After checking the banquet hall and the second floor, Agatha quickly assigned tasks to the kitchen.
“Lord Hubert. Please check the safety of the castle with the knights. Please check the deployment of the soldiers in the castle before my husband arrives.”
"All right."
“While the knights are checking for safety, let the rest of us take care of the Prince’s room and banquet hall. Aide, has the luggage arrived from the port?”
“Yes. I came down and divided it into the third floor and the warehouse.”
“Let my chef into the kitchen first. Have him check out the supplies, see what dishes are being prepared, check out the dishes currently being prepared, evaluate them, and then come up with a list of cooking orders.”
"All right."
“Jessie, Marie. Take the servants and bring me all the curtains, draperies, carpets, candle holders, and anything else that is in good condition. We need to start decorating the banquet hall.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
"Consul! Where is the furniture? I need to change the table and sofa in the room where the 2nd Prince will be staying.”
“This way.”
Agatha changed everything as much as time allowed.
All of the dark curtains covering the four sides of the banquet hall were pulled back, and translucent black and blue curtains were placed overlapping each other to reveal the glass windows, which were then loosely tied with gold thread.
There are vases with beautiful fresh flowers on the walls between the windows.
Even the tablecloths on the round tables in the banquet hall were changed to neat white ones with lace trimmings at the ends.
“Madam, we are short of candlesticks.”
“Then place the gold candlestick in the center and the silver candlestick in the other places. There, the carpet on the floor seems to have a strange texture.”
“I’ll take care of it right away.”
While Agatha was completely overturning the castle, a knight came and announced the news of Enoch's arrival.
"Lady. The Marquis has arrived at the castle entrance.”
"Is it so?"
As she was busy moving around, her head, which had been soaked with emotions, had suddenly found reason.
She may have been embarrassed because she kissed him on the cheek and ran away without saying a word.
She hesitated a little bit though.
Agatha decided to be shameless. She left the maids behind her and went out to greet Enoch in the hall on the first floor.
He was just entering the castle.
“Are you here?”
“...”
Enoch was silent for a moment. Although he looked calm on the outside, Agatha was feeling anxious on the inside.
Did it seem like too emotional of a kiss?
That was what she was hoping for, but when it actually happened, she felt like her mouth was dry.
The man who had been staring at her for a while slowly lowered his head.
"I'm home."
“...!”
Heat rose from the cheeks where the soft lips touched and then separated.
Even though they were originally an arranged marriage, they were noticeably friendly.
She felt a little excited as she came out to greet him and greeted him with a kiss.
Agatha smiled brightly without realizing it. For a moment, Enoch's eyes twitched.
“Are you tired? If you go to your room and rest, the meal will be ready soon. Tonight’s dinner is a mixture of Mainukor style and Roxbad style-”
Enoch stood still and listened to her babbling.
“Okay, I’ll show you to your room. I think we’ll have to share a bedroom. Is that okay? Or maybe you could get one of the rooms that your immediate family will use.”
He reflexively extended his hand to Agatha.
The moment her slender fingers touched the firm palm.
Enoch opened his mouth casually, just like he always did.
“I don’t mind sharing a bedroom if it doesn’t make you uncomfortable. I think it might be safer that way.”
“Then I will tell the butler so.”
Agatha took Enoch to the lord's room on the fifth floor and then called a meeting of vassals.
There are only three days left until the Mainukor delegation arrives.
Starting today, it was necessary to receive a report on the status of Pahlavi Island and discuss how to welcome the delegation.
How fortunate it was that Enoch took charge of the escort, commanding the troops, and even welcoming the delegation.
The meeting continued at the dinner table.
“Although they are unofficial envoys, they are members of the royal family, so they require formal hospitality.”
“We need to fix the port facilities. If we can put sculptures on the steps and put down a red carpet, it will be at least a modicum of propriety.”
“I wonder how many Eastern dishes the Second Prince should include during his stay...”
Even after the dinner, she didn't think the meeting would end.
How to organize the second floor where the delegation will stay, how to distinguish between official and unofficial schedules, how to confirm negotiation conditions, how to prepare for the daily dinner, etc.
“Let’s take a break. We’ll start again in 10 minutes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
"All right."
Agatha took a moment to visit the bedroom.
She was just wondering.
The bedroom, which she entered without knocking, was brightly lit. Enoch, who was sitting on the sofa looking at a map of Palavi Island, raised his head.
Agatha laughed embarrassedly.
“I’m sorry, Enoch. I should have sent word that I would be late.”
She saw him briefly at dinner, but they literally just looked at each other and ate.
“I waited of my own volition, so you have nothing to feel sorry about. Is the meeting over?”
"No. I have to go right away. Sleep first. If I'm not there in the morning, I eat first. Okay?”
Agatha briefly kissed Enoch on the cheek and left the bedroom. She was really glad he waited, but unfortunately, it was too much work.
'I don't know if Fernand will find something wrong, so I need to finish it well.'
Enoch didn't seem to mind seeing her ex-husband, but there was still no harm in being careful.
Agatha hurried to the conference room.
And behind the tightly closed bedroom door.
Enoch let out a long breath as he buried himself deep into the sofa. A complex look appeared on his handsome face.
The light that brightened the bedroom did not go out for a while.
Three days passed. During that time, Agatha had poured all her time except for sleeping time into developing the island and welcoming the delegation, and the preparations she had made were perfect.
In that short period, pieces were put into the bridge, red satin was laid, the current status of Pahlavi Island was determined, and everything from the delegation's accommodation, meals, and itinerary was decided.
Enoch commanded the Nobilis and the Eastern Imperial Navy and was on a ship to meet the envoys from the Mainukor Empire.
In the distance, a ship escorting the Roxbad Empire Navy and the Nobilis family warships could be seen.
"Lady."
“I'm watching.”
A sailing ship with a sharp bow unique to the Mainukor Empire.
A ship waving the flag of the Miniumconti royal family was rapidly approaching.
'Maybe we should have gone together?'
Agatha regretted it for a moment. She had left the coordination of operations with the Navy entirely to her husband because she had to do a final check.
Since it was his job to command knights and troops, it was naturally right for him, as the head of the Marquis of Aratus, to step forward.
She was concerned about Enoch, who must have greeted her ex-husband first.
'... It seemed like he wasn't interested at all.'
The navy left the neighboring archipelago, and only warships and ships of the Mainukor Empire entered the port.
Even as the Mainukor Empire poured in, her husband's face at a glance looked no different from usual.
Is it really okay to not care?
A moment of doubt crossed Agatha's mind, but she straightened her posture.
At the end of the high stairs.
The main character who had been shaking up the entire island, including her, for nearly a month had been revealed.
Spotless, clean silver hair.
Red eyes resembling roses.
Even after 10 years, the handsome playboy was still coming down the stairs with a bright smile on his face.
“Agatha!”
For a moment, she remembered the distant past.
There was a time when she thought that guy was okay just by looking at his appearance.
Of course, it was an idea that was shattered the day after the wedding.
“Your Highness, the Second Prince of the Mainukor Empire.”
Agatha gave a greeting on behalf of the group and paid her respects.
The important thing is to return with a result that satisfies the Emperor.
The housemaster wanted to put it aside for now and achieve his goal quickly.
Fernand, who was momentarily flustered, hurriedly approached and waved his hand.
“Oh. I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your hospitality... Madam.”
Agatha didn't see it, but Enoch, who was standing between her and Fernand with his army, twitched his eyebrows slightly.
Fernand spoke in a gentle voice as if he were coaxing a baby.
"How have you been? You are a complete lady now, ma’am.”
“It’s natural that 10 years have passed since the divorce. You must have been tired on the way, so today you can enjoy dinner at the castle and rest. I recommend that you visit Pahlavi Island starting tomorrow and begin full-scale negotiations, Your Highness."
"Yes. I will follow your advice.”
Agatha accepted Fernand's escort and glanced at Enoch for a moment.
With an expressionless face, he was instructing the knights to guard and protect the surrounding area.
'Yes. There's no reason for him to care.'
Although she was a little disappointed, Agatha decided to now focus on welcoming the delegation. She exchanged greetings with the Mainucor staff and winked at the consul, who quickly summoned horses and carriages.
First, the carriage of the Mainumconti royal family, in which the second Prince would ride, was prepared, but Fernand, who was about to get on, looked back.
“Ma’am, how do you plan to move?”
“My carriage is ready too.”
“Let’s ride together. It's been a while since we've seen each other, so why don't we talk a bit on the way? I have some questions about this negotiation.”
“...”
She really didn't want to ride it though.
Because the cause was justifiable, Agatha moved slowly. When she checked for the last time, her husband had his back turned to her, so she couldn't tell what kind of expression he had.
Maybe it's the same expression of disinterest as before.
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