🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 25
I stole a glance at the Grand Duke from the corner of my eye.
He was ridiculously handsome.
Listening to the princess’s complaints, the Crown Princess began to soothe her daughter, gently patting her shoulder.
“Why are you acting so childish, Risel? Dvorca is no longer a kingdom—it’s practically a colony. That prince is only a Grand Duke by title; he’s no different from a puppet of your father. In other words, you’re not on the same level as him.”
Ah. I shouldn’t have eavesdropped. Suddenly, I regretted it. I wanted to cover the Grand Duke’s ears with my hands to block her out.
I sneaked another glance.
The Grand Duke listened quietly, showing no change in expression.
“So that puppet could’ve been mine!”
“Pull yourself together and listen to your mother. His Majesty the King cares deeply for our Risel and wants you to marry a better man. If you want a foreign prince as a husband, we can look among the distinguished guests attending this event.”
“Ah, Mother! Didn’t you see him at the banquet? There wasn’t a single man more handsome than that prince! He practically radiates a halo! Why didn’t anyone tell me such a man existed?”
Perhaps due to the wine, the princess kept repeating herself.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Even I only realized he looked like this the day before yesterday; could anyone around her have known?
“Risel, marrying a man isn’t just about looks. That becomes useless over time. Think about your position. As the legitimate princess of the Levantean royal family, you must find a suitable match.”
“Mother, don’t you understand? I see faces all the time! No, I must speak to Father. I’ll ask him to assign that prince to a proper residence, not the harem.”
The princess pointed somewhere with her finger.
She was indicating another palace attached to her own Lavender Palace: the Hyacinth Palace.
The building, a twin of Lavender Palace, was connected by a corridor. It was occasionally used by her brother, the Crown Prince Jason.
Since Jason was the Lord of Lodis, he didn’t often come to this palace. Normally, it was empty, so she was asking for the Grand Duke to stay there.
“Haah, Risel, what nonsense. Do you realize what kind of scandal could arise?”
“Who cares? Anyway, my sister has a few men following her around in carriages. She has lands to govern, a title, and more wealth than the royal family, right? Surely one can be spared for me?”
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
I clicked my tongue unconsciously. There are limits even to throwing a tantrum. The princess’s words were far too bold, even for someone drunk.
I shouldn’t have eavesdropped. I thought her mind was all flowers, but apparently, it was full of… well, something else.
I couldn’t listen any longer and decided to just turn around and leave the garden.
“…Grand Duchess.”
As I adjusted my skirt, the Grand Duke called me.
“Yes?”
“I will go.”
Suddenly? Where did he intend to go? I tilted my head in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“Blansc. I will follow you.”
Oh.
That settled it. There was no need to convince the Grand Duke further. Thanks to Risel, he seemed to have decided that at least I was better than her.
“So, you intend to leave this palace?”
My uncle, Crown Prince Daimon, asked reluctantly.
“We just want to spend some quiet time together in a pastoral setting during our honeymoon. Right, Grand Duke?”
“Yes, that’s what I want.”
At my prompting, the Grand Duke didn’t hesitate to agree.
We were now in the main dining hall of the Yorca Palace, used by the Crown Prince. All the guests who had made the palace lively had left, leaving only the Levantean and Dvorca royal family members for dinner.
At the center of the huge mahogany table was a three-tiered wedding cake.
It was generously coated with pale pink cream infused with cherry juice, topped with sugar figurines of a man and woman in wedding attire—shaped like the Grand Duke and me.
Around it were roasted turkey, potatoes with brava sauce, and paella piled high with mussels.
King Salesio left immediately after the wedding, complaining of neck stiffness. After all, he had worn a crown the size of his head throughout the ceremony.
The head seats at the edge of the table were occupied by the Crown Prince, flanked by my mother, Princess Emma, and the Grand Duke’s stepmother, Queen Elisabetta.
Naturally, the two women didn’t speak. My mother was deaf, and Queen Elisabetta respected her condition.
Next to my mother were Crown Princess Sasha, and the siblings Jason and Riselotte.
“I hope Your Majesty allows it. Blansc is close by, so whenever you call, he can come in half a day by carriage,” I added. This meant the Grand Duke could come to the palace whenever needed.
“That’s impossible, sister.”
Princess Riselotte cut me off.
Indeed, the way she had been glaring at me with her fork and knife wasn’t a good sign.
“Why, Princess Riselotte? I just want to enjoy our honeymoon together since I married late.”
I deliberately provoked her, and her face crumpled. How pure and transparent—she couldn’t hide her feelings.
“The Grand Duke is the ruler of Dvorca, so it doesn’t make sense for him to leave Yorca Palace,” she argued.
“Yes, but it makes even less sense for the Grand Duke to stay in a tiny palace. Honestly, the harem quarters are cramped—smaller than the main hall of my Blansc estate—and the walls feel like a prison. It’s uncomfortable to come and go.”
“The residence can be changed to another palace, can’t it? Right, Father? Even if the Grand Duchess stays here, the Grand Duke should reside at the palace.”
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, looking back and forth between Riselotte and the Grand Duke.
Riselotte gazed at the Grand Duke while nibbling on her fork, and the Grand Duke ignored her, focusing quietly on his meal.
Sensing her obsession, the Crown Prince cut the meat with a harsh crack.
I decided to correct her words while observing his reaction.
“Princess, this is no longer the Dvorca Palace. Yorca Palace is now the Dvorca Governor’s Office, where the Crown Prince is the head. Since His Excellency is here, the Grand Duke can comfortably reside in my territory.”
“…Alisa. Once the honeymoon is over, we’ll soon need to travel to various regions,” the Crown Prince said.
This was important. The Grand Duke and I would need to tour Dvorca, calm opposition, and reassure the populace of the royal restoration.
“The schedule can be carried out without issue,” the Grand Duke said, his calm voice exuding reliability.
“Hahaha.”
A foreign laugh broke the silence—Queen Elisabetta, who had been quiet until now.
“The Grand Duke certainly has an irresistible charm. The Grand Duchess seems already enamored.”
“Without prior meetings, it’s natural to take time to get to know each other,” interjected Crown Princess Sasha. Witnessing Riselotte’s behavior, she likely also wanted the Grand Duke away from the palace to prevent further mischief.
“…Alright. For now, take him as you wish,” the Crown Prince agreed temporarily. Not a child, but the wording “take him” was unsettling.
He knew all too well what could happen if his reckless daughter became infatuated.
“Oh, didn’t the Queen say she was building a new palace on Padon Island? The sooner the first shovel breaks ground, the better, to make sending your precious son worthwhile,” the Crown Prince changed the topic. Queen Elisabetta smiled, dabbing her lips with a napkin.
“Of course. We have a site in mind on the eastern part of Padon Island. After surveying, we’ll provide maps and renderings,” she replied.
“Eastern part? Where exactly?”
The Grand Duke set his utensils down loudly and asked sharply.
“We are considering several sites. The eastern part is relatively flat. If possible, we plan to clear part of the forest to build it in a scenic area.”
“Clearing the forest isn’t a good idea, Your Excellency,” he said firmly.
This was the first time the usually taciturn Grand Duke had raised his voice.
“Isn’t that a mother’s wish, Grand Duke? At our age, we want to live peacefully in a beautiful place. Clearing one or two forested areas isn’t unreasonable, is it?” the Queen countered with a sly smile.
“Please preserve the eastern forests, and once the plan is finalized, send the maps and renderings to me as well.”
“…If that’s your wish, we’ll try our best. It’s pleasing to see the Grand Duke take an interest in his mother’s new home.”
Hahaha—The Crown Prince laughed heartily, the sound echoing through the grand dining hall. His gaze was on the Grand Duke.
“Grand Duke, why the pale look? Have you buried treasure in that forest? Or do you just love nature too much?”
“…No,” the Grand Duke replied shortly, closing his mouth.
The mood sank rapidly. The Crown Prince smirked slightly, one corner of his mouth twitching—a not-so-good sign.
Ah, what to do.
I should have warned the Grand Duke. If my uncle marks you, life becomes exhausting.
