~CHAPTER 51~
“The baron family’s official income is only this much?”
“Yes. The barony’s yield is negligible, and there is no industry worth mentioning. You could say the family estate is sustained by investment returns and land rents from the dowries brought in by successive baronesses.”
“Then this amount should be the limit of what the baron family can use annually, but that makes no sense. The dress Miss Bertona planned to wear to the last Founding Anniversary banquet alone cost more than this.”
“Which means there must be corruption. The problem is how the funds that likely flowed out of the Belua Duke reached the Aldebaron baron family while evading the imperial court’s scrutiny. It is certain they left no official record.”
Rision could not understand the scene unfolding before his eyes at all.
Dianu Ortensa and Neyron Berdian sat facing each other across the desk, locked in an intense discussion.
They were so absorbed that they did not even notice Rision opening the office door and stepping out.
Dianu rested her chin on her hand and tapped the ledger in front of her lightly with her finger.
Her expression was grave.
“Secretly exchanging highly liquid goods like gold is… not feasible. All gold bars circulated in Catalos bear the imperial seal, and every transaction has to be reported to the authorities.”
“Yes. And if the Belua Duke were to gift the Aldebaron Baron a large quantity of untraceable gold ornaments instead of bullion, and the baron then disposed of them somewhere, it would be extremely conspicuous.”
Dianu bit down on her lip as if she were a student tackling a difficult math problem.
“The Belua Duke controls southern trade rights, so if goods were moved through illegal means, wouldn’t that also be possible? It would be easier to keep involved parties silent in the south as well.”
As if she had finally made up her mind, she quickly scribbled something onto the paper.
“Secretary. Please take care of gathering the materials here for now. A list of the trade ships owned by the Belua Duke, and… ah, even partial ownership counts. All of them. And—”
“What do you think you are doing right now?”
Dianu and Neyron rose from their seats at the same time.
However, the expressions they wore as they looked up at Rision were markedly different.
Dianu simply looked pleased, while Neyron looked like a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar.
“Your Majesty. Have you finished your discussion?”
“Dianu. What are you doing?”
He had tried to keep his voice gentle, but judging by Dianu’s expression, he had not succeeded.
Rision forced his gaze, which kept drifting toward Neyron, back onto her.
“I had some time, so I was just helping the secretary with his work for a moment……”
Her hand fidgeting with the open ledger looked awkward.
He did not want to make her feel uncomfortable, but Rision felt this situation needed to be resolved immediately.
Especially now that he had seen with his own eyes how much Dianu seemed to enjoy the work Neyron had entrusted to her.
“Everything you are looking at right now is classified material. Only authorized officials may view it, and only when necessary.”
“Your Majesty, Miss Ortensa is helping at my request—”
Neyron hurriedly tried to interject, but Rision silenced him with a single look.
“This time, Neyron seems to have crossed a line. Make sure this does not happen again.”
With her hands clasped in front of her and her head bowed, Dianu said nothing.
Rision spoke again, putting more weight into his words.
“You as well, please be careful not to leaf through classified documents, even by mistake.”
He had expected her to agree without hesitation.
But Dianu hesitated for a long while before answering.
When she finally lifted her head, her face was set with a resolute determination.
“It wasn’t that Secretary Berdian asked me to help. I was the one who offered. Please don’t scold him.”
“Dianu.”
“I apologize if I overstepped. But I think I can be of help in this matter. I may not know much about administration, but I can fully understand the materials here, and regarding Miss Bertona, there are a few things—”
“Dianu!”
Frustration made his voice louder than he had intended.
The moment he saw her startled expression, he regretted it, but the water had already been spilled.
Rision closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again.
After fully calming himself, he spoke.
“I apologize for raising my voice.”
“……”
“I do not want you doing this kind of work.”
Strength went into the hands Dianu had clasped in front of her.
She lifted her chin sharply.
A faint heat shimmered in her blue eyes.
“Why?”
“I want to be of help to Your Majesty. I think I might actually be able to help. So why am I not even allowed to try?”
Rision pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead.
He could not understand why he had to argue with her over something so pointless.
“Do you not trust me? Do you think I wouldn’t be able to keep a secret?”
“How could that be?”
“Then what exactly is the problem?”
She was already exposed enough.
If her relationship with Rision became public, it would only make things worse.
There was no need to hasten that moment by involving her in digging up the Belua Duke’s affairs.
Yet even this was something he did not want to tell her.
Rision wanted to protect her, to shelter her, to cherish her, not to use her.
Rummaging through ledgers under a lamp with dust and ink all over one’s hands was something Rision could do himself.
Unraveling the web of power and corruption spun by nobles, and staining one’s hands with blood if necessary, was the role of those born and raised for such work.
And if he could keep Dianu from dipping even a toe into that world, Rision would gladly carry her in his arms and cross a pool of blood himself.
Dianu had already once thrown herself into danger for Elpenlira.
If she were to face a similar danger again now, he would not be able to endure it.
That long, heartfelt confession was condensed by Rision into a single sentence.
“It is not a fitting task for you.”
Silence fell over the secretary’s office.
Dianu’s shoulders, which had been drawn up tight with emotion, slowly sank.
It was a strange sight, like a blazing flame being extinguished in an instant.
After looking up at Rision with hollow eyes for a moment, Dianu muttered weakly.
“Ah… I see.”
Sensing something was wrong, Rision reached out, but Dianu bowed first.
For the first time in his life, Rision realized that even the crown of someone’s head could radiate cold composure.
“…Infinite glory to the Sun of Catalos.”
And with that, before Rision could stop her, she turned and disappeared.
The door to the secretary’s office closed with a firm sound.
Neyron stared at Rision in disbelief.
Even under that openly incredulous gaze, Rision could not bring himself to get angry.
As if she had been watching from the beginning, Ellaris’s calm voice sounded from behind him.
“If you keep acting like this, you won’t be able to marry her even if I don’t oppose it.”
Rision squeezed his eyes shut.
I made a mistake. A very serious one.
* * *
Dianu shut herself in her bedroom, refusing even dinner.
Her insides churned and boiled.
Her face flushed, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She could not tell whether she was angry, embarrassed, wronged, disappointed, or all of those at once.
“It is not a fitting task for you.”
That single sentence rang endlessly in her head like church bells.
Dianu bit down hard on her lip as she paced the room.
Why? Why is it not fitting for me?
Because I am a woman? Because of my status? Because I lack education?
Was he really the kind of man who judged people, judged her, so carelessly based on such things?
Only questions she was afraid to answer surged up like a bottomless spring.
Not wanting to dig any deeper, Dianu forcibly cut off the chain of thought.
All right. Once I sleep and wake up, everything will be fine.
The wisdom her late mother had passed down had helped her equally when she failed exams and when she was disappointed by the first man she had given her heart to.
That night, Dianu dreamed of brilliantly uncovering the source of the Aldebaron Baron’s slush funds and being praised by Rision.
It was infuriating beyond measure.
* * *
Cold War, Day One.
Word of what had happened in the east wing of the imperial palace must have reached Elpenlira and Sir Marek Loisen as well, because the two of them spent the entire day watching Dianu carefully.
Dianu acted as if nothing were wrong, studying with Elpenlira as usual, strolling through the gardens, and playing the pianoforte.
Although her fingertips striking the keys were a bit rough, she felt she was managing her emotions remarkably well, considering how much she was boiling inside.
By coincidence, she had an afternoon appointment to have tea with the maids.
She was not in the mood to listen to Luicilla and Gisella chatter, but she had no excuse to cancel an appointment made in advance.
“Oh my, Miss Ortensa. Did something happen? You look rather worn.”
To make matters worse, the perceptive Luicilla asked with concern.
“No. I just didn’t sleep very well……”
“You should definitely get a facial massage. You have such lovely skin, it would be a shame if it suffered.”
“I will. Thank you for your concern.”
With that, the conversation shifted to skincare.
Since it was a topic Dianu barely knew, she simply listened with an awkward smile.
However, at Gisella’s offhand remark, she could not help but lift her head sharply.
“The Arasas perfume oil Miss Bertona shared the other day was wonderful. Applying it after a bath made my skin incredibly soft.”
Luicilla chimed in.
“The one with the iris scent? I begged my father to buy it for me, but it turns out it’s outrageously expensive.”
“The fact that she shared even a little shows that Miss Bertona can be quite generous when she feels like it.”
“The problem is that those moments are very rare.”
As the maids giggled in front of her, Dianu sank into thought.
Irises only grew in limited western regions of Arasas.
Because their blooming period was short and their scent unique, they were treated as a precious fragrance ingredient.
Lace that only comes from Arasas. And perfume oil.
This was the second time Dianu had heard that Bertona Aldebaron used Arasas luxury goods.
And the Aldebaron Baron was involved in corruption with the Belua Duke.
In Catalos, extremely expensive luxury items, used freely by a lady who normally could not afford them at full price……
She felt the fragmented lines in her mind slowly beginning to connect.
Dianu knew it.
If she took just one more step, if she thought just a little harder, the puzzle would surely be completed.
She could resolve one of Rision’s worries.
She could be of help to him…….
“It is not a fitting task for you.”
But Dianu consciously cut off the flow of her thoughts.
I don’t care. He said he doesn’t need my help anyway, so he can deal with it himself.
Pretending that no such line of reasoning had occurred to her, she lifted her teacup.
