Adrina didn't know why Adrian said that. She herself did not feel any guilt for her existence. Everyone around her kept telling her this, but she didn't let them get so close that their words could hurt. Memories of the Grimaldi Family are only the cold walls of the castle, the cold rooms, and warm Adrian and the winter when he died.
“It was a place where winter was beautiful,” she said. — Snow fell until early spring. Although it is not a very cold region, the winter was wet and it rained often. When the temperature dropped, the rain turned to snow. If it snowed like this all night, it covered the world like a carpet. It was the same with the estate.
These memories are so clear because it was wonderful, or...
“I remember the snow field through which my twin walked. I followed in his footsteps.
...because then you died?
— When Adi died, a white magnolia blossomed. And it started snowing.
She remembers the snow falling like petals. He remembers the long golden hair in which Adrian was wrapped. She also remembers the carriage in which she and Spencer Grimaldi first rode. There, inside, they discussed what to engrave on Adrian's tombstone.
In truth, she still can't believe that Adrian is dead. But sometimes she is overwhelmed by the feeling that she has lost her soul.
“You call your brother Adi,” said Juls. It sounded strange.
“Isn’t your name Adi, Your Grace?”
- Yes.
“Same nickname. Twins are not usually given similar names and certainly not identical nicknames. But those twins had similar names.”
- Adrian, how is the second one?
- Adrina.
Indeed, both could be called Adi.
“But now it’s only me left.”
Adi said this. "Guilt. I never thought about this. Was Adi being kind to me out of guilt? Because his brother lived differently? If so, if it really is so, then Adrina also has a little guilt or something like that.”
- If you are talking about guilt for surviving alone, then yes. It seems there isn't much left.
“You must have been very close.”
“I heard that Your Grace also had brothers.”
“I wasn’t close to them.”
Yuls's voice sounded as if there was not a drop of warmth in it, and Adi said nothing more.
— Our family was not particularly friendly. In addition, we had half-brothers.
This was a new fact for her. Although nobles keep concubines, they usually have one wife. Unless it's the royal family. Maybe the brothers were born from concubines?
— Outwardly, there was only the duchess of the previous generation, but my mother was also there.
So it's the other way around. Adi didn't know what to say. Comfort, perhaps? And in general, isn’t it harmful if it becomes known that you are descended from a concubine? Last time the Marchioness of Conolly called the Duke "auntie", does that mean his mother is a noblewoman after all?
Whatever it was, Duke Woodpecker was now sitting in front of her. Regardless of whether his mother was a concubine, it could not affect him. The Duke did not seem to consider this a weakness and did not worry about it.
Adi could only say: “That’s how it is.”
It seemed that Yuls did not understand what she meant and looked at Adi with bewilderment.
There was nothing particularly strange in the list of gifts. There were several particularly rare gems that Adi had even heard of, but the Duke said that he had plenty of them, literally “lying under his feet.”
Adi fell silent. At that moment she wondered if he was equal to the king himself. Even nobles could hardly afford some jewelry.
However, the owner of the Red Oak Grove is called the Woodpecker King, isn’t it? They say red oak symbolizes prosperity. She couldn't even imagine what Woodpecke's domain was like.
Jules looked at them as if asking who they were talking about.
“I'm going to increase security, Your Grace.” It’s still a little hard for two people.
- Yes? The Second Order of Knights said that they now have no free people.
- Now, apparently, they have appeared. Here are the documents I collected.
Jules took the documents and immediately put them aside. “What happens if they get mixed up with the list of gifts?” - Adi thought, but remained silent.
-Who is this new knight?
— Roy Gagliardo.
- Gallardo, I heard that name.
- He's from the Southern lands...
- Oh, that same Gallardo, then.
Looks like there was something there too. Adi didn’t know southern affairs, but she didn’t understand northern affairs any better.
“So his skill is guaranteed.”
Having said this, Juls asked Adi: “Do you know each other well?”
- No, I only know it by sight.
- Is that so?
It was clear from his face that he was perplexed as to how Adi could recommend him. She did not dare say that he had come and demanded that his place be returned to him. One way or another, there weren’t enough people, but there were people willing, so Adi decided that this was a suitable option.
Juls looked meaningfully at the silent Adi, but seemed to quickly lose interest and, turning, motioned to Bert. From the barely audible whisper and movement of her hand, Adi realized that they did not want to involve her in their affairs.
It was time to get up. Plus, she wanted to distance herself from these gift lists.
“If your Lordship permits, while Sir Bert Dean is here, I will go away for a while to inspect the surroundings.”
Having said this, Adi stood up, took the sword and fastened it to her belt. Jules nodded in agreement. Bowing lightly, Adi left the reception room and closed the door behind her.
Looking after Adi as she left, Bert said: “He’s quite perceptive, isn’t he?” Jules also agreed. But the guy is Grimaldi.
- If he were a simple knight, it would be nice.
“The Grimaldi family, of course, creates problems. But it’s strange, why did the Second Order of Knights appoint Adi?
“They probably didn’t know how capable he was.”
- Well, yes, in the Third Order of Knights there was such a bad reputation about him.
"Palace Dog"
“There really was something dog-like about him.”
— Did he behave like a dog?
- No, more like a puppy or a faithful dog.
Something... like a dog really was felt. He looked like an obedient puppy. How did someone like that even survive in the Third Order of Knights? No, how did he even get the nickname "dog"? Not clear.
- Okay, let's leave it. Tell me about Roy Gagliardo. As far as I know, his family has fallen into disrepair.
— Говорят, он был приёмным сыном в графской семье по материнской линии. He bore their last name, and as soon as he became an adult, he returned his own.
— Did the royal family leave it like that?
“That’s why he’s in the Palesa Palace now.”
“I don’t think they think that broadly.”
Jules said. Most of the nobles, and even the king himself, constantly face threats. Isn’t it the kings who keep everyone in distrust, question everything and rally only their own? Therefore, they cannot receive the support of the lords, barely maintaining a shaky throne.
- Right. Initially, he was supposed to become Your Grace's bodyguard. Adi Grimaldi was sent in while he was recovering from an injury.
“And Adi Grimaldi recommended Roy Gagliardo, that’s how.”
Jules turned over the documents containing information about Roy Gagliardo. There was a story about who he'd ever accompanied, but he hadn't accompanied anyone in particular until Yuls showed up.
This meant that the injury occurred during training. Usually knights are not sent to such training before going on guard duty.
“Strange,” thought Jules. As if someone didn't want Roy Gallardo with
First of all, if they come in, you need to ask, and if they don’t answer, find out secretly. There are no places in this palace where human gaze cannot reach.
If he decided to bring Roy Gallardo, he better do it quickly. Until someone else intercepted him.
Bert bowed to Jules and left. Jules looked again at the documents Bert had brought. The servant poured out the cooled tea and poured fresh tea. Jules smiled.
“So it came down to Gallardo.”
He didn't look happy, but he didn't take the current situation badly either.
- It will be interesting.