“Welcome back, Jeffrey. Thanks to you, the kingdom of Ashbury has narrowly avoided war,” Lord Michael said.
“You exaggerate, Michael. I was merely a guide.”
“No, both the delegation and Clark say the same thing. When tensions were high, you calmed everyone down by saying, ‘Do you want to go to war again? No matter how one-sided a conflict may seem, both parties will suffer. Only those ready to take to the battlefield alongside their sons should speak of war.’ Isn’t that what settled things?”
Jeff made a sour face. “Ah, I suppose I might’ve said something like that…”
“No one could argue against it.”
“Everyone was so adamant, saying, ‘Not a single speck of gold should go toward Subartu.’ I just wanted them to remember how many soldiers died in the last war. After all, I was the only one in the meeting who had actually participated in it,” Jeff said.
“Uncle Jeff’s words brought many people back to their senses,” Master Clark said.
Lord Michael nodded. “Ultimately, we resolved the matter by offering Subartu a substantial amount of gold, framing it as a gesture of respect for the forest folk who have long protected the sacred land. Some people complained, of course, but let’s not forget that if Jeffrey hadn’t discovered the gold mine, our kingdom wouldn’t have gained anything in the first place.”
“Getting too greedy only leads to trouble. Starting a war over gold in a volcano is ridiculous. It’s like that saying Everything on this side of the line is ours. Think of it as saving lives with money. Our kingdom has always avoided conflict that way, and that’s fine by me,” Jeff said.
At this point, Lady Eva simply couldn’t hold back any longer and interrupted the conversation. “Darling, will you just tell them already?” she urged.
“Don’t rush me, Eva,” Lord Michael said.
“But…”
“Tell us what, Michael?” Jeff asked.
Lord Michael hesitated, saying, “Well, it’s not finalized yet…,” and paused. “Jeff, there’s talk of you being appointed as deputy minister of military affairs.”
“What?!” Jeff exclaimed in a rather undignified tone of voice, and I also found myself shouting inwardly, Why?!
How could someone like him, a brand-new baron, suddenly be up for such an important position?
“Why? What makes me suited for deputy minister?”
“Oh, come on, you two! This is cause for celebration! It’s a huge promotion! If Jeff becomes the minister, it’ll only be a matter of time before he’s granted an earldom!” Lady Eva exclaimed.
“Eva, I didn’t even want to be a baron in the first place,” Jeff muttered, looking positively annoyed. He wanted to keep me hidden, so such a prominent position would be a headache.
Meanwhile, Lord Michael seemed delighted as he continued, “The minister of military affairs resigned to take responsibility, and the deputy minister will be executed for inciting rebellion. According to tradition, the third-ranking member, Earl Callahan, should become minister. But here’s where things get tricky.”
Lord Michael explained that Earl Callahan was fifty-five years old. The mandatory retirement age was sixty, so he didn’t have enough time left to completely overhaul the structure of the military, ensure no future rebellions, and keep a close eye on every aspect of the organization.
“So the idea was Callahan will only serve for a limited five-year term, during which Jeffrey will act as deputy minister to lead the long-term restructuring of the military.”
“Whose idea was this?” Jeff asked.
“His Majesty’s and the crown prince Conrad’s.”
“Prince Conrad, of course… Wait a minute. What will happen after Earl Callahan retires?”
“You’ll take over as the minister of military affairs, most likely.”
“See?! Isn’t this incredible news?!” Lady Eva was actually panting now.
Edward as the chief of the special operatives, and Jeffrey as minister of military affairs? The two Asher brothers would control both ends of the spectrum when it came to military. That would give them considerable influence over the kingdom.
“The prime minister is also stepping down, with Earl Haynes appointed as his successor. There are a lot of changes happening, which will make things easier on you, Jeff. The outgoing prime minister must’ve had a rough time, juggling his role as chief of the special forces, too. He’s in poor health.”
Mike had once told me neither the prime minister nor the royal family knew about my background. It appeared the prime minister’s role as chief of the special forces was just a title, while Lord Edward held the real power.
This was just getting more and more absurd.
One brother would covertly control the special forces, while the other brother would openly command the military. And then Lord Michael, the minister of foreign affairs, was married to their cousin.
That was a whole lot of power concentrated in one family.
“Earl Haynes, the prime minister’s successor—he’s Lady Yolana’s son. But unlike her, he’s very personable, isn’t he?”
“Yes, he is. He’s calm, well-connected, and, oh, isn’t he close to Edward as well?”
The more I learned about Lord Edward, the more he seemed like a spider weaving a web across every corner of the kingdom. But I supposed comparing my brother-in-law to an arachnid might be a bit rude.
As I pondered this, Nonna seemed to grow bored of the conversation and turned to Master Clark.
“Did you bring back any souvenirs?”
“I did. They’re in my room. Would you like to go see them?”
“Would I ever!”
And just like that, the two of them disappeared. Jeff grimaced and spoke. “I’m turning down the position.”
“Well, you can’t refuse. Prince Conrad himself insisted. He said the deputy minister must be Jeffrey. No one has the authority to oppose the crown prince, especially when he makes his mind up like that.”
“But this is ridiculous!” Jeff groaned, burying his head in his hands. Lady Eva and Lord Michael sighed in exasperation. I wanted to do the same as Jeff, but I just smiled at him instead.
My husband was silent in the carriage on the way back. At one point, he took my hand and spoke with a serious expression on his face. “Whatever happens, I won’t allow you to run away.”
“Jeff…”
“I know you. You’d vanish, saying it was for my sake. I’ve told you before that titles mean nothing to me. I wouldn’t hesitate to give up my status as a noble for you.”
“Calm down, Jeff. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
“Mom, I agree with Dad. I love this kingdom, and I want to keep living here. I want to protect you, but I don’t want to leave,” said Nonna.
“Huh?”
She was looking at us earnestly.
“Nonna, I’m not going anywhere. Is something wrong?”
“Master Clark formally proposed to me. He asked me to give him my answer when I turn sixteen.”
Jeff and I were both stunned into silence. They had only been upstairs for twenty minutes. Master Clark had proposed in that short time?
Nonna’s cheeks flushed faintly as she began to speak, sounding serious. “Master Clark said he wants to make Ashbury peaceful, safe, and prosperous. He said he wants to protect me and Mom so we never have to go on the run again. That’s why he’s so determined to rise up in rank and gain power. He told me volunteering for the delegation to Subartu was the first step in his plan.”
“…”
I felt warmth rising up in my chest. I knew that if I opened my mouth, I would burst into tears.
“He told me he made that decision when we went to Shen, Mom.”
“Really… Clark said that?” Jeff murmured.
“Oh, Master Clark…” Hot tears spilled down my face. I had no idea he felt that way about us.
When I had first come to this kingdom, I didn’t know a soul. I’d been determined to live quietly by myself. But along the way, I’d formed connections with so many people and really become a part of Ashbury.
When I’d given Master Clark his very first lesson in Randallish, he’d been a shy young boy who lacked confidence in himself. That delicate boy was now a young man, striving to protect both Nonna and me, determined to climb the ladder of success for our sake.
“I’m very grateful,” I said.
“Me too. And look at this,” Nonna said.