~Chapter 128~
Her body felt unusually heavy. At this rate, she thought she might fall asleep tonight whether she wanted to or not.
“Master, a letter has arrived from the House of Leslie.”
Richard was quietly startled by Head Maid Julie’s voice so close by. No matter how tired he was, he hadn’t noticed when a maid had entered his office.
Thinking that he absolutely had to sleep well tonight, he took the letter Julie held out.
The butler followed without a sound, set fruit and soup down to one side, and was about to withdraw when Richard stood up.
“Did the messenger leave?”
“No, my lord. He says he must deliver your reply at once and is waiting.”
“So he’s already nearby. Then what’s the point of sending a letter?”
Richard tossed the letter down roughly. He seemed to have forgotten how he himself had barged into the Count’s estate in the same way.
Just moments ago he’d looked slow and weary, but now his sudden change unsettled the butler, who bowed to hide his worry.
“My lord. If there’s anything we should know, please tell us.”
Richard checked the letter again, frowned deeply, and clicked his tongue.
“The Young Count Leslie and the Countess have sent a notice of visit. The date is… judging by this, they’re already on the way. They’ll arrive within a few days. Prepare at once.”
“What preparations should we make?”
It was a natural question.
A visit from the Leslie family wasn’t like receiving ordinary nobles.
Months ago, they would have been treated with the highest courtesy. But since the Duke had led his knights to the Count’s estate, the mood wasn’t good.
It wasn’t clear whether the Young Count Leslie was an enemy or a benefactor. They needed to know whether to receive or drive them out in order to prepare properly.
Richard wavered for a moment at the butler’s question, but his answer was already decided.
“Prepare to receive them sincerely, but tighten security around the annex.”
“I’ll relay it, my lord.”
They would be shown courtesy, but not given any chance to catch them off guard. That was Richard’s conclusion.
A few days passed after the letter arrived.
By the time the light snow of dawn turned into thick falling flakes, carriages bearing the Leslie crest were entering the Gwinted territory one after another.
Most of the carriages were piled with goods. Some were gifts for Ancia; some were apology gifts for past discourtesies to the Duke.
The eastern coachmen, bundled up like giant snowmen, drove on. Even with winter padding and leather added to the carriages, the northern cold was brutal for people from the east who weren’t used to it.
Fortunately, thanks to the warming stones they had previously received from Ancia, Hilda and Nathan were able to bear it.
“My goodness. Snow—and it’s not even midwinter?”
Seeing the snow outside, Hilda shivered.
Nathan, picking up one of the ledgers stacked in the corner of the carriage, casually recited facts about the north.
“Spring in the north comes around when it’s early summer in the east. It goes to autumn and winter with hardly any summer.”
Hilda shook her head.
“How cold must midwinter be? Our Ancia must be freezing.”
“At the Duke’s estate they have plenty of magic stones. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Hilda shot Nathan a look at his indifferent tone, but he was too busy with the ledgers to notice. He had taken sudden leave for this trip and had work his superiors had thrust upon him.
“It would have been better to accept the princess’s help than waste time like this.”
At Hilda’s complaint, Nathan set down the ledger and raised his head.
“Her Highness is under reflection because she sent me here last time. We can’t use royal power for our private convenience.”
“I know that. I’m just whining because it feels like you’re suffering for my selfish wish to see Ancia safe with my own eyes.”
Though she grumbled, Hilda’s gaze at Nathan was gentle. She had suffered with worry while the Duke’s knights watched him so strictly.
Thankfully, right after Ancia safely returned to the Duke’s estate, Nathan was released.
Thinking things had settled somewhat, Nathan requested an audience to thank the Second Princess Charlotte, but he was told she was under reflection. Letters were allowed, so through written exchanges he learned the situation.
After Nathan returned to the Count’s house, the Crown Prince suddenly took interest and pushed the matter. Since the Duke of Gwinted had led knights all the way to the east, and since Nathan Leslie was at the center of it, he insisted the princess who sent him should be held responsible.
Luckily, after a brief report from the Duke of Gwinted confirmed Ancia had been missing due to a kidnapping, they wrapped it up. Even so, the princess was ordered to reflect for misusing royal authority.
Others use the royal family for personal matters far more—so why punish only the princess…?
Nathan felt sorry for Princess Charlotte. She had merely opened a gate for a single young count, and yet only she was punished. Having worked hard for the royal family, Nathan tasted the bitterness of being unable to protect even one princess.
Take responsibility? What a ridiculous thought…
Nathan shook his head at the notion that suddenly crossed his mind. He had come a long way to see Ancia safe. That was all he could do—confirm it and be at ease.
By the time they returned, the princess’s reflection would likely be over. He thought he’d buy a gift for her and stared out the window.
“So this is where our Ancia lives.”
Hilda calmly observed each person, building, and the mood that came into view.
Nathan’s gaze followed hers to the window.
When he forced himself to focus on work, he could forget his worry for a moment. But now the worry returned. He knew Ancia must be fine, and yet the closer they came to the Duke’s estate, the bigger his anxiety grew, and he couldn’t shake it.
If they had even heard her voice, they wouldn’t have traveled this far. They had asked for news through the communication crystal, but the Duke’s side didn’t even acknowledge it. It was like the Duke’s household to avoid entanglement with royalty—but it was still maddening.
“My goodness… so that’s the outer wall. An ordinary intruder wouldn’t even dare.”
Arriving, Hilda was more impressed than shocked by the towering black walls and their pressure. The sheer scale would cow most visitors from any foolish ideas.
Even after passing inspection and entering, it took quite some time to reach the mansion. Hilda, displeased by the starkness of the garden, tapped her knee with her fingertips again and again.
Nathan, on the other hand, grew more and more tense.
No wonder: their earlier request had received only one curt line in reply—“We will not block your visit, but we cannot welcome it.”
Even with Ancia safely returned, the Duke’s discomfort and wariness toward the Count’s house was crystal clear in that single sentence.
When they reached the mansion, several servants came out to receive them.
The butler led them to a reception room. Warm air filled the large room, and the maids skillfully served tea and light sweets to guests who had traveled far.
It was proper—neither excessive nor lacking.
Did the servants not know?
Of course they knew. This was all the Duke’s intent.
Perhaps, after just enough proper treatment, the Duke himself wouldn’t appear at all.
As the tea in their hands cooled, Hilda grew anxious.
“They don’t mean to send us back like this, do they?”
“Surely not, Mother.”
“Even if we can’t see the Duke, we must see Ancia.”
From the start, their goal was to see with their own eyes that Ancia was safe.
Hilda and Nathan looked to the butler for an answer. He bowed respectfully and spoke calmly.
“My lord will be down shortly. You did mention the day of your visit, but since there was no fixed time, we ask your understanding.”
The butler was polite, but the rebuke was plain: you were the ones who came without setting a time.
Fortunately, the wait didn’t last longer.
At the sound of the reception room door opening, Hilda stood up in nervous haste.
Richard appeared first. Hilda felt a small disappointment, then searched behind him for Ancia.
“I did not expect to meet the Countess again. You must have had a hard journey.”
“Thank you for receiving us.”
There was no warmth in him, not even the faintest welcome. Still, Hilda returned the greeting with proper manners.
There was a slight edge in his words, but with Richard’s emotionless formality, Hilda was not foolish enough to answer with emotion.
Facing his blank expression, Hilda went straight to the point.
“But I don’t see the Duchess. Since this is our first visit to the Duke of Gwinted’s estate, I thought husband and wife would greet us together.”
Instead of answering, Richard sat on the sofa opposite. Hilda also sat and asked again.
“Is she unwell? Or is there some reason she cannot come out?”
Her polite smile vanished entirely.
Richard, looking from Hilda’s unyielding resolve to Nathan’s worried face, let out a hollow laugh.
