Enoch bowed his head slightly towards her, who was lost in thought, and said.
"Can I help?"
“It’s okay. The butler will have made the necessary arrangements. You will be the one to go out to the sea to meet the prince. Is that okay?”
Enoch also had to control the navy and knights and prepare to welcome the delegation formally.
He might even have to go out on a boat to escort them.
“The thing I did every day on the battlefield was to welcome the messengers.”
The man whose eyes met hers slightly slanted his gaze. Agatha stared at him as if she was entranced by the unexpected eye contact.
Then she came to her senses and answered.
“That’s reassuring. Then I’ll ask you to take good care of me.”
“Don’t be in a hurry. Hubert will lead the knights as escort.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
The ship entered the dock and dropped anchor. The vassals of Nobilis, including the consul, were already waiting at the dock.
Knights poured out first from the large ship that had docked on the main island. The knights quickly occupied the surrounding area and secured safety, and they all saluted.
Chuck!
A tall man appeared first on the high stairs.
The retainers immediately adjusted their robes and straightened up.
Jeopuk-
The sound of footsteps getting closer seemed to be etched into her eardrums.
The moment Agatha came down the stairs holding Enoch's hand, the retainers politely bowed.
“Welcome, Marquis, Madam. Welcome to Pahlavi Island.”
The butler gave a speech on behalf of the group. Agatha smiled brightly.
“Nice to meet you. I’ve received regular reports yearly, but I think this is the first time I’ve come in person since the coming-of-age ceremony.”
"That's right."
"Really. I should introduce you to this person. This is my husband, Marquis Enoch Aratus. Enoch, this is Phil Butler, the archon of Pahlavi Island.”
“Nice to meet you.”
The butler hurriedly bent down as if he were almost touching the ground.
“I have heard of your great reputation. It is an honor to meet you, Your Excellency.”
The officials of the Palavi Islands, the vassals of Aratus, and the vassals of Nobilis are greeting each other.
Agatha looked around the harbor, which had changed a lot compared to seven years ago. It was worth the construction that had started two months ago.
Port facilities are being greatly expanded, and restaurants, inns, and shops have been created around the port.
“It’s okay.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
The consul who was watching immediately bowed his waist. Agatha looked back at Enoch.
“Then I’ll look around the construction site and then go to the castle first.”
"Yes. I will speak briefly with the Navy and then head to the castle.”
The intention is probably to look at the border and maritime escort around this area when the delegation arrives.
The commander of the Imperial Eastern Navy, Count Caello, who had just disembarked, was approaching with his officers.
Aide Ethel nodded after examining the words the bailiff had brought.
“There is nothing unusual, ma’am.”
The bailiff, Phil Butler, had already gathered all the horses in the vicinity for the knights' escort.
“I thought you would want to see it quickly, so I prepared it with a horse rather than a carriage.”
“Thank you for your hard work, butler. Let’s leave right away.”
Ethel handed over the reins to the gentlest horse. The first horse she saw was a similar size to the horse she usually rides.
The moment she hesitated slightly because of the hem of her long dress, the hand next to her lightly grabbed her waist.
“If I had known this would happen, I would have prepared riding clothes.”
Enoch, who had lifted her onto the saddle, was frowning slightly.
Agatha hid her slightly trembling hands by gripping the reins.
“It’s okay. I’ll just go for a bit and then go straight to the castle.”
Her face seemed to have become slightly hot. The maids around her were quickly adjusting her dress, looking embarrassed.
“Madam, what about the umbrella?”
“Hmm, I guess it would be difficult to lift the parasol while riding on the side.”
Because it was summer, it was difficult to wear a hat with her hair tied up high.
However, maids who cannot speak cannot follow them with parasols on the ground.
Enoch looked up at the hot sunlight for a moment and then gestured back.
“Hubert.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He took the umbrella from the maid and handed it over to the vice-captain, Hubert.
“Don’t leave her side.”
Hubert, who was silent for a moment, raised a military salute with trembling hands.
“Yes, my lord.”
Enoch nodded slightly and looked up at Agatha.
“See you at the castle.”
Above her head was a parasol held by Hubert, casting a shadow.
As much as it felt cooler, her heart pounded.
Since when did it become a husband's duty to make eye contact, whisper in a sweet voice, and worry about his wife's heat?
Agatha, somewhat impulsively, bent down and kissed his cheek.
"Yes. See you later."
Instead of looking up to see his reaction, she immediately kicked the horse's side.
"Depart."
"Depart!"
The lead rider and his aides, led by Ethel, the vice-captain, Hubert, and about 50 knights followed.
Agatha didn't look back.
The horse she saw for the first time took Agatha on its back and behaved quite well.
It was summer and the sun was hot, but the parasol helped cool the heat down a bit.
After going a little further, the construction site she had seen from the boat began to appear.
“We are preparing to allow at least ten ships to come in and dock at one time.”
Phil Butler, the consul who was following along, said. As it was soon to become a new center of trade, the port was being greatly expanded, and it was definitely being built longer and wider than the existing dock.
Even to Agatha, who knew little about construction, it looked almost finished.
“You said it would be over in two weeks, right?”
"Yes, that's right."
“Then I can see it completed before I leave.”
Inside the harbor, a large warehouse was being built to store trade goods.
And as you go further in, you start to see commercial areas with inns, shops, and restaurants. These too are being reorganized by the district and greatly expanded in size.
“The legation building has already been completed. Would you like to take a look around?”
“Please guide me.”
As Agatha stopped talking in front of the embassy on the administrative district side, a servant who had been cleaning the building inside ran out.
“I see you, madam.”
Of course, the envoy was not staying there because the negotiations had not yet been concluded.
“How are you managing it?”
“I’m currently using the top.”
In the future, Nobilis Merchant Marine will also trade on Pahlavi Island, so manpower was dispatched from early on.
Agatha nodded with satisfaction after checking the work being done by her subordinates.
“Good. I like it. Now I think I’ll just take a walk around the island.”
Agatha checked the sky. It seemed to be around noon.
“Let’s turn around quickly and return to the castle.”
"All right."
At that moment, Vice-Chief Hubert carefully tilted his umbrella and stepped in.
"Lady. If you want to look around without having to look, how about moving it by carriage? I have a parasol, but I’m worried you might get tired from the heat.”
Behind the procession, a carriage bearing the Aratus emblem was parked, perhaps out of curiosity.
After a brief moment of initial hesitation, Hubert quickly adapted to the race and was worried about his Madam, who was on a forced march despite the hot weather.
Does a knight take after his master?
Agatha smiled and took the parasol from Hubert.
“Thank you for your hard work, sir. I will have you move by carriage.”
It was morning when the boat arrived, but by the time they arrived at the castle, it was well past lunch.
The old Pahlavi Fort was rustic, but it had its own charm with its spires overlooking the island and numerous terraces and balconies.
At the entrance to the castle, the butler of Pahlavi Castle came out to meet them along with the servants.
“I see you, madam.”
Agatha accepted the greeting with a slight nod and then looked at her aide, Ethel. Ethel answered immediately.
“A delegation from Mainukor is expected to arrive in the morning in approximately three days.”
“That’s right. Archon, how prepared are you?”
The butler gave an immediate answer.
“The kitchen is currently preparing the food to be served at the delegation dinner so that you can taste it first. Both the banquet hall and the rooms where the delegation will stay have been cleaned and decorated in their own way...”
While the butler continued speaking, Phil Butler, the butler, watched Agatha's expression and continued speaking.
“As you know, madam, I never go to the capital except for regular reports, so I think there are some shortcomings.”
“It’s okay. Still, I’m relieved that the cleaning is done. Thank you for your hard work, butler.”
Agatha lightly praised him and entered the castle, leading her vassals and knights.
Beyond the hall on the first floor was the main banquet hall, and on the second floor was the delegation's lodgings. The banquet hall and rooms decorated by Phil Butler were all far behind the capital's latest trends.
'There's not enough time to decorate it properly.'
It is a time that requires choice and concentration. Agatha boldly decided to only take care of the banquet hall and the Prince's room and pursue neatness for the rest.
It was impossible to recreate the splendor of the capital everywhere, given the lack of supplies.
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