My Wonderful Second Life

Chapter 58- A Brilliant Idea

I started to regret my choices in life when I began following a furious Gobbie out of the Royal Gardens while I secured a burdensome stone box with my arms.

Only when I grunted (maybe louder than I needed) did Gobbie stop to look at me. He took long breaths and my arms shook like vines.

The damn man was doing it on purpose!

I would have cursed him out loud if I had not been so tired. Instead, I did it under my breath, the strength to do more than whisper too much to consider. Thankfully, I saw both his aides rushing to our side, concern carved on their faces.

"You should not follow people just because they give you presents." said Gobbie as he kneeled down to look directly into my eyes. "Actually, that is when you should be most suspicious of someone." His hands were on the box, giving it support and allowing my arms to rest. "Gifts never come for free."

His fingers clawed the box as if he wanted to break it. Behind, the aides were closing in. I leaned into Gobbie, my attention on a sea of blue. "I need to talk to you, Father."

Not sure if it was my tone, my look or my posture, but the duke's glance shimmered with understanding and he gave me a little nod before turning to Josef, "Take this away." he said, depositing the box on the poor man's hands, who was more confused than not.

Unable to contain myself, I intervened. "Please be sure to deliver it to Emmanuel for a blessing. With a bag of my cookies."

Josef smiled tightly at me before his hazel eyes reached Gobbie's for approval, which came in the form of a sigh and a resigned chin tilt.

After that, Josef's expression lighten up and he rushed away to do his task. Behind stayed Francesco, who followed us until we reached Gobbie's office, keeping a stand outside to prevent any unwanted visitors, while the duke talked to me.

We arrived there in silence, continued in silence while the duke sat on his chair and waited for me to join him on the other side of his enormous table. My steps echoed like a tantalizing drum, giving weight to my coming request.

"If this is about princess Odette.." started the duke, ending our silence when I sat on the chair in front of him. "I have a pl-"

"No." I interrupted, surprising him.

I couldn't have him concerned with Odette when I needed him for something much more important than a spoiled princess.

His brow had taken the shape of a fishhook, but he remained silent.

"I have a plan to handle her." I said, and I knew he wanted more than that, but I was never one to be patient, so I ran him over with what I had seen at the Empress's palace. The reason I was there.

I told him of the boy, his necklace, the way he seemed spirited away. His eyes, his resemblance to Cedric and my very horrifying gut feeling.

For the most part, the duke kept himself together, only flinching when he heard how close the boy looked to Cedric. If there was anything there, he didn't add it to my words, instead he let me go free with my concerns.

In the end, I pleaded. "Father, you must help. I feel something is really wrong there. We need to have a look."

The duke, who had been leaning on his chair, listening attentively, dragged his body close to the desk. Pensive, he put his elbows on the cold stone and intertwined his fingers in front of his face, obscuring it. Although that was not enough to hide the lines on his forehead. The more I waited for him to talk, the more I worried.

"It will be complicated..." he started, his eyes glued on me. "Even the Emperor has no power in the Empress's palace. That was their agreement."

Agreement? What the heck was that supposed to mean???