Grand Duchess Rubina received an unexpected call and hastily applied lotion to her bare face.
'What kind of trouble is this all of a sudden!'
It was a sudden summons that came while she was comfortably receiving a cream massage with her bare face, believing that the King would not call her for the time being.
Leo III and Grand Duchess Rubina were in the process of rapidly reducing the tension they had felt between them as a couple.
With the advent of the new and young government of Isabella, the King no longer sought out 'sister-in-law' in that way.
The routine of having breakfast together every weekend had disappeared, and he no longer called Rubina for trivial things like wanting to see her face or asking her to rub his legs.
Now, Leo III and Grand Duchess Rubina only saw each other once a month during the high mass or at official events at the Palagio Carlo.
'It seems similar to the situation of Marguerite in the past...'
However, Grand Duchess Rubina had no complaints.
'This is secretly pretty good, isn't it?'
She held complete authority over the palace, and Isabella, either knowing her place or simply lacking interest in such matters, never challenged Rubina's authority. It was ultimately a wise move for the new government, which had no power to back it up.
Ariadne of the Prince's palace didn't demand relinquishment of management rights. She had a long way to go, as she had to first be recognized as the Prince's wife.
Moreover, if she truly became the Princess, it would mean that Cesare's child would be the future heir to the throne. At that point, Rubina would happily relinquish all power, retire, and enjoy her retirement at her son's Villa Sortone.
And above all, dealing with Leo III's ill-tempered temper was a hardship for Rubina, who had been worn out for over 30 years.
'So that's why Marguerite left me alone in the past.'
Rubina realized too late that the countless fights she had waged against the Queen in the past were truly futile.
"Ha. I don't want to go. When are you retiring?"
Even when he was young, the King was so kind and gentle that it was embarrassing to even call him a gentleman. But as he grew older, he became more grumpy and noisy, making it quite difficult to please him.
Among the rumors circulating in the court, the one that said, "The one who was most delighted by the appearance of Countess Contarini was actually the late Grand Duchess Rubina," was, by her own admission, somewhat true.
Rubina, who was hurriedly entrusting her face to the maid to have her makeup applied, suddenly thought.
'Wait, is there any point in putting on lip balm?'
Recently, Leo III had only summoned Rubina when there was a pressing matter related to palace management: something like having the eaves of the royal apartments repaired quickly, or something about not liking a certain woman on the list of courtiers to invite on the next hunt.
So, these days, Leo III's only calls for her were for matters that would be better if she didn't go.
It was not a situation where she could show off her beauty, nor was it a situation where she could appeal to the King as a woman, and she was annoyed at the thought of why she had to put on makeup when everyone knew her wrinkled face.
But she managed to hold out just once, mustering up her last bit of patience.
'No. Maybe this is what a woman can do well...'
Rubina sighed deeply. Leo III's attitude toward his male courtiers, including Lord Delpiano, was truly ruthless.
At least Rubina didn't get anything like a letter-opening knife or an ink bottle flying at her.
Eventually, she entered the King's office with a flowery smile and perfect makeup, to avoid the ink bottle.
“Your Majesty... Did you summon me?”
Entering the room with a smile, prepared to be cursed at, was something that required a lot of courage.
But Leo III's reaction was different than usual.
“Oh. Rubina.”
Leo III stood up from his seat and approached Rubina.
'What did he eat wrong?'
Despite Rubina's suspicious gaze, Leo III gave his former mistress a friendly hug around the shoulder.
“Everything is fine, isn’t it?”
Rubina unconsciously took a step back to avoid the old King's embrace.
“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Then, yes.”
But Leo III's nagging did not stop.
“I mean, I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about you.”
“Hoho, hohoho.”
A bead of sweat ran down Rubina's back. Why all of a sudden? How did she gain this freedom?
“Yes, it is an honor, Your Majesty.”
Rubina began to wonder if Isabella's face had been so scarred that it was unbearable to look at.
"Has she become a monster? Is that why you decided to kick Isabella out?"
Still, it was nonsense.
"No, but that's true. There are so many young and pretty girls out there! Why are you suddenly doing this to me?"
But other than that, there was no way Leo III could have suddenly acted so friendly towards her.
Meanwhile, Leo III was calculating his own calculations.
'Public opinion in the capital is bad because they think I'm treating Alfonso badly...'
Whether the abuse was real or whether Alfonso was truly offended was immaterial to his thinking.
'Anyway, as long as Alfonso and I don't seem to have any problems, then it's okay, right?'
It's all show. Fools only see the surface. Fools were not the only ones foolish, but the nobility as well.
No, in fact, to Leo III, everyone but himself was foolish and worthless, regardless of whether they were royalty or descendants of the Royal House of Latham. He was the only one who was smart, the only one who was good, and the only one who mattered.
So the King came to a novel conclusion.
'All Alfonso has to do is go down to Taranto.'
Alfonso, who couldn't sleep without the Knights nearby, would surely take them with him when he descended upon Taranto. This would physically distance the population of San Carlo from the fear of plunder.
There may be concerns among the courtiers who have descended to Taranto, but what could the Knights do with Alfonso himself in the palace? Their leader could easily be taken hostage.
Leo III was miscalculating on many points, including the possibility that his own guard could subdue Alfonso, but he did not know it.
'That's a really good idea! I must be a genius!'
Now all he had to do was get Rubina to run errands properly. Leo III subtly patted Rubina's back.
“You. You know you’re the only person I can trust, right?”
It was a change of attitude that would leave even the world's greatest Rubina speechless.
“Uh... Um..., yes.”
Rubina's theory, which she had secretly advocated in front of Cesare a few days ago—that "everyone except the King puts their castles up for barter"—was only half true.
In San Carlo, everyone, including the King, sold their castles.
"Isn't the palace in chaos right now because of the girls' fight? You're the only one who can fix it."
But whether Rubina wanted to pay the cost of inconvenience and purchase the King's castle was a separate matter entirely.
"Yes?"
She frowned at the lack of demand and supply. Rubina took a large step back, avoiding the King's gentle touch.
“Oh my, how can I stop that?”
It was the second rejection of the day. The hand that had been stroking the old woman's back floated vaguely in the air. Leo III coughed to hide his embarrassment.
“Isabella was your maid, and Ariadne was also your subordinate.”
Rubina's expression contorted once more. Of all the maids she'd ever had, Isabella was the most masterful.
“Isabella?”
She waved her hand.
“Where does she look like she’s listening to me?”
If Rubina were to go to Isabella and tell her to reconcile with Ariadne, the girl's reaction would be obvious. She'd open her eyes wide and snap at the poor stabbed victim, asking how she could do such a thing.
“At least I can tell Isabella that it is Your Majesty’s order.”
She doesn't want to get involved in this, but His Majesty the King told her to, so she has no choice. Just make up and get it over with.
If Rubina's sincerity were conveyed, Isabella, who was in no position to defy Leo III's orders, might somehow be able to force her to do so. Of course, since she was a human who could turn anywhere, the odds weren't 100%...
“⋯⋯I have nothing to say to Countess de Mare and no justification!”
The reason shr paused before the title was because she didn't know what to call Ariadne.
Leo III stubbornly refused to grant Ariadne any title.
He didn't even give her the empty title of 'Duchess of Arnobaldi', which was given out as a favor when a royal family member brought in a wife they didn't like, let alone 'Princess Consort'.
As she was the Prince's wife, her full name should have been Ariadne de Carlo, but Ariadne was still 'Countess de Mare'.
If Ariadne were someone else's family, it would be quite funny if she had a miscarriage after fighting with her sister, only to have Rubina call her and tell her to reconcile. It was, by any measure, out of place for her.
But Leo III cried out proudly.
“Why don’t you have anything to say to her? You're a senior member of the royal family!”
Rubina looked at Leo III with a strange expression.
"Senior member...? Are you saying that you accept de Mare's second daughter as your daughter-in-law?"
In fact, strictly speaking, if Ariadne were the Prince's wife, Rubina should have stepped down to second place. Not only should she be responsible for protocol, but she should also have handed over the palace management and budget to the Princess.
Rubina's position as Grand Duchess was quite ambiguous. For her son's succession, she would have preferred Ariadne de Marae to be recognized as a proper Princess. However, her immediate wealth and honor would be maintained only if she remained unacknowledged.
But Leo III, speaking like this, often rewarded those who accomplished the task with considerable rewards. Rubina's eyes narrowed with calculation.
'What kind of trouble is this all of a sudden!'
It was a sudden summons that came while she was comfortably receiving a cream massage with her bare face, believing that the King would not call her for the time being.
Leo III and Grand Duchess Rubina were in the process of rapidly reducing the tension they had felt between them as a couple.
With the advent of the new and young government of Isabella, the King no longer sought out 'sister-in-law' in that way.
The routine of having breakfast together every weekend had disappeared, and he no longer called Rubina for trivial things like wanting to see her face or asking her to rub his legs.
Now, Leo III and Grand Duchess Rubina only saw each other once a month during the high mass or at official events at the Palagio Carlo.
'It seems similar to the situation of Marguerite in the past...'
However, Grand Duchess Rubina had no complaints.
'This is secretly pretty good, isn't it?'
She held complete authority over the palace, and Isabella, either knowing her place or simply lacking interest in such matters, never challenged Rubina's authority. It was ultimately a wise move for the new government, which had no power to back it up.
Ariadne of the Prince's palace didn't demand relinquishment of management rights. She had a long way to go, as she had to first be recognized as the Prince's wife.
Moreover, if she truly became the Princess, it would mean that Cesare's child would be the future heir to the throne. At that point, Rubina would happily relinquish all power, retire, and enjoy her retirement at her son's Villa Sortone.
And above all, dealing with Leo III's ill-tempered temper was a hardship for Rubina, who had been worn out for over 30 years.
'So that's why Marguerite left me alone in the past.'
Rubina realized too late that the countless fights she had waged against the Queen in the past were truly futile.
"Ha. I don't want to go. When are you retiring?"
Even when he was young, the King was so kind and gentle that it was embarrassing to even call him a gentleman. But as he grew older, he became more grumpy and noisy, making it quite difficult to please him.
Among the rumors circulating in the court, the one that said, "The one who was most delighted by the appearance of Countess Contarini was actually the late Grand Duchess Rubina," was, by her own admission, somewhat true.
Rubina, who was hurriedly entrusting her face to the maid to have her makeup applied, suddenly thought.
'Wait, is there any point in putting on lip balm?'
Recently, Leo III had only summoned Rubina when there was a pressing matter related to palace management: something like having the eaves of the royal apartments repaired quickly, or something about not liking a certain woman on the list of courtiers to invite on the next hunt.
So, these days, Leo III's only calls for her were for matters that would be better if she didn't go.
It was not a situation where she could show off her beauty, nor was it a situation where she could appeal to the King as a woman, and she was annoyed at the thought of why she had to put on makeup when everyone knew her wrinkled face.
But she managed to hold out just once, mustering up her last bit of patience.
'No. Maybe this is what a woman can do well...'
Rubina sighed deeply. Leo III's attitude toward his male courtiers, including Lord Delpiano, was truly ruthless.
At least Rubina didn't get anything like a letter-opening knife or an ink bottle flying at her.
Eventually, she entered the King's office with a flowery smile and perfect makeup, to avoid the ink bottle.
“Your Majesty... Did you summon me?”
Entering the room with a smile, prepared to be cursed at, was something that required a lot of courage.
But Leo III's reaction was different than usual.
“Oh. Rubina.”
Leo III stood up from his seat and approached Rubina.
'What did he eat wrong?'
Despite Rubina's suspicious gaze, Leo III gave his former mistress a friendly hug around the shoulder.
“Everything is fine, isn’t it?”
Rubina unconsciously took a step back to avoid the old King's embrace.
“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Then, yes.”
But Leo III's nagging did not stop.
“I mean, I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about you.”
“Hoho, hohoho.”
A bead of sweat ran down Rubina's back. Why all of a sudden? How did she gain this freedom?
“Yes, it is an honor, Your Majesty.”
Rubina began to wonder if Isabella's face had been so scarred that it was unbearable to look at.
"Has she become a monster? Is that why you decided to kick Isabella out?"
Still, it was nonsense.
"No, but that's true. There are so many young and pretty girls out there! Why are you suddenly doing this to me?"
But other than that, there was no way Leo III could have suddenly acted so friendly towards her.
Meanwhile, Leo III was calculating his own calculations.
'Public opinion in the capital is bad because they think I'm treating Alfonso badly...'
Whether the abuse was real or whether Alfonso was truly offended was immaterial to his thinking.
'Anyway, as long as Alfonso and I don't seem to have any problems, then it's okay, right?'
It's all show. Fools only see the surface. Fools were not the only ones foolish, but the nobility as well.
No, in fact, to Leo III, everyone but himself was foolish and worthless, regardless of whether they were royalty or descendants of the Royal House of Latham. He was the only one who was smart, the only one who was good, and the only one who mattered.
So the King came to a novel conclusion.
'All Alfonso has to do is go down to Taranto.'
Alfonso, who couldn't sleep without the Knights nearby, would surely take them with him when he descended upon Taranto. This would physically distance the population of San Carlo from the fear of plunder.
There may be concerns among the courtiers who have descended to Taranto, but what could the Knights do with Alfonso himself in the palace? Their leader could easily be taken hostage.
Leo III was miscalculating on many points, including the possibility that his own guard could subdue Alfonso, but he did not know it.
'That's a really good idea! I must be a genius!'
Now all he had to do was get Rubina to run errands properly. Leo III subtly patted Rubina's back.
“You. You know you’re the only person I can trust, right?”
It was a change of attitude that would leave even the world's greatest Rubina speechless.
“Uh... Um..., yes.”
Rubina's theory, which she had secretly advocated in front of Cesare a few days ago—that "everyone except the King puts their castles up for barter"—was only half true.
In San Carlo, everyone, including the King, sold their castles.
"Isn't the palace in chaos right now because of the girls' fight? You're the only one who can fix it."
But whether Rubina wanted to pay the cost of inconvenience and purchase the King's castle was a separate matter entirely.
"Yes?"
She frowned at the lack of demand and supply. Rubina took a large step back, avoiding the King's gentle touch.
“Oh my, how can I stop that?”
It was the second rejection of the day. The hand that had been stroking the old woman's back floated vaguely in the air. Leo III coughed to hide his embarrassment.
“Isabella was your maid, and Ariadne was also your subordinate.”
Rubina's expression contorted once more. Of all the maids she'd ever had, Isabella was the most masterful.
“Isabella?”
She waved her hand.
“Where does she look like she’s listening to me?”
If Rubina were to go to Isabella and tell her to reconcile with Ariadne, the girl's reaction would be obvious. She'd open her eyes wide and snap at the poor stabbed victim, asking how she could do such a thing.
“At least I can tell Isabella that it is Your Majesty’s order.”
She doesn't want to get involved in this, but His Majesty the King told her to, so she has no choice. Just make up and get it over with.
If Rubina's sincerity were conveyed, Isabella, who was in no position to defy Leo III's orders, might somehow be able to force her to do so. Of course, since she was a human who could turn anywhere, the odds weren't 100%...
“⋯⋯I have nothing to say to Countess de Mare and no justification!”
The reason shr paused before the title was because she didn't know what to call Ariadne.
Leo III stubbornly refused to grant Ariadne any title.
He didn't even give her the empty title of 'Duchess of Arnobaldi', which was given out as a favor when a royal family member brought in a wife they didn't like, let alone 'Princess Consort'.
As she was the Prince's wife, her full name should have been Ariadne de Carlo, but Ariadne was still 'Countess de Mare'.
If Ariadne were someone else's family, it would be quite funny if she had a miscarriage after fighting with her sister, only to have Rubina call her and tell her to reconcile. It was, by any measure, out of place for her.
But Leo III cried out proudly.
“Why don’t you have anything to say to her? You're a senior member of the royal family!”
Rubina looked at Leo III with a strange expression.
"Senior member...? Are you saying that you accept de Mare's second daughter as your daughter-in-law?"
In fact, strictly speaking, if Ariadne were the Prince's wife, Rubina should have stepped down to second place. Not only should she be responsible for protocol, but she should also have handed over the palace management and budget to the Princess.
Rubina's position as Grand Duchess was quite ambiguous. For her son's succession, she would have preferred Ariadne de Marae to be recognized as a proper Princess. However, her immediate wealth and honor would be maintained only if she remained unacknowledged.
But Leo III, speaking like this, often rewarded those who accomplished the task with considerable rewards. Rubina's eyes narrowed with calculation.
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