Redemption of the Blue Rose Princess - Chapter 8.5
Chapter 8-5
“Know that they are trustworthy! You dare accuse them of manipulating me for their own benefit without any proof? You are not even aware of how much they have devoted themselves for this country’s future…!”
“I understand your sentiments, Alicia-sama.”
The man walked slowly in large strides and before she knew it, Lloyd’s large hand was resting on Alicia’s shoulder. Though his lips were curled into a smile, his eyes were not. The man opened his mouth.
“I was merely addressed the worry that some of us might feet about this matter. After all, the Mercurius Trading Company that you proposed is strikingly similar to the Ist Trading Company that operated in our neighboring countries.”
Then Lloyd gestured toward Clovis with his free hand.
“In addition, it was Lord Clovis over here who put together this proposal. I admit that he is a very capable man, but, after he was sent on a mission to Ealdar, I heard that he gained some kind of attachment toward the country’s political system.”
Little by little, Alicia began to get an idea of what the man was implying. Unfortunately, her foreboding was right on target this time.
“Something like, the nobility system has to be reformed like what the Empress of Ealdar did, he must have thought of something like that deep inside his heart… As such, it’s natural for me to be anxious about this matter, no?”
Immediately after that, an uproar immediately broke out.
“Oi, don’t you think that accusation is a little bit too much?”
Dreyfus raised his rough voice in dismay, but even his voice was swallowed by the uproar created by the other nobles.
The other two people, Clovis and Nizel had predicted this would happen to some extent the moment the man started talking, but sadly, they didn’t have the time to build up a countermeasure against it.
Lloyd’s comment was, by all accounts, excessive, especially considering that even though she was young, Alicia was still a royalty. In addition, her father, King James, was also present.
Humiliating Clovis, the aide of the Princess, would be the same as insulting Alicia, his master, and if he couldn’t choose his words properly, there was the possibility of offending King James as well.
Even if he didn’t like the idea of establishing a trading company, to unnecessarily do something that might trigger the King’s wrath was unreasonable, to say the least.
As Clovis and Nizel pondered about that, the hall suddenly enveloped in silence as King James, who had been sitting quietly since the meeting started, raised his right hand.
The King’s gesture shut the nobles’ mouths up and they immediately answered him by bowing their heads in reverence, including Lloyd who had been dominating the discussion for a while now.
“Lloyd.”
King James addressed the man calmly as his almond-colored eyes locked into the man’s figure. Even though he didn’t raise his voice, it still echoed through the now silent hall.
“I’m not impressed by your behavior. A man of your stature, misleading people with mere speculations. Are you probably trying to incite something?”
While the King didn’t change his tone, his words were harsher than normal. The man who received his words though, remained composed, even though his son, Riddhe seemed to be panicking.
“I trust this man as much as Cia trusts him. If you doubt him so, I take it as you are also doubting me, must I throw my crown away then?”
“Ah, Your Majesty, I’m sorry if I offended you somehow. I merely wish to protect the order of our kingdom.”
Lloyd then bowed his head deeply with reverence, his hand was on his chest and the tone of his voice was theatrical. When she saw this, it reminded Alicia of the occasional theatrical gestures that Riddhe would usually show.
The head of the Sutherland family’s face was serious when he opened his mouth to appeal to the King.
“What I wanted to say is that sometimes, the smallest doubt could arouse the greatest anxiety from deep inside us. If we continue with this discussion, each of us will be tormented by that anxiety and our judgment will be clouded because of it.”
“Big talk from someone who planted those doubts in the first place.”
Nizel muttered in an inaudible tone. Sadly, no one in the room shared his view and his muttering was immediately swallowed by Lloyd, who kept gaining momentum in this discussion.
“Therefore, I would like to ask you for we to not make a decision today. Instead, let us Privy Council discuss this matter by ourselves. If we examine the content of the proposal by ourselves, any unfounded suspicions will be quickly cleared up, and we won’t be left with any worries in the future.”
“Hmm…”
Postponing the final decision, but the proposal will still be considered. Hearing Lloyd’s suggestion, King James put his hand on his round face as he pondered.
TL: Iyo
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