ITMWG 105

Chapter 105…

Who does he look like?

How to get rid of the first prince while saving face for the royal family?

It was not easy to obtain two conflicting things at the same time.

However, Altair seemed to have already built up a plan.

What did he have in mind?

When Nadia quietly looked at Altair, he naturally opened his mouth as if he had been planning to bring up the subject from the beginning.

“It was briefly mentioned in the trial, but the official exchange between the Empire and Marang has not been that long. We are just getting to know each other little by little.”

“Yes. The Empire and Marang are far apart and their cultures are very different.”

Why is the topic of Marang suddenly being brought up here?

Nadia was puzzled, but she nodded in agreement, and Altair tilted his head to one side with a cunning smile.

“I heard that the Emperor is looking for the right person to send to Marang. The road to Marang is long and arduous. The precious carriage might break down on the way and cause an accident. Also, the climate there is different from ours, so there are dangerous endemic diseases. Those who grew up preciously should be even more careful…”

Altair calmly counted on his fingers and mentioned the reason for potential death.

His tone seemed to be worried about the person going to Marang, but his eyes looked very happy, so she could clearly see his intentions.

“You are recommending the first Prince…as the person to be sent to Marang.”

And he was going to be executed in the most natural way possible.

Since it would seem like an accident or illness to others, there was no need to worry about the imperial family’s reputation being damaged.

“It is regrettable that I cannot tell everyone about the 1st Prince’s crimes, but I think this is the only way to bring the Emperor over to our side right now. But for now, Marquis Vine will take all the blame.”

“Yes. If we were to expose the first Prince’s crimes, I would have to turn against the Emperor. And Duke Viosques, who has been a strong ally, would not want the imperial family to be harmed either.”

She wanted to shout in front of everyone that there was a villain hiding behind her uncle’s back, hiding behind a meticulously crafted mask, and that the evil villain had to be punished, but she knew that it was realistically impossible.

If it could handle it like this, that would be fortunate…

It was at that moment that she realised how difficult it was to punish those in power. She also understood why those in power confidently committed all kinds of evil deeds.

It must be because they knew too well that no matter how big their crimes were, they wouldn’t get caught, or if they did, they wouldn’t be punished easily.

From the victim’s perspective, it would be a situation in which they had no choice but to run for their life.

Altair let out a small sigh as he saw her face darkening in frustration and resentment, and he carefully straightened her hair.

At his action, Nadia smiled at the gentleness that was not typical of a rough knight, and when she raised her head, Altair spoke to her with unwavering eyes.

“Of course, I won’t let the First Prince be the scapegoat of an unfortunate accident be the end. It may be hard right now, but I will make sure that his crimes are recorded in history and that everyone will throw stones at him. The revenge of a persistent and patient person is the most terrifying.”

Nadia knew that these words were not simply words spoken to avoid the situation.

Altair would definitely keep his word.

The sense of solidarity of having the same enemy as him, or some other emotion, seemed to be strongly connecting Nadia and Altair.

Thinking that way, nothing seemed overwhelming anymore.

They say that ‘a gentleman’s revenge is never too late even if it takes ten years’.

“That’s right. I am also persistent. I will not give up and keep being patient.”

As Nadia clenched her fists and nodded vigorously, Altair let out a small laugh.

“That’s a good idea, but neither you nor I are in a position to talk about this.”

“Yes…?”

Altair’s gaze passed over her face and fell down.

He lowered his head, and Nadia saw herself still wrapped in the blanket from last night, and her face turned red.

She felt so embarrassed that she had been seriously thinking about the revenge in this state.

“Of course, we can talk about anything as a couple in this state.”

Unlike Nadia, who blushed and didn’t know what to do, Altair calmly got out of bed.

Even though he wasn’t wearing anything, Altair’s actions were unfazed.

He didn’t call a servant to serve him, but rather, he just picked up his clothes and came back to the bed, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

When Nadia’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected action, he chuckled and lightly tapped her forehead where his lips had touched with his finger.

“I’ll prepare the meal.”

❈❈❈

“I can’t believe you’re leaving the Baron to prepare the meal… ”

Marie muttered in disbelief as she helped Nadia get dressed.

She went to the kitchen to fill the kettle with water and saw Altair walking around the kitchen, gathering food.

Since the nobles of the capital never prepared their own meals, this must have been a very shocking incident for Marie, who was a servant from the capital to the core.

“I didn’t know that when he said you would prepare the meal, he meant ‘he’ll bring it from the kitchen himself.’ I thought he was going to call someone…”

Nadia was so surprised when Marie suddenly came in and shouted, ‘The Baron barged into the kitchen, and everyone is shaking!’

However, Anna, who was a native of Aylesford and had served Altair for a long time, didn’t seem that surprised by this.

“He often does that. He just shows up in the kitchen and takes what he needs then leaves. He doesn’t eat fancy meals because he’s busy and doesn’t bother to.”

“That’s right. Altair is just that kind of person. There’s no need to change that just because he’s not in the estate.”

Marie let out a small sigh as Nadia smiled and agreed with Anna.

“Yes. I think so too, but the poor servants of the duchy will be shocked and think, ‘How frustrating must it have been for the Baron to come to the kitchen himself!’”

Thinking about the servants of a noble family being on edge for not treating their guests properly made Nadia feel sorry but also somehow amused.

“If that’s the reason, I think it would be good to tell them that their service was excellent. Marie, tell them so that they won’t be too surprised.”

“I will. But he’s late. When I saw him strutting around the kitchen, I thought he’d return here soon.”

Listening to Marie, it was clear that a lot of time had passed.

Since Altair wasn’t the type to prepare food with care, if he had barged into the kitchen a long time ago, he would have already arrived in the room.

Did something unexpected happen and he hurriedly turned to another direction?

While she was worrying about that, she felt a bit of a commotion outside the door.

Although she couldn’t hear it clearly, Altair’s voice was mixed in with the commotion.

Marie and Anna also stopped their busy hands and turned their heads toward the door, perhaps because they also heard Altair’s voice.

When she listened closely, the sound outside became a little clearer.

“Are you a thief? Are you stealing our bread?”

It seemed like an unfamiliar voice was questioning Altair, but she didn’t think it was serious.

That was because it was the short-tongued voice of a little girl.

“I’m not a thief. I took it legally from the kitchen.”

“There is no one that I don’t know in this place. But I’ve never seen you!”

“The Duke invited me and I’m staying here. It’s been a while now.”

“Grandfather? Grandpa doesn’t have any friends!”

“I’m not his friend.”

Marie and Anna burst into laughter at the child innocently revealing the Duke’s connections and Altair’s seriousness.

A smile formed on Nadia’s lips as well.

She got up from her seat and carefully opened the door.

Not far away, she could see Altair being caught by the child who was blocking the way proudly.

Altair was holding a tray with simple bread and soup in his hand and bending his knees to meet the child’s eye level.

His face was as stern as usual, but there was a strange warmth in his eyes as he looked at the child who bravely blocked his path.

The child who blocked Altair’s path called the Duke “grandfather,” so she seemed to be the granddaughter of Duke Viosques, and even just looking at her from behind, Nadia could tell she was a smart girl.

“But if you thought I was a thief, you shouldn’t have rushed in like this.”

“Why?”

“Because I can easily subdue you.”

Altair gave a short warning, got up, and lightly lifted the child with one hand.

“Ah!”

The child, who had been lifted up in an instant, flailed her arms and legs in surprise, but Altair didn’t waver at all.

“Look at this. If I were really scary, you would have been in big trouble.”

“W-what are you… ”

The child, who had been standing up to Altair so bravely, trailed off, her shoulders slumping.

Altair smiled as if he found the child’s appearance cute, and carefully placed the child on the floor.

“You look just like someone I know when you shrink like that.”

“I-, I didn’t shrink!”

“The fact that you’re trying to deny it also resembles her.”

Nadia could intuitively tell, that ‘someone’ whom Altair mentioned was her.

The moment she was about to refute in anger, she realised that Altair’s gaze was so gentle as he looked at the child, and so, her anger melted away.

He was clearly looking at the child, but it felt like his gaze was directed at her.

“Oh my. The lord loves children so much. He also took good care of them in Aylesford.”

Anna, who was watching Altair and the child’s confrontation through the crack in the door with her, spoke as if she was used to it.

“I wonder how much softer he can get once he has his own child? Even when he doesn’t say anything, he must be really looking forward to it.”

“Anna!”

Marie quickly shut Anna’s mouth while watching Nadia’s reaction.

Even though they had spent many nights together since getting married, there was still no news of a child between Altair and her.

Anna, who realised the situation at Marie’s warning, covered her mouth with her hand in surprise, but in fact, she agreed with Anna’s words, so she wasn’t offended.

Altair was waiting for their child.

It was a fact that she couldn’t help but knew, since the purpose of marrying her was to have a successor.

It was clear that Altair would cherish and love the successor he had been waiting for.

I don’t think I’ve ever been anxious about not having a child. That is, until now…

Seeing Marie stop Anna in surprise, Nadia realised that it was definitely taking a long time for the child to be born.

“Don’t worry too much, Madame. The child will come naturally.”

“Yes. It’s not something that you can get just because you try hard.”

At Marie’s careful consolation, Nadia nodded, but her heart was heavy.

But she still hadn’t given Altair what he wanted the most.

What should I do?

She wanted to give Altair what he wished for quickly.

It was from this day that Nadia began to get anxious.