Chapter 11

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“Well then, take care, Admiral Rosley.”

“Yes, have a safe trip back, Your Grace.”

Standing outside the carriage, Aiden offered a polite bow. Acknowledging it, Clyde ordered the coachman to return to the Imperial Palace. The very second the extravagant carriage vanished from sight, Aiden practically kicked the front door open and bellowed.

“Thomas!”

“Yes, Young Master. What is the matter?”

Having likely been standing nearby, Thomas materialized almost instantly.

“Bring Major Donovan to the estate immediately.”

“Yes, understood. Shall I escort the Major to the drawing room?”

“No. To my study.”

Sensing the dangerously volatile atmosphere, Thomas offered a swift nod and vanished to execute the order. Haa. Exhaling a harsh breath, Aiden marched straight up to his study. After what felt like an agonizingly long hour, a timid knock sounded before Logan cautiously opened the door.

“Major Logan Donovan.”

A lethally cold voice settled over the study. Unlike his usual casual demeanor, Aiden used Logan’s full name and rank. An inexplicable wave of dread washed over Logan, causing him to instinctively flinch.

“You. It seems you lied to me, didn’t you?”

“…I apologize, Admiral, but I am entirely unsure what you are referring to.”

In stark contrast to his composure this morning, Logan’s brown eyes trembled violently.

“Grand Duke Clyde.”

Aiden leveled a heavy, languid glare at his adjutant, essentially daring him to try and formulate an excuse. Withering under the intense scrutiny, Logan bit down hard on his lip before finally forcing the truth out.

“When we found you, Admiral, you were already fast asleep in His Grace’s arms.”

Damn it, my memory was accurate. Aiden desperately suppressed the overwhelming urge to rip his own hair out.

“However, His Grace explicitly requested that if you did not remember the events of the evening, we were to keep everything an absolute secret.”

“His Grace did?” Aiden asked, his brow furrowing in deep confusion.

“Yes, sir. He also mentioned that while he deeply desired to escort you home himself, doing so would draw too much attention. Therefore, he entrusted us with returning you to the estate.”

“…Did he say anything else? Like, did I do something incredibly stupid?”

“He merely stated that you complimented his appearance before immediately falling asleep.”

Hah. A short, breathless scoff slipped past Aiden’s lips.

Was the Grand Duke actually being considerate of me?

It wasn’t an entirely impossible theory. The evidence was right in front of him: every single location they had visited today was completely devoid of people. It was almost as if Clyde perfectly understood exactly how uncomfortable Aiden would be if they were seen together in the capital.

I suppose Mother was right about him being ‘considerate.’

Though why that legendary consideration couldn’t be applied to the things that actually mattered—like where they were going to live—was completely beyond him. Sweeping his bangs back, Aiden asked his final question.

“Logan. You aren’t hiding anything else from me, are you?”

At Aiden’s question, Logan’s mind flashed back to that night.

“Ah, there is one more favor I must ask of you.” 

“Yes, Your Grace. Please command us.” 

“If Admiral Rosley does not appear to recall the events of tonight by tomorrow morning, please keep everything an absolute secret, and send me a letter immediately.” 

“Of course, Your Grace.” 

“And regarding the letter, you must never, under any circumstances, reveal its existence to Admiral Rosley.”

Unable to disobey a direct command from the master of the North—a man who outranked his own superior officer and would soon be his superior’s husband—Logan offered a swift, decisive nod.

“I see. I apologize for summoning you so abruptly.”

Completely oblivious to the hidden truth, Aiden offered a faint, genuinely relieved smile. Just then, his gaze happened to drop to the ring resting on his finger. Even under the artificial light of the study, the blue diamond radiated a brilliant, mesmerizing glow.

…I really wanted to give a ring like this to that child.

He would never get the chance to do that now. Swallowing a deeply bitter smile, Aiden rang the bell resting on his desk. Thomas immediately opened the door.

“I need to send a letter. Could you prepare the materials for me?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Thomas swiftly returned with high-quality parchment, ink, and sealing wax. Taking the materials, Aiden began to write. However, overwhelmed by a violent surge of mortification regarding last night’s events, his hand trembled so violently that his usually impeccable handwriting came out slightly crooked.

Barely managing to finish the letter, Aiden stamped it with the Rosley crest, signed his name, and handed it to Thomas.

“Where shall I send this, sir?”

Aiden answered without a single second of hesitation. “To the Imperial Palace, addressed to His Grace, Grand Duke Clyde.”

Embarrassment was embarrassment, but gratitude was gratitude. Whatever his true intentions might have been, the Grand Duke had actively protected his dignity and shielded his subordinates by covering up the incident.

The terrifying thought that Clyde might use this as blackmail material later did cross his mind, but for some strange, inexplicable reason, he possessed a bizarre confidence that the Grand Duke wouldn’t stoop so low.

“Yes, understood!”

Flashing a bright smile, Thomas promised to dispatch it immediately and left the study. As the room settled back into a heavy silence, Aiden spoke.

“Logan.”

“Yes, Admiral.”

“Have you finished your urgent tasks?”

Truthfully, Logan had only stepped away earlier to urgently report to the Grand Duke, so he nodded without hesitation.

“Then stay for dinner at the estate. It’s dangerous to travel at night, so just sleep here.”

“I fully intended to do so even if you refused, sir.”

As if he had anticipated Aiden’s exact thought process, a sly smirk spread across Logan’s face as he reached over and rang the bell. A few minutes later, a servant entered, unceremoniously dumping a massive stack of papers onto the desk.

“Summoned completely out of the blue, yet your preparations are terrifyingly thorough.”

“Of course, sir. I am the adjutant who has served you for many years.”

Chuckling softly, Aiden adjusted his posture. The languid, exhausted haze that had clouded his crimson eyes completely vanished, instantly replaced by a razor-sharp, chillingly calculating gaze.

“This is the anonymous report you requested, Admiral.”

Logan neatly aligned the stack of papers and pushed them toward Aiden. Written plainly on the pristine white cover was a single word: Orange.

“Your naming sense is still absolute garbage.”

Snickering, Aiden used his long fingers to slowly flip the cover open. Rustle, rustle. With every single page that turned, the smile on Aiden’s face deepened.

Logan knew exactly what that smile meant. It was the terrifying, triumphant smile Aiden only ever displayed when he had found exactly what he was looking for—and when his devastatingly sharp intuition was proven absolutely correct.

“Logan.”

“Yes, Admiral.”

“Look at this.”

Logan slowly read the section Aiden was pointing at. The contents were so unbelievably audacious that a massive migraine instantly bloomed behind his eyes. As Logan’s expression hardened into stone, Aiden issued the command.

“I will announce the operational commander for the Repeto Kingdom tomorrow afternoon. Summon all candidates, including the executive officers.”

***