Before the news of Marquis Luden arrived, Grand Duke Roygar and his party had left the Duchy of Riagan and arrived at the Kingdom of Eimmel.

The royal palace, built where the coast was visible, was pure white.

“It’ll be blown away by the sea breeze.”

Garnet, who thought it was made of marble, muttered unknowingly.

The head of Felona, ??who was standing nearby, answered.

“It’s not marble, it’s the salt crystals that reflect the white light.”

“Really? It’s like a jewel.”

Garnet replied. Inside is probably not a good place to live because of humidity and salinity, but it would not be polite to ask such a question about a royal palace in a foreign country.

It was also true that they were as beautiful as Riagan’s salt crystals.

“By the way, why doesn’t the Kingdom of Eimmel make salt? There was enough salt to form on the outer walls of the building?”

“Because there is a shortage of lumber and manpower.”

The head of Felona replied.

Skyla muttered.

“Good salt is made by boiling seawater in a large cauldron over a fire. I know that it is difficult to find enough firewood in the Kingdom of Eimmel. Is there also a shortage of labor in the Kingdom of Iantz?”

“Because it’s more profitable making yarn than watching salt cauldrons.”

The head of Felona replied with a smile.

“We are just producing what is consumed domestically. Common people are more likely to just use seawater.”historical

“I see.”

“But wealthy people buy salt from the Duchy of Riagan and use it. The salt tastes savory instead of bitter, and when you break the crystallized salt and put it in a glass bottle, it looks beautiful. When we welcome a special guest, we always put it on the table.”

“So that’s why each person has a salt bottle set on the table.”

Garnet, who had never paid much attention to things like salt, answered with a bit of surprise.

It was a specialty of the Duchy of Riagan, so she thought that’s why they had it, but she didn’t know there was such a culture in the South.

“Your Grace, please go into the cabin now. Getting the sea breeze for too long is not good for your skin.”

Viscountess Weave said in a hard voice.

She didn’t like Felona’s head staying by Garnet’s side.

She didn’t like her since in the first place Skyla didn’t even ask for her opinion and passed the story directly to Garnet.

The same was true of Garnet’s favoritism on Skyla, Marquisate Camellia had a higher status than Viscounty Weave, and her bloodline was closer to Marquisate Luden.

In the end, Skyla was the youngest lady-in-waiting, so she was like the chief maid. Even Marchioness Camellia asks for a favor in taking good care of Skyla.

But that didn’t mean she could go over her head to Garnet.

Above all else, it was Grand Duke Roygar’s will to masquerade the head of Felona as Garnet’s maid and blend in with the party.

‘Why are you making me do such a dangerous thing?’

Viscountess Weave complained in her heart.

She could not be taken as the maid of Grand Duke Roygar. She knows that.

When a stranger suddenly appeared around Grand Duke Roygar, there would surely be someone who would trace her background.

If that’s a problem, shouldn’t they make her the maid of a trusted person among the attendants?

It was not that there were no women among those who came to represent each family or upper ranks.

[“It’s not like we’re all in one accord. If you want to make room under someone else’s name, you have to reveal the identity of the head of Felona to that person. His Grace the Grand Duke would of course want to avoid that.”]

Skyla said it like she was a loyal person.

Viscountess Weave didn’t like it either. She didn’t know why, so she felt repulsed.

Nevertheless, she wanted to eliminate any hazard from Garnet alone.

The problem, though, was that Garnet felt close to the head of Felona.

It was fun to talk to new people. Garnet used to ask the head of Felona about Southern culture and history that she was not familiar with.

Then the head of Felona kindly answered.

She would have liked it, if it was under usual circumstances. If they were on a normal trip right now, and if they’ve been asked to go out with the head of Felona who had publicly identified herself.

Viscountess Weave had a hard face, but Garnet didn’t care.

“Let’s look around a little more. When will I have another chance to visit the Kingdom of Eimmel?”

Garnet said so and pressed her hand to her tousled hair. And she looked up again at the palace where the white sunlight shattered.

Grand Duke Roygar came out of his cabin.

He was holding Garnet’s shawl in his hand. With the attendant far away, he strode alone.

And he said as he wrapped his arms around Garnet’s shoulder.

“It’s windy.”

“It’s not cold. It is rather hot.”

“What did you find so interesting?”

“It’s the palace. If it had been in Krates, I thought it would have had a nice name.”

“Do you want a palace like that, too?”

“No. I already have several pretty villas.”

“But there is no palace. Do you like a white marble palace?”

Grand Duke Roygar smiled softly and lightly rubbed her shoulder.

It was not something to say so hastily.

Palaces belong to the monarch. Even if Grand Duke Roygar was of imperial family, even if he built the most beautiful house in the world, he could not pronounce it a palace.

For anyone completely unrelated, it wouldn’t matter, but it was dangerous for a person with the right to inherit the throne to do such a thing.

But this was the South. On the deck stood only Garnet and Grand Duke Roygar, the ladies-in-waiting and attendants, and the head of Felona.

The sailors were preparing to call in the port, and the sea breeze was so strong that only the voices of people nearby could be heard.

Garnet suddenly had a thought of her old days.

When she was young, she thought that if she married, she would live in the Empress’ Palace. Then she would make the Empress’ Palace the most beautiful palace in the world, she used to plan that way.

She was so young, so there was nothing dangerous about it.

Like children dreamed of becoming princesses, she took it for granted that she would become an empress.

“I don’t need a marble palace.”

“Then?”

“I wish there was a tree big enough for a swing. It’s a big swing that me and the kids can all lie down on.”

“It would be a huge tree.”

Grand Duke Roygar smiled.

“The garden needs to change its style, too.”

“That’s right.... . Shall we make it in the village?”

“Isn’t it good to change things after a long time? If I send them a message now, by the time we get home, they’ll be able to hang the swing.”

“What about the kids?”

“Please ask mother-in-law for a moment. Or wouldn’t it be okay to go to the villa before winter?”

“Shall we?”

While talking like that. The ship entered the port.

Cadriol was watching people disembark from the ship through a telescope on the lighthouse.

“Certainly, that’s the head of Felona.”

He departed from the Duchy of Riagan at the same time as Grand Duke Roygar and his party.

His ship was much faster than that of Grand Duke Roygar, who was carrying the nobles. Although he came at a leisurely pace, he was able to buy more than a week’s time.

It was enough time for an internal crackdown.

“Since there was no way she could have joined in the middle of the sea, she must’ve contacted them while in the Duchy of Riagan.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t notice.”

“It’s okay. I guess we’re not as good at gathering information as the Iantz.”

At those words, the subordinate’s head bowed even deeper.

“I know it’s hard to do delicate work with rough guys. It seems that she was in contact through the side of Grand Duchess Roygar.”

Cadriol looked at the faces of the maids around the head of Felona and said.

“Then, it would have been more difficult to know.”

Cadriol had no subordinates to take control of the collection and management of information. There were no women either.

Because his power base was pirateering. Not all of the trustworthy subordinates were men, but none of them had the talent to approach the wives and dig up information.

So that’s why he wanted Artizea even more.

“I know that Grand Duchess Roygar is not very involved in this.”

Cadriol murmured and lowered the telescope.

“Doesn’t Grand Duke Roygar want to meet the head of Felona anyway?”

“Right. In any case, would it be of no use to have separated Marchioness Camellia?”

Or maybe Artizea had other plans.

Cadriol was unaware of the details. The only thing he had dealt with Artizea was the life of the Queen.

“The head of Felona must have come to represent the Iantz Kingdom. The fact that Grand Duke Roygar hasn’t said a word of it to me means that the talk is going well.”

And coming this far means that there was something to tell King Eimmel.

‘I didn’t mean to play in the hands of Marquis Rosan.’

If Grand Duke Roygar took his hand, he was going to try and coolly hit Artizea in the back of the head.

However, if he joined hands with the Iantz Kingdom, there’s no helping it.

At the very least, the Iantz Kingdom will try to solve it by putting everything on itself.

There was no choice but to counterattack from this side.

‘Should I wait a little longer?’

Perhaps, the King would not accept Grand Duke Roygar and Iantz’s offer. The Queen is no more now.

Well. Despite the wait, the result was clear. He knew it well enough to lose his life.

And even if his father did not accept the offer, since Grand Duke Roygar had chosen the Iantz Kingdom, he had to fight back.

Cadriol, in a complex mood in many ways, threw his telescope at his men and put on his cloak.

“Do you want to go back to the palace?”

“I’m going to meet the Grand Duke. Organize the army.”

“Yes?”

“Because there might be things that need to be moved. It will take quite a bit of preparation to deal with Father’s army and the escort knights from the Empire at the same time.”

“Will it be okay? Otherwise, it will become a war with the Empire.”

“The Grand Duke and his party will send them back without touching a single fingertip. This is our internal Eimmel problem. Unfortunately, he got involved in a fight between the father and the son.”

“Then, I will send the prepared national letter to the imperial capital. So that we won’t be at fault.”

“Alright.”

In the letter, a detailed description of the smuggling relationship between the dead Queen and the Duchy of Riagan was written.

That will be the first spark.

Once they get to the capital, Artizea will pour oil on it.

After all, Artizea’s purpose must be to defeat Grand Duke Roygar. He can trust that part.