Chapter 24
Chapter 24.
Enoch slightly bowed his head towards her, lost in thought, and said.
“May I help you?”
“I’m fine. The Magistrate will have prepared most of it. You, on the other hand, will have to go out to sea to greet the prince, are you alright with that?”
Enoch also had to prepare for the delegation’s reception with due ceremony, controlling the navy and knights.
He would even have to board a ship and escort them.
“Greeting envoys was something I did every day on the battlefield.”
The man’s eyes, as their gazes met, curved slightly. Agatha, caught in an unexpected eye contact, stared at him as if entranced.
Then, she came to her senses and replied.
“That’s reassuring. Then I’ll be counting on you.”
“Don’t overexert yourself. Huber will be leading the knights for the escort.”
“Yes. I understand.”
The ship entered the pier and dropped anchor. The Magistrate and Nobilis’s retainers were already waiting on the dock.
Knights poured out of the massive ship that had docked at the main island first. The knights, who quickly secured the area and ensured safety, all offered a military salute.
Clang!
A tall man appeared first at the top of the high stairs.
The retainers immediately straightened their ceremonial robes and stood tall.
Thump-thump-
The approaching footsteps seemed to be etched into their eardrums.
The moment Agatha took Enoch’s hand and descended the stairs, the retainers bowed respectfully.
“Welcome, Marquis, Madam. Welcome to Palavi Island.”
The Magistrate offered the welcoming remarks as their representative. Agatha smiled brightly.
“It’s good to see you, Magistrate. I’ve received the regular reports every year, but this is my first time coming in person since my coming-of-age ceremony.”
“That is correct.”
“Ah. I must introduce this person. This is my husband, Marquis Enoch Aratus. Enoch, this is Phil Butler, the Magistrate of Palavi Island.”
“It is a pleasure.”
The Magistrate hastily bowed so low his head nearly touched the ground.
“I have heard much of your esteemed reputation, Marquis. It is an honor to meet you, Marquis.”
While Palavi Island’s officials and the Aratus side’s retainers, along with Nobilis’s retainers, exchanged greetings.
Agatha surveyed the port, which had changed significantly compared to seven years ago. The construction that began two months prior had paid off.
The port facilities were undergoing major expansion, and restaurants, inns, and shops had sprung up around the harbor.
“It’s good.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
The Magistrate, who had been watching her reaction, immediately bowed again. Agatha turned to Enoch.
“Then I will go inspect the construction site and head to the castle first.”
“Yes. I will have a brief talk with the navy and then head to the castle.”
It was likely to inspect the perimeter security and maritime escort plans on-site for when the delegation arrived.
Count Caello, the commander of the Eastern Imperial Navy who had just disembarked, was approaching with his officers.
Meanwhile, Ethel, the aide who had been inspecting the horses brought by the Magistrate, nodded.
“There are no issues, Madam.”
Magistrate Phil Butler had secured all the nearby horses, including those for the escort knights.
“I assumed you would want to see them quickly, so I prepared horses rather than a carriage.”
“You’ve worked hard, Magistrate. Let’s depart at once.”
Ethel handed over the reins of the gentlest horse. The horse she saw for the first time was about the same size as the one she usually rode.
Hesitating slightly due to the long hem of her dress, a hand beside her lightly grasped her waist.
“If I had known, I should have prepared riding attire.”
Enoch, who had lifted her onto the saddle with a swift movement, frowned slightly.
Agatha concealed her slightly trembling hands by gripping the reins.
“It’s alright. We’re just going for a short while before heading to the castle.”
Her face felt a little hot. Her attendant maids, tidying her dress, looked troubled.
“Madam. What about the parasol?”
“Hmm, it seems difficult to hold a parasol while riding sideways.”
It was summer, so wearing a hat with her hair pinned up high was also out of the question.
Nor could the maids, who couldn’t ride, follow her holding parasols as they would on the ground.
Enoch, looking up at the hot sunlight for a moment, gestured behind him.
“Huber.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Taking the parasol from a maid, he handed it to Deputy Commander Huber.
“Do not stray from her side.”
After a moment of silence, Huber raised his hand in a military salute with a trembling hand.
“Yes, my lord.”
Enoch nodded lightly and looked up at Agatha.
“I will see you at the castle.”
Above her head, Huber held the parasol, casting a shadow.
As the shade cooled her, her heart swelled.
Since when had it become a husband’s duty to meet his wife’s eyes, whisper in a tender voice, and worry about her comfort from the heat?
Agatha, acting on a sudden impulse, leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“Yes. I’ll see you shortly.”
Instead of looking up to see his reaction, she immediately kicked the horse’s flank and moved.
“Depart.”
“Depart!”
Led by the lead rider and Aide Ethel, followed by Deputy Commander Huber and about fifty knights.
Agatha did not look back.
The horse she rode for the first time behaved quite docilely with Agatha on its back.
The sun was hot because it was summer, but the parasol helped to cool the heat.
After riding a short distance, the construction site she had seen from the ship began to appear.
“We are preparing to allow at least ten ships to enter and dock at once.”
Magistrate Phil Butler, who was riding alongside her, said. As it was soon to become the center of new trade, the port was undergoing major expansion, and it was indeed being built longer and wider than the existing piers.
Even to Agatha, who knew little about construction, it looked almost complete.
“You said it would be finished within two weeks, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Then I should be able to see the completed view before we leave.”
Inside the port, a large warehouse was being built to store trade goods.
And further inside, a commercial district with inns, shops, and restaurants began to appear, which was also being reorganized by zone and significantly increased in scale.
“The construction office is already completed. Would you like to look around?”
“Please guide me.”
When Agatha stopped her horse in front of the construction office located in the administrative district, a servant cleaning the building inside rushed out.
“Greetings, Madam.”
Naturally, the envoy was not yet staying there as negotiations had not been concluded.
“How is the management?”
“We are currently using the merchant guild.”
Since the Nobilis merchant guild would also be trading on Palavi Island in the future, personnel had been dispatched early.
Agatha, having confirmed the work of her subordinate guild, nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. I like it. Now, I think I’ll just take a tour of the island before heading back.”
Agatha checked the sky. It seemed to be around noon.
“Let’s finish the tour quickly and return to the castle.”
“Understood.”
Just then, Deputy Commander Huber carefully tilted the parasol and interjected.
“Madam. If you are just looking around without needing to inspect anything specific, wouldn’t it be better to move by carriage? Although you have a parasol, I am concerned you might become exhausted from the heat.”
Perhaps he had followed in case of need, a carriage bearing the Aratus family crest was waiting behind the procession.
The initial reluctance had passed quickly, and Huber, now accustomed to the lace parasol, was concerned about his Madam who was enduring the strenuous journey despite the sweltering weather.
Perhaps the knights were also starting to resemble their master.
Agatha smiled and took the parasol from Huber.
“You have worked hard, Sir. We will travel by carriage.”
The ship had docked in the morning, but by the time they arrived at the castle, it was well past noon.
The Palavi Castle, which had been built long ago, was rugged, but its spires, numerous terraces, and balconies, which seemed to offer a panoramic view of the island, retained a certain charm.
The castle butler, along with the servants, was waiting at the castle entrance to greet them.
“Greetings, Madam.”
Agatha nodded lightly to acknowledge the greeting and turned her gaze to her aide, Ethel. Ethel immediately replied.
“The Mainyucor delegation is scheduled to arrive approximately three days from now, in the morning.”
“Is that so. Magistrate, how are the preparations coming along?”
The butler responded immediately.
“The kitchen is currently preparing to taste the dishes for the delegation’s banquet. The banquet hall and the rooms where the delegation will stay have all been cleaned and decorated to the best of our ability, but……”
As the butler hesitated, Magistrate Phil Butler continued, glancing at Agatha.
“As you know, Madam, I do not visit the capital except for regular reports, so there may be some shortcomings.”
“It’s alright. Still, I’m relieved to hear the cleaning is done. You’ve worked hard, Magistrate.”
Agatha, praising him lightly, led her retainers and knights into the castle.
Beyond the first-floor hall was the grand banquet hall, and on the second floor were the accommodations for the delegation. The banquet hall and rooms decorated by Phil Butler were both far behind the latest trends of the capital.
‘There isn’t enough time to decorate properly.’
This was a time for choosing and focusing. Agatha boldly decided to focus only on the banquet hall and the prince’s room, and to pursue neatness for the rest.
With limited resources, it was impossible to replicate the splendor of the capital everywhere.
