Some moments ago, elsewhere in the Galarc Castle, Stewart Huguenot had returned to his patrol duty. While he was on his rounds near the guest house, he ran into Duke Gregory.
“Oh?” Duke Gregory had just finished his meeting with Duke Huguenot and was on his way out of the guest house with his guards. Stewart approached him. “Good day, Duke Gregory.”
“Well met.” Duke Gregory gave him a friendly smile.
“Are you leaving already?”
It hadn’t been that long since Duke Gregory entered his father’s office.
“Yes, I’ve finished my business here.”
“I see. Have a nice day.” Stewart bowed respectfully and waited for the duke to pass.
“Hmm. Come to think of it...” Duke Gregory started on his way, then stopped as though he had remembered something.
“You just so happen to be the same age as Queen Christina, yes?” he asked.
“I’m one year younger. Although we did take some classes together.”
“Oh, really now? I’m sure she must have been beautiful back then too.”
“Ha ha, many of the students in my year admired her. But no one ever got close to her.”
“I get it. When someone’s too beautiful, they become impossible to approach.”
In comparison to Duke Gregory being the head of his house, Stewart was merely a son of a duke house—and a disinherited one at that. Despite that, Gregory was speaking to him courteously and amiably.
“Her superior abilities also played a large part. She was always at the top of her year while she was at the academy, which made all the boys feel inferior.”
It didn’t feel bad to be treated so politely by the duke of a foreign kingdom. Stewart had a relaxed smile on his face as he made small talk.
“Ha ha ha. It’s true that men are left in an awkward position when up against someone so superior. But whoever marries Queen Christina will be quite the lucky man. It would be a man’s greatest honor and pride to bag such a prize,” Duke Gregory said while stroking his stout chin.
“No doubt there.”
“In which case, the knights of the Restoration must be quite anxious about now...” Duke Gregory said suggestively.
“What do you mean?”
“You are aware of our kingdom’s Amakawa, yes?”
Stewart’s eyes widened for a brief moment. “Of course... He’s a famous figure.”
A shadow fell over his face. It was clearly the reaction of someone taken aback by more than Haruto’s name suddenly being brought up.
Oh? What’s this?
Duke Gregory’s eyes narrowed as he observed Stewart carefully. Incidentally, Duke Gregory was one of the people who felt a strong sense of discomfort from missing his memories of Rio. His own connection to Rio was weak, but he felt extreme wariness and hostility towards him. Then, thinking he would be able to draw something interesting out of Stewart...
“It seems Queen Christina has been frequenting Amakawa’s mansion for some time now. I wonder if he’s incurred the displeasure of the knights meant to protect her. Who in their right mind would make a queen travel to their own residence?” he lamented dramatically. It was an attempt to shift the curtain over Stewart’s heart and reveal the shadow he had shown a glimpse of earlier.
“Yes... I can’t say I agree with it either. But I’m sure Queen Christina knows what she’s doing...”
“Oh? Such as?”
“Well, if you can keep it between just you and me...”
Stewart hesitated for a brief moment but ultimately decided to speak. He was probably in high spirits from being able to engage in noble small talk again. Although it was with a foreign noble, it had been a long time since he had such an opportunity.
“Of course.”
“I think she may be trying to borrow Sir Amawaka’s power for the Restoration. She fears he’ll reject her, so she’s going out of her way to show reservation before him...”
“I see, I see. His military strength is indeed on another level. But there should be no need to show any reservation. Our kingdom is allied with the Restoration, so if your leader requests assistance, he should be happy to help. That is his duty as a member of noble society.”
Duke Gregory’s smooth speech succeeded in stirring Stewart’s negative feelings about Rio.
“Well, he was originally a commoner, so I’m not surprised,” Stewart scoffed, showing his deep-rooted discrimination towards Rio’s birth status.
“Heh. He’s a former lowborn, you say?” Duke Gregory agreed with a cold laugh.
I have my doubts about that, though. His ability is the real deal. There’s no doubt about that, and he shouldn’t be underestimated for it. I don’t like to admit it, but he’s necessary to the Galarc Kingdom. I can understand why His Majesty gives him special treatment. Although it doesn’t change the fact that his background is suspicious...
Duke Gregory actually valued Rio rather highly on the inside, conflicted as it made him feel. But he wasn’t about to say that aloud. He was trying to goad Stewart into revealing more information right now.
Although his expectations were low, it was possible Stewart knew something about Rio that he didn’t. There was no knowing what kind of useful information could be lying hidden. And so...
“Goodness me, I’m glad we can agree with each other so well. If I recall correctly, your name is...”
Duke Gregory expressed affinity in order to close the distance with Stewart.
“It’s Stewart.” Seeing Duke Gregory try to recall his name, he voluntarily introduced himself. He must have been happy to be acknowledged.
“That’s right, Stewart. This meeting must be some kind of fate. Would you like to take a walk with me and talk some more?” As a sign of wishing to build rapport, Duke Gregory spoke in a more casual tone.
“Of course. I would be delighted to.” Stewart accepted the invitation with a smile. The two then walked shoulder to shoulder, with the duke’s guards following at a distance.
“Speaking of Amakawa, don’t you think he’s rather suspicious? He claimed his parents were immigrants, but there’s absolutely no history of him before he suddenly came to fame. Then he went and miraculously vanished from our memories for a period of time—it’s honestly getting rather eerie.”