Chapter 121

It was the marquis who had told Catherine everything that could draw the attention of the Grand Duke.

Catherine’s name here was not her own. She was not from Holcastle, either. Before catching the marquis’s eye, she had made a name for herself as an actress and had a decent lover.

But if she could become the Grand Duchess, her past held no value, so she abandoned it all.

The only real part of herself she brought to Penmewick was Bella, who had died a few days ago.

‘And now Bella’s gone too.’

Having decided to deceive a high noble and joined hands with another, there was no turning back. If her identity was revealed, she’d be accused of everything from fraud to crimes against the nobility. She’d come this far, the die was cast, and if her partner started to hesitate, it would be a problem.

Catherine’s cold gaze made the marquis mutter excuses.

“No, I’m the one who brought you here. How could you think otherwise?”

“Then what about the plan to spread the rumor that woman is an imperial spy?”

“That didn’t work, so I stopped. Better that than risking unwanted consequences.”

The marquis was troubled. No, if he hastily accused the advisor, he’d be at odds with the Elandria family—he couldn’t act carelessly.

‘This is a real problem.’

The marquis knew better than anyone what had driven the previous Grand Duke mad. No wonder the son of that seed would lose his mind over a woman.

That’s why he brought Catherine, who had the same eye color as his dead daughter, the former Grand Duchess.

He guessed that the only weakness of that damned man, who had cut off all around him, was his mother’s death. If he was going to go mad, better he do it in a useful direction.

But to think there was already someone else. Now, the advisor’s unconventional appointment must have reasons beyond merit.

‘Maybe he’s trying to give the future Grand Duchess a place for herself.’

It was as if the world was helping Nerys Truydd. So if he supported her now, when she and the Elandria family took control of the north, he could benefit as well.

The marquis was torn. Should he gamble on taking the north before the Elandria family or side with the one who seemed likelier to win?

But he had no reason to tell Catherine about all these complications. She was nothing more than a pawn to be used once and thrown away.

So the marquis only glared at her once.

“If everything is going well, I’ll trust you.”

“This is for both our benefit, so don’t be impatient and wait. Soon enough, I’ll put Maindulante in Your Excellency’s hands.”

Catherine laughed boldly.

❖ ❖ ❖

After days of snow, the sky was finally clear. It was a perfect day for a dispatch.

At the inner castle gate, the Platinum Order was ready for departure in perfect order. And just as Cledwyn mounted his horse to give the command—

“Wait a moment!”

Not all the Platinum Order was leaving, but it was a large deployment. The gate was crowded with knights, soldiers, servants, and those seeing them off.

A woman made her way through the crowd. She was the ‘guest young lady’ now famous at the castle.

She must have rushed over, as her usual fresh attire was nowhere to be seen. Her makeup was much lighter than usual, almost as if she wore none. Catherine thanked each person who moved aside for her as she walked forward.

At last, standing before Cledwyn, she looked up at him and smiled brightly.

“I heard you’re traveling far. I’ve heard it’s very dangerous to travel in winter, so I wanted to wish you good luck. Please travel safely, wi-rev-chante.”

Most people present had never heard her last words before in their lives, even Nerys, who spoke many languages.

But because she knew so many languages, Nerys could guess at the meaning.

‘Rev probably means “wish” in common Lundish, like “reve,” and “chante” might mean “luck” in Verlaine, like “chance”…’

Good luck.

Nerys’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Catherine Haricote. Was it a dialect from Catherine’s hometown?

Wherever it was from, it was impertinent. A guest ran up to block the master’s departure, wishing him luck as if she were the mistress.

Cledwyn looked down at Catherine for a moment without expression. Then he gave a curt nod.

“Let’s go.”

Dozens of hooves struck the ground at once. Hearing the heavy sound, Nerys watched until the order had passed through the castle gate and vanished around the bend of the village below.

Catherine came to stand beside Nerys and sighed.

“His Grace really is wonderful.”

“He is.”

“That’s why I feel so sorry for the advisor.”

What? Nerys looked suspiciously at Catherine. Catherine spoke with feigned sweetness.

“I know you like His Grace, Advisor.”

“What, Miss Haricote?”

“I tried to deny my own feelings because of that… but I just couldn’t refuse someone as wonderful as His Grace. I hope you can understand.”

“Refuse?”

“I’m truly sorry.”

Catherine covered her flushed cheeks with her hands, sighing as if embarrassed. It was a shy gesture, calculated to set the onlookers’ imagination running.

Nerys stared at Catherine for a long while. Then she smiled—a smile devoid of all feeling.

“…Is that so? The two of you, without my knowing…”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

As Catherine apologized for the third time, she realized that Nerys’s smile looked very much like the cold smile Cledwyn had worn earlier. But how could she not collect her thoughts during the Grand Duke’s absence, when she was practically living in his office these days?

‘Stage two is clear.’

Catherine really was confident.

So she ignored the instinctive warning that prickled down her spine.

❖ ❖ ❖

With Cledwyn gone, White Swan Castle was exceptionally quiet, even accounting for the number of people absent.

Maybe it was the snow, Nerys thought. The snow here was so heavy that in the capital they’d have said travel was impossible for the order, but here people shamelessly declared this was ‘warm enough’ and left.

And the one who welcomed the calm the most was the Marquis of Tipion.

“I have only one son, the excellent Lord Tipion who assists me so well.”

The marquis chatted cheerfully about himself. Though she already knew this, Nerys responded politely. It seemed he counted his dead daughter as if she’d never existed.

“You must be very proud, Your Excellency. I wouldn’t know much at my age, but I hear it’s a great joy to have a strong heir.”

The marquis laughed heartily.

He had brought Nerys to the sitting room under the pretext of entertaining a guest. In truth, he wanted to build a good relationship and, if possible, draw out some information about the Elandria family.

“In a few years, you’ll be married into an excellent family yourself, won’t you? You’ll understand then.”

It was a nudge to see if she’d reveal any future plans. Nerys smiled wryly.

Until now, she’d been more wary of the marquis than of Catherine. He was an old hand at politics, someone who’d even fooled Cledwyn, so she thought he’d pounce at any hint of weakness.

‘But I was wrong.’

Come to think of it, even though the marquis was a high noble, he was just a border lord who didn’t get swept up in the capital’s social circles. He’d run his fief and managed his vassals, but his slyness and ruthlessness didn’t compare to someone like Nellusion, who’d been born with a nest of vipers inside him.

Cledwyn had only fallen for the marquis’s trick because of the late Grand Duchess. As a child, his few remaining blood relatives must have seemed precious.

She’d checked with the Yaheon for other movements, but there hadn’t been much. If the marquis’s knights had tried anything, it would’ve been obvious in this insular castle.

So, the marquis wasn’t as deep as she’d thought. Even his current words felt hollow.

If he truly valued bloodlines, he’d have cherished Cledwyn more.

He wouldn’t have brought in a woman who looked like his dead daughter to awkwardly seduce his grandson, while insulting his whole daughter’s family.

For a moment, she wondered if the late Grand Duchess was an adopted child, brought in for a marriage of convenience. But the woman in the portrait looked far too much like the marquis for that.

“An excellent family… I hardly dare to hope.”

Nerys’s answer was lukewarm. The marquis laughed as if to say otherwise.

“Ha! A beauty like you will never lack for suitors.”

“Thank you, even for just saying so.”

By now, the marquis had accepted that it wasn’t easy to read Nerys’s mind. He finally got to the point.

“Do you know what the commoners have been saying lately?”

“I do. That Your Excellency has been oppressing me. I apologize for not preventing the rumors.”

“They think I’m harassing you to promote my niece…”

Since Nerys revealed herself as a spy, the two had met a few times like this. Both wanted this result.

The marquis was trying to extract Elandria family secrets, and Nerys was working behind the scenes to make better use of the Jeweled Eyes.

The power of the Jeweled Eyes wasn’t unlimited. Sometimes, winning over a person was more effective than the process of using the eyes themselves.

Nerys used a method that had helped put people at ease in her previous life: after keeping a cold expression, she let out a sudden little laugh.

“It’s a silly rumor. Someone like Your Excellency has no need for such things. And Miss Haricote already seems quite close to His Grace, after all. Like with her greeting earlier.”

Now would be a good time to reassure him and draw out more critical information. Nerys met the marquis’s gaze and spoke slowly, as if etching the words in.

“…It’s a very good thing. I truly believe so.”

Her calm voice seeped into the marquis’s mind like water to a thirsty man. Yes, that’s what she thinks… the Elandria family accepts the Tipion family taking the north…

If he’d been in his right mind, the marquis would have doubted her. If she truly worked for the Elandria family, it would benefit them for her to become Grand Duchess. But somehow her words sounded convincing…

Soon the marquis’s eyes grew unfocused. Believing he’d gained valuable information, he could not hide his pleasure.

“Ha, yes! That’s right! I think it’s all for the best too. The child suffered so much from an early age!”

“Miss Haricote’s patron is Your Excellency. So you’ll once again be the Grand Duke of Maindulante’s father-in-law. Your grandson will be the Grand Duke, your distant niece the Grand Duchess… amazing. Truly worthy of respect.”

The marquis’s mouth stretched in a broad smile. Nerys smiled at just the right moment.

“And yet, the Grand Duke is so cold and rude… I’m sure your son would never act like that. It must make you furious.”

The marquis’s son was now middle-aged. To receive praise from a father who seemed in no hurry to hand over his title, he must be a true expert at currying favor.

“Of course!”

The marquis’s eyes briefly went blank with the answer. Only then did he realize he’d been angry.

Yes, his son, Lord Tipion, who still ruled the marquisate, would never act so rudely! The north was full of ill-mannered wretches!

Nerys licked her lips.

“I don’t really know why the Grand Duke is like that… After all, aren’t you all the same blood, Your Excellency? Or is there a difference?”

“All the same blood? Nonsense!”

A spark leapt in the marquis’s eyes. Then something slipped from his mouth, even he hadn’t meant to say.

“The Grand Dukes of this land have been mad for generations! And now, with bastard blood mixed in, they’ve fallen even further! The child of a bastard—how could that ever be called a real noble?”