Chapter 152
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“Welcome back, Your Highness.”
Upon returning, I was greeted only by Isaac and my somewhat empty bedroom.
“Where are Reno and the other maids?”
“Since the princess’s palace has been empty for several days, I sent the maids ahead to put things in order. And I sent Reno back to the mansion for rest. He’ll return to see you tomorrow.”
How convenient that he had arranged everything while I was at the training grounds with Evgenia.
“I’ll escort you to the princess’s palace.”
“Well, I’d like to make a stop somewhere else before going there…….”
“Are you going to the library?”
“No. I’d like to meet with Killis. Do you know where I might find him?”
“I have an idea, but it might be better to have the duke visit the princess’s palace tomorrow. He might not even be there.”
“That’s fine, could you guide me anyway?”
“Yes.”
Isaac readily agreed to guide me, and I started walking. While it’s true that I could wait for Killis to visit me as Isaac suggested…….
‘Right now, I’m the one who’s eager.’
After all, I needed to ask Killis if he would become my guardian. Wouldn’t seeking him out to ask feel more sincere than quietly waiting to make the request?
I didn’t mind if it turned out to be a wasted trip. I could just think of it as a short walk.
Contrary to Isaac’s concerns, we were able to meet Killis. However, he seemed quite surprised by my visit, as if it was unexpected. A look of bewilderment crossed his handsome face.
“……I didn’t expect Your Highness to come all this way.”
“Sorry. Did I come too suddenly?”
“It’s fine. While I regret not being prepared to receive you properly, I’m simply happy that you came to visit.”
He showed a faint smile as if he had never been flustered. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had sought out Killis myself.
Even when he was injured internally because of me before, I didn’t visit him because I was focused on the quest.
Sure, Killis refused first, but still, never checking on him even once seemed a bit too harsh.
Given that history, coming now to ask him to become my guardian seemed…… quite shameless.
‘Should I just go back today and tell him next time?’
As my confidence suddenly plummeted and guilt rose while I was conflicting, Killis spoke first.
“I heard you accomplished something difficult.”
“Huh?”
It was an unexpected comment. I thought he would ask why I came here, but ‘something difficult’?
“Word of Your Highness’s wisdom has spread throughout the palace. They say you uncovered evidence of the Third Princess’s abuse and prevented all the First Princess’s maids from being dismissed.”
……Wasn’t that supposed to be handled discreetly in Evgenia’s palace?
After being confined in Evgenia’s palace all this time, today was the first day that the other princesses, including myself, were allowed to return to our palaces.
But Killis knowing about it, were Evgenia’s maids and guards loose-lipped?
Or was Killis’s intelligence network just that good?
“May I ask where you heard that? I didn’t expect it to spread so quickly.”
“Her Majesty Evgenia mentioned it herself during today’s morning assembly. She was mainly praising Your Highness.”
“Ah…….”
I didn’t expect all my guesses to be wrong. It’s a bit embarrassing.
“Not just this incident, but including past events, she has officially issued punishment to House Futurum. It will be a hot topic in the palace for a while. Also, Duke Futurum’s influence has been significantly weakened, so they’ll have to be careful for some time.”
I see…….
Now that House Futurum has finally been punished, all my efforts don’t seem to have been in vain.
As I was feeling relieved inside, Killis looked at me directly and asked.
“You can now tell me what you came to request.”
“W-What?”
“I assumed you visited because you had something to ask of me. Was I wrong?”
I involuntarily flinched at his direct question.
If I were to say I just wanted to see him…….
‘He wouldn’t believe it.’
Judging by Killis’s face and tone, he seemed to already have guessed my intentions. Such empty words wouldn’t work.
No choice then. In times like these, a direct approach is the only way.
“You’re right. I came because I have something to ask. Um, perhaps…….”
“…….”
“Would you consider becoming my guardian?”
“Did you say… guardian?”
I nodded. Looking at his surprised face, it seemed he never expected to receive such a proposal.
After a brief silence, Killis’s lips moved.
“I…….”
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