who was standing there holding the book.

"If you're not going to teach me swordsmanship, go back quickly."

Chanton Sushou shook his head.

He couldn't get the book from a prince who was smaller and thinner than his age and go back without doing anything.

"I'll teach you."

"I don't need sympathy."

But it was the Prince's cold refusal that came back.

"You are sympathizing with me now."

His blood-red eyes seemed to see through Chanton Sushou.

"I've memorized everything in the book. I can do it alone."

On the back of the Second Prince, who was about to go outside with a wooden sword, Chanton Sushou asked.

"Why do you want to learn how to wield a sword?"

Then the Second Prince replied briefly.

"Because I'm sick of being weak. And I made a promise."

"I promised to study hard and practice swordsmanship every day."

The Second Prince, who said so, went out alone.

Chanton Sushou, who was standing there for a while, also followed the Second Prince.

It was to become a swordsmanship teacher.

It wasn't sympathy.

It was because Juves gave the Second Prince praises every day until his mouth was dry and so he became curious.

To that little Prince with nice pretty eyes, unlike the other Durelli people.

"Patriarch of Sushou."

Chanton Sushou awoke from his thoughts at the voice of someone calling him.

He was standing in front of the aristocratic building where the nobility conference was held.

"You did a great work. I'll see you later."

Perez said, patting the Patriarch of Sushou on the shoulder.

"Is your back all right?"

"Back?"

"The other day."

The words were cut off, but Perez understood what the Patriarch of Sushou meant.

And his thick eyebrows frowned unpleasantly.

"Do you think I'm still struggling with such an injury?"

"...No."

Chanton Sushou bowed his head shallowly.

At that time, they could see Lombardi's carriage standing in the middle of a row.

"Don't you have to follow along?"

The Patriarch of Sushou asked Perez.

But Perez shook his head.

"Tia has something to do now. The same goes for me. I'll see you later."

The voice that said so was calm.

"If so, I will ask you a question."

Chanton Sushou said to Perez, who turned around.

"To Lady Lombardi... did you share everything?"

Looking back, Florentia Lombardi asked Chanton, accurately addressing the problem of the estate.

"No."

"But how did Lady Lombardi know it all?"

"Patriarch of Sushou." Perez called the name of Chanton Sushou who's confused.

"If it weren't for Tia, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation."

At Perez's words, deeper wrinkles were made in Chanton Sushou's brow, but there was no further explanation.

Perez simply left a short greeting and walked to his carriage.

"I'll see you at the conference next time."

In front of the building owned by the aristocracy, where most of the nobles still remained, Perez's carriage was already ready to go and was on standby.

Nothing has changed.

Four gentle-eyed horses were pulling carriages, surrounded by Imperial Knights.

However, Perez stopped walking by the carriage.

And at one point, a curvy half-smile hung over the corners of his mouth.

Slowly, the royal knights escorting the carriage were scanned.

Flinch.

The Imperial Knights looked forward and avoided Perez's gaze.

Seeing such knights, Perez, who once again built shallow arsenic, got on the carriage and ordered.

"To the palace."

As Perez got on, the carriage started moving right away.

Like an imperial object, the carriage was splendid and tranquil.

Perez opened his mouth, listening to the constant noise of the carriage wheel, which sounded small as if it were a work of far away.

"If you have something to say, say it."

The cold red eyes captured the person sitting across from him.

"Empress."

****

(Florentia's POV)

At Lombardi's mansion.

"The Browns have successfully returned and it remains to be determined who the representative family of the West is at the conference."

"Haha! Well done, well done!"

My grandfather laughed loudly.

"When you joined the noble's meeting, were those aristocrats amazed by a lot?"

"They thought I came to see my grandfather."

I replied with a shrug.

"Really? So what did you say?"

"You said that I am to be the Lombardi's Deputy Patriarch."

"Hahaha! A lot of people must have been surprised!"

"Yes, I am glad that no one has collapsed from a heart attack."

My grandfather burst into laughter at my words.

And he asked me in a subtle voice.

"So how was it? Living a day as a Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi."

"It's perfect. It's perfect for me."

I answered with a smile blooming from the inside.

"Please let me live that life, Grandpa."

I said it lightly, but my grandfather knows that my sincerity is in it.

My grandfather's brown eyes were looking at me as if he knew everything.

After looking at me for a few seconds without a word, my Grandfather opened his mouth.

"Our Tia said yes. What do you all think?"

Listening to the joke-like conversation between my Grandfather's questions, the meeting room filled with the vassals looked at me in unison.

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N/A: Awwwee! Perez was so cute in that flashback! I imagined him pouting and having ears and tail like a puppy! 

Now then, the Empress seems to have something to say, doesn't she? And what would the vassals think about Tia being the successor? Hmmm...

Regarding Perez's swordsmanship teacher, I'm not really sure about the spelling of his name, the translations said 'Uves' and 'Juves', well as you can see I chose 'Juves' instead. There will be other notes like this in the future chapters so bare with me!

I'll update 3 chapters today again including this one, Happy reading!