Chapter 64
Adi placed the unopened letter from Countess Grimaldi directly into the drawer. They didn’t want to read it now. No, they never wanted to read it. When looking at those letters, Adrian sometimes felt alive. And it made Adi feel like a monster who had taken over his body and lived in his place.
After closing the drawer, Adi took out their knight’s notebook.
The relationship between the Crown Prince and the Count wasn’t symbiotic. It wasn’t clear exactly why the Count had attached himself to the Crown Prince’s side. One thing was certain—they shared the same view about not sending support troops to Türingen.
Türingen.
They’d heard it was a country known for its arts. They weren’t sure exactly what it was like, having never been there. If there had been internal rebellion, the country would be in general chaos. People would be fleeing, and displaced foreigners might flood in.
War isn’t waged with weapons and troops alone. Money is needed. No country has ever attempted war without funds. This attracts various entities chasing money. Mercenaries are a prime example. It wouldn’t be strange for foreigners to slip in.
In the worst-case scenario, it would be a good escape route if dragged back to Grimaldi—just one cliff to cross. Whether the Count would pursue or not was uncertain. Even if he sent others, escape would be possible. And if it was Lev…
Should they kill him?
He had loved Adrian. Considered his foster brother as his own. They say such attachment exists between milk-siblings. Adi wouldn’t know. They weren’t raised on Lady Jid’s milk.
…Then who had cared for them as a child?
Someone compassionate must have nurtured them to survive. Who it was didn’t matter. It was irrelevant right now. What mattered more to Adi was how to proceed from here.
First priority was placing themselves with either Ionad or Woodpecker. The Crown Prince couldn’t be trusted. Not that they trusted the Duke either. There was also an unexpected variable.
The Duke had noticed their gender. He knew they weren’t Adrian but Adrina.
“Adrina.”
Adi spoke their name. It felt strange now.
They removed the cameo fixed at their throat and loosened their cravat. The Duke had grabbed their neck. Not threateningly, but as if trying to confirm something.
Adi touched their own neck. It fit entirely in one hand. Though slender compared to a man’s, they thought it wasn’t too different, but then something occurred to them.
“Ah.”
They realized what was different.
No Adam’s apple.
No one had paid attention to it. They always wore a cravat, so no one had seen or noticed. The Duke removing the cravat meant he had already been certain at that moment.
They had let their guard down.
Just then, there was a knock from outside. Before they could say “enter,” the door opened and Joel called out, “My lord?”
“Yes.”
Adi quickly wrapped and tied their cravat. Joel didn’t seem to notice anything amiss as he continued speaking.
“His Grace requests your presence tonight. Please come at the usual time.”
“Understood.”
Adi fidgeted with their cravat. Though the weather was getting warmer, they could never remove it.
❖ ❖ ❖
Late at night, Adi moved carefully. The corridor was dim, lit only by low lights. When they arrived, the servant immediately opened the door. Roy and the Duke were in the bedroom. The Duke told Roy to wait outside. Roy bowed and left.
Yuls rose from the bed. The thin nightclothes were translucent in the light, revealing his silhouette. Though Adi had never seen him exercise, his body was covered in lean muscle. Like someone who had trained for years.
“Yesterday was too hectic to mention this.”
Yuls said.
“Adrina.”
Adi flinched. It had been a long time since they’d heard that name. No, it was rare for anyone to call them by name at all. It felt strange. Something hot welled up in their chest, making them uncomfortable.
“Pardon my impudence, Your Grace. I would prefer you not call me that.”
Yuls looked at Adi for a moment before saying, “Very well.” Though there were no other eyes or ears here, the court was a place where words could leak out in unexpected ways.
“Don’t stand there uncomfortably. Sit.”
At Yuls’s words, Adi sat in the chair by the window. Besides there, the only place to sit was the bed, and that felt sacrilegious.
The distance between the bed and chair was considerable, so Yuls came to where Adi was. His standing figure looming over them was quite intimidating. Though they had never thought of men as frightening before, being confronted like this made them inexplicably tense.
“How long have you been living under your brother’s name?”
“…Must I answer that?”
“I need to properly understand your situation.”
“If you’re displeased that I deceived you, you can return me to the Second Knight Division right now.”
Are they being deliberately difficult? Yuls clicked his tongue before speaking.
“You must know that’s not what I mean.”
Yuls’s gaze dropped downward. Their eyes met. Even without words, he could tell what Adi was thinking. Yuls spoke.
“You don’t trust me, do you?”
Adi didn’t answer. Though they neither confirmed nor denied it, reading their intention in this gap wasn’t difficult. Yuls sighed briefly, moved away from Adi, and opened the door himself. The sudden opening startled those outside.
“Roy, call Joel.”
Roy nodded. Probably thinking they were going to heal the injuries. As Roy left, Yuls closed the door and approached Adi again.
“Though he’s a healing mage, he can also perform administrative magic and can notarize contracts. Would you talk if we made a contract ensuring you won’t be exposed?”
“…”
Why was he going to such lengths?
“Moreover, what if I said I could help you?”
“I don’t understand Your Grace’s intentions.”
Yuls looked down at Adi with his arms crossed. Did they really not understand his intentions? Looking at that blank face, it seemed they truly didn’t, but somehow that was hard to believe.
“You’re not unperceptive, so why can’t you notice?”
Yuls muttered quietly.
“Is it because you’ve never received such kindness from others?”
“Pardon?”
Adi asked. Yuls didn’t answer. There was a knock from outside, and the door opened. Joel appeared, panting as if he had run.
“Your Grace, I’ve arrived.”
“There’s a contract to make. Bring out the parchment.”
Yuls pointed to the side room as he spoke. Why would there be parchment there? Adi wondered. Joel blinked a couple of times before asking, “…With Adrian Grimaldi?”
“Yes.”
“Pardon, but the purpose…?”
“A confidentiality agreement.”
“Magically bound documents can’t be terminated without mutual consent.”
“I know. That’s to provide trust.”
What kind of trust requires magical notarization?
Magical notarization was different from regular legal certification. It was engraved on the soul. That’s why people rarely signed such things. Even nobles and royalty only used it for family contracts or marriage agreements.
“Hurry.”
Yuls urged. Finally, Joel brought parchment and a pen from the side room. When Joel asked what content to write, Yuls said to write a standard confidentiality agreement. With conditions fair to all parties.
You shouldn’t make contracts like this… Joel wanted to protest but couldn’t refuse his lord’s command.
Finally, Joel drafted the contract, and Adi and Yuls signed it. Joel looked sadly at the signed contract and softly chanted a spell. Adi couldn’t understand the words. It seemed like a foreign language.
Soon light flowed from the contract and burned into the air. Then somewhere on their body felt hot. Adi looked at the tip of their left pinky finger. An unfamiliar symbol was engraved there. Yuls also looked at the same mark, presumably engraved in the same place on his hand.
“You can go now, Joel.”
Joel pouted. He didn’t want to leave, but his presence in their conversation would violate the confidentiality agreement. This really should have been done with proper permission first. He wanted to complain but couldn’t.
Finally, Joel left reluctantly. Yuls watched the door close. Only after seeing it shut perfectly, ensuring no sound would leak out, did he speak again.
“Tell me. How long have you been living under your brother’s name?”
“…Since the day Adrian died.”
“How many people at Grimaldi know this fact?”
Adi looked at Yuls for a moment before speaking. The magnolias had bloomed.
“Everyone at Castle Grimaldi knows.”
The white flowers and branches, heavily laden with snow, had drooped under the weight. Magnolia petals fell in the wind. The pure white leaves, swirling with the snowfall, had been sullied by muddy footprints.
“That Adrian died on a snowy day.”
Their twin’s skin had been bluish in the coffin.
“That the Countess wailed.”
Wilting flowers and golden hair had covered it.
“That the Count said not to be shaken by the death of just one girl.”
Earth mixed with despair and sorrow had fallen on the coffin.
“Everyone knows.”
“That means Lev Jid knows as well.”
“Yes.”
At those words, Yuls’s expression hardened. He had heard things. Lev Jid’s treatment of Adi Grimaldi was not befitting of how one should treat their lord’s family.
A cursed twin, a woman useful only for political marriage between houses. The Count couldn’t have liked that. Normally, people would show some consideration for appearances, but looking at the behavior in House Grimaldi, it seemed they had been accustomed to discrimination from childhood.
They might not even recognize it as discrimination. That’s why Lev Jid treated them that way even in front of others.
“…Should I warn him?”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. Then what did you mean about dying if you return to Grimaldi?”
