0. Duchess in the Attic

After attending Hubert and Roanna’s wedding in Socille, Opal had finally returned to settle in to Roussel’s march. She was sitting directly on the hard floorboards inside a room in the Roussel manor, taking out belongings from her old bag, when she heard a very familiar set of footsteps.

“Opal?” her beloved called.

“I’m right here, Claude,” Opal replied.

She raised her voice so that he could hear her, and a few moments later, the door to the room opened.

“I’m surprised to see you in the attic even in this manor,” Claude said. “You must really like these spaces.”

“It feels like a secret base,” Opal replied. “And look. Isn’t this cute?”

Claude slightly ducked his head to step inside the room, and Opal showed a doll that she’d been holding. The old bag was filled with toys and tools for kids, with the doll being one of them.

“Is...it?” Claude asked. “It’s so old that it kind of creeps me out.”

“Really? How so?” Opal replied. She pursed her lips at her husband before she turned to the doll and gently spoke to it, petting the toy. “You’re a bit dirty, but if I wipe your face, you’ll be clean in no time. And after washing your clothes, it shouldn’t be a problem at all, now, will it?”

Claude regretted his careless, callous words, but he soon smiled when a memory came to him.

“What’s so funny?” Opal asked.

“It just reminded me of when we were kids,” Claude chuckled. “Haven’t you always spoken to your dolls in this way?”

“And Julian always made fun of me for it. He said that dolls don’t talk, so it only looked like I was speaking to myself.”

“That was one of the reasons you two fought.”

Opal had often fought with her brother, Julian, who was two years older than her. The dolls had been one of many triggers for their spats. When Julian had stolen the dolls—Opal’s precious friends—away, Claude had always managed to take them back and return them to their rightful owner. It was a nostalgic memory, but it was also one that renewed Opal’s annoyance at Julian upon recalling it. While she was lost in her thoughts, Claude took the doll.

“Sorry about what I said,” he said. “I’ll have the doll cleaned later. Perhaps it might have been my mother’s once.”

“You’re right,” Opal replied. “Thank you, Claude.”

“No need to thank me. You were helping me organize our stuff, weren’t you?”

“Well, I had heard some kids’ toys were being stored here, and I wanted to see if there could be anything for Lud. Look at this rocking horse. I feel like with a bit of polish, we can use it again.”

“Isn’t Lud a bit too young for that?”

“If we support him, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“You think so?”

Claude gently pushed the wooden horse with the tips of his fingers, his voice soft with a touch of loneliness. It rocked back and forth, squeaking gently. Earlier today, a housemaid long employed by the Roussel manor had shared how the kids’ toys were kept in the attic, and so Opal had snuck out to find some toys for Lud after putting him down for his nap. It had been about a year since Ludrick, Opal and Claude’s only son, was born, and Opal was finally getting a hang of child-rearing.

“I thought you had work, Claude,” Opal remarked as she stared at the rocking horse.

“Ah, well...” Claude trailed off.

He wasn’t a morning person and usually worked in the afternoons; his workload was much heavier than Opal’s and he often was completely occupied until dinner. At times, he’d hole himself up in his study after dinner as well, and during those times Opal would offer a helping hand. It was very unusual for Claude to visit his wife before tea, and so Opal had suspected—rightly so—that something had happened.

Claude gave a deep sigh. “His Majesty gave a summons.”

“But we’re on vacation,” Opal replied. “We’ve only just settled down after returning from Duke McLeod and Roanna’s wedding! What will he make you do this time?”

“Uh, well, actually, he summoned you too, Opal.”

“Me as well? With you?”

King Alessandro had called for Opal several times, but he’d stopped soon after Opal’s pregnancy. Her brow furrowed—just what kind of mess had His Majesty brought to them this time?

“I’ll go alone,” Claude insisted.

“But Claude...” Opal started.

“I’m certain that His Majesty will ask for something troublesome. You’re far too kind, Opal, so I’ll know you won’t refuse him.”

“The same could be said for you too.”

Opal chuckled—she knew how often Claude had been tasked with unreasonable requests by the king. But a stern look soon came over and she shook her head.

“If we leave for the palace early tomorrow, we can return by evening,” Opal said. “I’ll go with you. I don’t want Lud out too much, so I’ll have him stay home.”

“But...” Claude started.

“I’ll be fine. I’ve gotten used to His Majesty as well.”

Opal gave her worried husband a reassuring smile as she returned the toys she’d taken out back into the bag. The attic would have to remain unorganized for now.

“We must send His Majesty a letter accepting his summons,” Opal said. “His request came via letter, correct?”

A summons might’ve been an exaggeration, but Opal had assumed that the king called them out through a letter. But if that had been the case, Claude would have just shown her the letter directly instead of explaining things to her himself.

“Did a messenger arrive?” Opal asked. “If so, there’s no time to dawdle! We must welcome them warmly!”

A messenger only hammered home the importance of the matter. Opal cursed her ignorance for failing to realize that a visitor had arrived, and she swiftly stood up, only to have Claude stop her.

“Claude?” she asked.

“The messenger left,” he replied.

“Already?”

“Practically fled, really.”

“Fled?”

Opal could only repeat her husband’s words in confusion as Claude nodded with a grimace.

“We were asked to arrive at the royal palace at noon tomorrow,” he said. “That’s all. The messenger ran away so swiftly I didn’t even have time to offer a response.”

“Impressive,” Opal replied. “I may have been in the attic, but I didn’t sense their presence at all.”

“He’s good at stuff like that.”

“You know him?”

“Sort of. I think I can introduce him to you soon enough.”

“Thank you.”

While Claude didn’t say it outright, the messenger was likely some sort of spy or agent. Alessandro had been able to squash his opposition and solidify his power and influence not only thanks to Claude—His Majesty had many competent subjects. It was due in no small part to these subjects that the king had been able to suppress Marquis Bapot’s revolt before it began the year prior. This same group was also the one who worked with Julian to protect Opal from the shadows.

“Tomorrow by noon,” Opal said. “It’s sudden, but he made it so that we could return within the day.”

“But it’s quite forceful,” Claude said. “I’m sure his request will be troublesome.”

“We should still at least pay him a visit.”

“I’m sorry, Opal.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Why don’t we have some tea? I must tell Nadja of our new plans.”

“You’re right.”

Opal switched gears with a smile. She couldn’t deny that His Majesty’s summons had left her curious. Her curiosity was plain for Claude to see, and he was able to crack a bit of his own tension with a strained smile. Opal gently carried the old doll with one hand and took her husband’s hand in the other. He stood up before she did, and when Opal got to her feet, the two continued to hold hands as they left the attic and walked down the stairs.

1. The Request

After their sudden summons just the day before, Opal and Claude were now being guided to Alessandro’s personal quarters within the royal palace. Alessandro sat across from them as he posed his request. He leaned against the armrest and crossed his legs.

“I would like to refuse,” Opal said firmly.

Alessandro raised a discontent eyebrow. “So you decline?”

This was not the proper attitude of a person in need of a request, but Opal was used to it by now. The very fact they had taken this meeting in the king’s own room implied the highly personal nature of the task. She looked straight into the king’s eyes and nodded.

“I cannot watch over the princess of the Principality of Lumeon,” Opal said. “That burden is far too heavy for me to bear. I have no doubt that there are others far more suitable for this role.”

“There aren’t, actually, which is why I’m requesting you,” Alessandro replied. “The princess lost her mother at a young age, followed by her father. Being raised as the only daughter, she’s been spoiled rotten and become rather selfish and troublesome. She now claims she wants to visit Taisei Kingdom before her twentieth birthday, but requires an attendant for her to do so. If you go to the principality to pick her up, I’m sure that you can learn more about her.”

The Principality of Lumeon was located next to the Socille Kingdom and enjoyed a wealth of natural underground resources. The principality was small but prosperous. Recently, surrounding nations had wanted to make the principality their vassal state so that they could get their hands on those resources. Alessandro’s late wife had been the younger sister of the former reigning monarch of the principality—the current princess was his niece.

“I must take care of Lud, who’s just turned one,” Opal insisted. “I cannot handle societal occasions and act as her attendant.”

“Very well,” Alessandro said. “Claude, I must have you head to Lumeon by yourself.”

Claude had been silently listening in on the conversation and seemed completely unfazed by this turn of events.

“Me? May I ask why?” he inquired.

“It hasn’t been publicized yet, but a new mineral deposit has been found in Lumeon,” Alessandro replied. “We must investigate the size of this deposit, but the mines themselves are located quite a ways away from the usual mining sites. We may need to build a new railroad to this particular deposit.”

“Railroad aside, the principality won’t relinquish their mining rights, will they?” Claude asked. “Is there really a need for me to go there?”

“If you don’t make haste, other nations will take hold of the railroad industry in Lumeon. Why don’t the two of you head there together?”

It seemed the king was now trying to get Opal to become the princess’s attendant by pushing work onto Claude. Opal was annoyed by this ostensibly transparent scheme, but she soon regained her cool. The principality held exclusive mining rights to their resources, but there was a chance that neighboring territories would be far too tempted by the potential riches and try to forcibly take Lumeon’s resources for themselves. Things could easily dissolve into war.

But for Taisei to offer their support just because their reigning king held familial ties to Lumeon would only heighten the vigilance of other nations.

“Together?” Claude asked. “But what about Lud? My son has just visited Socille for McLeod’s wedding, and I’d prefer not to drag him around.”

“Then leave him behind,” Alessandro replied simply.

The mention of Claude’s young son only confused Alessandro. Why did the child pose any sort of problem or issue? It was both Opal and Claude’s desire to prioritize Lud over any other obligation they might have, but theirs was a view not many in their society held, Alessandro included.

“Oh, and the other mine will be closed soon,” Alessandro added as an afterthought.

He was referring to the mine located near Roussel’s march. Indeed, as of late the number of viable mines had decreased considerably; if safe operations could not be guaranteed, they were closed immediately. This wasn’t surprising news at all, but it would undoubtedly affect the Roussel march—Claude and Opal had already come up with a few plans to counteract this. If Alessandro was closing the mines near their march, the implication was that he wanted Opal and Claude to head to Lumeon and somehow have their railroad business involved in the new mines.

But Claude’s railroad company was currently constructing rails for the Bocceli Duchy, and they already had new development plans underway. Creating a new railroad in a different nation entirely would be quite the challenge for Claude.

“Very well,” Opal relented. “I shall head to Lumeon.”

“Opal?” Claude asked.

“Ah, you will?” Alessandro said.

Claude was fully aware of the impact of Opal’s decisions, a troubled look crossing his face. But Alessandro nodded as though it were only natural.

She smiled at the king as she said, “But I haven’t said that I agree to becoming the princess’s attendant. While I ascertain her character, I will also inspect the new mines. I shall go alone.”

“Alone?” Alessandro asked as he sat up and turned to Opal’s husband. “Then what about Claude?”

“I must take care of Lud, so I shall remain at home,” Claude replied.

The married couple smiled. The two had promised to raise their child together—they didn’t want to leave all the child-rearing to the wet nurse. Alessandro was astonished, but he soon gave a deep, disgruntled sigh and leaned back into his seat.

“The duke caring for his child instead of his wife?” the king grumbled. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Then I’m elated to be the first,” Claude replied.

“What’s more, the wife won’t even accept my request.”

“I said no such thing. I’m simply putting my decision on hold,” Opal replied.

Alessandro’s arrogant words only made Claude and Opal smile. Though Alessandro was a highly charismatic man, he was self-righteous to a fault, and the touch of haughtiness he possessed earned the ire of many. Claude and Opal, along with Earl Barba and other subjects, would admonish His Majesty at times, and Alessandro would often heed their requests and take it to heart. Hence, the king held absolute power within the kingdom—enough to affect other nations.

“Very well,” the king finally said. “Opal, I permit you to head to Lumeon by yourself. But you must become the princess’s attendant.”

He spoke as though he were making a compromise, but in truth, he hadn’t budged an inch.

“As I said, I cannot guarantee that appointment,” Opal replied firmly. She internally chuckled as she saw through his ploy.

“Stubborn as usual, I see,” the king said. “Oh, I’d love to see the face of the man that would dare marry you.”

Claude smiled. “Oh, don’t be shy. Feel free to gaze upon me as much as you like.”

“Enough. You two may leave.”

The king gave a wave of his hand to shoo the couple away—his tone was stern, but he couldn’t hide his smile. Opal and Claude smiled back as they stood from the sofa to take their leave. Just then, Alessandro stopped them, as though he’d recalled something.

“Claude, have you heard about anything occurring near Quinn Street recently?” he inquired.

“I haven’t the faintest clue,” Claude replied.

He sounded as calm as ever, but it was apparent to Opal that Alessandro’s crass remark irritated him secretly. Quinn Street was known as the red-light district of the royal capital. Brothels and other venues of debauchery lined the road; it was astonishing that the king would dare to bring up such a place in front of Opal, Claude’s wife. Opal flashed a strained smile as she bade His Majesty farewell along with her husband. But after they left the room, she couldn’t hold it together much longer and burst into a fit of giggles.

“It’s not funny, Opal,” Claude said wearily.

“His Majesty’s haughtiness is incurable, isn’t it?” she joked back.

He placed a hand over his chest like he was shocked. “You’re not wrong, but such insolence will have you arrested in an instant.”

“If you don’t disagree, then you’re as guilty of the same crimes as me.”

“All right, I’ll say it. Posing such a question in front of my wife was too callous of him.”

“You’re right. But I’m willing to bet that His Majesty knows that I’ve been to Quinn Street before.”

“Probably.”

Indeed, Opal had secretly visited that street in the past to meet with a certain person. If society ever caught wind of what she’d done, it’d be a massive ordeal. Yet Opal seemed not to care for the consequences; she mentioned it freely within the halls of the palace, and Claude seemed to equally pay it no mind.

“Now then, I suppose I must have an itinerary prepared,” Opal said. “I know I decided this all by myself, but are you sure you don’t mind, Claude?”

“Frankly, there’s a part of me that’s against you traveling all by yourself, but if you promise to have guards around you, I’ll stay back and hold down the fort with Lud,” he replied.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. I know full well that you don’t want to be away from him for even a moment.”

Opal didn’t want to go to Lumeon. What she did want, however, was for her husband, who’d been running around constantly in support of the kingdom, to get some rest. She also decided that leaving for Lumeon was essential for her son’s future. If Lumeon were to be folded into another nation’s control, it would greatly affect the balance of power between the other countries.

New inventions had come of late that required the resources that could be found underground in Lumeon. No doubt Alessandro was also acting to take Lumeon under his control.

“I’ll do my best,” Opal said.

“Don’t push yourself too much,” Claude replied.

“Of course. I know.”

Claude wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and gave a squeeze—he understood the resolve behind his wife’s words. Though he wanted to ask her to stay, ultimately he allowed her to go. Opal gave a firm nod, determined not to let her husband’s consideration go to waste.

2. Crossing the Border

Opal, or Duchess Bocceli rather, was a rather famous business woman. But a vast majority of people assumed that it was all thanks to her financial advisor or her husband, Claude. Still, it was clear that she had a hefty sum of wealth under her belt, and many people with less than noble intentions often tried to approach her. However, Duke and Duchess Bocceli—most notably, Duchess Bocceli—refused to come out into the eyes of the public. As a result, her face wasn’t widely known to the public, making it all the easier for her to act while hiding her identity.

Opal enjoyed the scenery from her carriage window as her vehicle clattered through the mountainous path. Nadja had her eyes closed, as the violent rattling of the carriage only moments ago had given her motion sickness. A bit longer and there was a spot to take a rest, and the path from there wouldn’t be as rough.

“Nadja, can you hang on for just a bit longer?” Opal asked.

“Yes,” the maid croaked weakly. “I’m terribly so—”

“Don’t apologize. You can’t be to blame for this.”

While there were some ways to mitigate the shaking that carriages and trains could experience, it largely depended on a person’s constitution. Likely, one had to also get used to it over time—at first, Opal didn’t like ships rocking back and forth, but she’d gotten completely used to it now. Nadja seemed to respond better to ships, and Opal considered if it would be better for their return trip to be by sea. The duchess breathed a sigh of relief when the lodging on the mountain ridge slowly came into view. Finally, her maid could get some rest.

Opal blamed herself. She was in a rush to get to Lumeon and back, hoping to reunite with her son and husband as soon as possible, but this haste had negatively affected her maid. Opal’s primary goal this time around was to observe the princess of Lumeon, but she was also a bit eager to experience traveling through the mountains, a path that one might consider old-fashioned. But her desires had only troubled Nadja. I can’t be too greedy, can I? Opal thought.

She peered at her maid’s face, reflecting on her actions. Nadja looked a lot better than before, and after some rest, the remainder of the journey would be much smoother.

“Nadja, we’ll stay at that lodge for the night,” Opal said. “You can rest as much as you like then.”

“I’ll be fine, madam,” Nadja replied. “Please stick to your schedule.”

“Don’t worry, Nadja. I just planned to stay at another inn, that’s all. There really isn’t much of a difference.”

She had someone reserve a room for her beforehand, and there really was no issue. While it would delay her journey to Lumeon a little, slight delays were normal when traveling. Even visitors from nations that were close by Lumeon often came via ship, and on top of everything, the mountain road linking Lumeon and Socille was in poor state and in desperate need of repair. Since Opal and Claude were also interested in this problem, she found it to be the perfect opportunity to inspect the path. Both this road and the route via ship are heavily reliant on the weather.

Lumeon, located to the west of the continent, had various mountains along its borders with neighboring nations. It was an isolated, inaccessible piece of land despite being connected to the continent. There were paths that ran along the mountains, developed alongside nature, but they weren’t maintained regularly, and the frequent rain often made the roads slippery, affecting carriage wheels and horse hooves in ways that made travel treacherous.

It was for those reasons that Lumeon largely did not interact with other nations all that much and had developed a largely self-contained political culture. It had only been in recent years that the principality discovered that it sat upon a wealth of natural resources and, as a result, attracted the attention of other countries. Impressive still was how swiftly Alessandro—himself related to the ruling family of Lumeon by marriage—had worked to move in on the news. No doubt the previous monarch had made claims to all the mines in his nation because he had the foresight to see how things would go.

Or perhaps Alessandro had offered this piece of advice. Unfortunately, the previous prince, who had been close with Alessandro, had passed away a decade ago from the plague that had swept over Taisei. And now, His Majesty is suddenly worried over the princess, his niece. Precisely because Opal knew the various plots that entailed with this mission, she reluctantly accepted this role.

Simply put, her time away from Lud was the least of Taisei’s worries, and frankly, she alone might not be enough to fulfill this mission. But she couldn’t ignore the princess, who had lost her mother and father at a very young age. The loneliness, helplessness, and grief that came with losing a mother to an illness was something Opal understood keenly and could not easily forget. She’d only been able to overcome her sadness thanks to the help of Marcia, Trevor, Claude, and everyone else in the earldom.

Of course, she now knew that her father and brother loved her in their own awkward ways, but back then, she couldn’t have noticed it. And if the princess had someone she could lean on in this time, Opal would have never had to travel in the first place.

While Opal had been deep in thought, the carriage arrived at the inn, and Opal was very surprised to bump into an unusual figure. For who could expect to see LeBeau, the very “proper” moneylender, at this mountainside inn?

“Long time no see, LeBeau,” Opal said. “I wouldn’t have dreamed of seeing you here.”

“Ah, yes...” LeBeau replied. “Your name is...Mrs. Kensington, is it? It surely has been a while. I was surprised to see a noblewoman’s name in the guest book of this place and thought that she must be a bit of an eccentric, but now, I can see why.”

Opal had used a fake name to book a room, so LeBeau greeted her by her alias to gently tease her. Opal smiled back, happy to see that her old friend hadn’t changed.

“Oh, I could say the same for your eccentricities, LeBeau,” she replied. “Why are you using this mountain path? I thought you were the type to elegantly sail across the ocean on a fine ship. Are you on your way back from Lumeon, perhaps?”

“My job is to journey across the land, wherever I am ordered to go,” LeBeau replied. “I ask that you keep me in mind when you need me, madam.”

“I shall. Thank you.”

Perhaps LeBeau was in pursuit of someone that he’d lent money to. If that was the case, it was best not to pry much further. And so, Opal bade LeBeau farewell.

After she spent a night in the inn, Opal’s carriage clattered safely into Lumeon the following day, just as the sun was about to set. It was clear that this city had once been the gateway for foreigners into Lumeon, and had prospered for it until ships came into common usage. Now the vitality of the place was long gone, with many inns and stores having closed their doors.

“This city is a lot more desolate than I thought...” Nadja remarked, having regained much of her energy.

“You’re right,” Opal agreed. “I noticed the same at the post town, but it goes to show that people no longer use the roads for travel.”

“It’s much faster by ship. Plus, it’s a quick train ride to the port.”

“Of course, that adds on to the fare, so there aren’t many who can use that route.”

Only merchants went out of their way to travel across nations anyway, so most of the populace would never have the need for these roads in the first place. The duchess observed her environment intently. This city served as the entrance to the nation and to the city roads. There must have been a general decrease over the years in traffic from visiting merchants and travelers. And with the mine being nearby, much of the population must have left the city to work the mines.

Even so, the city is maintained very well.

Cities tended to become dirtier as fewer people remained, but even deserted buildings here were properly maintained and cared for. This was unusual to see, and Opal was quite impressed by it. Is this reflecting some sort of policy of the principality?

The current central figure of Lumeon and its policies was His Highness Prince Eckardt, the younger brother of the previous monarch. This nation cared not about gender, and as per custom, it was the eldest child of the family who would take over. He served as the temporary ruler until the princess reached adult age. Still, Her Highness couldn’t immediately take over the nation once she became an adult—and so people expected Eckardt to be in control for a good while.

Opal stepped into an inn that was still in service and headed into her room, attracting the curious gazes of those around her. Nadja swiftly inspected the room with a close eye and gave a satisfied smile.

“Madam, this room is rather splendid!” she said.

“It truly is.” Opal nodded.

The room was neat and tidy, and while the place had few guests, it still maintained all the dignity of an upper-class inn.

“None of the guests look shady either,” Opal added. “We didn’t run into any bandits on the streets either. This area really is properly maintained.”

“But I’ve heard that some lodgings here cooperate with bandits,” Nadja said.

“You’re right. I’ve heard of stories like that, but I think that we’ll be safe here. I had this place investigated beforehand.”

“Right!”

Nadja looked visibly relieved; she’d been worried about it this entire time. Even Opal could no longer be as reckless as she once was, and so she carefully planned for her trip in advance. She had guards around her, but she knew that if she traveled with too many, she’d attract unwanted attention and suspicion. And so, some of her guards pretended to be normal guests as they traveled with her.

Opal continued to play the part of an eccentric wealthy lady with too much time to spare, and spoke at length with the maid who carried food to her room. The mining town nearby was apparently rife with crime, and there were a couple of merchants who went out of their way to stay in this city for safety. Hence, the city put in extra effort to keep the area as safe as they possibly could. I guess all mining towns tend to become rough and unsafe eventually...

Opal sighed as she heard the story. Manthest, a city that Hubert had used the McLeod Duchy to purchase, had also been poorly maintained at first. It was a rough place, and in the beginning they had stationed their own guards to police the area and improve working conditions. Those efforts had eventually made the city much safer, with the exception of rowdy tavern drunkards who’d had one too many pints to drink. With less foot traffic here and the dwindling population, I can see that the city is desolate, but it’s well maintained thanks to the efforts and hard work of the citizens living here. Opal was moved. This wasn’t some sort of policy set forth by the government—what it was was the tireless efforts of those who lived here and were spurred into action.

But a few days later Opal’s feelings would soon turn into despair. She arrived at the mining town to take a train to the royal capital of Lumeon, but upon arrival at the station, she was immediately accosted by the sight of ruffians and other shady characters. It was no wonder that the merchants preferred to stay in the city a good distance away from the station. Obscenities and profanities were hurled at Opal as she boarded the train, surrounded by her guards. When she finally reached the deluxe suite and settled down, Nadja frowned.

“This place is in a much worse state than the Lede Mines before its transformation,” the maid muttered.

“I can’t disagree with that,” Opal said.

The duchess had heard all sorts of horror stories from the maid at the inn the night before, but Opal didn’t imagine that the reality was actually far worse. The principality had claimed all the mines and natural resources as their own; they exported it to other nations, and they surely were rather wealthy. But instead of that wealth benefiting those who worked the mines, the workers were abused even further, and forced to work to the bone in the mines. Opal gazed at the passing scenery from her window as the train lurched forward.

3. The Principality

The railway from the mining towns was connected to the port, so that their resources could be exported efficiently. Opal had to change trains twice until she finally reached the capital of the principality.

“It feels like we’re in a completely different world...” Nadja observed as she organized her mistress’s belongings at an upper-class inn of the capital.

“I’m a bit shocked,” Opal admitted.

They had departed the inn near the mining town early in the morning, and upon their arrival at the capital, stars had already begun to dot the evening sky. But the scenery of the capital glittered even brighter than the shimmering heavens and dazzled Opal. It was as though she’d set foot in a world completely different from the one she departed just this morning, and she was more annoyed than surprised by this stark contrast. Capitals naturally enjoyed more of the wealth than cities in the regions—this was just how the world worked. Even so, Alessandro in Taisei had done his best to improve the quality of life for those who lived in the countryside. Much of his work was in developing all the lands of Taisei.

Opal also did her best to support several organizations in hopes of medicine and education reaching the general populace. However, the principality clearly did none of this. While she had to switch trains twice, she managed to reach the capital in a mere day, and the difference in wealth was quite gauche. I’m certain that their treasury must have some coin to spare... Opal thought.

Lumeon didn’t just refuse to improve the quality of life for people in faraway regions; it was clear that the principality outright neglected those whose work built this wealth for them. She wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of riot broke out in the near future, yet at the same time, because this principality was so isolated from others, its citizens were most likely living in blissful ignorance, totally unaware of the state of the world. But this ignorance wouldn’t last long. The people would realize the wealth disparity one day. It’s annoying, but as His Majesty says, I’m glad that I came here.

Opal had learned many things over the course of three days. From the window of her room she gazed up at the castle—the palace of Lumeon—built upon a small hill. The palace shone proudly in white, just like the Bocceli manor, leading Opal to assume that similar material had been used. I’m sure that stone is from Socille, but they obviously wouldn’t have used the mountain route to bring it here...

Like the Bocceli Duchy, it was far more efficient in Lumeon to conduct business by sea than by land, and it was only natural for the capital to be close to the ocean. Ships were becoming more common, only increasing the gap between coastal people and those who lived in gorges or valleys. However, for mines, it was imperative for people to gather in these locations. There might be a railroad, but it’s still not convenient enough to encourage people to live in these regions.

In short, there was little to no thought for workers. If some sort of civil war broke out in this principality, it would have a huge effect on surrounding nations, for everyone was heavily dependent on the natural resources. When Taisei had calmed down, it was only natural for Alessandro to turn his focus to Lumeon.

In his youth, the king had studied abroad in various nations, gaining various perspectives; he must’ve swiftly noticed the issues of this principality. What he hadn’t anticipated was the sudden onset of the plague, which threw a wrench into his plans. This sickness had taken his older brother, the previous king, and the rebels had taken advantage of this confusion to set their own plans in motion. In addition, one of Alessandro’s most powerful backers, the former reigning prince of Lumeon, had also fallen victim to the plague. What this all meant was that, while he had taken an excruciatingly roundabout way to do so, Alessandro had now finally found the time to meddle with the underground wealth of resources that Lumeon enjoyed.

Oh dear, that’s a rather nasty and unforgiving way to view the king.

Opal thought it was safest to simply assume that he was worried about his niece. But frankly, she wasn’t quite sure whether Alessandro had a soft spot for his family or not. Even if he did, he clearly was the type to put his nation first, before his family. He had the perfect personality to be a ruler, but perhaps his family would feel a bit neglected and lonely because of it. I hope I’m not overthinking things...

When Opal was young, she had truly believed that Earl Holloway prioritized profits over his family—nothing else mattered. Only recently did she realize that he loved his family in his own clumsy way; whether or not his awkward love was accepted was a decision left solely to Opal and Julian. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the faintest clue about what ran through her brother’s mind. But enough about him.

The closer Opal was to the capital, the more rumors she heard about the princess. The duchess had casually walked around with Nadja while they waited for the train to depart, and they engaged in some small talk with the passengers as a means to gather information. The rumors confirmed Alessandro’s claims that the princess was indeed a selfish lady.

Opal was keenly aware that rumors weren’t all that reliable, but that was no reason to ignore them outright either. She didn’t have much time, but she was determined to learn as much about Lumeon as she possibly could.

The next day, Opal energetically set out for a social occasion. Thanks to an invitation Alessandro had arranged from a powerful noble of Lumeon, she was warmly welcomed by the nobles of the principality, despite hiding her identity. She acted as the wife of a wealthy man in Socille, and even used a fake name, but it didn’t raise the suspicions of those around her. Opal rarely went to social spaces as Duchess Bocceli, and it helped that the nobles of Lumeon held very little ties to Socille’s and Taisei’s social circles. The two kingdoms regarded Lumeon as an undeveloped and lowly land. The resources produced from this principality are supporting this now-convenient world.

Obviously, Manthest, which Opal and a few others owned, had some natural resources to mine, but the volume and prices of the principality generally affected the entire market. Opal had learned of Lumeon beforehand, but she realized that reality was far different when it was right in front of her eyes. She’d assumed that Lumeon was a wealthy nation, but when she proceeded through the old roads via carriage, she found that the scenery was far from her expectations. It was as though time had stopped for the nation several decades ago.

The capital was glamorous, but in the shadows were people desperately needing help. Yet this aid was never provided, due to indolence, incompetence, or arrogance. Opal did her best to suppress her sigh as she listened in on the boring conversations of the ladies throughout the evening.

“As I thought, the princess won’t be in attendance,” a lady remarked.

“Again?” another replied. “This banquet celebrates the day our first railroad opened.”

“Her Highness isn’t interested in that at all. All day, she’s holed up in her room saying no to everything she can, apparently.”

“She even ended up crying out that she didn’t want to marry. That was a whole ordeal, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right...”

Opal had heard this exact conversation many times before, and at once she left the area; she had had enough of such talk. Her attendance had been arranged because there was a chance that she’d get to directly see the princess in this palace, but it seemed all those efforts had been for naught. In every society, there was a lady who wielded more authority than others in getting the rumor mill started. These old-fashioned ideas hadn’t changed one bit. Opal slipped out of the banquet and wandered around the palace.

If she wasn’t allowed to set foot in an area, she was certain that the guards would stop her. She decided to enjoy the rest of her night with a tour of the palace when a young lady headed her way with a lady-in-waiting in tow.

“Why can’t I attend?!” the lady complained.

“Everyone expects you to be absent, Your Highness,” the lady-in-waiting replied. “If you suddenly make an appearance—”

“Wouldn’t everyone be happy if I appeared? They didn’t expect to meet me, but now they can.”

“But to suddenly appear with no notice at all is a breach of etiquette, I find...”

“Then send out a notice!”

Opal quickly realized that the young lady was the princess, and the duchess quickly stepped to the side of the halls and bent her knees as she lowered her head until the royal passed by. But Opal could hear the conversation very well. A new servant joined in and tried to help the troubled lady-in-waiting. The princess got into a small argument with that servant as well, her heels loudly clacking against the floor as she stomped her way through the halls.

“Fine!” the princess shrieked at the elderly servant.

She turned on her heel to leave, and the lady-in-waiting looked visibly relieved as she followed the princess. Opal took that moment to hide herself in an area she deemed as a blind spot. She doesn’t seem to have any guards; what would’ve happened if I’d been an assassin or something? There were guards spotting the area, but Opal, a first-time guest, had wandered around the palace just fine without so much as a warning.

A charitable assumption was that Lumeon enjoyed a great degree of peace, but clearly, this palace was lacking in its security measures. Opal watched the frowning princess leave before deciding to leave the banquet altogether. Recent rumors stated that the princess was not only selfish but prone to throwing tantrums. Though Opal had coincidentally stumbled upon the royal, there hadn’t been enough in that encounter to determine her true nature. The duchess headed home, knowing that she had to first persuade Nadja to carry out her next plan.

“No, madam! I’m against it!” Nadja cried.

Upon returning to the inn, Opal had told her maid of the plan that she was going to carry out in two days’ time. Nadja’s response was to be expected. The duchess wanted to board the same ship as the princess to head back to Taisei, but alone, in the third-class suite.

“Thank you for worrying about me, Nadja. It makes me so happy,” Opal said. “But this might be the only opportunity that I’ll ever have.”

“You might be right, but to travel alone in third class, madam?” Nadja replied. “I can’t possibly agree to that! If you must, then I must insist on coming with you!”

Opal couldn’t help but crack a strained smile as she tried to persuade Nadja, only for the maid to come up with her own solution. The duchess was well aware that Nadja was the kind of person, who, decision made, wouldn’t change her mind so easily.

“Nadja, I’d feel so much better if you were with me. Really, I would,” Opal said. “But I fear that if you were there, I might rely on you too much. If people saw that, they would question us and maybe try to snoop around us. And I plan on having guards around me too. They’ll be in separate rooms, of course, but they’ll be on standby in their own third-class suites. Whenever I leave my room, I’ll ensure that they’ll always know, and if they deem that there’s any danger, I’ll obediently follow their orders. I promise that I will absolutely listen to their advice and not put up a fight.”

“But why go out of your way to be in a third-class suite, madam?” Nadja inquired. “You won’t be given an opportunity to approach the princess that way.”

“You’re right. But I don’t want to first meet her as Duchess Bocceli. I’d like to observe her from afar—she might change her attitude if she knows that I’m nearby. Being apart from her home environment might have her show us a side of her that’s different from all the rumors.”

Perhaps Her Highness would be able to enjoy herself with the freedom that she’d gain on her travels. Judging from what Opal had seen the other day, it seemed that even if the princess was accompanied by female attendants, these servants didn’t have the power to keep the princess in check. Opal’s presence as the duchess wouldn’t change that.

Opal had also surmised that Alessandro, always prepared and a step ahead, had likely already told the princess that she would be receiving an attendant.

“Then why don’t you at least enter a second-class suite?” Nadja pleaded.

“Those rooms are often in close proximity to the first-class suites,” Opal replied. “And the other people on board might remember my face. When we stop at Socille, I plan to be on the ship as Duchess Bocceli—I just don’t want to stand out until then.”

“I see...”

Slowly but surely, Nadja was being persuaded.

“Nadja, I want you to head to Socille first on a liner ship,” Opal went on. “I need you to arrange a few things. Since I’m visiting here undercover, I want you to act like I was in Socille all along.”

“Of course! I can do that!” the maid replied, her eyes glimmering with excitement at the opportunity to assist on a scheme. But her gusto soon turned to hesitation. “Um, but...”

Clearly, she was cautious about stepping away from Opal. Third-class suites also meant that the duchess would have to share a room with a stranger—and who knew what kind of passenger would be on board. Even women couldn’t be trusted.

“I won’t have any valuables on me,” Opal said. “I’ll have enough for a normal, third-class passenger. And I must purchase a few used outfits as well.”

“I shall have that all prepared by tomorrow morning,” Nadja replied. “You mustn’t have any moth holes in those clothes, and I’ll inspect each piece carefully before swiftly washing them.”

“Thank you.”

Nadja had failed to realize that she was now cooperating with Opal to help her enact her plan. The duchess said one more important tidbit to fully wipe Nadja’s hesitation away.

“One more thing: I want you to keep a close eye on the people within the liner ship,” Opal said. “Observe the passengers, the employees, and also the interior of the ship itself.”

“Certainly!” Nadja replied as it hit her. “Are you planning to enter the ship industry as well, madam?”

She wasn’t spot-on, but she wasn’t too far off either.

Opal smiled. “No, I don’t plan on doing that, but now that railroads are all over the place, seafaring shall have to make changes of its own. And of course, sea vessels still have the advantage when it comes to transporting vast quantities of items.”

“Railroads are convenient, but it’s not like you can lay tracks over the water, can you?” Nadja replied.

“Well, who knows? Technology will continue to advance, so who am I to say that it’s impossible?”

“What?”

Opal could only give a vague response because she truly didn’t know. In the future her child might see something she’d view as completely strange as pure common sense. Perhaps the future would be entirely different from the world she lived in now. Nadja only widened her eyes in shock. The duchess giggled, and then proceeded to carefully lay out her plan with her maid.

4. Journey by Ship

It was a sunny day, but the ocean breeze that blew across the deck was a tad too strong. Opal grabbed her skirt with one hand in fear that the wind might whip up her hems, while her other hand was protectively wrapped around a much smaller hand.

“What is that?” asked the young girl whose hand Opal was holding.

“A seafowl,” Opal replied. “It means that we’re nearing land.”

“Land?”

“That’s right. We’re close to the port of Socille. This is where you, Mayley, and your mom will disembark.”

“What about you, Opal?”

“I...will also get off here too.”

“Then we’ll always be together, won’t we?”

“Unfortunately, when we step off the ship, we must part ways.”

“How lonely...”

Mayley, the young friend that Opal had made during their voyage from Lumeon, began to tear up at the idea of bidding the duchess farewell. It’d only been three days since Opal had met Mayley, her roommate in the third-class suite, but the young girl had gotten quite close to Opal.

“But soon you’ll get to meet your grandfather and grandmother,” Opal said kindly. She then crouched down to match the girl’s eye level.

“Yeah...” Mayley replied.

She had lost her father and was headed back with her mother, Kate, to return to her hometown. Kate had remained in their room, suffering from a bad hip.

“Will grandma and grandpa be nice?” Mayley wondered.

“Hmm, I think they might be surprised at how cute you are,” Opal replied brightly.

Mayley giggled. Though the girl was only seven, she was mature for her age and had sensed her mother’s anxiety over this trip. According to Kate, she had been forced to elope after her parents expressed disapproval of her marriage to a man from Lumeon. Two years had passed since her husband had passed away and she had been working tirelessly, only for her health to suffer. Kate then had no choice but to rely on her family.

But Kate hadn’t contacted her family before leaving Lumeon, and she was unsure of whether they would welcome her. This fear only worsened her condition, and it had fallen to Opal to look after Mayley for the duration of the voyage.

“Mayley, it’s about time—” Opal started as she tried to encourage the girl to return to her room.

Just then, a young lady emerged with heels sharp enough to pierce the deck. By her side was a beautiful young man as her escort.

“Oh, Ellie, I can’t stand to see you here,” the man said. “Let’s return to the first-class deck.”

“Oh, Roland,” the woman called Ellie replied. “But I’d like to take a look at spaces like these too, since the whole point of this trip is to broaden my horizons with new experiences.”

The beautiful man called Roland frowned as his warning fell on deaf ears. But Princess Ellie glanced around the deck without a care.

“Wow, she’s like a princess,” Mayley gasped. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she saw Ellie’s shimmering outfit.

“Mayley, I’d say that you’re as cute as a princess yourself,” Opal replied.

Mayley’s smile grew broader and deeper. “You’re like a princess too, Opal!”

“My, thank you.”

To blend in with the other third-class passengers, Opal had worn the old clothes Nadja had procured for her and went without makeup. The duchess had her hair tied up and flowing behind her. She was genuinely happy to receive such high praise from Mayley, but their conversation had reached the ears of others.

“Good grief,” Roland scoffed through his nose. “How can a shabby middle-aged hag like her be a princess? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

It was difficult to hear Roland’s mocking words from afar, but Mayley quickly understood that she was being laughed at. Her expression grew dark, but before Opal could speak up, Ellie scowled at him.

“Roland, that’s rude,” she said.

“Well, I mean...” Roland muttered. “They’re just so different from you that to compare you with them is utterly absurd.”

“First of all, it’s rude that I’m being compared with them at all.”

“Y-You’re right. I’m sorry, Ellie.”

Opal gave a small sigh—what kind of nonsensical, foolish conversation was this? She smiled at Mayley.

“Why don’t we return to our room?” Opal said. “Your mother must be feeling lonely, I’m sure.”

“Mhm, okay,” Mayley replied with a smile and a nod.

Despite her sunny demeanor, it was clear that the young girl was quite hurt by what Roland and Ellie had said. Opal stood up and turned around, her smile vanishing from her face as she gave a pointed glare right at Ellie and Roland. The two jolted in surprise.

“Mayley, could you take me back to our room?” Opal asked as she reached out to the girl.

“Yeah!” Mayley replied with a happy nod.

The little girl was elated to receive such an important mission, and she jumped at the opportunity to help out. She held Opal’s hand, and as the pair walked past Ellie and Roland, Opal continued to stare at them. She knew, of course, that this was quite the rude thing to do.

“Wh-What is that woman’s problem?!” Roland spluttered.

“That surprised me...” Ellie said.

Opal didn’t turn around to react at the two’s remarks as she caught sight of another man who gazed at this exchange with a grin—Julian. She ignored her brother as well as she returned back into the ship with the little girl.

“Mayley, do you know where our room is?” Opal asked.

“I sure do!” Mayley replied enthusiastically.

She walked through the complex interior of the ship with confidence, having seemingly forgotten about that unpleasant conversation she’d heard moments ago. The duchess breathed a sigh of relief as they passed by a corridor lined by similar rooms. The layout of the ship was of no confusion for the girl as she quickly stopped the two of them right in front of their room.

“Three, zero, four, and five!” Mayley exclaimed. “This is our room, Opal!”

“Wow! That was amazing, Mayley,” Opal praised. “You memorized our room number, I see.”

“I can read numbers already!”

“So you can.”

The third-class suites had many similar doors along a long corridor. Mayley had entered and exited this door several times, but the room was practically in the middle of all the other doors, and she hadn’t gotten lost at all because she knew the room number. With proper education, she could surely expand upon her intelligence. Opal couldn’t help but feel powerless and frustrated inside—in her current disguise, there wasn’t much she could do for the girl.

“Welcome back, Mayley,” Kate said as she peeked out before Opal could open the door. She welcomed the two into the room. “And thank you for watching her, Miss Opal.”

“We’re back, mom!” Mayley said.

“The weather is nice outside, and the breeze is quite refreshing,” Opal added with a bright smile. “I had so much fun spending time with Mayley.”

The little girl made sure to hug her mother gently, being extra careful to not hurt Kate’s frail body. Kate wrapped her arm around her daughter as she cast Opal an apologetic look.

“We’ll reach the port soon, so we must get ready to step off,” Opal said, quickly changing topics in hopes of removing Kate’s guilt.

“You’re right,” Kate replied.

But it seemed Opal’s attempt to be kind backfired; the moment thoughts of exiting the ship entered Kate’s mind, she turned pale as a sheet, clearly worried by the fact she’d be returning to her family without a word to them in advance. Opal took out an item that she’d prepared the night before.

“Miss Kate, could I entrust you with a request?” Opal asked.

“Of course. If there’s anything I can do, I’ll gladly offer my help,” Kate replied.

“Could you please hand this letter over to the priest of the parish that you’ll live in?”

“To the priest? I’m not sure if a letter from me will be accepted... I can’t even read...”

“I think you’ll be fine, but if any suspicion is cast your way, please just push the letter onto the priest. I’m counting on you.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you very much.”

Kate was puzzled as to why Opal had drafted a letter to a priest, but the sickly mother didn’t pursue the topic and accepted the request. The letter asked the priest to shelter Kate and Mayley should they be in any sort of trouble, and for Opal to be contacted once the letter was received. The priest likely knew of Opal’s name, and she was sure that she’d receive a reply once the letter was passed off. Since Kate didn’t divulge any details about her home life, Opal planned to use this letter as a way to find out where the mother and her daughter were headed.

“Mayley, stay with your mother and make sure the letter is handed to the priest, okay?” Opal asked.

“Got it!” Mayley replied energetically.

Just then, a loud sound echoed in the ship, signaling its berth. Kate took the letter and carefully stored it away in her bag. This ship would stay in this port for the night before heading to another port in Socille. This vessel would make several stops at different ports before reaching Taisei four days later.

“Four more days...” Opal muttered under her breath as she left the room with her things. The sadness in her chest squeezed her with a painful twinge; it would be four more days until she could see Lud and Claude.

“Opal, are you okay?” Mayley asked, making it apparent that Opal was so clearly concerned that it made a little girl worry.

Opal quickly switched gears and flashed a mischievous smile. “I was just thinking about whether I forgot anything. If I did, my belongings would sail off into the ocean beyond. Do you have all your things, Mayley?”

“Yup!”

Mayley gently slapped her bag that hung from her shoulder with a bit of pride before she gasped and looked up at Kate.

“Are you all set, mom?” Mayley asked.

“I am, dear,” Kate replied.

“Want me to carry your bag?”

“I’ll be fine. Thank you though, Mayley.”

Opal quietly watched the little girl and her mother’s exchange. Mayley never acted selfish in front of her mother, perhaps because she’d always seen her mother working as hard as she could. Instead of selfishness, Mayley was doing her best to offer any sort of help that she could provide. Opal also wanted to help Kate out, but suddenly doing so would only fluster Kate and put her in an odd spot.

They stepped off the ship and arrived at the shared carriage stop. Opal planned to meet Nadja at the port city, so this was where she would part ways with Kate and Mayley.

“Miss Kate, Mayley, I was very happy to spend the past three days with you both,” Opal said. “Traveling alone is usually a bore, and you two made it very fun for me. Thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you,” Kate replied as she shook her head, trying to hold back tears. “You helped us so much throughout this trip...”

Mayley looked at the duchess anxiously. “Opal, you won’t ride with us?”

“I’ll be staying at a lodge here,” Opal replied. “I know that your trip will continue for a little while longer, but could you hang in there?”

“Yup! Carriages are fun!”

Mayley forced herself to act brightly, and Kate looked at her daughter with a touch of sadness. But there was nothing the mother could do right now; the best she could muster was to not make her daughter worry any further.

“Take care, Miss Opal,” Kate said. “And truly, thank you so much for everything that you’ve done.”

“No, no, I should be thanking you because you undertook my request,” Opal replied. “I’m counting on you for that letter.”

“Of course.”

“Mayley, I had so much fun,” Opal said. “Thank you for hanging out with me.”

“I had fun too!” Mayley replied. “Let’s meet again, Opal!”

“Yes, let’s.”

The little girl happily waved her hand as her mother helped her board the carriage. Kate followed Mayley soon after. Opal took a few steps back to get out of the carriage’s way and watched it leave. When the carriage was out of sight, a burly man stepped out from the shadows and took Opal’s belongings—he was one of the guards who had been beside her for the entire voyage.

“Thank you,” Opal said.

“Certainly. I shall take you to your inn,” the guard replied curtly.

He walked ahead. Opal didn’t just have one guard; she had several nearby, all covertly protecting her. As she’d told Nadja, it was Claude who had decided upon the number of guards when Opal had laid out her plan for this voyage. Opal didn’t object, hoping that it would put her husband’s mind at ease, and she let out a faint smile when she recalled how frantic Claude had been. She followed the guard to her inn.

5. Reunion

“You’re late, moron,” Julian said snarkily the moment Opal entered the room that she’d been guided to.

Opal frowned as she ignored her brother, and smiled at her worried maid, who’d been waiting patiently.

“I’m back, Nadja,” the duchess said.

“Welcome back, madam!” Nadja replied.

The maid’s face lit up with elation as she flew toward her mistress’s side. But Nadja soon looked pained as she took Opal’s hands.

“My lady, your hands are covered in scratches,” the maid said. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I’m fine. This isn’t much,” Opal replied.

“It’s not nothing much! You’re far too indifferent when it comes to yourself! I’ve already got a bath prepared, my lady.”

Opal obediently followed her maid into a different room. Julian always had a cutting remark or two toward his sister, but he never said a word when it came to Nadja’s overprotective antics. After Opal was spoiled by Nadja and the other maids and was properly cleaned up, the duchess returned to her room. Julian stood up theatrically and gave a deep bow.

“Ah, Duchess Bocceli. It’s truly been a while,” he said.

“I’m charmed by your sarcastic remark, Viscount Holloway,” Opal replied as she sat down. She maintained her smile as she added, “Or shall I refer to you as an earl?”

“Like hell. The old man’s still alive and well.”

“I’m not talking about father. I’ve heard quite a few rumors that King Alessandro is going to bestow you with the title of earl in Taisei soon.”

“And you believe those stupid rumors?”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But I suppose His Majesty can create these fires all by himself.”

“I’m not kind like Claude. I refuse to be surrounded by people.”

For a while now, the nobles of Taisei had been whispering about the possibility of Julian receiving a title from His Majesty as a reward for all his hard work the past few years. As time passed and Julian received no title, the rumors only grew; as he was the viscount of Socille and the future earl, people just assumed that Julian wasn’t satisfied with a mere barony.

And so, while things were turning out in a slightly unusual way, people still thought that he would become an earl at some point. Opal, though, knew her brother wasn’t interested in such things. But these rumors had been circulating for over a year now; clearly, Alessandro had something to do with that. Bias aside, Julian was an excellent pawn to have, and the king could hardly be faulted for wanting Viscount Holloway as a subject. It was possible that Alessandro was first working around Julian, so that in the end Julian would be given no other choice but to accept whatever Alessandro planned to give him.

“But I can sympathize with Alessandro,” Julian said snarkily, “since he has an idiot like you as one of his subjects.”

“Who’re you calling an idiot?” Opal glowered.

“Am I wrong? Your actions made you stick out. What would you have done if a fuss had broken out? A third-class passenger shouldn’t pick a fight with those in the first class, even if one of them called you a ‘hag.’”

“I wasn’t picking a fight.”

“You think your words are convincing me at all when you glared at them like that?”

“I wasn’t glaring.”

Despite her retort, in the face of Julian’s self-assured grin, Opal’s voice wasn’t as strong as it could’ve been. She wasn’t angry for being called a “hag,” truthfully, but in hindsight she regretted that bit of payback she’d enacted. If those first-class passengers retaliated and caused an ordeal, Mayley would’ve surely been hurt.

Julian huffed proudly through his nose. “If you can’t do it, don’t accept the job. Clearly you can’t be a chaperone for someone.”

“I never said that I’d accept the job,” Opal replied. “But I can empathize with His Majesty, who worries about his niece.”

“As far as I can tell, the rumors about her being feisty seem to be true. Maybe you two will get along, since you both seem cut from the same cloth.”

“We are not of the same cloth. Are you still holding a grudge from losing our last battle?” Opal taunted.

“You were just lucky. Don’t let it get to your head.”

“All I can hear is a sore loser. Not very manly of you.”

Opal frowned—the “feisty” comment still rankled—and the siblings’ quarrel continued. All the while, plates were lined up in front of them, at which she raised a bemused eyebrow. Lunch in this inn was far heftier than the food that she received from the past three days aboard the ship combined.

“Generous service is something to think about...” she muttered.

Opal and Claude led fairly modest lives. Their meals were only as much as they could eat, and instead of handing over the leftovers to their servants, the servants had a rather lavish menu of their own.

“Don’t worry,” Julian assured. “I’ll eat your share too.”

With that, he plucked a quiche, Opal’s favorite, from her plate.

“Hey!” Opal cried.

She took his quiche from his plate and shoved the food into her mouth.

“Not very ladylike of you,” Julian mocked.

“That’s rich, coming from an ungentlemanly person like you,” Opal snapped.

Ever since they were kids, the two siblings frequently got into skirmishes, and they hadn’t changed one bit. Servants who were familiar with this exchange were unfazed, already quite used to this scene. Nadja watched over the two as she did her best to stifle her laughs. Shockingly, the Holloways still conducted themselves with grace and elegance, despite these poor manners.

“And? How was your first experience in third class?” Julian asked.

“The room was so small and suffocating,” Opal replied. “Still, we received three square meals, and the bedding was clean. The voyage is quite slow and long, but the fare’s cheap, and it helps the poorer folk who are willing to spend time in exchange for reduced fares.”

“If being cheap is the only good trait, those voyagers can easily be scooped up by the railroad if tracks are built to connect Socille and Lumeon. The vessels would have fewer passengers and their business would suffer. What then?”

“It’s not my job to think about that.”

Opal shrugged as Julian pointed his fork at her. She frowned at her brother’s bad manners.

“That’s rather cold of you,” he observed. “I know that you’re thinking about developing the railroad. Isn’t that why you accepted Alessandro’s request?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Opal replied. “I haven’t accepted his request yet.”

“Then hurry up and turn him down. She was playing around with a young man today too, wasn’t she? I only sense trouble from her.”

“She may be reckless, but maybe all the freedom from home is having her let loose a bit.”

“Are you taking her side?”

“Not really. But what if they’re in a serious relationship?”

If Opal were to act as a chaperone, the princess would need to attend many social parties and festivities; it was the duchess’s job to ensure that Her Highness wouldn’t act thoughtlessly. It was tough enough for Opal as it was, for it meant that she would have to spend time away from Lud and Claude, and that even on her return, things would be busier than ever for her. But she knew all too well how one could act rashly in their youth, and she found herself feeling protective over Ellie.

“Yeah, you should decline, then,” Julian said. “You can’t watch over her. You can’t even tell the difference between a good man and a dangerous man.”

“What do you mean?” Opal asked.

“He’s a swindler.”

“Really? He was dressed neatly and spoke without an accent.”

“It’s not difficult to hide that.”

To demonstrate, Julian immediately pinched his clothes and gave himself a downtown accent—at a glance, he clearly looked like a person of the working class. Both he and Claude could speak several languages and use different accents as well. It made Opal painfully aware just how sheltered, oblivious, and powerless she was.

“I’ve heard of a recent slew of cases where young women staying in expensive resorts were tricked out of their valuables by a young man,” Opal said.

Expensive resorts and opulent cruise ships were popular pastimes for women with both too much money and time to spare. It seemed that as of late a young man was going around and making friends with them, and then eventually would entice them with investment or aid opportunities to swindle them out of their money. The tricked women didn’t want to cause a stir and filed no complaints, but hushed rumors spread about this man, and it was unclear who exactly were the victims.

“Julian, why do you keep saying that I can’t handle the princess?” Opal asked. “Are you trying to employ some sort of reverse psychology to rouse me into action?”

“Don’t overthink it, idiot,” Julian replied. “They remembered your face the moment you picked a fight with them. Are you planning on appearing as a chaperone now, out of the blue?”

“They don’t remember me.”

“You sound confident.”

“And I know that you agree with me. Those two only saw me as a third-class passenger. If I board the vessel tomorrow as Duchess Bocceli, they’ll never recognize me.”

Julian didn’t deny those firm claims. He was well aware that many people judged a person based solely on their clothes and appearance.

“Then are you gonna accept the job?” he asked.

“I think I’ll first check and see if that young man’s a swindler, as you say,” Opal replied.

“And how will you go about doing so?”

“I’d imagine that swindlers far prefer a hag with established wealth and far too much time on her hands than a rich young lady.”

“Boy, someone’s bearing a grudge.”

Julian smirked as Opal grinned back. Even without Claude around, who was always in charge of breaking up fights, the siblings could settle their arguments quite well. Nadja was all smiles as the two Holloways began another childish quarrel, and the maid couldn’t help but burst into a fit of giggles.

6. Seduction

The port was bustling with workers, passengers, and those there to bid their loved ones farewell. A lavish carriage slowly made its way through the crowd, stunning the onlookers with its splendor, until it came to a stop in front of the first-class passenger entrance. Everyone was curious about who would use such a gorgeous vehicle. As the people watched with bated breath, a servant wearing clothes as fine as the carriage ceremoniously placed the steps and opened the door.

“Wow... She’s just like a princess,” a small girl gasped, as Mayley had once done.

She was dazzled by Opal, who was enveloped in an opulent dress as she stepped off her carriage. The duchess heard her words and flashed her a brilliant smile. The crowd exhaled in awe as the girl happily waved. Opal returned the gesture while her dress, made from several layers of satin and lace, fluttered with the wind.

Nadja, meanwhile, solemnly pressed the dress down so that it wouldn’t get whipped up. Needless to say, the maid normally didn’t undertake this role, nor did Opal usually order her to do so. But Opal had to act as a wealthy duchess from here on out, and she slowly gazed upon her surroundings as Nadja fixed her dress. The men working at the port catcalled Opal, but she paid them no heed as she unfurled a fan and covered her face.

Another one of her attendants put up a parasol to shield Opal from the sun, and only then did the duchess start forward. The crew members by the passenger entrance stared at her in shock, their faces red.

“Y-Your boarding pass, please...” a young crew member managed to eke out.

“Of course.” Opal smiled back with a nod.

She glanced behind her, and a servant immediately brought out her ticket. While her pass was being checked, Opal gazed up at the vessel. Just yesterday, she’d been on board as a third-class passenger, but from today on, she’d be in a deluxe suite. Noticing her gaze, a deck officer hastily rushed down the accommodation ladder and gave a solemn bow.

“You must be Duchess Bocceli,” he said. “I apologize for the lengthy wait.”

“I don’t mind,” Opal replied. “These crew members are only doing their jobs. Isn’t that so?”

She turned to the other employees with a smile, ensuring that they wouldn’t get in trouble as she offered her benevolent words. They nodded vigorously, their faces even redder than before. Usually, a servant would head to the ship first and show the employees a boarding ticket so that their master or mistress could head onboard without a single pause. But Opal didn’t mind standing and waiting within a crowd, and she didn’t expect such consideration from her servants. How could she? The very servant who handed her the boarding pass was her brother, after all.

“Madam, I wish you a safe voyage,” Julian said. “May you enjoy your time above the sea.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that. I’m sure I’ll have fun,” Opal nodded with a bright smile before she muttered under her breath. “I won’t have a single nuisance on this trip, no I will not.”

Just this morning, before she’d set off for the ship, her brother had suddenly appeared dressed as a servant. Opal leveled a weary glare at him, fearing that he would accompany her all the way to Taisei. But apparently he was just teasing her. He grinned when he heard his sister’s mutterings—the siblings could finally part ways here.

“Your Grace, please do watch your step,” the deck officer said.

“Thank you,” Opal replied.

She borrowed his hand to walk up the ladder. When she finally set foot on the main deck, the ship’s captain personally greeted her.

“Welcome aboard, Duchess Bocceli,” he said. “My name is Krueger, and I am the captain of this ship. For the next three days aboard, I promise you a wonderful time.”

“Thank you, Captain Krueger,” Opal replied. “I do look forward to it.”

Krueger politely kissed the back of her hand as she glanced around. Among the throngs of people, she spotted Ellie and Roland. The princess seemed annoyed while the young man gave a calculating gaze. Opal usually ignored everyone’s stares, but she flashed a sweet smile at Roland. At once, he was in awe, while equally as fast, Ellie’s face was set in a frown. At the captain’s request, Opal followed him to be guided to her suite.

Opal was guided to the deluxe suite and the captain left, finally leaving her alone with Nadja.

“I knew it,” the duchess muttered as she sank into the sofa. “The two don’t recognize me.”

Nadja, who’d been pouring a cup of tea, stopped and looked up with interest. “Are you referring to His Majesty’s niece, with whom you locked eyes yesterday?”

“That’s right. And that swindler that Julian told me about. Is the difference really so great?”

“You’re always beautiful, madam, but you’re dressed more gorgeously than you usually are.”

Nadja puffed out her chest and turned to Opal with satisfaction. The duchess was covered in priceless jewels from head to toe; she wore necklaces, earrings, and even hair ornaments.

“How was the third-class suite?” Nadja asked.

“Well...it’s a lot more cramped than here,” Opal mused. “The room is about as big as the bathroom, and there’s a bunk bed. Four people share a room.”

“Then you don’t have a lick of privacy.”

“None at all. But the other guests praised the service. They received three square meals a day, the sheets were clean, and they were quite satisfied with their experience. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than the other ships.”

Nadja had been in the second-class suites, and she was quite interested in the other rooms. She had already reported to Opal about what she’d seen during her voyage.

“I was most bothered by the attitude of the crew members,” Opal said. “First-class passengers enjoy a higher standard of service since they pay much more, but the staff were rather rude to those in third class.”

While it didn’t apply to all crew members, some would shout and berate third-class passengers, and ignore any questions these passengers had. Hence, Mayley had become scared of the crew. This vessel’s primary motive was a cruise, and it visited several ports throughout its journey; it was far too slow for people who saw this as a mode of transportation. And so uncomfortable, empty rooms were utilized to welcome third-class passengers for a cheap price to carry them across the water. Many third-class passengers were those who had left their homes to work. Lumeon in particular didn’t have many jobs available for women, and so, a majority of ladies chose to cross the sea in search of work. But there are plans to not only develop railroads, but other facilities and transportation methods as well, Opal thought. This vessel has a rather uncertain future.

This ship could use some redesigning to transform itself into an extravagant cruise ship. The fare would increase and welcome only more privileged guests in hopes of securing an audience, but that industry was already saturated with competitors. The company that owned this vessel would need to carefully look over their choices and adapt in the future. I’m sure it’d affect the stock prices for all companies involved too...

Opal had personally experienced the carriage trail on land, and could easily imagine the roads continuing to deteriorate while the ships made technological advancements. At a glance, the sea route might have seemed like the long way around, but it was in fact a lot faster, and these seafaring vessels could carry bulkier items as well.

In recent years, however, railroad technology had advanced leaps and bounds. Nowadays tunnels could easily be dug anywhere, and even mountains could now be bored through with a hole in order to lay down tracks for a train. If the railroad was built, transportation over land would become very convenient. But unless Lumeon undergoes some sort of reform to have the proper structures to welcome this technology, there aren’t many advantages in laying down tracks.

Opal sipped on her tea, lost in her thoughts. The world was currently advancing at breakneck speed. If she and Claude dallied for even a moment, they’d get left behind.

“All right!” Opal said. “Mulling over my thoughts will get me nowhere. I shall act.”

“How so, madam?” Nadja asked.

The duchess put her cup down and stood up with gusto. She smiled at her maid’s eager query. Opal’s expression resembled Julian’s so closely, but both siblings refused to admit it.

“I’ll try to seduce a young man,” she said, taking on a comedic, haughty attitude.

Nadja giggled. While myriad rumors swirled around the duchess, she had, of course, never once tried to seduce another person. Even if new gossip began to emerge, Opal knew that Claude and those important to her would never trust speculation. Nadja excitedly followed her mistress, looking forward to what Opal had planned.

7. The Plan

The ship had set sail, and when Opal stepped into the first-class lounge, passengers were already deeply engaged in cheerful conversation. Silence fell at her arrival, with all eyes immediately focused on her. Many stood up in hopes of getting to know her first, and in the ensuing chaos Nadja let out an audibly frightened gasp from behind Opal.

“Duchess Bocceli, it’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m—”

“Hey, you! Don’t you see that you’re being rude?”

“You’re the rude one for shouting! Do you know where we are?”

Usually, Opal never showed herself in these social spaces, and it was even rarer to see her without an escort. The men in particular were eager to take advantage of this opportunity. Being well-known as an influential, affluent noble who received the attention of King Alessandro himself, it was only natural that she would command such attention. And she was such a charming and beautiful woman to boot—though this was an aspect of herself Opal seemed rather oblivious to. Opal simply assumed that all the men were after her for her title and wealth, which only made Claude worry.

After her moment of fright, Nadja swiftly regained her composure and acted to protect her mistress. “Madam, why don’t you take a seat over there?” she whispered from behind.

“Thank you,” Opal replied with a small nod.

All the while, the maid casually sent a signal to one of the servants in the lounge to reserve a seat.

“I would like to greet all of you later,” Opal said.

“Oh dear, I apologize for my lack of consideration!” a nobleman replied. “Your Grace, why don’t you take a seat beside me?”

“Ah, then would you like to join me in my seat? It’s got a fantastic view.”

“I’m honored, but I shall perhaps take that offer next time,” Opal replied.

Opal smiled and skillfully declined the two men’s offers as she sat down at a chair that one of the employees pulled out for her. She ordered a drink and rested for a few moments.

“Thank you, Nadja,” Opal said again. “I didn’t expect this much of a fuss. I suppose rules of etiquette aboard a ship are a tad different than in other spaces.”

Normally, one wouldn’t dare to ever speak to a woman without proper introduction. And it went without saying that to do so to a noblewoman was unthinkable. But the moment she boarded the ship, Opal had days’ worth of free time on her hands; perhaps some men assumed that she hoped for some kind of fortunate encounter with another. They’re not wrong either... Opal thought.

But if the misunderstandings were to spin out of control, they would be quite the mess to clean up later. Her true goal for the next three days of her voyage was to get to know Ellie better. While the duchess had another new motive in mind, she pretended to enjoy the scenery while mentally planning her next moves. Hmm, I didn’t plan on reaching out until after I reached Taisei, but I suppose it’s important to get to know her better when I can.

Opal had initially planned to watch Ellie from afar, but the duchess had recently realized that some meddling was necessary to separate the swindler from the young princess. Things had unfolded in such a way that Opal keenly felt she had fallen perfectly in line with Alessandro’s machinations, but this was not something she could just witness and do nothing about. It was likely that the king knew her personality well, and thus forced her to visit Lumeon to set this in motion.

“Nadja, it’s a bit early, but let’s retire to our suite and come up with a plan,” Opal whispered.

“Most certainly!” Nadja replied.

If Opal wanted to get closer to Ellie, the duchess would first need to catch the princess by herself. Yet, while Opal had observed Ellie from third class, Roland had always been by her side. The duchess was honestly impressed to see how close the man became with Ellie in the little time since they left Lumeon. If he is a swindler as Julian says, I guess I can only commend Roland for his skills.

With Nadja’s assistance, the best chance to peel Roland away from Ellie was right before dinner. Opal stood up from her seat and again attracted everyone’s attention as she returned to her room with an excited Nadja in tow.

Closer to dinnertime, Roland had returned to his room and just stepped out only to bump immediately into Nadja, who had been carrying a large jug of water.

“Oh dear!” Nadja gasped. “I’m terribly sorry!”

“What in the world?!” Roland roared. “You—”

He immediately fell quiet when he saw Nadja’s face; he had remembered her as Opal’s attendant. Those vying to get into Opal’s good graces often recognized that it would behoove them to cozy up to her servants first. Nadja internally breathed a sigh of relief as she lowered her head once more.

“Were you planning to head to the dining lounge, sir?” she asked. “I apologize most profusely at the time you must now waste to change your attire. I must report to my mistress about my carelessness at once, so if you kindly would give me your name?”

“I’m Roland Burton. If you go and report back, wouldn’t you receive a scolding?”

Roland’s considerate response was a total contrast from the fierce anger that he’d exhibited mere moments before. Nadja’s face lit up with appreciation before it fell once more and she shook her head.

“You need not worry about me,” she replied. “My mistress is Duchess Bocceli, and she’s very kind to me.”

“I see,” Roland replied. “But I’d rather you not tell her a thing about this. I wouldn’t want the duchess to be concerned over such a trivial matter.”

“Oh, you’re too kind.”

“Now then, I must go and change my clothes, so if you’ll excuse me. I imagine that you must make haste as well.”

He winked. Nadja smiled happily and once again bowed as he turned on his heel to leave. Once she saw that Roland had returned to his room, she rushed back to Opal, who was waiting some ways away, hidden from sight.

“Madam, it went well,” Nadja reported.

“Thank you, Nadja,” Opal replied. “I shall head to the dining lounge.”

“Please do. And that swindler’s name is Roland Burton, apparently.”

“Roland Burton... I’ve never heard of the name. But we don’t know for sure if he’s a swindler yet.”

“Still, I think we should be wary around him, madam,” Nadja replied. “He was so furious, and he only changed his tune once he realized that I’m your maid. Then he became so genial and forgiving it was just creepy. He even told me not to tell you about what happened.”

“Then I must give him the thanks he surely expects.”

Opal smiled and parted ways with Nadja before she stepped into the first-class dining lounge. Before anyone could get a word in with her, she headed straight for Ellie, who appeared annoyed with Roland’s unexpected delay.

“Good evening,” Opal greeted her. “If you are also sitting alone, may I sit with you?”

She smiled as Ellie gave her a dubious look.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I must introduce myself first,” Opal said. “I’m—”

“I know,” Ellie interjected. “You’re the rich Duchess Bocceli, aren’t you? Everyone’s been whispering about you.”

For a split second, Opal wondered if she’d gotten the wrong lady—Ellie was entirely without any manners at all. The young lady seemed to notice her lack of etiquette soon after and proceeded to awkwardly introduce herself.

“I’m Ellie, Ellie Clamp,” she said. “I’ve been enjoying a voyage by myself from Lumeon to Taisei.”

“Pleased to meet you, Ellie,” Opal replied. “May I call you Ellie?”

“Sure, feel free. You’ve got a higher rank than me.”

“And age as well.”

Opal joked around and smiled as she continued the conversation, but inside she fought the urge to bury her face in her hands. She knew that Ellie had been spoiled rotten for most of her life, but things were far worse than Opal expected. It must be because she heard about me beforehand from His Majesty and is acting defiant...or is she? If Ellie was feeling rebellious, why did she not seem to realize that this duchess was Opal?

Opal had assumed that Alessandro had explained the situation to his niece beforehand, but perhaps the king had decided against doing so, and had chosen instead to enjoy the story of how the two ladies had met. I can see him doing that. Opal plastered a smile across her face. What a trial it will be to be this lady’s chaperone. Alessandro claimed to have only met his niece once when she was young, but he seemed fully aware of just how she’d been raised. And it was precisely because he knew how much of a handful she’d be that he’d tasked Opal with this responsibility. Just then, Roland finally appeared in the lounge, and at once Ellie’s face lit up.

“Roland!” she cried. “You’re so late!”

“I’m sorry, Ellie,” Roland replied. “I was in a bit of an...accident.”

Ellie paid no heed to those around her as she immediately clung onto his arm. Opal certainly knew that times were changing since her youth, but to this day, no lady dared to act so friendly and close with a man to whom she wasn’t engaged.

“Ellie, if you don’t mind, could you introduce this man to me?” Opal requested.

“Yeah, sure,” Ellie replied. “He’s Roland Burton, an investor. Roland, this is Duchess Bocceli.”

“Ah, so you’re Mr. Burton!” Opal gasped. “I’ve heard that one of my maids gave you a bit of trouble earlier. Oh, I’m so terribly sorry. Are you injured anywhere? I’d been planning on asking Captain Krueger later to offer you a formal apology.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that,” Roland demurred. “My outfit got a bit wet, is all. I’d told your maid that she’d need not be so concerned, but your servants are very honest. As expected, you hired very good people, Your Grace.”

He took the duchess’s hand and kissed the back of it. Normally, this was rather audacious behavior, but as Opal was the contrite party in this situation, she had no choice but to go along with it. Sensing that she’d quickly been ignored, Ellie injected herself into the conversation.

“Roland, what’s going on?” she demanded. “Are you friends with the duchess?”

“No, nothing like that,” he replied.

“What kind of relationship do you two have?” Opal inquired, finding her chance.

“I’m Roland’s—” Ellie started.

“Friend. We’re just friends. We hit it off during this voyage,” Roland interrupted.

Whatever Ellie was keen to insist on, Roland made sure it went unsaid with his hasty claim of friendship. It was apparent that he was keen to toss her aside, having made no attempt to salvage Ellie’s dignity and honor.

“Oh dear, then I wouldn’t want to be a nuisance to your friendship,” Opal said. “Mr. Burton, please allow me to send you something as a token of my apology.”

“There really is no need for that, Your Grace,” Roland replied. “Please don’t be so concerned. But if you do insist, please call me ‘Roland.’ Would you like to dine with us, perchance?”

“Roland, but...” Ellie murmured, making it clear that she was displeased.

It seemed she had enough sense to not bluntly claim that she wasn’t keen on this idea. Opal feigned ignorance and nodded.

“Very well, then will you tell the headwaiter so?” she requested. “I shall tell Captain Krueger myself.”

“Of course,” Roland replied.

Opal was the woman with the highest rank within this ship, and so it fell to the captain to act as her escort. When Krueger arrived, Opal told him about Roland, and the four were able to sit at a table without raising any eyebrows.

8. The Swindler

“Nadja, thank you for your help today,” Opal said as she returned to her room, where her maid was waiting. “Thanks to you, I was able to get close to Her Highness and Roland.”

“I’m so happy that I was of use!” Nadja exclaimed. “Usually, I’m infuriated by anyone who tries to approach me to get to you, but this time around, it seems all went well.”

The maid expressed her joy as she helped Opal out of her dress. The duchess wasn’t the only victim of unwanted attention—many servants were often approached by others in hopes of getting close to the higher-ranking nobles they served. And so, it was rather common for Nadja to be remembered and perhaps even called out to by more enterprising types. If the maid wasn’t forgiven for her acts against Roland, Opal had planned to step right up and save Nadja, but it seemed that was unnecessary.

“I’d dined across from them the entire time, but they truly didn’t seem to recognize me,” Opal mused.

Ellie and Roland would never have dreamed that the third-class passenger that they had once regarded as an insolent hag was the Duchess Bocceli herself. Opal expected as much, but upon receiving proof of just how suggestible the human mind could be—and thus, how easily bias could cloud one’s judgment—she sighed.

“I agree. They’re just so rude,” Nadja said. “Madam, you’re beautiful no matter your appearance.”

“Thank you,” Opal replied. “But at least I got the chance to learn more about those two. I’ll do my best for the remaining two days to continue doing so.”

Opal chuckled as she heard the sweetly biased words of her maid and changed out of her dress. Since the duchess had spent the evening with Ellie and Roland, she could speak to them tomorrow as well without arousing suspicion. But the matter of Roland being a swindler was still unsolved. If he really is one, he’s nowhere near second-rate. Tonight, he acted as a flippant young man.

Roland and Ellie might not have been lovers, but he was clearly more engrossed in conversations with Opal than with Ellie. A first-rate swindler wouldn’t so visibly and easily change targets just because he found a bigger fish than his initial target. Julian isn’t just imagining things...is he? In recent years, it was rather common for people to amass wealth through investments, and while Opal recognized the names of the truly prominent investors, she wasn’t aware of all of them.

And if he was a new investor who just managed to make it to the upper echelons of society, he’d surely try to hide any accent or dialect he has. But Julian sounded so sure and firm in his beliefs... While it was infuriating to admit, Opal had faith in her brother. Both he and Claude had spent their youth seeing and experiencing things about the world she hadn’t. I guess my true battle will come in the morning.

Opal slipped into bed, her mind filled with various plans. If she didn’t deliberately occupy herself at night, she was especially susceptible to loneliness, yearning desperately to be home with Claude and Lud once more. Soon enough she dozed off into a wonderful dream about her beloved family.

The next morning, Opal woke up feeling refreshed. She had breakfast in her room as she carefully perused the newspaper, desperately searching for even a small article about Claude. There was one on Alessandro, announcing his plans to shut down coal mines soon, but she could find nothing about Claude, who was waiting at home babysitting Lud.

No news was good news, and though she was as a whole relieved, she was displeased by the large headline that stood front and center: Mangled Body of Brutally Murdered Prostitute Found Near Quinn Street of Taisei. Similar incidents had already occurred thrice in the past four months, and now the people lived in fear that there was a serial murderer among them.

This must be what the king was so concerned about... Opal’s eyes wandered toward a different article about a missing persons report. A sixteen-year-old girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, short, and slender... As she read up on the characteristics of the missing girl, she remembered that a different missing persons poster of a girl with very similar features had circulated in the past.

Taisei was developing and becoming more prosperous, and in response many young people had left their homes in hopes of living a glamorous life in the city. While Alessandro did his best to improve the quality of life of those in the countryside, he couldn’t stop aspiring young people from chasing after their dreams in the city. This was certainly a tough problem. Opal kept this issue in the corner of her mind and, while changing into a dress suitable for a little stroll, resolved to tackle it as soon as she returned home. The promenade deck for first-class passengers was filled with people enjoying a lovely walk and maintaining the exact same routines they followed on land. Is it truly so vital for some people that they must maintain their social lives even on the water?

She knew that times like these were opportunities for nobles to exchange information and conduct business meetings, but it was also true that many simply had too much time on their hands. It was no wonder that swindlers appeared in these ships to take advantage of bored, wealthy women. Men were no exception to this either; they, too, often fell victim to investment scams. Perhaps the novelty of seafaring granted people a sense of freedom that simultaneously lowered their natural vigilance.

“I’ll be off,” Opal said.

“Please do be careful,” Nadja replied.

Opal had been introduced to quite a few passengers by the captain the night prior, and so, she decided to leave her maid behind today. There was no need for Opal to be with an attendant since she was now familiar with a majority of the first-class passengers on board. I wouldn’t call them close just yet, but since the captain declared that no one would pose a threat to me while on this voyage, everyone here is now obliged to ensure the captain saves face.

The moment she stepped out onto the deck, a group of men flocked toward her. Opal smiled at them and wove through the men to join the ladies. The women were overjoyed, eager at the opportunity to get close with Duchess Bocceli. If they returned home and hosted a party for Opal to attend, it would only increase their class and dignity. Of course, there were women who held no such ulterior motives and were simply happy to have an opportunity to speak with the duchess.

As expected, the subject of current discussion was the article that they saw in the papers just this morning, and Opal took the opportunity to casually mention Ellie. The other women continued the discussion, likely worried about the young lady.

“She’s still single, isn’t she?” a woman remarked. “And yet, she spends time with a man who isn’t even her attendant. I hope she’s all right.”

“I heard that she was a rather high-ranking lady of Lumeon,” another chimed in. “I wonder what her parents are up to. She didn’t flee from her home, did she?”

“Do you think she eloped?” a third lady asked.

“It doesn’t seem that way,” a fourth answered. “That man really should pay more heed to her reputation.”

Apparently, the ladies had casually warned Ellie several times about Roland during the voyage, but each and every time, the young lady had only replied that such things were none of their business. Naturally, Ellie had a lady who attended her, but the servant had only appeared during the first day, and was gone for the rest of the voyage.

“The attendant...didn’t fall into the ocean, did she?” a woman asked.

“It can’t be!” another cried. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

Opal saw that the conversation was gradually deteriorating into scandalous gossip, and she decided to draw it to a close.

“You’re all so kind with how worried you are about Ellie,” she said. “I’m also quite concerned, so perhaps I shall speak with her and ask about her attendant as well.”

The other women breathed a sigh of relief. Some even voiced their gratitude.

“If we have your word, Your Grace, I suppose we’ve got nothing to worry about!” a lady said.

“Quite so,” another agreed. “I’m certain that the young lady would be more inclined to heed the advice of a duchess.”

“You’ve always impressed me, Your Grace,” a third added. “I know that you’ve been supporting many ladies for quite a while.”

“I try to,” Opal replied. “I would be very grateful if you could also lend your support to any of my organizations.”

The duchess felt like she sensed a hint of sarcasm from the ladies, but she smiled and chose to play ignorant. Now that Opal had proper reason, she could follow Ellie or even spend an entire day with the princess if desired.

“Now then, if you’ll excuse me,” Opal said.

Having just set the stage for her next move, she had no more need to stay with the ladies and left to find Ellie. She headed for the cafeteria on the promenade deck, and as expected, Ellie was there enjoying breakfast.

“Good morning, Ellie, Roland,” Opal said cheerfully. “May I sit with you both?”

“Good morning, Your Grace,” Roland replied. “Please. We welcome you with open arms.”

“Good morning...” Ellie mumbled, clearly disgruntled.

Roland immediately stood up to pull out a chair for Opal before any waiter or waitress could get to it. Opal ignored Ellie’s less-than-charitable attitude and ordered tea with a smile.

“It’s such a lovely day outside, isn’t it?” Opal remarked. “May I ask what your plans are for today?”

“We were planning on playing a round of shuffleboard,” Roland replied.

“My, that sounds like tremendous fun!”

“Would you care to join us for a game, Your Grace?”

“I’d love to—”

Just then, Ellie violently threw her napkins onto the table. Opal and Roland looked up in alarm as Ellie shot up out of her seat, clearly angry.

“I feel ill, so I’m going to spend the rest of the day in my room,” Ellie spat.

“Ellie?” Roland asked. He stood up as well to offer her a hand.

“Perhaps you should visit the infirmary,” Opal suggested.

“I’m fine!” Ellie shouted. “And don’t come after me, Roland!”

She shook herself free from his hand and stormed off. As Roland watched her leave, Opal broke the silence.

“Maybe it’s best if you chase after her and escort her to her room,” Opal said.

“No, she’ll be just fine,” Roland said. “She seems to be walking all right, and she already refused my offer.” He shrugged and sat back down as he flashed Opal a smile. “I shall be with you until you have fully enjoyed your tea.”

“Thank you.”

Opal smiled happily, despite being irked by his patronizing attitude. He called for an employee to clear the table and ordered some tea himself. Just then, the tea that Opal had requested earlier arrived.

“Ah, you finally get your drink,” Roland observed haughtily. “This ship has fine service, but their timing could do with improvement.”

“Do you think so?” Opal asked with a touch of surprise. “I believe their level of service is more than enough.”

Roland hastily corrected himself. “Ah, is that so? You’re...very gracious.”

The duchess said not a word as the corners of her mouth tugged upward, and Roland—assuming that she was smiling at him—breathed a sigh of relief.

“Have you read this morning’s paper, Your Grace?” Roland asked.

“I have indeed skimmed through it,” Opal replied.

“I must say that you live up to your station. Ellie doesn’t read the papers very much, so most of our discussions never quite took off.”

It seemed he’d forgotten that just last night he made sure to mention how he and Ellie hit it off. Every time he offered Opal a word of praise, he made sure to casually insult Ellie as well. That act alone was enough for the duchess to loathe him.

“And did any of the articles catch your eye?” Opal asked. “The largest headline about the case was simply horrid.”

“Yes, yes, that was terrible,” Roland replied nonchalantly. “But have you read about the announcement that His Majesty of Taisei made? He plans to close the coal mines soon.”

Opal paused for a moment. “Yes, I’ve read about that. I believe it is because of decreased production.”

“Is that so?” Roland leaned forward and lowered his voice as though he was sharing a secret. “Just between you and me, I’ve known for quite a while that the coal mines were going to close.”

“Really?”

Opal gave an exaggerated look of surprise while Roland leaned back in his chair smugly.

“I can’t give you my source, but I sold my stocks for Fred Railway Company right away,” he went on. “I’m glad I jumped ship early.”

The duchess tilted her head to one side. “What do the coal mines and the railroad have to do with each other?”

Opal was very much aware of the truth, and it had nothing to do with the closing of the mines. She knew that the mines’ closures didn’t affect the rail company, and that was only natural—Claude owned Fred Railway Company, after all. Roland spoke proudly of his stocks, none the wiser of just how knowledgeable Opal really was, and in turn showed himself to be nowhere near a second-rate swindler. At best, he was third-rate. And if he truly was an investor, he was far below even that.

“It’s Fred Railway that carried the coal from the soon-to-be shuttered mines,” Roland explained. “And with nothing to carry, the railroads will quickly start to lose profit. Unless the freight cars have some sort of cargo, profits can’t be made, and I’m sure that Fred Railway’s stock prices will plummet by tomorrow.”

“Oh dear! That’s awful news!” Opal cried.

“Your Grace, do you perhaps have some stocks in that company?”

“Indeed, I do... Just a little.”

In truth, Opal held the most stocks in the company excluding Claude, making her a major shareholder. The duchess maintained a look of visible shock as Roland tried to offer her a bit of consolation.

“There just might be a way to recoup your losses,” Roland whispered.

“Is there, now?” Opal asked.

She was internally excited to hear what he’d say to her, and as she let her eagerness show, a hopeful air appeared around her. That only bolstered Roland’s confidence. He paused for a moment, pretending to agonize over whether to share a nugget of information, and in doing so coaxed even further “enthusiasm.”

“If you tell me, I shall reward you handsomely,” Opal said. “Ah, but perhaps you have no more need for money. I can see that you’re a very competent investor.”

“Ha ha,” Roland chuckled. “There’s no need for anything like that. I’m just providing you with a bit of information.”

“Oh, but I insist.”

Opal had been gauche to mention money so directly, but Roland didn’t seem to mind. New investors and entrepreneurs had the habit of trying to resolve everything with money, and it was likely why Roland wasn’t upset by the suggestion. But there were only two types of people who would provide information with no strings attached—a truly good-natured soul or a swindler.

“Then would you please have lunch with me today?” Roland asked. “I’ll need some time to confirm my information.”

“Confirm?” Opal asked.

“That’s right. I can’t provide you with lies or falsified intel, now, can I?”

“You’d do all that for me? I must thank you. Would you think of a way for me to repay you somehow?”

“I shall.”

“Then I shall see you at lunch.”

Opal acted moved at Roland’s explanation before she stood up. He stood up as an act of etiquette, looking rather proud of himself. Opal left the cafeteria with a smile.

9. Lunch

“Good day, Ellie, Roland,” Opal said, purposefully arriving slightly after the proposed time. “I apologize for my tardiness.”

She feared that Ellie would pout and shut herself in her room if Opal arrived first and Ellie came across the two of them together.

“We haven’t waited long,” Roland replied.

“We’re already enjoying our meal,” Ellie grumbled. “Perhaps it’s best if you sit elsewhere, Your Grace.”

“Ellie, don’t say that. That’s rude. Your Grace, please don’t mind her.”

Unlike Roland, who stood up to welcome Opal warmly, Ellie was clearly upset. But since her comment wasn’t entirely inappropriate, Opal only flashed an apologetic smile as she sat down.

“I suppose those with high enough rank think that they can get away with anything,” Ellie said.

“Ellie!” Roland scolded harshly, making his anger apparent.

Her mutterings reached Opal’s ears, but the duchess only smiled back.

“Is that what you think?” Opal asked.

“I do,” Ellie replied. “You’re welcomed anywhere you go, but who knows what people mutter behind your back. How carefree you are.”

“Are you worried about me?” Opal asked.

“Not one bit!”

“Is that so? But if you know about the rumors that circulate behind my back, what do you think about your own actions? For example, I don’t see your attendant anywhere. Is she all right?” Opal said.

To this day, Opal knew that people rumored about her being lascivious or how she managed to seduce two dukes. Surely, Ellie had heard of these rumors as well. She might have only heard of them when she boarded this vessel, but it was all the more reason for Opal to be extra careful of her actions.

Ellie turned red at Opal’s astute observation. The Lumeon princess was nineteen—much too old to still be in a rebellious phase. Not like I was any different though, Opal thought. The year the duchess herself turned nineteen, she had married Duke Hubert McLeod. As she recalled how stubborn and cheeky she had once been, she frowned ever so slightly in embarrassment. Roland, possibly misunderstanding Opal’s expression, hastily cut in.

“Y-You’ve got it all wrong!” he stammered. “Ellie and I are just friends. We don’t have any sort of shady relationship going on. Her attendant gets horribly seasick and was unable to leave the room, so I decided to relieve Ellie’s boredom and spend time with her!”

“You’re very kind,” Opal remarked with a calm nod.

“Yes, he is. Very much so!” Ellie snapped, her eyes filled with tears.

Roland breathed a sigh of relief as Ellie glared at Opal. She abruptly got to her feet and stormed off once more.

“She’s stomped off again,” Roland said.

“It might be best if you chase after her this time,” Opal advised. “She seemed to have received quite the shock.”

“She’ll be fine, I’m sure. Ellie being selfish is nothing new, and she always shuts herself in her room to sulk. And besides, my first priority is my promise to you.”

“Were you able to confirm your information?”

“Of course.”

“I look forward to hearing it.”

Opal smiled despite her annoyance at Roland’s irresponsible attitude; she was indeed quite curious about what he had to say. Despite how Roland presented it, the closure of the mines due to decreasing production was publicly available information. Anyone worth their salt could infer the stock prices from such news.

The only issue was timing. And Fred Railway had already made plans to adapt to such changes, mine closures and otherwise. Those who paid close attention to the company’s direction and understood the situation well had predicted the mine closures well in advance, and knew that not only would the stock prices temporarily plummet following the announcement, but would soon pick itself back up. In fact, some shrewd investors would see this temporary downturn as a chance to buy valuable shares at a lower price, which would actually lead to the prices soaring higher than before.

“Truth be told, just between you and me, a new mine has been discovered in Lumeon,” Roland divulged. “And according to reports, the ore deposits from this new mine are more than satisfactory.”

“Really?” Opal replied in feigned shock.

She was sure that the fact that Alessandro had ordered Claude to use his railroad business to support the new mine was kept secret. Opal was genuinely curious how Lumeon’s new mine would be linked to Fred Railway Company.

“Oh, that’s nothing to be shocked about,” Roland replied. “Lumeon has access to many mines, and it’s become a large source of wealth for that tiny nation. They’ve always controlled production over their mines.”

“I’ve heard that from my trustee before...” Opal murmured.

“Ah, so you’ve hired a person to oversee your affairs.”

“I have indeed. I’m no good at managing my own money.”

Roland sounded disappointed—it was difficult to swindle large amounts of cash if there was a trustee involved. Even if he was successful in fooling Opal, he needed good reason to take out the money. The duchess acted completely oblivious as she gave an innocent nod.

“I haven’t left everything up to them, of course,” Opal said. “It’d be quite troublesome if I couldn’t use my money freely. It would be quite a chore to report back every single expense, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Of course!” Roland replied, looking visibly encouraged. “I completely understand.”

Once again, Opal found herself casting doubt on Roland’s character. How could a man so blatant with his thoughts be a swindler?

“We’ve gone on a tangent, haven’t we?” Roland said. “I guarantee that your trustee knows nothing of this, but the mine that was newly discovered will be consigned to the people.”

“The people?” Opal asked. “Why is that?”

“There have been many public complaints about how Lumeon has been monopolizing all the wealth generated from the mines. None of the workers have seen even a single coin of profit delivered back to them.”

“Oh my...”

This bit was true. When Opal stayed in Lumeon, she became painfully aware of just how disgruntled the people were and how their complaints were piling by the day. It was so egregious that she feared for the future of Lumeon. It was undoubtedly wealthy, thanks to their mines, but as the workers remained poor and the wealth disparity grew, it was only natural for the people to be frustrated by their government. But even with all that in mind, a nation consigning an entire mine for public ownership was a nigh impossible claim.

“To do this consignment, Lumeon must choose a trustworthy person to operate the business,” Roland continued. “But if the mine ends up under foreign ownership, the people’s frustration will only grow. The principality is trying to select the perfect candidate, but so far, none quite fit that role. It’s becoming an issue. And so, my friend has decided to build a new company that specializes in mining.”

“I see...” Opal murmured.

In short, Roland was trying to convince her to invest in this new company. His story was rather convincing, and Opal couldn’t blame those who were fooled—especially if they had no idea that Lumeon had zero plans to offer a mine to the populace as an act of goodwill.

“I understand now,” Opal said. “And I know now that you have all this information because of this friend of yours. And what would you like for me to do?”

“My friend will need to gather money soon so that this company can be established,” Roland replied. “If you invest, you can expect massive profits when the mining efforts stop.”

And now Opal knew his game. She had heard rumors that there was a marriage scam going around—a woman would be promised marriage only to have her money, jewels, and other valuables stolen from her. But was Roland using this new method because his intended victim this time was already married? But I can’t see him being so skillful... As Opal spoke with Roland more, she became increasingly perplexed by the dissonance. Rumors and her own interactions painted an increasingly inconsistent picture of the swindler—so much so that she now wondered if there was another mastermind of sorts at play.

Maybe Roland wasn’t trying to pry more information out of me. Perhaps he actually had no idea how to proceed and awaited further instruction. Is that why he claimed to need more time to confirm the information that he apparently already had? Opal casually glanced around the room, wondering if there was anyone watching over them. Unfortunately, no one like that could be seen, and so, Opal posed a question that had always been on her mind.

“Roland, I do know that your story is very enticing,” Opal said. “But what does that have to do with Fred Railway Company? How does investing in this new company lead to me recouping my losses from fallen stock prices?”

“Ah, yes,” Roland replied. “Well, if you gain some mining rights in Lumeon, your profits from there can more than cover the losses incurred from your investment in Fred Railway, I’d find.”

“I see...”

Opal felt the wind taken out of her sails. She expected for him to suggest that her stocks—which were expected to soar in price soon—should be purchased at a low price. Or she assumed he’d lie that once the mining rights of the new mine were obtained, Fred Railway would be entrusted with laying down the tracks to transport the minerals. If Roland did have any sort of accomplice, they were clearly third-rate as well. Still, his clothes and mannerisms, along with the wealth he had to be in first class, suggested he was skillful enough to steal money away.

“How much money would you need and when would you need it by?” Opal asked.

“It would be best to send funds as soon as possible,” Roland replied. “It would hasten the development of the company, and would put us at an advantage to claim the mining rights. The more you invest, the greater your returns will be.”

“Then I shall contact my trustee and—”

“No, you mustn’t,” Roland said, cutting in. “This is top secret information. If the trustee is told of this lucrative story, no doubt that they’d tell others and rumors of it will spread. More investors would swarm the company, and we’d be left with smaller slices of the pie. Other people might get the same idea and make competitor companies, and our chances at obtaining the mining rights would decrease.”

“But I can’t immediately...”

It was a classic method that scammers used: The victim was forbidden to tell others and was given a sense of urgency. Roland was rather sloppy in this execution. Opal wondered if he was just an inexperienced investor for a moment, but that, too, was likely part of his scam. She was a bit amazed to have such a valuable and unusual experience, but her amazement was mistaken for hesitation. Roland learned across the table and visibly tried his best to mask his increasing desperation.

“Honestly, I had no intention of yapping about this lucrative deal to others,” he whispered. “I decided to tell you, and only you.”

“Why, thank you. That makes me so happy,” Opal replied.

“Then will you invest?”

“Hmm... Will the amount that I currently have on hand suffice?”

“Of course. I’m elated to conduct business with you, Your Grace.”

“Thank goodness.”

Scammers often made their victim sound special or singled them out, as though the exclusivity of sharing a secret was some special honor. Opal smiled as she placed her napkin on the table.

“We shall arrive at the port soon,” she said. “I must contact the bank then, and make sure that you can receive the money tomorrow at a port of call.”

“Then once I receive that money and your investment, I shall return to Lumeon,” Roland replied.

“Oh? Won’t you accompany me to Taisei?”

“I’d like to tell my friend the good news as soon as possible.”

“I see. Will you provide me with the bonds of the company or other documents of the like? By tomorrow, perhaps?”

“H-Huh? I mean, yes, of course!”

Roland’s haste made Opal knit her brows. Did he truly think that he could just receive the money without any bonds? If so, he was being far too naive about this investment scam.

“Now then, if you will excuse me,” Opal said. “I must get ready to leave the ship.”

“Of course,” Roland replied. “I shall also do so to contact my friend.”

“Then I’ll see you again tonight.”

“Certainly.”

They’d soon arrive at their next stop in Socille. The vessel would spend a night there and leave the next morning. When Opal left the cafeteria, she rushed to her room. She had much to do. She planned to stay on the ship, but now that she needed to briefly disembark, she told Nadja and her guards the change of plans. She also asked them to look into any potential accomplices that Roland might have. Ellie likely had guards that Alessandro had secretly placed. Opal didn’t worry about her safety.

“It’ll get a bit busy, Nadja,” Opal said. “Will you be all right?”

“Of course! Leave it to me!” the maid replied energetically.

Nadja helped her mistress get changed and prepared for Opal to step off. The two ladies headed for the main deck.

10. The Bank

The following day, Opal and Roland stepped off the ship at the final port of call in Socille. Ellie had shut herself in her room since the day prior, and while all the other ladies had praised Opal for separating Ellie from Roland, the duchess herself was not nearly as enthused to be praised. I remember holing myself up in the attic when I was young... She frowned as she reminisced upon her past.

When Opal had been in third class and first met Ellie, it didn’t seem as though she was utterly smitten with Roland. But if she was this shocked about Roland and Opal becoming closer, the duchess couldn’t help but feel bad. She desperately hoped that it was only Ellie’s bruised pride that was causing her to sulk.

“Your Grace, may I ask where you’re headed?” Roland asked.

“The bank,” Opal replied as she headed into the carriage.

“The bank?”

“I don’t walk around with massive amounts of money. I must head to the bank and ask them to prepare fifty million for me.”

“F-Fifty million?!”

Roland was wary when Opal mentioned the bank, but he was utterly flabbergasted at the mention of Opal’s money.

“Was that too little?” she asked.

“N-Not at all!” Roland replied. “But I asked for you to keep it a secret from your trustee...”

“I know, and I’ve kept that promise. This is the amount that I can personally mobilize.”

“Is that so...”

Stunned, Roland mutely boarded the carriage after Opal. She had prepared an especially lavish one, and she did not miss how Roland gingerly stroked the seats. She continued to secretly observe his movements while preoccupied with worry for Ellie’s future. Opal had agreed to part ways with Roland after she handed over the money. She planned to have someone tail him after, and she knew that she’d eventually find some evidence of his wrongdoing and catch him in the act. But Ellie knew nothing of this operation. Opal feared Ellie’s reaction, as, after all, the girl fully expected Roland to accompany her all the way to Taisei. I heard that she was quite strong-willed, but love can change people.

Opal gradually lost her patience as Roland excitedly yammered on about the future of this new company. If she paid attention to what he said more closely, there were so many holes to poke in this scheme, but she couldn’t act suspicious now and could only feign amazement. Nadja, who sat beside her mistress, must’ve noticed Opal’s exasperation as she dipped her head down and tried to stifle her laughter.

“Ah, yes, I’ve forgotten to ask something very important,” Opal said. “Would you prefer a money order instead of a lump sum? It must be quite laborious to lug around such a hefty sum of money.”

“Huh?” Roland asked. “Oh, no, cash will work just fine. I’ll be extra careful, and this way I can quickly hand the funds over to my friend without the need to go through any complicated processes.”

“I understand.”

A money order would likely leave a trace if Roland wanted to exchange it, so Opal had expected him to choose cash instead. A real investor would prioritize safety over all, including ease of access. Roland’s past victims were likely complete greenhorns in matters of entrepreneurship or related financial affairs. Perhaps the papers should consider running articles informing people how to avoid getting scammed, or even post suspicious offers and expose them as fake. Just then, the carriage stopped in front of the bank.

This bank had recently established a branch in this port city, and with its facade holding motifs from foreign temples, it stood out from its neighbors and any other nearby buildings. This port city was quite small, but had begun to flourish and evolve in recent years due to its intersecting with several trade routes; evidence of its newfound wealth could be found everywhere one looked. The times were changing as well, and the wealth gap between cities and the people who lived in them were increasing by the day, further growing class disparity.

These days, nobles could not get by in their usual way—that is, by loafing around and doing nothing—but many of the nobility still resisted the idea of working. As the dissatisfaction and resentment of the people grew across the globe, Alessandro had managed to bring Taisei into a time of peace. However, not all nations had the fortune of competent rulers and environments; many other countries across the globe were, at the moment, embroiled in a much harsher struggle. Opal was lost in her thoughts, her gaze absently tracking their progress through the city, when a couple of men rushed out of the bank at their carriage’s arrival.

“Duchess Bocceli, I’ve been waiting for you,” a man who seemed the most important and confident of the group said in greeting. “I am Merriam, the manager of this branch.”

Opal smiled. “I apologize for the trouble. I know that you’re all very busy, and I promise to not take too much of your time.”

“There is no need for you to be concerned about our time, Your Grace. Now then, right this way, please.”

As Ellie had pointed out, Opal was welcomed everywhere she went. But it wasn’t because she was Opal Fred; it was due to her titles such as Duchess Bocceli or Marchioness Roussel, and other names she received from her wealth. Naturally, Opal knew what was expected of a person of her rank. In her youth, the idea of her privileges and titles repelled her, and many a time she had been compelled to reject them altogether. But now she resolved to use whatever advantages she had. It would do her no good to be so needlessly stubborn.

Opal focused on the matter at hand as she followed the manager, leaving a nervous Roland to trail behind. The interior of the bank matched its opulent exterior, and stepping into the bank felt like stepping into another country. The window for normal customers was right in front of her, but she followed Merriam through a door that led deeper within the bank. The floor of the corridor was lined with red carpet, and it connected to a special room reserved for certain clients.

There was likely no need for Opal to be shown the area for normal customers first, but it was likely the bank’s way of showing off their facilities. The duchess, ever astute, offered words of praise for the manager, receiving a delighted smile in return. He informed her that the bank had recently undergone rapid developments in its growth. With no delay did their group reach the VIP room to find a man already there waiting for Opal.

“Duchess Bocceli, allow me to introduce you to this man,” Merriam said. “He is Sir Jonathan Kensington, an official entrusted with bonds and other documentation.”

“An...official?” Roland squeaked, recoiling.

Opal ignored him and offered a hand in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Kensington. I shall be relying on you today.”

“Most certainly. I shall be of service, Your Grace,” Jonathan replied.

He was Opal’s uncle, and the two exchanged a small, secretive smile before she turned to the man she’d brought in today.

“Excuse the belated introduction, but this man here is Roland Burton, an investor from Lumeon,” Opal said.

“I-It’s a pleasure...” Roland stammered as he meekly shook both the branch manager’s and Jonathan’s hands in quick succession.

The sight of Jonathan Kensington must’ve terrified Roland—the chance of his scam being sniffed out had risen considerably. If he discovered that Opal’s uncle was, in fact, a legal officer, Roland might make a break for it. Opal decided to reassure him.

“Roland, Sir Kensington is here with me today just as a precaution,” Opal said. “We wouldn’t want any issues with the bond documents that I’ll be signing now, do we? With Sir Kensington present, this transaction will be seen as fair and just. We have nothing to worry about.”

“A-Ah, I see...” Roland replied. “That would be a huge help. My friend is quite focused on establishing this new company and may unwittingly overlook some important matters.”

Visibly sweating, Roland shakily opened his bag to retrieve the documents and place them on the table. Each person present sat down to carefully peruse the documents in silence. The papers were clumsily drafted and there were a few mistakes here and there, but it was good enough for an agreement to be had. Usually, documents at this level would be sent back for revision, with the proceeding draft being the one to be signed, but no one stopped Opal from signing these papers and writing down the promised amount of funds.

“Mr. Merriam, would you please have the money prepared?” Opal inquired.

“Certainly,” Merriam replied. “But are you sure that you would like it all in cash? Even if a money order isn’t needed, if you instead opened a new account with our bank and had the money transferred here, there would be no need to walk around with such a large amount of money.”

“No, um, I’m fine...” Roland mumbled, his voice quivering.

The bank manager asked once again as his subordinates placed a sturdy bag onto the table and opened it, but once again, Roland denied the offer, though he couldn’t mask the tone of his voice. Opal chose this moment to giggle, serving to draw attention away from Roland’s clearly suspicious actions.

“Oh, how shrewd you are, Mr. Merriam,” she chuckled. “I suppose that’s how you gain new clients and more money for your branch.”

“Oh dear, you’re reading too much into it, Your Grace,” Merriam joked back. “I simply offered a suggestion, nothing more.”

Laughter filled the room, easing Roland’s nerves. Why am I the one covering for a swindler anyway? Opal wondered. While she confirmed the amount of cash, she found herself unable to stop thinking of how silly this all was. While Opal was occupied, Jonathan placed a sheet of paper in front of Roland.

“Wh-What is this?” Roland asked.

“As you can see, it’s a transaction document,” Jonathan replied. “It’s essential documentation for deals involving large sums of money. This paper proves that you have properly handed over the bonds to Her Grace. Is there anything wrong?”

“A-Ah, I see! All looks fine and well.”

“Then please sign here.”

Roland scribbled his name without even skimming through the papers. Jonathan signed it as well and handed it off to Opal.

“Now then, this shall seal the deal,” Jonathan said. “I do pray that this business goes well so that it may profit the both of you.”

Roland cradled the bag of money close to his chest.

“As I thought, it really is quite a bit,” Merriam said, observing Roland’s hold of the money. “There are ruffians loitering around who follow and target those who have just left the bank. I believe it’s best to have a guard with Mr. Burton until he boards the ship.”

“Huh?” Roland asked.

“Yes, I agree,” Opal added. “Roland, is that all right with you?”

“Y-Yeah, of course. That would be great,” Roland mumbled.

Merriam was in on this scheme, having been told beforehand about the swindler. He offered his full cooperation on this matter, but this offer was likely one given out of genuine worry. If the money and the evidence was stolen away from Roland before he could be caught in the act, all of this would be for naught. Roland breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for your time today,” Opal said as she rose from her chair.

“We thank you for your patronage and hope to see you again soon, Duchess Bocceli,” Merriam said.

“Your Grace, I look forward to our next meeting,” Jonathan added with a smile.

Opal smiled back at the men, who gave a low bow in return, and left the room with Roland in tow. She walked across the red carpet and flashed a dazzling smile at Roland.

“I fear we must now part ways,” she said. “But I am quite eager to meet you again. When you reach Lumeon, would you mind contacting me? You may send it to Marquis Roussel’s manor in Taisei.”

“Of course,” Roland replied. “I’d like to thank you for all that you’ve done for me, and I find myself a lucky man to have met you. I’m so very grateful.”

“Oh, there’s no need for all that. Farewell.”

When the two walked out of the bank, a different, much simpler carriage awaited Roland. Three burly men stood guard by the vehicle as well as Merriam.

“Mr. Burton, right this way please,” Merriam said.

“Thank you,” Roland said. “Your Grace, I pray for your safe travels.”

“Thank you,” Opal replied. “You be careful too.”

Roland quickly boarded the vehicle before the duchess, eager to leave the scene as soon as he could. Opal expected as much as she waved and watched him go. Only when the carriage was out of sight did her uncle—having left the bank soon after them—break the silence, worry written all over his face.

“Opal,” Jonathan warned. “Don’t be too reckless.”

“Thank you for coming all this way, my dear uncle,” the duchess replied. “This chain of events was rather unexpected, but Julian provoked me. I had no choice but to accept his challenge.”

“You siblings are always quarreling...”

Jonathan cast his niece a withering look as he heard her excuses and let out a weary sigh.

“In any case, we can take over from here on out,” Jonathan said. “You just focus on heading back home safely.”

“All right,” Opal replied. “Don’t overwork yourself.”

“I appreciate your concern. Oh, and send Claude my regards as well. Come visit us again with Lud.”

“I shall.”

Opal was reluctant to leave her beloved uncle’s side, but soon enough she boarded her carriage. As the wheels creaked into motion, she leaned out the window to wave to her uncle, and returned to the port.

11. The Princess

The ship wasn’t planned to dock for the night, and so it left the port under the evening sky. It was scheduled to arrive in Taisei by the following morning. Opal finished eating her dinner and relaxed in her room as her mind wandered toward Ellie. The Lumeon princess hadn’t made her appearance during dinner either. Just then, there was a knock at the door of her deluxe suite, and when a servant moved to open it, they were surprised to see an unusual guest.

“You seduced Roland with a plan in mind, didn’t you?!” Ellie demanded angrily.

“Pardon?” Opal asked.

“You convinced him to break up with me by handing him a ton of money! You knew that he needed the money! I told him that I’d lend him whatever funds he needed, but you just had to be richer than me!”

Ellie stormed into the room, fuming, as the servant that guided her inside froze. Nadja was quivering with rage at the girl’s accusation, but she managed to remain silent, ready to jump into action should Opal require any assistance. The duchess glanced at her manservant and allowed him to leave as she closed her book.

“Why don’t you have a seat first?” Opal suggested.

“Why must I sit in your room?!” Ellie shrieked.

“Very well, you can just remain standing, then. Nadja, would you prepare some tea?”

“I’m not here to drink tea with you!”

“But I’d like to enjoy a cup while you vent your woes at me.”

“What did you say?!”

Opal calmly gazed at the furious Ellie, and it took only a few moments for the princess to gasp with recognition.

“You! I saw you in third class!” she cried. “You were spying on me, weren’t you?”

“Ah, so you noticed. Very impressive,” Opal replied nonchalantly. “But I wasn’t spying on you. I simply wished to utilize the third-class suites.”

“You nasty woman! You condescending wretch!”

“But I’m looking up at you right now.”

Roland hadn’t noticed Opal’s identity despite meeting with her several times, and the duchess was honestly a touch amazed that Ellie had noticed at all. But it seemed the realization only served to anger the princess further. It had been a while since such blatant hostility was pointed toward Opal—she began, at this point, to genuinely enjoy herself and the situation she was in. Society viewed Duchess Bocceli as a saint of sorts, and her public status as a champion of the people was quite stifling. Opal knew herself, knew she was a flawed woman, but Claude always insisted that he loved her, flaws and all, and spoiled her to bits. But such treatment only prevented Opal from fixing herself.

Only Julian had the gall to complain about her. Ellie didn’t take Opal’s joke too kindly as she scowled and sat in front of the duchess with a loud thud. Opal was surprised by this act, but was increasingly delighted by the young lady. She’s not very obedient, but her actions...are very adorable.

When Opal was in third class, she had only managed to make contact with Ellie once, but in three days of direct interaction in first class, Ellie simply acted like a typical spoiled princess. She meant no harm but had been horribly sheltered from society and was thus very selfish. But underneath those layers, it was clear there was a sort of purity and innocence to her. Perhaps this was why she was easily fooled by a man like Roland, and failed to realize that she’d been strung along this entire time. How did Roland manage to approach her anyway? Opal was tempted to ask the guards that Alessandro had secretly dispatched about the details later.

“Did my uncle order you to spy on me?” Ellie inquired quietly.

She’d calmed down considerably since she took her seat, though she still glared at the duchess.

“His Majesty didn’t order me,” Opal replied. “And I didn’t have my eye on you, though admittedly, you’ve been on my mind.”

“Same difference,” Ellie huffed. “Is that why you tried to separate me and Roland?”

“You say that, but what relationship did you two share anyway? I haven’t heard anything regarding the two of you being engaged.”

“Well, that was our plan! I wanted to introduce Roland to my uncle. And Roland promised me that he’d introduce me to his parents too.”

Ellie raised her voice—it seemed Opal had touched upon a sore spot—but the duchess remained composed.

“Then have you two been dating for a while?” Opal asked. “Where did you meet Roland?”

“Don’t interrogate me!” Ellie snapped. “I’m not obligated to report back to you!”

“You’re right. But ultimately, he chose money over you, didn’t he? I suppose your promise with him doesn’t matter.”

“H-He had no other choice!” Ellie sputtered. “He needed money and he needed it fast! It takes a long time for me to withdraw money, and I wasn’t able to prepare much for him either!”

“And how much of this ‘money’ were you able to prepare? I imagine a paltry allowance or the like?”

Opal intentionally took a rather malicious tone, hoping to find more details on how exactly Roland tricked Ellie. The princess turned scarlet.

“W-Well...” Ellie stammered. “I-I could’ve given him a million! And I also planned to give him my jewels too!”

“And how would those jewels be of any use?” Opal countered. “Any buyer would be dubious of their origins. Besides, how were you planning on getting your money back?”

“He told me that he just needed to take the jewels to a pawnshop. It’s a place where they’d lend you money if you turn in items, like my jewels.”

“I know about pawnshops. But wouldn’t you have to return the money that you borrowed?”

“Of course. Don’t mock me. Roland has a manor in Taisei, and he planned on selling that. But selling the manor is apparently a long and arduous process, so he’s having some trouble doing so.”

This premise was foolish to begin with. If he needed money with such great haste, why was he strolling around in a cruise ship? A regular ship would’ve completed the voyage from Lumeon to Taisei in a mere two days; the fact that such blatant discrepancies escaped the princess’s notice proved just how oblivious she was. Opal was quite certain that Roland had no manor in Taisei.

“Why do you think Roland needs money anyway? A mere million is pocket change,” Opal replied.

“B-But he said that it’d help!” Ellie insisted. “He wanted to hasten the establishment of the company as soon as possible to receive mining rights.”

It seemed Roland had brought the same exact scenario to Ellie. Usually, a story about needing money for his parents’ medical expenses was the perfect lie that made him seem like a diligent son, but such excuses couldn’t be used on a lavish cruise ship. But it seemed that the story he’d fed Ellie was slightly different than what he’d told Opal. To entice Opal, a much wealthier lady, he tried to utilize Alessandro’s announcement, but that had only put him at a disadvantage.

“Besides, I can help Roland aside from giving him money,” Ellie added.

“Are you serious?” Opal asked gently.

She was shocked at Ellie’s declaration and stared at the young lady, but the princess puffed out her chest, confident in her words.

“I can help Roland,” she repeated. “Once we reach Taisei, I’m sure he’ll know that. And I won’t forgive your attitude toward me either!”

“Ellie...” Opal started before she changed her tone. She spoke harshly and sternly as she smiled widely. “No, Princess Eliza Lumeon. As future ruler of the Principality of Lumeon, you must understand that you’ve said the worst thing you possibly could. I’ve decided. I shall accept King Alessandro’s request and be your chaperone.”

12. Return

Opal had just stepped down the ladder with Nadja and the other servants when she realized that the carriage of Duke Bocceli was nearby. The duchess looked down and saw Claude already waiting for her. She managed to suppress her excitement as she smiled and waved at her beloved energetically.

“Claude! You came for me!” she cried happily.

“I wanted to meet you as soon as I could,” Claude replied.

The moment she set foot onto land, she rushed toward her husband and was welcomed into his strong embrace. Opal smiled as she freed herself from his arms and craned her neck toward the carriage.

“Where’s Lud?” she asked.

“Unfortunately, he’s waiting at home,” Claude replied.

She looked glum. “Of course.”

“At the manor of the royal capital.”

Opal looked up brightly, elated to hear those words.

“I think he wants to see you as soon as he can too,” Claude went on. “I didn’t want to bring him around and tire him out, so he’s just staying at the manor.”

“Oh, Claude,” Opal said. “Thank you. I’m so happy that I get to see him again soon.”

Escorted by her husband, she turned to the carriage when she heard angry huffing from behind her. When she turned around, as she expected, she saw Ellie standing there.

“Her name’s Ellie,” Opal introduced.

“Ah, you must be—” Claude started.

“No need for introductions,” Ellie interrupted. “We’ll meet again, won’t we? You can introduce yourself then.”

She turned her back toward the couple and headed her own carriage—clearly, she wanted some sort of attention.

“She really isn’t honest with herself, is she?” Opal muttered.

“I’ve heard about her,” Claude replied.

“From who?”

“Julian suddenly arrived yesterday. Lud and I have been staying at the royal capital for two days now.”

“First, he pushes that scammer onto me, and now he gets to see you and Lud before I can?! Ugh, he makes me so mad!”

Opal stomped the ground in anger as Claude watched on, giving a strained chuckle. She had sent Claude a letter before her arrival, but Julian had provided further details upon his visit. When Viscount Holloway had parted ways with his sister at the port city, he had used his connections to look further into Roland. Julian had even predicted that his sister would take on the role of the bad guy to save the princess from the swindler.

“Claude, truth be told...” Opal started awkwardly.

“You decided to accept the king’s request and become her chaperone, I’m guessing?” Claude replied.

He had, in fact, predicted this outcome the moment he’d been told of Alessandro’s reasons for his summons. Opal had always said that her husband was good-natured to a fault, but in truth Opal was even more benevolent than he was.

“Can you tell?” Opal asked.

“Yep,” Claude replied. “Since His Majesty personally went out of his way with his request, I knew that only you could handle her. And you probably can’t leave her alone either, can you?”

“Is that why you came all the way to the royal capital with Lud?”

“I told you, I wanted to meet you as soon as I can. But I’ve brought enough belongings to stay in the royal capital for a while, so rest assured.”

He hugged her once more and planted a kiss on her cheek. Nadja, who’d been already waiting for them in front of the carriage, grinned. Opal turned red, but found herself at a loss for words and instead quickly stepped into the carriage.

“But your dog, Claude, will be staying back at our other place,” Claude said. “He can run around as much as he likes there, but the royal capital might feel too cramped for him.”

“You’re right,” Opal agreed.

The wheels of the carriage creaked forward as Opal nodded at her husband’s words. Pets needed to be on a leash in the royal capital, and so her dog couldn’t run around as he pleased here. Several servants took care of her pet, and he was rather fond of them too, so she knew that he wouldn’t get too lonely. Though, truth be told, I wanted to see my dog too, she thought as her husband took her hand and gave a quick peck. Opal was surprised, but she smiled and gazed at her husband fondly.

“I’m looking away,” Nadja whispered. “I haven’t seen a thing.”

She covered her eyes with her hands, and Opal and Claude laughed at their maid’s antics. It’d been a while since she’d said those words. The couple then boarded a train to arrive at the royal capital, and once again boarded a carriage to head to their manor. Opal and Claude held hands on the entire trip back. Once they arrived at the manor of House Roussel, Opal leaped out of her carriage and rushed to the entrance. Her butler, Josephe, and Asha, the wet nurse, greeted her with Lud in their arms.

“Lud!” Opal cried.

She reached out toward her son, and the little boy outstretched his arms in reply. She hugged his tiny, soft body as Lud squealed with delight and began tugging at his mother’s hair. Even this action, painful as it was, was endearing to Opal.

“I love Lud, but I feel as though he’ll be my lifelong rival,” Claude said with a chuckle. He followed his wife up the steps.

Opal hugged her son again and kissed his cheek, and Claude kissed Lud’s cheek as well. The duke wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and guided her into the manor.

“Lud hasn’t taken his nap yet, has he?” Opal asked.

“Not yet, madam,” Asha replied.

“I’m sorry. You probably changed his schedule so that he could welcome me, didn’t you? Could I ask you to put him to bed? I’ll head to him as soon as I get changed.”

“Certainly.”

“Thank you.”

Opal carried her son up the steps of the entrance, and afterward reluctantly entrusted him to Asha. At this hour, Lud would normally be napping. Opal felt guilty for having her son’s schedule changed for her sake, but her ecstasy over their reunion ultimately overrode any negative feelings.

“You just came home,” Claude said. “Will you be all right?”

“I will,” Opal replied. “I’ll head to him as soon as I can.”

“Then why don’t we help him nap together? I’ve missed you too, you know.”

The couple walked up the steps and into the manor before Opal was guided to her room by her husband. He kissed her on the lips and opened the door for her.

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Claude said.

“I will,” Opal replied.

She stepped inside, her face red. They’d been married for two years now, but Opal still couldn’t get used to her husband’s displays of affection. It made her happy, and though she was fiercely resolved to express her feelings in kind, the most she had been able to manage so far was holding his hand.

“I’ve still got a long way to go...” Opal muttered.

She knew that she loved Claude just as much as he loved her. He didn’t seem to mind his wife’s bashfulness, but still, she wanted to be more open with her affection. I can kiss Lud as much as I desire... But she knew that when her son grew older, he would eventually be fed up with his mother’s kisses. It was a part of life, a natural step in maturing, but just the thought of it made Opal feel lonely. She giggled at her silly, overthinking self as she changed into a simple dress. The salty breeze from the cruise had clung to her skin and hair uncomfortably, and Nadja used a damp towel to wipe the locks of her hair of any lingering salt. When her hair was combed through, she felt a bit more refreshed than before.

“Thank you, Nadja,” Opal said. “I know that you must be tired today, so you can go ahead and rest.”

“I’ll be fine,” the maid replied.

“But... All right, I’ll be off to put Lud to bed and enjoy a late lunch with Claude. Would you at least sit back and relax while I do so?”

“Most certainly.”

Nadja had accompanied the duchess throughout this entire trip. Aside from the time when Opal had been in third class, the maid had been by her mistress’s side at all times. Even when Nadja was riding by herself, she reached the port city first and had arranged for carriages and lodging before she met up with Opal. Nadja was undoubtedly exhausted, but stronger still was her desire to take care of her mistress herself, and not anyone else. Opal intuited as much and chose not to push the subject of rest much further.

The duchess quietly headed to the room where Claude and Lud were, and switched places with Asha. Lud was so excited to have his mother back that he couldn’t sleep. Opal once again regretted her actions—she had prioritized her feelings in order to spend time with her son, serving to further disrupt his routine and schedule. Claude read his wife’s mind at once.

“It’s only natural for Lud to be so excited,” Claude said gently. “He loves his mom. Even while I stayed back, he wasn’t satisfied with just me around, so I imagine that he’s filled to the brim with happiness right now.”

“I hope so...” Opal replied. “I do feel bad for burdening him by disrupting his schedule, and it’d be tough for Asha too.”

“If his schedule really is disrupted, I’ll stay behind until he readjusts. I think it’s more important for him to feel your love.”

“I have so much love for him. He won’t ever be without that. And I’ve got the same amount of love for you too, Claude.”

“I’m very grateful.”

More and more women in noble society were beginning to raise their children instead of leaving them all to wet nurses. However, it was still very rare to see a father like Claude, who lost sleep and studied hard on child-rearing as he actively and fullheartedly fumbled through the process. Even with Asha around, both Opal and Claude knew very little on how to raise a child, and they struggled plenty. The duchess was truly happy to have her husband by her side as a reliable pillar of support.

“Shall we...” Claude whispered as he trailed off.

He saw that Lud was fast asleep, and Opal nodded. She restrained herself from stroking her beloved son’s face, and silently left the room to not wake him. The couple headed for the dining room reserved just for family members, and the staff of the manor had already been told that a late lunch was to be prepared. The two of them sat at the dining table, and hot food immediately came out for the couple.

“Once again, welcome back, madam,” the butler said kindly.

“Thank you, Josephe,” Opal replied.

After their meal, a rather lavish dessert was prepared to welcome her return. She smiled at her butler.

“I’ve never received such kind words from Josephe even if I return after a long trip,” Claude grumbled. “He’s even got out ice cream for dessert.”

“You leave the manor rather often, Your Grace, and I cannot possibly predict when you leave and return,” Josephe replied.

“Maybe you’re growing senile.”

“Ha ha ha! Oh, my apologies—I’ve grown hard of hearing and I can hardly hear what you’ve been saying.”

Josephe had been the butler of the previous Earl Roussel—Claude’s grandfather—and continued to work at the manor. He and Claude didn’t get along. To be precise, they got along almost too well. As the two interacted, Opal could see that Claude must’ve been just as friendly with his grandfather, and she was happily relieved. While the couple were separated from each other, they each had their fair share of troubles and good fortune as well.

“You’re always so strict with me, Josephe,” Claude said as his butler left.

Opal giggled as she reached for her special dessert. She scooped a spoonful and offered it to her husband.

“Would you care to have a bite?” she asked.

“Oh, I’ve got such a kind wife!” Claude exclaimed. “She’s willing to spare a poor sap like me a single bite.”

As Claude leaned forward to eat, Opal turned her spoon away from him and tried to bring it to her mouth. It was a mean and mischievous maneuver that she’d often done since she was young, but Claude swiftly grabbed his wife’s arm and forced the spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

“Hey!” Opal cried.

“I’m far too used to your mean tactics for that to work on me,” Claude grinned.

“You’re the mean one. You went out of your way to sarcastically point out how you were only getting a bite.”

“You’re greedy when it comes to sweet treats.”

“I’m not greedy.”

A silly quibble ensued, but all the while, Opal made sure to eat spoonfuls of her dessert. She’d learned from Julian that if she dawdled, her entire plate of treats would soon be taken from her. Claude pulled his wife close and licked the sweetness off her lips.

“Claude!” Opal squealed.

“I’ve had my fill,” Claude replied. “Thanks for the meal.”

“Good grief...”

Opal turned red in surprise as she glared at her husband’s sudden antics, but she soon burst out laughing. Claude laughed with her. The servants who were stationed outside the room exchanged a glance and stifled their giggles as well.

13. Displeasure

The next morning, Opal and Claude headed for the royal palace. The couple had been called out first thing in the morning by a royal messenger per Alessandro’s orders. Though Claude had expected as much, he still expelled an exaggerated sigh.

“Displeased, I see,” Opal pointed out.

“Well, I am,” Claude replied. “I had thought that, with your return, we could all finally spend some time together as a family. Wouldn’t a normal person grant us at least one day to ourselves? No, not His Majesty, certainly not.”

As Claude grumbled to himself and insulted the king as he did, Opal chuckled. Her husband was always so humorous. In truth, Opal had wanted to spend more time with Lud, and hearing Claude verbalize her own concerns did much to lift her spirits. But in no way would the king be spared from Opal giving him a piece of her mind, and she resolved as such as she and Claude stepped into the room that was now familiar to her.

“Hello, Opal,” Alessandro said as he proudly sat in his seat. Ellie sat diagonally across from him with a disgruntled scowl. “How was your trip?”

“A very meaningful one, Your Majesty,” Opal replied.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

After a quick greeting, Alessandro went straight to the issue.

“I’m sure there is no need for introductions now, but I suppose it couldn’t hurt to do so here,” Alessandro said. “Ellie, this is Duke and Duchess Bocceli. You may call the duchess ‘Opal.’ Is that fine with you, Opal?”

“Certainly,” Opal replied.

She pinched the hems of her skirt and bowed in a form of a curtsy. Ellie huffed through her nose angrily, but the king continued without scolding her.

“You may call the duke ‘Claude’ or ‘a handyman,’” the king joked.

“I’m not a handyman, and I’d be most pleased if you called me by my name,” Claude replied with a bow.

But Ellie didn’t respond. She still sulked like a petulant child.

“And this selfish little girl is Princess Eliza of the Principality of Lumeon,” Alessandro said.

He waved his hand and allowed Opal and Claude to sit, the two of them taking seats across from Ellie.

“Let’s do away with the stuffy formalities, shall we?” the king said. “I trust that you’ve already spoken with Ellie, Opal?”

“Indeed, until yesterday I’ve been traveling on the same ship as Princess Eliza,” Opal replied with a nod.

“And she stole my lover away from me,” Ellie spat. “Duke Bocceli, it seems you’ve got a cheater for a wife.”

“My wife is a kind woman, and holds a sense of justice far stronger than the average person,” Claude replied with a smile, completely unfazed by the princess’s claims.

Alessandro ignored the exchange and turned to Opal. “So, will you accept my request?”

“On one condition,” Opal replied.

“A condition? Didn’t you already declare to Ellie that you’ll be her chaperone?”

“I did. But I still have a condition.”

“Then just don’t be my chaperone,” Ellie interrupted once more.

The duchess and the king ignored the girl’s outburst and continued their conversation.

“State your condition,” Alessandro said. “I shall permit it.”

“I’d like for her to—” Opal started.

“Stop ignoring me!” Ellie shrieked angrily.

Only then did Alessandro finally turn to his niece. “Ellie, can’t you see that the grown-ups are talking right now? Are you so unmannered that keeping quiet while we converse is beyond you?”

“I’m an adult too!” Ellie screeched.

“You? Really? You failed to properly introduce yourself and have been nothing but insolent since you’ve spoken.”

Ellie’s face turned scarlet—it seemed she had enough awareness to be embarrassed by her actions. The princess pursed her lips and set herself to glaring at the duchess.

“Your Majesty, if you might imagine how boring an adult discussion would be for children,” Opal said, “then the girl cannot be blamed for her outbursts.”

She paid the princess no heed and continued to provoke Ellie. Alessandro grinned and joined in on the fun.

“Would you like to leave the room, then?” he asked his niece.

“Absolutely not!” Ellie replied. “I wouldn’t want you to decide everything without telling me!”

But when she glanced back at Alessandro, she gasped and closed her mouth.

“Now, Ellie, don’t throw a tantrum,” the king said gently. “If you would like to remain in this room, you must stay quiet.”

He spoke as though pacifying a small child, but at the sight of him, Ellie visibly shrank back like a frightened doe; she saw the rage lurking behind Alessandro’s gentle smile. Even Opal could see that Alessandro’s usual laid-back attitude had vanished and was replaced with one far more irritable and annoyed.

“Now then, may I ask that we move this conversation along?” Claude asked, breaking his silence. “Opal and I have lunch scheduled.”

“With whom? Is this person more important than I?” Alessandro asked. The idea of being rushed brought a frown to his face. Claude maintained his sunny demeanor—the person he had in mind was Lud. Because the duke and duchess had been called into the royal palace in the morning, they wanted to spend some time with their son before his daily nap. Opal, of the same mind, jumped in to hurry the conversation along.

“My condition isn’t anything difficult,” Opal replied. “I just want Her Highness, while I act as her chaperone, to hide her identity and act as my relative. While she remains in this kingdom, I ask that she spends as much time as possible by my side—I’d want her to live in the manor of House Roussel as well.”

“Why must I—” Ellie started.

“Very well,” Alessandro conceded.

“Uncle!”

“Is there an issue? You’ve hidden your identity during your travels here, haven’t you? You will simply continue to do so.”

“But...”

Ellie’s lifeless response made it clear that she’d resigned herself to her fate, but in a last attempt to rebel, she glared at Opal once more.

“I hope we get along, Ellie,” the duchess said cheerfully.

Ellie didn’t reply, but Opal and Claude paid it no mind as they stood up to leave.

“Now then, why don’t we all head to our manor?” Opal said.

“Right now?” Ellie asked.

“That’s right. The sooner the better. If anyone in the royal palace notices you, just say that you’re my messenger.”

Opal knew that Alessandro didn’t want Ellie’s stay in the palace to be known to others. The king’s quiet attitude said it all. And though it upset Ellie to be called Opal’s messenger, she stayed quiet too. “Your Majesty, I ask that you gather Ellie’s belongings and send them to the marquis’s manor,” Opal requested.

Alessandro raised an eyebrow and cracked a joke. “Are you ordering me around?”

“It may behoove you, Your Majesty, to move around every now and then,” Claude joked back. “I see that you’re getting a bit of a belly.”

“I am not!” Alessandro huffed back.

Suddenly the once grumpy Ellie burst out into laughter—revealing an adorable smile far more suited to her age than any of her frowns—but almost immediately gasped and resumed a scowl once more. She was surprisingly obedient on the ride back to the manor, not complaining even once in the carriage she shared with Opal. When they arrived back at the manor, the princess looked up at the building.

“Are you two living here alone?” she asked.

“We’re usually at the duchy,” Opal replied. “But since we’ll be living in the royal capital for a while, I’ve got my son with me too. Would you like to meet him later?”

“You’ve got a kid? How old is he?”

“He just turned one.”

“And yet, you leisurely travel for days on end all by yourself.”

Ellie once again made a thorny remark, but Opal ignored her and headed for the entrance where Josephe awaited. Claude must’ve heard the conversation as well, but he said not a word himself and instead quietly escorted Ellie to the door.

“Welcome back, madam, Your Grace,” the butler said. “I’ve already prepared a room for your guest.”

“Thank you, Josephe,” Claude replied before he introduced the lady to the butler. “This is Opal’s relative. Her name is Lady Ellie Clamp. Please treat her well.”

“Your wish is my command. Welcome to the manor, Lady Clamp. My name is Josephe, and I serve as the butler of this manor. If you require anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”

“Thank you, Josephe. You may call me ‘Ellie.’ I’ll be relying on you.”

Ellie smiled at the butler. I’ve thought this while we were on the ship too, but she treats the servants very well, Opal thought. In fact, it was Roland who always had the haughty attitude toward the servants and staff, while Ellie would sometimes awkwardly grimace at his arrogant words and actions. The words that she’d said when Opal was in third class was proof of Ellie’s innocence; in truth she didn’t mean much ill will. Opal had only lost her temper at the time because she was with Mayley.

Remembering that time and her rash actions embarrassed the duchess, but the reminder, too, of her brother’s teasing made her frown. Opal had already ordered that Roland be allowed to do as he pleased for a while, and she knew that it’d take a bit more time before that issue was resolved.

“Opal? What’s wrong?” Claude asked.

“Huh? O-Oh, it’s nothing at all,” Opal hastily replied. She couldn’t speak about Roland to Ellie just yet.

The Lumeon princess cast the duchess a dubious look, but just then, an adorable squeal filled the air.

“Yah... Bah!” Lud cried.

“Lud! You came to welcome us home!” Opal exclaimed joyfully.

As her baby staggered toward her, Opal scooped him up and drew him close. Lud happily curled up into Opal and rubbed his face against her chest.

“Ellie, this is my son, Ludrick,” Opal said. “Call him ‘Lud.’”

“Your dress is covered with drool,” Ellie pointed out.

“It sure is. It seems he likes the feel of velvety fabric. Ever since he was born, I’ve been careful to avoid beads and other tiny decorations on my clothes, but it seems my attention has turned to making sure the materials and fabrics of my garments are to his liking. Embroideries, for example, are not to his taste.” Opal smiled and continued to ramble on about her son. She couldn’t help but become talkative about Lud.

Claude removed his jacket and reached out to cradle his son. The formal attire that the duke had worn to greet the king was stiff and clunky, covered in insignias, and his shirt underneath was also embellished with luxurious embroidery. As Opal had said, Lud began to fuss grumpily when he touched his father’s shirt.

“Ellie, I’ll have Josephe guide you to your room,” Claude said. “Opal, why don’t you go and get changed?”

“All right,” Opal replied.

She was happy at her husband’s considerate words, smiling at him before she turned to Ellie. The young lady stared at Lud and Claude, but gasped when she felt Opal’s gaze. Ellie once again shifted her expression into a frown.

“Ellie, you can go ahead and get changed and relax too,” Opal said.

“I don’t have a change of clothes,” Ellie replied.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

“What do you mean?”

Just then, luggage began to pile in from the open entrance. Alessandro had already delivered Ellie’s things to the manor.

“You can relax until dinner, or if you’d like a tour of the manor, I’ll guide you around,” Opal said. “Let me know whichever you’d like.”

“I’ll...relax and rest,” Ellie replied.

She cast a forlorn gaze at the servants who carried in her belongings, and at that moment, Opal began to grasp the inner turmoil that the princess held inside her.

14. Rebellious Phase

“To put it simply, Ellie’s feeling lonely,” Opal said.

“In the way of children seeking attention,” Claude replied. “It’s a common tactic.”

The couple had returned from the royal palace and were taking a short break. Lud was taking a nap in the room beside them, with the door connecting the rooms open so that they could hear him the moment he woke up.

“Exactly,” Opal replied. “She apparently lost her mother when she was young, and her father passed away when she was only eleven.”

“But that’s no excuse to hurt others,” Claude pointed out.

“Of course it isn’t.”

“The hurt party I’m referring to is you, Opal.”

“Me?”

“Her attitude toward you has been absolutely atrocious.”

It was rare to see Claude sound so stern, but in this case he was angry on Opal’s behalf. She was happy to hear it, but she chose to defend Ellie as well. “It can’t be helped,” Opal replied. “In her eyes, I stole her lover—her future fiancé—away from her.”

“Are you not planning on telling her his true identity?” Claude asked.

“Who would want to know that the person they loved was only with them for their money?”

“But there’s no need for you to be the villain here.”

“Oh, but I just might be. Don’t you doubt me?”

“About what?”

“About me possibly cheating on you.”

“Not one bit. Besides, I haven’t received any such reports.”

“You were watching over me, after all.”

“For your freedom and safety.”

“I know that, of course. Thank you for being worried, Claude.”

Opal usually had several servants and guards whenever she went out, but this time around, there were quite a few guards who were undercover as well. They weren’t hiding from Opal, but from the other guests—unfortunately, she’d only learned rather late that Julian was one of their number.

“Did you know that Julian was with the guards?” Opal asked.

“No, not until he came to visit me the day before yesterday,” Claude replied. “He apparently forced the guards to keep quiet.”

“Good grief, I wish he’d just stop stirring the pot!”

“He’s just worried about you.”

“I don’t doubt that, but I also know that he’s doing this mostly to tease me.”

“That, I cannot deny.”

Julian often bullied his sister, and Opal knew that despite how much it frustrated her, she’d be subject to it for the rest of her life. But above all was the fact that Julian was her precious brother, and she didn’t want him to leap into danger.

“Where is Julian this time?” Opal asked.

“Not a clue,” Claude replied. “But I do not doubt that it will be a good while until he approaches the royal palace again.”

“Why do you say that?”

“His Majesty tried to arrange a marriage for Julian.”

Claude spoke of it casually, but Opal widened her eyes with shock. In fact, there was an excited twinkle in her gaze.

“Why didn’t you tell me about it sooner?” Opal asked. “This is huge news!”

She giggled joyfully. Both Julian and Alessandro were complete rascals in their own ways, and Opal had wanted to see a verbal spar between them for a while. When Julian had dropped by Claude’s two days ago to visit, he’d most likely done so as a detour while answering a summons by Alessandro.

“Opal, I don’t think it’s anything to laugh about,” Claude said.

“I suppose you’re right,” Opal said. “Yes, I must feel bad for the poor lady who’s been forced upon him. Who was he asked to marry?”

“Princess Clarissa.”

“That’s...quite awful.”

Opal immediately stopped laughing. Princess Clarissa was Alessandro’s niece and the only daughter of the previous king. In fact, there had once been rumors that she was to marry Claude. Any other woman would’ve been overjoyed with her potential marriage to Julian, but Princess Clarissa had many complex problems. And she was still single at twenty-four.

“And so Julian has vanished,” Claude replied.

“He fled,” Opal said.

Though she made a jab at her brother, she also breathed a sigh of relief. Marrying a princess came with the very important issue of inheritance and a potential claim to the throne. While this problem wouldn’t just disappear even if it was ignored, Opal wanted to respect the wishes of the princess above all else.

“Opal...” Claude started awkwardly.

“Yes?” she replied.

“While you were out, there was actually another problem.”

“This won’t be a surprise, I’m sure. Will you tell me?”

Claude likely hadn’t told her yesterday because he wanted her tired body to have some rest. Julian aside, the fact that the princess’s marriage was being brought up implied other problems, and Opal patiently waited for her husband’s words. She’d scanned the daily papers carefully, but there were no articles that she’d seen that she thought would bring Claude any trouble. Claude, having accurately interpreted his wife’s silence, proceeded to provide an explanation.

“It’s been kept a secret from the reporters, but Prince Vincent caused another fuss within the city,” he said.

“Wow,” Opal replied.

She couldn’t find any other reaction within herself. Prince Vincent was Alessandro’s firstborn and heir to the throne. But he hadn’t officially become crown prince just yet, and this was precisely why Princess Clarissa’s marriage would hold many problems. At once, Opal realized why Alessandro seemed so unusually annoyed this morning.

“What kind of fuss is it?” she asked playfully. “Did he dine and dash, perhaps?”

Claude chuckled. “No, nothing like that. He got into a fight with another customer at a tavern.”

As he spoke between his bouts of laughter, Opal once again couldn’t hide her surprise. Prince Vincent was still only sixteen, and the legal drinking age within this kingdom was eighteen. She tilted her head to one side and feigned ignorance.

“Is that any sort of issue?” she asked. “As far as I know, you and Julian did something similar quite often, way back when.”

Claude grimaced. He had told stories to his wife about the eight years that he’d been away from her along with what led him to that decision. Back then, Opal eagerly awaited Claude’s and Julian’s return to the earl’s manor and was confused as to why women couldn’t attend university. But unlike Julian, Claude would send Opal a letter every now and then and soothe her loneliness.

“Is it a rebellious phase, perhaps?” Opal wondered.

“Probably,” Claude agreed. “His Majesty really is struggling with raising his child.”

“Oh, I believe a stubborn father should have his fair share of trials and tribulations.”

She turned away and raised her chin in annoyance at the mention of the king, but her words were pointed to her own father as well. When Claude struggled to provide a response, Opal let out another worried sigh.

“Perhaps His Highness Prince Vincent feels equally lonely,” Opal said. “And perhaps some part of that loneliness is how infrequent your visits to the place have been since Lud was born. I’d only met His Highness a few times, but he seemed to adore you, Claude.”

“Well, I do think he liked me to a degree, but I think he adored Julian much more,” Claude admitted.

“I hope my brother hasn’t been a bad influence on His Highness...”

“Hmm...”

Claude couldn’t outright deny her claims, and she burst out laughing. But in truth this was no laughing matter, since something like this might very well affect Opal and Claude’s future.

“I’m starting to understand all sorts of things,” Opal giggled. “Just like how I can’t leave Ellie alone, you can’t leave Prince Vincent alone either, can you? His Majesty is pretending to involve Julian in Her Highness’s issues, but really, the king is dragging us into this mess. It’s all a part of his plan.”

Perhaps Julian knew all this and thus had pushed for Opal to just let Ellie go and refuse the job. And what’s more was how he already had planned his escape from all this. Opal sighed in resignation as Claude drew her close for an embrace, and kissed her to both soothe her worries and cheer her up.

15. Preparations

Opal had now attended several dinner parties with Ellie in tow. Since the Lumeon princess’s face wasn’t known to the public, her real identity had stayed hidden and everyone she had met easily believed that she was the duchess’s relative. At every party so far Ellie had always looked bored and rejected any invitations to dance, but Opal had said not a word, instead watching over the princess silently.

Tonight, House Roussel’s manor was hosting a charity party, and Opal was busily ordering her servants around while also looking for Ellie. If the duchess didn’t eat dinner soon and finish her preparations, she wouldn’t make it in time to greet the guests as the host. She eventually found Ellie in the children’s room.

“Ellie, you were playing with Lud, I see,” Opal said. “Thank you for watching over him.”

“Lud’s cute,” Ellie replied, as thorny as ever.

But Opal already knew that this thorniness was Ellie’s way of hiding her embarrassment. Ellie had spent a lot of time with Lud, and no matter how he cried or made a fuss, Ellie, without fail, calmed him down quietly and patiently. It was clear that though the princess had been raised spoiled and selfish, she had an inner kindness that shone through her prickly exterior. However, she’d made quite the name for herself in the Roussel household as she often rebelled against Opal, with poor Asha the wet nurse often having to hastily retrieve Lud and take him out of the room the moment Opal and Ellie interacted for any length of time. Tonight Lud would likely receive dinner in the room next door, and Opal saw Asha leave with her son as the door closed behind them.

“Now then, we should have dinner and get changed, or we won’t make it in time for tonight’s charity party,” Opal said.

“Charity?” Ellie scoffed. “You wear extravagant dresses, eat delicious foods, and drink expensive alcohol all for donations? How hypocritical.”

“You sure have a way with words,” Opal commented. “But as they say, it’s better to try to do something good, no matter how imperfect it may be, than to do nothing at all. Whether it be for self-satisfaction or vanity, as long as we receive donations, I will welcome them with open arms.”

“But is there really a need for a party? The funds used for it could go toward donations instead, can’t they?” Ellie shot back. “I didn’t come here in search of a husband, and I don’t want to be at parties. I don’t want to dance either. And yet, the papers call me an impregnable woman! Why must even Socille’s papers write an article about me?! And who is this Alan Marron?! What a joke of a reporter!”

“If you didn’t want to attend, you should’ve just told me instead of just sulking.”

“What did you say?!”

Opal maintained her composure in response to Ellie’s complaints. As the young princess became more emotional, even Opal’s simple provocations served to spark more and more of Ellie’s anger. If Ellie didn’t learn to at least restrain her emotions—to not wear her heart on her sleeve—she’d have a tough future ahead of her.

“In any case, I need you to attend this party,” Opal said. “As my relative, you must be present as part of the host family. Once this is over, I won’t drag you along to other social gatherings.”

As she left the room after saying her final thoughts to Ellie, Opal thought about what to do next. The duchess wanted to see her son, but if he saw her in the middle of his meal, he’d turn to her and forget to eat. It’s all so very difficult... Opal thought. She had received help from Asha and other people, but even still child-rearing was no walk in the park. And as a chaperone, though she could communicate her words, communicating her intentions was another matter entirely. She didn’t want to nag and be too annoying and had thus stayed silent, but that didn’t work well either.

When Opal had finished getting dressed for the party, the lady-in-waiting currently assigned to Ellie approached the duchess, looking troubled. It seemed the princess had refused to get changed into a better dress.

“All right,” Opal said. “You don’t have to force her, then. Let her do as she pleases. Thank you for letting me know. Ah, wait...”

Opal stopped the servant and gave a few more orders before allowing her to leave, and returned her party preparations soon after. Several moments later, Ellie stormed into the room.

“I’ll be attending the party in this,” she huffed.

“If that’s what you’ve decided upon, go right ahead,” Opal replied.

“Really? Your precious party will be ruined.”

“Oh, the party won’t be ruined by a mere outfit. No need to be so worried.”

“I’m not worried! And see if I care if you regret this!”

Ellie slammed the door behind her as she left. Opal sighed wearily, and it was at this point that Claude burst out laughing—he had apparently entered through the door that was connected to his room.

“What’s wrong?” Opal asked.

“I came to check up on you and see if you were ready,” Claude replied.

“I’m perfectly ready, at least on the outside.”

“You’re always perfect, inside and out.”

He gently drew her close and kissed her. Nadja had somehow vanished, and Opal, now red-faced, stepped away from her husband.

“Argh! And I’d just tidied myself up!” Opal complained in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

She looked at herself in the mirror and saw her husband’s grinning reflection. Ellie wasn’t the only one who could act childish; in truth, when around her husband, Opal could be quite immature herself. But Claude loved every facet of his wife and understood this well. It came to her in a wave of regret then that Opal, too, was spoiled in her own way, and it was unfair of her to be so proud and haughty toward Ellie.

“You look perfect too,” Opal said.

“Thanks,” Claude replied casually. “Shall we head to the first floor?”

“Yes,” she replied as she composed herself internally.

Claude offered an arm, and she placed her hand on his while they walked down the stairs. It was then that Josephe arrived, looking quite apologetic.

“Madam, I’m terribly sorry for intruding before the commencement of your important party,” the butler said. “The letter that you’d been talking about has just arrived, and I’ve brought it to the study. Shall I keep it safe for a while?”

“Thank you, Josephe,” Opal replied. “I think I’ll read it right away. We still have some time to spare, don’t we?”

“We do,” Claude replied.

“Claude, may I step away for a few moments?”

“Go right ahead,” Claude said.

And so Opal rushed to the study. She had been waiting for this letter ever since she returned to the manor, and had requested Josephe to notify her immediately when it was received. She entered her study and saw a single letter placed upon her neatly kept desk. After confirming the sender, she opened the letter with a paper knife and extracted its contents. Opal quickly scanned the letter and expelled a small sigh that she’d kept within her body ever since she began to wait for this letter to arrive. It was then that Claude came into the study.

“Everything okay?” he asked worriedly.

“Mhm,” Opal replied with a smile. “I wouldn’t call it good news, but I’m glad that they’re safe, at the very least.”

She had told Claude about the mother and young girl she’d met while in third class.

“Too late did I realize that I should’ve assigned someone to tail them secretly, and I’ve been regretting it since,” Opal said. “I’m really glad to receive this news. But apparently, Kate’s parents have already passed away, and that has created a host of its own issues...”

“I see,” Claude replied.

“Kate apparently wants to apologize for her delay in handing the letter over to the priest.”

“And are both mother and child safe? Is the priest sheltering them?”

“Kate found a job, and after delivering the letter, she spent only one night in the church,” Opal said. “I guess she’ll be working in Socille, but with her hip being what it is, I wonder if she’ll be okay...”

Opal tucked the letter away into her drawer, worry in her voice.

“Do you not know what job she got?” Claude asked.

“Nope,” she replied.

He thought for a few moments before he reassured his wife. “I see... If they’ve come from overseas and have found a job in Socille, it means her workplace has been trying to hire foreigners. Even with my connections, there are only a few workplaces I know of that are willing to employ foreign women. Why don’t I look into this?”

Opal was relieved by his reliable words and gripped her husband’s hand.

“Thank you,” she said.

Claude was quicker and more precise in his actions when it came to these sorts of investigations, and doubly so when it would dispel the anxieties plaguing his wife. And what have I been able to do for him in return? I’d like to at least express my gratitude properly, but I really don’t have much time. She took his hand that was in hers, and planted a kiss on the inner side of his wrist.

“Opal...” Claude started.

“We must go! We don’t have time!” Opal cried.

She used her thumb to wipe away the small bit of lipstick that had transferred onto Claude’s skin, and hastily stepped away. She practically leaped out of her study, already far too embarrassed to hear what Claude would have to say in response to her actions. Right on cue, her first guest had already arrived at the manor. She quickly met up with Ellie, and together they went to the manor entrance to greet all the guests who had begun to trickle in.

The guests all cheerfully greeted her in return, but they were visibly shocked when they saw Ellie, clad in an old day dress. They swiftly glanced away from her and silently gazed at Opal in question, but Opal persisted in welcoming her guests with a cheerfully oblivious air. And so each guest gave Ellie a perfunctory greeting and swiftly retreated from her, as though she were some sort of wart that wasn’t meant to be touched.

After enough guests had arrived, many of them chose to gather and speak in hushed whispers about the princess, doing little to hide their judgmental stares. Both men and women watched Ellie from afar, though they had enough tact to stay quiet when near the duke and duchess. The party began with not a single person approaching Ellie, and so the princess became thoroughly isolated.

Until now, men had tried to invite her to dance or for a light meal, but it was likely only because they thought she was Opal’s relative. Ellie was now treated as an oddball, and everyone was curious as to why the duke and duchess allowed this unusual lady to do as she pleased. Someone began to murmur that Ellie must’ve been so problematic that even the duke and duchess couldn’t handle her. And since the Lumeon princess had yet to dance at any of the parties and instead maintained quite the unfriendly attitude, the whisper turned into something of a credible theory.

Ellie stood with her back against the wall, all alone and alienated—and on the verge of tears. Just then, Viscount Klaus, who had arrived late, saw Ellie and guffawed. It seemed he was one of the few to not know Ellie as Opal’s relative.

“Duchess Bocceli, I truly do commend you!” he said. “By allowing the impoverished to attend, I imagine that you’re trying to receive even more donations!”

Ellie’s attire was appropriate for a lady who expected to be alone for the afternoon, but for a party, she was unsightly, thus invoking the viscount’s misunderstanding. He gazed at Ellie with a touch of disgust, as if he were trying to gauge her and had found her wanting. No one corrected his claims; people even began to giggle at his remarks. Unable to endure it any longer, Ellie tried to leave, but Opal stood in her way and barred her path. The duchess grabbed the young lady’s arm.

“How mean you are!” Ellie hissed angrily, lowering her voice because she was still aware they were in the presence of others. “You stand by quietly as I become a laughingstock!”

“What a shock that there are consequences to your actions,” Opal replied coldly. “Is this not what you wished? No matter how grand a title you possess, if you do not act according to the situation, you will be a laughingstock.”

Ellie had never experienced such a cruel gaze—had never feared anyone like she feared Opal now. Still, she gritted her teeth and managed to eke out a refute.

“Act accordingly?” she asked. “So I must don a luxurious dress?”

“Dressing in accordance with each occasion and opportunity is the bare minimum of etiquette,” Opal replied. “Your outfit currently proclaims that you lack even a shred of manners or common sense.”

“But—”

“Like it or not, people judge based on appearances. When I was in third class, no one saw me as a duchess and treated me as such. In fact, Ellie, you were the only one who saw through my identity. Not even the crew members noticed that I had boarded their ship in third class.”

Ellie gasped. Opal hadn’t given names, but the way she spoke undoubtedly included Roland as one of the ignorant people on the ship. In fact, at first glance he had called Opal a “shabby hag.”

Yet, when Opal emerged as Duchess Bocceli, he quickly tried to flatter her, woo her, and gain some money. Such a change in attitude befuddled Ellie—was he trying to become her lover? And with that Ellie’s affection for Roland waned. She wasn’t even seriously in love with him; she had only wanted to be with him as an act of rebellion.

“Let go, Opal,” Ellie said quietly. “I’ll go get changed.”

It hurt her now to recall her time with Roland, and though Opal sympathized, she kept a firm grip on the girl’s arm to draw the princess close.

“Before you do so, we must restore your dignity,” the duchess whispered.

“That’s impossible,” Ellie said with suspicion.

“Oh, don’t worry. Everyone wants to know why you’re dressed that way.”

Opal smiled as she gazed straight at the curious crowd of nobles and the viscount.

“Viscount Klaus, I apologize for creating a misunderstanding,” the duchess said. “This young lady is under my tutelage, you see.”

The viscount turned red, reduced to muttering under his breath in the face of Opal’s powerful stare. He might have been apologizing, but it was meaningless if no one could hear or understand him. The duchess cast a sweeping glance at the crowd.

“I’m sure that you’re all quite curious about Ellie’s attire,” she said. “I was surprised myself. But she declared to me that she would donate the dress and jewels that she planned to wear at this charity party and refused to budge, thus her present attire for this event. She even insisted to me that her gesture would surprise and delight others into making further donations.”

Opal began with a solemn tone but ended her story with a joke, encouraging laughter from the crowd. Everyone nodded along with agreement.

“I thought that I should copy Ellie and remain in my usual garb, but if I don’t wear lavish attire, I fear that my mediocre looks would make me unrecognizable,” Claude added. “I had to give up on that endeavor.”

Claude was rumored to be a nouveau riche who took over House Roussel and quickly climbed the ranks—he used that reputation to make self-deprecating remarks for humor. While it was unclear if everyone present believed such a thing about him, another round of laughter filled the room, ensuring that everyone was in good spirits.

“Ellie’s firm resolve is truly splendid, but this party is a rare opportunity,” Opal said. “I imagine that we all would love to see her in a beautiful dress, wouldn’t you agree?”

A round of applause echoed throughout the venue, a resounding signal of agreement. The cruel gazes pointed at Ellie immediately softened. Ellie herself had no idea how to respond to such a drastic change in attitude.

Claude offered the young lady his arm.

“Would you please give me the honor of escorting you to your room?” he asked.

“V-Very well,” Ellie replied quietly.

She placed her hand on his arm, and left the room as everyone watched her exit. Opal breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the pair leave, and switched gears to entertain her precious guests.

16. Rumors

The ladies-in-waiting had already been ordered to prepare Ellie a change of clothes, so it wouldn’t take long for the princess to get dressed. Even Nadja had been asked to lend her aid. Since Opal had claimed that Ellie would donate dresses and jewels, the duchess planned to use her own money to provide a hefty donation—Ellie had actually never agreed to donate her own jewels and clothes.

Not everyone received Opal’s claim positively, however, and there were still some people whispering about. They most likely were angry with Opal rather than Ellie. It was rare for any sort of event to occur within the Roussel manor, and so those who received an invitation were determined to attend no matter the cost. But the only reason they were so keen to attend was to amass prestige to themselves. Not every guest was this way, but the ones that were made it crystal clear through their attitude.

While Ellie went to change, Opal spoke to her guests, all the while thinking whether, as Ellie had suggested, there really could be another way to gather donations. For now, it was most efficient to host a party and gather the affluent, who donated vast amounts of money as a point of personal pride and vanity. And it was quite humorous to see, when the donation box was passed at the end of the party, how everyone wrote their checks and placed it inside with a proud flourish, the amount written clearly visible to all. Even more comical was that some people craned their necks to peek at the amount.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Opal,” Claude said from behind while Opal handled the guests. He placed an arm around her waist and pretended to kiss her as he whispered in a low voice, “Ellie has been safely delivered to her room.”

Ellie was in no danger; Claude was referring to her agreement in changing her attire. Opal turned toward her husband and flashed a grateful smile. It took a splash of cold, hard reality, but Ellie was finally realizing how society functioned. After this event, she could rest and pause her attendance to these occasions while she received careful explanations on how to conduct herself with grace.

Opal wanted to hear what was on Ellie’s mind too. But before that... As Claude entered into the conversation Opal had been having with some guests, her mind wandered to what she’d do from tomorrow. Just then, there was a fuss at the entrance, and Claude rushed toward the noise when everyone saw Prince Vincent storm inside.

“What gives? I’m the prince!” he declared. “I don’t need an invitation!”

Josephe tried to stop him, but as a servant, he could not afford to be too harsh with his words. The prince walked to the entrance with two of his grinning goons in tow, one of them the son of Viscount Klaus.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” Claude said brightly as he greeted the royal. “I’m terribly sorry, but without an invitation you cannot attend tonight’s event. And the same goes for the other two men with you.”

But the prince gave a smug smirk.

“This is an order,” Vincent said. “Let me in.”

“I must refuse,” Claude replied.

“What did you say?!”

“I cannot invite a minor to this event. There is alcohol present.”

While Claude made no direct acknowledgment of it, it was clear to all watching that the prince was quite drunk. Claude gave a firm refusal and turned to his butler.

“Josephe, would you kindly call for someone to send His Highness off?” the duke requested.

“Certainly,” the butler replied.

This was Claude’s way of implying that guards should be called should the situation degenerate. His firm attitude impressed his guests, while Vincent stood as if stupefied. It was at this moment that Ellie reappeared in a new dress. She could sense that something had occurred and became wary, but at the sight of Vincent, she furrowed her brow. The prince, in turn, had also recognized her.

“Ellie, what’re you doing here?” he demanded.

“That’s my line,” she replied. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for creating a fuss?”

Ellie’s casual tone toward Vincent had everyone watching murmur in confusion. Too late, Opal noticed the issue, while Vincent pointed an accusing finger at Ellie.

“Says you! You should be more ashamed of yourself for fleeing from your country!” he shouted. “That small, puny, little—”

“Your Highness!” Claude said sharply, cutting the prince off. He was clearly angry.

“Your Highness, it’s terribly rude to point your finger at others,” Opal said brightly within the tense atmosphere. “I do suggest you lower your arm.”

Vincent realized that he was still pointing at Ellie and quickly lowered his arm.

“R-Right,” the prince mumbled. “It’s too noisy here. This is boring. Let’s leave.”

The prince obediently followed Opal’s advice, and as he turned on his heel to leave, he made time to spit some complaints in an attempt to maintain even a scrap of his dignity. His lackeys followed close behind him, and only when all three were gone did the atmosphere of the venue relax. Opal turned back to her guests and smiled while Claude stood beside her as a pillar of support.

“I thank everyone for your patience,” Opal said. “Ellie has returned, so why don’t we continue the party?”

Attentive servants swiftly handed out new drinks, and once everyone had a glass, Claude raised his in the air for a toast.

“To the beautiful Ellie and to my wife, who worked hard to host this charity party!” Claude said. “Cheers!”

He often said a toast to his wife, and Opal raised her glass in the air with a smile—the contents of his toast didn’t embarrass her...yet. Ellie, on the other hand, had turned bright red. It seemed she had rarely attended any parties back in Lumeon and was unused to such incidents. Her awkwardness here gave the crowd a different impression; while mere moments ago she appeared to be an unmannered, arrogant lady, now she appeared a young woman doing her best to adjust in a different nation.

With the additional fact that her donation of expensive jewels signified she enjoyed quite a bit of wealth, and that she and Prince Vincent seemed close, it wasn’t difficult to put two and two together. After the toast, people swarmed around Ellie, eager to become friends with her.

“I understand your concerns and complaints, but hang in there,” Opal whispered as Ellie looked to her for help. “Accustom yourself to this sort of thing and learn to judge others appropriately.”

Ellie was almost turning twenty; she couldn’t flee from society forever. Currently her uncle—His Highness Prince Eckardt—and the chancellor were shouldering the brunt of the politics in Lumeon, but when Ellie’s birthday rolled around, she would claim the throne. Furthermore, people expected her to marry Eckardt’s oldest son—her cousin. Nobles of Lumeon rumored that her engagement would be announced the moment she turned twenty. The gossip had been circulated by none other than Eckardt and his faction. Opal had looked into that much while she stayed in Lumeon.

It was clear, however, that Ellie’s wishes lay elsewhere. Her infatuation with Roland was one thing—another was that the rumors had also pointed to the fact that she didn’t want to marry her cousin. But unless I find out what Ellie’s true desires are, I can’t help her... Opal thought. At Ellie’s age, Opal had been forced to marry a duke. If given the luxury of choice at the time, Opal probably wouldn’t have married at all. Throughout the years Opal kept telling herself that she’d ultimately made the right choice and that her life had turned out well, but the what-ifs still plagued her mind. She couldn’t help herself—back then she’d had no choice but to get married, and she’d be lying if she said that she wasn’t curious about what would’ve happened if she’d been allowed to refuse.

Back then, if Opal had been granted the ability to make her own decisions, she knew that she’d have accepted the outcome even if she came to regret it. It was her choice that she’d made, after all. What else could she do? Opal was lost in her thoughts as she watched over Ellie, who was now surrounded by a crowd of people.

“Opal, don’t try to shoulder too much,” a kind, familiar voice said.

“Claude?” the duchess asked.

“I know that you’re worried about Ellie, but please keep in mind that there’s only so much you can do. Extend too far, and you might end up getting hurt.”

“You’re right. Thank you.”

She smiled and nodded at her gentle, worried husband—he always read her like an open book.

Ellie saw Opal and Claude smiling at each other in the corner of the venue and grew envious of them. Over the past few days at the Roussel manor, Ellie had learned that the couple loved each other to an extreme degree. The Lumeon princess had heard nasty rumors about Opal and had believed them completely, and had been utterly convinced the duchess had stolen Roland away. Ellie had been furious that her lover had been taken away from her, but when she saw the duke and duchess express their affection, her love felt cheap and flimsy in comparison.

Ellie refused to admit it. But any feeling of rebellion that she had had fizzled away in the face of all the cruel and condescending nobles in attendance tonight. Opal had been forced to experience far harsher insults and contempt at the young age of sixteen—and it was with that revelation that Ellie finally realized just how spoiled and childish she’d been. Tomorrow, I must have a proper discussion with Opal, Ellie thought. She was certain that the duchess would understand the storm of complex emotions that swirled within her mind. As Ellie resolved herself to apologize to Opal sometime soon, nearby whispers broke her out of her internal musings.

“And no apology,” a guest hissed. “Do they not know just how terrified we were when His Highness barged in?”

“Maybe the duchess invited His Highness over herself,” another whispered. “Maybe that’s why she interrupted His Grace when he was about to give the prince a harsh scolding.”

“It’s possible. In her youth, she was quite wild and uninhibited, I’ve heard. And she claims this party to be in support of women’s self-reliance, but is that truly necessary? If she’s so rich, why doesn’t she just pay all the fees herself? I can’t believe she’s trying to collect money from us.”

“You’re right. My own foundation is struggling to gather any sort of donations at all.”

Ellie had been hidden behind a pillar, exhausted from speaking with so many different people at once, and so the gossiping ladies had failed to notice her. While Ellie had actually thought similar things to what the women were saying, she found herself entirely intolerant of anyone speaking so disparagingly of Opal. As Ellie grew even more annoyed, the pair of ladies began to spout even nastier words.

“Isn’t it nice?” one said. “Catch the king’s eye, and you, too, can gather all these people.”

“She is rather beautiful,” the other replied. “I’m sure she’s mastered the art of getting her way.”

“Oh dear...”

As the ladies giggled, Ellie could no longer endure hearing such horrible remarks. She stepped out from behind the pillar and glared fiercely at the ladies. They gasped at once, and glanced around themselves awkwardly.

“Aren’t you both women’s rights activists, just like Opal?” Ellie demanded. “How could you say something so awful?”

The two women ran their own charity organizations, just like Opal. Ellie excelled at remembering people’s faces, and she never forgot a person that she’d been introduced to. One of the ladies was Baroness Whittal, a lady who apparently had built a factory to create a space where women could work with ease and safety. The other lady was the wife of Viscount Klaus, the man who had mistaken Ellie’s identity at first; this noblewoman worked to shelter women who had nowhere else to go.

“Besides, one of the men who followed Vincent—I mean, His Highness—like a scared little shadow was your son, no?” Ellie asked Viscount Klaus’s wife. “I’m surprised that you still have the audacity to speak so poorly of Opal.”

“What did you say?!” the viscountess demanded.

Ellie had spotted Vincent in the royal palace only once, with one of the female attendants nearby being the one to remark that the prince was with the son of Viscount Klaus. The viscountess was enraged by Ellie’s words, but she immediately regained her cool. A smile stretched across her face as she responded.

“I find that the duchess’s actions are laudable and splendid,” the viscountess said. “But it’s concerning if our donations are used to help mere harlots.”

“How dare—” Ellie started angrily.

“Oh? Is that your opinion, I presume, Viscountess Klaus?” another voice joined in.

When Ellie turned around, she saw Opal standing there with a smile.

17. Newspapers

“Y-Your Grace...” the viscountess stammered hastily. “I, um, well...”

Had she truly assumed that she would get away with bad-mouthing her hostess behind her back? Ellie cast the two ladies a cold gaze, but the viscountess quickly regained her composure once more and smiled.

“Your Grace, what an opportune time to share my position,” the viscountess said. “We are entirely against supporting harlots. Those troublesome serial murders have been, in actuality, a boon to our society. Those women got what they deserved, if you ask me. Good riddance.”

“Got what they deserved?” Opal replied. She feigned her calm, but her rage was about to reach a breaking point. “Those ladies were doing what they needed to survive. They were desperate. And yet, they were cruelly and heartlessly murdered. How exactly did they get what they deserved? How exactly was this a comeuppance? Our hatred and anger should be pointed at the killer, not the victims.”

These ladies were killed in cold blood; them being prostitutes was no excuse to claim so unreasonably that their murders were deserved. It’d been a while since Opal was gripped with such visceral wrath. She had no intention of extending these women any forgiveness.

“And who is this ‘we’ that you speak of?” Opal asked.

“Pardon?” the viscountess replied.

“Viscountess Klaus, you stated that we are against supporting harlots, did you not? Who is this ‘we’? I understand Baroness Whittal is part of it, but is there anyone else that you’re referring to? Tell me, and I shall refrain from requesting donations from them in the future. That way, we can all do our charity work to our heart’s content.”

As the smile on Opal’s face deepened, the baroness turned so pale that she looked like she’d faint at any moment. Who could blame her? She had just been called out by name that she would no longer be invited to House Bocceli’s events. The baroness desperately gazed at the gathering crowd of guests, pleading for some sort of help, but they all turned away. With only Viscountess Klaus to turn to, the baroness gripped the lady’s arm, and the viscountess stood up tall and proud to gaze at Opal with renewed confidence.

“Perhaps you may not be aware of this because you are from Socille, but this kingdom doesn’t take too kindly to those who have intimate relationships with several men,” the viscountess replied.

“Oh? Why, it’s the same in Socille,” Opal replied.

The viscountess had just made a feeble attempt to draw attention to the nasty rumors around Opal, but it was hardly effective. The duchess stood proud and dignified, exuding her beauty and charming both Ellie and the crowd. It had been two years since Opal arrived in Taisei, and many people had a good idea of her character. The rumors that circulated around her were usually because of those who were jealous or envious.

“And? Who else might be against my charity work?” Opal inquired. “If you don’t mind, I would like a list of names. It would save me some time, and I can refrain from sending them invitations in the future.”

Opal refused to let this go, instead exerting even more pressure. She wasn’t against the idea of voicing differing opinions, no matter how different, but to claim that “everyone” had the same mindset and, in doing so, bolster one’s own opinion with the suggestion of a majority was unforgivable. She absolutely hated it when people did so, and firmly encouraged a response from Viscountess Klaus.

But what could the viscountess say? Not a word. While there certainly must’ve been people against Opal’s actions who stated such behind her back, if the viscountess gave names here, she would be seen as a loose-lipped woman. It would only further ostracize her from the rest of the nobility. She would be tossed out from society.

“Viscountess Klaus, if no one else comes to mind, simply say so.” Opal smiled gently. “That’s all I ask.”

Everyone gasped with awe and wonder, their breaths taken away by Opal’s beauty. Even Ellie; she was so enchanted that she had no idea why she had ever been opposed to Opal in the first place. But despite the benevolent expression Opal maintained, she had no intention of letting up here.

“Now then, why don’t we get into proper discussions?” she went on. “Viscountess Klaus, Baroness Whittal, may I ask why you both are against supporting women who become harlots because that is their only way to make a living?”

Opal’s question was rather cunningly worded. Women usually didn’t choose prostitution; it was thrust upon them as a result of their environment. The duchess emphasized this fact in her wording, implying that it was all the more reason that these unfortunate women had to receive support and aid.

“A-As I said earlier, it’s uncouth for women to have intimate relationships with several men,” the viscountess replied. “And for money, no less? I find it quite vulgar.”

“Then how else can they survive?” Opal refuted. “Some of these young ladies are saddled with debt. How can they climb out of this line of work? To encourage them to leave that industry, we must offer them as much help as they require.”

A round of applause welled up from the crowd to commend Opal’s firm words. Both the viscountess and baroness visibly shrank, realizing that they had no allies and nowhere to go. Claude had just left the parlor and waded through the crowd before he pulled Opal to his side.

“I believe we men cannot be absolved from responsibility for the plight of these women,” he said. “I concur with my wife and believe that our kingdom must strive to actively support these ladies. Reform cannot come quickly, lest we confuse the masses. It will take time, but I, for one, will not give up.”

Another round of cheering came from the crowd. Duke Bocceli was influential in Taisei, and his words would undoubtedly encourage some form of activism in the future. Hearing the fuss, other men emerged from the parlor and heard the duke’s claims—they quickly began to discuss the future of the kingdom. Music filled the venue, but no one was dancing, and Opal gave a strained chuckle when she glanced around the room. Finally, she turned back to the viscountess and baroness.

“I found your opinions very insightful, and I’m glad to have heard them,” Opal said. “It’s unfortunate that we cannot see eye to eye on this matter, but I hope there will be another occasion in the future to meaningfully debate without any reservations. Now then, if you will excuse me.”

She gave a slight bow and left with Claude and Ellie. No lady dared to approach the viscountess and baroness, and only Viscount Klaus hastily rushed over to his wife’s side. They seemed to be bickering, but Opal pretended not to notice.

“I’m sorry for causing a fuss,” Ellie said.

“There’s no need for you to apologize, Ellie,” Opal replied. “You were defending me, weren’t you?”

“Did you hear everything?”

“Most of it. It happens all the time, so you don’t need to be so bothered.”

“All the time?”

Ellie was in shock as Opal gave her a reassuring smile. Claude felt that it was best to leave the ladies alone and departed—in any case, he had guests to entertain.

“Sometimes, you have to let things slide, but it’s important to choose your battles and fight for what you deem important,” Opal said. “I’m happy that you fought for me, Ellie.”

Usually, the duchess would never condemn others in front of a crowd. She was acutely aware of the power and influence that she wielded—no longer was she a newcomer who had just arrived in a foreign kingdom. But every now and then, her power had to be utilized.

“Ellie, this party will continue for a while longer,” Opal said. “Feel free to leave and rest if you’re tired. But tomorrow, I hope we can have a good, long discussion about all sorts of matters.”

“I understand,” Ellie replied. “Thank you, Opal.”

The duchess had much to do as the hostess of the party and, soon after speaking, had to leave Ellie’s side. Ellie could see that Opal was worried, and so she nodded obediently while voicing a word of gratitude. Opal gave a sheepish, happy smile, and Ellie found herself beaming back as she made her way out of the venue.

The next morning, the newspaper’s top headline was about the charity party hosted at Duke Bocceli’s manor. The article boldly stated Opal had dueled two other women, and proceeded to declare they had obtained all the details. Someone must’ve leaked information from the party, but Opal was portrayed in a favorable light with no complaints about Ellie. Fortunately, the Lumeon princess’s true identity hadn’t been touched upon.

“Good morning, Ellie,” Opal said as she stepped into the breakfast room. “You’re up early today.”

“Good morning, Opal,” Ellie replied as she hastily folded the newspaper. “I went to bed before you, so it’s only natural.”

Opal chuckled. The papers had already been delivered to her room, and she’d read the articles.

“Last night’s ordeal has been published,” she said. “And since the papers always portray me positively, they’re quite the boost.”

“You don’t hate them?” Ellie asked.

“Frankly, I would like to avoid them if I can, but it’s difficult to do so with my social standing. And if utilized well, these articles can actually serve as another weapon in my arsenal; thanks to yesterday’s kerfuffle, the donations I’ve received are the highest yet. And this article will encourage further donations. In fact, we might even gain some volunteers who would like to help me in my endeavor.”

As breakfast was brought in, Opal began to tuck into the food. Usually, she would give Lud his breakfast after she had hers, but she had a different schedule today. There was another article in the papers that had caught her eye.

“There’s a trick to handling information, and I think it’s best if you learned that from Claude,” Opal said. “But he will only be available in the afternoons. He’s not a morning person.”

“That, I’ve noticed,” Ellie replied.

The two ladies laughed as they resumed their breakfast. Once they were done, Ellie once again flashed Opal a worried look.

“Vincent’s written up too,” she said. “Will you be all right?”

She didn’t want to put a damper on their meal and had waited until they were finished to bring up the prince. She had enough sense to have that sort of consideration.

“Since the article’s been published, I imagine that it’ll be all right,” Opal replied. “He didn’t really cause a huge problem this time around anyway.”

“Sure, but the article did state that he was inebriated,” Ellie replied.

“That’s true. And this is where things get frankly infuriating, but men can get away with such things by blaming it all on the folly of youth. Boys will be boys and all that. Quite a few men, I assume, can relate to such indiscretions, as they, too, most likely have ingested alcohol while they were underage.”

“How unfair.”

“It truly is.”

Ellie frowned as Opal chuckled in agreement. The duchess had often opined how unfair society was in her youth. She then turned to the young lady.

“Ellie, do you read the papers every morning?” the duchess asked.

“Of course,” Ellie replied. “A majority of the articles are silly, but it allows me to study current events and political affairs.”

“But I haven’t seen you read here until now. Were you reading in your room?”

“Well...yeah. My tutor told me to not read in front of others. Women who read the papers are apparently cheeky, they said.”

Opal was absolutely astonished. She was shocked that there were still people who were so old-fashioned, but above all, she could hardly believe that such a person was allowed to be the princess’s personal tutor.

“Is your tutor a woman or a man? How old are they?” Opal asked.

“She’s a woman,” Ellie replied. “I think...she’s about Viscountess Klaus’s age.”

The viscountess was in her late forties. Her son was one of Prince Vincent’s bootlickers, and since he had been a desperately wanted child, the viscountess had spoiled him rotten.

“What did your other private tutors say?” Opal asked.

“I only have one,” Ellie replied. “She’s like a demon.”

“Unbelievable...”

Opal had been careful not to use the word since she became an adult, but she was simply that shocked. Ellie looked hurt by the response.

“I apologize. I am not doubting you at all,” Opal replied. “But it’s just that a princess receiving only one tutor is simply far too...”

“Few,” Ellie finished. “I know. I’ve only been taught the basics, and yet, there are people all around me treating me as the future ruler and demanding I get my act together.”

Ellie fell into a sulk, which Opal looked on in sympathy. If the princess had been raised in such an environment, it was only natural for her to be angry and rebellious.

“It might be late to ask, but why did you come to this kingdom anyway?” Opal inquired.

“I was suddenly asked to marry my cousin,” Ellie replied. “It made me so mad that I decided to leave home. I wrote to my uncle to ask for his cooperation, and he said that I should start with a simple visit to Taisei for some fun. And so he made preparations on my behalf.”

“I see...”

Then the king foisted all troublesome matters onto the duchess. But Opal hadn’t tried to discuss things with Ellie properly. She had instead treated the princess as a spoiled brat, which further earned her ire and only widened the rift in their relationship. Opal was frustrated with Alessandro, but she was most frustrated with herself. I hate prejudiced people. And yet that was exactly who I was, she thought. While in Lumeon, Opal had heard rumors about Ellie and seen the princess’s attitude on the ship, which made the duchess jump to assume that Ellie was a spoiled girl.

Opal should’ve known that pain best—when she was younger, rumors of her being lascivious had only led her to act out. Roland had complained that Ellie didn’t read the papers, but clearly, she had done so in secret.

“Ellie, it’s been a while since I’ve become your chaperone, but I really do want to get along with you,” Opal said. “Would you grant me the chance to be friends with you?”

“I...was also needlessly stubborn, and that causes me much remorse,” Ellie replied. “Will you be friends with me too?”

“All right,” Opal said. “I declare our cold war over. Let’s be friends.”

Opal stuck out her hand, much to Ellie’s surprise, and the Lumeon princess gingerly reached out. The two exchanged a handshake and promised to build a new relationship together.

18. Missing Persons

“Now then, since we finally made up, I really would like to sit and talk with you, but I must be elsewhere,” Opal said apologetically. “May I ask you to play with Lud?”

“I don’t mind that, of course, but what about Claude?” Ellie asked.

Ellie seemed surprised and expected Opal to go out on a leisurely morning stroll—doing so without her husband was unusual.

“I’d like him to sleep a bit longer,” Opal said. “When he wakes up, you should ask him about handling and manipulating information. I’m certain that it’ll enrage you.”

“Really?” Ellie asked.

Ellie laughed at Opal’s jokes. The princess had generally kept a scowl on her face until now, but when she smiled, she was the perfect image of a normal young lady. Opal returned to her room and popped by to see Lud before she got changed and left the manor. She’d left Claude a letter, knowing that he’d insist on tagging along if she told him directly. Opal boarded a simple carriage meant for servants before she switched vehicles midway to one that she had prepared beforehand.

Nadja was dressed in her normal clothes, and several guards were with the duchess, but there were other guards with her in tow too, watching from a distance; Opal’s destination was a dangerous part of Taisei. The carriage creaked to a halt in front of a certain building of the largest red-light district of the royal capital, Quinn Street. Opal wore a hood deep over her face and stepped off the carriage as she hastily headed inside. She had already contacted the building beforehand, and an elderly butler was already awaiting her inside the spacious hall.

“Right this way, please,” he said, leading her into the back of the first floor.

She had visited this bustling place once with Claude, but perhaps mornings here were quieter in general; there was hardly a peep to be heard. The guards waited within the hall while Nadja followed the duchess. As this was her first visit, she glanced from beneath her hood to curiously inspect the interior. Opal was guided to a room at the end of the corridor adorned with furniture more opulent than even ones in the royal palace. Yet this display of wealth didn’t seem at all gaudy or tacky, hinting at the tastefulness of the room’s owner.

“Welcome, madam. What business do you have with me today?” a lady asked.

The gorgeous woman who spoke was lying on the sofa in the middle of the room, her upper body pressed against the armrest. She took a puff from her pipe, as if to punctuate her question. She was a sight to behold, and her enchanting aura left Nadja stunned.

“Madame, I’m here about the missing persons article that appeared on this morning’s paper,” Opal said. “Does it ring a bell?”

“Missing persons, huh?” the bewitching lady replied.

“There was another of these articles just two days ago. Don’t you think that recently, these young women—who, I may add, share similar features—have gone missing at an alarming rate?”

“Do you think so?”

The madame gave a vague response and expelled another cloud of smoke. It was rather rude of her, but Opal didn’t mind.

“Recently, there have been quite a few crows gathering near my charity organization for women,” Opal said. “Do you know why that is?”

“I imagine these young crows have nowhere to go,” the madame replied.

“I see. And do you have any countermeasures in mind?”

“Crows are smart and cunning. And of course, quite vindictive. It’s best to be careful. They’re hungry now because the little birds they used to swipe food from are kept away from them in little cages. It’s made them more hostile and aggressive.”

“And where do these crows sleep?”

“I heard that your party last night was quite a success. It’s best to melt away and let the dark night shelter you, but you know crows—they can’t help but love shiny things. And they cry quite loudly, don’t they?”

“I always welcome donations.”

“I’m not interested. Enough about that matter. Is your husband not with you today?”

“I’m quite jealous, I’ll have you know.”

“Oh? Flattery shall get you nowhere.”

Nadja tilted her head to one side in confusion. This conversation didn’t seem to quite click, but Opal nodded and took some papers from her bag. She left them on a nearby table.

“Thank you for your time today,” the duchess said. “Please excuse me.”

She turned on her heel to leave, and Nadja hastily followed. There was no one other than the guards out in the hall, but Nadja still kept her hood deep over her head and followed Opal outside, where a carriage quietly rolled up to them. Only when the wheels creaked forward and whisked the two of them away from the red-light district did Nadja dare to break the silence.

“Madam, may I please ask who that woman is?” the maid asked gingerly.

Opal glanced at the guards and flashed Nadja a smile.

“It must’ve been a scary experience for you,” Opal said. “That lady is the mistress or owner of that brothel.”

“Huh? That was a brothel?” Nadja asked.

“A very expensive one too. It’s called the Butterfly Villa, and the madame there is quite well-informed. No one actually knows her real name, you know.”

The guards all had this information. Opal hadn’t told Nadja beforehand because the duchess feared that her maid would be against this trip due to its danger. But the maid’s eyes were currently twinkling in excitement.

“The madame is a stunning lady, isn’t she?” Nadja said. “You’re beautiful too, of course, madam, but her beauty is in a different vein... She was positively bewitching! And she owns the brothel at such a young age! I’m simply impressed!”

Opal paused for a moment before she said, “Madame has been the owner of that brothel for about twenty years.”

“What?”

Nadja was stunned as Opal gave a strained chuckle. The guards also flashed a discreet smile among themselves. The brothel was famous among the men—no matter how wealthy one was and how high a rank one held, it wasn’t easy to get into the Butterfly Villa. Yet important figures from various nations would hide their identities to visit the brothel, including, apparently, high-ranking officials from the Principality of Lumeon. The madame was introduced to Opal through LeBeau, the moneylender of Socille. He had warned her to greet the madame first before creating any sort of charity organization in Taisei.

Claude had tagged along during Opal’s initial visit out of worry, and the madame had teased Opal about it. The duchess switched carriages, just as she’d done on her trip to Quinn Street, and just as she reached her home, Claude came bursting through the entrance.

“Claude, is anything the matter?” Opal asked with surprise.

“Opal!” her husband cried, looking visibly relieved. “I’m so glad that you’re safe! I was just about to go and pick you up.” He immediately turned an unusually stern expression on his wife. “Why did you go by yourself? I would have gladly come with you. If something happened to you, I’d be absolutely beside myself.”

“I had guards with me, and there were no issues. Let’s head inside.”

This discussion couldn’t be had at the entrance, and she retreated back into the manor. Her maid was at a loss for what to do.

“Nadja, could I ask you to bring us some tea to Claude’s study?” Opal asked.

“C-Certainly,” the maid replied anxiously.

She left, and Opal stepped into his study and firmly closed the door.

“Claude, I’m grateful to see you so worried, but you’re being a bit too overprotective,” Opal said. “I don’t hold a candle against you or Julian, but I’ve wriggled out of quite a few tight spots as well. And now that we have Lud I would never act recklessly. Please trust me a little bit more.”

“I’m sorry,” Claude apologized.

“You only worry the servants when you make a fuss out in the open.”

“You’re right. I really am sorry.”

Last night, Opal was grateful for Claude’s overprotective nature, but she now found herself frustrated by it. But even she knew that she sounded hypocritical, and she gave a deep sigh to regain her cool.

“Plus, I’ve got an ace up my sleeve if needed,” Opal replied.

“Don’t let that make you careless,” Claude warned.

“I know. I hope that I never have to use it.”

Opal patted the pocket in her skirt as Claude frowned—she had a gun hidden inside it. Only recently had she learned how to use a gun, but she’d swiftly become an expert, making her a more precise markswoman than even Julian. She had competed with her brother before at target practice and won, increasing her confidence. Opal nodded obediently at her husband’s warning before they sat across from each other on the sofa. Nadja soon came in with a tray of tea.

“Nadja, I’m sorry for startling you earlier,” Claude apologized. “Thank you for the tea.”

“P-Please don’t be! It’s only natural for you to be worried!” the maid replied.

The conversation made Opal smile. Claude was the type of person who, if he thought he had done wrong, would apologize at once, no matter whom he needed to apologize to. Opal loved that side of him.

Opal also felt bad for losing her cool. “I’m sorry to shock you the moment you woke up. And thank you for being worried about me.”

Anyone would be shocked, worried, and even angry if they heard that their wife was out alone in the red-light district, not to mention that there was a murderer on the loose who frequented that exact same area.

“I love you, Opal,” Claude said suddenly.

“Huh?!” she gasped. “I-I do too! About you!”

She turned red. Whenever the two of them got into any sort of minor fight, Claude would always extend an olive branch in the form of affectionate words. Opal knew that she really should be more forthright with her feelings, but to her chagrin it was still difficult for her to be so open.

“It’s precisely why I didn’t want you to meet the madame,” Opal muttered.

“The madame?” Claude asked.

“She’s breathtakingly beautiful and completely different from me. I have faith in you, of course, but if possible...I’d rather you never see another woman again.”

She had mustered her courage to vocalize that last line. After a few moments of silence, Claude burst into hearty laughter.

“Laugh all you like!” Opal huffed as she turned to her side. “I’m a very small-minded wife, I’ll have you know. Too bad for you!”

While still turned away, Opal could hear Claude approach, and the slight warmth of his body as he moved to sit beside her and draw her close.

“I’m just surprised, that’s all,” he said. “I’ve had the exact same thoughts. I want all the men around you to disappear. The always reliable Trevor, the well-connected LeBeau—even them I’d like them to disappear from your sight. And sometimes I even feel like getting rid of the king; he’s always pushing so much work on you.”

“Claude, you must choose your words wisely,” Opal warned.

She was surprised to learn of Claude’s jealousy toward Trevor and LeBeau, but it was his final remark regarding Alessandro that could actually cause him to be punished for impudence; at worst, he could be suspected of treason. But Claude then began to formulate a grand plan.

“Let’s buy a deserted island and plan to live there as a family. We can even declare our independence,” he said.

Opal was sulking over her love confession being laughed at, but now she was the one giggling at Claude’s ideas.

“Would you be angry with me if I said that I actually have been eyeing a few islands?” Claude asked.

“Are you serious?” Opal replied. She looked shocked as her laughter died down.

Claude nodded awkwardly. “I’m not planning on leaving right this moment, obviously. Lud’s young, and he’s still frail. But when our son grows up and leaves the nest, I was considering moving. Is that too selfish?”

“It sounds like fun. We might not be able to stay there forever, but having a place we can go to when we’d like to leave society behind sounds appealing.”

“And we could get away from His Majesty.”

“That goes without saying.”

The couple exchanged hearty laughter as they sipped on their now-cold cups of tea. Opal then steered the conversation back on topic.

“Claude, did you read this morning’s paper?” she asked.

“Not all of it,” Claude admitted. “I’ve only read the front page.”

“Right. Because I startled you.”

Usually, around this hour, Claude would finally begin his work. He’d been striving to wake up early since Lud was born, but he went to bed late the night before, and he could hardly be blamed for his late start. He had been enjoying a light breakfast and had only just begun to read the papers when he read Opal’s letter that she’d be out, leading to his panic.

“Did you go and meet the madame to inquire about the serial murders?” Claude asked. “It’s frustrating that the killer’s still on the loose, but the authorities have been desperately investigating the case.”

“I know,” Opal replied. “Though the papers claim the authorities are being rather lax in their search, I’m sure that the Legal Affairs Bureau—Sir Barba—would never act that way. I went to the madame to ask about the missing persons.”

“The missing persons?”

“That’s right. I think it’s quicker if you read the papers.”

Opal stood up and rang the bell to summon a maid. She requested for the newspapers of the past month to be gathered and brought to the study.

“The past month?” Claude asked, a touch taken aback. “That’s quite a few.”

“Yes. Ever since I founded my organization for the less fortunate here, I’ve been making sure to carefully read the missing persons section as well. A girl that ran away from home might actually be under the care of my organization. Her family could be searching for her.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Claude said. “But just because they’re looking for her doesn’t mean it’s automatically the right choice for her to leave the care of the facility and reunite with them.”

Opal was happy to see that she and her husband were on the same page. If the girl had left her home simply because she was dazzled by the glamor of the city life, that was all well and good, but many girls left because their homes were quite poor environments. While Opal’s organization primarily sheltered women, it provided aid for anyone in need. Anyone at all that needed help could come to Opal’s organization, since it accepted both men and women of all ages. And while it was Opal who stood in the forefront for her activism, Claude firmly supported her from the shadows.

“Madam, I’ve brought the newspapers that you’ve requested,” Josephe said. It only took him a brief moment to gather up all the papers with the help of other servants.

“Thank you,” Opal said.

A maid awaited another order, standing by should the duchess need any support, but Opal had her leave. All the while, Opal took out the papers with dates she recognized.

“I want you to peruse these,” she said.

She flipped through the pages to the small column of missing persons. Claude skimmed them, and even finished reading the papers of this morning.

“I see...” Claude said. “This is odd. The names of the missing people aren’t listed. Yet, there’s a reward—albeit small—offered for each one. And the contact is the newspaper company itself.”

“Exactly,” Opal replied. “Sure, there have been times where missing persons notices would hide the names of those missing. Mostly it would be to hide the family names. But not this many people. And there haven’t been this many rewards offered either.”

“And while the name of the missing person on this morning’s paper is listed, her features are practically the same as the missing people of the past five days who had rewards attached,” Claude said. “In fact, this similar phenomenon has occurred thrice within the past month. They’re all young blonde ladies with blue or green eyes.”

As Claude gazed back down at the papers, he gasped and raised his head with realization. Opal nodded, reading her husband’s mind.

“It’s what I heard from my charity organization before,” she said. “Blonde women with blue or green eyes tend to attract the most clients.”

“You mean...” Claude said. “To collect women who recently left home, someone’s pretending to be a concerned family member and placing a reward on their heads to encourage the townspeople to search for them? And if these young women had no desire to return home, it would be entirely expected for them to claim no recognition of their ‘family’ so they could remain free. Even if they resisted, outsiders would only see, at most, a young lady throwing a tantrum because she didn’t want to go home just yet.”

“Precisely. Which is why I went to the madame to confirm my suspicions. Because the charity organization created two facilities within the royal capital to shelter the needy, the women aren’t so easily fooled like before, and they can’t gather enough people.”

“But now you’ve earned their ire, Opal!”

Claude raised his voice, his tone mixed with panic, worry, and anger. The madame had also given a similar warning, but Opal kept that a secret. Both “crows” and “birds” were slang terms used in the seedy underbelly of society.

“For now, I’d like to contact the newspaper company and inquire about the person who’s requesting these missing persons listings,” Opal said.

“Opal, if you pry further—” Claude started, wanting to warn his wife of the danger.

A knock cut him off, and when he allowed entry, Nadja came rushing in.

“What’s wrong?” Opal asked.

“Lady Ellie has gone missing!” Nadja cried.

19. Unknown

“Ellie’s gone? What does that mean?” Opal asked. “Did she leave by herself?”

“That’s what it looks like,” Nadja replied. “Her attendants are in a panic. When I asked them the matter, they said she was gone. They tell me she began to act strangely after receiving a letter.”

“Did you search all the rooms in the manor? What about Lud’s room?”

“Mr. Josephe has taken over and they’re searching all the rooms again, but...”

Opal and Claude had left the study while Nadja provided details. Suddenly the entire manor was in a flurry of distress. There was no reason for her to hide; if Ellie still refused to appear, it would be safe to say that she’d gone missing.

“Yes, it’s likely that she’s no longer in the manor,” Opal said. “Do you have this letter that came for her?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Nadja replied. She was Opal’s personal attendant, and so something like that was outside her jurisdiction.

Opal rushed to the second floor to hear more details from the lady-in-waiting assigned to Ellie. Claude, on the other hand, headed outside. He had likely gone to check the stables and see if there were any carriages missing, and also ask around to see if Ellie was spotted. He could also arrange for a search party more easily outside.

“When was Ellie last seen?” Opal asked.

“She was still around when you returned to the manor, but since then...” Ellie’s attendant muttered awkwardly.

Claude’s outburst at the entrance had taken the attendant’s attention. There was a good chance that Ellie used that opportunity to slip away and leave the manor. Yeah... I should’ve noticed how unusual it was for Ellie not to appear despite all the fuss, Opal thought. She’d let her guard down, relieved that she’d made amends with Ellie. The duchess knew she had a keen eye for deception, and she didn’t doubt Ellie’s words and actions from this morning at all.

Where would a more honest Ellie sneak out to without telling a soul? The duchess gasped.

“It can’t be...” Opal murmured.

The letter that Ellie had received wasn’t within the manor. And though the sender was a mystery, it was a person Ellie felt she had to meet in secret. Not to mention that anyone who read the papers could find out where one Ellie Clamp was staying.

“Claude!” Opal gasped as she raced down the stairs, calling out for her husband.

Claude had rushed back in from the stables at the sound of Opal’s voice. “Yes? Did you find anything?”

“Ellie must’ve gone to meet Roland! I’m sure of it!”

“Roland? You mean the swindler, Roland Burton?”

“Precisely! I’d received a report earlier that Roland had entered Taisei. If I contact the guard assigned to tail him, we should discover if Ellie is with him!”

“Got it. I’ll report back to His Majesty and gather some people to begin a search. You should—”

“I’ll go with you! I’ve been receiving reports about Roland’s whereabouts!”

But Claude held his wife back. “No!”

“If it’s because of potential danger, I won’t—”

“That’s not it. If you’re not here, who will take charge of this manor? And if Ellie truly wanted to just play a prank on us, you should be the first to welcome her home and give her a harsh scolding.”

In truth, Josephe was fully capable of running the manor, and if Ellie did return, there would be all the time in the world to give her a good scolding. Claude was just worried about his wife, but he chose his words carefully to ensure he didn’t injure Opal’s pride. It’d do him no good if she turned stubborn here. Opal took a step back—if anything occurred, she would only be a hindrance. She slowly and visibly calmed herself, biting her lip slightly as she gave Claude a nod.

Claude looked visibly relieved as he said, “And while we should be worried, I’m certain that Ellie is with a guard.”

“Ah...” Opal gasped.

Only then did she finally realize that Ellie had a powerful ally—keen-eyed Alessandro would’ve undoubtedly kept a guard on his niece at all times, keeping her safe from any danger. The king might not have informed Opal and Claude of such, but surely there were guards on standby outside their manor as well. Since Ellie had, at first, been hostile and rebellious toward Opal, Alessandro might have expected his niece to sneak out once or twice. But there was a strong likelihood that these guards were few in number, especially in comparison to the number of household servants Claude and Opal had under their employ; whatever proper reports had been sent or information channels they used would most likely be delayed, as they had their hands full protecting the Lumeon princess.

“Thank you, Claude,” Opal said. “You be careful too.”

“I will. Thanks, Opal,” Claude replied.

He drew her in for an embrace and kissed her before he left. Horses and guards were already awaiting him at the manor’s entrance. He climbed atop his horse and flashed a reassuring smile to his wife before he kicked the sides of his steed and galloped off. Opal gave herself a moment to watch Claude’s departure before quickly turning back to the manor. She went into the study and sat in Claude’s seat to draft a letter, but her mind was a mess and she struggled to organize her thoughts.

Three days after Opal had returned home, she had received a report that Roland had boarded a ship for Lumeon, immediately gotten off at the next port going back the way he came, and entered Taisei. All the while, Roland had kept the bag filled with cash under his watchful eye, not once leaving it out of his sight. After he’d left the ship, he’d taken a train to the royal capital and gone straight to a cheap inn located in the back alleys of Quinn Street.

A guard kept watch to see if Roland would meet up with someone, but the swindler remained inside and even had his food brought up to his room. I thought he was waiting for someone, but was I wrong? Opal wondered. But then why is he refusing to leave his room? I don’t understand. If he knew that he was being tailed, would he not stay put and instead flee at the first opportunity? Is he working under someone else’s orders? But if that was the case, then he wouldn’t have switched targets over to me so easily. If he just wanted to take more money from me and kidnapped Ellie to do so, that would be simple enough, but...

If Roland wasn’t just a rogue swindler and was actually an underling of a major criminal ring, Ellie was in real danger. If so, there was a strong chance that this ring was the type to kill their hostages when they requested ransom. If the man assigned to watch Roland acted to protect Ellie and leaped to her rescue, it was all good and well, but what if he didn’t call her out? In fact, of Opal’s list of enemies there were those who opposed her activism—it wouldn’t be completely out of the question for one of them to target Ellie as a way of attacking Opal. If Roland is in this criminal ring, did they decide to utilize his relationship with her? If this group and whatever group’s been kidnapping women are connected in some way, this will be quite the troublesome matter.

Should anything happen to Ellie, this wasn’t just Opal’s responsibility—it’d blossom into an international matter that would encourage strife between nations. And even if Ellie’s disappearance was really just a lark, that wouldn’t matter if something were to happen to her. Wait, maybe that’s what the criminals are aiming for...

Right at the moment that Opal began to suspect that they were dealing with something much more than a minor criminal operation, a letter arrived. There was no sender, and it was clearly suspect. She hastily opened the envelope and scanned the page—as she’d expected, it was a demand that she leave the manor. And it even had the cliché line of not telling anyone. This is such a blatant trap...

The entire manor was in a huge fuss trying to find Ellie. Even in normal circumstances the duchess was unlikely to leave these premises without someone being informed. For a moment, Opal considered it to be one of Alessandro’s pranks, but even he wasn’t so mean-spirited...or so she’d like to think. Even if this letter was clearly a trap, with Ellie possibly taken hostage this letter couldn’t be ignored. Opal paced around the study, racking her brain to make a decision.

She could only think of one solution. Opal swiftly drafted a letter to the madame of Butterfly Villa and a letter to Claude, and entrusted them to one of her servants. She left the study, raced down the stairs, and visited her son’s room.

“Madam...” Asha said worriedly. She was visibly anxious; she knew the manor was in a state of panic.

Opal flashed a reassuring smile and hugged Lud tight.

“Asha, I must be off,” she said. “Will you please take care of Lud?”

“Is everything all right?” Asha asked.

“Yes. Ellie just caused a fuss. That’s all.”

“I see...”

The wet nurse looked relieved. Perhaps there was a benefit to Ellie’s rambunctious behavior after all. Opal once again hugged her beloved son and planted a kiss on his soft cheek before handing him back to Asha.

“I shall be off,” Opal said.

“Do take care,” Asha replied.

She left her son’s room and returned to Claude’s study to gather up her necessities. The duchess asked Josephe, still quite worried, to take charge while she was out, and took a fiacre to the designated location—the railway station.

Upon her arrival, she glanced around until a young shoe-shiner approached her with a small scrap of paper with her next location scribbled on it. I see... Whoever’s behind this is diligent enough to cover their tracks. She stepped back onto the fiacre and headed for the middle of the royal capital, where there was a city square with a large fountain. This time, a little girl selling flowers handed the duchess another scrap of paper. Opal followed the orders written on it and walked into the back alleys where she was almost dragged into an unfamiliar carriage.

Opal instinctively dug one of her feet into the vehicle when she heard an angry male voice. She looked into the vehicle and felt the strength leave her body. The duchess was swiftly pulled inside and shoved next to Ellie, who was all tied up.

20. Kidnapping

“Tsk! You sure are a handful!” the man said with irritation as the door to the carriage slammed shut.

Opal was peeled away from Ellie’s side and violently shoved into a seat across from the princess. The man had a bit of rope to tie the duchess up with.

“There’s no need for you to restrain me,” Opal replied. “I won’t try to leave as long as Ellie is here.”

“You think I’m just going to trust you?!” the man spat.

“Why not? I came here all by myself just for her sake.”

The man seemed close to agreeing with Opal when a new voice joined in on the conversation.

“I knew it! You guys were working together, weren’t you?!” Roland growled.

“Ah, Roland,” Opal said. “I didn’t think I’d meet you here. Were you also caught?”

When Opal was almost dragged into the carriage, she had spotted Roland with Ellie, but feigned innocence as she posed her question. Roland’s anger only grew.

“Stop with the cheek!” Roland shouted. “You tricked me!”

Ellie trembled, frightened by his wrath, but Opal, on the other hand, frowned.

“Tricked you? How so?” she asked. “What happened to the fifty million I entrusted you with?”

Roland furrowed his brow, hesitating. He had looked splendid and handsome on the ship, but now his clothes were a mess and his hair was disheveled, aging him about a decade.

“You knew I was scamming you and you tricked me, no?” Roland asked.

“Tricked you?” Opal asked.

“You and Ellie teamed up to take me down!”

“No, the first time I met Ellie was on that ship. But what I will say is that I was asked to be her chaperone and that I did indeed try to tear you two apart. My sincerest apologies, but I cannot allow such a novice investor as yourself to be with her. I gave you the money because you gave me such a great investment option. Was that all a lie? And to think I was looking forward to our next meeting.”

Opal only gave half-truths, but it was enough for Roland to become clearly panicked.

The other man impatiently cut in. “Roland, don’t let her fool you! You’ve been tailed ever since you received that money, haven’t you?!”

“R-Right! That’s right!” Roland exclaimed. “Ever since I left the bank, I’ve been followed!”

“What are you on about?” Opal asked, sounding genuinely puzzled. After a few moments, she widened her eyes as though she finally understood the situation. “Wait, so this was all a scam? You’ve felt nothing for Ellie after all?”

Opal’s fantastic acting made Roland and the other man look away awkwardly. All the while Ellie was looking down, sniffling.

“I-I received a letter from Roland stating that he wanted to meet me,” Ellie sniveled. “But I’ve realized that my love for Roland wasn’t real... I wanted to apologize to him, but...”

As she trembled and voiced her intentions, Opal greatly regretted her past actions. The duchess had hidden the fact that Roland was a swindler to protect Ellie’s heart, but what she had done had had the opposite effect. The duchess could only pray that Ellie’s guards and the guards that Opal had secretly dispatched could save them. They were likely on standby, waiting for the carriage to stop and see where the hostages would be kept.

She had faith that Claude was working hard to save Ellie, and she knew that now, her only responsibility was to protect the princess until then and find the mastermind behind this scheme. Opal steeled her resolve and focused herself on comforting Ellie.

The carriage finally creaked to a halt in front of a rugged building in the alleys of Quinn Street, where brothels and gambling sites less reputable than the ones on the main road had set up shop. A man forcibly restrained Opal’s arms as they left the carriage, with a tied-up Ellie following Roland. The fact that the criminals didn’t even seem to hide the fact that they had bound women with them only attested to the fact that this was commonplace here.

Even worse was that neither Opal nor Ellie wore blindfolds, a clear indication that their kidnappers did not expect them to survive this experience. The duchess refused to cower in the face of the leers and vulgar gazes from the various men in the building, instead choosing to glare back at them. When they were finally shoved into a dirty room, Opal dared to break the silence with disbelief.

“Um, Roland,” Opal started. “I understand that you’re a scammer, but what in the world is this? Did you stage a kidnapping for ransom? Were you involved in this horrific criminal ring from the start?”

“Sh-Shut up!” Roland stammered. “I didn’t expect this either!”

And with that wailing denial, he left the room and locked the door behind him. Unfortunately, Opal and Ellie were now trapped.

“Ellie, are you all right?” Opal asked.

“I-I don’t think I can endure much more...” Ellie muttered.

“I don’t blame you. But you must. Please hang in there for a bit longer. I’m sure that help will arrive soon enough.”

“Are you sure? How can I... Opal, how are you still so calm?”

Ellie practically collapsed onto a dingy couch, clearly exhausted. On her tear-streaked face was a deep frown, possibly because the pain from her restrained arms was too much to bear. She couldn’t help but question Opal’s cheery demeanor.

“It’s not unusual for me. Holing myself up, or being trapped, kidnapped, and restrained are all common occurrences,” Opal said. “I’ve gone through this more than most. Although, we’re not in an attic this time.”

“Common?” Ellie inquired.

“That’s right. My older brother is so mean that I used to fight with him every day. Even now, he’s—”

The door slammed open violently, cutting her off, the gruff man from earlier stomping inside. He carried bowls with what looked like soup inside.

“Where’s Roland?” Opal asked.

“He might pity you ladies and let you flee,” the man replied. “Speaking of, you can’t flee even if you tried. We’ve got guards in the corridors and outside. If you try to run, the papers will catch wind of it and write up a massive article again. Now then, I’m set on working you both like dogs, so eat well and build your stamina. You won’t have another bite to eat until morning.”

The man flashed an indecent gaze, undressing Opal and Ellie with his eyes as he made his threats, then leaving with a gleeful chuckle. The door closed, and a loud thunk signaled that it’d been locked.

“I knew it...” Opal muttered.

“A-About what? What’s going on?” Ellie asked as she trembled.

The princess was terrified beyond belief; she’d never encountered such a man in her life. But if Opal told her the complete truth, Ellie’s fear would no longer be genuine and that would certainly arouse their captors’ suspicion. And so, Opal chose to only feed Ellie tidbits to ease some of her anxiety. The duchess knelt by the princess’s feet and clasped both of the princess’s quivering hands in hers.

“Those criminals have made many, many mistakes,” Opal said. “First, I’m not tied up. I could easily undo your knots and flee.”

“B-But we were told that it’d be hopeless even if we escaped because there are people keeping watch outside,” Ellie whimpered. “And...”

The man had mentioned that an article would be written again—a quiet admission that they were the ones behind the serial murder cases that had terrified society—they’d murdered these ladies in cold blood. All the women who had been killed had been escapees that these criminals were making an example of. But Opal chose to hide this fact from Ellie, along with the fact that these men actually had no intention of killing the duchess and princess.

Opal had wrongly assumed that she’d be murdered because she wasn’t blindfolded, but now it was more likely that they were likely going to be handed off to one of the criminals’ clients. These men had kidnapped poor women and forced them into prostitution. When Opal had been shoved into the room, she’d discreetly glanced outside to see several men standing guard. They weren’t there to keep specifically Opal and Ellie in check; they were there to watch over any captured women in general.

Since this plan had worked until now, the criminals arrogantly assumed that Opal and Ellie wouldn’t flee either. It was imperative that Opal not allow Ellie to catch even a hint of these men’s plans.

“A trapped princess will always be saved,” Opal said instead.

“That’s only in fairy tales,” Ellie replied. She frowned, assuming that Opal was treating her like a scared little girl who needed to be comforted with some fantastical story.

But it was a sign that Ellie had regained some of her energy, and Opal gently stroked Ellie’s tied hands.

“I know it hurts, but I need you to stay tied for just a bit longer,” the duchess said. “If they find out that I untied you, I’ll be in ropes too.”

“That’s not fair,” Ellie replied.

“It isn’t. But in times of dire need, I will be the more useful one, so it’s better for us both if I remain more mobile and untied.”

“What a nice excuse.”

Opal gave a relieved smile, happy to see that Ellie’s cheekiness had returned. The princess had calmed down considerably, and she surely was ready for a bit more information.

“I’ll tell you another mistake they made,” Opal said. “You might not like it, but His Majesty has secretly kept guards on you.”

“Then why aren’t they saving me?” Ellie asked.

“Because they’re heavily outnumbered. They can’t act recklessly and fail this mission—it’s far wiser to wait for reinforcements so that they can rescue us without any risks.”

But deep down, Opal wasn’t sure about this. If Alessandro truly wanted to protect Ellie, she would’ve been stopped the moment she tried to leave the manor. Even if she’d been allowed to go to Roland, she surely could’ve been rescued the moment they met. In fact, when Opal was pushed into this building earlier, she’d seen Julian’s smug grin from the shadows—proof that they had guards.

“I’ve been had...” Opal muttered.

“What’s wrong?” Ellie asked. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

The princess looked deeply concerned, but all Opal could do was let out a deep sigh. At once, Ellie turned white as a sheet as she swiftly used her bound hands to pat Opal down and check for any injuries. Internally Opal was infuriated; how could such a kind child be placed in this precarious situation? The duchess could only flash a reassuring smile.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you for being so worried about me. I just recalled my brother, and that made me so angry.”

“Your brother? Are you two on bad terms?” Ellie asked.

“The worst terms. In any case, I’d like to say one more thing that might put you at ease. I also had guards follow me here. And I’ve ordered those guards to stay put for now.”

“Why? We’re scared and in pain.”

“Do you really think Roland and his friends are the masterminds of this operation? I’m certain that they’re working under the orders of someone else.”

“So, Roland was ordered to do this? Was he also ordered to say that he liked me?”

Opal had attempted to put Ellie’s mind at ease, but the poor royal took this information in a different direction. She was so pure and innocent—in fact, she had wanted to meet Roland and apologize for not truly being in love with him. Did Ellie want to believe that Roland wasn’t a villain? Or did she refuse to admit that she had been fooled? Opal decided to voice her opinions clearly.

“Whether he was ordered to or not, Roland has committed a crime. There’s no denying that,” she said. “There are many people out there who are evil in spite of their disarming or gentle appearances. In fact, Ellie, in the future, you’ll be surrounded by tons of people like that.”

“So, am I not supposed to trust anyone?” Ellie asked. “Is it because I lack charm?”

“No, that’s not it. You’re very charming. But people are complicated, and while some will be drawn to you, others will choose to suppress those feelings in service of a larger objective.”

“Objective?”

“Like a spy, for instance. Ellie, you’ll soon become the ruler of Lumeon, and there are many who yearn for the natural resources that your nation produces. Some of those may act for the sake of their own country, and frankly, what they do can be considered neither good nor evil.”

“Is that why I’m trapped here? They’re not after money, but the mines? I remember Roland mentioning something about mining!”

Ellie was sharp, but what she thought was not quite what Opal had in mind. The truth that the duchess assumed was actually far crueler. Alessandro likely agreed with her, and was trying to use these circumstances to coax the mastermind out from the shadows.

“Just remember that greedy people will flock to you,” Opal said. “Hence, you must have a sharp eye by which to judge the character of others. Who is your friend? Who is an enemy? Who can you trust, or doubt? And most importantly, who can you have complete faith in?”

“Can I really do that?” Ellie asked.

“You can. It might be tough right now, but you have plenty of time to learn.”

“Then will you teach me once we get out of this?”

“If...I can.”

Opal couldn’t guarantee anything; in the future, Ellie’s word could very much change the economy of the entire world. The duchess wasn’t ready to shoulder such a heavy responsibility, though she knew that Claude would always support her in all things. But as her mind wandered to Lud, she couldn’t help but hesitate. It was for his future that she couldn’t decide things so hastily. As a thousand thoughts raced through Opal’s mind, Ellie cast an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, Opal,” Ellie said. “It’s all my fault, isn’t it?”

“Huh?” Opal asked.

“The fact that you lost fifty million, lost your precious time with Lud to force me to socialize, and worked hard to support an ill-tempered lady like me is all my fault. Even the fact that we got captured. I’m truly sorry for dragging you into this mess.”

As Opal was silent, Ellie took that opportunity to apologize. She looked like she was going to burst into tears, but her eyes were filled with resolve. She took her bound hands to firmly grab Opal’s.

“Don’t worry,” Ellie said, trying her best to cheer the duchess up. “Once we leave here, I promise to study more and won’t be so selfish. I’ll refrain from socializing so that you can spend more time with Lud.”

Most of her promises pertained to herself, but all of this would help Opal immensely. Above all, the princess knew just how much Opal treasured Lud. Yeah, I can’t leave her be. Opal giggled and gripped Ellie’s hands in turn.

“Thank you,” the duchess said. “I was just lost in my thoughts, but I’m all right. And I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that you didn’t drag me into all of this.”

“What do you mean?” Ellie asked.

“Because of my charity foundation, there are those experiencing a loss.”

“A loss? What?”

“That’s right. Until now, gathering women left on the street and forcing them into work was probably quite easy. But now, with shelters in place for them, these same women have a place to seek refuge. In fact many people who most likely would have been forced to work in brothels can now flee to these shelters for help.”

“That’s... That’s just unjustified resentment!”

“Common sense doesn’t work against them, I’m afraid.”

While Opal wasn’t sure what kind of standing Roland had in the organization, this particular scheme was likely plotted by those who wanted to kidnap Ellie for their own benefit and get rid of Opal as well. But one couldn’t just wing an elaborate plan like this without any issues; the duchess was certain that this wouldn’t end well for them.

“Isn’t our prince a bit too late in rescuing us?” Opal grumbled.

Ellie giggled before she gave a humorous pout. “You might have a prince, but I don’t.”

“Oh? You never know.”

Opal gave a vague response to the sulking princess, and Ellie immediately shook her head with dismay.

“When you say prince, you don’t mean by rebellious cousin, do you?” she inquired. “Or do you mean uncle? I don’t think he can exactly be my prince...”

The two ladies burst into a fit of giggles—the thought of King Alessandro as a righteous prince was just too comical. Just then, they heard a fuss downstairs.

“Has our prince arrived?” Opal mused.

“Then he should arrive a bit quieter,” Ellie replied.

“His gallant entry upon his white horse might make that difficult.”

Opal was nervous as she joked along, and Ellie did the same. If Claude really did come for them, the ladies would likely be taken as hostages. The duchess slipped her right hand into the pocket of her skirt to grip the gun that she’d kept hidden, and moved with Ellie to the corner of the room. Yet the door to their room hadn’t been busted open; instead, the lock slowly turned, and the door gave way to a bewitching beauty.

21. The Prince

“Oh my!” the madame of Butterfly Villa gasped with burly, menacing men in tow. “She’s far more beautiful than the rumors!”

Behind her was a man with an uneasy expression, dressed in fine clothing. Opal casually glanced over to him to analyze the new face. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere... the duchess thought. As she tried to jog her memory, the man stood in front of Opal, cutting the madame off. Ellie, now frightened anew, clung to Opal with the awkward grip afforded to her by her bound hands.

“Madame, please wait,” the man said. “We cannot sell these ladies to you.”

“Oh? Why not?” the Madame inquired. “You’ve sold ladies of all types until now, haven’t you? Why not sell them to me? You know this brothel is only standing because I wish it, don’t you?”

“W-Well...”

“Secrets don’t survive on my turf. The thought of these beauties in my shop excites me terribly. Wouldn’t you agree?”

She cared not about the hesitant and panicking man who was reluctant to sell the ladies and turned to the men behind her for agreement. The madame slowly walked toward Opal, outstretched her pale, delicate fingers, and grabbed the duchess by the chin, forcing Opal to face her.

“To think the day I could purchase Duchess Bocceli has arrived,” the madame said, gazing at the Opal with bright ecstasy in her eyes.

The man gave a shriek, shocked that Opal’s identity was revealed, and he cowered as the truth was spoken aloud.

“Do you think that you can use me for your store?” Opal replied. “I’ll be noticed right away and my husband will come immediately. And when that happens, even the soldiers of the royal palace will be dispatched for my rescue.”

“Oh, I’m not so sure about that,” the madame replied. “I’m sure there’ll be long lines just to experience a moment with you, Your Grace. And once you’re in my shop, you’re my product. Even His Majesty won’t be able to lift a finger against me. It’s an unspoken rule: He doesn’t mess with me, and I won’t mess with him.”

The madame easily rebuffed Opal’s claims and turned around to face the man. The man rubbed his hands together in panic, at a total loss for what to do next.

“Opal...” Ellie murmured anxiously. In the cramped room her feeble voice fizzled into nothing.

Opal winked at Ellie to signal that she was all right, while the price quoted by the madame brought the man to his knees.

“T-Two hundred million?!” he gasped.

“A hundred million per person,” the madame replied. “With these two in my house, I’ll make back the money and then some. And you know very well that no other guest could spend as much as I. The smart thing for you to do is sell them to me now. I won’t negotiate, though if you’d prefer a lower price, I would—”

“Sold!” the man said. He quickly regained himself and replied; he didn’t want the madame to start haggling for a lower price. “But I’ll only take cash, and you must pay me right now.”

“Sure, fine by me,” the madame replied. “I’ve got the money.”

She agreed, unfazed by the man’s forcible request, and at once one of her men stepped forward. He had bags in both hands, and set them onto the ground with a loud thud.

“I-Is this...” the seller gasped. He trembled.

The madame flashed a bewitching smile. “Trust is important in all lines of work. You may check the amount if you wish.”

“O-Okay...”

The man fell onto his knees and opened one bag with a nervous gulp. Ellie also gasped, tightening her grip on Opal’s arm. The sound of the man swiftly checking the wads of cash echoed throughout the room, punctuated by coquettish squeals that were both out of place and oddly deafening. A while later, the man closed the other bag as well and stood up to bow toward the madame.

“I haven’t quite confirmed it, but it does look like I’ve received the payment in full. Would you please carry the money with you as we go to a separate room? I shall write up a bill of sale for these two women.”

“Very well,” the madame replied before she ordered her men. “You, carry the bags. And you, stay here and watch over the ladies. I wouldn’t want them to get injured.”

“Ha ha, madame, as expected, you’re very careful,” the seller replied.

He led the way to guide the madame out of the room, with one of the burly men remaining. He said not a word as he closed the door and stood in front of it. As Ellie’s last sliver of hope crumbled away, Opal peered into the bowls left by the smug man earlier and discovered soup.

“I haven’t had lunch yet, so I’m quite hungry, but this seems far from appetizing,” Opal said casually.

“What are you...” Ellie started.

But she lacked the strength to keep scolding Opal’s laid-back demeanor; Ellie hadn’t eaten or drunk a single thing ever since she left the manor, and she was parched. Yet she didn’t even have the energy to eat.

“You know what they say: One cannot fight on an empty stomach,” Opal said. “Ellie, you must know that in the future, no matter what happens, you must make sure to eat heartily. But do be careful not to eat poisoned food.”

She giggled, earning a glance from the man on guard, and seemed, entirely in contrast to Ellie’s nervous state, not to give a care for their circumstances.

“No need to worry,” Opal assured. “He won’t do anything to us. In fact, he’s here to protect us, so we must be grateful to him.”

“But...” Ellie started.

“Don’t worry.”

In the face of Opal’s almost frightening calm, Ellie’s nerves began to ease, but the moment the madame returned, the princess felt like crying again.

“Madame, would you kindly undo the ropes on this girl?” Opal requested. “The friction has scraped her hands.”

“Of course,” the madame replied easily. “As long as you promise not to flee.”

“You won’t, right, Ellie?”

Ellie had failed to notice how unnatural Opal’s conversation with the madame was as they were being guided into the carriage provided by the madame. Ellie felt like she was going to faint at any moment. When they reached Butterfly Villa, she entered through the back while gazing at the ground, following Opal’s lead. She only raised her head when bright lights came on around her, and though the interior of the room spared no expense in its almost exotic opulence, the most surprising thing inside was Alessandro. The king sat in an armchair, proudly, as though he’d owned the place.

“Uncle?” Ellie murmured.

“Enjoyed your little adventure, Ellie?” Alessandro replied.

“Wh-Why...”

Clearly, she needed time to process this development. Opal glanced at the girl with pity before turning to Claude, who stood next to Alessandro. Claude was already looking at her, face intent, and Opal prepared herself to receive a harsh scolding later.

“Was this all a lie?!” cried Ellie, gripped with both fear and relief. “Did you all trick me?!”

Ellie’s face was streaked with tears of rage as she placed her head in her hands. No could blame her for her outburst, considering what she’d been through. But Alessandro, at least, was not interested in offering her words of comfort; he remained seated on the armchairs, his arms relaxed and his legs casually crossed.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Ellie,” the king said.

“How so?!” the princess cried. “I knew this was all so strange. Opal was acting far too calm!”

His Majesty’s icy tone did nothing to stop Ellie from casting an accusing finger at the duchess. Her terror had left her, making room for wrath. Claude brought his wife close as though to protect her from bodily harm.

“Ellie, it was because of Opal that you came back safely at all,” Alessandro said.

“That makes no sense!” Ellie shrieked. “While she remained free, I was bound and forced to endure so much pain!”

She raised her wrists in the air as though to show proof of her suffering, but at the fierce glare Claude shot her, hostile and without a care for her injuries, Ellie faltered, jolting in shock.

There were additional occupants in the room, Alessandro’s guards alongside with the madame herself, and they all silently watched this exchange. In Opal’s case, she was actually quite incensed with the king, who sat and watched the scene as if enjoying some show.

“Had the madame not negotiated on your behalf, we would have stormed the building regardless of the risks,” Claude said sternly.

“What?” Ellie asked.

“That building you were in was full of heavily armed guards. We could have won anyway in terms of both numbers and firepower, but you and Opal were taken hostage. No doubt they had some people lying in wait for an ambush, and so we chose to stay cautious until we grasped the entirety of the situation. A drawn-out battle with high casualties was always a likely possibility.”

“B-But then the madame...”

Ellie feebly looked toward the brothel’s owner, who had already taken out her pipe for a puff.

The madame flashed an enchanting smile. “Ah, well, I wasn’t exactly coming to your rescue. I just upheld my end of the deal with Her Grace. That’s all.”

“Madame, please...” Opal started. She didn’t feel it right for Ellie to learn the truth yet.

“Why not speak about it?” Alessandro interrupted. “Ellie isn’t a child anymore.”

The madame giggled, let out a puff of smoke, and went on, “Little lady, Her Grace, you see, had used some funds to purchase herself.”

“Wh-What are you...” Ellie started.

“Her Grace had foreseen this exact scenario and contacted me for a favor. If she were to be sold, she wanted to ensure that I would be the one to purchase her. She gave me five hundred million... Oh, and she gave me bonds too, of course, so I received much more.”

The truth was so astonishing that Ellie’s jaw was hanging open upon hearing it, and in response Alessandro let out a hearty laugh.

“I understand how you feel!” His Majesty said. “When I was told of it, I was just as stupefied as you are!”

“I was as well,” Claude said with a chuckle. “I still can’t believe she just handed over a money order of five hundred million as well as stock in Socille’s railway company.”

Opal smiled. Ever since she’d seen the odd missing persons column, she had known she would be an eventual target. Hence, she’d gone to the madame for advice, but just in case, the duchess had also left behind a money order and stock in her railway company. But not even Opal could have predicted she’d have to use this gambit so soon. When Ellie had been kidnapped and Opal was called out of the manor, she was that much more glad to have already drafted a letter to the madame requesting she purchase Ellie and Opal.

“Ellie, for a mere five hundred million, you and I are safe,” Opal said jokingly. “I’m glad that we got such a steal.”

Claude frowned and shook his head. “I object to that statement. We can gather all the money in the world, and we still won’t have enough to buy you, Opal.”

“Oh, Claude, you’re exaggerating.”

“How so? I can’t place a price on you.”

“The same could be said of anyone.”

Claude said nothing more, simply gazing into Opal’s eyes with a hand on her cheek, and Opal flushed in embarrassment.

“Claude, Opal, could you please end your little chat?” Alessandro said. “It’s giving me heartburn.”

Ellie finally snapped back to her senses. “Wait, she paid only two hundred million to that smug guy!”

“Call the rest a service charge,” the madame said casually.

Ellie’s hasty complaints were in vain; the madame simply offered Opal the bill of sale she’d received earlier. The duchess scanned the papers. It stated that Opal and Ellie had been sold under the man’s name, but the madame’s name hadn’t been listed as the buyer. This was no ordinary sale, and so the madame had made sure that her illicit trades couldn’t be tracked. In short, Opal was now in possession of her own bill of sale.

The fact that this important purchase was done swiftly spoke to the madame’s excellent skill. Yet, Ellie failed to understand this, instead glaring at the madame.

“That’s such a rip-off!” Ellie shouted.

“Little lady, that’s how the world works. You’d best remember that,” the madame replied.

“What?!”

Ellie’s angry shriek echoed harshly throughout the room. Opal knew that this was no time to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. Claude and Alessandro soon joined in. The duchess was safe and sound, and so was Ellie. Internally, Opal thanked her lucky stars while she hugged the princess tightly.

“Ellie, I’m truly glad that we’re all safe and sound,” Opal said.

“Opal... I’m sorry,” Ellie whispered. “Thank you.”

At Opal’s heartfelt words, her anger had vanished. The princess squeezed the duchess back and began at once to wail like a child.

22. Condemnation

The following day, after Opal and the others had returned to the manor safe and sound, the slums of Quinn Street were raided. Naturally, the entirety of Quinn Street had also been investigated, but according to the madame, many of them had respectable jobs and had experienced no issues.

Some, however, were angry at being placed under suspicion without due cause, and in any case, the futures of all who lived in the slums were uncertain—but that was a different matter entirely. Over the course of a multiday investigation, several illegal deeds were brought to light, rattling society at large. The biggest reveal of all was the truth behind the serial murders, for the men who had been complaining that the women of their brothels were being killed and demanding swift resolution were actually the real perpetrators of the entire affair.

The owners of the slum brothels were the ones giving orders while their bodyguards carried out the crimes—many were swiftly arrested. Naturally, Roland had gotten caught as well. As for the unusual missing persons column that Opal had noticed, Claude investigated the newspaper company and had found the one behind the postings.

“Opal, are you ready?” Claude asked.

“Of course. I was born ready,” Opal replied. Clad in a stunning dress for the banquet, she whirled around to face her husband.

Claude gently kissed his wife, being extra careful not to mess with her hair.

“You’re beautiful tonight as well,” he murmured, praising his wife to bits as he always did.

“You look dashing too, Claude,” Opal replied casually.

“But you still seem discontent.”

Claude wasn’t one to overlook even the most buried of his wife’s feelings—indeed, she had a few misgivings about tonight’s party.

“I wouldn’t say discontent, per se, but I am worried,” Opal replied. “It seems an entirely inappropriate time for a party.”

“Well, I don’t disagree, but this is a farewell party for Ellie,” Claude replied. “Or more like a send-off, I suppose.”

After a whirlwind of events, Ellie would be heading home to Lumeon the day after tomorrow. Following the incident, Opal and Ellie had talked for many hours and become closer friends. But now the princess needed to return home and begin her fight for herself, with Opal’s full support. Still, tonight’s party would undoubtedly be filled with chatter about the crimes that were uncovered from Quinn Street. Opal couldn’t suppress a sigh.

“We’ve got concrete evidence. The criminals won’t be able to weasel their way out of this,” Claude said. “We’ve also got testimony from the newspaper company, so I think the authorities will try to move for an arrest by tomorrow.”

“Concrete evidence...” Opal murmured. “Good grief, Julian must be sneaking around as he always does...”

She had parted ways with her brother at the port of Socille, but before she knew it, he’d snuck into Quinn Street to investigate the human and drug trafficking that ran rampant in the slums. But always, when asked, Julian would say he was hardly noble or inclined to justice—he was simply involved for the thrill of the hunt. He couldn’t help but act more evil than he actually was. He’s quite dishonest with himself, isn’t he? Is this the Holloway curse? Opal wondered.

She went with her husband to check up on Lud, afterward leaving her son to Asha’s capable hands, and then went down to the first floor. The couple had been waiting for Ellie at the foot of the front steps when she emerged from the floor above. Ellie had dressed lavishly for her official banquet—she still looked inexperienced and innocent, but her beauty shone through and took Opal’s breath away.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Ellie said.

“Don’t worry. We didn’t wait long,” Opal replied. “Ellie, you look positively stunning.”

The princess gently made her way down the stairs to Opal, who kissed her cheeks. Claude kissed the back of Ellie’s hand and smiled.

“You’re breathtaking, Ellie. Second only to Opal,” he said.

“Claude!” Opal snapped.

She felt that latter remark extremely unnecessary, but Ellie gave only a joyful giggle.

“Thank you, Claude,” she said. “I know now that you are entirely sincere with your words.”

He was famous for putting Opal first no matter what, and Ellie had now spent enough time with the couple to be very much aware of that fact. Ellie imagined the Bocceli trio to be the perfect family. The princess was actually jealous of the duchess; Ellie also yearned for someone to love her and find her utterly vital to their existence, and she hoped to love her partner back in the exact same way. This desire had been planted within her since she was a child, growing like a seed in soil, but as she grew older, she found herself more and more at odds with her feelings, turning her sulky and selfish.

Opal had not always been loved this way; she had worked hard to attain her current life. When she spoke of it to Ellie, the princess was finally able to admit her feelings and calm herself down.

“Now then, my beloved princesses,” Claude said, jokingly. “Shall we go?”

He offered both of his arms, to the laughing delight of both ladies. Opal took his left arm while Ellie took his right, and they all together headed into the carriage that awaited them. When they arrived at the royal palace, they were naturally led to a special room where Alessandro awaited them.

“Good day, Ellie,” the king said. “I hardly recognized you. You’ve matured quite a bit over the past month. Ah, my apologies. You already are an adult, are you not?”

“Please don’t tease me, my dear uncle,” Ellie replied. “I’ve become painfully aware of how much of a child I still am.”

Ellie skillfully handled the king’s backhanded praise. Alessandro’s eyebrows rose just a hair before he smiled, looking entirely satisfied.

“Ellie, truly, you’ve become beautiful,” he said. “I find it a shame that I must return you to your nation.”

“Thank you,” Ellie replied. “But I won’t be marrying that numbskull.”

With a smile, she added that she planned to marry someone of her choosing. Alessandro guffawed.

“A numbskull, you say? That, I cannot deny!” he cackled.

Opal and Claude kept smiling as they watched the two royals converse, but their minds were elsewhere. Alessandro couldn’t deny that his son was a numbskull, but neither could he deny wanting the two of them to marry. Frankly, the king had not wished for Ellie to marry her cousin in Lumeon but his son, Vincent, instead. Alessandro—or Taisei, rather—had likely planned all along to interfere with the domestic affairs of Lumeon.

I suppose it’s better than having another nation steal Lumeon’s rights away. Alessandro was a charismatic man. He might have been a bit self-opinionated, but he truly cared for his nation and for others. As a monarch, he was second to none. But his tactics left much to be desired. Even if he cared for his nation, it seemed as though he cared not for his people. Yet, he was so charming that it was difficult to hate him. Ugh, I’m starting to feel angry again...

Opal left Ellie with her uncle and headed for the venue with Claude, mind still preoccupied. Claude gently patted his wife’s hand.

“Opal, you’ve got quite the complex look on your face,” he said.

“I’m thinking of complex matters,” Opal replied.

“And they are?”

“Like how to corner His Majesty.”

“I see. If you want any supporters for your cause, you’ve got plenty. I’ll be your first.”

“Who else?”

“Sir Barba.”

“Ah, a reliable ally.”

“Huh? Am I not reliable?”

“You? Well...”

“Aw...”

The servants who passed them by smiled at the familiar sight of Duke and Duchess Bocceli conversing cheerfully before the party. There had been a lot of grim news recently, and the royal palace was gloomier than usual. The hope was that this party would kick off a slew of brighter and more optimistic news. Yet despite the servants’ hope, the appearance of the Boccelis to the venue brought an immediate wave of ominous mutterings from the guests.

The furious whispers were about Opal in particular; women cast scornful gazes at her, while the men stared inquisitively. Claude placed an arm around his wife’s waist as though to shield her from their eyes with his own body.

“Shall we leave?” Claude asked.

“No, I’d like to know what they’re whispering about,” Opal replied. “And I can’t just leave Ellie be.”

“That’s my Opal. Strong and kind.”

“Strong?”

“Sorry, kind and strong.”

“How is that any different?!”

Claude was upset by everyone’s rude attitude, but Opal didn’t care. She had had over a decade to accustom herself to this treatment. And now she had Claude, always right by her side. The duke and duchess smiled at each other while the crowd watched from afar. The Boccelis had recently become influential in the political and economical world, welcome everywhere and with people flocking to them wherever they went.

Claude and Opal were relaxed, assuming that they could spend tonight in a more leisurely fashion, when Alessandro entered the venue with Ellie. Her true identity had been publicized.

“I thank everyone for warmly welcoming Eliza, my niece,” the king’s voice boomed. “I am especially thankful to Duke and Duchess Bocceli, for they housed Eliza and taught her our nation’s culture.”

Only a small round of applause filled the room, due in no small part to the rumors that swirled around Opal. Alessandro gazed at the partygoers with interest, already aware of the situation. When the party started once more, he immediately called up a chamberlain, no doubt to investigate further. It was highly likely that the king already held his own suspicions and simply required confirmation. Ellie had also noticed the awkward air, but she had entered this party as a princess and spoken so cheerfully with another of Alessandro’s nieces, Princess Clarissa.

“Is this what it feels like to see a child grow up?” Opal said thoughtfully. “I’m so happy that Ellie’s doing well, but I feel a touch lonely.”

“You’re right,” Claude agreed solemnly.

Just then, an annoying, grating voice slipped into their ears.

“My goodness! You still dare to call Her Highness so casually. I for one think the biggest relief of all would be if Her Highness safely returns home without being influenced by someone like you.”

Opal already knew who spoke, but she turned around and feigned surprise at the sight of Viscountess Klaus and Baroness Whittal. The two ladies bore a grudge against Opal for their humiliation at Opal’s charity party; since that day, neither the viscountess nor the baroness had been invited to any events from any influential noblewomen. And so, they wanted to use this opportunity attending the party at the royal palace to somehow show contempt for the duchess.

“I’ve already received permission from Her Highness to continue to use her nickname,” Opal replied. “And whatever do your words mean? Someone like me?”

Were these ladies the ones spreading the rumors that isolated Opal from the crowd?

“You are aware of that lowly hovel causing a fuss in the papers recently, don’t you?” the viscountess asked snarkily. “Well, there have been quite a few rumors that you, Duchess Bocceli, have been spotted there.”

“I see,” Opal replied. “And?”

“Huh?”

“As I implied, is that an issue? Viscountess Klaus, are you not referring to the slums of Quinn Street? You claim that someone has spotted me wandering around there, but who exactly made this claim?”

“Y-You dare try to weasel your way out of accountability again!”

“What? Not at all. I’m genuinely curious. If I was spotted in those slums, it implies that someone was there to spot me, correct? Has this person reported themselves to the authorities? I do believe that all people involved are being investigated, so I do suggest that they come forward as soon as possible and offer their full cooperation. Would you kindly tell them so in my place?”

The viscountess had assumed that this news would completely destroy the duchess, and was now taken aback to see that Opal didn’t seem to mind the information one bit—she even offered advice. The viscountess was at a loss for words. Opal, for one, felt all the tension she’d been holding flee her body; she had been expecting a far worse rumor to be making the rounds. She didn’t remember doing anything horrid, of course, but rumors were often false and tended to exaggerate or blow things out of proportion.

The crowd—for indeed a crowd had gathered around Opal and the viscountess—were moved by Opal’s proud display of confidence, and cast icy gazes at the viscountess and baroness. But Opal didn’t forget that just moments ago, these exact same nobles had distanced themselves from her.

Claude was smiling all the while, for he did so love to see Opal put these ladies on their back foot. The duchess had quietly stomped on her husband’s foot in reproach when the viscountess began her refute.

“But is it not true that you were there in those slums, Your Grace?” Viscountess Klaus said. “Are you not aware of just how immoral that is? I fear you don’t—anyone who did would’ve been far too embarrassed to show up to this party after visiting such a place.”

“Pray tell, how did you assume my immorality?” Opal inquired. “Many women have fallen victims to the horrible machinations on Quinn Street, and have been forced to work against their will. I heard those rumors and personally visited the place in hopes of offering any sort of aid to anyone who needed it.”

Once again struggling to respond, the viscountess managed to eke out, “Then you admit that you were in such an indecent place?”

“I do.”

Opal obediently nodded, finding no reason to hide her actions. Both the viscountess and baroness lit up with delight.

The viscountess turned to the crowd happily. “You all heard her, straight from the horse’s mouth! The rumors must be true...”

But the viscountess soon stopped herself. Opal’s explanation made it sound like she was only involved in her usual charity work. In fact, the whole thing sounded as if the duchess had thrown caution to the wind and entered the slums at great risk to herself. Even if nobles internally mocked her for such a thing, they couldn’t possibly outwardly fault the lady—no, quite the opposite. Opal should instead be commended and praised for her benevolent behavior.

“I-I also heard that you’re close with the mistress of that immoral villa!” the viscountess added.

“Pardon? An immoral villa?” Opal asked calmly. “Whatever do you mean? What villa are you referring to?”

“A brothel! A brothel called Butterfly Villa! Why do you keep pretending innocence?!” the viscountess screeched.

“V-Viscountess...” Baroness Whittal said, surprised by the outburst.

Claude braced himself, likely preparing to jump in to protect his wife—the viscountess looked as though she was about to pounce at any moment.

“Ah, I’m not surprised that you knew, Viscountess Klaus,” Opal said. “You have a charity in support of women of your own, don’t you? Yet it’s a pity that you haven’t spoken with her. Perhaps it’s because she’s had years to interact with all kinds of women, but she has a very keen eye, and understands well the plight of women forced into unfortunate situations. She knows precisely how to support and aid them, and has offered me excellent advice based on every lady’s unique circumstances.”

Her words were convincing. Many were impressed by her open-mindedness, and some of the men even muttered their agreement, earning glares from their wives. It was clear that it no longer mattered what the viscountess said; her claims lacked credibility and persuasion. Opal pitied the lady—her husband, Viscount Klaus, was nowhere to be seen. The present crowd were those who were easily swept up by rumors and swiftly changed their opinions. As the duchess’s thoughts turned toward tomorrow, she resolved to end this feud with the viscountess now; Opal had no will to fight.

“Viscountess Klaus,” Opal started. “We’re in the presence of His Majesty tonight. I believe this sort of insolence is—”

“Insolence?!” the viscountess shrieked. “You dare mention insolence?! You’re the only insolent one here!”

Opal’s intention had been to apologize to Alessandro and put the whole thing behind her, but the viscountess had completely lost her cool. She trembled with rage, her bloodshot eyes glaring at Opal.

“You’re a wench sold off as a harlot!” the viscountess said shrilly. “I’ve even got the contract!”

Her shocking words brought forth a wave of terrified silence.

23. Hypocrite

The silence was deafening. Opal could hear Claude grind his teeth in unadulterated wrath. She gasped, and slipped out of her husband’s arms to cup his face between her hands.

“Claude, I’m fine,” she said. “If you keep doing that, you’ll damage your teeth.”

“But...” he started.

He clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles were white; if the viscountess were a man, she would’ve surely been punched several times by now.

“L-Look!” the viscountess cried, walking back a few paces, thoroughly intimidated by the duke’s fury. “He’s trying to solve things with violence! It only proves their barbaric tactics!”

Opal no longer felt an ounce of pity for the overconfident viscountess, who had failed to understand the true meaning behind her words. The duchess assumed that the viscountess had heard a rumor or two from her husband and blurted it out, but now, at the thought of all the women that had come to Viscountess Klaus’s organization for support and shelter, Opal was furious.

“Viscountess Klaus, do you speak the truth?” Alessandro asked flatly, breaking the quiet air.

The viscountess hastily lowered her posture and bowed her head. “Y-Your Majesty, I, um...”

“Ah, is that why Duchess Bocceli was seen in the slums? Was it because she was sold off? If so, this is a very, very serious matter.”

The viscountess struggled to respond, but Alessandro placed his left fist over his open right hand, and sternly turned to Opal. Behind the king sat Ellie, who looked anxious at the truth being revealed, and the Taisei princess, who also looked worried.

“I-Indeed,” the viscountess said. She had gained more confidence from the king’s response and began to prattle on, “Your Majesty, Her Grace made excuses earlier that she’d gone to the slums to aid women, but I think she should be thoroughly ashamed for frequenting such brothels. Such actions are inexcusable. But I’ve heard that Her Grace was rather free-spirited in her youth, so that may have played a role in her actions.”

Claude clenched his fists even tighter, and Opal entangled her fingers with his, hoping that he would weaken his grip. It was clear that the king did not plan to wait until tomorrow, and wanted to condemn the viscountess right then and there. It was a cruel and heartless decision, but Opal could no longer find it in herself to be sorry for it.

With her hands still locked with her husband’s, Opal responded.

“You mentioned that I was sold,” Opal said. “But I don’t remember such a thing. Why would I have been sold off in the first place, Viscountess Klaus?”

“Do you have any debt?” Alessandro asked.

“I do not, Your Majesty,” Opal said firmly, her attitude resolute. “Luckily, my business is doing well, and my stocks have reached an all-time high in price. In fact, my assets have increased from the month prior. But if I were to guess, I would believe that some are finding me too insolent and would like me to be punished. There are those who find my charity work a detriment to their own work, and perhaps it was they that circulated such a silly rumor.”

In fact, the viscountess’s claims were less likely and believable than Opal’s guess. The crowd cast accusatory glares while some gazed at her with pity.

“I’m not lying! As I’ve stated earlier, I’ve even got the contract—the bill of sale!” the viscountess cried. “The buyer is the madame of Butterfly Villa! How dare you lie about going to her for advice? You were working at her brothel, weren’t you?!”

Everyone only saw it as a desperate attempt to shift some sort of blame onto the duchess, and Opal tilted her head to one side, confused by the now thoroughly frazzled viscountess.

“A bill of sale?” Opal inquired. “I don’t ever remember signing any sort of document. Perhaps my name was simply jotted down without my consent. And yet you believed such a foolish lie.”

“I cannot cast judgment without this document that you speak of, Viscountess Klaus,” Alessandro said.

Alessandro feigned neutrality, and the panicking viscountess began to make wild claims, desperate for the king to take her side.

“Then please have a look, Your Majesty!” the viscountess cried. “I’ll have it delivered right this instant!”

“My lady, you cannot be serious,” Opal said icily. “Are you truly claiming that you have this so-called bill of sale?”

“I do! You’d best be prepared!”

“Viscountess Klaus, human trafficking is illegal. If you truly have this bill of sale, it implies that you were also involved in the buying and selling of people. That much is clear.”

“What?! I...”

The viscountess finally understood what Opal’s cold words really meant, and instantly realized that she’d made a terrible mistake. At once, she turned white as a sheet.

“N-No, that’s not...” the viscountess stammered.

“Viscountess Klaus, I was indeed surprised to see you in attendance at tonight’s banquet,” Opal said. “Your husband, Viscount Klaus, couldn’t attend because he’s being investigated by the authorities, isn’t he?”

“I-It can’t be... My husband isn’t...”

Shocked chatter broke out at Opal’s claims. The viscountess’s eyes were wide, as if this were her first time hearing such a thing. Only Claude, Sir Barba, and Alessandro remained calm, for they already knew the truth behind this entire debacle.

Legal officer Sir Barba slowly stepped forward. “Viscountess Klaus, unfortunately, your husband has been involved in human trafficking, and will be duly punished for his crimes. The issue now lies in whether you were aware of your husband’s misdeeds or not. The viscount is currently in questioning, but from your own words, it does seem like you knew about your husband’s involvement in these horrific crimes.”

The hysterical viscountess fervently shook her head. “No! No, you’ve got it all wrong! That woman deceived me! You’ve all been saying the same thing, haven’t you?! Duchess Bocceli is a cocky, devilish harlot skilled at ensnaring men! Sir Barba, Your Majesty, she’s lying to both of you!”

She pleaded her case in a panicked frenzy, her neatly tied hair unraveling into a mess. So stark was her switch in attitude that she seemed possessed by an evil spirit. The crowd shied away from her; even Baroness Whittal stepped away.

Alessandro chortled. “I see, I see. So, Viscountess Klaus, you claim that I’ve been deceived by Duchess Bocceli. That’s a very serious charge, indeed.”

“Q-Quite right, Your Majesty!” the viscountess shouted. “I ask that you investigate the duchess properly! Please do not be tricked by her feminine wiles!”

However unknowingly, within the viscountess’s words lay the implication that the King of Taisei Kingdom was an easily misled fool, and at Alessandro’s inquiry the viscountess, in her haste, had affirmed them. Even Claude could not so boldly make that statement in a public place. A few elderly noblewomen looked as though they might faint from shock, completely flabbergasted and disgusted by Viscountess Klaus’s hopelessly impertinent screeching. Their male companions supported them as they quietly guided them out the room. Soldiers were already on standby within the venue—a single order from the king would restrain the viscountess in a flash.

But Opal wasn’t done yet. If she let this opportunity slip, she could no longer question the criminal Viscountess Klaus, and Alessandro had noticed as much.

“Duchess Bocceli, do you have anything you’d like to say?” His Majesty asked.

“I would like to ask the viscountess a few things,” Opal replied.

“What?!” the viscountess gasped.

“Very well. You may,” the king relented.

“I’m humbled and grateful for your kindness,” Opal said. She pinched the hems of her skirt and did a curtsy, displaying her apology before turning to the viscountess. “My lady, did you know that your charity organization had made requests to the newspapers to post a missing persons column with a reward offered?”

“What’s the problem with that?” the viscountess asked. “These young women have vanished without a trace, and offering a reward would increase the chances of them being found.”

“Then why did you not list their names as well?”

“Because I wouldn’t know that much. Do you think that I’d be involved in such troublesome, menial tasks?”

“I see...”

It seemed the viscountess had no idea that her charity organization was the one that tried to forcibly capture young women by offering a reward. If that was the case, how deeply involved was she in the human trafficking ring at all?

“But you knew that your husband took these women who turned to you for help, and sold them to the slums, didn’t you?” Opal asked. “After all, you claimed to have this bill of sale.”

“N-No!” the viscountess screeched. “I just acted as a mediator! These women had no skills but wanted to work, and so I brought them to Baroness Whittal’s factory!”

“Viscountess Klaus!” the baroness cried. “Please don’t drag me into this mess!”

“Don’t give me that! The thought of free labor had you quite overjoyed, if I recall!”

The viscountess ended up letting another shocking fact slip. The women working in the baroness’s factory were still under investigation, but clearly, the viscountess was more than willing to testify. The crowd had turned into a court audience of sorts as they stood here numb and unable to process the shocking turn of events.

Opal then realized that Ellie’s farewell party had, by this point, been utterly ruined, but when she glanced Ellie’s way, she got a nod back, a clear sign the princess didn’t mind at all.

“Viscountess Klaus, Baroness Whittal, you mocked, oppressed, and exploited women of lower social standing than you in the guise of sheltering them,” Opal said. “This is a crime that cannot be forgiven. But I hope that you will pray for the women who were sacrificed, and atone for your sins.”

“Sh-Shut up, you hypocrite!” the viscountess spat.

Suddenly, Ellie jumped to her feet and opened her mouth. “How in the world is Duchess Bocceli a hypocrite?! Is there a saint in this room that truly has the right to call her such? I hate the words ‘It’s better to try to do something good, no matter how imperfect it may be, than to do nothing at all.’ If a deed is good, is that not just?”

The crowd fell silent at Ellie’s claims. Alessandro broke the quiet air with applause, with the crowd soon following suit. The Lumeon princess gave a small bow, returning to her seat with a flash of a sheepish smile sent Opal’s way. With a wave of his arm, the king signaled for the soldiers nearby to restrain the viscountess.

“Your Majesty! I was tricked by the viscountess!” Baroness Whittal claimed with tears in her eyes.

The baroness wasn’t restrained, but she was surrounded by soldiers. And unfortunately, her plea fell on deaf ears; Alessandro, standing slightly above the rest of the party on a raised platform, continued his act. While the crowd burst into chatter, Opal bent her knees and lowered her head to the king. Claude also gave a deep bow.

“Your Majesty, I thank you for your time,” Opal said. “Princess Eliza, Princess Clarissa, I deeply apologize for this ordeal.”

“I would also like to apologize for ruining this party,” Claude added.

Alessandro gave a nonchalant wave of his hand, and both princesses shook their heads in response.

“There’s no need for an apology,” the king said with a frown. “You two aren’t to blame. If there’s blame, then it lies on us for inviting Viscountess Klaus to this banquet in the first place, though it was some time ago and I never imagined that she would attend under these circumstances.”

“Indeed,” Sir Barba added with a firm nod. “Viscount Klaus had been arrested by authorities earlier this evening. The viscountess may have simply attended without knowing. In any case, thanks to each and every one of you, Viscountess Klaus’s crimes have become clear in front of all these witnesses.”

The king clapped his hands loudly, switching gears, and raised his voice. “There have been quite a few terrifying cases that are soon to be solved. Rest assured that I am aware of the anxiety and stress you all have been living under, and know that I plan to explain everything at a later date. But tonight is a farewell party for the princess. I ask that you all do your best to focus on enjoying the night.”

The venue cheered at Alessandro’s bold declaration. Even Opal and Claude were impressed by the king’s charisma and ability to completely control a crowd. The duke and duchess decided, then, to also enjoy themselves. They mingled until deciding to retire for the night, and once the two of them were safely ensconced in their carriage, the couple let out a loud sigh; they were utterly exhausted.

“Opal, are you all right?” Claude asked.

“I am, but we ruined Ellie’s precious party,” Opal said glumly. Her husband burst out laughing, and she turned to him. “Claude?”

“Sorry. It’s just...”

“What? Did I say something weird?”

Surely, she hadn’t said anything funny, but even so Claude couldn’t suppress his chuckles. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, Opal staring at him dubiously all the while.

“You see, Opal, there are recent rumors...” Claude started.

“Other than the one that claims I’m a devilish woman?” she asked wearily. “It’s been a while since I’ve been called that.”

Claude began laughing again as he managed to say, “Yes, that name brings up quite the memories, doesn’t it? But that’s not what I’m referring to. I don’t know whether to call it a rumor or a nickname...”

“What? Out with it already!” Impatient, Opal smacked her husband’s knee, egging him to continue.

“Sorry. It’s just, you’ve recently earned the title ‘Party Destroyer.’”

“Party destroyer”?!

Opal was stunned; she hadn’t expected that at all. Claude began laughing again.

“It’s because every time you attend a party, it always ends up in some sort of fuss,” Claude said between giggles. “Just the other day, you hosted a party and ended up cornering one of your guests.”

“Well...” Opal started.

She turned red, and Claude drew her in for a tight embrace.

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” he said. “So don’t feel guilty. But people tend to talk. And whatever event you attend, there are always reporters and other informants waiting outside hoping for even a crumb of gossip as to what’s going on. Articles about you always sell well too.”

“Don’t reporters always gather around parties?” Opal asked.

“Not that many.”

“But I haven’t seen that name in any of the papers.”

“Well, right now it’s just a name party hosts tend to whisper to each other. But I don’t think they mean it in a negative way. If so, I’d never forgive them.”

“But, destroyer? It sounds awful.”

Opal pouted; that nickname didn’t sound positive at all.

“If a party makes the papers, it means that the host’s efforts were a huge success,” Claude explained. “When the article gets printed and everyone reads about your fabulous party, the paper’s prestige only increases.”

“A fuss creating prestige? That’s not right,” Opal replied, her brow furrowed.

“As I said, articles about you sell very well. Everyone loves you so much, though no one can beat my love for you.” Claude lightly pressed his index finger on her wrinkles to soften her expression. “Even now, at a party hosted by the royal family, you were able to make a huge fuss. You truly live up to your name, Party Destroyer.”

“You’re not praising me, are you?!”

Opal turned away at Claude’s odd praise, but she knew that he was only joking around to make her feel better. Still she would have preferred his praise and compliments to be of the more effusive variety. But in the end Claude was clumsy in his own way, and it was so humorous and endearing to Opal that she couldn’t suppress her smile.

24. Reunion

The next morning, the involvement of House Klaus in the recent horrifying spate of crimes in the Quinn Street slums made the top headline. Since the authorities themselves had announced the details of the case, the article wrote only objective facts with no outlandish theories.

In the decade since Alessandro became king, he had worked tirelessly to develop the railways in both rural and urban areas of Taisei while managing to suppress the worst effects of the wealth gap the royal capital held over the rest of the kingdom. Thanks to his efforts, impoverished families in the countryside received funds and aid, and no longer were forced to send their children out of the home in service of other households.

But it was these very efforts that precipitated the crimes on Quinn Street. Only a few years ago, it was commonplace for daughters to be sold off by their families and forced into prostitution, allowing the brothels of the slums to prosper.

But as human trafficking was outlawed and shelters were constructed to provide for the needy, fewer and fewer women came to these brothels. Women still, however, did leave their homes for the royal capital in pursuit of their dreams, and it was then that someone had the idea to turn some charity shelters into recruitment agencies for brothels. And so, Viscountess Klaus’s organization had been chosen for such a purpose.

Initially, the viscountess had wanted to become famous and respected among society just like Opal. But managing a facility was difficult, and her experience doing so was far from easy. Just as she was about to give up and abandon the idea of the shelter altogether, she was approached by a person from the slums with this very scheme. As Viscount Klaus was a frequent visitor to the slums of Quinn Street, discussions went smoothly. The viscountess, who adored her life of luxury, could keep both her grants from the kingdom as well as any donations she gathered, not to mention the rather enticing brokerage fee she charged. And since, in her mind, those who came to her shelter were merely filth, her conscience remained unaffected.

“Good grief!” Claude said with outrage. “What lunacy. She’s just being selfish.”

“If managing a shelter wasn’t going well, she should’ve gone to someone for advice,” Opal said. “So many more women could’ve been saved...”

While the newspaper article needed fact-checking, learning the motivations behind Viscountess Klaus’s participation in such crimes filled Claude with contempt. But for Opal, she cared nothing for House Klaus; her heart hurt for all the women who had been forced to suffer the consequences. If the duchess had a fatal flaw, it was her limitless kindness. She didn’t seem to notice it herself, but Claude did, and he didn’t want his beloved wife to feel hurt.

“I know that not worrying about this case is easier said than done, but I hope that you don’t admonish yourself,” he said. “It’d do you no good and only hurt your heart. Why don’t we think about what we can do for the future? For example, we can work to assist the women who were unfortunately affected by this treacherous scheme.”

“You’re right,” Opal said with a smile. “Thank you, Claude.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Ellie had returned to the royal palace, the duchess had more time to stew in her thoughts.

“It seems the train has arrived,” Claude said. The couple were currently waiting at the station in a room reserved for special guests.

“Right on time,” Opal replied.

The train’s brakes screeched to a halt, signaling that it had finally arrived. This particular train carried the women who had been unjustly forced to work in Baroness Whittal’s factory. Opal had wanted to wait out on the platform, but if she did, a crowd would no doubt swiftly surround her, and so she reluctantly chose to wait elsewhere. With additional security measures also in place, Opal was forced to stay in the waiting room and grew increasingly restless as the time passed, with Claude standing close by, watching over his wife with gentle eyes. The sound of footsteps gradually came closer, with the door to their room opening after a knock.

Led by Julian, a familiar little girl—last seen as a third-class passenger of a ship from Lumeon—gingerly tiptoed in, followed by her mother, Kate.

“Mayley!” Opal cried.

She stretched her arms out wide and welcomed Mayley with a warm, tight embrace. Mayley stared back blankly for a moment, watching the duchess intently, before tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

“Opal?” Mayley asked.

It’d only been about a month since Opal and Mayley had parted ways, but all of Mayley’s childish innocence and charm were already gone.

“I’m sorry, Mayley. You must’ve been through so much,” Opal said in apology as she released the girl from her embrace.

Mayley said nothing, only vigorously shaking her head as she clung to the duchess. Opal hadn’t apologized for the hug; her words were for the hardships that the girl had undoubtedly been subjected to through no fault of her own. No doubt Mayley had a tough time, but she never once voiced it. When Opal turned to Kate, the already feeble mother looked frailer still and exhausted, tears steaming quietly down her cheeks. Seeing her young daughter hold back her tears in order not to worry her would have pained Kate greatly.

“Kate, you must’ve been through a rough time,” Opal said. “His Majesty has ensured that you can rest and recuperate. Please take some time off with Mayley and regain your strength.”

“Th-Thank you!” Kate cried. “Miss Opal—I mean, Your Grace, I’ve relied on you so much. I cannot repay you in any form, and I’m terribly sorry!”

Julian wasn’t the type to speak of Opal’s rank, so it must have been the station master behind them who had spilled the beans.

“Please don’t apologize,” Opal replied. “There is no need for you to repay a single thing. Besides, I had so much fun on that ship. And though my gratitude comes late, I thank you for handing the letter over to the priest.”

“It seems my wife has been in your care. I must thank you as well,” Claude added with a bow. “And I apologize for causing you much hardship within this kingdom.”

Kate quickly assumed that he was the duke. “N-No! Your Grace, please don’t! You must raise your head!” she cried.

She was surprised to see that even the station master had lowered his head as well.

“Uh, guys?” Julian said wearily. “They seem tired, so why don’t we have them rest at an inn?”

“You’re right,” Opal said. “I’m sorry, Kate. And, Mayley, may I come visit you again?”

It was Julian who discovered that Kate and Mayley were forced to work in the harsh conditions of Baroness Whittal’s factory. At Opal’s question, the little girl clung onto the duchess and quietly nodded, while Kate, still flustered, was at a loss for words.

“Can I really see you again?” Mayley asked softly.

“You can. I promise you that,” Opal replied with a firm nod.

The little girl’s face lit up with the familiar, innocent smile that she had shown when she had first met the duchess. Opal breathed a sigh of relief.

Kate and Mayley were guided out, and as Julian followed them, Opal decided to give her brother her gratitude.

“Thanks, Julian,” Opal said.

“You’re never quite thorough enough,” Julian replied.

She couldn’t deny it. He gave a scornful smirk and left the room.

“Are you all right?” Claude asked.

“It’s vexing, but I’m most annoyed with myself,” Opal said.

The well-dressed man that had abducted Opal and dragged her into the slums to negotiate with the madame was a man from abroad who worked far from home. He tricked women and forced them to work in brothels. According to his claims, he had been on the ship from Lumeon to scout the third-class passengers, and that was where Opal had spotted him.

“Opal, you’re a hard worker,” Claude said. “But you can’t shoulder so many things all by yourself.”

“You might be right, but this time around, Julian’s absolutely correct,” Opal replied. “I know that I can’t help everyone in the world, but I at least wanted to support those that are in front of me.”

Opal had feared interfering too much in the affairs of others, and her reserve had backfired. Claude’s concerns weren’t lost on her; until now she could have risked herself more and pushed her limits, but with the birth of her son, she couldn’t say the same. She still had a major problem to tackle.

“Though it’s imperative to raise literacy rates, it’d be more convenient if we can communicate with those farther away,” Opal said.

“Farther away?” Claude asked. “Speaking of, I think there was someone who was doing research on that. They’ve got some support, but no one seems to have given them the time of day...”

“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?!” Opal exclaimed. “Who is this person? Where are they?! I’ll offer them my full support!”

Claude couldn’t hide how Opal’s sudden eagerness surprised him. “Uh, but...”

Mere moments ago, she was gloomy, but all of a sudden she was full of life.

“This is the age where a large hunk of iron can race across the rails without a single horse!” Opal shouted. “The time when we can converse across oceans is near! I’m sure of it! And if such a convenient item is invented, it can help so many illiterate people! When I get home, I must draft a letter to my surrogate! And I’ll work to raise literacy rates too while I’m at it!”

Opal was clearly planning on telling her surrogate that she wanted to support this inventor. She was the type to press forward when she had a goal in mind. And her goals were always for the people. Now pressured by his wife’s enthusiasm, Claude desperately tried to recall the name of the inventor during their carriage ride home. Ultimately, he had to write a letter and ask for details from his friends, making both Opal and Claude laugh, joking with each other about how it would be so much more convenient if there was a tool that allowed for faster communication.

25. Setting Sail

The next morning, Claude was up unusually early, and as he joined Opal in diligently cleaning the study, Josephe arrived with a few letters.

“We won’t be attending parties for a while, will we?” Claude asked.

“Right,” Opal replied. “I am the Party Destroyer, after all.”

As she sorted the letters, the pile designated for invitations only grew. Claude burst out laughing at his wife’s mention of her new nickname, and Opal balled up a piece of paper and threw it at him. Claude easily caught the ball and tossed it into the wastebasket. He didn’t bat an eye at Opal’s antics.

“We should get ready,” he said. “We’ll be late for Ellie’s send-off.”

“You’re right,” she replied. “Knowing that I will be apart from Ellie for a good while makes me lonely.”

“She did liven up this place.”

“And Lud will miss her too.”

Ellie might have been a rebellious and troublesome young lady, but deep down, she was a kind and strong woman with a quiet streak of loneliness. She would return to Lumeon by herself and claim her throne. Opal planned on heading to Lumeon again to offer her full support, but until then, she’d take time off to spend every moment she could with her son.

Opal returned to her room and got ready with Nadja’s help. The duchess wore an afternoon dress, but the design was splendid and entirely fitting for sending off a princess. She also wore more lavish accessories than she normally did.

As Opal checked herself in front of a full-length mirror, Nadja began to speak of the papers. “You made the headlines again, madam!” she squealed.

“I suppose I did. It’s quite troublesome,” Opal replied.

“Is it? I’m so, so proud, and always so impressed by your deeds!” Nadja was quite surprised to hear her mistress’s complaints. This morning, the news wasn’t about the solved cases, but Opal’s words from two days before. It claimed that she had personally risked herself to uncover the misdeeds in the slums, reported it all to the king to mobilize the authorities, and even won a verbal battle against Viscountess Klaus.

Duchess Bocceli’s popularity had soared once more. It seemed Alessandro had leaked some information to the papers in order to use Opal to promote his own policies.

“But truth be told, I was very worried,” Nadja said. “The thought of you, all by yourself, going along with the kidnapper’s orders...”

“I’m sorry, Nadja,” Opal replied. “I must thank you for allowing me to leave.”

“No matter how many guards you bring along, we don’t know what will happen. Please don’t do anything like that again! And next time, I will never leave your side! Please promise me!”

“Yes, I promise.” Opal nodded obediently at her maid’s earnest pleas. Nadja and Josephe must’ve been beside themselves.

“So, I think you should be praised even more!” Nadja added. “Even if the princess cannot be publicly noted, you braved great danger to save Princess Ellie and spared the lives of many women in the process!”

Claude appeared and joined in. “She’s absolutely correct.” He kissed the back of his wife’s hand. “I am not competent enough to rescue a trapped princess, so I hope that you won’t put yourself in any further danger.”

Nadja giggled. The duke had later been told that Opal had made preparations to save herself before he could even act.

“May I ask what happened to the money?” Nadja asked.

“The money?” Opal asked.

“Um, the fifty million you gave to the swindler and the money you handed to the madame...”

“Ah, right. The fifty million has been safely recovered. It had apparently been stored in the room of the inn where Roland had been staying.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Nadja looked relieved, but there was still a major issue remaining. When Roland had been investigated, he revealed that someone had told him that Ellie was a rich girl who was easy to deceive, and he had used this information to target Ellie and quickly become close with her. After he’d switched targets to Opal and received the fifty million, however, he had planned to vanish without a trace. But on his ride home a man had approached and threatened him, leaving him no choice but to head to Taisei. Roland had then headed to an inn where he’d be watched as he awaited his next order until suddenly, he was forced into assisting with Ellie’s abduction.

What was important to note was that the men didn’t seem at all interested in the money Roland possessed. That made it easy to theorize who the mastermind of this debacle might be. Opal and Claude were lost in their thoughts as a heavy air hung over them, but Nadja’s bright voice dispelled the gloom.

“Then did you get the five hundred million back too?” she asked. “The suspects were caught, after all.”

“I got two hundred million back,” Opal replied. “The other three hundred is my show of gratitude.”

“I see. I’d even argue that three hundred million isn’t enough, but to me, that’s still an unfathomable amount!”

The maid held the same opinion as Claude, but her shock at the amount and her adorable mannerisms earned a smile from Opal and Claude. In truth the madame had also returned eighty percent of the stocks that she’d received for Socille’s railway company, claiming that she only needed twenty percent of the bonds and that she would stand to earn more with Opal in charge. Indeed, with eighty percent of the bonds, the duchess could once again manage the railway. While it was unsure just how far into the future the madame saw, Opal could only be impressed by the woman’s shrewdness.

“What punishment will the viscount and the others receive?” Nadja asked.

“Hmm, the death penalty, maybe?” Claude replied.

“Really?!”

“No, no, I’m kidding. Most likely their assets will be seized and they’d spend a few years in jail.”

“I see... You scared me.”

Despite her words, Nadja frowned. The viscount’s criminal ring had caused countless women to suffer greatly. The current laws stated that nobles like the viscount would be excluded from more severe punishments because the victims were lowborn. Only two factors decided their punishments—their involvement in human trafficking, and the fact that their actions caused quite the stir.

The main issue, really, was public opinion. Long before these crimes, the public was angered by the lavish wealth the nobility possessed, and their anger was on the verge of exploding. Opal was involved—or forced to be involved, more precisely—to suppress public outcry. All the while, Alessandro was doing his utmost best to revise the laws before the people reached their breaking point.

Amid this all was the inviolable, dark world that represented Quinn Street. This recent incident would likely incite more public outcry and encourage the speedy amendment of laws restricting these areas. It was Viscount and Viscountess Klaus who had instigated this change, and now, their lives were at risk from those who had benefited from subverting the law. Baroness Whittal and the others involved had gone bankrupt from paying back the workers their rightful fees along with additional compensation.

Before leaving, she visited her son’s room, hugging him close.

“Lud, I’ll be off,” Opal said with a smile.

Lud used his hands, sticky with drool, to touch his mother’s face.

“But when I do that to you, you get all huffy, Opal,” Claude said. “I’m envious of your privileges, Lud.”

He took his son from his wife’s arms and began to poke at Lud’s chubby cheeks. The little boy squealed with delight. Both the duke and duchess wore the best clothes that money could buy and wore them well, but if their son made their clothes messy or sticky, they didn’t mind at all. In fact, their attitude about their attire hadn’t changed even when they visited other facilities.

Naturally, for these visits they chose garments that were easy to move around in and could easily be cleaned. But Opal and Claude didn’t just visit and get a passing tour of impoverished facilities; they joined in and played with the kids or assisted the adults working there. It was these gestures that made Nadja and the rest of the servants love their master and mistress very much.

“Madam, Your Grace, I think you two should depart soon,” Josephe said.

“Ah, you’re right,” Opal replied.

“Thanks for the warning,” Claude added.

The butler waited to guide them out as they entrusted their precious son to Asha before leaving.

The duke and duchess tagged along with Ellie all the way to the port—Alessandro had said his farewells at the royal palace. When Opal and Claude met up with the Lumeon princess at the station, she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Ellie, we’ll meet again soon enough,” Opal assured her.

“Promise?” Ellie asked. “You must come very, very soon! It’s a promise, okay? Oh, but I’d feel bad for Lud...”

As Ellie calmed down and boarded the train to the port, she began to beg childishly, but her fervent pleas died down at the thought of Lud.

“I appreciate your concern, and my son might be lonely, but I’ve got Asha, and Claude will stay back too,” Opal said. “Oh, and I’ve got my dog, also called Claude.”

“I wanted to meet Claude,” Ellie said. “I mean the dog, of course.”

Duke Bocceli frowned and sighed loudly as he quietly overheard this exchange.

“Don’t tease me much further, ladies,” he said.

“We’re not teasing you, are we, Ellie?” Opal asked.

“Not one bit,” Ellie replied.

The two ladies paid no heed to the complaints of the duke, and they all burst into laughter. Ellie had a dainty, delicate giggle that was fitting for a girl of her age—it was hard to imagine that soon, she would rule a territory of her own. It was clear that in these last moments before undertaking such massive responsibility she was pushing herself to be cheerful. Opal grabbed Ellie’s hands and clasped them firmly in reassurance.

“When you board that ship, you might be left alone,” Opal said. “But know this: You will always have allies on your side. Don’t be too hasty, and take your time. You may act like you’re swept up in the moment, but you must firmly stand on your own feet and stay observant of your surroundings. I’m sure that you’ll be all right. There’s no doubt in my mind. You’re still a bit of a crybaby, but you’re smart, kind, and very charming.”

“Opal...” Ellie murmured. She struggled to get her words out, instead her head ducked low at the ground. After several moments of silence and collecting her thoughts, the princess looked up brightly. “My goodness! You made me cry a little again! You’re always making me cry, Opal. I’ll have you know that I’ve never wept this much before.”

Her cheeks were wet with tears as she managed to muster a complaint, and Opal, true to herself, wasn’t one to back down in a verbal altercation.

“Oh? Is that another complaint I hear or do my ears deceive me?” the duchess asked playfully. “I suppose your cheekiness still remains.”

“And that’s just fine for me,” Ellie replied. “Claude told me all about you. He said that I’m just like you when you were young, especially the stubbornness.”

“Claude?” Opal rumbled as she turned to her husband.

“Huh? Wait... Come on!” Claude cried. “Ellie, you didn’t have to tell her right now!”

The two ladies had become close ever since they made amends; perhaps it was because they were like two peas in a pod. But Claude very much knew that pointing that out right now would do him no favors.

“Sorry to drag you into this, but I’m practicing right now,” Ellie said. “One day, I swear that I’ll take Uncle Alessandro off guard and take him down!”

“Wait, Ellie, are you being serious?” Claude asked. “Let me know when the time comes, then, because I’ll offer my full cooperation.”

“Very well. But until then, you must keep this a secret.”

“That goes without saying.”

As Opal listened to Claude and Ellie talk, she recalled the conversation that she had with her husband just the other day. Even she had to admit the similarities between herself and Ellie. As the duchess watched Claude and Ellie hash out a plan, the train slid into the station. From here, they’d go on a carriage to the port. At the sight of the train the princess turned morose.

“Ellie, if you’re going to take down the king one day, you must listen to the orders of his guards who are tasked with defending you,” Opal advised. She purposefully brought up the harsh reality of the world. “You must learn to protect yourself, and depending on the circumstances, that may mean listening to what someone else tells you to do.”

“I know,” Ellie replied.

From here on out, the princess couldn’t be lackadaisical while chasing unrealistic dreams. Ellie had made that choice herself, and Opal wanted to support the girl in any way possible. When the time came to finally part ways, Ellie no longer shed tears. Instead, she smiled and climbed up the gangway ladder to board the docked vessel.

“I know that I’ll meet her again soon, but I feel so dreadfully lonely,” Opal murmured. “Is this what having a daughter feels like?”

“Daughter?” Claude asked. “She’s not that much younger than you.”

“We’re a decade apart. I guess she won’t quite be my daughter, but...”

“A daughter, huh... In my case, I’d probably be so worried that I wouldn’t know what to do. Especially if she takes after you.”

“Oh?”

Opal broke the somber mood by stomping on her husband’s foot. Claude just laughed. Now on deck, Ellie waved, still smiling brightly. The duke and duchess waved back and watched her until the ship sailed out of sight.

And so, after a whirlwind series of events, the Lumeon princess’s visit to Taisei came to an end.

Extra Story 1: Ellie’s Day Off

A few days after the ordeal in the Quinn Street slums, Ellie was supposed to head to the royal palace as soon as possible for her protection, but instead, she insisted on staying at the manor of House Roussel.

“I must return to the royal palace tomorrow,” Ellie grumbled. “And then I must return home. I hate the thought of parting ways with Lud.”

Ellie and Opal had been playing with the baby boy in his room when the princess scooped up little Lud and hugged him. It was true that she didn’t want to be separated from him, but most importantly, she didn’t wish to return to her nation. To be even more precise, she was anxious at the thought of inheriting the throne soon after her return. For the past few days, Ellie and Opal had talked many times and at length, as promised, and so the duchess was painfully aware of the young princess’s feelings. She was still only nineteen and hadn’t learned much; having her inherit the throne at her age was nothing short of harsh and cruel.

“Lud and I will visit you so that we can all play together,” Opal said. “But before that happens, why don’t we go and have some fun this afternoon? Just the two of us.”

“Two of us?” Ellie asked. “You mean, just you and me?”

“That’s right.”

Opal had recently planned this outing, hoping to give the princess a change of pace, and Ellie could hardly believe her ears.

“But...will it be all right?” the princess asked.

It wasn’t just what happened on Quinn Street that worried her; she was also concerned about the fuss outside their door. The news of the crime ring was still a hot topic among the public, and reporters and onlookers gathered around House Roussel to ease their curiosities. The manor was surrounded by a tall wall, and while the spacious garden added some distance from outsiders, allowing for some peace and quiet, Ellie had still heard all about the noise from the servants.

“We’ll be fine,” Opal replied. “Reporters gather whenever there’s news, and I’ve snuck past them many times before.”

“You have?” Ellie asked.

“Mhm. You’ve come all the way to Taisei, and it’d be a waste if you left without seeing the hustle and bustle of the royal capital for yourself. I also wanted to invite you to the Roussel march, but that will have to wait for another time.”

“All right. It’s a promise.”

“I promise.”

Both ladies were quite aware how much was in the way of a “next time.” But this promise also implied that when Ellie became the ruler of Lumeon, she’d stabilize her nation to the point where she could have leisurely outings. Opal gave a firm nod and smiled.

“Now then, let’s prepare to head out,” the duchess said. “Everyone here is used to us sneaking around, so if we leave it to them, this will be as easy as pie.”

Nadja and the other ladies-in-waiting had often helped their master and mistress dress so that they wouldn’t stand out in the city. In fact, the stableman was also skilled in providing assistance so that the duke and duchess could sneak out of the manor. Soon enough, as Opal had claimed, she and Ellie were dressed in simple clothes within the busiest square of the royal capital, blending right in with the crowd. Ellie’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed around her.

“Do you have anywhere that you’d like to go?” Opal asked. “Don’t hold back. Just blurt out whatever is on your mind.”

“Everywhere... I just can’t choose,” Ellie murmured.

The princess was staring at the crowd when her eyes once again landed on a stall that served skewered fruits stewed in syrup.

Opal had not failed to notice where Ellie’s attention had fallen. “Then why don’t we start from there?” Opal asked, pointing at the stall and tugging Ellie toward it.

“Opal?!” Ellie gasped.

“Don’t let go of my hand, now. I wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

Opal smiled at Ellie’s confusion and skillfully waded through the crowd. The princess had never had such an experience before, and she was at a loss at what to do. Soon enough the ladies stopped just short of the stall.

“What would you like?” Opal asked.

“Can I choose?” Ellie asked.

“Of course! I’ll choose what I want, so you don’t have to eat what I’m eating. Hmm, I think I’ll ask for the apple one.”

“Um, I... Uh...”

“Take your time. We can call out to the stall whenever you’ve made your decision.”

Ellie smiled happily. Over the past few days she had told Opal much about her life. In the past, she might have spoken up when she didn’t need certain items, but not once was she allowed to ask for something that she wanted. Not once, therefore, had she ever considered the idea of simply ordering everything she wanted, and so she stood now, in the front of the stall, agonizing over her choice.

A princess who agonized over choosing only one skewer of fruit was not at all reminiscent of a selfish princess. Ultimately, Ellie only acted selfish because everyone expected that from her, Opal thought. It still vexed her that on her first glance, Opal had expected much the same.

When Julian had noted that Ellie and Opal were alike, the duchess had only rebuffed him. The two ladies were probably equally stubborn as well. Opal thought that she’d matured over the years, but around her brother, she couldn’t help but be childish and conceal her real feelings. Ellie, on the other hand, might have acted rebellious at first, but she now accepted and trusted Opal very much.

It’s better to try to fix one’s faults instead of turning needlessly defiant when made aware of them. Opal had assumed that she had understood her flaws well, but that wasn’t enough to ignite change. In fact, change only became more difficult as time passed. Opal was most thoroughly lost in her thoughts when Ellie smiled and turned to the duchess.

“I’ve decided on apricot!” the princess said.

“Oooh! That sounds delicious too! Why don’t we make our purchase?” Opal said.

After Ellie finally landed on her choice, Opal stepped toward the stall and made her order. Ellie copied Opal’s mannerisms and ordered the apricot skewer, albeit gingerly. Their total was given, and the ladies brought out a tiny wallet to pay.

“Young lady, I saw you thinking long and hard on your choice! I’ve been there!” the stall owner said. “I’ll throw in some freebies!”

“Huh? What?” Ellie asked.

“Thank you, sir,” Opal said brightly.

“Um, yes... Th-Thank you, sir?” Ellie said, still perplexed. She could only copy the duchess’s words.

The owner had clearly seen Ellie’s agony, and as he swiftly skewered the apricots deeply, he also added some small peach slices on top. He made sure to add this freebie to Opal’s skewer too.

“Drop by my stall again!” the man said cheerfully.

“We sure will,” Opal replied. “Thank you.”

“Thank you!” Ellie said.

The ladies took their skewers and left, Ellie all smiles as she waved the stall owner goodbye.

“I’ve read in books about freebies being offered, but I didn’t think it was real,” Ellie said.

Her happy face was swiftly replaced by a glum exterior. Curious at the sudden shift, Opal peered at Ellie, who apologetically turned back to the stall.

“He didn’t seem to have any other customers. Is it really all right that he gave us these freebies?” Ellie murmured.

“Hmm, then why don’t we sit down and eat in a place where we might stand out?” Opal replied.

“Can we stand out?!”

“Only for now.”

Opal winked at Ellie’s shocked expression; no one had noticed their true identities. No normal person would assume that the duchess and princess were out and about in the city. A few guards, dressed as commoners, were currently blending in with the crowd. Their disguises were so well done that even Opal couldn’t keep track of them all.

“Let’s sit and eat here,” Opal said.

“A-All right,” Ellie replied.

The middle of the square had a massive fountain, with a stone platform nearby. The duchess took a seat and invited over the princess, who hesitantly sat down next to her.

“Don’t worry,” Opal said with a smile as she noticed Ellie nervously glancing around. “Nobody here will mind. In fact, it’s normal to sit down and eat atop this platform.”

Opal brought the skewered fruit to her lips and ate a peach. Ellie followed suit, eating a free slice of stewed peach. The moment she took a bite, her face lit up happily. She chewed carefully and savored the sweet treat before she swallowed.

“This is delicious!” she cried.

She immediately took a bite of apricot and once again gave an expression of pure bliss. It wasn’t just Opal who watched over the wholesome scene with a smile, but Ellie was too busy eating to notice the gazes of people nearby; she was all smiles as she turned to the duchess.

“I’ve never eaten anything this delicious before!” Ellie squealed. “Where do these fruits come from?”

“Well, apricots are in season right now, so I presume they came from around here,” Opal surmised. “But since we can eat apples too, I think they all came from abroad.”

“Makes sense!”

Ever since the railroad had been introduced to the populace, exports from abroad could be delivered in a short amount of time. After Opal’s loud explanation, several people began heading for the fruit skewers stall. Ellie was savoring the apricots when she looked up and noticed that there was now a line in front of the stall.

“I knew it! It’s popular because it’s so delicious,” she said.

“I don’t deny that these skewers are delectable, but what you’re actually seeing now is the power of advertising,” Opal replied.

“Advertising?”

Ellie tilted her head to one side quizzically. She had only received the bare minimum of education, and had no idea what Opal was referring to.

“When you go to theaters, you see people announcing the venue’s next play, don’t you?” Opal explained. “Guests will hear them, and if it sounds worth their time, they’ll head back to the theater. Newspapers in recent years have started doing similar things with products, attracting readers who might buy them. Advertising, in essence, is the practice of spreading information to persuade buyers into making a purchase.”

“So is it simply just to promote your products? Is there a flyer for these items, or are they listed somewhere?”

“It’s not just promoting products. You can also spread rumors as well. For example, you can say something like, ‘so-and-so’s item is cheap and delicious.’ Some will purposefully spread these rumors to get an edge over their competitors.”

“That doesn’t sound fair,” Ellie remarked.

“That’s how businesses operate. But this method comes with its fair share of risks. If others deem these messages too much of a lie or an exaggeration, the product they are attempting to sell will suffer in reputation. And as we know, nasty rumors are the easiest to spread.”

“You’ve got a point there.” Ellie nodded before she gave a gasp of realization. “Um, did we...” She trailed off and lowered her voice to a faint whisper. “Did we advertise the skewers? Is that why you decided to sit in a place where we’d be seen?”

“Precisely.”

“But that means...”

Ellie looked worried, for the tactic she’d deemed unfair was what she had unknowingly participated in just moments ago. Opal chuckled and shook her head.

“All you did was voice your true thoughts,” the duchess said. “And indeed, these are very delicious skewers. It’s sweet but slightly tangy. It’s not just sugar; I’m sure the owner has a hidden formula of his own that he uses to make these.”

“All I know is that these skewers taste great,” Ellie replied.

“And that’s just fine. I tried to act like an expert, but in truth, I also have no idea what’s in these skewers.” Opal flashed a mischievous grin. “We received peaches as freebies, and in turn, you spoke of how delicious the skewers were, promoting his business. It sounds like a win-win situation to me.”

“But if you didn’t suggest that we sit and eat here, the skewers might have never been advertised.”

“I only chose this location because you were worried about the stall, Ellie. And it was because of how scrumptiously you ate the skewers that everyone’s interest was piqued. It’s really all thanks to you that the stall has a massive line now.”

“I didn’t do much... And these skewers really are delicious.”

“And that’s probably the most important factor when trading: The quality of one’s products is never less than excellent. But now, that alone isn’t enough to make do...”

“What do you mean?”

Opal sighed as Ellie knitted her brows in confusion. The duchess took a few moments to formulate her explanation.

“Thanks to the development of railroads and ships, a massive amount of products can now be delivered at once in a short amount of time,” the duchess explained. “Places that once overproduced things will no longer need to destroy or toss their products away. Mass-produced items can be sold for a much lower price, and because of that, we consumers can buy these products for cheap. And though such a change is welcome to the consumer, for the producers and manufacturers this creates an unhappy situation; many consumers will turn to the cheaper products, regardless of its quality, and in turn, the sellers will also import cheaper-quality goods to make their products. Items that require time and money must be sold for a higher price for the sellers to make it worth their while, but that will mean they will always lose against their mass-producing competitors when it comes to price.”

“No...” Ellie murmured. “Why can’t quality products sell? They should just advertise that their products are of high quality!”

“And that’s yet another hurdle.”

“But it went well this time around.”

“You’re right. These skewers were tasty.”

Opal ate the last of the fruit on her skewer, took Ellie’s empty one from her hand, and stood up.

“Why don’t we go for a little walk?” the duchess asked.

She tossed the skewers into a nearby trash can and offered a hand to the princess, which Ellie took obediently.

“Let me know if any shops catch your eye. Don’t hold back,” Opal said. “There aren’t just stores here, and this road, I believe, has quite a few intriguing sights to behold.”

“Okay,” Ellie replied, nodding.

The two began to walk, Ellie matching Opal’s stride perfectly. And while Ellie showed interest in a variety of places and stopped many times to take a closer look, she didn’t make a single purchase.

“Are you sure you don’t want to buy anything?” Opal asked.

“Mhm,” Ellie replied.

“Then why don’t we go inside over there and take a short rest?”

By this point they had walked enough to have seen most of the stores on this road, and while she’d had a good time, Ellie had clearly grown tired. The place Opal suggested they rest was a café near the fountain of the square. Out on the café terrace, a gust of wind would bring a fine mist of water every now and then, but in this warm weather, it was nice and refreshing. The duchess noticed Ellie glancing at the fountain several times.

“If it bothers you, we can change places,” Opal offered.

“No, I’m fine,” Ellie replied with a shake of her head. “It feels ticklish... Like another thing I’m not used to. But I’m having a lot of fun.”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

Yet Ellie’s answering smile was feeble.

“If you’re tired, we can return home,” Opal said.

“I’m fine,” Ellie replied. “But if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend some time here and watch everyone pass by.”

“Of course. Feel free.”

The two spent a good while in silence, gazing at the hustle and bustle of the square, the people wading through and the stalls lined all the way down the street, selling various items.

“Everyone’s working...” Ellie muttered.

“They are,” Opal replied.

“And I’m just sitting here, doing nothing at all.”

“Ellie...”

Opal tried to refute her, but the princess quickly cut her off.

“I don’t mean to deride myself, and I’m not feeling obsequious either,” Ellie said. “I want to do my best, and that hasn’t changed. But I’m...just not sure if I can fulfill my role. Even after I claim the throne, will I just stay the same as I am now? Just watching others, and incapable of doing anything else?”

Ellie was clearly anxious. Opal struggled mightily to respond, and in the end, she sounded vexed, overly so, with herself.

“I invited you today in the hopes of cheering you up, but I suppose I was no good,” Opal sighed. “I failed.”

“Y-You didn’t!” Ellie stammered. “I really had so much fun! But this was also the first time I was able to see what it’s like for other people to live their lives.”

Apparently, Ellie had never set foot from her palace ever since her father had passed away. Her uncle, Eckardt, had claimed that the outside world was too dangerous for her; the previous prince of Lumeon had passed away from the plague, after all. Ellie’s visit to Taisei, then, was not solely possible because of Alessandro’s machinations. Opal and Claude had guessed that this fuss was precisely what Eckardt had planned. And while his cunning scheme had ultimately failed, Claude and Opal refused to relax. Opal took a moment to observe their guards, stationed around them, while a waiter came to bring the drinks they had ordered. They thanked the waiter, and he promptly left.

“Ellie, you must drink this café’s peach juice,” Opal encouraged. “It’s quite delicious!”

“A-All right,” Ellie replied. She placed her lips on the glass, and her eyes grew wide with delight. “What wonderful flavor!”

“Isn’t it?”

Opal huffed proudly as Ellie expressed her joy, and the duchess crouched to whisper into the princess’s ear.

“Truth be told, the peaches used for this juice come from Roussel’s march,” Opal said in a low voice. “And it was carried here by Fred Railway.”

Ellie’s mouth was agape in astonishment for a moment before she burst into a fit of giggles. Her laughter was downright adorable, easily attracting the gazes of the café’s other customers.

“Oh, Opal, now that’s not playing fair,” Ellie said.

“Because I’m advertising to you?” Opal asked.

“No, it’s because you’re too adorable.”

“Me? Oh, don’t tease me like that, Ellie.”

“I’m quite serious. You look just like a child when you’re pleased with yourself.”

“Do I?”

Opal pouted in displeasure, but she soon smirked and leaned forward once more.

“One more thing,” Opal whispered. “The fruit skewers that we first ate? The apples in them come from the Bocceli Duchy. We’ve been researching ways to preserve them for prolonged time periods.”

Ellie was silent with shock before she bemoaned Opal. “You really are shrewd!”

The princess laughed, with the duchess soon joining in, their chuckles attracting even more attention. Opal noticed how troubled their guards were in how much attention they were attracting despite all their efforts to remain unknown, and quickly suppressed her giggles.

“Ellie, what shall we do? I fear we’ve attracted some attention,” Opal said.

“It’s your fault. You’re too cute, Opal,” Ellie replied.

“Oh? I think it’s because you’re too cute.”

As they each pushed responsibility onto the other, they began to chuckle once more, but no longer were the people around them bothered by it.

“I guess they’re not interested in us anymore,” Opal said.

“That’s a good thing,” Ellie replied.

“Yes, I suppose that’s all there is to it. Everyone leaps at excitement, but soon enough get bored and move on, especially if another exciting thing they can latch onto shows itself. But even if people lose interest, the objects of rumor must live on with the nastiness of gossip swirling about them. No one else will take responsibility. Even if the rumor ends up being a lie, it is still the victim who pays the price.”

“Opal...”

The duchess smiled, but Ellie knew that reflected little of how Opal really felt. Through her entire life, in all its numerous hardships. Opal had always had a smile on her face.

“For better or for worse, we stand out, and thus, will attract attention,” Opal continued. “In this kingdom, you’re protected by His Majesty, but when you return home and you claim the throne, Ellie, you’d feel like your every movement will be under strict surveillance. Sitting back and watching over others while doing nothing will be an impossible task, and in fact, there will be those who will be sitting back and watching over you.”

“That’s terrifying.”

The thought of the future made Ellie tremble. She must’ve known as much, but vocalizing it had brought her that much closer to the harsh reality of what was to come.

“I agree,” Opal nodded. “But I don’t think that you’ll be all alone on your throne.”

“Huh?” Ellie asked dully.

“The king of this kingdom seems like one who haughtily leans back in his throne and simply watches over his people, but what do you think, Ellie?”

The princess was surprised to hear Opal’s frank thoughts, and honestly replied, “Well, he does look arrogant.” Ellie realized, in the ensuing silence, that she was encouraged to explain herself and quickly added, “But it’s all just for show, right? My uncle may seem highfalutin and pompous, but I feel like he’s encouraging that impression on purpose.”

“I see. So, that’s what you feel.”

“You’re horrible. You make it seem like I’m the only one bad-mouthing him.”

Ellie put on an outraged expression, at which Opal chuckled, but she quickly pressed her hand against her mouth to remain quiet.

“You don’t have to worry,” Opal reassured. “My opinions are far worse. I think he works people to the bone, and is both selfish and oppressive.”

“Really?” Ellie asked.

“But I also know that he’s a man of firm convictions, ones he walks straight toward without pause. And though he sometimes goes astray, he listens well to the people around him and steers himself back to the correct path. So even if there are times he frustrates us to no end, we remain by his side.”

This was precisely why Claude begrudgingly accepted Alessandro’s orders, and Opal agreed to the king’s unreasonable requests; in the end, they all knew he was leading them to the ideal future they all believed in. Opal looked at Ellie with kind eyes.

“In the past decade, this kingdom wasn’t just restored,” the duchess said. “It’s flourished. Developments and advancements are being made in leaps and bounds. While it’s due in no small part to the hard work of our citizens, I believe another not so small part is due to the fact that it is His Majesty who proudly sits at the throne, undeterred and unfazed by anything that comes his way. A king who is anxious and afraid will only worry those that serve them, and thus they will be deterred from doing any meaningful work. In other words, even if it’s just for show, it’s best to act confident and sit proudly on the throne.”

“I’m not even sure if I can act confident...” Ellie said.

“You’ll get away with quite a few things. You’re still young, after all. And if you follow through with your beliefs without relying too much on your youth, people will naturally gravitate toward you. All you need is conviction. If I may ask, Ellie, what would you like to do with your principality?”

“I...”

Ellie averted her gaze, unable to give a proper response. After several moments of silence, Opal followed Ellie’s eyes and turned to the people who were bustling around the square.

“I...might not have this conviction yet,” Ellie mumbled quietly. Her words were weak, but her tone was firm. “But I want my citizens to live with energy and gusto, just like the people here. I don’t want them to be afraid of the future; rather, I’d like them to believe that the future will be bright. Thank you, Opal. I really did have so much fun today. I’ve had many firsts for me, and it scared me a little, but I now have a goal in mind!”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Opal replied.

The duchess didn’t say that, when forming one’s own convictions, liveliness and willingness were the most important factors of all. If she said it now, she feared that Ellie would overthink matters and become unable to walk forward.

“I think a lot of people will agree with your lovely goal,” Opal said. “You’ll be fine. Remember, even if you might look like you’re sitting alone on your throne, all you need to do is stop and look around, for undoubtedly there will be many people willing to support you.”

“Will you be one of them?” Ellie asked.

“Of course. We may not be residing in the same nation, but I promise to offer you any aid I can.”

“Your help alone is worth the support of hundreds.”

“Oh? I’m not sure about that. I’m a very frail lady.”

“You’re being too humble, Opal.”

“I’m only speaking the truth.”

Ellie seemed to have regained some of her confidence thanks to Opal’s words. The duchess had wanted to sneak out for just a change of pace, but to Ellie, this was a very beneficial experience. The root of the recent incident still hadn’t been cleared away, and there was an even greater issue looming. Even so, the two ladies eventually returned to the manor with matching smiles.

Extra Story 2: Julian’s Marriage Proposal

“Welcome home, Your Grace,” the butler said.

“I’m home, Josephe. All is well, I trust?” Claude asked.

Opal would return from Lumeon the next day, and just yesterday, Claude had taken their son, Ludrick, with him to the manor in the royal capital. While the duke had simply arrived here to welcome his wife, he had been saddled with odd jobs, and as a result he had left home today while keeping Lud at the manor.

“There are no changes to report,” Josephe replied. “As usual, Viscount Holloway had dropped by for a visit, but that’s all.”

“Wait, Julian’s here?” Claude asked.

Josephe had served as butler of House Roussel since the previous head of the house, and so he had made no attempt to hide his displeasure. Always, when it came to Claude, he pulled no punches, but, surprisingly, he demonstrated the utmost respect toward Opal and Ludrick. He was only strict with the duke, though truth be told, Josephe’s attitude was rather stern toward Julian as well.

“Is he in the study?” Claude asked.

“Precisely,” Josephe replied.

“Got it. Could I ask you to prepare us some tea?”

“Very well. It shall be very bitter.”

“Right. Thank you.”

Usually, Claude would greet his guest right away, but in this instance he completely disregarded etiquette and instead returned to his room to change his clothes. He then headed to his son’s room to catch a glimpse of his face. The baby had just gotten out of the bath; his top half was wrapped in a towel while he had his diaper changed.

“Welcome back, Your Grace,” Asha said.

“I’m back. Thank you as always, Asha,” Claude replied. “Was Lud a good boy?”

“Yes. You truly have a splendid son.”

Asha smiled as she skillfully dressed Lud and, once finished, took a step back, hoping to not get in the way of some father-son time. Asha had served as a wet nurse to many households in the past, but not once had she seen a high-ranking noble express so much love and dote over their child as the Duke and Duchess Bocceli had to Lud. When Lud had learned to walk, Asha had been extra careful to watch over him, and every now and then he would get a fever, but regardless of the circumstances the Duke and Duchess Bocceli fully trusted the wet nurse with her job. This made it very easy for her to do her work, and she used what spare time she had to shower Lud with the utmost affection.

Claude scooped up his son and readied the boy for bed before the duke reluctantly handed his son over to Asha; he didn’t want to spend even a moment away from him. Claude then trudged his way to his study. He opened the door without bothering to knock, revealing Julian, who was lounging on the sofa like he owned the place.

“Took you long enough,” Julian said.

“I went to visit Lud,” Claude replied.

“Well, guess I can’t fault you, then. My Lud is damn adorable. I played with him a little before he had his dinner.”

“He’s not yours,” Claude made sure to point out, “but yes, I do welcome an uncle playing around with his nephew.”

Claude sighed at the arrogant Holloway before taking a seat across from him. Julian had placed his legs on the armrest of the sofa so he was practically lying down on it, and in his hand was a glass of amber liquid.

“Hey, that’s my grandfather’s finely aged and treasured liquor,” Claude grumbled.

“It’s just alcohol, isn’t it?” Julian replied. “What use is liquor if you don’t drink it?”

Julian spoke nonchalantly, but the single glass of it alone was likely the price of a purebred horse. It was no wonder that Josephe was miffed, to say the least. Claude sighed.

“I’ve come home to quite the angry butler, and I’m sure you are to blame,” he said.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Julian replied, completely unconcerned. “I’m always nagged at and scolded when I come home too.”

“I’d say that’s well deserved. Both Marcia and Trevor are worried sick about you.”

“Need I remind you that Marcia’s nitpicking is for you as well, yet you insist upon maintaining an air of innocence.”

“Nah, you know my true self. It just seems that the people of this kingdom have come to a misunderstanding of who I really am.”

Julian rarely returned to the Earldom of Holloway. And so, whenever he did, he would be lectured at length by Marcia. Claude, for his part, was more than happy to be kept out of it. Viscount Holloway caused trouble wherever he went, and inevitably Claude was dragged into these messes. This relationship had continued even after he’d gone to Taisei, and so Josephe had seen no reason to stop treating Claude and Julian as problematic children.

There was a knock on the door, but the butler didn’t even wait for a reply as he stepped inside and brought the two some tea.

“Please do forgive my impertinence, but I believe you should choose your friends more wisely, Your Grace,” Josephe said.

“Unfortunately for you, Josephe, I’m the older brother of the madam that you seem to be so fond of,” Julian replied.

“Truly, it’s unfortunate.”

Josephe gave his usual snark, but truth be told, he had fully accepted Claude as his master. The butler’s penchant for hiding his true feelings resembled the previous Earl Roussel very much.

“What a stubborn old geezer,” Julian muttered.

Josephe stopped, facing the door, his back turned toward the viscount. His words were firm. “I may be a geezer, but my ears are in perfect health. Now then, if you’ll excuse me.”

Josephe bowed solemnly and left the room. Claude took a sip of his tea and grinned. As promised, the butler had poured rich, bitter tea, but the taste was far from unpleasant. In this delicious cup of bitter tea was an apt depiction of Josephe’s skills.

“And? Why are you drinking liquor at such an early hour?” Claude asked. “And at my manor, no less.”

“Alessandro called me out again,” Julian said.

“But you always answer him, no matter how begrudgingly.”

“There are times when he shares fun little tidbits, I will admit.”

“So, this time around, it wasn’t fun, I assume?”

“Depends on if you classify a marriage proposal with the princess under that category.”

“That’s...no laughing matter.”

Claude downed his cup of tea, frowning. He took a glass from the cabinet and poured himself the liquor that Julian had just opened.

“Now we’re accomplices,” Julian said.

“We’re not committing a crime,” Claude replied. “And what use is liquor if you don’t drink it?”

“Seems like you’re to blame for your own reputation.”

“Perhaps.”

Claude casually replied before he chugged his drink. It wasn’t enough to get him drunk, but it still burned his throat.

“Come now, Claude,” Julian said. “You know better than to drink this in that way.”

“I’m drinking on the princess’s behalf,” Claude replied. “For I can’t imagine how she’d stay sober in the face of her cruel new reality. Marrying someone like you is far, far from a picnic.”

“Then would you rather marry her?”

“That’s impossible.”

“Probably.”

Princess Clarissa was a charming woman, but even if she married Claude or Julian, she likely wouldn’t be happy. Claude was only interested in Opal and no one else, while Julian wasn’t suited for marriage at all. And while the royal family was fully aware that marriages were not always formed on the basis of love, they at least wanted to avoid a union that would bring unhappiness. Furthermore, the princess already held someone in her heart. Only a select few knew about it, and of course, Alessandro did as well.

“You’re as ruthless as ever,” Julian remarked.

“When it involves politics, yes,” Claude replied. “That’s why, for better or for worse, I know I can’t leave this kingdom.”

“Speaking of, before you married Opal, there was a very funny rumor going around, wasn’t there?”

“Zip it, idiot.”

Before Claude had married his childhood sweetheart, he had refused to let any women come near him and instead spent an alarming amount of time with Alessandro. A rumor had spread from these circumstances, one funny and half joking, likely from those jealous they weren’t called to Alessandro nearly as often as Claude was. Alessandro, upon discovering it, found it so funny he called for Claude time and again, even if he had no business with him. Back then, Claude hadn’t cared a whit for the gossip, but now, he wanted those rumors to be laid to rest for good.

“Besides, Julian, aren’t you fond of His Majesty too?” Claude asked. “Else you wouldn’t be wandering around here for so long.”

“Helps with my boredom,” Julian replied. “And there are spots of entertainment here and there. You know, like my stupid younger sister.”

“Mind your tongue. Your younger sister is my beloved wife.”

“All right, then I’ll rephrase: Your beloved wife is stupid, and she’s trying to stick her nose into another troublesome affair.”

“She is being kind.”

Claude knew that Julian had insulted Opal only to change topics; the duke had let it slide, but if anyone else dared to speak ill of Opal, the conversation would have turned quite physical quite quickly. And in spite of Julian’s snark, he was, above all, worried for his sister. Seeing Claude’s knowing smile made Julian huff and take another sip of his liquor.

“The princess of the principality has been trapped by a scammer,” Julian said. “And Opal’s so-called kindness will throw her right in the middle of this mess. Knowing her, she’ll probably pretend to be a frivolous, flighty duchess. My sympathies for you having such a cheater for a wife.”

“It was written in her letter,” Claude replied. “She’s willing to lower herself and be the villain in these scenarios. She really is too kind.”

“You’re not so different from her. Speaking of which, the Lumeon princess and Opal seem to resemble each other quite a bit.”

“Then it sounds like this mess will require a generous amount of elbow grease.”

Since Julian saw the resemblance, there was no doubt that Her Highness was quite the tomboy, headstrong and stubborn. Claude began to think about his childhood days with Opal when Julian’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“If you’re going to devolve into daydreaming about Opal with a smirk on your face, do so while I’m not around,” Julian grumbled.

“Telling me to not think of her while we’re talking about her is an impossible request,” Claude replied.

“I’m telling you to stop grinning,” Julian spat.

“And? Why did you go out of your way to visit? Have you gained some intel about the swindler?”

“I didn’t come here to visit you. I came here for Lud. There’s not much on the swindler. He’s an unlucky investor whose manner and looks are good enough to trick quite a number of women. He finds his prey traveling the resorts of various nations.”

“Is he friends with a crew member? Confirming a guest list is impossible, and on sea, he has nowhere to run if things go south. Targeting passengers on an active voyage is foolish. He may even encounter a guest on board he once fooled previously. And why go out of his way to target the princess? Sure, she might be a first-class passenger, but at her young age, she looks like she most likely would have a guardian. The risks aren’t worth the payoff.”

“Looks like someone’s well acquainted with swindlers.”

“Don’t kid around,” Claude replied, irritated. He clicked his tongue. “If that swindler is working under someone else’s orders, Opal will only be a nuisance to them.”

Opal had written in her letter that she assumed that this swindler was the exact one who had been rumored to appear recently on luxury cruises, but if this man was working under someone else’s orders, this was a different story entirely. At the sight of Claude’s growing annoyance, Julian’s shoulders slumped.

“I’m sure Opal has assumed as much,” Julian replied. “That’s why she’s got guards on her. And nothing will occur on the ship itself.”

“Not until the princess sets foot in Taisei,” Claude added.

Knowing his wife, the duke had already assumed she would accept Alessandro’s request to be the princess’s chaperone. He was also aware that, in addition to Opal’s guards, Alessandro had also dispatched some of his finest bodyguards to the princess as well. He took a deep breath to regain his cool as he tried to guess Opal’s future plans. He wanted to ensure her safety—it was his top priority—but he also wanted to allow her to move as she pleased. What could Claude do then, in this instance?

“What’s your plan, Julian?” Claude asked.

“I might fool around on Quinn Street,” Julian replied.

“Is it about Prince Vincent?”

“That spoiled whelp can argue with his pigheaded father as he pleases. I’m going for a separate matter entirely.”

“The slums...”

Claude had incorrectly assumed that the matter pertained to Prince Vincent, who had been found to be engaging in less than ideal behavior near Quinn Street as of late. But it seemed that Julian had grasped some information linking this swindler and his mastermind to the alleys of the slums. In other words, Alessandro must’ve already known about it as well. Since Quinn Street was perfectly legitimate as a front, the king couldn’t find the right opportunity to intervene with the area’s inner slums, which had become a breeding ground for crime.

“His Majesty really is a cruel man,” Claude murmured.

“He not only uses his own niece to interfere with the domestic affairs of the principality; he even extends this interference to the slums,” Julian said. “He’s a lucky guy. I think he’ll get screwed one day.”

“And the world would suffer for it.”

“I mean, that’s why you’re by his side, right?”

Julian grinned, devilishly enjoying himself. It was a rare glimpse of his truer, nastier personality.

“How much should I tell Opal?” Claude wondered.

“You don’t have to tell her a thing,” Julian replied. “I’m sure she’ll realize it on her own.”

“You’re right.”

And now Claude, though he knew he could not indulge in such a luxury, was sorely tempted to get drunk. He reached for the pot filled with now-cold tea and poured himself a second cup.

***

Recalling his last exchange with Julian brought a heavy sigh to Claude’s lips. The public was still terrified by the incidents that had come out of the slums. Claude wanted Opal to do as she pleased, but he would’ve never imagined that she would willingly be kidnapped to the slums only to strike a deal with the madame of Butterfly Villa and, in doing so, expose the misdeeds of the slums entirely. Not only that, Opal had even guided the serial murder cases to its resolution. Claude had been busy with the aftermath of these cases, but on this day, he decided to head home early.

“Welcome back, Your Grace,” the butler said.

“Thanks, Josephe,” Claude replied. “Are Opal and Ellie still out?”

“Yes, they still have not returned. But they don’t seem to be having any issues.”

“Got it.”

Opal and Ellie were out in the city square for some fun, and Claude had received reports from his guards that the two ladies were just fine. Yet Josephe was once again clearly annoyed.

“Is Julian here again?” Claude asked.

“Precisely,” Josephe replied. “Today’s indulgence seems to be wine.”

“Then I’d like some well-steeped tea again, please.”

With a forced smile, Claude went to the second floor and left Julian be. The duke swiftly changed his clothes and quietly snuck a peak at his napping son. Lud was still fast asleep, and so Claude quietly walked down the stairs to head to his study.

“And this time you plunder my grandfather’s treasured wine,” Claude grumbled.

Julian, having found his way into the manor’s wine cellar, only replied with, “The bottle was covered with dust. Consuming it is doing it a favor.”

Though little by little Julian’s arrogance grew, Claude was not truly angry with him. Both he and Opal only drank just enough to enjoy themselves, and they weren’t collectors either. Frankly, he didn’t mind one bit if Julian did as he pleased, but Claude still had to maintain appearances and say a complaint or two.

“You still didn’t have to choose the best one from the cellar,” Claude pointed out.

“It looked the oldest,” Julian replied. “Matured products are just fine, but if they’re about to degrade, it’s best to consume it.”

Julian had already prepared a fresh glass, into which he poured some wine. Claude raised the glass and placed it under the light before he took a sip.

“It’s strong,” Claude said.

“Right, you like it sweeter, don’t you?” Julian replied. “Complete opposite of your personality.”

“My personality has nothing to do with my preferences.”

Claude frowned at the wine-flavored jab at his personality.

“Both you and Opal are too diligent and earnest,” Julian went on. “If you both aren’t a little more carefree, you’ll only go through way more hardship.”

“Worried about us?” Claude asked.

“Nah, at this point, I’m just exasperated.”

Julian could never be honest with himself. Before he gave any sort of report, he made sure to make some cheeky remarks about Opal and Claude, his worry nonetheless clear and ever present. Claude sensed what Julian was about to say, and scowled.

“As I thought, the same mother and daughter that Opal was so worried about are being forced to work in Baroness Whittal’s factory,” Claude rumbled.

“Yeah,” Julian replied. “I even went to confirm their faces, so there’s no doubt about it. The child is being forced to work as well.”

Kate and Mayley concerned Opal greatly. The moment her letter had been passed to the priest, Claude had suspected that they’d end up in Baroness Whittal’s factory. He had begun to hear some suspicious rumors about the place, and so he had looked into whether a woman called Kate from Socille had been hired in the past month. He ended up finding the names of Kate and Mayley, and had turned to Julian for assistance.

“The child as well?” Claude asked. “This will hurt Opal.”

“She’s always just a step behind,” Julian said. “In any case, I’ll head there again tomorrow and bring those two out, so you just sit tight and console my stupid younger sister.”

Opal was already likely frustrated by the fact that she couldn’t do much to help Kate’s precarious circumstances, but if the duchess learned that Claude had an inkling about where the mother and her daughter had gone but remained quiet about it, Opal would feel even more hurt. Julian, therefore, had emphasized the importance of discretion, and that Claude shouldn’t say a word about how he had already learned of Kate and Mayley’s situation.

“Thanks, Julian,” Claude replied.

The duke knew that his wife already had plenty on her plate, and didn’t want to give her another thing to worry about. Julian, then, had read Claude like an open book. Upon receiving such open words of gratitude, Julian downed his glass of alcohol to neatly hide his embarrassment.

Josephe soon arrived with tea. He glanced at the almost empty bottle of wine, but poured the tea in silence. The two men expected the butler to give a sharp remark or two, but they ended up surprised.

“Viscount Holloway, if you will pardon my audacity, I would like to thank you as well,” Josephe said.

He bowed and placed a cup of tea in front of Julian. Claude was shocked, but Julian couldn’t even begin to sense the reason behind the butler’s sudden words of gratitude.

“Thank me? For what?” Julian asked.

“For thinking of madam’s feelings,” Josephe replied. “I am genuinely pleased to hear it.”

“Uh, Claude? What’s going on?” Confused, Julian turned to his brother-in-law.

“Josephe is very fond of Opal,” Claude explained with a forced smile. “But in these sentiments I must absolutely agree with him.”

Julian scrunched his nose. “Both of your poor tastes aside, were you eavesdropping on our conversation, Josephe?”

“Heavens, no,” Josephe replied. “I just happened to hear it. My ears are quite good, you see.”

“You seem to have quite the convenient pair of ears,” Claude pointed out. He was referring to just the other day, when his butler had chuckled about how he’d become hard of hearing.

Josephe feigned ignorance. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re on about.” He then comically made a fist with his right hand and hit his open left palm. “Ah, yes. By the way, I was just told that madam and Lady Ellie shall return shortly.”

“You should’ve said that sooner!” Julian shouted.

He downed Josephe’s tea in one go and stood up.

“You’re not gonna meet Opal?” Claude asked.

“Trouble on trouble,” Julian replied. “If I meet her now, she’ll just keep nagging me about the slums.”

“Well, that’s only fair. In fact, I’d like to give you a piece of my mind too.”

“Just sit tight on that for now.”

Viscount Holloway had made a name for himself, and now that even his face was well-known, snooping around the slums only brought danger. Both Opal and Claude were worried about the young Holloway, but they couldn’t say much because they knew his personality very well.

“All right, I’ll see ya later,” Julian said.

“Julian!” Claude yelled.

Viscount Holloway was quick on his feet. He knew his way around the manor and swiftly left through the back exit, giving Claude and Josephe barely enough time to send him off.

“Be careful out there!” Claude shouted.

While this specific debacle drew to a close, they hadn’t even been close to finding the mastermind behind it all. Julian gave a wave of his hand but left without turning back.

“As usual, he’s a free spirit,” Josephe muttered as he watched Julian, already far away.

“Yeah,” Claude replied with a nod and a smile.

“Your Grace,” Josephe said meaningfully. “Are you sure about this?”

The butler was fully aware of what Claude was like before reuniting with Opal. The duke only grinned.

“Soon I’ll be the happiest of men,” Claude said.

“Indeed, that’s correct,” Josephe replied.

The concept of freedom differed from person to person, but just because one was free, that didn’t necessarily mean they were happier. Julian might have acted free and unrestrained, but he already had too many things to shoulder—he resembled his younger sister all too well. When Claude turned around to leave before his butler, the wheels of the carriage clattered out front. Opal and Ellie had returned.

Claude happily headed for the entrance, failing to see the rare and precious smile his butler wore as his soft eyes focused solely on his master’s back.

Afterword

Hello all, and long time no see. Mori here. Thank you so much for picking up the fourth volume of Duchess in the Attic. It’s all thanks to all of you that I was able to publish the fourth volume. Thank you everyone!

I think many of you assumed that this series ended after the third volume. So did I. I’d thought that this story had ended, and I was surprised when I received the offer of a fourth volume. When I heard the news from my editor, I was like, “Huh? Really?” And then I quickly began to say, “What will I do?”

I feel like I spent quite some time with my editor puzzled on what future steps to take. Even so, I graciously received this offer thanks to everyone who cheered me on. I knew I had to do it! Opal would! She’d do it without hesitation! And so, I did my best and wrote a completely new story for publication. Thank you all!

In any case, the fourth volume turns back time just a little from the third volume. It starts just after Hubert and Roanna’s wedding. Opal’s spending her time in the attic as usual when Claude goes to her and gives her the news that she’d received a summons from Alessandro. Opal can’t bear to spend some time away from her precious son, Ludrick, who’s just turned one, and she now has her struggles as a mother. At the same time, she can’t turn a blind eye to struggling people.

This volume introduced new characters and nations, with a different case from usual looming about. In short, this is the beginning of a new arc, right? I can assume that, right? Right?! It has to be! Why? Because I’ve graciously confirmed the publication of a fifth volume! Thank you so much! The plan is to deliver Opal’s impact on other new nations soon!

And speaking of a new arc, I’d like to thank Maki Hayashi for the manga version of this series, which has begun its second arc! After Claude and Opal tie the knot, trouble awaits them! But Alessandro and the other new characters are portrayed with such charm and splendor that honestly, I had no problem at all!

There are even original chapters, and it’s very, very entertaining! I feel so lucky to be able to read them first. Hayashi, thank you so much! I’ll continue to look forward to your installments!

Plus! Starting from the next volume, Komeko Amazio will be in charge of the illustrations! There’ll be a strong-minded Opal and a kind Claude, along with a cheeky Ellie, and the new characters will be portrayed so beautifully, exactly as I’d envisioned. I’m filled with joy! Thank you so much, Komeko Amazio.

I’d like to thank my editor for always giving me astute advice despite their busy schedule and for cheering me on. Thank you to everyone else involved in the making of this book. And above all, thank you very much to everyone for buying this book!