Contender in Beauty

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I shall now read the Archduke's open letter to the people of Ellis Plains!"

When the people heard these words, all of them involuntarily slowed down to a stop. Even if they would risk getting scolded by their masters or spouses for arriving late, they couldn't ignore the words of the archduke. Moreover, it was his address towards the people for the collection week.

"To the citizens of Ellis Plains..." The messenger started after clearing his throat again. He then read the letter like how one would speak of a ducal degree. "It was no secret that fear had encroached within your hearts ever since the rumors of the current war had reached the bare walls of the archduchy. Moreover, the news of the raised taxes of neighboring duchies and territories had suffocated you.

The messenger paused and frowned to read in advance. He then cleared his throat and spoke in a different tone, more of a reassuring one to befit the contents of the letter.

"You had walked around this plaza with signs and burning effigies, hoping to shoot your words across the castle's towering gates. The flames in the middle of the night served as a testament to your anger and a beacon of hope for your woes to dissipate. Nightly, you refused to sleep as if bracing for a coming tide.

"Alas, this day has come. Reading this letter marks the beginning of the collections and the arrival of the answers to your prayers.

"As the archduke, I had already received multiple requests for a higher turnover to the crown, long before you had heard of the war and the hikes. Many a time, tax hikes sprouted through Achlys and even across the neighboring devildoms. However, our archduchy had persevered in keeping its simple lifestyle for decades. Destitution will not begin with me.

"Commoners are to give the amount that they had always given for the past collection.

"The entitlement of the noble houses, however, comes with the responsibility to look after the land that they cherished and had been so proud of. You are advised to pay the adjusted amount within the collection week. Should you encounter concerns, see me immediately.

"Carry on and return to your homes; come back to the plaza to pay your part like clockwork for any season."

The messenger blinked as he stared at the parchment in his hand longer than necessary. Not only did the archduke not put a proper sign-off, but he had also publicly addressed the noble houses to pay properly. Was the archduke not afraid of earning backlash from the noble houses?

Chatter broke out even if the messenger hadn't announced the ending of the letter. Among the whispers were the glee from the stagnation of taxes, the confusion among the protesters, and the hidden appreciation of the commoners to the nobles who caught the full brunt of the kingdom's demand.

The messenger blinked again after rolling the parchment to a close. Perhaps, the archduke didn't mention it openly to undermine the noble houses…

Even Artie was surprised at how the letter turned out. The most she expected was the messenger reading out a ducal decree stating that there would be no hikes in the taxes. For the address to be a real open letter to everyone… it was beyond her expectation of Larkin.

"Did you just hear that?! He empathized with them!" Artie excitedly grabbed Miel's arm and shook it a little, her eyes glistening brightly in joy. "Is that an improvement? Is that an improvement?"

"And so it seems..." Miel couldn't believe it either. It was unusual for the archduke to become subjective in dealing with the commoners. However, his words were quite different from what Miel was ready to hear. In the end, a genuine smile curled his lips as he ignored Artie who was shaking his arm like a madwoman.

Callum looked around and saw how the atmosphere in the plaza changed drastically. The heavy suffocation from the depressing aura was suddenly lifted after a few minutes, the people beginning to smile in excitement and relief. Some had hurriedly come back home to share the good news while the maids of the nobles grew confused as to what the letter meant. Did they really willingly take the hit for the less fortunate?

He then pressed a palm on his chest. "How amazing of Lord Ellis. I never thought he would be able to have this kind of effect on the people. Even the King couldn't… ah, I shouldn't have started that phrase." He quickly pursed his lips, wary of having anyone tell on the higher-ups about his disrespect.

However, all he had in response was a bunch of stifled laughter.

When he turned to a superior, the superior only reached out to pat his shoulder heavily. Actually, the feeling was mutual. None of these people would dare compare Larkin Ellis to Terone Talcum even if it would kill them. To simply put them side-by-side was already a crime against the archduke. If anything, no one should bring up the King if they didn't want the King to be unhappy with them.

This actually piqued Artie's attention. She then turned to Callum. "You have seen the king in person?"

"...ah, House Princesley is from Talcum, milady. The Princess Havina had requested for her remaining knights to be sent here to Ellis Plains and be in the archduke's service," Callum answered respectively, not questioning why Artie was unaware of such a thing. Perhaps a noblewoman wouldn't bother hearing about merit-less matters.

"Princess Havina…?" Artie murmured. She didn't know of this person, but she felt like a page from Miel's Nobility Cheat Sheet had opened inside her mind. In an instant, she learned that Princess Havina was the daughter of the current king, Terone. She recognized Larkin as her uncle and was closer to him than to her own father. The cheat sheet only had a strange portrait, but Artie was sure that the princess was of absolute beauty.

Miel snapped back to reality when he heard Callum and Artie talking. He then gave more context to Artie, in case she misunderstood. "The Princess Havina had been married off to a prince in Kingdom Latodine in the south. She could only take a few of her princess guards to her new residence so she arranged for the rest to be sent here to protect Lord Ellis instead."

Artie turned to him and stared with an amused look, but there were words in her open mouth that she could not let go. Should she ask further, or should she dismiss the topic? She wanted to know more about this princess, but it might give a wrong impression that she was becoming wary of such a contender in beauty.

Contender in beauty? Artie wasn't even breathtaking to begin with.

"Ehem, Lady Shen..." The superior from earlier cleared his throat, asking Lady Shen directly instead of asking the seneschal who would ask her anyway. "The plaza would be crowded with the people paying their taxes soon. Are we to return to the castle for dinner, or shall we look around the city for more sights?"

"I was told I have to return early..." Artie wanted to take a look around, but she was reminded by Monique again and again about returning early. She then sighed. "Perhaps, just another time..."

"Ah, yes indeed. The seamstress would be coming to the castle later." Miel remembered, soon reflecting the glee Artie had in her eyes before. "Have you thought about your wedding dress, Lady Shen?"