Chapter Sixty: Subsequent Arrangements
The Second Prince took Alman and Carly on a tour around the church. Although they visited every room, it seemed there were still many places he hadn’t fully explained to them, especially considering the drafty walls they happened to pass by.
Afterward, the Second Prince smilingly proposed holding a feast to entertain them, but Alman and Carly both immediately declined. A banquet like that would feel like a punishment for their stomachs with just one bite too many.
If the Second Prince weren’t present, the two of them might be able to explore a bit more. Who knows what secrets they could uncover? However, now that the Second Prince had caught wind of their intentions and specifically come here to “receive” them, it indicated that lingering was unwise.
“As it stands, at least three hidden passages are behind the walls.”
Carly climbed onto the carriage and took out a palm-sized notebook, jotting down everything he had just observed— the number of rooms, the number of steps, and various measurements of distance and height. As a businessman, even if he wasn’t in real estate, having the ability to “measure by eye” was crucial, or it would invite trouble during transactions.
“There might be more; he didn’t even take us to the basement.”
Alman moved closer to Carly, watching him sketch out simple blueprints while writing down string after string of numbers.
“Didn’t he say that was where they stored the wine?”
Carly chuckled as he spoke, indicating how flimsy that excuse was.
“I used that same excuse when I checked under my manor.” Alman shrugged.
“Is that so? It seems you’re both cut from the same cloth.”
“Don’t joke; I might throw up.”
No matter how much he downplayed himself, Alman wouldn’t agree to be compared to the Second Prince.
“Once we return to the Knight Order, we’ll need to finalize the list of knights stationed there.”
Carly silently wrote down one name after another, assigning them to every corner of the church.
“Just find some reliable ones; spies are spies, and knights are knights. Let those ordinary knights mind their own business and stand their posts. As for the informants, I’ll find someone else.”
Sending those knights to Saint Floris Church was almost like entering enemy territory. Although those people wouldn’t openly harm anyone, who knew what might happen in the shadows? If those well-meaning knights discovered something, who knows how the Second Prince would handle it? His Nightingale House was notorious for dealing with such dirty work, and there was no chance they’d let anyone who knew the secret return alive.
“I understand what you mean; I’ll take care of it.”
Carly nodded in understanding.
“Speaking of which, the celebration is coming up soon. How are things on your end?”
Sitting in the carriage, the bumpy wooded road rocked the cabin side to side. Alman sat beside Carly, slowly closing his eyes to calm his mind. The sound of Carly’s pencil scratching on the notebook served as a pleasant white noise.
“I’m currently working on the final draft. After I meet with the First Prince in a few days, we can finalize it.”
“Are you attending?”
“Of course. My wife is really looking forward to this grand celebration. In crowded places like these, there’s always a wealth of business opportunities. How could my money-loving wife miss out on this chance?”
“…True.” Thinking back to the first time he met Carly’s wife, her enthusiastic demeanor surprised Alman. He was quite popular among noble ladies due to his good looks, and she even asked him if he wanted to partner with her to sell some merchandise, insisting that he wouldn’t have to do anything—just grant her co-branding rights while she handled the rest and collected a commission.
Alman certainly refused; he wasn’t the type interested in becoming an idol. He believed the less known he was, the more comfortable his retirement would be. He had turned down Carly’s wife’s proposals several times until Carly stepped in to convince her, finally putting the matter to rest. Nevertheless, that woman still gave Alman a business card, saying he could reach out to her whenever he needed help with promotional collaborations.
“Aren’t you going to attend this time?”
Carly put the notebook down and, along with Alman, closed his eyes to rest. More chaotic tasks awaited them when they returned to the Knight Order.
“I have no interest. I hate balls.”
When it came to celebrations, those boring noble balls were inevitable.
Alman despised balls the most. Each time, he’d only show up, then sneak away through a window. If anyone tried to find him, he was either wandering in another hall or fishing in the rear garden’s lake, perhaps even taking a nap on a tree branch. If he wanted to appear for the closing, he would crawl back in, polite enough to say, “Oh, you all had such a great ball; I look forward to the next invitation.” If he didn’t want to stay, he’d be home on horseback long before the ball ended.
“But you’re the Commander of the Knight Order.”
“I could hand that position over to you at any time.”
“Enough; you think I’m not busy enough?”
Although outside rumors suggested that if something happened to Alman, Carly would automatically take over as Commander, Carly himself had no interest in that position.
His role as a deputy was going well; he didn’t need to make many decisions—just follow Alman’s orders. It was simple, just fulfilling the tasks given to him.
If he became Commander, the burden would be heavy. As it stood, if something went wrong, Alman could shoulder it all. As long as it wasn’t serious, he wouldn’t face severe punishment as the First Prince’s favored subordinate. But if Carly took it on and something went wrong, the First Prince wouldn’t necessarily protect him.
Promotions didn’t come with higher pay; they only brought more troubles. Not to mention Carly’s family wasn’t short on money.
“By the way, about that girl you’ve been mentioning, are you not going to bring her to the ball?”
“Hmm?” Alman opened his half-closed eyes. “You want me to take her to the ball?”
“Yeah, there’s not much else to do at the ball, mostly just chatting and dancing. Close proximity like dancing can really enhance feelings of affection.”
“…That’s true.” Alman found some logic in this. “But I hate those chattering women.”
Given Alman’s popularity among women, it wasn’t just his arrogance. Every time he showed up at a ball, noble ladies would flock to him, which was one of the reasons he always sneaked away. If he took Evelia with him, those women would likely have even more to say. Moreover, Evelia wasn’t a noble, which would inevitably invite even more unkind remarks.
“That’s true…” Carly murmured softly with his eyes closed. “But this celebration is to honor heroes; all our knights are heroes, no distinction of status, so I made a point of separating the noble ballroom from the knights’ ballroom. Our soldiers can’t all be nobles, and to avoid that boring class conflict, I deliberately did this.”
“Oh—look at you, so well-prepared. But—” Alman thought for a moment and said, “I can’t dance.”
“…What are you talking about? Can’t you learn?”
