Chapter 84

Chapter 84

So, what they were saying was that what we just discussed wasn’t the main topic? Despite the ease with which things were being resolved, thanks to or perhaps because of Kairos, the fatigue from the burden didn’t disappear.

It felt as if the fatigue had crept in as the tension slowly dissipated.

“What do you mean by that?”

I asked, feeling a surge of fear.

In this moment, I wasn’t the Duchess, but Hazel Love, the Dame.

“What else? The story of Dame Hazel Love, who brilliantly resolved an issue two months ago and then vanished.”

“Haha, vanished? I even said goodbye several times.”

“But you left without hearing the outcome.”

“Since His Highness the Crown Prince took charge personally, I naturally assumed it would be resolved well.”

At this, Jed couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face. In truth, I had been a little curious about how things had turned out with Fay Martin.

Suddenly, Jed shook his head and burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“It’s just that something came to mind because of that incident.”

“Something amusing, perhaps?”

Jed continued to chuckle as if he couldn’t believe how absurd it all was.

“Amusing? More like your actions almost caused a civil war.”

What did I just hear?

“Civil war… What? What are you talking about?”

I jumped, wondering if I had done something wrong. I had come to help the Empire, not to start a civil war?!

Jed kept saying things that made no sense and then praising me for being truly amazing.

“Wh-what do you mean? Did I do something wrong?”

“You did too well, that’s the problem. Let me just say this upfront: I definitely kept my secret promise to you. I asked His Majesty to keep things under wraps so that the price wouldn’t leak out, and I tightened security around the palace. I even made a request to His Majesty.”

“But… then?”

Why did this feel so ominous?

“It seems His Majesty remembered something while discussing the matter with Duke Hadid recently. It seems he wanted to improve our already good relationship… So he told the Duke everything about how you saved the Imperial Knight who was almost devoured by the demon and how you prevented the palace from collapsing further. He said the Duchess was truly amazing.”

“…So, so what?”

I remembered the time at the hotel when Kairos had examined my wounds. Back then, he only knew that I had been scratched, but he didn’t know exactly how I had been injured.

“The agreement we had just made was almost completely ruined. The Duke misunderstood and thought we were using his wife as bait.”

“Ah…”

…Oh my God.

“Fortunately, it didn’t escalate into a civil war. It’s been resolved well, but you understand… right? I didn’t know His Majesty would do that, really. I made sure the lower-ranking people kept their mouths shut.”

No, that wasn’t the important thing anymore. Even someone like Kairos Hadid would have angered His Majesty if he had done something like that.

My body trembled with fear, wondering what would really go wrong.

“Th-then, His Majesty…”

“Oh, it seems there was some kind of deal between His Majesty and the Duke, but I couldn’t hear about that.”

“….”

“I said it to make you feel better, but he was annoyed that I told you. However, His Majesty doesn’t want any unnecessary fights anymore. Maybe because he’s getting old, he wants to resolve things peacefully. Anyway, that’s why I found it a bit funny.”

Oh, oh, oh… I couldn’t even ask His Majesty why he was so talkative. No. Or maybe it doesn’t matter anymore? What does it matter whether I’m worried or not? But why does that ‘some kind of deal’ sound like the divorce ban…? Ah, this is so frustrating!

“I would have liked to tell you about it as a closed case, but it’s still ongoing.”

“Ah…?”

“As recorded on the video, the demon and its followers appeared again on that date. Fortunately, no one was hurt because we were prepared in advance, but it seems there were those who were waiting to hear the news and were just waiting for their chance.”

“Are you talking about the worshippers like the Martin family?”

“Something like that. They’re gathering their forces while preaching and showing themselves, but it’s harder than we thought to catch them.”

“After that, it turned out that the Kamadra family was also involved, and an investigation is underway. They were hiding it even more thoroughly here.”

“The Kamadra family?”

“It’s a viscount family. If you know the Duke’s uncle, Viscount Bayphil, you might know.”

“Ah, I do. The previous Viscount Bayphil held the position of judge of the supreme court for a long time.”

The Bayphil family was a model aristocratic family, so I figured it would be a big problem if the collateral viscount family was involved.

“Viscount Bayphil is having a headache because of that.”

Jed spoke as if reading my expression.

“Is it related to all members of the Kamadra family?”

“The Viscount’s second son and his wife were revealed to be believers. However, the head of the Kamadra family is currently drawing a line, so we are rather troubled. They are saying they will get a divorce to appear innocent…”

“Divorce?”

I pricked up my ears without realizing it.

“As you know, His Majesty has issued a prohibition order, so they are just kicking their heels.”

“Ah….”

D*mn it.

I was happy, thinking the divorce ban would be lifted. Should I ask? Still, as his son, shouldn’t he know the Emperor’s intentions somewhat?

“Well, there’s no need to be so disappointed. The investigation is ongoing, so I’ll let you know good news soon. Of course, I’m talking about the Hadid Duchy.”

“…Please stop teasing me now.”

Jed teased me like someone who had caught a fish.

“But I feel like the number of believers is increasing. Is it okay to just stop them like this? It’s still too early to make it public….”

I understood what Lily was saying. If it were announced rashly, there would be people who would be swept away by that power instead. The whispers in their ears would say that the imperial family is growing strong enough to check it or that they are suppressing it because they fear its power.

In the end, I have no choice but to get involved. It was even funnier to think about it now.

“I understand that regular subjugation has also been delayed. Is it because the capital’s affairs haven’t been resolved?”

“That’s part of it, and you could say it’s become meaningless. It was a subjugation to prepare for the villages coming down in the winter, though it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“I asked a question that was too obvious.”

On top of that, Jed said that the conditions between the Emperor and Duke Hadid included not making any support requests to me, and he said he was reluctant to talk about it.

“Honestly, to you… No, I shouldn’t say that. I apologize.”

“Feel free to. It’s not like anything has changed just because I got married.”

“It doesn’t seem right to talk so casually, even in private. If I may speak frankly to you for a moment.”

“Yes.”

“It was unpleasant to face Duke Hadid myself.”

“….”

I was surprised by Jed’s honesty.

Come to think of it, their relationship was even worse than that of Duke Hadid and His Majesty the Emperor. It was because he had been outspoken and punished for being involved with Duke Hadid under His Majesty’s orders.

It wasn’t the cause of the downfall, though it was a public fact that the two were on bad terms because of the problems they had. It was one of the reasons I hid it.

“That’s why I know it was harder for you to say. Honestly, I’ve seen a lot of ugly things during my time in the Knights.”

“Haha, that, um…”

“But there’s no one like you now—someone who can help the imperial family. Honestly, if Duke Hadid joined hands with the imperial family, it would be like gaining a thousand troops. Rather, I feel like we’re taking advantage of you because he’s helping us so much. I’m just being honest with you because it’s you. You know what I’m saying, don’t you?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Jed straightened his back and spoke with a serious face.

“We trust you, not Duke Hadid. So, I have a favor to ask you this time.”

“Yes?”

“Duke Hadid said he would take care of the entire North this winter. Please help him with the decision so that he doesn’t change his mind. I don’t know about other people, but he seems to listen to you.”

“….”

“I will definitely prevent this situation from getting worse this winter. Please help me make my last achievement as Crown Prince solid.”

Ah, is that so? The time for the Crown Prince to ascend to the throne was around the end of next year. In the original story, there was a great battle in the North around winter, and he inherited the throne the following year. And then he had twins and it ended with a happy ending.

I thought I had to accept it meekly.

Now, I’m getting involved politically, too. My head was throbbing. It was like a divine revelation to suffer since I survived.

D*mn god. I didn’t even know if he existed.

Of course, the meaning of the Emperor and the Crown Prince entrusting the North to Kairos wasn’t t simply to protect the territory and the people of the territory.

Unlike other regions, the northern Sergal wasn’t a territory belonging to the nobility, except for the territory of Duke Hadid. It was all owned by the imperial family because it was too desolate and had insufficient defenses to withstand the North.

There was also some land owned by the temple, but that was purely for building temples.

Perhaps Sergal would have become a desolate and useless land if the duchy hadn’t prospered so much.

That was why there was originally no reason for Kairos to take responsibility for the northern region. The Emperor and the Crown Prince were asking for it.

I was still bound by the contract this winter anyway. Even if Jed didn’t ask, I would have to protect the North as if it were my life to survive. While Kairos would probably take care of it on his own, I should just make a show of it.

‘Heh, I’ll let him suffer.’

“I don’t know if it will be helpful, but.…”

Jed’s eyes sparkled.

“The North will be safe this winter.”

“Thank you. I’ll repay you tenfold in the future.”

Jed’s words implied that he would grant me significant power once he ascended the throne next year.

“Duchess.”

As I finished my conversation with the two and walked out, I heard Lily’s voice from behind. There was no one around except the gatekeepers, my maids, and the escort, but it seemed she had called me formally.

I stopped and turned around to see Lily approaching me with somewhat quick steps. Then, she held my hands tightly.

“Princess?”

“Actually, I was a little sad.”

“….”

“But since we’re friends, please come to me anytime if you have any difficulties.”

“Princess…”

“You’ll probably get a lot of invitations from here and there in the future, but Dame Love, no, I know you don’t like it, so I’ll take care of it.”

I nodded gratefully. Phew, her heroine title wasn’t going anywhere.

“Thank you, Duchess.”

Lily winked and turned around with a careful goodbye. Her running figure was the epitome of the heroine.

“Haah.”

Anyway, was this one a success?

Now, there was one more left. Although it wasn’t appropriate to go straight to the training ground in a fancy dress, it was also awkward to meet separately.

What should I do…

Lost in thought, I completely left the Crown Prince’s Palace.

There was a short distance from the Crown Prince’s Palace to where I could get in the carriage. In particular, I had to pass through an external corridor that crossed the gardens, which was a section I disliked because it allowed nobles who lived or visited the palace to spend their time comfortably.

Even earlier, on my way to the Crown Prince’s Palace, countless gazes had followed me. I really couldn’t shake the feeling that I was an animal in a zoo these days.

As expected, as I started to pass by, I felt gazes turning towards me. I tried to ignore them and pass by, but there was one gaze that was particularly bothersome. In the end, I stopped walking and turned my head. But…

…Huh?

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