Chapter 57
57
Nancy decorated the banquet hall as lavishly as possible. She also sent high-quality ingredients to the kitchen and spared no expense on expensive floral arrangements for the banquet hall. Above all, she added the finest silk brocade, lace, and high-grade feathers and fur to the formal attire that Monica and Henry would wear. A while later, Henry was greatly surprised to see the banquet hall. He had intended to keep it simple this time... He didn't know what all this extravagant decoration was for. Then, Henry saw Nancy busily moving around, giving instructions to the courtiers.
"Nancy, what is all this?"
"Your Majesty, are you feeling better now? Your face looks very pale."
Nancy rushed over and cupped Henry's face in her hands.
"I can't just sit back and do nothing. Someone has to take the lead in the Imperial Palace affairs. The honored guests will be arriving tomorrow."
"But where did the money come from...?"
Even if he wanted to, the national treasury was in a precarious situation, so there was no money to spend on the banquet. That's why he had told them to use the old decorations and cut the ingredients in half. But seeing the banquet hall that Nancy had prepared, it was as if the Lastonia Empire was at its most prosperous. Just like Maria's touch, even the smallest details were meticulous and perfect.
"I'll tell you later. So don't worry about the banquet."
Nancy tried to reassure the anxious Henry. His eyes were full of suspicion when he looked at her because of Laurent's affair.
"Your Majesty, I am also saddened by Laurent's matter. But the safety of Your Majesty and the Imperial Family is most important to me. You could have been in great danger from the Great King of Helland. It's a great relief that it ended at this level."
She comforted Henry in a soft, gentle tone. She knew that he cherished Laurent terribly, but she had almost caused a great disaster. So Henry should come to his senses now.
"From now on, I will take care of the affairs of the Imperial Inner Palace. So you don't have to worry about it."
"Nancy..."
Indeed, Nancy was pure. She knew very well that the reason she wanted to become Empress was for the Lastonia Imperial Family and for him. Even though he had scolded her for being absurd. Moreover, she had seen and learned a lot from Maria's side, so he could trust her with anything. Just then, Monica approached with a big smile.
"Nancy, my dress just arrived, and that..."
"I sent it. I wanted to give Your Majesty and the late Queen Consort the best formal attire."
Henry and Monica looked at each other in great surprise.
"No, did you win the lottery or something? This is really..."
Monica couldn't hide her joy as she looked at the splendid banquet hall. Nancy went even further and said,
"I have already prepared the boat ride that the late Queen Consort wanted so much."
"Is... is that true?"
"Ha! Nancy, tell me honestly now."
Henry's face was contorted, as if he didn't like it. In fact, he had even used Gunther's money to match Monica's spending without Maria's knowledge. There is no such thing as free money in the world.
"I have a very wealthy acquaintance who happens to be in Lastonia. They wanted to see Your Majesty and the late Queen Consort, so I invited them to the banquet tomorrow."
"An acquaintance?"
Henry tilted his head. Maria or Laurent, maybe, but Nancy, who was a maid, had a wealthy acquaintance?
* * *
Maria had been busy for days in meetings with scholars. She had asked them to invite foreign merchants and prominent scholars on the day of the Royal Wedding, and there was a reason for it. She was trying to win over scholars to create the Helland kingdom law. But she didn't know why all the legal scholars were young men. Was that Maria's intention, too?
"Please work in Helland for three years. I will spare no effort in providing full support."
Maria was constantly persuading the scholars.
"Queen Consort, it is impossible to create a kingdom law and set up a court in the administrative law in just three years."
"That's right. First of all, there is a severe shortage of legal scholars to reside there."
"Then please start by creating the kingdom law and separating the administrative system."
Even though Maria pleaded earnestly, the scholars were all skeptical. Then Gunther suddenly joined the conversation.
"I'll give you as much money as you want, so make it well. Very solid and without any gaps."
The scholars couldn't hide their embarrassment at his remarks. They could communicate well with the Queen Consort, but the Great King was literally ignorant. Setting up laws or administrative systems was not simply building a building, but to make it well.
"Great King, originally, law is something that must be systematically created by academicizing human moral beliefs and customs based on a long history. In the process, it is a very complex and profound thing that is created by constantly adding and revising legal provisions. It is not a Royal Palace that is built splendidly with money."
Gunther's face turned red at the words of a scholar. He had only fought on the battlefield all his life, so he didn't know about academics. He felt like he had said something ignorant. But if he got angry here, they would criticize him for only asserting his authority. Then Maria burst into laughter and said to the scholar.
"I don't think the Great King's words are wrong?"
"Yes? What do you mean?"
"Money is needed to create a national law for a country. So the Great King is paying you a huge fee for your hard work."
"That's true, but..."
"Above all, the law must be made without gaps and firmly so that the people of the kingdom will not be treated unfairly in the future."
Only then did the scholars clear their throats and feel embarrassed.
"You have learned about the world through books all your lives, but the Great King has personally experienced the joys and sorrows of life. He knows the necessity of law more than anyone else, so he made such an order."
"Yes, that's... that's what I mean."
Gunther, who had been listening all along, then chimed in with Maria and said loudly to the scholars.
Just then, Aiden rushed into the conference room.
"Queen Consort, there is a way."
He brought a pile of documents and placed them in front of Maria, unable to hide his excitement. Soon, the scholars surrounded Maria as if they had made a promise.
"The fastest way is to bring the laws of a country similar to Helland and revise them to suit the situation here."
The scholars nodded and began to agree with Aiden's remarks.
"That's really going to work."
From a distance, Gunther didn't like the sight of Maria surrounded by men. Just as he was about to feel increasingly unpleasant, a man stuck close to Maria and even giggled while looking at her. Not only that, but another man naturally touched Maria's hand holding the pen and took the pen away. He was a bystander who couldn't say a word even though his woman was laughing and talking with other men.
'Yes, Maria is working with them.'
He tried hard not to be petty and childish. To do that, it would be better to leave the place rather than just standing there and watching Maria work. Gunther quietly left the office.
* * *
Gunther walked aimlessly and headed towards the hallway, where he happened to meet Stone.
"Stone, are you okay? I was surprised that you suddenly became a hunched old man."
"Hunched? You're saying some harsh things."
Stone chuckled and scolded Gunther. Well, it's no wonder he's surprised, since he was a baby and suddenly became an old man.
"Why is your face so full of resentment?"
Stone asked, looking at Gunther, whose expression was not good. As expected, he would get angry and say something. But surprisingly, he was quiet. Stone tilted his head. He was curious about Gunther's inner thoughts, but he didn't want to read his mind. But Gunther spoke in a calm tone.
"I think I'm a narrow-minded person."
"You're just realizing that now?"
Stone laughed and replied. He thought Gunther wouldn't know at all, but he was aware of it.
"Maria is much more psychologically stable, she talks, and she's even the first Queen Consort of Helland and does a lot of work, which is good, but..."
"You don't like sharing with others, do you?"
"What...? Oh, that's right."
Gunther's face turned red. He wanted to have Maria all to himself. He didn't like her paying too much attention to anything other than him. Even though she was working, he was swept up in uncontrollable jealousy and became agitated. But he couldn't express it because of his pride as the Great King.
"It's because you love her a lot, for a long time, and deeply."
Stone's voice was quite serious.
"I love?"
"Why are you acting like that when you know? You've loved Maria since the first moment you met her."
"How can a person love at first sight?"
Gunther tried to deny it. That's not it, he liked Maria, but to feel love as soon as he saw her. That seemed too light and, well, should he say it was like a fool.
"Do you want to know? How can that be?"
Soon, Stone's eyes twinkled with mischief. But Gunther desperately wanted an answer.
"Because you and Maria are bound by fate."
"!?!"
Stone was laughing weakly and saying 'fated love' and so on... He was about to get angry, but he was more serious than ever, so Gunther couldn't say anything. At that moment, a hot desire surged in Gunther's heart. He muttered to himself as if he were talking to himself.
"Actually, you know."
"..."
"I hope Maria loves me. As much as I love Maria."
"That's crazy."
Stone chuckled and replied.