Count Le Vien, who was a man of common sense, was shocked by the order of Grand Duchess Lariesa to kill the children of a high-ranking clergyman from a foreign country.
“Your Highness! What are you talking about? How can you say such a thing!”
“That siren bitch!”
Larissa kicked the wing chair, which was already lying on the floor, with her shoe in frustration.
“She was pretending to be well-behaved, but she kidnapped Prince Alfonso!”
Lariesa threw away even the formal respect she had maintained and shouted.
“The rotten royal house of de Carlo is currently negotiating a marriage with the Great Gallico Kingdom while playing around with a dirty bastard of an Etruscan priest! Does that make any sense?!”
"Oh my..."
Only then did Count Le Vien realize why Princess Lariesa had been so angry and had burned the entire room to the ground. This was a story he had never heard before. However, it was not an unusual story at all. It was actually more unusual for a monarch of a country who had a political marriage to have a lover or mistress from his own country, and it was more common for them to have one.
“Your Highness! What are you talking about? How can you say such a thing!”
“That siren bitch!”
Larissa kicked the wing chair, which was already lying on the floor, with her shoe in frustration.
“She was pretending to be well-behaved, but she kidnapped Prince Alfonso!”
Lariesa threw away even the formal respect she had maintained and shouted.
“The rotten royal house of de Carlo is currently negotiating a marriage with the Great Gallico Kingdom while playing around with a dirty bastard of an Etruscan priest! Does that make any sense?!”
"Oh my..."
Only then did Count Le Vien realize why Princess Lariesa had been so angry and had burned the entire room to the ground. This was a story he had never heard before. However, it was not an unusual story at all. It was actually more unusual for a monarch of a country who had a political marriage to have a lover or mistress from his own country, and it was more common for them to have one.
He calmly tried to appease Princess Lariesa.
“Your Highness, calm down, calm down. I fully understand your discouragement, but there is absolutely no harm to the country. A mere government is not something that the Grand Princess, who will become the Crown Princess and the first wife, should be concerned about.”
“He won’t marry me!”
"Yes?"
“The Prince refuses to marry me!”
Lariesa pounded her chest, half in anger, half in frustration.
“Huh?”
This time, Count Le Vien was also surprised.
“Your Highness, that is a decision that Prince Alfonso cannot make alone.”
“Yes, I know, I’ve heard it over and over again! The decision of His Majesty Leo III, the ambassadors of the nations, they will not be able to refuse our offer!”
Lariesa cried.
“It’s been almost half a year since we came to this rotten land! What have you been boasting about during that time?! Nothing!”
It was a very unfair statement for Count Le Vien. There had been considerable progress on the details of the contract, and most of the details had been negotiated, with only one issue remaining deadlocked: the gunpowder mix. However, if asked, “Has the marriage alliance contract been signed?” all he could say was “No.”
“I have to get rid of that woman. Prince Alfonso is whining about rejecting a national marriage because he’s blinded by a woman. If that woman disappears, won’t there be no reason to avoid marrying me?”
“Your Highness! Please give me a call!”
Count Le Vien desperately clung to her and tried to stop her.
“Your Highness, calm down, calm down. I fully understand your discouragement, but there is absolutely no harm to the country. A mere government is not something that the Grand Princess, who will become the Crown Princess and the first wife, should be concerned about.”
“He won’t marry me!”
"Yes?"
“The Prince refuses to marry me!”
Lariesa pounded her chest, half in anger, half in frustration.
“Huh?”
This time, Count Le Vien was also surprised.
“Your Highness, that is a decision that Prince Alfonso cannot make alone.”
“Yes, I know, I’ve heard it over and over again! The decision of His Majesty Leo III, the ambassadors of the nations, they will not be able to refuse our offer!”
Lariesa cried.
“It’s been almost half a year since we came to this rotten land! What have you been boasting about during that time?! Nothing!”
It was a very unfair statement for Count Le Vien. There had been considerable progress on the details of the contract, and most of the details had been negotiated, with only one issue remaining deadlocked: the gunpowder mix. However, if asked, “Has the marriage alliance contract been signed?” all he could say was “No.”
“I have to get rid of that woman. Prince Alfonso is whining about rejecting a national marriage because he’s blinded by a woman. If that woman disappears, won’t there be no reason to avoid marrying me?”
“Your Highness! Please give me a call!”
Count Le Vien desperately clung to her and tried to stop her.
“The second daughter of Cardinal de Mare may be of humble status compared to the Grand Duchess, but she is the real daughter of Cardinal de Mare, the head of the small faction within the Holy Office! If we kill her without caution, we will not be able to handle the repercussions!”
Lariesa's expression distorted.
“The Great Gallico Kingdom? My father and my cousin, the King, will not ignore my difficulties?”
Princess Lariesa continued speaking with a pale face and trembling.
“I am being put to shame by a mere bastard of a priest, and my beloved ‘Great Gallico Kingdom’ cannot even spare the life of that damned bitch for the sake of the soon-to-be Princess?”
“I’m sorry, please understand, Your Highness!”
It was an uninvited intruder who broke the standoff between Count Le Vien, who was desperately trying to dissuade Princess Lariesa.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk... You can’t even fulfill the wishes of your master. You are truly an incompetent subordinate.”
Count Le Vien was startled and turned around in the direction where the voice had come from.
“Your Excellency the Duke of Mireille!”
The official head of the Gallico delegation, the Duke of Mireille, walked slowly through the doorway of the Grand Duchess Lariesa’s quarters. It was extremely rude for a grown man to enter the room of the daughter of a Grand Duchess, who was of a higher rank than him, without an invitation, but Lariesa did not bother to stop the Duke of Mireille. Instead, the one who jumped up was the Count of Le Vien.
“Your Excellency the Duke of Mireille! How did you come here! It is against the rules for Your Excellency to enter here!”
“As the representative of the delegation, I heard that the Grand Duchess, who was the object of our escort, was very depressed, so I came running like lightning.”
He smiled faintly.
“If the owner of the residence gives permission, it wouldn’t be rude, right, Princess Lariesa?”
Lariesa nodded as if possessed. She had a feeling that this man would subdue the Count of Le Vien and take Ariadne de Mare’s life as she wished.
“If the owner of the residence gives permission, it wouldn’t be rude, right, Princess Lariesa?”
Lariesa nodded as if possessed. She had a feeling that this man would subdue the Count of Le Vien and take Ariadne de Mare’s life as she wished.
The Duke of Mireille had his own calculations. The Duke of Mireille had been the most prestigious family in the Kingdom of Gallico for generations, but since the previous King’s younger brother, Odes de Briand, gave up the throne and was instead given the title of Grand Duke of Valoa, their influence had been waning. They were constantly being pushed to the second place in the aristocratic society, whether it was protocol, influence, or power.
'It's a good thing Odes's daughter is so stupid.'
If the Valoa Dukes could form a marriage alliance with the Etruscan House, their influence would be greatly enhanced.
'I cannot fail to arrange a wedding that His Majesty the King is watching over.'
The Duke of Mireille had come to Etruscan with the solemn urging of Philip IV to make this engagement happen. He had been sent with secret instructions to delay as long as possible without appearing suspicious, but if absolutely necessary, he could even allow the preparation of gunpowder. If Lariesa failed to make the engagement with Prince Alfonso and returned to Gallico, he would not be safe either.
'But what if the marriage goes awry due to an obvious fault on the part of the Grand Duke Valoa that no one can deny?'
For example, the fatal mistake of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa against the House of Carlo.
'If we can at least properly exploit the weakness of Lariesa de Valoa, we can later gain the advantage of Grand Duke Odes's concessions.'
The Duke of Mireille was so delighted by the Princess of Lariesa’s tumultuous behavior that he almost wanted to kiss her feet. He poured his gratitude into it and offered it to the only remaining daughter of the Grand Duke of Odes, who was so foolish.
“Whose life does Your Highness want?”
A color suddenly appeared on Lariesa's face. With her eyes sparkling, she shouted the name she hated so much.
“Ariadne de Mare!”
“Your Highness! No!”
Count Le Vien's shrieking screams filled the room.
“This could escalate into a serious diplomatic issue, Your Highness! This would turn not only the Etruscan Kingdom into enemies, but even the Holy See!”
Duke Mireille laughed heartily.
“To be murdered for stealing a man? I think the punishment is a bit too much for the crime you committed.”
Anger flared in Lariesa's eyes.
'It's a good thing Odes's daughter is so stupid.'
If the Valoa Dukes could form a marriage alliance with the Etruscan House, their influence would be greatly enhanced.
'I cannot fail to arrange a wedding that His Majesty the King is watching over.'
The Duke of Mireille had come to Etruscan with the solemn urging of Philip IV to make this engagement happen. He had been sent with secret instructions to delay as long as possible without appearing suspicious, but if absolutely necessary, he could even allow the preparation of gunpowder. If Lariesa failed to make the engagement with Prince Alfonso and returned to Gallico, he would not be safe either.
'But what if the marriage goes awry due to an obvious fault on the part of the Grand Duke Valoa that no one can deny?'
For example, the fatal mistake of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa against the House of Carlo.
'If we can at least properly exploit the weakness of Lariesa de Valoa, we can later gain the advantage of Grand Duke Odes's concessions.'
The Duke of Mireille was so delighted by the Princess of Lariesa’s tumultuous behavior that he almost wanted to kiss her feet. He poured his gratitude into it and offered it to the only remaining daughter of the Grand Duke of Odes, who was so foolish.
“Whose life does Your Highness want?”
A color suddenly appeared on Lariesa's face. With her eyes sparkling, she shouted the name she hated so much.
“Ariadne de Mare!”
“Your Highness! No!”
Count Le Vien's shrieking screams filled the room.
“This could escalate into a serious diplomatic issue, Your Highness! This would turn not only the Etruscan Kingdom into enemies, but even the Holy See!”
Duke Mireille laughed heartily.
“To be murdered for stealing a man? I think the punishment is a bit too much for the crime you committed.”
Anger flared in Lariesa's eyes.
They're all the same! There's no one I can talk to!
But Duke Mireille isn't here today to guide Lariesa on the right path.
“How about if the man just makes the woman leave on her own?”
Lariesa exploded with anger.
“Do you think it’s as easy as it sounds?”
“Why? What could be difficult? When does a man leave a woman?”
“...When a woman’s appearance is ugly?”
Lariesa answered according to her own complex. It wasn't exactly what the Duke of Mireille had in mind, but it was okay. He laughed loudly and applauded.
“Our Grand Duchess is truly clever. Yes, men leave women when their commercial value as women has diminished.”
Lariesa's eyes sparkled.
“Yes, that would be good. Slash that girl’s face! Make her look like a mercenary who has been rolling around in Yesak for ten years! A long scar across her entire face!”
She paced around the room, which was now a mess, like a madman.
“I will see how far Prince Alfonso’s beautiful love will go against an ugly woman! He said he didn’t like me because I was not pretty. I will see how far his love will go against a woman who is uglier than me!”
Alfonso had never once mentioned Lariesa’s appearance. But Lariesa took it for granted. The Duke of Mireille smiled broadly at the excited Princess Lariesa.
“Now, Grand Duchess.”
He picked up a piece of parchment and a quill from the desk in the messy quarters of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa. He dipped the quill in ink and scribbled something on the parchment.
“Look at this.”
He handed the completed paper to Princess Lariesa. Lariesa frowned as she read the parchment.
"What is this?"
Duke Mireille's smile grew even deeper.
“What is it? It’s a contract that allows you to use Mireille like the Archduke’s right-hand man.”
Le Vien rushed over at the ominous look. He snatched the parchment from the hands of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa and read its contents.
“How about if the man just makes the woman leave on her own?”
Lariesa exploded with anger.
“Do you think it’s as easy as it sounds?”
“Why? What could be difficult? When does a man leave a woman?”
“...When a woman’s appearance is ugly?”
Lariesa answered according to her own complex. It wasn't exactly what the Duke of Mireille had in mind, but it was okay. He laughed loudly and applauded.
“Our Grand Duchess is truly clever. Yes, men leave women when their commercial value as women has diminished.”
Lariesa's eyes sparkled.
“Yes, that would be good. Slash that girl’s face! Make her look like a mercenary who has been rolling around in Yesak for ten years! A long scar across her entire face!”
She paced around the room, which was now a mess, like a madman.
“I will see how far Prince Alfonso’s beautiful love will go against an ugly woman! He said he didn’t like me because I was not pretty. I will see how far his love will go against a woman who is uglier than me!”
Alfonso had never once mentioned Lariesa’s appearance. But Lariesa took it for granted. The Duke of Mireille smiled broadly at the excited Princess Lariesa.
“Now, Grand Duchess.”
He picked up a piece of parchment and a quill from the desk in the messy quarters of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa. He dipped the quill in ink and scribbled something on the parchment.
“Look at this.”
He handed the completed paper to Princess Lariesa. Lariesa frowned as she read the parchment.
"What is this?"
Duke Mireille's smile grew even deeper.
“What is it? It’s a contract that allows you to use Mireille like the Archduke’s right-hand man.”
Le Vien rushed over at the ominous look. He snatched the parchment from the hands of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa and read its contents.
"You are to kill or otherwise harm Ariadne de Mare, illegitimate daughter of Cardinal de Mare of the Diocese of San Carlo, in the Etruscan kingdom. March 18, 1123, Lariesa of Valoa."
It was unusually concise for a contract. That meant that the Duke of Mireille had many ways to avoid fulfilling his obligations. Furthermore, the signature column below did not have the Duke of Mireille's name, and there was only space for the Grand Duchess of Lariesa to sign.
“What the heck!”
Count Le Vien read the Duke of Mireille's mind and shouted in anger.
“Your Highness! What is this! What kind of contract is this! Absolutely, absolutely unacceptable!”
“Oh my, how can a subordinate interfere with the work of his lord? Is the discipline of the Grand Duke Valoa really this bad?”
Count Le Vien began to appeal to the Grand Duchess of Lariesa.
“Your Grace, the Duke of Mireille is trying to exploit the weakness of your father, His Excellency the Grand Duke of Valoa! You must never hand over any written evidence that proves your involvement in this matter!”
“This kind of thing.”
The Duke of Mireille looked at the Count of Le Vien with a vulgar smile.
“Do you think this Mireille would back out in the middle? I am a man of honor. What do you think of people!”
He looked at Princess Lariesa and tried to persuade her.
“I will ensure that the contents of this contract are carried out by myself, Mireille, without using my subordinates.”
Lariesa, not understanding what that meant, stared at Duke Mireille with wide eyes. Mireille clicked his tongue inwardly and kindly explained it to Lariesa.
“I will become your accomplice, Grand Duchess Valoa. When you commit a bad deed together, you become friends. Betrayal is impossible.”
Lariesa was about to ask Mireille, "So what do you get out of it?" Duke Mireille, reading the Grand Duchess' expression, struck first.
Count Le Vien read the Duke of Mireille's mind and shouted in anger.
“Your Highness! What is this! What kind of contract is this! Absolutely, absolutely unacceptable!”
“Oh my, how can a subordinate interfere with the work of his lord? Is the discipline of the Grand Duke Valoa really this bad?”
Count Le Vien began to appeal to the Grand Duchess of Lariesa.
“Your Grace, the Duke of Mireille is trying to exploit the weakness of your father, His Excellency the Grand Duke of Valoa! You must never hand over any written evidence that proves your involvement in this matter!”
“This kind of thing.”
The Duke of Mireille looked at the Count of Le Vien with a vulgar smile.
“Do you think this Mireille would back out in the middle? I am a man of honor. What do you think of people!”
He looked at Princess Lariesa and tried to persuade her.
“I will ensure that the contents of this contract are carried out by myself, Mireille, without using my subordinates.”
Lariesa, not understanding what that meant, stared at Duke Mireille with wide eyes. Mireille clicked his tongue inwardly and kindly explained it to Lariesa.
“I will become your accomplice, Grand Duchess Valoa. When you commit a bad deed together, you become friends. Betrayal is impossible.”
Lariesa was about to ask Mireille, "So what do you get out of it?" Duke Mireille, reading the Grand Duchess' expression, struck first.
“I do that because you're like my daughter.”
"Yes?"
“An incompetent subordinate who is of no help despite the terrible pain of being betrayed by her fiancé, and a father who does not take care of him.”
Duke Mireille has come to poke Princess Lariesa where she is at a sore spot.
“What kind of father sends his child, especially his eldest daughter, abroad for such a long time?”
Princess Lariesa lowered her head to hide her blushing face in shame. No, she tried to hide it. However, Duke Mireille did not easily let go of her weakness once he had caught it.
“I can’t possibly do that to my daughter. If it were me, I would have sent my daughter abroad and made a marriage contract, no matter what, even if it meant giving her everything. It would be the same if my cousin was in that situation.”
Lariesa bit her lips and couldn't answer.
“But has our esteemed Grand Duke Odes ever put such pressure on the great Philip IV? He has let it slide.”
It was not true that Grand Duke Odes was letting go. That was also the reason why Philip IV appointed Duke Mireille, not Grand Duke Odes, as the head of the marriage alliance delegation. Philip IV excluded Grand Duke Odes from the list of candidates for the position because he was afraid that if he sent him in charge, he would blindly worry about his daughter's safety and sign a bill that was disadvantageous to the Kingdom of Gallico. However, Princess Lariesa did not need to know this fact.
“If it had been Grand Duchess Susanne who was here, would Grand Duke Odes and King Philip IV have acted the way they did now?”
A bright blue anger appeared on Lariesa's face. The Duke of Mireille added with a smirk.
“If your father and cousin don’t take care of you, the Grand Duchess will have no choice but to fend for yourself. Even if this fact were to be known to Gallico, no one would blame the Grand Duchess. Yiu was abandoned first.”
Duke Mireille once again handed the contract to the Grand Duchess Larry.
“Come on, come on.”
Princess Lariesa picked up her quill as if possessed.
"Yes?"
“An incompetent subordinate who is of no help despite the terrible pain of being betrayed by her fiancé, and a father who does not take care of him.”
Duke Mireille has come to poke Princess Lariesa where she is at a sore spot.
“What kind of father sends his child, especially his eldest daughter, abroad for such a long time?”
Princess Lariesa lowered her head to hide her blushing face in shame. No, she tried to hide it. However, Duke Mireille did not easily let go of her weakness once he had caught it.
“I can’t possibly do that to my daughter. If it were me, I would have sent my daughter abroad and made a marriage contract, no matter what, even if it meant giving her everything. It would be the same if my cousin was in that situation.”
Lariesa bit her lips and couldn't answer.
“But has our esteemed Grand Duke Odes ever put such pressure on the great Philip IV? He has let it slide.”
It was not true that Grand Duke Odes was letting go. That was also the reason why Philip IV appointed Duke Mireille, not Grand Duke Odes, as the head of the marriage alliance delegation. Philip IV excluded Grand Duke Odes from the list of candidates for the position because he was afraid that if he sent him in charge, he would blindly worry about his daughter's safety and sign a bill that was disadvantageous to the Kingdom of Gallico. However, Princess Lariesa did not need to know this fact.
“If it had been Grand Duchess Susanne who was here, would Grand Duke Odes and King Philip IV have acted the way they did now?”
A bright blue anger appeared on Lariesa's face. The Duke of Mireille added with a smirk.
“If your father and cousin don’t take care of you, the Grand Duchess will have no choice but to fend for yourself. Even if this fact were to be known to Gallico, no one would blame the Grand Duchess. Yiu was abandoned first.”
Duke Mireille once again handed the contract to the Grand Duchess Larry.
“Come on, come on.”
Princess Lariesa picked up her quill as if possessed.
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