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Chapter 94
Is this… not the sword hilt?
I stared blankly at the Grand Duke, my mouth tightly covered by his hand.
His face was flushed as if he had walked out of a furnace. Helplessly, our bodies were pressed together, but he desperately avoided my gaze.
Now I understand. He is enduring extreme embarrassment.
Over his shoulder, I could see the longsword he was wearing. So naturally, what I felt at his waist wasn’t the sword hilt.
Confirming the truth, all sorts of thoughts raced through my mind.
Is this even possible? Did he maybe stuff a thick wooden block or a brick in his pocket? If this really is a part of his body… could I even handle it?
Crazy… what am I thinking?
I shook my head slightly and focused my hearing back toward the king and crown prince.
The king and crown prince stood side by side at the terrace railing, staring into the void. There was an awkward tension between father and son, separated by just enough space.
“How long do you plan to keep me stuck in this colonial land, Father?”
“….”
The king didn’t respond to the crown prince’s question.
His hunched shoulders rose and fell weakly, letting out what seemed like a sigh of lament.
Why such a reaction? Where was the image of him desperately defending the crown prince in front of the nobles and ministers?
Come to think of it, this was the first time I had seen the two of them in a private conversation. Could there be aspects of the king and crown prince’s relationship I didn’t know about? Swallowing hard, I listened more intently.
“I hear you’ve been employing Felipe as a royal advisor recently. While I rot away here as governor of a faraway colony, you let him solidify his base in Levant?”
The crown prince puffed indignantly as he confronted the king.
Prince Felipe was the king’s fourth son. Recently, the king had kept him close. Since the king had grown old and weak, and the crown prince was away as his political partner, Felipe was the only son left capable of assisting him.
The second prince, Thomas, and third prince, Jorge, were too preoccupied with indulgences to care about politics. Realizing that the only capable uncle left was Felipe made the crown prince bitter.
“I am too old to manage the affairs of the state alone. If the country maintains itself without incident while you are away, wouldn’t it make your return smoother?”
“…Then when exactly do you intend to allow my return? You could simply appoint Felipe as governor, yet you keep pushing me away!”
The crown prince’s shout rang loudly in my ears, loud enough that anyone on the other side of the terrace might hear.
“It’s true that Dvorca has recently stabilized. As Alisa said, it’s partly because we installed Madilov’s son as ruler. So, Daimon, can you maintain this calm period without the winds of blood returning?”
The king asked his son in a calm, even tone.
Maintaining stability in Dvorca was likely necessary for the railway construction.
The Dvorca people were needed as labor, and if they began resisting again, construction would be disrupted. This would derail the lords’ railway projects and impede the king’s policy to strengthen maritime trade via the port city of Vedeff.
“Hah, you mean that flashy silver-haired prince? You know he once fought the governor’s knights in the middle of Jorka and got captured. I guarantee his effect as ruler won’t last long.”
The crown prince muttered in dissatisfaction.
I glanced at the Grand Duke. His face had cooled from before, but he focused intently on the crown prince’s words.
…The discomfort between our pressed bodies remained.
“So, you think this peace won’t last.”
“Having been governor for five years, how could I not know? The Dvorca people obey no one. Today I heard that the prince has begun acting recklessly, with Alisa backing him. Soon, those who serve him as ruler will reveal their true nature and rise in defiance.”
Crack. I could hear the crown prince grinding his teeth.
“Then what’s your countermeasure, Daimon?”
“I’ve devised a plan. To subjugate such persistent pests long-term, forceful measures are necessary.”
“Forceful measures…”
The king murmured quietly, his voice hoarse.
“Trust me. No one in this land will dare wield a sickle or hoe recklessly again. Before the railway is fully laid, I can make them bend, crawl, and work on their own.”
The crown prince pounded his chest in confidence. I couldn’t tell what fueled such boundless self-assurance. I didn’t expect meticulous scheming from him, but I felt uneasy nonetheless.
“…Very well, Daimon. I have trusted you thus far, so I believe you will deliver results.”
The king placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and nodded.
“I can extinguish the Dvorca people’s resistance early. Father, summon me back to the capital before the railway construction begins in earnest.”
“Do not be too hasty.”
The king gave no clear answer. In his wrinkled profile, I sensed a dry, detached gaze.
All this time, he seemed to love the crown prince unconditionally. Yet in private, he showed little sign of trust. Perhaps the crown prince’s opportunities were finally running dry.
The private conversation ended. The king entered the building first. The crown prince clenched his fists, following closely behind.
The moment they disappeared, I quickly stepped back, away from the Grand Duke.
“I don’t know what to do with him…”
Anger was clear on the Grand Duke’s face. His jaw muscles tensed.
“I can’t believe he speaks of rooting out the resistance of others. Who would think he’s some kind of god?”
He shook his head and clicked his tongue.
“Do you know what he’s planning?”
The Grand Duke stepped closer. When our eyes met, he averted slightly—probably still flustered from our earlier unnecessary contact.
Hmph. From what I observed, the crown prince’s personal interest is solely in drugs. Aphrodisiacs or anesthetics—things that do no good for the human mind.
…Drugs?
Seeing the Grand Duke’s face, I suddenly remembered.
When he was arrested at the governor’s office, the crown prince had administered drugs to him. He was in a near-unconscious state, able to walk, eat, or move only under guidance.
I commissioned an analysis of the drugs’ components. The results should be ready soon.
Currently, my family’s secret organization was gathering information in Jorka per my request.
Could the crown prince intend to distribute the drugs? But the Dvorca people wouldn’t consume them willingly, and forcing them would have limits.
“We’ll know soon. I’ll share the reports as they come. Now, shall we return to the banquet hall?”
The Grand Duke took my hand without a word and intertwined our fingers. His ears were still red.
The next morning, we returned to Blansk. As soon as we passed through the manor gates and descended from the carriage, the steward greeted us.
“By Lady Alisa’s orders, we’ve temporarily prepared two guest rooms. We’ve also placed new furniture in the other rooms… But may I ask which guests are arriving today?”
Before leaving for Jorka, I had instructed him to prepare the rooms. The guest rooms were for Princess Melania and Olenka temporarily; the other rooms were for their permanent use.
“Distinguished guests.”
I didn’t elaborate even though the princess and Olenka were coming.
I went up to the study and spread the certificate of honor received from the king on the desk.
This document, with the name left blank, would temporarily establish the princess’s status. Since she had not yet been officially recognized as royalty, she needed the rank of baroness.
I picked up the quill, dipped it in ink, then set it down again.
I realized I had not yet confirmed the princess’s consent. She might be reluctant to accept a title from Salesio, the invading monarch.
Knock, knock.
“Lady Alisa, she has arrived,” said Katarina outside the door. The princess must have come. I grabbed a box that had been on the desk with the parchment and stood.
Just then, I took the Grand Duke’s hand and went to the reception room. As the door opened, Princess Melania bounced forward and leapt into my arms.
[Melania must not even see me now.]
The Grand Duke raised his shoulders in mock reproach, clearly feeling slighted. The princess giggled and nestled into his arms as well.
We sat across the table from the princess.
“Grand Duke, I want to make it clear that I do not doubt the princess’s lineage. Still, may we proceed with this as a formality?”
I placed the box on the table. The Grand Duke opened it, revealing a sacred relic of Archangel Michael.
“Of course,” he readily agreed.
The princess examined the golden relic with curious eyes.
[Princess, would you like to hold it in your hand?]
[Is it safe to touch?]
[Yes, there are tiny spikes, so it might prick slightly. Relax your hand and hold it gently.]
The princess nodded enthusiastically and reached for the box.
The golden relic rested in her small palm. She gazed at it quietly, gently clasping it in her hand.
