Chapter 8 – The Northern Banquet (Part 1)

After finishing her bath, Reubellina boldly approached Tartenon, who was still standing in the same spot. She saw the servants kneeling around but didn’t mind.

‘There’s a time and place for setting the mood, what are they doing now?’

To welcome the guests, the servants needed to be busy. If they were all here like this, who would attend to the guests?

“Aren’t you busy?”

“What?”

“I asked if you’re not busy. Go wash up quickly! You need to greet the guests.”

Looking around the bedroom, Reubellina signaled to Paddington. Paddington, after glancing at Tartenon and seeing he didn’t say anything, left the room with all but the necessary servants. As Tartenon still stood there, Reubellina pushed him on the back.

“I don’t want to go out.”

“Well, I feel the same, but there will be a lot of talk if we skip the first day of the banquet.”

Whispering as if coaxing a child, Reubellina’s voice made Tartenon hug her waist.

“If I do as you say, will something good happen to me?”

“Let’s see how you do first. Just go quickly!”

Reubellina, eager to get Tartenon out as soon as possible, answered haphazardly. Her mind was filled with the thought of having to attend the banquet today. Actually, she was mostly embarrassed.

‘Why is he still here!’

After showing such a sight in the morning, shouldn’t he naturally give her some space? That was what Reubellina considered polite.

Hearing her answer, Tartenon gave a meaningful smile and lightly kissed her cheek.

“Alright.”

“What the…!”

With a face turning bright red, Reubellina rubbed the cheek where Tartenon’s lips had touched. She was about to shout at him, but he was already gone.

“Your Grace, you need to get ready quickly.”

Hearing Sandy’s urging voice, Reubellina moved in a daze. After that, everything proceeded smoothly. Especially today, Brua personally brought the dress and helped her get ready.

“You look even more beautiful today.”

It was flattery, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Smiling, Reubellina asked Brua a question she had been curious about.

“Why did you bring the dress yourself?”

“Oh my! Who else could explain this beautiful and elegant piece if not me?”

“Really?”

“Of course, since it’s a dress for Your Grace, I had to come personally.”

Brua glanced around and signaled to Reubellina. Seeing that she had something to say, Reubellina dismissed the surrounding servants. Brua didn’t speak until all the servants had left. Even with only Sandy remaining, she was cautious.

“This maid has followed me from the capital.”

“I see.”

“But if you don’t trust her, I can send her away.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

Accepting Brua’s opinion that Sandy shouldn’t stay, Reubellina gestured. Sandy, without showing any emotion, slowly withdrew.

Once Sandy was completely out, Brua gently adjusted Reubellina’s skirt.

“As a designer, I sold clothes in good conscience.”

“I know that better than anyone.”

Brua was a designer who hadn’t sold dresses to the corrupt Bellaruse. Because of this, Reubellina even sent Sandy away.

“That’s why I wish only the best for Your Grace.”

“Wishing for my happiness? You are truly my friend.”

“Thinking of me that way makes me trust you and speak up.”

Reubellina wondered what significant thing Brua was going to say. But knowing that Brua, who had experienced the social world thoroughly, wouldn’t do this without reason, Reubellina waited silently.

After observing her for a while, Brua cautiously spoke.

“I heard that ‘he’ will be at the Northern banquet today.”

“He?”

“The Second Prince is coming to the banquet with Lady Zeraon today.”

“What, what did you say?”

Reubellina jumped up from her seat. Hearing this new information, a menacing aura emanated from her eyes.

‘No way. I must have heard wrong.’

‘Could it be true that the two traitors would casually show up at the banquet celebrating my wedding?’

But seeing Brua’s serious face, Reubellina realized it wasn’t a lie.

“Are they really coming?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yes. My apprentice said she saw Lady Zeraon.”

Brua’s eyes, filled with madness that Reubellina couldn’t handle, sparkled as she spoke with a smile.

“So, we need to make you look much more beautiful than Lady Zeraon, right?”

“Of course!”

“That’s why I came early today.”

Brua’s final words, suggesting Reubellina follow her instructions, were intimidating. Swallowing dryly, Reubellina decided to comply. As soon as she agreed, Brua called out towards the outside.

“Girls!”

Hearing her call, Brua’s apprentices rushed in. They carried delicate pieces of fabric. Startled by their vigor, Reubellina stepped back. They stood before Brua, holding a mermaid-line dress that was similar to the wedding dress but lighter.

“Please put on the dress, Your Grace.”

Seeing Brua’s sharply shining eyes, Reubellina felt that today would be a very long day.

***

While Reubellina was being adorned in the dressing room, Tartenon was meeting with the Marquis of Istorium, who had come to the Grand Duke’s residence. Hearing that the Marquis had arrived before he could even leave the bedroom and reach the dressing room, Tartenon summoned him to the study.

Sitting in the study, enjoying tea, the Marquis was making small talk to pass the time. Eventually, Tartenon spoke first.

“What brings you here?”

“What will you do about the Northern nobles?”

Tartenon couldn’t answer the Marquis’s question immediately. He couldn’t discern the Marquis’s true intentions.

The Marquis of Istorium had been a loyal vassal during his father’s time, but the situation was different now. Knowing that the Marquis didn’t favor him, Tartenon couldn’t view him positively.

However, the Marquis was an essential figure. To elevate his status as a ruler in the North, Tartenon needed the Marquis’s support.

Tartenon tried to understand the Marquis’s intentions, especially why he was asking such a question.

‘Hadn’t he already turned his back on me?’

He thought the Marquis was siding with Viverna against him, but seeing him come to ask directly made Tartenon uncertain. The fact that he attended the wedding and regularly attended the banquets suggested he wanted to appear as if he supported Tartenon among the nobles present.

‘Even Bruelin said the Marquis seemed trustworthy.’

Tartenon agreed with Bruelin’s report from the banquet about the Marquis’s words to the nobles. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to attend the wedding.

“A dog that doesn’t recognize its master is unnecessary.”

Tartenon repeated words he had once said to other subordinates. Hearing this, the Marquis frowned.

“That is not a good approach, Your Grace.”

“Are you advising me now?”

“I offer it now because you chose not to take the princess as your bride but instead married that inept lady from the capital.”

“What are you trying to say?”

The Marquis took a sip of his now lukewarm tea. After some thought, he set the cup down.

“The Northern nobles need someone to follow.”

“They should naturally follow me.”

“But Your Grace hasn’t shown them anything.”

The Marquis spoke as if teaching. He didn’t mind Tartenon’s angry expression. His lord was still young and sometimes showed immaturity in such matters. But this was also part of what the Marquis cherished about Tartenon.

“A king who wants his subjects to follow him must show appropriate authority.”

“……”

“What have you shown them, Your Grace?”

Tartenon couldn’t answer the Marquis’s question. He had stayed in the Speraum castle, training knights and inspecting the northern borders. But he hadn’t paid attention to the nobles.

“Since you’ve shown them nothing, they can’t say they will follow you. There is no such thing as unconditional loyalty in this world.”

Tartenon realized something from the Marquis’s words. It was strange that the nobles who had supported him so far had done so. 

‘What had I shown them besides my military prowess?’

Noticing Tartenon’s curiosity, the Marquis spoke again.

“The nobles you need to be wary of now are not those by Viverna’s side but those who have always been by your side. Surely, there are traitors among them.”

“But that doesn’t absolve the nobles clinging to Viverna of their guilt.”

“I acknowledge that point as well.”

The Marquis of Istorium responded lightly, making Tartenon’s previous worries seem trivial. It meant that what Tartenon had been doing was not in vain. The Marquis acknowledged Tartenon’s efforts to protect the northern territories and grow the knightly order.

‘Then why only now?’

“Viverna has started to move in earnest. So, I couldn’t just sit still.”

“Move? What do you mean?”

“I think she will act directly during this banquet period.”

The Marquis of Istorium shrugged, but his expression was serious. Tartenon finally understood why the Marquis had kept his distance while staying close to Viverna. He had been waiting for the right time, anticipating Viverna’s rebellion.

“Should I be thankful for this information?”

“I didn’t do it to hear gratitude.”

“Then why?”

“Am I not someone who is sick of political maneuvering? So, at least in the North, I don’t want the Grand Duke to be determined by such politics.”

“Political maneuvering, you say.”