The Princess is Going on Strike - Chapter 11
Chapter 11
My room was quiet once more and I returned to my desk and sat down in the chair. I looked up at the ceiling and thought,
Is Asterin really going to tell him? I really hope she does. Then it’ll give me enough time from tonight for an entire week to finish these documents. Once I go back, I’ll need to contact the guilds and organize a list of equipments for the knigh-
[Knock, knock.]
Just as I was about to finish my thought, someone knocked on the door.
I’m sure it isn’t Asterin, so why are there so many visitors early in the morning? I picked a room that’s far from everyone else, too.
I got up from my seat and went to open the door. I thought it would be family or the maid named Alissa, but it was someone else entirely. Velfor stood smiling in front of my door with his silver-blue colored hair neatly arranged. He had his business smile one. I was a bit surprised to see him, but believed that he may appear, so I reacted accordingly.
“Sir… Velfor?”
As I greeted him, a faint silhouette that stood behind him caught my eye. When I raised my head, I noticed blonde hair that reminded me of a skein of golden thread.
I wonder who that is.
Velfor took a step aside and the person’s face came into view.
“Ah, this is the Commander of our knightage….”
“Ethan Lloyd Berlstein.”
I quickly finished what Velfor’s sentence. How could I not know such a renowned person?
“I believe he is the Duke of the Berlstein family.”
Velfor was slightly surprised by my words and nodded.
“As expected, celebrities are recognized right away.”
“Rather than being a celebrity, it would be strange for me to not know the Young Master of the strongest family of knights, the Berlsteins.”
I turned my head towards the new visitor after lightly answering Velfor’s statement. We stared at one another for a moment. I noticed his brown eyes before slightly lowering my head.
“Welcome, Sir Berlstein. As this is an informal meeting, would it be alright if I called you by your knightly title?”
“You may do as you please. It does not matter much to me.”
I never thought there’d come a day when I would hear this man’s soothing voice.
I didn’t know much about Ethan as I haven’t met him before, but he is a bit, no, extremely famous and an important figure. He’s the next duke of Berlstein, one of the three ducal families that support the Empire as well as the strongest family of knights. He is the second child of the family born after the eldest daughter. Allegedly, he held a sword since he was young and has never let it go. Due to his knightly duties, Ethan has never attended a single banquet and has received countless marriage proposals despite being a little over 20-years-old, but hasn’t accepted any of them as of yet. He wasn’t married even at the time of my death. Thus it wasn’t surprising that people were greatly interested in who his future partner would be, only second to the Crown Prince’s.
However, it wasn’t his popularity, but another reason why I paid much attention to this man. Ethan Lloyd Berlstein. This man was the central figure in the creation of the Knights of the Imperial Guard and their leading commander. Due to his feat, rumors that the Berlstein family had surpassed the Brixia family spread throughout the empire. This caused me to remember how Oledin had later scolded me, telling me to help him make more achievements.
I never thought I’d see a face that I’ve only seen in portraits. It seems that one sees it all when they live a long life.
“What brings you here….? Ah, come on in. Pardon me for making such important guests stand like this.”
“Then, pardon the intrusion.”
Velfor quietly came in and sat in the chair I indicated. Ethan slowly walked in the room, looked around, then made eye contact with me. Despite wearing my mask, it felt as if his gaze pierced through me. He then nodded lightly, sat in a chair, and clasped his hands in front of him.
“I would’ve served you tea, but as you can see, this room isn’t prepared…”
“There’s no need as we are the ones who’ve come without prior notice, Lady Aerylle. Isn’t that right?”
Ethan nodded in agreement at Velfor.
What a quiet man.
As I wasn’t fond of private chats, I got straight to the point.
“So what can I do for you so early in the morning? If there was something you wished to ask me, you could have sent a servant…”
“I came in person as the content was a bit delicate for anyone else to know about. I did think of sending a message, but the commander wished to meet you in person.”
“The commander?”
Velfor turned towards Ethan, who unfolded his hands and placed them neatly on his thighs then spoke.
“Lady Aerylle. As you may have already expected, the reason why we came to see you was because of what you told Velfor the other day.”
I nodded in response as it was exactly what I had expected. Ethan calmly continued while observing my reaction.
“We wished to hear more in detail about that person.”
“More details, huh… what do you mean? I told you everything I could then.”
“You said that an executive officer was corrupt.”
“Yes, were you able to look into it?”
Velfor reached out as Ethan handed him the document he had brought with him. He then handed them to me. I flipped open the cover and read the contents which contained sworn statements. Most of the statements were consistent and it was perfectly organized with reports about the wrongdoings of the Brixia Family. When I looked back up, Ethan had his head resting on his clenched fist as he gazed at me.
“It was as the Lady presumed. What do you think?”
“I’m glad I was of help.”
“…..is that all?”
I nodded as he gave a slight collapsed expression.
Did he expect me to react differently? This fact is something I already knew and chose to reveal it.
Ethan looked down as if he was carefully trying to organize his thoughts before looking back up at me and spoke.
“Lady Aerylle.”
His way of calling me “Lady this, Lady that” felt quite unpleasant. I only belonged to the Brixia family in name only. But the way Ethan kept calling me “Lady” made it sound like I was truly a member of the family. He tilted his head to the side when he saw me knit my brows.
“There is no need to call me Lady in such an informal meeting. You can just call me by my name.”
“Then Miss Brixia.”
“The family name is unnecessary. Please call me by my name. My first name.”
I tapped the table and wrote my name with the motions of my finger. Ethan stared at my hand then slowly opened his mouth.
“Aerylle…”
“Good.”
I nodded then continued speaking.
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