Chapter 49

Chapter 49: To the capital of the Duchy

On the next morning, we woke up refreshed and had breakfast in the dining hall before preparing for our departure. Perhaps because I had spoken to Lord Richard yesterday, I didn't feel as nervous when I met Mr. Morgan today.

And now, it's time to leave.

"I appreciate you visiting this town. May you all have a safe journey."

"Thank you for your hospitality. We plan to stop by on our way back, so please prepare two more guest rooms by then, as we'll have an additional traveler."

Upon hearing Lord Richard's request, Mr. Morgan's expression tensed briefly, but he quickly returned to a smile and bowed.

"Understood. We'll be waiting for your return."

With that, we boarded the carriage and set off for the capital city.

I wonder how Mr. Morgan will manage to prepare two more guest rooms. The furniture is usually custom-made, and aristocratic furniture can be quite expensive. If he sold the furniture, he might not have enough time or money.

...Well, it's not my concern. I have no obligation to worry about him.

The rest of the journey went smoothly.

The steward at the magistrate's residence where we stayed on the second day was gentle and amiable, and he provided me with a regular guest room. There was no condescension toward commoners, and I could rest comfortably.

I wish all nobles were as gentle as him or the members of the Townsend Duke's household. But it seems people like Mr. Morgan from yesterday make up more than half of the nobility.

That means there will be many nobles like him at the Royal Academy. That's quite disheartening...

I just want to live quietly for a year. I'll be residing in the Duke's household, but maybe I can blend in by walking alone to the Royal Academy instead of using the Duke's carriage. If I use their carriage, I'll stand out too much.

...But wait, I promised to support the Duke's family, so maybe I should show that I have their backing. Ugh! That means I'll attract a lot of attention and deal with troublesome people.

In that case, maybe it's better to befriend Lucian, whom I'll meet from now on, and have him deal with the troublesome ones. Yeah! Let's work on getting along with him.

As I made that decision, it seemed we had arrived in the capital city.

"Leon, we've reached the capital. You should open the window and take a look at the cityscape as we drive through the main street."

"Yes."

Since the view outside was the same all the time, I had kept the window shut and now opened it. We must have just entered the capital as there were only scattered houses.

As we continued, we approached an area with tightly packed houses. Wow! It's as lively as the royal capital. No wonder, being the capital of the Duke's territory.

At first, the people I saw resembled those in the district where my family's mansion is located in the royal capital – somewhat dressed in modest attire. But as we went further, their clothes became more glamorous. This area seems to be where merchants interact with nobles.

Then, we passed through that area, and a magnificent Duke's residence came into view.

Amazing!! The scale and grandeur of the mansion are on par with those in the royal capital, but the estate is even larger. I thought the estate in the royal capital was already vast, but this one is twice its size.

Since it's the capital of my own territory, I guess they can secure as much land as they want. The gardeners must have their hands full...

As the carriage continued through the estate, it stopped in front of the mansion's entrance. There were a young man and woman, a boy about my age, and a boy who looked around two years old. Behind them were servants lined up in rows.

They must be the current Duke's family.

We alighted from the carriage and faced the current Duke's family.

"Father, Mother, Frederick, Leon, welcome. Thank you for coming."

"Christoph, it's been a while. It's good to see Sophia and Lucian doing well. And is that the new child?"

"Yes. His name is Albert. He just turned three, and he's my second son."

Oh, he's only three years old. He's a cute child with brown hair and golden eyes.

"Albert, greet your grandfather."

"Nice to meet you, Grandfather. I'm Albert."

Albert still spoke a little hesitantly but bowed his head after greeting. He must have practiced a lot. After the greeting, he smiled, seemingly pleased that he did well.

He's adorable~! What's with this child, he's just too cute. I thought boys his age might be cheeky, but perhaps because he's raised as a noble, he behaves calmly and doesn't seem shy. He looks at us with great interest.

If I had a little brother this cute, I'd want one!!

As I was feeling restless inside, it seemed like Richard-sama and others were feeling the same way. Everyone's faces looked relaxed and carefree.

Richard-sama, your dignified expression has disappeared.

Richard-sama kept his face relaxed for a while, but then suddenly regained his composure and pretended to clear his throat before speaking to Albert-sama.

"Albert, if there's something troubling you, tell me. Also, if there's anything you want, let me know right away."

Richard-sama, weren't you trying to be dignified? At first, he made a slightly stern face, but then he looked like a cute grandpa seeing his adorable grandson. Albert-sama didn't seem to fully understand and tilted his head slightly.

Seeing that, Christoph-sama chuckled.

"Father, please refrain from buying anything and everything for Albert. It would be troublesome if he becomes spoiled."

"Well, that's true... Then if there's something necessary, I'll buy it."

Richard-sama seems determined to buy something for Albert. Christoph-sama, as well as Sofia-sama and Lucian-sama, all wore wry smiles.

"Alright, I'll let you know if there's something I need."

"Yes, please do."

"By the way, you're Leon, right? I am Christoph Townsend, the current head of the Townsend Duchy. And this is my wife Sofia, my eldest son Lucian, and my second son Albert."

Christoph-sama turned towards me and introduced them. Christoph-sama had light brown hair and golden eyes, giving off a gentle aura.

"Nice to meet you, Christoph-sama, Sofia-sama, Lucian-sama, and Albert-sama. I'm Leon."

"I am Christoph's wife, Sofia."

"I'm the eldest son, Lucian."

"I'm Albert."

Sofia-sama had blue hair and blue eyes, a slender and beautiful figure. Lucian-sama had blue hair and golden eyes, and despite being nine years old, he already had a strong and firm appearance. He seemed strong and reliable. Albert-sama was just adorable.

"Now that introductions are done, let's enter the mansion. Father, Mother, please come in."

Following Christoph-sama, Richard-sama and the others entered the mansion, and I followed behind. It feels a bit uneasy, like an outsider joining a family gathering!

I walked with a slight sense of unease.

Eventually, we arrived at a quite spacious reception room. There were two large sofas separated by a table, with one sofa easily accommodating about six people.

The Townsend family sat on one sofa, and we sat on the other.

I hesitated whether to sit or not, but Christoph-sama told me, "Leon, please have a seat," so I sat on the sofa.

*Sigh* I'm nervous. I casually wiped the faintly damp hands on my pants.