Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 57

YOUR GRACE, WHATEVER HAS YOU SO DISPLEASED?

GRAND DUCHESS OF DOPANE NARKEHATRA

WHO WOULD DARE UPSET YOU SO?

MY DUCHESS.

WHAT HAS BEEN WEIGHING ON YOUR MIND LATELY?

PLEASE, ALLOW ME TO SHARE EVEN A FRACTION OF YOUR GRACE'S BURDENS.

HMM...

A BEAUTIFUL FACE, AN ELEGANT TONGUE,

AND THE CHARM TO DOUSE MY ANGER IN AN INSTANT.

WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF SHE WAS BORN A COURTESAN.

AH, THAT TICKLES.

THE EMPIRE CONTINUES TO BE A NUISANCE. THAT IS WHAT WAS TROUBLING ME.

IT DISPLEASES ME GREATLY HOW THEY KEEP DANGLING THE MINE OVER OUR HEADS AS LEVERAGE.

THEY HAVE CROSSED A LINE.

HOW DARE THEY SCHEME TO SWALLOW THE CRYOSTONE MINE WHOLE.

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY.

THAT CROWN PRINCE... FOR SOMEONE WHO LOOKS SO IMMACULATE, HE CERTAINLY LEAVES A FILTHY TRAIL BEHIND.

INDEED. HIS OUTWARD APPEARANCE WAS FLAWLESS...

CROWN PRINCE ALEJANDRO...

WITH THAT HANDSOME FACE,

AND THE IMMENSE POWER OF BEING THE FUTURE EMPEROR.

HE TRULY WAS THE PERFECT MAN.

SO MUCH SO, IT WAS A WONDER HE REMAINED UNMARRIED.

WHAT IF...

IF THE REASON HE REMAINED SINGLE... WAS SIMPLY BECAUSE HE HADN'T MET A CAPTIVATING ENOUGH WOMAN...

AH...

SEDUCING A MAN WHO CANNOT BE EASILY CLAIMED... WHAT A DELIGHTFUL GAME THAT WOULD BE.

IF ONLY I WEREN'T THE GRAND DUCHESS...

MY DUCHESS?

I WAS JUST LOST IN THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT.

THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MUST ENSURE THE EMPIRE NEVER LOOKS DOWN ON US...

WE NEED TO SECURE EVEN GREATER POWER.

OH? AND DO YOU HAVE A BRILLIANT SCHEME IN MIND?

I WOULDN'T CALL IT BRILLIANT...

IT'S QUITE SIMPLE, REALLY. IF WE CONQUER PARNASSUS...

PARNASSUS?

THAT KINGDOM IS GUARDED BY A YOUNG GOD OF WAR. IT WILL NOT BE EASY.

IF YOU MEAN GRAND GENERAL HEIBERG...

I HAVE JUST THE STRATEGY IN MIND.

NO MATTER HOW MAGNIFICENT A COMMANDER HE MAY BE...

WHAT USE IS A GENERAL WITHOUT AN ARMY?

OH?

HAHAHA!

BRILLIANT! THAT WILL WORK PERFECTLY.

IF WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT... UNIFYING THE THREE NATIONS WILL BE WELL WITHIN OUR GRASP.

YOU TRULY ARE THE LIVING INCARNATION OF THE ROSE, BLESSED WITH BOTH FLAWLESS BEAUTY AND INTELLECT!

I HEARD THE QUEEN'S MOTHER WAS A NOMAD FROM THE WEST.

I AM TRULY CURIOUS IF SHE ACTUALLY RESEMBLES ME.

JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL MUST SHE BE... TO HAVE BEWITCHED EVEN THE GRAND GENERAL?

COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE ANYONE IN THIS WORLD MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN YOU?

THE RUMORS MUST BE WILDLY EXAGGERATED.

HOW ENTERTAINING THIS WILL BE.

SEE YOU SOON,

WALTER HEIBERG.

I'M JUST GLAD THERE WAS NO SPRING FROST.

I WONDER HOW THE GRAPEVINES BACK IN MY TERRITORY ARE DOING.

MY GOODNESS.

ARE YOU REALLY GOING SO FAR AS TO PLANT A VINEYARD INSIDE THE ROYAL PALACE?

Unbelievable, truly.

PRETENDING NOT TO HEAR

JUST HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE WINE, ANYWAY?

I bet you even sleep hugging a bottle at night.

YOU MUST NOT TOUCH THE SAPLINGS SO CARELESSLY!

I WAS MERELY GOING TO GIVE IT A LIGHT TOUCH, YOU KNOW.

Honestly!

YOUR MAJESTY SIMPLY DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROFOUND DEPTHS OF GARDENING.

ANYONE WATCHING WOULD THINK THE PLANT WAS THE KING

I WAS UTTERLY DUMBFOUNDED WHEN I SAW YOU DUMP TEN SUGAR CUBES INTO A VASE.

THAT WAS...!

MY HANDMAIDEN TOLD ME THEY WOULD LAST LONGER THAT WAY!

OF COURSE, I DIDN'T REALIZE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO PUT THAT MANY IN...

I don't do that anymore.

UGH, NEVER MIND THAT.

JUST READ THIS.

WHAT IS IT?

AN INVITATION TO YOUR MAJESTY FROM DOPANE... AT A TIME LIKE THIS?

ISN'T IT OBVIOUS THIS IS A TRAP?

SO YOU THINK SO TOO?

EVEN SO, I MUST GO.

IF I REFUSE, THE PRESTIGE OF PARNASSUS WILL BE DRAGGED THROUGH THE DIRT...

NO. I WILL NOT LET YOU GO.

Those bastards from Dopane..

BUT WHAT OF OUR REPUTATION...?

YOUR MAJESTY'S SAFETY IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR REPUTATION.

TO A PLACE SO FRAUGHT WITH DANGER...

I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT ALLOW YOUR MAJESTY TO GO.