The Secretary of the Northern Grand Duchess Has Run Away

Chapter 35:  Erian Hotel (3)

Two women stood face-to-face in front of the lounge bar.

Saint Istina and the Western Grand Duke’s daughter, Helena.

The representative of the Empire’s state religion and the power figure of the western region of the Empire had met at the Erian Hotel.

“You must be Saint Istina.”

“It’s been a while, Helena. Since the last Founding Festival, right?”

The Saint gave a gentle smile from beneath her wide-brimmed hat.

In response, the Grand Duke’s daughter replied with the calm, confident eye-smile of someone used to wielding power.

“Yes, this is our first time meeting since then at the Imperial Palace.”

Helena’s Yekaterina Grand Duke’s House had long kept religious power in check.

So even if they were smiling outwardly like this, it must have been deeply uncomfortable inside.

“Well then, I’ll step aside so you two may have some time.”

With a formal smile, I tried to discreetly step away from the bar.

At that moment, the two women spoke to me in firm voices.

“No, the hotel owner should stay.”

“That’s right, Roger. Please stay.”

Their expressions were undeniably gentle.

However, in a space each considered their own domain, their eyes were full of wariness—as if facing a natural enemy.

“Understood. Then let me introduce you to the lounge bar right away.”

I called over Yuria, who had been hesitantly lingering in the distance.

With a visibly tense face, she approached the two towering figures.

“Good day. I’m Yuria, the hotel manager.”

The red-haired woman swallowed hard as she looked at the two women before her.

The Saint appearing right after the Grand Duke’s daughter, on opening day no less.

She glanced up at me, her eyes clearly wondering just who exactly I was.

“Let me guide you to the window-side seats.”

“Thank you, Miss Yuria.”

The Saint sat down with a kindly smile at the guided seat.

Helena also sat gracefully across from her, crossing her legs with elegance.

“Could you explain what makes the Erian Lounge Bar special?”

Helena removed the tinted glasses from her shirt pocket and set them on the table as she spoke.

In response, Yuria continued her explanation calmly, her eyes bright and alert.

“First of all, unlike other hotels, our bar holds a very diverse wine list.”

With graceful hands, she handed the list to the two women.

Even the wines we borrowed from the pawnshop had already been added in advance.

Her foresight in recognizing the importance of the wine list was impressive.

“From King Leo 30-Year to wines directly brewed by the Luton family.”

Helena rested her hand on her smooth chin, showing interest.

“King Leo, huh... That’s quite a high-end line. You sourced it well.”

As the conversation turned to alcohol, Istina also removed the hat she’d been wearing.

Then, with mature grace, she brushed back her slightly flattened silver hair beautifully.

“That must be your doing as well, Roger?”

“Yes, it is. If you’d like, I’ll have them brought out for you both.”

A single bottle of this wine cost as much as a carriage. When I offered to serve it, Helena let out a faint smirk.

But the Saint slowly shook her head, saying it wouldn’t be necessary.

“It’s alright. It’s practically the signature of this lounge bar. Wouldn’t it be troublesome if I drank it all?”

Istina understood the meaning behind this wine perfectly.

I hadn’t expected her to be so well-versed in matters like this.

“Isn’t that right, Lady Helena?”

Istina asked with a benevolent gaze befitting her title.

However—

Helena did not agree with her question in the slightest.

“Well, I’m not so sure.”

Both women had blue eyes.

But if Istina’s were fresh and clear like the open sky, Helena’s were deep and dark like the ocean.

As though she had been thoroughly immersed in the secular world.

“I’d like a drink, personally.”

She leaned her elbow on the table,

rested her chin on the back of her hand, and looked up at me with a refined gaze.

“I’m not the type to turn down something freely offered.”

Seeing Helena like that, Istina’s smile faded from her lips.

Everyone had always respected and followed her words.

But now, faced with the image of a businesswoman fully immersed in worldly matters, she gave a serious warning.

“If you chase after too many freebies, the Lord may pity you.”

I sighed inwardly. Why do people always turn my place into a battlefield of pride?

And just as I was about to instruct Yuria to bring the 30-year vintage—

“Oh my, a freebie?”

The Western Grand Duke’s daughter placed a hand on her waist,

then continued with a formal smile.

“If the shelf is empty, I can simply restock it myself.”

Her confidence was overwhelming.

With her ocean-deep blue eyes, she countered the Saint.

“Just as you’ve invested in this hotel, Saint, I’m planning to jump in too—if the taste is to my liking.”

She was skillfully trying to create an opportunity to earn my favor.

With a noble smile in her eyes, she looked toward the Saint.

“Since it’s a place the high and mighty state religion has chosen, it must be trustworthy, right?”

As if asking, Aren’t you just as steeped in the secular world as I am?

And so, she boldly insisted on having her own place at the table.

“You’re crafting quite the scheme from a single bottle of wine, Lady Helena.”

A chilly silence hung between the two women for a moment.

During that time, Yuria glanced up at me in a panic, her pupils shrinking in alarm.

“What should we do, hotel owner…?!”

At her question, I half-lifted my dull eyes.

Then, covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I whispered softly to her.

“Bring the one I had prepared.”

The manager quickly ordered the waiters to bring out another bottle of wine.

I took it in hand, supporting the bottom with my palm.

“Since the two of you seem to differ in opinion, I’d like to introduce a wine our hotel personally recommends—if that’s alright with you.”

First, I respectfully sought the approval of the two imperial titans.

Istina and Helena exchanged cold glances, then gave a small nod.

“Thank you for granting permission.”

With graceful hands, I began to pour the wine into their glasses.

The deep crimson wine filled the transparent glasses beautifully.

“The aroma is lovely, Roger. Where’s this wine from?”

“Indeed. The color feels familiar, somehow.”

Helena, seemingly pleased, also showed interest.

I had been pouring the wine while keeping the label turned away from them.

Then, as if responding to their questions, I revealed the bottle.

The elegant label bore the black lion—the emblem of the Luton family.

“This is Veil 21-Year, brewed in the North.”

The two women focused on the beautiful bottle before them.

But—

They both quickly stiffened, their expressions turning cold.

“This is a Luton family wine.”

The wine I served was, for these proud noblewomen, the worst possible choice.

“Wine from the cold northern region? That’s quite a drop down from King Leo.”

The Saint didn’t have a particularly warm relationship with the Grand Duke of the North.

And the Luton Grand Duke was a businessman who believed more in his own capability than in any religion.

Given my position, I should have known about their relationship—and yet I brought out this wine?

Istina didn’t seem very pleased either.

“Well, since this place was built by the Grand Duke of the North, I suppose it’s not surprising that he’d serve his own family’s wine.”

“Right, there’s no way they’d openly be sourcing wine from the West.”

Though they appeared to accept it on the surface, neither woman reached for the wine.

If anything, it only made the atmosphere even more frigid, as if fuel had been added to the fire.

“Sir, are you sure this was the right choice…?!”

Yuria whispered to me like a frightened squirrel.

Granted, she had also confidently recommended this wine before.

But the issue of its origin had run right into their prejudice.

I patted her shoulder reassuringly, telling her it was fine.

Because I had a specific reason for serving a Grand Duke’s wine.

“May I explain why I chose this wine for you?”

“Go ahead.”

Helena crossed her arms and gave her consent.

“But no matter how nicely you try to spin it, that won’t change the fact that this wine is inferior to what we have in the Leonil region.”

“I’ll have to agree with that.”

Istina concurred.

However—

“Of course. Wine from the warm western part of the Empire is undoubtedly the best.”

I wasn’t intimidated in the least by their sharp remarks.

If anything, I responded with a sly smile, as if I had been expecting this exact reaction.

“But would you take a look at the label here?”

Helena leaned in at my request.

And then, she caught sight of a small line of text.

"Leonil grapes, Nord grapes, 5:5 ratio."

“Our Grand Duke of the North takes great pride in his winemaking technique. But at the same time, he also knows how to recognize the strengths of others.”

I poured another glass into the wineglass Yuria had handed me.

As I pulled the bottle away from the glass, beautiful droplets traced a graceful arc through the air.

“Of course, the grapes from Lady Helena’s Yekaterina family are still superior.”

A rich aroma of oak and the sweet scent of grapes spread across the lounge bar.

“That’s why we blend grapes from the western regions in equal measure. That’s why I dared to recommend this wine to you, Grand Duke’s daughter.”

Placing my hand over my heart, I bowed my head respectfully.

Then, with fox-like eyes filled with depth, I smiled softly.

“So that your sensitive palate might still catch a trace of your homeland’s grapes.”

Helena blankly stared at her reflection in the wineglass.

It wasn’t the finest vintage, but the Veil 21-Year respected her family’s legacy.

With what I said, the weak spot she might’ve aimed for had vanished cleanly.

“There’s also a particular reason I chose this wine for you, Saint Istina.”

“For me…?”

Istina blinked her blue eyes—like a wolf of the snowy plains.

To her, I brought the label closer for a better look.

“Yes. Because the person who designed this wine’s label and bottle is someone you know very well.”

“Bishop Saint Thomas.”

He was none other than the monk who had once been Istina’s teacher.

Unlike other clergymen at the time, he had enjoyed wine and had even been acquainted with the Grand Duke.

Occasionally, when he was received during his pilgrimages, he would leave behind gifts like this.

“This… this is the Bishop’s artwork, isn’t it…?”

Seeing the familiar drawing, Istina’s lips parted in surprise.

Her usually hidden sharp canine tooth showed just slightly, for the first time.

“Yes. In fact, the bishop tasted this wine before it was ever released.”

I gently closed my eyes and spoke in the softest, most wistful voice I could muster.

“At that time, he praised it so highly that, as a gesture of gratitude, he personally drew this label—”

Of course, that was a secret story I only learned after becoming Chief Secretary.

Which meant that even Istina, despite being his pupil, was hearing this for the first time.

“If that drunkard of a teacher enjoyed it that much…”

The Saint, caught in a situation she hadn’t expected, brought a fist to her gentle lips.

‘Naturally.’

To reject this wine?

Would be the same as insulting the very wine her revered teacher had praised.

“Hmm-hmm… Well then, for your sake, Roger, I suppose I’ll give it a sip.”

Helena, seemingly pleased with my compliments, relaxed her previously sharp, predatory gaze.

Istina, with no more objections to raise, simply pressed her lips together silently.

“You fight dirty, Roger.”

I looked at the Saint with a sly expression.

Then gave a slight bow in return.

“I merely recommended to the student what her teacher once loved.”

“That’s what I mean—it’s dirty.”

Istina gave a gentle smile, like a shepherd to her flock.

However, the look in her eyes was as if she were staring at a black sheep that had strayed from the flock.

“……”

The Saint gently brushed her silver hair back.

Then, with her blue eyes half-closed, she savored the wine.

Helena did the same.

The two women, fitting of the Empire’s highest social class, finished their tasting with elegant composure.

“How was the wine?” I asked them in a relaxed tone.

“……”

For a moment, the Saint and the Grand Duke’s daughter said nothing.

They quietly dabbed their red lips with napkins, then offered their evaluations in calm voices.

“Not bad. Our region’s grapes are certainly delicious.”

“No wonder my teacher praised it so highly. It has a refined flavor.”

The manager, who had been watching tensely from the side, let out a sigh of relief.

I looked at her with the same gentle expression I used to have during my days teaching the secretary cadets.

“Yuria, why don’t you serve the next glass to our guests?”

“Ah, yes, understood.”

The red-haired woman quickly collected herself and accepted the bottle.

Then, with grace learned from a prestigious academy, she poured the wine into their glasses.

“The Northern Grand Duke’s winemaking skills aren’t bad at all.”

Helena offered an objective evaluation while enjoying the taste.

Istina also accepted each pour and drank the wine appreciatively.

“Indeed. With wine like this, I could easily drink a glass every day.”

Looks like she inherited her teacher’s drinking tolerance as well.

――――――

And so, the two women finished the entire bottle, accompanied by the cheese that had been served.

Honestly, I had expected them to stop after one or two glasses…

I take back what I said earlier about her being saintly.

“Hoo…”

Istina exhaled deeply, her expression noticeably more relaxed.

Then, pinching the hem of her long dress, she crossed one shapely thigh over the other.

Even with the dress draped back down, the curve stood out clearly.

“Julius Roger, aren’t you drinking?”

“I’m fine. I’m on duty, after all.”

Her once-gentle gaze now felt strangely more mature.

She raised a graceful finger and pointed to the seat beside her.

“Would you sit next to me for a moment? You’ve been on your feet for a long time.”

I glanced cautiously at Helena.

Through her golden hair, her blue eyes met mine and calmly granted permission.

“……”

Quietly, I sat down beside them.

Istina propped her chin on the back of her hand and stared at me.

“From what I’ve seen today, the hotel seems perfect.”

“You haven’t even inspected the rooms yet.”

The Saint shook her head softly.

Then, as she slid her wineglass toward me, she spoke.

“It’s alright. If you’ve prepared wine to suit a guest’s taste, then there’s no need to look further.”

Her expression said that nothing else mattered anymore.

Istina placed her other hand on the table and laced her fingers together.

“There’s something more important I need to say.”

Saint Istina, resting her soft cheeks in both hands, looked at me with gentle, mature eyes.

Her face was faintly flushed.

“What might that be?”

I asked with a sly smile, responding to her light intoxication.

Then, in that moment—

“Have you ever considered doing something more meaningful than running this little hotel?”

At last, the Saint revealed the worldly ambition she had been hiding.

With a suggestive eye-smile, like a mischievous devil wearing the mask of a saint.

“For example… managing the finances of every cathedral in the Empire.”

There were over twenty major cathedrals throughout the Empire.

And she was offering me the position of managing all the gold that flowed through them.

Right now, Istina was inviting me to step into the embrace of her vast dominion.

“This isn’t something just anyone can do.”

Her tone had become more casual.

I blinked blankly at her, stunned.

“……”

On the other hand, the Western Grand Duke’s daughter, Helena, let out a short, disbelieving scoff at the absurdity of the situation.

As if another predator had set eyes on the prey she had already marked with her scent.

Sensing Helena’s gaze, Istina tilted her head slightly in her direction.

Then slowly looked up at the Western Grand Duke’s daughter with a calm, composed smile.

“Of course, it would start as a temporary position, but with your insight, Roger, I’m sure even the Holy See would recognize your value before long.”

As if to say, Can you offer him anything better than I can?

“After all, you’re the man I personally chose.”

‘It’s certainly a shocking offer.’

Managing the finances of the Empire’s state religion…

That was effectively equivalent to holding power on par with the Imperial Treasurer.

And under the shield of religion, immune to any form of governmental interference.

But—

This sweet proposal came with a deadly trap.

The condition was that I would have to work by her side for the rest of my life.

Istina was famous for skillfully wringing out every last drop of talent from her people.

Most of her subordinates weren’t allowed to retire until they were old and worn out.

What was the point of such a lofty position…

If I couldn’t even enjoy the wealth and glory it brought?

Still, there was one very clear advantage.

Unlike my previous life, it meant I wouldn’t be entangled with the Grand Duke’s household and end up dead.

For someone like me, who had once met such a miserable end, it might be the perfect escape route.

“What’s your decision, Julius Roger?”

Helena also glanced up at me.

She, too, waited silently for my answer with intelligent eyes.

In the suffocating silence, I exhaled deeply.

And just as I opened my mouth with a voice full of resolve—

The sharp sound of military boots echoed from afar, and my eyes snapped wide open.