Bastard.

At those words, Jacqueline’s expression turned cold. Despite becoming the Marquis of Preston, whom no one could treat carelessly, he was still not free from his origins.

Jacqueline wanted to snap back, but couldn’t say anything. Instead, she clenched her fists and glared fiercely at Parker.

He raised an eyebrow, then continued.

“His Majesty pities young Benjamin. What could he learn under the lowly Lord Preston? Therefore, for Benjamin’s sake, shouldn’t His Majesty be his guardian?”

“……”

“Think carefully. Which of the two would be a better protector for Benjamin. Benjamin would probably prefer to become a member of the royal family as well.”

Jacqueline maintained her silence. She knew that if she opened her mouth here, she might lose her composure and say who knows what.

Seeing her sitting there like a statue, Parker took a step back.

“I fully understand Miss Somerset’s difficulty in making an immediate decision.”

Rising from his seat, he looked down at Jacqueline with relaxed eyes.

“I’ve conveyed His Majesty’s intentions for now, so I’ll take my leave today. I apologize for the rudeness of wanting to speak with Miss Somerset away from Lord Preston’s eyes. You may give your answer in the capital. Come find me anytime. Well then, please make a wise decision, Miss Somerset.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. O’Brien.”

Madam Somerset rose to see him off. A faint smile finally appeared on her lips.

“I’ll take responsibility for persuading my daughter, so please tell His Majesty there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I will, madam. I’ll convey to His Majesty without omission how much effort Madam Somerset has made for him.”

“Oh my, there’s no need to go that far. But if you do, I’d be grateful.”

Jacqueline stared blankly at the contract on the table. Her mind was as tangled as a ball of thread. She didn’t even know where to begin unraveling it.

A moment later, the sound of the carriage leaving in front of the house was heard. Jacqueline bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut.

Neither Jacqueline remaining in the reception room, nor Madam Somerset standing at the entrance, nor even the cautious Parker noticed the shadow hidden behind the shrubs.

***

“Say that again.”

Suddenly, Windsor’s voice turned icy cold. It seemed as if the temperature in the room dropped with just that.

Roman instinctively straightened his back. Unlike usual, his face was filled with tense nervousness.

The person before him now was not the polite Marquis Preston, but the devil of the Black Fleet, Commander Preston. He must not forget that fact.

Roman put his hands behind his back and slightly raised his chin. As if he had returned to being a new recruit, he continued speaking in a tightly composed posture.

“Miss Somerset met with the royal family’s lawyer, Parker O’Brien. He visited Southfield this morning, stayed at Mrs. Brown’s residence for about an hour, then left. I don’t know what was said, but it probably wasn’t much different from our expectations.”

Windsor stared at Roman with cold eyes, as if he couldn’t believe those words. Roman’s shoulders rose even higher. The back of his neck tensed.

Windsor quietly swallowed and broke the heavy silence.

“And Mrs. Somerset’s health?”

Roman unconsciously gulped. Though Windsor’s voice had no changes in intonation, it was clear he was angry.

That emotionless voice alone was enough to make the other person feel an inexplicable pressure. And unfortunately, today that target was Roman Miller himself.

“Ahem.”

Roman cleared his throat as if forcibly trying to relax, and only then managed to open his mouth. But the pressure constricting his body didn’t lessen at all.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly wrong. She didn’t go out, but that’s normal for her. Crucially, no doctor visited the house. When she came out to the entrance to see O’Brien off, there was nothing noticeably wrong with her outward appearance.”

“…I see.”

Windsor nodded faintly. He glared at a point in the air with cold eyes. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth turned up.

“So the story about mother being sick was just an excuse to avoid me. She met the king’s lawyer there…?”

“Didn’t you expect this would happen anyway? That His Majesty’s side would approach Miss Somerset sooner or later.”

Yes, he had expected it. Just a few days ago, he had even hoped that day would come quickly. So he could give her a firm order to leave.

But why was he so angry now?

He watched in bewilderment the storm of emotions churning in his stomach. His inner self was always like a calm sea.

No matter how good things were, he never rejoiced greatly, and no matter how angering things were, he never raged greatly.

He knew that the moment he lost his composure, he could no longer make rational judgments. And that was not an appropriate attitude for a fleet commander responsible for the lives of numerous soldiers.

But why was he so angry now?

Windsor asked the same question again, gently clenching his hand resting on the desk. Nevertheless, the anger did not subside at all.

He recalled her pale face, whimpering that her mother was critically ill and she had to return to Southfield. That pitiful face precariously holding back the tears welling up in her eyes.

So it was all an act. An act to deceive me.

And Windsor, not knowing it was a lie, fell completely for Jacqueline’s performance and badgered William like a fool. To find the fastest train and prepare a carriage.

It must have been amusing, very amusing, Jacqueline Somerset.

Windsor, who had been wearing a grim expression, suddenly clenched his jaw. His eyes staring into space curved as if smiling.

He was not the kind of person generous enough to forgive traitors. A cold voice squeezed through his teeth.

“Look for a new tutor.”

“Yes. It will be the fourteenth tutor.”

Roman sighed deeply and scratched his head. As he muttered that he would have to put out an ad at the employment agency, he paused.

Roman’s gaze turned to Windsor’s eyes, honed like a blue blade. It was because his superior seemed to be angry.

Huh?

So far, twelve tutors had been fired by Windsor’s hand. The ninth tutor among them was even caught trying to kidnap Benjamin.

Even then, Windsor didn’t get angry. No, rather, he responded so rationally it felt calm. The tutor even fell to his knees and begged first.

Windsor Preston was the most realistic man Roman had ever met. Even when a subordinate made a stupid mistake, he never raised his voice.

Instead, he pointed out their mistakes in detail based on the six journalistic questions.

―I’d rather you yell at me or kick my shins, sir. Listening to what you’re saying makes me feel like I’m the most foolish person in the world. Waaah.

At some point, a young soldier had burst into tears and confessed. Roman fully understood his feelings. He had watched the young soldier being scolded from beginning to end.

―Soldier, do you know what you’ve just done? While you couldn’t overcome your drowsiness and closed your eyes for a moment, pirates would have silently approached the fleet. It doesn’t take much time. Just 15 minutes is enough.

―I-I’m sorry…

―We would only notice after grappling hooks were thrown onto the deck. The 340 crew members on this ship would lose their lives due to your negligence, and their families would resent you for life. Ah, if we’re lucky, maybe about four of them might barely survive. If they can beg for mercy from the pirates.

―Hic, ugh, I’m sorry…

―It would be nice if you could be forgiven with an apology after the kingdom’s fleet is annihilated, soldier.

Even though it wasn’t directed at him, Roman felt his bones aching. He thought it might hurt less to be stabbed with a spear.

Only after Windsor left did Roman put a cigarette in his mouth and pat the sobbing soldier’s shoulder. There were no words of comfort. Because he knew no words could provide consolation.

In fact, there was no room for excuse in a sentry falling asleep and getting caught.

Of course, the system doesn’t rely on a single sentry for the safety of the ship, so 340 people wouldn’t be annihilated because of one young soldier as Windsor said, but in principle, his words weren’t wrong.

Yes, since it wasn’t wrong, there was no way to refute it. The most Roman could say to the young soldier was, “That’s why you shouldn’t have gotten caught by the commander.”

“……”

Roman, awakening from his brief reverie, stared at his superior.

Is he really angry? Did Miss Somerset, not His Majesty, finally make him angry?

Roman tilted his head as he looked at Windsor’s coldly hardened face. Judging by his expression, he seemed clearly angry, but since he wasn’t shouting or throwing things, it was hard to be certain if he was truly angry.

Ah, I see. Since Miss Somerset isn’t here, he has no one to vent his anger on.

“Do you have anything else to say to me, Roman Miller?”

“…No, sir. Then I’ll take my leave.”

Startled by his full name, Roman made a show of maintaining a nonchalant expression as he gave a salute and left the office. Only after the door closed behind him did he scratch his head.

“I wonder when Miss Somerset will arrive. I can’t miss that interesting sight.”

Mindful of his sharp-eared superior, Roman muttered quietly to himself as he walked lightly down the corridor.

He had to visit the employment agency first. There were no more nobles willing to recommend tutors to Windsor Preston.

***

Jacqueline left the room, carrying a suitcase in one hand. As she went downstairs, Mrs. Brown bid her farewell with a regretful expression.

“You’re leaving already? It would be nice if you stayed a bit longer.”

“I have some things I need to do.”

“You’re going through a lot, Jackie.”

Mrs. Brown embraced Jacqueline with a sympathetic expression. Her soft hand gently stroked Jacqueline’s back.

“But remember. Whenever things get tough, you can always come back here. If you don’t mind the countryside being quiet enough to be boring, you can stay here. I can feed one more mouth.”

“Thank you, Aunt. I’ve always missed this place. The peaceful and tranquil Southfield. But right now, I want to do what I can. I need to take responsibility for my own life. I can’t keep relying on others anymore. And I shouldn’t.”

“When did that little miss grow up so much?”

Mrs. Brown’s eyes welled up with tears of emotion. As she cupped her own cheeks with both hands and gazed at Jacqueline.

“Don’t forget what I told you, Jackie.”

A stern voice hit the back of her head. Jacqueline slowly turned around.