Chapter 2

2. The first plan

 
Adelaide stayed up all night, and as soon as the sun rose, she summoned her maid.
 
Margaret, who had served her since her birth, greeted her with a curious look.
 
“What brings you up so early, my dear? Is something wrong?”
 
Margaret was one of the few people who had truly congratulated Callion and Adelaide on their marriage.
 
It had driven her out of her life in the past.
 
Adelaide hid her embarrassment and asked, “Why are you up so early today? Where is His Grace?”
 
“Are you referring to the Duke?”
 
Margaret’s eyes widened at the question, having never asked about Callion’s whereabouts before. Adelaide chuckled lightly.
 
“Is there any other duke in this castle, then?”
 
“Oh, he’s at the training grounds. He’s training with the knights.”
 
“I see.”
 
With Callion’s whereabouts known, Adelaide pulled on her shawl and stepped out into the hall. Margaret followed her, pacing occasionally.
 
“Are you going to the training grounds? Shall I accompany you?”
 
“I’ll be right back; you go about your business.”
 
Adelaide pulled away from Margaret and left the room alone.
 
As she stepped outside, she heard the sound of clashing swords. She listened carefully to the sound and climbed up the steep tower.
 
Adelaide didn’t have to look hard to spot Calion among them.
 
Though the distance was great, she couldn’t find a trace of the gruesome image she had last seen of him.
 
“…Thank goodness.”
 
Callion was alive. That was enough.
 
Although emotions surged within her, she didn’t have the luxury to be tormented by guilt. She would pay for his sins when all was said and done. 
 
Adelaide calmed herself and watched the knights carefully. 
 
The Knights of Callion were brave and disciplined enough to be considered the Empire’s finest.
 
But their worn-out armor and cheap iron swords were too shabby to be called the strongest knights.
 
‘The castle’s finances must be in shambles.’
 
After their marriage, Callion entrusted Adelaide with running the Grand Duchy’s budget. But she didn’t care how the money was spent.
 
Adelaide turned a blind eye even when she knew that the servants were embezzling money.
 
Both she and Callion were negligent in managing the finances, and as a result, the ducal castle’s budget began to leak.
 
And because of that, Callion was greatly dismayed. It was because there wasn’t enough money to use for the upcoming tribute exchange with the Kingdom of Helenia.
 
Ever since Elkius had become emperor, the tribute exchange had been Callion’s responsibility.
 
Callion had built trust with the kingdom over a long period of time as a respected nobleman and as the Duke, who was close to the kingdom.
 
Elkius promised that if Callion personally prepared the tribute, the money spent would be reimbursed from the national treasury.
 
But the promise was not honored.
 
‘From the start, it was intended to impoverish the Duke.’
 
To prepare the tribute to be sent to the kingdom, Callion had to use the budget allocated to the knights.
 
So, he couldn’t even afford new armor for the knights, let alone pay their salaries.
 
‘If I tell Father about it, he might be lenient, but if I do that and Elkius finds out…’
 
Elkius will not stand idly by if he learns that Cornwall’s funds have been funneled to Callion.
 
Lost in thought, Adelaide realized that the sound of the clashing swords from the training grounds had stopped.
 
She snapped out of her reverie, only to find Julian Uclaire, the commander of the knights, glaring at her.
 
The knights of Callion were not pleased with Adelaide, and Julian especially disliked her.
  
It was natural for the son of a proud viscount to not welcome a commoner-born duchess.
 
Julian was also close to the young Lady Lephisto, the previous fiancee of Callion.
 
It would be even stranger for him to favor the woman who pushed aside Callion’s fiancée, Shaila Lephisto, and took her place.
 
With a wry smile mixed with self-pity, Adelaide turned away.
 
She had done enough searching. Now she had to decide on an excuse to talk to Callion, and she started to walk.
 
“What are you doing here?”
 
A sharp voice stopped her in her tracks.
 
Callion, covered in dust, stood before her.
 
‘Callion…….’
 
Her vision was blurred. From a distance, she’d been glad to see him, but up close, she felt helpless to say anything.
 
‘No, I can’t cry.’
 
Adelaide quickly wiped away the tears, as if nothing had happened.
 
“I was out for a walk and happened to see the training in progress.”
 
“Is that all?”
 
“Is there supposed to be another reason?”
 
Adelaide asked casually in response to Callion’s suspicious question. Callion, who scrutinized her as if gauging her sincerity, sighed.
 
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to come out during training.”
 
Is he worried I might overhear some important strategy?
 
Instead of arguing that she was ignorant of military matters, Adelaide simply nodded.
 
“I’m sorry to have bothered you, and I won’t come out again.”
 
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
 
Callion hesitated as Adelaide blinked, not understanding his words, and then he continued.
 
“The men can’t concentrate on their training when they see you…”
 
“Ah…”
 
Adelaide blushed at the unexpected answer. Callion looked down at his toes and coughed in disbelief.
 
Even though they were married, it was the first time they had ever spoken in such proximity.
 
Callion spent most of his time with the knights, while Adelaide was confined to her room.
 
They had rarely dined together, let alone attended any outside events, which made this moment of seeing each other extremely awkward.
 
Callion turned to Adelaide, who was wrapped in a thin shawl.
 
“Come on in, it’s getting cold.”
 
She should have brought a coat, she thought with a sudden regret.
 
“And from now on, don’t wander around alone without a maid.”
 
“But it’s inside the castle. I’ll be fine.”
 
“Familiar places are more dangerous.”
 
Adelaide lowered her gaze awkwardly, the words reminding her that there were many people in this castle who didn’t like her.
 
“Then, be careful.”
 
“Your Grace…”
 
Adelaide turned around and grabbed Callion.
 
“Why don’t you join me for breakfast?”
 
“You mean ……breakfast?”
 
Callion’s eyebrows furrowed at the sudden request.
 
‘Was I too hasty?’
 
It would be strange for someone he hadn’t spoken to in a while to suddenly ask him to eat.
 
As Adelaide was about to add that another day would be fine if today was difficult, Callion replied.
 
“It will take me two hours to finish the rest of my training and get changed, so if that’s okay with you, let’s do it.”
 
Adelaide’s lips curled up in a slight smile at his easy acceptance.
 
“I’ll be waiting, so call me when you’re ready.”
 
“I won’t make you wait too long.”
 
⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜
 
With the meal agreed upon, Adelaide returned to her room. She was shivering from standing out in the cold.
 
“Are you back? Shall I bring your meal?”
 
“No, I’ll eat in the dining room.”
 
“You’re eating in the dining room?”
 
“His Grace invited me to have breakfast together.”
 
“His Grace?”
 
“Yes.”
 
Adelaide replied nonchalantly from her seat at the vanity.
 
Elkius’s spies would be suspicious of her intentions if she asked Callion to dine with her, but it was not common for Callion to ask her to dine with him in the early days of their marriage.
 
Her repeated refusals had discouraged him.
 
“What’s the matter?”
 
Elaine, who was tidying up the clothes, asked with a curious look.
 
Elaine was a maid introduced directly by Elkius, and Adelaide had trusted her very much at one point.
 
All of her letters to Elkius went through her, and she was the one who brought him his twice-weekly medicines.
 
So Elaine was the first person Adelaide had to get rid of.
 
“It seems the servants are gossiping about me and His Grace, so you seem concerned.”
 
“His Highness doesn’t care about rumors, does he?”
 
“How can I know his mind? Go get a dress.”
 
“Yes.”
 
Elaine left the room, looking doubtful. Unlike Elaine, Margaret was giddy with excitement.
 
“I think I know why he invited her to dinner.”
 
“Huh?”
 
“Well, it’s your wedding anniversary soon, and he’s probably asking you what you want!”
 
“Is that day supposed to be special?”
 
“It’s your first year as a married couple. Isn’t it special?”
 
Margaret blurted it out.
 
Adelaide wondered how indifferent she must have been for something as simple as a meal to seem like a big deal.
 
When their marriage had been finalized, the nobles had pointed fingers at her for the absurdity of the arrangement.
 
“A commoner-born woman as the wife of a Duke What nonsense to match a merchant’s daughter with the heir to the prince!”
 
The opposition was especially fierce from the Duchess of Howard, Callion’s great-aunt and Elkius’s biological sister.
 
Considering the rumors that Adelaide was Elkius’s secret lover and the pressure of the arranged marriage, it was probably even worse.
 
But even when people blatantly pointed fingers at her, Callion stood by her.
 
Even that, Adelaide thought, was hypocrisy.
 
“He has never once lied to me.”
 
She felt sorry for herself for realizing that only after she’d ruined everything.
 
‘I’m not going to let that happen again.’
 
Adelaide pulled herself together.
 
“I’ve got your dress.”
 
Elaine pushed a mobile hanger in. The racks were filled with dresses that had never been worn.
 
“It’s a beautiful day, so let’s wear something bright.”
 
“Yes.”
 
Adelaide pointed to an ivory dress. It was a simple, elegant design.
 
As Elaine removed the outer garment and slipped on the pannier, she asked once more.
 
“His Grace must have something important to say, right?”
 
“I don’t really know.”
 
“You haven’t been like this for a while. Is there anything bothering you?”
 
“I don’t know. Is anything bothering you?”
 
“Oh, no. I’m just curious.”
 
Elaine shrugged off the answer. Margaret, who had cinched the straps of her dress to the max, smoothed out the lace hem and said.
 
“It’s ready, take a look in the mirror.”
 
Adelaide’s lips twitched slightly as she studied her reflection in the full-length mirror.
 
Having always worn plain clothes, she now looked like a blooming spring flower in the bright dress.
 
“Do you like it?”
 
“I do. You did a great job. I won’t ask you to do anything during the meal, so you can rest until I call you.”
 
“Yes.”
 
As soon as the maids answered, the butler knocked on the door.
 
“His Grace is waiting for you.”