After the conversation with Nike, Rosenta slept a little more.
After that, he headed to the dining room.
It was a late lunch, so he was the only one in the spacious dining room.
But the table wasn’t set for only one person. A few more dishes began to be served.
He called the servant who was standing at the back.
"Is someone else coming?"
"Yes, the Duke of Cardia waited to dine with you and others will come as well."
He wanted to ask who the other person was but, with the door opening soon after, he didn't have to ask.
"Your Majesty, did you have a peaceful night?”
"Oh...…. I don't know.”
Theodore entered the dining room with a face that looked completely drained.
After sitting at the head of the table, he dropped his head weakly. He looked very tired.
It was obvious that he had lost sleep.
The dining room door opened again. This time, three people appeared.
They were coming into the dining room, pleasantly chatting.
"Mother, the butler emerged from the entrance with the duke in his arms...…. It was really cool."
It was Aphra and Nike.
Enoch followed behind them silently.
"Enoch?"
‘Why is Enoch here?’
There must be a separate dining room for the staff on a lower level of the mansion...….
Nike explained to Rosenta casually, as though she noticed his surprise.
"I ran into him in the way."
Then, he leisurely took his seat, and strangely, Nike asked for Theodore's permission.
‘I’m Enoch’s master.’
"The butler also suffered yesterday, so it's natural to eat together. Don't you think so, Your Majesty?"
Theodore spoke heavily after not answering for a while.
"Yes. We left together...… It would be right to enjoy the recovery that follows together."
"Thank you."
Enoch bowed his head very politely and gracefully toward Theodore.
However, Theodore distorted his face despite the polite greeting.
The atmosphere had cooled slightly.
Aphra exclaimed loudly, as to quickly dissipate such a tense atmosphere.
Although the last note he spoke trembled like a goat.
"Then let’s prepare an additional table setting and enjoy a late lunch."
***
Contrary to Aphra's efforts, lunch was eaten in silence.
Rosenta was quite satisfied.
It was better not to speak at all than to deal with such a bad atmosphere.
In fact, everyone except Aphra quietly enjoyed their meal.
Aphra was the only one who showed signs of discomfort.
"Hmm. Hm!"
By the time the dessert came out, Aphra kept hitting his chest. He even coughed in vain.
Rosenta watched Aphra with curious eyes.
‘Is it because I’m aware that he’ll be staying as a guest in my castle? I’m suddenly interested in his behavior.’
Well.
In a way, Rosenta thought that he could be a match for Vivian.
"Ah, Duke, what is it...…?”
As if Rosenta’s gaze toward him was embarrassing, his orange eyes darted.
Anyway, it's true that he stared hard at Aphra, so he offered him an apology.
"I'm sorry to have stared at you. When I heard that you would stay at our castle in the future, my eyes kept drifting onto you."
‘Did my answer make Aphra more embarrassed?’
Aphra jumped to his feet.
"What? What do you...….”
"Oh...…. You haven’t discussed it already?"
Rosenta was taken aback. He looked away awkwardly.
Between the two of them, who were perplexed, there was Nike, who was leisurely eating cake.
After chewing her cake carefully, Nike opened her mouth to speak.
"Yes, it hadn’t been discussed yet, but you will be going, so you don’t need to bother worrying."
"Mother! I don't...….”
She overpowered Aphra at once.
"Shh. Be quiet. This isn’t the place for this type of conversation. I'll talk to you later."
Aphra looked confused and wanted to ask a lot questions, but he sat quietly in place as Nike told him to.
Then he nodded blankly.
"Yes…….”
It didn’t look like they’d talked to each other yet, but it wasn’t Rosenta’s business.
If she told him to take him, he’ll take him and if she doesn’t, he won’t.
He resumed leisurely enjoying his dessert.
Meanwhile, his eyes met with Nike’s, who was looking at him.
Nike smiled and asked questions as if she had been waiting.
"May I ask when you are going to leave?"
It had already been decided since Theodore joined.
They couldn’t leave the palace empty forever, so they’d head back right away.
"I can't leave my responsibilities untended for long, so we’ll be going back as soon as possible. Immediately, if you don't mind. But Duke Cardia...… will that be all right?"
Rosenta was worried about Aphra, so he stared at him.
But no answer came from Aphra.
Nike said firmly, "I don't care. I was just planning to provide a means of transportation to make it easier for you to leave."
Providing transportation was not a common thing to arrange. Therefore, he thanked Nike politely.
"Thank you for your kind consideration."
"It's all right. I have to do this for my son. I will prepare the means of transportation right away."
***
Nike's ability to act was remarkable.
Indeed, by the time lunch was completely over, all the preparations were waiting for them.
There was no need for him to decline either.
Nike looked up at the two jaguars she had prepared and stared at the sky once.
It was still the middle of the day, full of bright sunshine.
"Your Majesty."
Rosenta turned to Theodore.
Although he gave the appearance of asking for permission, Rosenta spoke to Theodore as though he were forcing him.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to leave right away."
"You must have decided the answer already."
"Yes."
"Then, Rosenta, as you wish."
It was the answer Rosenta wanted.
Then there was only one action for Enoch and him to take. He ordered Enoch right away.
"Get your things packed."
“……Yes."
Enoch hurried into the castle to pack his things.
But that wasn't the end of it.
The one who might be their companion remained standing still.
"Will the prince be joining us?"
It was the same situation as before.
Nike snatched Aphra's answer, apparently asking to speak with him separately.
"He'll follow you. Aphra, what are you doing? Hurry up and go pack your things."
"Oh, mother."
"Let's go quickly."
Later, Theodore also went into the castle to take care of his luggage.
Rosenta was the only one waiting for everyone there.
Before long, they began to come out one by one with their luggage.
Everything was done so quickly that it didn't seem like he had suddenly decided to go now.
Was that why? There were incidents that happened.
Arancia cried because she couldn't stand to let her first brother go, and Theodore complained to Rosenta that he didn't want to ride a separate jaguar from him.
Of course, it was all resolved quickly.
"Your Majesty, I will visit you at the Imperial Palace later."
Theodore frowned at his answer without a moment's hesitation.
Recently, Theodore was becoming increasingly childish.
He came close to Rosenta so that no one else could hear. He then began to grumble in his usual way.
"Rosenta, why should I be the only one riding a different jaguar? Wouldn’t it be fine to go together?"
"Don't you have to head back to the Imperial Palace quickly? It's just more cumbersome to go together."
"So…… You've gotten so cold."
"It seems to me that Your Majesty has become childish."
"Ha."
Theodore burst out laughing as if he was dumbfounded.
However, he could not give in to Theodore's stubbornness this time.
He deliberately pretended not to hear and turned away firmly from Theodore.
"Rosenta!"
He could hear Theodore calling his name, but he didn't budge.
Rather, he deliberately turned around and only waved one hand.
Then, he climbed behind Aphra, who had already climbed on the back of the Jaguar.
"Well, am I really going, too?"
Even now, at the point of his departure, Aphra seemed to feel like it was all a dream.
Rosenta felt sorry for him because he wondered how confused Aphra must have been to keep asking these questions over and over again.
"Yes, you’re really going."
When he heard his answer, Aphra's shoulders drooped weakly.
Nike and his siblings approached Aphra as if they had seen it.
They began to speak to him.
"My son, Aphra. Go see a wider world than what you can see walking around this narrow place."
"I'll send you good quality paper as a gift so that you can draw a map, just like you enjoy doing."
"Big brother, have a safe trip! It'll be even better if you come back with a wonderful sister-in-law!"
"Crying. Big brother!"
At that moment, Aphra clasped his hands together as if he finally understood why his mother wanted to let him go.
He looked at his mother, Nike Cardia.
Nike ignored her son's expectant eyes. Rather, she spoke her final words to Rosenta.
"Aphra is a child who has abilities that make it a waste to stay here. Please help him spread his wings out there and see many things. Thank you for looking after him.”
"Yes."
It was a short answer, but as if that alone gave her a definite confirmation, Nike's face relaxed.
Soon, Rosenta felt the weight shift behind him.
While he’d been talking with Nike, Enoch had mounted the Jaguar's back.
Along with him, several pieces of luggage could be seen being loaded.
It was signaling that the time to leave Silva was approaching.
Rosenta glanced at Theodore.
There was only a lone drive and Theodore aboard the other jaguar.
It seemed as if everything had been prepared at once.
"Hmm…….”
Aphra turned around, apparently hearing Rosenta’s quiet groan.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Rosenta smiled and looked to the side again.
He saw Theodore blinking at him. He carefully read his lips.
'I'll wait for you, in the palace.'