EEBT Chapter 11: The Reason for Two Ears

 

 

After Alex left, the Crown Prince watched his retreating figure and asked Adeline,

 

“Is Captain Manningham still causing you trouble?”

 

“Ah… no. There haven’t been any issues regarding that matter, Your Highness.”

 

“That’s a relief. If he ever makes you uncomfortable, let me know immediately. I’ll take care of it.”

 

On the surface, his words seemed harmless. But Adeline nodded while feeling a growing sense of unease.

 

“Thank you for your concern.”

 

“Of course. It’s only natural. I was just worried that the hound of the Army Chief might bite you.”

 

“The hound of the Army Chief?”

 

Adeline’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at the Crown Prince. He smiled and began to explain.

 

“Ah, this might be unfamiliar to you. It’s an internal military matter.”

 

*Of course.*

 

*That wasn’t in the novel!* she wanted to shout internally. But then, a detail from the novel came to mind.

 

When the Crown Prince first met the heroine, he had been quite cold toward her.

 

According to the novel’s description, it was because the wounds from the war hadn’t yet healed. His royal guard had been left on the front lines during a retreat, resulting in the loss of many of his vassals and subordinates. The war had started… a year from now in the current timeline, or a year before the novel’s beginning.

 

Adeline recalled this detail and then asked the Crown Prince,

 

“Could you… tell me more?”

 

“Oh, do you enjoy these kinds of stories? Other ladies pretend not to, but they usually find them boring.”

 

Adeline shook her head and replied firmly,

 

“No, it’s not that. I just feel like I need to learn more about the military.”

 

The Crown Prince looked at her with curiosity, then smiled.

 

“Then let’s have some tea while we talk. This isn’t the kind of conversation to have standing in the street. I’ll have a carriage prepared.”

 

He gave an order to one of the men guarding him. Soon, the man returned with a carriage. It was a rather plain carriage for someone of the Crown Prince’s status.

 

Another attendant opened the carriage door, and the Crown Prince took Adeline’s hand, gently guiding her inside.

 

“Please, after you.”

 

“Thank you for your kindness.”

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Once inside, however, Adeline was struck by the lavish decorations and furnishings. Despite the plain exterior, the interior was filled with luxurious items that felt foreign to her, who had been an ordinary citizen not long ago.

 

Sitting across from her, the Crown Prince said,

 

“The inside is quite splendid, isn’t it? Unlike the outside.”

 

“I can’t very well ride around in a shabby carriage. And this kind of carriage makes a better impression on the common folk. Annoying, but necessary.”

 

The Crown Prince sighed, sounding almost like he was complaining.

 

“If it weren’t for those nouveau riche commoners shamelessly taking up seats in the assembly, I wouldn’t have to be so careful. Don’t you agree, my lady?”

 

“…Yes, of course.”

 

There was something slightly off about the Crown Prince’s words. Adeline nodded along, but a sense of unease lingered.

 

*Is this the same Crown Prince I know from the novel?*

 

*Could there be something about him I don’t know, like with Alex?*

 

Before her thoughts could go further, the carriage came to a stop in front of a teahouse.

 

“This is a place I frequent. It’s trustworthy, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

 

As he spoke, the Crown Prince stepped out of the carriage first and offered his hand to Adeline. While it was a gesture in line with etiquette, she couldn’t shake the strange sense of discomfort.

 

It felt just like the carriage he had brought—plain on the outside, but with something hidden beneath.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Adeline slowly took his hand and stepped out of the carriage, then immediately let go. The Crown Prince’s face stiffened for a moment before relaxing again.

 

“This way.”

 

Once they were seated at the table the Crown Prince had chosen, a cup of café au lait and some pastries were brought out.

“Tea is fine, but coffee isn’t bad either. If you don’t like coffee, we can have tea.”

 

“Ah, no. I like coffee too.”

 

“Is that so? Then.”

 

The Crown Prince picked up his cup and took a sip before continuing.

 

“Shall we get to the main point? You said you wanted to learn more about the military.”

 

“Yes.”

 

While she could piece together some information from the novel, there were gaps she needed to fill by asking directly. Especially when it came to key figures like the Crown Prince.

 

“The military… the military… I suppose I should start with the head of the army, General Liam Fieldsman.”

 

And so, the Crown Prince began his explanation.

 

* * *

 

“……”

 

After the conversation ended and Adeline left.

 

“Did the conversation go well?”

 

Syed sat across from the Crown Prince and asked. The Crown Prince pushed his nearly empty cup aside and replied.

 

“It doesn’t seem like the lady is aware of the plan.”

 

“But Captain Alex Manningham sought her out directly, and information was exchanged between them.”

 

“So the information went to Alex Manningham.”

 

The Crown Prince tapped the table with his finger, lost in thought. The more he thought about it, Alex’s face seemed etched into his mind.

 

“…What was his reaction?”

 

“From what I heard, he doesn’t seem inclined to cooperate.”

 

The Crown Prince smiled and responded.

 

“Then we can proceed as planned. Don’t you think?”

 

“As long as the payment is made properly, we’ll do our part. But in this case, additional compensation might be necessary.”

 

“…Tch. This again. After all the times I’ve hired you.”

 

“I have a family to feed, Your Highness. And even though we were prepared, this time… we took quite a beating.”

 

The Crown Prince clicked his tongue again and stood up.

 

“If you do the job well, I’ll make sure you’re well compensated. You know the conditions, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Syed stood up and bowed.

 

“Then, it’s time for me to return to being a stablehand.”

 

As he said this, the Crown Prince nodded.

 

“This matter is of the utmost importance. Keep that in mind.”

 

“Of course. You’re the one who will rebuild the foundation of the empire. I’ll do my best.”

 

With those words, Syed left. Watching his retreating figure, the Crown Prince closed his eyes.

 

Yes.

 

He was the Crown Prince.

 

The Crown Prince who would inherit and restore the empire.

 

He wasn’t someone to be ignored by a mere commoner officer.

 

“I’m done here. Let’s move.”

 

“Yes. I’ll prepare the carriage.”

 

* * *

 

“We’ve arrived, my lady.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

When the carriage stopped in front of the mansion, Adeline stepped out with the help of the coachman. As she arrived, the servants guarding the entrance opened the door and greeted her.

 

“Welcome back.”

“Where’s Naya?”

 

“She’s finishing up the inspection of the mansion and organizing the household items. Shall I call her?”

 

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go to her. Where is she?”

 

“She’s currently in the dining room on the first floor, counting the items.”

 

“Got it. Finish what you were doing.”

 

After learning Naya’s location from the servant, Adeline slowly walked through the courtyard and entered the mansion. Inside, she saw Alex’s subordinates in civilian clothes giving instructions to the servants.

 

“This area is a blind spot, so we need to pay attention to…”

 

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

 

“It’s better to block off this entrance. It’s not used frequently anyway.”

 

“I see.”

 

“This part might need some repairs. Corporal! Can you check this door?”

 

“On it!”

 

The people who had come here to rest were now working even harder. Adeline watched them with a puzzled expression before heading to the dining room.

 

“Five silver candlesticks, thirty sets of silverware. Mark it down.”

 

“Marked.”

 

“Next is the tea set. It’s from the East.”

 

“There are four sets for five people. Please check.”

 

Naya checked the list and asked Andrei. Sitting on a chair, Andrei opened a box and inspected its contents.

 

“Everything’s here. We can leave this as it is.”

 

“Really? It seems like you’re just glancing at it.”

 

“Just glancing? I’ve handled this kind of thing more than a few times.”

 

Seeing how well the two worked together, Adeline couldn’t help but smile. They looked like colleagues who had been working together for years.

 

As she stood in the corner watching the siblings work, she heard footsteps behind her.

 

“Excuse me for a moment.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Without thinking, Adeline stepped aside, and Alex walked past her, carrying a large box in his arms. After setting the box down, he turned and looked at her.

 

“Ah, you’re back. Swafford should be here soon.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“Did the conversation go well?”

 

When Alex asked, Adeline nodded hesitantly.

 

“Ah… yes. By the way, can I ask what you’re doing now?”

 

“Helping out.”

 

“You’re working even though you were invited as a guest?”

 

“Naya has too much to handle alone, so I decided to help. Besides, there’s a lot to do today, so it’s not the right time to go to the baths.”

 

He spoke as if asking if she had any more questions. Meeting his gaze, Adeline remembered the things she wanted to ask him.

 

“…Then, would you like to have a cup of tea with me?”

 

“Did you hear something while talking to the Crown Prince?”

 

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and asked.

 

“If you’re asking me about rumors circulating among the upper class, just assume they’re true. It’s not like you’d believe me anyway.”

 

Alex’s voice was calm, as if he had experienced this many times before. But Adeline needed to know.

 

Why did she feel uneasy and uncomfortable around the Crown Prince, who was supposed to be the hero and male lead of the novel?

 

And…

 

Alex Manningham. Who exactly was this enigmatic man standing right in front of her?

 

“Listening to only one side isn’t fair, don’t you think?”

 

At her words, Alex’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised she would say such a thing. But his expression quickly returned to calm as he looked into her eyes.

Adeline met his gaze and waited for his answer. Finally, he…

 

“Alright. A cup of tea won’t hurt.”

 

…nodded.