Although the Louboutin marquisate wasn’t far from the capital, it was still several hours via carriage. However, Siegfried had the ability to control the wind. Not only could he float through the sky, but he could fly faster than birds at an incredible speed. He would say he needed to clear his head, then use his power to zoom over to the Louboutin estate several times a year.
“I’ve made sure everything’s in order and left someone in my place.”
“You stuck someone with that job again? Lucas is going to be furious if he finds out.”
Lucas was Siegfried’s personal chamberlain. He’d served at the royal palace since before Siegfried was even born and had been his tutor when he was young.
A chamberlain was still technically a servant, but Lucas was a duke. He came from a noble family descended from the brother of the king before last, and he was of a higher rank than Marquess Louboutin.
The role of a chamberlain extended far beyond attending to the king’s personal needs in the royal household. They served as secretaries as well, so the position required a well-educated person with vast knowledge. It wasn’t unusual for a high-ranking noble to be appointed to the post.
I’d heard a rumor during my first life here that despite being of royal blood himself, Lucas had insisted on serving the previous king.
“I didn’t lie to Lucas, of course. I told him I was coming here.”
He must’ve tried to stop Siegfried so many times, and each time Siegfried refused to listen. Just imagining Lucas clutching his stomach in frustration made me let out a sigh.
“You’ve lost weight again, Kreis. I know you’re working hard for my sake, but you shouldn’t push yourself so much. Come here,” he said, holding out his hand.
I did as I was told and knelt down in front of him. There wasn’t any particular meaning behind it. I just did it because I thought it was disrespectful to stand before the king and look down at him. But Siegfried blinked in surprise, and then he chuckled. “You look like you’re about to propose.”
“That’s a terrible joke.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you laugh.” He shrugged and reached out to touch my cheek. “See? You’ve lost weight since I last saw you. Didn’t I tell you to eat more?”
But of course the real reason Kreis was so thin was because he was only ever given the bare minimum of food to keep him alive. Kreis always gave him the same excuse, that he was too focused on his studies to bother with proper meals, so that Siegfried wouldn’t discover the truth.
“I’ve been busy helping Father.”
I knew if I were to confess the reality of my situation, Siegfried would help me immediately. But that wasn’t the point. I had to earn my place beside him through my own strength.
If things went the way they had before, Siegfried would soon notice something was amiss and appoint Kreis as his advisor. But back then, Kreis hadn’t had the qualifications for such a prestigious position, and in the end he became Siegfried’s Achilles’ heel. Many nobles resented Kreis’s sudden promotion, accusing him of corrupting the king. This gave them the foothold they needed to betray Siegfried.
I couldn’t afford to become a burden to him again. I needed him to survive, and his survival was necessary to carry out my revenge. I didn’t want to be protected. I wanted to protect him. So I had to earn my place at his side through my own merit.
My only advantage was that I knew the future.
And here in this house was Gilles, Kreis’s younger brother, the very one who had caused both Siegfried’s and Kreis’s deaths. In the novel, I’d written him as a merciful, gentle protagonist. But the last thing I saw before I died was Gilles standing over our bloody bodies, laughing like a psycho.
There was no better place to keep an eye on him than here.
“You’re the one who’s lost weight, haven’t you? Don’t tell me you used up all your mana to come here when you have all that work to do?”
“It’s true, I haven’t had much of an appetite lately. But I was hoping your pastries would change that,” he said with a straight face, conveniently ignoring my question.
Baking had been a hobby of mine before I came to this world. Kreis liked it too and enjoyed sharing his food with Siegfried.
“I thought you’d say that.”
Baking was the one hobby Kreis was allowed to indulge in at the estate. His father knew Siegfried liked Kreis’s pastries, so he never interfered. Kreis could completely lose himself in the task without fear of interruption.
“I made financiers this time,” I said. I stood up and pulled a small bundle from my pocket, then unwrapped it to show him two little cakes. I always kept a few baked goods on hand just in case Siegfried showed up unexpectedly, so I’d brought some from my room today.
I felt a little hesitant offering him something from my pocket, but Siegfried was a cautious person. He’d never eat something unless he knew I baked it myself. Even if a servant brought something to him and told him I’d made it, he would refuse it.
At the same time, bringing them out right away felt like I was saying “Please eat these,” which had made the old Kreis hesitate. After going through this exchange a few times, the two of them had settled into a routine.
“I brought the tea,” he said.
Now it was his turn to pull a bundle from his pocket. The scent of fine tea leaves wafted into the air as he unwrapped it, and I accepted it with a sheepish grin.
“Lucas would probably faint if he found out the kingdom’s Noble Sun was stashing tea leaves in his jacket,” I said.
“Then let’s just keep it our little secret,” Siegfried said, pressing a finger against his lips playfully.
I knew exactly what he was doing. He was copying me to put me at ease, to avoid making me feel inferior. That subtle kindness of his had saved Kreis so many times.
Kreis lived through hell, and Siegfried was his one and only light.
Even now, looking at it from outside the character of Kreis, I still thought that Siegfried was truly a good man. I could understand why Kreis had been willing to risk his life to save him. For someone who’d lived such a miserable life, he treasured moments like these with Siegfried.
I’d never had anyone like him by my side in my previous world. It may have ended in tragedy, but I couldn’t help envying Kreis and Siegfried’s relationship—he was just that good of a man. Someone far too good to deserve the agonizing death he suffered.
As we prepared our private tea party, I stepped toward the tea set. Siegfried rose from his seat to follow, holding his hand over the pot to fill it with water.
He wasn’t just skilled with Wind and Water magic; he was a powerful sorcerer who could wield all five elemental forces. He snapped his fingers, and steam rose instantly from the pot.
“I’m jealous,” I said.
“You can cast Earth magic, can’t you?” Siegfried asked.
Of course I could use magic, though I was nowhere near as skilled as he was. Only Earth magic, and only enough to speed up plant growth or slightly alter the terrain. I didn’t have much mana, and there wasn’t a lot I could do. I was a background character, through and through.
“Just call for me whenever you need hot water, then. I’ll be your personal water boiler.”
“That’s reassuring. Enough jokes. Please sit down.”
I added the tea leaves to the pot, officially starting our tea party.
Ever since we were kids, we liked to sit next to each other on the sofa. Siegfried had preferred it that way so we could whisper secrets to each other. Of course, back then we shared the sort of innocent secrets only children could come up with.
I’d had childhood friends in my past life, but I never shared this kind of effortless, unconditional bond with any of them. Not that there was any point in comparing my life to Kreis’s, of course.