Chapter 51 – Rumours and Facts

“……Your Grace?”

“…….”

“Your Grace.”

It wasn’t until he was called again that Cabellenus turned his gaze.

Veloa sat across from him with a disgruntled expression.

“What did you just say?”

“You seem to be thinking of something else while in front of me.”.

Veloa picked up the teacup with a smile.

The spreading scent of tea softly hovered at the tip of her nose, but her mood was twisted.

Cabellenus wasn’t interested in her, and Gerpenus was pulling the rug from under her feet despite previously behaving like he would give his all.

[T/N: pull the rug (out) from under (someone’s) feet means to suddenly remove/rescind support, help, or assistance from someone, leaving them in a problematic situation.]

At this rate, she would be in trouble in many ways.

If she returned without any outcome, it was clear what everyone would think of her.

Especially her older sister, who once told her that she would hurt herself if she acted so arrogantly.

She didn’t want other people to look down on her, but it was even more unacceptable for her sister to look at her like that.

Anyway, it was rather unfitting for her sister to try to teach a subject that she wasn’t any better at herself.

“It’s not just anything. I said I will give Your Grace what you want.”

“What I want?”

“Of course, there is also a condition that Your Grace will have to give me what I want.”

Depending on the situation, she was thinking of stepping aside moderately, but now that was meaningless.

Cabellenus’s conditions were excellent.

It would be harder to find a man with more conditions than that.

No matter what trick she used, she had to have him.

“Tell me.”

“Please propose to me. With such splendour and grandeur that everyone knows.”

“Is that all?”

“And, before we get married, send me flowers and gifts every week, and come see me often. I want everyone to think that Your Grace is obsessed with me and clinging to me. That’s all I want.”

Veloa gave an innocent smile.

Of course, that wasn’t all she wanted, but it was still enough.

The relationship with Cabellenus itself would help her.

“Then, what will you do for me in return?”

“I’ll give you the wizards under me.”

“Wizards?”

“I heard that Schwarhan only has spirit stones and lacks the skills to use them properly. If Your Grace accepts my offer, I will send the wizards under me to pass on the skills to the wizards of Schwarhan.”

“Can you do it?”

Cabellenus’s eyes narrowed.

“There are fifteen wizards under me. All of them are highly proficient and will be adequate help to Your Grace.”

“…….”

“I don’t think it’s a bad deal.”

It was undeniably a good offer.

There weren’t many wizards because one had to be born with the ability to control mana, and it was tougher to find a wizard with the ability to handle the spirit stones due to the difference in talent.

Even if he counted all the wizards in Schwarhan, he wouldn’t be able to fold all his fingers.

[T/N: He’s saying they don’t even have 10 wizards in Schwarhan.]

“Your father won’t allow it.”

Magical skills, as well as wizards, were strictly monitored as they were precious.

That was why he couldn’t get his hands on the magical technology of the Christie Kingdom.

Frankly, it was remarkable how Gerpenus even managed to bring Veloa here.

“You don’t need his permission. Currently, my father cannot work.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My father, the king, is not in good health. He must have been overwhelmed by work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Currently, Christie Kingdom is fighting over the succession of the throne, and my eldest brother is being considered as the next king.”

“Are you allowed to tell me that?”

“Well, I don’t think Your Grace would miss this chance. Unless it’s a time of chaos, it’s hard to get what you want. Doesn’t Your Grace know that better than anyone?”

Veloa raised her head proudly.

There was already a triumphant smile on her lips.

It was a famous story that Schwarhan had always been desperate for magical skills.

“I hate speaking vaguely, so I’ll tell you right away. Love me.”

Veloa smiled with her hand on her chest.

“I didn’t expect the princess to say such a thing.”

“Love is not a big deal. Love is to about giving someone what they desire.”

The diamond bracelet on Veloa’s wrist glistened under the light.

The bracelet covered with multiple large diamonds was so beautiful that it distracted people’s hearts.

“I hate ‘love’ that is all talk and no action. I want ‘love’ that is visible.”

Veloa nonchalantly touched the surface of the jewel.

As a child, whenever her nanny read fairy tales and talked about pure love, she didn’t feel impressed.

She wasn’t pleased with the stories of beautiful words or sweet advances.

There were many more beautiful and attractive things in the world.

Veloa never forgot how she felt when she wore her first piece of jewellery, a necklace.

The necklace, which was so heavy that she feared her neck would tilt, caught everyone’s attention and made her the subject of jealousy and envy.

That day, what Veloa learned was that beauty and power were no different.

The bigger the jewels, the more famous the designer’s dress, and the more she dressed up to look more beautiful than others, the more it became the power that supported her.

“It doesn’t matter how you actually feel about me, but others have to believe that you love me.”

“The princess seems to think highly of herself.”

“Is there any reason I can’t?”

Veloa glanced at Cabellenus with a contemplative gaze.

“As far as I know, the princess doesn’t get along very well with her brothers.”

“Why does that matter?”

“I personally know that there are usually two ways to deal with the bloodline that you don’t like to see. Kill it or use it.”

“…….”

“However, the princess is young and beautiful, and she is constantly been courted, so I believe she would choose to use it rather than to kill it.”

‘Isn’t that right?’

Cabellenus slowly swept the tip of his chin with his thumb.

The situation in the Christie Kingdom, which Veloa revealed, was already known through his investigation.

“When the first prince ascends the throne, he will firstly push for the marriage of the princess. He will select someone who can pay the highest price but is also not strong enough to threaten his position. That’s the reason why the princess took the risk to reach out to me.”

“What about it?”

“It means that the situation for the princess is not very good, and usually those who are in a crisis suffer losses in the deal.”

Cabellenus glanced at Gazeff standing behind Veloa’s back.

Given the timing, he naturally thought that Gerpenus had approached Veloa.

However, with the information provided by his competent deputy, he discovered that Veloa was the one who made contact first.

It wasn’t very complex to infer that Veloa’s situation wasn’t that good.

“You mean you want something bigger than what I suggested?”

“The princess is not my saviour, but rather, it’s the opposite.”

“That will change if you know how great my wizards are.”

Now that her situation was revealed, it was depressing, but Veloa didn’t budge a bit.

“If the princess says it like that, then they must be great people.”

“Of course they’re great. They’re wizards of the fifth circle.”

Cabellenus’s eyes changed in an instant.

The circle was used to classify the level of the wizard. The higher the number, the better the skill, and the skill differed significantly depending on the number of circles.

A wizard of the first circle alone was considered a great skill, needless to mention a wizard who reached the fifth circle.

“I don’t think Your Grace, who is interested in magic, won’t know the meaning of the circles.”

“Wouldn’t it be more difficult to bring wizards of the fifth circle?”

“It’s not difficult. And if it’s all right with Your Grace, I can give you not only the magical technology but also the wizards.”

“…….”

“Of course, it depends on how well Your Grace listens to my requests.”

Cabellenus’s brow narrowed slightly.

It was definitely a much more attractive proposal than before.

He already knew from experience that it was better to hire a proper wizard than to hire a bunch of clumsy wizards.

The research conducted by the Schwarhan’s wizards was centred around one wizard of the third circle while the rest of the lower circle wizards just assisted.

“Don’t think too deeply. As Your Grace knows, I don’t have much time, as many people want me. It’s not that hard to get another position. Schwarhan isn’t the only one who’s hungry for magic.”

“…….”

“If you’re really worried about it, I’ll give you a three-day grace period. And during that time, I’ll tell you how to make magical tools, one tool per day.”

“Is it okay to pass the method for crafting magical tools so easily?”

Although Cabellenus had nothing to lose from Veloa’s proposal, his doubts remained.

Veloa casually revealed her secrets, but she still did not disclose everything.

As if she would never bow her head, she held her head up high and said what she wanted to say because she had breathing room.

[T/N: To have “breathing room” means to have sufficient space to fit or accomplish something.]

He needed to find out what was the hidden agenda in that little head.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s a common production method in the Christie Kingdom anyway, and above all, I have the confidence.”

“What are confident about?”

“Your Grace is not the type to finish eating only a part of something.”

“…….”

“Once you’ve tasted the food, you will swallow it to the end. If you weren’t capable of doing that then there would be no reason for you to grasp onto power, right?”

Veloa’s eyes smoothly formed an arc.

She didn’t know about Gerpenus, who was obsessed with being a good brother, but the Cabellenus she saw wasn’t the type who would be underneath anyone.

If he really was just a loyal dog, there was no reason for him to hang onto Schwarhan with such eyes.

“I’m greedy. And, I like people who are greedy.”

“…….”

“I will satisfy Your Grace’s greed, and so will you with mine.”

She did not know what Schwarhan meant to Cabellenus.

However, one thing was clear.

The man, who was always indifferent to her, was obsessed with this harsh land.

And, if she searched through that obsession, she could finally find the greed that he couldn’t hide.

Knowing this, Veloa liked Cabellenus very much.

And, she never missed out on something she liked.

* * *

“You’re working harder today.”

“His Grace decided to become a model, so I’m going to practice a little more before then.”

Alicia’s pen gently glided up and down the canvas, drawing a line.

She was now familiar with the scraping sound of the pen, and it was no longer hard to complete a sketch.

All she wanted to do was draw what she wanted and finish it with affection.

“He’s too busy right now, but sooner or later…….”

Alicia squeezed her mouth shut at the gaze she felt on her face while chattering excitedly about Cabellenus.

She told him he was wrong, but James still seemed to harbour a misunderstanding.

“James.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Alicia stared at James quietly.

The man’s gaze on her was too affectionate to say it was purely due to his job.

And, it was not for her, but for the sister he couldn’t protect.

That fact pierced her heart because James was like how she seemed when she couldn’t protect her mother.

In the end, Alicia couldn’t stand it and put the pen down.

“Mrs Morco.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I’d like to eat some fruit. Can you bring it to me?”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

Mrs Morco nodded with a brightened face.

The mere fact that Alicia wanted something to eat was a great joy for Mrs Morco.

“You can talk comfortably now, right?”

“…….”

“I told you before, but I wanted to say that it wasn’t like that. His Grace has formally decided to take me as his wife, and…….”

“Currently, the Princess of Christie Kingdom resides in Schwarhan Castle.”

James interrupted Alicia’s words and looked at her silently.

‘Just in case.’ 

Although he knew about the life of aristocrats, he hoped that Alicia wouldn’t get hurt.

He didn’t want to see the pure eyes filled with trust completely crumble down.

“Even if the princess is staying in the castle, it doesn’t matter.”

Alicia shook her head firmly.

Cabellenus clearly said that there was no woman other than herself.

She believed that.

His affectionate gaze meant more than a hundred words so she knew that every single action was sincere, and she didn’t have any doubts.

“Even if His Grace is buying a myriad of jewels, dresses and all sorts of luxuries for the princess?”

“There must be some misunderstanding.”

“It’s not a misunderstanding.”

“It’s easy to generate any number of rumours.”

“They’re not rumours. It’s a fact.”

“A fact?”

Alicia’s eyes narrowed, but James looked straight at her and continued talking rather than stopping.

“Yesterday, there was an announcement publicising the engagement between His Grace and the Princess.”