I’m Just a Counselor Chapter 83

“Anyway, if there’s something I don’t know, you could tell me, and isn’t that better than having someone keep talking about nothing?”

 

“I just don’t like to see the Duke being smug.”

 

Julian muttered offhandedly.

 

As he spoke, he glanced around. No one but Kianton was looking at him.

 

When he was sure no one was listening, he leaned slightly toward me and spoke.

 

“…It’s a little more complicated than that, actually.”

 

He opened his mouth as if to spill the beans, and I perked up my ears.

 

“What?”

 

“Like you said, sometimes the Duke is grateful, apparently. He’s my subject, after all.”

 

“But?”

 

“But sometimes that’s the problem. I think he’s above me when he should be below me.”

 

“…….”

 

“It’s also a problem because I’ve never beaten him.”

 

“Why is that a problem?”

 

“Think about it. If I can’t beat the duke until I’m emperor, who will people follow more, me or the duke, and if that duke decides to set up a duchy?”

 

It was as complicated as Julian had said. It was similar to, but different from, simple jealousy.

 

‘It seems more like a love-hate relationship…’

 

It’s not like Julian was trying to stroke his ego, he’d already admitted it.

 

‘But maybe it’s because Jeremiah is so admired by everyone around him that Julian can’t.’

 

I couldn’t say anything about politics. I can’t say that Jeremiah isn’t a threat to Julian’s position.

 

Meanwhile, Julian muttered something else.

 

“In the end, if I don’t accomplish anything, the Emperor and my mother will be very disappointed. I’m their only child, after all…”

 

Julian’s head snapped up, his face pensive, and he blinked. He frowned, as if realizing what he was talking about in hindsight.

 

“Ha, never mind. I don’t know why I’m confiding in you, but don’t ever think of telling anyone what you’ve heard from me, especially not the duke or the princess.”

 

“Okay, but… Julian, I don’t think you should be thinking so much about something that hasn’t happened yet, do you?”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, I’m no expert in political matters, but I’m afraid… Julian, you’re assuming things on the wrong side of things.”

 

“…….”

 

“Actually, I think you’re doing a pretty good job where you are, Julian, and I think it’s a little unnecessary to assume that.”

 

Jeremiah aside, the nuance that he wouldn’t do well as emperor, or that his parents would be disappointed, revealed that he wasn’t very confident.

 

It was an unexpected turn of events for Julian, whose self-esteem should be sky-high.

 

‘Perhaps the weight of being the Empire’s only crown prince weighs heavily on him. And there is no other royalty besides him.’

 

Maybe he cares more about Jeremiah because he thinks he should be better.

 

He hates it when he’s grinding his teeth to get first place and someone else snatches it away. That’s what Jeremiah is to Julian.

 

“And I don’t know the Emperor, but… at least I don’t think the Empress would be disappointed in Julian for that.”

 

“…….”

 

“And you think so yourself, Julian?”

 

“I know him better than you do, so don’t be presumptuous. It’s just for today.”

 

Julian snapped back and picked up a cookie.

 

When he had finished the entire cookie, which was the size of my palm, he said to me,

 

“Now you go back to the Snowflake Mansion.”

 

“That, Mr. Julian. About the lottery…”

 

“Oh, you should leave that to the Duke, he’ll take care of that for you, the Huons or something.”

 

“What? What’s that…”

 

“Don’t go out there and put yourself in danger. It’s really annoying…”

 

Julian cut me off without answering my question and threw up his hands with a sullen face.

 

I ended up walking out of the cafe just like he did.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Julian crossed his arms and stared straight ahead, thinking.

 

‘What the hell did I do?’

 

Being in charge of a country, he had to be careful not to show his true colors.

 

But… he’d hesitantly blurted out what he’d been hiding, what he’d never said to anyone else. To a woman he’d only seen a few times.

 

‘…I couldn’t even stop talking with that look on her face.’

 

If Vanessa were to tell the Duke what she had heard today, she would be laughed out of the room.

 

But a part of him knew she would never do it, an uncharacteristically unfounded belief.

 

Julian frowned in frustration. Meanwhile, someone sat down in front of him.

 

“Your Majesty, if you’ve finished your business, I think you should excuse yourself.”

 

It was Kianton, who had been sitting at the other table while he spoke with Vanessa. Julian stared at him blankly.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“What?”

 

Julian looked out the window. It was dark outside, the sun already gone.

 

Kianton flinched in confusion as Julian’s eyes grew sharper. Julian snapped.

 

“You’re supposed to be checking to see if Vanessa Asell made it to the mansion!”

 

“Yes? No, yes, but I’m His Majesty’s bodyguard?”

 

“I’m surprised you didn’t know that, then get going.”

 

“No, no, I understand.”

 

He didn’t say anything last time or yesterday, so Kianton sent Vanessa alone today.

 

“Well, last time she brought her own escort, and yesterday she left before dark, so…”

 

Kianton, having been scolded for doing his job, left the cafe in a huff.

 

Luckily, Vanessa wasn’t a fast walker, so he was able to catch up to her quickly. She was walking down the street, deep in thought.

 

Kianton followed her at some distance, scratching his head.

 

‘What was the conversation between Miss Vaness and the crown prince?’

 

At first glance, both Julian and Vanessa looked serious, and though he was curious, he knew he’d get a blank stare if he asked Julian.

 

‘Maybe I’ll ask Miss Vanessa a little later?’

 

As Kianton was thinking this, Vanessa entered the alleyway and stopped in front of a stall. The stall was lined with trinkets.

 

Kianton stopped and squinted as he followed her.

 

‘I see Miss Vanessa likes that sort of thing.’

 

She’s been so modest at the Duke’s Castle, I didn’t think she cared about jewelry.

 

I heard she wore Madame Cornelia’s dress to the last New Year’s ball, complete with all the jewelry. It was clear that Vanessa liked to dress up.

 

‘Shall I inform His Majesty of Miss Vanessa’s tastes…?’

 

Kianton was keeping a close eye on Vanessa to make sure she was socializing smoothly. Someone tugged at the hem of Kianton’s pants.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Aah, aah.”

 

Kianton looked down and saw a small girl, maybe four or five years old, calling out to him.

 

“Ana, can’t find Mommy.”

 

“Don’t you have a mom…?”

 

“Ana, lost  mom while I’m eating my ice cream.”

 

“Oh, you were eating ice cream and you looked and your mom was gone?”

 

The child nods and laughs at Kianton’s words. The child’s front teeth were knocked out as she laughed.

 

“Mmm…”

 

Kianton scratched his chin and looked back and forth between the child and Vanessa. He was a knight, and he couldn’t turn away a cry for help.

 

Normally, he would have come to the aid of a lost child immediately. But now he was on a separate mission.

 

“Mmph…”

 

“Can’t you find your mom? Is she going home alone?”

 

“No, no, no. I’m going with Brother!”

 

Kianton scooped the sullen child into a quick hug.

 

‘Well, Snowflake Manor is just up the road, so it should be okay.’

 

There was no way Vanessa could get lost with her destination right in front of her.

 

Kianton gave Vanessa one last furtive glance, then turned and left the alleyway with the child.

 

When he returned the child to her mother at the police station and returned to the alleyway, proud of himself, Vanessa was no longer there, nor was the stall she’d been looking at.

 

“Did… she got home?”

 

He wondered, but he couldn’t go inside Snowflake Manor to check.

 

Kianton glanced at the white exterior walls of the mansion and turned back to the café where Julian was waiting.