Chapter 102

“You’re just indifferent. You’ve been married for several years, but you still can’t tell.”

“Did you meet Kathleen?”

When Alexis asked impatiently, Edith grinned and nodded her head. Alexis rubbed his throbbing temple at the sight.

He had come down from Carmine to Meyer first. This was because he had to announce the birth of a new Margrave at the court meeting.

Cassiel Usmund did not accompany him on the pretext that procedural preparations were necessary to formally hold the conferment of titles. It meant that he would only come down on the exact date that would be set at the court meeting.

But that was only an excuse on the surface.

Instead of sending his niece back, whom he had met with difficulty, Cassiel Usmund, made a condition.

– I’ll keep her until the wedding.

Alexis, who was planning to go down as soon as he received permission to make her the new Grand Duchess, was bewildered, but he didn’t refuse. No, it would be more accurate to say that he couldn’t.

Seeing Cassiel’s face, referring to Kathleen as ‘my daughter’, reminded him of her mother, Juliana, who had helped him as a child, and he was forced to step down.

– Don’t worry. I will surely appease Uncle.

Kathleen’s face, who was comforting him as she sent him on his way, was still vivid.

To make matters worse, the new Margrave was given a mansion in Meyer, therefore even if Kathleen came down with him at the ceremony, they couldn’t stay together until their wedding day. Of course, it was the same for Luci.

“So, have you been well?”

“Of course.”

Alexis’ eyebrows twitched from being asked the obvious. She clearly regretted going down too. Was he the only one anxious here?

“What did you talk about?”

“Did you call me to report that?”

“Weren’t you the one who brought it up first? That the Lady of Count Usmund had a different opinion than mine.”

“O-Oh. So, are you thinking of changing your mind?”

Just when Edith was about to clap her hands together finding it interesting,

“Your Highness, a guest has arrived.”

The old butler, Alsdorf, knocked and announced.

“Bring him in.”

Alexis gave a brief reply and turned to Edith.

“We’ll talk about it later. I have someone to meet first.”

“Should I stay?”

“Yes.”

Naturally, Edith, who was getting up to leave the office, hesitated and sat down again. As Alsdorf stepped aside, a man with short light green hair entered.

“Oh, Priest Joseph!”

Edith recognized Joseph and shouted with pleasure.

“Miss Edith.”

He, too, didn’t know that Edith would be here, so his light green eyes widened as he greeted her warmly. Then he noticed that the owner of the mansion was with her in the office and greeted him awkwardly.

“Hello, Grand Duke.”

“It’s been a while.”

With a relaxed attitude, Alexis motioned to an empty seat.

“Sit there.”

“……Yes.”

As Joseph sat down on the chair in a slightly tense position, Alsdorf brought out tea. He was surprised by the difference in treatment from when he first came to Duke Walten’s residence.

“I heard that you stopped by Carmine after I left.”

“That’s right. But not for any other purpose.”

“I know. There was a couple who was about to give birth, and you helped the physician.”

Alexis said, lifting a teacup.

“Yes. I couldn’t break my promise to look after them, so I went back to meet them.”

Joseph was relieved to see Grand Duke Walten not doubt Kathleen, unlike before, but was tongue-tied at the fact that even though he was far away, he knew everything as if it were a family affair.

“So, are you going to stay in Delafos?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’m thinking of continuing my wandering training. There are those who need the Temple’s help outside Meyer.”

Even though he couldn’t grasp why he was asking these questions, Joseph obediently answered. He’ll be more satisfied the farther he goes.

But Alexis was not relieved by Joseph’s words. He seemed to be thinking about something, and then asked Edith.

“What are you going to do? Are you going to stay in the Grand Duke’s forever?”

“I do not know. I’ll probably leave often? It may be difficult to collect herbs in Meyer.”

“Good.”

Alexis said, looking at her and Joseph alternately.

“Then I’ll let both of you go down South.”

“What?”

“What?”

The two asked, seemingly confused by the unexpected statement. Alexis handed them two documents each.

“An autonomous region will be established in the South. Viscount Schenberg was appointed as the administrator, and since it is directly under the emperor, the influence of the imperial council will be small. We need priests and pharmacists there.”

Edith and Joseph each began to examine the documents they received.

One was a plan to provide homes for the people of the South who were severely affected by the earthquake, as well as exiles of the former Schenberg dynasty who were wandering in other territories, and the other was a letter of recommendation.

“Joseph, as a priest of Delafos, you have taken care of Meyer’s housing for the poor, so you’ll know how to set up and manage temporary shelters.”

“……That’s right.”

“The South is plagued with epidemics every summer, so your skills and experiences will be helpful. Edith, the same can be said of your abilities.”

It was then that Joseph realized what Alexis meant. He was proposing that they support the emperor’s new policy.

He did not intend to live a life of only reading scriptures or blessing the nobles at the Temple, so he was fortunate to be able to go to a place where his help was needed. Especially if it’s something that could assist the Emperor. However…….

“Can I really do that?”

If he were to become a priest that was officially dispatched to the South, the Grand Duchess, Kathleen, would also know this. She had been continuously interested in charitable work for the poor, therefore if he were to assist the emperor’s administrator, he would often have to return to Meyer and the Imperial Palace.

If there was anyone who would want to get him out of Kathleen’s sight as much as possible, it would be Grand Duke Walten.

Joseph was re-reading the documents over and over again with an expression of disbelief.

“Then did I have to bother calling you just to listen to your refusal?”

Alexis pointed to his signature at the bottom of the paperwork.

“I even wrote a letter of recommendation, but if you don’t like it, then there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ll stop.”

“No.”

Joseph quickly hid the papers behind his back.

“I will go.”

“Great.”

Alexis looked at Edith this time.

“And you?”

“I…….”

The hand Edith was using to hold the papers was trembling. Alexis said to her, who was unable to speak easily.

“Since you have carefully examined my and my son’s condition,  I am giving you a chance to return home.”

Edith was the daughter of a laborer who lived in the southern great plains. Although it was a crumbling dynasty, the status system in the South was much stricter than that of the Empire, so she chose to follow her conqueror, the Duke of Walten.

“I, can I go back?”

In the Great Plains that had already been conquered, the evil lord had long since disappeared, and only those who did not deserve to be taken as prisoners gathered like ants to live and survive.

Edith, who left them and abandoned them, harbored a vague sense of guilt and longing.

“Go and help the people of your hometown. Supplies will be provided by request.”

“……Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.”

Edith quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and answered bravely, choking up. Only then was Alexis finally satisfied.

“This is a matter that has already been approved by His Majesty the Emperor, so you can leave at any time. Viscount Schenberg has already departed. Alsdorf will help you with the preparations.”

“Thank you, Grand Duke.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Joseph carefully bowed his head in gratitude.

“I’ll see you later.”

“Yes. Luci will be waiting for you, so stop by again.”

“……Yes.”

Joseph’s face visibly brightened at the promise of the future meeting. Following Alsdorf’s guidance, he left the office.

“Then I will go. Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Wait.”

Edith hurried to get up, giddy and excited at the thought of going down South, but Alexis stopped her.

“You, wait a minute.”

“Yes? Why?”

“We’re not done talking yet.”

“What do you mean……oh! The wedding?”

He nodded very subtly. His face was more serious than when they talked about the dispatch to the South, this made Edith doubt her eyes.

‘Maybe it’s not that he’s indifferent, he just didn’t know.’

Edith gasped while revising her assessment of Alexis Walten. The couple had been running in circles, so she thought that there would be nothing wrong with giving a little help to their new start.

“There is only one thing the Lady of Count Usmund wants from the wedding. Not lavish decorations, nor expensive dresses of course.”

“Then?”

“It’s people. All the people she cares about and loves, to be gathered in one place on that day.”

When Edith stopped by Carmine, she recalled a story that Kathleen had told her.

“I heard you had your subordinates prepare everything for your first wedding? The same went for the wedding invitations.”

“……I did.”

“You can’t do that this time. There is no one in the world as lucky as Your Highness. It’s your second wedding with the same person, so it’d be a great opportunity to make up for your mistakes.”

After emphasizing several times to never miss this opportunity, Edith left the office.

And again, Alexis, who had a new problem, was forced to sit at his desk.

‘Is that what she meant by a simple wedding?’

When he implicitly asked what she wanted for the wedding, the problem was that he interpreted the answers he had heard straight away.

Of course, it didn’t mean a shabby wedding. Even in the past when he did not look back at her, the prepared bouquet, dress, and gifts were of the highest quality.

But the first and second weddings shouldn’t be the same. 

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