Ottavio sent Isabella, who was in labor, home in a carriage and then came to the afternoon meeting.
Because even Ottavio wasn't so stupid as to not realize that if he didn't stop Ariadne de Mare from becoming Princess Bianca's chaperone at her debutante party, he would be finished.
“Your Majesty, even so, the age difference between the two is too small.”
Ottavio was very active, unlike his usual self, who kept his mouth shut like a clam and just watched.
“The chaperone and the debutante have an age difference of five years! This is unprecedented. It is detrimental to the prestige of the royal family!”
“Ugh...”
“And the Countess is the chaperone of the Duchess! It is not unheard of for a lady of lower status to act as a chaperone, but that is usually only done in the case of relatives! It is not the case that such a thing can be done between strangers like this.”
As Marquis Baldessar pointed out.
“Isn’t there any other way?”
Ottavio persisted.
“It’s a matter that can be left to Duchess Rubina as is. Duchess Rubina is older than her, has a higher rank, and is her relative! And moreover.”
He tried to flatter Leo III by keeping an eye on him.
“The Duke of Taranto is currently in the absence of a head of household and is completely dependent on His Majesty the King’s grace. How can we possibly be talking about who will be her chaperone?”
At that moment, a deep, low voice flew in and interrupted Ottavio.
“The Duke of Taranto is an important ally who firmly protects the southern part of the kingdom.”
It was Prince Alfonso who entered the King's office.
“She’s also a close relative of the royal family. I grew up almost like Bianca when I was young.”
Ottavio hurriedly paid homage to royalty. Alfonso bowed to his father.
“What are you doing here?”
Leo III's reaction was lukewarm. It was not what Alfonso had expected. No, it was better than he had expected.
These days, the King strongly dislikes the Prince entering his cabinet meetings.
It seemed as if he was thinking of Alfonso getting involved in politics too much. Alfonso responded with a bashful smile.
“On the way here, I met Countess de Mare.”
It was a blatant lie. Ariadne almost looked at Alfonso for a moment, unable to control her expression.
'When did this guy become so sly?'
Alfonso, oblivious to Ariadne's sentiments, recited a series of lies in front of Leo III without hesitation.
“I heard that Bianca is planning to hold a debutante party at San Carlo. I also heard that there are some complications.”
The King did not even ask him to sit down, so Alfonso leaned against the door of the study.
Because of that, Ariadne was not invited to sit down either.
When Alfonso realized that Ariadne was not sitting on the chair, he said to his father.
“If it was a matter of state affairs, I would never have come in. But it’s Bianca’s business.”
The King turned his head slightly to the side. He seemed persuaded. The Prince added.
“I am an only son, so Bianca is like a younger sister to me. I want to take care of her myself.”
Choosing the word 'I am an only son' instead of 'I am an only child' was a compromise of sorts.
The fight over spoils on the battlefield turned even innocent boys into political adults.
Ariadne was heartbroken by that fact. What on earth have the past few years been like for you?
But the fact that his son was now an adult must have been a very welcome thing for his father, and Leo III finally granted them both chairs.
The two sitting side by side on the King's right felt awkward and consciously avoided looking at each other.
Alfonso, who was seated, spoke.
“I will be her guardian at Bianca’s debutante party.”
Only after hearing that proposal did Leo III ask, half surprised, half skeptical.
"You?"
If Alfonso takes charge, all worries about status will disappear and Rubina will have nothing to complain about.
But the reason Alfonso was excluded in the first place still remained.
A muscular, tall, 20-something son who is a head taller than most people... Will he be able to successfully throw a party for a teenage girl?
The Lord Delpiano expressed Leo III's concerns.
“Well, uh, if His Highness the Prince were to take charge of it, that would be great, of course.”
He chose his words carefully.
“Uh, are you sure you can do it? The Prince is good at girls’ parties and such...”
Alfonso gave a concise answer to Sir Delpiano, who was keen to weed out words with a bad connotation.
“It sucks.”
Because even Ottavio wasn't so stupid as to not realize that if he didn't stop Ariadne de Mare from becoming Princess Bianca's chaperone at her debutante party, he would be finished.
“Your Majesty, even so, the age difference between the two is too small.”
Ottavio was very active, unlike his usual self, who kept his mouth shut like a clam and just watched.
“The chaperone and the debutante have an age difference of five years! This is unprecedented. It is detrimental to the prestige of the royal family!”
“Ugh...”
“And the Countess is the chaperone of the Duchess! It is not unheard of for a lady of lower status to act as a chaperone, but that is usually only done in the case of relatives! It is not the case that such a thing can be done between strangers like this.”
As Marquis Baldessar pointed out.
“Isn’t there any other way?”
Ottavio persisted.
“It’s a matter that can be left to Duchess Rubina as is. Duchess Rubina is older than her, has a higher rank, and is her relative! And moreover.”
He tried to flatter Leo III by keeping an eye on him.
“The Duke of Taranto is currently in the absence of a head of household and is completely dependent on His Majesty the King’s grace. How can we possibly be talking about who will be her chaperone?”
At that moment, a deep, low voice flew in and interrupted Ottavio.
“The Duke of Taranto is an important ally who firmly protects the southern part of the kingdom.”
It was Prince Alfonso who entered the King's office.
“She’s also a close relative of the royal family. I grew up almost like Bianca when I was young.”
Ottavio hurriedly paid homage to royalty. Alfonso bowed to his father.
“What are you doing here?”
Leo III's reaction was lukewarm. It was not what Alfonso had expected. No, it was better than he had expected.
These days, the King strongly dislikes the Prince entering his cabinet meetings.
It seemed as if he was thinking of Alfonso getting involved in politics too much. Alfonso responded with a bashful smile.
“On the way here, I met Countess de Mare.”
It was a blatant lie. Ariadne almost looked at Alfonso for a moment, unable to control her expression.
'When did this guy become so sly?'
Alfonso, oblivious to Ariadne's sentiments, recited a series of lies in front of Leo III without hesitation.
“I heard that Bianca is planning to hold a debutante party at San Carlo. I also heard that there are some complications.”
The King did not even ask him to sit down, so Alfonso leaned against the door of the study.
Because of that, Ariadne was not invited to sit down either.
When Alfonso realized that Ariadne was not sitting on the chair, he said to his father.
“If it was a matter of state affairs, I would never have come in. But it’s Bianca’s business.”
The King turned his head slightly to the side. He seemed persuaded. The Prince added.
“I am an only son, so Bianca is like a younger sister to me. I want to take care of her myself.”
Choosing the word 'I am an only son' instead of 'I am an only child' was a compromise of sorts.
The fight over spoils on the battlefield turned even innocent boys into political adults.
Ariadne was heartbroken by that fact. What on earth have the past few years been like for you?
But the fact that his son was now an adult must have been a very welcome thing for his father, and Leo III finally granted them both chairs.
The two sitting side by side on the King's right felt awkward and consciously avoided looking at each other.
Alfonso, who was seated, spoke.
“I will be her guardian at Bianca’s debutante party.”
Only after hearing that proposal did Leo III ask, half surprised, half skeptical.
"You?"
If Alfonso takes charge, all worries about status will disappear and Rubina will have nothing to complain about.
But the reason Alfonso was excluded in the first place still remained.
A muscular, tall, 20-something son who is a head taller than most people... Will he be able to successfully throw a party for a teenage girl?
The Lord Delpiano expressed Leo III's concerns.
“Well, uh, if His Highness the Prince were to take charge of it, that would be great, of course.”
He chose his words carefully.
“Uh, are you sure you can do it? The Prince is good at girls’ parties and such...”
Alfonso gave a concise answer to Sir Delpiano, who was keen to weed out words with a bad connotation.
“It sucks.”
“Oh, thank you.”
The latter part, 'Please don't let me commit a crime of blasphemy', was omitted. Alfonso said it without much thought.
“If you have someone to help you, you can. I will be the guardian, but how about appointing Countess de Mare here as ‘guidata’ to handle the decorative aspects of the party and to introduce Bianca to the ladies of the capital’s society?”
'Guidata' meant 'guide' in Etruscan. It wasn't an official title, but everyone knew what it meant.
Leo III's eyes widened.
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
Alfonso answered with a smile.
“Your Majesty, you are very busy. You should not compare yourself to someone who wastes his time at the training ground like me."
Even his behavior in front of his father was perfect. Ottavio showed off his skill in reading the mood while simultaneously expressing his anger, but that was as far as it went.
In no way did he have the position to oppose the proposal proposed by the Prince and readily accepted by the King.
Leo III readily declared.
“Then let’s do it that way!”
The king felt delighted and clapped his hands.
“Very good, very good! I won’t have to hear any more whining from the Duke of Taranto, and I’ll finally be free from Rubina!”
Leo III rose from his seat in exhilaration.
“Then, I will soon award Countess de Mare with the appointment of ‘Princess Guidatta’ in the name of the King.”
Ariadne, who had been sitting still the whole time and then picked up a persimmon that fell from the sky and ate it, answered with an elegant bow.
“It is my honor. I will do my best to assist the Princess of Taranto in her debutante ball.”
This kind of thing didn't happen often in Ariadne's life, so she felt a bit awkward but not bad.
But if someone eats it raw, someone has to pay the price. Leo III called out to his son.
“Um. Oh, and Alfonso.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Leo III did not notice that Alfonso changed his title from "Father" to "His Majesty the King" as soon as his business was over.
“You came at a good time. Well, I had something to talk to you about up north, so I’ll take a quick look around.”
Alfonso frowned slightly.
Leo III had actively excluded his son from political discussions since Alfonso returned from war. So why now? Why now?
He consciously did not look in Ariadne's direction.
This time, it wasn't because he was embarrassed, but because he wanted to avoid getting in trouble with her.
“I’m glad I came at just the right time. Let’s go.”
Leo III bowed to Ariadne and his cabinet of three, then rose and headed to his study at the back of the palace, while Alfonso followed his father in with a fake smile.
He felt so sorry that he could have looked back, but he endured it by holding his thighs tightly. He skipped lunch and didn't feel any benefit from dressing up.
'Still. I'll be able to see you often while preparing for Bianca's party.'
What on earth could he possibly hope for in wanting to see her again?
But there was one thing that could not be denied: a strong attraction.
This intense throbbing that rose from deep within his heart just wouldn't stop.
***
“Your Majesty. Why have you called me?”
After getting what he wanted, his son, who had gone into the back room, suddenly became a bit cold. Was it his mood? Leo III thought and began to tell a story.
“I mean, the proposal of Grand Duke Odes of Gallico.”
“Is this a proposal to meet in person that is not even worth considering?” Alfonso asked with his eyes. Feeling embarrassed, Leo III coughed in vain.
“I got another letter. What do you think?”
“Have you made any progress on the matter I asked Your Majesty to look into?”
Alfonso had asked Leo III for two things.
First, the reason why Grand Duke Odes wanted to arrange a face-to-face meeting.
Second, whether the marriage contract between Prince Alfonso and Princess Lariesa is in the official archives of the Holy See.
Accordingly, there was a dispute over whether the marriage between Alfonso and Lariesa was valid or invalid.
“Not yet...”
“Then my answer is the same.”
“This time the proposal has changed a bit. If you are reluctant to leave your own territory, how about meeting at the border?”
“There is no work.”
Alfonso was about to say, 'If it's hard for you to refuse, I will refuse myself,' but decided to hold back from yelling just this once, fearing that it would cancel his position as Bianca's guardian.
“If you have nothing more to say, I will go first, Father.”
Leo III tried to dissuade Alfonso by asking how long he would delay but then gave up.
In fact, it was not only Alfonso who was in a hurry to get married because he was old, but also the Grand Duchess of Lariesa, and from Leo III's point of view, the later Alfonso's marriage was, the better.
If the sole legitimate Prince has an heir, there is no way to stop the subjects from lining up to follow him.
Although the Etruscan kingdom's dynasty was shaken by the absence of a grandson, it was a problem from a national standpoint, but Leo III was a nobleman who did not think that what would happen after that day would be very serious.
Isn't this what happens after I die anyway? It'll all work out somehow.
The interests of Alfonso, who wanted to run away from the King quickly for fear that his appointment as debutante guardian of his cousin would be canceled, and Leo III, who wanted Alfonso to bring the Gallico kingdom to him but did not want him to marry quickly, coincided perfectly.
“Yes. Go ahead and take a look.”
Alfonso ran out of his father's study without looking back.
***
“His Highness the Prince is the guardian of Princess Bianca?! That woman is Guidatta?! This is unprecedented! How can this be possible! You madman! The King is a pain in the ass!"
Sir Elko, who heard the story late because he had not been able to participate in the training, became angry like a madman.
It was a rare scene to see a person who was always criticized for being too polite swearing.
He was so angry that even Sir Manfredi couldn't stop him for the first ten minutes and just stayed away.
“Calm down, Elko.”
Only when Sir Bernardino arrived did anyone come out to talk him out of it.
“You tend to lose your senses whenever the topic of Countess de Mare comes up.”
Only then did Sir Manfredi intervene and join in stopping Elko.
“Yeah. I talked to her, and she didn’t seem like such a bad person!”
Sir Desilio also added a word.
“That’s right. She was very kind.”
Even Sir Desiglio, the youngest of the Prince's knights, sided with Ariadne and rebelled against Elko.
“Having the balls full of it!”
Elko, furious, glared at the weakest of them all, Sir Desilio, with his one remaining eye wide open.
Sir Desilio was startled by Sir Elko's harsh insults and hid behind Sir Manfredi.
But even there, the wall wasn't very strong. Even Sir Manfredi was startled and bit his own finger.
Sir Elko, who had been striking Sir Desilio as if he were going to strike him, let out a snarl and ran outside when Sir Manfredi, quite unintentionally—if he could have run away, he would have—got caught between them.
“Whew! I thought you were right!”
Sir Manfredi made an exaggerated gesture of wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“No, but why is that guy acting like that all of a sudden? Did he eat something bad?”
Dino just shook his head without saying anything.
He couldn't quite figure out why Elko was acting that way, but it wasn't like he had no idea.
'For some reason, Elko feels that the prince's proximity to Countess de Mare means that he is being ignored.'
But a subordinate shouldn't have interpreted his master's actions in that way.
Sir Dino has witnessed the rise and fall of court nobles and knights for a long time in the palace and on the battlefield and has been able to detect the signs of decline.
Sir Elko was a knight who made many sacrifices for Prince Alfonso.
He made many sacrifices as a knight and as an individual.
Sir Bernardino personally did not dislike the reserved and honest Elko, but Elko had to quickly pull himself together.
If not, and if he continues to cross the line like that, there will come a day when even the most merciful Alfonso will not be able to continue to accept Elko.
***
Ippolito turned the calendar anxiously. Cardinal de Mare had not yet returned to San Carlo, even though the scheduled date had passed.
'I don't know when a person will die, but...'
The Cardinal had rushed to Trevero to prepare for the conclave when he heard that Pope Louis was critically ill, but news of his death had not yet arrived.
'This is just too much!'
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