Chapter 38
“Of course.”
Baileon’s expression turned serious in an instant as he tried to approach Marien.
“You left it in front of the office door?”
“Yes, just a moment.”
“No, stay still. I’ll handle it myself.”
Marien was taken aback. Baileon’s stride was enormous. He hadn’t even taken a few steps, yet he had already covered the wide distance from inside the office to the door in an instant.
She hadn’t realized his stride was this long when walking with him. Marien suddenly understood that he had been matching his pace to hers all this time.
‘What should I do? At this rate, I’ll run into the guard in the hallway.’
She fretted over the awkward timing.
Fortunately, the event Marien feared didn’t happen. Just as she was debating whether to grab his sleeve for support, a guard ran into the office—
Holding a large, radiant bouquet that almost hid his sturdy frame.
“Today is Lord Beers’ birthday, isn’t it?”
Marien smiled brightly and tugged on Baileon’s arm, making space for the ministry staff to enter.
“So I wanted to offer a small celebration.”
“No suspicious packages… I hope?”
“There aren’t any. That was just an excuse I made to go near the door.”
Marien’s eyebrows drooped. She looked at him, tilting her head cutely, as if to say he shouldn’t blame himself so much. Only then did Baileon relax his expression.
“That look is unfair.”
“What’s wrong with my look?”
“You know exactly how it’ll affect others, don’t you?”
“You’re saying things I can’t make sense of at all.”
Baileon lightly rolled his eyes as Marien pretended not to hear him.
At that moment, the ministry staff burst into the office. A few who had been designated to handle the fireworks were already twitching with anticipation.
Though famous as a gathering of diligent elites, they were still ordinary people. They seemed almost unable to contain their excitement at the prospect of setting off fireworks and sharing cake during work. Even more so since they might get to extend their break until lunchtime.
The birthday cake, brought in by the kitchen staff on a wagon, completed the setup. A candle was placed in the center of the beautiful cake.
“Happy birthday, Lord Beers!”
“Happy birthday!”
“Wishing you health and happiness always!”
Amid the applause, the fireworks went off. Baileon smiled gratefully. Just as he tried to blow out the candle, Marien stepped in.
“You have to make a wish.”
Baileon asked if she knew this wasn’t his sixth birthday, but his twenty-sixth.
“Even on your eighty-sixth birthday, you should make a wish, right? Quick, make three wishes.”
“Three?”
“Birthdays don’t come every day. If you don’t wish today, you’ll have to wait until next year.”
Perhaps amused by Marien’s stern insistence, Baileon finally spoke after being prompted repeatedly by the Third Advisor.
“My first wish is for the peace of this country.”
Even outside of toasts before the emperor, someone really makes such a wish. But it was 100% sincere. That seemed very Baileon.
Marien looked at him with curiosity.
“My second wish is for the health and happiness of our ministry staff.”
Baileon smiled at each employee individually. Marien was reminded she was at a birthday party at work.
Across cultures and eras, New Year speeches, toasts, and congratulatory messages all tended to be alike.
If today had been her birthday, what would she have wished for?
‘May Baileon Beers’ wish come true.’
That would probably have been her first wish—hoping that Baileon’s last wish would be for his own happiness.
“My third wish…”
Baileon trailed off. Marien grew anxious that he might use the last wish for someone else.
“Make at least one wish for yourself, Lord Beers.”
That would give her own wish meaning. Marien watched as Baileon closed his eyes, quietly making a wish.
Finally, he opened them and blew out the candles. Everyone clapped and cheered again.
Then came the cake-cutting ceremony.
Baileon personally cut the cake and handed it out. The sight of fully grown adults lining up to receive their slices was amusing.
The surprise party was a complete success.
Baileon wasn’t the type to embarrass the birthday person just to maximize surprise. Knowing this, Marien had planned an event that might seem tame to outsiders.
The only small trick she managed was: Lord Beers had asked people not to wish him happy birthday that morning.
Marien proudly brought a piece of cake to her mouth. The fragrant, sweet cream of the black tea seemed to dance on her tongue.
“Thank you, Marien.”
Baileon, who had quietly approached her, whispered softly.
“This birthday will remain in my memory for a long time.”
Marien beamed at him.
◇ ◆ ◇
By 4 PM, the sky had begun to turn ominous. Dark clouds gathered, looking ready to release heavy rain.
Marien pressed her nose to the office window, watching the sky intently. She had been doing so for forty-five minutes.
“It should be here by now.”
Last night, she had sought the visit of Cloise, who was otherwise friendly toward her but could not agree on interpretations of the coupling ring.
She wanted to request that if the sky was cloudy tomorrow afternoon, a servant be sent to the ministry.
The servant would bring a message from the Countess, noting whether they could leave work early to return home, as well as an urgent matter to discuss.
“First, I have to get Baileon out of the palace.”
Keeping him away from the scene of the incident solved many issues.
He wouldn’t witness the rocket necklace discarded in the mud, nor overhear the maids’ chatter.
He wouldn’t have to spend his birthday alone in the office until midnight.
This was part of Marien’s plan.
“Once the servant arrives, I can go to the pond.”
That was the rest of the plan. Marien intended to sneak to the pond and wait for the northern man to grab the rocket necklace.
She would watch where the necklace flew, pick it up, and shout:
“Your Highness, I got it! Don’t worry!”
The man attempting to forcibly carry Odette indoors would be flustered. Odette herself would wonder what was happening.
‘That’ll break the tension for a moment…’
Marien suddenly straightened like a meerkat. The Countess’s servant hadn’t arrived, and someone from the Fourth Princess’s palace was hurrying toward the ministry building.
A bad feeling passed through her.
“I have to intercept that message…!”
She didn’t know the exact content yet, but she knew Baileon couldn’t get it.
It would probably be what sent him wandering in the rain.
Marien immediately opened the door and looked down the hallway. She confirmed Baileon’s office door was closed.
Moving quietly to the stairs, only one task remained.
‘At this rate, I might be running more than the palace guards!’
Marien again flung her skirts and dashed to the first floor.
◇ ◆ ◇
By the time <Allied Marriage> reaches its conclusion, Odette will gain the throne, Baileon will gain love, and Marien Didi will gain muscles.
“Ran quite a lot again.”
No need to feel guilty for eating that calorie-rich cake at lunch; it had all been burned off.
Marien leaned against the wall, panting.
About twenty minutes ago, she had intercepted a note from someone in the Fourth Princess’s palace—not with an axe, of course, but by persuasion.
“I am Marien Didi, Third Advisor of the Ministry. Lord Beers is showering, so I will accept this on his behalf.”
“Showering at this hour?”
“Yes, he spilled champagne on himself. Of course, the attendants know, but today is Lord Beers’ birthday, isn’t it? We celebrated rather loudly this time.”
When Marien asked if this was sent by the princess herself, the servant subtly showed displeasure.
“Of course. I’m from the Fourth Princess’s palace.”
She couldn’t open the envelope in front of him. Pressing him further might make him suspicious of her motives. Marien set aside her unease and sent the servant away.
Inside the corner, the note’s content was odd.
It asked her to come to the pond with the bridge without telling anyone.
Marien stared intently at the message stating that the sender was already waiting there.
The handwriting was straight and clear, befitting Odette, and the recipient was clearly marked as Baileon.
“It looks like it’s going to rain soon.”
Marien looked up at the sky, heavy with clouds.
Given the weather, it was natural to worry about those outside. She thought she’d understand what was going on once she arrived.
It made sense why Baileon had first grabbed an umbrella in the original story.
Marien looked for a suitable hiding place and found one not far from the bridge.
Then, a figure clad entirely in black appeared.
Kain Blackwood.
Where could Odette be, and why did he come alone?
Marien, glaring fiercely, suddenly felt as if her head had been struck.
Kain had taken the rocket necklace out of his pocket.
“So this is the token of childhood friends…?”
His face showed no amusement as he examined the necklace. His eyes were sharp.
“Pathetic.”
Marien desperately watched the direction Kain had come from.
Why had the original story twisted at this point? She wished Odette would appear and demand the necklace back, but that didn’t happen.
“This isn’t something the Duchess of Blackwood should have. I need to make this clear to the Minister.”
Kain’s words clicked the scattered pieces in her mind together. Marien ground her teeth.
‘So it was you who sent that strange message to Baileon pretending to be Odette?’
No wonder the servant delivering the message from the Fourth Princess’s palace had been ambiguous. He hadn’t flinched at Marien’s minor questions. Odette wouldn’t keep such a person nearby.
Surely, the northern man had forced the Fourth Princess’s servant to deliver the message. Threatening people was his specialty.
Would chopping off a hand make him realize?
‘A hundred mosquitoes should bite him on the soles of his feet.’
Perhaps hearing her silent curse, Kain began spinning the necklace in retaliation.
The thin chain twisting around his finger looked dangerously precarious.
Next, Kain didn’t throw the necklace but gripped it tightly, attempting to destroy it in his hand.
Marien’s mind went blank.
“Stop immediately!”
