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Zachary's eyes widened. It was something he had never considered. The fact that Odelli would become Queen and the fact that the king informed him beforehand.
In the eyes of others, there was no other servant as loyal as Zachary, who defended the country with all his heart and always went to war. But the king knew that Zachary was not so loyal to the Sevran dynasty, and he himself knew that the king knew.
As such, it was embarrassing that he was summoned separately and conveyed these important matters. What does his title have to do with Odelli's throne?
"I know that girl. She has no interest in marriage or men. That's why I don't want to see her go to the monastery. No matter who else becomes king, that girl will have an unhappy life..."
The king's voice choked. In terms of the original orthodoxy, the next king had to be Prince Albert, son of Prince Gautier.
However, the crown prince Albert had just turned ten and was married to a princess from Castile.
Albert's mother, the First Princess, had a meek and weak personality, so even if she became regent, the king feared she would be swayed by Castile without taking the initiative.
For Albert to ascend the throne, he had to be old enough to handle the distance from Castile on his own.
And in the process, it was clear that Odelli would be struck as she would have no one to look after her. Because the life of a woman without a husband and without a father is clear... If Odelli has no power...
Odelli is an intelligent girl. Everyone knew that Odelli was extravagant and beautiful, but the king knew how much she read and how much she studied.
Odelli is capable of protecting Sevran. At least much more than Gautier or Jacob.
However, handing the throne to Odelli did not ease his anxiety. The entire aristocracy would protest against the sudden appearance of a Queen. Odelli needed a shield.
"Become a duke and protect my daughter, the next queen, as her aide. You cannot be a count. My daughter needs a stronger support."
The king remained unfazed. It was not an impulsive whim stemming from his weakness. The king's thoughts were firm. After a while of silence, Zachary asked.
"... Why me?"
"You are still young, so you can withstand for a long time, and you are strong enough to suppress the nobles around you. Even if you feel greed for the throne, your father-in-law, Count Blanchefort, will not let it pass."
The king shrugged and added, explaining why Zachary should become a duke.
"And above all, you have no interest in Odelli. She needs someone like that."
Zachary remained silent. Most eligible male aristocrats in Sevran had a history of courting Odelli. He knew well that the king's concerns were not unfounded.
Although this is for the best, possessing the throne is not something luxurious and happy. The eldest daughter who looks exactly like the woman he loved the most in the world. It is heartbreaking to entrust such a thorny path to the girl he loves with all his heart.
It's not that he didn't love the two princesses who were descendants of the current queen. However, if Odelli were crowned, Odelli would naturally take care of them, so he could relax relatively.
The king smiled bitterly as he transferred many responsibilities to Odelli.
"I have to do this. After Odelli becomes Queen, even if she wants to appoint you as Duke, I won't be able to do it due to opposition... But if it's because of the stubbornness of a mad King who has lost his children in old age, no one can reject it."
The king placed his hand on Zachary's. With a hand that was nothing more than skin and bone, he gripped the tough and strong back of Zachary's hand.
"This is my final mission. Do you understand? Somehow, I will appoint you as Duke, and you cannot refuse..."
He was a king who lived his whole life giving orders to others, but he can do nothing after his death. The words that came out of his mouth were harsh as if forcing him to do it, but his blurry eyes were filled with desperate pleas.
Zachary also became serious. Any further refusal would be an insult to the elderly King. Determined, Zachary looked at the King earnestly and knelt before him, just as he did when he took the knight's oath for the first time.
"I will definitely protect the next Queen with all my heart."
Upon hearing Zachary's determined oath, the king smiled widely. A sense of relief filled the wrinkled corners of his mouth. It was a smile of someone who no longer had any regrets in the world.
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Thus, Zachary became a duke and Odelli became the heiress princess.
Odelli was stunned by the sudden and unexpected event.
While the king was still alive, preparations for the succession to the throne had to be made hastily, so Odelli had a difficult time.
The nobles opposed the idea of Odelli becoming the next Queen. It was as the king had expected. But they also agreed that there was no suitable successor.
The nobles who supported Albert had to exert a lot of pressure, but it was difficult to find the proper cooperation, especially with Blanchefort.
Finally, the nobles accepted Odelli. In turn, they changed their course and planned to marry their unmarried sons to Odelli. That way, they could become the Grand Duke and use Odelli as a puppet to control Sevran...!
But Odelli was not swayed by the intentions of such men. She immediately adopted Albert as her successor.
And Albert's mother, the first princess, also remained in the palace, so she educated Albert and took care of the internal maintenance of the palace, which Odelli was not interested in.
Those who opposed were forcefully suppressed by the king, who was still on the throne, and Zachary, now the duke, also sided with Odelli.
The appointment of Zachary as the duke was swift. As soon as the king mentioned the story of making him a duke, the date for the ceremony was set, and Zachary quickly sent a messenger to the Arno estate.
When they heard the news that Zachary would be appointed as duke, his three commanders flew to Lahoz. Their faces were filled with joy.
Bianca also wanted to attend Zachary's appointment ceremony, but the situation was not favorable as she needed to rest due to pregnancy. Instead, she blessed Zachary with a letter full of love.
And Odelli's succession to the throne was also a cause for celebration. Bianca attached a congratulatory letter to Odelli as a friend and ally in the matter of Jacob.
To deliver the letter, Zachary met with Odelli. Odelli, who was able to take a break after completing her tasks to some extent, welcomed Zachary.
Upon receiving Zachary's letter, Odelli read and reread the letter for a long time. After carefully reading the letter, she folded it neatly to prevent it from wrinkling. The manicured fingertips of her fingers gently caressed the edge of the parchment.
Odelli, who had remained silent, spoke.
"You must be eager to reside in Lahoz while your wife is pregnant. Now you can return to your territory, Duke Arno."
"Yes. In fact, I plan to leave in a few days."
"I have some good things for pregnancy, so I will give them to the Duchess."
"I appreciate your concern, Your Highness."
Zachary, who was standing in front of Odelli, bowed deeply. He had a respectful attitude that was no different from when he dealt with Gautier before.
Odelli leaned back in the chair and placed the letter on her lap. The letter was just a stack of papers, but it couldn't be any heavier than that. Odelli murmured with a sigh.
"I still don't know what my father is thinking. All I have is lineage, and I have no intention of continuing even that bloodline."
"A King must have lineage. I also agree with your decision. Your Highness can become a wise Queen."
Zachary responded. His words were filled with unwavering conviction.
However, the relationship between Zachary and Odelli was not as full of faith and trust. It was only after the king's order that they started exchanging words.
Questioning Zachary's trust, Odelli furrowed her delicate eyebrows and asked.
"Is that the Duke's belief?"
"No. It's my wife's belief."
Zachary replied with an expressionless and natural-looking response. The clear eyes that didn't even blink once demonstrated his sincerity.
Zachary was someone who would listen to Bianca even if she asked him to collect ice in the summer.
Bianca believed in Odelli, which is why she requested her, not her father, Count Blanchefort, to take care of Jacob's weakness. And as expected, Odelli fulfilled Bianca's request perfectly.
In a letter from Bianca to Zachary, she had written that Odelli would be a wise queen. In that case, it was natural for Zachary to believe the same.
----------
"Yes... yes, it may be Bianca's belief."
Odelli looked out the window. The blue sky filled her eyes. Odelli recalled the letter Bianca had sent her during the war.
That's what put Odelli in this position. If it weren't for that, what would become of her...?
Jacob would not have been beheaded, and perhaps, by surviving, he would have become king. Having taken Sevran, he would have driven out Odelli.
Or maybe he would have killed her like his brother Gautier.
The worst would be to be sold as a commodity to an unknown man. If that had really happened, Odelli...
Odelli was grateful to have an opportunity. Moreover, she was encouraged by the fact that there was someone who believed in her.
Thanks to Bianca, Odelli made a decision.
There was no more hesitation in the blue eyes that watched Zachary walk away through the window.
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Zachary, who became a duke, returned to the estate with his vassals. The County of Arno became a duchy, and he was granted more lands and mines. Now, without the need to go to war, Bianca can buy whatever she wants.
Furthermore, congratulations and bribes were poured onto Zachary, who in name and reality became the most powerful member of Sevran.
Not only those who were in the faction of the Second Prince, but also those who did not show support when Zachary faced Aragorn also took notice of Zachary. In case Zachary could retaliate, they tried to curry favor with him at all costs. If Zachary didn't work, there was Bianca.
Bianca was excited because all kinds of luxuries were pouring into the estate. Full of motivation after a while, she lined up the boxes in the hallway and had a great time walking among them.
Unlike Bianca, Zachary paced anxiously beside her. The duke's freedom and the praises from those around him were not very important to Zachary. His entire attention was now on Bianca.
With each step Bianca took, Zachary emitted a groan as if his heart was about to collapse. If Bianca's complexion showed signs of distress, he planned to send her back to the room immediately, but Bianca was so excited that she could even hum.
Distracted by the large black pearl in the box, Bianca leaned slightly. As soon as it happened, Zachary was surprised and grabbed Bianca's arm.
"Bianca, be careful."
"It's okay. I don't feel dizzy; I was just curious about the pearl."
As soon as Bianca's words fell, Zachary leaned over and took out the pearl box from the chest. He bent down in front of Bianca and pleaded with her.
"If there's something that interests you, tell me. I will take it out and show it to you. No, why don't you sit in my place? It would be better to showcase the chests one by one in front of you."
"They said it's better to do a little exercise than not move at all. Who said that walking in the garden is dangerous because it's outside? I should be able to move like this. My body is strong, and my mind is at peace."
Unlike the restless Zachary, Bianca calmly responded, checking the pearl in front of her.
Zachary's face distorted as Bianca listened to Zachary's concerns through one ear and let them out through the other. Bianca wasn't wrong. She definitely wasn't... But Zachary felt like he wanted to carry Bianca on his back.
Vincent and Yvonne, watching them from a distance, covered their mouths and laughed. Zachary didn't act like this once or twice, but every time they saw him, it was astonishing.
Of course, Zachary's feelings were understandable to some extent. After the war, Vincent also stayed awake for several days and nights to check Bianca's health.
Bianca, who was still ill, fought in the war while pregnant, so it would be strange not to worry.
In fact, Bianca was in such a dangerous state that she was fortunate not to have a miscarriage. It wasn't because Bianca was healthy, but because the baby's vitality was enormous. Everyone agreed that if the baby in her stomach was a boy, he would become a great knight.
Still, Zachary was overly cautious. Yvonne clicked her tongue and intervened between the two.
"Madam is right, Duke. If she falls, it can be a big problem, but she still needs to move a little. But Madam, you shouldn't lean like that. You may not feel uncomfortable because Madam is slim and your belly isn't very prominent, but it's time to be careful."
"Well, well. You can still talk and shout loudly. We'll see when you're married and pregnant."
Bianca smiled and joked. When Bianca saved Yvonne's life, they became close friends, a relationship that couldn't be defined as just a servant and her mistress.
Yvonne shrugged and replied.
"Oh, I'll have to plan to have the child as late as possible, so Madam forgets her threat."
"Perhaps Gaspard will come running to me."
Bianca burst into laughter.
The current property of Arno was in turmoil due to Zachary's rise, Bianca's pregnancy, and Yvonne and Gaspard's wedding.
Originally, Yvonne and Gaspard had planned to marry when the dandelions began to bloom. However, many things, including the reconstruction of the territory devastated by the war, made it impossible to find the time.
The two planned to marry after Bianca gave birth. But it would be too late, so Bianca shook her head.
Then, they suggested doing it in summer, but Bianca strongly pressured them to marry before the end of spring when she heard the myth that a spring bride would be happy.
In the end, Yvonne and Gaspard decided to get married when the dandelions were about to fall.
Although she was a soon-to-be bride, Yvonne's daily life, focused on Bianca, remained the same as wedding preparations were added. Yvonne wanted it that way. It was because she seemed unable to bear anything happening to Bianca while neglecting her.
Bianca's pregnancy was nothing short of a miracle. It's not surprising that Bianca herself is happy. In fact, wasn't it Bianca who desired a successor more than anyone else?
Lately, Bianca seemed a bit eccentric. Apparently, becoming a saint doesn't make you a faithful and respectful believer... In fact, didn't Bianca smile widely while looking at the black pearl a moment ago? Yvonne shook her head at the worldly appearance, far from the abstinence of a saint.
It must be that she is restless. She suffered a lot during the war...
If Bianca was calm, that was enough. Even if Bianca didn't care anyway, everyone around her was concerned about her pregnancy.
Except for those who guarded the Arno estate at that time, everyone found out about Bianca's pregnancy only after the war ended. Not only her husband, Zachary, but also her father, Gustave, learned about it from Johaseng, who returned to the estate after the war.
Everyone jumped in surprise and rejoiced. Count Blanchefort was so full of joy that he shed tears he had never shed in his life, and Odelli sent precious medicines for a healthy pregnancy and jewelry to ward off misfortune through Zachary, even while busy preparing for the throne.
Nicholas became obsessed with the idea of sculpting the cradle on which the future lord would rest. It was so splendid that it looked more like a king's throne than a child's cradle.
Catherine even came directly to the Arno estate. She blushed shyly as she presented a hand-embroidered blanket.
"It's not enough compared to Bianca's skill, but..."
"No, Catherine, it's very beautiful. The color is also vibrant..."
"I was in a hurry while embroidering, so if you look closely, you'll notice some flaws. Don't look too closely."
"No. Even if I embroidered all day, it wouldn't be better than this. It's very beautiful."
Bianca patted the fabric in admiration. There was no place that hadn't been embroidered, so it seemed like she had put in a lot of work. Moreover, there were more than five different-colored threads.
Tags:
TWB (Novel)