Chapter 112 – Snow Wine
“Where is the head maid?”
Loic, sitting on the edge of his desk, asked in a cold voice.
“…She’s locked in the dungeon.”
“Check her movements thoroughly. Until today’s schedule is over, nothing must go wrong in the shopping district.”
He glanced firmly at Hedrick, who was reporting in front of him.
“What about the Grand Duchess’s protection?”
“The 2nd Knight Division has been sent to the lakeside. As you ordered, the deployment was kept as discreet as possible.”
Tiern stood beside Hedrick with his mouth shut, unable to lift his head as if he were guilty.
A few days ago, the knights’ information guild had contacted them.
They claimed to have identified the mastermind behind the egg incident.
— “She came to us herself, asking us to stir up trouble and denounce the Grand Duchess.”
On top of that, the jewel brooch used as payment turned out to belong to Lady Meisel, daughter of Count Avoir.
Tiern had thought perhaps Meisel had lost it or gifted it away, but Perel judged otherwise.
— “We already suspected Lady Meisel was behind the egg incident. His Grace knows this too.”
— “But a noble lady wouldn’t have approached the guild herself. Someone else went on her behalf.”
The moment he heard that, Tiern’s heart dropped.
‘Could it have been…?’
He had already harbored suspicions.
The day Marzella asked him where Annette was going was the same day Annette was attacked.
But he had forced himself to dismiss it as coincidence.
‘If only I had questioned Marzella properly back then.’
Tiern clenched his fists.
When the receptionist described the client’s appearance, it matched Marzella exactly.
In the end, she was thrown into the dungeon.
The knights were in uproar: the Grand Duke’s own head maid had used an outside guild to slander the Grand Duchess.
‘Until the guild confessed, none of us had even noticed.’
The fact that their vigilance had grown so lax shocked everyone.
Lady Meisel had also been detained at her family’s mansion.
They couldn’t throw a count’s daughter into the dungeon, but Loic had already sent Count Abor a formal letter declaring he would investigate her involvement.
Tiern now doubted himself as a knight.
‘Do I even deserve the title of knight captain?’
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
As Loic dismissed them, saying he would inform Annette once she returned from the shopping district, Tiern spoke.
“The 9th Division will go as well.”
He clenched his fist.
With two divisions already at the lakeside, it wasn’t necessary, but Tiern wanted to ease his guilt somehow.
Hedrick frowned slightly.
“Sending three divisions is inefficient.”
“Then at least let me go alone.”
Loic studied him quietly, then nodded.
“All right. Do that.”
His eyes seemed to understand the burden Tiern carried.
“It’ll be good for the Grand Duchess to see a familiar face.”
‘I should be the one to go.’
Loic muttered uneasily. Crowds always made him uncomfortable.
Tiern wanted to promise that Annette would be safe, but the words stuck in his throat.
The envoys’ tour of the shopping district lasted until evening.
We had just finished dinner at a restaurant overlooking the fountain.
“What is this?”
One merchant’s eyes went wide after sipping dessert wine.
“It bursts in the mouth!”
“Sweet, yet with a sparkling bite—it’s so refreshing!”
It was the sparkling wine Loic had brought back from Mount Pogen.
— “I bought this for Annette…”
He had looked so reluctant when I suggested serving it to the envoys.
— “But Count Paccio said Blenheim has no products worth trading!”
I remembered Perel complaining, and suddenly I wanted to prove them wrong.
— “We need to put them in their place.”
At last, Loic gave in and set out every bottle he had.
Seeing the envoys holding glasses, marveling at the golden bubbles, I knew it had been the right choice.
“Where did you import this wine?”
I answered casually, though their eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“It’s not imported. It’s a Blenheim specialty.”
“What? Then it’s made here?”
“You’ve never tasted it before?”
“I’ve traveled many countries and tried countless wines…”
The merchant who specialized in wine looked stunned.
“…But I’ve never tasted this before.”
“Me neither! It’s almost insulting to admit!”
The envoys kept muttering in awe while I smiled in satisfaction.
“What’s it called?”
Suddenly, everyone turned to me, even Blenheim’s own people.
“The name?”
It didn’t have one.
Loic had said it was just homemade village wine, with no label.
But to impress the envoys, it needed a proper name.
At that moment, Count Paccio swirled his glass, making the white beads inside spin like snow.
“S–Snow Wine,” I blurted out.
“Snow Wine?”
Ha… what a clumsy name.
‘Maybe I should’ve just called it Blenheim Wine…’
There was a pause, then Minister Dellon exclaimed:
“Now that you mention it, the beads do look like snowflakes!”
“Yes, indeed.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
‘Well, it’s simple but charming enough.’
Then the wine merchant spoke eagerly.
“Which guild handles Snow Wine? I’d love to meet them.”
“Hold on! Don’t steal the deal first! My guild has as much wine trade as Condore!”
The Ron Doris merchants all raised their voices, eager to compete.
“I had no idea Blenheim hid such treasures.”
In the midst of the commotion, Count Paccio looked impressed.
I smiled proudly.
“People just didn’t know. Blenheim has other specialties as competitive as Snow Wine.”
“I see.”
Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he turned to Perel.
“At least regarding alcohol, I’d like to renegotiate.”
“Of course.”
Perel nodded, and the count turned back to his peers.
“Your Highness, you’re incredible,” Perel whispered to me, grinning.
“In all my life, I never thought I’d see Ron Doris’s merchants desperate like this.”
I felt my chest swell with pride.
And the envoys’ admiration didn’t stop there.
When the grand fountain music show began, even Count Paccio applauded with wide eyes.
Enolius, dragged here at my request, patiently explained the mechanics to the envoys.
Just then, Tiern came quietly to my side.
“Sir Tiern?”
“Your Highness.”
He bowed, but his face looked darker than usual.
“I didn’t see you all day. I thought you had another duty.”
“…I had matters to attend to. Forgive me.”
“No need. We’ll head back after the show anyway. You could’ve rested.”
“No, ma’am.”
Was it my imagination, or was he avoiding my eyes?
“And His Grace?”
“He remained at the castle. He wanted to come… but something came up.”
“It’s fine.”
Knowing Loic’s situation, I gave Tiern a reassuring smile.
“I can see him once we return.”
The fountain show ended, and we stepped out of the restaurant to head back.
The envoys, still excited, surrounded Enolius with endless questions.
Raphael, worn out from playing all day, rubbed his sleepy eyes.
It looked like it would take a while to gather everyone into the carriages, so I patted Raphael’s back.
“Raphael, go ahead to the carriage. I’ll follow soon.”
“Hm? I can wait…”
He yawned.
“Sir Tiern, could you take Raphael to the carriage?”
“But…”
Tiern glanced uneasily toward the crowd. With the streets packed, the carriages couldn’t pull in close.
“It’s fine. We have plenty of knights here.”
Norton and the others were all around.
“…Very well.”
Reluctantly, Tiern led Raphael toward the carriages.
The envoys, tipsy from wine, still refused to let Enolius go.
“Could you build such a fountain in front of our opera house? I’ll pay anything!”
“What, it belongs to the Grand Duke’s castle? Damn it. I’ll beg him myself then!”
Watching them linger noisily outside the restaurant, I couldn’t help but laugh.
‘They look just like office workers loitering after a company dinner.’
If only a manager would come to drag them home.
I was still smiling when—
Bang!
Something huge crashed to the ground nearby.
