Chapter 39

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Midnight.

Fabrice’s mood was also rising. Soon it was time for Gaspar to come.

Fabrice was holding a festival of his own by taking out all the alcohol he enjoyed drinking.

At that moment.

A gust of wind blew, and a shadow flickered across the window, then disappeared into the darkness.

As if it were an illusion.

It was so fleeting that he thought he had seen nothing for a moment.

Fabrice tapped his fingers and hummed.

A man in a black mask bowed down in front of him.

“Long time no see, Prince.”

“Let’s just say hello. I have something to do for you.”

Greetings were not important to Fabrice.

“Kill Marquis Ingeliger.”

“All right.”

“I will send the reward to your assassination squad. Send me his eyes.”

“I will do as you command.”

Gaspar, who answered without a moment’s pause, disappeared into the darkness again.

Fabrice chuckled and laughed.

He can take revenge on the Marquis of Ingeliger, who had been a thorn in his eyes for a long time.

Just thinking about it made Fabrice feel so much better.

***

The Duke of Briem did not like the clutter in Lubern.

Lubern was shaking as if something was about to explode. He could have read it if he had been clear before, but with his flat head, he couldn’t figure out the cause.

Instead, he invited young nobles from within the Old Nobility to his home.

Even though they were young, they were all middle-aged.

“The atmosphere in the capital doesn’t seem to be very good these days.”

Having said that, the Duke of Briem looked around the crowd.

He turned his head and averted his eyes as if he had nothing to say.

“I heard that the temple is preaching strange doctrines these days. I don’t know if that’s why.”

Said the aristocrat who belonged to the younger side of the pack.

“What?”

“It’s the story of a saint and her son.”

Mathieu Briem had no choice but to hold his cane hard at the words that came out of the young man’s mouth.

Is that referring to the deceased Queen Charlize and her son Dennis?

“How did the story…”

One nobleman could not continue to speak as if he realised he would get in trouble.

Those who took part in the dethronement of Queen Charles twenty years ago were still sitting there.

Not a few people visited the Duke of Briem today.

They turned pale when the name of the dead Queen was mentioned.

“I don’t know what it is, but it is said that the doctrine that defends the First Prince is preached in the temple.”

“There are a lot of commoners there, and the flow is extraordinary.”

Mathieu Briem recalled the saint, Queen Charlize.

The temple and the saint were inseparable from each other.

He thought he covered the fire well, but it had come back to life.

Mathieu shook his head furiously. He wanted to crown Fabrice flawlessly clean, but obstacles kept appearing.

Should they hit the temple or the First Prince, who was the source of all this?

Mathieu immediately scrapped the hypothesis that temples should be the one.

Even for the Duke of Briem, who was second only to the King, the temple was a difficult opponent to touch.

Considering how Pope Felix Claire got to that position, it was right not to touch him as much as possible.

The answer was simple. 

You just have to remove the source.

Mathieu decided to use the trick he had left as a last resort.

“What should I do with a tree that stretches its branches arbitrarily?”

After opening his mouth like that, Mathieu had a kind smile on his face.

It was like talking about how to manage your garden as a hobby.

But what the Duke of Briem was talking about wasn’t just about trees.

Who did not readily understand the Duke’s question asked him.

“Shouldn’t it be pruned?”

Mathieu looked at him and asked.

“Right. But what if it’s a tree that doesn’t fit in my garden?”

Then the nobles, who noticed something strange, looked at him.

“Aren’t we supposed to uproot it in that case? So it won’t grow back.”

Those who understood the words of Duke Briem nodded their heads.

At the same time.

The Duke of Briem did not know that the beacon was dark underneath. He was thinking about how to hit the first prince without knowing what disturbing smell was spreading in his mansion.

Fantine soon recruited nearly half of the people in the Duke’s house. The final target was the Duchess.

“Sarah, are you going to pray tonight as well?”

[T/N: In case you have forgotten, Sarah Mustier is Fantine’s new name.]

“Sure, everyone, come to my room.”

Fantine said with a generous expression on her face.

“You guys, don’t get together and chat. Go work.”

“Yes.”

The maids who had gathered were scattered.

The maid approached Fantine and caught her trying to turn around.

“Sarah, Madam is curious about you.”

She got caught.

“What’s the matter…?”

Fantine had a naive but frightened face.

“She’s curious about the ritual you’re doing. Go straight to her room.”

“All right.”

Fantine hurried into the Duchess’s room, the best room in the middle of the second floor.

“Hello, Madam. This is Sarah.”

“Yes, yes. Welcome.”

The Duchess greeted her with a generous expression on her face.

“Sit down here.”

Anne, the Duchess, recommended a seat in front of her.

Fantine refused, waving her hands.

“Madam, how can I, as a maid, sit face to face with Madam? Please give me your orders.”

“If you keep standing, I have to look up. It’s uncomfortable, so sit down.”

“If you really feel uncomfortable, I’ll sit down. Thanks, Madam.”

Fantine carefully sat down.

“Yes, I heard you have such a flamboyant talent?”

The Duchess asked her straight away, without changing the subject.

She seemed to be curious as the rumours circulated in the mansion.

“I have no talent, Madam. I’m just a little-”

“A little?”

Anne looked at Fantine.

“I have a slightly better eye than others.”

“Eye?”

“Yes. Having your mother clear your head and open your eyes so you can see the near future… So, how big are you?”

“I still have little faith, so it’s not that insignificant. I only see it for about half a day.”

“Oh, my.”

The Duchess looked at Fantine curiously.

“Because she is your mother?”

“She’s the new mother of the Earth. She is a Goddess who loves nature and intervenes in the providence of all things.”

“It’s fascinating.”

Anne marvelled at her words but wondered how it was possible to see the future.

Fantine did not miss the moment and told the Duchess.

“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to do a memorial service for Madam, but is there anything that upsets your mind these days?”

“Upset…”

Anne bit her lips as she was about to say something.

It seemed like she hadn’t completely trusted Fantine yet.

“Then I will pray for your heart to be at peace. If there’s anything you’d like to say later, let me know, Madam.”

“Well, thank you. Why don’t you take this and eat it?”

Anne handed her the cookies that were placed in front of her.

“It’s okay, Madam. How could the maid put her hand on the food her master would eat…?”

“I’m giving this as a thank you for coming today, so just take it and eat it alone or share it with others.”

“Thank you very much, Madam.”

Fantine nodded her head repeatedly and gave the Duchess her greetings.

When Anne motioned for her to leave, Fantine could escape from the Duchess’s room.

When she came out of her room, Carol was hanging out in front of the Duchess’s room.

“Sarah, why did Madam call you?”

“What’s the use if you know.”

Fantine replied bitterly.

Carol, who found out that Fantine was popular with others in the mansion from some point on, often picked fights with her.

“Why, why! It’s funny that you’re going in and out of Madam’s room! You are a maid of the laundromat.”

“You know what? You’re a laundromat, too.”

“Hey!”

“If you are jealous, tell me that you are envious. I will teach you how to pray!”

Fantine snorted her and walked past Carol.

Seeing Fantine’s back like that, Carol trembled.

***

The way out of the King’s office. 

Dennis ran into the Marquis of Ingeliger.

“Oh, no, Prince. To meet you in a place like this!”

The Marquis of Ingeliger laughed exaggeratedly as if delighted to see his son-in-law.

“Good morning, Your Highness. How are you?”

“Yes, Marquis. It’s been a long time.”

Dennis shook his head and greeted the Marquis.

“I haven’t seen you since the last ceremony. So, how many months has it been?”

“…”

He slapped Dennis on the shoulder and treated him as if he were his subordinate.

Dennis brushed the Marquis’ hand with a light touch.

He said impatiently.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Oh, my. You are a busy person, I see…”

The Marquis of Ingeliger put on a funny expression for nothing.

Dennis looked at the Marquis expressionlessly.

“If you are not busy, would you like to stop by my office for a while? I have a good tea that I got during the last armistice negotiations, and I have something to tell you…”

“Do it now.”

“Ah, I’m afraid it’s going to be long. I just wanted to tell you a little bit about the Princess.”

“…”

Dennis frowned.

He didn’t want to hear it, but it felt like he had to.

“Come to my palace in the afternoon.”

“Hahaha, I see. Sure.”

Dennis shook his head and hurried out of the room.

***

Dennis returned to his office and washed his ears.

“Prince, why are your ears-”

“I’ve heard something dirty, so I have to wash it. And could you bring me a new coat?”

“This is…”

“It’s dirty.”

Sylvan was puzzled and received Dennis’ coat.

He looked closely to see if there was any dirt on it, but he couldn’t find any dirt.

(To be continued in the next episode)

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