Chapter 6 – The Duke of Guienne

Robert Leblanc de Guienne du Brabant was mainly called Robert de Guienne, or the Duke of Guienne. In the family where he spent his childhood, he was called Leblanc, and at the boarding school he entered at age seven, he was called the Duke of Guienne. Only after coming to the military academy at fifteen did people start calling him Robert.

<So you’re that Duke of Guienne? I’m Christopher Lafayette, who entered with you. Let’s get along, Robert.>

<I never gave you permission to call my name.>

<Wow, you really are just like the rumors say. Fine. Sorry for calling your name without permission. Okay? Can I call you now?>

<Do as you like.>

From the next day, Robert spent time with Christopher. Christopher was a decent fellow. He was the second son of the Lafayette family, cheerful and relaxed. His only flaw was that he doted excessively on his much younger sister.

<If you’re not going to Lorthez this vacation, want to come see my family with me? I wrote about you in my letter and they’re curious who you are.>

During the last summer vacation before graduation, Christopher invited Robert to his hometown. Robert agreed without much hesitation. Lorthez wasn’t appealing to him. He had never lived there. He knew it was land he’d have to take responsibility for someday, but that was all. He felt no special attachment.

In that sense, Christopher was unusual. His family was similar. After meeting the overly familial Lafayette people, Robert slightly regretted coming here. Christopher, as if he’d expected it, chuckled and recommended a quiet village nearby.

<Manolie is a rural village, so it’s peaceful. Probably no one will recognize you.>

Manolie was a typical seaside country village. In an era when railroads were being laid everywhere, there was no direct line to Laurent. The only redeeming feature was the forest surrounding the village. Robert entered the forest without hesitation and settled wherever he pleased, passing the time. For the first few days, he was satisfied. No one bothered him—until Sasha Vinoche, the troublemaker, started visiting.

Like a fairy living in the forest, the girl smiled foolishly and always smelled of peaches or oranges. She came every day, ignoring her homework, completely absorbed in him. One day, she was especially focused on the buckle decoration on his shoes. Even an entomologist discovering an as-yet-unreported ant couldn’t have observed so passionately.

<Do you want it?>

Robert offered, saying if she liked it so much, she could take it. Sasha flashed a dazzlingly white smile. It was a fresh smile. Of course, the child before him was genuinely young. Even considering that, it was a perfectly childlike smile.

That day, Sasha didn’t take the buckle.

A few days later, Robert returned to school with Christopher. The train sped through endless wheat fields. Christopher, watching his unusually quiet friend, nudged him meaningfully.

“You hurt your leg because of that girl who was with you, right?”

Christopher teased, looking at his friend’s thigh, which had been treated at the Lafayette castle.

“If it had been me, would you have protected me?”

“You’d dodge by yourself.”

Robert frowned as if he’d heard the most disgusting thing in the world. Christopher, who matured early, was bigger than him. Why would he bother saving that big guy? It would be a waste of his uniform.

“I thought you’d say that. Cold as usual.”

Christopher shrugged it off and started telling stories about his family during vacation. Robert listened for a while, but when it seemed the story would never end, he tuned out.

“Hey, are you listening? What are you thinking about? Did something fun happen in Manolie?”

Robert looked at him blankly. Christopher’s eyes held playful anticipation. But all Robert had seen in Manolie was a shadowed forest and one child.

“Nothing happened.”

Robert stared briefly at the golden horizon passing outside the first-class compartment window, then quickly turned away. Christopher whistled, unimpressed by the dull answer. He straightened his crooked cap. The buckle on his shoe gleamed in the light.

Not long after, Robert graduated from the academy and left for Borona as planned. However, he did not complete his service. Shortly after becoming an officer, he was ordered by the Queen to return to Lorthez. His father had died much sooner than expected.

Robert returned to Lorthez, stripped of his uniform, and became the new Duke of Guienne. After inheriting the title, he took over the hotel business and naturally entered Laurent’s social circles. The hotel’s reputation was proportional to the fame of its guests.

It was a day much like any other—the day he attended an exhibition hosted by the Royal Academy. Robert’s shoes stopped in front of a wall where the light barely reached.

He was not a born artist, but an educated businessman. His standards for art were closer to discernment than aesthetic sense. The painting before him was not in the current fashion. It wasn’t skillful; in fact, it was rather clumsy. That was probably why it was tucked away in an obscure spot.

Even so, an inexplicable strong force pulled him in. Christopher, who had come up behind him, exclaimed,

“That landscape in the painting looks just like the pond in the gardens at Lorthez Castle. Strange. I’d believe it was painted after seeing it in person.”

Is that so. 

Robert squinted, examining the painting closely. He’d never really seen the pond Christopher mentioned. Maybe he’d glimpsed it while driving in one day. He checked his wristwatch once and turned away without hesitation.

“Let’s go. We’ve stayed here long enough.”

Robert quickly left the exhibition hall. Christopher widened his stride to catch up, looking bewildered.

“If it’s not urgent, why not look around more? Think of the royal reputation. You might soon be tied in marriage—you’re the top candidate for Princess Deborah’s husband.”

“If you’re interested, you do it.”

So cold—he didn’t even look back while speaking. Christopher knew Robert wasn’t interested in such things, but it bothered him, so he raised his voice.

“It would be an honor to marry Brissen’s future greatest beauty. But she probably wouldn’t be interested in me, right?”

Robert didn’t answer, only smirked. The idea of discussing a fourteen-year-old as a future beauty was ridiculous.

Just as the car door closed in front of him, Robert opened the window and told Christopher to enjoy the exhibition as much as he wanted. Christopher was left standing, mouth open. There was commotion on the other side. At the entrance, Princess Deborah had just arrived.

“Where is the Duke of Guienne?”

“He had urgent business and left early.”

Christopher smiled awkwardly. He felt resentful toward his friend who had just left. If he was leaving, he could have taken him along. Why leave him alone? Now he was stuck explaining why Robert left.

“If it wasn’t urgent, he probably just didn’t want to see me.”

Princess Deborah snapped coldly. Christopher offered his arm, but she ignored him and entered alone, her attitude quite chilly. Still, her ears were red with embarrassment at being stood up by the Duke.

Even as the Queen’s only granddaughter, she was still a fourteen-year-old girl. Christopher felt awkward, reminded of his little sister at home. After some thought, he decided to escort the platinum-blonde girl back inside.

* * *

Robert leaned back in the car seat, head tilted. He was tired. It had been over a year since he’d taken off his uniform, but the changed life still felt unfamiliar. So did Lorthez. And being the Duke of Guienne.

After returning to his apartment in Laurent, he changed clothes and went out again. He had a dinner meeting at a restaurant on Sainte-Marie Street.

When he returned late at night, a framed painting wrapped in paper was waiting at the entrance. It was the painting he’d ordered at the exhibition.

He’d paid a considerable sum for a work by an unknown artist. He’d also requested his identity not be revealed. He didn’t want the artist to seek him out. He’d been disappointed by so-called famous artists too many times. There was no special reason—just that. He wasn’t sure if the amount paid was worth it.

Robert left the painting on the floor, unsure where to hang it. Only after a few days did he think of a suitable spot. The painting was hung in a room of the hotel that would reopen next spring after half a year of renovations, on Sainte-Marie Street.

Hotel d’Ecran was the most expensive, luxurious, and elegant place in Laurent. It had a total of 125 rooms, one of which was reserved for the Duke of Guienne himself. Rumor had it the Duke often visited to look at the painting he’d hung there.

But contrary to gossip, Robert didn’t particularly like the painting by the unknown artist. He owned hundreds of better, more famous works. He only looked at it a little longer when it caught his eye, and happened to remember its title when naming the room.

When he explained this, Christopher burst out laughing.

“Hey, Your Grace. Why not stop being stubborn and just admit it? I think you like that painting.”