The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 95

Camille could not fathom why he had come to find him. They were never close, to begin with, and recently, the Lavant family had openly aligned themselves with the First Prince, cutting off any formal interactions entirely. At the very least, they weren't in a relationship where they would visit each other so casually.

A grandson who faithfully adhered to his grandfather's wishes of supporting the Crown Prince, and a grandson who defied those wishes by choosing the First Prince. In the political world, just having the two of them together would spark rumors.

Already, he could feel the gazes of those around them watching closely. He wanted nothing more than to ignore it and walk away, but Edmil had already stopped walking. With no other choice, Camille excused himself and faced him.

"To what do we owe the honor of the guard knight of His Imperial Highness Altman coming here?"

It was a politely veiled question of why he, both a stranger and a rival, had come. Dewey's body, already restless, flinched even more.

"I-I apologize for coming unannounced, Lord Camille. Could you spare me a moment of your time?"

"I am a bit busy right now."

"I... really only need a brief moment. It's something I need to consult with you about..."

‘Consult? With me?’

It was a remark that raised many questions. What was he up to now? Camille furrowed his brow and glanced back at Edmil. His strange expression soon turned into a nod of approval.

"I will go ahead, so attend to your business."

Camille, understanding the unspoken command to pry into Dewey's intentions, nodded as well.

"Thank you for your consideration."

Once Edmil patted his shoulder lightly and departed, Camille took a deep breath and turned to Dewey. Dewey, tense all over again, stiffened even more under his gaze.

"You wish to consult me."

"Y-yes. That's right. If possible, I would like to speak in a quieter place."

"Just the two of us, I see."

Camille swallowed a wry smile and scrutinized him. Dewey, nervously fidgeting with his fingers, seemed overly conscious of their surroundings. As if it was imperative that their meeting remain unnoticed.

If this was all an act, it was a remarkable performance. However, considering that being seen together benefited neither of them, his hesitation wasn’t prolonged.

"Follow me."

Dewey, who had been crestfallen, brightened up at those words and lifted his head.

‘So openly pleased.’

Suppressing the urge to click his tongue, Camille led him to a small open space behind the stables. It was a secluded area, and being open allowed them to notice immediately if someone approached.

"Will this place do?"

"Y-yes. This is good."

"Then, let's hear it. What is it that you want to consult with me about?"

As he spoke, Camille discreetly prepared to draw a dagger hidden in his sleeve. He was ready for anything, unsure of how Dewey might act.

"Have you been in contact with Seirakia by any chance?"

The question caught Camille off guard. He frowned.

"…No, I don't even know where he is."

"I see. I thought you might know, Lord Camille..."

Dewey's face clouded over.

"Then, do you not know why he disappeared either? Did he say anything to you before he left…?"

"I know nothing. Why do you ask?"

It wasn’t the truth, but Camille had no intention of revealing anything. Rather, he became suspicious of Dewey’s motives for asking such questions. As Camille’s eyes grew intense, Dewey hastily swallowed and waved his hands in denial.

"Please, don’t misunderstand! I truly have no other intentions. I just thought maybe…"

"What do you mean 'maybe'? I want an answer I can understand."

"…"

"Lord Dewey Lavant, do you realize you are wasting my time? You claim you need a consultation, yet all you ask about is the whereabouts of Sei?"

Dewey squeezed his eyes shut at the chilly tone.

"I had no intention of deceiving you, Lord Camille. It's just that there have been some strange occurrences lately, and I thought he might know something."

"Strange occurrences?"

Even after finally getting to the point, Dewey hesitated for a moment. But he struggled to open his mouth under Camille’s pressing gaze.

"Actually, not long ago, His Highness the First Prince introduced me to some individuals. He didn’t tell me who they were, just said that they wanted to meet me."

"They wanted to meet you?"

"Yes, he emphasized that they were very important and that I needed to do well. He stressed that my role was crucial. But when we met, the atmosphere was somewhat..."

"…?"

“It didn’t feel like they had come voluntarily.”

If it wasn’t voluntary, did it feel forced? Camille tilted his head, confused.

"Did you learn why they wanted to meet you?"

"No, we exchanged a few words, but nothing significant was said. They just asked a few personal questions."

"Personal questions like?"

"Who my birth mother was, where she was from. The time of her marriage, and my birth date. They also asked if I had any other siblings."

At last, Camille understood why Dewey was looking for Sei. He also grasped what Dewey truly wanted to say.

'In official settings, Dewey always acts as if he's the legitimate child of his aunt, so he must have done the same this time too.'

Since the family register was also recorded that way, there wouldn’t have been any issues. Even if it became known that one of the siblings was illegitimate, people would naturally assume it was the second son. Generally, no family would let an illegitimate child take the place of the heir. Especially when the legitimate wife is the treasured daughter of Duke Rouster.

However, Count Lavant defied common sense, and Duke Rouster also kept quiet about the matter. He had judged that it was better for the disgrace of his daughter being overshadowed by a concubine to remain hidden.

Since that was the will of the head of the family, the other members could only stay silent. Dewey, shrewd from an early age, quickly understood these dynamics and flaunted his lineage as Duke Rouster’s bloodline at every opportunity.

But perhaps, being aware of the saying that ‘a long tail will eventually be caught,’ Dewey seemed to be increasingly anxious about his lies being exposed when he was asked about his mother. Camille sneered softly and asked.

"Where are those people now?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"For security reasons, I was blindfolded throughout the carriage ride. They only took it off once inside the building…"

‘Makes sense.’

Camille clicked his tongue quietly. It appeared that the First Prince’s camp didn’t trust Dewey much, and they didn’t even bother to hide it. The fact was clear to him and likely even more apparent to Dewey himself.

This incident probably made Dewey realize quite starkly that the First Prince kept him around only because he was Duke Rouster’s grandson. The group Dewey met was likely related to this issue. That's why he came seeking Camille in such a hurry.

"You might not know the exact location, but you should have some sense of how far you traveled."

"Ah, yes, it felt like we traveled for several tens of minutes, give or take."

"Tens of minutes…"

As Camille fell into thought, Dewey grew more restless.

"Lord Camille, you might misunderstand, but I don’t share my father’s views. I have no intention of defying the Crown Prince, and I don't wish to displease Duke Rouster. If I become head of the family, our house will never stand in the way of the Crown Prince's endeavors."

"Is that so? That's quite reassuring to hear. Then, can this marriage arrangement be called off?"

"T-that…"

"Is that difficult?"

"A-as you know, marriage arrangements aren't something I can decide unilaterally…"

Dewey stammered, making his bold claim seem futile. Camille, who had no expectations to begin with, wasn’t disappointed.

Dewey, under the ardent protection of Count Lavant and his wife, had only walked the path they set for him, proving himself to be rather insignificant. He lacked the courage to openly defy his father’s wishes.

Even coming here now was merely an attempt to secure a safety net. His goal was likely to find some way to ingratiate himself and secure his footing in various places. He was the type Camille despised the most—cunningly self-preserving. Nevertheless, Camille had gained unexpected information and, for once, had to appreciate Dewey’s flimsiness.

"I think I roughly understand the situation. We’ve wasted enough time, so you should return now."

"Lord Camille, please understand my position. The important thing is that my heart does not align with theirs, does it not?"

"Yes, of course. I understand your perspective well. I will relay it to my grandfather."

Only then did Dewey’s face brighten with relief. Camille, suppressing the urge to openly click his tongue, sent him off without revealing any of his true feelings. However, once Dewey was gone, Camille couldn't mask the shadow falling over his face.