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Chapter: 06
Something Feels Off
It was a peaceful afternoon.
As always, piles of administrative documents were stacked on Karl’s desk. Various petitions and complaints, written with the utmost politeness, stood next to them, matching the height of the mountains of paperwork. Karl was busy, reading through the documents, signing some, and examining others.
Then, suddenly, Karl tilted his head, pen in hand, as if he had just remembered something. In reality, it wasn’t that he remembered anything—it was a strange feeling of emptiness, as if he had forgotten something. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall what it was.
Seeing the prince, who had been working diligently, suddenly stop and stare blankly, his aide Luka also paused and looked at him.
“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
“I feel like I’ve forgotten something, but I don’t know what it is.”
Luka pretended not to hear and lowered his gaze back to the documents. Here we go again. I can’t let myself get caught up in this. All the paperwork on this desk had to be completed today. If it wasn’t, another mountain of documents would pile up tomorrow. Tomorrow was also the day Karl had planned to go see a play with his mother, so leaving on time was non-negotiable. Today’s work couldn’t be pushed back.
On top of that, there were roughly eighteen thousand and five hundred more reasons Luka couldn’t let himself get caught in Karl’s schemes.
“What is this emptiness?”
Ignoring himself, Karl continued tilting his head, muttering to himself. Moments later, he suddenly exclaimed.
“Ah! Iana! Luka, didn’t Iana send something in return? Didn’t she send flowers and a necklace last time?”
Luka frowned as he replied.
“You’ve been too harsh on the Princess. How can that even be considered a gift? A proper gift should reflect the sender’s dignity. Your Highness, why would you send something that damages the royal reputation? That shabby bouquet and necklace must have felt insulting to her.”
“That was the point. Insult. My goal has always been that—I wanted Iana Marseille to feel insulted and completely lose interest in me.”
“Then it seems you’ve succeeded this time. There’s been no contact or reply from her.”
With his blunt answer delivered, Luka returned to his documents. But soon, he had to set them aside because of Karl’s interruption.
“Even so, this isn’t right. Luka, did we miss something? How could we miss a gift from the Princess? Isn’t that a problem with your capability as my aide?”
Karl needed some distance, not such a firm reprimand. He had secretly found Iana bothersome, despite her apparent sincerity. But now, after several days of her unusually quiet behavior, he found it strange.
“How can one ‘miss’ what wasn’t sent? The Princess, having seen through your intentions, wisely sent nothing at all.”
Karl furrowed his brow.
“Has the Princess not regained her senses yet?”
“Wasn’t the gift sent after hearing that she had come to her senses? She’s certainly recovered.”
“Or did the Grand Duke threaten her to avoid bothering me?”
At Karl’s words, Luka snorted quietly. When Karl glared at him, he quickly changed his expression. Karl’s expression, meanwhile, became serious.
“The only one who can stop Vivienne is Princess Iana. This is a problem. Luka, make sure to send a decent gift and flowers.”
It seemed that Iana was somewhat displeased with Karl. Even if she had sent such gifts, she wouldn’t have stayed quiet for so long. But if she received a worthwhile gift, she would quickly return to her usual Iana Marseille self. Karl ordered Luka and smiled. Sorry, but Iana Marseille was too easy. Almost boringly so.
“Your Highness, must it be done this way?”
“Do you not know how ambitious Vivienne is? The Kingdom of Toulouse may be called a kingdom, but its territory and resources rival an empire. Though the Crown Prince and his beautiful sister overshadow her, in my eyes, the most dangerous one is Vivienne, quietly waiting for the right moment.”
“Shouldn’t you avoid the dangerous ones? Why approach Princess Iana at the risk of hurting her?”
Karl sprang from his seat and looked out the window. Fallen leaves, dyed red and yellow, cluttered his view. The autumn ball had just ended. This year’s event had ended abruptly when Marquis Alis and Princess Iana collapsed from poison, and the matter was still under investigation.
Suspicious substances were found in their glasses, but the poison itself could not be detected. The palace apothecary admitted he had no idea what it was, but he assured them it wasn’t poison. He even drank water mixed with the remnants of the glasses, but nothing happened. He merely shrugged with a composed face. Yet, Marquis Alis had passed away, and Iana had been unable to recover for some time.
Karl frowned at the memory of Vivienne clinging to him and screaming when Iana collapsed. She was a woman who could never be taken lightly. Though it was absurd that she tried to satisfy her desires by exploiting others’ misfortune, Karl could only comfort her with a gentle expression.
“That dangerous woman desires me as well. She’s a guest, so I can’t just drive her away. Honestly, the way Toulouse is gradually absorbing small neighboring states around the Empire makes me uneasy. I can’t be at ease.”
Karl ran a hand over his jaw, his expression troubled.
“Is there anyone in the Empire besides Iana Marseille who can handle Vivienne? Fortunately, it seems she might have some feelings for me as well.”
“That’s a cowardly approach.”
“I feel sorry for it too. But one cannot always live honorably. Even I cannot.”
Karl shook his head. Luka gave a wry smile. Even as his aide, he couldn’t claim full innocence regarding Iana’s collapse. Karl should have found another way to maintain relations with Toulouse, but he hadn’t.
“This time, we’ll prepare a gift of equal quality to the one we would send Princess Vivienne. Since we’ve been neglectful, it’s okay to prepare something better. That way, Princess Vivienne might also stay alert.”
“Do as you wish.”
Karl picked up his pen again, as if having rested enough. Luka quietly returned to his documents. Silence settled over the room once more.
“What brings the Princess here?”
Yvon Bouillet adjusted his glasses that had slipped to the tip of his nose. Though Iana had not revealed her identity, Yvon immediately recognized her. Iana ignored his question and slowly walked around the house, surveying it. Entering without announcing her visit was extremely rude.
In one corner of the book-filled room stood a wooden table, cluttered with various experimental tools. Iana’s gaze lingered on them. A small staircase was placed in another corner.
“I didn’t know this was your hobby.”
Iana pointed at the tools, and Yvon discreetly blocked her path in front of the desk.
“How did you come here?” he asked again. His soft brown hair almost covered his forehead, and his thick-rimmed glasses hid half his face, yet the straight nose, shapely red lips, and clear skin beneath revealed him to be a remarkably handsome man. Luka regretted that the glasses obscured his eyes.
“I came to offer you a job.”
Iana smiled brazenly.
Yvon, once the aide to Marquis Alis, had reportedly shut himself away after Alis’ death, cut off from the world due to his grief. Luka would occasionally read newspaper articles to Iana, hoping to keep her aware of the outside world.
Iana snorted at this. Yvon had been loyal, yes, but she doubted he had enough sentiment to be so grieved by someone’s death. Her impression: “a person who wouldn’t bleed even if pricked.”
In fact, Iana herself felt inconvenienced by Yvon’s absence. He had always been at her side, moving like an extension of her own body. Now that she had things she wanted to do, she needed him.
“I’ll pay as much as Marquis Alis did before.”
“I refuse.”
The words had come out instantly, without a moment’s thought. Luka was impressed. Our young lady, the famous Iana Marseille, still bold! She must have been swelling with confidence. Though recently calmer, she was more aggressive and sharp-tongued than ever.
“Then, double?”
“No.”
The man frowned in disgust. Yet Iana smiled and continued.
“Triple.”
“Please leave.”
“Tenfold.”
The man shut his mouth tight. Iana’s fan pointed at his experimental tools.
“Doesn’t that cost a lot to buy?”
Our young lady had a remarkable instinct for noticing weaknesses. Luka watched proudly as Yvon, momentarily speechless, was clearly outmatched by her. Iana’s bright laughter echoed.
Yvon glared at her, a slightly frustrated expression, yet Iana’s smile remained unwavering.
Fortunately, she did not assume he was loyal to Mellen. She had wondered if Yvon had aided Mellen in her death, but if that were true, he wouldn’t have been left speechless over money. After all, gold was more common than stones in a marquis’ house. He could not have been given a paltry sum. Otherwise, she might have eliminated him to prevent future trouble.
Iana smiled contentedly, waving her fan. Yvon, irritated by her, glared at her. Somehow, she reminded him of someone—the frail but lively and intelligent old wolf, Alisa Lemaxin, Marquis.
A face he dearly missed.
Yvon quickly wiped away the tears that threatened to spill.
