TSMMT Ch 35

A Certain Comfort

[Philip] "So, the place you visited by chance belongs to your maternal grandfather?"

Dianna remained silent.

[Philip] "I see. The world is tiny."

He let out a sigh, knitting his brows as if reflecting on a problem.

[Philip] "He behaved badly."

She offered no response.

[Philip] "Utterly wrong. You had every right to react that way."

Those words brought immense solace, causing a wave of emotion to surge within Dianna.

Philip sat beside her, studying her face. The girl whom he always considered an adult still possessed a childlike side. Noticing the tear tracks on her face, he let out a chuckle.

[Philip] "Maternal grandfathers always behave that way. Selfish and entirely indifferent."

Count Kilcos, the Margrave whose house produced the Second Queen, acted the exact same way. During the Second Queen's lifetime, Count Kilcos rarely appeared in high society, and following her death, he vanished completely from the capital, claiming his duties required him to secure the borders.

[Philip] "We resemble each other a great deal, don't we?"

Dianna shared that exact thought. She never expected to share such intimacy with a boy whom she previously remembered only as a historical casualty.

Philip paused to gather his thoughts before speaking slowly.

[Philip] "Because of that, I wish for you to speak with your grandfather."

[Dianna] "What?"

Did he not just claim they were similar? Did he still fail to understand her pain? She targeted Philip with a resentful look, prompting an awkward smile from the Prince.

[Philip] "I also believed I could never rely on that man or receive any assistance from him, just like you."

Dianna stayed quiet.

[Philip] "But when the assassins targeted my life, my grandfather rushed to the capital."

She looked up at him. A gentle smile rewrote his features.

[Philip] "The moment he arrived, he threw his arms around me and checked for injuries."

She listened silently.

[Philip] "It is strange. He was a man who merely sent a standard birthday gift each year. He never wrote a single letter, nor did he visit me. I believed he would never change throughout his entire life."

She remained motionless.

[Philip] "Yet the moment he learned I faced death, he rushed to my side immediately."

Philip smiled. Listening to his words, Dianna lowered her gaze.

Philip is a fool. He claimed we were similar, yet now he explains how completely different we are.

[Philip] "He must have had a hidden reason."

[Dianna] "Even if I faced death, that man would never come for me."

[Philip] "Ann."

Philip stared at Dianna.

The memory remained burned into her mind. When the army of the Lodbrog Kingdom invaded the capital, Tallinn, she remained completely alone in the empty mansion.

News of Dianna staying behind to defend the estate spread throughout Panborough society. People praised her as a true aristocrat, possessing an admirable pride.

In reality, I had merely waited to face slaughter with a bit more dignity.

Yes, absolutely no one arrived to save her. Squeezing down her terror, she waited for death. No one could comprehend that absolute isolation.

Tears spilled continuously from her eyes.

[Philip] "You refuse to forgive him."

She stayed silent.

[Philip] "You have no desire to hear his reasons, right? You detest your grandfather."

She nodded at his words. Philip took her hand.

[Philip] "Then act exactly as you wish."

She offered no response.

[Philip] "Still, I believe hearing the explanation is the right path."

[Dianna] "The reason is transparent. He despises my existence."

He chuckled at her declaration.

[Philip] "You consider yourself an adult, don't you? You assume all your thoughts are correct."

She remained quiet.

[Philip] "I also considered myself an adult, yet I discovered I remained ignorant of many things."

She said nothing.

[Philip] "If you wish to withhold forgiveness, you may do so. But at least listen to the circumstances."

She stayed silent.

[Philip] "Even if you choose to resent him, you should at least learn the underlying cause."

Should I?

Dianna wanted to argue against his advice. Yet his assertion that she had no obligation to forgive brought a strange soothing comfort to her heart. Yes, she also desired to know. Why did it happen? Why did her grandfather abandon her so completely?

Dianna considered herself a fully grown individual. Living like a ghost in the Lodbrog Kingdom, she believed her soul had rotted past maturity. Yet, in truth, she had failed to grow up.

[Dianna] "But Philip, what if he despises me? What if my very existence as the daughter of my mother and father horrifies him? What if he loathes the sight of me?"

Suddenly, a fragile ego surfaced. Those words exposed her true feelings. Philip offered a bright smile.

[Philip] "Then you can lean on my comfort once again."

For some reason, those words filled her chest with a golden warmth. Dianna conversed with Philip for a long time. Even setting aside her grandfather's situation, conversations with him brought deep enjoyment.

When Philip rose to depart, citing the time, she questioned him.

[Dianna] "Why did you come here anyway?"

[Philip] "Huh? Oh…… just to see your face."

She offered no reply.

[Philip] "Ah, and to deliver this candy."

He gave an awkward smile, extending a glass jar. The container held a massive amount of treats.

[Dianna] "That is a lot of candy."

[Philip] "These are chocolates this time, not candy. They are exceptionally expensive."

Dianna let out a chuckle. Colorful chocolates filled the beautiful glass jar. He had traveled all this way simply to deliver this gift.

[Guiscard] "My Lady."

A voice shattered the silence. Dianna froze in her tracks. Philip cast a bewildered look.

[Philip] "What is it?"

She watched Guiscard advance. For some reason, his gaze locked directly onto the glass jar in her hands.

[Guiscard] "Lady Alexa is searching for you."

[Dianna] "Alexa? For what reason?"

[Guiscard] "I am unsure."

[Dianna] "Understood. Ah, right. My brother will return home soon. You should remain in your room."

[Guiscard] "Understood."

Yet Guiscard remained completely motionless. Did some other problem exist? Dianna studied him.

[Dianna] "Guiscard, do you have something to say to me?"

He stared at her face before lowering his gaze in a silent refusal. He bowed politely and departed, clearing the area.

As Dianna prepared to speak, Philip studied Guiscard's retreat with intense focus.

[Philip] "You said he's a slave, right?"

[Dianna] "Huh? Yes."

[Philip] "Is he really?"

Philip asked for confirmation.

What's going on? Does he know something about Guiscard?

Come to think of it, he mentioned recognizing Guiscard during their last encounter.

[Dianna] "You saw his restraints."

[Philip] "True, but he doesn't act like a slave."

[Dianna] "Guiscard is just……."

[Philip] "No, I mean you. You don't treat him like a slave."

He possessed sharp instincts.

[Philip] "For someone dealing with a slave, you act excessively cautious and tense."

[Dianna] "I do?"

He nodded. Her heart plummeted. Philip possessed incredible intuition. She knew this from their past, but he always managed to strike at the core of the truth.

[Philip] "I belong to the side that believes all slaves must be freed, so I'm not telling you to treat a slave like a slave."

[Dianna] "....…"

[Philip] "It's just…… why? Something bothers me about it. It bothers me immensely."

He furrowed his brows and grumbled.

---

A few days later, Dianna ventured back into the city streets. The carriage arrived at the building, and she stepped out.

[Gatekeeper] "Welcome back."

The gatekeeper offered a polite bow. His respectful tone surprised her, but she preferred this over him publicly announcing her as the 'Young Lady.' After all, the ducal knights stood right behind her, watching every move.

I wish to keep my meeting with Grandfather a secret from Father. That was the explicit request written in her previous letter.

The gatekeeper buried his face into his reddish-brown beard and sniffled. He pretended to hold back a sneeze, but tears streamed down his face. Dianna forced herself to ignore his crying.

She ordered the knights to remain outside and stepped into the building. For some unknown reason, a pleasant fragrance filled the interior. The previous musty odor had vanished without a trace. Beautiful paintings now decorated the walls, and those artworks……

Wait, why is a Ravinci painting hanging here……? Is it authentic?

And what is a Fakelangelo painting doing beside it?

Why are such masterpieces suddenly displayed in this building?

Those artworks are incredibly difficult to obtain.

[Gatekeeper] "Hehe, aren't those paintings beautiful, My Lady? Sniff."

The gatekeeper initiated a friendly conversation. Dianna forced a polite smile.

[Dianna] "They are…… I would love to own one myself."

[Gatekeeper] "Just ask the Guild Master! He'll give you everything."

This man firmly believed her grandfather adored her.

Dianna reached the top-floor office from her previous visit. Her heart pounded violently, sending loud, rhythmic thuds echoing through her skull.

Should I enter? Is this the right decision?

She squeezed her hands until her fingertips turned pale white. She hesitated in front of the handle. Suddenly, the door swung wide open. The heavy wood swung outward at a terrifying speed, missing her face by a mere inch.

[Anders] "I'm telling you, an accident definitely happened!"

[Employee] "Guild Master!"

[Anders] "She must've tumbled down the stairs. That's why I ordered you to install proper railings!"

[Employee] "No……."

[Anders] "No, that can't be it. She probably decided she hates the sight of me. This useless old man……!"

[Dianna] "......."

Ha…… I barely survived a lethal blow from a wooden door.

Dianna gasped for air and stared at the old man before her. He possessed a rather small and frail frame. However, his physical strength proved extraordinary; the sheer force of him opening the door generated a powerful gust of wind that sent her staggering backward.

[Anders] "Oh my, I apologize, little kid. Did I startle you? Where's your mother?"

[Dianna] "....…"

[Employee] "Guild Master, the young lady standing right there is Lady Dianna."

The old man gasped in wide-eyed shock.

---

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