Chapter 250: Dejected
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 250: Dejected
Jamer, the president of the Merchant Association, visited the townhouse.
“Thank you for coming all the way to the capital.”
“Don’t mention it. Thanks to Your Highness, the Gate was opened, making the journey quite easy,” Jamer replied with a lighthearted grin, his manner much more familiar now that they had grown close.
The Second Shopping District, being built on the opposite side of the lakeside district, was nearing completion. Jamer had come to the townhouse personally to discuss the layout of the merchant groups that would occupy the space.
“The construction of the glass greenhouse is also in its final stages. It should be beautifully filled by the time Your Highness returns.”
“I’m glad to hear the schedule is on track.”
While the Second Shopping District was in a good location, it didn’t offer as clear a view of the lake. The shop owners from Rondoris and Arsen, who were set to move in, had been vocal in their demands for attractions similar to the musical fountain show.
But I can’t exactly build an artificial fountain on dry land.
I had been in the glass greenhouse with Loik when we first discussed this.
— “What if we built a greenhouse?”
Behind the Second Shopping District lay a vast, flat meadow. Loik had suggested building a massive glass greenhouse there, filled with the various plants I loved.
— “Loik, that’s a wonderful idea!”
The North was cold and dry, making it difficult for those of lower status to see a variety of flora. Filling a greenhouse with plants gathered from different countries would be an attraction in itself and a valuable asset.
Loik, seemingly delighted to have been of help, had summoned architects the very next day. With the addition of Enolius’s unique aesthetic sense, the ultra-large glass greenhouse was now close to completion.
Everything regarding the Second Shopping District was proceeding smoothly.
“We’ll need to adjust the opening schedule so the Second Shopping District doesn’t get overshadowed by the Expo.”
As the meeting drew to a close after settling several details, Jamer spoke up tentatively.
“By the way… when do you plan on returning to the North?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’ll likely have to stay in the capital until the Expo is held.”
“Then, will you be returning to Blenheim after that?” Jamer pressed, sounding uncharacteristically inquisitive.
“…I suppose so?”
“Or perhaps you intend to spend this winter in the capital…?”
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“It’s just… there are rumors circulating that Your Highness might not return to the North at all.”
I arched an eyebrow playfully. “Why? Are they planning to pick a new Grand Duchess if I don’t come back?”
“What? Perish the thought!” Jamer waved his hands in a panic. “Everyone is just terrified that Blenheim might be forgotten in Your Highness’s heart.”
Jamer pleaded, claiming the residents were all waiting for my return with bated breath. Even though I knew he was likely exaggerating to please me, I couldn’t help but grin.
“I’ll be back before the Second Shopping District opens.”
Only then did Jamer look relieved and take his leave.
At the time, I didn’t realize that the rumor of me completely forgetting about Blenheim was spreading across the entire North.
* * *
Everyone in the conference room burst into applause.
It had been exactly one week since they began promoting the recruitment of merchant groups for the Expo. A total of six thousand merchant groups had applied to participate. This was twenty percent higher than the target of five thousand.
The administrative officials from the Imperial Palace and the Grand Ducal Household had been staying up almost every night to process the applications. Honestly, the investment from the Blenheim family played a huge role in recruiting the merchants so quickly.
— “Many of the merchant groups that were hesitating signed up immediately once they heard the Grand Ducal Household was investing.”
That was what Perel had told me when the recruitment was finalized. Applications from the merchants already established in the Second Shopping District had also poured in.
— “It’s an Expo hosted by Your Highness. Everyone likely scrambled to apply, terrified of missing such a golden opportunity.”
And those were Jamer’s words from earlier.
The Imperial officials still looked dazed, as if they couldn’t believe the numbers.
“Now the problem is how to arrange all these merchants.”
Six thousand. That meant even just flipping through the papers once required turning six thousand pages.
“Start by categorizing the applications. Do it by sector first, then by country. Once that’s done, we’ll coordinate the zones.”
I turned to Perel and asked, “Have you calculated the target number of visitors?”
“It varies significantly depending on the admission fee, but…”
The moment I heard the number that followed, my mind went blank.
* * *
Late that evening, Loik returned from his duties at Blenheim. As he climbed the stairs, he questioned the head butler.
“Her Highness is resting in the bedroom.”
“The bedroom?”
He had expected her to still be in her office. A sense of unease settled in his chest. Loik quickly changed and washed before heading straight to the bedroom.
“Annette, are you asleep?”
The lights in the room were already dimmed.
She doesn’t sound like she’s sleeping.
“Are you back?”
A muffled voice leaked out from the bed. A silhouette huddled under the duvet formed a round lump on the mattress.
“Annette, why are you hiding like that?”
As he approached and gently lifted the covers, a pale, dejected face was revealed.
“Did something happen?”
Instead of answering, Annette pressed her lips thin and pulled the duvet back over her head.
It’s the Expo.
Loik stared at the bulging duvet for a moment before wiggling his head inside. Squeezing his whole body in was out of the question. Inside the dark cocoon of the blankets, Loik’s eyes quickly adjusted to the gloom.
When his gaze met Annette’s, who was lying on her side, she sheepishly lowered her eyes. Her pale cheeks were puffed out as if she were holding something in her mouth.
Loik reached out and poked her soft cheek.
“Are you not going to tell me?”
Her small mouth twitched for a moment before clamping shut again.
I suppose I have no choice but to use my secret weapon.
Loik gently cradled Annette’s neck and pressed a kiss to her fair forehead.
“Still nothing?”
He pressed his lips to her pretty eyelids once, then twice.
“I’m going to keep going until you talk.”
Finally, he kissed the tip of her nose and was about to move down to her soft lips when she finally spoke.
“…The Expo.”
Annette began hesitantly.
“They say we need a million visitors just to recoup the investment.”
“Annette, you promised not to worry about the money.”
Loik finally pressed a firm kiss to her lips and whispered. It had been like this for the past few days. Every time something bothered her during the daytime meetings, she would become dejected like this by nightfall. It was quite unlike her.
“There is no need to be troubled by the finances. Haven’t I told you that repeatedly?”
Loik gazed into the blue eyes shimmering in the darkness.
“Annette, is there another reason?”
“I’m worried because my usually confident Consort has become so disheartened.”
As he gently stroked her cheek, her picturesque brows drooped slightly.
“…I’m scared because it’s become too big.”
Annette confessed that compared to what she had done in the North, the scale of this project was massive. Moreover, with the entire Empire and merchant groups from numerous countries involved, she was afraid to take risks as she usually did.
“What does it matter if the scale is large? You’ve always done well until now.”
“But what if I fail?”
“Fail? There’s no such thing.”
Six thousand merchant groups had gathered in a single week. Loik was certain that more than half of them had applied solely out of faith in the Grand Duchess of the North.
“Annette, you accomplished in a week what the Imperial family couldn’t do at all.”
Annette spoke tentatively, her voice small.
“But what if not many people come? What if the Expo fails and Blenheim is criticized because of it?”
So that was it. That was the reason for her unusual anxiety.
Loik finally realized why she was so worried.
Fake Saintess. Villainess. Illegitimate child.
Until her marriage, Annette had been plagued by all sorts of gossip and slander in the capital.
Everyone in the North loves her.
Returning to the capital couldn’t have been purely joyful for her. Naturally, she would fear being targeted for criticism again. Loik felt foolish for only realizing it now.
The Crown Princess will likely try to wash her hands of it if the Expo fails.
And Annette, driven by her sense of responsibility, would struggle until the very end.
“It’s a project being done in the name of the Grand Duchess. What if I mess up and the North gets dragged down with me?”
Annette’s lips curved downward as she admitted she didn’t want to disappoint the people of Blenheim.
“Do not worry about such things for even a second,” Loik murmured, his eyes narrowing. “I will seize anyone who dares wag their tongue and ensure they can never speak again.”
Annette shot him a look as if to ask if he was being serious. “I’m being serious here.”
“I am also serious.”
Loik arched an eyebrow. He already knew exactly how to sever the vocal cords of a noisy monster. Humans or monsters… the anatomy was likely similar.
“And there is no need to worry about the people of the North.”
No matter what the capital said, they wouldn’t even bat an eye.
“In the first place, their own Lord has been called a ‘Monster Grand Duke’ his entire life, and I’ve never seen a single one of them care.”
At his uncharacteristic tone, Annette finally let out a small laugh.