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Chapter 30
-Hah! How could this be! It seems there’s been a mix-up.
“How did you handle things?”
-That’s what I’d like to ask you.
“What are you going to do?”
-Haa, I’ll have to report to His Excellency first. I’ll contact you again later.
“Do that.”
Count Gaisa ended the call, put the communication orb back in his bag, and let out a deep sigh. “Damn it, how did he mess things up so badly?”
For now, he would have to be content with the fact that the food was delivered safely and keep his plan to steal it a complete secret. He immediately called his aide, Roman.
“Roman, I just received a call from the east. The goods we sent them were all rotten.”
“What?!”
“It seems our goods were switched.”
“How could such a thing…?”
“Just keep quiet for now. We delivered the goods to the ducal castle without any problems. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes, my lord.”
After reining in Roman, Count Gaisa spent the night sighing deeply.
A loud noise came from the office of the Eastern Javier ducal mansion.
“What do you mean, the goods were switched?”
“I apologize, Your Excellency.”
“Is apologizing going to fix this?”
Count Rihan bowed his head. He was speechless. He hadn’t even known the goods were switched.
“So, the good goods were safely delivered to the north?”
“Yes, I confirmed with Count Gaisa.”
“And the goods that arrived here were all rotten?”
“…Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Ha, this is unbelievable. Didn’t you say you switched them properly?”
“I checked them myself…”
“Even you, who has never made a mistake, made such a mistake.”
“I am a disgrace, Your Excellency.”
“Yes, you’ve been by my side for a very long time. It’s almost strange that you’ve never made a mistake until now.”
Count Rihan was a thorough perfectionist. This meant that his work was meticulous. And yet, for the first time, he had made a mistake. And a very absurd one at that.
“Check again. Find out when, where, and how they were switched back. I’ll let this one slide.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
“You may leave now.”
Count Rihan bowed and hurried out of the office to his mansion. When he returned to his mansion, he met with the head of the merchant caravan in his office.
“What brings you here?”
“I have something to tell you.”
“Go on.”
“One of our employees has disappeared without a trace.”
“What?”
The head of the merchant caravan explained in detail to Count Rihan about the missing employee.
“The new person we hired has disappeared?”
“Yes. It seems he’s involved in this matter.”
“You think the goods being switched is related to him?”
“I think so. Other employees testified that they saw him the night before the goods departed. And he disappeared the next morning.”
Count Rihan frowned.
“Discreetly find out his whereabouts.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He had been wondering what had happened, and it seemed there was a rat hidden in the caravan. Someone had clearly stabbed him in the back.
“Ha, to think that I, of all people, would be stabbed in the back.”
Even he found it unbelievable.
The next day, Count Gaisa had lunch with Alexis.
“The atmosphere in the castle seems much brighter, Your Excellency.”
“Does it?”
“Yes, it feels different from before.”
“Spring has come to the north, you know.”
“Pardon?”
Alexis put down his fork and knife and smiled warmly.
“Don’t you think it’s about time spring came to our north?”
“Is that so?”
“We’ve suffered from the cold for a long time, so it’s about time for spring to come.”
“Haha, yes, that’s true. The north can’t stay cold forever.”
Alexis smiled warmly.
“It starts from now.”
“What?”
“I mean that our north will change.”
Count Gaisa’s eyes trembled as he realized the meaning of those words. The meaning of “change” was only one thing. It meant that they would no longer be cowering. It also meant that the north would move.
‘What on earth is it?’
What could have given the Duke such confidence? The Duke was definitely different from before. There was a firm resolve in Alexis’s eyes now. It meant he had made up his mind.
‘He’s serious.’
For now, he could only sense his resolve, but he couldn’t figure out what Alexis was thinking.
“Didn’t you say you were leaving tomorrow?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“That’s a shame. You could have stayed a little longer.”
“You’re already so busy, I couldn’t possibly be a burden.”
“A burden? That’s a hurtful thing to say.”
“I have to be considerate. Who else understands the ducal family’s situation better than I do? You must save your food.”
Alexis responded to Count Gaisa’s sharp gaze with a smile.
“I appreciate you understanding the ducal family’s situation, Count.”
“I have to think about it. Who else knows the ducal family’s situation as well as I do?”
“Yes, please speak well of me to His Majesty when you return.”
“Of course. I will tell His Majesty that everything was delivered well. Don’t you worry.”
“Eat up. Food doesn’t taste good when it’s cold.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
The quiet meal continued, accompanied by a sharp battle of wits.
The mansion of the Grand Duke of Prussia.
Grand Duchess Christina checked the letter her aide handed her and frowned. The letter was from the Duke of Javier.
“The food was switched?”
The letter stated that the good food was delivered to the north, and the rotten food was delivered to the east. Grand Duchess Christina pressed her temples as a headache came on.
“The plan went awry.”
Grand Duchess Christina handed the letter back to her aide. The aide immediately burned the letter with a candle.
“A variable has appeared, but since the food was delivered to the north without any problems, there won’t be a big issue. We’ll just have to deliver the necessary goods to the east through the merchant caravan Count Gaisa runs. Tell the Duke that.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Just then, a young prince opened the door and came in.
“Mother!”
“Oh, Raul. Come here.”
The Grand Prince Raul, who was eight years old this year, hugged her. Grand Duchess Christina stroked Raul’s hair with loving eyes.
“Mother, when will my soulmate come?”
“You’ll be able to meet her if you just wait a little longer.”
“It’s already been many days, Mother. I miss her so much.”
“Raul, what did I tell you you have to do to lead a country one day?”
Raul said with clear, bright eyes. “You said I have to be someone who knows how to be patient and endure.”
“Then, what should you do?”
“I have to endure and wait even if I miss her.”
“That’s right. You remember so well, Raul. You’re so smart.”
“I’m studying hard.”
“Are you practicing your swordsmanship diligently, too?”
“Swordsmanship is too hard, Mother.”
“Raul, you have to do it even if it’s hard. Those who don’t have the strength to fight are easily defeated by their enemies. Remember that.”
“…Yes, Mother.”
When Raul spoke in a meek voice, Grand Duchess Christina stroked his head and comforted him.
“Raul, there are things you have to do even if you don’t like them. If you become a good swordsman, I’ll teach you how to ride a horse. You said you wanted to learn, didn’t you?”
“Really?”
Only then did Raul’s expression brighten.
“Of course.”
“I’ll work hard, Mother.”
“That’s my good boy.”
“I love you, Mother.”
“I love you, too, my son.”
Raul rubbed his face against Grand Duchess Christina’s chest with a happy expression. Grand Duchess Christina looked at Raul with loving eyes. He was a precious son she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.
‘I will give you the world.’
She had the ambition to give Raul the empire. The highest position in the Adelheit Empire. She had been running toward that goal. She was determined to give Raul the throne, no matter what it took. The sacrifices made in the process meant nothing to her. She would achieve her goal, even if it meant holding hands with the devil.
That’s the kind of person she was. A person who could be merciless to achieve her purpose. And the title of ‘mother of the emperor.’ She also had the ambition to become the greatest woman in the empire. To have the power to hold the world in her hands and shake it.
