The day after the wedding banquet, Kuhn met with Count Bless. The Count
mentioned that he would be leaving for the duchy in two days.
"Count Bless, I intend to visit the duchy soon to have an audience
with the Duke. Have you received the official letter sent to your house?"
"Of course, we will cooperate. But you should hurry. Starting in
about a month, and for roughly three months until the end of summer, the Bless
family does not receive any visitors."
Kuhn quickly made the arrangements. They would depart in five days.
Including the time spent traveling by ship and then overland, they would arrive
at the Duke's estate in about fifteen days from today.
The Count tilted his head in confusion.
"A one-way trip from the capital to the front gate of the Bless
Duchy takes ten days, maybe even fifteen."
"We're planning to take a fast ship."
"It must be a very fast ship. Then we will prepare to receive you
at that time."
"I should also inform you that His Highness the Silver King will be
joining us."
The Count's eyes widened in surprise.
"His Highness the Silver King? Is there some special directive from
His Majesty the Emperor?"
"No, the Silver King is accompanying me of his own accord."
The Count, taken aback, fell silent. He studied Kuhn closely and
muttered, "Well, I never expected this…."
He didn't say anything more. The Count's reaction was calm. The people
of the Bless family were not particularly interested in the affairs, big or
small, of the capital.
"If he's coming, there’s no reason to refuse. Very well."
"Are you taking a regular passenger ship on your return trip in two
days?"
"Yes, that’s the plan."
"If you don’t mind, we can arrange for you to travel on a ship
owned by our trading company. It would greatly shorten your journey."
The Count gladly accepted Kuhn's offer.
That evening, Kuhn visited the Silver King's palace. The palace servants
glanced at him with discreet curiosity.
While the scandal between the Silver King and the Marquis had the entire
Imperial Palace abuzz, the people in the Silver King’s palace seemed calm, as
if they had been expecting it.
Today, the Countess had returned home early and wasn’t in the palace.
The maids left Sienna and the Marquis alone in the reception room, knowing when
to tactfully step aside.
"Five days from now?"
Sienna frowned. The timing was tighter than she had anticipated.
"We have to hurry for a reason," Kuhn explained, describing
the situation at the Bless Duchy.
"So, the Duke of Bless retreats into seclusion? Every year?"
"That's what the Count said."
"I had no idea… Why?"
"Apparently, it coincides with the anniversary of the late Duke’s
death, but they seemed reluctant to go into detail."
The more she thought about it, the stranger the Bless family seemed.
Compared to the other five ducal families, they barely maintained their status.
If any other Duke went into seclusion for three months, there would be
endless rumors and gossip throughout the capital. Yet, no one seemed interested
in the Duke of Bless's retreat.
"And even if we plan for a month-long trip, your birthday will soon
be upon us. We should return before your birthday."
"Oh…"
"You know what? If we set sail in five days, we’ll be on the river
together on the one-year anniversary of our first meeting."
"…One year."
She vividly remembered the day she first met him. It was hard to believe
it had already been a year. Who would have thought that a year after meeting a
man she had once gritted her teeth at, calling him a scoundrel, they would
become lovers and embark on a journey together?
Kuhn took Sienna’s hand, pulling her from her thoughts.
"Let’s go, Sienna."
"But there’s no time to prepare."
"Prepare for what? Just bring yourself. I’ll handle all the travel
arrangements. Here's the plan."
Kuhn spread out a piece of paper and, like an official presenting to a
superior, systematically listed the departure date, arrival date, estimated
travel time, expected route, and the size of the party.
This approach was more effective in persuading Sienna than any sweet
words. She eventually agreed, saying, "I’ll be at the dock in five
days."
The next day, Sienna informed Countess Pope of her travel plans when she
entered the palace. Beth was silent for a long time.
"Your Highness, I have never interfered in your affairs. I believed
in your ability to make wise decisions and followed you. You have said that you
rely on me like a nanny, so may I speak frankly?"
"…Speak as much as you like. I value your words."
Sienna was taken aback by the heaviness of the Countess’s response.
"What are you planning to do? The capital is already buzzing with
rumors because of your scandal with the Marquis. If you go on a long journey
together, it will become a label that follows you both for life. I don’t care
about the Marquis, but I’m worried about you. Your Highness, are you thinking
about a future with the Marquis? You’re not, are you?"
"Why do you think I’m not?"
"Your Highness."
"Do you think I’m just infatuated with a fleeting romance?"
Beth sighed.
"I’m worried because it doesn’t seem that way. Your Highness, don’t
choose a difficult path. From my experience, it’s best to avoid unnecessary
suffering. Suffering doesn’t make people grow; it only eats away at them."
Beth reached out her hand to Sienna. Sienna, who was sitting on the
sofa, moved closer to her. If Sienna extended her hand, she could grasp Beth’s.
Beth tightly held Sienna’s hands and spoke.
"Your Highness, one day, you will ascend to the most exalted
position in this world. When that happens, you must have a husband who is
suitable for that position. The Marquis is not that person."
'No, that’s not true.'
The one who would become Emperor was the Iron King. Sienna could not speak
of the future that was to come. It was a secret she could not reveal to anyone.
"You can enjoy the sweetness of the moment. Just don’t fall too
deep."
Sienna gave a faint smile. The Countess, who had once said she married
for love, was now telling Sienna not to truly love. The Countess's
contradiction was disappointing.
"Countess, the Marquis is a very good man. What do you think of
him?"
"…Yes, I think so too."
"When I’m with him," Sienna said, placing a hand over her
heart, "I feel warmth here. I feel alive."
Beth’s eyes wavered.
"It might be hard, just as you said. Maybe I’ll regret it someday.
But, Countess, please, be on my side. Support me. If, one day far in the
future, you see me crying, please don’t say, 'Why didn’t you listen to me back
then?'"
Beth blinked with reddened eyes, somewhere between a smile and tears.
"How could I ever win against Your Highness?"
Beth asked for more details about the plan. Sienna showed her the
itinerary Kuhn had written down while explaining it.
"It says you’re setting off by ship, but not on a regular passenger
vessel."
"If that’s the case, it must be the fast ship owned by the Raad Trading
Company. Since they’re escorting Your Highness, it would have to be the White
Chip."
"The White Chip? What is that?"
"There are several ships owned by the Raad Trading Company. The
most famous among them is a fast ship called the White Chip."
"How do you know about that, Countess?"
"It’s quite well-known. The White Chip got its name because the
hull is pure white. It’s a luxurious yacht and a fast ship. Typically, larger
ships are slower, but the White Chip was specially built to be very fast. It’s
also designed to defend against attacks, as it’s meant to transport VIPs."
"How did I not know about this…?"
When Sienna muttered, "It seems there’s a lot I don’t know,"
Beth smiled.
"Your Highness doesn’t pay attention to things outside your
interests. You’re not interested in gossip, are you?"
"Is information about the White Chip gossip too?"
"Of course. How else would I know? Among the nobility, the White
Chip is something everyone wants to experience at least once. But despite all
the talk, I’ve never met anyone who’s actually been on it."
"Then will you come with me, Countess?"
Beth shook her head.
"I would only be a burden on such a long journey. And it would be
difficult for me as well. Whom are you considering taking with you?"
"I’m only planning to bring Sir Gilbert as an escort."
"Isn’t one person too few? Your Highness’s security detail is too
small."
"Sir Kali will also be going, so there’s no need for many people.
Sir Kali is worth ten knights. And there’s Raad too."
"The Marquis?"
Beth questioned Sienna’s careless comment.
"Oh… The Marquis is quite skilled in swordsmanship."
"The Marquis?"
Beth recalled Marquis Raad’s impressive stature. She supposed he
wouldn’t have spent all his time with books alone.
"Still, the Marquis isn’t a knight, so counting him as part of your
guard is a bit much."
"Raad is truly strong. Almost on par with Sir Kali."
"Quite an impressive man."
Beth smiled, but her thoughts differed.
'Men and their bravado…'
Beth believed that Marquis Raad had boasted in front of the Princess and
that the Princess, being naive, had taken him at his word.
"What about servants, aside from the escorts?"
"Raad said he would take care of all the arrangements."
"It’s not just a day or two. For the long term, it’s better to have
those who have already served Your Highness. I’ll choose some discreet and
capable maids. I know you might find it cumbersome if there are too many, so
take at least four, so they can rotate in pairs."
"I’ll do that."
"As for other supplies, I won’t pack much. The Marquis is a
merchant lord, so he’ll have everything needed for the journey."
Sienna nodded.
"You will inform His Majesty the Emperor and the Red King, won’t
you?"
"That’s… what I’m considering."
Sienna sighed.
"Telling His Majesty isn’t a problem, but my mother… I don’t know
how to handle that."
"You must tell her, of course."
"She won’t just let me go easily."
"No."
"She might try to stop me."
"Yes. But you must tell her. Your Highness, don’t forget the
basics. If you leave the palace for over a month without telling her just
because you don’t want to hear unpleasant things now, how will you deal with
the consequences later?"
"You’re right, Countess. I wasn’t thinking clearly."
Sienna felt ashamed for not considering the bigger picture. It wasn’t as
if she didn’t know her mother’s temper.
If Sienna left without saying anything, Patricia’s disappointment would
turn into anger, which might unfairly affect others. Countess Pope might become
a target again. This time, Patricia might push her to a point where she
couldn’t recover.
.png)
0 Comments