“Your Majesty the King is also having a hard time right now.”
Ariadne’s face was always covered with a faint smile. It was the confidence of someone who had figured out the situation.
“Since he executed the clown right away, His Majesty Leo III doesn’t want to spread the fact that Prince Alfonso was involved. His Majesty is prioritizing the situation where his son’s, excuse me, marketability is damaged over concluding a marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Gallico. In that case, concluding a marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Gallico is not something that must be done no matter what. It’s less regrettable than a son whose reputation has been ruined.”
Ariadne asked.
“Paternal love?”
“No.”
Queen Marguerite answered bluntly. Ariadne replied with a smile.
“Then what about King Philip IV? He seems to be very interested in this marriage alliance.”
Queen Marguerite answered frankly.“That is not like Philip. In fact, this marriage proposal was strange from the beginning.”
“The King of Gallico tried to pretend it was not true, but he gave in too much. It was like a trap set on purpose.”
“But from the perspective of the Etruscan kingdom, it was a poisoned cup that they could not help but drink.”
Ariadne said confidently.
“Then shall we make it so that His Majesty Philip IV breaks off this marriage?”
Queen Marguerite and Lady Carla’s eyes widened. They had never thought of provoking Philip IV across the Prinonyac Mountains, rather than Leo III in the palace next door.
“How can that be possible?”
Ariadne held up a finger.
“First, to provoke anxiety and anger. His Majesty Philip IV is still a young King, in his late twenties.”
She explained without hesitation.
“Send a letter ‘secretly’ to someone in the kingdom of Gallico who can report directly to His Majesty Philip IV and who has a good mouth to spread rumors that will reach His Majesty Philip IV’s ears. ‘The Duke of Mireille has died, and the Etruscan kingdom intends to use the marriage alliance to their advantage by adding unpleasant stories to the Duke of Mireille’s death.’”
Queen Marguerite seemed to understand, but Madame Carla looked at Ariadne with a face full of confusion. She kindly added an explanation.
“His Majesty Philip IV will be furious. It is a counterattack in the Etruscan kingdom. But the point is to spread rumors in the Gallico court that this is the policy that the Etruscan royal family will soon adopt. Public opinion will inevitably spread in Gallico. ‘It is a shame for Gallico to accept such a marriage alliance.’ “The first is to create an atmosphere that makes people think, ‘What are we so sorry about that we have to make such an alliance?’”
“Then what is the second?”
“The second is to shake up the surroundings. His Majesty Philip IV had only been on the throne for three years, and he ascended the throne with blood on his hands. The surroundings can't be physically organized yet.”
Ariadne’s green eyes sparkled. Queen Marguerite was astonished at the wit of the fifteen-year-old girl who seemed to be looking into the inside of the Gallico kingdom.
“Who would be the most terrified if they found out about the current situation of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa, that is, the fact that she could be immediately detained by the Etruscans if the existence of the letter is revealed?”
Lady Carla interjected.
“Wouldn’t it be the Grand Duchess of Lariesa herself?”
However, Queen Marguerite motioned for Lady Carla to be quiet and said,
“...Grand Duke Odes of Valoa.”
“You are wise, Your Majesty. Please give a little word to the person who will be most worried. But in fact.”
Ariadne looked out the window of the Queen’s inner chamber and saw the palace gates in the distance.
“Even if we didn’t do anything, the Grand Duchess of Lariesa’s entourage would have already sent a fast messenger to Gallico.”
Indeed, Count Le Vien had sent the youngest member of the delegation to Grand Duke Odes on a fast messenger.
“Give him a little kindling and he’ll be ready to go on a rampage, demanding that his daughter be brought back from the Etruscans, that marriage proposals are nothing but nonsense.”
“What I mean is that Odes needs an excuse.”
Ariadne’s face was always covered with a faint smile. It was the confidence of someone who had figured out the situation.
“Since he executed the clown right away, His Majesty Leo III doesn’t want to spread the fact that Prince Alfonso was involved. His Majesty is prioritizing the situation where his son’s, excuse me, marketability is damaged over concluding a marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Gallico. In that case, concluding a marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Gallico is not something that must be done no matter what. It’s less regrettable than a son whose reputation has been ruined.”
Ariadne asked.
“Paternal love?”
“No.”
Queen Marguerite answered bluntly. Ariadne replied with a smile.
“Then what about King Philip IV? He seems to be very interested in this marriage alliance.”
Queen Marguerite answered frankly.“That is not like Philip. In fact, this marriage proposal was strange from the beginning.”
“The King of Gallico tried to pretend it was not true, but he gave in too much. It was like a trap set on purpose.”
“But from the perspective of the Etruscan kingdom, it was a poisoned cup that they could not help but drink.”
Ariadne said confidently.
“Then shall we make it so that His Majesty Philip IV breaks off this marriage?”
Queen Marguerite and Lady Carla’s eyes widened. They had never thought of provoking Philip IV across the Prinonyac Mountains, rather than Leo III in the palace next door.
“How can that be possible?”
Ariadne held up a finger.
“First, to provoke anxiety and anger. His Majesty Philip IV is still a young King, in his late twenties.”
She explained without hesitation.
“Send a letter ‘secretly’ to someone in the kingdom of Gallico who can report directly to His Majesty Philip IV and who has a good mouth to spread rumors that will reach His Majesty Philip IV’s ears. ‘The Duke of Mireille has died, and the Etruscan kingdom intends to use the marriage alliance to their advantage by adding unpleasant stories to the Duke of Mireille’s death.’”
Queen Marguerite seemed to understand, but Madame Carla looked at Ariadne with a face full of confusion. She kindly added an explanation.
“His Majesty Philip IV will be furious. It is a counterattack in the Etruscan kingdom. But the point is to spread rumors in the Gallico court that this is the policy that the Etruscan royal family will soon adopt. Public opinion will inevitably spread in Gallico. ‘It is a shame for Gallico to accept such a marriage alliance.’ “The first is to create an atmosphere that makes people think, ‘What are we so sorry about that we have to make such an alliance?’”
“Then what is the second?”
“The second is to shake up the surroundings. His Majesty Philip IV had only been on the throne for three years, and he ascended the throne with blood on his hands. The surroundings can't be physically organized yet.”
Ariadne’s green eyes sparkled. Queen Marguerite was astonished at the wit of the fifteen-year-old girl who seemed to be looking into the inside of the Gallico kingdom.
“Who would be the most terrified if they found out about the current situation of the Grand Duchess of Lariesa, that is, the fact that she could be immediately detained by the Etruscans if the existence of the letter is revealed?”
Lady Carla interjected.
“Wouldn’t it be the Grand Duchess of Lariesa herself?”
However, Queen Marguerite motioned for Lady Carla to be quiet and said,
“...Grand Duke Odes of Valoa.”
“You are wise, Your Majesty. Please give a little word to the person who will be most worried. But in fact.”
Ariadne looked out the window of the Queen’s inner chamber and saw the palace gates in the distance.
“Even if we didn’t do anything, the Grand Duchess of Lariesa’s entourage would have already sent a fast messenger to Gallico.”
Indeed, Count Le Vien had sent the youngest member of the delegation to Grand Duke Odes on a fast messenger.
“Give him a little kindling and he’ll be ready to go on a rampage, demanding that his daughter be brought back from the Etruscans, that marriage proposals are nothing but nonsense.”
“What I mean is that Odes needs an excuse.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The first letter will give Grand Duke Odes a justification to act. You may or may not send the second letter. It will be a little more certain if you do.”
Queen Marguerite hesitated for a moment.
“Let’s write both.”
Madame Carla looked at Queen Marguerite in surprise at her decision.
“Your Majesty! It’s too dangerous!”
Queen Marguerite's last political letter to Gallico haunted her ever since.
"I know that. But who else can save my son than me?"
Lady Carla was also very concerned about Prince Alfonso’s safety. However, she dissuaded her master to the end.
“Then just write the first letter! It doesn’t matter whether you write the second letter or not!”
But the Queen’s attitude was firm.
“If you’re going to do it, do it properly. Ariadne de Mare, how do you calculate the probability of me writing the second letter and not writing it?”
In fact, there was no such thing as an exact probability in the world, but a ruler always needed a yardstick to help him make decisions. Ariadne made her best guess.
“Even if you don’t write it, I think it’s a 70% chance of success.”
“If I do?”
“90%.”
Queen Marguerite nodded.
“Let’s write. Bring me my pen.”
Lady Carla could no longer dissuade the Queen from her determination.
It was time to write a letter to her old friend whom she had not heard from for a long time. With a bruised face, the Queen picked up her quill and began to write a letter in soft handwriting on the parchment.
"Your Eminence, Archbishop of Montpellier,
I have been writing to you. I fear that even our once intimate friendship has lost its luster as time and distance act as barriers.
Today, I am writing to you for the first time in a long while, out of loyalty to my native country, Gallico. You may have already contacted me, but the head of the delegation sent to discuss a marriage alliance between the Gallico and Etruscan kingdoms, the Duke of Mireille, was unfortunately killed the day before yesterday in the Palazzo Carlo.
After much deliberation, the Etruscan royal family will announce that the Duke of Mireille was killed while attempting to engage in unauthorized espionage within the Palazzo Carlo...(omitted) ...There is some evidence of espionage, but it is not perfect."
The Duke of Mireille died in the Etruscan royal carriage, dressed as a coachman, in a section of the palace where he had no business. There is no way to escape the stigma of espionage.
"...In Gallico, a response to the announcement of unpleasant content will also be necessary. In case you are flustered by the sudden announcement, I would like to inform you of the response in advance with a friendly hand... (continued)
- Marguerite, daughter of Briand, who misses her homeland
She blew on the parchment and handed it to Madame Carla, who was waiting beside her.
“The Archbishop of Montpellier also brought my letter to Philip the other day.”
“He has not exchanged any more letters with the Archbishop since then.”
Queen Marguerite hesitated for a moment.
“Let’s write both.”
Madame Carla looked at Queen Marguerite in surprise at her decision.
“Your Majesty! It’s too dangerous!”
Queen Marguerite's last political letter to Gallico haunted her ever since.
"I know that. But who else can save my son than me?"
Lady Carla was also very concerned about Prince Alfonso’s safety. However, she dissuaded her master to the end.
“Then just write the first letter! It doesn’t matter whether you write the second letter or not!”
But the Queen’s attitude was firm.
“If you’re going to do it, do it properly. Ariadne de Mare, how do you calculate the probability of me writing the second letter and not writing it?”
In fact, there was no such thing as an exact probability in the world, but a ruler always needed a yardstick to help him make decisions. Ariadne made her best guess.
“Even if you don’t write it, I think it’s a 70% chance of success.”
“If I do?”
“90%.”
Queen Marguerite nodded.
“Let’s write. Bring me my pen.”
Lady Carla could no longer dissuade the Queen from her determination.
It was time to write a letter to her old friend whom she had not heard from for a long time. With a bruised face, the Queen picked up her quill and began to write a letter in soft handwriting on the parchment.
"Your Eminence, Archbishop of Montpellier,
I have been writing to you. I fear that even our once intimate friendship has lost its luster as time and distance act as barriers.
Today, I am writing to you for the first time in a long while, out of loyalty to my native country, Gallico. You may have already contacted me, but the head of the delegation sent to discuss a marriage alliance between the Gallico and Etruscan kingdoms, the Duke of Mireille, was unfortunately killed the day before yesterday in the Palazzo Carlo.
After much deliberation, the Etruscan royal family will announce that the Duke of Mireille was killed while attempting to engage in unauthorized espionage within the Palazzo Carlo...(omitted) ...There is some evidence of espionage, but it is not perfect."
The Duke of Mireille died in the Etruscan royal carriage, dressed as a coachman, in a section of the palace where he had no business. There is no way to escape the stigma of espionage.
"...In Gallico, a response to the announcement of unpleasant content will also be necessary. In case you are flustered by the sudden announcement, I would like to inform you of the response in advance with a friendly hand... (continued)
- Marguerite, daughter of Briand, who misses her homeland
She blew on the parchment and handed it to Madame Carla, who was waiting beside her.
“The Archbishop of Montpellier also brought my letter to Philip the other day.”
“He has not exchanged any more letters with the Archbishop since then.”
“I am sure he is curious as to why I am writing to him again now, but regardless of my intentions, I cannot help but take this to Philip.”
She held out her hand to Madame Carla. Madame Carla immediately handed over the second parchment.
She held out her hand to Madame Carla. Madame Carla immediately handed over the second parchment.
Queen Marguerite’s second letter was addressed to Odes, the Grand Duke of Valoa. Unlike the first letter, which was full of fancy modifiers, the second letter was short and seemed relatively honest.
“Dear Odes Brother,
It’s been a while since I wrote to you. Today, I am writing to you on a somewhat unpleasant note. My niece, Lariesa, has had an accident. It is also related to the recent incident of the death of the Duke of Mireille. Lariesa asked the Duke of Mireille to kill someone, and it seems that the Duke of Mireille died while complying with the request.
I have written evidence that the Grand Duchess Lariesa asked the Duke of Mireille. It came into my hands first through the palace officials, but I have not yet revealed it to His Majesty Leo III to protect the Grand Duchess, but I cannot do more.
Please give me wise advice from Gallico. I don’t know how long I can stop it here alone.
- Marguerite of the Etruscans.”
She handed the finished letter to Ariadne. Ariadne’s face broke into a smile as she read both letters.
“Send the first letter right away, and send the second letter so that it arrives three days later.”
“Why?”
“It’s the difference in the speed of cooking of the ingredients. When you cook, what do you fry first, potatoes and mushrooms?”
Queen Marguerite had never cooked with her own hands. Madame Carla, who was next to her, answered instead.
“Potatoes. They take time to cook thoroughly.”
“That’s right.”
Ariadne smiled brightly.
“The first letter is intended to spread rumors, so it will need some time to rest after arriving, but the second letter is intended to convey information, so it will take effect as soon as it arrives.”
Queen Marguerite clapped her hands in surprise.
“How clever! How sharp! When Odes receives the second letter and is shocked, the rumors sparked by the first letter should have spread to Montpellier, so he can use them to argue with Philip about sending a wedding delegation.”
“Yes. Three days may seem a bit short, but we are in a hurry.”
Queen Marguerite smiled.
“We’ll have to see, but it seems to me that Grand Duke Odes will break off this marriage negotiation and immediately demand that Lariesa be brought back to his country, just as you said.”
However, the smile on Queen Marguerite’s face soon disappeared, and she returned to her usual dry expression.
“You’re a clever child. Let’s talk about yourself this time. What are your intentions for getting involved in this?”
She folded her arms and looked down at Ariadne.
“Do you think you can get the job if you just break the marriage alliance with Gallico?”
Queen Marguerite did not use a cold or accusatory tone toward Ariadne. However, she did not soften the words she chose at all.
“Alfonso is the foundation of the nation. If he marries you, it will be a marriage between noble and common. Do you think that will happen? Do you really want it? I just don’t understand why you’re getting involved in this and why you’re putting so much effort into it.”
You will never be successful. You will never be able to ascend to the throne.
Queen Marguerite was not saying these things because she hated Ariadne. In her world, this was so natural.
And one thing seemed clear. Queen Marguerite had no intention of cooperating with Ariadne becoming a Crown Princess.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
But Ariadne bowed her head with a calm expression.
“Dear Odes Brother,
It’s been a while since I wrote to you. Today, I am writing to you on a somewhat unpleasant note. My niece, Lariesa, has had an accident. It is also related to the recent incident of the death of the Duke of Mireille. Lariesa asked the Duke of Mireille to kill someone, and it seems that the Duke of Mireille died while complying with the request.
I have written evidence that the Grand Duchess Lariesa asked the Duke of Mireille. It came into my hands first through the palace officials, but I have not yet revealed it to His Majesty Leo III to protect the Grand Duchess, but I cannot do more.
Please give me wise advice from Gallico. I don’t know how long I can stop it here alone.
- Marguerite of the Etruscans.”
She handed the finished letter to Ariadne. Ariadne’s face broke into a smile as she read both letters.
“Send the first letter right away, and send the second letter so that it arrives three days later.”
“Why?”
“It’s the difference in the speed of cooking of the ingredients. When you cook, what do you fry first, potatoes and mushrooms?”
Queen Marguerite had never cooked with her own hands. Madame Carla, who was next to her, answered instead.
“Potatoes. They take time to cook thoroughly.”
“That’s right.”
Ariadne smiled brightly.
“The first letter is intended to spread rumors, so it will need some time to rest after arriving, but the second letter is intended to convey information, so it will take effect as soon as it arrives.”
Queen Marguerite clapped her hands in surprise.
“How clever! How sharp! When Odes receives the second letter and is shocked, the rumors sparked by the first letter should have spread to Montpellier, so he can use them to argue with Philip about sending a wedding delegation.”
“Yes. Three days may seem a bit short, but we are in a hurry.”
Queen Marguerite smiled.
“We’ll have to see, but it seems to me that Grand Duke Odes will break off this marriage negotiation and immediately demand that Lariesa be brought back to his country, just as you said.”
However, the smile on Queen Marguerite’s face soon disappeared, and she returned to her usual dry expression.
“You’re a clever child. Let’s talk about yourself this time. What are your intentions for getting involved in this?”
She folded her arms and looked down at Ariadne.
“Do you think you can get the job if you just break the marriage alliance with Gallico?”
Queen Marguerite did not use a cold or accusatory tone toward Ariadne. However, she did not soften the words she chose at all.
“Alfonso is the foundation of the nation. If he marries you, it will be a marriage between noble and common. Do you think that will happen? Do you really want it? I just don’t understand why you’re getting involved in this and why you’re putting so much effort into it.”
You will never be successful. You will never be able to ascend to the throne.
Queen Marguerite was not saying these things because she hated Ariadne. In her world, this was so natural.
And one thing seemed clear. Queen Marguerite had no intention of cooperating with Ariadne becoming a Crown Princess.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
But Ariadne bowed her head with a calm expression.
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