As befitting its nickname, the cursed land, Agante experienced many unpredictable weather phenomena.
The people living there generally fell into two categories: those born there or those exiled there.
Those born in Agante, unless they had a special constitution, found it difficult to survive elsewhere. It was only natural, as the temperature difference was so extreme.
Such individuals typically served at the border as guards. While dangerous, the pay was high, allowing them to work briefly and prepare for the future.
In a similar vein, lower-class individuals from external regions often crossed into Agante. After all, enduring service in the border guard could lead to a materially prosperous life.
However, the number of those who survived was always fewer than expected.
As Enoch reminisced for a moment, he spoke to the woman he was with.
“About 20% of the profits from District 3 should be sufficient.”
District 3 accounted for a significant portion of Herventel’s agricultural region.
If they could secure 20% of the profits from there, it would be more than double the support from the previous quarter.
It felt a bit excessive, but considering the uncertainty of the land after his death, it didn’t seem overly generous.
Of course, the trust fund related to Agante had been arranged to remain independent after his death. If the stipulations in his will were implemented as written, there would be no need to worry about support for the next hundred years.
Kinas and Melinox would not abandon it either.
Even knowing this, Enoch found himself concerned about the place. It was an old habit.
Enkal replied, “I will send the profits you mentioned to Agante.”
“Right, and prepare for a territory inspection.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be Enoch himself who would go on the inspection, but rather a representative, Lord Roet, who exercised half of the rights as the acting lord.
He was an elderly count whom Kinas occasionally sent to Herventel. Enoch had appointed him as the lord’s representative, excluding certain powers related to the annex and Agante.
The count found it quite burdensome, but he couldn’t refuse. It was due to Kinas’s orders.
Kinas often warned the nobles he sent to Herventel to follow his brother’s commands closely. This warning, delivered in a manner akin to intimidation, was his peculiar way of expressing affection.
Enoch wasn’t particularly interested in it, but he didn’t recoil to the extent of not even using it.
After the count left the manor, he planned to gather the necessary personnel and follow the supply convoy to Agante.
Once there, he would first need to assess the condition of the “wall.”
No matter how much he was planning for death, it was not in his nature to abandon something that was his responsibility.
Thus, he needed to check the state of the wall and prepare a place for Letina inside it.
After his ascension, Kinas had moved her coffin from the imperial family’s cemetery to the Fourth Prince’s Palace. Enoch didn’t know what emotions drove the man to do that, nor did he want to speculate, but in any case, it was not the right thing to do. Why keep the dead so close?
He had mentioned in his will that Letina’s grave should be relocated. It was a right he exercised as her only relative.
Perhaps he should prepare a place for himself while he was at it.
That thought suddenly crossed his mind. Enoch shook off the idea as he looked down at the garden, which was losing its twilight glow. Such decisions could wait until later.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
That man must be crazy.
Juliet thought as she sat on the bed, biting her lip. He must be insane; otherwise, how could he do such a thing?
“The Grand Duke said he would record that land as the land of the little queen.”
The words of her maid lingered in her mind. It was only natural.
The little queen.
It was the nickname for the Princess of Rosenta. Juliet recalled an island that belonged to her. That island, named after Urgas, a hero now gone, was a very important island for the Princesses of Rosenta.
The princesses lived in the palace until their late teens and then moved to that island when they came of age. It was to hide the hereditary illness that was a secret of the royal family.
Of course, the illness was not inherited by all the princesses, so some lived peaceful lives there until they aged and died.
However, some princesses fell ill and met their end there.
When a sick princess passed away, one of her maidens who resembled her most would act as her substitute. It was a deception meant to show people.
Juliet also knew that after she died, one of her maidens would play her role.
“No one will take your place.”
When she was young, Driene had comforted her, saying this while soothing her sister, who cried in fear of the unknown future. You won’t fall ill, and you’ll live in the palace with your brother, not on the island. I’ll take care of you until your hair turns gray, so don’t worry. It was more a wish of Driene’s than a promise.
But now Juliet understood. She would die in Herventel, and the maiden who resembled her most would live the rest of her life in her name.
Of course, she had married a foreigner, so she would have to deal with some minor issues related to that, but Juliet knew her homeland’s customs wouldn’t change.
Would they annul her marriage with the man or get a divorce?
She didn’t know much about that, but Juliet thought the man wouldn’t live with her substitute. It wasn’t so much that there was trust between them, but rather a conviction born from what she had seen and felt.
In any case, her father would handle that matter.
Royal marriages were like that from the start. Everything was done according to the king’s wishes.
Imagining the events that would unfold after her death made her feel gloomy.
Sitting curled up with her cheeks resting on her knees, Juliet suddenly lifted her head. It occurred to her that such matters were not what she should be thinking about right now.
The land of the little queen.
Just thinking about the name the man had given it made her blush involuntarily. Juliet wiped her flushed cheeks with her hand.
Naming a region after someone held significant meaning. Historically, kings with strong desires for conquest would name lands after themselves, and among romantic lovers, it had been fashionable to gift islands or lakes named after each other as wedding presents.
So her brother must have asked that way.
Driene must have thought she had pressured the man into acquiring that land.
But I swear I never did. Juliet tightened her arms around her knees. The man was not her lover, and they were not close enough to engage in such matters.
Why did he do something without even being asked?
Frustration welled up inside her. Juliet rested her chin on her knees.
As she tried to calm her emotions, a maid approached her. It was late, and she was there to light the lanterns.
Watching the maid’s skilled hands out of the corner of her eye, Juliet asked, “Has the Grand Duke not returned yet?”
She felt it was necessary to have a conversation with the man. From Driene’s visit to the name of the land, there were many things on her mind.
However, the maid gave a disappointing response with an apologetic expression.
“I haven’t heard any news of his return yet.”
“Where on earth could he have gone that he hasn’t come back yet?”
Her question was tinged with a hint of irritation.
Although she didn’t want to admit it, Juliet was waiting for the man.
Yet he hadn’t told her where he was going or when he would be back.
If it were any other time, she wouldn’t have cared, but in this situation, it felt quite unfair to her.
She was stuck in the room while he roamed around as he pleased.
But the maid again provided an unsatisfactory answer.
“I haven’t heard anything related, so I don’t know either.”
Then go find out. The words rose to her throat, but Juliet kept her mouth shut. She didn’t want to give the impression that she was looking for him.
In the end, she turned her head in annoyance.
“Fine.”
After that, Juliet didn’t ask about the man’s whereabouts anymore.
The more she thought about it, the more it strangely hurt her pride. Why should she go looking for him?
In fact, there were plenty of other things to worry about. Recently, the maids had been overly concerned with making her healthy. Following their rhythm, taking medicine, listening to book readings, and having conversations made the days pass quickly.
He must have left some words behind.
After swallowing her medicine, Juliet thought as she rolled the candy the maid had given her in her mouth.
Otherwise, everyone wouldn’t be so enthusiastic. The maids of Rosenta were devoted to their mistress, but Juliet found their current level of passion unusual.
It was as if everyone was harboring some kind of hope.
From her position, knowing well about her own fate, it felt strange. Yet that energy was indeed helpful. Juliet had been having quite good days lately. She managed to get up without assistance and had started to try eating things she couldn’t stomach before.
These were positive changes she hadn’t experienced since falling ill.
Whenever she felt that she had changed, Juliet couldn’t help but envision small futures, even while knowing about the royal family’s illness.
If she tried just a little harder, she might be able to go out to see the garden.
Sometimes, when she caught glimpses of flowers and trees outside the window, such thoughts crossed her mind.
Of course, there were many flowers in her room as well. It seemed that the man had made arrangements before leaving the mansion, as Juliet received the most beautiful blooms from that day, regardless of his presence.
However, she now wanted to see flowers that were alive and unbroken.
