The Villainous Lady Doesn't Speak Chapter 129

Exchange of Opinions 7

Duke Bernardo Chad Ealdred glared at the man standing before him, who appeared completely unfazed.

During a council meeting held while the Crown Prince was away on an inspection with Prince Roland and Princess Edith of the Yunatian Empire, along with Lady Liliana of the Clark family, a proposal was put forth. Lucien Kenis, the eldest son of Margrave Kennys, who attended in his father’s stead, was stifling a laugh. The other nobles looked bewildered, and a few had an excited glint in their eyes.

“Are you serious, Duke Clark?”

“I wouldn’t say such things in jest, would I?”

Duke Clark responded nonchalantly. Despite having dropped a bombshell in the council, he maintained his composure. Lucien, barely holding back his laughter, spoke with a mocking tone, his eyes still brimming with amusement.

“I see. You propose to marry our Crown Prince to the princess of a neighboring nation. It seems you know more about our neighbors than those of us tasked with defending the border.”

His words could have been taken as praise, but it was a clear insult. For Lucien to speak so casually, mocking someone older and of higher rank, should have been inappropriate. Yet, he remained unfazed. Duke Clark’s brow twitched at the jab, but as a seasoned politician, he quickly returned to a calm demeanor, casting a cold glance back at Lucien.

“Precisely because relations with the neighboring empire are unstable, marrying the princess, who is said to be the treasure of the empire, could foster goodwill between our nations.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you’d say, Duke,” Duke Ealdred retorted, not taking his eyes off the prime minister. His presence was sharper than usual, like a drawn sword, and the surrounding nobles were visibly cowed, averting their gaze. Only Lucien watched the exchange with amusement. Having trained rigorously under his father, the Margrave, for his future role as Margrave, he found nothing in this situation to fear.

“You’re well aware of Emperor Calvin’s nature, Duke. He views people as nothing more than pawns. Even if the princess were to marry into our royal family, he would destroy this country without hesitation if it suited his plans.”

Duke Ealdred’s words, spoken with the authority of a man known as a rare genius, sent ripples of unease through the gathered nobles. Some who had been hopeful about Duke Clark’s proposal now shifted restlessly, overtaken by anxiety. Still, Duke Clark did not waver.

“That may be a possibility, but there’s no harm in considering all available options. You seem eager to assert that my daughter is the Crown Prince’s intended fiancée, but there’s no need to debate which union—hers or the princess’s—would be more politically advantageous.”

“It should be debated, Duke,” Duke Ealdred dismissed Clark’s claim curtly.

“This isn’t a matter of which is more politically advantageous. Marrying the princess is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. If it works, the benefits could be immense, but if it fails, we could lose the entire kingdom. We cannot allow such a gamble to rest solely on the shoulders of the young Crown Prince.”

What’s more, Riley himself preferred to marry Liliana rather than Princess Edith. While political considerations were important, the desires of the individuals involved in the marriage had to be taken into account. Forcing such a union could lead to disastrous consequences later on. Nobles often married for political reasons, but in such cases, both parties needed to be in agreement.

And there was one more concern that could not be overlooked.

"Moreover, I must question whether Princess Edith is truly fit to be the queen of our kingdom," Lucien interjected.

All eyes, including Duke Clark’s, turned toward Lucien. He wore a faint smile, but his eyes betrayed no emotion.

“The princess is certainly adorable. She’s pure, innocent, and unassuming—so much so that it’s hard to believe she’s royalty.”

“In other words… she’s incapable of diplomacy?” Baron Mellers, who presided over the council, asked in a strangled voice. Lucien snorted at the question.

“Not only is she incapable of diplomacy. If she were to visit her home country, she’d likely share whatever sensitive information she overheard without a second thought. She’d easily spill who the Crown Prince dislikes, what policies he’s planning next, and… even the inner workings of the knight order.”

“Wha—”

Baron Mellers and the other nobles were left speechless. Only Duke Ealdred and Duke Clark remained composed. Baron Mellers barely managed to swallow his words, narrowly avoiding outright accusing the princess of being a spy. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he muttered bitterly.

“That is… indeed, quite a significant concern.”

It wasn’t just after the marriage that problems could arise. Even while the princess lived in the Kingdom of Slibegrad as the Crown Prince’s fiancée and underwent training as the Crown Princess, issues could emerge. This training included matters considered state secrets, and if she were to answer questions naively and honestly, it would be impossible to continue her education as the Crown Princess.

Duke Clark let out a small sigh.

“That’s precisely why we must provide her with a thorough education as the Crown Princess. All correspondence can be censored, and whenever she returns to her homeland, we can assign our own people to accompany her.”

In other words, she would be placed under complete surveillance. However, neither Duke Ealdred nor Lucien showed any signs of agreement, both frowning at the suggestion. Lucien shrugged, speaking with skepticism.

“That’s just her nature. No amount of education will change that. Do you intend to keep her under surveillance for her entire life—or at least until she learns proper royal decorum, which could take forever, Your Grace?”

“If it comes to that, we may have no other choice,” Duke Clark replied, his tone calm and unflinching. For once, Duke Ealdred, slightly irritated, let out a low growl.

“That’s out of the question. Both in public duties and private matters, you would place all the burden on the Crown Prince. With no certainty of stable relations with the neighboring empire, the sacrifices we would have to make far outweigh the potential benefits.”

“I’m of the same opinion,” Lucien added with a bright smile. “As I’m attending in place of my father, Margrave Kennys, allow me to formally express our opposition to this proposal.”

Naturally, Duke Ealdred needed no further comment. Duke Clark furrowed his brow slightly but shifted his gaze to the other nobles.

“And what say you?”

The nobles exchanged glances. In situations like this, those of lower rank would wait for the higher-ranking peers to speak, so the counts and below shifted their eyes nervously. Finally, Marquis Finch looked to Duke Ealdred before speaking.

“I oppose the marriage to the princess.”

Perhaps expecting this, Duke Clark didn’t show any reaction. Marquis Finch was part of the Alcasia faction, and he generally followed Duke Ealdred’s lead. Seated farther away, Marquis Scone raised an eyebrow.

“Well, I’d say it’s hard to make a decision at this stage. Both the princess and the Crown Prince are still quite young. Is there really a need to rush into such a decision? There are certainly concerns about marrying the princess, but if the union with the Crown Prince guarantees peace for our kingdom, that’s a small price to pay. We could wait a little longer and see if her innocent nature changes with time before reconsidering.”

Marquis Scone had long been at odds with Marquis Finch. As such, when Finch opposed something, Scone often found himself in favor. In this case, his suggestion to wait indicated that, deep down, he was also against the marriage to Princess Edith.

In the end, no clear decision emerged from the council meeting, as many of the nobles remained noncommittal. Duke Ealdred’s expression grew stern, while Duke Clark, on the other hand, maintained a calm and confident smile.

*****

After the advisory council meeting, Duke Ealdred returned directly to his mansion in the capital with his guards and butler. He carried a concealed cane, a gift from his late father when he succeeded him as the head of the family.

Unlike a typical concealed cane, which hides a weapon, this cane also served as a magical tool and was undoubtedly a national treasure in terms of monetary value. Duke Ealdred was not particularly skilled in martial arts; his strength lay in his exceptional intellect. While his siblings excelled in combat and magic, the duke himself was only proficient in basic self-defense. Therefore, he always kept the cane at hand.

Since the death of his first wife, he had kept the cane stored away. Her death had been due to his own arrogance, which had broken his spirit. Although he had no hesitation in using his intellect to protect his family, he avoided using it otherwise. While he kept himself informed about political matters, he deliberately avoided predicting the future. For him, carrying the cane now symbolized a decision to re-enter the public stage. He had taken it up again after his son Austin had come close to death during a monster stampede.

“Sir, I have a message from Lord Adolf.”

“From Adolf?”

Adolf Ealdred, the duke’s younger brother, was skilled in magic and had a personality quite different from the duke's. Despite their contrasting natures, they had always been close. The butler nodded at the duke’s puzzled look.

“Yes. He said he understood everything.”

“—I see.”

The duke’s gaze dropped. His eyes dimmed slightly but returned to their usual expression after a blink. The perceptive butler, noticing even the slightest change, cast a concerned glance at him. The duke, aware of this but choosing to ignore it, continued to stare out the window in silence.

When the carriage arrived at the mansion, the duke proceeded to his private quarters. As he changed clothes with the assistance of his attendants, he instructed his butler.

“I’ll be resting for the day. Please prepare some wine in my room.”

“Understood.”

He had finished most of his lordly duties ahead of schedule and was exhausted from the sharp exchanges with Duke Clark during the council meeting.

“—Have I rushed things too much?”

He murmured softly. He was certain that the Kingdom of Slibegrad faced unprecedented difficulties ahead. He anticipated that even his considerable abilities would not suffice to navigate these challenges easily. Thus, he intended to proceed cautiously. However, the more information he gathered, the clearer it became that time was running short.

After changing into more comfortable clothes, the duke returned to his room. The wine and snacks had already been prepared by his butler, and the duke relaxed his face in appreciation. The butler, who had served him faithfully for many years, understood his preferences well.

Sitting on the sofa, the duke placed the cane within easy reach and took a sip of wine. A sigh escaped him.

“I’ve caused so much trouble for Adolf.”

Duke Ealdred’s domain was vast. He worked with his steward to manage it, but as one of the three great dukes, there were many other responsibilities. The workload was enormous, and often the official channels of information were insufficient. In such times, his brother Adolf had been a great help. Though the duke was aware of the trouble he had already caused, he knew he would need even more assistance from his brother in the future. Despite being the decision he had made, he felt a headache from the weight of the responsibility.

“Still, this is the best course of action.”

The duke muttered to himself, trying to convince himself. He had lived with regret since the death of his first wife, never having been free of remorse. Despite his resolve to avoid repeating the same mistakes, he still questioned whether his choices were correct. Yet, dwelling in regret would only lead to certain failure. That much was clear.

He took another sip of wine to fortify himself.

“Aida.”

He called the name of his long-deceased wife as if in prayer. Her presence had always been his guiding light. Calling her name dispelled his doubts. It had long been his habit to speak her name in times of trouble.

He gently closed his eyes.

—At that moment, the curtain covering the window, which should have been closed, fluttered slightly.

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ToC

Chapter 130