WMT | Chapter 16

Something strange happened again.

“Oh, the hero of the day has arrived! My healthy and brave son!”

As soon as Wiss was declared fever-free, he was dragged to a meal. King Jeremiah welcomed him with open arms, making Wiss wonder if that line had been scripted. Had the royal family developed a 300-year-old custom of including virtues their children didn’t actually possess in their greetings?

Otherwise, it was uncanny how the words didn’t apply to Wissmia at all.

Anyway, Wiss received the king’s embrace and looked at someone he didn’t expect to see there.

Theodore had arrived at the dining room before Wiss. Considering he hadn’t taken a single bite at the last meal and left, it was unusual.

‘How did he get him to come?’

It seemed King Jeremiah’s skills exceeded Wiss’s expectations.

Then Theodore spoke.

“Please, come this way.”

“……?”

As Wiss approached, Theodore pulled out a chair for him.

“Please, have a seat.”

“……?”

What was he doing? Wiss sat down as instructed. Theodore walked around the long table and sat across from him, directly facing Wiss.

“Oh my, how kind of you. Isn’t that right, my boy?” King Jeremiah said joyfully. “Do you know who suggested we celebrate your recovery?”

Wiss had a good idea but asked anyway.

“Who?”

“It was His Grace, the Duke!”

“……I see.”

“He’s just shy, you know.”

King Jeremiah patted Wiss’s thigh.

‘That’s right, you should say thank you, not just “I see!”‘

The response came from Theodore.

“Yes, I know.”

It was an extremely friendly answer. King Jeremiah patted Wiss’s thigh again.

‘Wiss, my boy, did you hear that? My goodness.’

Wiss’s hand, defending his thigh, was starting to sting.

Thanks to Theodore’s gentle reaction, the meal proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere.

Surprisingly, the attack incident seemed to have been handled in the direction Wiss wanted. Despite handling the situation with King Jeremiah, the duke had judged that the Summer royal family was a worthy ally.

‘Well, that’s understandable.’

Even Wiss would prefer a collaborator who was a bit incompetent and easy to handle. You never know when a clever, snake-like person might betray you.

‘I’m so happy to be seen as incompetent that I don’t know what to do.’

Wiss relaxed his tense shoulders in the uncertain situation. This gathering was meant to showcase the friendship between allies.

Then Theodore asked.

“Do you not have an appetite?”

“No, I do.”

“Please give me your plate. I’ll cut the meat for you.”

“……?”

Wiss had hands of his own. Why did someone else need to cut his meat?

But he handed over the plate. King Jeremiah was bouncing with joy, so there was no need to refuse what seemed to be a significant gesture of goodwill from Theodore.

The meat returned neatly sliced. Wiss took a bite and then looked for some seasoning. The food was bland, as expected.

But a pepper shaker was placed in his hand.

“Is this what you were looking for?”

“Yes. ……Thank you.”

Theodore filled his glass as if it were nothing and handed it to Wiss.

‘It feels like having a personal servant…’

Wiss drank about a bottle of wine and ate two plates of the main course. With Theodore refilling his glass every time it emptied, it was hard to refuse.

Feeling full and slightly tipsy, Wiss was in a good mood.

“Your Highness seems to like sweet things.”

“Isn’t it better to eat something openly sweet than something with no taste as a snack?”

“I guess scones aren’t to your taste.”

“I wouldn’t call those snacks.”

“That’s troublesome. I can’t think of anything from the north that’s considered exceptionally sweet… Do you like sugar-coated jelly?”

“No.”

“Haha.”

Theodore chuckled.

King Jeremiah explained.

“Haha, he’s not usually this childish with his taste, but he’s joking a bit much today…”

“No, it’s cute. It suits him well.”

The meal ended on a note of harmony.

The next day, a package of gifts arrived for Wiss.

It was a pastry where the chocolate ratio was higher than the cookie ratio.

“Who sent this?”

“The duke did. While on official business… he found a shop on the street and said it reminded him of Your Highness, so he sent it.”

The duke’s adjutant answered.

Of course, Wiss knew he was sent by the duke. He couldn’t forget the face of the person who had occupied his royal palace.

Asking who sent it was just a formality.

It was a bit absurd.

‘Is there really a need to go this far for Wissmia?’

Well, it’s good to get along with an ally…

“Please convey my thanks.”

“Yes.”

The duke’s adjutant left with a slightly uneasy expression.

Wiss unwrapped the package with a similar expression.

‘Delicious.’

It was an excellent cookie with just the right sweetness. The person who made it must be a master of confectionery. The slight addition of salty seasoning was exquisite.

The taste was so outstanding that Wiss dismissed his doubts. If he had found such a pastry on the street, he would have sent it to the dejected Jeremiah to improve relations.

‘He’s trying to get along.’

It was what Wiss wanted too.

── .✦

According to the guard, Count Morre and the ringleaders were imprisoned in the northern tower. It was a prison for nobles.

Wiss had once locked his younger brother Jeremy there, so it was a traditional place for punishing nobles.

The ringleaders were being interrogated there. Judging by the atmosphere, confessions about the King of Palatine being behind it had already come out.

‘Yet they’re still interrogating.’

Unless they’re trying to dig up something about the Summer royal family, there’s no need for that.

Wiss was keeping a close ear on the news from the northern tower. At the same time, he was doing what he could.

Physical training.

“Ugh! Ow! Your Highness! When did you learn to use a sword?”

“Do you need to learn to use it?”

“Is there anyone who uses it without learning? Ow! It hurts, I said! Ouch!”

The guard fussed and rolled on the ground. Wiss’s sword struck where the guard had just been standing.

Wiss clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘It’s heavy.’

It was a different feeling from an object being heavy.

Of course, the sword in his hand was heavy. Even though it was a hollow wooden sword made to prevent injury, his wrist was aching from swinging it.

But the problem was more with his body than his wrist.

He had no muscles. Well, it’s not that a person can have no muscles, so the accurate expression would be that his muscles felt flabby.

It felt like waving a giant fan. It was flimsy and wobbly, as if it were resisting the wind.

‘These guys should be lined up in the training ground and made to run all day.’

Wiss planned a training schedule in his head.

If he made them sweat for two or three months, they’d have a more human-like body.

“Pick up the sword again.”

Wiss commanded.

‘Might as well train this guy too.’

The guard’s skills were so poor that Wiss wondered how he became a knight. Wiss had never had a knight of such low skill under his command.

His skills were so astonishing that it made Wiss dizzy. Since he couldn’t replace the guard, the only answer was to reform him.

Suddenly, Wiss turned his head sharply.

“Were you training?”

Theodore, who had approached without a sound, asked.

“You weren’t learning swordsmanship from your guard… You were teaching him, Your Highness?”

“Of course not. My guard is the type who tries to uphold his master’s dignity.”

Wiss extended a hand to the guard.

‘Get up before I kick you.’

The guard quickly got up and dusted off his backside. Then he discreetly stepped back.

“Do you like swords, Your Highness?”

“Yes. It’s embarrassing to say in front of a knight like you, Your Grace, but…”

‘Why is he here again?’

The place where they were sparring with wooden swords was a clearing behind the prince’s palace. It wasn’t a place an outsider could wander into while taking a walk.

It meant Theodore had come looking for Wiss.

Wiss asked.

“Is the interrogation of the ringleaders over?”

“……Pardon? Ah. I haven’t informed Your Highness yet.”

Theodore was momentarily flustered.

“The interrogation is over. It seems the person we suspected is indeed behind it. Some nobles of Summer are involved, but since His Majesty Jeremiah has also considered me… I’ll leave the disposition of the culprits to His Majesty.”

‘I’m no longer under suspicion.’

Wiss sighed. But the conclusion of the story was missing.

“And?”

“Yes?”

“The person behind it is who we suspected, and you have testimonies and evidence. Is that it?”

‘Aren’t you going to press further?’

Theodore gave a wry smile.

“Yes.”

“You’re just going to let it go?”

“I have no choice. Didn’t I tell you they’re precious family?”

‘What kind of nonsense is this?’

Wiss recalled the words he heard on the mountain path. Theodore had indeed said something like that about the King of Palatine…

Did that mean, even though the king harbors murderous intent and actively expresses it, and despite having witnesses and evidence, he wasn’t going to respond?

What is this guy?

Wiss looked at him with a different perspective, as if encountering a species he’d never met before.