I Became the Childhood Friend of the Northern Duchess – Chapter 114

Three days after that small yet significant event had wrapped up.

Ariel had once again set up her spot early in the morning to hear the tales of her retainers.

Currently, most matters were filtered through Edgar, with the rough details reaching Ariel’s ears, but several issues existed that didn’t follow this pathway.

With only a few retainers doing their duties within the castle, it was clearly not efficient to relay all news through just one person.

Sometimes, they would come to see Ariel directly to convey information, but for most matters, they were relayed and concluded in this very setting.

“A letter from Whitewood has arrived. Thankfully, this suppression seems to be wrapping up smoothly, and His Majesty plans to return as soon as the aftermath is dealt with.”

While smaller tales and recent happenings were shared, the one who took the floor was a man named Gale Philips.

He had been among those suspected alongside Vincent during his downfall, but in reality, he was a man of great integrity.

“Good news indeed. Any other peculiarities?”

“Nothing particularly stands out. Contrary to what the lady feared, it seems everything was handled without major issues.”

“…Is that so?”

It was undeniably pleasant news, yet Ariel couldn’t shake off a weird feeling, twitching the corner of her mouth uncomfortably.

Perhaps it had taken longer than expected to suppress the foreign tribe, or maybe there hadn’t been time to send any reports until now.

Had any news come, it should have been delivered much earlier, yet here she was receiving positive news at this point, and it felt quite strange.

‘Anyway, at least it’s a relief.’

Regardless, hearing that things had gone well was good news.

Considering that Helene’s worries had been escalating, Ariel had been contemplating reaching out herself.

However, that was no longer necessary, and just knowing she could share this news with her mother brought her great satisfaction.

Thanks to that, it seemed both Helene and she would feel uplifted that day.

“Ariel.”

“What?”

Just as Ariel was about to listen for the next piece of news with a somewhat lighter heart, Edgar asked for the retainers’ understanding and called to her softly.

Since she had not officially inherited Yulken’s position yet, informalities were still permitted in this context.

If she were to soon become the head of the Grand Duchy, she would be required to use honorifics in situations like this.

In any case, what mattered to Ariel was that Edgar, who usually didn’t interrupt the conversations of the retainers, had suddenly stepped up.

Curious about whether there was something important he had to say, she listened closely, only to receive an unexpected response.

“Do we not need to send a separate message to Whitewood?”

“…What message?”

“I thought you would know the reason.”

Ariel briefly twitched her eyebrows but nodded with an understanding look soon after.

Indeed, as he mentioned, the timing was a bit delicate. She had been thinking about that just a moment ago.

However, according to what Gale added, a seal used only for sending letters directly by Yulken was included, leading Ariel to believe it was inappropriate to cast suspicion.

‘Still, we are officially in a time of war here.’

Although Hespania was peaceful, Whitewood was definitely in a state of war.

Then, presuming the worst should be the right choice for someone in charge.

As long as even the slightest chance of danger remained, it was not wise to ease up too easily.

“Gale.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Send a letter in my name to Whitewood. How soon can it arrive?”

“If sent urgently, it should reach them around this time tomorrow.”

Tomorrow.

Ariel pondered over that word thoughtfully before adding one more instruction.

“Then factor in a three-day window for a reply. If we don’t receive an answer within that time, we’ll send reinforcements.”

“…Reinforcements? Are you considering the possibility that the letter might be forged?”

“A bit. Just consider it a precaution.”

The letter Gale handed her had clearly been written in Yulken’s handwriting, and the seal was unmistakably there, so Ariel genuinely felt there was no reason to doubt.

It was just this inexplicable discomfort she felt.

In fact, such feelings had arisen from her influence by Edgar, who believed logic should take priority over emotion; thus, it wasn’t a selection she felt inclined towards.

However, sometimes a person’s instinct takes precedence over solid evidence or clear circumstances, and Ariel deemed this moment one of those times.

It was similar to when she had been observant of Vincent, but the significant difference was the lack of any evidence this time.

“I will proceed accordingly. I’ll also dispatch a few individuals along with the letter just to be safe.”

“I understand. If any strange signs are spotted by those sent, report to me immediately. At any time.”

“Yes.”

Nodding firmly, Gale immediately left the room to carry out Ariel’s orders.

After all, those were the only matters he needed to report, and executing her orders was the priority for him.

“Is that the end of the reports?”

“Yes.”

Today, aside from the Whitewood matter, there weren’t many significant subjects to discuss.

Most were tasks that the retainers could handle at their own discretion and only presented here to seek Ariel’s confirmation beforehand.

Thanks to that, the meeting wrapped up a bit earlier.

After finishing lunch, it would be just the right time to take a breather.

“Well then, everyone has work to do, so let’s disband the meeting. Let’s schedule another one midweek, Ed, you set the date and inform the retainers.”

“Got it.”

As Ariel tried to lift the spirits in the room, looking around at those in their seats, everyone nodded in agreement with pleased smiles.

Though it felt like the meeting was ending early out of consideration for them, everyone present knew.

She simply wanted to return to her office quickly to be alone with her lover.

Indeed, among those inside the castle, no one was unaware of the affectionate relationship the two shared.

Even the mice near the sewer probably knew about it, or so they thought.

“I shall abide by the lady’s wishes.”

However, there was no need to explicitly state it and provoke her anger, so the retainers stood up and made their way to their respective positions, pretending not to notice.

* * * * * * *

When Ariel and Edgar returned to the office, an unexpected visitor had already arrived.

“Mother.”

“Ah, my dear daughter, it feels like it’s been ages since I last saw you.”

“I feel the same. Oh, Shuri. Please prepare some tea.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Shuri, who had been keeping watch over the office without attending the meeting, bowed her head and moved to carry out her master’s order.

“Are you getting accustomed to the work now? Edgar surely must be having quite the struggle.”

“Struggle? Not at all, ma’am.”

Had there been other people present, he might have spoken more formally, but Helene preferred this tone from him, so Edgar spoke to his mother naturally.

“Oh right, I wonder how Elin is doing. She seems to be weighing on Shephy’s mind quite a bit.”

“At first, she fumbled a little, but now she’s handling things well. She might be a bit timid, but she seems like a cute girl.”

“C-Cute… what?”

‘Oh no.’

Edgar realized too late that Ariel was glaring daggers at him from beside him and turned his head, stiffly.

He hadn’t meant it in that way, but regardless, it provided Ariel a reason to be upset.

“I told you I’d keep an eye on you, didn’t I?”

“Sorry, I spoke without thinking.”

In the past, Ariel had mentioned that Elin’s behavior reminded her of Shuri and elicited some affectionate feelings.

But hearing it from Edgar’s mouth was a different matter altogether.

Seeing that Ariel’s gaze didn’t soften even with Edgar’s apology, Helene intervened to mediate the situation.

“True enough. Besides, Edgar’s idea of ‘cute’ is likely different from yours. So, just let this one slide, Ariel.”

Helene neatly summarized what Edgar wanted to convey.

Gripping his fist inwardly in admiration for Helene, Edgar maintained an indifferent expression as he met Ariel’s gaze.

“…I’m only letting it slide because mother is here.”

“Exactly. You understand.”

As Edgar soon attempted to switch gears, wearing a witty smile, Ariel managed a chuckle in response.

It was amusing how easily his tone changed from being scolded a moment ago to now appearing so carefree.

And once she laid eyes on Edgar, who was grinning like that, her irritation faded away before she realized it.

“Well, I’m relieved that she’s fulfilling her role. There aren’t huge issues on a skills level but she’s a little clumsy, so Shephy has been quite the worrywart.”

“Everyone goes through that phase. But did you come today for that purpose?”

While discussing Elin, Edgar sensed that Helene had come for a different reason.

Noticing she beamed a somewhat inappropriate smile for her age, Helene got to the point.

The reason was related to Yulken.

“I can’t hide it from you, but I can’t avoid Edgar either. I came to ask if you have heard from him.”

Yulken’s character was quite stoic, and he didn’t consistently send word even when away, so Helene hadn’t found it strange not to have heard from him.

However, it did stir a subtle worry within her heart.

Thus, she had come to inquire if there had been any word regarding his situation following his departure.

Also, she wanted a chance to see her daughter’s face.

“Actually, a letter just arrived today. I was just about to tell you.”

“Really? Oh my…!”

Ariel considered whether to hide this fact for a moment but quickly shifted her mind to prioritize alleviating Helene’s anxiety and pulled out the letter to show it.

A brief glance at Edgar, who met her gaze, showed him nodding in approval.

After all, even if there was no certainty regarding the authenticity of the letter, it was preferable to inform Helene instead of letting her remain in ignorance.

“Why not take a look right now? I’m sure you’ve been waiting to hear from father.”

“That sounds good. Haha, he always seems to be a step behind.”

Helene, who was too overjoyed, left with a bright smile while clutching the letter.

By the time Shuri had brought the tea in, Helene had already disappeared, and so, Shuri was left to finish off the tea herself.

“Now, we can only hope that letter is indeed from His Majesty.”

“We should. Father is definitely fine, as he always is.”

“Indeed.”

Yet, as she watched Ariel lightly tremble with an underlying anxiety, Edgar subtly reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

In Hespania, all they could do was hope Yulken would return safely.

For now, that was all they could wish for.