Chapter 129
#129. Edwin Can't Stop Olivia
Five escort Knights, including Dian, and five baskets of desserts promised to Jerun.
The preparations were perfect.
…Except that Bethany herself couldn't accompany her.
"I wish you'd take at least one maid with you. Or, if there hadn't been anything unusual at the mine, I would have gone with you."
Bethany said, unable to suppress her uneasy feelings. Today's schedule for her lady was a long journey, visiting Yeniv Street and then the Valley of Senua.
"The mine is important too. Let's go together next time."
"I'd like that, but… will you be able to go to the valley again after today? I was so surprised when I heard you were going back there!"
"Indeed."
Oh my goodness. Dian, who had stealthily approached the two, chimed in, lowering his voice.
"Don't you remember yesterday's return? The atmosphere turned icy just mentioning 'Senua'."
"It wasn't just then. When you were in the drawing room after dinner, I really thought you two were arguing!"
"Then maybe you shouldn't come out now, heup."
Dian, who had spoken without thinking, covered his mouth and glanced at Olivia. Olivia momentarily looked dejected, feeling as if a part of her heart had been pricked.
"It was just a simple adjustment of opinions, Bethany."
Olivia, who had been smiling brightly at Edwin's usual voice, paused. Edwin, who was coming with Brock, was not dressed in his outdoor attire.
"Have a good trip, Liv."
It was the final confirmation. He had considered going together, but in the end, he had decided not to.
Sensing her clouded mood, Edwin smiled and added.
"...While Liv is away, I will be doing my work as well. Very, well, diligently."
To those listening, it was just an ordinary and unremarkable greeting. But it was different for Olivia.
The disappointment of not going together vanished completely. Edwin added, as if boasting.
"Well, if you think you'll miss me the entire way, tell me now."
In response to his words, Olivia took out a letter from her bosom instead of answering. It was a letter from Esella of The Empire that had arrived this morning. Edwin smiled back, as if admitting defeat.
In a positive mood that everything would be alright, Olivia smiled brightly and got into the carriage.
Soon, the carriage departed. Edwin cherished the sight until the carriage became a mere dot in the distance. Brock, who was seeing her off with him, said worriedly.
"Are you really alright? You suddenly fell yesterday, ah, why are you doing this?"
Bethany hurriedly nudged Brock. Bethany was anxious at his clueless face, as if he didn't know what was going on.
He already doesn't look pleased. I wonder if he'll stop the departing carriage, she thought, waiting for the Grand Duke's reaction.
"…Still. How can I stop her? Me."
The muttered words were the opposite of Bethany's thoughts.
What really happened yesterday? Edwin smiled slowly, oblivious to Bethany's wide-eyed reaction.
How can I stop her after hearing those words?
.
.
.
After Olivia's declaration that she would go to the Valley of Senua no matter what.
The difference of opinion between Olivia and Edwin over whether to revisit the Valley of Senua ran parallel.
"…Jerun, was it? I'll bring him to the Ducal Palace. Then Olivia won't have to go to the valley."
Edwin was the first to suggest a compromise in the seemingly endless conversation.
Since the healer was the one holding the clues, if only Jerun came, Olivia would have no reason to go back to the valley.
Edwin wanted to avoid Olivia going to the valley again at all costs.
The fear he felt the moment Olivia fell before his eyes. The terrible memory of his blood freezing, it was the worst experience he never wanted to go through again.
There was no consideration for Jerun's feelings or the people in the valley in that decision.
He didn't even have the leeway.
Edwin wanted Olivia to realize that. He hoped that she would give up her stubbornness and be safe in this appropriate compromise.
"Edwin, I like that you're worried about me. Worry is proportional to affection."
But when Olivia persistently met Edwin's gaze and smiled, Edwin suddenly realized one thing he had forgotten.
"But what you can give me isn't just affection and worry. You also gave me the courage to do what I want."
I already wished for my lady's victory in the Crown Princess Palace. And Olivia fulfilled that belief every time.
"So, trust me more as much as you gave me courage."
"…."
"I promise I won't fall into the same danger twice. I can promise you that."
So, Olivia would be the one to win this time as well.
At the same time as the realization, Edwin let out a soft breath. His lady, with her extraordinary boldness, seemed to instinctively know victory and took his hand.
"Just as you have protected Vikander as Grand Duke Bikander, I want to complete the work I started."
Before he knew it, Olivia's warmth was transferred to Edwin's cold hand.
That alone was enough, but Olivia blinked as if she had something more to say and drove the nail in.
"If you ask me how I'm going to complete it, very, well, diligently."
He lost. Completely.
Edwin finally burst out laughing at the serious vow to do it 'very, well, diligently.'
.
.
.
The carriage completely disappeared between the gardens. The dignity of the Grand Duke settled on his face, which had lost its affectionate smile.
As he had told Olivia, it was time for him to do his work again.
As he moved, Brock began his report as if he had been waiting.
The fact that the mineral tax negotiations had not yet yielded results, the content of the mine production volume received from Baron Stone last week, and the stories circulating in The Empire.
"The Princess is in seclusion, and Lady Maria Etel has gone to the Kingdom of Osla and completed her marriage. Duke Elkin is rumored to be in seclusion, and the Empress is secretly looking for Duke Elkin, but there are no signs of sending people to the Territory of Vikander yet."
"…."
"And since the export of wheat from Tristan, the Imperial Palace is holding grand banquets every day. The Crown Prince is leading the group in place of the secluded Princess, and the justification is…"
Brock, who had been reciting the report without hesitation, glanced at the Grand Duke for a moment.
"…It is said to be a celebration for 'Father's Day'."
It was a fact known only to those who knew that the Grand Duke became strangely subdued when Father's Day approached. In the meantime, he had been touring the battlefields, so there was no need to celebrate 'Father's Day' separately, but now it was different.
But contrary to Brock's expectations, Edwin smiled loosely.
"Interesting. It's been 21 years since the Emperor became a father."
Under the guise of a mere pretext, there was a great ambition to show off the Imperial Palace's soundness.
Until the mineral tax negotiations are over, there will be no taxes. It seemed that Vikander's message was felt as quite a threat.
Whatever it was, it wasn't bad for Vikander. Edwin nodded slowly and entered the office.
"Lastly…"
Brock's eyes hardened as he closed the door to the office.
"The troops for the border patrol operation are fully equipped, and everyone is ready to be dispatched in any situation at the same time as the mineral mining ends this fall."
Edwin smiled coldly at the voice that exuded fierce hostility.
Preparation complete.
What the Emperor should be worried about is not just the mineral tax. Foolishly, they were only looking one inch ahead.
Independence to the Duchy was not far off. Whether the Crown Prince negotiated the tax rate or not.
At that moment, Olivia was also reading a letter with similar content to the report Edwin had received.
Sister, how are you doing? Golden autumn is coming. I heard that the Territory of Vikander is cold, so I send my worries and prayers that you are safe.
Olivia smiled a little. Unlike the formal introduction, the next paragraph was full of sulky feelings.
I'm attending almost every Tea Party these days. Everyone is eager to hear stories about you, the Saintess. But I really didn't even know you were a Saintess.
Apart from the fact that I don't know your story, I think I should tell you about the situation in The Empire. It's really not fair for information to be biased in one direction.
Using fairness as a great justification.
Her younger sister's aristocratic language, which had only felt young, was unfamiliar and pleasing.
The information, written with great care, was better organized than she thought. Olivia's gaze stopped at the following passage as she read through the stories of romance, jewelry, and dresses that could only come out of a Tea Party.
After the news of you was published in the newspaper, Princess has been in seclusion. And Maria Etel left The Empire and got married. I heard that the other party is a middle-class nobleman from the Kingdom of Osla. No one went to the wedding, so I can't confirm it.
She had expected the Princess's seclusion to some extent.
But Maria Etel's marriage.
She felt strange.
She thought that Maria Etel might get married someday.
When she was really mistaken that she could change the Crown Prince with her efforts, in that imagination, Maria Etel left for a very distant place and got married. So that they would never meet again.
But that actually happened.
Now that Maria Etel is no longer relevant.
It was funny. It also felt like a happy thing.
Olivia smiled without feeling guilty about this relief. And she read on to the next content of the letter.
I'm looking forward to the day I can meet you again soon. I'll stop here.
At the end of the letter, what was written in a place where the pen marks were clearly left as if she had hesitated whether to write it or not.
…Have you met him?
"Now that Duke Elkin has entered the Territory of Vikander, I'll be honest with you. Duke Giovanni Madeleine, the young master, and Sir Jade Madeleine are all coming to the Territory of Vikander now. Since I had already issued a no-entry order, I wanted to send them back without Liv knowing."
Olivia stared blankly at the letter, remembering what Edwin had said.
"My lady, we have arrived."
Olivia raised her head abruptly at Dian's voice, which was heard with a knock.
She didn't know when they had arrived, but outside the stopped carriage was already the entrance to Yeniv Street.
She had expected it to be quiet except for the construction workers, but the outside was full of children.
.
.
.
"I come running here every day to see it. How much has been built!"
"Me too! I hope our house is built soon! It's not a shack, it's a real house."
The children surrounded Olivia and eagerly told her how much they were looking forward to it. The flow of the conversation changed quickly before Olivia could even catch up.
"The house I used to live in was a real house. It even had a roof."
"Me too! I used to live in a house too, and it was really nice there."
"You idiot. All places to live are houses!"
"No! The name itself was a house! My grandfather said it was a house!"
At that moment, Olivia looked at the place where the shrill scream was heard.
A boy who looked about six years old was frowning as if he was wronged.
"…Hey, do you know about 'House'?"
Since she had heard that some children had left 'House' and gone to other places, she had hoped that someone would have settled in Yeniv via 'House'.
While Olivia tried to suppress her expectations, the child smiled brightly as if he was happy with Olivia's attention and nodded.
"Yes! I came from House with my mom a while ago! My grandfather said Vikander is a good place to live!"
Grandfather. Did Jerun talk about Vikander? While Olivia was moving her lips, the child, Ben, asked innocently, dangling his legs.
"If you go to see my grandfather, can I go with you? I miss my grandfather!"
"Are you my lady's father?"
At that moment, outside the walls of the Territory of Vikander.
Duke Giovanni Madeleine, who was about to get into the carriage, looked down at the place where the voice was heard.
She was only about five years old. The little girl chattered, looking up at Giovanni with curious eyes.
"You have the same hair color as my lady."
It had been a full day since he arrived in front of the Territory of Vikander. It was the first time someone had approached him without hostility. At the same time, it was also a trigger that pulled an old memory to the surface.
"Are you her father?"
The young Olivia, who was wearing shabby black clothes, the moment that child first looked up at him.
Giovanni bit his lip. Just recalling the sight of those eyes, which had been filled with anticipation, turning into indifferent eyes, made his heart strangely flutter.
The emotions that had been piling up little by little were pushing against the solid bank.
