Theo is also the eldest son, so he needs to be aware of his personality. Then it suddenly occurred to me.

If Clara really doesn’t like Alex, I hope Theo gets a chance.

Knowing that countless people confess to Clara, Theo has never revealed his heart directly.

“Theo, are you free for a second?”

“Come on in.”

Clara came in right on time. She smiled happily when she saw me sitting next to Theo.

“Ciel was here, too.”

“I was here to ask Theo something. He kindly answered me.”

I deliberately praised my older brother in front of Clara.

“Theo is always kind. Speaking of which, can you take a look at this contract?”

“Oh, right! I have to talk about something with Isaac!”

I let a shy Theo be alone with Clara.

He glanced at me and winked as if grateful.

Come to think of it, the two of them seem to fit together quite well.

After returning to the room, I sat at my desk and felt troubled. Anyways, the atmosphere between the two seemed very strange.

“Shall I just hook you up with Theo?”

Their looks and personality match well; they were even the official couple that the writer had pushed for until Alex appeared.

Given the background that others are unaware of, I am confident that I will be able to successfully twist the original story. So now I’ve ventured to touch the love line of the original.

I don’t know if Clara has a crush on Alex, but if not, there’s no need to push her. What’s wrong with the pitiful sub-guy taking the lead?

Moreover, considering the personalities of Mom and Dad, I don’t think they’ll have a problem with that. Theo will be the next Duke of Valentine and spend his whole life looking only at Clara.

In fact, if that happens, I will feel sorry for Alex who lost his original lover, but I think we can somehow move on from the past.

“Now that we’re friends.”

Our fellowship didn’t stop even while he was at the front lines. I sent a letter of consolation to Alex with my sister’s help.

“Come to think of it, when was the last time I wrote to him?”

The letter I sent last time should’ve arrived safely by now. I was worried about it, counting the days with my fingers.

*?*?*

Spring on the northern plains facing the front lines is late. Standing on the wall, Alex looked at the smoke rising over the mountain.

It is not only the enemy that is afraid.

There were several cases where the map was changed, and they crossed a threshold of death, and the last food delivered was half rotten. It was also important to filter out infiltrators whenever they had time.

Someone is aiming for his life. The criminal was so obvious.

“Your Highness.”

“You’re all having a hard time because of me.”

The year has already changed after going to the front lines. His aides, Lord Wilhelm, and other men are buttering him up without a word. But Alex was slowly reaching his limit.

For him, the Palace was always an uncomfortable place. He thought it would be better to be out, but as it turned out, it was impossible to even meet a few friends.

Alex closed his eyes and remembered the stunning Valentine’s mansion. The kind sisters, who lived there surrounded by greenery, became good friends with Alex, who was lonely.

“A letter has arrived again today.”

“Really?”

Alex’s only pleasure was letters delivered from the capital. He didn’t expect such warmth even from his father, who only contacted him on political matters.

He opened the envelope of the letter with joy.

“It’s already been so long.”

There were two letters in the envelope that arrived in the name of Clara Valentine, Valentine’s adoptive daughter.

Clara Valentine. Despite being a foster daughter, she was loved by her younger sister, who didn’t share the same blood.

And Ciel Valentine. She never sends a letter in her name. Considering her status as Valentine’s legitimate daughter, it can be assumed that it was to avoid the eyes of others.

“Do you have any good news?”

“Not really.”

The content was perfectly normal. Ciel’s letter was about her fight with the youngest of the brothers and always ended with the same sentence.

[I’ll always be waiting for your safe return. Your Highness’ good friend, Ciel.]

Good friend. Ciel deserves to be called a friend for approaching him first and doing him favors over and over again.

“Friends.”

For the first time in his life, instead of His Highness or Crown Prince, he was called a friend. He paid tribute to his small friend because he wouldn’t have made it this far without Ciel.

And then he opened Clara’s letter. Along with the treatment of the poison that he asked about last time, the recent situation that Ciel did not write down was thoroughly revealed.

[Sometimes Ciel talks about you first. She knows you’re struggling on the battlefield as if she is personally watching you.]

It was full of pride for her smart little sister. However, Alex focused on the content.

Not only did she show this much interest in him, but she reached out her hand first, which made him feel better.

“Sir Wilhelm, did you receive a letter from your wife?”

“Yes, it’s always the same. How are you, how are you eating? Even when I’m home, that’s the only thing that’s important to her.”

Lord Wilhelm, a devoted husband, used this opportunity to brag about it.

“Your wife seems to like you very much.”

“I’m embarrassed if you say so, but it’s quite a famous story.”

It was an unusual gossip in the social world that a noble young lady, who fell in love with Lord Wilhelm, succeeded in marriage after dozens of courtships.

“It could be because you like me.”

“What?”

“No, nothing.”

Alex folded the letter and hid it in his arms like a cherished possession. Now that spring has come in the northern part of the country, it is difficult for enemies to invade.

Peace was expected to continue for some time. So now he wants to return to the capital and wrap up the problem he’s been agonizing over for a long time, but he hasn’t been ordered to return home.

“Your Highness, food has arrived from the capital!”

“I’ll take it myself.”

As he climbed down the wall, all the riders were on their knees. He wondered who’s there. The person who arrived without a report was familiar.

A man with chocolate-colored hair stood there. He was clearly Ciel’s father, the Duke of Valentine.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Your Highness..”

“What are you doing here, Duke?”

Duke Valentine’s gaze turned to the envelope in Alex’s hand. He hurriedly hid it behind his back as if his secret had been revealed.

“My daughters are very curious about how you are doing. I stopped by while I was thinking about it.”

In terms of physical distance, it would take weeks at the earliest, but nothing is impossible for the Duke of Valentine, the greatest wizard of the Empire. He looked at the battlefield with an interesting expression.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”

A lot of things have been made easier just by him coming. Once he flicked his finger, all the old walls turned into new ones, and the cart-loads of food were spread out in the courtyard.

“Everyone in the garrison will be able to make it through until winter this year.”

“Lord Valentine, His Majesty..”

Duke Valentine smiled bitterly at Alex, who looked at him with a hint of expectation, without being able to continue.

“Do you want to go back?”

He still has work to do. Last time, his proposal to Ciel went down the drain, but that doesn’t mean there’s no chance at all.

“I want to go back. Please help me.”

Duke Valentine will be his strength. He, who had lived in doubt and persecution, changed his mind after listening to Ciel.

The Duke took the Emperor’s personal letter from his arms and placed it in front of Alex, who had asked for genuine help.

“Your Majesty has personally ordered you to return.”

Several orders were issued to return, but the letter did not reach Alex. Every time someone was sent, they lost contact.

However, it was also difficult to find the culprit. As Queen Lotte’s power grew bigger, the Emperor decided to use his strongest card.

No one can judge the authenticity of the letter, as the Duke of Valentine delivered it himself, not anyone else.

“But what will we do about our enemies if you return so suddenly?”

A general planted by Queen Lotte threw out. The Duke of Valentine shrugged his shoulders and raised his hand in the air to draw a line.

“Is the enemy a problem?”

The legendary archmage Christopher Valentine didn’t even need the help of any magic tools. In an instant, the sky turned red over the wall with his last words.

“Tha- that’s!”

A meteorite falling over the sky became bigger and bigger. There was a tremendous roar and a strong wind blew.

PR/N: Are you frickin kidding me!!???? A damn frickin meteorite??? Who are you?? Arwin?? Ciel’s Arwin and Latte’s daughter.

Everyone was rendered speechless by magic on a scale beyond imagination. Only the Duke and Crown Prince kept their composure amid the rush of frightened people.

A huge meteor hit the enemy line. A disastrous landscape unfolded with flames soaring over the mountain. For the Emperor who unified the continent, the real headache was inside rather than outside.

“It’s a tremendous amount of power every time.”

“His Majesty told me that the atmosphere in the capital is extraordinary.”

Faced with the swirling wind, Alex looked at the expressionless Duke Valentine. Despite having the power to overturn the Emperor, Duke Valentine decided to pledge his power to the crown and live a peaceful life alongside his loving family.

Too much power can threaten the Imperial family. However, the only time the Duke uses magic is at the request of the Emperor.

So this now, in fact, supported the fact that it was an order issued by the Emperor himself.

“The next half-year will be quiet. Let’s leave this up to the people here.”

It’s an order from the Emperor himself. It’s a threat that he won’t let it go if anyone sticks to Queen Lotte recklessly.

Alex looked at Duke Valentine, who was called the strongest man in the Empire.

“I never want to turn the Duke into an enemy.”

“Then let’s hurry up and finish organizing. My daughter will be upset if I’m late for dinner tomorrow.”

Subtly bringing up Ciel in front of Alex, the Duke looked at him. It would have been impossible to win the support of Duke Valentine, who is known to be a neutralist, if his precious daughter hadn’t defended him and changed his mind.

Alex put his hand on the letter hidden in his arms. It was difficult because he was still young at that time, but if he goes back now and if Ciel feels the same, he thought they could talk about it again[1].

Alex gazed at the busy-looking Duke.

Notes:

[1] He’s talking about the time when the Duke told him that he was too young to ask for Ciel’s hand in marriage