Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

Somehow, I must apologize for this rudeness...

Ever since the day of the banquet, Albert had been nervously biting his nails every minute of every day.

It’s because I’ve long harbored feelings for His Highness the Crown Prince.

Richard Friedrich.

It was because his useless bastard son had caused a major incident.

His Highness the Crown Prince is the future Emperor.

If one were to fall from the grace of such a person...

...

Albert’s brow twisted into a vicious scowl. He clenched his fist tightly.

All right.

If there is no other way, I have no choice but to face it head-on.

I shall invite him and offer my apologies.

Gnashing the inside of his lip, he picked up a fountain pen and began writing a letter.

Tap, tap.

Albert discreetly tapped Richard on the shoulder.

He mouthed the words soundlessly.

Apologize.

His navy-blue eyes turned toward the man seated at the head of the table.

"..."

Cailus, one eyebrow raised in clear displeasure, continued staring at Richard.

"Ah, oh dear, Your Highness!"

When Richard remained silent, Albert hurriedly bowed and scraped.

"First of all, I am truly grateful that you accepted the letter in which I expressed my wish to apologize personally for the rudeness of my bastard son at the recent banquet..."

Albert’s words sped up. His wrinkled hand urgently seized the back of Richard’s head and forced it down.

Thud!

"!.."

"Hahaha, my son also said he desperately wished to beg Your Highness for forgiveness! Now..."

Suddenly bent double at the waist with his head bowed, Richard glanced sideways at Albert with a cold gaze.

What are you doing? Apologize.

Albert whispered in a voice only Richard could hear.

Ah-ha.

Richard looked down at the carpet and smirked. So that was it. He roughly understood the situation.

His father, Albert, had sent a letter to Cailus.

A letter asking him to visit the Friedrich Mansion so that he could host a meal and apologize for the previous rudeness.

And Cailus, having accepted the invitation, had visited the mansion.

"..."

After a brief silence, Richard obediently opened his mouth.

"Yes, I am truly sorry, Your Highness."

Only then did the pressure on the back of his head ease slightly.

"I made many mistakes at the banquet hall last time. Including my statement about endeavoring to conceive."

Slowly straightening, Richard met Cailus’s narrowed red eyes.

What was he thinking right now?

Did he doubt Richard’s sincerity?

Was he complacently hoping to accept the apology and put the matter behind him?

Whatever it was, things would not proceed as he expected.

Richard smiled prettily, his eyes crinkling.

"Nothing is as futile as mere verbal effort."

Words that sounded almost like a famous maxim flowed from his lips.

"Effort should not be spoken of. It should be demonstrated through action... What do you think? Right here, right now..."

Richard slowly grasped the top button of his shirt and undid it.

Snap.

Then the second button followed.

His snow-white collarbone was revealed.

"You mad bastard! No, Richard Friedrich!"

Albert grabbed Richard by the collar with a horrified expression.

"..."

Richard, the corner of his mouth still curled upward, continued gazing at Cailus.

"Hah."

The corner of Cailus’s mouth twisted coldly as he looked back at him.

"Your Highness, I am truly sorry. It’s just that this, this brat!.."

Pale-faced, Albert kept bowing.

"Enough. I did not expect much anyway."

Cailus let out a deep sigh and averted his gaze from Richard.

"Didn’t you say you wished to host a meal? The weather is poor, so I would prefer to finish this as soon as possible."

"Ah, yes, yes! Then, just a moment!.."

Only then releasing Richard’s collar, Albert gestured toward the servants lined up against one wall.

"..."

Pfft.

Richard lightly patted his shirt and let out a small laugh.

Meanwhile, the servants began bustling about. Trays passed back and forth several times, and dishes were placed on the table one by one.

A perfectly grilled steak, smoked salmon, a cheese platter...

After confirming that the meal had been laid out flawlessly, Albert took the seat to Cailus’s right at the head of the table.

Then, looking at Richard with murderous eyes, he spoke.

"Sit down, Richard."

"Yes."

Richard nodded peacefully and pulled out the chair to Albert’s right.

Thus began the evening meal shared by all four of them: Cailus, Albert, Derek, and Richard.

"..."

"..."

The meal continued in a silence devoid even of the clinking of cutlery.

...

Richard twirled his portion of tomato pasta around his fork and looked out the window.

It’s snowing.

Beyond the window, half-hidden by the curtains, white snowflakes fell like rain. They were coming down heavily enough to suggest a blizzard was on its way.

"..."

"..."

Unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere, Albert, who had been cutting his steak, was the first to break the silence.

"Haha, come to think of it, I heard Your Highness the Crown Prince has been remarkably brilliant since childhood. I heard that you even completed the difficult Imperial Studies curriculum at the tender age of thirteen."

It seemed he had begun with flattery because he could think of no suitable topic of conversation.

"..."

Cailus glanced at Albert, then resumed cutting the steak before him.

"Um, is the meal to your liking?"

Albert asked, sweating profusely. His back was drenched in cold sweat.

"..."

A nod.

With that single gesture, Cailus continued eating in silence.

"Ah, haha. That is truly fortunate!.."

Cautiously attempting to keep the awkward conversation going, Albert subtly signaled Derek with his eyes.

Understanding his intention, Derek quickly chimed in.

"I apologize that your mood must have been soured by my incompetent younger brother. Your broad-mindedness makes this subject feel unbearably ashamed."

"I feel the same way. Ah, allow me to apologize properly once more."

Seamlessly steering the conversation back toward an apology after Derek’s words, Albert turned to Richard on his right with a deliberately gentle smile.

"Richard, apologize sincerely for your mistake just now and your previous rudeness."

Although he was clearly smiling, the corner of his mouth trembled.

"Uh... C-Come now, Richard."

Albert gripped Richard’s shoulder.

Tightly...

His hand exerted enough force to crush Richard’s shoulder blade.

"A mistake, you say."

Richard, who had been chewing his tomato pasta, rolled his eyes.

But only for a moment.

Soon afterward, he fixed his gaze on Cailus at the head of the table.

"..."

His eyes met Cailus’s cold stare.

"I’m sorry, but I don’t know what the mistake was."

Richard smiled brightly, his eyes curving.

His smile was as beautiful as an angel’s, but the words coming from his mouth were no different from the nonsense spouted by a drunkard.

Is it a sin to love?

"..."

"..."

The veins on the back of Albert’s hand bulged as he gripped Richard’s shoulder.

"Ri-Richard."

The corners of Albert’s eyes trembled faintly. His voice, wavering slightly, dripped with anger.

"Go... to your room at once."

"Yes?"

Richard tilted his head as though he genuinely did not understand the problem.

"Ha, haha... Derek. It seems your younger brother is quite ill, so escort him to his room."

Albert spoke through a forced smile.

"Yes, Father."

Derek pushed his chair back, stood, circled to the opposite side of the table, and grabbed Richard’s arm.

"Tsk. Come along."

Thus, Richard was dragged out of the banquet hall by Derek.

With Richard and Derek gone, the banquet hall was left with only the two men. The air inside was chilly.

"Your Highness."

Albert cautiously gauged Cailus’s mood before opening his mouth again.

"About what happened just now, I am truly sorry. I failed to raise my child properly..."

"Enough."

Cailus cut him off coldly. He had already placed his knife and fork neatly on his empty plate.

"I shall be going now."

Having finished his meal, he rose from his seat and headed straight for the exit.

"Yo-Your Highness!.."

Flustered, Albert hurried after him.

"J-Just a moment, please listen!.."

"..."

But Cailus’s footsteps remained resolute.

Striding down the corridor, he soon reached the mansion’s entrance hall.

"Haaah..."

Cailus let out a sigh.

Originally, he had not had the slightest intention of visiting the Friedrich Mansion.

He should no longer involve himself with Richard Friedrich.

However...

Can’t you at least accept an apology? Go there once.

For some reason, His Majesty the Emperor had told him to visit the Friedrich Mansion, and Cailus had no choice but to obey.

Creeeak.

The Imperial knights who had accompanied him quickly opened the mansion doors.

The matter is settled, so that is that.

He simply had to leave this place as soon as possible.

Cailus tightly closed his eyes.

"Your Highness."

A voice reached him.

No doubt it was the Marquis of Friedrich again.

How persistent.

Cailus took a step forward.

"Your Highness."

The voice came again.

"Your Highness!.."

He ignored it once more, but it clung to him tenaciously.

"Do you have more to say?"

Finally spitting out the words irritably, Cailus opened his eyes.

At that moment, an entirely white landscape unfolded before him.

Snow.

It was snow.

But it was not merely snow.

Could snow pile up this much?

It had accumulated so heavily that the steps in front of the Friedrich Mansion’s entrance hall were no longer visible.

"Your Highness."

The owner of the voice that had been calling him repeatedly for some time...

Cailus’s knight, Senin, spoke in a grave voice.

"It appears a blizzard has struck. The carriage cannot pass through this."

To travel from the Friedrich Mansion to the Imperial Palace, one had to go by carriage. But as Senin had said, the ground was buried beneath snow piled like a mountain and did not look passable.

"It seems we will have to remain here tonight after all."

"..."

Cailus tightly closed his eyes again.

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