This Time, I Became the Fiance of a Duke’s Daughter. But She is Rumored to have Bad Personality, and Ten Years Older – Chapter 53

Jared, exhausted after a long day, collapsed onto the sofa in his room upon returning from the academy. He lay sprawled on the comfortable sofa, still in his boots, a somewhat slovenly sight. This was a villa of the Ducal Family, after all, but Jared was too drained to care.

Meeting the Duke hadn’t been particularly taxing, and he found Conrad Alway, Olivier’s younger brother, interesting as a fellow magician. He trusted that the Duke, who was considerate of Olivier and Hannelore, wouldn’t introduce anyone who would harm them, but he decided to ask Olivier just in case.

However, the most exhausting part of his day was the appearance of Emilia Alway. She clearly had something on her mind regarding Olivier. She had suddenly appeared and ended by proposing marriage, though the Duke’s anger diffused the situation. The thought of potentially meeting her at the academy again weighed heavily on him.

The Duke hadn’t noticed, but Emilia had been watching Jared from within the mansion as he left. He definitely couldn’t tell Olivier about Emilia. At the very least, he intended to leave her be until the problem became something he couldn’t handle. Honestly, he found people like Emilia, whose thoughts were hidden, difficult to deal with. Olivier, whom he had just met, was similar in that regard, but after talking to her for a bit, her personality had been easy to understand. Emilia, however, was different. Despite a brief conversation, she hadn’t revealed her true self. He didn’t feel the same sense of danger that would require him to assess someone’s character before approaching them, as he did with Olivier. He felt no such wariness from Emilia. Jared concluded that Emilia was a troublesome opponent and he wanted nothing to do with her.

Besides, it was clear she was on bad terms with Olivier, and judging by the Duke’s attitude, he must have wanted to keep her away from him. Therefore, Jared had no intention of getting involved with her. Once he decided, he pushed Emilia out of his mind, unwilling to dwell on her. Since he had no particular plans for tomorrow, he might send a letter to the Duke later and try to meet Conrad. Whether he had the aptitude for magic or not, a swift judgment would be best.

“Jared, I’m coming in?”

As he pondered, feeling a bit sleepy and stifling a yawn, Olivier entered the room. In her hands were a teapot and cups. Upon finding Jared sprawled on the sofa, Olivier frowned.

“There’s time before dinner, so I thought we could have some tea— but first, get your feet off the sofa. You’re being sloppy. If you’re tired, go to bed.”

“If I go to bed, I think I’ll sleep until morning.”

“Then have some tea and wake yourself up. I also want to talk a bit.”

Jared sat up from the sofa. It was perfect, as he wanted to ask Olivier about Conrad.

“Thank you for going to the trouble of making tea.”

“It’s nothing. I can do this for you anytime.”

She smiled, but it was unusual for a noble young lady to prepare tea for someone herself. Trane shouldered much of the household chores, but Olivier’s determination to do what she could was admirable. The tea she poured had a different aroma and taste than Trane’s.

“This is my favorite tea. I like its calming aroma.”

Indeed, the fruity, sweet aroma was soothing. Even without sugar, the tea was sweet and rich in flavor, with a mild taste that made it easy to drink. As they drank their tea in silence, Jared met Olivier’s gaze.

“If you have something to say, please go ahead.”

“Yes, thank you. You met with Father today, didn’t you? I apologize for summoning you so early in the morning.”

“It’s fine. It concerned me.”

“What do you mean?”

Olivier was curious about what Jared had discussed with Duke Alway. She probably brought the tea for that very reason. However, he couldn’t possibly say, “I was agonizing over the reply to your letter.”

“Pfeil— it’s about the recent attack.”

“I’ve heard a little about it. Apparently, he hasn’t said anything, nor eaten or drunk anything.”

“While I am concerned about his condition, I am worried that the masterminds who commissioned him might try to eliminate Pfeil. Of course, with the guards present, they probably can’t do anything rash. But if, by any chance, a new assassin from Waalthe were to appear, that would change things.”

“That’s true… but my father will likely take precautions just in case.”

Besides, worrying endlessly about every possibility was futile. Unlike Olivier, Jared had an optimistic side and didn’t want to panic over things that might not happen. While vigilance was necessary, he often felt he didn’t want to be constantly plagued by anxiety.

“Of course. However, I felt that the situation wouldn’t change if things remained as they are, so I decided to meet Pfeil.”

“—Seriously?”

“Absolutely. I spoke with the Duke, and Pfeil lives by Waalthe’s rule of obeying the stronger party. That’s why I believe I can talk to him, in whatever form it takes, as long as I fight and win.”

“Is there no danger?”

“I don’t know. But if I talk to Pfeil and we find out which of the Duke’s consorts made the request, you and Hannelore will be able to live with peace of mind.”

He had already accepted the potential danger. However, he didn’t believe Pfeil would act against Jared at this point. If he had intended to resist, he would not have revealed information about the client or told Jared to kill him. Perhaps it was naive, but Jared preferred to think positively.

However, Olivier’s expression was grim.

“So, because of us, you’re going to be in danger again… Father, and I, we rely on you so much. I really hate this, I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize. I sincerely wish for you, Hannelore, and Trane to live in peace. So, let’s prioritize solving the problem right now.”

“…Thank you.”

Olivier, with faint tears welling up, wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. Jared pretended not to notice her tears and finished his tea.

“It seems like you’re always helping me. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“In that case, there is one thing I would like to ask.”

“Go ahead and say it.”

“Could you tell me about Conrad Alway?”

“What—”

The moment he asked, Olivier’s expression clouded with anger. He found her expressions so varied that they were never boring, and while trying to distract himself, he waited for Olivier’s words.

“So, that’s how it is. Father intends to entrust Conrad to you.”

“Olivier-sama?”

“Do you understand what this means? Conrad is the only heir candidate within the Alway Ducal Family who possesses magic power!”

“Yes, that’s why the Duke asked me to assess his potential as a magician.”

“Is that all?”

“Um, if he has talent and I like him, he wants me to mentor him.”

“See! You’re being taken in by Father!”

Jared desperately resisted the urge to say, “What’s new?” As Olivier’s fiancé living together, he would already be seen by others as a magician involved with the Alway Ducal Family. It would be even more so after marriage. Jared believed Conrad’s situation was simply a father’s wish to provide a learning environment for a child with magic power. He wouldn’t lack talent. The Ducal Family already had magicians, so they should be able to judge whether he could succeed as a magician. Therefore, he surmised that if there wasn’t a magician to teach him, it must be because he was exceptionally talented. That was precisely why Jared became interested in Conrad and decided to meet him.

However,

“Alright? I feel sorry for Conrad, but you don’t have to listen to Father!”

It seemed the fiancé was displeased.