Cecilia opened her eyes to the sound of a thumping knock on the door, then frowned. The sunlight was pouring down.
Eden noticed Cecilia's disgruntled expression as she barely managed to fall asleep at dawn, and turned her body so that her back was to the sunlight.
“I have my eyes closed.”
After giving her a brief kiss on the forehead, he covered Cecilia with the blanket up to her shoulders. Only then did Eden get up and put on his robe. His attitude was somewhat dry.
“What's going on?”
However, there was no sign of nervousness in his attitude towards his employees.
“I apologize for the sudden visit, Your Highness.”
Of course, even so, he couldn't ignore his expression. The hotel staff member glanced at Eden's attire and quickly lowered his head.
“There is someone you must see before Your Majesty the Grand Duke leaves...”
Eden was scheduled to leave after lunch today. And now that it was almost lunchtime, he hadn't guessed that he hadn't woken up yet.
“What’s going on?”
“I, I have to tell you this in secret...”
“Meet me, Your Highness.”
Cecilia spoke with a small yawn. Eden looked back at Cecilia quietly.
“It seems like there must be a reason why you insist on meeting like this.”
It wasn't a wrong guess, but it was also something he wouldn't have considered if it hadn't been for Cecilia's claim.
“Bring it.”
Eden noticed Cecilia's disgruntled expression as she barely managed to fall asleep at dawn, and turned her body so that her back was to the sunlight.
“I have my eyes closed.”
After giving her a brief kiss on the forehead, he covered Cecilia with the blanket up to her shoulders. Only then did Eden get up and put on his robe. His attitude was somewhat dry.
“What's going on?”
However, there was no sign of nervousness in his attitude towards his employees.
“I apologize for the sudden visit, Your Highness.”
Of course, even so, he couldn't ignore his expression. The hotel staff member glanced at Eden's attire and quickly lowered his head.
“There is someone you must see before Your Majesty the Grand Duke leaves...”
Eden was scheduled to leave after lunch today. And now that it was almost lunchtime, he hadn't guessed that he hadn't woken up yet.
“What’s going on?”
“I, I have to tell you this in secret...”
“Meet me, Your Highness.”
Cecilia spoke with a small yawn. Eden looked back at Cecilia quietly.
“It seems like there must be a reason why you insist on meeting like this.”
It wasn't a wrong guess, but it was also something he wouldn't have considered if it hadn't been for Cecilia's claim.
“Bring it.”
***
From the beginning of a successful tourism industry to the discovery of a gold mine, the streets were noisy with floating extras. Cecilia covered the view outside the window with a curtain.
“Why are you like that?”
Madame Monte, who noticed the strength in Cecilia's hand, asked in a puzzled voice.
“Just. It’s a bit noisy and my head hurts.”
Madame Monte was so startled by Cecilia's words that she covered the window with her body.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t hear, Madame Monte.”
Finally, Cecilia burst out laughing. Only then did Madame Monte laugh along with her, her face relieved.
“Oh my, what a mess it’s made over finding a gold mine.”
“It is a happy thing.”
Perhaps because of the commotion outside, Madame Monte looked at Cecilia and spoke. Cecilia opened her mouth with a conscious smile.
“Of course it is. Everyone says it is thanks to the grace of Duke Lane and His Highness the Grand Duke.”
Madame Monte spoke to Cecilia with a satisfied expression on her face as if trying to persuade her. Whether it was the affairs of the Duke of Lane or the Grand Duke of Burnett, they were all related to Cecilia.
"...Yes."
Of course, Cecilia was not unaware of that fact. However, what made the recent commotion unpleasant was that Cecilia did not want anyone to know that there was a gold mine on Laner Island.
Naturally, Cecilia's memories flowed to her last memory on the island, which was not very pleasant.
'Hello, Your Highness.'
A man dressed in shabby clothes bowed deeply in greeting.
'My name is Mark.'
Mark spoke with his head bowed. Eden ordered him to raise his face. Regardless of their status, it was not a very pleasant thing to talk to someone while looking at their head.
'Why did you insist that we meet today?'
Eden asked directly. Mark cautiously opened his mouth, observing Eden's expression, who seemed to be in a hurry.
'I recently went to the western mountains with my son and discovered something, so I feel I have to tell you about it.'
Mark carefully rummaged through the pockets of his clothes. Soon, tiny grains appeared in his exposed fist.
'Yes, it's gold.'
Mark seemed to sense the gaze asking what it was, and explained. It was a somewhat cloudy color, but it was definitely a yellow-gold color.
‘...Why did you bring the gold?’
Cecilia asked before Eden. Mark cautiously opened his mouth, observing Cecilia's expression hardened.
'I picked it up on the beach next to the mountain.'
'...picked it up on the beach next to the mountain?'
Eden muttered softly. Mark nodded in agreement.
'The sand seemed to shine especially bright that day, so I grabbed a handful and rinsed it in seawater, and this is what came out.'
Mark approached cautiously and placed a few gold dusts on the white table. In fact, the gold dust Mark brought was not so much that it would be significant.
But the important thing was that there was no reason for gold to suddenly appear on the sandy beach. There had to be something hidden in that mountain.
'Should I send someone to investigate?'
Eden blinked silently in response to Cecilia's slightly choked question.
'It might be false.'
The reason was obvious. As Cecilia said, it was too hasty to believe a story that might be a lie and have vain expectations.
'If I did that, I'd get my head blown off. Absolutely not!'
But when Mark suddenly jumped up from his seat and insisted that it was absolutely not true, Eden's guard was somewhat broken. He too wanted to believe that what he was seeing was true.
'There's no reason to lie. It would be better to send someone to the island secretly as soon as we get back.'
Eden came up with a reasonable idea. He couldn't report it to the Emperor hastily, as there was a chance that it might not be true. However, it wasn't difficult for him to send someone secretly.
'Is there anyone else you know besides you?'
'It's my son. He came to report as soon as he found it.'
Mark said that he came to see the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess because he thought of the favor Eden had shown them as a resident of the island. Eden accepted his words readily.
'No matter how this matter progresses, I ask that you keep quiet until the truth comes out.'
'Of course, I should have done that. I only told you two in secret.'
Mark answered with a determined face. Cecilia looked at him blankly and thought. He was just an ordinary man, nothing special.
But at the same time, it was also an unexpected, sharp stone that suddenly popped up. Cecilia had no intention of revealing the fact that there was gold on the island.
“I guess they’ve all arrived, Your Highness.”
But in the end, Mark almost became a hero to Wyatt, as gold was discovered on the island and the Emperor himself congratulated him.
Yes, it couldn't be helped. Since it was a place where many people came and went, it was bound to come to light someday.
“What about Abby?”
“Her future husband will probably already be here.”
Madame Monte wrinkled her nose in response to Cecilia's question. She still looked displeased with Diego.
“You still don’t like Diego?”
“He’s a guy who makes money by stealing other people’s belongings.”
Madame Monte answered with a pouty face. Perhaps she did not know that the pawn shop was only a part of Diego's business.
“James isn’t a bad person. And as long as Abby is happy, that’s fine.”
Cecilia spoke as she got out of the carriage. Madame Monte nodded reluctantly.
“How could I object? I am the mother who has made her suffer all along.”
It was because her daughter looked so happy through the glass window.
Because the happiness and comfort of a child often mean the whole world to a parent.
“Why are you like that?”
Madame Monte, who noticed the strength in Cecilia's hand, asked in a puzzled voice.
“Just. It’s a bit noisy and my head hurts.”
Madame Monte was so startled by Cecilia's words that she covered the window with her body.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t hear, Madame Monte.”
Finally, Cecilia burst out laughing. Only then did Madame Monte laugh along with her, her face relieved.
“Oh my, what a mess it’s made over finding a gold mine.”
“It is a happy thing.”
Perhaps because of the commotion outside, Madame Monte looked at Cecilia and spoke. Cecilia opened her mouth with a conscious smile.
“Of course it is. Everyone says it is thanks to the grace of Duke Lane and His Highness the Grand Duke.”
Madame Monte spoke to Cecilia with a satisfied expression on her face as if trying to persuade her. Whether it was the affairs of the Duke of Lane or the Grand Duke of Burnett, they were all related to Cecilia.
"...Yes."
Of course, Cecilia was not unaware of that fact. However, what made the recent commotion unpleasant was that Cecilia did not want anyone to know that there was a gold mine on Laner Island.
Naturally, Cecilia's memories flowed to her last memory on the island, which was not very pleasant.
'Hello, Your Highness.'
A man dressed in shabby clothes bowed deeply in greeting.
'My name is Mark.'
Mark spoke with his head bowed. Eden ordered him to raise his face. Regardless of their status, it was not a very pleasant thing to talk to someone while looking at their head.
'Why did you insist that we meet today?'
Eden asked directly. Mark cautiously opened his mouth, observing Eden's expression, who seemed to be in a hurry.
'I recently went to the western mountains with my son and discovered something, so I feel I have to tell you about it.'
Mark carefully rummaged through the pockets of his clothes. Soon, tiny grains appeared in his exposed fist.
'Yes, it's gold.'
Mark seemed to sense the gaze asking what it was, and explained. It was a somewhat cloudy color, but it was definitely a yellow-gold color.
‘...Why did you bring the gold?’
Cecilia asked before Eden. Mark cautiously opened his mouth, observing Cecilia's expression hardened.
'I picked it up on the beach next to the mountain.'
'...picked it up on the beach next to the mountain?'
Eden muttered softly. Mark nodded in agreement.
'The sand seemed to shine especially bright that day, so I grabbed a handful and rinsed it in seawater, and this is what came out.'
Mark approached cautiously and placed a few gold dusts on the white table. In fact, the gold dust Mark brought was not so much that it would be significant.
But the important thing was that there was no reason for gold to suddenly appear on the sandy beach. There had to be something hidden in that mountain.
'Should I send someone to investigate?'
Eden blinked silently in response to Cecilia's slightly choked question.
'It might be false.'
The reason was obvious. As Cecilia said, it was too hasty to believe a story that might be a lie and have vain expectations.
'If I did that, I'd get my head blown off. Absolutely not!'
But when Mark suddenly jumped up from his seat and insisted that it was absolutely not true, Eden's guard was somewhat broken. He too wanted to believe that what he was seeing was true.
'There's no reason to lie. It would be better to send someone to the island secretly as soon as we get back.'
Eden came up with a reasonable idea. He couldn't report it to the Emperor hastily, as there was a chance that it might not be true. However, it wasn't difficult for him to send someone secretly.
'Is there anyone else you know besides you?'
'It's my son. He came to report as soon as he found it.'
Mark said that he came to see the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess because he thought of the favor Eden had shown them as a resident of the island. Eden accepted his words readily.
'No matter how this matter progresses, I ask that you keep quiet until the truth comes out.'
'Of course, I should have done that. I only told you two in secret.'
Mark answered with a determined face. Cecilia looked at him blankly and thought. He was just an ordinary man, nothing special.
But at the same time, it was also an unexpected, sharp stone that suddenly popped up. Cecilia had no intention of revealing the fact that there was gold on the island.
“I guess they’ve all arrived, Your Highness.”
But in the end, Mark almost became a hero to Wyatt, as gold was discovered on the island and the Emperor himself congratulated him.
Yes, it couldn't be helped. Since it was a place where many people came and went, it was bound to come to light someday.
“What about Abby?”
“Her future husband will probably already be here.”
Madame Monte wrinkled her nose in response to Cecilia's question. She still looked displeased with Diego.
“You still don’t like Diego?”
“He’s a guy who makes money by stealing other people’s belongings.”
Madame Monte answered with a pouty face. Perhaps she did not know that the pawn shop was only a part of Diego's business.
“James isn’t a bad person. And as long as Abby is happy, that’s fine.”
Cecilia spoke as she got out of the carriage. Madame Monte nodded reluctantly.
“How could I object? I am the mother who has made her suffer all along.”
It was because her daughter looked so happy through the glass window.
Because the happiness and comfort of a child often mean the whole world to a parent.
***
In contrast to Wyatt, the atmosphere in Benia was more like a portrait house. Until about a year ago, those who had insisted on handing over such a useless island to Wyatt had disappeared and remained in seclusion.
“Those of you who said that one small island would be a big deal, just catch my eye! I won’t let you off easy!”
This was because the Emperor's anger was so strong that it seemed like it would pierce the ceiling of the palace. It was fortunate that you didn't get your balls cut off while wandering around in front of him.
“They all seem useless!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
Benia, with its warm climate all year round, was gradually gaining popularity as a tourist destination. However, it was now in a position where tourists were being taken away by the island of Laner. And what’s more, there was a gold mine in that land! It was news that the Emperor could not help but turn his eyes away.
“For just 200,000 Deluts!”
The island was handed over to the Emperor of Benia for a pittance of 200,000 Deluts, along with the price of four people who had been detained while secretly fishing in the waters of Benia. Whether or not it was Wyatt who had actually occupied the island before, it was a bargain for the Emperor of Benia.
It was such a pity, and so much pity, that tears almost fell. The Emperor of Benia trembled, then suddenly lost his temper, then gave up repeatedly.
“Wyatt, those guys must have known in advance, didn’t they?”
Then, the Emperor of Benia suddenly thought that Wyatt must have known in advance that there was a gold mine on the island.
“You said something about a friendly country and then you hit me in the back of the head like this?”
Otherwise, there would be no reason to suddenly turn a blind eye to the story of developing the island and take complete ownership of it.
"Don't just leave these borders to eat."
They completely forgot that they were the ones who first discussed the usefulness of the island of Laner and discarded it. The Emperor of Benia gave the order while gritting his teeth.
“Never let this Benia get fool again! Got it?”
The courtiers, fearful that their heads would be blown off by that gun, hurriedly bowed their heads before him.
It was around this time that the atmosphere between Benia and Wyatt's borders began to turn tense.
“Those of you who said that one small island would be a big deal, just catch my eye! I won’t let you off easy!”
This was because the Emperor's anger was so strong that it seemed like it would pierce the ceiling of the palace. It was fortunate that you didn't get your balls cut off while wandering around in front of him.
“They all seem useless!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
Benia, with its warm climate all year round, was gradually gaining popularity as a tourist destination. However, it was now in a position where tourists were being taken away by the island of Laner. And what’s more, there was a gold mine in that land! It was news that the Emperor could not help but turn his eyes away.
“For just 200,000 Deluts!”
The island was handed over to the Emperor of Benia for a pittance of 200,000 Deluts, along with the price of four people who had been detained while secretly fishing in the waters of Benia. Whether or not it was Wyatt who had actually occupied the island before, it was a bargain for the Emperor of Benia.
It was such a pity, and so much pity, that tears almost fell. The Emperor of Benia trembled, then suddenly lost his temper, then gave up repeatedly.
“Wyatt, those guys must have known in advance, didn’t they?”
Then, the Emperor of Benia suddenly thought that Wyatt must have known in advance that there was a gold mine on the island.
“You said something about a friendly country and then you hit me in the back of the head like this?”
Otherwise, there would be no reason to suddenly turn a blind eye to the story of developing the island and take complete ownership of it.
"Don't just leave these borders to eat."
They completely forgot that they were the ones who first discussed the usefulness of the island of Laner and discarded it. The Emperor of Benia gave the order while gritting his teeth.
“Never let this Benia get fool again! Got it?”
The courtiers, fearful that their heads would be blown off by that gun, hurriedly bowed their heads before him.
It was around this time that the atmosphere between Benia and Wyatt's borders began to turn tense.
Support Novellate!
Thanks for the chapters, dear Transkatir!đź’‹
ReplyDelete