Chapter 94
The Tragedy of The Villainess
âItâs finally here! Itâs finally here!â
Susan exclaimed with a look of excitement on her face. Ben looked gleeful and bemused.
âIt came exceptionally fast, didnât it? Itâs a serious matter that usually takes a year.â
âDoes it have something to do with the fact that Berg didnât participate in the battle to defeat the demons of Duke Howard this time?â
âI kind of have a feeling about that too. Susan.â
Linon, who was listening, nodded.
âIt seems that Duke Howard whined to Queen Ezekiel, and she told the Emperor. If you turn your back on Berg, only Howard will lose out.â
âPlease use honorifics, Linon.â
Linon replied to Susanâs harsh words with a serious face.
âLady Susan . I think that in the Berg, only His Highness and the Lady should have the honorific title.â
Susan and Ben stared at each other.
âThatâs true.â
âI know.â
It only took a moment for them to be persuaded. If nothing else, they felt very good. How pleased Martha and Joanna in the green manor would be to hear this. It had been several weeks since Lesche and Seria failed to visit the laurel manor due to the combination of the Kellydenâs inheritance and the retaking of the Connes Plain.
âHis Highness and the young lady said they would be at the manor this week.â
âIt has been a long time since I have followed them.â
Seria and Lesche had not yet been told of this wonderful news. This was because they had both just returned from the Connes Plain. Seria took a bath and fainted in the tub, while Abigail carried her into bed.
âHis Highness is in a meeting at the moment, is he not?â
âYes. But this is a very important document, so Iâm going to show it to him right away.â
âI didnât know Linon was so good at his job.â
âWell, congratulations on being alive to be praised by Lady Susan.â
âIf it werenât for the young lady, this day would never come.â
âThatâs exactly what Susan said. The Lady saved us all.â
Linon immediately gave a tired expression.
Linon looked immediately tired.
âAnyway, if you get involved in the Grand Dukeâ¦.Iâm going up now.â
Linon walked up to the main conference hall with a golden envelope containing the emperorâs approval. It was a small meeting to decide what would happen after the Connes Plain was retaken. It was a meeting of only Bergâs main vassals.
If it was a medium-sized meeting or larger, Linon would have to assist, but for a small meeting like this, he didnât have to participate unless it was necessary. Lesche was a very efficient owner, and it made Linon feel good to be able to deliver such pleasant news.
Linon went up excitedly.
âYour Highness, I have received documents from the royal family.â
âFrom the royal family?â
Lesche asked as he received the golden envelope.
âWhen did it arrive?â
âThis morning.â
The golden envelope was stamped with the emperorâs seal, a precious object that, according to custom, should have been delivered as soon as Lesche returned to the castle. But Linon brought it up lateâ¦.
âYouâre being lazy, arenât you?â
âMy priorities are clear. Your Highness.â
As Linon had expected, Lesche didnât seem to have any intention of blaming him. Linon was a chief aide who, like the fox, had a good grasp of the habits of such an owner. The fact that Lesche Berg was the only nobleman in the entire Glick Empire who could be so rude to the imperial family made Linon hang up his beloved cleaning kit.
Linon didnât open the document, but he heard the imperial court officer who brought it to him start the conversation very politely.
âItâs an official approval for the marriage of the Grand Duke Berg and the Grand Duchess.â
Lescheâs hand, which was unwittingly tearing off the seal, stopped for a moment. A pretty long pause. He looked down at the envelope again, then released the seal at the same speed as before and pulled out the thick document inside. The top-quality paper had a faint blue tint to it.
Lesche slowly opened his mouth when he saw the writing on it.
âItâs really true.â
The vassals, who had been watching breathlessly, became excited.
âIs it really from the Emperor?â
âI didnât expect it to come so soon!â
âFor generations, a Grand Dukeâs marriage must take a year to get acceptance!â
âApparently, the Duke of Howardâ¦.â
The vassals, being vassals, did their best to grasp the Emperorâs thoughts. Linon opened his mouth.
âMarriage acceptances are also down, so you have to go to the Capital once this year.â
Lesche wasnât much of a socialite. So he just came as a courtesy.
He always went late. When the social community was at their quietest, the emperor would personally invite him to come, but he would just⦠come late.
âIâll go next month.â
âWhat?â
Linon opened his eyes wide. Because Lesche hadnât been to the Capital much in the winter, when social activities were in full swing.
Because he was uncomfortable to go among the nobles who were willing to bite even the nicest and most attractive young potential grooms throughout the empire.
âFix the mansion in the Capital as soon as possible.â
âYes, Your Highness. I will contact them immediately today.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âShould I change the garden over there?â
âLady Seria will die of overwork.â
âThen leave it alone.â
Lesche, who said so, added with a slight frown on his forehead.
âIf Seria wants to, give it to her.â
âYes, Your Highness. Still, there will be no place for major maintenance.â
Lesche said, looking at the papers as Linon sorted them out.
âSend someone to clean up.â
Then he frowned.
âSend all the gardeners to the imperial residence as well. It would be a good idea to tidy up beforehand.â
âYes, Your Highness.â
âSend Ben and Susan to the Imperial Mansion first. Itâs better for command if the butler and head maid are there.â
âIâll let them know.â
âSend Ben first and Susan later, since Seria will need to be attended to.â
âYes, Your Highness.â
Linon was wise enough not to mention how many servants there were in the imperial mansion. Of course, he knew well that Ben and Susan were close to Seria, and how could Lesche not know?
âThere is one hunting ground near the Capital, tell them to take a look beforehand. Seria likes to ride horses.â
âYes. Would you like to release some of the beasts as well?â
âHave you gone mad?â
âIâm sorry.â
Linon quickly stepped aside. But inwardly, he was frustrated. To be honest, Seria didnât seem that weak objectively. Linonâs mind was strongly imprinted with the strength of Seria, who had pulled him out from the grasp of the demons without fainting or running away.
Whatâs more, she had become a 180 degree different person. But up until a year ago, Seriaâs supreme evil wasâ¦.
It was the best⦠She seemed to have forgotten everything. Linon wanted good things to be good.
âIâll have to pay a visit to the royal family.â
ââYes, Your Highness, as is customary, you must have an audience with the Emperor as soon as possible. Shall I inform the Lady of this?â
âOkay.â
Lesche said while tapping the chairâs armrest with her fingers.
âI think Seria likes that designer from last time.â
âYes. She likes designer Begoniaâs work.â
âCall her in advance.â
âAll right, Your Highness. By the way, this is the social season of the Capital. Rather, I think it would be much more efficient to go to the Imperial mansion and call for Designer Begonia, donât you?â
âAsk Seria what she wants, then let her decide.â
âI will ask her right away.â
The vassals, who had been listening quietly, blinked and exchanged glances. When their gazes his, Linon gave them all a knowing look.
A few moments later, the vassals rushed out of the meeting hall and seized Linon.
âWe must present the Grand Duke with a gift, I suppose.â
âBut, would it be alright for us to send personal gifts to the Grand Duchess?â
At the question, Linon tilted his head.
âWhat do you mean âpersonalâ?â
They seemed afraid that Seria would say she didnât like the gift and throw it against the wall and break it.
âI donât know about before, but the Grand Duchess isnât very violent now.â
âNo, itâs not thatâ¦â
The vassals cleared their throats.
âI was a little worried that if I sent something thatâs not in the eyes, His Highness would get angryâ¦..â
ââ¦â
Linon recalled his conversation with Lesche for a while. Yes⦠he understood. It must have been an unfamiliar sight to them. He was used to Lesche for a long time that he hadnât noticed, but Linon cleared his throat.
âHis Highness is â¦.. not that bad.â
He said this out of courtesy, but Linon secretly sympathized.
âActually, I suppose he seems that way.â
***
Ben and Susan formed a meeting.
âBen, shall we talk to His Highness about it later? Why donât we have another wedding?â
âThatâs a really good idea. Susan.â
âI heard from the Haneton ladies, the Lady, no. We have to call her Grand Duchess from now on. The wedding ceremony was prepared in such a splendid way to welcome the Grand Duchess.â
The matter was to thicken the pride of those in the green manor.
âPreparing more flashy than that is not a thing in Berg.â
Ben nodded. The neatly dressed butler added his thoughtful opinion.
âAnd letâs send out invitations to all the leading nobles, with the exception of the Kellyden.â
âThatâs a great idea. Iâll take the opportunity to mention it later. We can talk about it in six months or so.â
âHis Highness doesnât like to hear reports that repeat over and over, so that would be a good time.â
Ben and Susan didnât know specifically what Seria had been through in the Kellyden mansion. However, the duels were strictly recorded. Throwing gloves in a crowded place was not an informal but an official record.
It had been recorded that His Royal Highness the Grand Duke won a duel challenge against the First son of Kellyden, and also that knight Abigail won against the Knight Commander of Kellyden.
A quick glance gave him an estimate.
That Seria did not receive any hospitality at Kellyden.
Ben and Susan didnât know any details. Such things were beyond the subject matter, and in case it mattered, the relationship between Berg and Kellyden had taken the worst of it.
However, it was easy to grasp the situation between families. It was basic knowledge. Although Ben and Susan were voluntarily detained in the green manor for a long time, they were loyal to Berg.
And they were busy. The orders given by Lesche had been spread to the mansion by Linon, and by all accountsâ¦..the orders were all for Seria.
Ben made sure that all the abundant flowers he had raised in the glass greenhouse were brought to the mansion for celebration.
There was no need to explain how expensive winter flowers were. It wasnât enough that the expensive flowers adorned the mansion in a spectacular way, he even ordered more.
At the same time, the vassals and servants who came and went were also excited. The Berg mansion itself was not winter-like but filled with a pleasant atmosphere.