SUYF Chapter 06

Chapter 06

 

 

 

‘They must have considered it too—the fact that Lars’ reputation wasn’t just bad, but that his future was uncertain.’

It was obvious what kind of difficulties a wife and children would face when a husband with no proper foundation left them behind.

That’s why everyone likely turned away and fled. Now, the problem was what to do about Adeline, who was meant to be Lars’ bride.

Moreover, the marriage had been arranged as part of a peace policy to embrace Lechern, now a vassal state. Sending Adeline straight back to her homeland after Lars’ death wasn’t an option.

This was a time to demonstrate as much inclusiveness toward past enemies as possible.

‘Then what should be done?’

Marquis found Lechern’s situation troublesome. The Bernadotte royal family wasn’t exactly an enemy. The conflict had begun due to the long-standing rivalry between Char and Kassel.

Lechern, which shared borders with both Char and Kassel, had declared its neutrality from the start. The problem began when the war dragged on.

In search of a way to strike at Char’s rear quickly, Kassel sent a request to Lechern:

“Allow Kassel’s military base to station on your border. We will compensate you generously.”

This wasn’t a reasonable demand to make of a neutral nation.

Naturally, Lechern responded with a polite refusal. Shortly after, Kassel declared Lechern an enemy. This marked the start of Lechern being swept into the war—a punishment for their defiance. It wasn’t an issue of right or wrong against superior force.

However, having Lechern’s commander overthrow the nation and slaughter its royal family wasn’t what Marquis had envisioned. There was no need to kill Lechern’s king, who wasn’t even a rival like Char.

“This risks provoking an unnecessary backlash. The commander has acted far beyond his authority,” Marquis agreed with the council’s opinion. However, Brendan’s ambition had driven him to this point. For now, Brendan held power temporarily due to his knowledge of the chaos in Lechern.

However, individuals prone to extreme actions were often sources of trouble. Marquis planned to gradually push Brendan out of power at an opportune moment.

‘That’s a task for another time. For now, Adeline’s situation is more urgent.’

After much consideration, Marquis had tried to arrange a marriage between Adeline and a noble family close to the royal family. But every candidate expressed hesitation.

It was only after hearing from an attendant familiar with the rumors that Marquis understood the situation.

“There’s a widespread superstition that anyone close to Lady Adeline falls under the shadow of death.”

“Shadow of death?”

“Yes. Her entire family, the Bernadotte royal family, was slaughtered. Her first fiancé died in battle, and now with Prince Lars’ death, the rumors seem more convincing.”

“Hah, how ridiculous…” Marquis frowned at the report, shaking his head. People believed what they wanted to believe.

It was hard to blame anyone for not wanting to risk their future on such ominous rumors. But it wasn’t as if he could leave Adeline alone in the palace forever.

“Hmm.”

The king sighed deeply, his bearded mouth downturned. The queen, meanwhile, was still clutching Lars’ portrait, quietly weeping.

With Harvina unable to gather her strength, Marquis had no choice but to step in personally.

Ultimately, the only solution was to select a suitable match for Adeline and offer a gift so generous that refusal would be nearly impossible.

Late at night, Michael stepped out of his car with ease, greeted by his worried butler.

“You’ve returned, Count. Forgive me for saying this, but your safety should always come first. Driving without your chauffeur and speeding like that…”

The concern was the same as always. Ralph, who had lost two previous masters suddenly, couldn’t shake his worries.

“Did you know? We have this same conversation every day. Word for word,” Michael quipped with a small smile.

“Count…”

Ignoring Ralph’s deep furrows of concern, Michael climbed the stone steps confidently. Ralph followed closely behind, rattling off updates as usual. Invitations, significant events to note—nothing unusual.

Then Ralph produced an ornate envelope.

“A letter from Hart Palace addressed to you, Count.”

“The royal palace?”

“Yes, it’s an invitation with the king’s signature.”

Standing in the cool evening breeze, Michael furrowed his brow. There didn’t seem to be an obvious reason for the king to summon him.

“Dear Count Meitner,

It seems we haven’t met in a while. Consider this an informal invitation to dinner tomorrow evening at the palace.”

Michael read the brief note, the king’s signature standing out at the bottom.

The purpose of the invitation was unclear, but Michael couldn’t refuse. As he folded the letter and returned it to Ralph, an idea crossed his mind.

Was this about Adeline? Was the king searching for a new match for her?

“Perhaps…”

He pushed the thought aside, knowing he’d find out soon enough. Speculating would waste time.

“I’ll escort you upstairs, sir,” Ralph offered.

“No need. Go rest,” Michael replied, waving him off. Ralph, familiar with his master’s temperament, bowed without argument.

“Goodnight, sir. I’ll see you in the morning.”

The quiet estate glowed softly in the night. Once Michael disappeared up the stairs, Ralph finally turned to leave, still weighed down by worry.

Since the previous count and countess had passed away, Ralph often feared for Michael’s well-being. His young master bore it all stoically, managing the household and navigating turbulent times with impressive composure.

Still, Ralph couldn’t shake the sense of fragility he sensed beneath Michael’s composed demeanor.

‘He should settle down and marry soon,’ Ralph thought wistfully, wishing his master a happy, fulfilling life.

Adeline bit her lip nervously.

Since her fiancé’s sudden death, she understood her precarious situation but could do nothing about it.

Although technically a guest in the palace, her movements were restricted. Leaving the palace without permission wasn’t an option.

She had considered requesting to return to Lechern, but then what?

Her family’s wealth had been confiscated, and her former palace was inaccessible. Worse still, her nephew Colin needed continuous treatment, which would require substantial funds.

“Don’t worry about Colin’s condition, Princess. You’ve already done so much for Lechern, so I, as commander, promise to ensure his ongoing care,” Brendan had written in response to her concerns.

But when Adeline wrote back requesting permission to return home, she received no reply. Brendan, who held the power, simply ignored her.

Yesterday, however, the king’s messenger had arrived.

“His Majesty has summoned you, Lady Adeline, tomorrow evening at six. We’ll escort you then.”

“Is it a private audience with the king?”

“I don’t have any further details. I’ve delivered the message, so I’ll take my leave.”

Adeline couldn’t glean any more information from the messenger. Left alone with her thoughts, she wondered why the king wanted to see her.

‘Could he be letting me return to Lechern? Or does he have another motive?’

Anxious, she spent the night wide awake. By the next afternoon, she was pacing restlessly, checking the time repeatedly.

4:20 PM. The sunlight streaming into her room felt harsh.

4:50 PM. Each tick of the clock felt excruciatingly slow.