Chapter 25

“We didn’t prepare much food since you came so suddenly. Is that alright? Or is there anything you’d like to eat?”

“No, no, it’s fine.”

“Don’t be shy, please eat slowly. You must be tired from coming so early in the morning.”

A mountain of food was placed in front of Neil at the table. He waved his hands in disbelief at the amount, but Sarah just kept setting more dishes before him, sitting down beside him with a smile.

“So. You said you work with our Diana, right? Then you must see each other a lot?”

“Yes, well… That’s right.”

“I see. It sounds like you haven’t worked under Diana for very long, so are you younger than her? Which family are you from?”

Faced with a mountain of food and a mountain of questions from Sarah, Neil began desperately sending Diana pleading looks for help. Diana looked back at him with an exasperated expression. Dian, who was beside them, nudged Diana, also curious.

“Hey, so what’s the deal? Why did your junior aide come here?”

“…I don’t know.”

Diana herself was baffled by Neil’s sudden visit. Meanwhile, Ben sat with his arms crossed, scrutinizing Neil from head to toe.

“He looks a little too frail for my taste. But at least he’s got the guts to come to our house, so that’s a pass.”

“What exactly are you judging right now?”

Diana was dumbfounded by her father’s words. Dian added his own comment.

“Hey, whatever happens, you’re not allowed to get married before me. Got it?”

“If I wait for you to get married, I’ll die of old age first… Anyway, that’s not what this is about!”

Watching her family get even more chaotic, Diana finally stood up from her seat.

“Neil! Come outside with me. I want to hear why you came.”

“Already? You must be tired from the trip, why not rest and chat a bit longer?”

“I think this is more exhausting. Just come out for a moment.”

At Diana’s words, Neil stood up energetically, as if he’d been waiting for her to say that. Even as they left the dining room, Diana could feel the burning stares at her back. It was the same outside—the staff all glanced at them as they passed. Diana quickly opened the door to a nearby parlor and ushered Neil inside.

“Alright, explain yourself. Why did you come to my house? Is something urgent?”

“Ah, well, it’s….”

Neil hesitated, then pulled a document from his coat and handed it to Diana.

“I needed an urgent signature on this. That’s why I came to see you.”

“…It was so urgent you had to come to my house?”

“Yes.”

Seeing Neil avoid her gaze, Diana finally asked,

“Be honest. His Majesty sent you, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

Neil answered immediately, apparently not intending to hide it, and Diana pressed her forehead in disbelief. That man. She’d told him not to follow, and instead he sent Neil. It was truly astonishing.

“You—what are you doing, just going along with His Majesty’s ridiculous whims? You should stand your ground and say no. That’s what makes a good aide and a loyal subject!”

“If that’s the case, I’ll just live long and be a flatterer. I’m too scared to refuse!”

Even if not Neil, Evan would have sent someone else. Diana shook her head at Neil’s miserable face.

“Anyway. Give it here. What is this document… huh?”

She thought it was something trivial, but her eyes widened at its contents.

“Neil, did you read this?”

“No. His Majesty just handed it to me, I didn’t look.”

It was a report. It said Grand Duke Kahil Karbel was coming to the capital.

Karbel Grand Duchy? That was in the north, wasn’t it?

And Grand Duke Kahil was Evan’s cousin. He’d never left his northern estate before, so news of him visiting the palace was certainly important.

“What about His Majesty? Did he react to this?”

“He muttered that a guest was coming and then smiled.”

“…He smiled?”

If Evan smiled, it meant Grand Duke Kahil’s visit was anything but ordinary.

“Something’s definitely up… But this isn’t something you had to come to my house to report. Go back and tell His Majesty. If he sends someone here again, I’ll send my resignation to the capital.”

“No, please don’t resign!”

“Then make sure this doesn’t happen again. I’ll probably be heading back earlier than planned anyway.”

She realized she wouldn’t be able to rest much at home after all.

“Just pass that on… What, is there something else?”

“Ah, well….”

After hesitating for a while, Neil finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry! I really thought about it, but you’re not my type!”

“What?”

“So I can’t be the groom for this house! Sorry!”

She’d been rejected before even being confessed to. Diana was dumbfounded by the bizarre situation unfolding before her.

“What are you talking about? Don’t worry about that. My parents just react that way whenever a male guest comes over. It’s nothing.”

“Really? So I don’t have to marry you?”

“Right. So don’t worry… Wait, why are you so happy? I have zero intention of marrying you either! Even if you brought a whole carriage full of gifts, I’d refuse!”

Diana exclaimed indignantly.

*   *   *

“…I’m so tired.”

With Neil’s unexpected visit, Diana, already exhausted, dragged herself to her bed and collapsed. Sarah, who seemed to like Neil, looked regretful even as he left, and Diana was desperate to see him off.

“Why do they get so excited every time an unmarried man comes by… Oh, you’re awake?”

Diana suddenly sat up, feeling someone’s gaze from the baby crib. Ed had woken and was standing in the crib, staring at Diana.

“Sorry. I think I woke you—no, I should use formal speech. Did I wake you?”

There was a bigger problem at hand. Diana picked up Ed to try and get him back to sleep. She found it curious that Ed didn’t cry even after waking up.

Most babies would cry… But then again, whose brother is he?

She’d never seen Evan as a baby, but she had a feeling Ed must have looked similar. The way Ed stared at her now reminded her exactly of Evan’s gaze.

“I still don’t know what to do about the Prince, but I won’t abandon him. I’ll do my best.”

Protecting Ed was another issue. He needed a proper guardian. Once his existence was revealed, there would be those who’d try to use him, so caution was necessary.

“Prince, do you have any opinions on what you’d like to do?”

“Uuu.”

If only he were an adult, he could communicate. But the tiny baby before her was still too young for that. Ed just gripped Diana’s collar and shook it.

It was hard to know what to say or do….

Even Evan, his closest family, didn’t know he had a brother. If she brought up the child too soon, there was no telling what would happen next.

She decided to ask how Evan felt about having a family, and observe his reactions bit by bit.

If it was positive, good; if negative, she’d have to find another way. But she couldn’t just abandon the child.

“Uuuu.”

“Well, shall we sleep now?”

The child in her arms wasn’t just Evan’s brother, but also the son of Cecile, who had always been kind to her since childhood. She couldn’t cast away a child born from a mother’s sacrifice. Diana gently smiled as she adjusted Ed’s hair in her arms.