Sleeping Beauty Wants The Throne
49. Applying Plan

It had been a long time since Ochinner had not seen the Grand Duke as enthusiastically as this morning. Before sunrise, Alastair had already taken his sword and trained until a yellowish tinge was seen from the eastern horizon. Continuing with the archery, Ochonner did not know when the man would stop.

"Grand Duke, what's going on?"

Alastair stopped his archery. At last, the man pulled back the bow that he had almost slipped.

"Today I'm going to go."

"Oh yeah?" Ochonner. "Almost every day goes but you never train hard like this. Did something happen at the border?"

"Nothing" he answered briefly. "I'll go to .. the home of the future-in-law. Maybe."

"What?!"

Did he hear wrong? Which candidate-in-law, the Grand Duke alone always ran away when introduced to the women out there.

"Why are you still standing there?"

Ochonner's daydreams are crumbling. The man directed his gaze to the Grand Duke.

"Me?"

"Yes, hurry up and get ready."

"Why should I follow you anywhere?"

"Ah, that's it I forgot to tell." Alastair glanced for a moment, impressed relaxed. "According to tradition in Thompsville, you're, right, my sister-in-law. So accompany your sister-to-be to meet Marquis Thompsville."

"Yes?"

Now Ochonner feels like a fool. Who would Grand Duke apply for if he were to become a sister-in-law ....

"Good God, Grand Duke. How far along are you with my brother?!"

"Not too far away," replied Alastair but the corner of his lips twitched withstanding a smile.

"Did the Crystal Lady herself know of your plan?"

"Of course he knows." Alastair put his arrow back where it was. The training is over. "The plan was I wanted to make a surprise for him but you know, right, I don't like being rejected so yeah. After all, this marriage is the future, Crystal Lady has the right to decide," Alastair said, passing through Ochonner to the exit.

Ochonner turned around, still looking at him pangling. "You're leaving now?"

"When else?"

"Don't talk like that, Grand Duke. That makes me nervous."

Alastair glanced in annoyance. "What I'm going to marry is Lady Odyss, not you so keep that silly feeling away!"

"You won't know what it's like." Ochonner stroked his chest, "First of all, I have to help you get it and it makes me nervous, second of all, it means he's getting married soon, and third of all ...."

Alastair.

"You're gonna take it from me!" jerit Ochonner did not accept.

"What's wrong with you today, Lord de Cera?" Alastair got enough goosebumps. "After all, he stays here in Brighton. You can see it every day if it wants you."

"But everything won't be the same!"

"So you want your sister to be alone forever, don't you?" answer Alastair. "One day, you'll marry and leave her."

Ochonner got no other rebuttal. Following Alastair's step back into his castle, the man again made a sound.

"Well, I haven't approved of your relationship with my sister right now. But as a friend, I will accompany you to Thompsville to meet the Marquis."

Alastair continued walking not even turning his head towards him at all. "Good."

"You're not trying to persuade me to bless you right now, Grand Duke?"

...----------------...

The afternoon tea event held in the manor house was over. In the main pavilion, all the guests from the distinguished family had already gone home, leaving the Marchioness and Athene still reluctant to budge.

Since returning from debutante, Athene has turned quiet. The Marchioness certainly worried about the condition of her beloved daughter. But every time he was asked, Athene just answered him with a soft slit.

For that Marchioness held an afternoon tea. To make Athene's heart calm again. But it seemed less effective because Athene was still silent with a blank stare that led to the tablecloth.

"Athene ...." The Marchioness sighed tiredly. "Until when do you want to shut up like a statue?"

"That's .. there's nothing," answered Athene and hurriedly took the cup and downed the contents as a switch of atmosphere.

"I'm not a fortune teller, how am I supposed to know your heart?"

Athene was silent but she finally said, "Next time I'll tell you."

The Marchionesses pinched her forehead, feeling frustrated. I don't know when Athene will behave like this.

Before long, a servant who was originally standing in front of the entrance ran towards them. "My Lady, we have a special guest."

"Who?"

"Grand Duke of Brighton."

Marchioness. "What's His Grace here for. After having Odyssey stay in his territory, we have no business with him anymore."

"Mother, don't talk like that!" Athene hit the surface of the table until all the attention was on her.

Marchioness certainly felt shocked, before Athene had never dared to snap like that.

"Athene, you ...."

"Tell me what's Grand Duke here for?" athene asked back to the servant who looked down at them.

"I heard he came to propose."

"What?!"

"Help me get ready, Maida!" Maida, the servant of Athene who stood behind her, was pleased with the good fortune that awaited her master.

Grand duchess titles, wealth, and power. Ah, soon Athene's dream will be answered.

"Athene, what are you doing?!"

"Mom doesn't know? Grand Duke came of course to propose to me." Athene answered with complete confidence. "It must be because His Grace was amazed at me when I was at the debutante show yesterday. Without further ado he would propose to me directly!"

"Is it really like that? I thought he wanted to propose to Odyssey."

"Odyssey is already in his territory, for what His Grace is struggling to come here. He must have come for me."

The Marchioness wanted to ban it, but seeing Athene's immortality slowly disappear completely when she found out the Grand Duke had come to propose made her stop doing so.

He could do nothing but help please Athene.

"Well then, why are you still standing here? Quickly dress up and join us in the living room, "the Marchioness replied with a faint smile.

"Thank you, My Lady." Athene looked down respectfully without being able to hold back her smile. "Then I say goodbye, have a good day."

The Marchioness stared at her daughter's back which slowly drifted away. Why Athene still expects the Grand Duke, there are still many other men who are willing to accept him. After all, marrying the Grand Duke was tantamount to meeting the Odyssey again since they would be in the same territory.

Athene was fed up with the presence of the woman.

However, if marrying the Grand Duke was Athene's wish, the Marchioness could not resist. He would join the fight for the young Grand Duke as his son-in-law.

As the future husband of Athene, not for his other daughter.