The next Duchess personally visited the Duke at the imperial palace.
That fact alone made the hall still buzz. The men who met her while waiting at the door showed their instinctive curiosity, but Lady O'Hara remained calm. She greeted them perfectly politely, and there was no sign of any wavering.
It was the same with Duke Theses.
Perhaps her upright attitude was so noble that he lost his affection. Normally, if a man and a woman were in the same space with the door closed, they would be able to make a lot of guesses, but even that was impossible for them. At least, they can only guess that they did not fight.
Of course, it couldn't be an act of affection.
"Then I will deal with today's agenda and report it to Your Majesty."
"Yes, Sir."
"Call the heads of each department to review the final documents and submit the details in two days."
The tone that fell like a quill was as straight as a ruler. Those who had been watching him lowered their heads and retreated one by one. If they dragged out the time with their unreasonable curiosity, he would only bite them by the scruff of their neck.
"..."
Even after everyone withdrew, the Duke of Theses' posture did not change. His arms were neatly folded on the desk, and his young eyes looked like they had been shaved off the sidelines. The appearance was so calm that even the urge to ask when the approval for the replacement military support would be made to swallow it in gulps.
"...Over there, sir Duke. I don't think it's the time for me to say this."
"Then don't do it."
Pylon, who had summoned up his courage to open his mouth, bit his lip. He hadn't seen him for a day or two, so he knew how deep the Duke was right now.
'What's all this about?'
He was always a friend who was too serious, but now he's a little too much. It wasn't until Michael, who had been waiting outside, came back into the meeting room that Deccarno raised his inscrutable gaze.
"Your Excellency, the Lady has left for the Duke's residence."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I have sent a new coachman, so she will go straight to the Duke's residence."
Michael, who knew the Duke's Intentions, reassured him. The coachman who drove the Duke's carriage was a perfect man whose identity was guaranteed, so he could deal with any accidents.
"As soon as the lady arrives at the annex, I will check on her and come back."
"... Yes."
Somehow, the Duke didn't like his answer. That was it, and the unpleasantness was still there, as much work to be done.
"By the way, was the security of my house so poor?"
"...Yes? Your Excellency, what is that..."
He hears the news that he has never heard. He went to his house and did it himself.
The Duke's clenched hands interlocked more deeply. Michael shrugged his shoulders at the stares that stood like a shining beast above him. The Duke of Theses' guard was as solid as the imperial palace. Ever since the previous Duke's sudden death, all visitors had to be pre-scheduled or bring an invitation.
Even if it is a family, a sudden guest has to turn away. That was the rule of the house. Except for one place.
"I beg you, but the annex is under the jurisdiction of Lady O'Hara. Today's banquet was held in the annex, and it was a carriage sent from the top of O'Hara, so it seems that we could not stop it."
"..."
Michael, who had already figured out the situation to some extent, quickly explained it. The annex on the west side of the spacious Duke's estate has been the Duchess's property for generations. Even if it was a family owner, it was a tradition if it was the tradition of the Duke of Theses.
"If you have any more questions about today's work...'
"Get someone you trust, or rather, you, go to the top of O'Hara. I want to find out the time and circumstances of what happened."
Deccarno, who was about to attack a person, changed his words and pointed to Michael. Pylon, who had been watching with bated breath at the mention of sending the Duke's direct secretary, began to get more and more serious.
"What? I don't think something really happened."
"If you are careful with your mouth, it will never happen again."
"..."
Deccarno's willingness to make it happen and Deccarno's warning to be careful at the same time made Pylon bite his tongue. He didn't know what it was, but he had an instinct that he didn't want to get involved in complicated things. However, it was not easy to get up first and get out.
"Where is the current ownership of the Lehman Sea? It was Calais outside of Addis."
"Hmm? But why is that all of a sudden?"
"You should go there now."
"..."
His tone was so plain that Pylon opened his mouth in amazement. It was just like going hunting together on a nice day, or fencing together after work. Regarding the advance of the Belice Empire's ships into the waters of another country, which a merchant ship would not know, Deccarno was surprisingly calm.
"Why, is it difficult?"
"It's not a joke, you've been in the military and you don't know what that means? Even if you don't know about Addis, Calais is like an enemy country that once went to war with us."
"We signed an armistice again."
"..."
Nothing was surprising anymore, and he just burst out laughing. But the Duke's words were never a joke. The stunned Pylon tried to shout again, but Deccarno had already pulled out a piece of paper from a pile of papers and held it.
"You do that!"
"This should be enough for your travel expenses."
The handwriting of the Duke with the quill was fluent.
Even the Navy's budget bill, which had been put on hold a few hours earlier, was no different from a check in his hand. With Pylon, who didn't even know what to look like anymore, Deccarno stood up from his desk.
"I will charge you all the settlement money and expenses separately."
"...What the hell is this?"
"I don't know."
He told him to find out as much as he could, but to erase it from his mind immediately. This completes all that he can do now. As Deccarno was about to return home, he saw Michael waiting at the door of the conference room again.
"I know you shouldn't be here right now."
"I'm sorry, Sir. I'm just going to ask you one more question."
Michael approached with a desperate face. The Duke's order should be given priority above all else, but if there were two things, he had to prioritize them.
"...Then why don't we cancel the lady's birthday present for now?"
***
The scent of roses carried by the night breeze was fresh. The glass greenhouse was the most secret and exotic place in the annex on the west side of the Duke residence. It was full of rare flowers and trees that were hard to see in the Belice Empire, reminiscent of a tropical island she once visited on a boat.
"What do you think? Do you like it here?"
The late Duchess liked this place the most. She was originally a Princess from the Northern Principality of Nyx, so she would have seen precious things to the point of boredom, but she couldn't hide her pride here. The annex and secret garden of the Duke of Theses were the dream and final destination of every socialite.
"This will be your kingdom, Evangeline."
The Duchess didn't know it. She knew she was going to be like this.
Evangeline laughed bitterly, remembering the voice of the previous Duchess, who was as noble as her son. Her mother-in-law, who was elegant and beautiful, was sometimes very cold-hearted. Even after she decided to accept Evangeline as her daughter-in-law, it took several months for her to say the right words first.
If such a person saw me now...
She smiled and touched the blue-silver rose leaves. Even this was a rare species that only grew here, so her heart swelled all over again.
She wonders if there will be another day when she will touch it again.
She knew it was too early, but the scent was different today. But what she really regretted was not a few rare flowers.
"Meng! Meng!"
"Rex!"
Evangeline, who had lowered her head to smell the flower, suddenly turned around and spread her hands. Rex, with his abundant silver fur, was no ordinary dog.
Rex was a rare ancient lion dog brought from the north when the previous Duchess married. The dog gave birth to a cub, and the Duchess tamed it until the pup gave birth, so she could be infinitely proud of its history and lineage. Unfortunately, the Duchess died when Rex's mother gave birth, so she didn't see Rex being born in person, but she stroked his belly again and again.
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