“Count!”

Right on cue, a familiar voice was heard. This was Liv’s voice. Although I heard it 6 months ago, I hadn’t forgotten it. As I turned towards the sound, a procession carrying red flags was rushing towards us.

“Count!”

“My lord!”

Beside them were the gray-bearded butler Mueller, the kind-looking red-haired head maid Margaret, and next to them was the large-bodied guard knight Kendrick. They all ran to me in one breath.

“My goodness, Count. It’s been so long…”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Lady Louisette. I’ve missed you so much!”

Kendrick, who gave the last greeting, even had tears welling up in his eyes, which didn’t suit his large frame. Ah, this is burdensome…

I don’t know how special Celeste is to these people, but since I have no memories of them, all this attention and welcome was just overwhelming.

“Um… Have you all been… well…?”

“My lord, why are you using formal speech? You’ve been like this since you got hurt back then.”

Margaret wiped her eyes and laughed heartily. Today, her red hair seems to shine even redder.

“Uh, but Count. What’s with this child…?”

While everyone was busy giving greetings, Mueller was the first to show interest in Valerie. It was natural curiosity, seeing their suddenly appeared master holding a child.

Following Mueller’s words, the surrounding gazes began to gather on Valerie one by one.

“That’s right. What child is this…?”

Kendrick tilted his head. In his mind, Celeste and a baby were really, really one of the most mismatched combinations.

“Well, that. It’s a long story to explain.”

My mind was in chaos. I looked around for Carl, hoping to find someone to help, but he was buried in the imperial knight procession and couldn’t be seen.

At that moment, a loud noise started coming from the opposite exit of the train station. Another large group of people had entered.

Hannah, who had been wondering if there were more people coming, gasped in surprise when she spotted someone in the middle of the procession.

“Oh my, Count. That, that person…”

I cast my gaze towards where she was pointing. They were people wearing armor of the same color and similar shape as the procession that had come to greet Carl.

“Who are they? Are they also from the imperial knights?”

Why is everyone so surprised? While I was thinking, the newly arrived procession came straight up to me and stopped.

No one stopped them. It seemed they were indeed from the imperial faction.

“Buu, bua.”

Valerie started babbling. The child too seemed excited seeing so many people for the first time. Her cheeks were flushed. It was cute like a well-ripened peach, but I had no mental room to appreciate it as I stared at the approaching procession.

“Who are you?”

A knight as large as Kendrick stood directly in front of me. He was wearing a uniform instead of armor, with golden epaulettes shining on his shoulders and chest.

“It’s been a long time, Count Louisette.”

“So who…”

“Long time no see, Celly.”

While I was hearing an awkward greeting from the large knight, a low voice was heard from behind him.

“I didn’t expect to see you like this.”

The knight stepped aside, revealing the owner of the voice…

“Where did you disappear to without a word? And for months at that.”

Although he had a slightly playboy-like image, he was a very, very handsome man with blonde hair. Who is this now?

“…Who are you?”

The man stared at my face silently in response to my words.

“What’s wrong, Celly? Making such unfunny jokes.”

He’s calling me Celly. We must have been quite close. I quickly blinked at Hannah beside me. It was a plea for help.

Fortunately, Hannah was quite perceptive. She whispered the man’s identity into my ear.

“It’s His Highness Grand Duke Toskur. His name is Franz.”

Franz?

‘That’ Franz? My eyes widened.

“Celly. But what’s with that baby? Did you secretly give birth somewhere?”

With a height that must be at least 190 cm, bright blonde hair, and deep blue eyes. This man in front of me does seem to be Franz. The description in the novel is surprisingly accurate. My eyes moved busily, scanning his entire body.

“Franz.”

As Franz was about to say something more and come closer, a voice I had momentarily forgotten cut in.

“Step back.”

It was Carl.

An inexplicable tense atmosphere began. Franz had a strangely cunning aspect due to the smile he consistently wore on his lips, while Carl maintained his unreadable poker face, but exuded an intimidating aura that made onlookers tense.

Although neither of them was frowning or openly glaring, the emotion between the two men’s eyes was clearly visible.

The two seemed to harbor negative feelings towards each other that went beyond simple dislike, bordering on disgust or hatred.

They really don’t get along well. Well, just from how unpleasant Carl was when I muttered Franz’s name earlier, not knowing who he was…

No one could intervene as the two wall-like large men glared at each other. It was natural, given that no one gathered here could match Carl and Franz’s positions.

Someone say something already. Cold sweat was about to break out from the awkward tension that was almost suffocating.

The sunlight reflected and broke into various colors through the large window on one side of the platform. Despite it being a warm spring day, an untimely chill floated in the air thanks to the two men.

At that moment, the spring breeze that gently flew into the train station ruffled Carl’s hair, and the sunlight shattered like jewels in his eyes revealed beneath.

“Wow…”

There’s no need for special effects like in dramas. It was just his bangs flying in the wind, but seeing that sight made my heart feel like it had dropped, and I unconsciously rubbed my chest.

The protagonist’s buff was truly powerful. In any situation, the protagonist’s handsome face had the power to draw everyone’s understanding and forgiveness.

Wondering if I was just failing to read the atmosphere, I looked around to see everyone else had similar expressions to mine.

Right. Tension is tension, and what’s visible is visible. How often do you get the chance to see two such handsome men at once?

On one side, a fluttering beauty like the free spring breeze, on the other, an ascetic beauty like the cold winter. It was essentially a staring contest between the two most handsome men in the world.

Just as my eyes were about to enjoy this rare sight, Franz was the first to speak.

“I wonder why my nephew is so angry.”

It sounded kind at first, but it was clearly a mocking tone.

“Not even greeting your long-lost uncle properly.”

Uncle? Nephew? Are these two men, who look about the same age, in an uncle-nephew relationship?

I quickly tried to recall the contents of the novel in my memory, but I must have skimmed over this part as I couldn’t remember anything clearly. I should have read more diligently and thoroughly.

“Did I have another uncle besides my small father who is under Grandmother Melania’s care?”

The moment the name Melania was mentioned, Franz’s lips stiffened. The strange smile that had been constantly present on his face disappeared in an instant.

I don’t know for sure, but that must be Franz’s sore spot. Seeing his face turn so grim at just one word.

“…Don’t you know that your words are insulting the late Emperor? Arrogant brat.”

Gone was the composure from earlier, Franz’s face was now filled with disgust. On the other hand, Carl’s face remained unreadable.

They say you lose a battle of nerves if one side shows all their emotions. In that sense, Carl seemed to be the winner of this confrontation.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t deal with half-breeds.”

“What? You bastard…”

The atmosphere became uncontrollably worse. Franz flushed red, looking like he might grab Carl’s collar at any moment, while Carl still quietly hid his true feelings behind his poker face.

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could guess who Carl’s words about ‘half-breeds’ were aimed at. Though I didn’t know well what secret relationship existed between the two, some inference was possible just from their brief exchange.

So, tracing the family tree, Franz seems to be something like Carl’s uncle. A late-born uncle from a different grandmother, that is, the new wife of the grandfather.

“Waaah!”

The tension that had been as taut as a drawn string was broken by an unexpected sound. Was it because too many people suddenly appeared, or did the child also feel uncomfortable with the adults’ battle of nerves? Valerie’s face turned bright red as she started crying.

“Why is the young lady suddenly like this, Miss Valerie. Shh, shh, it’s okay. Shh.”

Hannah brought her face close to Valerie in my arms, trying to soothe and comfort her, but Valerie’s crying didn’t stop. Thanks to this, the tug-of-war between the two men was forcibly ended.