Chesterfield Mansion: The House of the Man Who Hates Me - Chapter 43

The younger Mrs. Schwenn, on the other hand, declared that she hated Ophelia so much that she would stay locked up in her room. Rather, she seemed to be more interested in Celian. Jade grumbled inwardly and pulled his horse up close to Izer’s black horse.

“Jade, tree there.”

“Oh, thanks.”

His head, covered by a hard riding helmet, dipped low. Thanks to Izer’s warning, he avoided the mishap of hitting his forehead on a thick branch.

In return, Jade chose a topic of conversation that Ophelia couldn’t interrupt.

“Izer, the situation in Fairville isn’t going as expected. Grand Duke Letters has holed himself up in his own territory. People are saying it’s strange how easily he backed down.”

“Captain Schwenn, I don’t want to talk about serious matters on vacation.”

Following the tradition of his military family, Jade was commissioned as soon as he came of age. The defeat, which was decided not long after he went to the battlefield, was rather fortunate for the young officer.

At the time, he wasn’t high enough in rank to be held accountable, nor were there many situations where he would have been put in harm’s way. Jade replied.

“I know you’re listening with interest too. Do you think I don’t know that you discuss Fairville every time you meet the Prince?”

“How could a mere noble refuse His Highness’s words?”

“And yet you’ve been refusing his offer to enlist for years.”

“What good is a crippled hand holding a weapon?”

The words, ‘Is the gun in your hand just for show then?’ rose to the tip of his tongue, but Jade wisely kept his mouth shut.

The skills required for hunting as a hobby and for a soldier who actually had to be deployed on the battlefield were worlds apart. Even if careful aiming and firing were possible, entering a battlefield where a full-fledged battle was taking place was another matter.

Of course, all of this was just theoretical.

‘He could just serve as an officer for a year or two like everyone else, and then retire with an excuse of an injury during training……. It’s not like he’d be put through excessive training anyway.’

It was a suggestion that had already been rejected several times. His friend had an enormous determination not to follow the messy honor-acquiring procedures that William Winston had taken.

Then, Izer, who had been silent, asked.

“What about the Grand Duke’s aides who were in central politics? If they all leave at once, it’ll be a big blow to Ferdinand II.”

See? Jade’s eyes gleamed.

He agreed that Izer couldn’t handle weapons properly, nor could he train like others. But who said that only those who could fight on the battlefield were needed in the military?

On the battlefield, decisions made from behind a desk determined the fate of hundreds and thousands of lives. Quick thinking was also necessary. Izer was quick to assess situations, decisive, and had a good understanding of not only the tactics used on the battlefield but also the morale of the soldiers.

That’s why both Prince Edmond Travis and Captain Jade Schwenn regretted that Izer wasn’t a soldier.

Jade answered as nonchalantly as possible, thinking that he might be able to get some useful advice from him.

“They all followed the Grand Duke. The vacant positions were filled by the Queen’s aides.”

“I’m sure His Majesty the King and His Highness the Prince are also paying close attention.”

The Fairville nobles’ support for the Queen stemmed not from respect for her as a person, but from the fact that she held their leashes. They were more adept at surviving than at being efficient. They were also well prepared to flee if things went wrong.

On the other hand, Grand Duke Letters’s close associates had a slightly different perspective. They were wise and shrewd individuals who recognized the potential in the king’s illegitimate child, sparing no expense in his education, investment, and support. 

 Their steady support for Ferbien Letters was naturally influenced by the aftermath of the victory. It was a victory at the national level, and for the individuals making up the nation, it brought survival. He could truly be called divine. 

 With the victory, the Grand Duke had essentially seized control of the military. Yet it felt unsettling that a man who could have become king immediately had quietly retreated to the barren north. 

 Izer murmured.

“Perhaps it’s his will not to harm civilians. Since Fairville will collapse on its own anyway……” 

 The Treven-Fairville war began with the unjust demands of Fairville’s king, Ferdinand Letters Sperosa II. 

 It started with shipping routes. They demanded excessive tolls for Treven’s merchant ships passing through their waters. Since avoiding Fairville’s seas meant circumnavigating the continent, Treven’s merchant ships paid the tolls with great reluctance. 

 Fairville’s misconduct grew worse. Sometimes, officials disguised as pirates would plunder merchant ships. When Treven protested, Fairville denied any knowledge of such incidents. 

 It even reached the point where they banned military vessels, claiming they posed a threat to Fairville’s citizens. 

 For Treven, it was absolutely maddening. Their intention to monopolize efficient routes and claim the new continent for themselves was too obvious. 

 In an era where colonial territory equated to wealth and national power, Marcotti Berienne, who could no longer stand by, took action. Following his strong advocacy, Treven declared war on Fairville. 

 And Treven lost. Fairville’s tyranny continued. Marcotti Berienne’s ideals failed, and he died. 

 Jade glanced around. Ophelia was nowhere to be seen, probably bored by the complicated story. 

 It was an opportunity. Jade hesitated before asking.

“How is Celian doing?” 

 “……” 

 “Sometimes Father talks about Celian’s father when he drinks.” 

 Count Schwenn was once Marcotti Berienne’s adjutant. Having left the battlefield midway to manage supplies in the capital, he bore minimal responsibility for the defeat. 

 “Everything was perfect, he says. He was an excellent general, and his tactics were unique. On the battlefield, he was an incredible authority.” 

 “……” 

 “That’s why Father couldn’t understand. Why did a war led by such a person end in defeat? Even to Father, who served in the military for over twenty years, brilliant strategies poured out, yet how were they consistently outmaneuvered?” 

 “War isn’t something that can be won by one person’s ability alone.” 

 The commanding general, the officers below him, the soldiers fighting on the front lines.

The families the soldiers left behind, the ordinary citizens who comforted them.

War required caution due to its complexity. Izer closed his mouth and changed the subject. 

 Jade, familiar with the place, skillfully led Izer. At the forest entrance, forget-me-nots bloomed around a massive tree stump that people seemed to use as chairs. 

 As the two men emerged from the forest, stepping on damp moss, the smell of food wafted strongly to their noses. Jade’s nostrils flared. 

 “Wow, someone must be getting married.” 

 “……?” 

 “Many people here get married in the forest. Wendy wanted to get married here too. Though it didn’t work out because her parents insisted the ceremony had to be in Humingham, I was a bit disappointed too.” 

 Jade explained. 

 “Think about it, Izer. Why go to a cathedral to meet God who is everywhere? If you’re going to receive a blessing anyway, isn’t it better to have it pierce down from above rather than be blocked by limestone ceilings?” 

 “……” 

 “There’s also a cabin back there. No one uses it now, but apparently, it used to be where newly married couples spent their wedding night. Young couples these days don’t like that idea.” 

 Indeed, as Jade said, a modest wedding was in full swing. Izer silently watched the young couple standing at the front of the guests. 

 It was like any rural wedding. The bride wore an ecru dress. Her bouquet was made of woven wildflowers, and she wore a flower crown. The groom’s brown suit appeared to have been made by his mother. 

 It was unremarkable enough to make one yawn. 

 Among them all, he felt most unremarkable himself, unable to take his eyes off the woman watching the wedding ceremony wearing a hood. 

 ***

 For three days straight, Izer didn’t seek out Celian. It seemed he intended not to reveal her existence in front of Ophelia. 

 Thanks to this, Celian enjoyed a vacation that wasn’t quite a vacation. 

 Percy, who had played all day, fell asleep early. Celian, wearing a newly made navy two-piece outfit, sat in a rocking chair humming a tune. Hot wind came through the wide-open window, and a full moon hung high in the sky. 

 ‘This isn’t so bad.’ 

 Staying alone at the duke’s residence would have only been boring. The only person to see would have been Owen, and now even that had become difficult. 

 Thinking of Owen made her feel constricted. The joy she had been feeling lost its way and sat still. 

 ‘Marriage……’ 

 Marriage was a luxury for Marcotti Berienne’s eldest daughter. 

 Beth was different. Celian planned to help the still young Beth make a fresh start abroad at an appropriate time. In a place where no one knew about the name Berienne. 

 By then, Celian would be too old for marriage. She smiled wryly as she cut the colored thread attached to her needle. 

 ‘Elizabeth Berienne’. 

 These days, Beth’s letters were filled with excited affection. For her sister, who clearly seemed to have a boy in her heart, Celian gladly played the role of love’s dove. 

 Classics are eternal. Among classic methods of conveying love, embroidering the maker’s name on a handkerchief was overwhelmingly classic, and just as certain. 

 Sometimes it becomes too old and familiar, but…

 The handkerchief that Izer supposedly carried had never caught her eye. Perhaps he had thrown it away along with the shattered illusion when Celian appeared. 

 Illusions should remain as illusions to stay beautiful. Izer must have realized this by now. 

 Celian’s lips pursed as she completed her sister’s name with blue thread. 

 ‘Is this method too old-fashioned for kids these days?’