My Perfect Omega - Chapter 135
Lucas, who had to endure the fuss made by the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Pope, was ready to leave with an exasperated look on his face. Then he remembered what Leila had told him two days ago, causing him to frown slightly and speak up.
“But, Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes sparkled at being addressed as “Your Highness” rather than “Your Majesty” or “Your Holiness.”
“Why, Lus?”
Lucas hesitated to continue after the Crown Prince’s response. It was precisely because his manner of speaking was exactly what Leila had pointed out, making him wonder if he should even ask the Crown Prince about it.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince grew impatient as Lucas, who had summoned him, remained silent. He seemed on the verge of saying something significant but kept his mouth shut, leaving the Crown Prince frustrated.
“Why call me if you won’t speak? Must you see your brother’s patience wear thin before you say something?”
“…Do I speak like an old man?”
“Huh?”
“When I was young, I took etiquette lessons with Your Highness. We were taught that a gentleman’s speech should be refined…”
He trailed off, his heart aching as he remembered what Leila had said.
[Lucas, every time you speak like that, it feels like I’m meeting a grandfather I never had. Didn’t you say you were just four years older than me? Was that a lie?]
How could she think such a thing? Lucas had been at a loss for words, unable to respond to Leila’s remark.
He had never considered his manner of speaking to be grandfatherly. Even those he interacted with regularly had a similar manner of speaking.
So why was he singled out…?
“Who said your manner of speaking is old-fashioned! I’ll punish them severely! How dare they mock our imperial tradition! What an insolent person.”
The Crown Prince’s outburst was echoed by the Emperor.
“I must have a private audience with such a person. It’s better to reason with them. They might not understand why they’re being punished otherwise, so I will personally make them understand.”
“Or send them to the temple. If they confess their sins a hundred times to God, they’ll deeply repent their wrongdoing.”
“Thank you, Father and Your Holiness, but I’ll handle this myself. How dare they make my brother’s face gloomy? They must pay dearly for their insolence.”
Listening to the three of them argue, Lucas finally confessed the culprit.
“Because of Your Highness, Leila said I sound like a grandfather. Why did you insist on having me take those lessons with you…?”
He resented the Crown Prince for his tantrums as a child, refusing to attend lessons without him. If he had learned standard noble etiquette, Leila wouldn’t have called him a grandfather.
“…Ah, so it was my cousin-in-law?”
“Was it our niece-in-law who said that?”
“Oh dear… It was Lady Leila, whom God has yet to fully watch over. In that case, it can’t be helped. As the Pope, it’s my duty to fill the gaps where God’s hand hasn’t reached. I must visit her immediately and offer my penance.”
The Pope, eager to see Leila, seized the opportunity. He had been wanting to meet her for some time and had sent several letters to Lucas, but received no response. So, he was eager to use this chance to visit and pray together to help her forget the recent difficulties. However, the Pope’s proposal was quickly opposed by another.
“No matter how holy you are, it’s not proper to visit my niece-in-law first. There is an order to these things. While God’s will is important, family always comes first.”
“Father is right. Lucas, I’ll go explain to your wife myself. She’ll understand when she hears it from me, so don’t worry too much. Trust your brother!”
Lucas, who wanted to learn how to speak less like a grandfather, was instead faced with the prospect of these people invading his home. He stood up abruptly.
“Until the child is born, the House of Bavenberg will refrain from external activities. So please send your congratulations by letter. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
He turned and left, eager to return to Leila and escape the overbearing interference of his family and the Pope.
