TTPB 49

Chapter 49

I Liked It

“A letter has arrived from the House of Duke Benoît.”

Countess Verdié handed over an elegantly enclosed letter. When Rose opened it, a familiar handwriting caught her eye. Elarre’s neat script reflected her own earnestness. A week had passed since visiting the Duke’s mansion, and the letter contained news that Elarre’s insomnia had significantly improved.

It said she had slept soundly through the night without tossing and turning. Alongside words of gratitude, Elarre’s rambling flowed like casual conversation between friends. Rose could easily imagine the young lady’s excited voice, even without hearing it.

“Elarre has improved greatly.”
“Seems the medicine Your Highness provided worked well.”

The chief maid smiled approvingly.

“Ian’s help was significant.”
“You mean mine.”

Rose shot a sharp look at Herlya, who was still sulking.

“I returned your share. How long are you going to keep boasting?”
“Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”
“Say what?”

Rose quickly covered his mouth before he could continue.

“You were touching me…!”
“Waaah!”

The chief maid’s eyes went wide as she glanced between Rose and Herlya. Embarrassed, Rose leaned away from her gaze and whispered.

“I didn’t touch you. I just took the Atropa out of your pocket.”
“But you groped around anyway.”
“So… you want me to apologize?”
“Look at this. Now you’re trying to pounce again. Scary, Your Highness.”

Herlya slipped his lips over Rose’s hand and moved closer, flashing a playful eye-smile. As she tried to recoil, he held her in place. Rose let herself be lightly pulled against him. Watching her wide, startled blue eyes, he grinned.

“Well… I liked it.”
“What?”
“From now on, I can always give you my embrace. Use it anytime you want.”

Herlya rubbed his cheek against her hand. Rose stared, dazed, at the deep dimple forming. Only after the chief maid cleared her throat did she hurriedly shake off his hand.

“Sir Deon, as His Highness’s guard, please maintain proper decorum.”

Countess Verdié warned him of his impropriety. Shrugging, Herlya pointed at the torn letter.

“Are you heading straight to the Duke’s mansion now?”
“No.”
“Then?”

Rose scanned the Benoît family crest and a plan began to form. She stretched one corner of her mouth into a long, sly smile.

“This time, it’s your turn to come looking for me.”

A few days later, a letter arrived from the Duke’s house. This time, it wasn’t from Elarre but clearly from the head of the family. Herlya peeked at it curiously.

“An invitation?”

It wasn’t an invitation to a banquet or tea time, but there was no doubt it led to the Benoît mansion.

“At least it’s an invitation reflecting the Duke’s own intentions.”
“I meant an invitation to the Duke’s treasury.”

Rose opened the letter, tapping him lightly for his cheeky remark.

“Thank you for extending your grace to my daughter’s illness. We eagerly await your visit to the House of Benoît soon.
—Jacques W. de Benoît”

The short, decisive sentence bore the unmistakable mark of the Duke himself. Though it mentioned nothing about borrowing, it was effectively halfway approved.

“I need to meet Ian.”
“Not the Duke himself?”

Rose’s eyes sparkled as she clenched her fists.

“I need to prepare the pitch.”

Without a business proposal, how could one expect to attract investment? Correcting her past mistakes, Rose decided to present a well-prepared plan to Duke Benoît. Herlya muttered from a short distance, watching her eyes burn with determination.

“Sometimes she says things I can’t understand, just like your daughter.”

The decisive day arrived. Rose visited the Duke’s mansion again, arranging the plant specimens she and Ian had prepared.

“Do these plants really purify contaminated water?”
“Not only that, they can be reused.”

The Duke, curious about these purification herbs, examined them closely.

“Once this facility is completed, we need not worry about plagues for the next 100 years. And we will continuously source herbs through the Benoît trade guild.”
“Exactly, Father. A market will form around the improved riverbanks, and our guild will be first to secure a high market share.”

Elarre nodded in agreement.

“Your Highness asked for my help. With your permission, I intend to assist in the construction project.”
“You mean Elarre?”

The Duke looked at Rose incredulously.

“Yes. She’s skilled at financial management. I plan to entrust her with this project’s finances.”

Finally, the answer Rose wanted came.

“Good. Hearing Your Highness’s plan, it seems beneficial to the guild as well.”
“Of course. Though the initial investment is large, it will yield several times the profit in the long term.”

Rose quickly signed the loan document handed to her by the Duke. Elarre clapped her hands in delight. Amidst polite cheers, Rose exchanged subtle glances with Elarre. They were truly compatible business partners. The Duke looked on kindly, then spoke.

“By the way, I am curious about the tea that cured your daughter’s illness.”
“I’ll bring it.”

Elarre quickly stood and left the office, her movements still carrying a hint of youthful grace. Once she left, the previously lively room gradually calmed.

“Thank you for taking care of my daughter.”
“No, as a physician, I could not ignore the situation. It was just a simple prescription.”

The Duke calmly organized the scattered documents and loan papers.

“To be honest, I initially intended to decline Your Highness’s proposal.”
“…Then why did you accept?”

He looked at her silently before finally speaking.

“My wife passed away shortly after giving birth to our daughter.”

Rose was slightly surprised by the Duke’s personal history. She realized she had never seen the Countess of Benoît in social circles.

“Though my children grew well, I was always apologetic for not being affectionate.”

Elarre’s cheerful personality bore no shadow from her mother’s absence. Similarly, in the novel, Diane de Benoît was also unaffected. He had a casual, approachable demeanor, like Tanasis’s close friend.

“I used the family’s resources to help my children in any way I could. My only means was to leverage my position as Duke.”

Thus, he secretly arranged for Elarre to work with the guild. Though he could not shield her from public attention, he ensured she could pursue what she excelled at and desired.

“But Diane apparently found that power overwhelming.”

Rose raised her head sharply, sensing the hidden meaning in his words.

‘Could it be that Diane supported Tanasis because of that?’

“At that time, I could not understand Diane, and ultimately, she left the Benoît estate.”
“But His Highness supported Tanasis…”
“Yes. Diane herself chose to be by the 2nd Prince’s side.”

Rose recalled the moment Diane first met Tanasis. Having left her family, Diane got involved with street ruffians and was in mortal danger. Tanasis saved her, beginning their connection.

“Is that the true reason the Benoît family supports Tanasis?”
“I do not make the mistake of losing a child twice.”

The Duke’s love for his children was evident. As long as Diane remained by Tanasis, the Benoît family would support the 2nd Prince. Their relationship could not easily be broken.

“And that is why I am helping Princess Rose.”

The Duke gave her a warm look and smiled in a way she had never seen before. It was the ordinary smile of a father, not a Duke.

“Please take good care of Elarre.”

The dried moss crumbled underfoot. Marquis Lambert looked at Ludwig ahead of him as they ascended the lifeless hill. Their journey to Tevere drew them closer to the northern continent. Unable to contain his curiosity, the Marquis finally spoke.

“Aren’t we heading to Tevere?”

Ludwig, staring only at the coniferous forest’s spires, said:

“Marquis Lambert, your elite troops must be frustrated that they were not appointed to command this time.”

“…”

The Marquis, already unsettled by the previous matter, fell silent. Ludwig glanced at him and murmured:

“The emergence of the Black Clan is troublesome. I lost some trusted subordinates and will need to check them.”
“What do you mean?”

Ludwig smirked unevenly and stepped onto the black cliff.

“You were my father’s loyal vassal, weren’t you?”
“…”
“Did you know the blessings my father had?”
“To some extent.”

The Marquis could not grasp Ludwig’s intent. They had talked about the Dunstan clan, and suddenly, the topic switched to the former crown prince.

“Then you can guess what I intend to do now.”
“What…?”

Ludwig pointed down the cliff. The Marquis looked, eyes wide, at the unbelievable sight.

“…!”

Countless dark-red monsters swarmed below. Many stood over two meters tall, with some bipedal and others beast-like. Though they were not mindless, they moved in eerie synchrony, awaiting orders.

Ludwig raised his hand from the cliff, and all the beasts looked up at him in unison. Marquis Lambert shivered at the grotesque scene.

“They salute me. My cherished subordinates.”
“S-subordinates?”

The Marquis finally understood the Duke’s words. Ludwig had inherited his father’s power. Though familiar in theory, witnessing the monsters in action was overwhelming. Regaining composure, the Marquis asked:

“Are these the monsters of the Red Forest?”
“They are headed to the Red Forest.”
“Excuse me?”

Ludwig’s eyes glinted sharply at the monsters below.

“Go.”

In an instant, the monsters charged in unison, shaking the barren northern land with each step.

“Marquis Lafayette, let’s see if you can still eliminate my legions this time.”

Previously, an attempt on two royals heading to Bastia had been stopped by the Lord of Dunstan Isle. Positioned near the capital, the losses had been significant. Acting recklessly as an outsider, the Marquis had now aligned with the royal knights.

Ludwig intended to engulf the Marquis with the magic of the Red Forest. The legion he sent now numbered several times more than before, promising satisfying results.

“Marquis, to avoid becoming like your father, you must constantly strive.”