Franz, who had been sitting motionless all morning, receiving reports from officials, could only catch his breath long after lunchtime. Even so, it was only a short break, as another schedule awaited him in the afternoon.
“Your Highness, wait a minute.”
Duke Vergy, who had left with the others, returned. Franz, who had been slumped in his chair with his head thrown back, immediately straightened up and looked at him.
“What’s the matter, uncle?”
Duke Vergy, after having dismissed those who were waiting to serve him, came and sat down on Franz's right. Then he took a black envelope from his bosom and placed it on the table. It was tightly sealed, with crisp corners and no decoration, and on one corner was written very small:
“Your Highness, wait a minute.”
Duke Vergy, who had left with the others, returned. Franz, who had been slumped in his chair with his head thrown back, immediately straightened up and looked at him.
“What’s the matter, uncle?”
Duke Vergy, after having dismissed those who were waiting to serve him, came and sat down on Franz's right. Then he took a black envelope from his bosom and placed it on the table. It was tightly sealed, with crisp corners and no decoration, and on one corner was written very small:
'For His Highness Crown Prince Jedercayer.'
“What is this?”
When Franz asked, the Duke glanced at the empty door and lowered his voice.
“A letter from the Grand Duke of Melgan.”
Franz’s expression changed in an instant. He grabbed the envelope with an urgent movement and tore open the sealed opening without hesitation. When he unfolded the neatly folded paper without a single misalignment, his eyes were caught by the neat handwriting that made him doubt his eyes. It was an eerie neat handwriting that made him wonder if it was really written by a human hand.
“From what I’ve heard, he seems to be a very thorough person.”
Even before reading the letter, Franz had already revealed his first impression of the Grand Duke in this way. As if to support his impression, the text itself was very concise and clear, without any unnecessary modifiers or elaborate greetings.
[Dear Crown Prince Jedercayer.
On behalf of the Principality, I would like to thank Your Highness for the concern and interest you have shown for our country.
I agree that you would need some advice on the issues you mentioned.
I hope to see you as soon as possible.
― With sincerity and friendship, Amatus Solinac.]
After reading the letter twice, Franz folded the paper back into its original shape and threw the envelope into the fireplace. The sparks that had caught on the sharp corner grew bigger and bigger, and soon Grand Duke Melgan’s letter disappeared without a trace into the ashes.
It may be seen as a good opportunity that the Grand Duke of Melgan expressed his desire to meet him, but he could not be completely reassured that everything was going well. In the letter, the Grand Duke said that he 'agreed with the advice', but if he really thought the same as Franz, he would not have taken the risk of asking to meet him. In other words, he meant that he would decide whether to listen to this proposal or not after meeting him in person.
“What does it say?”
The Duke asked as he watched Franz turn around and burn the letter.
“It seems like Melgan wants to meet face to face.”
“Is that all he requires?”
“Yes. There is nothing else written. What do you think, uncle? Wasn’t there any sign that Melgan joined hands with the other side first?”
“It didn’t seem like it. The person who brought the letter said that the nobles of the duchy were very wary of the United Kingdom. There was no real alliance between Catania and Melgan, but it seemed that they had been a long-time border country and were quite hostile to the United Kingdom taking over the land.”
The duchy had long shared a considerable part of its territory with the south. It was not a free land, of course, but without the duchy's help, many of the small southern states would have already perished from famine. As a result, the people of the duchy, not only the nobles but also the commoners, despised and hated the united kingdom that had destroyed Catania as ungrateful.
“After I tell my father about this, I need to make arrangements as soon as possible. I hope my uncle can help me.”
The Duke nodded. Franz felt a sudden fatigue as if he had stayed up all night, perhaps from the tension. But he had no time to clear his head and rest. Before Franz could even slump back on the chair, the Duke pulled out another envelope.
“The first report has come from the Grand Duke as well.”
His secretary, Heimrad, was not well known for his abilities, so he was able to closely monitor the situation in the south. Franz, who was reading the letter the Duke had handed him, narrowed his eyebrows slightly.
“Krald’s new government... is the niece of King Hibs.”
“That’s what they said. Perhaps because of that, the Count of Montfort has been frequently gossiping about the second Prince among his acquaintances lately.”
“That would be so. His daughter has long been publicly known as Krald's mistress. Perhaps the Count de Montfort believed that his daughter would become Krald's Princess...”
“Yes. In fact, it was also because of the Queen’s influence that the daughter of the Count of Bloset became the second Princess. The Count of Montfort completely turned his back on the Queen after that. However, I don’t think he would have thought that Krald would abandon his daughter.”
“That was foolish optimism.”
Franz smiled bitterly. He had known for a long time that Count Montfort was a greedy man, but it was pitiful that he had naively believed that Krald would always put Libencia first.
“It is something that cannot be overlooked that King Hibs sent his niece to Krald, of all people. He would not have done something like that out of the blue after having no prior contact with her.”
“I couldn’t figure out exactly what kind of deal was made between the United Kingdom and the Second Prince. It would take more time to penetrate there. Of course, it would also be risky.”
“Move cautiously, but find out as much as you can. Also, we need to know what the Duke of Laetian is doing.”
Duke Vergy, who had been nodding, looked somewhat puzzled.
“Didn’t Duke Laetian leave with the Second Prince as his assistant? I don’t think there’s any reason for him to act against the Second Prince’s wishes.”
“Doesn’t my uncle know what kind of relationship the Duke of Laetian and Queen Gilsis have? Although he accompanied her as her aide, the Duke of Laetian will surely seek to benefit himself in other ways, even if he doesn’t directly harm Krald.”
“Now that I hear it, Your Highness’s words are correct. I will do so.”
“If possible, I would like to keep an eye on the King’s niece as well... but that seems difficult. I will think about this after my meeting with Grand Duke Melgan is arranged.”
Duke Vergy thought for a moment at Franz's words. Then, cautiously as if poking a boil, he opened his mouth again.
“If Your Highness permits, I would like to try the Count de Montfort.”
“The Count of Montfort?”
Franz thought for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Are you planning to entrust the job of watching over the niece of the King of Hibs to the daughter of the Count of Montfort?”
“As Your Highness knows, our spies, including Heimrad, have limited infiltration capabilities. This is especially true when there is little time to spare. However, the daughter of Count Montfort is different. She is someone who can approach the second Prince’s closest places.”
Franz didn't know much about Libencia Montfort, but he knew that she wasn't a very wise person. Franz shook his head pessimistically as he pondered.
“The daughter of the Count de Montfort is not a person who can perform political tricks. One mistake could ruin all our plans.”
“It doesn’t have to be the Count’s daughter. Couldn’t it be possible to send someone with the Count’s influence as a servant or maid?”
The Duke's persuasion caused Franz to fall into deep thought. If Krald favored the niece of King Hibs so much, it was worth risking his life to keep an eye on her. It was likely that he would be able to find out not only Krald's movements but also the movements of the United Kingdom.
If the two sides were secretly planning to join hands and attack Melgan or the royal castle, it would be more advantageous to detect it as soon as possible. It was also necessary to find out whether the United Kingdoms really wanted an alliance with Krald or whether they planned to betray Krald after achieving their goal.
“The Count de Montfort is not a man you can trust to have by your side. However, his reputation for his daughter is so terrible that it has been widely known since long ago. He is not the kind of man who would stay silent if he heard that his daughter was being humiliated beyond his protection, so I think it would not be a bad idea to use him.”
Franz, who had been silent without answering, slowly nodded. It was foolish to try to manipulate Count Montfort for the sole purpose of his own benefit, but if it was wrapped up in a matter that directly involved his daughter, it was not entirely impossible.
“Then I will leave that matter to my uncle. Use him, but be careful.”
“Yes, I understand. Then I will meet the Count soon.”
Duke Vergy immediately stood up, holding the letter from Heimrad. After he left, Franz, who had been staying alone, felt hungry and was about to leave when a servant came in.
“Your Highness, Her Highness the Crown Princess has arrived.”
“The Crown Princess?”
Franz raised his voice in surprise. Judith had never come here before. Judith, who had passed the servant and entered, smiled slightly as if she had expected this when she saw Franz’s expression.
“What brings you here?”
Franz, who had hurriedly approached her, carefully led Judith to sit on a chair, despite his bewildered expression. After the servant finished his report and closed the door, Judith looked straight at Franz and said.
“I am worried because I heard that Your Highness has been skipping meals and staying at Magnus Palace.”
“Just because of something like that...”
Franz's words trailed off. It was because he suddenly worried that it might sound like a reproach. He closed his mouth and squeezed Judith's hands tightly with both of his.
“The weather is getting colder, so I told you not to go out because you might catch a cold.”
“Even so, I should at least take a walk. I can’t just sit in bed all day.”
“What is this?”
When Franz asked, the Duke glanced at the empty door and lowered his voice.
“A letter from the Grand Duke of Melgan.”
Franz’s expression changed in an instant. He grabbed the envelope with an urgent movement and tore open the sealed opening without hesitation. When he unfolded the neatly folded paper without a single misalignment, his eyes were caught by the neat handwriting that made him doubt his eyes. It was an eerie neat handwriting that made him wonder if it was really written by a human hand.
“From what I’ve heard, he seems to be a very thorough person.”
Even before reading the letter, Franz had already revealed his first impression of the Grand Duke in this way. As if to support his impression, the text itself was very concise and clear, without any unnecessary modifiers or elaborate greetings.
[Dear Crown Prince Jedercayer.
On behalf of the Principality, I would like to thank Your Highness for the concern and interest you have shown for our country.
I agree that you would need some advice on the issues you mentioned.
I hope to see you as soon as possible.
― With sincerity and friendship, Amatus Solinac.]
After reading the letter twice, Franz folded the paper back into its original shape and threw the envelope into the fireplace. The sparks that had caught on the sharp corner grew bigger and bigger, and soon Grand Duke Melgan’s letter disappeared without a trace into the ashes.
It may be seen as a good opportunity that the Grand Duke of Melgan expressed his desire to meet him, but he could not be completely reassured that everything was going well. In the letter, the Grand Duke said that he 'agreed with the advice', but if he really thought the same as Franz, he would not have taken the risk of asking to meet him. In other words, he meant that he would decide whether to listen to this proposal or not after meeting him in person.
“What does it say?”
The Duke asked as he watched Franz turn around and burn the letter.
“It seems like Melgan wants to meet face to face.”
“Is that all he requires?”
“Yes. There is nothing else written. What do you think, uncle? Wasn’t there any sign that Melgan joined hands with the other side first?”
“It didn’t seem like it. The person who brought the letter said that the nobles of the duchy were very wary of the United Kingdom. There was no real alliance between Catania and Melgan, but it seemed that they had been a long-time border country and were quite hostile to the United Kingdom taking over the land.”
The duchy had long shared a considerable part of its territory with the south. It was not a free land, of course, but without the duchy's help, many of the small southern states would have already perished from famine. As a result, the people of the duchy, not only the nobles but also the commoners, despised and hated the united kingdom that had destroyed Catania as ungrateful.
“After I tell my father about this, I need to make arrangements as soon as possible. I hope my uncle can help me.”
The Duke nodded. Franz felt a sudden fatigue as if he had stayed up all night, perhaps from the tension. But he had no time to clear his head and rest. Before Franz could even slump back on the chair, the Duke pulled out another envelope.
“The first report has come from the Grand Duke as well.”
His secretary, Heimrad, was not well known for his abilities, so he was able to closely monitor the situation in the south. Franz, who was reading the letter the Duke had handed him, narrowed his eyebrows slightly.
“Krald’s new government... is the niece of King Hibs.”
“That’s what they said. Perhaps because of that, the Count of Montfort has been frequently gossiping about the second Prince among his acquaintances lately.”
“That would be so. His daughter has long been publicly known as Krald's mistress. Perhaps the Count de Montfort believed that his daughter would become Krald's Princess...”
“Yes. In fact, it was also because of the Queen’s influence that the daughter of the Count of Bloset became the second Princess. The Count of Montfort completely turned his back on the Queen after that. However, I don’t think he would have thought that Krald would abandon his daughter.”
“That was foolish optimism.”
Franz smiled bitterly. He had known for a long time that Count Montfort was a greedy man, but it was pitiful that he had naively believed that Krald would always put Libencia first.
“It is something that cannot be overlooked that King Hibs sent his niece to Krald, of all people. He would not have done something like that out of the blue after having no prior contact with her.”
“I couldn’t figure out exactly what kind of deal was made between the United Kingdom and the Second Prince. It would take more time to penetrate there. Of course, it would also be risky.”
“Move cautiously, but find out as much as you can. Also, we need to know what the Duke of Laetian is doing.”
Duke Vergy, who had been nodding, looked somewhat puzzled.
“Didn’t Duke Laetian leave with the Second Prince as his assistant? I don’t think there’s any reason for him to act against the Second Prince’s wishes.”
“Doesn’t my uncle know what kind of relationship the Duke of Laetian and Queen Gilsis have? Although he accompanied her as her aide, the Duke of Laetian will surely seek to benefit himself in other ways, even if he doesn’t directly harm Krald.”
“Now that I hear it, Your Highness’s words are correct. I will do so.”
“If possible, I would like to keep an eye on the King’s niece as well... but that seems difficult. I will think about this after my meeting with Grand Duke Melgan is arranged.”
Duke Vergy thought for a moment at Franz's words. Then, cautiously as if poking a boil, he opened his mouth again.
“If Your Highness permits, I would like to try the Count de Montfort.”
“The Count of Montfort?”
Franz thought for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Are you planning to entrust the job of watching over the niece of the King of Hibs to the daughter of the Count of Montfort?”
“As Your Highness knows, our spies, including Heimrad, have limited infiltration capabilities. This is especially true when there is little time to spare. However, the daughter of Count Montfort is different. She is someone who can approach the second Prince’s closest places.”
Franz didn't know much about Libencia Montfort, but he knew that she wasn't a very wise person. Franz shook his head pessimistically as he pondered.
“The daughter of the Count de Montfort is not a person who can perform political tricks. One mistake could ruin all our plans.”
“It doesn’t have to be the Count’s daughter. Couldn’t it be possible to send someone with the Count’s influence as a servant or maid?”
The Duke's persuasion caused Franz to fall into deep thought. If Krald favored the niece of King Hibs so much, it was worth risking his life to keep an eye on her. It was likely that he would be able to find out not only Krald's movements but also the movements of the United Kingdom.
If the two sides were secretly planning to join hands and attack Melgan or the royal castle, it would be more advantageous to detect it as soon as possible. It was also necessary to find out whether the United Kingdoms really wanted an alliance with Krald or whether they planned to betray Krald after achieving their goal.
“The Count de Montfort is not a man you can trust to have by your side. However, his reputation for his daughter is so terrible that it has been widely known since long ago. He is not the kind of man who would stay silent if he heard that his daughter was being humiliated beyond his protection, so I think it would not be a bad idea to use him.”
Franz, who had been silent without answering, slowly nodded. It was foolish to try to manipulate Count Montfort for the sole purpose of his own benefit, but if it was wrapped up in a matter that directly involved his daughter, it was not entirely impossible.
“Then I will leave that matter to my uncle. Use him, but be careful.”
“Yes, I understand. Then I will meet the Count soon.”
Duke Vergy immediately stood up, holding the letter from Heimrad. After he left, Franz, who had been staying alone, felt hungry and was about to leave when a servant came in.
“Your Highness, Her Highness the Crown Princess has arrived.”
“The Crown Princess?”
Franz raised his voice in surprise. Judith had never come here before. Judith, who had passed the servant and entered, smiled slightly as if she had expected this when she saw Franz’s expression.
“What brings you here?”
Franz, who had hurriedly approached her, carefully led Judith to sit on a chair, despite his bewildered expression. After the servant finished his report and closed the door, Judith looked straight at Franz and said.
“I am worried because I heard that Your Highness has been skipping meals and staying at Magnus Palace.”
“Just because of something like that...”
Franz's words trailed off. It was because he suddenly worried that it might sound like a reproach. He closed his mouth and squeezed Judith's hands tightly with both of his.
“The weather is getting colder, so I told you not to go out because you might catch a cold.”
“Even so, I should at least take a walk. I can’t just sit in bed all day.”
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