The remark wasn't exactly funny, but Deedrick didn't seem bothered. On the contrary, he seemed rather pleased.
“So, you know about the Duchess and my mother, right?”
"Know."
I didn't try to hide it. Anyone who had been here long enough would have known about that incident. Even if they don't know, you've already seen everything in the novel.
“…I’m afraid of the Duchess.”
“So do I. Who would have thought she would put anti-theft charms on memorabilia? She is a truly terrifying woman.”
I spoke deliberately, exaggerating for effect. Daedric looked at me out of the corner of his eye, his lips twitching as if he was trying to suppress a smile despite his anxiety.
She gently wiped away his tears, then gently raised the corners of his lips.
“If you feel like smiling, just smile.”
“I will.”
Then he held my hand tightly, looked at my lips, and then asked carefully: “I heard that something happened to Axel and the servant...”
“Ah…”
I unintentionally made a strange sound, then quickly covered my mouth, but he looked at me with questioning eyes, as if he needed confirmation.
“Was it you?”
I avoided looking at him, but in the end, I couldn't resist his intense gaze, so I nodded.
“I just wanted to tease them a little… they did something to you after all!”
He smiled faintly, but his expression held a shade of concern as he studied me.
“Thank you. But still...”
"Don't tell me not to do dangerous things. I'll do anything for you, Didi. That's why I got your memorabilia back. It's important! And thanks to that, we were able to talk like this, so I'm happy about that."
I spoke quickly. His blue eyes twitched slightly as he looked at me.
“Why are you doing all this for me?”
"I told you, you're the only one who can save me. You're destined to be great, Didi. Greater than anyone else here."
After saying that, she hugged Daedric tightly.
“Oh... I can't breathe.”
“So don't lose your confidence, okay?”
"…Good."
“By the way, where did you go this morning?”
“You'll find out through rumors.”
“…It's not fair.”
I told him everything, even though it was more like I was exposed.
Daedric laughed softly but never revealed where he was going. It was unlikely that his morning flight would become the talk of the palace.
After a long talk, we fell asleep still cuddled inside the closet.
Daedric's soft breaths ruffled his hair as he relaxed.
Her warm, live voice and comforting hug made him sleep peacefully.
When he woke up, the first thing he saw was the girl's face, and his entire face turned red from neck to forehead.
But he did not move away from her warmth, but merely stared at her sleeping face silently.
Her long eyelashes cast soft shadows, her plump red lips, and her rosy cheeks looked like a palette of peaches, making her look charming.
"…beautiful."
Daedric whispered in amazement, as he gently placed his hand on her cheek.
Her heat felt different from anyone else's, and he closed his eyes.
This girl felt completely comfortable. Suddenly, his anxious heart instantly calmed down.
If it were up to him, he would never leave this closet. He wanted to stay here with her forever.
Today is the day.
Today was the time for the Second Prince's visit to the Grand Duke's Palace.
In the novel, the Second Prince was a kind and charming secondary character.
Although he competed with the champion, he eventually became one of Daedric's closest friends.
His name was Pérez Estrel Piatum, the future emperor and a major character in the story.
Despite the first prince's presence, his mother - being a concubine - made his support from the nobility minimal.
However, the Emperor's blatant bias towards the First Prince caused problems.
It got to the point that the Emperor publicly hinted at his desire to make him crown prince.
This angered the Empress's faction, and they strongly opposed the idea.
Although the Emperor quickly retracted his words, the Empress lost her trust in him.
Moreover, with the First Prince and his mother acting as if the royal family belonged to them, the Empress's anger reached its peak.
To ensure the position of the second prince, she worked to attract neutral nobles to her side, ensuring that they would not interfere.
This visit to the Grand Duke's Palace was the first step.
Somerset, the heir to the Blackwood family, was desperate to impress the Second Prince.
Forming a relationship with him will be a huge advantage when he becomes the head of the family.
Although the Second Prince tried to reach out to Somerset with the intention of building alliances, he was not fond of his apparent behaviour.
Although he did not show it publicly.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the Duchess intervened, leading to a misunderstanding between the Second Prince and Daedric. As a result, they failed to build a strong relationship.
But not this time!
I planned to create a strong bond between them myself.
I will make sure Daedric has the best network of allies!
In the original story, Daedric met trusted allies after being forced into the academy.
Since I won't let him go there, I will take care of his relations myself.
The first main character was the Second Prince!
************
On the horizon, a carriage bearing the crest of the imperial family approached, raising a cloud of dust.
“They have arrived!”
“…”
“Didi, you have to build a relationship with the Second Prince this time.”
“Why?”
“My intuition tells me something wonderful will happen if I get close to him.”
I gave him a ridiculous excuse to convince him.
“But...”
Daedric looked anxiously at the tightly closed door.
Outside, a servant stood guard – a guard dog placed by the Duchess to prevent him from leaving.
Normally, they wouldn't have come even if they were called!
“Don't worry. The Duchess will summon you soon.”
"I?"
"Yes. And this is when we will move."
This was the perfect opportunity to charm the Second Prince, and make him infatuated with Daedric!
*********
“As you know, Your Highness, the Blackwood family has always been loyal to Her Majesty the Empress. It is ridiculous for the son of a concubine to be first in line to the throne.”
How annoying.
Despite his true feelings, Perez maintained his calm, thoughtful smile.
“I appreciate your loyalty.”
At this reply, Somerset smiled naively, completely abandoning his mask.
…
After his meeting with the Blackwood heirs, Perez could not hide his disappointment.
The Blackwood family was famous, a pillar of the empire and a symbol of the pride of the nobility.
It was said that the founder of the family had married a female ruler, and that his descendants were of holy blood.
Pérez, as the second prince, had always secretly admired the Grand Duke.
But…
Perez's annoyed gaze settled on Somerset.
“No need to worry, Your Highness!”
Somerset's excessive flattery and complimentary words, said only to see how Pérez would react, seemed inappropriate for someone representing Blackwood.
“The son is nothing like his father.”
Beside him, the second son of the Blackwood family agreed with his older brother with everything he said, no matter how trivial it was.
“This way, Blackwood's future seems bleak.”
Perez stifled a sigh as he remembered that there was another brother.
“I heard you have another brother...”
“Ah.”
For a brief moment, Somerset's features hardened with distress, but he quickly hid it to offer an embarrassed explanation.
“Well… you may have heard the rumours, but he is a difficult child to handle. Since his mother died, he has not been his normal self.”
“Difficult to deal with?”
Rumors about the illegitimate son of the Blackwood family were rife. They whispered that he could no longer take care of himself after losing his mother.
Although Perez usually did not believe gossip unless he saw the evidence with his own eyes, he suspected that the Duke had some feelings for this child.
The fact that Somerset was not officially declared heir was evidence of this.
Moreover, the boy was still living in the main palace.
“Even the Duchess couldn't kick him out, which means the Duke cares about him.”
“That's why she's determined to keep him on a leash.”
“To prevent him from meeting anyone important.”
“I wanted to meet the Duke, but...”
But I missed the opportunity because he was travelling. Now, I was curious to see Daedric, who was said to look a lot like the Duke.
“I would like to see him.”
“This is a surprising request... How about a tour of the gardens instead? Our palace gardens are famous for their beauty.”
Somerset tried to change the subject, which only increased Perez's curiosity.
“What are they trying so hard to hide?”
If it was really a problem, bringing it up would have been a more effective way to deflect suspicion.
“I have to find a way to see him while I stay here.”
Reluctantly, Perez allowed himself to be led towards the Grand Palace.
A place so great, and yet…
“This way, Your Highness!”
“How could someone so weak rule him?”
Perez's eyes grew colder.
Several hours after the arrival of the Second Prince…
Deedrick and I were still locked in the room, but I knew we would soon get a chance to get out.
I stood watching out the window, waiting for the right moment, until I finally saw someone leaving the main building.
Here is!
The Second Prince was walking towards the garden, accompanied by Somerset.
“This is Didi's golden opportunity!”