HPDBC Chapter 16
Chapter 16
There is a universal truth that transcends all eras and social classes:
When a caregiver says, "We need to talk," it usually translates to, "This will take a long time, I’ll do all the talking, and you’ll just sit quietly and listen."
Naturally, children don’t have the right to refuse such invitations, so Tristan obediently sat at the tea table. In front of him sat a cup of tea he had no intention of drinking, while his throat was already filled with lemonade.
“What’s the matter, Mother?” he asked.
“It’s nothing serious, so don’t be nervous. I just wanted to tell you how delighted I was that you invited Doris for the first dance today,” the Queen said with a serene smile.
“...Really? That made you that happy?”
“Well, my expectations have been low. You’ve ignored your fiancée for five years, haven’t you? Especially this year, when you openly pursued Lady Maria as soon as the season began. I was beginning to think you had decided to break things off with the Redfield family.”
“...”
Was she saying this knowingly or unknowingly? Tristan lifted his teacup, masking his bewildered expression as he replied, “I didn’t realize you’d be so pleased. But wasn’t it you, Mother, who handed me off to Miss Meyer as a dance partner just when I was about to invite my fiancée?”
“I couldn’t let a debutante be humiliated, could I? Besides, there were plenty of other opportunities for you to dance with your fiancée after that.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Couldn’t? Why not?”
“She got injured.”
The Queen’s wide eyes narrowed sharply, and Tristan let out an exasperated sigh.
“That dimwit Arthur stepped on her feet three times while dancing with her. Doris was limping long after the music stopped.”
“Oh, my.”
“That oaf could very well be a bear disguised as a human, and I wouldn’t be surprised. In fact, I should turn him into a rug and send it to the Earl’s estate so my fiancée can walk on something soft for a while.”
Damn it. Even the thought of the bear rug didn’t help him cool down.
What kind of idiot dances without knowing proper steps? And Doris, though not a skilled dancer herself, must have found it impossible to avoid those elephantine feet. How much pain must she have silently endured, too polite to even scream?
The Queen took a leisurely sip of tea before asking, “Since the young Duke made it home alive, I assume Doris’s injury wasn’t too serious?”
“I never said I wanted to kill him. If her injury had been severe, her chaperone would’ve raised a fuss. Later, I saw her walking around, albeit with a slight limp.”
Between dessert tables, mostly.
“Hmm, you seem to have observed quite a lot.”
“Well, she is my fiancée. If you wish, I’ll ask her to dance again at the next ball.”
“‘If I wish’? Do you not have any desire to dance with her as one human being to another?”
Tristan hesitated, caught off guard by the question.
Do I want to voluntarily dance with her? With that boring woman?
Even today, despite it being a royal ball, she had dressed as if she were heading out for a casual stroll. Did she really believe such simplicity suited her best? He couldn’t deny that the delicate feathered headpiece she wore drew attention to the elegant lines of her forehead and nose, giving her a subtle grace. But such details only mattered to someone familiar with her usual plain appearance. If she intended to impress Arthur, this wouldn’t have been enough. Doris had been quietly beautiful today, like a pearl-adorned lily. But probably only Tristan had noticed.
“The son likely welcomed the opportunity to transform his life. The first act of the drama began with the son filing a paternity suit against the lord. To stage the trial properly, they even prepared false witnesses. But...”
The Queen’s voice trailed off. The conclusion was obvious.
“We instructed the Earl of Redfield to stop the trial. His method was simple. One month before the trial date, the Earl hired the mercenary company to work on a maritime dispute in the Tetta Strait, effectively stranding them on an island. Then, he extended their contract.”
“So the illegitimate son remained stuck on the island until the trial date?” Tristan asked.
“Exactly.”
“Ha! If it were me, I’d have swum off the island! Imagine losing everything just because you couldn’t give up a single mercenary contract.”
“Well, as the plaintiff failed to appear, the trial was dismissed. And, to tie up loose ends, the Earl later tasked the mercenary company with taking the son far away. The rest is as you know.”
Finally, Tristan understood why the Earl of Redfield, whose only valuable asset at the time was his second daughter, had been able to negotiate a marriage alliance with the royal family.
“So this engagement was a bribe to silence the Earl about the lengths we went to in securing the Blue Atrium estate.”
“And if the royal family had refused the proposal?” Tristan asked. “Could the Earl have retrieved the son and caused trouble over the estate?”
“It would be impossible to make the son the legitimate heir now,” the Queen said with a small shake of her head. “But the Earl could certainly stir up rumors—claiming the royal family employed underhanded methods to secure the estate. That would create enough headaches for us.”
“Hmm.”
The Queen leaned back slightly. “The Earl isn’t the type to resort to such unsavory tactics. Still, nothing in this world is ever 100%. That’s why you, the primary beneficiary of the estate, were engaged to the Earl’s daughter.”
“....”
The abrupt engagement five years ago now made perfect sense. It had been such a transparent arrangement.
“Why are you telling me this only now?”
“You were young then,” the Queen replied calmly. “I was worried you’d rebel, saying something like, ‘I refuse to have my marriage dictated by a plot to secure some land. I’ll give up the estate instead!’”
“I can’t deny that,” Tristan admitted.
“I’m relieved you’ve finally begun to accept your fiancée,” the Queen said, her face lighting up with a smile. “The Blue Atrium estate suits you perfectly. The farmland is adequately fertile, and the mountains are balanced in proportion. The people are gentle by nature, so you’ll find it easy to govern.”
Her expression was one of serene satisfaction, like a mother handing a child a piece of candy. Tristan forced a smile as he gazed at her.
By now, he was used to being lovingly underestimated by his parents.
But one question lingered in his mind:
Do they know about the monsters in Blue Atrium?
From reports and budget proposals relayed by his subordinates, Tristan had inferred the presence of monsters in the estate. His parents, overseeing the entire kingdom, might not be aware of such specific issues yet.
If he brought this up, they might decide, “Blue Atrium is too much for you to handle,” and assign him a different estate.
...And the engagement might be annulled as a result.
He wouldn’t even need to involve Maria. It could all be undone so easily.
“Mother,” Tristan began. “I have a question.”