Claude doesn't like Luigi. And the point is not only that he has high rights of succession to the throne. Of course, this played a role, but among all his cousins, Luigi disgusted him the most. This was the case both when they were in Jonad and when their paths diverged.
The incredible stoicism with which he alone endured the oppression of a lonely royal court deserved respect, but Luigi despised those around him too much. Not only his brothers, but everyone without exception. Moreover, he believed that his position had been taken from him.
In reality, no one took anything away from him - just someone else took this place. Isn't this the essence of natural selection? Luigi simply lost. And only he himself does not want to admit it.
Jules arrived exactly at the appointed time. Southerners generally did not consider punctuality a special virtue, but Julius was an exception. This is his nature: if the time is set, then you need to act strictly according to the schedule.
Claude was always late. He kept time only when he went to an audience with the king. For for him there was no one higher than the king. But Luigi...
- Brother, how many years, how many winters.
...was even worse than Claude.
It was as if he had left his sense of time in a foreign country: he was a whole hour late. If it weren't for Jules, Claude would have slammed the door and left long ago.
Since Jules said that it was worth waiting for his cousin, who had returned to his homeland after a long absence, Claude finished one bottle of wine while waiting; Of the one he offered, Juls took only a sip, and Claude finished the rest alone. Then, seeing that Luigi was still not there, he opened the second bottle and drank half of it when he finally appeared.
Looking at Luigi approaching with open arms, Jules thought that he looked like Claude. Both, if they heard such a comparison, would be horrified.
- What kind of brother am I to you?
At Claude's words, Luigi removed his hands and turned his gaze to the red-haired man who sat calmly next to him. New vassal? It’s unlikely: the clothes are too luxurious, and in the presence of the prince he didn’t even get up to greet him.
- Who else is this?
“It looks like you haven’t heard the rumors.”
Yuls said.
- Long time no see, brother.
- Jules?
Luigi's face showed amazement.
-Have you grown up?
Luigi looked up with satisfaction at his cousin, who had not changed in over ten years. He could not have imagined that he would become so huge. An impressive force radiated from him. All this time, even having the right of succession to the throne, Julius remained in the shadows or was not mentioned at all only because of the curse.
- Has the curse been lifted?
- Who knows.
- Haha, now the struggle for the throne will become seriously complicated. Isn't that right, Claude?
Luigi said this and poked Claude. Claude snorted. After all, it is Luigi who is afraid of Juls. After all, Claude doesn't care what goes on outside the Gulchamnamu Forest as long as he's left alone.
Claude knew this very well. But Luigi probably didn’t, because all this time he was traveling through foreign countries.
— If we talk about legitimacy, then you have a lot of elders.
“Be that as it may, I am now the Crown Prince.”
In response to Claude, Luigi added: “Now.”
“But why are you just the two of you here?” Haven't the other brothers arrived?
“Someone, like you, is in other countries, and the Princess does not even think about leaving Jonad, so it is impossible to see them.”
- Yes, she is. It is still unknown whose subject she will ultimately become.
Luigi shrugged at Jules' words.
No matter how high the princess's right of inheritance is, in this world a woman still cannot become a ruler. Unless all the men in the world die out. To Luigi, she wasn't someone worth worrying about. He believed that all he needed to do was defeat Claude. However, looking at all this...
“Looks like we need to keep an eye on Woodpecker too.”
“I wanted to meet with His Highness, but I was told that everything was booked for today and tomorrow. The butler allocated time for the day after tomorrow.
Even that was undoubtedly carved out by changing someone else's schedule. If we do not take into account the importance and status, then the earliest date would be the day after tomorrow.
“It would be nice if someone changed their time for me.”
Luigi said this while looking at Jules. In response to this passive demand, Jules grinned.
“I have no intention of changing anything, so look for someone else.”
- And this is how you treat your cousin?
“As a cousin, I’ll give you advice: it’s better to meet with the Marchioness of Conolly, because she’s the only one who cares about you.”
“...Well, it’s worth visiting the marquise too.”
- “Marquise”? Auntie will be upset to hear this.
Luigi fell silent at Yuls's words. A few years ago he had not noticed this, but now he understood: dealing with him was quite burdensome. The sarcasm of a child and the sarcasm of an adult man are perceived differently. Luigi turned the conversation to Claude.
— By the way, do you still smoke? I brought something worthwhile from Thuringia, do you want it?
Claude became gloomy. Looking at his face, which expressed the question "how did you know?", Luigi laughed quietly. Juls silently raised his glass. Luigi said, turning to Yuls: “There’s a drink for you too.”
“If you grabbed a drink without even knowing that I grew up, what kind of evil thing were you planning on doing to that kid?”
- Only there is a child on the outside, but not on the inside.
- The body was that of a child.
- But are you drinking now?
- Because he grew up.
- ...OK. By the way, after a long time I’m in Pales, and it’s just like summer here. Annoys. This Humidity. In Thuringia, summers were usually dry.
- Yes, they are nearby, what difference does it make?
Claude grumbled.
“At least it wasn’t as humid there as it is here.” Maybe because Dalcatir is in the south.
Of course. Anyone who has studied geography knows that humidity is in the zone of influence of sea currents.
- Stupid bastard.
Claude said this in a low voice. Luigi didn't seem to hear. In reality, Luigi's words were simply an expression of dissatisfaction. It is unclear why he came here to become king if Dalcatir hates him so much.
“Still, it’s good to return to your homeland.”
- You are from Jonad.
— I was born in Pales. The Queen gave birth to me here during the Festival Season.
This queen left the Royal Family immediately after the death of the king. Nobody drove her out; she herself, like Luigi, hated Dalcatir. The wife, married to a small state, had an aversion to these places and, having gained freedom with the death of the king, soon returned to her homeland, to Belipeera.
- My name day is right at this time.
No one in the Palais considered Luigi a fellow countryman, but he didn't care at all. He was the kind of guy who would use anything he could use.
“Since I’m here, it’s worth meeting the Palesian nobles.”
Claude frowned. These words meant that he would begin to act. Something sharp was felt nearby. Yuls didn't like the icy atmosphere between the two of them. More precisely, she tired him.
“Soon we will have to return to Woodpecker,” thought Jules.
He got what he wanted anyway, so there was no point in staying here any longer.
* * *Bam! The chair overturned with a crash. The servants and knights standing by the wall did not even move to lift it. Claude exhaled heavily, unable to contain his anger, and said: “Bring some water.”
Claude drank the water the servant brought him in one gulp. But the thirst did not go away, and he shouted: “More!” — after which he threw the empty jug on the floor, breaking it into pieces.
There were no more water bottles in the room when the servant opened the door. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly froze when he saw a man in front of him, raised his eyes, looked at him and bowed again.
Spencer Grimaldi walked inside. Claude's gaze turned to Spencer Grimaldi. Spencer met this piercing gaze indifferently and said:
- I arrived at your call.
Claude didn't answer. Only the servant who went to fetch water did not return, so Claude took a bottle of wine from a shelf against the wall and drank straight from the bottle.
“Your Highness, you drink too much.”
- I'm thirsty.
Claude wiped the wine running down his chin. The golden liquid flowed down drop by drop, soaking Claude’s snow-white chemise. Claude threw the bottle on the floor. There was another sound of breaking glass and wine spilled onto the carpet. The smell of alcohol wafted through the air.
- Is that what you said, Count?
said Claude. His steps faltered as he walked towards Count Grimaldi. Staggering from side to side, Claude stopped in front of him and poked the count in the solar plexus with his finger.
- You, Count, there was no one else to do this but you.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, your Excellency.”
“Then tell me, why suddenly Luigi, who was hanging around in Cogna, comes here?”
Claude clenched his fingers, expecting the Count to retreat, but he did not flinch. On the contrary, when Claude’s own fingers began to ache, he pulled his hand away, turned sharply and, as if collapsing, sank onto the sofa.
“Didn’t you call me, Count?” Don't you stick your ever-present fingers everywhere you can?
Having said this, Claude exhaled loudly, covered his face with his hand and asked:
- Why?
“Is it really all because I asked the count for his son?”
“Hardly, Your Highness.”
Petty old man. Count Grimaldi was quite capable of this. That’s why he didn’t want to send his son, but when he heard the refusal, he set about these tricks. The snake is old. He couldn't be trusted.
“The desire to get my son is not a problem in itself. However, when there are other ways, stubbornly imposing your will, rejecting the best choice, is unwise, Your Highness.
Spencer Grimaldi said so to Claude. Claude removed his hand from his face and looked at the Count. Spencer snorted, letting out a small laugh. The left corner of his lips trembled slightly higher than the right.
“Do you really want to become the same as His Highness?”
The same smile as Adi Grimaldi.