Chapter 39
Their stomach churned. They hadn’t eaten that much, so they couldn’t understand why it hurt. The pain seemed to be coming from below the stomach rather than the stomach itself. Adi, who had been rubbing their lower abdomen, started.
“…”
For a moment, one word flashed through their mind.
But menstruation had stopped long ago. Living as Adrian, training, pushing their body to the limit every day, this body had stopped menstruating and developed muscle as if becoming Adrian of its own accord.
“What’s with that guy?”
“You know him. Lev Jid.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Roy spoke as if telling them not to play dumb.
“What did you mean by ‘not yours yet’? Did you make some kind of bet?”
A bet would have been better. When Adi said “I don’t want to answer,” Roy shrugged. If they didn’t want to tell, he had no intention of pressing further.
Adi and Roy were sitting on a sofa in the quarters’ lounge. Every morning, they would review schedules with Bert. Adi was sometimes present, sometimes not. They weren’t there yesterday.
Bert opened his door and came out. His beard was bushy and his hair disheveled. Though Bert started work late, he always woke at this time for morning meetings. Sometimes he would go back to sleep after reviewing the morning schedule, sometimes not.
“Good morning.”
“Sir.”
Adi and Roy greeted him.
“Adi, you’re early. Well, today’s schedule warranted it. Have you already eaten?”
“Yes.”
“What was for breakfast?”
“Rabbit meat. Ugh, the smell was terrible.”
“Oh dear… I’ll have to eat light today, without meat.”
Bert grumbled that Palesa people didn’t know how to handle meat, then scratched his head and opened his notebook. Speaking softly that there weren’t any special schedule changes, he turned to Adi and said:
“Adi, can you work day shift three days from now?”
“If it’s an order.”
“I’d call it a suggestion, but it’s essentially an order. Good, I’ll assign you then.”
“May I know what it’s about?”
“His Grace and Count Grimaldi have been invited. It’s not far, being in the inner palace. Being deeper inside, it shouldn’t be difficult work either.”
“Deeper inside?”
“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s invitation.”
Claude, that was the name. The man who said he was looking for them. Was that why he had said he’d see them later? Had he deliberately arranged the guard duty this way?
“Has he already arrived?”
Roy asked. If the Crown Prince had arrived, the palace should have been bustling, but there had been no particular reaction.
“Seems he came without anyone knowing.”
“But he must have had guards.”
“I heard he rode here on horseback after losing them.”
“…”
Well now. Can the Crown Prince do that? Roy thought, but who would dare say anything to the Crown Prince? Except the king.
Even the king probably couldn’t say much, given the situation Roy knew about.
“Did only His Highness arrive? What about the other royals?”
“They should be arriving soon. You’ll probably know before me. Just ask at the Second Knights, you’d find out.”
“…Ah, well.”
The Second Knights Commander wouldn’t tell him, but if he asked his fellow knights, he could find out when they were arriving.
“I should look into it.”
“Share the information when you find out.”
“For free?”
“I gave you two gold coins recently.”
“That was betting money, Bert.”
Somehow they seemed to have gotten quite close without Adi noticing. Though it wasn’t bad for Gaillard to become close with House Woodpecker, it strangely made them feel left out.
—Left out?
They couldn’t understand why they were feeling this sensation they’d never experienced in their life. Their stomach stabbed with pain again. They couldn’t tell if it was their stomach or lower abdomen. If it still hurt after sleeping, they might need to visit the infirmary.
Bert flipped through his notebook then stood up saying, “Well, nothing else to discuss.” Yawning widely and scratching his stomach, Bert went into his room. Soon snoring sounds could be heard.
“Falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow, is it because he’s getting old?”
“Bert’s actually a light sleeper.”
“It’s fine. We’re close enough for that kind of joke.”
When did they get so close? Roy’s sociability was truly incomprehensible.
“Speaking of the Crown Prince though.”
“Want to go instead?”
“Absolutely not.”
Roy answered, emphasizing each syllable. At his sincere tone, Adi found themselves nodding unconsciously. Roy continued “The Crown Prince too…” then closed his mouth. Looking as if he wanted to say something but shouldn’t, Roy clicked his tongue and said:
“No, it’s just because they’re royalty.”
What was he talking about?
“Not everyone in the royal family is on the same side.”
At Adi’s questioning look, Roy hesitated to answer.
Had Count Grimaldi raised his son to be ignorant, or did they really not know how things worked? Had he not even employed tutors? Tutors often carried news between noble houses as they moved about, but it seemed they hadn’t even had access to that.
Because of the cursed twins, had they abused and insulted this one as well, not just the dead girl?
Roy looked at Adi with sympathetic eyes. Though his own upbringing had been unfortunate, this one seemed no better off.
“Go get some sleep for now. Let’s play chess when you finish work.”
“I want to hear more about that.”
“About what?”
“The Crown Prince, the royal family.”
“…”
For a moment, Roy debated whether to tell them. The information he knew wasn’t extensive, but it wasn’t insignificant either. House Woodpecker would know much more. Some things were common knowledge among nobles, but he wasn’t sure if Adrian knew even that much.
He could at least share what others commonly knew. They shouldn’t say anything inappropriate, especially when meeting the Crown Prince.
Though they probably wouldn’t be able to speak much, if the Crown Prince happened to address them and they gave an offensive reply that got their head cut off, it would haunt his dreams. After all, they had grown close.
“I’ll tell you what you want to know then.”
“Anything?”
“I don’t lie. You know that.”
Roy said. Adi nodded affirmatively.
Yes, that’s the kind of person Roy was. Though he seemed evasive and unwilling to share, he didn’t hesitate to answer direct questions. While he believed in reciprocity, even that level of generosity was more than enough for Adi.
“Roy.”
So they wondered.
“Why are you so nice to me?”
At Adi’s words, Roy gave a hollow laugh. How had this person lived to consider this being “nice”? Well, they had just caused trouble and gotten into fights when they were in the Third Knights.
“…”
Had those guys really picked fights with someone so delicate-looking? No, they said they lost. How did they lose fights against someone like this? It was puzzling. Just as Adi didn’t know Roy’s skill level, Roy didn’t know Adi’s.
“We’re colleagues.”
Roy said.
“At least for now.”
Just colleagues, and he’s this nice? Adi wondered. They didn’t really understand what being colleagues meant, what camaraderie meant. Thinking it must be because he was from the south, Adi replied, “Right.”
Roy shrugged and went into his room. It was time for him to start work. Adi also went into their room. It was time to sleep.
But sleep wouldn’t come. They had finished work earlier than usual, and there was the abdominal pain. Thinking sleep might come if they just lay down, Adi changed clothes and lay on the bed, fixing their gaze on Adrian’s portrait that fell within their view.
“Adi.”
Their other half, frozen in time forever.
“What would you have done?”
Adrian, who had promised to take them away, the dead Adrian, the Adrian they had wanted to become.
The Crown Prince, Grimaldi. Woodpecker, Gaillard.
The King of Dalkatir, and treason.
The red-haired Duke, with dense eyelashes and soft lips.
The Duke who said it would have been better if Adrina had lived.
‘I will.’
Why?
‘I will definitely.’
Words that kept echoing.
‘Help you escape from Count Grimaldi.’
Was this really for me? Or was it for you?
Then who are these words I’m speaking now for?
Adrina lifted Adrian’s portrait. The wind blowing through the open window, the sky with its distinctly clear colors, the wild grass, the hanging clouds. The warmth carrying unfamiliar flower scents brushed past the intensely contrasting blue, unusual for spring.
Placing Adrian’s portrait against the grass, Adi imagined just his figure standing in that scenery. Adrian Grimaldi, who should have stood on this earth. A pointless supposition.
“You would respect my choice, wouldn’t you?”
Adi said, putting down the portrait.
“You would, right?”
Perched on the bed, Adi covered their face. Though they hadn’t fully grasped the situation, they could make some guesses. No, they could figure it out.
Use Roy.
“Adi.”
Adrina looked at Adrian’s portrait through spread fingers. His light brown eyes shone. Like a feline beast hidden in the undergrowth just before hunting, whole body crouched.
“Let’s betray the Count.”
As if ready to spring forth at any moment.
Lilina
Oh my god finally FINALLY
LET’S GOOOOOOOOO YEAH DO IT ADI!!
THE COUNT DOESN’T DESERVE YOU NUH UH! HEAD TO WOODPECKER INSTEAD WOOT WOOT !