Chapter 82
The festival had ended. Though some had left early due to unexpected events, soon everyone seemed to forget the tragedy and enjoyed the festival before returning to their territories. The king hadn’t left yet. Spencer Grimaldi also remained in Palesa. According to plan, he too should have returned to Grimaldi.
“Still haven’t found them?”
Adrian Grimaldi was officially deceased. The same was true for Adrina Grimaldi. But only one child was actually dead.
Spencer Grimaldi had made inquiries everywhere to recover his child but couldn’t find even the smallest clue. No trace remained, as if they had truly died. By this point, one might believe them truly dead, but everyone must know she was alive and well.
“I apologize.”
“What do you have to be sorry for? Just do your job properly.”
“…”
Woodpecker remained suspicious. But had there been any close relationship between him and her?
From what he’d heard, Adi had been preparing to leave even before it became known that they had killed Luigi. Though the timing of their departure was coincidental, Adi Grimaldi wasn’t among them. Even for a ducal house, they wouldn’t have conducted a careless search when a royal person and marquis had died.
“Find them somehow.”
Spencer said, looking at Lev Jid.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Spencer didn’t care whether Lev Jid wanted revenge on Adrina or something else. It wouldn’t be bad to add one talented person to the Grimaldi bloodline. Though their low status was a problem, since it would be a relationship with someone supposedly dead, they couldn’t wield power in Grimaldi anyway.
“…If I may be so bold…”
“Enough, I don’t want to hear excuses.”
However, failing to do the job was a problem.
“I plan to stop by Grimaldi before going to Ionad, but since you failed in your role, forget about your hometown and search for their traces here, then come to Ionad when the time comes.”
“Understood.”
Lev Jid answered, bowing his head. Spencer looked at him with displeasure before rising.
This was his last day staying in the residence provided by the Duke. Before heading to Grimaldi, he needed to pay his respects to the king. Though the king hadn’t been meeting Spencer, he seemed to want to see him one last time before his departure. After all, he would be going to Ionad anyway.
Spencer walked through the corridor. Then he saw Lady Connolly approaching from the opposite direction. Unlike Spencer who was alone, Lady Connolly was accompanied by her maids and frowned immediately upon seeing Spencer Grimaldi. She had worn mourning clothes throughout the festival. Everyone knew she was passively expressing her resentment.
She too didn’t believe Adrian Grimaldi had killed Luigi. The Count’s actions were simply strange. However, like her nephew had died, so had the Count’s son. What was he trying to gain by killing even his own child?
“We meet again, Count.”
“My lady.”
“You’re still in Palesa.”
“I’ll be heading to Ionad soon.”
Lady Connolly smiled. So those rumors were true after all. Claude had taken Grimaldi’s hand. The hand his father had let go. Did he not know why the king had distanced himself from Grimaldi? What a ruthless person. To think he would crawl back to Ionad again.
“What are your plans, my lady?”
“I must go to Ionad as well.”
Lady Connolly said, looking outside. The rain had stopped as soon as the festival ended. As if signaling that summer had truly arrived. Though the beautiful green garden was visible, her heart felt cold like the blowing wind. There was nothing left to believe in.
“Since Duke Woodpecker is coming, shouldn’t we put our trust in him now?”
“You say the Duke is going to Ionad?”
“Yes.”
“How curious that he’s coming now, when he used to hate Ionad’s winters.”
When Spencer expressed surprise, Lady Connolly stared at him as if asking whether he didn’t know. Seeing no particular reaction, he truly seemed unaware. Well, it wouldn’t be easy to know about southern matters from Grimaldi. Lady Connolly spoke.
“He’s coming during the assembly period, not the social season.”
“…Did you say the assembly period?”
She nodded.
Woodpecker usually stayed out of central politics. Managing his territory was enough, and the king didn’t make demands that would burden him. Though tax rates increased, they were always manageable. So he rarely came to protect his territory or discuss Dalkatir’s future.
That’s not to say he had no experience at all. Spencer had seen Woodpecker in Ionad before. Woodpecker had appeared as a young boy in his early teens. And no one had listened to Woodpecker’s arguments.
He probably realized it then. That appearances were extremely important regardless of age. It wouldn’t matter now. Since he had grown.
“That Woodpecker.”
Just how had the Duke broken that curse?
“You say he’s coming to Ionad during the assembly period?”
“Yes.”
The lady confirmed.
“I hear he’s coming with a new squire. I’ve heard about Sir Bert Din’s niece. They say she’s quite beautiful, which is concerning.”
“You mean the female squire?”
“Yes. I heard they’re preparing to grant her knighthood, so she might be a knight by the time they reach Ionad.”
A female knight—preposterous. Spencer smirked.
There are differences in strength and stamina between women and men. Of course, superior technique could compensate for this to some extent, but it’s a different story when war breaks out.
Well, wars rarely happen these days. They had been frequent in his youth, but perhaps as rulers age, they prefer peace and seem uninterested in expanding territory or continuing fights. Even if they do fight, they prefer to do it sitting down in places like the assembly.
Yes, in such times, perhaps even women could become knights. After all, his daughter too had been a skilled knight. Though under his son’s name.
“It seems the Duke intends to create Dalkatir’s first official female knight.”
“That appears to be the case. A woman as a knight. She would be better off growing up pampered and marrying into a suitable family.”
“That would be difficult with Bert Din. Even if he’s currently Woodpecker’s closest confidant, he’s still of common birth.”
“That’s true. If she were at least minor nobility, she could become an adopted daughter somewhere and arrange a marriage with a good family.”
“You mentioned she’s Bert Din’s niece—does she have no surname, or has she received the Din name?”
“I heard she received the Din surname.”
Having received the Din surname meant she was a commoner. Spencer had no interest in paying attention to such minor figures. But Lady Connolly seemed to want to continue this conversation. How tiresome. Spencer raised the corner of his mouth, facing an interesting expression.
“My, my. Then she couldn’t even become an adopted daughter somewhere. That would be the highest position she could reach.”
“In terms of position, yes. But if the Duke takes her as his mistress, that’s a different story.”
“Surely the Duke has standards.”
“I’ve heard His Highness Claude, with his high standards, doesn’t discriminate between commoners and nobles.”
“…His Highness Claude may be high in status, but not in standards.”
At Spencer’s words, Lady Connolly gave a hollow laugh. She agreed, but wondered if Claude would remain quiet about such comments about someone she intended to serve.
“In any case, I should hurry and prepare. I need to get my daughter ready too.”
“So you’ve finalized the adoption.”
“…Since Woodpecker can’t be trusted right now, I need at least one person I can rely on.”
“Will Duke Woodpecker really act as you expect?”
“The Duke hardly cares about people anyway. He probably thinks it doesn’t matter who it is as long as the family is maintained. House Lintew isn’t bad.”
“If that were true, it would have succeeded several years ago.”
House Lintew’s attempts to reach out to Woodpecker had begun quite some time ago. Though nothing had worked. Lady Connolly might know this.
“Perhaps the status wasn’t sufficient then.”
That’s why they had reached out now, after having no previous relationship with House Lintew.
“Whatever the case, I must do what I can. If the Duke can be used, he should be used.”
Perhaps she wanted to grasp at any straw she could.
“Then what are your plans now, Count?”
“Well, what power do I have now? Even His Majesty is distancing himself from me.”
“But you’re supporting His Highness Claude now, aren’t you?”
“Yes, for now.”
Lady Connolly frowned. Did ‘for now’ mean it could change in the future? Bile rose in her throat at her past stupidity in trying to draw such a person to Luigi’s side.
Whatever the case, Luigi was dead, and Claude was alive. Though there were other princes and princesses, who could defeat Claude?
“This situation must be very favorable for His Highness Claude.”
Spencer smiled at Lady Connolly’s words. It would be, for now at least. Though who knew about the future.
“We might meet as enemies next time.”
“I was never on your side, my lady.”
Spencer said this, but she had once considered them allies. They had shared the same ideal vision. Just a tiny difference had created the present situation.
The problem was that everything had moved according to Spencer Grimaldi’s will. That wouldn’t happen anymore. Not when even the king had turned away.
“Then I wish the southern plains be filled with gold.”
Spencer Grimaldi said.
“May the northern snow be warm.”
“I’ll see you in Ionad.”
“Yes, Count.”
Lady Connolly answered and took her leave first. Her maids followed in unison behind her. One of them turned her head to look at Spencer. Watching Lady Connolly leave, Spencer frowned at this maid’s independent action. He couldn’t understand why she looked at him.
Was there something there?
Everything in the palace was suspicious, whether in Palesa or Ionad. When the lady had passed through the corridor and entered beyond the door, Spencer checked the time. There wasn’t much time left until his meeting with the king.
