Chapter 401: The Meeting
Lux’s Side
“…A letter for me…?”
“Yes. And it seems to be from someone in the royal family.”
“From royalty…!?”
When I returned to the estate from the noble academy,
Siana told me that a letter addressed to me had arrived from a member of the royal family,
So the two of us went into my room, and I immediately checked the back of the letter.
There, sure enough, was a seal indicating the sender was of the royal family.
“W-who could it be…”
If it’s someone from the royal family, it has to be Felisiana-sama, Elizalina-sama, or Rezamiliana-sama, but…
Since I promised we’d train together in swordsmanship, maybe it’s a letter from Felisiana-sama about that?
Thinking that, I broke the seal and checked the contents written in the letter…
[To Lux Rodwell of the count’s house. Come to the throne room of the royal castle tomorrow at noon. From the King.]
It was a letter from His Majesty the King.
“Wha, what!?”
The king!?
I’d only ever seen His Majesty from a distance at a party when I was young, and I’ve never even spoken to him once.
And yet, a letter from that very king…?
As I felt a surge of shock and confusion,
“Master? What’s wrong?”
Maybe finding my reaction strange, Siana spoke to me.
…If I tell her a letter from the king arrived, it might make her worry unnecessarily, so I’d normally hesitate to say it, but.
After reacting that strongly just now, if I say it’s nothing, that would only make her worry more.
Thinking that, I spoke about something that still didn’t quite feel real to me.
“S-so… this letter seems to be from His Majesty the King, and it says he wants me to come to the throne room of the royal castle tomorrow.”
“…I see.”
Unlike me, who was shaken, Siana was somehow calm.
She’s always like this, but Siana really is amazing.
…But anyway,
Now that I’ve received a letter from the king, I have no choice but to go to the throne room of the royal castle, so.
When noon came the next day, I immediately set out by carriage for the castle.
For some reason, Siana insisted on coming along, but since she’s my maid, His Majesty will surely allow her to accompany me.
“It’s your first time at the royal castle, so you might feel nervous, but if anything troubles you, just tell me, okay?”
“Understood! Thank you for your concern!”
“No, don’t worry about it… though it didn’t say what this is about, I wonder what His Majesty wants.”
“…”
After that, as Siana and I headed to the royal castle together,
One of the gate guards spoke to me.
“Are you Lux Rodwell of the count’s house?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“His Majesty is waiting in the throne room, so I will guide you there.”
Saying that, the guard started walking as if to lead us,
So Siana and I followed after him.
I’ve spent time in the royal castle with Felisiana-sama and Rezamiliana-sama before, but going to meet His Majesty the King now makes it feel like an entirely different place, the tension much heavier.
But that’s only because those two were so kind, the royal castle is supposed to be like this.
Because of that, I felt a bit worried about Siana, but… strangely, she didn’t seem nervous at all.
Even though I said that to her in the carriage, it looks like I’m the one who’s nervous.
Telling myself I can’t be like this as her master, I steeled myself, and then,
“This is the throne room.”
We arrived in front of the doors to the throne room, which I’d only entered once before with Rezamiliana-sama.
As expected, the doors had an atmosphere clearly different from any others I’d seen.
When the guard opened them for us, Siana and I stepped inside… and as we walked forward, we came face to face with His Majesty the King seated on the throne.