Chapter 195 – The Coronation
A warm sunny morning.
I walked through the courtyard corridor with David.
As summer passes and autumn slowly emerges, a clear energy permeates the courtyard.
As I indifferently watched the trees turning their leaves and the shrubs shedding their leaves one by one, I stopped at a sudden thought.
“Chairman. I heard that there are improved varieties of cherry trees that bloom all year round, is that true?”
“Yes? Oh You mean cherry blossoms in full bloom. As far as I know, I heard that breeding was completed in the commercial city of Yebrinus.”
“Then maybe…… Could you bring one of those into the Deharm Mansion?”
“Well. It’s a rare tree and it’s quite expensive because you have to cross the sea, but there’s nothing you can’t buy because the mansion’s goods have increased a lot recently. But why are you suddenly looking for a cherry tree? Isn’ t that the tree you usually like?”
Are you going to let me say it with my mouth? I looked at him saying too much, but Harvey was just making a questionable expression as if he really didn’t know.
After a moment of embarrassment, I scratched my cheek and let out a few words.
“Chairman. Isn’t the war over?”
“That’s right. Thanks to Her Majesty Benelia, who took power, and cut the rate of tax collection by half, songs of praise are now resonating throughout the country. All the officials who ate bribes and were corrupt are being punished, so I just feel that the empire is moving on the right path.”
A happy smile spreads across David’s face his. He must have never experienced poverty while working at Deharm Mansion, but Harvey was also not unaware of the pain the people must be experiencing.
It was to the extent that there were not a few people who joined the rebels because they had no way to make a living right away. If the tax was cut in half, the people would be able to breathe, so it could be seen that the right politics was done.
The key now will be to settle the country’s debt, but if Benelia finds and deals with the corrupt officials who were extorting her money from the middle of her, she will be able to fill the empty treasury one by one.
…… Anyway, that wasn’t the point.
“There is nothing wrong with that. That’s why they say to plant cherry trees in full bloom.”
“My lord? What does the empire’s progress on the right path have to do with the cherry trees in full bloom?”
I saw and glanced away.
“Since the war is over, we should make a holiday. Have you forgotten that I am engaged to the Pelgarin family?”
“Speaking of marriage…… Ah! You are thinking of finally proposing.”
“Okay. I made a promise with His Excellency the Count…….”
For some reason, the voice is low in shame. As I was hesitating, Harvey rolled his arm and let out his snort. An unknown gun dwells in both eyes.
“If that’s the case, don’t worry about it! Even if it means risking my life, I will bring the cherry trees in full bloom to the Dehareum Mansion!”
“That, calmly. There is no need to risk your life.”
“That is what it means. More than that, the thought of being able to see the wedding of the two of you before I enter the cemetery is very impressive…….”
Harvey, who suddenly started to cry, took his handkerchief from his bosom and wiped his eyes. Embarrassed, he couldn’t help it, so Harvey took a deep breath and nodded resolutely to him.
“This is not the time! I will inform my family of this auspicious news right away!”
Is it necessary to inform in advance? No matter how you look at it, it’s a fuss.
I sighed and shook my head.
“Don’t tell me. It’s not good if rumors spread.”
“Yes? Why?”
“Think about it. Wouldn’t Esily be less moved if they knew in advance that I was going to propose? Since ancient times, it is right to prepare such things secretly.”
“Five. I heard it and it makes sense. He is also the lord. You are thorough.”
Seeing David humbly accepting his opinion his, my conscience pricks for some reason. It was after consulting with Baenon that I decided to secretly prepare.
But he didn’t have to tell the truth. Habitually touching the brooch around my neck, I moved on.
“Go out into the front yard. Just to get some wind.”
“It is. You’ve been working too hard lately.”
Harvey, smiling benignly, follows me.
After chatting with David, I crossed the hallway and opened the door to the front yard. When you step outside, a refreshing breeze blows across your face.
When I went down the stairs, I saw an elf sweeping a broom at the corner of the street. It would be to clear the roadside of the fallen leaves early.
An elf’s duties today wouldn’t have included sweeping the broom. It was not something I was told to do, but I was proud of myself because I was doing it by example.
As we approached, the elf pricked up his ears and raised his head.
“Ah. Theo……”
The elf, who was answering with a bright expression, found Harvid behind her and cleared her voice.
“…… Master. What are you doing here?”
“Why did you come? I came to see you The chamberlain said you were working in the front yard, so you came out after finishing your work.”
The elf’s face slightly blushed as he quietly conveyed his sincerity. For some reason, it felt like the hand holding the broom had a little more strength.
It was fun to watch as the shyness was clearly revealed. I laughed lowly and stopped trying to change the topic.
It was because the elf’s lips showed traces of eating chocolate. It’s not like it was intentionally buried, so it just means that you were eating chocolate.
‘The culprit is…….’
Maybe it’s Bainen. Beinen, who has improved a lot these days, has a hobby of walking around her mansion on her crutches and handing out chocolates from Balgeum.
He said it was a small gift given to people who work hard, but it wasn’t a bad intention, and it wasn’t that Bainen gave out a lot of chocolate a day, so he didn’t stop it.
Anyway, it’s the first time I’ve seen an elf eat chocolate. Did you want to eat something sweet? Intrigued, I hinted at him.
“Oh. We are looking for the chocolate thief right now. Will you help us find the culprit? I think you would know. Strangely, it seems that I can smell chocolate nearby.”
“Master? What to say…….”
“Ugh. But it’s strange. It smells like chocolate, but you’re the only one around here. Could it be that you ate the chocolate without my knowledge?”
The elf’s eyes trembled, which is rare. It looked like he was saying, ‘How did you know?’ It was so funny that both I and David had a hard time holding back their laughter.
On the other hand, the elf was pondering my question very seriously. I don’t know, but it seemed that he was afraid of being hated by me the moment he said he stole and ate the chocolate.
“Oh, no…….”
In the end, what the elf chose was a lie. The way she leaves traces of chocolate on her lips and pretends not to have eaten is cute.
Harvey, who couldn’t stand it, burst into laughter. The elf broke into a cold sweat when he saw Harvey laughing as he lifted his shoulder.
“Why, why are you laughing…… ?”
I guess that’s enough for a joke. I took a handkerchief from my bosom and gently wiped the elf’s lips.
“There was chocolate on my lips. That’s why I asked.”
“Ah. Me, I just…… Bainen gave me to eat…… I didn’t know it was stolen.”
“I’m not trying to scold you, so there’s no need to be nervous. Incidentally, looking for a thief is a lie. Don’t worry, it’s just a joke.”
I picked up the handkerchief, folded it in half, and put it back into my bosom. The elf’s pupils narrowed as if the word prank sounded a bit unpleasant. The bulging cheeks of his were a bonus.
“…… Theorard.”
Why are you playing such a silly prank? The lips that are moving quietly approach me a little frighteningly.
Was it a lot of fun The moment I clear my throat and ask for forgiveness, the rattling sound of the wagon wheels makes me look away.
“Yes?”
A carriage was coming toward the front door of the mansion. If you see the pattern of a white lion drawn on it, it must have been sent from the imperial family.
As I watched, the wagon that came to the front yard skillfully stopped. Then the door opened, and a familiar man got off the carriage and brushed off his clothes.
It was Roylen, a man whose tall, middle-aged face looked good with sophisticated clothes.
As I approached her gladly, Roylen, feeling her presence her, turned to me and she smiled brightly.
“Five! It’s an honor to see you again! I didn’t expect to meet you upon arrival.”
“I am glad to see you again. But what are you doing at the mansion?”
“Haha. Is there only one reason I can hear it? Her Highness her the Princess……No, I have come to convey the words of the person who will soon become His Majesty her.”
Raised her hand as if to wait a moment, Roilen opened her purse and took out her signature her.
Sensing that it was a letter from Benelia, I got down on one knee and lowered her stance. It was because he thought that since he was now in a position comparable to that of an emperor, he should show courtesy worthy of that position.
However, Roylen did not open the entire book and read it. All she had to do was hand me a letter wrapped with her string.
“Take it.”
Curious about that, I raised my head and asked.
“Do I read it myself?”
“Yes. His Highness told me not to read the entire text aloud, but to have the person in charge read it himself. I don’t know why either. I’m guessing you wrote about the coronation…….”
It was to the point of tilting my head, but there was no other option since it was Benelia’s name her. I stood up, accepted the letter Roylen handed over, and looked around for a while.
Elf and David are seen talking in the distance. Roylen, who is deeply loyal, couldn’t peek at it, and there were no other servants in the front yard, so you should read it now.
After preparing my mind and opening the book, I saw sentences written one after another in clean handwriting.
『Look at Theorad Deharm of Count Pelgarin.
Even you, who are not very interested in politics, must have heard the news that I succeeded in the revolution.
Now that the evils that the empire has followed have been sorted out to some extent, I’m going to proceed with the coronation ceremony as my loyalists said.
In relation to it, high-ranking officials and great lords who command huge land masses, soldiers who have worked for the country and commoners who have contributed to the development of the empire, and women who have lived all day caring for trifles during the week . Everyone, regardless of gender and age, will be invited.
Among them, the one I pay special attention to is you. Even though I have a lot of work to do, I always think of you whenever I have time to rest.
It’s been a long time since I thought I wanted to see someone. So respond to my call and participate in the coronation ceremony. I command you, I will not accept an answer of refusal.”
At first glance, the letter felt arrogant, but the warmth of the fact that this side was special was peeped out everywhere. Looking at this, there was no reason not to respond to Benelia’s call.
The problem was a single line of text written in small letters at the bottom of the letter.
“P.S. I will make a wish for the wish you promised earlier, so make up your mind and purify your body.”
The writing is darker than the other sentences, perhaps after much thought. Thanks to that, I couldn’t help but feel the fear of the unknown.
