HTTRPIAO Ch 14

“You’ve finally come back! Where on earth have you been all this time…”

“What about Jade and Stella?”

Conscious of the people watching them, Rishar returned to the banquet hall after a brief pause and asked his adjutant about the whereabouts of the Knight Commander and the Mage Commander.

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“The Knight Commander has temporarily left to discipline the knights… And I’m not sure about Stella. She’s probably out somewhere flirting with a pretty Alpha.”

“Is that so?”

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“Where did you go, anyway? His Majesty the Emperor has been looking for you like crazy.”

“Just went out to get some air.”

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Rishar casually answered the adjutant’s question and looked around. However, Etienne was nowhere to be seen.

“Who are you looking for? If it’s the Emperor…”

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“It’s not the Emperor.”

Elvin, Rishar’s adjutant, slightly furrowed his brow as Rishar kept interrupting his words.

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How much trouble he had gone through because Rishar suddenly disappeared without a word!

Elvin shuddered, recalling how he had been harassed by nobles during Rishar’s absence. Surrounded by terrifying Alphas, and even more terrifying, Omega nobles, he had been bombarded with questions like ‘Where’s the Grand Duke?’, ‘What does His Highness¹ like?’, and ‘Please arrange a private meeting with His Highness later.’ Just thinking about it made his legs weak.

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Why did he feel like a mouse in front of a cat, even though he was a Beta who couldn’t detect pheromones? He thought he had become somewhat accustomed to the unique aura of Alphas and Omegas while serving with the dominant Alpha Rishar, but apparently not.

Elvin rubbed his arm, which was still covered in goosebumps.

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“Shall we head back?”

Without knowing Elvin’s burning inner turmoil, Rishar spoke with a disinterested expression, having failed to find what he wanted. Naturally, Elvin was taken aback.

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“Right now?”

Elvin looked at Rishar with a bewildered expression, wondering what he was talking about.

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“Is there a problem?”

Rishar tilted his head in response to Elvin’s reaction. Whether he was doing this knowingly or unknowingly was unclear, but either way, it was enough to turn Elvin’s stomach inside out.

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“A problem? I have many! Didn’t you just hear me? His Majesty has been looking for you.”

“I’ll just say I was tired and went back first. I think I’ve socialized enough.”

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“Shh, shh! Please be careful with your words. There are so many ears listening, how can you speak like that?”

Elvin was startled by Rishar’s words, making him wonder what about what he said seemed so blasphemous. He brought his index finger to his lips, warning Rishar to be cautious.

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Even a toothless tiger is still a tiger, and the emperor is still the emperor. Someone might hear Rishar’s words and accuse him of being disrespectful.

Elvin couldn’t understand why Rishar was behaving this way, with so many watching eyes and listening ears.

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“The main guest of today’s banquet is you, Grand Duke. Except for the nobility who supports the Empress, no, even those ones came to see you. Where are you going? If you leave now, there will definitely be gossip.”

“Let them talk.”

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Rishar responded with an attitude of indifference. Elvin’s liver was shrinking at this sight. He pressed his throbbing temples. He hadn’t even touched alcohol, yet he was starting to have a headache.

“At least say goodbye to the Emperor before leaving.”

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“Tsk, how bothersome.”

Rishar clicked his tongue at Elvin’s words, looking obviously annoyed. Elvin barely suppressed his rising irritation and put on a serious expression.

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“Your Highness.”

“Fine.”

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As Elvin’s demeanor became serious, Rishar moved with a sullen face. Elvin exhaled the breath he had been holding as he watched Rishar’s back approaching the Emperor.

Why does the Emperor like the Grand Duke so much when he’s so obviously showing his dislike?

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Elvin looked at the Emperor and Rishar with eyes that couldn’t comprehend. Their relationship was one of his unsolved mysteries.

While the public believed the Emperor and Grand Eckhardt were at odds, the truth was different.

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From Elvin’s perspective, their relationship was a one-sided love from the Emperor.

Rishar didn’t like the Emperor. In fact, it was closer to hate.

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This was not known only to Elvin. The Knight Commander Jade and the Mage Commander Stella probably sensed it to some extent.

Rishar found the Emperor, who was taking his side, bothersome and annoying.

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 Rishar had no interest in the throne at all too. It was the Emperor and those around him who had drawn him into the succession dispute.

“…What will happen now?”

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Elvin muttered to himself while watching Rishar conversing with the Emperor. This meant that his own fate, as Rishar’s adjutant, was like walking on thin ice.

“Being on the battlefield might even be better.”

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Suddenly, Elvin became incredibly depressed. Not even a day had passed since arriving in the capital, and he saw a dark future. He couldn’t even imagine how chaotic things would become.

“My goal was to live a long, quiet life…”

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I’m doomed.

Elvin dropped his shoulders and muttered in a gloomy voice. Thanks to serving the wrong master, he was likely to lose his head at any moment.

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“What are you mumbling about?”

“Eek!”

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Elvin, who had been feeling depressed alone, was startled by the voice behind him. When he turned his head, Jade was looking down at him with a cold expression.

“Ah, you scared me! Please make some noise when you’re walking! I almost had a heart attack!”

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“I did make noise.”

Elvin grabbed his chest and snapped at Jade. Jade gave him a sad expression.

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“Where is the Grand Duke… Ah, he’s talking with His Majesty.”

“He’ll finish soon. Before that, please find Stella.”

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“The daughter of Count Flang?”

“Yes. Sir Jade can detect her pheromones, right? Please find her and bring her here.”

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Elvin glanced sideways at where Rishar was standing and asked Jade to find Stella.

Stella, who was incredibly proud of being an Omega, always scattered her pheromones around, so using Jade, an Alpha, would make finding her easy.

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“I can find her, but… is something wrong?”

Jade cocked his head at Elvin’s request, unable to understand why he suddenly wanted to find Stella.

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“There’s nothing special. His Highness says he’s returning to the Grand Ducal residence. We should take Stella with us. She’ll cause trouble if left here.”

“Already?”

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The banquet was far from over. Jade looked puzzled. Elvin answered in a muffled voice.

“Our Grand Duke is extremely tired, so he can’t enjoy the banquet.”

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“That can’t be.”

Jade laughed as if the idea was absurd. The notion of Rishar being tired was laughable.

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“‘That person isn’t at the banquet, is he?”

Jade looked around casually and spoke knowingly. Elvin shrugged. As Rishar’s closest aides, Elvin and Jade knew their master was obsessed with the Prince.

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“Well, yes. He left the banquet hall with his attendant earlier.”

“So he wants to leave because ‘that person’ is not here. If the p-, no, if he’s not around, there’s no reason to stay.”

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Jade almost said ‘prince’ but quickly corrected himself as his face blushed. 

Isn’t it said that birds hear what you say in the daytime and mice hear what you say at night? The Empress’s eyes and ears could be anywhere.

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As a servant of Grand Duke Eckhardt, he had to be careful about mentioning the Prince in such a public place.

“He was never someone who liked banquets anyway. He also dislikes socializing with people.”

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Elvin looked harshly at Jade, who had almost made a mistake. Jade wrinkled his nose, looking embarrassed.

“Then I’ll go tell the knights to prepare to return. And I’ll go find Lady Flang.”

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“Ah, wait…”

Jade disappeared like he was fleeing. Elvin made a frustrated expression, having missed the chance to scold him. At that moment, a shadow fell over Elvin’s head.

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“Are the preparations to leave ready?”

“Eek!”

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Elvin was startled by the low voice from right above his head. Rishar, who had persistently escaped the Emperor’s grasp, looked at Elvin’s reaction and slightly squinted his eyes.

“What? Why are you surprised?”

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“You suddenly spoke to me… Ahem, ahem.”

Embarrassed by Rishar’s rebuke, Elvin awkwardly cleared his throat. He spoke with a calm face as if he hadn’t just been startled.

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“Sir Jade says he’s preparing to return. Since you’re tired, take the carriage instead of walking.”

“Okay.”

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Rishar readily agreed. His body was fine, but his mind was tired. Above all, his mood was bad. He couldn’t talk as much as he had expected with Etienne.

“…Tsk.”

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Rishar clicked his tongue, upset, looking around the banquet hall one last time. He had only attended this triumph ceremony for Etienne.

However, he hadn’t spent time with Etienne or had a proper conversation. There were too many things interfering between them.

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“Your Highness, are you leaving already?”

“Grand Duke, just a moment…”

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As Rishar headed towards the banquet hall exit, nobles rushed forward one after another. Elvin stood in front of them and shouted.

“Everyone, step back. The Grand Duke has been riding non-stop to the capital for several days and is extremely tired from attending the banquet. Those with business can contact the Grand Ducal residence tomorrow.”

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Some nobles hesitated at Elvin’s plea. But some persistently tried to approach him.

Rishar ignored those trying to speak to him and walked, thinking of Etienne.

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‘Has the Grand Duke been well…?’

Rishar recalled Etienne awkwardly greeting him at Tempest Square as they reunited after three years and slightly smiled.

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Unlike Rishar, who was delighted to see him, Etienne looked at him like he was a stranger. It was understandable since his height, face, and voice had changed a lot over three years.

Rishar’s changes were acknowledged even by his close aides and knights who had been by his side.

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Contrary to Rishar, who had changed in every aspect – height, face, and voice – Etienne had not changed at all. It was as if time had passed him by, with only his complexion looking slightly worse, otherwise remaining exactly as he was in Rishar’s memories.