Episode 40
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"...Tell Odelia to come around 3 PM tomorrow."He succeeded in answering calmly.
As usual, as if completely unfazed.
Theodore quietly lowered his head.
"And call the member.""...What?""I think I have gone insane.""Did you just realize that now?"
Edwin seemed to want to say that.
Perhaps it was because life was precious that I kept my mouth tightly shut.
"Or maybe a disease has developed in the body.""However, unable to bear this remark, I added a word of rebuttal."
"There were no problems until the last regular check-up." Perhaps due to the progression of monster transformation, in terms of recovery ability, it might be at a level similar to that of monsters, or perhaps even beyond that..."It's noisy." Call me if you need."...Yes.A brief silence passed.
In the meantime, Ludville tried to say something while looking at the housekeeper, but he closed his lips several times.
Theodore was surprised and puzzled as he had never seen him hesitate to speak before.
"Do you have something to say to me?""...Is there no evidence that the princess learned dark magic?""What?"!"No, it's nothing."Ludville pressed his forehead and let out a deep sigh.
Then, with an annoyed gesture, he issued a summoning order to his two subordinates as if shooing away insects.
"Both of you go out.""After the door closed, the chief of staff and the assistant, who had been chased out into the hallway of the office, exchanged bewildered glances with each other."
The next day, afternoon.
The time for Odelia to arrive was gradually approaching.
The guests were exchanging opinions across a long table.
Ludville was sitting with an indifferent expression, but the tips of his fingers were tapping on the desk like a clock's second hand.
Edwin looked at such Ludville and had the rude thought that, if nothing else, he was definitely experiencing emotional instability.
"Your Majesty, this is an official document from the royal palace.""The official carefully placed a document with a gold seal on Ludville's desk."
Thick envelopes, formal expressions tailored to protocol.
Based on the 47th Annual Military Strategy Conference hosted by the Royal Family, I request you to take on the role of chair for this meeting...He then started folding the documents without even turning the next line.
"...Your Highness?"One side, then the other.
As the wings of the paper airplane were completed, the face of the commissioner grew pale.
Finally, Ludville, who had organized the center line, opened the window.
Swoosh—
And the paper airplane stamped with the royal seal flew over the castle walls, carried by the wind.
"Your Majesty!" No matter what, how can you send off royal documents, especially a request for the position of the chairman!Ludville replied with a blank expression, showing no reaction.
"It would be a mere ceremonial representative, not a position of authority.""Isn't that the essence of the royal family!" It's all just empty formalities!"It's annoying.""
"……."Don't bring such troublesome matters here.""The official could not continue speaking, and, sweating profusely, hurriedly opened the door and went outside."
It was definitely to pick up paper airplanes.
Edwin, who was watching that scene, murmured with a voice mixed with admiration.
"You seem to be handling things gently today?"This is probably the mildest reaction in the past few months.
At least I didn't just throw the document into the fireplace to use it as kindling.
"It seems that Her Grand Duchess is staying at the castle.""The moment he spoke carelessly, Ludville's gaze, which had been absentmindedly looking out the window, turned towards him."
"Who is called Grand Duchess?""What?" Wasn't that supposed to happen?"Wasn't that the reason you two made an appointment?"
Edwin instead asked back with a bewildered expression.
Ludville silently stared at him and replied in a voice as cold as the northern winter.
"Nothing has been decided yet."It was a firm statement.
In fact, even though no one spoke up, everyone present shared the same question.
You still haven't made a decision?
Without driving them out of the castle for a full moon?
'...Then, why do you keep them by your side?'Without even sending it back to Cardel, you are preventing reports of finding the missing Princess from the royal family and not even putting any surveillance on it?Weren't you preparing to welcome the Grand Duchess?However, the retainers remained silent.
Anyway, a conclusion will be reached after today.
Whether to accept the princess or send her back to Cardel.
Most were troubled by the 'Blue-Eyed Woman', showing dissatisfaction with the Grand Duchess issue, but there were certainly some who held onto hope.
The princess noticed that the Ducal Palace had been peaceful for the fortnight, and they hoped that Ludville would accept Odelia as the Grand Duchess and that the peaceful days would continue.
Please forget about those blue eyes and everything else.
But in the northern region where there is never a calm day, was hoping for peace too much to expect?
Suddenly—
The conference room door was opened roughly.
The officer who had run to pick up the paper airplane came in, breathing heavily.
I had forgotten about things like paper airplanes.
"Your Majesty, this is an urgent report." A plague has broken out in the port city of Bellader.The air in the room froze in an instant.
Odelia held the newly written contract in her arms.
"Will they accept it this time...?"She was heading to the reception room, trying to calm her slightly nervous mind.
It was a bit early, but I was thinking of going ahead and waiting.
It was then.
A person caught my eye across the corridor.
It was the civil officer, Rian.
He was running frantically, clutching a bundle of documents, as if he had some urgent matter to attend to.
Odelia stopped walking.
What is happening?Feeling an unusual atmosphere, Odelia naturally followed him.
Silencing footsteps and maintaining a certain distance to stay out of sight.
The place he headed to was the conference room.
And through the gap of the door that the commissioner could not completely close, his urgent voice flowed out.
"Your Majesty, this is an urgent report." A plague has broken out in the port city of Bellader.Odelia held her breath.
And I pressed my ear closely to the door, focusing on their conversation.
The spread rate is too fast. There have already been casualties."What is the range of diffusion?""Reports indicate that symptoms are spreading around the port and commercial district." Currently, one ship is in quarantine, and the number of infected individuals in the city is currently being assessed."What is the cause?""It has not been clearly identified yet." However, this is completely different from previous cases.Ludville turned his head towards the map on the table.
Bellader.
The northernmost western point, a key city where logistics concentrate through maritime routes.
And the location is too 'efficient' for an outbreak to occur.
Ludville glanced over the hastily prepared report with a furrowed brow.
After a moment, I spoke firmly.
Close it."
"...Your Highness?""Isolate the entire city and establish a blockade." Kill the infected as soon as they are discovered. Don't let the non-infected ones out. There are no exceptions.The air in the conference room became heavy in an instant.
"However, the cause of the disease has not been accurately identified yet...""What if the disease spreads in the meantime?""Ludville coldly interrupted the conversation."
A key city where logistics are concentrated.
The interaction among people will be much greater compared to other places.
It was right to stop the spread before it caused greater damage.
"If we still cannot stop the spread of the disease..."Ludville's gaze was fixed on the map.
"At that time, burn the whole city."Ludville's violet eyes shone coldly.
It was as if it was natural to pick out rotten potatoes, completely emotionless.
As if the rest is nothing but unnecessary sentiment.
