Chapter 175

Chapter 175. The Contract, a Small Horse Pulling a Great Cart

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the royal capital of Orlandia, the chill of autumn seemed to have seeped into every corner of this city of power.

Marquess ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Claude and Minister of Intelligence Bernard, upon whom Duke Federico had placed great hopes, finally ended their long journey to the Southern Frontier and returned travel-worn to the royal capital.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment they stepped through the city gate, Marquess Claude keenly sensed the subtle change in Orlandia’s atmosphere.

There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed to be more soldiers patrolling the streets, and a stifling tension lingered in the air, far heavier than when they had left.

Without ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the slightest delay, the two brought several trusted personal guards and went straight to the Blazing Sun Palace.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍palace guards had clearly received orders in advance. The moment they saw the two men, they immediately saluted respectfully.

They led them through layer after layer of guards until they arrived before the office of Regent Federico.

Two Golden Lion Knights wearing golden cloaks stood solemnly on either side. Seeing the two men arrive, they immediately pushed open the heavy door for them.

Inside the office, Duke Federico was standing before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door as he looked out at the gray sky beyond.

His figure was still tall and straight, but on closer inspection, that well-tailored noble formalwear seemed somewhat empty on him.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, he slowly turned around.

“Claude, Bernard,” Federico said, his voice somewhat hoarse.

“You have finally returned. How did the mission go?”

Marquess Claude stepped forward, placed his right hand over his chest, and saluted. Then he took a thick dossier from within his coat, sealed with wax and decorated with intricate golden patterns.

He presented it with both hands. “Your Grace, we have brought good news from this journey. After difficult negotiations, we finally reached a contract.

“Perhaps... it can provide some substantial help for our current predicament.”

He paused briefly, then added, “Most of the clauses in the contract are within the framework of the authority you granted us beforehand.

“But some of the specific details were added after Minister Bernard and I discussed them together according to the situation in the Southern Frontier.

“We... finally persuaded Duke Hackson.

“Of course, whether to accept it in the end is entirely for you to decide.”

He hesitated. “The most important prerequisite among them is... Please read it yourself, Your Grace.”

Federico accepted the heavy dossier. It felt cool and smooth to the touch.

On the cover of the dossier, the family crest of House Medici of the Southern Frontier was clearly branded—a coiling venomous serpent and gold coins.

Below it was Duke Hackson Medici’s handwritten signature.

Along the edge were the additional signatures of Marquess Claude and Minister of Intelligence Bernard as special envoys of the kingdom, serving as witnesses.

Federico walked behind his desk and sat down. He slowly spread the dossier open across the tabletop and began reading it word by word.

Only the faint sound of parchment turning and the distant noise of the city outside the window remained in the office. The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

The contents of the contract were long and detailed, but at their core, they revolved around two major matters, with extremely exhaustive implementation details attached.

The first clause concerned the internal stability of the kingdom and the alliance.

Its main content was that House Medici would formally form an alliance with House La Roche, and together they would assist the young King Aiden I.

Before His Majesty the King came of age and ruled in person, the Western Frontier and the Southern Frontier would jointly preserve the unity and peace of the Kingdom of Orlando.

As an ally, House Medici of the Southern Frontier promised to provide Regent Federico with the large quantity of grain aid he urgently needed.

When necessary, they would also dispatch a considerable number of troops to help him stabilize the turbulent situation in the royal capital and the Royal Domain, suppressing any possible voices of opposition.

However, all this support did not come without a price.

The core of that price was this: King Aiden I had to formally marry Isabella Medici, the legitimate daughter of Duke Hackson of House Medici, as Queen of the Kingdom of Orlando.

In this way, House Medici would become the queen’s family in both name and reality, and their daughter’s son would possess the right of succession to the throne.

At the same time, the contract demanded that Count Belin, who currently held the office of Minister of Finance with the support of House Russell of the Eastern Frontier, be removed from his position.

He would be replaced by Marquess Bourbon, who came from a Southern Frontier background. Of course, the timing would be left for Federico to choose.

The second clause concerned the war against the Eastern Frontier and the distribution of interests.

The contract declared that if Federico was willing, in the name of the Kingdom of Orlando and the Regent of the Kingdom, to formally launch a war against House Russell of the Eastern Frontier,

then House Medici and the entire Southern Frontier would fully support Federico’s military action, even agreeing to serve as the vanguard of the offensive.

Correspondingly, the price House Medici demanded was also extremely high.

After House Russell fell, all nine important coastal cities and ports that originally belonged to the Eastern Frontier and bordered Southern Frontier territory—

including Waveport City, Conch Harbor, Gullwing City, Siren Bay, and others—would have to be transferred in full to House Medici in both ownership and jurisdiction.

In addition, thirty percent of the kingdom’s trade routes currently controlled by House Russell would have to be transferred to House Medici.

House Medici would also take full control of House Russell’s exclusive sea routes and trade privileges with overseas powers such as the Midsummer Isles.

To show their sincerity, House Medici promised

that from the profits they gained by operating the new routes, they would set aside thirty percent and submit it to House La Roche of the Western Frontier for a period of ten years.

Federico’s gaze slowly swept over those cold words.

Every clause was like a carefully polished dagger, carving up the kingdom’s territory and authority, and carving into his dignity and ideals as Regent as well.

But there was still no expression on his face.

He spent a long time finishing the entire contract, including the cumbersome details at the end.

Then he silently pushed the dossier back before Marquess Claude.

“Your Grace? This...” Marquess Claude looked at Federico’s unusually calm reaction with some confusion.

He asked tentatively, “What is your opinion? Should we...”

At one side, seeing Federico remain silent, Bernard thought he was furious or dissatisfied with the Southern Frontier’s overly greedy demands.

He hurriedly lowered his voice and explained, “Your Grace, please calm your anger.

“House Medici’s initial demands were even more outrageous. This is already the result Lord Claude and I achieved after exhausting every effort and arguing for reason.

“They... they are simply taking advantage of our current difficulties...

“And indeed, before they have even done anything, they are already demanding thirty percent of the sea routes controlled by the Eastern Frontier and the overseas routes. That is truly...”

Federico raised his hand, signaling for Bernard to say no more.

He nodded lightly, his gaze still resting on the contract.

“That daughter of Duke Hackson, Isabella Medici... have you met her? What do you think of her?”

Claude and Bernard both froze for a moment. They had not expected Federico to suddenly concern himself with the subject of the marriage alliance.

Claude looked toward Bernard. He had not paid much attention to such details.

Bernard wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead and tried hard to recall.

“Er... Your Grace, regarding Miss Isabella, I did... inquire into a few things.”

He chose his words carefully. “Through certain... methods, I bribed a personal maid who served her.

“According to that maid, this young lady’s temper... is likely not very good.

“But as for her appearance, she has indeed inherited the traits of House Medici. She may be called a peerless beauty, only that beauty carries venomous thorns as well...”

“How old is she?” Federico asked, his voice revealing no emotion.

“She is twenty years old,” Bernard immediately answered.

Federico closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

When he opened his eyes again, only exhaustion and calm remained within them.

“Good...” he said in a low, hoarse voice. “You have done very well. You have worked hard. I will consider the specific rewards later.”

He looked at Marquess Claude and gestured with his eyes toward the contract on the desk and the quill beside it.

“Claude, you... sign my name for me.”

A trace of puzzlement flashed through Marquess Claude’s eyes. For a contract of such importance, the signature should usually be written personally.

But he did not ask further. He merely answered respectfully, “Yes, Your Grace.”

He picked up the quill, dipped it in ink, and neatly wrote the name “Federico La Roche” in the place where Federico’s signature was required.

Federico watched the ink dry. Then he picked up the steel seal beside him that represented the authority of the Regent of the Kingdom and pressed it heavily over the signature.

It made a dull thud, as though some irreversible fate had been sealed into place.

After finishing all this, he drew his hand back beneath the table. That hand was trembling even more obviously.

He had no choice but to hide it behind his back and clench it tightly to barely suppress the tremor.

Seeing that the great matter had been settled, a hidden gleam flashed through Bernard’s eyes. He immediately bowed and said,

“Your Grace, since your will is decided, Marquess Bourbon of the Southern Frontier also accompanied our party to the royal capital and is currently waiting outside the palace.

“Should I... invite him in now so that he can discuss the specific details of the coming aid with you?”

Federico seemed to have exhausted all his strength. His voice was almost inaudible as he merely waved his hand lightly.

“Mm... go...”