A Long Way to His Goal

So, after sitting at the place of honor for more than an hour, with his grandfather nearby—it would be odd for Mattheus to be sitting while the duke stood after all—the twenty-one-year-old could finally move around.

The various gifts had been on a completely different level from the bribery attempts he received as Court Healer, considering the foreign dignitaries that attended pulling out all stops to try to win over the future ruler of the Basilea Duchy. As someone who had been friends with Brunilda for years though, who had never wanted for anything and had never struggled with money, Mattheus easily maintained the bland and languorous sprawl on the throne even if he respectively received them as expected of his position.

He had to maintain a certain amount of both distance and disinterest, as the polite courtesy he usually maintained as Court Healer and baron was inappropriate as the future duke. Andreas had insisted.