44 'I’ll take care of him'

After a few moments, Vance inhaled deeply. He began to tell them the truth about himself—about his family, Priscilla, and Amelia, and the threats his position has incurred to Amelia specifically. About the possibility that Walton was working closely with Uric, and other things that seemed relevant to his cause.

"If that were the case, wouldn't going there and killing your cousin an answer?" the Felfords' head said.

"If it were that easy, I would've done it long ago." Vance simply answered. "I have yet to uncover Walton's involvement in all this, so I can't put my foot down and decide right away. I still need concrete evidence, and then when I'm through with him, I'll leave for Pradour."

"Well, that bastard's as slimy as a slug. He also has a good head on his shoulders. It's just sad that he's not using it for a better cause."

"That's why I would like to deal with him as soon as possible."

"If Amelia's safety relied on him being caught then, we, the Whitt family, as well as the Felfords are always at the disposal of House Florence," Reignold said it so proudly that Alexander wished someone like him was as loyal to him and his family back in Thuenia too. But there was a dozen at least, then nothing more. Everyone's out for their own good and he can't blame it for it.

"So, we need to expose that Walton guy first, then we can proceed to the main course?" all eyes turned to the soft-spoken Milly. Even her manners did not suit among them rough ones.

"You say it like it's so easy," Leticia murmured.

"Play your cards right, and any lady can be as valuable as a battalion of armies." She answered somewhat sarcastically. "Now," Milly looked at each one of them in the room, "Some of you might think how I fit in in all of this, but I've been gathering crucial information for House Mulford for years. All the while, enjoying myself fully as a lady."

"So, in short, you're saying that you let your body do the work?" Leticia meant it literally.

The lady beside Alexander smiled playfully, "Intoxicating things are intoxicating, regardless of form."

Leticia raised a brow, but it was Alexander who spoke.

"And if you're caught?" he asked. If what Leticia meant was correct, she's using her body to get close to whoever her target was and milk the information out of him to give it to Vernon. No sane person—a lady matter-of-factly—would volunteer without the reassurance that she could still use her head if something worse happened. And for the duke to use such ways? There's still a lot about Vernon that Alexander didn't know, he thought.

"If they get to be alive long enough to know it," she said plainly, and all, except for Vernon, frowned. Even Reignold, who wasn't minding it earlier, turned to look closely at Milly. "I'm fairly new to the business," she continued. "But, you see, the jewelry I make is not solely for fashion. However, they do look quite fashionable. It's meant for more lethal things to be stored, like poisons and small daggers. They're not limited to just fancy crystals too. I also make mechanical accessories that could hide a small poison-infused needle in a ring. I still have a lot to learn, and my experience isn't that vast, but I know I'm good at what I do. Great even."

"So, you're like an assassin?" Alexander asked.

"I don't know if you could call me that." She answered, looking at the old man across the far end of the table with a scrutinizing eye towards her. "Most assassins do covert missions, do they not? They lay in wait, observe, and be as quiet as a mouse getting close to a hawk's nest. But I'm not like that." Milly shook her head and leaned on the cushioned high-back chair, "I like to barge in and walk confidently, flaunting myself. I like the challenge of getting to know a man only to destroy him." the formerly graceful aura around Milly slowly lifted as she continued with her story; replaced with a cunning, almost devious one.

A laugh was heard from the Felfords' head. He leaned back and placed a hand on the table. "I like the way you think," he said, nodding approvingly.

Milly smiled at him. She slowly placed a hand on her chest and gave the old man a light nod, fluttering her lashes as she opened them when she lifted her head and said, "And I'd love it if you consider doing business with me. Imagine how revolutionary it would be for your clan to have your skills and my devices."

"Ah, grabbing the opportunity. I like it," the old man snapped his finger. "Ain't she perfect for my grandson?" Reignold suddenly noted, hitting Vernon's arm with the back of his hand. "I'll send you an invitation to visit our home when things aren't as hectic. If you impress me just one more time, I might consider teaching you the family's secret." a calculative smile emerged from the old man. It was of no doubt that he was impressed. And as he said, he might consider teaching her if she managed to blow his mind off. Such things were unheard of.

The Felfords taking in an outsider has not happened yet. From what the young duke have heard, they value exclusivity and were very close-knitted. Alexander heard that even their spouses were not made aware of their clan's actual business, only that they deal with trading across the empire and out.

But it wasn't time to be talking about marriage or teaching new things. It's still far in the future. What's looming near was the fact that Amelia was assaulted recently, and not only that but they were also being watched last night. If the one stalking them were from either House Mulford or the assassin siblings, then Elias wouldn't be as agitated as he seemed last night. His anger towards him and his action was proof enough that he didn't have any idea where Amelia was—and that his concern was genuine and not something to just show off to him.

"Going back to the request of Vance Tho—or should I call you by your real name, or maybe your status?" Alexander looked back at the old advisor who barely joined in the earlier conversation between Reignold and Milly.

"You can call me Vance like you used to. No need to be so formal now. I don't even know if I wanted to take the position back at Pradour." Vance answered rather softly than the firmer voice he's had earlier. Listening to him made Alexander think that he's a little disheartened—doubting and sad maybe—that he has become the very reason why the one he's trying to protect now faced danger and the meeting made him realize that it was indeed the case. But his eyes were determined.

"As my brother has mentioned, let's get back to what we came here for." Leticia butted in as she leaned closer to the table. Her elbows were on the table as her finger met at the center, intertwined, and her chin rested lightly on her thumbs. "What Vance needs is for his men to come to Creador without restrictions; correct me if I'm wrong, but I understood that he didn't want them to go through the usual process of checking everyone that left the port. I heard that port regulations have been strict lately, with the pending news of a coup going around. A messenger arrived yesterday that a few of the empire ships' cargoes have been thoroughly checked, opened even, despite the certificates they presented."

"It's that bad?" It was Milly who asked.

"Well, I get why they're like that. Armament reinforcements might end up sneaking into the enemy's hands. And anyone who leaves Pradour could be a spy or someone asking for help to kingdoms and other places that could come to aid the Grand Duke." Vernon answered, drinking his glass empty, and placing it back on the tray beside the bottle of wine he opened earlier.

Everyone nodded understandingly, and Alexander's sister continued, "And I think I am here because I need to be the one to take his men off of Pradour soil and into our port?"

"Yes, that's correct, Sister." Leticia looked at her little brother under her lashes, but she broke her gaze not long after to face the advisor again.

"Seeing how you hate even the idea of it, you must've dealt with a lot of discrimination because of your gender back in Pradour. I might've already placed that empire behind me, but I would like to apologize to you nonetheless." Vance seemed almost pleading. "I hope that you can help me just this once."

Leticia scoffed, waving her hand to dismiss the thought, and brought her hands under the table and onto her lap. "When I think that I'm doing this to help Lia, I feel a little better. I'll just think of it that way, and we're good."

Feeling triumphant for some reason, Alexander almost threw a fist in the air. It's rather hard to push his sister into doing what she doesn't want to do. It's good that she's inclined to help the duchess since they've recently become friends.

"Thank you," the young duke couldn't help but appreciate his sister's cooperation. As it's something he hasn't said in a long while, Leticia's eyes widened and welled but quickly dried it with her forefinger and straightened herself—for a second, seeing how his sister looked hopeful after hearing him thank her poked Alexander's heart. He remembered what he and Amelia talked about underneath the massive tree at the town square. About how he thought that it's impossible for him to forgive his sister so easily.

But maybe, just maybe, he might have a small part of him still longing to be how they used to be before their father died.

"I appreciate all the help I could get," Vance said, looking at everyone present. The young duke thought he'd be a little aggressive in planning to take on his cousin, but he appeared calmer than most in his position. Even Alexander couldn't help but feel a little pressured if they could even pull everything off or not.

The others brushed the old advisor's gratitude as if it was natural for them to help in any way possible, then they were back to planning the best way to get his men on board.

Leticia, as someone who knew better at these things, planned the entire rendezvous. She mentioned sending one of her trusted men to visit an acquaintance who owned a small shop near one of the ports on the west of the continent. It's one of the farthest regions from Pradour, but it seemed safer to travel there since everyone's too busy with their own lives even to care. It's also the same region that's brimming with slaves on display that when Leticia first arrived there, she felt disgusted to the bone.

She cleared that her goal was not to pose Vance's men as slaves for her to buy—the mere thought of that didn't sit well with her—but to meet them at her acquaintance's store as helpers who would load wooden carts and whatnot to her ship. Then they will be replaced by Leticia's men, who would stay behind and travel to a different port where they could find Thuenia's merchant ships.

It's a sound plan. Even Vance approved of it, but he said that it could still be developed further. A duke's vessel manned by his sister coming to one of the poorest regions in the continent would surely raise a few brows. It's not as if she could stay only for a few hours and then leave. Leticia needed to stay for at least a day or two to complete her false transaction to make it more realistic. Then the old advisor told her that she should announce her arrival to the emperor and see him before she leaves.

"The emperor hates not being able to know things the most," was Vance's subtle warning. Aside from that, he only sat in his seat eagerly listening to Leticia's plan.

His sister was fast to accept the suggestion—surprisingly—and said that she would send him a letter of her plans once she made some final adjustments. The plan needed to be executed soon, so there's plenty of time for Vance and his men to talk about what to do with his distant cousin, rather than postponing it to a later date which could prove fatal against them.

They have to bear in mind that they're not only planning against their enemy across the sea but there's also one among the crowd to be considered of.

"We've at least managed to come up with a plan for the Pradour problem, but what about Lia's aunt's husband? Watson, was it?" Leticia turned to her brother for confirmation.

"It's Walton," the young duke corrected, and his sister gave him a shrug.

"I'll take care of him," Milly volunteered rather excitedly. "I don't have anything keeping me busy these days, so I'm rather bored at my studio most of the time."

"Are you sure?" Vance inquired.

"Well, I guess that's what Vernon wanted me to do after he took the time to invite me today, ain't I right?" she gave the duke a charming smile, tilting her head slightly to the side as she fiddled with the end of her embroidered cuff.

Alexander noted his sister gave him a stern glance as if saying she's had her fill with the flirting between the two and asking that he put a stop to it.

"Ah…" Alexander sounded, halting Vernon, who has already opened his mouth to talk, "I'd like to know your plans about it too. It seems that you have come prepared…."

"A lady doesn't divulge her plans for the night—, not me at least." She turned to Alexander but gone was the soft and playful gaze. Milly looked at him directly in a matter-of-fact manner. She was serious this time. "You'll know when I get into it."

"I see…." That was all Alexander able to say after Milly diverted her attention away from him.

After a few minor details that Vance had to reveal—which didn't come as a shock anymore—the meeting ended in good spirits.

Reignold, who was complaining about the stairs earlier, had to go down the same path again, and he groaned his discontent. They could've used the shortcut Alexander used earlier with the Duke and Vance, but Milly's attire was not fit for something like that, so they all opted for the winding stairs. It's just a few flights and going down was easier anyway.

"How's your granddaughter doing, Reignold?" Vernon asked out of the blue to take the Felfords' head's attention away from his complaints. "I heard she declined to be your successor."

"Free as the wind as always. With how women aimed to feel empowered, proving themselves and their capabilities left and right, I thought she'd be beyond joy when I told her. I should've known better. She never adhered to anything asked of her since she was little. A little rebel she is." Reignold answered. And though his words seemed like a rant, he sounded proud nonetheless and much like any ordinary grandfather would sound. Alexander imagined that he'd be stricter.

"Well, I'm sure Ancel would do just well."

"He's a quiet lad, but he's just as competent. I have nothing against him succeeding me. But he will also be succeeding his father's title as Count, and we've never had one person both lead the family and the clan. It will be a challenge, indeed."

"Ancel's inheriting the Count's position? Isn't he the third son?" Alexander couldn't help but ask.

"If you grow up in a family like ours, boy, it's a wonder how that lad became so level-headed." The old man laughed heartily, and Alexander hoped that he stopped calling him boy. "Oh, and one more thing." Reignold took a short pause to catch up with his breath before he continued saying, "You can't go around getting so proud, calling her your fiancée, when you haven't even gotten the emperor's blessing, boy." Reignold mouthed, and Alexander didn't have anything to go against his words with. "If even a single strand of her hair is plucked because of these shenanigans of yours, you'll have me to answer to. I didn't look after her like my own flesh and blood just to be swept under my nose to whatever trouble this will lead to. I already have my mind full of Vance's predicament, I don't want you strutting by adding your own." The old man waved his hand all over.

"I will… get the emperor's blessing soon," he replied with a low voice, unsure of himself.

"Well, you should butter up to Vance and ask him for help. He'd know the right words to say to the emperor." The way the old man said it was as if there was something else why the old advisor's words would weigh heavily on the emperor. He's just a foreigner who came to Creador and happened to become part of House Florence. How much influence does he have even under a guise?

"I already told him about it. Though it's still up to the young duke how he'd present himself in front of Augustine," Vance answered from behind him. It was the first time he heard anyone call the emperor his first name. Well, Alexander guessed, with the past they shared, it's understandable.

"You did?" the old man looked back, surprised, but immediately brought his attention to taking careful steps. "Good luck then, boy. Use Vance's word to your advantage, and you'd have your blessing in no time. I can assure you that." Reignold shook his head lightly, chuckling, then went back to ranting about the stairs.