Chapter 111 - 38: Covert Action

Chapter 111: Chapter 38: Covert Action

"Your Highness! That man’s attitude is outrageous! You’re a Princess, how dare he ignore you in public like that?"

Inside the brand-new office.

Rebecca grumbled in protest as she wiped down a table.

Lilia sat in an area that had already been cleaned, casually flipping through some documents from a nearby cabinet. "It’s to be expected."

’Is the title of Princess really so revered?’

’These lords in remote regions are used to acting like local tyrants. Even Adrian’s arrival might not be enough to intimidate them.’

’Let alone a powerless little princess like me.’

’He was only caught off guard because he hadn’t expected me to suddenly invoke the King’s name and present a letter of appointment issued by the King himself. Once Viscount Belmont has time to process it, there’s no telling how he’ll try to ostracize and target me.’

Back at the Royal Court, this feeling wasn’t as pronounced.

But after leaving, Lilia suddenly realized.

’No matter how noble one’s status, it has to be backed by corresponding power or strength.’

’Only by being strong enough can I obtain what I desire.’

’Whether it’s the respect of others, or...’

’...the confidence to interfere in Ovis’s internal affairs.’

Lilia put down the document in her hands.

It was full of jumbled tax data, clearly filled out haphazardly and utterly useless.

She looked up at Rebecca. "Did Viscount Belmont say when he would come for the handover?"

"Not yet."

Rebecca shook her head. "He said that since Your Highness has traveled a long way, you ought to rest for a few days first. He also mentioned that he wasn’t aware a Princess was arriving, so the welcome banquet he’d prepared isn’t up to standard, and he asked for a few more days to make new arrangements."

At this, the young woman’s expression finally softened a little. "I guess he knows his place after all."

’He isn’t treating Her Highness like a nobody.’

But Lilia laughed. "Knows his place? He’s just stalling for time."

Rebecca blinked. "Huh?"

"He’s ignoring my request for a handover and is only holding a welcome banquet that’s all for show and serves no other purpose."

Lilia continued, "If that’s not just going through the motions, what is?"

No matter how grand and splendid the banquet might be, Lilia didn’t believe the Viscount truly held her in high regard.

He still just saw her as a pretty vase.

After Lilia explained it, Rebecca understood.

The young woman immediately became indignant. "How could he!"

"Then what should we do? Should we go confront him directly?"

Rebecca clenched her fists, clearly ready to charge into battle for Lilia at a moment’s notice.

"No."

Lilia smiled. "Since he sees me as a pretty vase, then that’s what I’ll be."

"At least... a pretty vase has more freedom than an opponent, don’t you think?"

Rebecca blinked.

She didn’t quite understand what Lilia meant.

But Lilia didn’t need her to understand.

’It’s enough that she knows how to follow my instructions.’

When Veronica and the others learned she was coming to Navia, they weren’t in the best of moods.

Leo tried to persuade her several times, and Chris was even more clingy, trying to make her change her mind by acting pitiful.

As for Veronica...

She was also reluctant to see her go, but she thought more deeply than her two foolish younger brothers.

After all, she was the one who had first proposed the strategy: make a name for oneself in a fiefdom, prove one’s strength and ability, and thus naturally catch the eye of the King and the nobles to become a more competitive candidate.

Now, Lilia had also asked the King for a fiefdom...

It was inevitable that Veronica would read into it.

Veronica was filled with all sorts of suspicions. She had even thought about marching right up to Lilia and demanding to know why she had gone back on her word after saying she had no interest in the throne.

But...

Lilia was also a Princess.

She had just as much right to inherit the throne.

So, ever since Lilia decided to come to Navia, Veronica hadn’t seen her again.

However, just before her departure, she had sent Lilia a number of talented administrators.

She didn’t appear in person but wrote in a letter of recommendation that there was no question about these people’s abilities; whether to trust them was up to Lilia to decide.

If Lilia thought they were spies sent by her, she could just leave them all in the Royal Capital.

Lilia completely ignored this "reminder" at the end of the letter.

’So what if they’re spies or moles? I don’t believe Veronica would act against me. Based on our interactions over the past six months, she’s proud and competitive, sure, but that’s exactly why she scorns using underhanded tactics to win.’

At any rate.

With the people Veronica had sent, even if Viscount Belmont refused to cooperate, Lilia could slowly get a grasp on the situation in Navia County.

After all, the place was only so big. Belmont could keep his own mouth shut, but he couldn’t silence the populace.

You could learn a lot just by going out and seeing things for yourself.

With Belmont ignoring her, Lilia could take this opportunity to explore all of Navia.

And so it was.

While Lilia was running around everywhere with the bunch of experts Veronica had sent her,

Viscount Belmont was also closely monitoring her situation.

He learned that the Little Princess had done nothing these past few days but change into different clothes each day to go shopping and have fun with different people.

He could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Previously, when he’d decided to brush Lilia off, deliberately stall for time, and refuse the handover, Viscount Belmont had been apprehensive. He had been afraid that the Little Princess—who had used the King’s authority to pressure him at their very first meeting—would sense something was amiss. He feared she might disregard her status and come cause a huge scene.

But now, it seemed...

’She doesn’t seem as difficult to deal with as I thought.’

’Her earlier act of invoking the King’s name probably wasn’t an attempt to turn the tables and intimidate me, as I’d first interpreted it. Rather, she must be a spoiled little princess, used to being doted on, who couldn’t stand being ignored and was just using that method to get attention. Just as I expected. She’s exactly as her appearance suggests—just a playful little girl.’

Viscount Belmont was completely reassured. He ordered his subordinates to make sure the welcome banquet in a few days was splendid so that the Princess would have a good time.

"By the way."

Belmont thought of something else. "How has that Mr. Rockwell been lately?"

His subordinate bowed and replied, "He’s very quiet. He rarely makes any requests. He leaves early every morning and only returns after nightfall."

Navia Town was remote and had almost no inns, so both Lilia and Victor were staying in the Lord’s castle.

Belmont had placed people to watch both of them.

He asked further, "Do you know where he’s been going?"

"Our men didn’t dare follow too closely, so we can’t be certain."

The subordinate continued, "But the direction... it should be the Valgipps Mountain Range."