Chapter 270

“Well....”

The man faltered as though at a loss for words, then finally managed to speak.

“As you already know... most of House Siorcan’s vassals aren’t particularly pleased with you. And now that dissatisfaction is spreading to the Eastern Noble Alliance as well. With the civil war making the political situation unstable and my brother frequently away, while you....”

When he hesitated without finishing, Talia twisted her lips into a mocking smile.

“I suppose they’ve started whispering behind my back that the useless bastard princess should be dragged down from the position of Grand Duchess?”

An uncomfortable look crossed Lucas’s face. Talia let out a derisive chuckle, strode up to him, and abruptly grabbed the loose front of his coat.

“So what?”

“No, what I mean is... I thought that if you started making public appearances, perhaps those rumors would die down....”

“I’m asking why you care what they say about me.”

She stared searchingly into his tawny eyes. His widely dilated pupils trembled ever so slightly. Narrowing her eyes at that suspicious reaction, Talia asked probingly,

“Wouldn’t it be better for all of you to remove me as Grand Duchess and welcome a proper new one instead?”

Lucas, who had gone rigid with surprise, roughly shook off her hand and stepped backward. He busily straightened his disheveled clothes before replying bluntly,

“With the situation already this unstable, if domestic affairs fall into chaos as well, won’t that only make things harder for my brother? The East will remain united only if you establish your position as Grand Duchess.”

Despite the fairly plausible explanation, Talia narrowed her eyes, unable to completely dispel her suspicions. Seemingly somewhat fed up with her attitude, Lucas let out a heavy sigh and added stiffly,

“While my brother is fighting for his life on the battlefield, do you really want him to have to argue with his own vassals over you as well?”

The remark struck directly at her weak point, and all color instantly drained from Talia’s face. Sensing the change in her emotions, Khan immediately raised the fur all over his body and bared his teeth. Talia noticed several merchants staring at them with frightened eyes and quickly bent down to calm the dire wolf. Then she asked in a stiff voice,

“What exactly do you want me to do?”

“I’m not asking for anything extraordinary.”

Lucas’s tone softened considerably.

“Nothing beyond the bare minimum of public duties you should perform as Grand Duchess.”

“Be more specific.”

“Appear at official events, establish relationships with nobles and influential people in Kalmor, inspect the territory... things like that.”

Talia looked down at the stone pavement by her feet, lost in thought. Just as Lucas had said, she couldn’t remain a burden to Varkas forever.

She hesitated for a long while with her arms wrapped around Khan’s neck before finally nodding.

“Fine. I don’t think that much will be difficult.”

A faint look of relief crossed Lucas’s face. His expression visibly softened as he spoke.

“You’ve made the right choice. Then let me introduce you to a few people I know.”

Perhaps worried that she might change her mind on a whim, he quickly headed toward the tent where the nobles had gathered. Talia reluctantly followed him with Khan.

The crowd murmured for a moment at the appearance of the enormous wolf, but as soon as they recognized her, everyone rose from their seats and paid their respects.

Talia barely acknowledged their greetings before taking a seat in the innermost part of the tent, where Kalmor’s city councilors and influential merchants came over to introduce themselves.

Other prominent figures from various cities also approached her, suppressing even their fear of Khan to strike up conversations.

Talia forced herself to respond while concealing how miserable she found the entire ordeal. She could pour out sarcasm and insults as fluently as she pleased, but she possessed not the slightest talent for social pleasantries, making these empty conversations unbearably tedious.

She stalled for time by pretending to sip the drinks offered by servants, then hurriedly rose from her seat when the auction was nearly over.

“I want to go outside now. It’s so noisy my head hurts.”

Lucas, who had been speaking with the guildmaster of the Merchants’ Guild, carefully examined her complexion before readily nodding.

“All right. Let’s head back.”

Without delay, she made her way toward the entrance of the tent.

Once outside, she found the streets considerably less crowded. The people who had packed the road, which was wide enough for three or four carriages to pass side by side, had dwindled by nearly half, and the stalls that had densely lined both sides were gradually being dismantled.

She watched the merchants loading unsold goods onto carts and the laborers they had hired, then turned toward the city gates. At this hour, the roads were crowded with returning carriages and freight wagons, so it would be faster to take the route around the outside of the walls.

They soon left the city center and passed through an arched gate on the western side. They were about to stop at a nearby rental station to hire a carriage when Talia spotted a familiar figure below the gently sloping road.

She carefully studied the woman walking down the dirt road. Wearing a dark brown robe over a light-colored tunic, Tiuran was slowly making her way along with a medical bag slung over one shoulder.

‘Is she going to see a patient?’

Talia frowned in displeasure. Softhearted and unable to mind her own business, Tiuran could never refuse requests from those around her and often made house calls outside the city walls. Someone must have asked her for help again, and she had been unable to turn them down.

Talia hurried after her with Khan. The guards who had been waiting a short distance away quickly stepped in front of her with startled expressions.

“Where are you going?”

“My healer is over there. I need to bring her back to the castle.”

The fierce-looking man frowned and scanned the street. Apparently unable to immediately pick Tiuran out of the crowd, he shrugged and replied indifferently,

“Perhaps you were mistaken.”

“I’m not! She’s right there!”

The man barely glanced in the direction she pointed before replying dismissively,

“Even if she is, she must have come out because she has business in the village. Surely there’s no need to personally take her back to the castle.”

“You idiot! The sun will be setting soon. What are you going to do if something happens to Tiuran while she’s wandering around alone?”

At her fierce rebuke, an incredulous look appeared on the guard’s face. Apparently, he had remembered the incident when she herself had run away.

Talia practically ground her teeth as she shouted,

“Anyway, I’m taking her back to the castle myself, so stop arguing and follow me.”

Before the soldiers could stop her, she pushed through the crowd. People startled by the appearance of the enormous wolf scattered to either side, allowing her to catch up with Tiuran in no time.

Talia limped down the uneven dirt road and quickly grabbed the hem of Tiuran’s clothes.

“Where are you going at this hour?”

Tiuran’s shoulders jerked in surprise at the sudden attack. When she recognized Talia, her eyes widened.

“Your Highness, what brings you to a place like this...?”

“I went to the textile market, and I’m on my way back to the castle.”

Talia gestured with her chin toward the soldiers standing behind her, then turned back to Tiuran.

“What about you?”

“I was just going to visit the elderly mother of a traveling merchant who often comes to the castle. I heard she hasn’t been well.”

“At this hour?”

“I have my duties at the castle during the day, so....”

Tiuran trailed off with an awkward expression. Talia regarded her with displeasure before speaking somewhat stiffly.

“Even so, you can’t wander around outside the walls alone at this hour.”

“It’s all right. I carry a weapon for self-defense, and if it gets too late, I can simply rent a room in the village.”

“No! Come back with me today. I’ll give you a separate day off, so you can visit her then.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I was told the patient’s condition is serious and specifically asked to come today. I can’t turn back now.”

Tiuran spoke firmly.

Talia looked briefly surprised by her unusually stubborn attitude, but then tightened her grip on Tiuran’s clothes and declared,

“Fine. Then I’m coming with you. I’ll wait until you’re finished treating her.”