And Thus… It All Comes to an End - Chapter 15

“—And now, for the final item on the agenda.”

The moment Marcel’s low voice fell, the air in the room wavered ever so slightly.

“We have received word that Crown Prince Cedric Waldenia is heading this way as an ‘envoy.’”

Silence followed the brief report. Then, a low murmur spread. Everyone held their breath, searching one another’s faces. I tapped my fingertip lightly against the desk. The small sound cut through the stillness.

“The Crown Prince himself, is it?”

“Yes. He travels with a minimal escort. Their stated purpose is ‘treaty negotiations,’ but…” Marcel’s words trailed off for a moment. “There has been absolutely no mention of the prisoners.”

Just as I expected. I let out a short breath.

“He will undoubtedly come in with a strong hand,” the white-bearded Rutherford grunted, crossing his arms. His tone carried the bitterness of a long-time strategist.

Emilia spoke up calmly. “I have already obtained the contents of the treaty. Anne, hand them out.”

On command, Anne lined up several copies on the desk. Gazes fell upon the pages one after another, and in the next heartbeat, the air in the room froze.

“…Dreisburg retains the right to determine all customs duties? And they are even placing limits on the size of our military? This treats us as little more than a vassal state,” Marcel muttered, frowning as he flipped through the pages.

“This is a farce. Do they intend to make us a subordinate nation?” Rutherford’s voice rumbled with low indignation.

Keeping my eyes on the documents, I let the corner of my mouth curl slightly.

—So, that is how they intend to play it.

Independence cannot be achieved without the King’s recognition. Using that single point as a shield, they intended to thrust “conditions of surrender” upon us. Peace on the surface; in reality, total control.

“…This isn’t a treaty for a vassal state; it’s a set of chains,” I whispered, tracing the lines with my finger. “These articles are designed solely to put a collar around our necks.”

Silence fell once more, deepened by the sound of turning pages. Finally, Julius spoke with caution.

“Lady Luciana. Naturally, we shall reject this, but shall we prepare a reasonable counter-proposal of our own?”

“Yes, please do so.”

It’s always better to have more cards to play.

“Since the Crown Prince is coming as the envoy, it’s likely a threat: ‘If you refuse this treaty, we will not recognize your independence.’ In other words, they intend to use recognition as leverage to force the negotiations in their favor,” Emilia’s voice rang out coldly. I caught her sharp profile out of the corner of my eye.

“Even so, I have no intention of nodding along. I have the ‘deed of indemnity’ from the late King. Besides, if the plan we have in motion goes well, don’t you think they’ll be the ones coming to bow their heads soon, begging us to let them recognize us?”

At those words, the heavy atmosphere eased slightly.

“—Let us call it a day.”

At my word, everyone stood. The pieces on the map were cleared away, and silence returned to the desk.

“Lady Luciana, shall we proceed with the scheduled inspection of the town?” Anne asked gently.

“Yes. I’m concerned about the refugees flowing in, so let’s go in disguise as planned.”

“Ho, in that case, Lady Luciana,” Rutherford said with a hint of a smile. “You ought to take Julius with you. It is a perfect opportunity for him to broaden his horizons.”

Julius gave a troubled laugh. “Regrettably, I am no bodyguard. Furthermore, even if it is our own territory, an inspection at a time like this is too dangerous. You should take Lord Gareth or his men—”

“No, Julius.”

Gareth’s resonant voice cut him off. “Lady Luciana has no need for a bodyguard. She is my prize pupil. Besides, Anne will be there. There is no need for worry.” Gareth laughed boisterously. “Furthermore, if you are to support this country, you must feel the pulse of this city for yourself. You cannot see a nation through ledgers and desks alone.”

At those words, Julius lowered his gaze and stole a glance at me. When I gave a light nod, his expression relaxed slightly. Beside him, Emilia added quietly:

“It’s fine, Julius. My subordinates will be watching from the shadows. You will be safe as well.”

Julius gave a wry smile. “Haha. I see. In the end, I am the one who needs a bodyguard the most.”

“Fufu. I believe I promised to show you around the territory one day, didn’t I? There are many things here you might like,” I said with a mischievous smile. “Freshly baked apple pie, ink that flows beautifully on paper…”

Julius’s eyes darted around restlessly as he began to tidy the documents on the desk.

“…I look forward to it.”

“It’s settled then. Let’s go!”

I threw on my cloak and straightened my posture.

“As you wish, Lady Luciana.”

In the tail end of his voice, there lingered the faint trace of a smile.