Chapter 50
I was left stunned.
It was blatant hostility. I couldn’t understand why she hated commoners so much.
Unfortunately, the words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
“Then, a moment ago, did you think I wasn’t a commoner…?”
“As if that could be. The lowborn stench is in your very nature. How could I not recognize it?”
So she meant to say she had no problem with other commoners—as long as they knew their place.
A bitter chuckle escaped me before I realized it.
She was saying that since I was a commoner woman who didn’t know her place and dared to take the position of a duke’s wife, she found me distasteful.
Just like Johannes, and this Madame Russell—why are nobles always so obsessed with status?
I didn’t even know how to respond, so I simply blinked at her. Then Johannes stepped in front of me, blocking my view. His broad back filled my sight. He spoke in a colder tone than before, warning the elderly lady.
“Madame Russell, that’s enough. I will not tolerate any further disrespect toward my wife.”
Madame Russell seemed to notice his change in tone. She looked ready to back down, apparently realizing it wouldn’t be wise to cause a scene here.
She lifted her chin.
“…I thought the Duke was someone of my own kind, but it seems I misjudged you. Let me repeat myself: if you hope to gain my help, you’ll need to change that mindset.”
Johannes let out a short laugh.
“Yes. You’ve certainly misjudged me. And as it turns out, I’m not that eager to gain your help anymore.”
“You’re being ungrateful.”
Madame Russell scoffed.
“Duke Schultz, the royal family has come to see me. Though they didn’t state it outright, they did ask if I would side with them.”
Though the sudden change of topic confused me, it became clear through their brief exchange that Johannes had sought Madame Russell’s help.
And that now, she might side with the royal family instead.
Johannes remained calm.
“Is that so? That’s good news. You’ll find it difficult to blend in with those beasts, but I do wish you the best of luck.”
If she blended in well, that meant she was no better than a beast herself—so let her try.
Johannes said it indirectly, bowing with the utmost courtesy. Then he gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
“Hah!”
Madame Russell’s sharp, hollow laugh rang through the air. Her expression turned icier as she spat,
“You’ll soon realize how utterly foolish your choices were, Duke. No—you will.”
“That won’t happen, Madame.”
Still composed, Johannes stepped aside to let her pass.
Though the surroundings remained noisy, time felt frozen around me.
The silence was broken by the fixer, who let out a small gasp.
“Ah… I didn’t realize you were the Duchess.”
He fidgeted nervously as he spoke, constantly sneaking glances at Johannes.
He must’ve been nervous about getting caught with unauthorized medicinal ingredients.
He hesitated, trying to find the right moment, and then spoke again.
“Your Grace, please give me one more chance… I promise I’ll never smuggle unapproved medicine again.”
Johannes, who had been silently standing with an unreadable expression, turned his gaze toward the fixer and said in a dry voice,
“Pretending not to know seems a little ridiculous.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
The fixer blinked, clearly not understanding.
“Fixer Gilteon. You know all the nobles and their details. You must’ve known who we were from the start.”
My eyes widened. I looked up at Johannes with my mouth slightly open.
So, Duke Schultz already knew exactly why I had come here. And that man really was the fixer I’d been searching for.
I hadn’t expected him to know about the shady places outside even of Myssen.
“Gilteon, huh? It’s been a while since I heard that name. I thought I’d left it behind.”
Gilteon’s demeanor changed instantly. The persistent, rough merchant vanished. In his place stood a man with a sly, composed smile.
His age was hard to determine. He tilted his head slightly.
“Thought you disappeared.”
Johannes replied sharply.
“I’ve been here quite a while. Didn’t you know? Surprised you didn’t notice, Gilteon.”
Johannes gave a dry laugh.
“I don’t usually concern myself with garbage.”
“You wound me. Still, I don’t know how the Duchess figured out what this medicine was, but thanks to her, the deal has been completely ruined. How am I supposed to explain this?”
Gilteon shrugged. Though he sounded troubled, his voice was perfectly calm.
“You were going to distribute it knowing what it was?”
I spoke up, my voice rising after observing the tension between them.
Sometimes, pirates or sailors slipped foreign goods to merchants quietly. It was an informal request to test the product and, if it was good, start importing it officially.
I assumed this was the same.
But…
I looked at Gilteon in disbelief. I’d completely forgotten the humiliation I had just suffered from Madame Russell.
“You knew, and still…?”
“That drug’s probably already spread throughout all of Dochlia. I assume you’re aware it’s clearly illegal.”
Johannes interjected.
“You must know this, but we move purely for money. Still, I don’t think we’re enemies, are we? Couldn’t you let me off just this once?”
“Mercy is given when someone makes a mistake—not when they knowingly break the law. I trust you understand that.”
“I really didn’t know…? But you’ve got no way of proving whether I knew what this drug was. You know how airtight this world is.”
If they find a scapegoat, that’ll be the end of it. Gilteon muttered with a smile.
“Is that so?”
Everything around me felt suspicious. The way each event seemed to click into place like gears in a machine…
“The Navy will take appropriate action soon, so just wait. And if you try to flee, you know the punishment will be worse.”
“Of course. I know that.”
Gilteon replied playfully. Then he looked at me and gave me a sly smile.
“You came to find me for a reason, right? If you manage to return safely, I’ll give you the answers you want next time.”
Living as the black sheep of the royal family was both pleasant and annoying for Edward Windsor.
“How far will Christian Windsor’s incredible rise go?”
“Christian Windsor declares he will open a new era as the next king.”
“Edward Windsor departs to the Myssen Police Bureau. Who will take over as Commissioner of Baden’s Police?”
The streets were full of newspapers praising Christian Windsor.
“Our next king always greets me so warmly. I told him there was no need to send a welcome party.”
Edward strolled through the capital of Baden like it was his own backyard, heading toward Baverin Castle.
“Frederick, it hasn’t been that long since we left the capital, has it? Strange how new it all feels.”
He finally arrived at the castle gates and boldly approached them. With a very casual look on his face, he called out.
“This is Edward Windsor. You know who I am, so could you kindly open the gate?”
The guard was utterly flabbergasted. A man had suddenly appeared, smiling and claiming to be Edward Windsor.
But there’d been no word of the prince visiting. And surely, no real prince would show up at the gate like this, empty-handed.
In short, the whole situation seemed completely unbelievable.
The guard scanned Edward up and down.
His clothes and appearance resembled the prince’s portrait well enough, but still—no way a prince would appear like this.
Even worse, the man standing beside him looked even more suspicious. Instead of stopping his reckless friend, he stood there blankly, as if he didn’t care about his own life.
The guard waved his hands.
“That’s enough. Go back. I won’t press charges for impersonating royalty.”
He figured the man must be mentally unwell and offered mercy.
“How cruel.”
Edward grinned.
“If you tell them the dog that was thrown away to Myssen after pledging loyalty to Baden is here, they’ll probably come running. That should jog their memory.”
“Now look here…”
“Wait! Is that—His Highness Prince Edward?!”
Thankfully, another guard at the side gate recognized Edward immediately. He quickly opened the door.
“Your Highness, what brings you here—?!”
“Just passing through.”
As he passed through the now-open gate, Edward patted the first guard’s shoulder.
“I won’t hold a grudge this time, but do better next time.”
Edward headed straight to the main banquet hall of Baverin Castle.
He had perfect timing. Music, as beautiful as all the world’s melodies combined, floated through the doors.
When he swung them open, the performance stopped, and all eyes turned to him.
“It’s been a while, dear members of the esteemed Windsor royal family.”
