Chapter 69
At around 7 p.m., as the sun was sinking low, guests began arriving one by one at the lord’s castle.
While Hannibal had excused himself to “prepare” and retreated to his room, Ann stayed by Patrick’s side, checking the number of guests.
She would soon need to go over the prepared menu and order of courses again with the head chef.
Looking over the list, most of the guests were young ladies accompanied by their guardians.
“Hmm, most of the guests are women, aren’t they?”
“If they’ve bothered to come all the way out here from the capital, it must really be because the Count intends to push for a marriage.”
“…”
For a nobleman—especially a lord from such a powerful house as Hannibal Clayde—marriage was unavoidable. An heir was essential.
He would surely marry a woman from a noble family of high rank, someone suitable for his status.
Suddenly, Ann felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
“I should head to the kitchen to check the ingredients. We’ll probably need more dessert.”
“Yes, Head Maid, thank you for your hard work.”
“You too, Steward—thank you~.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Ann quickly walked off. She was grateful there was so much work to do. The flood of tasks kept her from thinking too much.
Ann busied herself tidying and arranging foods she would never eat, halls she would never freely walk in, and clothes and jewels she would never wear or use.
As guests arrived, the castle quickly filled with lively noise both inside and out.
“Prince Daniel is coming! Ann, haven’t you seen a member of the royal family before in the capital?”
“Only from afar. I wouldn’t even recognize his face.”
At the Duke of Benton’s birthday banquets, most of the princes usually attended. But as a maid, Ann had always kept her head bowed in the hall, never glimpsing their faces.
“This time, why not slip into the hall? Even if it’s just to clear some dishes.”
“And what good would that do?”
Ann replied flatly to Donna’s sly grin.
“The prince must be handsome and dashing too, right? Like our lord?”
“I doubt it.”
The words slipped out under her breath.
“What was that?”
When Donna asked, Ann dismissed it with a “nothing” and turned back to her work.
The other maids, too, kept their mouths busy along with their hands, chattering away to distract themselves from the drudgery.
“They say Lady Karl from the Karl Count’s family is the most likely candidate, right?”
The Karl family was one of the more prominent houses in the capital and had ties with Count Arthur.
“Apparently Lady Charlotte Karl and her five sisters all came—ages ranging from fifteen to twenty-six. Clearly they’re hoping one of them will succeed somehow.”
Gossip and rumors flowed freely among the servants.
“Even Baron Anse brought not just his daughter but also a cousin! I’ve never seen a party with so many women before.”
With the campaign looming, Count Arthur could no longer simply ignore or brush off Hannibal’s marriage prospects.
The noble families of the capital surely knew this, which was why they had brought their daughters all this way.
With such a strong pretext, would Hannibal finally marry this time?
He had refused to until now, even past the age of thirty. If he hadn’t then, why would he now?
Hopefully, he wouldn’t.
“…Tch.”
She caught herself in the middle of that bitter thought.
“Head Maid?”
A young maid asked with concern. She must have found it strange that Ann had suddenly slapped her own cheek in the middle of work.
“It’s nothing. Just tired.”
“Then you should rest a bit. We’ll handle things here!”
Nodding at the girl’s words, Ann slipped away to a quiet corner of the rear garden and leaned against a wall. The sun was already dipping below the horizon.
From the banquet hall drifted voices, food aromas, and music.
She, who worked in the shadows for their enjoyment, now caught her breath still hidden in the shadows. The thought made her feel both pitiful and ridiculous.
It wasn’t that she hated being a maid or thought herself miserable.
Compared to a duchess’s life of scorn and humiliation, being a maid was far happier.
So she mustn’t entertain foolish thoughts, or vain hopes.
Ann forced herself to erase the image of Hannibal Clayde that had suddenly surfaced in her mind.
“Ughhh…”
She rolled her stiff shoulders and pushed off the wall.
Before her bitter mood could swallow her, she needed to return to reality.
“His Highness Prince Daniel has arrived!”
A servant ran into the banquet hall shouting.
Hannibal, using preparations as an excuse, had been avoiding the hall before the banquet began.
He had been lingering in his room, dodging both his father and the women.
But now, with the prince’s arrival announced, he could no longer hide. At last, Hannibal forced himself up.
“…I’m supposed to wear this?”
The outfit handed to him was even more ornate than the one from Victoria’s party.
“Yes, Head Maid requested I give it special attention! I barely managed to finish it on time, but it’s a masterpiece!”
Andre Chang chattered beside him, prattling endlessly about the outfit. Hannibal ignored him, only catching the part where he said Ann had asked for it.
The design looked clean and simple at first, but with subtle slits that emphasized his build, and a faint sheen to the fabric that gave it a refined brilliance.
“Oh my, oh my! I knew my eye was right! It suits you perfectly!”
“Why the white suit?”
“This isn’t white, it’s ivory! A rare, refined ivory. Look—the cuffs are embroidered with silver and gold thread, elegant and exquisite! And the shirt’s cuffs—see the gold trim—”
Andre’s commentary dragged on and on. Hannibal waved him off and quickly left the dressing room.
Though he found the elaborate attire cumbersome, he suppressed his irritation and took his place at the banquet hall entrance.
The moment he appeared, all eyes turned toward him.
“My son, Hannibal has arrived!”
The Count, face beaming unlike his usual sternness, rushed forward to greet him.
But Hannibal naturally sidestepped his father’s hand and instead sought out Prince Daniel.
Fortunately, the prince was just approaching the entrance.
“I am Hannibal Clayde, Lord of Tegennes.”
“I am Daniel Haiman, Second Prince of Haiman.”
The prince, with his bright golden hair and vivid green eyes, gave off a lively, cheerful impression.
Though two years older than Hannibal, he looked boyish, almost younger.
Wearing an ever-smiling expression that revealed nothing, he extended his hand.
“I’d heard you were handsome, but you truly are remarkable!”
He grasped Hannibal’s hand and shook it vigorously, grinning widely.
“Thank you for coming all the way west, Your Highness.”
“How could I refuse when Clayde personally requested me? Meeting you in person exceeds my expectations.”
Still gripping his hand, the prince locked eyes with the lord of Tegennes, their silent contest beginning.
“Your castle is magnificent! Even noble families in the capital don’t have such vast estates—perhaps only the royal palace could rival it?”
“Surely not. The palace is far more beautiful, delicate, elegant, and dignified.”
Count Arthur butted in, making Hannibal grimace.
His father, fawning shamelessly over the Haiman prince, was a stark contrast to his usual arrogance.
“This decoration was all arranged for Your Highness’s arrival. Normally it isn’t so—”
“Have you seen the garden displays?” Hannibal cut him off, asking the prince instead.
Arthur’s face flushed red with anger, but he couldn’t lose his temper in front of royalty.
“I haven’t yet. Shall we go see them together?”
“Let’s.”
“I’ll come too!”
With that, the three of them headed to the rear garden.
“Wow, how did you make this float?”
The prince marveled at the portrait of Asad Clayde placed near the entrance.
“It’s an image of our ancestor Asad engraved into enchanted armor. It never fades like paint, and it spins so that his face is always visible from any angle.”
“Incredible. Couldn’t such armor aid us in the coming war?”
“To the mages of Ruto, our western armaments would seem laughably crude. Though Clayde has many relics passed down from our ancestors, most are ceremonial, not practical for battle.”
“A shame…”
Daniel, who had hoped for a useful advantage, sighed in genuine disappointment.
Changing the subject, Hannibal shared recent intelligence.
“Word is that Ruto is amassing forces. Reports say ten thousand soldiers have already gathered in the capital, Kailus.”
“The imperial southern army numbers five thousand at present. I’ve requested reinforcements, so we won’t be heavily outnumbered.”
“Combined with the western forces, perhaps.”
Hannibal knew the emperor intended to use the west as a battlefield to weaken it. Surely the second prince shared that intent.
“If Clayde’s support is assured, I will also recognize and support Clayde’s authority.”
Daniel extended his hand again.
Hannibal found it almost laughable—how dare he presume to “recognize” the authority of the west, when he planned to use it as a warfront.
“…”
“Of course, I will strive to minimize western bloodshed. They are my subjects too.”
Reading Hannibal’s expression, Daniel added this. Finally, Hannibal nodded.
“We will not lose this war.”
Whether for Haiman or for the west, Hannibal would never be defeated.
The confidence in his voice made Daniel respond with equally steadfast eyes.
“Yes, that’s how it should be. But before that, Hannibal, there’s one matter you must settle before going to war, isn’t there?”
Count Arthur butted in again.
“Your Highness, the thing is, my son is still unmarried, despite being already twenty-four. It worries me greatly. Could you perhaps introduce him to a fine young lady from the capital?”
“With all the noble daughters gathered in this hall, do I really need to?”
“Then at least give him some advice as his elder. He never listens to me. Surely in this matter, Your Highness agrees with me?”
So this was why Arthur had insisted on accompanying them to the garden. He was determined to use this opportunity to attach a woman to Hannibal.
