186 Catherine and the Court Count
***[Catherine, Duchess]***
A messenger came from the royal family.
The soldier guarding the castle gate quickly sent news to the inside, and the mansion knew about it even before the lion entered the city.
“I’m procrastinating as much as I can, but I’ll be at the mansion in a little while.”
Benno spoke quickly, with his mother and Katrin in front of him.
Briefly explain who the messenger is and what kind of personality he has.
“When the messenger arrives at the mansion, I’ll first make it easy to dust off, and then I’ll guide you to the reception room. It’ll buy you a little time in the meantime, but you can’t delay too long.”
He is the king’s messenger.
We must go and meet as soon as possible.
Catherine herself, who is in charge of the castle as the duke’s agent.
Katrin took a deep breath.
thump thump thump.
My heart is beating so fast that it hurts now.
“It is said that they did not bring any official letter. According to the soldiers at the gate and the attendant who guided them, it seemed that the king’s envoy was carefully checking and examining the city from outside the gate. Even after entering the castle, they said that they checked the streets closely.”
Katrin held her hands on her lap tightly.
“Seeing that, they’re probably trying to call for troops. Maybe they’re trying to call the Duke to the Royal Capital. There’s no safer place in the kingdom than where you are right now.”
Katrin’s hands grew stronger.
cunning king!
I learned this while preparing for the sit-in, but it has long been customary for lords to pay taxes for their military service.
Even dukes give huge sums of money to the royal family.
The royal family used that money to hire cheap mercenaries for a long time.
As such, there is no reason to suddenly demand that the army be released for the royal family.
It’s not just a tax on military service.
There was a lot more money than I thought, secretly extorted for various reasons.
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw that huge sum was only one thought.
To take that much money, then what are we going to live on!
A huge amount of money was being handed over to the royal family as taxes and various other pretexts, so much so that Catherine had the intent to kill without even realizing it.
Even so, the king is trying to protect himself by using Oscar somehow.
Thinking like that made me angry.
Benno continued talking as he watched Katrin growl.
“… So, it will be a request, not an order, but if the lion knows that the duke is gone, he will try to get the word out in a conversation with the wife. Now, the wife is in charge of this castle. Using that as an excuse, I send troops to the duke. It’s hard to refuse when you ask for it.”
“…”
I guess so.
A noble’s word is heavy.
In the social world, there are cases where a group is embarrassed by a single word.
Katrin, in her own way, was concerned about such things, so she trained and gained experience, but her age and experience are nothing compared to Oscar-sama.
Of course, Catherine was inferior to Oscar, who had been in and out of the court since she was young.
There is no way the seasoned king’s messenger, who has been rolling in the court for a long time, will miss this opportunity.
‘What do we do. If I make a mistake and cause great damage to the duchy.’
I was prepared for a war, but I didn’t think of such a thing.
I was so worried that my saliva didn’t go down my throat.
His throat is sharp and his saliva is like grains of sand.
Benno looked at Katrin.
“It’s all right, ma’am. I’ll be by your side, so don’t worry too much. You just have to do it normally. I’ll give you a signal when you need to be careful with your words.”
can it really be that
What if Benno makes a mistake before giving a signal?
Are you too nervous to see Benno’s signals?
Then what?
The fate of the Duke’s family depended on one word he said.
Of course, I’m exaggerating a little, but if she fails, there will be a lot of damage.
But I don’t know how to express this anxiety.
It feels like the top of my throat is full of sand.
‘Oh, maybe it’s good.’
I can not breathe.
‘Did Oscar live feeling this kind of pressure every day?’
Recalling the expression of Oscar-sama, who hadn’t felt anything like that, Katrin chewed her lips.
Oscar, give me strength!
While muttering that, Mother smiled and held Katrin’s hand.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you, Catherine. But officially, I’m just a baron. I can’t go out to meet the king’s emissary.”
Mother patted Catherine on the back of her hand a few times.
“But it’s okay, Katrin. When Benno gives you a signal, hold your breath and lower your eyes as if you’re in trouble. Then Benno will take care of the rest. Whoops. I’ve been helped by Benno many times. I believe in Benno.”
mother laughs
When I averted my gaze, Benno was standing there with a face as trustworthy as a rock.
It’s the same expression every time I see it.
It doesn’t change.
A little bit of anxiety went away.
Katrin gave a big nod.
“Yes, Mother. I will try.”
“No, you don’t have to work hard. Just relax. If you’re nervous to try hard, you’ll make more mistakes.”
Mother smiles brighter than usual.
‘… I see. On purpose because I’m too nervous.’
When I thought that, a corner of my heart sank a little.
Fool, Catherine!
It’s been a while since I’ve decided to do my best for Oscar-sama, so can I use it after being so flustered?
‘Women have guts!’
Recalling what her aunt always said, Katrin tightened her stomach.
When I tighten my spine and push my chest out, my body stands upright.
Catherine made a mask for the Duchess, put it on her face, and opened her mouth.
“I was a little taken aback. I’m sorry, mother. But it’s okay now.”
hehehe, I took a deep breath and looked at Benno.
“It’s done now, butler. Can you repeat the things I absolutely must not accept? I want to make sure I put them in my head.”
Benno smiled and lowered his head slightly.
“Yes, ma’am. First of all, you must not respond to the request for troops. If you completely reject the request, that will turn into a corner, so you can inform the duke of the decision and then say that you will respond. And the next thing to be careful of is…”
While I listened to Benno’s words again and kept them in my head, the attendant informed me that it was time to meet the king’s messenger.
Unknowingly, he jumps up.
However, she soon calmed down again, and Katrin tightened her chin.
“Okay! Let’s go, butler!”
I walk with a sound again and again.
“Oh, I’m not going to fight… Huhuhuhuhu.”
Just before the door closed, I heard my mother’s small laugh.
It was only then that he realized that he had left without saying goodbye to his mother.
“Uh,” I said, turning around again, and through the crack in the door, I saw my mother waving a handkerchief and smiling.
It seems that he is still nervous.
I was a little discouraged and turned around, but Benno held out a small box.
It is beautifully carved and coated with gold.
“This is what the duke entrusted to me. Originally, the duke wanted to deliver it directly, but it was only completed a few days ago.”
Originally, he said he had planned to wait for Oscar to return.
He thought it would be more pleasing to Katrin to tell her directly.
“But I was hoping that I would gain a little bit of strength now that I have such a big task ahead of me.”
Benno chuckled.
When I opened the box thinking what the heck was that, there was a pretty pendant inside.
It has an oval shaped lid.
“Uh, no way…”
When I hurriedly opened the lid of the pendant, I saw a small drawing of Oscar-sama.
wearing armor
A red curtain was drawn in the background.
“There is one more pendant of the same shape. They were made as a pair from the start.”
Another pendant is said to have a picture of Catherine.
“The master told me not to tell you, but your wife’s portrait pendant is already finished.”
“if.”
“Yes, the master has it.”
“My image on Oscar-sama’s neck…”
happy.
Isn’t it a much stronger confession than direct words or poems of love to always wear one’s own image?
Catherine hurriedly put the pendant around her neck.
When I do that, I feel like Oscar-sama is with me.
Suddenly, my back felt firm.
Huhu, he laughed involuntarily, and Benno narrowed his eyes and said.
“It’s fine as it is now, ma’am. There’s no need to be nervous. If you’re not sure or it’s difficult to say, just inform the duke and say you’ll answer.”
It’s not that easy.
If you unconditionally put it off to Oscar-sama, it would be like telling the whole kingdom that Catherine was a scarecrow, and that would immediately put the Duke and her parents, the Marquis Patry, in shame.
Not only would it be a joke, but it was obvious that the royal family would immediately press on through other people and other methods, thinking that now, without Oscar, would be an opportunity.
Even so, it must be Benno’s kind consideration and trust to say that.
It is to believe that you have the ability to not become a laughing stock even if you pass one or two like that.
Catherine clutched the pendant over her chest.
“I want to ask you a few questions, can you answer them?”
“Of course, ma’am.”
“I’ve heard reports that the Prairies’ army has crossed the border, but where are they now?”
“Our duchy has sent several investigators to the border. Their second report arrived this morning. The steppe people…”
On the way to the reception room, Katrin heard about the steppes movement.
OK, OK, OK, I can do it.
Catherine kept whispering to herself.
Oscar-sama left it to himself.
this s*x and people.
can keep
***[King’s Messenger, Court Count] ***
‘oh my god. This is really…’
I felt it from the first time I saw the wall, but it seems that the Duke’s family has already completed all preparations for war.
From the number of soldiers standing on the wall to the weapons they were holding, it was completely different from other cities.
In a normal city, there are tents or temporary buildings outside the walls.
The Duke’s family knew in advance that there were very few of them, but it couldn’t be.
To some extent, there were bound to be traces of people staying outside.
But outside the city, it was clean, as if it had been arranged on purpose.
‘Maybe they’re planning a sit-in.’
But the opponent is a savage.
I heard that a huge number was coming, but the duchy had the best troops in the kingdom.
There was also a magic bomb, so there would be no way to sit-in against barbarians.
Of course, I know that the duke is endangering the barbarians, but it is impossible for them to start a sit-in without fighting from the beginning.
‘But when I enter the mansion, the atmosphere is somehow strange.’
The inside of the city was calm and there were no disturbances among the people, but the inside of the mansion looked somewhat chaotic.
There were traces of things that seemed to have been removed here and there.
‘If you’re really planning on protesting, it’s going to be a headache.’
Thinking of the king’s order, the countess frowned inwardly.
The King wants the Duke to fight alongside Prince Emile, but if he’s already made up his mind to sit down, he won’t move from here.
Although the duke is young, it is difficult to convince him since he has been in and out of the court since he was young.
‘What is it?’
The royal family’s forces are poor.
The border guards were about to be smashed, so I said everything.
If the duchy tried not to fight, other families would do the same, and it would be difficult to drive out the barbarians.
The Duke’s family has a meaning beyond simple military power.
The duke must move for other families to follow.
‘Looking at what the barbarians have done on the border so far.’
I felt chills when I remembered the atrocities of the barbarians, which had been a headache for a long time.
While suffering from headaches, an attendant announced the visit of the duchess.
‘The Duchess? Not a duke?’
Strangely, the door opened and Catherine entered.
I’ve seen it once before, but it’s still beautiful.
I thought it would be with the duke, but she was alone.
There is only the butler in the back.
‘This….’
There is no duke.
I don’t know why, but if the only one who came to entertain him was the duchess, there would be no duke.
‘It’s an opportunity.’
The court count smirked inwardly.
The other person is a 15-year-old girl with little social experience.
On the other hand, this person has been at court for decades.
If you can’t convince her or get her to slip, you’re not really a boy.
Even if you take the X eggs, you won’t have anything to say.
As the countess bowed, the Duchess smiled on her youthful face.
He looks dignified and confident, but maybe he’s shaking in his heart.
The courtier laughed involuntarily.
It would be quite a pleasure to completely crush this poor woman and bring tears to her beautiful eyes.