“Mom, tell me more. What happened?”
Rubina cried out in despair.
“I woke up in the morning and took a spin, and, oh my, the ‘Hall of the Sun’ was open!”
Rubina was talking nonsense, but upon listening carefully, it turned out that the ceremony to crown a new Queen was being prepared without Rubina, who was in charge of the palace's household, knowing about it, and that Rubina was kicked out when she stormed into the 'Hall of the Sun' in anger.
“The royal enthronement came out this morning, but it didn’t say anything about the ‘crowning of the Queen’! How secretive it must have been! I asked Count Contarini, and he said it was the first time he had heard of it!”
The King seemed to have kept this matter a secret from everyone except Sir Delpiano.
It is possible that even the other party to the marriage proposal did not know.
“It actually turned out well.”
“Cesare?”
Rubina questioned her son's seemingly crazy words.
But the son seemed unwilling to fully explain his feelings to his mother.
“I’ll go out for a bit. Mother, please don’t go back to the palace and stay here.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“Isn’t it? If it’s going to fail anyway, is it the same whether you're here or there?”
Seeing her son talking nonsense, Rubina called his name again.
“What are you talking about now?”
But Cesare stormed out of the bedroom, leaving his mother behind. He didn't look back.
Leo III sat in the Hall of the Sun, grinning.
The servants were busy decorating and stoking the brazier. Preparations for welcoming the new Queen were almost complete.
Everything was satisfactory.
Since he had already sent Delpiano away with a letter of instruction, the only regret he had was that he had no one to chat with.
'I think I'm really a genius.'
This was a really perfect plan.
If you make Ariadne de Mare your Queen, all the grain she owns will come into your hands.
Cardinal de Mare had previously drawn a clean line on his request that grain be donated to the state.
"“That’s my daughter’s private property. It’s not family property. I have no authority over it.”
If the grain is not the family's property but the daughter's personal property, it is natural that it all goes to the husband's family upon marriage.
The Cardinal dug his own grave by pretending to be smart.
“Click click click.”
Moreover, if the King himself married Ariadne de Mare, the titles bestowed upon the de Mare family could be immediately revoked.
She may have it in her time, but in the end, she is a member of the palace.
If he sees a son in the body of Ariadne de Mare, the title of Count de Mare will descend to that child.
'When that time comes, I'll give you a fiefdom for your title.'
With empty estates popping up one after another due to the Black Death, finding an empty piece of land isn't difficult.
He had a history of eating up the Pisano fiefdom and giving it to Cesare.
'Besides, this wedding will be a huge hit among the common people.'
The story of a commoner's daughter who actively participated in relief efforts against the Black Death, receiving a Countess and entering the palace to become Queen!
It was a typical fairy tale about good people being blessed.
Besides, Ariadne des Mare already had good images as 'Saintess of the Rambouillet Center' and 'Mother of the Poor'.
It was absurd to think that a girl's personality had become like that of a merchant, but commoners can't see through the essence anyway.
'If you have the support of the commoners, the local lords won't be able to rush in!'
Leo III's only troops were the Metropolitan Guard.
While the Black Death kept everyone from taking any action, it was necessary to quickly recruit commoners to create a large standing army.
'And the thing that came back was...'
It would be fun to tame a girl who runs wild like a reckless puppy into a proper Queen.
Ariadne de Mare's appearance was not, strictly speaking, to Leo III's taste.
He originally liked stereotypical beauties who seemed to have jumped out of a painting.
The style that caught Leo III's eye had outstanding sculptural beauty and a pure yet gorgeous atmosphere.
But there was something special about the combination of fresh youth and a fiery personality.
The tall and curvy figure wasn't bad either.
It will be a different kind of fun from the younger Rubina, who used to act like a tongue in the mouth.
Leo III wanted to pat himself on the back for devising and executing a plan to kill two birds with one stone.
The most outstanding part of this affair was that Cardinal de Mare was not even informed of the Queen's investiture.
He sent his daughter to Cesare, thinking that he would at least have her betrothed to him, but when she actually became the King's concubine and was unable to embezzle grain, how much more horrible would her expression have been if she had been eaten by the royal family!
'Hehehe.'
Leo III, who was sitting alone in his guest chair in the Hall of the Sun, heard a slight commotion.
“Delpiano?”
Is it already time for Delpiano to return with his new bride?
No, he doesn't know if they've arrived yet, but it's definitely too early to be getting dressed and coming up to the hall.
There was still about an hour left in the ceremony.
“What’s all this fuss about?”
Even the palace servants who were busy finishing up the decorations of the hall stopped and looked towards the entrance, annoyed at the King.
Even the people who were placing the royal decree announcing the Queen's coronation on the podium all stopped moving.
Squeak, thud!
The doors to the 'Hall of the Sun' opened on both sides, and a man dressed in fancy attire entered the hall.
“Your Majesty the King.”
He was smiling broadly, but his eyes were not smiling at all. The King realized the man's identity and spat it out harshly.
“Cesare!”
Cesare, Duke of Pisano, bowed his head gracefully.
"Your Majesty."
“Where is this place? How dare you barge in without warning!”
The king could not control his anger.
“Rubina sent you?”
He said, feeling a little offended and angry.
“Tell Rubina not to do useless things! She doesn’t know the subject, she doesn’t know the subject!”
Leo III looked straight at Rubina's son and said.
“Your mother wishes for things she shouldn’t and meddles in things she shouldn’t. That’s why things don’t work out!”
The man whose feet were numbly scolded his son with a long speech.
“Go back and tell her clearly. Be content with what you have and stay still. As the King’s sister-in-law and the Duke’s mother, she is the second most powerful woman in the country! I have taken care of her as much as I could!”
At Leo III's words, "You don't know the subject," Cesare clenched his fists, then quickly relaxed them.
There were countless things he wanted to say in rebuttal, but Cesare erased them all from his mind.
The pros and cons didn't matter. All that mattered was the result.
“Father, please withdraw the investiture.”
Leo III glared. The title and the content of the speech were a mess.
“Hey you punk, did you take what I said with your own feet?! Get out of here! Don’t bring negativity on a good day and get out of here!”
Instead of stepping back, Cesare took a step forward and pressed close to Leo III.
A big-boned father and a slender son got together.
However, Leo III, who had shrunk in stature and had a hunched back due to his age, looked small in front of his grown son.
“Father. Please withdraw the crowning of Ariadne de Mare as Queen.”
“This kid!”
Leo III raised his right hand to slap Cesare, but his hand was caught by his older son.
Cesare glared at his father with a piercing glare in his aquamarine eyes.
“The investiture. Please withdraw it.”
Leo III was furious that his son had grabbed his wrist.
“This, this... Crazy...! Guards! Guards!”
He was released by his son and shouted hysterically.
“Come in now and drag this bastard out! He dares to touch the King’s body!”
Soldiers rushed in through the open door of the 'Hall of the Sun'. They were fully equipped. But their attire was different.
“What is this...?”
A chill ran down his spine, and Leo III looked around at the incoming troops.
They were not wearing the uniform of the King's personal guard.
They were faces he had never seen before, and they were wearing rough brown shoulder decorations. He shouted urgently.
“Where did my guard go!”
Cesare answered plainly.
“As the commander-in-chief of the Etruscan kingdom, even the palace guards are under my command.”
He looked at his father. His eyes sparkled.
“I’ve made a change for a moment. The friends who have come in now are valuable friends who are looking after the security of Palagio Carlo instead of the guards.”
It was the only standing army of the Etruscan kingdom, created by mixing the private army of the Pisano fiefdom with the armies of lords gathered by Leo III from all over the country.
Cesare's soldiers swarmed in and surrounded Leo III.
“Bring His Majesty the King to the podium.”
Cesare glanced at the King's decree placed on the podium.
“I need to help you revise the school paper.”
Leo III struggled but was unable to overcome the soldiers in full gear.
They could not lay a hand on the King, so they physically restrained him and brought him to the podium.
“Yes. Father.”
Cesare nodded.
One of Cesare's soldiers, dressed as a commander—one of Cesare's adjutants—forced an ink-dipped quill into Leo III's hand.
The King struggled to keep his quill from reaching for it but was unable to resist when Cesare's adjutant grabbed his wrist with such force.
Cesare looked at the King's edict.
“Where should I look...”
"Ariadne de Mare, Countess of de Mare, marries King Leo III, Leo de Carlo."
It was a short letter. The earldom and various luxury items that were supposed to be wedding gifts were given in advance, so there was little to include in the main text.
Cesare said with a grin.
“All you have to do is change the name.”
He said to Leo III.
“Father, please correct it. Just change ‘Leo III’ to ‘Duke of Pisano.’”
Leo III cried out, trembling as his son's adjutant grabbed his wrist.
“Cesare! What dare you do!”
Cesare turned a deaf ear to Leo III's threats.
“Do you have trouble writing? Let me correct it for you.”
Cesare took another quill, crossed out 'King Leo III, Leo de Carlo', and wrote 'Cesare de Carlo, Duke of Pisano'.
He looked at his father expressionlessly and said.
“Please sign.”
The adjutant's grip on Leo III's wrist tightened.
He struggled, but even though he exerted such force that the blue veins on the back of his hand seemed ready to burst, Cesare's adjutant did not budge.
The once-powerful Leo III felt that he could no longer resist the power of the young man.
He felt an infinite sense of humiliation as he moved his quill to write the name.
- Leo III.
The King's signature was brief. Cesare picked up the Royal Decree and placed it in Leo III's arms.
“When the bride comes up in a little while, the father will read it himself.”
Leo III shouted with fire in his eyes.
“You, you, do you think you’ll get away with this?”
He was unable to raise his voice because he was being held captive by the soldiers, so he gritted his teeth and growled in a low voice.
“This is a coup d’état!”
When the word 'coup d'état' came out of Leo III's mouth, Cesare made his men retreat with a wink.
As the soldiers all fell back, Leo III lost his balance and staggered.
“My soldiers have been rude to His Majesty the King.”
Cesare drew his sword from his waistband. It was not a ceremonial sword, but a real sword, its blade sharp and sharp.
And swung it.
Phew!
Blood splattered everywhere. Bright red gore covered Leo III's face and Cesare's coat.
Slap.
The person who was hit by the sword fell to the ground without even a single scream.
The dead man was Cesare's aide who had grabbed Leo III's wrist and forced him to sign the contract.
Cesare declared slowly.
“I will personally make an example of the impudent man who dared to touch His Majesty the King’s precious body.”
Not only Leo III but also Cesare's soldiers and palace attendants were all so shocked that they could not even breathe.
“A coup d’état? That is ridiculous. In fact, isn’t His Majesty the King in good health?”
He said that, but blood was dripping from the bloody sword.
It was a chilling feeling as if if he said just one more word, the next person's blood would be soaked into the knife.
“No one was hurt.”
Cesare kicked the fallen adjutant with his foot.
“Except for those who have sinned.”
He looked around.
Cesare's eyes were gleaming with madness, and the corners of his mouth were set so tightly that it was difficult to gauge his expression.
“Now, don’t be a jerk on this fine day. Hurry up and finish preparing. The time for the ceremony is almost here.”
At Cesare's urging, the palace attendants hurriedly dispersed first.
The soldiers stood their ground, and Leo III did not move, trembling with humiliation.
That was when.
Squeak.
A strange sound was heard. It was the sound of the door to the Hall of the Sun opening.
The doors opened on both sides and behind them, there was today's new bride, dressed in a pure white dress, coming up to the ceremony hall, led by Sir Delpiano.
It was Ariadne.
Cesare put his sword back in its place and took a step forward.
“Has my bride come?”
Cesare's aquamarine eyes widened for the first time and he smiled.
Rubina cried out in despair.
“I woke up in the morning and took a spin, and, oh my, the ‘Hall of the Sun’ was open!”
Rubina was talking nonsense, but upon listening carefully, it turned out that the ceremony to crown a new Queen was being prepared without Rubina, who was in charge of the palace's household, knowing about it, and that Rubina was kicked out when she stormed into the 'Hall of the Sun' in anger.
“The royal enthronement came out this morning, but it didn’t say anything about the ‘crowning of the Queen’! How secretive it must have been! I asked Count Contarini, and he said it was the first time he had heard of it!”
The King seemed to have kept this matter a secret from everyone except Sir Delpiano.
It is possible that even the other party to the marriage proposal did not know.
“It actually turned out well.”
“Cesare?”
Rubina questioned her son's seemingly crazy words.
But the son seemed unwilling to fully explain his feelings to his mother.
“I’ll go out for a bit. Mother, please don’t go back to the palace and stay here.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“Isn’t it? If it’s going to fail anyway, is it the same whether you're here or there?”
Seeing her son talking nonsense, Rubina called his name again.
“What are you talking about now?”
But Cesare stormed out of the bedroom, leaving his mother behind. He didn't look back.
***
Leo III sat in the Hall of the Sun, grinning.
The servants were busy decorating and stoking the brazier. Preparations for welcoming the new Queen were almost complete.
Everything was satisfactory.
Since he had already sent Delpiano away with a letter of instruction, the only regret he had was that he had no one to chat with.
'I think I'm really a genius.'
This was a really perfect plan.
If you make Ariadne de Mare your Queen, all the grain she owns will come into your hands.
Cardinal de Mare had previously drawn a clean line on his request that grain be donated to the state.
"“That’s my daughter’s private property. It’s not family property. I have no authority over it.”
If the grain is not the family's property but the daughter's personal property, it is natural that it all goes to the husband's family upon marriage.
The Cardinal dug his own grave by pretending to be smart.
“Click click click.”
Moreover, if the King himself married Ariadne de Mare, the titles bestowed upon the de Mare family could be immediately revoked.
She may have it in her time, but in the end, she is a member of the palace.
If he sees a son in the body of Ariadne de Mare, the title of Count de Mare will descend to that child.
'When that time comes, I'll give you a fiefdom for your title.'
With empty estates popping up one after another due to the Black Death, finding an empty piece of land isn't difficult.
He had a history of eating up the Pisano fiefdom and giving it to Cesare.
'Besides, this wedding will be a huge hit among the common people.'
The story of a commoner's daughter who actively participated in relief efforts against the Black Death, receiving a Countess and entering the palace to become Queen!
It was a typical fairy tale about good people being blessed.
Besides, Ariadne des Mare already had good images as 'Saintess of the Rambouillet Center' and 'Mother of the Poor'.
It was absurd to think that a girl's personality had become like that of a merchant, but commoners can't see through the essence anyway.
'If you have the support of the commoners, the local lords won't be able to rush in!'
Leo III's only troops were the Metropolitan Guard.
While the Black Death kept everyone from taking any action, it was necessary to quickly recruit commoners to create a large standing army.
'And the thing that came back was...'
It would be fun to tame a girl who runs wild like a reckless puppy into a proper Queen.
Ariadne de Mare's appearance was not, strictly speaking, to Leo III's taste.
He originally liked stereotypical beauties who seemed to have jumped out of a painting.
The style that caught Leo III's eye had outstanding sculptural beauty and a pure yet gorgeous atmosphere.
But there was something special about the combination of fresh youth and a fiery personality.
The tall and curvy figure wasn't bad either.
It will be a different kind of fun from the younger Rubina, who used to act like a tongue in the mouth.
Leo III wanted to pat himself on the back for devising and executing a plan to kill two birds with one stone.
The most outstanding part of this affair was that Cardinal de Mare was not even informed of the Queen's investiture.
He sent his daughter to Cesare, thinking that he would at least have her betrothed to him, but when she actually became the King's concubine and was unable to embezzle grain, how much more horrible would her expression have been if she had been eaten by the royal family!
'Hehehe.'
Leo III, who was sitting alone in his guest chair in the Hall of the Sun, heard a slight commotion.
“Delpiano?”
Is it already time for Delpiano to return with his new bride?
No, he doesn't know if they've arrived yet, but it's definitely too early to be getting dressed and coming up to the hall.
There was still about an hour left in the ceremony.
“What’s all this fuss about?”
Even the palace servants who were busy finishing up the decorations of the hall stopped and looked towards the entrance, annoyed at the King.
Even the people who were placing the royal decree announcing the Queen's coronation on the podium all stopped moving.
Squeak, thud!
The doors to the 'Hall of the Sun' opened on both sides, and a man dressed in fancy attire entered the hall.
“Your Majesty the King.”
He was smiling broadly, but his eyes were not smiling at all. The King realized the man's identity and spat it out harshly.
“Cesare!”
Cesare, Duke of Pisano, bowed his head gracefully.
"Your Majesty."
“Where is this place? How dare you barge in without warning!”
The king could not control his anger.
“Rubina sent you?”
He said, feeling a little offended and angry.
“Tell Rubina not to do useless things! She doesn’t know the subject, she doesn’t know the subject!”
Leo III looked straight at Rubina's son and said.
“Your mother wishes for things she shouldn’t and meddles in things she shouldn’t. That’s why things don’t work out!”
The man whose feet were numbly scolded his son with a long speech.
“Go back and tell her clearly. Be content with what you have and stay still. As the King’s sister-in-law and the Duke’s mother, she is the second most powerful woman in the country! I have taken care of her as much as I could!”
At Leo III's words, "You don't know the subject," Cesare clenched his fists, then quickly relaxed them.
There were countless things he wanted to say in rebuttal, but Cesare erased them all from his mind.
The pros and cons didn't matter. All that mattered was the result.
“Father, please withdraw the investiture.”
Leo III glared. The title and the content of the speech were a mess.
“Hey you punk, did you take what I said with your own feet?! Get out of here! Don’t bring negativity on a good day and get out of here!”
Instead of stepping back, Cesare took a step forward and pressed close to Leo III.
A big-boned father and a slender son got together.
However, Leo III, who had shrunk in stature and had a hunched back due to his age, looked small in front of his grown son.
“Father. Please withdraw the crowning of Ariadne de Mare as Queen.”
“This kid!”
Leo III raised his right hand to slap Cesare, but his hand was caught by his older son.
Cesare glared at his father with a piercing glare in his aquamarine eyes.
“The investiture. Please withdraw it.”
Leo III was furious that his son had grabbed his wrist.
“This, this... Crazy...! Guards! Guards!”
He was released by his son and shouted hysterically.
“Come in now and drag this bastard out! He dares to touch the King’s body!”
Soldiers rushed in through the open door of the 'Hall of the Sun'. They were fully equipped. But their attire was different.
“What is this...?”
A chill ran down his spine, and Leo III looked around at the incoming troops.
They were not wearing the uniform of the King's personal guard.
They were faces he had never seen before, and they were wearing rough brown shoulder decorations. He shouted urgently.
“Where did my guard go!”
Cesare answered plainly.
“As the commander-in-chief of the Etruscan kingdom, even the palace guards are under my command.”
He looked at his father. His eyes sparkled.
“I’ve made a change for a moment. The friends who have come in now are valuable friends who are looking after the security of Palagio Carlo instead of the guards.”
It was the only standing army of the Etruscan kingdom, created by mixing the private army of the Pisano fiefdom with the armies of lords gathered by Leo III from all over the country.
Cesare's soldiers swarmed in and surrounded Leo III.
“Bring His Majesty the King to the podium.”
Cesare glanced at the King's decree placed on the podium.
“I need to help you revise the school paper.”
Leo III struggled but was unable to overcome the soldiers in full gear.
They could not lay a hand on the King, so they physically restrained him and brought him to the podium.
“Yes. Father.”
Cesare nodded.
One of Cesare's soldiers, dressed as a commander—one of Cesare's adjutants—forced an ink-dipped quill into Leo III's hand.
The King struggled to keep his quill from reaching for it but was unable to resist when Cesare's adjutant grabbed his wrist with such force.
Cesare looked at the King's edict.
“Where should I look...”
"Ariadne de Mare, Countess of de Mare, marries King Leo III, Leo de Carlo."
It was a short letter. The earldom and various luxury items that were supposed to be wedding gifts were given in advance, so there was little to include in the main text.
Cesare said with a grin.
“All you have to do is change the name.”
He said to Leo III.
“Father, please correct it. Just change ‘Leo III’ to ‘Duke of Pisano.’”
Leo III cried out, trembling as his son's adjutant grabbed his wrist.
“Cesare! What dare you do!”
Cesare turned a deaf ear to Leo III's threats.
“Do you have trouble writing? Let me correct it for you.”
Cesare took another quill, crossed out 'King Leo III, Leo de Carlo', and wrote 'Cesare de Carlo, Duke of Pisano'.
He looked at his father expressionlessly and said.
“Please sign.”
The adjutant's grip on Leo III's wrist tightened.
He struggled, but even though he exerted such force that the blue veins on the back of his hand seemed ready to burst, Cesare's adjutant did not budge.
The once-powerful Leo III felt that he could no longer resist the power of the young man.
He felt an infinite sense of humiliation as he moved his quill to write the name.
- Leo III.
The King's signature was brief. Cesare picked up the Royal Decree and placed it in Leo III's arms.
“When the bride comes up in a little while, the father will read it himself.”
Leo III shouted with fire in his eyes.
“You, you, do you think you’ll get away with this?”
He was unable to raise his voice because he was being held captive by the soldiers, so he gritted his teeth and growled in a low voice.
“This is a coup d’état!”
When the word 'coup d'état' came out of Leo III's mouth, Cesare made his men retreat with a wink.
As the soldiers all fell back, Leo III lost his balance and staggered.
“My soldiers have been rude to His Majesty the King.”
Cesare drew his sword from his waistband. It was not a ceremonial sword, but a real sword, its blade sharp and sharp.
And swung it.
Phew!
Blood splattered everywhere. Bright red gore covered Leo III's face and Cesare's coat.
Slap.
The person who was hit by the sword fell to the ground without even a single scream.
The dead man was Cesare's aide who had grabbed Leo III's wrist and forced him to sign the contract.
Cesare declared slowly.
“I will personally make an example of the impudent man who dared to touch His Majesty the King’s precious body.”
Not only Leo III but also Cesare's soldiers and palace attendants were all so shocked that they could not even breathe.
“A coup d’état? That is ridiculous. In fact, isn’t His Majesty the King in good health?”
He said that, but blood was dripping from the bloody sword.
It was a chilling feeling as if if he said just one more word, the next person's blood would be soaked into the knife.
“No one was hurt.”
Cesare kicked the fallen adjutant with his foot.
“Except for those who have sinned.”
He looked around.
Cesare's eyes were gleaming with madness, and the corners of his mouth were set so tightly that it was difficult to gauge his expression.
“Now, don’t be a jerk on this fine day. Hurry up and finish preparing. The time for the ceremony is almost here.”
At Cesare's urging, the palace attendants hurriedly dispersed first.
The soldiers stood their ground, and Leo III did not move, trembling with humiliation.
That was when.
Squeak.
A strange sound was heard. It was the sound of the door to the Hall of the Sun opening.
The doors opened on both sides and behind them, there was today's new bride, dressed in a pure white dress, coming up to the ceremony hall, led by Sir Delpiano.
It was Ariadne.
Cesare put his sword back in its place and took a step forward.
“Has my bride come?”
Cesare's aquamarine eyes widened for the first time and he smiled.
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