FIC: Suitors - (Chapter 02: Hands-Off)
Title: Suitors - (Chapter 02: Hands-Off)
Author: Batty_Gal a.k.a Tetra26
Rating: T
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairing: Wolfram x ???
Word Count: 2665
Fic Type: Ongoing
Fic Summary: After Wolfram ended his engagement in a fit of rage, suitors from all around started to flock to the castle to seek his hand - much to Gwendal's dismay. Who will capture his heart? A random noble? Murata? Yozak? And, what about Yuuri? Sequel to 1 Up.
Chapter Summary: Something Yuuri unwittingly did a few months prior comes back to haunt him as Cheri brings with her some bothersome news. Plus, a discussion between Conrad and Gwendal causes the latter to make a tough decision in regards to Wolfram.
Previous Chapters: 1
Prequel: 1 Up: 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9
Suitors (Chapter 02: Hands Off)
by Tetra26/Batty Gal
“Your Majesty,” Cheri squealed, and ran up to Yuuri.
Wolfram watched as his mother gave Yuuri the same smothering torture that he had been subjected to a few moments prior, himself.
“Ifrf grrd terfee utu,” Yuuri muffled out, unintelligibly.
“I'm sorry, what was that?” Cheri asked, pulling the Maou's face away from her chest.
Yuuri gasped. “I said, it's good to see you too,” he said, and Wolfram mentally cheered that he had deciphered it correctly.
As Cheri fawned over Yuuri, Wolfram's mind went back to Murata implying that he might pursue him.
He found it hard to believe that the Sage could be serious, considering that - when confronted - he usually brushed off his flirtations with Wolfram as a joke. Still, Wolfram couldn't dismiss that perhaps some of those jokes that he had made about them hooking up with each other were not made entirely in jest after all.
Maybe the Sage was serious, and hid it behind jokes and that know-it-all smile of his? Perhaps he should take the entire situation seriously?
Wolfram understood what it was like to have his feelings be brushed off so very easily. He couldn't fathom doing the same to someone that was serious about him, not after his own experiences. He mentally decided to pay more attention to what the Sage said and did from that point on. It could be possible that he was missing something big there.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Gwendal's curious voice.
“Why are all of these carriages here? And what are all these packed items?” Gwendal questioned, staring at where several men were helping to unload them.
“Those are the party favors for the Ball we're having here next month.”
“Ball? I was unaware that a Ball was supposed to take place next month?” Gwendal said, his face showing confusion.
“Neither was I,” Yuuri said.
“Your Majesty, how could you not know? You were the one who signed the paper approving it!” Cheri said.
“I did?”
“You did! That paper I had you sign a few months ago for me, didn't you read it? I'm hoping that perhaps Wolfram will possibly find his future beloved there. Maybe you will, even.”
Both Wolfram and Conrart started to choke, as Gwendal looked at Yuuri with absolute scorn.
“Your Majesty... you didn't...” Gwendal said, and trailed off.
“Aah,” Yuuri started, and promptly clammed up as Wolfram shot him his best look of sheer annoyance.
“Yuuri! Do you realize what you have done?” Wolfram asked. He was utterly bothered by the idea of having to possibly deal with a whole bunch of suitors in one night. It was bad enough dealing with them several times a week, even if Gwendal got rid of most of them before he saw them. And with his mother planning it, no good could come of it - none whatsoever.
And Wolfram knew that Yuuri would be bothered by having to deal with it as well, so why in the world would he even agree to such a thing?
It was then that Wolfram vaguely remembered Yuuri hastily signing something for his mother while trying to get out of her death grip a few months prior. So that was how she managed to get him to agree! He begrudgingly admired her sneaky move, solely because it worked.
”Either way, the invitations have already been sent out, and I have all of these lovely decorations. I simply can't wait for the wedding...”
“The wedding?!” Wolfram exclaimed.
“Why yes, the wedding! I'm certain you will find your beloved soon, and he will find you. It's my intuition, of course!”
“Or, perhaps he has already found his beloved,” Murata said, and winked at Wolfram.
“Why Your Highness, has my baby boy captured your heart?” Cheri squeaked.
“Perhaps he has.”
“Sweet Shinou!”
Wolfram noted that Gwendal's glare shifted from Yuuri to the Sage, and he shot Conrart an exasperated look.
“Mother, I don't think this is a very good idea,” Conrart said, and Wolfram mentally thanked him.
“Why not?”
“Because, I don't think Wolfram's ready to get married, yet.. And, even so, I think it's best he be allowed to pick who he wishes to marry in due time.”
“I'm giving him the opportunity to pick someone! I have invited people from all over. It's too late to cancel.”
“Well, that doesn't mean that it has to be some sort of romance-finding thing, right? It could just be a regular Ball,” Yuuri said, attempting to ease Gwendal and Wolfram's minds about the matter.
“Of course it could be,” Cheri said, innocently.
“Gwendal, I know you're upset, but calm down, alright?” Conrart said as he followed Gwendal into his office.
“I'm calm, I'm fine,” his brother answered, coolly.
“I can tell you are not.”
“I said I was fine. For now. I can handle this situation, trust me.”
Conrart knew the tone of voice Gwendal was using with him all too well. It was his 'someone is going to suffer and I'm going to enjoy it even if it looks like I'm not' voice. He thought about the conversation he had with Wolfram the day prior, and decided to finally voice some of his thoughts to Gwendal.
“Listen, I know that this suitor business has been bothering you - it's been bothering me as well. However, I think you need to step back and let Wolfram make his own decisions.”
Gwendal stared at him. “When the time comes, he will make his own decisions. Until that time comes, I'll make them for him.”
“When will that time come? When will you let him grow up? He's not a small child anymore, you can't keep coddling him-”
“I know he's not a child anymore, alright?” Gwendal interrupted. “You just don't understand, you've never had to go through this like we have.”
Gwendal paused for a moment, before continuing.
“You know how people can be vultures all about upping their social standings. Wolfram could look like the offspring of King Belal and a Kohi, but people like that wouldn't care. His social standing is what counts to those types, and that's why they are circling him now. It's why they used to do the same with me, when I was his age.”
It was the truth; Conrart couldn't deny it. Even Wolfram had openly stated it several times to him. Still, he believed that Gwendal should step aside and let Wolfram handle his own affairs. He could tell his younger brother was restless about the entire matter, even if Gwendal was a huge help to him by running most of them off.
“Gwendal, he's almost an adult. You can't protect him forever. Neither can I. He has to have his own experiences; make his own choices. Make his own mistakes, like you. Like me. Besides, what if you run off someone that actually likes him?” Conrart asked, his thoughts on several people that he knew were legitimately interested in Wolfram.
He didn't dare mention any of them to Gwendal, however. Even if he managed to break through to his other brother, which he seemed on the verge of doing, there were several people on that list that would never, ever be approved of by Gwendal. There were a few that would never meet his own approval as well, and he didn't want to think about them. He didn't even want to think about the few that did meet it. And he most certainly didn't want to think about two specific men that he suspected Wolfram had more interest in than he let on.
He decided then to proposition Yozak to go out for drinks later on so that he could un-think the things he didn't want to think but thought anyhow.
“I know, I know. I think if I keep waiting on myself to be ready to let him go, it might never happen. You're right; it's time I let him go,” Gwendal said with a sigh.
Conrart nodded, and was about to leave the room when he suddenly got an idea.
“How did you get out of your suitor problem? Did you just go to Mother and tell her to stop interfering? Perhaps you can give Wolfram some tips?” he said.
“Going to Mother wouldn't solve anything, and you know it. Wolfram knows it, as well. It's why neither of us have truly confronted her about it. She means well, even if the ways she goes about it at times are questionable. She just wants us to be happy, and - to her - happiness is love.”
“Then how did you scare them all off, permanently?”
Conrart noted Gwendal 's sheepish look, and didn't miss the blush on his face.
“Well, how did you do it? Threaten to bury them? Caused a quake? What?”
Gwendal cleared his throat. “What I'm about to tell you must never leave this room, alright? I don't want Wolfram to attempt it as well.”
“Sure, you can trust me.”
“Well me, Anissina and Günter came up with this idea..."
Wolfram was about to knock on Gwendal's office door when he heard a loud bark of laughter from within it.
“That's not funny at all! It was all I could come up with! At least it worked!” he heard Gwendal say loudly, as he realized it was Conrart who was laughing.
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry-” Conrart wheezed out, and Wolfram heard him start laughing again.
When he figured that he wasn't interrupting anything important (except his brother's laughing fit), he knocked on the door.
“Enter,” Gwendal called out.
Wolfram walked in, and was slightly amused to see Conrart attempting to compose himself while Gwendal gave him the evil-eye. He wondered what they had been discussing, but by the way Gwendal was looking, he was certain that asking would be futile.
“What do you need, Wolfram?” Gwendal grunted out.
He decided to get straight down to business. “Listen, we need to find a way to cancel this event. I can't deal with all of this, not in one night.”
Wolfram figured that Gwendal didn't want to deal with it any more than he did, and though he often complained about his brother treating him like a child, he would be grateful for the interference this time.
He noted a lingering look between Gwendal and Conrart, who had become more somber. Gwendal turned his gaze on him, and to Wolfram it looked like he was weighing his next words.
Gwendal sighed. “Listen, Wolfram. Have a seat.”
Gwendal telling him to sit down without glaring at him was never a good thing. In fact, Wolfram wished that Gwendal's normal sourpuss look was in place instead of the suspiciously gentle one that was present.
“I'll stand. What's wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. We were discussing this suitor business amongst ourselves.”
Wolfram wasn't sure if he liked where the conversation was going. A flock of birds flew past outside, and it made him immensely nervous. “And?”
Gwendal deeply sighed. “Wolfram, you're almost a grown man now. I can't keep speaking for you, and I know you don't want me to.”
“So?”
“So, I'm stepping back. I'm letting you handle this situation from now on. My hands are off it, unless absolutely necessary.”
Wolfram couldn't believe his ears. Gwendal was actually going to back off and let him take control of the entire thing?
He was more bothered by the idea that he didn't want Gwendal to do so. At least, not yet. He couldn't find any words to express it to him, however. He was stunned silent by Gwendal actually implying that he wasn't going to treat him like a child anymore, when it came to that aspect.
He had often found it funny that Gwendal had little to no problem with his military pursuits (aside from the more dangerous situations), as well as his drinking, but had an absolute fit when someone showed more than a passing interest in him. It was one of those things that he loudly claimed to dislike, but secretly didn't mind. He had even been surprised when Gwendal had shown little-to-none of that part of him when he had been engaged to Yuuri. He used to think it was because Yuuri was the Maou, but slowly he had come to understand the real reason why.
He was stunned by the sudden amount of bitterness that he felt about it, and quickly pushed the thought away. He didn't want to go there again; he hated doing so. Especially late at night, when he was alone in his bed.
Then again, he would take those thoughts over the disturbing ones he had been having lately. Especially the not-so-innocent ones about a few people that he absolutely should not be thinking about under any circumstance like that, ever.
“Just be careful, alright?” Gwendal said. “I know the motives most of those people have, and so do you. Just remember that you don't have to choose any of them. That it's perfectly acceptable to choose to stay single as long as you want to be, even if that means forever.”
Wolfram watched Conrart nod his agreement, and wondered what part he played in the matter. He remembered his conversation with him a day prior, and realized that perhaps his brother had voiced some of his thoughts on things.
He felt both grateful and betrayed at the same time.
“Is there anything else you need?”
Wolfram shook his head, still unable to speak He wanted so very badly to tell Gwendal that he didn't want him to stop, that he didn't want to handle the situation, but he refrained from doing so.
“I'm proud of you, Wolfram. In these past four years, you have grown up a lot. I know His Majesty influenced a big part in this, but something tells me that you would have turned out well enough, regardless.”
“Thank you,” he said, finally finding his voice.
Wolfram left Gwendal's office, still in a daze about the entire conversation. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and practically ran Yozak over.
“Where's the fire? No, wait...”
Wolfram groaned at the ancient joke between them. “I'm not in the mood for that old joke,” he mumbled, and sighed.
“Well, do you want to hear a new joke?” Yozak said, and smiled.
Wolfram gave him an exasperated look.
Yozak was unfazed, and smiled even harder. “It's a dirty one.”
Wolfram marveled at the idea that, just a year ago, he would have insulted Yozak and claimed he was too vulgar. The old him would have brushed past Yozak, refusing to hear another word of it. He definitely wouldn't have stood there and considered listening to it..
It just showed how close they had become since the night he ended his engagement, and Yozak had revealed to him what he had seen Saralegui do.
“How dirty?” he ultimately asked.
“Extremely dirty.”
“Is it a funny one? I could use a good laugh after the day I've had,” he said, and sighed again.
“I'll make a wager with you. If you think it is funny, I'll owe you one. If you think it's not funny, I'll owe you two. You win, either way.”
Wolfram thought about the situation with the suitors, and Gwendal's new hands-off approach on the matter. Favors from Yozak could always come in handy, and the part of his mind that plotted and schemed during the Saralegui revenge incident started to rapidly lay out plans once more.
“Try me, then.”
Author's note: This is the re-edited version of this chapter. I just changed Conrad to Conrart and corrected a few more errors. Next chapter: Several people plot their next moves.
Author: Batty_Gal a.k.a Tetra26
Rating: T
Fandom: Kyou Kara Maou
Pairing: Wolfram x ???
Word Count: 2665
Fic Type: Ongoing
Fic Summary: After Wolfram ended his engagement in a fit of rage, suitors from all around started to flock to the castle to seek his hand - much to Gwendal's dismay. Who will capture his heart? A random noble? Murata? Yozak? And, what about Yuuri? Sequel to 1 Up.
Chapter Summary: Something Yuuri unwittingly did a few months prior comes back to haunt him as Cheri brings with her some bothersome news. Plus, a discussion between Conrad and Gwendal causes the latter to make a tough decision in regards to Wolfram.
Previous Chapters: 1
Prequel: 1 Up: 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9
Suitors (Chapter 02: Hands Off)
by Tetra26/Batty Gal
“Your Majesty,” Cheri squealed, and ran up to Yuuri.
Wolfram watched as his mother gave Yuuri the same smothering torture that he had been subjected to a few moments prior, himself.
“Ifrf grrd terfee utu,” Yuuri muffled out, unintelligibly.
“I'm sorry, what was that?” Cheri asked, pulling the Maou's face away from her chest.
Yuuri gasped. “I said, it's good to see you too,” he said, and Wolfram mentally cheered that he had deciphered it correctly.
As Cheri fawned over Yuuri, Wolfram's mind went back to Murata implying that he might pursue him.
He found it hard to believe that the Sage could be serious, considering that - when confronted - he usually brushed off his flirtations with Wolfram as a joke. Still, Wolfram couldn't dismiss that perhaps some of those jokes that he had made about them hooking up with each other were not made entirely in jest after all.
Maybe the Sage was serious, and hid it behind jokes and that know-it-all smile of his? Perhaps he should take the entire situation seriously?
Wolfram understood what it was like to have his feelings be brushed off so very easily. He couldn't fathom doing the same to someone that was serious about him, not after his own experiences. He mentally decided to pay more attention to what the Sage said and did from that point on. It could be possible that he was missing something big there.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Gwendal's curious voice.
“Why are all of these carriages here? And what are all these packed items?” Gwendal questioned, staring at where several men were helping to unload them.
“Those are the party favors for the Ball we're having here next month.”
“Ball? I was unaware that a Ball was supposed to take place next month?” Gwendal said, his face showing confusion.
“Neither was I,” Yuuri said.
“Your Majesty, how could you not know? You were the one who signed the paper approving it!” Cheri said.
“I did?”
“You did! That paper I had you sign a few months ago for me, didn't you read it? I'm hoping that perhaps Wolfram will possibly find his future beloved there. Maybe you will, even.”
Both Wolfram and Conrart started to choke, as Gwendal looked at Yuuri with absolute scorn.
“Your Majesty... you didn't...” Gwendal said, and trailed off.
“Aah,” Yuuri started, and promptly clammed up as Wolfram shot him his best look of sheer annoyance.
“Yuuri! Do you realize what you have done?” Wolfram asked. He was utterly bothered by the idea of having to possibly deal with a whole bunch of suitors in one night. It was bad enough dealing with them several times a week, even if Gwendal got rid of most of them before he saw them. And with his mother planning it, no good could come of it - none whatsoever.
And Wolfram knew that Yuuri would be bothered by having to deal with it as well, so why in the world would he even agree to such a thing?
It was then that Wolfram vaguely remembered Yuuri hastily signing something for his mother while trying to get out of her death grip a few months prior. So that was how she managed to get him to agree! He begrudgingly admired her sneaky move, solely because it worked.
”Either way, the invitations have already been sent out, and I have all of these lovely decorations. I simply can't wait for the wedding...”
“The wedding?!” Wolfram exclaimed.
“Why yes, the wedding! I'm certain you will find your beloved soon, and he will find you. It's my intuition, of course!”
“Or, perhaps he has already found his beloved,” Murata said, and winked at Wolfram.
“Why Your Highness, has my baby boy captured your heart?” Cheri squeaked.
“Perhaps he has.”
“Sweet Shinou!”
Wolfram noted that Gwendal's glare shifted from Yuuri to the Sage, and he shot Conrart an exasperated look.
“Mother, I don't think this is a very good idea,” Conrart said, and Wolfram mentally thanked him.
“Why not?”
“Because, I don't think Wolfram's ready to get married, yet.. And, even so, I think it's best he be allowed to pick who he wishes to marry in due time.”
“I'm giving him the opportunity to pick someone! I have invited people from all over. It's too late to cancel.”
“Well, that doesn't mean that it has to be some sort of romance-finding thing, right? It could just be a regular Ball,” Yuuri said, attempting to ease Gwendal and Wolfram's minds about the matter.
“Of course it could be,” Cheri said, innocently.
“Gwendal, I know you're upset, but calm down, alright?” Conrart said as he followed Gwendal into his office.
“I'm calm, I'm fine,” his brother answered, coolly.
“I can tell you are not.”
“I said I was fine. For now. I can handle this situation, trust me.”
Conrart knew the tone of voice Gwendal was using with him all too well. It was his 'someone is going to suffer and I'm going to enjoy it even if it looks like I'm not' voice. He thought about the conversation he had with Wolfram the day prior, and decided to finally voice some of his thoughts to Gwendal.
“Listen, I know that this suitor business has been bothering you - it's been bothering me as well. However, I think you need to step back and let Wolfram make his own decisions.”
Gwendal stared at him. “When the time comes, he will make his own decisions. Until that time comes, I'll make them for him.”
“When will that time come? When will you let him grow up? He's not a small child anymore, you can't keep coddling him-”
“I know he's not a child anymore, alright?” Gwendal interrupted. “You just don't understand, you've never had to go through this like we have.”
Gwendal paused for a moment, before continuing.
“You know how people can be vultures all about upping their social standings. Wolfram could look like the offspring of King Belal and a Kohi, but people like that wouldn't care. His social standing is what counts to those types, and that's why they are circling him now. It's why they used to do the same with me, when I was his age.”
It was the truth; Conrart couldn't deny it. Even Wolfram had openly stated it several times to him. Still, he believed that Gwendal should step aside and let Wolfram handle his own affairs. He could tell his younger brother was restless about the entire matter, even if Gwendal was a huge help to him by running most of them off.
“Gwendal, he's almost an adult. You can't protect him forever. Neither can I. He has to have his own experiences; make his own choices. Make his own mistakes, like you. Like me. Besides, what if you run off someone that actually likes him?” Conrart asked, his thoughts on several people that he knew were legitimately interested in Wolfram.
He didn't dare mention any of them to Gwendal, however. Even if he managed to break through to his other brother, which he seemed on the verge of doing, there were several people on that list that would never, ever be approved of by Gwendal. There were a few that would never meet his own approval as well, and he didn't want to think about them. He didn't even want to think about the few that did meet it. And he most certainly didn't want to think about two specific men that he suspected Wolfram had more interest in than he let on.
He decided then to proposition Yozak to go out for drinks later on so that he could un-think the things he didn't want to think but thought anyhow.
“I know, I know. I think if I keep waiting on myself to be ready to let him go, it might never happen. You're right; it's time I let him go,” Gwendal said with a sigh.
Conrart nodded, and was about to leave the room when he suddenly got an idea.
“How did you get out of your suitor problem? Did you just go to Mother and tell her to stop interfering? Perhaps you can give Wolfram some tips?” he said.
“Going to Mother wouldn't solve anything, and you know it. Wolfram knows it, as well. It's why neither of us have truly confronted her about it. She means well, even if the ways she goes about it at times are questionable. She just wants us to be happy, and - to her - happiness is love.”
“Then how did you scare them all off, permanently?”
Conrart noted Gwendal 's sheepish look, and didn't miss the blush on his face.
“Well, how did you do it? Threaten to bury them? Caused a quake? What?”
Gwendal cleared his throat. “What I'm about to tell you must never leave this room, alright? I don't want Wolfram to attempt it as well.”
“Sure, you can trust me.”
“Well me, Anissina and Günter came up with this idea..."
Wolfram was about to knock on Gwendal's office door when he heard a loud bark of laughter from within it.
“That's not funny at all! It was all I could come up with! At least it worked!” he heard Gwendal say loudly, as he realized it was Conrart who was laughing.
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry-” Conrart wheezed out, and Wolfram heard him start laughing again.
When he figured that he wasn't interrupting anything important (except his brother's laughing fit), he knocked on the door.
“Enter,” Gwendal called out.
Wolfram walked in, and was slightly amused to see Conrart attempting to compose himself while Gwendal gave him the evil-eye. He wondered what they had been discussing, but by the way Gwendal was looking, he was certain that asking would be futile.
“What do you need, Wolfram?” Gwendal grunted out.
He decided to get straight down to business. “Listen, we need to find a way to cancel this event. I can't deal with all of this, not in one night.”
Wolfram figured that Gwendal didn't want to deal with it any more than he did, and though he often complained about his brother treating him like a child, he would be grateful for the interference this time.
He noted a lingering look between Gwendal and Conrart, who had become more somber. Gwendal turned his gaze on him, and to Wolfram it looked like he was weighing his next words.
Gwendal sighed. “Listen, Wolfram. Have a seat.”
Gwendal telling him to sit down without glaring at him was never a good thing. In fact, Wolfram wished that Gwendal's normal sourpuss look was in place instead of the suspiciously gentle one that was present.
“I'll stand. What's wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. We were discussing this suitor business amongst ourselves.”
Wolfram wasn't sure if he liked where the conversation was going. A flock of birds flew past outside, and it made him immensely nervous. “And?”
Gwendal deeply sighed. “Wolfram, you're almost a grown man now. I can't keep speaking for you, and I know you don't want me to.”
“So?”
“So, I'm stepping back. I'm letting you handle this situation from now on. My hands are off it, unless absolutely necessary.”
Wolfram couldn't believe his ears. Gwendal was actually going to back off and let him take control of the entire thing?
He was more bothered by the idea that he didn't want Gwendal to do so. At least, not yet. He couldn't find any words to express it to him, however. He was stunned silent by Gwendal actually implying that he wasn't going to treat him like a child anymore, when it came to that aspect.
He had often found it funny that Gwendal had little to no problem with his military pursuits (aside from the more dangerous situations), as well as his drinking, but had an absolute fit when someone showed more than a passing interest in him. It was one of those things that he loudly claimed to dislike, but secretly didn't mind. He had even been surprised when Gwendal had shown little-to-none of that part of him when he had been engaged to Yuuri. He used to think it was because Yuuri was the Maou, but slowly he had come to understand the real reason why.
He was stunned by the sudden amount of bitterness that he felt about it, and quickly pushed the thought away. He didn't want to go there again; he hated doing so. Especially late at night, when he was alone in his bed.
Then again, he would take those thoughts over the disturbing ones he had been having lately. Especially the not-so-innocent ones about a few people that he absolutely should not be thinking about under any circumstance like that, ever.
“Just be careful, alright?” Gwendal said. “I know the motives most of those people have, and so do you. Just remember that you don't have to choose any of them. That it's perfectly acceptable to choose to stay single as long as you want to be, even if that means forever.”
Wolfram watched Conrart nod his agreement, and wondered what part he played in the matter. He remembered his conversation with him a day prior, and realized that perhaps his brother had voiced some of his thoughts on things.
He felt both grateful and betrayed at the same time.
“Is there anything else you need?”
Wolfram shook his head, still unable to speak He wanted so very badly to tell Gwendal that he didn't want him to stop, that he didn't want to handle the situation, but he refrained from doing so.
“I'm proud of you, Wolfram. In these past four years, you have grown up a lot. I know His Majesty influenced a big part in this, but something tells me that you would have turned out well enough, regardless.”
“Thank you,” he said, finally finding his voice.
Wolfram left Gwendal's office, still in a daze about the entire conversation. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and practically ran Yozak over.
“Where's the fire? No, wait...”
Wolfram groaned at the ancient joke between them. “I'm not in the mood for that old joke,” he mumbled, and sighed.
“Well, do you want to hear a new joke?” Yozak said, and smiled.
Wolfram gave him an exasperated look.
Yozak was unfazed, and smiled even harder. “It's a dirty one.”
Wolfram marveled at the idea that, just a year ago, he would have insulted Yozak and claimed he was too vulgar. The old him would have brushed past Yozak, refusing to hear another word of it. He definitely wouldn't have stood there and considered listening to it..
It just showed how close they had become since the night he ended his engagement, and Yozak had revealed to him what he had seen Saralegui do.
“How dirty?” he ultimately asked.
“Extremely dirty.”
“Is it a funny one? I could use a good laugh after the day I've had,” he said, and sighed again.
“I'll make a wager with you. If you think it is funny, I'll owe you one. If you think it's not funny, I'll owe you two. You win, either way.”
Wolfram thought about the situation with the suitors, and Gwendal's new hands-off approach on the matter. Favors from Yozak could always come in handy, and the part of his mind that plotted and schemed during the Saralegui revenge incident started to rapidly lay out plans once more.
“Try me, then.”
Author's note: This is the re-edited version of this chapter. I just changed Conrad to Conrart and corrected a few more errors. Next chapter: Several people plot their next moves.