CHAPTER 83…………………………………………
Secret (1)
“You must already know that His Excellency Side recently reclaimed Ahendel.”
The duke, who had been swirling the glass in his hand ever since entering the banquet hall, finally spoke slowly.
“It’s the largest and busiest port city in the East. But recently, some unusual plants have been discovered there. I hear they’ve long been traded quietly, mainly through grocers. Yet since only the powdered form was usually seen, even the stores that imported them paid little attention. After all, a place like that always has many strange things passing through.”
The duke smiled faintly as he looked around the room, tilting his head slightly to look at Anje.
“But it seems my assistant here—also my fiancée—recognized that powder, didn’t she?”
“Cough!”
The moment the duke said the word ‘fiancée,’ Anje choked out a cough.
But the duke only continued speaking with a smiling face.
“It’s starch made from a plant called a potato. They even managed to obtain several sacks from a few sailors at practically no cost. I hear potatoes grow well even in relatively poor soil. So the East is currently experimenting with several potato varieties and sweet potatoes. They taste excellent, store well, and they plan to expand cultivation in the future.”
“Humph, I don’t know what that is, but isn’t it just a vegetable? How could that possibly replace grains?”
“Well, time will tell.”
Leaving a cryptic remark, the duke lifted his head to survey the room as if refreshing the attention of those present.
“They even make bread or porridge with it in the kingdom. Speaking of grain prices, I’ve heard that not only is the southern Empire’s grain yield decent, but neighboring countries’ wheat and oat harvests are also doing well. So this year, grain prices are expected to drop significantly.”
“Ahem!”
Even though he had already said he would lower prices, it was clear his intention was to drive them down even further.
While the visibly uncomfortable Marquis of Aragon cleared his throat and chose his words carefully, the Marquis of Meyer, who had been quietly listening nearby, interjected.
“Your Excellency, surely you don’t mean to import grain from abroad?”
“If the price is right, absolutely.”
The lightness of his reply made several southern nobles surrounding him gulp.
“As fellow citizens of the Empire, we might understand if there were a poor harvest in the south, but this—this shouldn’t happen, should it?”
The Duke of Side gave a puzzled look at the Marquis of Aragon’s wrathful tone.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s improper. It’s just not proper.”
Just then, Side handed his glass to a passing servant.
A cold aura spread across his face as he surveyed the southern nobles surrounding him.
“You speak only nonsense. ‘Proper,’ you say? Who was it that said even during wartime, there was no reason not to sell grain abroad if the price was right? When I warned that it could flow to the enemy as military supplies, what did you say to me then?”
During that time, holding a wine glass in his hand, didn’t the Marquis of Aragon calmly ask how that had anything to do with the South?
Side no longer bothered hiding the sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Uh….”
The Marquis of Aragon, swallowing desperately, clung to Side.
That a good harvest could cause anger—he had never imagined such a situation.
Even though the grains hadn’t fully ripened, this was already problematic. Once the fields were filled with golden crops, there wouldn’t even be enough storage space, making the situation even more difficult.
Side had foreseen all of this.
Feeling a cold sweat running down his spine, the Marquis of Aragon forced a humble smile like never before.
Though it wasn’t the time to mention it, even during the war, the Marquis and the southern lords had lived worry-free. The war raged nearby, but with Side at the helm, there was no fear of defeat. The weather had always been favorable, and buyers lined up to purchase their grain from every direction.
Then, once the war ended and Side returned, everything changed dramatically.
In just a few months, the southern nobles, who had lived like plants in a greenhouse, were left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.
“I think there must be some misunderstanding. I wouldn’t have said such a thing.”
“So you’re saying I’m lying?”
“I mean, I think there’s a misunderstanding… Rather than argue here, let’s move to the billiard room for men to talk things over. I just renovated the room for today, so you can have a look as well.”
At the end of his sentence, the Marquis of Aragon shot a sharp glance at Anje, as if warning her not to interfere this time.
“….”
But Side stepped slightly into the Marquis’ line of sight, blocking him. He then cast a cold gaze at the hand the Marquis had placed on his arm.
After a long, silent stare, the Marquis’ hand slowly withdrew.
“I have pressing matters to attend to. I should be going now.”
“H-But…”
The Marquis hesitated as he tried again to grab the duke’s sleeve, only to freeze under Side’s icy stare.
“We’ll discuss business matters later.”
Even as he spoke, the grain prices would continue to plummet.
Despair shone in the Marquis of Aragon’s eyes, but Side had already turned away.
He waited for the woman standing a little behind him, placed her hand in his arm, and began walking slowly. The crowd naturally split to either side, forming a clear path.
Like a bride and groom on a march, the duke moved through, Anje’s hand resting lightly on his arm, leaving the banquet hall behind.
As soon as they left the banquet hall, Anje leaned close to Side.
From afar, it might look like a weary couple resting on each other—but the reality was quite different.
“Your Excellency, just a moment, lean your ear this way…”
Side furrowed his brows at her, but, seeing many eyes still watching from the windows, he obliged and tilted his head.
Standing on tiptoe, Anje whispered into his ear. From a distance, it looked like a tender, playful moment between lovers.
“There’s an assassin.”
“What?”
It wasn’t a lover’s playful nudge, but…
“Don’t look back. This time, we have to catch them and find out who they are. If they realize we’ve noticed, they’ll flee.”
Side lowered his voice to match Anje’s and asked, “How did you know that person is an assassin?”
It was pure chance that they spotted the assassin hiding among the servants.
During the previous war, they had encountered so many assassins and killers that now, just by recognizing a few characteristics, it was easy to identify them.
But explaining that would be impossible…
“From experience… naturally. After working long enough, you learn to recognize them.”
‘Who does she think she’s talking to?’
Side snorted at Anje’s vague explanation.
His bear-like assistant occasionally displayed clever talents, but today it seemed unusually frequent.
Perhaps it was a coincidence that she noticed the suspicious intentions of the southern nobles.
But how she had recognized an assassin? He couldn’t even begin to guess, and the explanation only deepened the mystery.
“Is that important right now?”
Anje frowned fiercely, seemingly unaware that her outburst made her look even more suspicious.
Deciding to follow Anje’s instructions, the duke boarded the carriage as if nothing had happened.
Once inside, Anje peered through the rear window. The dark interior prevented anyone outside from seeing in.
“Are they following us?”
“They’ve just started moving. They think we still don’t know and are keeping their distance.”
“Since it’s a crowded area, they probably don’t want to attract attention.”
Side stood and gave several instructions to the driver, then opened a hidden box under his seat to retrieve weapons.
“Which one shall we use?”
Seeing the numerous weapons—swords, estocs, rapiers—all hidden under the cramped seat, Anje’s mouth dropped open.
“All of these were under here?”
“Do you know how many enemies I have in the Empire… I never know when something like this might happen.”
Should she praise his preparedness or his deep understanding of her? Anje could only blink, utterly astonished.
