༺ Freedom in Prison (4) ༻
One by one, fancy dishes began to arrive at the table. There seemed to be quite a lot. It made me wonder if this was all for the sake of hospitality or if the 1st Manager always preferred luxurious meals.
Well, given that the 1st Manager usually only brought a single piece of bread to work, it was probably the former.
“Isn’t this a bit much?”
“No, not at all. If I were to neglect our guests, my father would scold me.”
Right, it was the former. It was somewhat surprising that she would be concerned about what others thought.
However, this was a good thing for the Marquis. The fact that the 1st Manager was concerned about displeasing him suggested a deep respect and consideration for him as a superior or family member.
‘That’s a relief.’
Marquis Iones, the 1st Manager’s father. Aside from seeing him at last year’s and this year’s New Year’s Ball, I hadn’t interacted much with him. However, he was one of the people I felt bad for.
To think that the 1st Manager was his daughter… he must’ve been through a lot of emotional stress. Legend had it that he had vehemently opposed when she joined the Prosecutors’ Office. The outcome, however, was as you saw.
“She’s a bit headstrong and unpredictable, but she’s thoughtful and kind-hearted. Please, take good care of her.”
“Ah, yes, I understand.”
Maybe that was why Marquis Iones would grasp my hand with a pleading look every New Year’s Ball, earnestly asking… no, more like begging me to take good care of his daughter.
In the midst of it all, the father saw nothing but beauty in his daughter, uttering incomprehensible words. Thoughtful? Kind-hearted?
The Marquis’s eyes were so wistful that I didn’t even bother to refute his words with facts.
‘Thank goodness…’
Was the 1st Manager aware of her father’s feelings and was hesitant to upset him? Marquis, are you watching? Your love was not misplaced.
“Executive Manager, would you like an *aperitif?”
Snapped out of my thoughts by the 1st Manager’s question, I realized I had zoned out at the dining table.
I turned to see her holding a bottle in each hand. One was red wine, while the other was white.
“White, please.”
“Hmm, the white one?”
I casually chose, but the 1st Manager’s smirk made me uneasy. Was there something in the wine?
“Actually, just give me the red—”
“Here you go!”
Before I could change my mind, the glass filled with white wine was handed to me.
“Drink it up and think it’s me!”
I hadn’t even taken a sip yet, so why did it sound like she had already gone through several bottles?
I looked at the 1st Manager’s hair. It was white.
Then, I looked back at the glass. Although it was called white wine, it wasn’t exactly white.
‘Damn.’
But after being told to think of it as her, the 1st Manager’s hair seemed to merge with it.
This brat had learned not only to torture people physically but also to attack mentally…
“White is pretty, isn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
She was still smirking, so I just nodded. Reacting too strongly here would only invite more teasing. It’d be best not to take the bait and to just eat and leave as normal.
“You’re so lucky to have a pretty white girl by your side, Executive Manager!”
Her confidence was so overwhelming that I couldn’t bring myself to react in any way.
***
The meal itself went smoothly save for the 1st Manager’s occasional odd remarks, which were normal enough for her. It’d actually be stranger if she made normal conversation.
“Black matches well with red, but I think it also goes well with white, too.”
I still couldn’t decipher the meaning behind those words. Thinking of cola, seasoned chicken, and radish salad in response was hardly normal, either.
Nonetheless, the 1st Manager committed the atrocity of mixing red and white wine in the same glass.
“Why would you mix them?!”
“It matches well!”
What she meant was beyond me. I’d probably never understand it.
As I sighed at the thought of this ‘innovative’ half-and-half wine, the voice from the other end of the communication crystal spoke up.
— Sir Carl must be a good superior to be so approachable.
“I guess there’s a fine line between being a good superior and an easygoing one.”
Hearing this, the Invincible Duke burst into laughter. Well, it was fine as long as it made him happy…
After that, the Invincible Duke regained his composure and continued.
— I called because I was worried, but everything seems fine. That’s a relief.
“If anything happens, I’ll shamelessly contact you first.”
— That’s reassuring to hear.
Seeing the Invincible Duke smile again made me smile, too. It warmed my heart, which had become lonely due to the disciplinary action.
When I returned to my office after the meal, I was surprised by an incoming call on the communication crystal. It was the Invincible Duke.
— Sir Carl, I don’t believe you would do something without a reason. There must have been a situation.
I was taken aback by his first words after I answered the call. It sounded like a teacher gently reprimanding a mischievous student.
Of course, there was a reason. Since I had achieved the legendary feat of assaulting royalty and ended up in this situation, the news must have reached the Invincible Duke’s ears.
But assaulting royalty wasn’t just a mischievous act; it was almost treason. I was touched by his understanding that there must’ve been circumstances.
“…That’s what happened.”
So I explained in detail while holding back tears. Had he known the full story, he might not have used the word ‘circumstances.’
Seeing the Invincible Duke struggle to contain his laughter was painful. Being openly mocked would have been easier than receiving such considerate pity.
Perhaps he knew how I felt because the Invincible Duke quickly changed the subject. We ended up discussing various matters, and that included my meal with the 1st Manager. This also led to me explaining the odd combination of red and white wine.
Talking about a subordinate’s eccentric behavior in front of the Invincible Duke was embarrassing, but it was preferable to receiving painful sympathy.
‘Is this really better?’
I found myself confused.
— She acts that way because she looks up to you, Sir Carl. Don’t be too harsh on her.
“Yes, I understand.”
I nodded at the Invincible Duke’s words that broke me free from my thoughts.
In fact, I’ve come too far to be upset over the 1st Manager’s antics. Being surprised by her playful behavior with food was one thing, but it wasn’t really that strange.
And even if I were truly upset, I couldn’t show it in front of the Invincible Duke. Unfortunately, the Invincible Duke saw the 1st Manager almost as his daughter’s sister.
‘This is driving me insane.’
The fact that the Crown Princess and the 1st Manager were close friends when they were in the Academy kept surprising me every time… and that they were both connected with the Invincible Duke… It was really dizzying.
***
A long conversation took place before I ended the communication with Sir Carl. I held onto what was meant to be a brief exchange for too long. I suppose talking more comes with age.
Still, it was a relief. When I heard from His Highness the Crown Prince that Carl had been disciplined for assaulting royalty, I wondered what had happened. That child wasn’t thoughtless enough to cause such a major incident.
Upon hearing from the involved party, it turned out to be an injury during an academy event. Then, that meant that it wasn’t assault but a regrettable accident. While it could forcibly be tied to assaulting royalty, there was no reason for His Highness to specifically target Carl.
‘It seems he’s not destined for a quiet life.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Ever since he became the Prosecutors’ Office’s Executive Manager, Carl had been at the center of disturbances. However, I hadn’t expected him to get involved in such incidents even at the academy. Or would it be more correct to say that he caused them?
Chuckling a few times, I operated the communication crystal. Since I had checked on Carl’s well-being, it was time to attend to other matters.
— Father?
“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
I bowed my head immediately after Aria answered the call.
— I told you to just call me Aria in private.
I couldn’t help but laugh again at her pouting face. How had she not changed at all since her childhood?
“How could I address the future mother of all our people in such a manner?”
— I’m hanging up.
“Sorry. I’ve found out what you asked, so please forgive me.”
Aria’s mood brightened. It was surprising how pleased she could be over matters that didn’t concern her.
“Sir Carl seems to think of her as just a subordinate.”
— I expected that.
Despite the somewhat unwelcome news, Aria remained calm. Maybe it was because that was within her expectations.
— That’s typical of Eli. She probably just hovered around and provoked him. It’s actually a relief if he doesn’t dislike her.
She made a sharp assessment. Although Aria usually spoke softly, she was straightforward when it came to Lady Elizabeth.
Still, it was Lady Elizabeth’s request that led her to ask me to check on Carl. Harsh words aside, her feelings for Lady Elizabeth were genuine.
“Well, at least he doesn’t seem to dislike her. If Carl really disliked someone, he’d ignore or avoid them.”
For Carl, Lady Elizabeth was more of a subordinate than a romantic interest. However, there seemed to be a fondness due to their time spent together.
Carl would shudder and deny it if he heard, but it was accurate from a third party’s perspective. Carl didn’t keep people he truly disliked around. If anything, the fact that they often clashed yet remained close was evidence of affection.
— Really? Eli would be happy to hear that.
Her words were blunt, but the slight smile on her lips couldn’t be hidden.
Perhaps it’s because they’ve been close since their academy days. I hadn’t expected her to get involved in her friend’s love life, though.
‘It’s going to be tough.’
Carl was just beginning to open up to Lady Marghetta. Since Lady Marghetta had liked Carl for a long time, it wouldn’t be long before they saw positive results.
And that’s when Lady Elizabeth would make her move. Carl would likely be quite taken aback.
‘It’s Carl’s issue to handle.’
If Lady Elizabeth aimed for the position of Carl’s first wife, then I wouldn’t have intervened even if Aria requested it. How could I, when I knew just how much the Iron-blooded Duke cherished Lady Marghetta?
But if she was aiming to be next in line, then there wasn’t anything to worry about. While I didn’t need to actively help, I also couldn’t outrightly refuse Aria’s requests.
— Thank you, Father.
The sight of Aria’s smiling face made me feel satisfied.
FOOTNOTES
* Aperitif
– A small drink of alcoholic liquor that acts as an appetizer.
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