Crimson and Merchant 10
As she sat at the dinner table, Liliana was consumed with feelings of deep regret.
(.. I feel like I've made a serious mistake.)
She was specifically referring to how she had handled Riley. When he had asked for her thoughts on the inspection, she had candidly shared her views on patents and the prevention of unfair competition. Of course, this perspective was heavily influenced by her previous life’s knowledge, so she had adjusted her comments to fit the current reality. While some points were changed significantly, her fundamental principles remained the same.
Though she had engaged in various discussions at tea parties before, this conversation felt different—decisive, even. Riley’s attitude towards her had unmistakably changed. He had always been a respectful young man, but now, Liliana couldn't help but feel that he regarded her with even more admiration. This was probably not just her imagination, and it meant she had moved one step closer to becoming the crown princess.
(I resonate with and understand the concept of noblesse oblige, the duty of the nobility, and have tried to follow that principle. However, I forgot that in this world, noblesse oblige isn't yet a widely accepted idea.)
If she showcased qualities befitting a crown princess, she would no longer be able to avoid being chosen as a fiancée candidate. If she didn’t moderate herself, she would undoubtedly outshine the other candidates. Yet, she couldn't just stand by and ignore situations that might harm the country or its people. The fact that she couldn't speak should be a significant flaw for a fiancée candidate, but Liliana pondered whether that alone would be enough. Perhaps she needed to present another shortcoming. However, it couldn’t be too serious of a flaw. It should be a delicate balance, but with some thought, she was sure she could come up with something.
Moreover, at this point, Riley didn’t have any real power. Even if he wanted her as his fiancée, it would be difficult without the support of the influential nobles.
As Liliana reminded herself not to lose sight of her original intentions, she heard the voice of her grandmother, Barbara.
“You might find this hard to believe now, but even Abram married for love.”
“The Prime Minister did?”
Riley’s voice was filled with surprise, prompting Liliana to look up. Clyde, too, had widened his eyes in astonishment.
Their grandfather’s face was flushed, perhaps from the alcohol, and her grandmother was smiling pleasantly.
“Yes, that’s right. Abram was adamant that he only wanted Belinda, no one else. Belinda wasn’t interested at first, but Abram proposed multiple times, and eventually, they became engaged.”
Belinda was Liliana’s mother. It was an unexpected story. There was nothing less suited to her father than words like "love" or "passion." Besides, her parents hardly spoke now. They spent almost no time together, and her mother seemed to avoid her father as much as possible, while her father paid her little attention.
The regret that had been gnawing at Liliana was swept away by this shocking revelation, and her hand holding the cutlery froze.
“Was he really... so passionately in love?”
“Yes, Abram was quite taken with her. And though she resisted at first, I believe Belinda was not entirely indifferent.”
However, it seemed Riley had a question on his mind. He tilted his head and hesitantly spoke.
“You mentioned yesterday that the heir to the Clark dukedom considers one person to be their 'only,' with the Duke dedicating that to the king. But if he loves his wife, wouldn’t that make her his 'only,' causing a contradiction?”
“Oh my,”
Barbara laughed, as though she had just heard an adorable question from a small child who had only just begun to walk. She answered without hesitation.
“That 'only' is undoubtedly dedicated to the king. It means offering every possible form of devotion—respect, admiration, even loyalty. But, the human heart is more complicated than that. In truth, I have received the greatest love from my husband, and if he were to give his life for the king, I would feel nothing but pride, not bitterness.”
“I see...”
Riley nodded, though he still looked unconvinced. Liliana quietly shifted her gaze to her brother. As someone who had the most interactions with their family, he seemed even more unsettled by Barbara’s words than Riley. Though it was only for a brief moment, he had clearly frowned.
(Brother, you’re showing it on your face)
Liliana noted inwardly, though it seemed that no one else besides her had noticed Clyde’s expression.
Barbara might have been content with that, but what about Belinda—her mother? People’s hearts couldn’t be easily categorized. Like Barbara, some might find fulfillment in knowing their husband's “only” was the king, even if they weren’t. But surely, there were also those who, despite being told it was a tradition of the Clark dukedom, would resent the idea that they were not the “only” one. Judging by her mother’s attitude toward Duke Clark, Liliana couldn't help but feel that Belinda fell into the latter category.
(What kind of despair would someone feel if, after being pursued and whispered sweet nothings to, they discovered that all of that was actually dedicated to the king?)
Thinking about her mother’s feelings, Liliana quickly shook her head and gave up. There was no topic less suited to her than romantic emotions. However, recalling the content of the romance novels she had glimpsed, she couldn’t help but think that if Belinda shared the same sensibilities as the heroines in those stories, she would find it unbearable to be considered second in her husband's heart. For her grandparents and father, this was probably an obvious and natural arrangement, and they likely didn’t even realize they were placing Belinda in second place. But if Belinda did see it that way, the discord between her parents would make sense.
However, they couldn’t dwell on the topic of the Duke and Duchess of Clark forever. The conversation soon shifted to the management of the territory, and Riley brought up a question that had been on his mind during the inspection.
“I noticed some immigrants during the inspection. Has there been an increase in immigrants to the Clark Duchy?”
“The Northern Immigrants, you mean,”
Her grandfather, Rodney, responded, narrowing his eyes in displeasure.
“It seems my son is intent on employing these immigrants, but who knows how useful they’ll actually be. He tried to involve them in the dyeing district, but they’re not allowed to work in any positions that handle sensitive information. Not that it matters—they wouldn’t understand anything important even if they tried. Honestly, I think they’d be better off in the fur industry.”
Rodney’s last words were practically spat out. Working in fur production was seen as undesirable, with even fewer job opportunities than in dyeing. It was clear that Rodney was unhappy with the influx of “Northern Immigrants” into the Clark Duchy.
“How much has the immigrant population increased?”
“I’ve told them to limit the number of new arrivals. If you want specific figures, you should ask my son or Philip. They’ll have the details.”
Philip, the butler of the Fortia estate, also served as the estate’s steward and seemed to be well-informed about the immigrant situation. Although Rodney had retired as Duke, he still wielded considerable influence over the duchy’s management. Riley simply replied, “Understood,” and dropped the subject, but there was a suspicious glint in his eyes.
It seemed Riley was questioning something, but Liliana had no idea what it could be. She puzzled over it internally, but asking outright was not an option. She couldn’t ask her grandparents or brother, and she certainly couldn’t let Riley know she was interested. If she showed too much curiosity, it would increase the likelihood that she wouldn’t be able to remove herself from the pool of fiancée candidates. Still, she made a mental note of the terms “Northern Immigrants” and “Clark Duchy.” Although she couldn’t think of any connection between them, she was uncomfortably familiar with the phrase “Northern Immigrants.”
Liliana recalled a boy named Yeori, a member of the Kennys Frontier Knights, whom she had helped alongside Gild.
*****
After dinner, Riley parted ways with Rodney, Barbara, and Liliana, and called Clyde to speak with him alone.
“Clyde, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“It’s about the ‘Northern Immigrants.’”
Clyde’s expression changed. Riley had previously mentioned to him that there had been a series of kidnappings involving the Northern Immigrants.
According to reports from the baronates of Calvert and Kennys, both of whom had spoken to Riley about the increase in Northern Immigrants and the kidnappings, it seemed that the rise in the immigrant population was accompanied by a corresponding rise in abductions. While only those two Baronates had reported this, it was difficult to dismiss the possibility of similar issues in the Ealdred and Clark Duchies, given their vast territories. However, no reports had come from either of these duchies. Austin was already investigating the situation in Ealdred, but as for the Clark Duchy, there had been no clear way to probe further. Riley had hoped that this inspection might provide some leads, especially since it seemed unlikely the Duke of Clark would volunteer any information.
“I want to know what’s really happening in the Clark Duchy. If I ask the Duke himself, I’m sure he’ll just evade the question. Are you close to this man Philip?”
“Philip… He’s in the Fortia estate. He’s my father’s butler, and he also serves as the steward. He likely knows about it, but… I can’t say that he fully recognizes me yet.”
Clyde hesitated but answered clearly. The butler, loyal to Clyde’s father who was renowned as the Blue Flame Chancellor, still considered Clyde too inexperienced to take seriously. Though Clyde was destined to become Philip’s superior one day, it seemed this meant little to the butler.
Riley, grasping the implications of Clyde’s words, couldn’t help but grimace, recognizing a parallel with his own treatment in the royal court. Both he and Clyde were looked down upon by the seasoned aristocrats who viewed them as mere novices. It wasn’t just a matter of lacking trust—being underestimated meant they weren’t privy to critical information related to the governance of the kingdom at the appropriate time, which was both damaging to their self-esteem and deeply frustrating.
“I see. I assumed that if the immigrant population wasn’t growing, there would naturally be no report. But from the way Rodney spoke, it seems like their numbers are indeed increasing. It makes sense that they wouldn’t report anything if there were no kidnappings, but if the population is really growing, there might be something going on behind the scenes.”
“Yes, I agree. Unfortunately, I’m not yet involved in the core management of the territory… but I believe the records might be in the Fortia estate. I’ll try requesting access.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. It wouldn’t do to draw unwanted attention by acting rashly.”
“I understand. Your Highness as well… please take care not to overextend yourself.”
Clyde nodded sincerely to Riley’s words, even expressing concern for him. Feeling a bit self-conscious, Riley bid him farewell. As he walked away, he rubbed his cheek with his hand, realizing that his fatigue had shown enough for Clyde to notice.
Taking Austin’s advice to heart, Riley had been gathering a few boys among his growing circle who were both capable and trustworthy. Clyde was one of them. As Riley had hoped, Clyde had the rare ability to grasp the bigger picture with just a few hints, and his knowledge was extensive enough to engage in meaningful conversation as an equal. But above all, Clyde’s most attractive quality was his kindness. Despite being the son of a duke known for his stern and unflinching judgments, Clyde had a remarkable ability to empathize with others.
(Something Liliana doesn’t possess…)
Riley murmured this to himself. Both Clyde and Liliana gave off the impression of being delicate and refined, but a conversation with Clyde quickly revealed that he had a warmth in his demeanor and expressions. Liliana, on the other hand, always smiled gently and wistfully, but her expression never really changed. Whether she was happy or afraid, there was no visible difference.
Meanwhile, Clyde, for better or worse, wore his emotions on his sleeve. Compared to other young noblemen and women, he might seem calm, but Liliana’s emotional control was almost unnaturally advanced for her age. It wasn’t simply a result of her training as a crown princess candidate—it seemed more likely that this was an inherent trait of hers.
“...?”
As Riley was heading back to his room, something caught his eye, making him stop in his tracks. He squinted, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. After tilting his head in confusion, he decided it must have been his imagination. Neither Riley nor his guards noticed the dark figure watching him from the shadows.