Please Be Patient, Grand Duke - Chapter 78

“Today is a good day. A good day for horseback riding.”

A maid came behind Wade to put his vest and jacket on and then polished his shoes.

Wade stood in front of the mirror, fondled his hair as he asked Claude, who was looking out the window.

“Grand Duke, is Sir Canillian here yet?”

“There was an explosion so he’ll arrive soon,” Claude replied.

“I see. But why was he there? We found out how the anarchists were leeching on but Rosina said the woman was quite a tailor.”

Claude was called upon by the prince early in the morning. It was due to the Emperor waking up unusually late, who had heart problems for a few years. But the Emperor had no health issues. It was Wade’s way of getting Claude Kieran and Canilla in.

“I found out randomly. I just happened to find their trace where I went to get a woman’s dress fit.”

The Prince didn’t seem to plan on asking more as he changed the subject quickly.

“So… You’re going back to Del Casa?”

“I won’t be able to see you for a long time when I go back this time. Let’s go on a grand tour while we’re at it. Apparently there’s a mysterious country on a peninsula in East Asia.”

Wade chuckled like he was sad to see him go as he was picking up a thin paddle.

The Prince was having PTSD. He was having insomnia and nightmares. He wasn’t different from many soldiers, who were suffering the same thing after they went back home after the war.

“You don’t have to worry about my mental health, Grand Duke. Anyways, since when did you become so close with Canillian Vale?”

As expected, was this all a build up for that question?

Claude put his hands behind his back and turned towards Wade. There was a rare sunshine-like smile on his perfectly shaped face.

“Probably the first time I fell for her.”

Wade was nodding but then he frowned and asked back.

“Her?”

“You knew already. That Canillian is a lady.”

“Huh!”

“You can’t deceive me.”

Wade shrugged and laughed like he acknowledged the statement. Then he came to Claude.

“There was no smell of man from Canillian. Her body and face was such my style I was surprised.”

“It would’ve been better if it wasn’t,” said Claude.

“Don’t be like that. It’s going to be a hard journey even without me,” Wade replied.

“You mean persuading her mother?”

“Many suitable ladies are challenging that spot.”

“I already proposed,” informed  Claude.

“Oh my. Seems like the spot is already taken.”

Claude liked that.

Over Wade’s shoulders, a car could be seen coming into the Prince’s palace with the Marquis’s symbol on it.

Claude squinted as he saw the car. It was the first time he was meeting Kieran since the Marchioness pointed Canillia as the culprit. He was especially unsatisfied as Wade made them meet by force.

He was pretending he was calm, but in reality his mind was full of Canilia, who said she was going to see Angel. He fretted whether she was attacked on her way there or something happened to her car on her way back, or something happened in the hospital where Angel was. All needless worries.

As he told her his worry as she was about to leave, Canillia looked at him like it was very random.

“I’m not a portrait.”

She hit the point. He was only thinking about locking her up in his embrace and finally let go after hearing this.

“Ian Sergio is coming.”

Wade’s tone was calm.

Claude, who was looking out the window to see the trace of Canillia, squinted.

“Is it an official visit?” he asked.

“Not to visit the royals. To visit Marquis Vale. And I hear that a lady who will become my wife will also come.”

“His intention is too obvious.”

“The invitation arrived from the Marquis’s place. It came to me first so next will be you. It might be a good way to recover their face that was ruined by the diamond incident.”

“Probably. She lowered her tail before we publicized the perjury.”

Claude clapped at the Marchioness recovery.

He already found out through Shannon that Donan, a loyal subject of Anastasia Vale, contacted the anarchists. It was her way of asking to spare her as well as destroying the noble’s honor. For a high class mistress of the Vale family to contact the treasonous group to bring down a bastard. She couldn’t have been more foolish. Also, their crime was to fulfill their greed, so it wasn’t a reasonable ideology that the anarchists could use.

They were claiming the end of the class while hunting the nobles and they weren’t shy on being violent against the royals that were putting Louvre down. Is it right to really call them anarchists?

Maybe they needed the shell of being anarchists to justify themselves.

Kieran got out of the car, kissed Rosina’s hand and looked up. The man with the same eye color as Canillia’s eyes saw Claude and smiled bitterly.

Claude saw the car carrying Canillia from afar and put on his leather gloves.

“Let’s go down.”

Eli, who saw Canillia for the first time in a while, was so excited that he didn’t know what to do but circled around. So Canillia petted him, kissed his nose and rubbed his cheeks.

Claude couldn’t help but laugh at Eli’s change, as he was so elegant and proud before.

“His personality changed with his owner.”

“That’s a good thing right?” asked Canillia.

“Who knows.”

Claude helped Canillia up on the horse. Canillia got on easily, held on to the reign and looked at Kieran, who was standing on the other side. Kieran, who was chatting with Rosina, felt her stare and looked up.

Canillia looked calm and bright for someone who was accused by the Marchioness. On the other hand, Kieran felt regrets about his life and belief up until now.

“It was…. Mother who took me to the lake.”

He spat out something he held down for so long for his mother’s honor and for the Vale family’s name. But his father’s reaction was completely unexpected.

“I know. I don’t know how you know, but I think it’ll be best if we don’t talk about it.”

The fact that he knew already made Kieran blank out in shock.

“It’s in the past. It’s too late to change it… So I was trying to find Laura later to help her with her life, but it’s not easy.”

“How… How could you do that? If you’re going to bury the truth, then should that kid at least be happy…? Look at Canillia now! She couldn’t get out of the past and is being torn apart by mother! It’s treason, father. Mother… Was trying to make her into a treasonous person!”

“Kieran! That we just have to persuade your mother. I’m sure your mother will calm down once we give Lia freedom and send her off far away.”

“Father…”

“It’s too late. Your mother is part of the Vale family. If your mother’s honor declines, then so does our family’s. So… Let’s forget about the past.”

It was a shameful night.

But what bothered him more was Canillia, who was laughing like nothing happened.

The horses started moving on the prince’s signal.

Eli, who had Canillia on the back, and Claude’s black horse were so contrasting that it caught people’s attention.

Kieran looked up at the blue sky. His father’s teaching of being someone who wouldn’t do something shameful was gone.

“Canillian.”

Kieran went to her.

Claude looked at him alertly. But he stepped back at Lia’s signal and he started riding by Prince’s side.

A woman that the Grand Duke loves is controlling him, Kieran thought. Does she know that controlling the Grand Duke is the same thing as controlling the Empire?

“Kieran, you’re thin. Have you not been sleeping well?”

Her hands that were holding the reign was pale as she greeted him.

“Yes… I couldn’t sleep.”

“Oh no, you have to take care of yourself,” Lia said, her voice laced with sincere concern.

“Lia, are you okay? How are you… okay?”

She smiled and frowned a little while shaking her head.

“I’m not really fine. It’s such a shame.”

“Why aren’t you angry? I’ll persuade mother. So–”

“Kieran.” Canillia looked down and her lips curved up a little. It looked like she was scoffing. “To be angry… I long to be happy. I think it’s mother… That has anger.”

“Canillia,” Kieran began.

“You should be on mother’s side. I’m going to be on the other side. And I won’t be able to ask you for help. I know how much you were suffering when you were little. I know you can’t forgive what my mother did to you. So you can hate me.”

His vision blacked out as he heard that.

Lovely Canillia. A kid who always smiled like an angel even in a place full of lies. She always tried her best. There was no luck in her life. Everything was achieved with her effort.

How was he on the other hand? He was able to have everything just because he was born and he lived life thinking that was his right.

It was shameful. Even the wind felt like it was making fun of his foolishness and shame.

Kieran grabbed Canillia’s hand as he was so ashamed.

“No, Lia. You’re wrong. Your mother… Never hurt me.”

***

The horses stopped at the hill of the palace. It showed Etaire’s downtown as well as Louvre.

Wade stopped the horse, took out a binocular and put his Empire in his eyes.

Some were poor and hungry and some were living luxuriously. The difference in wealth was naturally made, but the Empire right now showed no result for individual’s effort.

“It’s a shame about Sir Canillian, young Marquis. Seems like the Marchioness had some tough time.”

“Sorry for concerning you, Your Highness,” apologized Kieran.

“That’s Louvre. Isn’t it… Like a black hole?” asked Wade.

“Yes…”

“Even there…. My people are living there. Why did father abandon that place….”

Everyone stared at Louvre as he mumbled. A place where even the sun wouldn’t shine down. A shadow that was closest to the light.

But that was something people made up.

Louvre wasn’t a place of crime. It was just that those who committed crime hid into Louvre. Just like all the people in Louvre aren’t criminal, Louvre itself wasn’t the root of evil.

Lia felt something weird watching Louvre from afar. She was a little sad.

“Please take care of the people in Louvre, those people who will become your citizens,” Canillia said as she bowed to show respect to the Prince.

He softly put his hand on her shoulder. “Pray that my reign will come as soon as possible, Sir Canillian.”

Wade stared deeply into her. He laughed vicariously as he walked on.

Claude stood behind Canillia, who was frozen on the spot. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and lowered himself like he was going to whisper into her ears. But, he kissed her cheek instead. Her honey coloured hair smelled good.

Her eyes and cheek both became red. And as he kissed her lips, she bit her trembling lips.

“Louvre was that dark….”

“Light and shadow are always together.”

Her eyes had the dark world in her eyes.

Lovely and beautiful Canillia, he thought. Even if someone gave him the entire Empire, he wouldn’t exchange it for her.

He took Lia’s slumped hand, kissed it and whispered.