If they knew that the Duke would grow up like that, they would have prepared more clothes. Roy's clothes were small, and Bert's clothes were similar in length, but fit loosely.
Gavin folded the fabric, secured it, tied the cravat and pinned on the jewelry, and then wondered whether to wear the outer dress or not. According to etiquette, it was supposed to, but today the king did not come, and due to the high humidity, many walked around in light clothes.
Deciding that it was better not to wear it after all, Gavin retreated. Yuls stood in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection. The spitting image of a mother.
- How much can you give me?
Yuls asked. Bert carefully examined his face from different angles. He looked like an adult, of course, but he was still too green for his real age. And this long hair was too reminiscent of that same thing. Maybe it would be worth cutting it off. Although everyone seems to like it...
— About twenty years, perhaps. If so much, you can do without removing the curse.
— Age should be felt. A man is distinguished by respectability.
“Youth is best, your lordship.”
Still, it would be worth listening to different opinions. Bert and the other servants advised leaving it at length, but Adrian or Roy might have thought otherwise. And besides this, it was necessary to take into account how people would react when he returned to Woodpecker Castle.
- By the way, here’s what.
Bert asked.
- What did you do that caused growth?
Gavin was also curious. He couldn’t understand what this “sticky” thing meant. In the morning, looking at Adrian and the Duke, nothing of the kind was noticeable. Maybe it was just Joel letting out an empty fog - but the curse really weakened, which means that some changes took place between them.
- Nothing special.
Jules replied with a straight face.
— Everything was as usual. Only this time I was the first to start.
- What?
- I just wanted to.
S-sorry, what does this mean? Gavin didn't dare ask and turned his gaze to Bert. It was a look begging for help, but he just couldn’t find anything to answer.
Jules looked out the window.
— The sky has darkened.
- Looks like it's going to rain soon.
- A gust will pour in - and then again it will be replaced by drizzle.
- Yes, then the real holiday will begin.
And in this guise he will appear before the King. Jules chuckled.
- And the King?
- As always, he will arrive on the Eve.
- When he sees me, his mood will deteriorate.
It is impossible to restrain the corners of your lips from creeping upward. What will everyone think when they see this face? How crushed everyone will be to see how he has grown.
- I'm looking forward to it.
* * *The sky quickly darkened. The first drops of rain fell. The people lying on the grass began to rise one after another. Soon a rumble was heard. Thunder covered the music and there was a short flash of lightning.
The rain poured down with a rapid thud. Jets of rain, exciting not only sight, hearing and smell, but also touch, wet people’s clothes and hair, and someone rushed into the shelter of buildings with a roaring laugh.
Nature seemed to have beauty and grandeur in itself. Childhood memories are blurred and almost erased, and yet, when moments come that awaken feelings, the past emerges on its own.
The Grimaldi stood before my eyes in the rain as if in reality.
— The holiday decorations will come down.
- They won’t collapse. They were made for the King. Magicians can handle such things without difficulty.
“Wasting qualified personnel like magicians on such nonsense is such a waste.”
“Who knows, maybe the time will come when magicians will no longer be such a rarity.” They say that the so-called Magic Revolution is currently taking place on the Northern Continent. Magic is used in everyday life.
- Yes?
- Don’t you read newspapers?
- I don’t read. Are you reading?
- Yes.
“How does he even spend his days?” He doesn’t go out for walks, doesn’t read newspapers, doesn’t meet with friends. However, no matter what he does - he trains and works all day, and if you occasionally offer to play chess, he pretends that he cannot win.
- Do you remember this?
- What exactly?
— Among the conditions of the Duke’s protection there is a clause: in the event of sparring with other knights, do not lose under any circumstances. Didn't Joel tell you?
- Did you tell him?
- Yeah, even before the appointment order arrived.
- I didn’t know.
Roy's face turned white as a sheet. Of course, the skill of a knight is the pride of his master, but if it came to directly mentioning that this is categorically unacceptable, then he had to keep in mind the possibility that in case of defeat he would not be taken with him to Woodpecker.
Seeing his frightened face, Adi said, “Don’t worry,” and continued:
- You will win.
- Consolation is perceived as consolation only when there is at least some chance.
— My techniques and Lef’s techniques are similar. Consider him a little stronger physically than me. And you surpass him in strength.
“You don’t know how strong Lef is.”
“But I know his technique well.” I trained with you every night. In the end, you won more often. Try to hit the gap.
- How do you think I'll hit her?
- At least use the Grimaldi sword. If this technique suddenly flies from you, he will definitely be taken aback.
Adi said this and lightly patted Roy on the shoulder. It’s not clear how someone who can’t put much strength into his hand can have such skill with a sword.
- Win, Roy.
- Usually in such cases they root more for their friend, no?
- For Lef?
- Well, yes. You are fellow countrymen.
- You are also a fellow countryman with Kenneth Max.
-...Hey, at least compare comparables.
“The Grimaldis cleared the North precisely because they were from there themselves. How do you think the Zied family survived? Ultimately, because they were Grimaldi’s accomplices, weren’t they?
- This is your own family, why be so sarcastic?
“They say the Grimaldi were cursed as retribution for the massacre, so why didn’t anything fall on the Zids?”
“Because it’s not a curse, that’s all.”
At Roy's words, Adi raised her head.
“Your brother’s death is also most likely not a Curse.”
Not a Curse, just a coincidence. After all, death does not warn of its arrival.
- Yes.
Adi answered.
- It would be good if so.
It would be nice if her existence did not cause Adrian’s death. She lives by devouring her brother, borrowing his name - and sometimes it seems to her that this does not bother her at all, but at other moments her throat closes tightly. It’s like a heavy downpour outside - and somewhere inside, in the depths of your soul, a thunderstorm is also raging.
— The rain doesn’t seem to stop.
“It looks like it’s going to rain until night.”
- It will be over by tomorrow anyway. Tomorrow is Eve.
As soon as the festival begins, the rain stops - as if by magic. While the water is absorbed into the ground, people have time to enjoy the holiday, and then they are greeted by generous, moisture-filled soil. This rain is the deity of farmers.
People were running hurriedly through the shroud of rain towards the Duke's Residence.
— The tailors have come again.
“His Lordship has grown up again.”
- Again?
“Yeah, he’s already much taller than you.”
“...I’m quite tall for a southerner, by the way.”
- Yes.
“You’re too small for a northerner!”
- I know.
Adi said this while looking straight ahead. The Crown Prince slowly walked out into the open gallery of the building where people had taken refuge.
The Crown Prince, standing at the end of the gallery with a calm face, looked at the pouring rain and thunder - and smiled. He seemed out of his mind. The sluggish glance soon fixed itself on the opposite side. It seemed that their eyes met the eyes of the Crown Prince.
“...His Highness is here.” Why is he smiling so much? Does the thunderstorm make him happy?
— Maybe he’s engaged in farming.
- Well, that’s... Wait a minute.
Well, if the harvest is good, that means more taxes will be collected - so the difference is small? Roy agreed with this in his own way.
Claude waved his hand towards Adi and Roy. Behind him, a whole retinue of aristocrats who were staying in Pales approached the crown prince. And Count Grimaldi walked ahead of everyone.
They stood behind the crown prince and, following his gaze, looked here - to where only Roy and Adi were.
Adi looked at her father on the other side of the square. Spencer Grimaldi parted his lips. He must have realized that it was inaudible from such a distance, and therefore he opened his mouth wide so that he could make out the movement of his lips.
“You will report to the residence at night.”
Adi nodded silently to indicate that she understood. Claude apparently decided that this bow was addressed to him, and waved his hand with a satisfied look.
“It’s time for me to return to the residence.”
- Yes? Then I'll go cross swords with someone else.
Roy said. When he added that lately Ilyich had been inviting him to spar, Adi said indifferently: “I see,” and that was all.
Spencer Grimaldi could be seen talking about something with the Crown Prince. It was impossible to make out what exactly it was about, but soon the count bowed his head, apparently saying goodbye. Adi also entered the residence. It was necessary to leave the sword and go to the count.