Chương 149: I Ask You to Forgive Me

"Is she extorting me?" His father looked on the verge of throwing the papers at his brother. Piers didn't seem at all perturbed as he stirred his post-dinner coffee. His nonchalance only irritated their father more so.

"Piers! What does she mean by this?" He slammed his hand and the papers that he held on top of the dining table closest to Piers. Gideon sat across the table from them, beside his mother, watching the exchange. The Emperor of Soleil was said to be an aloof man, at least when his position and politics were involved. However, in private, his father was a painfully doting husband and a strict, but generous father. He was especially patient with Piers. At least, usually.

"I think the price is reasonable," Piers said in a solemn voice. Gideon looked at their father and tried not to grimace as his father's face reddened.

"Reasonable? You think charging this much for a rock is reasonable!?"

"It is proprietary technology," Great Uncle Emil said. He extended his hands from his seat beside Piers and the Emperor handed him the papers.

"Mathieu-Philippe, she worked so hard on the crystals," Great Aunt Vivian said with some pity in her voice.

"Not only did she spend months working on the Old Sulfae, but she personally carved the crystals, and then went to all that trouble just to be able to go to the vault to register the samples."

"She had to put up with resistance from some of the faculty. Aunt Viv had to keep Dean Zanuto practically trapped in his office to keep him from getting involved," his mother said in a firm voice as Great Aunt Vivian nodded.

"That arrogant bastard didn't give up until I brought up some funding discrepancies." The Empress nodded.

"All that work just to give Tori some time, and she made something so useful." Across from him, Great Uncle Emil shifted through the papers, reading each one carefully.

"Considering the rarity, Piers is right. The price is reasonable."

"Uncle, you can't be serious." His father's face fell.

"That much for one crystal? It has yet to be mounted on any jewelry!"

"According to this, Master Monde is ready to mount them at any time in suitable rings," Great Uncle Emil replied as he put the papers down and tapped them.

"She's even made the arrangements to have them done."

"At extra cost!"

"The material and Master Monde's expertise isn't free."

"Yes, Mathieu-Philippe, you must properly compensate him for his labor." Gideon lifted his coffee to his lips and took a sip. He looked around the table. Everyone aside from his father didn't seem to think there was a problem with Guevera's proposal that she'd sent with his brother. Gideon had wondered why Piers had joined them for the family dinner, considering that Guevera and her little friends had gone to the Cosora Delta that weekend. Usually, Piers would go with them as he was housing her cat.

It turns out he was a messenger. No one had expected it, either. Piers had sat in the seat on their father's left side where he always sat when he was forced to join a meal. While amid dinner, their mother had gasped and pointed out Piers' ring, asking 'is that the ring Tori made you'. Gideon didn't know that Guevera had made his brother a ring. He knew they were close, but didn't think she'd give his brother jewelry. After all, it was a bit of an intimate act.

Then Piers held out his hand so they could see the ring and began to explain how it worked. Gideon's heart had quickened, and his eyes went wide. A ring that detected poison was a priceless tool for people like them. Everyone's attention had been drawn and it seemed his mother had known, and his Great Aunt Vivian had an idea of it. As Gideon listened to the conversation around him, he began to put together exactly what Guevera had done.

She saw there was an insufficiency with the charms they used, so she harnessed the knowledge of her brother and masters to create a series of Old Sulfae to program crystals to detect poison. That was something that had never been done, or at least they didn't have a record of. She'd worked on it for months, carefully tested it, and used a very valuable favor from his father to gain access to a restricted vault in Université.

In the vault, she had exposed herself to an entire collection of toxins to properly register them on to crystals. Gideon looked across the table at his brother. Guevera had done all of that for Piers.

"She has already done the work for Piers," his father said, frowning.

"Why is she charging so much for work that was already done?"

"You're being charged for the value of the programmed crystal," Piers said." Your crystal was free!" Piers met their father's eyes briefly.

"I am loved." It was said in the most matter-of-fact voice, as if the reason was obvious. Their father's face reddened even further, and he opened his mouth to scold Piers, but no words came out. Their mother turned her head to the side and tried to muffle her laughter. Gideon squinted his eyes. Somehow, he felt as if he had heard such a statement before.

"Mathieu-Philippe," Great Uncle Emil said in a calm voice.

"Isn't such a crystal tool worth the asking price, if not more?" Gideon looked towards his father. The Emperor lifted a hand and ran it through his silvery-white hair. It was an action he only did when he was annoyed and tired.

"It is," he said.

"But I didn't think she'd try to charge so much. How many of these crystals has she prepared?"

"There is currently a dozen. They have been pre-cut for mounting and Tori has personally selected the mounting for each," Piers said.

"She has reserved several for our family and a few for hers."

"For her brothers?" their mother asked. Piers nodded.

"Tori said that having them made for our family is the priority."

"You see how well Toni raised her?" their mother told their father with a stern look.

"She only took on this project because she was worried about Piers. She didn't have to make them for us, but she made a point to."

"She doesn't like Gideon," Piers added. Gideon shrank in his seat.

"But she reserved one for him." Because of you. Gideon wanted to tell his brother. She did all of this because of you. She agreed to be my guard for you. She spent months perfecting a crystal for you. What else is she willing to do? He didn't want to admit that he had a bitter taste in his mouth knowing that the person he didn't get along with the most cared for his most important person. He wanted to continue to dislike Guevera. She was arrogant and smug. She had a sharp mouth and didn't respect him in the least.

She hated the girl he liked and provoked his knight into quitting. Whenever they met, she treated him like a fool. He hated her. He hated how she acted better than him. He hated that she treated Alessa as if she were a foolish nuisance. He hated that she still came through with her duties and gave him tools to protect himself. He hated that her friends still extended peace offerings despite their history. He hated that she was fixed firmly at his brother's side and gave Piers the support he never could.

Gideon lowered his eyes. Now, she had created something to protect his family. He hated that he owed her.

"All right," he heard his father say with a heavy breath. He reached forward and collected the documents from Great Uncle Emil.

"I will agree to the terms and cost. When can the crystals be ready?"

"She has arranged for Master Monde to bring them tomorrow," Piers replied.

"Once I confirm that you've signed the purchase agreements." Their father stared at Piers with a cold expression.

"You will not offer to try to negotiate?"

"Why would I?"

"Tori's going to spend the money on the county," the Empress said with a chuckle. The Emperor rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I know. All the money I'm paying her is going to the county somehow, either investing in her business or directly to building. She sent something she calls a roadmap to show where the funding is going." His lips were in a line.

"I understand she wants to improve her county, but she has less than two thousand people."

"For now. Once the population in the encampment is down to half, she will allow for chain migration of family members of the villagers. She believes they will reach that mark around early spring next year," Piers said.

"In addition, there is a waiting list of workers hired for building that hope to move to the Cosora Delta. This includes several imperial knights who want to buy land for retirement."

"I don't blame them," their mother said with an understanding nod.

"I'd love to spend more time there. It's fun." The Emperor sighed once more.

"All right, enough about this. Piers, how did your introduction meeting go?"

"Introduction meeting?" Gideon sat up straight and looked from his father to his brother. He knew what that meant, and it was quite common amongst noble circles, but his brother was a special case. First, Piers' situation made such a thing unheard of. Second, what about Guevera?

"This is the first I'm hearing of this." His mother sighed beside him.

"Several nobles have been bothering your father to encourage your brother to meet with talented young ladies. They've been complaining about it for some time, so your father agreed to ten introductions to silence them." Gideon frowned and looked at his brother.

"Was this acceptable?" Are you willing?

"Piers doesn't have a choice in the matter. He must placate those nobles," his father said in a firm voice.

"The meetings are short, and nothing was promised. They are only to meet and become acquainted. Anything more is not guaranteed."

"Then, did you have one this week?" Great Uncle Emil asked. Piers nodded.

"How did it go?"

"Lady Modelli was very enthusiastic at Tori's invitation to meet the Cosora Medical Planning Committee." The table was quiet, and the Emperor's face contorted." Why was Countess Guevera there?" he asked in a barely contained voice. Despite himself, Gideon wanted to laugh. Of course, Guevera would be there.

"I wanted her to come." His brother made it sound as if it were only natural.

"You... Piers." Their father took a deep, frustrated breath.

"How can you bring another woman to an introductory meeting? That is rude to the young lady you are meeting."

"Tori sent them letters ahead of time."

"Oh my." Great Aunt Vivian giggled to the side. Her eyes were like crescents as she smiled.

"She is very attentive to you." Piers looked down at his empty coffee cup, or rather the hand with the thumb ring holding it, and nodded.

"Tori takes care of me. Semper."" Semper?" Great Uncle Emil asked with a raised brow.

"It is a word from an obscure book Tori read. It means 'always'." He watched her closely, or as close as he could without appearing obvious. As per usual, she and Agafonova chatted away before class about what they did that weekend, their plans for the week, and trivial gossip amongst their group. Guevera had invited Lady Modelli who was supposed to have had an introductory meeting with his brother to the delta to meet with some of her people.

Guevera also received replies from two other young ladies set for introductions with Piers. They were to meet that week and Guevera was apparently preparing for the meetings by reviewing some of their past projects and accomplishments. Gideon wasn't sure exactly what she was doing. Was she trying to recruit workers or keep other women away from his brother? Was she trying to do both? What was Guevera's plan? This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Gideon had heard that she had no plans to marry and wished to travel after she finished school, though from her and Agafonova's complaints, Guevera's travels would be limited to only a few months at a time, as she had a county to run. Bearing all that in mind, what did that mean for her relationship with his brother? Piers didn't talk about their relationship. Gideon could only observe that they were close and Guevera was highly valued. Perhaps more so than Axton.

Guevera spoke of Piers as she did all her other friends; openly supporting and pampering them when she could. Gideon thought she talked a lot, but she also acted. The first morning of school after he received a programmed ring for detecting poison, he'd worn it on his right index finger and made sure it was visible when he was taking the pastries Mama J sent him from Agafonova's desk. Guevera had never mentioned making the crystal jewelry, but he expected her to speak out for acknowledgement when she saw his ring.

He had seen her glance at his hand and clearly see the ring, but she hadn't said anything. She didn't ask for thanks or look smug. It was as if she didn't care. Didn't she realize how revolutionary her creation was? However, Gideon wasn't thankless.

"Guevera. Thank you for the ring," he said as he turned around.

"It's part of guarding you," he heard her say in a calm voice.

"However, please don't speak of it. Part of its advantage is that it's an unknown tool." He nodded once and ate his scones. He had wanted to show Fabian, but understood that he was to keep the tool a secret.

"How has your project been going?" Fabian asked as he came to sit with Gideon in the seat in front of him. Guevera and Agafonova had left the room for lunch, which was likely why Fabian dared to come close. Gideon didn't know what exactly it was, but Fabian seemed much more tense when Guevera was nearby.

"I've managed to hire some staff and there are trained nurses who have come forward willing to work in the Thirteenth District," Gideon said. It was another thing he hated about Guevera. She had arranged for dozens of former refugees to get training in various fields early on, including in medical positions. He'd heard from the supervisor hiring that many of the trainee nurses were former refugees who came forward after hearing about the need for staff from the delta.

This meant that Guevera likely had a hand in spreading awareness and indirectly helping him.

"That's good!" Fabian looked relieved.

"You got a lot done when you had that week leave of absence." Gideon kept a smile on his face and nodded.

"I want to get it running before the end of the year so that any problems that arise can be dealt with before the project period is over next year." It wasn't a lie, and he really did spend his leave of absence working on his Lycée project.

"I've been meaning to ask, did you need any notes or wanted to study to make up for that week?" Fabian asked. There was a glint of hope in his eyes.

"Alessa is arranging a series of study sessions before our final exams."

"Ah... thank you, but Agafonova lent me her notes from that week. I've already made copies," Gideon said with a wry smile. As expected for the first ranked student, her notes were impeccable. No wonder her friends' ranks had risen.

"And since we're on better terms because of my brother, she is allowing me to join her reviews." Fabian's brows shot up.

"Then... can she let us in?" Gideon wanted to shrink back.

"She said I was an exception and only allowed me because of Piers...." He sat up straight.

"But I can go to them and then review with you." Fabian lowered his eyes.

"Then, I may take you up on that. I noticed that your ranking rose after the midterm exams." Gideon nodded.

"Yes. Everyone was right about her reviews." Surprisingly, Guevera hadn't been in the lecture hall during Agafonova's reviews, but she still retained her third ranking. When he asked, Albert Martin had said that she preferred to study on her own. That meant that for the most part, Guevera's rank was her own ability and effort.

"Then we'll try to study together before final exams," Fabian said.

"Alessa has her hands full with the orphanage and her new duties as Baroness. The viscount sent by Anlar is hindering progress and won't listen to reason. They're undermining her authority." Gideon furrowed his brows and frowned.

"I heard that they're putting a hold on some of the businesses. What else are they doing?"

"They're not just putting a hold on businesses. They may refuse to approve them completely."

"Gideon!" Alessa appeared at his side and put her hands on the edge of his desk.

"Is there any way you can speak to your parents about the viscounts?"

"You must be able to have some influence," Guthrie said as he stood behind her.

"Your brother was able to get assistance for Guevera." Gideon drew his head back as he was surrounded. His first instinct was to tell them that the situation wasn't the same. The assistance Guevera received, such as knights and connections, were provided by his brother. Not his parents. Anything related to money was brought in through negotiation and careful understanding of policies. His father had complained that Guevera had taken advantage of obscure loopholes.

At most, his parents treated Guevera as a guest in the imperial palace because she was both his mother's friend's daughter and Piers' friend. Outside of giving Guevera a title and county, which to his understanding was to keep her tied to the development of the region, his parents really didn't do much else to assist Guevera's land that she didn't work for.

"What are you asking me to do?" Gideon asked. Having a direction was better than blindly guessing. Alessa looked relieved and beamed.

"The Viscount has stopped the building of an inn and store that are supposed to hire workers from my village to build. Everyone is looking forward to it and the Viscount says that he will allow the building to be built once the merchants agree to the labor terms. However, the terms are extremely strict. There is no law within the empire that forces a business to hire only within the village or town where it's settled." Gideon squinted a bit.

"What were the Viscount's terms?"

"He wanted the inn and store to hire villagers to fill at least 75% of the staff positions," Fabian said. Gideon cocked his head.

"That sounds reasonable. It shouldn't be difficult."

"Yes, but they want that 75% to be even across all levels, including management," Alessa said with a heavy sigh.

"I'm afraid the villagers are simple folk with no experience. Putting inexperienced people in such high-level positions would be disastrous to a business."

"Can't they be trained?" Gideon asked.

"It'll take too long. It's best to use a mainly experienced staff. One is ready and waiting once the buildings are ready!" Alessa said.

"In the meantime, the villagers will also be able to work the construction and sell their crops."

"Has Chetterswickshire recovered from the drought a few years ago?" A smooth, but somewhat curious voice spoke over them. Before Gideon could turn around, Guevera put her lunch on the desk behind him.

"There was a minor famine, if I remember correctly, and food had to be brought in from elsewhere in the march."

"How do you know about this?" Guthry asked in a cold voice. He glowered at Guevera, but she took her seat, unperturbed.

"It was well-documented, and I spent time reviewing various states of disasters throughout the empire while working on the delta," Guevera said with a shrug.

"Flooding, fires, landslides, plagues, drought, famine. Anything that could cause widespread problems including displacement and illness. They were of concern considering the situation of the villagers at the time."

"Requiring that a business hire from the local labor pool isn't a bad idea, especially in a place where people need a source of income," Agafonova said as she unwrapped her sandwich.

"And His Highness does make a good point: they can be trained."

"Yes, but none of this can be done if the Viscount doesn't allow it," Guthry reminded them.

"Is the Viscount not allowing it or are the business owners refusing to comply and withholding resources until they get what they want?" Guevera looked towards Alessa.

"Have you talked to the owners to try to get them to settle? Perhaps act as a go-between for both parties to compromise?"

"Guevera also makes a point. Have you discussed it with both parties? You are still the Baroness. You must have some influence with both the Viscount and the owners," Gideon conceded. He looked at Alessa and found a confused look on her face.

"But... what if they don't listen to me?" Gideon tilted his head to the side.

"Alessa, you had a hand in bringing them to Chetterswickshire to invest. They will take your words into consideration."

"If you don't want to help, just say so," Guthry said in a scalding voice. Gideon frowned.

"I didn't say I didn't want to help. I am only asking if Alessa has reached out to both parties as needlessly getting involved can cause conflict and distrust," Gideon said as he sat up straight.

"I can certainly ask my parents for their advice-""Advice? That's all?" Guthry scowled, clearly unsatisfied.

"Can they not order the Viscount to withdraw?" Alessa asked in a hopeful voice. Gideon lowered his head.

"The Viscount has only begun to work in Chetterswickshire for a few months and is not permanent. It takes time to review a situation-""Nothing has changed since he arrived!" Guthry slammed his hands on Gideon's desk and almost immediately, another set of hands slammed onto Guevera's desk behind him. The petite black-haired, blue-eyed young woman seemed to loom above them with a suffocating fierceness.

"Watch your actions, Guthry. Any act of intimidation against His Highness can be seen as a threat and I don't respond well to threats. Take your hands off his desk." Gideon felt his blood run cold at her low voice. Guthry seemed to grip the edge of his desk for just a moment before pulling his hands off. He gritted his teeth as his hands dropped to his sides and clenched.

"I don't respond well to threats, either, Guevera."

"That is not a threat, Guthry. That is a promise." Guevera's eyes never left Guthry's." I am His Highness' guard now. He is my responsibility, and any act of intimidation, coercion, or extortion to pressure him to act in a way that can harm him, or his family, is reason for my concern. You are free to talk to him. You are free to eat with him. But you are not free to beg and guilt him to do you a favor, do you understand?"

"Are you saying that we can't ask him for help?" Fabian asked with narrowed eyes. Guevera's sharp gaze turned to him.

"Asking him for help is the reason Hart's barony is currently being overseen by a viscount in the first place. As for the situation in Chetterswickshire, if Hart is so concerned about the conflict between the viscount's terms and the owner's wishes, she can act as a mediator to try to get a compromise. That is, of course, if Hart is willing to do the work." Alessa let out a sharp gasp and looked at Guevera as if she'd slapped her.

"Countess Guevera, I love my barony! I will do anything for it-""Then get to work," Guevera said as she lifted her chin and glared.

"Viscount McLauren is there for the sake of your barony. You would do well to try to work with him. If you have your concerns about his method, you can look up Greenbelt, Stonebridge, Dunloch, and North Wellhilling Town."

"What are those?" Fabian asked. Agafonova lowered her half-eaten sandwich and looked at him as if he were stupid.

"Those are villages in Anlar that are following economic recovery plans put together by the Viscount and his wife after a disaster." She turned to Alessa and Guthry with question.

"Didn't you look them up to find out the background and abilities of the Viscount?" Gideon watched Alessa's face redden as she lowered her head and bit her lips.

"Alessa, before I reach out to my parents, can you discuss with the Viscount on his plans first?"

"But my friends said that the Viscount is not willing to work with them-""What friends?" Guevera cut Alessa off and narrowed her eyes. Alessa looked frustrated.

"Adrien and the others! The merchants who are willing to open stores, businesses, and an inn in Chetterswickshire!"

"So, you listened to one side of the story, but not the other," Guevera said in a dull voice that sounded a bit annoyed.

"I understand your urgency to reverse the situation of your barony, but you cannot ignore one of the parties involved in such a matter."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Guthry spoke up once more.

"Oh, and I suppose you do?" Guevera raised a brow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You seem very invested in the Hart Barony, Guthry. Perhaps that's why your Lycée project is falling apart. Instead of demanding that the second prince tell his parents to repeal an imperial order, why don't you focus on solving the problems caused by your faulty carpenters and masons, and stop them before they cause an accident that kills someone."

"Guevera-""And Baroness Hart can contact Viscount McLauren to discuss the details of his plans for Chetterswickshire. If his plans really hinder advancement for her barony, she can appeal to the noble ministry to review Viscount McLauren's progress. They can then appeal to the Emperor requesting a change."

"But doing so will take so long!"

"Are you afraid that the merchants will lose interest and pull their investments?" Guevera asked. Alessa shook her head.

"No, but my villagers need jobs!"

"When was the last time you assessed the labor pool of your barony?" Guevera continued. Alessa furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. When she didn't answer, Guevera answered for her.

"I take it that's 'never'."

"Guevera, that's enough!" Guthry pulled Alessa further away from them and sent a scathing glare at Guevera.

"There is no reason to make Alessa feel bad."

"My apologies, that was not my intention," Guevera said in a droll, uncaring voice.

"However, my points still stand. As a reminder, the issue of Viscount McLauren's placement in Chetterswickshire is the result of Baroness Hart's involvement with His Highness breaking protocol. It is part of a punishment and one that is already quite lenient. Keep in mind that the Viscount may just be replaced. Do you have anything more to say that will add value to this conversation, Mr. Guthry?" Gideon watched Guthry's face redden, but he didn't answer. Guevera looked back at Alessa.

"Do you have anything more to say, Baroness Hart?"

"I know you are Gideon's acting guard, but you can't keep his friends away."

"I'm not," Guevera said in a smooth voice.

"There is no reason for me to keep friends away."

"Guevera, it's fine," Gideon said, lifting an arm to stop her.

"I understand what Alessa is asking for. She's just worried about her barony." He caught Alessa's excited expression.

"I'm sure that once she speaks to the Viscount, she'll have a better idea of what's going on and can work with both sides to improve Chetterswickshire." Alessa's face fell. He knew she was disappointed, but it couldn't be helped. Alessa was a Baroness and she needed to be responsible and contact the Viscount rather than depend on the words of merchants or appeal directly to him for help he didn't think he could give. Going to his parents should be a last resort.

She also needed to assess the labor pool, as Guevera said. In a way, this was a good way for Alessa to learn. Piers always told him that obstacles were a way to gain experience and mistakes could be learned from.

"Gideon...." Alessa said.

"I believe you will be able to straighten out the issue and further understand the goals of Viscount McLauren. You're an intelligent, capable young woman, Alessa." He reached out and grasped her hand, giving her a gentle squeeze and a smile. Alessa's lips pulled up a bit and nodded.

"Thank you, Gideon." She took a deep breath and gave him a nod.

"I'll try to contact the Viscount."

"Good." The earlier tension seemed eased and Guthry walked away. Alessa pulled her hand from Gideon's and followed. Fabian lingered for a bit longer.

"What if she really needs your help later?" he asked in a quiet, reluctant voice.

"Alessa doesn't have the money or influence to do much." Gideon bit his lips.

"If she's exhausted all her options, I can try to help find a solution, but even my money and influence are limited." He wasn't like his brother who had money and a surprisingly large network. He glanced back at Guevera, who had returned to her seat. Fabian seemed to follow his gaze and looked at Guevera with an unreadable expression before getting up.

"I'll talk to you later." They didn't come talk to him the rest of the class and after it ended, Gideon found himself going after Guevera. As she was about to part ways with Agafonova, Gideon called out to stop her. She turned around and Agafonova stopped beside her, frowning.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Guevera asked.

"Guevera," he began, but paused. He wasn't sure what exactly to say. He furrowed his brows and looked down.

"Thank you for standing up for me earlier."

"Ah, well... I am your guard," she said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"I can't allow anyone to address you in such a manner. He had a threatening posture." Gideon nodded solemnly. He took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to meet hers.

"I've misjudged you. From the beginning, I believed rumors without checking and criticized you unjustly. I supported suspicions of you and deliberately tried to sabotage your project." Guevera raised a brow, but Agafonova's face twisted with dismay.

"Are you... confessing your wrongdoings?" Guevera let out a heavy breath.

"What is your point in bringing all of that up, Your Highness?" She gave him an expectant look and Gideon found himself shifting uncomfortably under her sharp gaze. He forced himself to stand up straight as he faced her.

"Guevera, I want to apologize for my past indiscretions. I was ignorant and wrong." She nodded her head once.

"I agree." Gideon grimaced. He clenched his hands at his sides.

"Countess Guevera, I ask you to forgive me." He blinked, more to himself than at them. He heard the words come out of his mouth and he had been thinking it, but it was strange to have actually spoken them. Over two years being at odds with this woman, and he wanted her forgiveness. Even if they didn't like each other, he didn't want her to hate him. Was it because of his brother? Her service to his family? Her duty to him?

His heart quickened as he watched her face, not realizing he was praying that she'd forgive him. Her expression was neutral, and she seemed to consider his statement. She neither looked happy nor upset. Gideon held his breath. Guevera pursed her lips.

"No."