In the intricate, exquisitely landscaped garden, the trees were arranged to cast beautiful shadows. Lucas searched for any sign of them, but the noise of the hall behind him drowned out any sound of footsteps and the rustling of the trees.
“God dammit…!”
Lucas regretted his choice.
He should never have left Leorino, not even for a moment.
Despite Lucas’s frustration, the venue was as lively as ever, seemingly unaware of Leorino’s disappearance. Lucas couldn’t search for Julian without any clues when the young man knew the structure of his own garden better than Lucas ever could.
“What is he planning to do to Leorino…?”
Julian thought of Leorino as a precious jewel. He wouldn’t do anything to Leorino in the garden. He would surely take him into some room.
Lucas turned back to the hall and, using his superior height, surveyed the venue until he spotted Julian’s father, the Duke of Leben.
Walking slowly enough not to raise suspicions, he made his way through the crowd and toward the duke. Hiding his frustration and anger, Lucas approached him from behind.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Grace. I have an urgent matter to discuss with you, if I may.”
“Oh, Lieutenant General Brandt. I’m so glad you could join us.”
The Duke of Leben, the wealthiest nobleman in Fanoren, smiled, his handsome face so similar to his son’s. In both hair and eye color, Julian took after his father.
“I have some confidential information about a horse I’ve put up for auction.”
The Duke of Leben, a known horse lover, was delighted by Lucas’s suggestion.
“Oh? I heard from my son that she was a wonderful horse. I would love to hear all about her.”
“Could we speak privately? I’m rather pressed for time.”
“Oh, I see. Well, gentlemen, if you will excuse me for a moment.”
The duke eagerly said good-bye to the guests surrounding him and walked off with Lucas. They left the reception hall and immediately entered a nearby antechamber.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Lucas abandoned his pretext. With a ghastly expression on his face, he drew toward the duke.
“Your Grace…there’s no time to lose. Julian has done something awful.”
“What…? I thought you wanted to speak about Amancera?”
“Unfortunately not. Julian kidnapped Leorino from the terrace.”
“…He did?”
The Duke of Leben’s mild face instantly turned rigid.
“Does he know Leorino is to marry His Highness Prince Gravis?”
“Yes, we have heard about it from Lord August. The day before yesterday, I showed my son the letter of apology for turning him down. After that, Bruno consoled him alone and I thought he had calmed down… I didn’t think he’d be that upset…”
Lucas’s expression stiffened. By “Bruno,” the man must have meant the Marquis of Lagarea.
The Marquis of Lagarea spoke to Julian…?
This did not bode well.
“Your Grace… Despite their age difference, His Highness and Leorino are not getting married for political reasons. They are in love.”
Understanding the meaning of Lucas’s words, the Duke of Leben turned distinctly pale.
“You risk inviting His Highness’s ire. Should anything happen to Leorino, your entire family will be in danger, to speak nothing of Julian.”
“…What is he thinking?!”
The Duke of Leben’s anger at his son was clear on his face.
“I don’t want to damage Leorino’s reputation, so I need your help to find him discreetly. Is there a room Julian could have brought him to from the courtyard without garnering any attention?”
The Duke of Leben considered it.
“There are several rooms on the ground floor of the right wing, directly accessible from the courtyard. We must hurry. Come this way, Lord Lucas.”
Trying to maintain their composure, the two men headed for the right wing with the greatest haste. The Duke of Leben’s residence was vast.
“…Lord Lucas. Thank you.”
“It’s too early to thank me. If by any chance Julian harms Leorino…”
“…Our family will be doomed. I know from the last war what would happen if His Highness were to unleash the full extent of his anger.”
Not much time had passed since Leorino’s disappearance.
Lucas silently prayed that the Duke of Leben was right and that they would find him quickly.
Leorino was taken to a dimly lit room facing the courtyard. Despite his well-muscled build, Julian was a little out of breath from running through the courtyard with a grown man in his arms.
As soon as he entered the room, Julian released Leorino. Leorino staggered to his feet and immediately backed away from him.
“Lord Julian…why are you doing this?”
Leorino looked around the room, searching for an escape route. Should he head for the courtyard, or the corridor? The room was not particularly large. Whichever direction he chose, his legs were still as feeble as ever and Julian was sure to catch him.
Lord Julian is a gentleman! Why would he…?
Leorino cursed his own stupidity. Julian had always been a kind and sincere man. He had wanted to settle matters with Julian personally. Leorino had thought he would be safe speaking with Julian for a few moments.
And, if all went well, he had hoped to obtain some information about the Marquis of Lagarea. Leorino wanted to prove that he could be of use to Gravis. He wished he could say he had no such foolish, childish ambitions.
But it never occurred to him that Julian could pose a threat.
Julian finally calmed down, sighed, and smiled with satisfaction. His usual gentle, refined smile was now particularly frightening.
At the same time, Leorino found something strange about Julian. He was always so sophisticated, but his behavior was completely out of character now. Not to mention he was making assumptions Leorino couldn’t understand.
“I’m sorry I was so rough with you. I really needed to be alone with you to help you.”
“…To help me?”
Leorino didn’t want to show how shaken he was, but he couldn’t keep his voice from trembling.
“I’m not going to let that cruel royal take you just because you are of noble blood.”
Leorino’s eyes widened at those words. Julian was gravely mistaken.
“I don’t understand what you mean. Taken…? How did you arrive at such a conclusion?”
“Alas, let us swear an oath here and now.”
Leorino visibly shuddered, a look of disgust on his face. “…I cannot. I’m returning to the soiree.”
Leorino could tell this “oath” would be of a sexual nature.
It was at this moment that Leorino stopped thinking of Julian as the polite nobleman he had always admired.
If Julian so much as attempted to do anything to him, this man would be Leorino’s enemy.
Julian approached with a smile. Leorino stepped back and discreetly searched his chest.
Leorino always carried a dagger in his breast pocket like a lucky charm. It was a short, thin, and narrow blade, but even such a meager weapon could take a life if thrust into his opponent’s neck.
He had been practicing with Josef whenever they found the time, albeit in small doses. Still, Leorino had never truly turned his blade on anyone.
He is my enemy. It’s not Lord Julian who stands before me. Recognize him as the enemy…
Leorino steeled his resolve.
If he hurt Julian, the heir to the duke, he could be punished. But on Gravis’s honor, he absolutely could not allow himself to be harmed.
His hands stiff with nerves, he clenched his dagger tightly.
“…Lord Julian, please. Don’t come any closer.”
“Don’t be like that. I truly, genuinely want to help you.”
Julian sneered at Leorino, making nothing of his threats. Leorino trembled with humiliation. Still, he tried his best to retort. “I will marry His Highness Prince Gravis. I have nothing to give you.”
Julian smiled and extended his hand toward Leorino.
Pulling the dagger from its concealed place on his chest, Leorino slashed at the young man’s hand.
The tip of Leorino’s blade pierced Julian’s flesh.
“…Ah! You…!”
Blood spilled through the air.
“…Leorino… You…!”
Julian held his palm in anguish. Blood dripped from between his fingers.
Learning the sensation of cutting human flesh with his own hands, Leorino trembled.
But strangely enough, he could feel it. The wound Leorino had inflicted was not enough to kill.
“If you come any closer, I will stab you…!”
The wound seemed to be enough to intimidate Julian—he was no soldier, no warrior. The nobleman’s beautifully coiffed hair was disheveled, his face twisting in pain.
“…Ugh, I can’t believe this. How could you cut me?”
“…I will not apologize. You brought me here by force. I will not say it again, Lord Julian. I belong to His Highness Prince Gravis, and I do not need you to save me.”
“…I see.” Julian instantly looked heartbroken. “I’m sorry, Leorino… I promise I won’t do anything else.”