Disguised as a Male Servant in the Duke's House - Chapter 28

“There’s no need to push someone who nearly died that hard.”

Roselia’s wet hair and shirt, her cheeks flushed red from holding back tears.

Even her wet green eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

Moreover, along with the wet body odor, the familiar scent that always troubled him wafted over.

As if time had stopped, while Klaus stood there frozen, unable to move, his gaze turned to Roselia’s bandages visible through her wet shirt.

“It’s still… not fully healed?”

As Roselia looked up quizzically at Klaus’s softened voice, a familiar voice was heard.

“Antonio!!!”

Closet, who had docked the boat on the shore, was running towards them at full speed.

Finally coming to his senses, Klaus let go of Roselia’s shoulders he had been holding and stood up.

Just then, Closet, who had approached closely, made a fuss with a tearful face, or rather, an already sobbing voice.

“Antonio. Are you alright? Can you breathe properly? Can you see me clearly? Can you move? No, don’t move! I’ll call a doctor!”

At Closet’s fuss, Roselia finally stopped crying and gave an awkward smile.

If she showed tears here, Closet would likely get terrified and burst into loud sobs, so her tears retreated.

“I’m fine, Your Highness.”

“Fine my foot! Do you know how shocked I was? I could throw away ten, a hundred of those hats! Don’t ever do that again!”

Seeing Closet on the verge of tears, a sense of reality began to return.

Perhaps it was a relief that someone appeared to cry on her behalf.

With that thought, Roselia finally remembered Klaus.

He seemed to have looked at her with a very strange expression…

As if… looking at something or a creature he had never seen before…

Thinking that, she looked at Klaus, but he was already standing with his back turned.

Suddenly, the embarrassment and shame of a grown man shedding tears like chicken droppings in front of the person who saved him washed over her.

In any case, he was her lifesaver, so Roselia swallowed her shame and conveyed her apology.

“Thank you for saving me, Your Grace…”

“…”

Why is he silent?

Is he disgusted by the sight of someone whimpering after being saved?

While Roselia was worrying about this, Klaus, with his back turned, left one last word.

“Be careful next time…”

After saying that, Roselia had to stare blankly at his retreating figure for a while as he vanished suddenly.

On the other hand, Closet beside her narrowed her eyes sharply and grumbled for a while, saying things that didn’t seem appropriate to say about her own brother, like ‘How can he be so cold to someone who nearly died,’ and ‘He must be a person without blood or tears.’

Invited to dinner by the Crown Princess, Closet and Roselia were sitting at a long, empty table, chatting while waiting for the food.

“So do you know how chilled I was? My goodness! Who jumps into a lake to retrieve a hat? Oh! Of course, I’m talking about Antonio.”

“Your Highness, he didn’t jump in, he fell in. According to my brother.”

As Roselia quietly refuted, Closet just shrugged her shoulders.

The Crown Princess, looking at the incessantly chattering Closet as if she found her cute, turned to Roselia with a kind smile.

“Antonio must have had a hard time. Is your brother alright?”

Roselia, the actual person in question, glanced slightly at Closet in an awkward situation and answered awkwardly.

“Yes, he’s fine without any major injuries or damages.”

“That’s really fortunate. Your Highness’s brother is quite sensitive, has a strong sense of responsibility, and is even overflowing with courage.”

At the Crown Princess’s response full of praise for Antonio, Closet and Roselia momentarily wore blank expressions.

Seeing their reaction, the Crown Princess let out an embarrassed laugh and changed the subject.

“Still, it’s extremely fortunate that Duke Balthazar happened to be passing by.”

At the Crown Princess’s words, Closet snorted as if she couldn’t agree.

“Hmph! That man pulled him out of the water like a rabbit and then just left without a word!”

At Closet’s cute reaction, the Crown Princess smiled softly and continued.

“Speaking of rabbits, do you remember when Duke Balthazar caught a wild rabbit for you when you were young, Your Highness?”

“Do I remember! He brought that cute thing dangling by its ears! I was so shocked when he said he’d skin the rabbit to make a muff!”

Surprised and curious that Klaus had done something for Closet, Roselia was also drawn into their conversation.

“I remember how Your Highness cried so hard then. It’s already been 8 years since that story.”

Roselia, who had been listening to their story with interest, carefully added a word.

“Eight years ago, was that when you were about the same age as Her Highness, Your Highness?”

“That’s right. At that time, Your Highness was really small and cute like a doll. Maybe that’s why Klaus couldn’t handle her carelessly, afraid she might break if touched.”

At the Crown Princess’s words, Closet snorted with a disbelieving expression.

“As if that man would do that. Come to think of it, His Highness the Crown Prince was often with us then, wasn’t he? I still can’t forget the sight of you two performing piano and violin concertos together.”

Unlike Closet, who was lost in memories with a dreamy expression, the Crown Princess’s expression subtly hardened.

Roselia quickly noticed this change and tilted her head.

In the original work, it was mentioned that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had known each other since childhood, but it was never described as being this close.

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, the dining room door opened and the Crown Prince entered.

“Oh, have I interrupted a pleasant time?”

Speak of the devil, at the sudden appearance of the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess’s expression noticeably hardened.

“I thought I’d have dinner with the Crown Princess today…”

As if they don’t usually eat dinner together, the Crown Princess’s expression was full of tension.

The Crown Prince’s sudden declaration was awkward not only for the Crown Princess.

The aide who followed the Crown Prince into the room fumbled with a troubled expression and continued.

“Um… Duke Balthazar is waiting to receive approval for the school construction…”

Ignoring the troubled aide’s voice, the Crown Prince took a seat opposite the Crown Princess and casually rested his arms on the table.

“I’ll give the approval here, so tell him to come.”

At the Crown Prince’s words, the aide who had been troubled closed his eyes tightly and disappeared out of the dining room with a bow.

And not long after, Klaus really entered the dining room holding documents.

Having apparently heard the content from the aide, Klaus’s expression was full of displeasure.

The Crown Prince, who looked at him leisurely, snatched the documents from Klaus’s hand and started signing them at the dining table.

“It’s unexpected that you managed to get approval from the Noble Assembly. Those sly foxes actually approved it, it seems.”

“…”

Klaus’s expression hardened with humiliation as he received approval for important documents in the dining room.

If the people present had been eating, they probably wouldn’t have known whether the food was going into their noses or mouths.

Why on earth are these men doing this in front of the dining table?

While Roselia was watching the awkward situation, the Crown Prince, who had finished signing, handed the documents to Klaus.

Klaus steadfastly maintained his courtesy to the Crown Prince until the end and turned to leave the dining room.

Or rather, he would have left.

If only the Crown Princess hadn’t called out to stop him.

“Since it’s come to this, why doesn’t Duke Balthazar join us for dinner?”

At the Crown Princess’s sudden suggestion, everyone’s eyes turned to her in surprise.

While Roselia was inwardly shouting ‘no! no!’, the Crown Prince, who had crumpled his face with displeasure, muttered sarcastically.

“What kind of combination is this now?”

Somehow ending up sitting together at the large dining table, Roselia sighed deeply as she looked at the Crown Prince, Crown Princess, Klaus, and Closet.

How did they end up having dinner in this combination…

Moreover, Klaus, who had come to get document approval and ended up at the dinner table, had an extremely stiff expression.

In the awkward atmosphere where only the sound of utensils clinking could be heard, the Crown Princess, the instigator of the situation, spoke first.

“Duke, I hear you’re pushing for school construction in Algrishia village.”

At the Crown Princess’s question, Klaus quietly looked at her and bowed his head.

“It’s not something worthy of Your Highness’s concern.”

“How could that be? I was worried because the capital’s academy is already at capacity, but an academy for the middle class and commoners is a great idea.”

At the Crown Princess’s praise, the Crown Prince, who had been silent, finally interjected.

“I doubt Duke Balthazar would start a project just to do good for others. What does the Duke gain from building a school?”

At the Crown Prince’s blunt words, the expressions of the Crown Princess and Klaus hardened.

Just as the Crown Princess was about to say something to the Crown Prince, Klaus spoke first, bowing his head politely.

“You see well. I don’t usually involve myself in matters that bring no benefit.”

At Klaus’s calm words, one of the Crown Prince’s eyebrows raised.

He had meant to make him feel bad with his sarcastic remark, but the Prince seemed uncomfortable with Klaus’s brusque response.

“I hear you even bribed opposing nobles to get approval from the Noble Assembly. Is it worth that much expense?”

Despite the Crown Prince’s rather explicit question, Klaus maintained a calm expression.

Rather, Roselia and Closet watching from the side were on pins and needles.

They simply couldn’t chew and swallow their food.

“In the Laperios Empire, there are schools not only in the capital but also in the north, south, west, and east, as well as in fairly large territories.”

At Klaus’s sudden talk about another country, the Crown Prince furrowed his brow and raised his chin as if daring him to continue.

Then Klaus continued without hesitation.

“Unlike Rugbelzette where education seems to be a privilege only for nobles, in Laperios, education is the foundation for nobles, merchants, and commoners alike.”

“Are you trying to say that Rugbelzette’s education is wrong?”