OBS Chapter 3763 With Larus III
Chapter 3763 With Larus III
Chapter 3763 With Larus III
Shad sat down by the fireplace to read, expecting to wait for over an hour. But he had only just finished reading the story of Galina's great-grandfather and brother switching identities to fool the assassin when there was a knock at the door, followed by a familiar voice:
"Sir Hamilton, may I come in?"
This is Queen Diana's voice.
After giving birth to twin princes last year, Shad and the Queen did not meet frequently because he needed to recuperate. However, he would occasionally see her when he accompanied Galina to banquets during the winter vacation, so the two were not strangers.
Shad wondered what the Queen was doing here so late, and Queen Diana asked her very warmly:
"I just heard from Galina that you were waiting here to go to the study, so I stopped by to check on you. Knight, is there anything you need?"
This was clearly a lie; Queen Diana couldn't possibly have just known that Shad was coming tonight. Shad guessed this was a tactic the Queen used to win people over, and therefore replied:
"Good evening, Queen Diana. I don't need anything here for the time being. Galina has arranged everything very well."
Then he saw several young princesses behind Queen Diana as she entered. Lacey and Shad, who had come in with their sisters, exchanged a glance and then looked away, clearly very reluctant to be there.
Queen Diana didn't leave after just a few words. Instead, she had her servants bring her another chair, and she sat down with Shad in front of the fireplace to chat. The conversation revolved around royal life, and the princesses who had been brought along were also a topic of conversation.
She certainly didn't want Shad to develop any feelings for her daughters; her words implied that her daughters should treat Shad as an elder. If Lacey wasn't well-mannered, Shad believed she definitely wouldn't remain silent.
In short, thanks to Queen Diana's arrival, Shad wasn't so bored while waiting for the King's summons. Aside from Lacey's occasional twitching of the corner of her mouth, the atmosphere in the lounge was quite pleasant.
Queen Diana did not leave with her daughters until 6:50 p.m. During this time, Shad promised to visit Yodl Palace more often when he had time. Shad had never heard of this being a place that could be visited at will.
"It seems that this time it's really time to confirm my relationship with Galina."
After seeing the group off, Shad was still thinking to himself, but he wasn't nervous at all. After all, he would have to go through this kind of thing many more times. In the not-too-distant future, when he met King Larousse III and Queen Diana again as Lacey's lover, that would be the time when he should be nervous.
The meeting was supposed to be at 7 p.m., and surprisingly, it wasn't postponed. At 6:55 p.m., the attendant knocked on the door, and after straightening his coat, Xia De went out.
The previous visitor to the study had already left, and the eunuch attendant led Shad directly to the study door. As instructed by Galina beforehand, Shad knocked three times on the door, and only after receiving a "come in" reply did he push the door open and enter.
This was not his first time in the room. The huge study was not a standard square room; bookshelves lined the curved walls, while the king's desk was placed in the very center of the room.
Behind the imposing desk was a window, which was now bathed in moonlight. As for Lacia's father, Galina's nephew, the current King of the Kingdom of Delario, Larus III, he placed a pen on the pen holder, then clasped his hands together on the desk and looked at Shad as he entered.
King Larousse III, the "Fire Leaper," is 45 years old this year. His hair is somewhat thinning and his hairline is high, but his features are strong and his eyes are very bright. You can tell at a glance that he is the kind of person who is full of determination.
He had the Cavendish family's signature red hair, nodded to Shad, and then said to him:
"Please take a seat."
Generally, those invited to sit in the study are seated in chairs some distance from the king's desk, creating an interrogation-like atmosphere. But this time, the only empty chair was placed in front of the desk.
Shad walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He observed the king closely across the desk, while Larousse III also sized up Shad.
“Rider Hamilton, it’s been a long time. I’ve heard Aunt Galina mention you quite often lately, which is why I invited you to meet me tonight.”
He didn't exchange pleasantries with Xia De and went straight to the point:
“I heard about your relationship with Aunt Galina two years ago. As an elder, I will not interfere in her private life. However, her marriage will have an impact on the kingdom’s present and future, so there are some things I need to confirm.”
Xia De glanced at the documents on the desk, but these documents had nothing to do with Xia De, who had no intention of getting involved in politics:
"I understand, may I ask?"
"Have you and your Aunt Galina planned to get married in the future?"
“We had planned it, and we even discussed getting engaged a while ago, but Jialina said it wasn’t the right time.”
The king nodded:
Have you planned your life after marrying your aunt?
This is a rather broad question, but Shad knows what Larousse III wants to know:
“I’ve thought about it, but I don’t plan to move away from No. 6 Place Saint-Delan. The environment there is very nice, and the neighbors are very friendly.”
"Yes, it feels like just yesterday that Mr. Smith was sitting in your spot discussing economic statements with me."
Whether I should give up my detective career depends on whether the situation stabilizes in the future. Galina said she wanted to find me a leisurely job at the city hall, and I think that's an arrangement worth considering.
"The Duke's husband is no longer suited to be a detective; the job at the city hall is quite good. You've performed very well in MI6 these past few years, and as a detective, you've assisted in solving many major cases. After you get married, I will arrange a viscount title for you."
From knight to viscount, he had officially entered the aristocratic class. However, considering that Shad was going to marry the most powerful duchess in the country, the title of viscount was merely to make him a match for Galina's status.
What are your views on the domestic political situation?
King Larousse III asked another question, and Shad was already used to this fast-paced question-and-answer session:
“I have no interest in politics. I’ll just continue working at MI6. I really enjoy this job.”
This was to make it clear that he would not take Galina away from Tobesk in the future, that he had no intention of seeking political power as the Duke's husband, nor did he intend to use his status as a "relative of the emperor" to seek personal gain.
King Larousse III shook his head:
"You can't just give up everything. After the murder during last year's city equestrian competition, you were promoted to colonel."
This refers to the official reward given to Shad after he assisted the church in dealing with the "Faceless Man," which included a promotion of Shad's treatment in MI6 to "Deputy Director level," only one level below Director Anlos.
"So when the war starts, I can arrange a cushy job in military logistics for you, and promote your rank a little higher."
The outbreak of war brought not only disaster, but also many opportunities that were not available in peacetime. This is one of the important reasons why there are powerful pro-war factions in both the North and South.
"Let's discuss it with Galina."
Shad said this, meaning he would follow Galina's arrangements completely. King Larousse III showed no reaction to this; his next question was the most crucial:
"By the way, do you still keep in touch with Princess Margaret Anjou of Carsenrick?"
There were only two answers in front of Xia De, and it was a single choice—
Choosing to maintain contact might be seen as disloyalty by the king, but it would also demonstrate one's worth; choosing not to maintain contact, while expressing loyalty, would also appear as incompetence.
The choice of which answer to give depended on what Larousse III valued more, and Shad gave his reply almost immediately:
“We also communicate regularly. Princess Margaret invited me to visit Willendale before the war, but I chose not to go after the year-end holiday.”
King Larousse III showed a satisfied expression:
"Don't break off this contact. It's not that I'm trying to get you to pry into anything. We've never been completely without communication with the Anjou royal family. Some seemingly useless exchanges can be very useful at the right time. You don't need to worry about this. I'll explain it to Aunt Galina."
"I see."
Shad then realized that his answer was correct, or rather, that Larousse III did indeed fit the outsider's "stereotype".
Galina had said that the meeting would last about twenty minutes, and the rest of the time would not be for questions and answers, but for Larousse III to inquire about Shad’s family situation and talk to him about the many rules of royal weddings.
This was somewhat similar to Queen Diana's earlier casual conversation with Shad to build rapport, except His Majesty the King was clearly less adept at this than his wife. However, Shad had meticulously noted down the details of the royal wedding, which would certainly prove useful in the future.
After tonight, Shad also believed he would have a more important identity as an ordinary person. Tonight's meeting in the King's study confirmed Shad's identity as the "Duchess's fiancé," which was not only King Larousse III's attempt to stabilize the domestic political situation, but also likely intended to appease Galina.
However, Shad didn't care about these things. After all, Larousse III had shown enough respect to Galina. His Majesty the King knew very well that as long as his aunt existed, the royal family would not be interrupted, no matter how great the disaster.
The night in Tobesk was calm and quiet. As winter drew to a close, the city's nightlife had lost the hustle and bustle of summer. The lights in the king's study were bright. As he discussed marriage—a topic accessible to ordinary people—with King Larousse III, even this outsider felt a beautiful vision of the future.