DYBAR - Chapter 39 < The Emperor's Dog Is Starting To Let Go Of Its Leash >
Do Your Best And Regret It
It was late at night, with darkness creeping in beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. I, who had been exhausted by the endless line of jewelers and shoemakers who had lined up in the early morning, forgot her fatigue and admired it.
"You put this together in one day?"
The dressing room, reminiscent of a high-end boutique, was perfectly organized.
Dresses delivered from Madame Pluto's boutique were hung on hangers, and the delicately crafted glass display case was perfect for stocking the jewelry and shoes purchased today.
"I told you. Sobel is capable."
Edwin, who was sitting on the velvet sofa, said as if it were obvious. I remember Edwin saying the same thing earlier when I was making a joke about where to put so many things when I was choosing things.
He said he thought he was joking but he was serious. I chuckled because the scale of the Grand Duke's residence was extraordinary. Sobel nodded his head with a calm look on his face.
"It would have been nice if we had a little more time, but considering that we would soon be heading to Vikander Territory, we hurried as much as possible."
Ah. I blinked my eyes. The obvious fact that I would leave for Vikander territory as long as I received permission from the Emperor to marry was somehow refreshing. It seemed like she had become attached to the Grand Duke's residence in just a few days.
A strange feeling of regret arose at the thought of her leaving the Grand Duke's residence. I turned, sitting down opposite Edwin.
"But was it really okay if you didn't go to the palace today?"
"Even when I call them, they won't open the door. Instead, I sent a letter saying I will visit you tomorrow afternoon, so I will go tomorrow afternoon."
Tomorrow. I checked the date. It was a noble meeting day in the morning. It was a well-known fact that on the afternoon of the meeting day, the Emperor would abstain from government affairs in order to rest.
"Choose a good day."
Then, as a thought came to my mind, I paused for a moment and looked at Edwin. At the moment when our gazes were intertwined in the air for a long time, Edwin's eyes turned mischievously.
"Why are you looking at me so intently? It excites people."
"I was suddenly wondering why Edwin wasn't attending the noble meeting."
When I answered calmly despite my very seductive tone, disappointment spread across Edwin's face. But I slowly fell into my thoughts. Although there were many nobles who had difficulty attending because their territories were far away, it was a noble meeting that all high-ranking nobles were required to attend. The only Grand Duke in the empire does not attend the noble meeting.
The more I thought about it, the more strange it became, but Edwin shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal.
"Well, it's because I always go to war."
"You might not have known it before, but the war is over now."
Edwin's reputation as a war hero soared. Now would be a good time to solidify his position in the system. I, who had been speaking without hesitation, bit my lip, saying.
"Oops."
"If you know so well, why don't you come forward yourself?"
I vividly remembered Leopold's voice as if he were annoyed. It was funny. Ex-fiancé. Now the relationship is nothing. But it seemed like what Leopold had said still remained deep in my mind. He wouldn't be happy no matter how kind Edwin was to me.
My eyes widened as I unconsciously looked at Edwin. His red eyes were looking at me seriously.
"Do you want me to attend the noble meeting?"
"I was just saying it because I was curious. Can you please stop taking it so seriously?"
I tried to gloss over what I said as if it were a joke. I was used to working behind the scenes, but expressing my opinion like this was unfamiliar. But Edwin cautiously but persistently looked at me and asked again.
"Don't do that, just let me know. If I attend the noble meeting, what will Vikander gain?"
That's what Vikander can get. At that moment, the taxes that were increasing every year came to my mind. Taxes, which increased significantly under the pretext of gem mining, were one of the Empire's wealth sources.
"You'll be able to have a say on mineral taxes. Edwin is offering all the spoils you obtained from the war to His Majesty."
My heart pounded. Even though I tried not to, I kept looking at Edwin's expression. I wonder if what I am saying may sound absurd. It was an agitated moment.
"Actually, I've never thought about taxes. Vikander is so rich."
My heart dropped at the sound of Edwin's soft voice. As the thought that she had said something in vain passed through my head, Edwin exaggeratedly looked back at the dressing room. When his eyes landed on the empty display case, Edwin calmly added his words.
"Well, what if Olivia's distribution gets bigger?"
My green eyes sparkled. This was a clear provocation and transaction. And I was more than ready to accept this.
"How do you know that I couldn't deal luxuriate to my heart's content because I was worried about paying taxes from the Grand Duke's residence?"
"Then it would be different, right? Now I should consider attending the meeting"
I lowered my head at the words "consideration." The corners of my mouth kept turning up and my pulse was beating rapidly. A sense of accomplishment washed over me, even more so than when I first fulfilled the Princess's orders.
I felt like I had been exposed to a new world other than dresses, shoes, or conversations about my feelings. Edwin smiled a little without my knowing.
I see his elation spreading across his flushed face. Then his alert eyes looked piercingly beyond his floor-to-ceiling glass.
"Do you have anything?"
I followed Edwin and looked through the floor-to-ceiling glass as if I was curious. There is nothing special about the garden where the flowers have faded.
"No. Because the moonlight seems too cold. Would you like to go to bed for tomorrow?"
It was a willing recommendation. I smiled brightly and placed my hand on Edwin's hand. At the same time, Sobel quietly closed the curtains.
It was so tight that you could never see the Madeleine family carriage standing in front of the gate In the distance.
***
"Are you considering attending this noble meeting?"
The Grand Duke's residence's drawing room.
The Grand Duke nodded with a look as if there was any problem. He didn't believe it when he told Sobel the story. Winster looked at the Grand Duke with cold, salty eyes. When the vassals of the Grand Duke's family, who wanted to take a more active role in establishing a confrontation with the Emperor, tried to persuade him to attend the meeting, he did not even listen.
The Grand Duke smiled slowly.
"When I think about it, it's not a good idea to only enrich the Emperor with the money we earn."
Winster nodded vigorously. Howard, who was next to him, said with a worried face.
"This may be a decision that takes us one step further away from the White Crystal Mine."
"So, I'm going to try to attack the Princess again."
The Grand Duke's mouth tilted upward.
"Continue to watch the mine, but also investigate the Princess's whereabouts again. Even if the royal family dies, they will not know its value. Someday, it will be Vikander's job again."
Howard's head was spinning. The Princess's journey so far has been generally smooth. It was the Princess's property and the estate she managed was clean.
However, since His Highness the Grand Duke had ordered him to keep a special eye on her, the Princess's actions would be pulverized one by one in his hands. As always, Grand Duke Vikander will snatch victory.
***
The feeling of going to bed happily lasted well into the morning. Olivia thought the whole day would be great. Even if it weren't for the meeting attendance letter that suddenly arrived from the Imperial palace.
"I can't believe you talked about marriage at the morning meeting. Meeting notifications are delivered very quickly."
"Morning meeting?"
My eyes widened as I laughed at Edwin's bored voice. I had less than an hour until the meeting time. Even if we made hasty preparations and went by carriage now, it would have been impossible to make it on time for the meeting to start.
Unlike me, whose heart fluttered, Edwin waved the letter and acted as if it were someone else's business. I was the only one who felt urgent.
"Edwin, get ready quickly. It's your first meeting. What should I do if you're late?"
"Wouldn't Olivia take a little while to get ready?"
"Yes?"
I blinked. Edwin pointed to one side of the letter. My hair turned white at the command that Princess Madeleine also attended. The dress, makeup, and Edwin's boat will take some time. It was a moment when I was getting anxious.
"Do not worry. Olivia. What if I'm late?"
"Still."
"If we are late, it is the Emperor's fault for notifying us late."
Edwin unhesitatingly blamed the Emperor. I unconsciously chuckled at Edwin's seemingly nonchalant attitude even though he said something that could be considered an insult to the royal family.
Edwin, who had been casually leaving the letter as if it was no big deal, looked at me with a grin.
"And the main character usually appears last."
I didn't know what Edwin meant by his boastful words.
"So Olivia. Let's finish the tea. They don't like cold tea."
Strangely enough, Edwin's voice had a strange power. The power is like the wind that everything will turn out well.
"... Then I'll just drink some tea and get ready."
In the end, I sat in front of Edwin again. Edwin's eyes widened sweetly as if she had done well.
***
Meanwhile, at that time, a strange atmosphere hovered in the grand hall of the Emperor's palace.
"They haven't arrived yet."
It was natural. Because he gave notice of his attendance at the meeting a little while ago.
However, the Emperor looked at the empty seat with a sad expression and spoke to the Duke of Madeleine.
"I guess I didn't talk properly with the Princess."
"... I apologize, Your Majesty."
As the Duke of Madeleine bowed his head, someone from the noble faction on the left spoke arrogantly.
"It looks like Princess Madeleine is excited. She couldn't believe that there was a rumor going around that she was in the grand palace. She was even late for a meeting invited by His Majesty."
It was the Marquis of Ethel. The emperor looked at him with amused eyes. He had not yet announced the engagement of the Crown Prince and Maria Ethel, but the Marquis Ethel was already stiff-necked as if his daughter had become the Crown Princess.
The Duke of Elkin, the head of the noble faction next to him, also did not stop him. He didn't know that the Empress's brother, the Duke of Elkin, had a grand plan in mind to appoint an aristocratic daughter as Crown Princess. The noble faction was too greedy. Therefore, the daughter best suited to be the Crown Princess was Madeleine's eldest Princess.
Labeled as an illegitimate child, he is easily criticized by the noble faction but is the only one who can give power to the imperial faction. She is, at the same time, the woman his dog longs for.
The Emperor swallowed his laughter and nodded his head.
"Let's postpone the discussion about the one-year grace period until the end and start the meeting first."
"Yes. Then, let me start with the first item. The agreement with Heferti will be concluded next month..."
Listening to the minister's words, the Emperor waited with joyful eyes for the door to open. There were dozens of letters sent from the Grand Duke saying he wanted to hear a clear answer about the marriage.
Since he used the marriage he so desperately wanted as bait, he will definitely come running in a hurry. How would the Grand Duke's gorgeous face be distorted if he were to order a one-year postponement on his expectant face, thinking he was giving permission for the marriage?
Just imagining it made the Emperor happy. However, the Grand Duke did not appear until all the agenda items of the meeting had been discussed.
The Emperor, looking at the door that would not open, furrowed his brows. That can't be possible. Did the Grand Duke, who wanted marriage more than anyone else, suddenly change his mind?
Taking advantage of the Emperor's silence, the nobles' whispers spread. The person who took the lead was definitely the Marquis Ethel.
"It is said that an accomplished Grand Duke may not have a sense of time, but I think even the Princess next to him should have kept time."
"Lady of Etel would never do that."
Comments subtly disparaging the Princess princess continued. At the same time, the number of nobles who praised the Lady of Ethel increased. It was almost funny how the Marquis Ethel puffed out his breasts like a rooster.
The Emperor clicked his tongue. He felt like he would have a lot of trouble with Marquis Ethel for the next year.
The Emperor, who was seething inside just because the Grand Duke did not come, finally struck the armrest of the throne. A fairly loud sound made all the nobles' eyes turn to the Emperor.
"Supreme Sun, meet Your Majesty the Emperor."
The wonderful voice immediately took all the attention away from the Emperor. The Emperor forced his lips up and looked at the doorway.
Grand Duke Vikander.
The guy who he expected to run up to him in a hurry was facing him. with an extremely relaxed expression. Even the outfits were matched like the Princess as his partner.
"It's late, Grand Duke. I've been waiting for you long before the meeting started, and you're finally here."
"That's right. The attendance notice from His Majesty arrived only a little while ago. Please understand that His Majesty did not send it late on purpose."
The sarcastic tone was rather blaming the Emperor. The Emperor, who had been hit hard in front of the nobles, let out an angry voice.
"So, Grand Duke. What do you want to say now? Are you really blaming me?"
"Is that possible, Your Majesty? The first meeting was so late, but I'm telling you this so that you can be properly notified so that you can arrive early for the next meeting."
Next meeting. The Emperor laughed, letting out a thick breath, trying not to show his flinching. As he traveled from battlefield to battlefield, it was the Emperor who had so far prevented the Grand Duke from attending meetings. Because it was the most effective way to prevent the Grand Duke from creating a base force in the system.
Just today, he was anxious and just hoped that the Grand Duke would come to hear about the marriage.
"We can't invite the busy Grand Duke to every meeting."
"Now that the war is over, what is there to be busy about? Now, as the head of the Vikander family, I will also protect Your Majesty."
Vikander's matriarch. It was the first time that the Grand Duke called himself the head of the family. While the nobles were muttering about the situation unfolding before their eyes, the Emperor gritted his teeth and looked at the Grand Duke with sharp eyes.
Now, his dog bared his teeth at him.
He said he would no longer live as the Emperor's dog but as a Grand Duke.
"... I guess what the Grand Duke wants so much is not to attend a noble meeting."
This was a warning. A warning that if he continues to behave like this, he will never be able to obtain the White Crystal Mine.
This warning has never failed to work, but...
"... I would like to begin my official duties with negotiations with Heferti, Your Majesty."
A dangerous smile appeared on the Grand Duke's mouth. For a moment, the Emperor looked down at his hands. He thought his dog's leash lasted forever. He always thought he was in control, but it was slipping away like grains of sand between his fingers.
White Crystal mine doesn't work. What is this? He should have somehow tied him down by marrying the Princess.
Late regret left a bitter taste in the Emperor's mouth. But the Emperor knew well that this was not the end.
".... Let's deal with that problem later. What is urgent today is the marriage between the Grand Duke and Princess Madeleine."
The Emperor's voice fell softly. At the same time, Marquis Ethel's eyes also flashed unusually and turned towards me. Now was the opportunity. The perfect opportunity to crown his precious youngest daughter as Crown Princess.
Comments
Post a Comment