Pressure with No Escape
It had been a few days since I sent the reaper. By now, the palace must have come up with some suitable response. I wondered what it would be. I couldn't read the emperor's intentions at all. It had been the same in the novel. The emperor was great, but he was just a minor side character. There was only a mention that the winning heroine quite liked him.
In the winter chamber, we were holding a meeting with the ministers. Hexon was reporting on the progress amid the current situation. Production volumes kept rising steadily. Wealth continued to pile up.
"Your Highness."
"Yes."
"Is something troubling you?"
I must have been caught not focusing on the meeting. Nothing had really changed, but sighs kept escaping me unbidden.
The ministers noticed it first and grew concerned.
"I can't help but take notice. Of things like the rumors drifting in from the south."
"Your Highness, please don't. They're nothing but the idle chatter of common folk."
The ministers exchanged glances. I let out another sigh without thinking. It was hard to tell if they were truly worried or not, but one thing was clear: they were thinking more about Daniela than about me. They fretted that strange rumors might tarnish her image.
"Those people are just gossips spreading tavern tales, and even if they tried anything, it wouldn't reach the North."
"Probably not."
"Besides, the matter of your relationship with the Crown Prince—"
Hm, that was the problem. True, he had broken off the engagement in the end, but considering that I'd become the Northern Grand Duke...
The timing had been far too short. It had all happened so abruptly, in just a few months. Neither Daniela nor I, nor anyone else, could have foreseen it.
"That's precisely the issue. The Grand Duchess is a precious figure to all of you, and to me... well, probably the same."
"Of course she is, Your Highness!"
"And yet it bothers me."
I couldn't quite put my finger on why. It was definitely a matter of the heart, but... wasn't it too soon to call it love? We hadn't even known each other that long, and Daniela had suggested something like dating straight out of that novel in the barrel. Wait, this was—
"Your Highness cherishes the Grand Duchess so deeply that we will serve her with the utmost devotion."
"Well, yeah... the Grand Duchess and I are... like that..."
I panicked. I rarely stammered like that in front of the ministers.
Hm, hm. All that came out were awkward throat-clearing noises. No suitable words came to mind. In the old days, I would have shot back with a quick "I see" or something.
"Hahaha! Your Highness, truly the rightful heir with the blood of the wolf."
"Hexon, perhaps we should focus on finding a solution first."
"Your Highness, if I may be so bold, I know only one method."
"And what is that?"
I asked Hexon, but he said something utterly bizarre. The other ministers nodded along. Had I been too lenient with them lately? The atmosphere felt like they were teasing me. Didn't you lot say no one in Winter Castle could tease the Grand Duke or interrupt him?
"It seems the old saying is true after all—that wolves love only one woman."
"Enough. I said enough! Meeting adjourned!"
I stood up. The ministers bowed their heads and stayed silent. If I didn't leave, they'd keep it up. Should I just outlast them? I gave them a look and headed out.
Nothing out of the ordinary. We'd just passed the depths of winter. Fortunately, there hadn't been much snow this year. The sunlight streaming through the window felt especially bright. Outside, the city bustled with the sounds of citizens. I could feel the city growing.
"Your Highness."
"James. Are you staying in the castle now?"
"No, Your Highness. I was hurrying back after receiving an order from the Grand Duchess."
James came rushing down the corridor. He dropped to one knee before me and flicked his cloak with a thwack. He was another specimen of excessive loyalty, like Leor—but without the stammer. Lord Roy was bearish, but James was the opposite, the very picture of noble perfection.
"Daniela? What is it?"
"I haven't heard the details yet!"
Got it. No need to shout. I headed for the office.
We really should have made a separate office for the Grand Duchess from the start, but she'd insisted it wasn't necessary. Winter Castle was too rundown anyway. Rather than preparing a new room, it seemed better to handle the Grand Duke's duties alongside hers, communicating casually...
"But isn't it a bit too obvious, Your Highness?"
"Ah, Alfredo. When did you get here?"
"Your Highness, even so, there's no need to combine the offices..."
Yeah, he had a point. The Grand Duchess needed her own space. But I figured we didn't need to separate them just yet, so I'd only instructed them to prepare gradually. It seemed better to do it after she settled into the work. For real. No lie.
"Still, for official duties, a separate office will be necessary."
"I know. I said take it slow."
"It'll be ready soon."
Alfredo was subtly perceptive... or maybe because he was perceptive.
Alfredo, James, and I entered the office. Daniela was poring over a document, lost in thought. She didn't even notice us approaching.
"What has you so absorbed?"
"Yes? Ah! Y-yes. No, I mean yes."
She stammered. She was still figuring out the etiquette of her position as Grand Duchess. She'd asked me about it now and then lately—how she should speak. I'd told her to be casual, but that was from the Grand Duke's perspective. It must still feel awkward for her.
"Um... Your Grace, does the Grand Duchess handle something like this too...?"
"What is it?"
I looked over the document. It was about hiring maids for Winter Castle. We'd kept the minimum staff until now. The guards could handle military roles, but servants and maids were different.
Did the Grand Duchess really need to handle this? I glanced at Alfredo.
"Such matters are typically decided by the lady of the house. Until now, Your Highness has handled them."
"Is that how it is?"
"With all the Wintergard family affairs falling solely on you."
"How long has it even been since she arrived here?"
With a new lady of the house in Winter Castle, the ministers felt protocol demanded it. The castle was more dilapidated than most places, so they wanted to hire more people to fill the gaps.
"Hm... still, she should try signing off on it once?"
"Pardon? Oh, I-I'm not good at things like—"
"It's about selecting people to serve you, so it's better with your name than mine."
Daniela dipped the pen in ink and signed with a trembling hand. That would select the staff for the lady of Winter Castle. James had been involved, of course, but this was a different matter.
Speaking of which, why was James...?
"Ah, uh... I just had something I wanted to ask."
"Yeah? Go ahead."
"Um, just the two of us..."
Zing. I shot James a look. He was the one who looked flustered now.
"Without me?"
"Yes..."
Hmm. I tapped my chin a few times with my finger. No helping it, then. I quietly slipped out of the office. Even with Alfredo right there.
"Your Highness."
"What?"
"Even with your ear to the door, quiet conversations won't carry."
"Then how do you hear them?"
"We are always devoted to Your Highness."
"Shh. I can't hear anything."
I pressed my ear to the door, but no sound came through. Tch. I clicked my tongue and headed back to the winter chamber. Alfredo vanished quietly as well. Someone in attendant uniform took up position behind me.
Owl. With Daniela around, I often spoke with Owl separately in the castle. It was usually cases like this.
"We've planted a few in the palace. The first report should come soon, Your Highness."
"Good. Report on recent movements right away. And..."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"That wench by the Crown Prince's side. Keep a close eye on her. The Crown Prince is too stupid for that sort of thing, but her... she's got too much ambition."
"We'll prioritize it."
Owl slipped away quietly.
Dorgon was already waiting in the winter chamber. I had no idea how Roy and Jackson were faring in the palace, but Dorgon was the real key. They provided the pretext; Dorgon worked behind the scenes, recruiting nobles.
"We have some intelligence, Your Highness."
"Doesn't sound like good news. What is it?"
"Well..."
The emperor had made his move. They'd recalculated in the palace and proposed repaying the amount slowly over three years. But the payments would be at the palace's discretion.
"Did Roy and Jackson fail?"
"No, Your Highness. They're still raising hell there. They even threatened to seize the palace gold if it's not paid immediately."
"Haha! Good thing I sent them. They're not the type to let it slide."
"We needed time, so it's fortunate, Your Highness."
But the situation hadn't improved. I'd wanted to pressure the emperor with money, but you couldn't leverage pretext against someone with no intention of paying in the first place.
That left moving the nobles Dorgon was recruiting. It was early, but...
"Bart. Yes, get the Bart family moving."
"Can the Bart family pressure the palace?"
"No need for pressure. Just have them gather the nobles over this issue."
"And then?"
"We need to ramp up the financial pressure."
Dorgon looked puzzled. We couldn't accept everything, but that's how it felt.
"They've got no choice but to stall for time anyway. Let's turn up the heat."
Haha... I chuckled quietly. Dorgon nodded, finally understanding.