Chapter 260 – The Two-Face Prince
There are two main reactions of those who are faced with unavoidable and annoying things.
Either ignore it until you can’t put it off any longer, or get it done as quickly as possible.
In Wolfgang’s case, it was the latter. It’s because his innate personality itself is straightforward, and he doesn’t like leaving things to do. He was the kind of person who could feel comfortable only after excluding all elements that might bother him.
It was for the same reason that he immediately headed for the Palace of Dawn as soon as he read the letter from the first prince.
The answer to be given has already been decided, and since it is not something that will take more than a day, there is no reason to hesitate.
—Hee hee!
A large carriage stopped at the entrance of the gorgeous and majestic castle ruins.
When a strangely large man appeared from inside the carriage, the imperial guards guarding the entrance immediately approached him. It was clearly a sharp attitude. From the step I took, I felt that my discipline was properly held.
It was natural. Wolfgang was able to come and go in the palace of light as if it were his own home, but the defense of the original residence of the imperial family was so strict.
“You must be the famous Sir Wolfgang. You came here for fisherman business.”
“I’m here at the invitation of the landlord.”
“Your Highness…! I’ll take you right inside.”
But to open the door with just one word on such a subject.
Judging from the reaction, it seems that this has not been said beforehand, but the possibility that Wolfgang may be lying is not even considered.
From that appearance, Wolfgang suddenly realized that his position had changed a lot from before.
To be honest, it was an unpleasant call, so there was a bit of displeasure in visiting the first prince as if it were a surprise.
The first prince, who regarded his behavior as rude, slightly considered canceling the appointment, but to think that such a sudden request for an audience was taken seriously instead of being ignored.
Wolfgang took a deep breath. He deserved to know how highly he valued himself on the other side. If so, I could vaguely guess what the first prince would want from him.
Even Wolfgang, who was not very politically savvy, could understand that much. What else could be the reason for picking him up and inviting him while the entire empire was in the middle of a riot over the crown prince competition?
However, one puzzling point is that the first prince cannot be unaware of the fact that Wolfgang will unconditionally support Alicia, his lover, if a fight breaks out between the direct lineages over the throne in earnest.
It seems that the intention is transparent enough that even an idiot can understand it at first glance, but a true doctor can only be properly understood by meeting and talking to him.
“As expected, it’s dark inside.”
“Yes? Sir, what did you just say…”
“That broken black oak branch. Isn’t it a rare and precious landscaping tree?”
“Ah. You have a hobby of appreciating landscapes. It’s a pity that it’s winter now. The gardens of the Palace of Dawn are most beautiful in spring.”
Wolfgang deftly picked up the words that escaped his mouth.
It seems that he couldn’t control his urges because another lump of baggage was placed on a corner of his troubled mind. Is it because I’m mentally tired? He raised his hand and pressed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger.
He should be enjoying the sweet break after completing his mission by now. Rather, it is full of more tiring things than when staying in the polar region.
When you think about it, isn’t that ironic?
Upon her return, I heard the trivial story of the secret of her birth, and I had to watch with my eyes open as others gossip about Alicia, her precious lover.
It was at least comforting for her to lie in Master’s arms all day long. She honestly said it wasn’t a proper break. It was definitely pleasant to match the sexual desire of a high elf who had known the taste of a man for the first time in a thousand years, but it was also a lot of physical strain.
“Would you mind taking a walk in the garden and waiting for me? I will send you a message.”
“Okay.”
Wolfgang gave a rough answer to the words of the imperial guard who followed him, then turned his head and looked around. It was for the purpose of sightseeing, since I had come to a place that I could not easily come to.
“It’s the first time I’ve been to a palace other than Alicia.”
A grayish-yellow palace bathed in dazzling sunlight.
Elaborate and delicate sculptures scattered on the ivory terrace are impressive. A piece of cumulus cloud floats above the sky reflected in the clear lake water, and the cold wind of late winter swims between the bare tree branches.
“This place has its own scent, but the garden is one level higher than the Palace of Light.”
Wolfgang freely explored the Palace of Dawn, the residence of the first prince, waving his arms as if he had come to Jedoje Central Park. As befits the residence of the imperial family, the scenery was quite nice, so it was nice to take a walk.
However.
— Jerrit!
“Huh?”
“Boo…”
Sensing someone’s staring gaze, she turned around to see a little girl, probably just three or four years old, poking her head out from behind a tree, watching him closely.
Brilliant blonde hair and big eyes that shimmer with blue light. Even though she was still a child, her features were very beautiful, and her chubby cheeks and expression without wrinkles showed that she had grown up with a lot of love.
If you are a child who can walk around the 1st prince’s palace as much as you want like a child on a picnic…
“The royal granddaughter low?”
A child who was startled when Wolfgang approached and hurriedly hid himself. But he couldn’t hide properly just because he hid himself behind a tree at best.
“It won’t harm or eat you. Just come out. It’s very dangerous near the pond.”
Wolfgang’s attitude toward the child was unusually cautious. Most of the children cried and ran away the moment they faced his threatening face, so it was to prepare for any unexpected accidents.
Descendants of the imperial family do not engage in external activities at all until they are five years old. For the sake of the child’s health and the dignity of the imperial family, it is said that they grow only inside the house until they reach an age where they can make some sense of their own.
Just by looking at his appearance, it is clear that he is a blood relative of the imperial family, but where did the escort go?
The servants of the imperial family would not be lax enough to let the child wander alone this winter. There was a high possibility that he had sneaked out as if playing hide and seek. If you’re that old, that’s probably enough.
“I’ll take care of him for now. Contrary to his appearance, I’m not a bad person, so please trust me.”
Worried that the child might run away or fall, Wolfgang deliberately showed his signs and cautiously approached the tree where the child was hiding.
Then, a small child who barely reached Wolfgang’s lap lifted his arms high towards him with a bright expression on his face.
“Extremely big man! Bigger than my dad!”
“Father, are you referring to His Highness Prince Guilliman?”
“Yes, that’s right…Yo! But who is the old man?”
It seems that the royal granddaughter is also right. Wolfgang let out a small sigh. Could it be that he came all the way here to protect a lost child unexpectedly?
“I’m Wolfgang from Count Schwarz. Have you lost your way?”
“No! I was playing hide and seek…Yo! It’s starting soon!”
“Oh, is that so? I must have interrupted the fun.”
“It’s okay…Yo! Do you want to hide here too?”
But fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Hide I don’t think there’s a body that isn’t suited to hiding like this. Wolfgang grinned as if the child’s words were amusing.
“I’m too big to hide there.”
“Hee hee! It’s so terrifying because he laughs! He looks like a really bad person…!”
Then the child also looked at Wolfgang’s face and laughed.
If it’s not a sneaky run away, but it’s just playing, you’ll just have to hang out with it for a while until the guardian comes. Perhaps in a little while, the child’s nanny or the lady-in-waiting will come running in full gasp.
Whoever the granddaughter’s mother was, it seemed that she resembled her mother more than her father. She was still young, so I don’t know if she is, but she was so pure that it was unbelievable that she was the child of the first prince, who was a somewhat reluctant opponent.
In the midst of watching with a proper distance from the child like that.
“Ah! There’s a tagger! Hide the mister too…!”
Watch the direction your child points her finger at.
“This.”
From far away, a man with a face resembling a child was striding toward me.
A young man of the same age as Wolfgang, wearing a white uniform with a design similar to that of a military uniform. Although he did not reach Wolfgang’s height of more than 2 meters, he was also quite robust for an ordinary person.
In the middle of the insignia worn diagonally, the sun pattern, the symbol of the imperial family, embroidered with gold thread stands out.
The first prince, Guilliman von Jupiter Solaris, looked back and forth between his daughter and Wolfgang, grinning.
“Thank you for this. You were playing with Ashley instead.”
“…Meet Your Highness, Prince Guilliman.”
“Yes, Lord Wolfgang. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen you in person, right? It’s the first time I’ve seen you since the triumphal ceremony. Excuse me, but please wait a moment.”
Even while they were talking about her, the first prince, who had been looking around her, begged Wolfgang for his understanding, then struggled in the air for a while or looked around the empty tree with an exaggerated look.
“You bastard, got it! Ashley!”
“Kyaaak! It’s Dad!”
Deliberately the last to search for the tree where her daughter was hiding, he winked at Wolfgang and lifted her child up in his arms.
Then, when I saw them lightly burning the lanterns, it seemed that they cared for their children very much.
“I’m sorry. In front of the guests. My child will be left with the mother right away.”
“I see.”
It was a sight that warmed his heart just by looking at it, but Wolfgang was rather reluctant to see it.
This is because the first prince, a father who loves his children, was very different from the cold-blooded man who did not hesitate to sacrifice his subordinates for efficiency.
