Chapter 9

Clyde.

The mere mention of the name caused Aiden to instinctively scowl.

“Young Master Aiden. Even so, His Grace personally sent it. You should at least read it.”

Haa. 

A deep sigh filled the space between them. Left with no other choice, Aiden accepted the envelope and the elegant paper knife Thomas offered.

The envelope was sealed with the distressingly familiar crest of the Imperial Family. Feeling as if he were receiving a formal military decree, Aiden clicked his tongue lightly and sliced it open.

“Hmm…?”

Despite it being a letter from Clyde, a faint, genuine smile surprisingly bloomed on Aiden’s lips as he began to read. However, as his eyes tracked further down the parchment, his expression rapidly darkened.

“What the hell is this?”

The words slipped out reflexively the moment he finished. Unable to believe his own eyes, Aiden aggressively scanned the letter multiple times. Noticing his distress, Thomas asked with palpable concern.

“Young Master, is something the matter?”

“Read it.”

Rather than offering a lengthy explanation, Aiden shoved the parchment forward. Thomas carefully accepted the letter and began to read.

To my dear Admiral Rosley,

Though I haven’t been able to see you recently, I’ve heard endless tales of your brilliant exploits echoing throughout the Imperial Palace. I had wondered why you were the only one injured when the rest of your men returned entirely unscathed, but now I understand the story behind it. A commanding officer who does not hesitate to sacrifice himself for his subordinates. As expected, you are truly a man worthy of immense respect, Admiral.

Ah, so this is why he smiled. Knowing exactly how much Aiden secretly loved being praised, Thomas nodded in understanding.

“Hmm?”

Just as he was thoroughly enjoying the complimentary tone, the main point of the letter captured Thomas’s attention.

…The sky is incredibly blue today, and the warm sunlight makes it the absolute perfect weather to run away from one’s mounting paperwork. Therefore, I fully intend to escape. However, I face one minor problem. So many years have passed since I last resided in the capital that I am completely unfamiliar with the geography. Bringing my aides along would entirely defeat the purpose of running away, so I would love nothing more than for you to accompany me, Admiral. Please send your reply with the courier who delivered this.

From the man who will soon be your husband, Clyde.

No matter how many times Thomas reread it, it was undeniably an invitation for a date, thinly veiled as a request for a tour guide. Desperately suppressing the smile twitching at his lips, Thomas asked.

“Young Master. Shall I prepare a reply and get you ready to head out?”

“No. There’s no need to prepare anything. I absolutely refuse to play tour guide.”

“But Young Master Aiden… His Grace explicitly requested your presence. Outright refusing him is…”

Thomas trailed off, shooting Aiden a deeply troubled look. It clearly conveyed: His Grace the Grand Duke is personally asking you out on a date! How can you possibly reject him?

“Send a reply stating: ‘I am deeply sorry, but I am still recovering from my injuries, so I must decline your offer this time. I beg for your understanding.'”

Ignoring the butler’s silent plea, Aiden issued the dry, uncompromising command. Having no authority to argue, Thomas obediently bowed his head. It’s a shame, but the Young Master has always been incredibly firm about what he likes and dislikes.

Right at that moment—

“Aiden Rosley.”

A terrifyingly low voice rumbled from directly behind Thomas.

Dammit…

Aiden swallowed a vicious curse. He didn’t even need to see the man’s face to know exactly who that voice belonged to.

“Are you telling me that His Grace the Grand Duke personally proposed an outing, and you are going to reject him?”

As Thomas hastily stepped aside, Marquis Lucen strode into the bedroom. In stark contrast to his reprimanding tone, a wicked, thoroughly sinister smile was plastered across his face. A wave of profound anxiety washed over Aiden, but since he desperately wanted to avoid this “escape-disguised-as-a-date” with the Grand Duke, he merely shrugged.

“It’s not as if I’m rejecting him out of spite. My leg is injured, so I have no choice.”

“Is that right? Well, if that’s the case, I suppose it cannot be helped.”

Conceding the point far too easily, Marquis Lucen’s smile twisted upward. It was the exact expression a demon crawling straight out of hell would wear.

“Bring them in.”

At his command, a cacophony of loud, chaotic footsteps erupted in the hallway. Thump, thump, thump! As the chaotic stampede grew closer, Aiden’s heart began to hammer violently against his ribs.

“…No way.”

The half-open door was violently shoved wide, and bright, innocent voices completely filled Aiden’s bedroom.

“Uncle! Uncle!”

“Uncle Aiden!”

It was his eldest brother Leo’s twin sons, and his second brother Ian’s daughter. Like heat-seeking missiles, the children launched themselves at Aiden, wrapping their tiny arms tightly around his legs, completely immobilizing him.

“Let’s play Navy like we couldn’t last time!”

“I wanna play Navy!”

Playing Navy. 

It was the absolute favorite game of the Rosley children, a physically exhausting nightmare Aiden had foolishly invented for them. However, having personally experienced exactly how terrifyingly infinite a child’s stamina truly was, he had permanently banned the game after a single session.

Haha. Letting out a strained, hollow laugh, Aiden shot a desperate, betrayed glare at his father. How could you do this to me?

However, Marquis Lucen merely shrugged. Furthermore, utilizing his most disgustingly sly tone, he poured gasoline on the fire.

“Kids, isn’t playing Navy with your uncle so much more fun than playing with Grandpa?”

“Yeah! Playing Navy with Uncle is the best!”

You damn old geezer. Grinding his teeth so hard his jaw popped, Aiden forced his voice to sound as sweet and gentle as possible. He couldn’t exactly scream at the kids.

“Hey, kiddos? How about we play something else instead of Navy? Like drawing pictures in the garden?”

“No!”

“We have to play Navy!”

To think that going on a date with the Grand Duke was actually the better option here. Thoroughly defeated, Aiden silently mouthed the order to Thomas: Get my clothes ready.

As if he had been waiting for that exact moment, Marquis Lucen dramatically pointed out the window.

“Oh, my! I completely forgot! Grandpa hid a super secret treasure out there in the garden!”

The eyes that had been glued to Aiden instantly snapped toward the window. Their already sparkling eyes somehow managed to shine even brighter.

“But there’s only one treasure left…”

“Sorry, Uncle! Let’s play next time!”

The children, who had barged in like a hurricane, vanished just as quickly. They didn’t even wait for Marquis Lucen to finish his sentence before sprinting out the door. Staring blankly at the dust settling in their wake, Aiden let out a defeated, breathless chuckle. Bizarrely enough, it seemed that whenever a situation involved Grand Duke Clyde, Aiden was destined to lose spectacularly.

Over his crushing despair, a gentle yet infuriatingly playful voice drifted down.

“Have a wonderful time on your date, Son.”

Leaving a radiant smile and a few affectionate pats on Aiden’s back, Marquis Lucen confidently exited the bedroom.

***