Chapter 82
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 82
As the Chief Lady-in-Waiting dropped the spent match into a wastebasket, Leopold walked over to the window. Smoke swirled through the room, and the Chief Lady-in-Waiting began to cough softly.
“Ahem.”
Despite her discomfort, she brought over a thick file.
“Ahem… Your Majesty, this is the limited-time exclusive pass for the Ishas Canal, approved by the King of Ishas. In addition, the Holland merchant ships will also… My apologies. I will open the window.”
The Chief Lady-in-Waiting, who had been coughing repeatedly from the smoke, finally seemed to recover as fresh air drifted in from outside. Leopold, who had continued smoking without a hint of concern, tapped his ashes into the ashtray.
“So our vessels and the Holland merchant ships will have exclusive use of the Ishas Canal for two full months?”
“Yes, it is confirmed. Reinhardt’s iron ore transport ships will be unable to use the Ishas Canal at all next month.”
For the first time, a faint smile touched Leopold’s otherwise expressionless face.
“Then the bastard has only two ways to transport his iron ore. Either sail all the way around the massive Roani continent or use the Tekan Canal.”
Oscar.
That arrogant bastard seemed to think the power he’d built could reach the heavens. He would soon learn otherwise.
No matter how powerful an individual might be, they could never defeat a state.
As the King of Luxen, he was the state. A state could achieve what no individual ever could, which was why no individual could ever defeat him.
Currently, the Norfolk Continent was sharply divided into two opposing factions: the monarchies and the republics.
The Norfolk Royal Union was highly wary of the nations that had overthrown their royal families. A prime example was Polia, which had recently established a republican government; a significant number of kingdoms had already severed diplomatic ties with them.
“If the Marquis uses the canal of Tekan—a republic—instead of the Ishas Kingdom’s, the Norfolk Royal Union will immediately express its disapproval of Reinhardt.”
As they should.
Though an individual could not defeat a state, Oscar was by no means an easy opponent. He had enjoyed immense public support since the time of the previous Marquis, and the very nature of his railway business meant there was hardly a nation in Norfolk that wasn’t connected to him.
Furthermore, even within Luxen, absurd calls for the dissolution of the monarchy were gradually growing louder.
Therefore, Leopold had to drive a complete wedge between the Norfolk Royal Union and Oscar. He needed the Royal Union and its Allied Forces to stand as his unwavering allies.
“The King of Holland has agreed, as have the other royal families. The problem is Herod…”
Herod was the powerhouse of West Norfolk and wielded immense influence over the Norfolk Royal Union. It was the backbone of the Allied Forces and, more than any other nation, desired to preserve the institution of monarchy.
Yet, the problem with Herod was its ruler, King Leonard.
King Leonard of Herod was a man obsessed with practical interests.
He had no interest in whether other nations’ royal families survived. He probably thought it was better for those destined to fall to do so quickly. If he judged that maintaining relations with Reinhardt was more beneficial, Herod would not budge.
“Even so, Herod won’t try to influence other royal families who express their disapproval of Reinhardt. After all, they must know that Reinhardt was involved in the matter of Grand Duke Baden.”
Grand Duke Baden.
The sudden memory of that name sent a cold shiver down Leopold’s spine. His desire to smoke vanished instantly, and he crushed his cigarette into the ashtray.
Baden would likely die.
Even the Grand Duke of Pelfe, who held the ‘vault of the Norfolk Continent’ in his grasp, had been a mere pawn to Oscar, the man who controlled the railways connecting the continent. Could such a man truly be killed by a simple assassination? Killing him would require a war, not an assassin.
His thoughts in a tangle, Leopold turned away from the window.
“Announce the Ishas Canal matter as a surprise tomorrow morning. The Ishas Ambassador is scheduled to depart this evening.”
The Chief Lady-in-Waiting fell into step behind him.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Also, the exhibition hosted by the daughter of Count Jerome is today.”
As Leopold strode forward, the corner of his mouth lifted in a brief, crooked sneer.
“Does she want something else? How long has it been since I gave her that Akhal-Teke I received from Ishas?”
“She has requested the honor of your presence.”
Leopold scoffed. The Chief Lady-in-Waiting spoke again, her tone indifferent.
“Then I shall attend the exhibition in your stead with an appropriate gift.”
The King’s silence was his agreement. The two walked across the room toward the door. Then, just a few steps away, Leopold spoke, abruptly changing the subject.
“The maid from earlier.”
“…”
“Any repercussions?”
“None.”
“Bring her to me when the meeting is over.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Chief Lady-in-Waiting responded in her usual flat tone and opened the door for the King.
Leaving the room, Leopold began to walk down a long corridor bathed in bright sunshine.
The storied halls of the Luxen Palace stretched out before him. On the walls hung portraits of the great kings of the past, arranged in chronological order. These portraits were the very history of Luxen. The lineage led from his grandfather to his father, and finally, to him.
Walking past the great history of his ancestors, Leopold stared at the empty space where his own portrait would one day hang, and where his descendants would continue the line.
That empty space was his reason for living, his ultimate goal. For that, he would do anything.
He ascended a flight of stairs, turned at the landing, and climbed once more, where an overwhelmingly grand hall opened up before him.
The Chief Lady-in-Waiting stopped at the entrance and bowed toward the King’s retreating back. The Royal Guards at the main entrance saluted him, and the attendants waiting inside fell in behind him like a silent cloud.
The State Council Meeting was usually held in the room to the right of the hall, and today was no exception.
Beyond the wide-open doors, waiting for the King, gathered the very heart of the Luxen nobility.
Among them was him.
Leopold’s jaw tightened.
The moment he entered the council chamber, the key ministers of Luxen, who had been conversing around a long rectangular table, immediately rose to their feet.
As the rustle of their movement swept past him like a wave, Leopold’s gaze remained fixed on a single person.
‘Do not let the young wolf grow to full size.’
His father’s voice echoed in his ears. He should have carved those words into his very bones.
Unlike the other nobles who shot to their feet as if stung, Oscar rose from his seat with an infuriatingly leisurely air. He lightly brushed off his clothes and then, slowly… the black wolf, now larger than any before him, turned to face Leopold.
Not a single shred of submission could be found in those piercing blue eyes.
If only he had killed him back then.
A coldness welled up in Leopold’s gaze.
If only he had snuffed out his life when he had the chance, just as his father had arranged. If only he hadn’t foolishly assumed the young wolf would die on his own.
He wouldn’t be dealing with this headache now—a mere bastard with no proper mother, let alone a noble bloodline. A bastard with a pretty face who should have been easy to play with and discard…
But Leopold cut his thoughts short.
No.
Because that girl would inherit her maternal half-brother’s wealth through her mother’s bloodline. And in doing so, wouldn’t she deliver Oscar’s company right into his hands? It was only natural to let the wolf cub ruin himself while he seized all that wealth with his own two hands.
The corners of Leopold’s mouth twitched upward for a brief moment before falling.
As Leopold reached the throne with a relaxed stride and sat, the standing nobles took their seats.
Oscar did the same.
Just then, a man who had entered through the open doors of the council chamber passed behind the seated nobles and approached Oscar.
It was Simon von Bernheim, Oscar’s right-hand man.
Bernheim leaned down and whispered something in Oscar’s ear. At that, a crack finally appeared on Oscar’s handsome face, which until then had been filled with a boredom that suggested he had no interest in the State Council Meeting.
What had he whispered?
What had that bastard heard?
Lost in thought for a moment, Oscar gave Bernheim an instruction. Bernheim immediately strode out of the council chamber.
Leopold nodded to the attendant who asked if they should begin the meeting. Meanwhile, Oscar pulled a cigarette from his breast pocket.
Leopold’s eyes narrowed slightly.
From the way he placed the cigarette between his lips and lit it, and from the deep furrow in his brow, Leopold could tell the man was anything but relaxed.
This was Oscar von Reinhardt, a man who always acted as if he was prepared for anything.
* * *
“Seo-ah!”
The accent was slightly off, but it was the first time in her life Seo-ah had heard someone call her name with such warmth and confidence.
“Turn around and go back down.”
The moment Abel whispered as he stepped up beside her, Sabine waved from above.
“Come here, quickly!”
She could feel the stares of countless people, who had been conversing by a golden railing adorned with red flower baskets, pouring down on them. Abel gritted his teeth, shielding Seo-ah with his body.
“If you don’t want to do this, turn around and leave now. I’ll handle things here and follow you…”
“Seo-ah!”
But before Abel could finish, Sabine called out again, her voice more insistent.
The gazes fixed on them grew even more intense. To decline now would be a scene. The only chance to have done so gracefully had been back at the shop, perhaps by turning the other cheek or even getting on his knees to beg.