Chapter 33 - The Audience
"What did Eric say to you?"
"It was nothing important."
"Opal..."
"To be honest, I wasn't really listening."
"...So, are you all right?"
They had been walking for a while after leaving the room when Claude, perhaps losing his patience with Opal's silence, posed the question. Opal answered him honestly, but he didn't seem convinced. He frowned with worry, and Opal smiled at him.
"I'm fine. It was all within my expectations. More importantly, were you all right, Claude?"
"Ah, that..."
"It seems you weren't?"
Now it was Opal's turn to worry, seeing the clear shift in Claude's tone. However, she was left dumbfounded by his next words.
"When I entered Lord Barba's office, His Majesty was there."
"What?"
"I did think it was unlike Lord Barba to summon me for no good reason. I was deceived."
Listening to Claude's sigh-laden story, Opal grew anxious. They were about to meet the King, yet he had summoned Claude alone beforehand. The reason was obvious.
"Tell me, Claude. Is His Majesty opposed to this marriage? If that's the case..."
"No, that's not it. He's not opposed, this is just harassment."
"...I don't see the difference."
"He's still sulking because I offered my resignation. He actually said, 'Who is more important, me or your childhood friend?' As if there's any question. It's my childhood friend, it's you, Opal, of course."
"His Majesty... is a man, correct?"
"Yes, a forty year old man."
"Claude."
"There's no need to worry. Arguments between His Majesty and me are a common occurrence."
Claude spoke in a serious tone, not even cracking a smile, while Opal frantically looked around, worried someone might have overheard. It seemed Claude was genuinely angry.
"The position of Private Secretary is just a glorified errand boy. And for him to harass me just because his workload increased now that his errand boy is gone, honestly, how childish can he be? And in the first place, I wanted to properly introduce you after we were married, but now he's demanding we attend a ball. That's also just harassment because he wasn't invited to the ceremony."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Today was the same. He called me away just to separate me from you, and because of that, you had to endure that unpleasantness with Eric. Am I wrong?"
"What? No... not really..."
Opal was surprised by Claude's unusual state. The Claude of late had seemed so mature and composed at all times, but now he was like the boy from long ago, complaining about his older brothers. She found it so amusing that she burst out laughing.
"Opal? This is no laughing matter."
"It is a laughing matter. Because you look like you're having fun, Claude."
"Having fun?"
"Yes. You do."
Opal had been worried about Claude's past eight years, but she was happy to know that he seemed to have someone he could open his heart to. She was angry with Eric, but he too was worried about Claude in his own way.
(Well, if Claude hadn't shown up, I might have talked back to him...)
Opal's tension from moments before had vanished as if it were a lie, and she now found herself looking forward to her audience with the King. She wanted to see for herself just how much Claude's claim of him "sulking" was true. This was a person who knew the eight years of Claude's life that she did not.
Eventually, Claude stopped before a certain room, a door flanked by royal guards. He looked at Opal, as if to gauge her state of mind.
"This is it."
"...This is unexpected."
"I imagine so."
She had thought an audience with the King would take place in some sort of grand hall, but this appeared to be his private chambers. This showed just how close Claude and the King were, and also hinted at the King's personality, one that disliked stiff formalities. Urged on by Claude, Opal stepped into the room, feeling the curious gazes of the guards. Inside, a man in his prime stood up and spread his arms wide toward Opal.
"Welcome, to my kingdom, to my palace. Claude's fiancée, I bid you welcome."
"Your Majesty, this is Opal Holloway. As you said, my fiancée. Opal, this is His Majesty King Alessandro."
Naturally, Opal did not leap into his arms. She stood beside Claude, who had stopped, and received the introduction. For some reason, the distance between them and the King felt greater than during a typical greeting.
"It is an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Opal Holloway."
"I have heard so much about you that it does not feel like the first time. If you would permit me, may I call you Opal?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Opal curtsied, then straightened her posture and observed Alessandro, albeit reservedly. Alessandro noticed her gaze and smiled brightly. His expression instantly became friendly, but Opal was not fooled.
(At first glance, his atmosphere is different, but he reminds me of Father...)
To those who did not know him well, Opal's father, Count Holloway, seemed like a very gentle man. But his personality was far from gentle. He was strict and shrewd. He assessed the state of the world, read the markets, and moved faster than anyone to increase his fortune. He used that fortune and status to strengthen his voice at the royal court, thereby building even more fortune and status.
Alessandro, too, had developed the Taisey Kingdom, which had been ravaged by plague and a succession war, to this extent in just a few years since ascending the throne, so his skill was undeniable. As Opal sat down next to Claude on the sofa she was offered, a small, barbed comment immediately came her way.
"Opal, I am delighted to finally meet you. There were calls for Claude to marry my niece, but he insisted he wasn't interested. But it seems he wasn't uninterested in marriage, just in anyone other than you."
"To have you say so is a great honor. Claude is quite stubborn, so I imagine he must often be a source of trouble for Your Majesty, is he not?"
Opal replied to Alessandro's gentle smile with a calm smile of her own. Claude seemed to have sensed her feelings and decided not to interfere for the time being. He was smiling, but his eyes were not.
"Indeed, Claude's stubbornness has often left me at a loss. There are many beautiful women in this country. No matter how many times he was invited by such women, Claude never agreed, and in the end, he declared he would propose to you and went off to the Sosylle Kingdom. You can't imagine how relieved I am that he has returned safely..."
"I am happy to hear such a story. It has deepened my affection for Claude all the more. Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I am glad to hear it. The reason this country has been rebuilt to this point is thanks to Claude's help. I am very grateful to him."
"Thank you for your gracious words."
Unable to stay silent any longer, Claude offered his thanks and glared at Alessandro. However, Alessandro just grinned and waved his right hand dismissively.
"Oh, no thanks are necessary. I intend to keep working you hard for a long time to come. Therefore, I truly do welcome you, Opal. For you will surely be a strong support for Claude. Just as you acquired your former husband Duke McLeod's fortune through fraudulent means."