The holiday is over. There were those who left earlier due to unforeseen events, but soon everyone else, as if forgetting about the tragedy, enjoyed the celebration and dispersed to their domains. The king has not yet left the city. Spencer Grimaldi also remained at Palais until now. According to the plans, he, too, should have returned to the lands of Grimaldi.
- Still haven’t found it?
Adrian Grimaldi is officially dead. Adrina Grimaldi too. However, only one child died.
Spencer Grimaldi made inquiries everywhere to get his child back, but could not find even the slightest clue. There were no traces left, as if she really was dead. At this stage, one could consider her dead, but everyone knew perfectly well that she was very much alive.
- I'm sorry.
-What do you need to apologize for? You just need to do your job properly.
-......
His suspicions continued to fall on Woodpecker. But was there any close connection between Woodpecker and her?
He had heard rumors that they had begun preparing to leave even before it became known that Addie had killed Luigi. The timing of their departure was suspicious, but Addie Grimaldi was not among them. No matter how influential the Duke's family was, the search could not be carried out carelessly when a member of the royal family and a marquess were killed.
- Find her no matter what.
Spencer said looking at Lef Zid.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?”
Spencer didn't care what Lef Zid wanted from Adrina - revenge or something else. If Grimaldi's blood has someone with outstanding skills mixed in, that wouldn't be a bad thing. Low origin was a problem, but since the connection would arise with the deceased, he would still not be able to gain power in the house of Grimaldi.
-......With all due respect.
- Enough, I don’t want to listen to excuses.
However, incompetence in business was a problem.
“Before leaving for Ionades, I intend to stop by the Grimaldi estate. Since you failed in your task, forget about returning to your homeland. Stay here, look for traces of this creature, and when the time comes, come to Ionad.
- I obey.
Lef Zid answered, bowing his head. Spencer looked at him with displeasure and stood up.
Today was the last day of his stay at the residence provided by the Duke. Before leaving for Grimaldi, it was necessary to pay a visit to the king. The king had previously avoided meeting with Spencer, but, having learned about his departure, apparently, he still decided to see each other one last time. However, they will still collide in Jonad.
Spencer walked down the gallery. At that moment he saw the Marquis of Conolly coming towards him. Unlike Spencer, who was alone, the Marchioness was accompanied by maids; As soon as she saw Spencer Grimaldi, she frowned. Throughout the celebration she wore mourning. There was no person who did not understand that this was her way of silently expressing her protest and resentment.
She also didn't believe that Adrian Grimaldi killed Luigi. Only the Count's behavior seemed strange to her. But his son is dead just like her nephew. What does he want to achieve by destroying his own child?
- We meet again, Count.
- Madam.
-You are still in Pales.
“Soon I will go to Jonad.”
The Marchioness of Conolly smiled. It looks like the rumors turned out to be true in the end. Claude shook Grimaldi's hand - the same hand that his father had pushed away. Doesn't he understand why the king stayed away from Grimaldi? Be that as it may, this man was not the timid one. Wow, I finally decided to crawl into Jonad again.
—What are your plans, marquise?
“I also need to go to Jonad.”
With these words, the Marchioness of Conolly looked out the window. As soon as the festival ended, the rain stopped. As if to confirm that summer has finally come into its own. A view of a beautiful green garden opened before her, but her soul felt cold, as if from gusts of wind. What she believed in no longer existed.
“Duke Woodpecker promised to come, so shouldn’t I trust him now?”
“Is the Duke going to Jonad?”
- Yes.
“He couldn’t stand Jonad in the winter, but then he suddenly decided to show up.”
When Spencer said this with obvious surprise, the Marchioness of Conolly looked at him intently, as if asking: “Don’t you know?” Judging by the lack of reaction, he really was not in the know. However, Grimaldi is not so easy to find out about what is happening in the south. The Marchioness of Conolly spoke.
“He’s going there not for the Social Season, but for the Council Session.”
-...You said to the Council Session?
She nodded.
Woodpecker generally showed no interest in central politics. He was quite content with managing his own lands, and the king never made onerous demands on him. Even if taxes increased, it always remained within reason. Therefore, he almost never came to the capital to defend his territories or discuss the future of Dalkatir.
However, it cannot be said that he did not have such experience at all. Spencer himself saw Woodpecker in Jonad. Then he looked like a child, a boy of twelve or thirteen years old. And no one began to listen to Woodpecker's arguments.
It was probably then that he realized: no matter how old you are, appearance is of enormous importance. Now it probably doesn't matter anymore. After all, now he will appear in the guise of an adult.
- So this Woodpecker.
How the hell did the Duke manage to break this Curse?
- Going to arrive in Ionad right during the Council Session?
- Yes.
The lady confirmed his words.
- They say he will come with a new page. I heard about Sir Bert Dean's niece. They say she is an extraordinary beauty, and this worries me.
“Female squire, you say?”
- Exactly. I hear she's preparing to be knighted, so she'll probably already be knighted by the time she arrives in Ionades.
A female knight—what an absurdity. Spencer let out a short laugh.
There is a difference in muscle strength and endurance between women and men. Of course, if the technology is excellent, you can turn a blind eye to this, but once a war breaks out, that’s a completely different story.
However, these days wars are rare. When he was young, they flared up constantly, but now that the rulers are old, they seem to yearn for peace and do not think of expanding territories or continuing the fight. Even if they fight, they prefer to do it sitting down, in places like the Council.
Well, in such an era, a woman can become a knight. After all, his own daughter was also an outstanding knight. Let her bear the name of her son.
“It seems the Duke intends to create the first official female knight of Dalkathir.”
- It turns out so. A woman with knights... It would be better for her to grow up in affection and marry into a worthy family.
“Sir Bert Deane wouldn't have been able to do it.” No matter how close to Woodpecker he may be now, he is ultimately a commoner.
- And that’s true. If he were even a lower noble, she could go to another house as an adopted daughter and become engaged to someone from a noble family.
“You said she was Bert Dean’s niece.” So she doesn't have a surname or did she get the surname Ding?
“From what I heard, she was given the last name Dean.”
If she got the surname Ding, then she is a commoner. Spencer had no intention of paying attention to such an insignificant person. However, the Marchioness of Conolly seemed determined to continue this conversation. How annoying. Spencer, looking at her interested face, raised the corner of his lips and said:
- What a pity. This means that she cannot even become someone's adopted daughter. But this would be the highest position she could achieve.
— From the point of view of status, yes. But if the Duke makes her his mistress, things will take a different turn.
“I guess the Duke still has a certain level of taste.”
“I heard that our high-level Claude does not differentiate between commoners and aristocrats.”
-...Claude has a high title, but not the level of upbringing.
At Spencer's words, the Marchioness of Conolly let out a short laugh. She agreed, but did not know how Claude tolerated such statements from the person he was going to serve.
“Anyway, it’s time for me to go get ready.” I still need to dress up my daughter.
- So, you have finally decided on the issue of adoption.
“...You can’t rely on Woodpecker now.” I must have at least one reliable person next to me.
“And you think Duke Woodpecker will really follow your lead?”
“The Duke doesn’t care about people anyway.” He will decide that it doesn’t matter who it is, as long as the family is preserved. Lintu is a good option.
- If this were so, success would have come a few years ago.
The Lintu family has been trying to reach out to Woodpecker for quite some time. None of this worked though. Perhaps the Marchioness of Conolly knew about it too.
“Perhaps they lacked status back then.”
That is why she, having no previous connections with the Lingtu family, decided to extend her hand to them only now.
“Be that as it may, I must do what I can.” If I need to use Duke, I'll use him too.
It was as if she was grasping at the last straw.
- In that case, what are your next steps, Count?
- Well, what are you talking about? What power do I have now? Even His Highness keeps his distance from me.
“But you are now supporting His Highness Claude.”
- Yes, that’s the case for now.
The Marchioness of Conolly frowned. “For now” - does this mean that everything can change in the future? The thought that she had once tried to lure such a man to Luigi's side made her feel sick at her own stupidity.
Anyway, Luigi is dead and Claude is alive. And even though there are other princes and princesses, which of them can defeat Claude?
“The current situation must be very beneficial for His Highness Claude.”
Spencer chuckled at Marquise Conolly's words. So far this is true. But it is unknown whether everything will remain the same in the future.
“I’m afraid that next time we may meet as enemies.”
“I’ve never been on the same side as you, Marquise.”
Spencer said this even though she once considered them allies. After all, their ideals coincided. Just one tiny difference led to what they have now.
The problem was that everything moved according to the will of Spencer Grimaldi. Now it won't be like that. After all, even the king turned his back on him.
“In that case, I wish that the plains of the South were full of gold.”
Spencer Grimaldi said:
“And I wish that the snows of the North were warm.”
- See you in Jonada.
- See you later, Count.
Having answered, the Marchioness of Conolly was the first to move away. The maids followed her all together. One of them turned her head and looked at Spencer. Spencer, who had silently watched the Marchioness of Conolly leave, frowned at the unauthorized behavior of one of the maids. He couldn't understand why she was looking at him.
Something is wrong here?
Everything in this palace is suspicious. Both Palesa and Jonad are the same in this regard. As the Marquise crossed the gallery and disappeared through the door, Spencer checked the time. There is very little time left until the appointed meeting with the King.