Chapter 9: Please take in an aide (part 1) (unedited)
If you read this on other websites, it means it was stolen. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.wordpress.com.
“It’s my first meeting you after the wedding, Your Majesty.”
When the visitor greeted Adele in a special way, Adele smiled and welcomed her. “Welcome, Grand Duchess. Even if it were not, I would want to see you often separately.”
An unexpected visitor was Elizabeth Ulrich Grand. The king’s half-sister, a woman with a strong impression. Although she has reddish-purple eyes and blonde hair typical of the Ulrich royal family, Elizabeth was different from the king. If the king has a sensitive and sharp atmosphere, Elizabeth had a cold and overbearing atmosphere.
“Let’s sit down.”
“Yes, Yout Majesty.”
When the two sat face to face, the maids naturally served refreshments.
Elizabeth was staring intently at the teacup the maid brought, she then asked, “Your Majesty, I hope we could have this conversation just two of us.”
Adele readily agreed to that. “Get out for a while.”
“Yes, your majesty.”
As the maids were out from the room, Adele stared straight at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth gazed at the transparent steam rising from the warm teacup and then gazed silently into the twinkling golden eyes. It was a sunny season, so the light was pouring over the window. And those eyes were like the intense sunlight was cut and put into them.
“What’s on my face?”
“Oh, excuse me, your Majesty. Your Majesty’s eyes are truly impressive. Forgive me.”
“The color of my eyes is not usual. That’s why in my home country, they called me the ‘Gottrov’s Black Panther’. Behind me, of course.”
“Black panther… I’ve never actually seen it, but somehow I feel like i’ve seen it.”
Adele smiled and then took the teacup.
Elizabeth looked once more at the queen while drinking her tea.
Adele put down her teacup and looked directly at Elizabeth’s strange gaze.
The two looked at each other for some time with no smile on their faces.
After looking at the queen for quite some time so that she even felt being rude, Elizabeth realized that the queen was very petite. The queen looked so small that it seemed like her height barely touched Elizabeth’s tall shoulders. Yet Elizabeth could not think of the word weakness. The queen was a person who could pressure her opponent just by her presence. Elizabeth had already seen it at the wedding, and she confirmed it now, “I like you, Your Majesty.”
Adele narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth’s random remarks. It was really unfortunate she had no information about Echmont. She knew nothing about the Grand Duchess in front of her except that she was the king’s half-sister. Adele wondered why the Grand Duchess had come to visit her.
Then, Elizabeth opened her mouth again. “I heard you’ve called Countess Hannah Giggs.”
“….”
“She was my nanny.”
“Why are you talking about this?”
“You’re trying to bring in Countess Hannah Giggs, doesn’t it mean you want to strengthen your position as the queen in the royal palace?”
“As the queen, isn’t it natural for me to fix the order of the royal palace?”
“That’s right. You have to do that.”
“….”
“But it will not be easy. Diane Poitiers is the king’s favorite, and behind her is Duke August Ulrich Desponse.” After Elizabeth soaked her mouth with tea, she then spoke her words carefully. “In the midst of that, there is you, Your Majesty, a person who must defend the queen position. You can’t trust the people in the royal palace right now. All of the people here are the people of Duke of Desponse and Diane Poitiers.”
Adele listened to Elizabeth in silence. After seemingly lost in her thoughts for a moment, she looked at Elizabeth slowly and asked with her soft voice, but with her eyes gleamed without retreating,”What advantage does the grand duchess get if I strengthen my position in the royal palace?”
Elizabeth paused for a moment as if a wild beast of the jungle lowered its body and exposed its sharp claws. She was also the princess of Echmont. She was now a duchess who owned a great estate. However, It was such a direct question that she felt like she was hit with one shot. But then Elizabeth felt somewhat relieved. So, she frankly exposed her feelings. “The king is caught between the two of them and does not walk on the proper path as a king. So I desperately want Your Majesty to server the link between Diane Poitiers and Duke of Desponse.”
“And by having me strengthen my position as the queen at the royal palace?”
“That’s right? Countess Hannah Giggs would also definitely help. However, since she was sent out by the king himself, when you give her the position of general manager, your fight would grow bigger. I think it would be enough to have her next to you and seek advice.”
“….”
“And one more piece of advice, please make an announcement that you’re looking for an aide.”
“Aide?”
“The queen’s aide is a system that has always existed. A person who directly coordinates with the queen’s schedule and affairs and sometimes do somethings on behalf of the queen. It is up the queen to assign their work.”
“Is that all? I heard that general manager of the royal palace is also used as a secretary.”
“The general manager of the royal palace is literally in charge of the internal affairs of the royal palace. They’re mainly women. On the other hand, the queen’s aide is mainly male. My mother would increase the number of her aides whenever my father, the previous king, change his mistress, as if a reward.”
Adele laughed at that. “So, since the king has a mistress, I must also have a lover. Is this what you mean?”
“I don’t know in Gottrov’s royal palace, but here in Echmont, showing your power is paramount.”
“….”
“It doesn’t mean your majesty should blatantly have an affair. But if the king remains silent even after insulting your majesty in front of all the those noble people, here, they will perceive your majesty’s existence as inferior to that king’s mistress. Echmont is a land of uninhabited people. They admire the strong and despise the weak. Your majesty must not be pushed by that power.”
Adelaide wiped away the traces of her daughter hanging from her lips while focusing on Elizabeth’s words.
When the queen listened with a serious attitude, Elizabeth changed her posture, leaning her body to the queen, while still sitting down, “the one who currently holds the real power here is the Duke of Desponse. In one hand he took control of the mages corps and took the power, in the other hand, he used Diane Poitiers to win the king’s heart. Do you think there will be opposing forces?”
“Does that mean, those who oppose him will respond to the announcement I give?”
Elizabeth nodded her head. “The queen’s aide has been used from generation to generation as a device to check the power of the king. The people in Echmont see the word of mistress as a lowly and vulgar word, but when that mistress position has more significant meaning, they will boldly change their attention to that spot.”
“If I had an assistant, who would you recommend?”
Hearing the queen’s question, the grand duchess pondered for a moment, then recited the names of several families.
Adele carved the duchess’ words into her mind.
“I don’t know this is possible, but if you happen to receive an applicant from Paldr House. I recommend choosing him without looking further.”
“Paldr House?”
Elizabeth nodded slowly her head. “Any time, call me if you need my help. You will able to easily contact me through Countess Hannah Giggs, Your Majesty.”
***
If you read this on other websites, it means it was stolen. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.wordpress.com.
T/N: I’m sorry I’ve been MIA 🥲🥲
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