I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 104

“We’ll be leaving soon, so Miss Vanessa had better be in the carriage.”

 

“And Estella?”

 

“Here, sis, here!”

 

Estella ran into my arms, her half-tied hair fluttering.

 

“My brother gave this to me to cover you up, in case you get cold all of a sudden.”

 

“Really? I’ll have to thank him later.”

 

“I never knew he was such an attentive man, huh, huh, huh, huh.”

 

“I’m sure he only took care of me because you and I are together, so while I’m at it, I’ll take care of you…”

 

I mumbled timidly and hugged the blanket Estella had brought.

 

The fluffy fabric smelled good. It smelled like crisp sunshine. And the warm scent of Jeremiah’s own…

 

I suddenly became embarrassed and buried my face in the blanket. It was then.

 

“Whoa!”

 

“What’s going on all of a sudden! Ewww…”

 

Someone on a large horse spurred through the gates of the ducal residence. The servants carrying the luggage were startled and quickly moved out of the way.

 

The rider was clad in a robe, with a head of red hair peeking out from beneath it like a maple leaf. I opened my eyes wide, and the horse stopped in front of me. Skillfully pulling on the reins, he removed the hood that covered his face.

 

Estella squinted in disbelief and muttered in a prickly voice.

 

“What’s he doing here?”

 

I asked. “What’s going on here…”

 

I turned to meet Julian’s golden eyes staring down at me from his horse.

 

The sudden arrival of the crown prince had caused an uproar in the manor.

 

Jeremiah strode out of the manor before anyone could say a word and stood in front of Julian, both of them scowling.

 

“Your Majesty, you should be in the imperial palace, what brings you to the duke’s residence?”

 

“No business at the duke’s.”

 

Jeremiah’s surprisingly cold and blunt words bothered Julian, who reached out a hand toward me.

 

“Vanessa. I need to talk to you.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes, you.”

 

Julian gestured for me to come over. I glanced around and held out a shaky hand.

 

Just then, someone grabbed my hand and pulled it down.

 

“Whoa.”

 

…Note: This sound was made by Estella.

 

“You don’t have to go.”

 

Jeremiah, who had gripped my hand tightly, muttered, then turned sharply to Julian.

 

“Is this some new imperial etiquette you’ve learned, barging in and demanding that I give you a member of the household? It’s a courtesy that I, a non-imperial, have a hard time understanding.”

 

“Whoa…”

 

This time it’s the sound I made.

 

“Jeremiah, I think you’re treading a fine line here…”

 

But Julian didn’t seem to mind at all and snorted.

 

“A man of the house? I thought the woman’s last name was Asell?”

 

“We call them family, even if they don’t have the same last name. Though I doubt His Highness, who is in the Isles, would know.”

 

“I’ve heard the duke is a good employer.”

 

Hmph, Julian snorted softly and turned his attention back to me, his handsome eyebrows arched.

 

“No, you’re leaving without telling me you’re going, and if you go now, when will I see you again?”

 

He said impatiently. True to his word, I did not tell Julian that I was returning to the north.

 

In fact, there was no way to get the word to the imperial court.

 

Anyway, I had told Julian before that I was going with Jeremiah, so I figured that if the Duke of Oppenheim died, I would go with him.

 

As soon as Julian heard that I was coming, he seemed to have come to the Snowflake Manor in a hurry, as evidenced by the fact that he rode on horseback instead of in a carriage, and by the fact that he hadn’t dyed his hair, leaving his red hair untouched.

 

“Ha. I’m thirsty, please make me tea in the parlor.”

 

Jeremiah’s eyebrows arched in disapproval at Julian’s brazen demand.

 

“Whoa.”

 

Estella let out another sigh.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Jeremiah couldn’t just leave the crown prince standing at the door, so he gave in to Julian’s demands.

 

The maid, who had set down her teacup, looked at the tense confrontation between the two men to me and frowned.

 

“Miss Vanessa, be strong!”

 

The maid, who spoke to me in the form of a mouth, left the parlor with a shuffling step.

 

I blinked dumbly, not knowing what she was cheering for. ‘

 

Did she mean cheer for being fast in the middle?’

 

“This tea tastes terrible.”

 

Julian, cross-legged and sipping his tea, attacked first. Jeremiah shot back.

 

“I don’t even bother to serve tea to unwelcome guests.”

 

“How dare you call me an uninvited guest, you arrogant bastard.”

 

“If you don’t like that, Your Highness, you should have come with an invitation.”

 

Jeremiah lowered his eyes, but his tone was far from docile. The displeasure in his tone was palpable.

 

Julian snorted again and took another sip of tea.

 

“I would like you to leave now.”

 

“I refuse.”

 

“Vanessa. Tell him to get lost.”

 

“Vanessa.”

 

When Jeremiah cut him off, Julian turned to me. Then Jeremiah turned to me.

 

The golden and chartreuse eyes met mine at once.

 

“Because…”

 

I rolled my eyes as I tapped my fingers against my palm. But the answer was already there.

 

I wondered what Julian would say to me after coming all this way. Perhaps he’d ask Jeremiah to leave because there was something he didn’t feel comfortable saying in front of him.

 

“Duke, may I speak with him alone for a moment…?”

 

Julian smiled triumphantly in response. Jeremiah gave me his trademark sour look. I turned my head away, trying not to fall for it.

 

Jeremiah stood up without warning.

 

“Don’t talk too long, Estella’s waiting.”

 

Throwing me the ultimate bait, Estella’s name, he reluctantly left the parlor.

 

With a click, the door closed, and Julian and I were the only two people in the parlor.

 

Julian leaned back on the couch and grumbled.

 

“I suppose a duke can’t be petty without being petty, can he? I’ll just have to roll with it.”

 

…It looks like Jeremiah just doubled his workload again.

 

“Anyway, you, Vanessa. You really weren’t going to tell me?”

 

“How am I supposed to tell His Imperial Highness…”

 

“Why can’t you, you’re a noble now!”

 

Julian shouted in exasperation. I scratched my chin instead of making more excuses. If I told him I didn’t do it because I couldn’t be bothered, he’d be even angrier, so I kept my mouth shut.

 

“You didn’t have to come in such a hurry. What about Lord Kianton?”

 

“I don’t know. He’s at the crown prince’s palace. I think he’s crying”

 

“I told you to be nice to him…”

 

“You’re more important to me.”

 

Julian snorted at Kianton’s dismissal of me. Feeling a little sorry for Kianton, I smirked.

 

“You’re more important than him.”

 

You’d think Julian and I had known each other for ten years.

 

“I am honored that you would say so, Your Highness.”

 

“Of course it is.”

 

“But now you don’t have to say that to me, and you don’t have to feel guilty or anything…”

 

“What?”

 

Julian stared at me in disbelief.

 

“Did you think I cared about you because of the kidnapping?”

 

“You don’t?”

 

“No… Ha… Yeah, I guess so.”

 

Sighing at my bewildered stare, Julian drained his moderately lukewarm tea in one swallow.

 

He ruffled his hair and spoke gruffly.

 

“And don’t forget, you’re my vassal.”

 

“Ah. So, you’ve done something nice for me in advance to pamper me?”

 

“Yes. In addition to that, I’m going to announce far and wide that my entourage is Viscount Asell!”

 

“Haha…”

 

“Buy a mansion in the north for you to use as Viscount Asell. Or do you want me to buy it for you?”

 

At Julian’s words, I quickly shook my head. I quickly shook my head, because if I let it go, there would indeed be a mansion in the north that the crown prince bought for me. Besides, somehow, I don’t see that ending well.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“What?”

 

“Do you think you’ll be lonely if I go?”

 

“…….”

 

Julian’s mouth fell open at my question. I looked at him and smiled sheepishly.

 

“In that case, would you dare me to send a letter to the king?”

 

“You don’t say you’d rather stay here.”

 

“I want to be in my own house, too.”

 

“Never mind. I can tell my servant to bring me Vanessa Asell’s letter at once.”

 

“Will His Highness reply to it?”

 

“What time does a crown prince have for a mere nobleman?”

 

“You said you’d make it known far and wide that I was an entourage, not a nobleman.”

 

“The answer is… Dude, you don’t look like a duke.”

 

Without Jeremiah, Julian’s tone was unusually light.

 

After chatting with him for a while, I realized it was time to get up. Given the time it had taken me to get here, I realized that even if I left now, I wouldn’t reach Loasen until late in the evening.

 

“I think we should really go now.”

 

When I said that, Julian hesitated for a moment before speaking.

 

“Vanessa.”

 

“What?”

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

The second apology I’d heard from him. No, it was the third.