It was an unexpected story. Judith looked back outside the empty window. As the view of the courtyard covered in snow and ice came into view, her mind suddenly cleared up. The Grand Duke of Melgan, he was definitely an important person.
Judith didn't know much about the Duke of Melgan.
Not only her, but most of the Rotair people lived without much interest in the neighboring duchy. Not only Melgan, but also the already fallen Catania, during their heyday, had a lot of exchanges with Rotair and formed their own culture, but the ambiguous difference between a kingdom and a duchy sometimes poured cold water on the friendly harmony between the two countries.
The place where he was to meet the Grand Duke was the King's Throne Room. Although Franz was still nominally the Crown Prince and Regent, no one objected, as not only the Privy Council officials but also all the nobles who entered the palace regarded him as the de facto King.
“What kind of person is the Grand Duke?”
Franz tilted his head slightly at Judith's question. He, too, had never actually met the Grand Duke. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he would not have even recognized his existence if the current situation had not been the case.
“From the letters he sent... I got the impression that he was a very thorough person.”
The sentences in the letters the Grand Duke sent were clean and free of unnecessary details. They were so plain that they seemed to convey a sense of high intelligence. The absence of flowery adjectives or flowery expressions seemed to reveal his dignity.
“It may not be easy, but if we can convince him, he will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”
“This will be a very important meeting.”
Franz nodded with a smile.
Franz and Judith, who arrived in front of the audience room, had equally tense expressions. As they entered together, they saw someone who had arrived earlier and been waiting stand up. A tall man stood up suddenly from across the table.
Judith's eyes, which had been wide open in surprise, blinked once. Judith unconsciously glanced at Franz's face and saw that he was making a similar expression to hers.
While the Crown Prince and Crown Princess stood there dumbfounded, the visitor got up from his seat and walked out to where they were in front of him. His steps were quiet, almost as if he was gliding, even though he was walking on the solid marble floor.
“His Highness Franz Jedercayer, son of the noble kingdom, Regent, and Crown Prince, I greet you.”
A clear voice echoed through the audience room. The Grand Duke of Melgan, Amatus Solignac, was surprisingly a woman.
She slowly bowed and stood up, and this time her gaze turned to Judith, who was standing next to Franz. Although she had not introduced herself, the Grand Duke seemed to immediately recognize Judith’s identity. This time, she greeted him politely again.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess, I greet you. I am very happy to see you, whom I have only heard of through rumors.”
“Welcome, Grand Duke of Melgan. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Judith was the first to greet him. A faint smile appeared on the grim face of the Princess of Solignac as she saw her plump belly beneath her dress.
“There was a good sign in the kingdom. If I had known in advance, I would have prepared a congratulatory gift.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Please have a seat.”
As the three sat down, the doors on all four sides of the audience room closed. Everyone left their seats except for the attendants and guards who had been given special orders. Franz looked at the face of the Grand Duke Solignac for a moment and then spoke frankly.
“First of all, I apologize for the inconvenience. I didn’t hear that the Grand Duke of Melgan was a woman, so I looked flustered without realizing it.”
“Everyone thinks the same as Your Highness the Crown Prince. That’s why when they first meet me, they are often embarrassed. Some even ask me, ‘Where is the Grand Duke and why is the Grand Duchess here?’ Compared to those people, Your Highness the Crown Prince welcomes me very politely.”
Of course, it was a joke, but it had some substance to it. When Franz looked down as if embarrassed, the Grand Duke continued.
“One of the reasons people don’t think I’m a woman is because of my name. Amatus is usually given to a son.”
The Grand Duke, who had spoken up to that point, remained silent for a moment, looking back and forth between Franz and Judith. The two waited in silence as if they had something more to say.
“Actually, that name wasn’t mine. It belonged to my younger brother, who was supposed to sit on the throne.”
Franz raised his eyebrows slightly and looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“The Grand Duke’s family’s circumstances are complicated. It’s a long story that I can’t tell you all here. I hope I can tell the Crown Prince and Crown Princess someday, but let’s wait for another time.”
Judith and Franz exchanged glances. The details are unknown, but almost simultaneously they were convinced that the Prince of Solignac was not always what he appeared to be.
As Franz had expected, she was a very thorough person. Not only was her appearance immaculate, but her sitting posture as if she had been tied to a solid pillar, was also impressive. It would be difficult for anyone to act carelessly in front of such a person. After a few words with the Grand Duke, Franz was convinced that the letter he had received had definitely been written by her.
The fact that King Hibs of the United Kingdom had joined hands with Krald was already known to the Grand Duchy of Melgan. Since they were bordering Catania, the fall of the Duchy of Catania would not have felt like someone else's business. Grand Duke Solignac also said that he had sent spies to the border several times to keep an eye on Krald's movements.
“Since there has been no significant harvest so far, the duchy has been observing the situation. In the meantime, Your Highness the Crown Prince sent me a letter. I actually thought that the Grand Duke and His Highness the Crown Prince were on close terms. I knew you were half-brothers.”
“We are brothers on the surface, but we are like strangers. Perhaps we should say we are inferior to strangers.”
Franz frowned and mocked himself as if he had just bitten off something he had written. Princess Solignac pulled her chin up once and then raised it again. It seemed to be the same gesture as nodding.
“I also guessed that the King of Tien was after us. However, I was not sure because he had been spreading the seeds of discord throughout the continent. It had not even been a year since the problem with Anne Granad was resolved.”
“King Iland is even more angry because the matter has not been resolved amicably. He intends to take Melgan to make up for the loss, and furthermore, to take over the territory that used to be Catania’s territory... but the possibility is slim.”
Grand Duke Solignac snorted.
“He is a fool. He does not know tactics or military strategy. Even if Tien leads an army and invades, Melgan’s soldiers will not be afraid.”
“But we need to think about this issue more broadly, Your Highness. Stopping Tien isn’t everything right now.”
“To summarize what Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess have said, does that mean that I need the assistance of the principality to eliminate the three forces you mentioned earlier?”
The Grand Duke's style of conversation was ambiguous and strategic. She seemed to understand all of the demands and agree with them, but she never said a single word that could be considered a definitive answer.
She quickly realized that the root of the conflict was an internal schism over the throne of Rotair, but the timing was just right, and the duchy was in a position where it could not stay out of the conflict.
The alliance requests that usually take place between neighboring countries and the current meeting between the three people had different directions. She fully understood that it had to be that way, but it was a bitter experience for the Grand Duke.
“If Tien mobilizes his army to attack Melgun, he promises to open the southern border for them. However, he does not inform the southern side of this fact, but only spreads rumors that there will be a preemptive provocation from the duchy...”
“If you are nervous about an exhibition, it is easy to shake things up. It is easy to create confusion with just a few words.”
“So while the Second Prince of the South and Iland fight each other without knowing each other, Melgan joins the Second Prince’s side and ends up weakening the alliance between them and the United Kingdom... It’s a good idea, but will there really be no one to interfere? If even one person notices, it’s over. Is there no danger?”
The face of the Duke of Laetian appeared in Franz and Judith's minds. If there was anyone quick enough to figure out the truth in the middle, it was him.
“I have prepared separately to get rid of it.”
“If Your Highness the Crown Prince’s words come true, King Hibs of the United Kingdom will immediately try to oppose the Second Prince of the South. He is a very impatient and fiery man. If they suddenly find out that things have gone wrong when they have taken over Catania and their morale is sky-high, they will do whatever it takes. What will Your Highness the Crown Prince do if they are the first to go to war with them? Do you have any countermeasures for that?”
“The King of Hibs will not be able to invade Rotair as rashly as the Grand Duke thinks.”
Judith, who was listening to the conversation between Franz and Grand Duke Solignac, interrupted. The answer was so decisive that not only the Grand Duke but even Franz could not hide his momentary bewilderment. The Grand Duke asked.
“How can Your Highness the Crown Princess be sure of that?”
“The United Kingdoms currently appear to be standing shoulder to shoulder and maintaining a solid system, but they are very much in check with each other. As you said, King Hibs is a very eccentric person. From the moment he declared himself King, he must have wanted to control and rule everything. He must have hoped to establish a real kingdom, not an imperfect system called the ‘Union.’”
Judith, who had been speaking quickly, closed her mouth for a moment to catch her breath. For some reason, her heart was pounding loudly. Was it because she was nervous? Or was it because of anticipation?
“I have heard that the heads of the tribal nations that have joined the alliance are quite dissatisfied with his tyrannical measures. This is because, contrary to the ideas of King Hibs, they want to share their rights equally. The King's hostility and threats to the Grand Duchy of Melgan are intended to strengthen internal unity through war. In reality, the Alliance alone will not be able to wage a large-scale war."
Judith didn't know much about the Duke of Melgan.
Not only her, but most of the Rotair people lived without much interest in the neighboring duchy. Not only Melgan, but also the already fallen Catania, during their heyday, had a lot of exchanges with Rotair and formed their own culture, but the ambiguous difference between a kingdom and a duchy sometimes poured cold water on the friendly harmony between the two countries.
The place where he was to meet the Grand Duke was the King's Throne Room. Although Franz was still nominally the Crown Prince and Regent, no one objected, as not only the Privy Council officials but also all the nobles who entered the palace regarded him as the de facto King.
“What kind of person is the Grand Duke?”
Franz tilted his head slightly at Judith's question. He, too, had never actually met the Grand Duke. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he would not have even recognized his existence if the current situation had not been the case.
“From the letters he sent... I got the impression that he was a very thorough person.”
The sentences in the letters the Grand Duke sent were clean and free of unnecessary details. They were so plain that they seemed to convey a sense of high intelligence. The absence of flowery adjectives or flowery expressions seemed to reveal his dignity.
“It may not be easy, but if we can convince him, he will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”
“This will be a very important meeting.”
Franz nodded with a smile.
Franz and Judith, who arrived in front of the audience room, had equally tense expressions. As they entered together, they saw someone who had arrived earlier and been waiting stand up. A tall man stood up suddenly from across the table.
Judith's eyes, which had been wide open in surprise, blinked once. Judith unconsciously glanced at Franz's face and saw that he was making a similar expression to hers.
While the Crown Prince and Crown Princess stood there dumbfounded, the visitor got up from his seat and walked out to where they were in front of him. His steps were quiet, almost as if he was gliding, even though he was walking on the solid marble floor.
“His Highness Franz Jedercayer, son of the noble kingdom, Regent, and Crown Prince, I greet you.”
A clear voice echoed through the audience room. The Grand Duke of Melgan, Amatus Solignac, was surprisingly a woman.
She slowly bowed and stood up, and this time her gaze turned to Judith, who was standing next to Franz. Although she had not introduced herself, the Grand Duke seemed to immediately recognize Judith’s identity. This time, she greeted him politely again.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess, I greet you. I am very happy to see you, whom I have only heard of through rumors.”
“Welcome, Grand Duke of Melgan. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Judith was the first to greet him. A faint smile appeared on the grim face of the Princess of Solignac as she saw her plump belly beneath her dress.
“There was a good sign in the kingdom. If I had known in advance, I would have prepared a congratulatory gift.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Please have a seat.”
As the three sat down, the doors on all four sides of the audience room closed. Everyone left their seats except for the attendants and guards who had been given special orders. Franz looked at the face of the Grand Duke Solignac for a moment and then spoke frankly.
“First of all, I apologize for the inconvenience. I didn’t hear that the Grand Duke of Melgan was a woman, so I looked flustered without realizing it.”
“Everyone thinks the same as Your Highness the Crown Prince. That’s why when they first meet me, they are often embarrassed. Some even ask me, ‘Where is the Grand Duke and why is the Grand Duchess here?’ Compared to those people, Your Highness the Crown Prince welcomes me very politely.”
Of course, it was a joke, but it had some substance to it. When Franz looked down as if embarrassed, the Grand Duke continued.
“One of the reasons people don’t think I’m a woman is because of my name. Amatus is usually given to a son.”
The Grand Duke, who had spoken up to that point, remained silent for a moment, looking back and forth between Franz and Judith. The two waited in silence as if they had something more to say.
“Actually, that name wasn’t mine. It belonged to my younger brother, who was supposed to sit on the throne.”
Franz raised his eyebrows slightly and looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“The Grand Duke’s family’s circumstances are complicated. It’s a long story that I can’t tell you all here. I hope I can tell the Crown Prince and Crown Princess someday, but let’s wait for another time.”
Judith and Franz exchanged glances. The details are unknown, but almost simultaneously they were convinced that the Prince of Solignac was not always what he appeared to be.
As Franz had expected, she was a very thorough person. Not only was her appearance immaculate, but her sitting posture as if she had been tied to a solid pillar, was also impressive. It would be difficult for anyone to act carelessly in front of such a person. After a few words with the Grand Duke, Franz was convinced that the letter he had received had definitely been written by her.
The fact that King Hibs of the United Kingdom had joined hands with Krald was already known to the Grand Duchy of Melgan. Since they were bordering Catania, the fall of the Duchy of Catania would not have felt like someone else's business. Grand Duke Solignac also said that he had sent spies to the border several times to keep an eye on Krald's movements.
“Since there has been no significant harvest so far, the duchy has been observing the situation. In the meantime, Your Highness the Crown Prince sent me a letter. I actually thought that the Grand Duke and His Highness the Crown Prince were on close terms. I knew you were half-brothers.”
“We are brothers on the surface, but we are like strangers. Perhaps we should say we are inferior to strangers.”
Franz frowned and mocked himself as if he had just bitten off something he had written. Princess Solignac pulled her chin up once and then raised it again. It seemed to be the same gesture as nodding.
“I also guessed that the King of Tien was after us. However, I was not sure because he had been spreading the seeds of discord throughout the continent. It had not even been a year since the problem with Anne Granad was resolved.”
“King Iland is even more angry because the matter has not been resolved amicably. He intends to take Melgan to make up for the loss, and furthermore, to take over the territory that used to be Catania’s territory... but the possibility is slim.”
Grand Duke Solignac snorted.
“He is a fool. He does not know tactics or military strategy. Even if Tien leads an army and invades, Melgan’s soldiers will not be afraid.”
“But we need to think about this issue more broadly, Your Highness. Stopping Tien isn’t everything right now.”
“To summarize what Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess have said, does that mean that I need the assistance of the principality to eliminate the three forces you mentioned earlier?”
The Grand Duke's style of conversation was ambiguous and strategic. She seemed to understand all of the demands and agree with them, but she never said a single word that could be considered a definitive answer.
She quickly realized that the root of the conflict was an internal schism over the throne of Rotair, but the timing was just right, and the duchy was in a position where it could not stay out of the conflict.
The alliance requests that usually take place between neighboring countries and the current meeting between the three people had different directions. She fully understood that it had to be that way, but it was a bitter experience for the Grand Duke.
“If Tien mobilizes his army to attack Melgun, he promises to open the southern border for them. However, he does not inform the southern side of this fact, but only spreads rumors that there will be a preemptive provocation from the duchy...”
“If you are nervous about an exhibition, it is easy to shake things up. It is easy to create confusion with just a few words.”
“So while the Second Prince of the South and Iland fight each other without knowing each other, Melgan joins the Second Prince’s side and ends up weakening the alliance between them and the United Kingdom... It’s a good idea, but will there really be no one to interfere? If even one person notices, it’s over. Is there no danger?”
The face of the Duke of Laetian appeared in Franz and Judith's minds. If there was anyone quick enough to figure out the truth in the middle, it was him.
“I have prepared separately to get rid of it.”
“If Your Highness the Crown Prince’s words come true, King Hibs of the United Kingdom will immediately try to oppose the Second Prince of the South. He is a very impatient and fiery man. If they suddenly find out that things have gone wrong when they have taken over Catania and their morale is sky-high, they will do whatever it takes. What will Your Highness the Crown Prince do if they are the first to go to war with them? Do you have any countermeasures for that?”
“The King of Hibs will not be able to invade Rotair as rashly as the Grand Duke thinks.”
Judith, who was listening to the conversation between Franz and Grand Duke Solignac, interrupted. The answer was so decisive that not only the Grand Duke but even Franz could not hide his momentary bewilderment. The Grand Duke asked.
“How can Your Highness the Crown Princess be sure of that?”
“The United Kingdoms currently appear to be standing shoulder to shoulder and maintaining a solid system, but they are very much in check with each other. As you said, King Hibs is a very eccentric person. From the moment he declared himself King, he must have wanted to control and rule everything. He must have hoped to establish a real kingdom, not an imperfect system called the ‘Union.’”
Judith, who had been speaking quickly, closed her mouth for a moment to catch her breath. For some reason, her heart was pounding loudly. Was it because she was nervous? Or was it because of anticipation?
“I have heard that the heads of the tribal nations that have joined the alliance are quite dissatisfied with his tyrannical measures. This is because, contrary to the ideas of King Hibs, they want to share their rights equally. The King's hostility and threats to the Grand Duchy of Melgan are intended to strengthen internal unity through war. In reality, the Alliance alone will not be able to wage a large-scale war."
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