"Will there be any other events?" the Duke asked, his voice edged with frustration.
The harvest festival wouldn't simply end without events.
As expected, his henchman answered promptly, "There will be a swordsmanship competition in place of the hunting tournament."
"A swordsmanship competition?" The Duke's eyes narrowed, a glint of annoyance flickering in them.
"Yes, the Emperor decided it would be so."
A swordsmanship competition.
His original plan had relied on the hunting tournament, but with this change...
'If it's a swordsmanship contest,' he thought, 'there's no chance the Emperor himself will participate.' This meant there would be no way to carry out his scheme against Kaizen there.
While the shift frustrated him, he wasn't prepared to abandon his plan so easily.
Unlike before, the Imperial Palace still housed servants and maids loyal to him. Though most had been dismissed by Astelle, a few remained, blending into the shadows and awaiting his call.
It must all be set in motion before Fritz's succession ceremony concluded.
Only then could he achieve his long-cherished dream—while preserving his title.
• 🍁 •
The following day, the four of them decided to take a long-overdue picnic, heading to the old garden at the northeastern edge of the Imperial Palace.
Despite their efforts to start early, Kaizen and Astelle had pressing work, so they only managed to set out in the afternoon.
This northeastern garden resembled a small forest, its paths shaded by dense clusters of trees. In the center, a small pond lay hidden among the foliage.
Long ago, it was rumored that this area had served as a secluded prison for criminals, which explained the overgrown weeds and lack of visitors.
Too narrow and untouched to be called a true forest, yet teeming with nature to be considered a garden, it had a wild, unpolished charm.
A picnic mat had been spread out on a flat spot, with an assortment of snacks laid out for them. They were fortunate—the skies were clear, and sunlight gleamed over the fresh green leaves around them.
Astelle found herself remembering their outing to Dentsu Forest. That day, rain had poured so heavily that they couldn't explore much at all. The weather today was so pleasant that it seemed a shame to stay seated.
"Let's go to the pond!" Theor exclaimed, leaping to his feet as soon as he finished a glass of juice.
"Don't wander off too far on your own," Astelle called after him.
Though soldiers were stationed nearby, dense bushes and undergrowth blocked much of the view.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I'll go with the young prince," Hannah assured her, taking Theor's hand and leading him toward the pond.
With Theor gone, there was little else for the adults to do but relax.
After a few moments, Kaizen rose to his feet as well.
"Shall we go for a walk too?" he asked.
Astelle walked with Kaizen and her grandfather along a garden path overgrown with weeds. As they moved deeper into the trees, she occasionally stopped to gather herbs that grew among the wild plants.
Kaizen, who had been watching Theor play, noticed Astelle's careful collecting and walked over, a puzzled look on his face.
"What are you doing?" he asked, eyeing the herbs in her hands. "Why are you picking those? You could have them any time now, couldn't you?"
