Even if one asked the knights or soldiers, the answer would have been much the same. It was rare to have the opportunity to question someone not loyal to Cesare.
But when Eileen asked, Alessia looked as though she desperately wanted to ask something. After a moment's hesitation, she cautiously spoke up.
"Do you, by any chance, address His Grace the Grand Duke like that?"
Eileen realized she had been referring to Cesare by name in front of Alessia. Thinking it a mistake, she nodded. Alessia's eyes widened in shock. Eileen, surprised by her sudden reaction, was taken aback herself.
The reason for Alessia's shock was easy to guess. Besides the Emperor, Eileen was the only one who called the Grand Duke by name so casually.
Eileen knew that too. At first, she couldn't easily bring herself to say Cesare's name. Even now, she tried to be careful in public. But the title "Lord Cesare" had become second nature and sometimes slipped out unconsciously.
