Chapter 96 (1/2)
Chapter 96
Proofreader: somnium
Artizea arrived near the capital at the end of February, and it was about March.
It was about a month and a half journey.
It was possible to shorten the period a little more than originally expected. This is because Artizea reduced the load to move quickly.
She moved by buying all of the necessary items, giving away or throwing away what was no longer needed.
Evron was still covered in snow, but the capital was already warm. It was completely spring to those who live in the North.
Artizea did not enter the capital immediately. She rented a whole inn in a nearby town and stopped for now.
Before she went to the capital, she wanted to know what was going on.
Upon receiving the call, Freil and Ansgar headed straight there.
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It was Hayley who greeted the two.
“No, Dame Hayley.”
Freil was startled and called her. Hayley shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s been a while. And it’s not ‘Dame’ anymore. Have you not heard the news?”
Freil tilted his head. Hayley sighed.
“Well, the Grand Duke is in his estate, but it wasn’t important enough to send a messenger to the capital to inform it. Did you hear about the war?”
“Yes, I know that well. Because there was a report in the palace. Is it true that Karam made a siege weapon?”
“Yes. I’ll tell you more about it later. It’s not that serious.”
“Isn’t Dame Hayley coming here because it’s a serious situation?”
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Ansgar said to Freil’s question.
“I think Dame Hayley came as the Madam’s lady-in-waiting.”
He knew that Artizea was planning to choose her lady-in-waiting from among the vassals of the Grand Duchy.
“Yes, that’s what it is.”
“Her Grace has a vision to see people. I’ve always been thinking that Dame Hayley is not just someone who will only end up as an administrator.”
Freil said. Hayley was one of the few who communicated well in the stuffy and uptight stronghold.
“But you managed to be convinced. You don’t want to deal with complicated affairs.”
“There was a situation where I had no choice but to do so. Go to the parlor first. Her Grace is taking a bath right now, so she will come out a little later.”
Freil and Ansgar looked at each other.
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They knew Artizea is not someone who keeps people waiting that way.
That meant they had to hear about the stronghold from Hayley before greeting her.
All three were the ones who could notice it.
Hayley led the two to the room where it was used as the parlor. And she gave a brief summary of the news of the stronghold.
The two lamented at the news of the Jordyn family.
In Ansgar’s case, he had seen Aubrey since birth. He even wiped away tears lightly.
Freil didn’t know Aubrey well because he wasn’t from the stronghold.
The last time he saw her was 3 years ago, at the time Aubrey was 15 years old. He thought she was an immature little girl.
He simply felt sorry for the Jordyn family and the circumstances.
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But apart from that regret, Freil said calmly.
“It was time for a generational change. Dame Mel took over at the right time. Evron is also about to change.”
“For the sake of Her Grace?”
“Do you know what I’m talking about, Dame Hayley? Just by showing loyalty and following quietly, it’s hard to survive.”
Said Freil. Having been on a mission to collect information in the capital, he fully understood the urgency of the situation.
“Sir Aaron and Margaret are also faithful and capable, but just hearing the name of the imperial family, they tend to shrink their body. Dame Mel is highly knowledgeable and conservative, but she is younger and more flexible than Sir Aaron. In addition, Dame Mel will be more comfortable for His Grace the Grand Duke.”
“Yes. I think it was right for my father to retire first. My father has never had any other intentions, and also showed unchanging trust to the Grand Duchy, but it is to the credit of his predecessors he got to sit firmly. It’s not always a comfortable existence.”
“Besides, Sir Aaron and Margaret, both of them tended to feel like they were supposed to take care of the Grand Duke and the other children…”
Ansgar muttered to himself. He was no exception.
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Freil said.
“When it comes to serving Her Grace, it is not enough to be loyal because the Grand Duchess has chosen you.”
“I’m not thinking that far yet. I’m a lady-in-waiting, but in reality it’s close to being a hostage.”
“Dame Hayley…”
“Jordyn has a betrayal history. It is natural that Her Grace wants to be prepared just in case.”
Hayley said so, added.
“And I’m going to see now whether the Grand Duchess is a loyal person.”
In her view, Cedric was an emotional idealist.
He had nothing wrong with his ideals, but it was unrealistic. As Grand Duke Evron, he could maintain the status quo, but anything more than that was difficult.
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Hayley thought that was also possible because Evron Grand Duchy stood in a special position.
Hayley loved her family and wanted to make the Grand Duchy a good place. However, the trust in Cedric was partial.
She had loyalty, but her loyalty was not personal and passionate, but more of a childlike instinctive level of affection for the land to which she belonged.
In short, if the security of the Grand Duchy and the safety of her family are at odds, she will choose her family without hesitation. It was completely different from the loyalty of Mel or the other knights.