Westfeldt

Brett wasn’t dead. He should have been sentenced to death, but in order to fully uncover the truth behind the incident, someone who held key information had to be kept alive. And so, through a kind of judicial bargain, his life had been spared. That said, all it meant was that he was still breathing. His freedom was practically nonexistent.

Of course, the possibility that he could inherit the Westfeldt estate and become its duke was out of the question. Which was why, for a brief moment, Allen assumed that he must have misheard. He hadn’t been in the public eye for the past few years, so his name likely wasn’t widely known among the citizens. It wouldn’t be too surprising if someone, upon hearing that the duke had changed, simply assumed it must be Brett.

But Allen quickly dismissed that theory. Even if it was just in name, Riese had inherited the Westfeldt family title. A former princess taking on such a role was bound to draw attention. There was no way that kind of misunderstanding would persist. And if that was the case...then what did this mean?

“Oh? You’ve got a pretty serious look on your face. Hah, don’t tell me! You’ve got someone you know in Westfeldt?”

“Yeah, something like that...”

“I see, I see. Well, I can understand why that’d make you concerned. But I wouldn’t worry too much. It doesn’t sound like anything major happened. And more importantly, His Grace is said to be a wise and just ruler.”

“Is that so?”

“Oh yes. Inheriting the estate at such a young age and yet handling it with a maturity beyond his years... They say he’s doing a fine job. Doesn’t hand down unreasonable judgments, and he takes the lead himself when something happens in the territory. Everyone’s saying Westfeldt’s in good hands.”

Allen had no idea what kind of expression was on his face as he listened. But there was one thing he understood very clearly: He would have to go to Westfeldt immediately.

The journey from the royal capital to Westfeldt was over in an instant. Normally, it would have taken several days of bouncing along in a carriage. But Allen had no time to spare, so he’d transported himself there. Given the urgency of confirming what was happening, it was the only reasonabl