Chapter 149: A New Plan
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 149: A New Plan
"Are you absolutely sure about this?"
Perel pressed a hand to his throbbing temples.
He was utterly exhausted from trying to soothe the young lady, who had been wailing at the top of her lungs as if she didn't care who heard her. Now, in his hand, lay a copy of the contract that Cecilia had gone so far as to transcribe by hand.
"I told you, I copied it down word for word!"
The aide swallowed a stunned sigh.
To think she actually had the presence of mind to copy the contract in the midst of all that.
"What am I going to do? I really can't live without Her Highness," Cecilia said, sniffing loudly. "She’s the only person in this world who truly understands me."
Perel was well aware that the second daughter of Viscount Terito was considered an eccentric within the small social circles of the North. However, the aide didn't view her in a negative light. Like the Consort, Cecilia fell outside the category of a typical noblewoman, but she was a clever and warm-hearted woman.
"Why are you so calm, Sir Perel?"
Cecilia, her nose bright red, suddenly glared at him as if a fresh wave of anger had washed over her.
"Wait... you didn't already know about this, did you?"
"I had absolutely no idea."
To be honest, he never could have imagined his lord would draft such a contract.
"Then why are you acting like it's nothing?"
Perel looked at the wide-eyed Cecilia and carefully pointed to the date on the contract.
"If you look at the date, this was written shortly after Her Highness first arrived."
"That’s exactly why it’s a problem! Over half a year has already passed!"
"But the relationship between the two of them has changed significantly since then, hasn't it?"
"So?"
"I don't know about Her Highness, but the Grand Duke likely does not want a divorce."
At those words, the tension in Cecilia’s brow relaxed slightly.
"Do you really think so?"
Perel nodded, recalling the sight of the two of them he had glimpsed across the gallery long ago. He remembered it vividly—the look on his lord’s face, looking as if he didn't know what to do with himself because his wife was so lovely.
It was right around the time spring was beginning to arrive.
It must have been about three weeks after the contract was signed. Perel had no idea what his lord had been thinking when he signed that paper, but he knew for a fact that less than a month later, the man had fallen head over heels for his wife.
"And I believe Her Highness feels the same way."
After all, isn't she the one who said she likes the Grand Duke because he's kind?
At that, Cecilia spoke with a slightly somber expression.
"But... Her Highness once mentioned something to me. She said that if she ever stopped being the Grand Duchess, she wanted to try running an inn in Rondoris."
Normally, one doesn't talk about "quitting" being a Grand Duchess. That was the reason a horrified Cecilia had summoned Perel to the rose garden that day.
Seeing the dejected lady-in-waiting, Perel racked his brain for an excuse that might reassure her.
"Think of how many places in Blenheim need Her Highness’s touch right now."
Just yesterday, hadn't she interviewed the merchant guild master for the Snow Wine? The North was only just beginning to flourish; there was no way Her Highness would irresponsibly get a divorce now.
"Perhaps they have already agreed to nullify the contract."
"...If they had, they would have destroyed the document."
Perel fell silent, unable to counter Cecilia’s sharp observation. A brief silence settled between them.
"No, actually, the more I think about it, the madder I get. Isn't the Grand Duke being far too shameless?" Cecilia suddenly burst out in anger.
"What do you mean by that?"
"How could he climb into Her Highness’s bed so freely when they’re supposed to be getting a divorce!"
This time, it was Perel’s voice that rose.
"Wait... did the two of them finally spend the night together?"
"It would be better if they had! To leave Her Highness all marked up like that...!"
Even the bold Cecilia seemed too embarrassed to finish her sentence, her voice trailing off. From the fragmented words that followed, Perel was able to deduce the general situation. A slow, knowing smile spread across the aide's lips.
"You think this situation is funny?"
"I don't think there's any need to worry too much."
If his lord truly intended to divorce Her Highness, he wouldn't have laid a finger on her. Perel recalled his lord tearing his hair out while agonizing over a gift for the Grand Duchess. If Perel’s hunch was correct, the Grand Duke was currently doing everything in his power to make it as if the contract never existed.
He also recalled the Consort’s worried expression earlier when she spoke of her husband.
— "The Grand Duke seems to have a fever. Could you call Hosen later to check on him?"
Where on earth did that massive, robust man full of vitality look "sick"? To anyone watching, they looked like a pair of newlyweds completely infatuated with each other. If they just gave the two of them a proper push at the right moment, that contract would likely vanish without a trace by the next morning.
After listening to Perel’s explanation, Cecilia tilted her head in thought before eventually nodding in agreement.
"That makes sense."
And the timing was perfect.
"Her Highness’s Sacrament Day is coming up soon."
"Sacrament Day?"
A typical lady-in-waiting would have long since memorized the Sacrament Day of the lady she served, but Lady Cecilia, as expected, did not disappoint.
"At that time, if we could prepare something that would allow them to confirm their feelings for each other..."
Perel was about to suggest a surprise gift or a date.
"We have to make sure they have their first night!" Cecilia declared. "We need to create a proper 'couple's night' for them."
"...I feel like the order of operations is a bit skewed there."
If the contract disappeared, the Grand Ducal couple would naturally become a real couple. What happened after that was their business. However, Cecilia was arguing for the exact opposite.
"If they spend the night together, this damn contract will become useless anyway."
"I think interfering in such intimate matters is overstepping our bounds."
Cecilia cried out in frustration.
"What if they keep hesitating like this and a year passes? Will you take responsibility then, Sir Perel?"
"...Do you have a plan in mind?" Perel finally asked with a resigned face.
It seemed his dinner plans were officially ruined.
*
Late into the evening, I still hadn't left my office.
As my workload increased, Loik had set up a separate, spacious, and comfortable office for me near our bedroom. While the space was cozy and quiet, it had the disadvantage of making me lose track of time once I focused on work.
Still, I finished earlier than I expected.
After signing the budget proposal for the construction of a new employee dining hall next spring, my work was finally done. I picked up the last item on my desk: a letter.
It was a letter from Countess Selvanis.
— "It seemed she was very curious about news of Annette."
I had received a heads-up from Loik, but the letter arrived even sooner than I anticipated. The aunt Ferdin had mentioned in his letter when I first came to the North was indeed Countess Selvanis. Since she had nothing to do with the "real" me, I hadn't thought to contact her, but hearing that she worried about me made me a bit curious about what kind of person she was.
I carefully opened the envelope, which carried a faint, delicate scent. The letter was written in a very polite tone.
「 My dear Annette,
You may be quite surprised by this sudden letter. To be honest, I hesitated several times while holding my pen, wondering if I dared to address Her Highness by her name in the opening. Even so, I hope you will forgive my greed in wanting to address my niece with familiarity in my first words to her.
I imagine you have never visited Arsen. While it is not as large as Rondoris, it is a very fertile and beautiful land. 」
The letter continued with an introduction to the country of Arsen and the Selvanis estate where she resided. It also included small questions about whether I was doing well in Blenheim and if I found it difficult to adjust to the North.
「 I hope this sudden contact is not a burden to Her Highness, and I shall await your reply.
With deep affection, Elian. 」
She seems like a good person.
The pages, filled with dense handwriting, radiated an undeniable sense of interest and affection. It was a strange feeling. To think there was someone who missed me and sought me out simply because we shared the same blood. Until now, my biological family had all been worse than strangers.
Of course, the person she missed was the real Annette.
How should I reply?
As I fell into thought, a knock sounded at the door.
"Your Highness, may I come in for a moment?"
It was Whitley’s gentle voice.
"Yes, come in."
The old butler entered and asked politely, "Would you like some more tea?"
"No, I'm about to wrap things up."
A faint look of relief crossed Whitley’s face as he saw the stacks of documents mostly cleared away.
"I will send a maid up shortly to tidy the room."
I thought he would leave immediately, but after speaking, Whitley lingered for some reason. In my experience, there was only one reason Whitley would hesitate like that.
"Where is the Grand Duke? Has he returned to his room?"
"He is still at the training ground."
Whitley answered quickly, as if he had been waiting for that very question.
"At this hour?"
I looked out the window. Magic crystal lanterns softly illuminated various parts of the garden where darkness had fallen.
"Is he alone?"
"He is training with the knights."
Whitley’s lips curled into a slightly troubled smile. Interpreting that smile, it meant Loik was driving the knights hard late into the night, and he wanted me to go and stop him.
I accepted the old butler’s silent request.
"I should go get some fresh air."
Whitley’s face brightened instantly.
"I shall escort you to the training ground."
To save the poor knights, I rose from my desk.