Chapter 65
65. Each One’s Wish
2022.04.14.
Reina received the grandmother’s medical log back from Kay.
Her eyes sparkled brightly as she took it carefully in both hands.
“Thank you.”
Kay smiled.
“You’re welcome. Thank you for lending it to us. It must have been something you really wanted to see.”
Kay smiled gently, subtly softening the cold atmosphere that had lingered around Arthur’s ‘inspection’ order.
Then he sat down at the table in front of her and spoke.
“Weren’t you startled because of His Excellency? I thought it would be best not to look too close in front of Taylor Lorenson, but even considering that, His Excellency did burst in rather roughly.”
“Ah……”
Reina smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“Of course. It’s fine. I wasn’t startled.”
She had been startled, but not in the way that made her suddenly terrified.
But it seemed Taylor had taken it very much to heart.
Remembering how Taylor had said he could make her faint if she wanted, Reina felt grateful yet guilty.
Reina gazed quietly down at Taylor’s medical log.
【 Need help? 】
【 I’ll come again tomorrow. 】
Reina fiddled with the medical log.
“……”
For him to say that to me,
it must have been quite a burden for Taylor too.
She was truly grateful, and sorry for making him worry that much.
She didn’t want to worry Taylor any more.
“Sir Kay. I have something to tell you.”
The moment she saw the medical log, a conclusion had already formed in Reina’s heart.
She needed Taylor.
She could entrust her grandmother to him with full trust.
“Yes, Lady.”
Kay smiled brightly at her.
……Whew.
Reina took a deep breath.
For five years, the marquisate had consistently sent caregivers to look after her grandmother,
so Reina trusted the Marchioness’s promises based on experience.
She wasn’t overflowing with affection,
but the lady was someone who kept her word—that much Reina believed.
That was why Reina had accepted the Marchioness’s proposal.
But Taylor’s question, ‘Is that really your grandmother?’ and the medical log he’d prepared for her had made Reina think more deeply,
leading her to a certain conviction.
I no longer trust the Marchioness anymore.
Reina gripped the medical log tightly.
“……”
Money isn’t necessary.
I’m young, after all.
I won’t get a letter of recommendation.
Even if I can’t work as a maid anymore, somehow it’ll be okay.
There will be opportunities to start some other job anywhere.
And Sir Arthur would protect her grandmother.
He was the kind of person who treated precious people with care.
Reina steeled herself to be honest, smiling at Kay while thinking coolly inside.
Even if Sir Arthur and Sir Kay are good people, they won’t take responsibility for me forever.
But if I ask them to take care of my grandmother, they would do at least that much.
Reina prepared herself to accept the consequences of her choice afterward.
Reina placed the log on her lap and pressed it down, looking at Kay sitting across from her.
* * *
Reina shared her story, which she had put off until after meeting Taylor.
It felt terribly ordinary.
It was a commonplace tale with no particular drama.
The Marchioness had made ‘having Taylor care for her ailing grandmother’ a condition for the spying task,
and it was desperately important to Reina.
If Sir Arthur could do that, she wanted to help him with anything from his side—that was the story.
Reina asked if he could persuade Taylor to continue what he’d been doing on ‘Sir Arthur’s’ side, not the ‘Marchioness’s’.
Even if the Marchioness found out she’d turned away and gave other orders,
could he make it so Taylor would keep caring for her grandmother like now?
Upon hearing that, Kay agreed immediately, without even saying he’d consult Arthur first.
Along with words that surprised Reina even more….
“Ah. We’ve already spoken with Mr. Taylor Lorenson about that. I was going to tell you……”
“We’ve already secured the place where your grandmother is and sent people there.”
Reina’s eyes widened.
Kay continued softly.
“For now, we told them not to startle her and just deploy enough security personnel.”
“But I figured you’d feel most at ease seeing him in person……”
“How about we bring him once so you can meet him directly? Then we can discuss and change her residence afterward.”
“To somewhere the Marchioness can’t find.”
Reina covered her mouth with both hands, staring at Kay in shock.
Kay smiled and said,
“Lady, you can say things like that as a ‘basic premise,’ not a ‘condition.’”
“From the moment you mentioned it during last night’s meeting, I thought we naturally had to secure your grandmother’s safety first.”
Kay smiled as he wrote something on the paper.
“As for negotiation terms, try suggesting something else. We do have a conscience—how could we treat something so obvious as a condition?”
Then, like a teacher subtly giving a student the answer to a test question, he whispered,
“Ask for something better. A high-end mansion, a farm. Even a manor with some servants included. You can say things like that.”
Reina burst out laughing.
Kay said with a gentle smile,
“She’ll give you more than enough.”
Kay continued.
“Right now is a very important time for His Excellency. It’s the period when his five years of hardship and achievements are being recognized and rewarded. But being a son-in-law isn’t all that stable a position, so his standing is quite delicate. We can’t fully trust the imperial family either, so there can’t be any elements that could be a weakness for him.”
Kay spoke calmly.
“Sir Arthur deserves proper evaluation and reward. And it’s not just his issue—it’s for everyone. The conscripts from Julius, the knights, all have their lives tied to him. Ideally, we’d like him to gain full power and influence as the head of Julius, and even after the army disbands, have the strength to protect himself. That’s what we’re all working toward.”
Reina’s eyes showed she understood.
Kay shrugged lightly and smiled.
“In that regard, Lady, you’re providing tremendous help to His Excellency. Julius isn’t an easy opponent, but since you serve as their weakness in every negotiation, our talks have gone much more smoothly thanks to you.”
Kay looked at Reina and said steadily,
“Thank you for standing by Sir Arthur and helping in various ways.”
Even though there was an intent to subtly imply to her subconscious that ‘you must not become Arthur’s weakness,’
all those words were sincere.
They were filled entirely with truth.
“Please continue to help us.”
For Sir Arthur’s sake. And for your own.
So that His Excellency doesn’t make a mistake,
protect him and yourself well.
Whether Reina understood Kay’s inner thoughts or not,
she smiled and nodded.
“Yes.”
* * *
Kay recited the list of documents Arthur needed to review within the week.
【 Regulations for Disabled Soldiers: <Disabled Soldier Grading System> 】
【 Discussions on Improving Compensation for Disabled Soldiers 】
【 Details of Bereaved Family Pensions and Combat Veteran Compensation Payments 】
【 Compensation List Rejected by Marquis Julius 】
【 Issues with Current Bereaved Family Recognition Scope and Combat Veteran Recognition Scope 】
【 Petitions from Other Overlooked Compensation Recipients 】
【 Legal Consultation on Marriage Contracts 】
Then he placed a thick stack of documents he’d brought on Arthur’s desk.
He selected the most important and urgent ones, placing them on top again, and explained once more why each was pressing.
Finally, in front of him was the report Kay had written on the ‘Lady’s Meeting Contents.’
“……”
It was made at Arthur’s order, relayed through Lionel, to report separately on the meeting with his wife.
Arthur stared silently at the documents, sighed, and rubbed his brow.
“……”
There were suddenly a lot of documents piling up.
Kay, seeing Arthur looking more fatigued than usual, found it a bit odd but waited for his words.
Arthur finally spoke.
“……Kay. Sorry, but from now on, give me verbal reports.”
“Yes?”
“Actually, I’ve been having some issues with my eyesight.”
“Yes? What do you……”
“I can’t read paper reports.”
“……Yes?”
Kay had never given such a dumbfounded response, repeating “Yes?” three times in a row, no matter who he was facing.
Kay stared at Arthur with an expression of, What did I just hear?
He couldn’t comprehend Arthur’s words.
“I’ve caused you unnecessary trouble. I should have said something sooner.”
“……”
Arthur lowered his hand from his face and looked at him brightly.
“I’ve lost my vision.”
“……”
Kay’s mouth fell open.
Arthur continued calmly.
“Don’t tell anyone else. Only Crown Prince Kyle and Tristan know.”
Then Arthur smiled a bit awkwardly and pushed the report Kay had written back toward him.
“……Can you read it for me?”
* * *
In disabled soldier grading terms, it’s Grade 1 bilateral blindness, they say.
It’s not that I can’t see light at all, so not full blindness, I think.
Well…… in ‘grading’ terms, it’s considered blindness.
I can distinguish the direction of light.
It’s just not clear.
I can’t see your expression right now.
Or letters like this.
No need to worry like I’m a truly blind person.
As you might guess, my other senses compensate fully.
I can fully sense spatial forms, where things are, and such.
So daily life has no issues at all.
See. You didn’t notice until now, right?
Hm. I can see you’re dumbfounded.
And that your mouth is open.
It’s the first time I’ve seen that expression on you.
Saying that, Arthur laughed.
He seemed calm.
Everyone’s less perceptive than I thought.
No one knew except Kyle?
Don’t worry.
It’s fine.
Hm. The documents might be a bit of a problem……
You and Tristan are in trouble, but I’m okay.
Arthur laughed.
As if all of this was no big deal.
