“I specially wore this because I was told grandfather is coming today.”
“Ah, so you wore it thinking of this old man.”
The marquis’s attitude changed abruptly. He looked at his granddaughter with moist eyes.
“Do you know how heartbroken I was when you just left without seeing me at the coronation ceremony?”
Marquis Songrad has only one child.
Theresa Songrad. Agnes and Chavolti’s mother, is his only child.
As an only daughter, Theresa was cherished like a precious gem by the Marquis.
Because of this, the Marquis had originally no intention of marrying her off to the royal family, no matter what.
However, Theresa succumbed to the enticement of the late King and became the Queen as soon as she came of age.
The marquis still gritted his teeth whenever he recalled that story.
– If it wasn’t for that dog, Theresa would …
He would often emphasize, with Agnes on his lap, that she should never, absolutely never, marry until much later.
However, as soon as her precious granddaughter became an adult, she got married, so he could not see Laslo in a good light.
“Hmm. But the western region is so barren and hot, I’m not sure our Princess will be able to live there comfortably.”
Marquis Songrad found fault with this and was arguing that the Duke is not enough.
Agnes just laughed because she knew the reason well.
“The western climate is something I can’t really control…”
“No! If you took our Princess there, you should have built an ice cave or something!”
“…I see I didn’t think it through.”
“Did you really not know that the princess would struggle in the hot summer?”
Unlike the forceful marquis, Laslo’s head sank lower and lower.
Worried that he might end up with his head buried in the ground, Agnes quickly interjected.
“I’ve been told the dinner is ready, so let’s go, Grandfather.”
“Hmm. Alright, let’s go then.”
After sending Marquis Songrad first, Agnes and Laslo walked side by side.
“Duke, are you okay?”
Somehow his complexion seemed a bit pale. Agnes suppressed a laugh.
“The marquis seems to really dislike me.”
He let out a faint sigh.
“It’s not because of you. He hated the fact that I got married.”
“Why?”
“Probably because after marriage, I’ll be going to my husband’s estate, so he won’t be able to see me as often.”
“For that reason?”
“It’s a very important reason for my grandfather. He cares so much about us.”
“It does seem that way.”
“The Songrad family has always had few children. They’ve only seen one child from generation to generation. You’d be surprised to hear how much my grandfather cherished me and Chavolti when we were little.”
“I’m already quite surprised as it is.”
Laslo replied more seriously than usual.
Agnes found his expression a little amusing and giggled.
Throughout the dinner, Marquis Songrad showed his worries and affection for Agnes.
For example, when the appetizer was served, he said:
“Do you know how well our Princess can drink?”
He bragged about his granddaughter.
“When the princess was 16 years old, she drank with me all night, and I lost. That’s when I realized it.”
“Realized what?”
“That our Princess is destined for greatness!”
“You mean her drinking capacity?”
Laslo asked with a displeased expression. Marquis Songrad narrowed his eyes.
“Isn’t that telling enough? She has an exceptional tolerance!”
The marquis even dug up the memory of Agnes outdrinking others at a young age, and his boasting went on and on, making the dinner take much longer than usual.
“Grandfather, could I have a moment to talk with you in private?”
“Of course, my dear.”
Without hesitation, Laslo stood up and left.
“He’s a good person.”
“Why are you doing this when you know it?”
“Oh, he took my granddaughter, do expect me to hug him”
“I’m doing well in the West.”
Agnes said with confidence. Marquis Songrad was speechless for a while.
“I’m so relieved to hear that. When the king said he would send the princess to the West, I was really disappointed.”
“Grandfather.”
“If I had known this would happen, I would have never let Theresa go to the palace…”
He furrowed his brow deeply as he continued with difficulty.
“If the Princess and the Prince had been raised in a regular noble family, they wouldn’t have had to worry about their lives. It’s all my fault.”
“How is that your fault, Grandfather? Cheer up.”
Agnes held the marquis’ hand tightly.
“Grandfather, did you hear about the attack on the king at the hunting ground a while ago?”
“Of course. They still haven’t found the culprit, have they?”
“Actually, it was a group of people targeting me.”
“What?”
Marquis Songrad was surprised.
“What do you mean?”
“The king must have decided to kill me.”
“Wasn’t the matter settled when you married the Duke of Arpad?”
“The family they thought had fallen into obscurity is now shining.”
“Just for that reason.”
He fell into deep thought.
“The King will definitely try to kill me. He will behead my husband and burn down the estate where I am, and hunt me down like prey until he kills me.”
Her voice conveyed unwavering certainty as she spoke of her own death.
Marquis Songrad bit his lips tightly and shook his head.
“But why would the King have to go that far? The coronation is already over.”
“Grandfather, he doesn’t kill people for a reason. He does it simply because he needs to.”
The marquis did not voice it aloud, but deep within, he agreed.
“What are you going to do?”
“I will survive.”
She spoke briefly and firmly.
“I will survive no matter what.”
“What you’re saying is…”
The marquis’ complexion changed at once. Agnes wiped the smile off her face and looked the marquis straight in the eye.
“Grandfather, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What is it?”
“Please support me.”
“Of course, that’s…”
“No matter what happens.”
At Agnes’ firm words, the Marquis Songrad shut his mouth.
It seems he finally realized what she was saying.
A brief silence fell.
Agnes didn’t rush him.
“Princess, the only kin I have left are Theresa, the Prince, and you.”
“I know, grandfather.”
The marquis looked carefully at Agnes with eyes full of nostalgia.
When she was born, wrapped in soft fabric, she was like beaming with light. He remembers it clearly, but it feels different now that she is grown up.
“I’ll do that. Songrad will support you and the Duke no matter what.”
“Good.”
Agnes stood up from her seat.
Marquis Songrad followed and grabbed his granddaughter’s small hand tightly.
“Princess.”
Yes?”
“You must live a long life. Don’t leave this old man behind first.”
The marquis walked ahead, leaving those words behind.
Agnes somehow couldn’t take her eyes off his curved back.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
As soon as they returned to the territory, Niall was waiting in front of the gate.
“Master, Madam!”
Unlike usual, he jumped up and stood in front of the carriage.
“What’s going on?”
“There’s a big problem.”
Agnes, sitting in the carriage, stood up in surprise.
“What happened?”
The couple followed the butler with serious faces.
Niall hastily led them to the warehouse.
There was an enormous number of boxes piled up.
“Niall. Did you make a fuss to show us that the gold coins came in?”
“It’s not gold coins.”
“Then what?”
Niall grinned and instructed a servant to bring one of the stacked boxes.
“Carrots.”
“Suddenly …. what carrots, no?”
Laslo was startled when Niall opened the box to show them.
“What’s this?”
“Carrots, master.”
“How is this a carrot?”
The carrots they normally knew were very thin, short, and plump.
But the ones in the box were as thick as an adult woman’s forearm, with dozens of them, and they had a vivid reddish hue.
“This is not all.”
Niall excitedly showed them other boxes.
“This is onion, and this is turnip. Ah, this one is garlic.”
He boasted about the enormous size of every produce he showed them.
The two were left speechless
“Is this because of the fever reducer?”
“Yes. I sprayed it on other vegetable gardens, and I think it’s the most effective on famine crops.”
“What about wheat?”
“I don’t know exactly because it’s not the harvest season yet, but I think it’ll be more than last year.”
“We should thank Adrienne.”
“Yes. There were many starving days before the wheat harvest, but this year it’s much easier to get by.”
“That’s good news.”
“It’s all thanks to you, madam.”
“Hmm? It was Adrienne who accomplished this.”
“No, if you hadn’t recognized Adrienne from the start, there wouldn’t have been this miracle in Sutmar.”
Niall, who used to scold them for not knowing the whereabouts of the escaped sheep, has now disappeared somewhere.
“That’s right, Niall’s words are completely correct.”
“Hmm. Well.”
The two men looked at Agnes with shining eyes, their gaze almost uncomfortably intense.
“Well, I suppose….”
Agnes felt embarrassed and turned her head, scrunching up her nose.
