The Kingmaker System-Chapter 34 - 33. One Problem At A Time

I opened my eyes and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling of the room feeling oddly uneasy. I was dreaming about something but now I had completely forgotten what it was.

It was a bad dream that I could be sure about.

I had come at Marquis’s mansion in the capital because of my plan and he had given me the best room yet, I couldn’t sleep well.

It was a big day today, I had asked Marquis to hand Eric the letter the other day and he was supposed to reply today but I had a bad feeling. It was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

I hoped that Eric was all right.

I sat up watching the faint rays of the sun enter my room, and ran my hand through my hair feeling the uneasiness grow.

The maid entered the room and helped me change yet, it was stupid because I wasn’t going to meet Eric, at least not directly.

After a while, Marquis came to my room and I noticed the somber expression that he had.

"What’s wrong?" I asked.

"Did something happen to Prince Eric? Or did the Queen know?"

"No, it’s not that." Marquis said and then sighed.

"I just received a bad news last night," he said making me frown as my earlier uneasiness started to gnaw at me.

"What?"

"Grand Duke and his wife are missing."

I was at a loss of words for a moment, I wasn’t expecting to hear something completely out of context.

"Huh?"

"Grand Duke along with the Grand Duchess usually go for expeditions in the mountains to exterminate the rogue shifters who attack their land but this time... they were hit by a blizzard."

I listened quietly as the Marquis continued in the same solemn voice.

"The dead bodies of the knights who went with them were recovered but still not all of them were found including Grand Duke and Duchess."

"... This is bad..." I muttered as I recalled the face of the black haired boy whom I had seen at the ball not long ago.

"What about their son?" I asked.

"He rushed back to North when he received the news but it seems like he will have it tougher from now."

I hummed as I could see what he would have to go through.

The fight for his position would also start and since he was the only hier of the Grand Duchy his life would also be in peril. The child of only thirteen who already had that melancholic expression would now have to face the dilemma of hope and despair about his parents’ condition.

The North was the domain of the Grand Duchy who were semi-autonomous, the King had left them alone since they protected the kingdom but with this situation it was going to create a power vacuum.

"Is there something else?"

"No news yet but, I was thinking..." Marquis looked at me and I blinked as I realised what he meant.

"I can’t."

"You’re helping Prince Eric and you even went and saved Concubine Elise from the Queen so, why not?"

I ran my hand through my head, "One problem at a time. I had decided to help Eric because I had my own agenda. I’m... not a Messiah or something that would go around saving everyone."

Marquis sighed, "It... can’t be helped then I guess."

The look on his face frustrated me, he wanted me to lend a hand but I wasn’t free. I already had my hands full with my town, the deal with Silas and putting down the foundation of securing Eric’s enthronement. In the midst of all that, I couldn’t go around saving every pitiful damsel.

The innocent and sorrowful violet eyes flashed before my mind’s eye for a moment and I recalled the dream that I had in the morning.

It was about these eyes, they were bawling and wailing in agony.

I shook my head pushing away the thoughts and the dream focusing myself on the present.

"You should go ahead now, Eric should be here any moment." I told Marquis Fairisles who in turn sighed again making a vein pop in my head.

This was why I hated helping people, they would assume that if one was helping them they would step up as a hero and sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.

[Defender of Divine Glory reminds you that you are the saviour of this world.]

[Goddess of Wisdom suggests you to rethink as the aid from the future Grand Duke could turn fruitful.]

She sure knew how to give some practical suggestions yet, I barely had time at hand.

Marquis left the room and I walked over and sat down on the chair in front of the vanity. I saw my reflection in the mirror for a long moment wondering about what to do before I heard the sound of the horse hooves and carriage.

Eric was here.

I walked over and looked through the window to see Eric stepping down from the carriage.

It was time to start the show.

I walked back to the vanity and looked at the black box that Silas had handed me the other day.

"It took time but I’m sure this is what you wanted." He had said and I was impressed by the quality of the device that he had made.

"You’re a genius, Uncle."

He didn’t say anything before he warned me about his father again and then he left.

I wondered why Silas was so cross with Marquis.

But that was a matter for some other day, I looked once at my reflection again before I opened the lid and saw the single diamond-shaped blue sapphire earstud in there.

The meeting with Eric didn’t last long as he agreed to our terms pretty easily, probably because he was reunited with his mother who was looking healthier.

He gratefully accepted the terms but I knew he had his suspicions. Well, as long as he fulfilled his role and didn’t stir any problems then I would have him protected.

But, I knew one person wouldn’t be so happy about this, scratch that, she would be downright furious with the arrangement that I had made.

I could deal with her later in future.

For now, I had to think about something else.

Eric returned to the palace and I met with Marquis again in the waiting room as we sat down drinking tea. He looked at me with the same expression he had when he told me about the Grand Duchy’s condition.

"You... really want me to do something about that..." I mumbled and he looked at me clearly obvious with his thoughts.

"Even if you want me to... I can’t do anything about it. I can’t go out there and look for the missing people-"

"You could help Davian."

"I am already involved in a huge power struggle here, Grandfather." I reminded him and he averted his eyes.

"I... was friends with his father. He had saved my life once so... I wanted to help his son in any way possible when the things are like this for him."

It was slightly shocking to see that Marquis Desmond Fairisles was telling me about something that made him look weak but it kind of also showed that he cared about that kid.

[Defender of Divine Glory asks you to consider helping the poor boy.]

And then here was our hero Patron who couldn’t see anyone in pain.

"I can understand that you want to pay the debt but..." I ran my hand through my hair feeling as if I was in a sticky situation again.

I didn’t want to deal with it but, Davian was also a King candidate, even if I had chosen Eric yet, I couldn’t ignore another guy who had the equal right over the throne.

What would be the best way to help though?

I still had next to no power to help him fight for his position or to protect him since he was all the way up in the North.

"You know I can’t help him while I’m here, and I have ton of other work to do before I could even think of helping him." I said making Marquis look down at his hands.

"Then, can I use the same technique that we are doing with Prince Eric?" He asked and I shook my head.

"No. It would be even more dangerous. We can’t interfere in the matters of North besides, it’s not clear that Grand Duke and Duchess are dead, if they haven’t recovered the bodies then there is a chance that they might be alive somewhere." I explained making Marquis look at me with hopeful eyes.

"It’s just a speculation, Grandfather. Don’t look at me like that." I said avoiding his eyes.

"Then, what could I do? If you can’t do anything then let me do it."

Marquis seemed hellbent on doing something to help Davian.

But it would end up creating holes in my plan and I could tolerate anything but that.

I ran my hand through my hair again before I pondered over what I could do.

Go and meet him? Send someone to help? Arrange a search party? Let Marquis have his way?

Every possibility, every path, every speculation brought me to the same decision.

Nothing could be done immediately about Davian’s situation.

My priority was Eric at the moment, if I did anything unnecessary then it could foil the plan and everything I had been working for would be wasted.

But I couldn’t let Marquis Fairisles be worried about him and do something on his own. We had a deal in exchange for him taking Eric and his mother under his wing but when it came to Davian he could do anything he wanted.

I looked at Marquis Fairisles before I let out a deep sigh.

"Fine, I’ll help him." I said making his eyes go wide.

"What? How?"

"That’s for me to decide, you please focus on Eric, Grandfather."

Marquis nodded and I added.

"But... Nothing could be done immediately. The situation in the Grand Duchy must be really sensitive at this moment and if an outsider intruded then, it could lead to more problems for Davian." I spoke cautiously.

"So, I’m going to wait and see how strong Davian can get. I will do something but... He needs to show me that my efforts won’t be in vain if I drop my work here."

Marquis Fairisles stared at me for a moment before he ran his hand through his face.

He had no choice but to agree.

As for me, I knew I had to rush things now that I had another paw- candidate to save.

Lord help me!