CHAPTER 46 - NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN HEINRICH HYACINTH AND THE ALMANDINESHarriet left the discussion with Crown Prince Hyacinth to Heath and the Old Duke, and as a result, she had more free time today. It had just passed noon, and she couldn't go about her routine, fearing it would be discovered that she had a voice in this house.
So Harriet thought of visiting her husband, who had recently been immersing himself in the library. Harriet didn't know what the man was thinking.
Something changed, that was all she knew. Liam was still as gentle and humorous as ever, but…
As Harriet slowly opened the door of the castle's library, she tried not to make a sound. If she stepped inside for a bit, she would be able to see the reading table in the middle of the library where her husband used to sit and read a few books this week. But Harriet could never see what book the man was reading.
Every time Harriet walked over, he would hear her footsteps and put away his book, then walk over to Harriet so she couldn't get any closer to his desk. There was something the man was hiding, and it made him change his attitude towards Harriet a little.
She couldn't tell what had changed, but something had changed… as if the way the man saw her was now different from before. Like he had seen someone other than Harriet.
So, Harriet stepped gently, trying to get as close as possible to Liam, who was sitting with his back to her.
"Cough!" suddenly, the long blonde haired man coughed loudly. His coughs were so severe that the man lowered his head.
Harriet wanted to rush over to check on him, but then she saw this as an opportunity. She stepped even more cautiously closer and slid her hand through the book in front of Liam.
BAM!
"Ugh!"
"Madam!" Liam was surprised by the appearance of Harriet's hand that slipped to hold the book and reflexively closed the book so that it clamped the woman's hand in the fold of the book. "Goodness, what are you doing?"
Liam opened his book and took Harriet's hand out of it. He deftly pushed the book away from the edge of the table and looked at Harriet's hand.
"What are you doing, Milord?" asked Harriet back, looking annoyed.
Liam looked up from his seat to see Harriet staring at him with a complicated look.
"Does it hurt?" Liam asked, kissing Harriet's fingers deep and long. He closed his eyes, not wanting Harriet to see his guilty expression after hiding something from her.
Harriet pulled her hand away, but Liam held her back, pulled her closer and grabbed her other hand as well.
"Did Madam miss me?" he asked in a pitiful voice.
Harriet's gaze wavered. Whatever this man did, she couldn't get angry at him–
Harriet looked at the book at the end of the table, realizing that the cover had no title or author's name. Meanwhile, Liam wrapped his arms around Harriet's waist, and Harriet automatically hugged the man's head back in her stomach.
"You said you wanted us to suffer together. Why would you not tell me anything…" Harriet took a deep breath. "What exactly did Milord do lately?"
Harriet looked at the cane propped up against the table and furrowed her brows. Liam's condition became increasingly frail and tired, but why would this man do something without saying anything to anyone?
"Young Lord–" Daniel entered the library, about to approach Liam, but was surprised to see his two masters hugging each other.
"Sorry, I'll be back later," Daniel bowed deeply and backed away, preparing to turn away.
"Dan," Liam called without taking his arms off Harriet. "The one I asked you, have you got it?" Liam asked then.
"I-I, yes, Young Lord. I'll pick it up tomorrow in town," the man replied.
Liam looked up at Harriet and smiled. "Shall we go on a date to town tomorrow?" he asked Harriet, then he turned to Daniel, "I'll take the package myself, Daniel."
"But you've been really tired lately because of whatever you've been doing, right? How about we rest at the castle tomorrow? I'll be with you all day," said Harriet quietly.
Liam smiled but shook his head.
"I'll tell you something tomorrow, while we're taking a walk outside. But we will not go together. Meet me at the city roundabout at ten in the morning, so it will feel like a real date," said the man with a sweet smile and warm gaze.
Harriet sighed softly. She stroked the cheek of Liam who looked up at her and gently tickled the hair on his temple. The man closed his eyes, enjoying Harriet's touch, and Daniel still standing in the background felt that he had to get out of there.
"Alright, alright. I'll be sneaking out of the castle tomorrow morning," said Harriet, relenting.
Liam clenched his hands tightly in the air behind Harriet's waist in celebration. The man smiled with satisfaction and hugged his wife's waist again.
Harriet smiled helplessly. "Let's take a break for today, then. I'll be accompanying you, so don't do anything but lie down, okay?"
Daniel, who had retreated far away from them heard Liam's disappointed sigh and his innocent question, "You won't let me do it just once?"
The secretary blushed as he heard Harriet answer patiently, "Didn't we already do that many times last night?"
Madam was really good at adapting to the Young Lord's temptations–the man should start upping his game, Daniel thought in amusement.
***
The Old Duke and Heath sat opposite Crown Prince Heinrich. As they had expected, the young man was an experienced negotiator, and a great one too. Maybe on par with Harriet or even the Emperor.
They saw Heinrich drinking his tea quietly with perfect posture. Heath felt almost like he was facing his own sister, and the way Heinrich smiled was perfect too.
"Are you willing to consider my proposal?" asked the young man with black hair and red irises.
Heath glanced at the Old Duke, who still kept his expression flat. But deep down, they both knew they had to discuss this with Harriet before making a decision. They didn't want to be careless.
Heinrich leaned forward on the sofa.
"Please spare my brother's life. In exchange, I will ensure smooth relations between Almandine and the entire West Continent. Once again, I will offer peerage to the Amaryllis Lycans in the Hyacinth Kingdom. Even if Almandine pleases, we will also bestow a suitable title from our kingdom," Heinrich repeated his proposal, even adding to his offer.
By all accounts, this was an offer that was too good to be true, but also too good to pass up, even if it was meant to be a kind of trap.
"Okay. I'd ask the two of you to consider it first. I've decided to wait for your decision for a week," Heinrich said then.
"And if we refused?" asked the Old Duke dryly.
"For me, there is nothing to lose. But of course, our kingdom and Almandine won't be able to have a good relationship after that." Heinrich didn't even consider Goldlane and Amaryllis. Perhaps his main desire was to take the opportunity of making a connection with Almandine.
"So we can still kill your brother? Good," said the Old Duke, standing up contentedly.
Heinrich raised his eyebrows high, surprised.
Heath smiled helplessly seeing the two men's reactions.
"Don't worry, we'll consider it," he said to the Crown Prince but didn't stop the Old Duke from walking out of the room, ignoring Heinrich.
Heinrich looked at the back of Heath, who was following the Old Duke away. He thought that these two were really hard to deal with. The Old Duke would not change his mind, while Heath… there was something odd about the young man.
Heinrich, who was left alone in the room, let out a long sigh.
"What kind of offer will they accept?" he mumbled softly. His eyes stared angrily at the window. He remembered his father's words that threatened him before he left here.
He could not let his brother die, or the old man would take the title of the crown prince and give it to his illegitimate son. Heinrich didn't care about Julian's life, but he didn't want to let the king's illegitimate son become the next king. He was annoyed.
For now, he decided to just gather information. And that was difficult, considering he had no connection at all in this place. Even the Imperial Crown Prince, who seemed to dislike these monsters, was reluctant to help him. Who should he ask?
There was no living being that doesn't want anything. They must have had a weakness, and Heinrich only had a week to find it.
It was all his stupid little brother's fault. Why did he fail at such an easy attack? Got thwarted by ordinary noble even?
Useless.