She Was Sent by God

She was concerned about the sentence at the end of the letter, but this is the best she can hope for.
There is no other option available.

“Baby, I beg you, stay with your mother.”

* * *

“Shouldn’t we send a messenger to Devon right now?”

“Do you think they’ll accept that if we’re only sending it now?”

“Then are we just going to stay like this? The war can’t go on much longer when the treasury is depleted.”

Count Jante, who had been opposed to the war from the start, shouted loudly.
Despite Queen Ilona’s opposition to the war, her family avoided the king’s wrath.

“We’ll have an advantage in negotiations if we pretend we can’t win, so let’s send a messenger to Devon first and ask him if he wants to negotiate a cease-fire.”

“This is frustrating; why didn’t we negotiate a cease-fire sooner?”

“Oh, if only I had known that this would occur.”

“Marquis Devorsen, say something.”

“Is there anything else our great marquis has to say?”

“What do you mean?”

Count Jante’s sarcasm enraged Count Gent, who was sitting next to Marquis Devorsen.
In the conference room, which was surrounded by dozens of nobles, Count Gent was the only one who sided with Marquis Devorsen.

“Marquis Devorsen urged us to invest, so did I say something incorrectly? Are there only one or two people in this room who have failed financially as a result of following their advice?”

“Why are you bringing it up now?”

“Why? Am I not supposed to talk about it here? Marquis Devorsen! Tell me if you have a mouth!”

The veins in the count’s neck rose as he shouted loudly.

“You talked so much when you asked me to invest in a spice ship that I wondered if you were breathing; why are you so quiet today?”

“Quiet.”

Count Barania, who had been silent, spoke quietly.
The conference room, which was as noisy as the market, was calmed by her words.

“Your Highness will arrive soon; maintain your dignity.”

As soon as Count Barania’s words were finished, the door to the conference room opened.
It drew people’s attention.
However, someone else—not the king—opened the door.

“They’ve already arrived.”

“Marquis Songrad, you ought to arrive early,”

“Ha, it’s not easy to move in a carriage as I get older; you’ll understand when you’re my age.”

Marquis Songrad smiled as he settled into his designated seat.
Right across from him was Roland Sandor.
He gave the marquis a big smile and spoke to him.

“You’ve arrived, Marquis Songrad.”

“Marquis Sandor, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Was your journey here difficult?”

“What’s so difficult about it?”

Marquis Songrad spoke monotonously.
The door swung open once more.
This time, it was the person everyone had been waiting for.
Numerous nobles stood up from their seats.

“Your Highness.”

Count Barania approached him and greeted him.
Sebastian looked around.
Then Marquis Songrad looked into his eyes.
The marquis bowed his head, Sebastian’s mouth shook so subtly that it was difficult to see.

“Has everyone arrived?”

“Yes.”

“Duke Arpad still hasn’t arrived.”

Someone casually mentioned Arpad’s name.
The atmosphere dissipated in an instant.
None of the high aristocrats were aware that Arpad and the king were at odds.

“Hmmm, it appears that everyone has arrived.”

“I requested a meeting today because I had something very important to do; please sit down now.”

“Say it.”

The majority of nobility anticipated Devon’s war would end.
It was natural.
However, the king’s subsequent remarks were beyond their comprehension and imagination.

“Robert, my first son, died last night.”

“Oh my.”

“God, even the first prince, oh my.”

The buzz didn’t go away easily.
Although noble infant deaths are common, it is another tale when two successors pass away one after the other.

“Is Her Highness all right?”

“The queen isn’t feeling well right now, so she won’t be out there for a while; please don’t ask for an audience.”

Count Jante, Ilona’s father, had a drab appearance.
When the commotion died down, Sebastian once more opened his mouth.

“Suspicious elements in the death of Prince Robert were discovered.”

“What do you mean ‘suspicious?’“

“Prince Robert was conscious when the palace physician examined him, but his symptoms worsened rapidly and he died at one point.”

“What happened?”

“When I questioned the queen, she said the prince’s condition suddenly deteriorated after ingesting some Western medicine.”

The atmosphere became increasingly strange.
Those who noticed it exchanged glances.
Count Jante was enraged.

“Are you saying that the prince died after taking medicine from the West? Who in the world would do such a wicked thing?”