Chapter 166

Proofreader: somnium

Alice helped Artizea off the carriage.

“Are you tired?”

“A little.”

It doesn’t seem like she’s moved much, but just being in the carriage for over an hour seems to have had an effect on her body.

Artizea slowly walked down the back road, feeling weary. The night breeze made her feel a little better.

Alice asked.

“Are you going to kill the daughter of Marchioness Camellia?”

“Did it look like that?”

“Yes. The Lady seemed to want to come under you, but you drew the line that you were holding her hand temporarily.”

“Whatever Skyla’s true intentions are, she’ll be well aware that she can’t, from her standpoint.”

“Your Grace is the Grand Duchess. Why are you saying she can’t be a subordinate?”

“Because there is a difference between a formal position according to a title and a real power relationship.”

It could be as if Marquis Luden had subjugated Marquisate Camellia and acted like the Emperor took control of the Duchy of Riagan.

However, if Skyla were to come under Artizea, it would be the same as now that Marchioness Camellia is a subordinate to Marquis Luden.

The first reason Skyla came to Artizea was because she wanted to get out of that state.

Aside from the insecurities she feels deep inside her own heart, she wouldn’t want to be in a situation where she had simply changed master.

Alice had a complex subtle face.

“Why? You wish I had Skyla, do you?”

“No. I absolutely don’t want it. Considering that Marchioness Camellia tried to harm Madam, I can’t forgive the Lady either. But I don’t think that’s why you draw the line.”

“Skyla is very useful.”

It is not easy to find someone who can get close to the heart of Grand Duchess Roygar, and even to the Grand Duke.

“Still, I have no intention of making Marquisate Camellia a servant family.”

Artizea made an offer, and Skyla will decide whether to accept it or not by calculating her own profit and loss.

The proposal contains deception, not faith.

Artizea will take everything from Marchioness Camellia but her life.

Among them, of course, also included the Marchioness’ wish that ‘her children will fully inherit the Marquisate Camellia and be of direct lineage’.

So Skyla will never inherit the title of Marquis as a direct lineage.

***

Although tired, Artizea returned, washed her hands and feet, and then headed to the study, not her bedroom.

“Call Hayley.”

Hearing the order, the maid chief went out without delay.

It was late at night, but Hayley was not surprised. She already knew that Artizea was out.

It means that something serious happened. She thought Artizea must have called her for a follow-up of something.

‘I wouldn’t have been able to sleep because of work anyway.’

Hayley thought as she gently pressed her fingertips under her flat eyes.

When Lysia returns, she takes over social affairs, and the fact that Artizea is away due to her pregnancy doesn’t reduce her work.

She had to take Artizea’s place and take care of the mansion. She also dealt with the mansion’s intelligence and communications with Grand Duchy Evron on non-military matters.

In the end, she had succeeded in letting Freil hand over some of the work.

Artizea sat in the armchair, dressed in comfortable pajamas.

She put the papers she was flipping over on the desk and looked at Hayley.

“Sorry, it’s late, Hayley.”

“No, Your Grace.”

Hayley knew what the papers that had been put down by Artizea. It was because there was a filing cabinet wrapped in a cloth embroidered with a mixture of red silk thread and gold thread on the desk.

What was contained there would be a prenuptial agreement and marriage certificate.

Artizea offered Hayley a seat. Marcus pulled out the tea soon after.

“It’s rather late now, but I called because I thought I had to decide on a nanny.”

“Yes, tell me.”

Hayley nodded her head.

There was no way for a lady to raise her children alone. Apart from a wet nurse, there was a nanny responsible for the overall upbringing.

If it was a marriage of great political significance, a new lady-in-waiting from the husband’s family was chosen to be the nanny.

All the ladies-in-waiting take care of the baby in turn, but still, someone needs to be in charge.

Usually an older sister or maternal aunt or fraternal took care as the lady-in-waiting and nanny to the children.

If the body was weak like Artizea, it was even more so.

But now Artizea had no lady-in-waiting to be the nanny.

Lysia is young. Hayley was older than Artizea, but she had never had children.

‘But, well, I’ve seen my nephews, so I thought I’d get a little involved.’

Hayley looked at Artizea with such a relaxed feeling.

“Do you know anything about the prenuptial agreement, Hayley?”

“I understand that the eldest child born between the two of you is supposed to inherit Grand Duchy Evron and the next the Marquisate Rosan. If there are more children, property and other assets are to be inherited by custom.”

“Yes. But maybe…… This will be my first and my last.”

Hayley looked at Artizea awkwardly.

Doctors, the old butler, the maids, and everyone said so.

So, they were praying that at least one more would be born healthy.

But even though she knew it, it was very embarrassing to hear Artizea herself say such a thing, so casually even.

Artizea said.

“Therefore…… I’m going to ask Lord Cedric to fix the prenuptial contract.”

“Yes?”

“Reversing the order of the eldest and the second, so that this child inherits Marquisate Rosan, and if another child is born under it, that child inherits Grand Duchy Evron.”

“Is that meaningful? If Your Grace considers the baby to be the first and last, they would definitely inherit both the Grand Duchy Evron and Marquisate Rosan as the only child…….”

Without saying anything, Hayley looked at Artizea with a surprised face.

“Are you trying to prepare for the time when His Grace the Grand Duke has a child somewhere else?”

“I don’t know, Hayley. It’s not that I think Lord Cedric is a dishonest man, but anyway, even if a child is born safely, there is no guarantee that I would be safe, right?”

“You shouldn’t think like that in advance.”

“You know that positive thinking isn’t everything.”

Artizea said calmly.

“Lord Cedric is still young. To be honest, if something happens to me, I can’t leave the seat next to him empty. This is a political matter, not a family matter.”

“…… Yes.”

Hayley couldn’t help but admit it. Rather, she should be grateful as a vassal of the Grand Duchy for saying that.

But the insides of her tongue was rough.

“Because Your Grace always wants to come up with a countermeasure for every case. In the sense that you want the child to fully inherit everything from Your Grace…… I will accept it.”

If Grand Duchy Evron and Marquisate Rosan are inherited together, Marquisate Rosan will be merged and disappear.

This prenuptial agreement divides each heir to prevent that. It was what Artizea thought she wanted to protect.

Artizea had no lingering feelings about Marquisate Rosan. But she decided to leave it be.

It was because there was no difference in that she intended to separate Marquisate Rosan from Grand Duchy Evron.

“So, I want to ask you a favor.”

“Yes.”

“This child will most likely be raised as the child of Marquisate Rosan, not the child of Grand Duchy Evron, but I hope you will take care of it.”

“Yes?”

Hayley asked back in amazement.

Artizea lowered her eyes. As is often the case when she tries to hide her expression, Hayley has no idea what Artizea was thinking.

“Does that not mean that you want me to be the nanny?”

“Why not?”

“Not sister Mel?”

No matter how hard she thought about it, it was right.

Mel is honest, sincere, and has a good personality, and she has already had several children and raised them.

If Artizea was going to choose a nanny from the Jordyn family, she would have chosen Mel.

If she simply wanted a nanny from Grand Duchy Evron, there were plenty of other candidates.

“Mel is of County Jordyn, and she is the Grand Duchess’ lady-in-waiting. Unless this child is the successor, we can’t send it to Mel’s care.”

“I am single. I have never had children, and I have never raised babies.”

Not only was it absurd, it was unreasonable.

The nanny had to make up for the experience the baby’s mother lacked. It is a precious child of a noble family. She had no reason to choose an inexperienced caregiver.

Artizea let out a small sigh.

“Because I trust you.”

“I’d rather you ask Lysia. Lysia is kind and good, and besides, Your Grace also likes her character. If it were her, the baby would be raised in a very loving way.”

“Because I don’t want it.”

Artizea said.

“I need someone who can scold the child without hesitation when it is growing up wrong, and put them in the right direction. But that doesn’t mean I want an upright and strict caretaker.”

“Your Grace.”

“You know the world, you are flexible, you know why the child is going in the wrong direction…….”

Artizea lowered her eyes and said.

“And you’re not fooled by childish delusions, and you need the insight to be one step ahead of the child and the discernment and the determination to dispose of it in case of an emergency.”

Hayley realized that what she was talking about was when the child was born, who at the same time inherited the qualities of Artizea herself and those of her family.

“Your Grace.”

“I know this is a shameless request, Hayley.”

Artizea raised her blue eyes and looked at her.

“But I can’t let Cedric take care of it. He will trust the child.”

And even if Artizea was alive, she couldn’t raise it either. Because there’s no way she can properly raise it.

“But if it were you……, you will be able to see objectively and judge rationally while having affection. You will never forget what is right.”

“Your…….”

“I’m not forcing. As I said, this child is more likely to be the child of Marquisate Rosan, not the child of Grand Duchy Evron. I know very well that there is no loyalty to me to even do that.”

“…….”

“Still, it is Lord Cedric’s child, and in the end it will have a deep bond with Grand Duchy Evron. It could be more than that. So I know it’s a difficult request, but to ensure that it doesn’t become a bad person…… I want you to take care of it for me.”

Hayley held her breath and didn’t answer.

“Think slowly.”

It was when Artizea spoke.

A small commotion was heard outside the window. It was the sound of Cedric coming home.