<Episode 574> A Man's Pride
It was only then that Leo III realized the gravity of the situation and blinked. However, the arrogant King immediately waved his hand dismissively.
"Well, do you think Manchike would invade from across the sea? After all, the only child left is a daughter, and they have no choice but to listen to us..."
"Marquis Sinadenos might want the former Grand Duchess punished while bargaining over his daughter's dowry or the inheritance of the Principality of Manchike."
Lord Delpiano was about to say 'life,' but softened the word at the last minute. However, Leo III thought that even the demand for punishment was absurd.
"It would be one thing if he didn't marry off his daughter at all, but you want a mother punished for marrying her off and acting as her backer?"
"We'll only know exactly what they want once the messenger returns..."
Lord Delpiano felt that Leo III was drifting further and further away from ordinary human emotions. It is only natural for anyone to feel anger first when their child is hurt. Calculation comes second. Even he, being childless, knew that much.
However, Leo III acted as if the Princess's injury was nothing. The only problem was the disability it would cause, because it would diminish her value. Nevertheless, he calculated the gains and losses regarding the Princess's future life at the Etruscan court.
The old secretary shook his head inwardly, saying he could not understand the King, but in fact, Leo III was a truly easy person to understand.
He laid out all the facts and selectively chose only what was to his advantage. This was a lifestyle ingrained in him, so he didn't do it consciously; his mind simply gravitated in that direction automatically.
Lord Delpiano expressed his concerns while blaming the successor state to a moderate degree.
"If the Princess’s accident is concluded to have stemmed from the unilateral actions of the late Grand Duchess Pisano, the matter can be settled with the late Grand Duchess."
Leo III was losing his mind and becoming increasingly dull of reason, but he had a knack for discerning right from wrong.
"But when I look at Rubina now, you mean she can rise to my level?"
"You are wise, Your Majesty."
It was a genuine compliment he hadn't uttered in a very long time. Leo III narrowed his eyes.
Lord Delpiano naturally assumed that Leo III would distance himself from responsibility for Princess Julia Helena's boating accident. However, that was a miscalculation.
"Delpiano, are you out of your mind?!"
"Yes?"
"Even so, Rubina is my son's mother! I didn't send her even when Gallico demanded she be handed over!"
Lord Delpiano was dumbfounded and just blinked his eyes. Had this old man suddenly come back to his senses? He was actually speaking like a human being?
He pondered. Does saying "You are wise" really make one smarter?
Leo III shouted even more.
"How can I hand over Rubina, whom I didn't even send to Gallico, to a small country like the Principality of Manchike! I have my pride!"
"...Ah."
Of course, Leo III couldn't possibly have suddenly realized the meaning of family. He simply didn't want to be intimidated by Manchike in the slightest.
Just as Sir Delpiano was about to ask what to do, Leo III took the initiative and gave instructions for the next step.
"However, I will postpone meeting Rubina for the time being. The Trevero envoys are still here, after all."
"Ah, yes, yes."
Lord Delpiano deliberately kept his mouth shut, fearing that mentioning the Trevero envoys might offend the old King. However, unexpectedly, Leo III was the first to bring up the subject of Trevero.
"I'm going to refuse their request for troop deployment, so it would be troublesome if those guys in hats just went out of their way to find fault with me."
Currently, the prestige of the Holy See was high due to the success of the temple.
Philip of Gallico threatening the Holy See was, in fact, a reflection of the precarious position of Pope Justinian personally, who was merely lucky. Had Pope Louis the Great been alive, such a thing would never have been possible.
Leo III’s attempt to back out this time was also a move he made believing that Pope Justinian had not yet firmly grasped the branches of the Jesuits within Etruscany.
Furthermore, Leo III had stockpiled an endless amount of dirty laundry that would cause a headache if the Papacy started finding fault with it.
The old King was unaware that the real problem was his mistress. I am talking about the formidable Isabella, who had a fake black magician mother and was hiding a real black magician in her chambers.
However, the alchemists of the Arte Forest alone were enough for the Holy See to bother him.
If priests from various monasteries were to start sending letters of complaint denouncing the Etruscan King, the taxes, which were already difficult to collect, would become even harder to collect. That was something to be declined.
"However, please kindly guide the envoys while they are here."
"Yes? What..."
"Tell them in a somewhat elegant manner that, due to such and such circumstances, Princess Julia Helena of the Principality of Manchike is now undeniably an Etruscan, trapped with the entire Principality of Manchike and unable to escape the hands of Grand Duke Cesare of the Etruscan Kingdom. Understood?"
Leo III was satisfied, thinking that the Princess had now become prey in his grasp. The feeling of being strong is always enjoyable.
However, he could not even imagine the threat that would soon befall his country—that is, the situation in which he would be relegated to the position of the weak.
***
At the time of Queen Marguerite's death, the Kingdom of Gallico had a significant number of spies operating within the Etruscan Kingdom. This had already been confirmed by the Etruscan authorities.
Leo III was completely unaware, but the current Republic of Porto was also operating an intelligence organization within the Etruscans.
Likewise, the Etruscan Kingdom was also conducting intelligence gathering activities within the Gallico Kingdom. However, the driving force behind these activities was not Leo III, but Prince Alfonso.
It was not an organization that was easily created. It originally existed during the reign of the previous King, but Leo III abolished it at the same time he married Queen Marguerite.
It was not an act of friendship or goodwill toward the Kingdom of Gallico, but rather an act based on the thorough pragmatism of 'why bother running a separate organization at a cost when information could be obtained sufficiently through the Queen's personal gondolas.'
Prince Alfonso discovered it and rebuilt it from the ground up. He had been laying the foundation before returning from Yesak, and proceeded with the work in earnest immediately upon his return.
After the war ended, numerous knights from Gallico returned to their homeland. It was easy for foreigners to mingle among them. Alfonso made full use of this opportunity.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened."
At Sir Manfredi's words, Alfonso, who was dismounting from his horse after just finishing training, let out a light laugh.
"If you make a fuss, I won't let you get away with it."
He only cracked jokes with those very close to him. Hearing the Prince's jokes was a very happy occasion for his followers.
It was because it was an act that confirmed the strong bond between them. Therefore, Sir Manfredi was not in the mood to enjoy such things right now.
"This is a really serious matter. It is said that King Philip of Gallico is taking action."
"What?"
The smile vanished completely from Alfonso's face as well. Sir Manfredi's urgent report followed.
"It is said that he has left the Palais de Montpellier and is moving southwest, leading a guard of about 300 knights."
If it was the southwest, it was the direction of Trevero.
"Ah, at this rate, the King of Gallico will be standing right on the border of Trevero in about a week."
Alfonso let out a short groan.
"So he brought cavalry?"
"Yes, that is correct, Your Highness."
That meant Philip had absolutely no intention of riding the winter mountains.
"...It seems highly likely that the King of Gallico will cross the border and march into our territory."
Sir Manfredi dared not answer.
Both the Publius Road and the Aurelius Road, which Philip was likely to ride, were located within the Gameta territory.
Count Gameta is currently joined by the Taranto procession. That border was unclaimed territory.
"Manfredi."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Raise the alert level of the Knights of the Black Dog to the highest level. Make full preparations so that you can set out at any moment."
"That!"
***
Isabella's lucky day was not yet over. She left the balcony seats on the second floor of the San Jeronimo Shrine five minutes before the end of the Great Mass. This was because she wanted to leave the place without mingling with the crowd.
It was an act of blatant disregard for Bishop Taranto, but it was a privilege granted to her by the King.
As long as the Cardinal position of the Archdiocese of San Carlo was vacant, there was no one in the Papal See to protest on behalf of the Bishop. At least, until now. The envoys from Trevero watched with astonished faces as the King's mistress leisurely left the shrine first.
Isabella shared the privilege she had newly acquired with her new friends as well. The Marchioness of Montefeltro and the Countess of Valgio joined Countess of Contarini in her early exit
They could not enjoy the luxury of receiving separate balcony seats, so they had to commit the tremendous nuisance of pushing their way through the central rows of the first floor even while the Bishop of Taranto's sermon was in full swing.
"It is so nice to come out this early."
Countess Baljo, who had received glaring stares from the bishop, clergy, and devout believers about a hundred times while pushing her way through, said with a soft smile.
Isabella wore only a faint smile on her lips and remained silent. The King's young mistress, having heard the news that the stepson she had been eyeing was about to get married, was not in the mood for conversation.
However, the opportunity to be right next to Isabella was a surprisingly precious one. Undeterred, Countess Valgio struck up a conversation.
"It’s really pleasant not mixing with the motley crew."
Madame de Montefeltro also helped.
"I hope it continues like this in the future. Hohoho."
Barbara and Agosto followed slowly behind Isabella as if escorting her, and a few servants and relatives of the Marquis of Montefeltro and the Count of Valzo hurried after them.
"Dear Countess Contarini, about that dressmaking shop in Taranto. They are just so obedient!"
Isabella finally turned her head.
“Yes, Maxima?”
"It is the dressmaking shop in Taranto where the Countess ordered the dress. As soon as His Majesty the King’s order to prioritize the Countess’s order was received, they canceled all of Princess Julia Helena’s orders. This included not only the costumes, but also the jewelry, furs, and even the servants."
Isabella burst into laughter. In fact, she had dreaded hearing that Leo III had issued such an order to the dressmaker. There was absolutely no need to expedite the day her 'first night' dress was finished.
However, at this point, she felt completely relieved. She wanted to stab Princess Julia Helena with a needle.
Countess Baljo asked on behalf of Isabella, who had burst into laughter.
"You mean you left the servant's clothes at the dressmaking shop?"
"It seems like they have money to burn."
Madame de Montefeltro chimed in.
"To think you're going to spend gold coins like water, yet entrust them to Taranto's dressmaking shop instead of San Carlo—you really don't know how to spend money."
"She's a total country bumpkin."
The words Isabella wanted to hear flowed freely from the mouths of the Marchioness and the Countess. Isabella finally wore a satisfied smile.
It was the first genuine laugh she had shown since receiving the news about Grand Duke Cesare and Princess Julia Helena.
However, despite her haste and the support she had gathered around her, Isabella ran into a man she really didn't want to see at the southern main gate of the shrine where she had just taken her first step.
“Have you become prettier?”
His first words were a sudden, inappropriate compliment about her appearance.
"You look good, Isabella."
Her current husband, Count Ottavio de Contarini, was here in Taranto.
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