After smoothly inheriting the throne, Jeremiah had returned to his usual daily routine.
So, what would normally have been a peaceful afternoon, he was now standing in the middle of the garden in the west wing of Parma Palace, looking up at the castle walls with an annoyed expression.
Even during the king’s visit, the technicians didn’t stop their hammering. Jeremiah closed his eyes tightly at the banging noise coming from above.
“The astronomers seem quite interested in this upcoming total solar eclipse.”
“I understand, but do they need to be doing all this so far in advance?”
Philip burst into laughter at Jeremiah’s voice, which barely suppressed his irritation.
“Well. They say it’s a total solar eclipse that happens once every hundred years, so it’s understandable that those who study the stars would be excited. If I may offer some advice, I recommend not making comments like that to them. You know how terrifying scholars’ pride can be, don’t you?”
Indeed he did.
Parma not only invested heavily in scholars but was also a country that revered learning. Having studied under scholars since childhood, Jeremiah was well aware of the unfortunate incidents that could occur when their lofty pride was wounded.
“Speaking of which, Your Majesty, I forgot to give you this.”
Jeremiah, who had been clicking his tongue inwardly, turned his gaze to the letter Philip handed him. More precisely, his eyes fixed on the sender’s name written neatly on the envelope.
Anne Yenolam.
While Anne was a common name, Yenolam? He laughed at the princess’s terrible naming skills.
However, his gently curved smile gradually disappeared as he read the contents of the letter.
“…What is this?”
In response to his bewildered reaction, Philip, standing beside him, casually glanced at the letter. After reading it, he eventually said with an unconcerned face:
“That’s good news. The more people willing to help, the better.”
Despite this simple and clear reply, the hand holding the letter began to tremble uncontrollably.
“Good news? The Grand Duke… that brutish man knows all about our plan!”
Ah, my head hurts. Just thinking about it made his head throb. Jeremiah groaned, holding his forehead. Philip slightly furrowed his brow.
“Is it really much of a ‘plan’? It’s not like we’re plotting some grand treason. We’re simply trying to properly reveal the late emperor’s will.”
Philip didn’t feel particularly favorable toward that man either, but in truth, the Grand Duke was now offering to help the princess, not them.
So there was no need to project old emotions into this. After all, the relationship between the princess and Parma was merely one where they used each other as means to an end.
“Even if it’s a trick, we won’t suffer any consequences, Your Majesty. If the Empire demands accountability, we can simply draw the line and say it was all the princess’s scheme alone.”
“…”
“Your Majesty. Please make one thing clear.”
Philip suddenly put on a grave face toward Jeremiah, who maintained his silence.
“You haven’t developed some ridiculous feelings for the Imperial Princess, have you?”
“What?”
“I’m sure that’s not the case, but I believe Your Majesty knows better than anyone that it absolutely must not happen.”
Though his words expressed loyalty, their underlying meaning was no different from a warning. Don’t let personal emotions ruin the mission – that was the essence of it.
“Our goal is solely the revival of Parma. If we can use the princess to obtain Ricata, that would be ideal, but when the time comes to discard her, you must do so without hesitation.”
“Philip.”
“If things go wrong, the conflict must end as a family dispute within the imperial household. It absolutely, absolutely must not escalate into a war with Parma.”
Philip spoke in a very stern tone.
Jeremiah may now be a king of a nation, but Philip had watched him since he was a very young boy.
And Jeremiah was compassionate. While certainly a virtue as a human being, it was not so as a ruler. Excessive sentiment would ultimately hasten his own downfall.
“Do you understand my meaning?”
Jeremiah frowned. Philip stepped back and concluded respectfully.
“It’s not that I don’t trust Your Majesty. It’s just that I know how foolish a man in love can become, so please don’t be too angry.”
“But I…!”
Jeremiah, who was about to raise his voice, bit his lip firmly for a moment.
After calming his excitement, he spoke in a subdued voice.
“Anyway. The princess and I are absolutely not like that. She is certainly a good collaborator. But what I want is to annex Ricata’s territory to Parma, nothing more, nothing less.”
Only then did Philip bow his head with a satisfied expression, but Jeremiah’s face, which had already hardened into a grim look, did not soften.
Romantic feelings? That’s ridiculous.
She was certainly beautiful, but Jeremiah wasn’t so dull as to be captivated by mere beauty and ruin their endeavor. At least, that’s what he thought of himself.
Apart from romantic feelings, as a human being, he simply wished that Sienna wouldn’t experience the same misfortune she had suffered during the late emperor’s death.
But would it be the same after they succeeded?
For a fleeting moment, Jeremiah imagined himself and Sienna after successfully obtaining Ricata. The image of the two of them standing as sovereign and vassal made him feel strange just by imagining it.
As Philip said, the princess was clearly outside his boundary. Nevertheless, she was also the one closest to the edge of that boundary.
If she succeeded in taking one step forward, his world would inevitably face change as well.
It was then that Jeremiah, lost in thought, sensed something odd.
“Wait.”
Jeremiah’s gaze suddenly turned back to those installing the observatory on the roof.
“…When is the Empire’s hunting festival usually held?”
“As far as I know, it’s held throughout the second week of the last month of the year at the Sendelk Mountain villa, but why do you suddenly ask about that?”
Philip, who had answered with a suspicious face, sighed when there was no response.
“But this emperor seems somewhat different. There’s some discontent among the imperial nobles because he eliminated night hunting.”
Jeremiah nodded.
“Did you find out about the matters I mentioned before?”
“Yes, I asked the healers, and they said if someone can’t function at night, it’s likely not a mild condition.”
It was then that Philip gained an unexpected realization. His eyes suddenly widened as if they would pop out.
“Come to think of it…”
His gaze turned toward those installing the observatory on the castle wall. When his surprised face returned to its normal position, the young king’s lips curled up into a grin.
“It seems the heavens are on our side.”
****
“Do you happen to remember my healer’s name?”
Dahlia, who had been nodding off in the silence, jerked her head up in surprise. The calm voice was more effective at waking her than the shock of the carriage jolting.
Dahlia blinked with a face still not fully awake.
“The healer…?”
“Her name is Jane. She came with me from Lopwell and stays with me.”
“Ah, I see.”
“She’s skilled in healing arts and knowledgeable about herbs, so she’s been quite helpful.”
Suddenly, the conversation turned to trivial matters. While Dahlia wasn’t sure how to respond, Sienna slightly raised the corners of her mouth.
“So it would be better if we told that version of the story. If we say the Grand Duke, concerned about your ankle, sent along a healer skilled in healing arts, the people at the count’s mansion will lower their guard.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Dahlia realize that the detailed story was about establishing a cover story. They needed to avoid having the Princess’s identity exposed at the Duke’s residence. Drawing unnecessary attention would do them no good.
“The carriage will wait at a location slightly removed from the Duke’s residence. So we can return to the Grand Duke’s residence as soon as we find the will. You do know where the ledger is, right?”
Dahlia nodded, blinking her eyes rapidly, still not fully awake.
“It’s in the study on the top floor of the westernmost annex of the Duke’s residence. It’s practically my uncle’s corruption warehouse.”
Sienna laughed softly at the expression “corruption warehouse,” but Dahlia was quite serious.
“Except for my uncle, no one is allowed to freely enter and leave that place, so it probably won’t be easy to get in. So… I think it won’t be particularly dangerous if we’re just careful about getting in.”
Dahlia tried to act bold and imposing. Though her face clearly showed tension about the upcoming situation, Sienna decided to pretend not to notice.
Since continuing this conversation wouldn’t have a positive effect on either of their mental states, Sienna changed the subject.
“If you succeed in finding the will and catching the Duke off guard, what do you plan to do afterward?”
Dahlia scratched her cheek with an embarrassed expression. Her face, which had been frozen with tension until just now, relaxed.
“Nothing’s been decided for certain yet, but… I’m thinking of going to Chesperl to live. If things go smoothly, the inheritance I’ll recover should be substantial, so funds won’t be an issue.”
As she continued speaking, Dahlia’s pale cheeks gradually turned rosy. A castle by the beach with white sand and endless gold coins – just thinking about it made for a happy future.
Until now, she had never thought of it as hers, so it had only sounded unfamiliar, but now that she was trying to stand on her own, nothing made her feel more secure.
Since it’s a famous tourist city known for its beaches, using the castle for lodging business might be good, and it might also be nice to leave the empire for a while and travel to various kingdoms on the Kralto continent.
Either way, her heart swelled with excitement as she thought about the future.
