Chapter 47
What was the purpose of delivering that message loudly enough for even Abel to hear?
Because rumors had spread that Abel was overly forceful with Felix, perhaps the knight had deliberately spoken loudly enough for Abel to hear, out of consideration for Felix, who might otherwise have found it difficult to ask permission to leave.
Or perhaps it was the opposite.
Unable to openly defy Abel’s order that anyone under his command must first obtain permission, he was satisfying his pride in this small way instead.
If it was the latter… should he be punished again?
As Abel stared silently at the holy knight who had delivered the message, Felix spoke.
“Lord Abel. May I be excused for a moment?”
It was the first time Abel had heard Felix’s voice since their greeting that morning.
Granted, he was only speaking for official reasons.
Even so, Abel found it strangely pleasing that something so trivial could make him happy.
For a brief moment, he considered refusing outright.
But then he remembered that he had already entrusted Felix with authority. To flatly deny him in front of the other holy knights would do Felix no favors.
So Abel gave a small nod.
With Abel’s permission, Felix left without the slightest hesitation.
Neither too fast nor too slow, his figure gradually disappeared into the distance, and Abel found himself reluctant to watch him go.
‘The Commander…’
Felix had objected, but Abel still felt he ought to properly confirm things with that man at least once.
Just as Abel was trying to recall the face of the absent Commander of the Holy Knights, the priest who had quietly stepped into the place Felix had vacated leaned over and whispered softly:
“Lord Abel, you have a guest.”
A guest?
He had instructed them to turn away nearly everyone.
Turning his head, Abel immediately spotted Duke Spencer approaching him. The moment he did, he looked toward Gregory instead.
Gregory simply greeted him with a gentle smile.
‘Did he arrange this on purpose?’
Perhaps separating Felix from him had been part of Gregory’s plan from the very beginning.
Was the Commander of the Holy Knights one of Gregory’s people?
“Lord Abel.”
Whatever Gregory’s intentions might have been, now that things had turned out this way, perhaps it wasn’t a bad opportunity to finish the conversation that had been left unresolved the other day.
“Duke Spencer.”
“My sincerest apologies for disturbing your time of rest.”
“Not at all. A light conversation can be refreshing during one’s break, can it not?”
Not at all. Though, well… there probably were people who thought that way.
Talking with Felix often left Abel feeling energized too.
“You are most gracious.”
Come to think of it, had Duke Spencer worn that same expression back at the banquet?
Abel couldn’t remember.
To begin with, he had only recognized the Duke because he was known as Felix’s father. The priest standing beside him hadn’t even needed to introduce the man.
Besides, back at the banquet, Abel had been paying attention to no one but Felix.
“Though I know it is presumptuous of me, I came to apologize for my son.”
The question vanished from Abel’s mind as soon as the Duke continued speaking. After all, he had mentioned Felix.
Watching the Duke lower his head deeply, Abel answered calmly:
“Felix has done nothing wrong to me.”
It saddened Abel that Felix refused to speak to him. But that wasn’t a wrongdoing. Surely Abel himself had done something wrong.
Besides, at this very moment, Abel was talking with the Duke even though he knew Felix would dislike it, simply because he couldn’t let go of that lingering disappointment.
No matter how he looked at it, Felix had done nothing wrong.
Abel’s denial was met with the Duke’s calm correction.
“It is for the wrongdoing of my eldest son.”
Ah.
The dukeling.
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