- Who knows when this will happen?
Jules smiled wryly at Marquise Conolly's words.
- That's it.
He was of the same opinion.
- Why did you do this then?
The marquise did not answer anything to Yuls’s words.
“If they had put an end to it then, it wouldn’t have come to this.”
But the past cannot be returned. One momentary mistake affects countless possible futures. They were still in this zone of influence.
Moreover, Jules, frozen in his growth, always remained in the same state.
Memory, mind and body.
The Marchioness of Conolly asked to be informed when the plan or dates would be determined, and left. Although “she retired” is a loud word: the marquise also remained in the palace of Pales. Even if the ladies' chambers were far away, it could be reached on foot in ten minutes.
Juls looked at the piled-up gifts with a sigh. Most of them will be useless or thrown away. He will send food to servants or knights, and give most of the gifts to others. Only the documents hidden among them are important.
However, you can’t leave empty-handed, so you’ll have to choose something tolerable from this and put it in the warehouse. The Palais security knight also needs to give something,” having thought to this point, Jules looked at Bert standing next to him.
As soon as the Marquise Conolly left, the relaxed Bert, sensing Jules’s gaze, immediately asked:
- Are there any orders?
- How is Grimaldi?
- You're talking about Adi. Not bad.
Bert answered.
- More details.
- He says that he came from Grimaldi to Palesa because he hates Grimaldi. Things don't look good with Spencer Grimaldi. Seems to be silent. If he is not addressed, the conversation itself does not begin and questions are not asked. And not only empty, but even useful. Doesn't feel curious, follows orders - a typical knight. And, I have never been involved in any love affairs - neither with women nor with men. Based on this, it's likely...
- Bert.
Jules interrupted Bert. He, knowing full well that he was not being asked about this, seemed to be deliberately joking, and Yuls rubbed his temples.
“It looks like he doesn’t belong to them.”
- Sure?
- At the moment - yes. And what will happen next is unknown. After all, he is the son of this vile count.
Bert answered. However, if a person like Adi Grimaldi is not associated with anyone, it will be easy to notice when someone approaches him.
Jules brought to mind the face of Spencer Grimaldi. What his natural hair color was is unknown, but Spencer now has graying gray hair. The man, whose hair contrasts with his youthful face for his age to impress, was both the king's most trusted and most rejected.
Then Jules remembered Adi Grimaldi. Spencer Grimaldi is not visible in the slender knight with golden brown hair. Having not yet seen him in action, Juls doubted whether he could cope with the security, but judging by the rumors circulating around the Pales palace...
— Palessky dog.
Usually “dog” means a faithful dog, but here it’s really a curse word, so no matter what you think about it, it doesn’t seem like it. The rumors and that meek, pretty face don’t fit in with each other. In general, Adi Grimaldi, whom Juls saw, was too meek. Afraid that his head will be cut off?
- I don’t understand yet.
Jules said.
“But he’s definitely different from Spencer Grimaldi.”
At least he didn’t know how to politick. After all, it was Spencer Grimaldi’s political abilities that helped him achieve such trust. If Adi Grimaldi had been like Spencer Grimaldi, he wouldn't have been treated like that at Pales.
“Your Grace, don’t keep him near you.”
Not only Adi Grimaldi, but also all the knights of the Palace of Palesa, were not allowed to approach by Jules. Because those in Pales cannot be trusted.
Of course, among those who were in Woodpecker, there were plenty of people unworthy of trust.
- Why not try it? It would be interesting to see Adrian confront Spencer.
- Is he capable of this? It is unlikely that he is the person who can do such a thing.
- But he is a Palais dog. At least he knows how to bite.
“If it bites the owner, it will be even worse.”
“It’s worth taming him, even at the cost of a bite.” Sooner or later, Grimaldi will end up in Adi's hands.
Bert said. His words made sense. Spencer won't be in control forever. Ten years at most, twenty at most. Not a bad time.
- I'll think about it.
Jules stood up. Looking at the young man who reached up to his chest, Bert nodded slightly.
“By the way, there is something you need to do.”
Jules approached the table. Taking out a piece of paper, he wrote something, rolled it up and handed it to Bert.
Bert checked the contents, then carefully folded the paper and slipped it under his leather armor.
- I'll finish as quickly as possible.
- Fine. Then let's go.
-Where to, Your Grace?
- To Witch Street.
Bert nodded in understanding, then stopped. Come to think of it, it wasn't a bad opportunity. Bert opened his mouth with a knowing smile.
- Your Grace.
- What?
“I will have business to do for the Duke, so why don’t you go to Witch Street with Sir Adi Grimaldi?”
-...
-You need to get closer.
- Why on earth?
- You will spend several months together. You need to build trust so that at a critical moment he does not run away, but reliably protects you.
“I don’t need someone who runs away.”
- What if?
Bert shrugged.
“Witch Street is not dangerous, so everything will be fine.”
Do you just want to bring them together? Jules could not understand why Bert was so favorable to Adi Grimaldi.
— The weather is great. A good day for a walk together. I'll order the servants to get ready.
The joint trip seems to have become a fait accompli. Yuls remained silent and looked out the window.
Summer was approaching. The piercing dampness and cold of winter disappeared, and a dry wind rushed into the room. The Palessian summer was always radiant.
Maybe because he always came here at the end of spring?
Although he hated Palesa to the point of nausea, the beauty of this time of year left him with some kind of incomprehensible melancholy.
— Palesa looks so happy.
And the wind, and the sunlight, and snow-white flowers, and the laughter of children, whose offspring are unknown.
- Disgusting.
Having said this, Jules looked at Bert. Bert said quietly: “Well, then,” and left the living room. Yuls's gaze followed him.
Soon a servant entered. Apparently, having received a message from Bert, he said that he would prepare the carriage for departure in an hour, and said that he would bring clothes for changing. Jules didn't answer.
* * * Returning to her room, Adi opened the window and lit a candle, sitting down at her desk. The wind came through the window, located right next to the table.
Perhaps it was because of the weather that Palesa remained the capital of the kingdom of Dalcatir for so long. Early spring had passed, the rich aroma of freshness had subsided, and it seemed that late spring had arrived.
The late spring of Palesa was unfamiliar. The spring here was too warm, at times it seemed like the beginning of summer. The Palais spring was hotter than the Grimaldi summer. Looking at the greenery, Adi thought that Adrian would like it too. But he had never seen this landscape.
She moistened the thick paper with fruit juice and wrote the contents. On the reverse side I added everyday words.
The words that everything was fine, that she missed her family, and many other made-up lies were similar to the messages from Spencer Grimaldi that came from time to time. Letters full of sweet words, in which there was not a drop of affection - Adi also wrote something similar.
After writing the letter, she blotted it with a blotter to absorb any remaining ink and folded it neatly. Then she took out sealing wax and brought it to the candle flame.
She dripped melted sealing wax onto the letter, then took out a ring from the depths of the box and applied it to the wax. Casually, as if it doesn’t matter if anyone sees.
Take it to the palace register - and everything will be over. Besides, it’s time to go to the Duke’s residence. Adi stood up, and at that moment someone knocked. Instead of letting him in, she walked over and opened the door.
- Sir Adrian Grimaldi?
It was a servant.
— The schedule has changed. In thirty minutes you will need to go into the city with His Grace the Duke.
- It's clear.
-...
- I'll be there on time.
- You don’t ask where?
“Wherever His Grace goes, there will be no problems with security.”
- Y-yes... We are planning a visit to Witch Street.
The servant said. “Witch Street—there’s not much to guard there,” Adi thought.
- Then come to the reception in thirty minutes.
- Let's walk together right now.
- No, his honor is just changing his clothes.
The servant refused. Adi nodded.
“Then I’ll drop by the register and accept it right away.”
The servant glanced at the letter in Adi’s hands and nodded in understanding.