Chapter 27
The Grand Ducal Castle's courtyard stretched before her as someone cloaked in a heavy robe hurried toward the Annex where the Eighth Prince stayed. "Halt right there!"
The knights stationed at the Annex entrance immediately crossed their spears, blocking the path. "This is His Highness the Eighth Prince's residence. Identify yourself!"
The cloaked figure faltered under the knights' fierce glares. At that exact moment, the Annex door burst open and Kael strode out with a scowl on his face.
"I called you, so get lost!"
Kael stepped forward, shoving the knights aside, and wrapped his arms around the waist of the woman in the robe. "Whoa, our pretty one. It's really cold outside, isn't it? I'll melt you warmly from inside. Let's go."
"Y-yes... Your Highness... ah..."
The woman nestled in his arms let out a coy little gasp. The knights' faces twisted in horror all at once. The supposed husband of the Grand Duchess was dragging a strange, low-quality woman into the castle in the dead of night.
Kael, savoring the knights' contemptuous stares like a feast, gripped the woman's waist even tighter and disappeared inside the Annex with a smug grin. Slam! The door slammed shut.
Before the sound even faded, Kael and Viola—the woman in the robe—released each other as if burned. They stepped back, rubbing their arms to chase away the chill.
"Whoa, Prince. That line and the acting were so cringey I got goosebumps."
"Me too. Damn, it gave me the creeps."
Viola rubbed her arms and peeled the hood of the robe from her head. Her long black hair cascaded down. She glanced at Kael and pouted. "By the way, a married man calling a woman out in the middle of the night... anyone who saw that would think I was your mistress, Prince."
"Consider it an honor. I personally gave you an audience."
"Oh ho~ What a strange experience this was, Your Highness~"
Viola tossed the robe onto the sofa and added seriously, "But you know I can't just call you out like this whenever I feel like it."
"And to come straight into the castle? If the tail gets stepped on, I'll be in trouble too. The Grand Duchess is so pure and honorable that I'm lucky I didn't have to use tricks."
"..."
"You're the top V.I.P. of our shop, so I came for this one time only. No repeats."
"Got it. Sit here first."
"Ha, I endure it because you pay well."
Viola crossed her legs and looked at him. "So? Why did you call me here with all this trouble?"
"I had a rough idea."
"What? The Grand Duke ramped up your bodyguards and monitors so you couldn't come, so you just brazenly summoned me here?"
Viola smiled slyly. "The Prince stopped you from causing trouble outside, yet here you are dragging a woman into the castle and throwing a tantrum. Did the Grand Duchess get tired of it and decide to loosen the surveillance?"
"..."
"You really are sharp."
Kael clicked his tongue. He'd only written a simple note saying 'Come this way.'
She's really something.
Just as Kael was admiring her in his mind, Viola flashed a sultry smile and leaned forward slightly.
"By the way, the reason you called me here..."
Her voice suddenly turned rich with desire, dripping with allure.
"Hic... Your Highness... ahh! Just a little harder...! Or was it not to let the knights outside hear these moans? Ah, is this side okay too?"
"..."
Kael froze for a second. Viola's lips curved upward in amusement. Thinking he was about to tease back, he cleared his throat and waved it away.
"...Tch, tch. Sounds like a buzzkill anyway. And the soundproofing is decent, so no issue."
"Oh? That's good, but... what are we supposed to do in this room, just the two of us?"
"Work stuff."
"Of course it's work again. Prince, you're no fun~"
"I was hoping the mistress act would be pretty entertaining, but oh well."
"Enough. Come here."
Kael approached, grabbed Viola's waist and legs, and lifted her effortlessly. The so-called princess carry.
"Oof."
Viola's eyes widened slightly. Kael laid her gently in the middle of the bed.
Viola blinked up at him. "..."
"Prince? Are you serious?"
"No."
Kael stood by the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt one by one.
"I have to do at least this much acting if someone walks in. At the very least, I need to be on the bed."
"What? Surprising me?"
Viola pulled the blanket over herself like she was insulted. "But is there really someone who can just walk in without knocking? The Annex."
"Our Grand Duchess comes in knocking once in a while without even waiting."
"Whoa, that's rough."
Finally, Kael stripped off his shirt completely. Viola nodded in approval.
"Right, since I'm calling a woman to play around, if we were sitting there chatting with all our clothes on it would look even stranger."
Viola sat up and slowly untied the ribbons of her black silk dress. The collar loosened and her fair, slender shoulders and alluring cleavage were fully exposed.
"..."
Kael glanced at her and quickly turned his head away, looking embarrassed. Viola pulled the blanket over herself and giggled.
"So, are you going to open your legs? If you just cover yourself with the blanket, I'll do it as service. Because you're the Prince."
"Stop. Just lie there and breathe."
Viola shrugged her shoulders. "Boring. If I look closely, maybe it's the same shameless Prince from the rumors."
"..."
"Back to business."
Kael deliberately changed the subject and spread out a large map of the northern territory on one side of the bed. It was a detailed map of the North.
"I looked at the slum map. Is there any spot on this side that can be completely bulldozed and redeveloped?"
Viola lay on her side and scanned the map. "There is."
Her finger pointed to a corner. "Right at the border between Slum District 3 and 4. They're all rundown shacks, but there are people living there. The population density is lower than in other districts, so even if we forcibly demolish them there won't be much resistance. Of course, as long as we pay proper compensation."
"Good."
"But what are you planning to build here?"
"A building."
"Oh my."
Viola's eyes narrowed. "I get it roughly. Tear down the old shacks, build sturdy structures, hire northerners who are starving because there are no jobs this winter as construction workers to create jobs and spend money. Way more efficient than just dropping off relief supplies."
"..."
"You really have scary insight."
"Flattery."
Viola winked as Kael tapped the map.
"Anyway, how much will the piping and hot water system cost under those buildings?"
"I'd need to check the estimates carefully, but around two thousand gold. Plus labor costs it'll be more. I'll have my guys do a detailed survey and contact you separately."
Viola pulled the blanket up to her chin and asked.
"By the way, Prince. This is a fairly large construction project. Is it possible to secretly tear up the slums outside the castle without the Grand Duchess noticing?"
"That's something I'll have to pry permission out of Giselle no matter what I do. For now, stock up plenty of ondol-style heating materials."
"Got it."
Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the Grand Ducal Castle's office.
As the two of them continued their secret planning on the bed, Giselle stood by the window staring at the snow falling outside, lost in deep thought. ...Should I borrow the money? Or not?
The northern territory's empty treasury. To survive the upcoming beast wave and feed the territorial citizens, they needed an enormous sum of gold.
Extending a hand to him... it means lowering my pitiful self-esteem as Grand Duchess. But my pride can't weigh heavier than the lives of the citizens.
Logically, the answer was clear. Even if his funds were dirty black money from squeezing the four nobles, if it could be used for the North, it was right to borrow by lowering my head.
Yes. First, I'll face him, talk it out honestly.
Having made her decision, Giselle turned her steps toward the Annex.
As she approached, the guards she had placed there came into view. But Giselle was so lost in worry that she didn't even notice them. She grabbed the doorknob.
Click.
Just as the handle turned, one of the guards tried to stop her.
"M-Mistress! You shouldn't come in now...!"
"Hm? What's that?"
Before Giselle could react, the door was already wide open. "..."
And through the gap, Giselle's two eyes were fixed on the sight of Kael, shirtless, and the seductive figure of the unfamiliar woman lying in the bed with her collar undone.