Chapter 398 Late Night Tension
After the Grandchester group returned home, the royal family gathered in the king's private room despite the late hour. Just as everyone was about to head to their own rooms, the king called out, "I have something to discuss," and sensing the mood, the Crown Prince dismissed all the attendants and ladies-in-waiting.
"First, Queen, I apologize for everything."
"I'm not sure which matter you want to apologize for, but the treatment of the women today was indeed terrible."
"I have no words. Well, to be honest, today was really bad for me... No, it hasn't just been today."
The king sighed deeply and took a sip of herbal tea meant to help him sober up after drinking too much. Although the herbalists had made it somewhat easier to drink, the lingering bitterness made the king grimace. Seeing this, the queen gently offered him some water, and the king gulped it down, feeling relieved.
"I don't want you to think I'm saying this just because I'm drunk, so I drank the sobering tea, but it still tastes awful."
"What do you want to say, Your Majesty?"
"I think it's time for me to pass the throne to Albert and take it easy from now on."
"Why the sudden change?"
The Crown Prince asked calmly. They had been preparing for the king's abdication for years, but since there had been no sign of it happening, the Crown Prince's aides had started to say, "The king plans to stay on the throne until he passes away."
"Albert, you know this too. I should have done this much earlier."
"But..."
Seeing the Crown Prince's troubled expression, the king smiled softly.
"I feel like I've been wandering in the fog for years, but now it's like everything has cleared up. If it's thanks to Lady Sara's performance, then it truly is divine music. It's no wonder Crown Prince Gerhart sought out Lady Sara."
If Sara had heard this, she would probably think, 'It's just that the someone's soul have lifted; I didn't do anything.'
"I admit her performance is amazing, but isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
"Well, it doesn't matter why. Maybe it's inspired by Lady Sara's fresh attitude, not wanting to be a royal wife."
"That's true. Just being told to marry Prince Andrew made her want to run away from the country."
"Please stop. It makes me feel pathetic, like I've been rejected so many times. Am I really that unappealing?"
Andrew thought Sara was a pretty girl, but she was still too young to be a romantic interest. Even though he had never actually proposed, he somehow felt like he had been turned down, which made him feel very complicated inside.
As the firstborn son of the Crown Prince, it was likely that he would become king one day, provided there were no major problems. Being a direct descendant of the king, he naturally possessed a lot of magical power, even more than his father and grandfather at his age. However, he did not rely only on his talent; he studied hard and achieved top grades at the academy. He also trained daily in swordsmanship with the knight captain. He was aware of his good looks and had many young ladies interested in him since childhood, along with their families wanting to arrange marriages.
"As a mother, I might need to say something to you, Andrew."
"What's going on?"
"You're popular because you're the Crown Prince's eldest son, but if we think about your own charm, it's a bit lacking."
"Eh!?"
"That's true."
The Queen nodded in agreement with the Crown Princess's (Crown prince's wife) opinion.
"Am I really that bad?"
"Not at all. You are a great prince. You are kind, just, and care for your people. You are not too picky and are willing to work hard for your country and family. If you continue to grow like this, you will be a good ruler. But if you want to know if you are attractive as a man... well, it's a bit lacking, just like Olivia ( said."
"L-lacking..."
Andrew slumped his shoulders in disappointment.
"What makes a man attractive depends on the person, but a clear standard is looks. Of course, preferences vary from person to person, but it's clear that the most beautiful family in Avalon is definitely the Grandchester family, right?"
"Well, generally speaking, that's true."
"Women who marry into royal families are often beautiful, making the royal family fortunate in appearance. However, they cannot compete with the Grandchester family. The Young Marquis and his three brothers are very attractive, causing many women in Avalon to admire them. Even though the Young Marquis, Edward, is married with children, he still has many secret admirers, especially since he looked particularly youthful recently. His brother, Sir Robert, has been popular in social circles but seems to be settling down now, which is a relief for Rebecca. Among the three brothers, Lady Sara's father, Sir Arthur, is noted for his good looks."
"Yes. I've heard the story."
"Thinking about it, Lady Sara and the women of Grandchester are so used to seeing handsome men that they wouldn't be surprised by someone with looks like yours."
"But, from Lady Sara's perspective, aren't they from her father's generation?"
It wasn't that Andrew wanted to be liked by Sara, but his grandmother (the Queen)'s comment about 'looks like yours' had left a quiet but deep wound.
"Of course, a man's charm isn't just about looks. But, Lady Sara's swordsmanship teacher is Sir Jeffrey, right? There's no doubt that he is stronger and more handsome than the leader of the royal knights. Many maidens lamented that he didn't join the Royal Guard Knights."
There is a rule that only single men can join the Royal Guard Knights, as their main duty is to protect the king and his family. If a knight gets married or has children, he must leave the guard. When Jeffrey won the swordsmanship tournament, he was already engaged, so he declined the offer to join the Royal Guard. This news disappointed many women in the capital who were interested in the handsome knight.
"I heard that it's not just the governess Rebecca who is helping Lady Sara with her studies, but also the former palace bureaucrat Thomas Tyler. He's known for his good looks, and he should be around the same age as Andrew, right?"
"You're right, Queen. But that man's true worth isn't just his looks. He was called a genius at the academy and was so talented that he passed the court bureaucrat exam at the youngest age. We lost a valuable person because of a foolish young lady. I never thought that a man's beauty could be a disadvantage. I regret not being able to protect him properly."
It seems the king has his own thoughts about Thomas's situation. The children of Grandchester, including Sara, are unaware of this. Tutor Thomas is a promising person who is favored by the king, and being able to learn from him is a great fortune.
"By the way, I heard that Thomas Tyler's new bookkeeping book is getting a lot of attention. The economics professor at the academy praised it highly. It seems many bureaucrats think this system should be adopted in the palace as well."
"I've heard about the new bookkeeping too. I think it's called double-entry bookkeeping, right?"
"That's right. It's also called the Grandchester-style ledger, and it's said to be a great system that makes it easy to understand the financial situation even in the middle of a term, making it hard to commit fraud. It seems Thomas Tyler achieved great things in Grandchester."
"How unfortunate..."
The King and Crown Prince looked at each other and sighed deeply at the same time. The Queen, watching them, noticed how much her husband and son resembled each other and smiled softly.
"Indeed, Thomas Tyler had a beautiful face, but to me, he looked like a doll without any warmth. He seemed proud of his talent, as if he had never experienced failure, so I thought he would just fade away into the crowd. I wonder what happened to him in Grandchester."
"Hmm... Do you think the Queen believes there is a secret in Grandchester?"
"The rise of the Sophia Merchant Guild, Thomas Tyler's dramatic achievements, and the Young Marquis looking surprisingly youthful. I think it's strange not to question what happened in Grandchester in such a short time."
"Your Majesty the Queen, no, I will call you Mother now, but do you think the sudden change in Grandchester is related to Lady Sara? It reminds me of the old stories I often heard as a child, stories from your country."
"Yes, Olivia. Some people may look like children, but they are not children inside. This is especially true for girls, who are often seen as 'heroines' or 'villainous noble ladies.' I don't fully understand this idea, but it comes from an old legend."
"An old document mother brought from her homeland says that 'heroes' and 'saints' can save the world using a special power called 'cheat.' I c'n understand what a saint is, but I'm not sure what a hero really is. They are not knights, swordsmen, or magicians. They seem similar to adventurers, but I still don't get it."
"In the end, it's just a story. The royal family from my homeland claims to be descendants of an ancient civilization. They say that when their country fell in a great war, a princess escaped and their bloodline continues. However, many royal families create legends to support their power, so I don't know if it's true."
The queen quenched her throat with slightly cold tea and sighed before continuing.
"But, Lady Sara reminds me of those old legends. At least, it seems that Grandchester has changed a lot around her, and I think she will likely have a significant impact on all of Avalon as well."
"I understand what you mean, Mother, and I think the same way."
Then, the king, who was sitting next to the queen, added his words.
"There were a lot of books in the luggage that the queen brought from the country, but was that the kind of content they had? I thought you were just a book lover, but it seems there was more to it."
"No, I really was just a book lover. I was just surprised that a child appeared who resembled the content of those books so frighteningly."
"So, what kind of existence could that child become as they grow up?"
"According to the documents, there are various possibilities. It might be common for a villainess whose engagement was broken because of the heroine to seek revenge on the heroine."
"Is that all?"
"However, if the villainess is marrying into royalty, there are cases where she goes to the neighboring country's royal family, and that country thrives while her home country declines."
"Wait, Lady Sara has clearly stated that she won't marry into royalty. Besides, why would the neighboring country thrive? Are they going to steal state secrets or something?"
"Well... I feel like there have been many stories where the food somehow becomes delicious. After all, it's ancient language, so there are few stories that are accurately passed down."
"Just because the food gets better, does that mean the country will fall? I really don't get the logic."
"Also, there are many stories where new treatments are discovered, or for some reason, the villainess is a saint and prosperity is always promised."
"Hmm... I wonder if they have fairies on their side, like the once-prosperous Odel."
"That might be the case. While we shouldn't blindly believe old stories, trying to force Lady Sara into the royal family would be dangerous. If she rebels and runs away to the neighboring country, Avalon could be in trouble. It might be better to maintain a friendly relationship."
"I never thought there would come a day when we would be swayed by such a young girl."
The king leaned back tiredly against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. There was a fresco of a goddess resembling a girl surrounded by many fairies, and for some reason, the king felt a deep laugh rising from within him.
"Hahaha. Isn't this interesting? Then let our royal family form a deep friendship with Lady Sara. And surely the Sophia Merchant Guild will be involved as well?"
"Indeed."
As the Crown Prince nodded, the king showed a slightly lonely expression.
"I'm sorry for putting a burden on you all because of my depression until now. You don't have to call me Your Majesty anymore. Just call me Father when it's just family. Besides, soon you will be the one called Your Majesty."
"Yes, Father. But please help me for a little while longer, as I am still inexperienced."
"You'll be fine. You'll probably do better than I did. I just want to relax with the Queen."
"That's wonderful. Since it's a special occasion, let's travel to Grandchester after the social season ends. I've always wanted to climb the old tower of Grandchester Castle and see the Aklar Mountains up close before I die."
"I must grant the wish of my beloved wife. Thinking about it, the friendship with Grandchester is very important. Albert, I'm counting on you."
"Yes, Father."
When the Crown Prince nodded, the King turned to Andrew.
"I'm sorry too, Andrew. Please forgive me for making comments that could undermine your position."
"Your Majesty... no, Grandfather, I believe it was important to properly confirm Lady Sara's intentions. However, I must say again that I do not have those feelings for Lady Sara personally."
"About Lady Sara, huh?"
The Crown Prince smirked.
"What do you want to say, Father?"
"You were worried about Lady Chloe, weren't you? You were sneaking glances at her during the meal, right?"
"N-No, that's not true!"
"Is that so? Do you really think you can fool your father?"
"That's not what I meant! It just felt like the atmosphere suddenly changed, and you looked like you grew up all at once."
Crown Princess (the mother) didn't miss the slight blush on Andrew's cheeks.
"Oh my, your face is red. You've been so cool even when various young ladies were flirting with you."
"Even you, Mother?"
"Hehe. Girls can suddenly change a lot one day. Usually, it happens when they have a crush on someone."
"A crush!? Lady Chloe is only 12 years old, you know?"
"Oh, at that age, it's normal to be infatuated with your first love. By the way, isn't she taking Thomas Tyler's class with Lady Sara?"
"But since she's a daughter of a high-ranking noble, shouldn't she be more careful about that?"
"True, the Grandchester family tends to prefer love marriages, but when it comes to marriage, they would definitely choose their partner carefully. In fact, Lady Sara's parents had a runaway marriage."
"W-Would Lady Chloe also run away with her tutor or something reckless like that?"
"Calm down, Andrew. You're acting more like a 12-year-old than she is. Besides, it's you who should be more careful about marriage than Lady Chloe, right?"
"Yes. I understand."
After being scolded by the Crown Princess, Andrew managed to regain his composure. But the next moment, the King ruined everything.
"Hahaha! This is amusing, Andrew. No wonder you ask your mother and grandmother about the charm of men!"
"That's not what I meant to ask, grandfather!"
"I see, I see. Well, it's really enjoyable to see my grandchild grow up. But since you're not the Crown Prince's eldest son, it seems a bit tricky, so do your best."
"Father, that's a bit too harsh on your grandson, don't you think? Besides, the 3 of us are often said to look alike as a family."
"Hmm... that won't do. Anyway, Andrew, you're quite a handsome guy."
"Grandfather, I'm starting to worry about my future hair. I think Father should start being careful too."
The 3 of them looked at each other and all sighed heavily.
"I feel like my hairline has been receding a bit lately."
"Ah, I felt the same way at that age. Hair was coming out on my pillow..."
"Should I start taking care of it from around my age?"
"──By the way, is the Young Marquis's rejuvenation due to a new product from the Sophia Merchant Guild? It seems like he has more hair than before, or is that just my imagination?"
The queen spoke softly to the 3 of them, who looked serious. Then, they all turned to her at once.
"W-What did you say?"
"Now that you mention it, that might be true."
"Was it really that different?"
"Hey, Albert, make sure you never cut ties with the Sophia Merchant Guild. Take good care of Lady Sara and Grandchester."
"Of course, Father."
"First, we should get to know them better."
"That's true."
"Hey, Andrew. You're going to Lady Sara's birthday party, right?"
"That's the plan."
"Get along well with Lady Sara and Lady Chloe. But be careful not to let other noble families notice."
"Understood. Leave it to me."
In this way, the men of the royal family vowed to set up a siege around Grandchester in the strange late-night atmosphere.
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