The Secretary of the Northern Grand Duchess Has Run Away

Chapter 42:  Securing a Big Shot (2)

“Do you have any idea why Father called for us, Debier?”

Each time the Grand Duke’s daughter walked down the corridor, her long, silk-like hair fluttered lightly.

And with every step, a sweet fig scent tickled the tip of my nose.

“Not sure. I was only told to bring you.”

Debier answered with a serious expression, like a hawk wary of its surroundings.

Judging by his cautious tone, it seemed the matter was fairly important.

“You’ll find out as soon as you go in.”

The chief secretary soon stood before the office and opened the thick door.

At that, the rich scent of hardwood and the gentle sound of pages turning flowed out from within.

“I pay my respects to Your Grace.”

Echina offered a polite greeting from a distance.

A solemn voice replied from near the full-length mirror.

「Come in, Echina.」

The Grand Duke of the North brushed back his white hair coolly.

He stood before the mirror, inspecting his finely tailored suit.

「Take a seat on that sofa.」

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Echina sat on the luxurious leather sofa, and I stood quietly behind her.

Meanwhile, the Grand Duke calmly adjusted his tie.

「Do you know why I called you here today?」

Not a single attendant helped him dress.

That alone revealed what kind of man he was—someone who trusted no one, focused solely on his own convictions and capabilities.

“I assume it’s because I’m entering the family business for the first time, and you wanted to give me some words of advice.”

Echina answered her father honestly and precisely.

The Grand Duke, seemingly not dissatisfied with the reply, gave a calm nod.

「Quite an accurate guess.」

Then he turned his gaze toward me and asked again.

His fierce eyes tried to discern whether I was prey or a usable subordinate.

「And what about you? What do you think?」

At last, the reason I had been brought here was about to be revealed.

Until now, Echina had never competed with her siblings in the family business.

On top of that, she was soon headed to the capital for the Founding Festival.

This was a test to see whether I could properly support Echina in her absence.

「Tell me why I called you here as well.」

Having finished adjusting his outfit, the Grand Duke placed his hand on the sofa.

Then, like a lion sizing up its prey, he stared straight into my face.

“Well…”

Half the answer had already been provided by Echina.

But the Grand Duke was not someone to be satisfied with that alone.

‘Which means I have to give a perfect, full-score answer.’

“I believe you summoned me to assess whether I can offer sound advice while staying by the Grand Duke’s daughter’s side.”

The Grand Duke didn’t show much of a reaction to my answer.

He merely exhaled shortly, as if to say that was correct.

「I see. It seems my daughter places quite a bit of trust in you.」

Until now, Echina had never shown interest in any candidate.

Perhaps due to that unexpectedness, the Grand Duke began assessing me even more closely.

「So, I’d like to ask you a few questions.」

The Grand Duke removed his hand from the sofa and folded his arms.

The thick muscles of his forearms stood out beneath his dress shirt.

“I will answer everything honestly.”

I bowed my head humbly and showed due respect.

Then, with golden eyes that seemed to pierce through all things, the Grand Duke asked me,

「The current old emperor has three sons.」

The Emperor of the Empire, Rayban, turned seventy this year.

And all his sons were in their thirties.

「Yet that cunning old man has still not named an heir.」

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue, clearly displeased by the emperor’s behavior.

It was understandable.

As the second most powerful man in the Empire, he needed to pick one of them and side with him.

Before the emperor died, he had to choose a faction if he wanted to maintain power as one of the emperor’s closest allies.

「Who do you think we should support among the three?」

The Grand Duke was asking me where the family’s future should be placed.

And he was asking this to me—nothing more than a secretary candidate.

Of course, it wasn’t because he thought I was anything special.

‘He’s probably just trying to see if I can think in terms of the bigger picture. If I have the eye for it.’

“……”

Debier, waiting by the office door, observed me with a cold, analytical gaze.

Echina, sitting on the sofa, silently waited for my response as well.

In this oppressively quiet stillness, I had to deliver the best possible answer.

「Speak freely. This isn’t some ideological vetting.」

The Grand Duke looked down at me indifferently, as I remained silent for a moment.

Then, with his hands behind his back, he gazed coldly out at the city through the window.

But soon enough, he had no choice but to turn his eyes back toward me.

Even Debier and Echina were now staring at me with curiosity.

Because the answer I gave, after a fleeting moment of stillness, was...

“Would it be all right if I mentioned someone other than the three sons?”

Because it was completely unexpected.

「Someone else…?」

The Grand Duke furrowed his brow in his usual intense way.

“Yes. If it were me, I’d only hand each of the three sons a bit of pocket change.”

The Grand Duke seemed intrigued by my answer, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He leaned forward slightly, placing both hands on the sofa, and asked again.

「Then, where would you send the biggest sum?」

“To Empress Margaret.”

Not any of the three sons—but their mother.

However, the Grand Duke immediately grasped the meaning behind my words and exhaled with satisfaction.

「Explain your reasoning.」

“Yes. At present, all three princes have established forces of relatively equal strength.”

I raised my index finger as I explained the reason.

With jet-black eyes that closely resembled Debier’s.

“They’re all bulking up their military forces in preparation for the possibility that the emperor might pass away suddenly and spark a succession conflict.”

I turned my head to look at the royal family portrait hanging on one side of the office.

It depicted not only the three sons, but also numerous relatives and in-laws.

All of whom held key positions in the Empire—military command, administration, and judiciary authority.

“However, just because a military force is assembled doesn’t mean it can be used at will.”

I gave the kind of formal smile I used to wear back when I was Chief Secretary.

All while brimming inside with a wicked, festering ambition.

“In order for a gathered military force to move, it must gain the consent of the factions that planned the operation together.”

The Empire is no backwater kingdom where a single prince drawing his sword can overturn the entire regime.

To claim the throne, one needs justification, leadership, and a series of strategic military procedures.

“That’s when the support of the Empress and her allies will become critically important.”

「So you’re saying—regardless of which son wins—the goal should be to target the force that controls him.」

The Grand Duke of the North, Luton, lightly flicked his hand on the sofa in agreement.

The motion resembled someone gracefully pressing a piano key.

“That’s right. After all, the emperor’s sons are all self-serving men driven by ambition.”

I clasped my hands behind my back and cast a sharp gaze toward the princes in the portrait.

As if I had once swayed them myself.

“No matter how much we support them, it’s obvious they won’t show any real gratitude. Wouldn’t it be better to invest in those who will truly appreciate it?”

Most of the royal relatives and in-laws had watched the princes grow up since they were young.

There’s no way a newly crowned, much younger emperor could overturn a power bloc that tightly knit.

“I also heard that Empress Margaret has a sincere nature and never forgets a favor.”

「…….」

After hearing my final answer, the Grand Duke fell silent for a moment.

He was clearly intrigued, but he couldn’t yet determine whether this was the correct answer.

Within that silence, Echina and Debier waited quietly for the Grand Duke’s reply.

‘He’s probably crunching the numbers in his head.’

Calculating what would happen if he truly decided to back the Empress.

Whether the Grand Duke’s house could be preserved intact after the emperor’s death.

Since Duke Luton also had three sons of his own, he likely had never considered other options.

Expanding his lord’s field of vision—this too was part of a counselor’s duty.

One of the true responsibilities of a secretary.

“Moreover, Her Majesty the Empress has only just entered her forties.”

I offered a gentle smile.

Even the small tear-shaped mole beneath my eye crinkled along with it.

“I believe there’s little chance she’ll collapse—physically or politically—for decades to come.”

The Grand Duke of the North finally seemed satisfied with my answer and fastened the button on his suit jacket.

Then, taking the briefcase handed to him by the chief secretary, he spoke.

「Very well. Understood.」

A true magnate who never entrusted important documents to subordinates, carrying them himself.

He looked at me with a composed face, now set in resolution.

「Since you understand the importance of the Empress, I trust you’ll know how to treat her properly when she visits in the future.」

A man who was neither of royal blood nor an in-law to the throne—

Yet had earned the title of “Your Grace.”

The Grand Duke of the North, Baylis Luton.

「I look forward to your work, Julius Roger.」

From his mouth came words acknowledging me.

“I will do my utmost, Your Grace.”

I bowed respectfully to the Grand Duke in thanks.

Then, Luton returned to his usual cold expression and exited the office.

「Is everything ready?」

“Yes, Your Grace. The escort unit is waiting downstairs.”

When Debier opened the door, Luton brushed his suit collar casually and began preparing to leave.

At that, the Grand Duke’s daughter also rose from the sofa.

「Echina.」

Before leaving, the Grand Duke called for his youngest daughter.

She responded with a humble expression.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

「You’ve got a decent eye.」

A short, resolute compliment.

Leaving only that, the Grand Duke strode calmly down the corridor alone.

「I expect good news while I’m away.」

Echina looked briefly stunned by her father’s rare moment of tenderness.

Though his face remained cold as always, there was a strange warmth in his words.

“Yes, Father.”

Echina answered softly to the Grand Duke as he walked away.

Then she turned her head slightly, the corner of her lips lifting into a small smile.

“……”

I quietly observed her.

In her past life, she had never considered her father to be family.

But in this one, it seemed their relationship was slowly improving—something that was nice to see.

‘Still, it’s too soon to feel at ease.’

The Grand Duke’s affection didn’t stem from familial love.

The kindness he showed now was merely a taste reserved for a capable child.

If Echina failed to stand out clearly during the upcoming imperial visit…

‘There’s a high chance he’ll go right back to disregarding her.’

Which is why I had to ensure that she, my banner-bearer, succeeded as well.

After all, in this life, I had chosen Echina—not Eric—as my partner.

With that thought, I stepped into the corridor.

And from the window, I quietly watched Grand Duke Luton exit through the mansion’s front gate.

「We head straight to the capital. Escort Captain.」

“Yes, Your Grace! I’ll see you safely to the Imperial Palace!!”

The Swordmaster who protected the Grand Duke’s household bowed deeply as he answered the order.

Afterward, Luton was about to board the steps of his luxurious carriage alone when—

“Father, I wanted to greet you before you depart.”

The Grand Duke turned his head toward Eric, his eldest son, who had followed him out with Tobang.

「So you’ve returned.」

The look he gave his son was so cold it was hard to believe it was directed at family.

True to form, the Grand Duke showed no leniency—even toward his eldest—if he disapproved of their conduct.

“Yes, Father. I went and observed the overall atmosphere and dominant currents within the Imperial Palace.”

Eric respectfully raised his left arm and offered a formal bow.

The Grand Duke glanced at him briefly and asked the same question he had posed to me.

「So, based on what you saw, which of the three sons do you believe we should support?」

At that, Eric lifted the corner of his mouth with a confident smile.

He replied in a composed, mature voice—like a man ready to inherit the household.

“I believe the Second Prince is the best option.”

「Your reasoning.」

Eric looked up at his father, who stood on the steps, and answered boldly.

“The Second Prince currently commands the largest number of private troops within the Imperial Palace. Additionally, the Western Grand Duke’s House has already attempted to meet with him.”

The Western Grand Duke’s House was a distant branch of the royal family and among the closest to the throne out of all the grand ducal houses.

In terms of raw power, they may lag behind the Northern Grand Duke’s House, but their insight into political tides was likely sharper.

“Besides, I’ve maintained a close relationship with the Second Prince for quite some time. I believe our house would be held in the highest regard if he takes the throne.”

It was a reasonably principled answer.

Choosing one of the three and committing fully to that side, thereby establishing a clear direction.

However—

「And if the Second Prince doesn’t become emperor, then what?」

That scenario only made sense if the Second Prince actually seized imperial power.

With all three princes wielding similar levels of influence, putting everything on a thirty-percent chance was dangerous.

「You’re not just an investor—you’re set to become the head of this house. If you’re going to throw everything into one side, shouldn’t you have the justification and contingency plans to back it up?」

As expected, the Grand Duke was thinking the same as I was.

He stood with his arms crossed, questioning Eric—

Testing whether the eldest son truly had the responsibility to inherit the title of family head.

“Well… since he already holds the most private forces and has the strongest backing, if we also declare our support, wouldn’t that tip the balance among the three sons…?”

There was some logic to his claim.

But—

「He was the one who visited the Imperial Palace, yet it’s the other one who can actually see clearly.」

‘As expected, vague guesswork like that won’t work on the Grand Duke.’

After his curt reply, the Grand Duke stepped into the carriage without another glance.

The chief secretary followed him up the steps and closed the door on his behalf.

「To think a thirty-year-old has less insight than someone barely twenty…」

Eric’s eye twitched slightly at the Grand Duke’s cold dismissal.

But he forced himself to maintain composure and bowed his head as his father departed.

“Depart.”

――――――

As Debier gave the signal, the knights escorting the carriage began to move.

Mounted on black horses, the knights rode with firm expressions, surrounding the Grand Duke’s carriage in formation.

“……”

And so, at the mansion’s entrance, only the eldest son, Debier, and candidate Tobang remained.

Then, Eric lifted his head, his gaze turning instantly sharp and deadly.

“Debier.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

His golden eyes gleamed coldly beneath his silver hair.

“Seems like Echina has managed to monopolize Father’s affection lately?”

The Grand Duke had said he was less insightful than someone barely twenty.

With that one line, Eric had immediately deduced he was referring to twenty-one-year-old Echina.

“While you were at the Imperial Palace, she began attending the weekly strategy meetings, Young Lord.”

Eric’s expression froze at the news of a change in the youngest sibling, who once held the least influence in the ducal house.

“What kind of change has happened while I was gone?”

He sharply turned his head to glance up at the office.

In response, I elegantly drew the curtain closed, cutting off his line of sight.

Just as he had concealed his hostility until now—

I, too, met his stare with the cold, lifeless eyes I had once worn as Chief Secretary.

‘The true change is only just beginning.’

And the catalyst for that change would be the upcoming imperial visit of the Empress.