Episode 69
[Courier Town and the Golden Corsage]
“How dare you commit such an outrageous act, Grand Duke Elzerian!”
A few days later, an imperial official arrived in the courier town.
This was just as Chris was punishing those who had stolen carrier pigeons and replacing the staff responsible.
“You have no right to do this without the Emperor’s permission!”
The official puffed out his chest, his face turning red as he shouted.
“Do you not understand the importance of this courier town? This is not a place for Your Grace to meddle!”
Chris had personally dealt with those involved in the carrier pigeon incident. Under imperial law, this fell within his rights as the Grand Duke of the North.
The individuals punished were mostly lackeys bribed by the Crown Prince or the Duke of Reinhardt to siphon off the North’s military information.
Now, the officials in charge of the courier town were Northerners personally selected by Chris. He had replaced the staff before the imperial officials could appeal.
The imperial court, however, was clearly displeased.
“How could you replace the personnel without the Emperor’s permission?”
The official stomped his feet in indignation.
“You’ve been shown too much leniency and seem to have forgotten—this town belongs to the Empire! Are you trying to become a traitor—”
“Traitor?” Chris interrupted coldly. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten something yourself.”
“What are you implying?”
With an icy expression, Chris continued, “The North is also part of the Empire.”
“That’s…”
Chris remained resolute.
The matter of monsters migrating south from the North was non-negotiable for him.
“And those who attempted to steal and manipulate military intelligence from the North have directly threatened the Empire’s stability.”
“That’s…”
“That is the true act of treason.”
The chilling aura of Chris’s words made the official hiccup.
The frost-like killing intent and authority exuded by a seasoned soldier, honed on the front lines, were not something an imperial sycophant could withstand.
“If monsters migrate southward, the North will not be the only one at risk. The entire Empire will burn in their wake.”
“But… but…”
“The monster migration during the late Grand Duke’s time posed a great threat.”
At the mention of the former Grand Duke, the official’s face turned pale. Even the attendants of the Empress Dowager, who had been quietly observing, stiffened.
“Am I wrong? Could you truly dismiss the safety of the Empire’s citizens as a mere ‘what if’?”
“…….”
“That is why I acted decisively. If that is a grave crime, worthy of being labeled treason, I will accept the punishment.”
“I-I never said it was a crime worthy of treason!”
The official stammered, his confidence visibly shaken.
It was General Alensha, urgently dispatched to mediate, who finally stepped in.
“Let’s end this here.”
“General…”
“The Grand Duke has a point,” the general said.
Though it was framed as mediation, it was clear he was siding with Chris.
“If it were up to me, I would have court-martialed those involved and publicly executed them. Their heads would have been displayed on the northern frontlines as a warning.”
“…….”
“Or do you suggest we all turn a blind eye to the monster migration in the North?”
“Never!”
The cowering official retreated alongside the Empress Dowager’s attendants.
As they left for their lodgings, Chris bowed his head slightly to the general in gratitude.
“…Thank you.”
“No, I should thank you.”
The general’s necklace gleamed—a pendant made from a brooch inscribed with the letter A, a keepsake from his late daughter.
“Even after passing on your title to your son, you remain so vigorous. It’s admirable.”
“Even so, I still serve as a general, do I not?”
General Alensha was the father of the current Marquess of Alensha and the previous holder of the marquessate.
* * *
“How shocked I was to see my daughter’s keepsake resurface at Lady Reinhardt’s debutante ball,” General Alensha remarked, his expression tinged with suppressed anger. He seemed furious at the imperial family and the Crown Prince but kept his sentiments veiled.
“You must have been the one who returned this brooch to me.”
It had been Mindia who hastily retrieved the brooch Aria had discarded.
She had pitied the brooch, thinking it undeserved of such treatment. After carefully wrapping it, she sent it back to the Marquess of Alensha, knowing Aria wouldn’t miss it. The marquess, in turn, presented it to his father. Now, the brooch hung on the general’s neck as a cherished keepsake.
Chris spoke, “No, that was Lady Mindia Reinhardt…”
“It’s no secret that she is your lover, Grand Duke. Her wishes might as well be your own.”
“…….”
“I’m simply grateful.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Even this summer, she sent her regards to our family. It eased my heart, which has been heavy since my daughter’s passing.”
Chris smiled gently, pleased that Mindia had acted just as he had anticipated. She behaved like someone who truly understood loss, perhaps because she had experienced it herself before being adopted.
For a brief moment, the image of ash-gray hair surfaced in his mind, only to fade again.
“I didn’t want to die.”
The memory of that voice tightened his throat.
Now that he was on the verge of being engaged to her, Mindia would truly become his partner in destiny.
He recalled the small warmth that had leaned against him on the way back from the hunting festival. To protect that warmth, Chris resolved not to waver where he could not afford to.
Just as he had stood firm before the imperial official.
Chris clenched and unclenched his fist lightly, while General Alensha observed him with soft eyes.
“If you ever face trouble, call on me. My retainers and I will always stand by you, Grand Duke.”
“General…”
“This isn’t a decision driven solely by sentiment. I may be older and more emotional, but I’m not a fool.”
“…….”
The general chuckled, but his face soon regained the sharpness of a seasoned commander, one who had once roamed countless battlefields against foreign enemies.
“This is undoubtedly the work of the Empress Dowager or the Crown Prince. How can those in positions of power allow actions that put the citizens of the Empire in danger?”
“General…”
“Stealing the North’s carrier pigeons—are they out of their minds? There’s a limit to stupidity.”
The general’s voice lowered to a mutter, unable to conceal his frustration.
“This incident has already spread among the military families. The Empress Dowager is scrambling to cover it up, but how can she hide the sky with her palm?”
“…….”
“Even if the noble families forget, the military will remember. The imperial family, tasked with protecting its citizens, nearly endangered them.”
The general ground his teeth, his tone heavy with anger.
“They know all too well what happens when the North is left undefended.”
Chris sighed as the general’s words subtly referenced the late Grand Duke of Elzerian. General Alensha watched Chris for a moment before speaking again.
“If my daughter were still alive, I’d have told her to forget the Crown Prince and meet with you instead.”
“She was far too good for me, General.”
“Ha! You’ve learned to flatter.”
“It’s simply a pity she left us too soon.”
The general’s expression softened at Chris’s words.
“Well, it seems you’ve found someone suitable. I worried about her being a Reinhardt, but she’s kind-hearted.”
Mindia had earned the general’s favor with her actions regarding the brooch. As their conversation took on a lighter tone, the general suddenly clicked his tongue.
“Though it seems another Reinhardt lady is destined to become the Crown Prince’s consort.”
“…….”
“The Crown Prince as he is now… It’s fitting company for the Duke of Reinhardt. Birds of a feather.”
The general scoffed before leaning closer to Chris, lowering his voice.
“If only you were to take the throne…”
“General.”
Both men knew the dangers of continuing such a conversation. The general nodded and patted Chris on the shoulder.
“Regardless, don’t forget my words. If you need support, the military families will back you.”
With that, the general departed, leaving only Chris and Jade behind.
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Chris looked up.
“…A carrier pigeon?”
Jade, who had been quietly observing the exchange, responded. “Yes. It’s been circling overhead for some time…”
“A red tag. It’s urgent.”
As the bird descended swiftly, Chris extended his hand before Jade could move.
Co-oo.
Chris gently stroked the pigeon’s neck before carefully untying the message attached to its leg. The envelope bore the words “For Grand Duke Elzerian’s Eyes Only.”
“Is it from the imperial family? After sending an official, what more could they…”
Jade tensed visibly.
Without hesitation, Chris opened the letter. A sharp citrus scent of lemon wafted out.
Chris froze momentarily, then smiled—a faintly bitter expression.
“Your Grace?”
“…A reply, it seems.”
“A reply? Ah, to the letter you sent as soon as we arrived?”
Jade widened his eyes, placing a hand on his chest with a dramatic sigh.
“Sending a reply as an urgent message—Lady Reinhardt certainly is something.”
“…I must respond.”
“But we’ll be returning soon, won’t we? If we hurry, we can arrive in the capital before the summer villa events end.”
Chris gave Jade a pointed look, making him shrink back slightly.
“Well… we’d have to hurry quite a lot, wouldn’t we?”
“…….”
“Reply to the letter and make haste. That’s the Northern way—accomplishing both.”
Jade grumbled as he retreated, still half-joking.
Chris looked at the letter one last time before tucking it into his coat.
The writing on the letter carried the unmistakable, peculiar touch of Mindia’s hand.
