Hmm, oh, that’s that dude. He’s whispering something into the northern heir… and he suddenly smiles smug. Yeah, that dude was another side-character and love interest for Hinny. A smart fellow with hidden talent for magic, emerging from the north and controlling the future northern duke to gain power and influence.

I then look at the crowd and raise my and Illic’s hands into the air, saying with a chuckle “The southern duchy and my marquisate has always been in good relations, now, we join an eternal union that binds my love and I for life! Our young spirits strive for adventure, so we shall see the continent before coming back and celebrating our marriage! I hope everyone can excuse our excitement and wait for the day we come back!”

This brought forth another round of shocked faces, everyone that thought of trying to break either of them away from the other came to realise that it wouldn’t be an option at all. The light from the staff went off and Alaric thanked the king, before he whispered something barely hearable “The northern duke’s son, I have heard how high he regarded the princess. I always thought that with an union between him and the dear princess, there would be the perfect bridge between the nobles and royals, uniting the kingdom and bringing it to greater heights!”

The king looked solemnly as if he didn’t hear anything, but he smiled in agreement. He loved his daughter, but he loved power more than anything else. A united kingdom meant he would gain more power and have more time to focus on gaining strength from all the extra time he doesn’t have to spend overseeing devious nobles.

Going down, I talk with all nobles and tell them that we would leave in that same week, so we couldn’t make a celebration. Many promised to send congratulation gifts the next day, wishing him safe travels in advance.

Slowly, we went through them all. Just a few people before we were in front of the prince, but I take a detour and talk with the northern duke’s son who hadn’t come closer. But when I stepped forward, he bowed slightly and said nicely “I congratulate the marquis and the future marchioness, a match made for each other indeed!”

At some point when talking to the first nobles, Onaia came to us, so she listened in but didn’t say anything, even though clearly ‘future marchioness’ meant that she would be replaced. The dukedom has clear information about the relationship, so her not acting up is a bit suspicious, but it doesn’t matter, as I say “I thank the northern heir for his wishes. I can only recuperate it. Just now, I had talked a bit with the king, and accidentally mentioned that the princess seemed to be a perfect match for the future duke of the north… accidentally I also said that he was quite interested, and that it was the best way to unite the kingdom once again!”

The dude besides the little duke frowned upon what he had heard, but the little duke himself was all smiles “Unfortunate slips of the tongue indeed, I hope the king didn’t think too badly of them.”

Shaking my head, I confirm his suspicions “Why would the king think badly! He understood they were slips of tongue and just smiled, a generous king we have indeed!”

Little duke smiled even brighter and was about to say something when I whispered to him from distance “Luckily these were the only slips of tongue I had when talking to him, it would truly be unfortunate if I accidentally told him about the rumours I heard about the northern duke… could you imagine it, someone was spreading word that you do some… not so fashionable things.

I only hope that when the princess becomes the future duchess, she would be conscious of her words and not think of other peoples’ partners. It’s a good match indeed, a person with serpent eyes and another with a hand for hidden businesses.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The little duke instantly stopped all smiles and looked cold like someone just threw a bucked of water over his face. He was truly good with his shady stuff, but after all, he is still a youngling and barely past puberty, so he had too many weak ends when it came to romantical things.

He glared shortly at Alaric and was about to say something, when he was interrupted by said person “Ahh, I heard the princess truly likes flowers of the blue colours, didn’t she mention once that they remind her of the sea she once saw when she was young? If I remember correctly, the northern duchy has direct contact with the ocean separating us and the central continent, right? Yeah, it couldn’t even be compared to the sea in the south! Illic, didn’t you once say she asked for fish from the south because there is barely any in the capital… ahh! Right, she asked for that special silver brass, unfortunately they can only be found in the north!”

The little duke looks surprised as he was about to threaten the me, but hearing my words had produced feelings of gratitude. I mentioned a possible marriage option for the princess to the king, telling him I have knowledge of his shady business and might take that opportunity back, while giving him a proper chance he could take to win over a little of the princess’ heart. As long as he is earnest, it shouldn’t be difficult.

I leave the little duke and go on to talk with other nobles. In the few steps we take from each noble, I tell Onaia “See that person next to the little duke? He’s very talented in scheming and also keeps the books of the shady business. The little duke is good in it as well, but without him, he would never be able to do so well. His loyalty is very weak, and good for you, he is actually also talented in dark and mind magic. He uses his magic as core for his business when dealing with the lower people, while he is also pretty powerful with the dark magic, killing any competitors that try to enter his business.

He actually has a hate for humanity, not sure why, doesn’t matter either. It’s a good point since, together with his dark magic, he is fit for the demon race, whose magic has relations to darkness. Even better, he has mind magic, something your Seer Tribe is good at, right?”

Onaia had a glint of greediness in her eyes as she asked “Would he be willing to change his race? Such conversions take a great toll on the body, as it destroys itself and reconstructs… is his hate for humanity large enough to act upon it?”

Smiling as I talk to another noble, I wait till we have room between us again “I think it’s worth a shot. In all honesty, when I talked and gave the little duke a tip, he seemed to be calculative and thoughtful of our actions. He will visit us tomorrow probably when he gives us the gift of his young master. Offer it to him then. If he is ready, then we can finish the ritual on the same day. Your ritual will be pushed a day later, since you have to form two blood essences instead of one and need time to recover, but that should be enough.

With his help and my advice, the northern duchy together with the princess will quickly be overtaken. The northern duke knows of the shady business and part of that person’s abilities, but he accepted it while staying cautious. He thinks lowly of his abilities, in a few years at latest he would be proven wrong, but with your intervention, that would come way sooner. Let him be the retainer of this branch of House Violet.”

Finally, we arrive at the prince, and I bow to him a bit as I thank him “We thank the prince for your blessings. With your help, we were able to realise our feelings.” Illic followed me in doing so and also thanked him, then I looked at him and at Onaia as I say “I have another favour I have to ask. In a few days, my aunt will arrive at our house, joining it. She has a daughter who has come of age not many years prior, but she never had a debutante. Could the prince maybe guide her in my stead? I am sure the king would approve of you; he was also expectant of her.”

I then look at the princess, hiding all my disgust “And princess, I have to congratulate you now, since I won’t be available later on!”

She looks confused at me and a bit sad at Illic as I continue “Oh my, I hope I didn’t ruin the surprise! Better forget what I said!”

Stopping me, she asked what I meant. After all, she is still young and curious, so I take her by arm, ignoring the goosebumps forming on them as I tell her to look into one direction. It is where the little duke is, right at her age and looking charming while still showing muscles build over his whole childhood “I reckon you might not recognize him, since he only joined the capital a few months prior, and the princess would only have her debutante in a few weeks. But he actually was a childhood friend of yours, do you remember?”