TGW Chapter 23 Part 3

 

Sienna visited the Red King's palace. It had been a while since her last visit. Patricia, who was genuinely pleased to see her, reacted so strongly to Sienna's news that she nearly dropped her teacup.

"What did you just say? Did I hear you wrong?"

Sienna looked at the teacup rolling on the table and then back at Patricia, repeating what she had just said.

"I plan to visit the Bless Duchy with Marquis Raad. We'll depart in four days, and it will take about a month."

"The Silver King!"

Patricia clenched her trembling hands into fists. She, who usually managed her facial expressions meticulously to avoid wrinkles, now had a deep furrow in her brow.

"Even though I've heard ridiculous rumors, I didn’t call you out on them because I trusted you. But what did you just say? Are you going somewhere with Marquis Raad? No matter how much you hold a grudge against your mother, you shouldn't cross the line. As I’ve said many times, everything I do is for you, Silver King. As your mother, I would do anything—use any means for your sake. Even if you tell me it's wrong, I—!"

Patricia's voice grew louder and louder until she finally burst into a shout. Then she clamped her mouth shut to regain her composure.

"This is unacceptable. You’ve already decided everything and are just notifying me now, without even a word of consultation."

"Mother."

Sienna’s voice and expression were calm, contrasting sharply with Patricia's agitation. The clear difference in their demeanor left Patricia bewildered.

Up until recently, Patricia had been able to control her daughter with a variety of emotional displays. When had things changed? When did her daughter become different, and their relationship shift? A cold chill climbed up Patricia’s neck.

"It has been nearly a year since my coming-of-age ceremony. I am no longer a child who needs parental permission to go out."

Sienna rose from her seat.

"I have fulfilled my duty by informing you in advance."

"You are not going. I absolutely cannot allow it!"

"And if I insist on going?"

"I will stop you."

Patricia seemed calmer than before. She met her daughter's gaze with a cold smile.

"Then I suppose I’ll have to clash with you, Mother. The gossipmongers will love that. I’ve heard that there are quite a few rumors lately about the state of our relationship."

It was Patricia who broke eye contact first. Her once confident expression quickly turned sorrowful.

"How could I ever overcome your stubbornness, Silver King? They say no parent can win against their child."

Sienna also felt a twinge of sadness. She no longer felt moved by her mother’s ever-changing expressions.

"Just confirm one thing for me with your own words, Silver King. It’s not Marquis Raad, is it? Of course, I don’t think it is. It doesn’t make any sense."

"Marquis Raad is the most charming man I have ever met. I like him. I’ll be going now. I have to see His Majesty, too."

Sienna turned away, watching Patricia's eyes widen in shock. She didn't look back or stop when Patricia called out from behind, "Silver King!"

"She won’t have time to meddle in other things if she's busy focusing on me and Kuhn."

Sienna decided not to give Patricia any room to divert her attention elsewhere. She would make herself the root of all problems. This was the best way to protect the Iron King and Queen from her mother’s schemes. It would serve as a shield for a while.

"No matter what I do, Mother wouldn’t dare harm me."

She would use the scandal to her advantage. It would be ideal for the relationship between the Silver King and Marquis Raad to appear as though they were fond of each other but could be easily separated by others.

Her mother must not find out that her feelings for Marquis Raad were genuine. She had to maintain a delicate balance. Just thinking about it exhausted her.

Sienna went straight to the Sun Palace. She requested an audience with the Emperor and informed him of her plans to visit the Bless Duchy.

"With Marquis Raad?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I’ve heard some rumors lately. How much of it is true?"

Sienna was caught off guard. She had prepared herself to answer questions about her purpose for visiting the Bless Duchy.

In another sense, it didn’t feel bad. It was the first time she had received any personal attention from the Emperor. Unlike with her mother, she didn’t want to brush it off with a vague answer.

"It is true."

"Do you know what rumors I am talking about?"

"…"

"How can you say it’s true if you don’t even know the rumors?"

The corner of the Emperor's lips lifted slightly. He lowered his gaze back to the documents he had been looking at.

"I understand. Have a safe trip."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Silver King."

Sienna, who had been about to turn away, stopped.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"If you need my help with the matter related to those rumors, come to me."

Sienna’s eyes widened. She looked at the Emperor—no, at her father—sitting there with a cold expression. Her eyes trembled with emotion. Her voice shook as she replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

After Sienna left, the Emperor let out a small chuckle.

"That cheeky brat."

Bold, wasn’t she? Impressive, indeed. To have captivated the Silver King’s heart so quickly. The Silver King was cold by nature and was not one for forming close bonds with people. She resembled the Emperor.

Marquis Raad was toying with both the Iron King’s and the Silver King’s affections. It was almost like he had taken over the entire empire.

The Emperor intended not to let Marquis Raad go unpunished if he tried any tricks on him, but the Marquis never came near the Sun Palace unless summoned.

"The Silver King and Marquis Raad…"

The Emperor narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

 

***

 

An emergency was declared at the Raad Trading Company. They had to prepare for a long trip to accommodate a very important guest within just five days. It would take three days alone to bring the White Chip, currently docked elsewhere, to the capital’s port.

Mason, the general manager, who usually stayed behind the scenes, stepped up to the forefront.

"If we lack time, we must make up for it with manpower."

Mason quickly assessed how many spare personnel the company had that could be mobilized immediately. He then halted any ongoing tasks that could be postponed and brought in the people assigned to those tasks. No other major project had ever required so many people to be mobilized simultaneously.

Mason organized the tasks that needed to be completed in order of priority and assigned duties to hundreds of people. For simple tasks, he assigned just one or two individuals; for more labor-intensive tasks, he allocated just the right number of people needed.

As soon as Mason said, "Now, let's begin," everyone moved in perfect coordination, like a single organism. By clearly defining only the essential tasks and deploying manpower appropriately, there was no room for confusion.

Levan followed Mason closely, observing and memorizing the master’s extraordinary command. Although he often clashed with his mentor over his overly rigid nature, Levan sincerely respected him.

The two men sat side by side, processing the incoming reports. Levan conducted the initial review before passing it to Mason for approval.

"Master," Levan called.

"Yes?"

"I think you could lead the entire Raad family without any issues."

"You're saying that again."

Initially, such comments annoyed him greatly, but now he brushed them off with a calm demeanor.

"Do you find Kuhn lacking by your standards?"

"…"

"Kuhn has done well so far, and he will continue to do well. Do you disagree?"

"…No, I agree."

"I'm getting old now. It's time for me to retire. I’ve done enough, and in my twilight years, I want to rest comfortably. At most, I have five years left?"

"If you just manage your temper a little, you could easily go another ten years."

"You rascal. My only remaining worry is you. If you don't cause me trouble, I might live long."

"What have I done?"

Levan replied sulkily, his eyes still fixed on the reports.

"If you could hold your own, I would be ready to leave without regret. If I could hand everything over to you tomorrow, I’d have no wish left."

"Then I’ll just be a thorn in your side for about ten years?"

Mason clicked his tongue, looking at his cheeky apprentice, but his gaze was warm.

"Are you going with Kuhn?"

"Probably not."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons."

The conversation paused. After a moment, Mason casually asked, "Have you met her?"

Though he didn’t specify, Levan understood that he was referring to the Silver King, Sienna.

"Yes, when I worked as an administrator…."

"I only had a brief tea with her. I wanted to have a proper conversation, but Kuhn rushed over as if his life depended on it."

Mason chuckled as he recalled the memory.

"She had a steely gaze. She didn’t seem like someone who would be easily swayed by any storm."

"Did you like her?"

"What does my opinion matter?"

"If Kuhn had brought a strange woman, you would have tried to talk him out of it, wouldn’t you?"

"No."

"Really?"

"It's Kuhn's life. I have no right to interfere in that. Besides, I trust Kuhn."

"Oh, come on, be honest. I know you bribed people to find out what kind of women Kuhn was meeting around his coming-of-age."

Mason awkwardly asked, "Kuhn doesn’t know about that, does he?"

"No, he doesn’t. If he knew, there would have been chaos."

"Ahem, ahem. It's fortunate that Kuhn has chosen a decent lady. You heard the rumors, right?"

"Yes, I heard them."

"Should we prepare a wedding as soon as they return from their trip?"

"Oh, Master."

Levan spoke sternly.

"Please, just leave them be. Let Kuhn handle things his way. Why are you, who are so generous in all other matters, so impatient about Kuhn’s marriage?"

Mason let out a disapproving cough.

"Wait till you get to my age."

"Isn’t what they’ve accomplished so far impressive enough? Honestly, I thought Kuhn would just pine away in unrequited love and get rejected. In any case, he’s something special."

"You rascal! Watch your tongue."

 

***

 

The day before the White Chip was set to depart, Kuhn received a message that someone from the secret hideout known as the "Black House" was looking for him. He went to visit in the evening.

The safe house where Dian’s uncle, Jeffrey, resided was a small two-story mansion. It was too extravagant for a commoner to live in, yet respectable enough not to embarrass a noble. It was located on the border between the western and southern streets. The surrounding area was quiet.

However, the security around the house was as tight as the Imperial Palace. Guards from the Black House were stationed in the houses in front, behind, and on either side of it. Even the ordinary passersby were actually disguised guards.

Inside the Black House, however, it was quiet. Apart from the middle-aged couple who served Jeffrey, there was no one else.

"He is in the study," the middle-aged man informed Kuhn when he arrived. Kuhn knocked on the door of the study and, after waiting briefly, entered.

"Just the same as ever," Kuhn thought as he glanced around. The interior hadn’t changed. The bookshelves were filled with books, but there wasn’t a single painting on the walls, giving the study a bleak and desolate feel. It seemed to reflect Jeffrey’s dried-up heart.

A rocking chair by the balcony window swayed back and forth. Kuhn approached Jeffrey, who was sitting there. Jeffrey’s gaze was directed outside, where nothing would have been visible in the darkness.

"Sir," Kuhn said.

Jeffrey turned his head.

"You’re here."

"What did you want to see me about?" Kuhn got straight to the point. Jeffrey never cared for small talk.

"Are you leaving for the Bless Duchy tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Would it be possible for me to join you?"

"You, sir?"

Jeffrey had left the safehouse only once to meet the Emperor. It was as if he had confined himself there.

"Did I speak too hastily?"

"No, sir. I’ll come to pick you up early in the morning."

"Don’t inform Dean in advance. If he asks about me, just let him know I’m gone. I don’t want to disrupt his newlywed bliss."

"Understood."

Kuhn noticed a faint smile on Jeffrey’s lips. The only time Jeffrey seemed like a living person was when he talked about Dean. Kuhn thought about how much Jeffrey must have wished to attend Dean’s wedding.

"I’m just an old man with nothing better to do, so I pick up on all sorts of gossip. Your recent scandal has been quite the talk. Are you just leaving to avoid the noise?"

"The timing is indeed coincidental, but that’s not the main reason."

"Was that scandal part of your plan?"

"No, it wasn’t."

Jeffrey’s eyebrow twitched.

"Are you saying you’re just fooling around with the princess?"

"Sir, my feelings are not light. I see her as my partner."

"Hmph."

Jeffrey let out a long sigh.

"I would advise you to think it over carefully."

"I will never betray Dean."

"That’s not the issue. When choosing a spouse, it’s customary to consider their family and parents. Her grandfather was a madman, and her father was a ruthless man. What do you think she learned from them?"

His tone was low and carried a certain darkness. It was the first time Kuhn had sensed this hidden bitterness in Jeffrey, who always seemed like a dried-up man.

"That’s too harsh, sir. By that reasoning, the same could be said about Dean."

"He’s different."

A nostalgic light appeared in Jeffrey’s eyes.

"He takes after his mother. She was quite the tomboy, always meddling in everything. She was a child who laughed a lot."

The light in his eyes, which had momentarily flickered to life, dimmed again as if he had awoken from a happy dream only to realize the harsh reality.

"Sir, she will also be joining us tomorrow."

Jeffrey stared intently at Kuhn.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, I can arrange for her not to join."

Jeffrey chuckled softly.

"You’re not worried about me, but rather that I might cause trouble for her, aren’t you?"

"…"

"If anyone should back out, it should be me, the latecomer. Don’t worry about it. If you give me a room, I won’t cause any disturbances."

"…Understood."

On his way back to the mansion, Kuhn was deep in thought.

"He’s not someone who would act recklessly, but…"

Even if Jeffrey’s resentment was directed at her parents, rather than her, Kuhn didn’t want to leave any potential danger near her.

As soon as he reached the mansion, Kuhn summoned the Kali brothers.

He seated Martin and Woos side by side and spoke.

"Both of you will be coming with us tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Martin, the gentleman from the Black House will also be joining us. I want you to keep an eye on him. I’m not asking you to do menial tasks, but the fewer people know about him, the better."

"Yes, I understand what you mean."

"He won’t come out of his cabin, but if he does, let me know immediately."

"Yes."

"You may go. Send Walter in."

After the brothers left, Walter entered shortly after.

"Are the preparations for departure complete?"

"We’re almost finished."

"Prepare an additional cabin for one more VIP guest. A quiet room would be best. Will adding one more passenger be difficult?"

"No, we’ve prepared plenty, so one more person is fine."

"Good work."

Kuhn gestured that the meeting was over.

"Kuhn, are you planning to go to bed soon?"

"No, why?"

"If you are, I’ll prepare a bath for you."

"I’m not going to sleep yet, but since it’ll be a hassle to do it later, prepare it now."

"Kuhn."

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any work left to do?"

"Not much, but there are a few things I need to take care of before we leave."

"Shall I bring you a snack?"

"Just some tea."

"Kuhn."

Kuhn let out a deep sigh.

"What? What is it? What do you want to say?"

Walter seized the opportunity he had been waiting for and blurted out.

"Everyone knows about the scandal, and you’re even going on a trip with her. When are you planning to get married? You’ve let a decent young lady become the talk of the town, so you need to take responsibility."

Kuhn put a hand on his forehead. Of course, he thought, why hadn’t this come up sooner?

"Soon."

"When is ‘soon’? You should do it before the weather gets too hot."

"I’ll handle it, so stop talking nonsense and get out."

Kuhn hurried Walter out and closed the door, sensing that if he let him stay any longer, Walter might just set the date for him.

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