Chapter 50

50. Memorial Service (3)

The Duchess of Howard raised her eyes. Adelaide spoke calmly, undaunted.

“The Duke needs someone who can support him. You must know that today’s disturbance at the memorial service was the beginning of that.”

“…….”

“But you can’t trust people who approach him after what happened today, because they’ll turn against him at any moment when the going gets tough.”

“So what are you suggesting I do?”

“I suggest you lend your support to the Duke.”

The Duchess Howard’s eyes widened. After a long moment of silence, Duchess Howard answered.

“It is because of you that I will not help Callion.”

Adelaide smiled thinly as if she had expected the answer.

“I did not expect Your Grace to be so cowardly.”

“What?”

“It’s not that you won’t help the Duke because of me, but because you’re afraid, aren’t you?”

“How dare you speak to me like this in front of─!”

The duchess’s hand shot up into the air. Adelaide remained unmoved.

“If you truly wanted to push me away, you should have supported the Duke before anyone else.”

“This……!”

“You had plenty of opportunities; when the Emperor passed away, when preparing for His Majesty’s coronation, when the Duke was forced to marry me.”

With a thud, Adelaide reached for Duchess Howard’s hand. The old woman’s hand came down easily.

“You have never once stood up for the Duke.”

“You, you insolent…!”

“Of course, I understand that you hesitated between supporting your brother and nephew. But His Majesty doesn’t care about blood relations. You know that better than I do.”

The Duchess of Howard gritted her teeth.

She’d had little opportunity to get to know her younger brother, fifteen years her junior. She got married the year he was born and had a son three years later.

She was so busy raising her children that she neglected Elkius, and for that, she was in debt.

“His Majesty is a man who will ruthlessly remove anyone who gets in his way, no matter who they are. As he did with Duke Roxus.”

“……!”

“Between his father whom he conspired together and the sister who married into another family, who do you think had a deeper connection with His Majesty?”

“You, do you even know what you are talking about?”

Adelaide didn’t hesitate to speak words that no one else dared to utter. Lady Howard’s face turned pale.

Adelaide took a deep breath and spoke for the last time.

“If you truly care about the Duke, then please decide before it’s too late. If you and the Duke stand together, there will be no stronger ally than that.”

“…….”

“I’ll take my leave now.”

Adelaide bowed politely and stepped out of the carriage.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The Duchess of Howard’s carriage stood where it was for a long time.

It would be difficult to hear an answer soon, but Adelaide did not doubt that she would support Callion.

Adelaide made her way to the carriage, feeling lighter. The temple courtyard was still noisy, even though the memorial service had long since ended.

The alert and observant had already left for elsewhere, but those without reliable sources of information remained to gauge the atmosphere here.

“Please take the flowers. Madam.”

A man in priestly robes held out a single flower. Other women held flowers in their hands as if they were distributing the leftovers from the wreaths.

Adelaide took the flower, ignored the stares, and returned to the carriage. Ahio stood alone guarding the carriage.

“Where have you been, Your Grace?”

“I have been speaking with the Duchess of Howard. Where is His Lordship?”

“He has not yet returned.”

The conversation seemed to be lengthy and serious. Adelaide boarded the carriage, pondering why the Pope had summoned Callion.

“Well?”

As she tried to remove her wet clothes and put down the flower, Adelaide frowned. A piece of paper peeked out from the stem of the flower, slightly bent from the rain.

She gently unrolled the paper wrapped around the stem. Inside the green paper, a short message was written in white ink.

『Did you like the flowers you bought a few days ago?

If you need flowers, please stop by anytime. I am waiting for the day when it bears fruit. 』

There was no sender’s name, but it wasn’t hard to recognize who the letter belonged to.

The priest who gave the flowers must have been a henchman of Sycamore.

The flower shop where she went to buy flowers for Roland Howard’s grave was also owned by him.

“I should go buy some flowers.”

Adelaide smiled lightly.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“Please, have some tea.”

Callion pressed his lips to the steaming mug of tea. The Pope’s lips were chapped from standing outside in the pouring rain. Warmed by the hot tea, the Pope opened his mouth.

“Has Regalia been in your custody all this time?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have the other three regalia, Duke?”

“No, I only received the Imperial Sword.”

“I see. I thought it was odd that there was no ceremony to hand over the Regalia at the coronation, but I didn’t realize the Duke had one of them.”

Callion laughed quietly.

“Considering that the late Emperor bestowed only the Imperial Sword, it seems he holds you in high regard.”

Each of the four regalia carried a different meaning. The crown was authority, the scepter was dominance, the orb was divine power, and the sword was military might. To give him the sword was to entrust him with the military power of the empire.

“I guess he felt sorry for his orphan grandson.”

“Nevertheless, he raised you well, hasn’t he?”

The Pope looked at Callion with deep eyes. Callion smiled faintly, and the Pope changed the subject.

“As you know, the Regalia is typically kept in the temple. Even if you’re the Emperor, you can’t take the Regalia away without proper procedure.”

“I am aware of that.”

“You will not regret it?”

Callion nodded.

“It is a decision I have made with careful thought. But if this puts the temple in trouble, I’ll think of another way.”

“The Regalia are items consecrated by past Popes for the Emperor. It’s customary for them to return to their original place. Will there be any difficulty in that?”

“As you say, Your Holiness, I’m relieved. But I’m worried that my actions may cause trouble.”

“The temple is not involved in the secular world, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

The Pope is a stubborn, high-minded man. As long as the imperial court and the temple stay out of each other’s way, he won’t intervene, but if the emperor threatens the temple, he won’t stand idly by.

Even though he maintains a facade of neutrality, if Callion doesn’t surrender the Regalia, it could deepen the rift between him and the Emperor.

“Then I’m sure His Holiness will take care of it.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll take my leave. May you be well.”

Emptying his teacup clean, Callion left the audience chamber.

He hurried his steps, realizing he had kept Adelaide waiting too long and needed to get back to the manor.

“Your Grace.”

A familiar face blocked his path. Stopping in his tracks, Callion sighed softly.

“It’s been a while.”

Shayla Lephisto greeted him, tears filling her eyes. Her face looked worn out as if she might pass unnoticed if she walked down the street.

“How have you been doing……?”

“I’m fine. Lucid told me about you.”

“Do you have a moment?”

Looking at her expectant eyes, Callion responded with an awkward expression.

“This isn’t a good place for a conversation. Let’s meet another time.”

“Ah…… okay.”

Shayla hung her head in disappointment. Callion walked right past her.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Adelaide fiddled with the flower stand and glanced out the window, expecting him to return soon, but there was still no sign of Callion.

She smiled bitterly as she remembered Shayla Lephisto wandering the temple grounds earlier.

She wondered if he was talking to Shayla. If that was the case, she might as well tell him she was returning first.

His private conversation with Shayla on a day like this would be poison to Adelaide, but it could be good for Callion.

Every time she calculated the gains and losses, she felt pathetic.

Adelaide fiddled with the coat Callion had given her as she left the manor, then leaned back.

“Adele.”

At that moment, Callion, who had returned, opened the carriage door.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, please come in.”

Once inside the carriage, Callion eyed Adelaide suspiciously, then extended his hand.

“You have a mild fever.”

He said gravely, alternately touching her forehead and his own.

Adelaide checked the back of his hand for heat, and he pulled off his cloak to cover her.

“Perhaps you caught a cold from the rain, let’s go. I must have tarried too long, not thinking of you.”

She wasn’t sick, but he was a man who made no concessions when it came to her health, so she did as he asked.

Only when he had wrapped her in his cloak, in his robes, and in his furs did Callion smile.

“His Holiness has promised to protect the Regalia.”

“Yes.”

Adelaide replied briefly.

The Pope had publicly declared his intention to reassert his authority by conducting the memorial service. There was no doubt that he would protect Regalia to the best of his ability.

“The meeting of the Imperial Council was tomorrow, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

A light smile appeared on Adelaide’s face. Now that all of the members of the Imperial Council had attended the memorial service, she could see how the meeting would go tomorrow.

“The council will take care of the aftermath, so-.”

“……?”

“Now stop thinking about it and get some rest.”

Callion kissed her forehead lightly.