I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 131
“This can’t go on. This won’t do.”
Durante muttered as he crumpled the letter from the Count’s domain.
Even with the Emperor’s leash and the golden reins in his grasp, the heavens did not favor Durante.
Usually, snowstorms stay confined to Renato and dissipate before crossing the snow-covered mountains. But this time, the snow clouds were different.
The storm, accompanied by strong winds, carried the snow clouds all the way to Adalberto. As a result, those tending the fields helplessly watched their lilies freeze to death.
There was no time to build greenhouses in the face of the sudden snowstorm.
The freezing cold was so intense that the people of Adalberto were scrambling to stay inside their homes.
They had thought the cold spell was merely Renato’s problem, so no one could respond quickly.
To make matters worse, Durante, the lord of Adalberto, was in the capital.
As a result, the response was even slower, leading to the failure of the lily harvest.
The letter from the butler reported that not only was this year’s lily harvest in jeopardy, but so was the yield of other grains.
Having turned the grain fields into lily beds in anticipation of profits, the news was that nothing was turning out as hoped.
“There must be more lilies… more lilies.”
Durante pounded on the desk in his office anxiously. He stared out the window at the palace roof, wracking his brain.
The nobles in the council were now obsessed with lilies. They had promised that if Durante’s firm could supply them with lilies, they would support Grand Duke Vittore as the next Emperor.
Therefore, Durante needed more lilies. Even though he already held the entire empire’s supply, it wasn’t enough.
The Emperor was on the brink of death.
This was another reason for Durante’s extreme anxiety.
Durante had intended to push the Emperor to arrange the marriage of Ricardo and his daughter at the founding festival.
But with the Emperor’s health deteriorating rapidly, that plan was now impossible. No matter how influential Durante was, he couldn’t propose a grand ball while the Emperor was on his deathbed.
“Even at times like this, it’s not helping.”
Durante clicked his tongue in frustration over the Emperor’s illness.
He had tried changing the imperial doctor, starting with the one in Adalberto, and had already replaced the doctor five times. Each time, the money spent bribing the new doctors had been considerable.
The Emperor was continuously prescribed new medicines by each new doctor, hoping for a rapid improvement in his health.
They say too much of a good thing can be harmful.
The different ingredients in the various medicines interact in ways the Emperor’s body couldn’t handle, causing him to deteriorate faster than Durante had anticipated.
The situation became so severe that the founding festival had to be canceled entirely.
Given this, forcing Ricardo’s marriage by imperial decree was out of the question. Instead, the only option was to first elevate the Grand Duke as Emperor and then push for Julia as Empress.
To do that, he needed all the support of all the nobles. And lilies were the only and most effective means to achieve this. So, at the very least, he needed to secure some bulbs in advance.
‘Where? How can I get bulbs?’
It was impossible to obtain them within the Empire. Durante already had all the lilies in the empire, and there was nothing more to collect.
So, he needed to look abroad.
Abroad, abroad…
Durante’s eyes widened as a solution struck him.
‘Segolinde!’
A sly smile spread across his face. Princess Mirabel of Segolinde, who was supposed to attend the founding festival, was already famous for her love of lilies.
So Durante had to find a way to summon the princess to the palace, no matter what it took.
No matter what it took.
* * *
Since meeting Princess Mirabel, Nasir was engulfed in confusion. On his way back to his lodgings, he shook his head, trying to dismiss the thoughts intruding into his mind.
‘It can’t be. It’s impossible.’
The Princess looked like Armilla. No, she was exactly like her. Even though he had only glimpsed her, her features were Armilla’s exact replica.
But how could that be? The princess was a completely different person from Armilla.
“Ah!”
Turning a corner in the corridor, Nasir suddenly stumbled and fell. He had collided with someone walking from the opposite direction.
“Where is your mind wandering off to?”
A gruff voice came from above him. Nasir sighed and looked up at the person.
“Isn’t that the same for you?”
“Well, you do speak well.”
Echoing with a pout, Ezio extended his hand to help Nasir up. As he assisted him, he mumbled as if offering an excuse.
“I was in a hurry because Prince Charles is waiting.”
Nasir, brushing off the dust from his clothes, lifted his head at Ezio’s comment.
“Who’s waiting?”
Nasir’s eyes narrowed sharply, causing Ezio to take a step back. Waving his hands as if trying to calm a wild beast, he said:
“Why, why are you reacting like that? Can’t I be friendly with the prince?”
“That’s not it.”
Nasir shook his head, feeling awkward for his reflexive reaction to Ezio’s words.
The princess isn’t Armilla, and Ezio surely wouldn’t be thinking along those lines.
“If not that, then what?”
“…Just be good to the princess. Since you’ve just been reinstated, don’t mess up.”
“I’ve heard plenty about treating the princess with utmost respect from the Master, even without you telling me.”
Ezio pretended to clean his ears and shrugged nonchalantly.
But then, noticing the change in Ezio’s expression as he fiddled with his monocle, Nasir observed the sudden seriousness on Ezio’s face.
Realizing that Ezio had dropped his playful demeanor, Nasir spoke,
“It looks like you have something you want to say.”
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