Chapter 8 –  The Gathering (Part 1)

The next morning, Cassius entered the palace and had a private audience with His Majesty. He reported everything he had seen and heard at the gathering hosted by Earl Kumaran. He did not fail to mention that the location of the gathering was in a high-ranking building near Marquis Orga’s port and that the nobles treated Orga’s arrival as if they were welcoming a king.

After the sudden death of the late Duke due to a heart attack, Cassius inherited the position of First Minister of Administration. Since then, Cassius, as a loyal servant of King Clois, had devised policies alongside him to suppress the power of the nobility. While his actions were fully in line with his convictions, outwardly, he appeared to have entered politics too early, lacking experience and personal principles, merely following the king’s lead.

“Looks like your act of pretending to be a vague and unremarkable person all this time is finally bearing fruit.”

King Clois smiled with satisfaction after hearing what Cassius had uncovered at the gathering. The aristocratic supremacists had always looked down on the young King Clois, but they particularly underestimated Cassius, who hadn’t even held the title of Duke for a full year. They saw him as a fledgling, still living in the shadow of his father, the late Duke.

Because Cassius had been completely obedient to his father while he was alive, most nobles, who were of his father’s generation, expected that by applying the same pressure as they had with the late Duke, Cassius would meekly follow their lead. They also believed that he wouldn’t dare go against his father’s wishes, so throughout the gathering, they emphasized how much they had aligned with the late Duke’s ideals.

“They seem to think that because I was recognized as Your Majesty’s study companion, I support you. They believe that if they remind me of my father’s legacy, I’ll side with them. While it’s unpleasant that they think of me as nothing more than a puppet of the ducal family, ultimately, it works to my advantage. Besides, I really was like that when my father was alive, so it doesn’t matter. If I just show a little favor toward them now, they’ll think I’ve completely switched sides.”

King Clois quietly observed Cassius, who spoke calmly, and then asked, 

“You seem to have something in mind. Speak.”

“Appoint Marquis Orga as Minister of Finance.”

Clois tapped his knee thoughtfully with his fingers as Cassius continued.

“From what I observed at the gathering, they seem to be concealing something significant, aside from the pressure they’re putting on me. However, piecing together their occasional remarks, it’s clear what the Marquis desires.”

“Even if we assign someone to monitor him, giving him the position of Minister of Finance would officially grant him authority over the national treasury. That’s too much power—it could be dangerous, don’t you think?”

“The reason he’s so desperate for the position isn’t just for his trading company. There’s definitely something bigger at play. It might also be related to his travels to the southern nations. He’s being cautious now, but if we give him what he wants, he’ll begin to act. That’s when we can catch him red-handed and remove him completely.”

“Very well. At the next court meeting, you can propose it. I’ll appoint him as Minister of Finance on the spot.”

Cassius was slightly surprised by the king’s quick decision. He hadn’t expected the appointment to happen so soon.

“Wouldn’t it be better if I supported Earl Kumaran’s proposal when he brings it up instead?”

“We can’t give them time to prepare thoroughly. I have no intention of granting them their wish at the most opportune moment for them. I’ll appoint him suddenly, and if he displeases me, I’ll act like a capricious king and remove him. This way, he’ll feel pressured by the time constraint and will have no choice but to act quickly.”

The king was right. Giving them time to devise their schemes would not benefit either King Clois or Cassius. It was better to elevate him quickly, shake the board, and force him into a corner to reveal his true nature.

Satisfied with the king’s reasoning, Cassius nodded, and the two discussed other matters.

***

After the audience ended, Cassius headed to the administrative palace to handle his afternoon duties. Shortly after Cassius arrived, Aaron also reported for work. Sitting at a desk prepared in one corner of the office, Aaron kept glancing at Cassius while pretending to be immersed in his tasks, looking for an opportunity to speak.

But Cassius, fully focused on his work, gave Aaron no chance to strike up a conversation. Unable to hold back any longer, Aaron broke the silence under the guise of small talk.

“Your Grace, have you had lunch yet?”

“I bought something from a food cart and ate it quickly.”

Having nothing to add to Cassius’s curt response, Aaron fell silent again. The quiet resumed, and Aaron kept sneaking glances at Cassius.

“Your Grace, wouldn’t you like some tea? You’ve been working continuously since lunch—you must be thirsty.”

“I’m fine. If you want tea, go ahead and have some.”

Aaron had hoped that if Cassius agreed to tea, they could take a short break, during which he could share the tips Ronan had taught him about bringing two people closer together. However, since Cassius remained absorbed in his work, Aaron couldn’t find an opening to introduce the subject and grew increasingly restless.

He desperately wanted to help Cassius and Elysia grow closer as quickly as possible, but it felt inappropriate to suddenly bring up romantic advice during work hours. On the other hand, leaving things as they were didn’t seem like an option either. Based on what he knew of Cassius, there was no way he could create a romantic atmosphere or opportunities to grow closer on his own.

Feeling like an anxious puppy, Aaron fretted silently while watching Cassius.

“Aaron Hass. Why are you suddenly watching me so closely? If you have something to report, then say it.”

“Ah! No, it’s just… I remembered a funny story I overheard during lunch at the administrative palace cafeteria, and I got distracted. It’s nothing important.”

“Is it related to work?”

At this point, Aaron felt cornered. Deciding to shamelessly push forward, he steeled himself and began his story.

“No, not exactly. It’s about a junior employee in the Finance Department…”

Hearing the mention of the Finance Department, Cassius wondered if it might be related to Marquis Orga’s schemes and gave Aaron his full attention. Of course, Aaron had planned this, disguising Ronan’s advice as a story he’d “heard” from a Finance Department employee.

“This employee had someone he liked, but despite meeting often, their relationship wasn’t progressing. Recently, though, he got some advice from someone, and instead of doing their usual activities, they went to some thrilling and heart-pounding places together. They crossed a suspension bridge, visited a haunted house, and finally rode the Ferris wheel at the capital’s amusement park. Apparently, it worked wonders, and the two became much closer. Isn’t that an amusing story? Hahaha!”

Cassius waited for more details, but Aaron ended his story with an awkward laugh and pretended to return to his work. Cassius, who wasn’t used to Aaron making such frivolous remarks, couldn’t understand why he had shared this story.

He had initially thought it might relate to the Finance Department or Marquis Orga, but it clearly didn’t. Nor did he find the story particularly entertaining.

Puzzled for a moment, Cassius eventually dismissed it and returned to reading his reports. However, a part of Aaron’s story suddenly struck him.

The idea of two people growing closer after experiencing thrilling and heart-pounding situations together lingered in his mind. It was a common trope: a man and a woman overcoming danger together and falling in love.

Thinking about it, creating a dramatic situation could indeed be a way to break the awkwardness between him and Elysia. Realizing Aaron’s true intention in sharing the story, Cassius began planning a way to spend time with Elysia.

***

Although most of Brunchia’s regions enjoyed a mild climate year-round, there was one area that remained cold in all seasons: the snow-capped Fjordt Mountains in the northernmost part of the kingdom. Even in summer, the highest peaks of Fjordt were covered in eternal snow, and fierce blizzards raged. In winter, the cold was truly brutal.

Due to its high altitude, the weather changed unpredictably even halfway up the mountain. While it marked the border with the northern snowfields, its unique climate also made it a popular destination for summer retreats and extreme snow activities.

One of Fjordt’s most famous attractions was its suspension bridge, built to monitor the northern snowfield. Spanning a deep gorge in the middle of the steep mountain range, it was the longest suspension bridge in the Kingdom of Brunchia.

The gorge below was so deep that anyone who fell would never be found. The biting winds, which blew regardless of the season, caused the bridge to sway unpredictably, making it a favorite spot for thrill-seekers and soldiers testing their courage.

Now, on this swaying bridge, stood a single pair: Elysia, frozen in fear and screaming internally, and Cassius, holding her steady.

Elysia wanted to scream out loud, but the relentless snowstorm numbed her face, preventing any sound from escaping.

Elysia wanted to scream out loud, but her face had frozen in the relentless blizzard, and no sound came out. She clung tightly to Cassius—not because she wanted to, but because letting go of him might mean being swept away by the snowstorm and flying straight to the afterlife.

“Elysia, are you alright?”

Cassius asked, genuinely concerned, as he cupped her cheeks. Despite wearing the hood attached to her cloak, the exposed parts of Elysia’s cheeks had turned red from the wind. The frigid air had frozen the tears brimming in her eyes into small ice crystals.

If the cold had been a little less severe, she might have had a runny nose, but the air was so cold that even her nasal discharge seemed to freeze before it could escape.

Elysia, trembling all over in a dazed state, silently cursed Cassius for this cruel punishment.