Chapter 64: The Deeds of Raphael Orleans (1)
Chapter 64: The Deeds of Raphael Orleans (1)
“Brother…”
His calm, heartfelt words tugged at Fay’s heartstrings. Kassel really was a good man.
“Come now. Rest easy. I never had the chance to lull you to sleep when you were a baby, so I’m glad I can do it today.”
“…Alright.”
Led by Kassel’s hand, Fay entered the quiet bedroom, took off her outer garments, and lay down.
It was comforting… truly so.
It had been a long time since she felt this way. Just like the white, fluffy clouds he once described floating overhead, relaxed and cozy. As if she were on a peaceful picnic in the countryside.
“Mmm…”
Within five minutes, Fay had fallen asleep, her breathing light and steady.
Kassel brushed her forehead gently, his expression filled with emotion, tenderness and a touch of joy.
I finally got you back. Tiana, my dear Tiana… I will never lose you again. I’ll protect you, no matter what.
The dignity of the Young Lord Klein? Prestige? Luxury and wealth? I don’t need any of that. No matter what it takes, I will avenge you.
Until I throw them into the very flames they deserve, I will never rest in peace!
Careful not to wake her, he knelt by the bedside, resting his cheek against the sheet as he gazed at her endlessly.
My poor, sweet little sister…
Eventually, he too drifted off to sleep.
The fury that had been weighing down his heart melted away, fading like mist in a dream. Because in that dream, he met the young Tiana again.
The two of them, back in their youth, she still a little girl, he just about to join the knight order, ran and played freely in a springtime meadow.
[“Brother Kassel!”]
[“Tiana. I’ll become a knight and return quickly. So tell me, do you prefer the Blue Rose Knights or the Crow Knights?”]
Young Tiana bounced with excitement.
[“Whichever one you join, Brother!”]
[“Haha, I thought you’d say that. Wherever I go, I’ll make sure to accept my knighthood with your handkerchief in hand.”]
[“Yes, sir!”]
It was pure happiness. So much so that he never wanted to wake from that dream.
* * *
After escorting Fay to the Mage Tower, Kassel found himself pondering a matter, not with urgency, but with some puzzlement.
‘How should I get Marquis Hyante to drink this Potyan infusion?’
There were a few options.
Currently, the relationship between the Hyante and Klein households was neither good nor bad. More accurately, things had grown a bit distant after the falling-out between the Hyante and Orleans factions. Still, it hadn’t soured enough to make a private meeting with the Marquis impossible.
Kassel had tried a few sips of the infusion himself. The taste wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t pleasant enough for a noble with a refined palate to enjoy casually. He could manage a full cup, but…
‘Does the Marquis… have a sweet tooth?’
As Kassel sifted through what he knew, a welcome message reached his ears.
“…Commander, Sir Raphael Orleans of the Crow Knights is here to see you.”
“Let him in.”
The moment Raphael entered the office, he looked mildly surprised.
“Commander Klein, what a rare sight. You let me in within a single second? Has the sun started rising in the south?”
“I can show you back out if you’d like.”
Kassel made a show of standing up.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. I was just saying that our friendship… uh, never mind.”
Worried he’d be shown the door, Raphael quickly took a seat.
As Kassel approached and sat across from him, Raphael made his usual show of pulling out an olive branch from his coat. The leaves, still unripe, fluttered comically prompting a sigh.
A year had passed, yet Raphael was still… Raphael. It was just who he was, and yet it made Kassel sigh.
Sigh.
“Sir Kassel, if you keep looking so grim, the ladies of the capital will be in tears.”
“I didn’t call you here for your jokes.”
Raphael twirled the olive branch between his fingers a few times before sheepishly placing it on the table and asking,
“How’s Lady Fay at the Mage Tower? Now that she’s Lady Morgana, I was thinking of writing to ask when she plans to start her social activities.”
Kassel suddenly had a suspicion. Was Raphael interested in his sister?
Raphael Orleans.
Unlike women, noblemen had a bit more flexibility in the timing of marriage, but Raphael’s situation was unique. He had no siblings, and there were few male relatives in his family. So it was only a matter of time before he’d need to settle down, either through engagement or marriage.
The Orleans family had an odd pattern of love marriages, even among high nobility.
Could it be that Raphael was stubbornly delaying a match to marry someone of his choosing?
‘His parents defied fierce opposition to marry for love, after all. Perhaps that’s why the Duchess still holds such sway… Hmph. Should I just ask him outright?’
Resolved, Kassel stared at Raphael.
At one point, he’d had golden hair reminiscent of the imperial line, just like Sillas. With deep, striking blue eyes, the epitome of noble beauty. His build was strong, his swordsmanship respectable… yet the mere thought of him being interested in Fay made Kassel clench his fists.
Raphael hadn’t done anything wrong but Kassel still found him annoying.
“…Sir Kassel? Why are you glaring like that?”
“It’s nothing. But I do recall telling you not to bother Lady Fay. Perhaps you didn’t hear me clearly?”
Though he kept his tone gentle, Kassel couldn’t stop the growing tension in his clenched fist. It was instinct protecting his blood.
“Just because I knew her first doesn’t mean you have to block me completely, does it?”
Raphael grumbled, scooting further into the sofa, as if worried Kassel might throw a punch if he didn’t.
A brief silence followed. Kassel chose this moment to shift the topic.
“Anyway, Sir Raphael.”
“Yes?”
“Your family may have reconciled with the Hyante side publicly, but behind the scenes, there’s still friction. Don’t you think it’s time to resolve things properly?”
“Easier said than done.”
Of course it’s hard.
Kassel understood exactly how Raphael felt. Even for him, the heir to House Klein, mediating between his parents and their own parents was incredibly difficult. He could try, but success was never guaranteed.
No matter how cherished a son may be, changing the direction of a noble house wasn’t as simple as a few words.
“Ending the feud between the two houses is an imperial decree. How long do you plan to keep ignoring it? If word gets out that you’ve been fighting behind the scenes, you’ll be punished. The message is clear: don’t drag this out any longer.”
“Do you have a solution?”
“This.”
There was a reason Kassel hadn’t offered tea or anything else when Raphael arrived.
With a perfectly straight face, he poured a cup of Potyan infusion, a faintly yellowish liquid, and slid it across the table. Raphael chuckled in disbelief.
“Hah! To be served tea personally brewed by the Commander of the Blue Rose Knights… is this a dream or reality? …Ugh!”
Just as he drank it with a grin, Raphael flinched. Kassel seized the moment to warn him.
“Don’t spill a single drop.”
“P–poison?! It’s so awful! Are you seriously trying to poison me? What did I ever do to deserve this?!”
Raphael’s cry from within the cup was pitiful. It wasn’t that bad, Kassel thought, suppressing a smile.
“That’s the herb we collected at the Faerie Lake.”
“Ugh! I knew it! It’s not as bad as chewing the raw herb, but that familiar bitter stench… ugh…”
Kassel chuckled softly.
“A skilled herbalist at the lake said it must be drunk lukewarm and unsweetened for the full effect. So don’t pour it out, finish it. It’s good for your health.”
Raphael whimpered dramatically from behind the cup.
“Ugh… I guess I have no choice. If I waste something that Lady Fay carefully dried and steeped, I’ll be punished… gulp… glug…”
I was the one who dried and brewed it.
Kassel didn’t bother correcting the misunderstanding. If he did, Raphael might spit it out and cleaning it up would be a pain. He was practical like that.
When Raphael finally managed to put the cup down, his face looked gloomy.
“I skipped lunch for this, but now I’ve completely lost my appetite. That stuff should come with a warning label: Not for consumption before meals.”
“If you could finish it, then so could Marquis Hyante.”
“The Marquis?”
Kassel leaned in, voice low, and explained the situation concisely. When he heard that the Potyan infusion might help cure the Marquis’s illness, Raphael’s face lit up.
“Oh-ho! So that’s what this is about?”
“Mm. Or… do you want the Marquis to get sick?”
Raphael spoke with great enthusiasm.
“As a proud member of House Orleans and a loyal servant of His Majesty the Emperor, I must support reconciliation with House Hyante! Of course I’ll take responsibility and make sure the Marquis drinks this dreadful herbal water!”
His attitude had done a complete 180.
Clutching the paper pouch of Potyan herbs Kassel had prepared, Raphael looked genuinely delighted. The fact that he was now having a serious conversation without cracking jokes proved it.
“Sir Raphael.”
“Hmm. One cup won’t be enough. Three, over two days, should do it.”
Kassel didn’t expect him to do anything reckless, but just in case, he gave a warning.
“Don’t tie him up and force it down his throat. This is medicine, meant to symbolize reconciliation between the two houses. If you make it look like poison, it’ll only worsen things. He’s not going to drink anything suspicious before falling ill, so you understand this clearly, yes?”
“Please, have a little faith. I’ve thought of a brilliant method. Now then, to the Marquis’s recovery! Cheers!”
Without another word, Raphael grabbed the herbs and dashed out. Kassel gave a faint smile and turned to his aide waiting outside.
“Come in and throw out that olive branch.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You can burn it if you want.”
“…Understood.”
Work was work. Personal feelings were personal.
— — —
A few days later, Marquis Hyante, who had recently been suffering frequent dizzy spells, appeared in his carriage. He looked quite unwell, having slept poorly the night before.
“It’s been a while, Lord Orleans.”
“…Indeed.”
Seeing the Marquis’s gaunt face, Raphael looked awkward for a moment. But the Marquis raised his voice enthusiastically.
“Spring is here and the weather is fine. It’s good to see you again! Now then, shall we settle this once and for all? I’ve already warmed up back at my estate.”
“I think it would be better to postpone this duel for a few more days.”
Putting on the performance of a lifetime, Raphael stepped back. This only fired the Marquis up more.
“What’s this? Lord Orleans, do I really look that weak to you? No more words. Bring out the bows and arrows! I’ll be your second for the upcoming thunderbird hunt!”
In the Arkan Empire, royal hunts near the capital were prohibited from late autumn through winter, with the ban lifted gradually in spring. Among these, the pheasant hunt, famous for its delicious game and popularity in the royal hunting grounds, was a cherished tradition.
……
T/N: Giving an olive branch means that one wants to end a conflict or extent a goodwill. But Kassel burned the olive branch Raphael gave, hahahaha
