Irene laughed openly.
“You called me because you were worried I’d have a hard time? Or because you were afraid of being alone?”
Julia Helena, who had no words to say, just looked at the dust on the carriage window sill and muttered something else.
“Cough! Cough! Ugh! It’s rough!”
“In any case, the Etruscan kingdom cannot make excuses without a promise, so I will leave this land with you as soon as His Majesty Leo III gives permission.”
“Why are you so sure the Etruscan King will allow you to go?”
Viscountess Panamere, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly shouted.
“Where in the world would a royal family have a political marriage without the permission of one of their parents?”
The Viscountess reminded the Princess of one important fact.
“You know that your majesty hasn’t brought all the dowry and wedding gifts yet, right?”
The Manchike kingdom sent Princess Julia Helena without bringing the promised dowry. The Etruscan kingdom was unaware of this fact.
It wasn't because they didn't know what would happen. They didn't have that kind of foresight. It was simply because 72,000 ducats were too much to raise in such a short period of time.
In any case, this coincidence became an unexpected leverage for the ever-suffering practitioner Irene.
“Why do you think you are the best bride-to-be in the Central Continent?”
Julia Helena tried to say something, but then shut her mouth tightly. Even she didn't think it was because she was pretty, smart, or kind. The Princess hesitated, but Irene spoke up for her.
“Of course, Your Highness, you are the last of the lineage of the Ratan Empire and the sole successor to the Manchike Kingdom.”
“Yeah, right. If you marry me, Manchike will become your fief.”
But even as she said this, something felt off. Irene also saw Julia Helena's hesitation.
“Why is our smart Princess acting like this?”
Of course, she knew why the clever Julia Helena was acting that way. She was completely captivated by the Grand Duke Cesare's utterly charming and damned face.
However, Viscountess Panamere trusted in the intelligence of the Princess of Manchike. While love can temporarily blind a person, it's difficult for a human being to remain permanently stupid unless they've suffered a head injury.
“Right? Even Your Highness, it’s strange, isn’t it? The Ratan Empire’s bloodline is a shining apricot, isn’t it?”
“Irene!”
Julia Helena was irritated. The reason she was irritated was that what Irene said wasn't wrong. People don't get irritated by words that don't sting.
“The reason why the Princess is in a position to propose marriage to the Etruscan Kingdom is because you have received the largest dowry in the Central Continent in the past ten years!”
A total of 72,000 ducats. However, what Viscountess Panamere brought from the Marquis of Manchike was only about 10,000 ducats worth of cash, jewels, and valuables.
“If the Princess disobeys His Excellency and decides to marry on her own, will His Excellency pay the remainder of the dowry or not?”
The Etruscan kingdom knew that Julia Helena had brought her entire dowry and trousseau. Even the Manchike, when sending her as a Princess, had no reason to explain that some of the gifts were not in kind, giving the impression that she lacked financial resources.
However, apart from the 7,200 ducats down payment and the cash, jewels, and valuables she currently had, the rest of Julia Helena's dowry was a mere bill of exchange that would have turned into nothing more than a piece of paper if it went bad in her home country.
"Yes. You could disobey the Marquis and marry a thief with only what you have. But even if the Etruscan kingdom learned that your dowry was less than 20,000 ducats, would they still welcome you as they do now?"
“Irene!”
Julia Helena screamed.
“Lower your voice!”
"Why am I lowering my voice? If I get an audience, I'll go and report this to the Etruscan King tomorrow!"
Julia Helena's anxiety stemmed from this. The Princess knew it. The Etruscan King cared for nothing but gold. The moment Leo III learned she didn't have 72,000 ducats, he wouldn't approve of the engagement.
The small, barren land she would inherit was not much of an asset to a King like Leo III, who ruled over a large land on the Central Continent.
“Don’t do that, Irene. Please.”
Julia Helena whined with a face on the verge of tears.
“You might think I’m not good enough to fight Prince Alfonso, but my opponent right now is Grand Duke Cesare... I think I might be more than enough to fight the Grand Duke.”
Irene was astonished. Even the Princess knew that Grand Duke Cesare was inferior to Prince Alfonso! She thought she didn't know because she risked her life for him so much!
Of course, Grand Duke Cesare would be grateful for even the small Latgalin estate that Julia Helena would inherit, if he could inherit it.
“No, my lady. If His Excellency the Marquis of Synadenos is truly angry with you, what would be the only thing he would cut off from you, your dowry?”
Even if the Hejaz, Latgalin, and Yesak regions were engulfed in war and few living relatives remained, a thorough search of the genealogy would likely yield one or two male relatives. Well, what if they weren't relatives?
“Are you going to leave the country to a daughter who ran away and married someone who disobeyed her father and to a son-in-law who doesn’t suit her?”
Julia Helena's face paled. The Viscountess raised her voice at the Princess, who seemed to be losing her grip on reality.
“If you were to line up the nobles who want to come in as adopted sons and inherit the Manchike kingdom, they would probably circle the castle twenty times.”
“Irene...!”
At these words, even Julia Helena couldn't hold back and shouted. Realizing that his words were a bit harsh, Viscountess Panamere smacked her lips.
“Anyway, if you want to get married, you have to persuade His Excellency the Marquis first!”
Although her words were harsh, she was not saying anything out of the blue.
“I’m not just here staring at Grand Duchess Rubina like I am now!”
Julia Helena rested her chin on her arm and stared out the carriage window, feeling depressed. In fact, she didn't think her father was the problem.
Julia Helena was convinced her father would never abandon her. And, in truth, she had no interest in the Manchike duchy. Just give it to anyone.
The place she wanted to live was the bustling and sophisticated San Carlo, the heart of the mighty Etruscan nation, not Manchike, stuck in the Latgalian countryside.
But will Cesare really accept Julia Helena, who cannot inherit the kingdom?
Even now, when he considered her the heiress of the Manchike principality with a dowry of 72,000 ducats and the sole heir to the Manchike principality, Grand Duke Cesare showed no interest in her.
Irene, who was watching this scene from the front row without making a sound, felt sick.
"Your Highness. If you are unable to inherit the kingdom, will Grand Duchess Grand Duchess, whom you trust so steadfastly, abandon you?"
“No. That woman can’t do that.”
Julia Helena replied irritably. She thought to herself that with the 7,200 ducats she had already paid in advance and the 10,000 ducats she had, she would be a worthy bride for Grand Duke Cesare, if not Prince Alfonso.
Rubina knows her son's market value very well. No matter where she goes, Grand Duchess Rubina can't find a better daughter-in-law than the current Princess Julia Helena. However, the son of the family disagrees with his mother's opinion. Irene pointed this out sharply.
"Your Highness, let's say your mother-in-law is like that. What's your husband's opinion?"
“...”
“Are you going to spend your whole life with that old Grand Duchess? Do you really like that woman that much? No way!”
“You called me because you were worried I’d have a hard time? Or because you were afraid of being alone?”
Julia Helena, who had no words to say, just looked at the dust on the carriage window sill and muttered something else.
“Cough! Cough! Ugh! It’s rough!”
“In any case, the Etruscan kingdom cannot make excuses without a promise, so I will leave this land with you as soon as His Majesty Leo III gives permission.”
“Why are you so sure the Etruscan King will allow you to go?”
Viscountess Panamere, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly shouted.
“Where in the world would a royal family have a political marriage without the permission of one of their parents?”
The Viscountess reminded the Princess of one important fact.
“You know that your majesty hasn’t brought all the dowry and wedding gifts yet, right?”
The Manchike kingdom sent Princess Julia Helena without bringing the promised dowry. The Etruscan kingdom was unaware of this fact.
It wasn't because they didn't know what would happen. They didn't have that kind of foresight. It was simply because 72,000 ducats were too much to raise in such a short period of time.
In any case, this coincidence became an unexpected leverage for the ever-suffering practitioner Irene.
“Why do you think you are the best bride-to-be in the Central Continent?”
Julia Helena tried to say something, but then shut her mouth tightly. Even she didn't think it was because she was pretty, smart, or kind. The Princess hesitated, but Irene spoke up for her.
“Of course, Your Highness, you are the last of the lineage of the Ratan Empire and the sole successor to the Manchike Kingdom.”
“Yeah, right. If you marry me, Manchike will become your fief.”
But even as she said this, something felt off. Irene also saw Julia Helena's hesitation.
“Why is our smart Princess acting like this?”
Of course, she knew why the clever Julia Helena was acting that way. She was completely captivated by the Grand Duke Cesare's utterly charming and damned face.
However, Viscountess Panamere trusted in the intelligence of the Princess of Manchike. While love can temporarily blind a person, it's difficult for a human being to remain permanently stupid unless they've suffered a head injury.
“Right? Even Your Highness, it’s strange, isn’t it? The Ratan Empire’s bloodline is a shining apricot, isn’t it?”
“Irene!”
Julia Helena was irritated. The reason she was irritated was that what Irene said wasn't wrong. People don't get irritated by words that don't sting.
“The reason why the Princess is in a position to propose marriage to the Etruscan Kingdom is because you have received the largest dowry in the Central Continent in the past ten years!”
A total of 72,000 ducats. However, what Viscountess Panamere brought from the Marquis of Manchike was only about 10,000 ducats worth of cash, jewels, and valuables.
“If the Princess disobeys His Excellency and decides to marry on her own, will His Excellency pay the remainder of the dowry or not?”
The Etruscan kingdom knew that Julia Helena had brought her entire dowry and trousseau. Even the Manchike, when sending her as a Princess, had no reason to explain that some of the gifts were not in kind, giving the impression that she lacked financial resources.
However, apart from the 7,200 ducats down payment and the cash, jewels, and valuables she currently had, the rest of Julia Helena's dowry was a mere bill of exchange that would have turned into nothing more than a piece of paper if it went bad in her home country.
"Yes. You could disobey the Marquis and marry a thief with only what you have. But even if the Etruscan kingdom learned that your dowry was less than 20,000 ducats, would they still welcome you as they do now?"
“Irene!”
Julia Helena screamed.
“Lower your voice!”
"Why am I lowering my voice? If I get an audience, I'll go and report this to the Etruscan King tomorrow!"
Julia Helena's anxiety stemmed from this. The Princess knew it. The Etruscan King cared for nothing but gold. The moment Leo III learned she didn't have 72,000 ducats, he wouldn't approve of the engagement.
The small, barren land she would inherit was not much of an asset to a King like Leo III, who ruled over a large land on the Central Continent.
“Don’t do that, Irene. Please.”
Julia Helena whined with a face on the verge of tears.
“You might think I’m not good enough to fight Prince Alfonso, but my opponent right now is Grand Duke Cesare... I think I might be more than enough to fight the Grand Duke.”
Irene was astonished. Even the Princess knew that Grand Duke Cesare was inferior to Prince Alfonso! She thought she didn't know because she risked her life for him so much!
Of course, Grand Duke Cesare would be grateful for even the small Latgalin estate that Julia Helena would inherit, if he could inherit it.
“No, my lady. If His Excellency the Marquis of Synadenos is truly angry with you, what would be the only thing he would cut off from you, your dowry?”
Even if the Hejaz, Latgalin, and Yesak regions were engulfed in war and few living relatives remained, a thorough search of the genealogy would likely yield one or two male relatives. Well, what if they weren't relatives?
“Are you going to leave the country to a daughter who ran away and married someone who disobeyed her father and to a son-in-law who doesn’t suit her?”
Julia Helena's face paled. The Viscountess raised her voice at the Princess, who seemed to be losing her grip on reality.
“If you were to line up the nobles who want to come in as adopted sons and inherit the Manchike kingdom, they would probably circle the castle twenty times.”
“Irene...!”
At these words, even Julia Helena couldn't hold back and shouted. Realizing that his words were a bit harsh, Viscountess Panamere smacked her lips.
“Anyway, if you want to get married, you have to persuade His Excellency the Marquis first!”
Although her words were harsh, she was not saying anything out of the blue.
“I’m not just here staring at Grand Duchess Rubina like I am now!”
Julia Helena rested her chin on her arm and stared out the carriage window, feeling depressed. In fact, she didn't think her father was the problem.
Julia Helena was convinced her father would never abandon her. And, in truth, she had no interest in the Manchike duchy. Just give it to anyone.
The place she wanted to live was the bustling and sophisticated San Carlo, the heart of the mighty Etruscan nation, not Manchike, stuck in the Latgalian countryside.
But will Cesare really accept Julia Helena, who cannot inherit the kingdom?
Even now, when he considered her the heiress of the Manchike principality with a dowry of 72,000 ducats and the sole heir to the Manchike principality, Grand Duke Cesare showed no interest in her.
Irene, who was watching this scene from the front row without making a sound, felt sick.
"Your Highness. If you are unable to inherit the kingdom, will Grand Duchess Grand Duchess, whom you trust so steadfastly, abandon you?"
“No. That woman can’t do that.”
Julia Helena replied irritably. She thought to herself that with the 7,200 ducats she had already paid in advance and the 10,000 ducats she had, she would be a worthy bride for Grand Duke Cesare, if not Prince Alfonso.
Rubina knows her son's market value very well. No matter where she goes, Grand Duchess Rubina can't find a better daughter-in-law than the current Princess Julia Helena. However, the son of the family disagrees with his mother's opinion. Irene pointed this out sharply.
"Your Highness, let's say your mother-in-law is like that. What's your husband's opinion?"
“...”
“Are you going to spend your whole life with that old Grand Duchess? Do you really like that woman that much? No way!”
Julia Helena leaned against the windowsill, her arms crossed, and buried her head between them. She didn't want to hear any more.
“Your Highness, let’s make a promise.”
Irene, who couldn't stand to watch, made a suggestion.
“Before we leave Taranto, make a decision.”
“...What?”
Taranto was a port city. It was a thriving trading port, and it was ruled by the Duke Bianca, a young woman with a special bond with Prince Alfonso.
Politics is a living thing, but Princess Julia Helena, who suddenly emerged as a potential marriage partner for Cesare, was likely a target Prince Alfonso's faction would want to banish. They didn't even need the Duke of Taranto's active cooperation. All they had to do was simply turn a blind eye.
Viscountess Panamere was confident that he could smuggle one of Princess Julia Helena out of the Etruscan kingdom, with or without Leo III's permission.
But even that required some cooperation from the Princess herself. She'd even prepared a boat, so if she ran away on her own like last time... then any subsequent escape attempts would be truly difficult.
“If you can win the heart of Grand Duke Cesare while the Etruscan royal family winters in Taranto, I will fully support you.”
“...Really?”
"Yes. I will persuade His Excellency the Marquis in our homeland of the merits of Grand Duke Cesare, and report in detail on the current state of affairs in the Etruscan Kingdom and the benefits we can gain by siding with Grand Duke Cesare."
Julia Helena's face began to glow. But Irene, Viscountess of Panamere, raised a finger to stop the princess.
“No, don’t get excited yet. This is only assuming that the Princess has won the heart of Grand Duke Cesare.”
The Princess asked with a frown.
“What is the standard for winning someone’s heart?”
Oh, my. Our princess is really smart. I thought she'd run out to see the Grand Duke.
Irene did not know that the Grand Duke was missing.
“It’s a proposal.”
Irene quickly added an additional condition, fearing that Julia Helena might get strange hopes.
“To be precise, His Excellency the Marquis of Sinadenos opposes the marriage with the Grand Duke, and if the Princess and the Grand Duke were to marry now, not only would you lose their dowry, but you would also lose your position as successors to the Manchike kingdom.”
Julia Helena's face contorted. But Irene couldn't relax her conditions any further.
“If you get married in secret and then your in-laws find out that you won’t receive a dowry or inheritance, what will become of you, Princess?”
Isn't that the very definition of persecution? If it were Grand Duchess Rubina, she might not even give her food.
"If the Grand Duke says he'll take you with him out of love, you'll live with him in a land where there's no place to hide. This is truly the bare minimum."
The Princess had no rebuttal.
"You'll be in Taranto until spring, won't you? At least three months. If you don't get a confession within that time, that man isn't meant for you anyway."
Julia Helena looked up at the sky through the carriage window without answering.
It was a silent affirmation.
The beautiful full moon was shining brightly.
'...Will he like me, who has nothing?'
Julia Helena fervently prayed to the moon that true love would indeed exist, and that Cesare and she were a match made in heaven.
“Felicite!”
The two women's reunion was swift. Normally, bringing an unmarried young lady as a maid required her father's permission, but Felicite's father, the Viscount Elba, sent her, still unmarried after coming of age, to a convent with a small donation. This was tantamount to expelling her from the family.
Alfonso, who learned of the situation, only notified the Viscount of Elba, who was in Taranto, and sent someone straight to the convent where Felicite was staying.
"Ari!"
Felicite, her face thin and emaciated, looked at the other person with a face brimming with joy. Ariadne embraced Felicite warmly.
“It must have been hard coming here!”
Felicite was nothing but bones. She wasn't a large woman to begin with, but she was thin as a thorn, with almost no volume.
“No, thanks to you sending a nice carriage, I came very comfortably.”
The hardships she endured at the convent were vivid in her mind, yet she said nothing of them. Felicite, always positive, remained unchanged. She smiled, her face brimming with gratitude toward her friend.
“The smell of San Carlo is so good.”
The Viscount of Elba sent Felicite to a convent quite far away, as the provincial convents would accept young noblewomen of unmarried age with a smaller donation.
Usually, even if a daughter is sent to a convent, she is sent to the outskirts of San Carlo so that the family can frequently check on her and take care of her. This was a scene that showed how cruel a father he was and how desperate the Elba family was.
“From now on, stay here with me.”
“Your Highness, let’s make a promise.”
Irene, who couldn't stand to watch, made a suggestion.
“Before we leave Taranto, make a decision.”
“...What?”
Taranto was a port city. It was a thriving trading port, and it was ruled by the Duke Bianca, a young woman with a special bond with Prince Alfonso.
Politics is a living thing, but Princess Julia Helena, who suddenly emerged as a potential marriage partner for Cesare, was likely a target Prince Alfonso's faction would want to banish. They didn't even need the Duke of Taranto's active cooperation. All they had to do was simply turn a blind eye.
Viscountess Panamere was confident that he could smuggle one of Princess Julia Helena out of the Etruscan kingdom, with or without Leo III's permission.
But even that required some cooperation from the Princess herself. She'd even prepared a boat, so if she ran away on her own like last time... then any subsequent escape attempts would be truly difficult.
“If you can win the heart of Grand Duke Cesare while the Etruscan royal family winters in Taranto, I will fully support you.”
“...Really?”
"Yes. I will persuade His Excellency the Marquis in our homeland of the merits of Grand Duke Cesare, and report in detail on the current state of affairs in the Etruscan Kingdom and the benefits we can gain by siding with Grand Duke Cesare."
Julia Helena's face began to glow. But Irene, Viscountess of Panamere, raised a finger to stop the princess.
“No, don’t get excited yet. This is only assuming that the Princess has won the heart of Grand Duke Cesare.”
The Princess asked with a frown.
“What is the standard for winning someone’s heart?”
Oh, my. Our princess is really smart. I thought she'd run out to see the Grand Duke.
Irene did not know that the Grand Duke was missing.
“It’s a proposal.”
Irene quickly added an additional condition, fearing that Julia Helena might get strange hopes.
“To be precise, His Excellency the Marquis of Sinadenos opposes the marriage with the Grand Duke, and if the Princess and the Grand Duke were to marry now, not only would you lose their dowry, but you would also lose your position as successors to the Manchike kingdom.”
Julia Helena's face contorted. But Irene couldn't relax her conditions any further.
“If you get married in secret and then your in-laws find out that you won’t receive a dowry or inheritance, what will become of you, Princess?”
Isn't that the very definition of persecution? If it were Grand Duchess Rubina, she might not even give her food.
"If the Grand Duke says he'll take you with him out of love, you'll live with him in a land where there's no place to hide. This is truly the bare minimum."
The Princess had no rebuttal.
"You'll be in Taranto until spring, won't you? At least three months. If you don't get a confession within that time, that man isn't meant for you anyway."
Julia Helena looked up at the sky through the carriage window without answering.
It was a silent affirmation.
The beautiful full moon was shining brightly.
'...Will he like me, who has nothing?'
Julia Helena fervently prayed to the moon that true love would indeed exist, and that Cesare and she were a match made in heaven.
***
“Felicite!”
The two women's reunion was swift. Normally, bringing an unmarried young lady as a maid required her father's permission, but Felicite's father, the Viscount Elba, sent her, still unmarried after coming of age, to a convent with a small donation. This was tantamount to expelling her from the family.
Alfonso, who learned of the situation, only notified the Viscount of Elba, who was in Taranto, and sent someone straight to the convent where Felicite was staying.
"Ari!"
Felicite, her face thin and emaciated, looked at the other person with a face brimming with joy. Ariadne embraced Felicite warmly.
“It must have been hard coming here!”
Felicite was nothing but bones. She wasn't a large woman to begin with, but she was thin as a thorn, with almost no volume.
“No, thanks to you sending a nice carriage, I came very comfortably.”
The hardships she endured at the convent were vivid in her mind, yet she said nothing of them. Felicite, always positive, remained unchanged. She smiled, her face brimming with gratitude toward her friend.
“The smell of San Carlo is so good.”
The Viscount of Elba sent Felicite to a convent quite far away, as the provincial convents would accept young noblewomen of unmarried age with a smaller donation.
Usually, even if a daughter is sent to a convent, she is sent to the outskirts of San Carlo so that the family can frequently check on her and take care of her. This was a scene that showed how cruel a father he was and how desperate the Elba family was.
“From now on, stay here with me.”
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