CH 10

On the other hand, the Duke of Catlan looked somewhat sullen at his words.

“She has changed.”

“Oh, what do you mean?”

“Now she’s showing off that she has set up her own family. She hasn’t informed the family. If she had arrived there safely. What if something happened, and in one week…… No, shouldn’t she contact us at least once a week?”

Esdelle laughed at the duke’s grunt, saying that raising children was useless. It’s good to be on good terms with your family.

“Now, the duke must also become independent from your daughter.”

It wasn’t something an 18-year-old would say to a man who was close to old age, but Esdelle’s abilities and his mysterious atmosphere always offset the sense of incongruity.

The duke snorted and turned his head, then opened his mouth again as if puzzled seeing Esdelle continuing to laugh.

“By the way, were you and my daughter that close? You look pretty happy.”

“Ah…… Well. I didn’t get along well with Lady Catlan because of the age difference, but she was always someone I admired.”

Esdelle laughed.

“More than anything, I laughed because I remembered my uncle. ……I’m sure that if he hears the news of the Lady coming to the capital, he will be very happy.”

Teddius Roelich, who told me on the wedding day that he would see me soon.

My reaction to that?

Oh, this person will surely come someday. I thought so. It’s because he wasn’t the type of guy who uttered words in vain.

So it would not have been surprising if Sir Roelich’s visit was only for the purpose of visiting.

Just a little early? It was considered that much, but it was not enough to spit out tea as if replenishing moisture in the air.

Before I knew it, Sein quietly prepared tea and set the cup down in front of Teddius.

I looked at the man sitting across from me with a burdened look.

As a person who uses physical strength, his body is muscular. The straightened waist and the eyes looking straight at me seemed to show the man’s character.

I was worried. How old is Albert? Isn’t he just hard of hearing?

Maybe the man in front of me was just passing by and came here.

Whether it is a pledge of allegiance or not, it may be nothing more than Albert’s misunderstanding because the knight is knocking on the door.

After all the arrangements, Sein stood quietly next to me and guarded my back. I tried to open my mouth pretending to be relaxed.

“Sir Roelich, it’s been a while. I didn’t expect to see you soon…… in this way.”

To be honest, I really didn’t expect to see this guy until next year by chance at a social party or something.

Teddius bowed his head politely.

“I’m rather sorry for coming so late.”

Oh, no! You’re not supposed to turn it around and take the blame! I think you came really fast!

I pretended to be calm and reached for the teacup in front of me. Of course, I had no intention of drinking it. It was because I had no intention of spraying water on the man in front of me.

“No, well. What do you have to apologize for? Anyway, what are you doing here? Did you receive any Knight’s missions nearby?”

To the words I spit out to escape from reality, Teddius responded in a simple and brief way.

“I resigned from the Order of Knights.”

What?

“What?”

Without realizing it, my thoughts and words coincided. But what kind of Knight was the man in front of me?

The first Order of the Knight which is made up of only the elites wherein the Royal Knights can’t even cross the threshold with just any skill.

Among them, Teddius Roelich was one of the knights expected to become the prince’s entourage.

In other words, he was a talented person who could have become the next king’s closest aide.

Oh my, what a waste! What a waste!

Sein was looking at me with a pathetic expression as I frowned because I was so sorry for the opportunity.

No, but then, if I had been a relative who had even a little bit of blood connection with this person, I would have had a great opportunity to smack him on the back.

“No, why? Do you have a problem? Are you going to inherit the family? What about your brother……”

At my words, the brown-haired man quietly shook his head.

“My brother is in good health, and I have no intention of inheriting the family.”

Then what. When I looked at him with eyes asking why, the man spoke calmly.

“I came here because I wanted to offer my allegiance to the lord.”

“…….”

Swallowing tears in my heart that my territory’s butler’s hearing was correct, I calmly put the teacup back in front of me before I spilled it.

“Sir…”

“Yes.”

“Honestly……it’s burdensome.”

The man didn’t panic at my words and bowed even more.

I swept through my head, going back to the time when I was an assistant to the old Marquis of Ophius, when I had talked with him a little more informally, and said.

“Do you know what opportunity Sir just lost to come here? What did the family say?”

“They said they would respect my decision.”

What the hell do you believe in me and entrust me with your precious son.

I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples.

“So…… You came here after giving up your knighthood in the royal palace to become a knight of Ensis.”

“That’s right. To be your knight.”

“……I didn’t know that Sir thought of me that much.”

“It’s just my little loyalty that you don’t have to count on in the future.”

No, it’s in front of my eyes, how can I not count on it. Are you kidding me?

Teddius slowly opened his mouth, knowing that my eyes would not persuade him easily.

“Without the Lord, I would have given up on my career as a knight. Whatever would have happened, when I thought of grabbing the sword again, I had already decided to give my loyalty to the lord. It’s just that, before you got married, I couldn’t tell you because the lord didn’t have the qualification to gather knights.”

When did I build such a great salvation story?

“Even so, it is too sudden, Sir. To be honest, I don’t even know what Sir sees in me to say that.”

When the Marquis of Ophius entered and exited the palace, I sometimes had time to spare, so I  stopped by the Knights and talked to Teddius.

Because he was also one of the few original characters that I could easily meet.

Besides, he was practicing alone while sweating profusely, falling apart from the other knights, so how could I not have spoken to him with that personality?

That’s really all it was. But how does that little favor come back like this?

It was even too burdensome to say that I was the one who took the lump sum of money that the main character had spit on without any conscience.

Besides, what kind of person is the man in front of me?

He was the man who instilled me with a fearful story about the loyalty of a knight.

I never thought I had become a person enough to accept such feelings.

I opened my mouth as I looked at Teddius, whose expression was still unwavering despite my words.

“Did you reveal your reasons for quitting the Order of Knights?”

“Not in detail, but yes.”

“… … It’s obvious how the rumors spread in the capital. A novel must have already been sold with me and my husband’s story.”

At my helpless words, Teddius finally had a look of bewilderment on his face.

Phew, that was it. It’s already spilled water.

However, I don’t know what the man in front of me was thinking about wanting to tie me on a leash, but it seemed like it would be too much of a loss for Sir Roelich if it were this way.

As I was contemplating how to talk about this, Sein, who was listening to our conversation, bowed his head.

“Lord, may I say something?”

“What.”

“Sir Roelich’s disposition is something that I have heard and know very well. Even if the Lord here rejects Sir Roelich, I know that he will not easily change his mind.”

What’s wrong with him again? When I looked up, Sein said with a smile.

“In addition, our territory is currently lacking in knights. The Lord worried about it until a while ago. I think it’s a good opportunity.”

“…….”

“I will do my best to be helpful to the Lord.”

No, what’s wrong with you guys. With the Sein joining in, the two men are now in a state of pestering me.

Am I refusing this for my own self-interest?

Rather, I am conscientiously recommending that you reconsider your wrong choices for the sake of a brilliant knight’s career right in front of you!

This insignificant territory, and I who has just been appointed. What’s the use of having a lord who has no skills or talents as his master.

Rather, I don’t know if this place will become the grave of life……

“……I think Sir Roelich should show his talents on a bigger stage.”

As I struggled to say that, Sein let out a deep sigh as if I was a foolish child.

“Lord. It would be rude to ignore Sir Roelich’s sincerity like that.”

No, what is this atmosphere? Am I wrong? Am I the bad one?

When I looked at Teddius, his always calm eyes were moist. No, not the story of crying. With puppy-like eyes……

“If not, is there any reason why you cannot accept Sir Roelich? Putting aside the rude reason for being burdensome.”

“…… I mean, in a more capable place that suits his ability……”

“That’s for Sir Roelich to choose for himself, and is not for the Lord to be involved, isn’t it?”

Sein is now beating me with facts. Oh my, the vassal holds the master. Help me.