Chapter 2
Newspaper
Ariel understood her mother’s fussing.
Originally, she should have debuted in society two years ago, yet instead she had wandered across the continent all this time before finally returning home.
After waiting so long, of course her mother wanted to present the daughter she had devoted her entire life to raising to the marriage market as quickly as possible. Ariel knew all too well that she could neither escape nor reject that blind affection, and so she quietly swallowed a sigh.
Of course, she no longer intended to postpone her social debut.
As the only daughter of the Rosenberg family, it was a path she was destined to walk.
However—
“Mary, could you bring me the newspaper?”
Pulling the bell cord to summon her maid, Ariel spoke in a subdued voice. Mary was the attendant she trusted deeply enough to have taken along during her two-year Grand Tour.
Without needing to be told, Mary understood her lady’s preferences as naturally as breathing. She had already brought out orange marmalade, fresh rolls, and warm tea on a silver tray.
But this order was unexpected.
“The newspaper, miss?”
Confusion colored her voice as she repeated the request. Then, as though recalling an old memory, an awkward expression crossed her face.
“My lady, if the countess finds out…”
“There may be news about society in it. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to drown myself in excessive scholarship.”
“…Yes, my lady.”
Mary answered in a doubtful tone.
After all, she had not served Ariel for only a day or two.
It was obvious her mistress intended to search for articles about politics or economics again. During the Grand Tour, Ariel had shown little interest in such things, so Mary had nearly forgotten about the old habit. But now that they had returned to Milton Abbey, it seemed those tendencies had resurfaced.
Suppressing a quiet sigh, Mary hurried from the room in search of the paper.
A short while later, today’s newspaper rested before Ariel as she slowly savored the aroma of her tea.
[Will Devonshire Strike Back? Legal Battle Looms Over Railway Company Shareholder Dispute]
The headline dominating the front page stirred up dust in her heart that even the fragrance of tea could not settle.
Nothing has changed.
Just as before, the Duke of Devonshire continued to provide endless material for newspapers with tireless diligence. And alongside his name, as inseparable as a soulmate, appeared her father’s as well.
[…Count Heinz von Rosenberg appears to consider the board appointment procedures as incomprehensible as the design of a masquerade costume. According to sources, the legal team representing Duke Devonshire has expressed confidence that they possess sufficient evidence to prove the illegitimacy of the contested board appointments…]
Ah, Father.
Right now, you must be clutching the back of your neck with your blood pressure soaring.
She could clearly picture him in the townhouse at Kelt, his face bright red as he read the satirical article about himself.
After turning a few more pages, Ariel abruptly folded the paper shut. Her chest felt tight. Even breathing became uncomfortable.
Once she debuted in society, meeting him would become inevitable.
What kind of expression should she wear when that time came?
Over the photograph of the arrogant and flawless young duke printed in the paper, the image of a clear-eyed boy shimmered like a mirage.
Kelt, the imperial capital.
A grand banquet had been prepared within the Imperial Palace.
If it were merely a gathering of the imperial family’s relatives, the atmosphere was far too businesslike. Yet if it was meant to celebrate the opening of the social season, there were far too many grim-faced men seated around the table.
The only woman present, Queen Adelhardt II of the Stern Empire, quietly pressed her foot down atop her husband’s beneath the table.
Her expression, however, remained perfectly composed with the dignity befitting a queen.
Receiving the signal, Duke Trier let out a small cough.
As the queen’s consort, he had taken charge of the railway reconstruction project that would connect the empire like a spider’s web. It was far too important a venture for him to disappoint his wife.
That was why he had specially arranged this gathering at the palace.
A pitiful effort, perhaps, to ease the tense atmosphere between the divided board members.
Yet his damned nephew did not so much as blink at his tearful efforts.
He had always known the boy lacked both blood and tears, but experiencing it firsthand made his blood pressure rise even higher.
Especially that perfectly composed smile.
Suppressing the urge to rip apart the lips that had caused him so much trouble, Duke Trier maintained his dignity and spoke solemnly.
“Should not the board gather its wisdom together for Stern’s brilliant future? If we can use this occasion to resolve lingering resentment and resume the railway project, there could be no greater joy.”
Holding up his wineglass with a genial smile, he looked around the table.
In response, the board members’ expressions appeared to soften slightly.
After all, with both the Queen and Duke Trier trying this hard, it felt difficult to continue snarling at one another openly.
To strengthen Stern’s competitiveness in this rapidly changing age, the railway project was indispensable.
And no one seated here was ignorant of its importance.
Leonardo leisurely raised his crystal glass to his lips. Bitter red wine wet his tongue.
His cold gaze rested on Heinz, seated across the long table.
And Heinz was staring back just the same.
Noticing that the two central figures of the conflict were silently glaring at each other despite the seemingly reconciliatory atmosphere, Adelhardt II pressed a hand to her forehead as if struck by a headache.
Duke Trier, whose attention had been entirely focused on his wife, belatedly realized the silent confrontation between the businessmen.
“For heaven’s sake! Must you two keep fighting?!”
The sudden outburst was undoubtedly born from long-suppressed frustration.
Grabbing at his thinning hair, Duke Trier shouted in exasperation.
“Do you have any intention at all of finishing the railway construction?!”
As the echo of his voice faded, a stinging silence descended upon the banquet table.
Duke Trier closed his eyes as though realizing he had ruined everything, while the queen shot him a look of reproach for losing control of his emotions. Meanwhile, the board members nervously exchanged glances.
The awkward silence stretched endlessly.
The dishes grew cold upon the table.
And the person who rescued the banquet from becoming a complete disaster was none other than Leonardo.
Picking up his silver cutlery, he calmly took a bite of lamb blanquette and chewed with elegant composure.
Every eye at the table turned toward him.
Even Heinz, who had been glaring daggers at him moments before, now looked at the young duke as though he were insane.
“You should eat,” Leonardo said smoothly.
“It seems the chef prepared the meal with great care.”
Duke Trier stared anxiously at the perfectly curved smile on his lips.
Every time Leonardo smiled like that, he had a habit of dropping bombs without warning.
Caught in the strange atmosphere, the board members cautiously resumed eating after the queen and Duke Trier continued their meal.
And, just as expected—
Leonardo’s calm voice sliced across the banquet table precisely as Heinz raised his wineglass to drink.
“If Count Rosenberg invests the funds he promised, perhaps we may align not only our minds, but our souls as well.”
“Cough!”
Unfortunately, the wine caught in Heinz’s throat.
He spent several humiliating moments coughing violently. When he lowered the napkin covering his mouth, red wine stained the white fabric.
“My, my.”
Leonardo wore an expression of sincere sympathy.
“If the count rejects the board’s decision with such blood-spitting determination…” he continued evenly, “then regrettably, I suppose there will be no aligning of souls until the legal proceedings conclude.”
Not a trace of regret existed in his voice.
If the dispute reached court, it would drag on for years.
Which meant the halted railway construction sites would remain abandoned for just as long.
“You think I’ll submit to such an unjust decision?!”
“Well,” Leonardo replied coolly, “even if you ignore the board’s decision, I trust you will obey the court’s.”
“You—!”
You bastard!
Using every ounce of restraint to swallow the curse, Heinz’s face turned scarlet.
Unable to watch any longer, Adelhardt II rose gracefully from her seat.
“Please forgive me for leaving first. I have another engagement to attend.”
Leaving behind those dignified words, the queen departed the banquet hall.
Not long after, Leonardo also excused himself and rose from the table.
Measured footsteps echoed through the palace corridor lined with priceless works of art.
Leisurely moving his long legs, Leonardo admired the paintings hanging along the walls.
From masterpieces created during House Lemedi’s cultural revolution centuries ago to works by recently rising artists, the collection reflected refined and expansive tastes.
“So you came.”
At the sound of the voice, Leonardo turned his head.
Adelhardt II stood before an enormous portrait, her gaze fixed upon it.
“You told me to follow you.”
Recalling the sharp glance she had discreetly thrown his way earlier, Leonardo let out a dry chuckle before stopping beside her.
The portrait, framed in thick gold ornamentation, depicted the former king and queen of the Stern Empire along with their children.
Including the young Adelhardt II and her younger sister.
Leonardo’s blue eyes lingered on the smallest girl in the painting.
Isabella von Devonshire.
His mother.
“The railway is Stern’s future.”
“I know.”
“It is a matter tied to the strength of the empire itself, not the petty pride of individuals.”
“The losses from Count Rosenberg stealing control of the bank were considerable. Please try to understand your nephew’s desire to squeeze money out of him however he can.”
As Leonardo made it abundantly clear he had no intention of backing down, the queen released a long sigh.
Whenever one side landed a blow, the other simply struck back harder.
The years both families had spent anonymously submitting slanderous articles about one another to the newspapers could not be ignored either.
How could this deep rift ever be bridged?
If it were up to her, she would have excluded one side entirely from the project.
But the Devonshire and Rosenberg families possessed tangled interests stretching not only across the Stern Empire, but the continent and even the New World beyond.
If only for a short while.
Just until the railway lines were completed.
If only the two men would each take a single step back.
“What in the world would it take for you to reconcile with Count Rosenberg?”
