Meeting on Meeting Part I

“Did I have to accept this interview request?”

That's what I thought as I made my way to the meeting room. As I sighed clearly, Alex would have understood, "This meeting is inevitable, Your Highness," he said.

“Since the northern borders are your main area of ​​responsibility, you must take care of every import and export business from that border. This is inevitable, especially when the person doing business is a member of the royal family.” he continued. At the same time, he opened the door of the meeting room.

The meeting room, which was designed like a stylish tea room, was quite bright due to the sunlight entering through the windows. I have a lot of document work that has accumulated due to the war. That's why I had to narrow my eyes when I entered this room, since I locked myself in my study, which is half a library.

Once I got used to the lighting in the room, I could see the guest sitting in her armchair. Contrary to the impatience and excitement in her eyes, she slowly got up from her seat and smiled kindly and I welcomed the young woman who greeted me. Although the honesty in her gaze betrays her, this woman is a true professional.

Her golden blonde hair was longer than two years ago and looked quite healthy. Her elegant purple dress, sewn in the appropriate thickness for the season, underlined her beauty, which is the subject of fairy tales.

As soon as I entered the room, because my nose worked before my eyes, her perfume, which smelled very good, became more effective as I got closer to her. I am sure that both the dress and the perfume were chosen for this meeting. Possibly the perfume is an aphrodisiac.

Maybe if she had spent some of the effort she put into this interview on her now-sick husband, he would have recovered from happiness.

"It's been a long time, Duchess Selene Sohaines.” I began to speak. I invited her to sit and I sat without waiting for her. She slowly sat down in her seat, trying not to show that she was expecting me to kiss her hand. I love disappointing this woman.

Selene's father and my father are the sons of siblings. Being able to connect with families with good business as a member of the royal family for the purpose of she was married to Duke Sohaines, who traded hemp and flax. However, as everyone knows, her interest in me did not diminish even after she got married. When she was single, she was recommended to me by the king as a candidate for my wife, as she had excellent talents. Even if she is a married woman, she shows her affinity for me in her eyes. Inability to hide it was from that.

But if I look from the outside, Selene is two years younger than me and she also went to the royal academy. Her intelligence and talents were at the forefront at that time as well. After being proposed by the king as a consort, she tried her best to seduce me. In fact, it seemed to me that she was doing some of her actions even though she knew that I developed a dislike for her. Although she is married, her not giving up on this effort feeded my negative feelings towards her.

You may tell me that I have schizophrenic thoughts, but despite all that, I suspect Selene might be D.D. If you ask why, I think that instead of living quietly, D.D may be hiding herself by standing in front of me and causing me to develop a dislike for her.

After being proposed as a queen candidate, she may be adopting a policy of intimidation by admitting that she can't hide her talents. Today, I will clarify this issue with a plan I have in my mind.

…

After talking about the weather, I asked Alexi for the relevant document and looked at the paper. Then I said, “I have studied your border crossing plan, my lady. You asked for two entry and two exit permits per month. I think it's a reasonable request."

“We don't actually import twice a month. But we don't want trouble at the border when there's more than one entry, Your Highness." she replied. I think that being professional is the biggest factor in showing her as a candidate for the king's wife.

“However, I find it strange that you request a special royal guard to protect the caravan every time you exit the border.” I kept talking.

“This is because we want us to import hemp under your control, Your Highness.” said.

“Can you speak more clearly, my lady?” I said. There was a change that probably existed in the flax and hemp trade during the two years I was at war. I looked at Alexi out of the corner of my eye. With the same curiosity he was looking at Selene.

It's not surprising. My right arm was also at the front with me and since the officer I replaced did not provide me with a detailed report on this matter, the first thing I will do when the meetings are over will be to interrogate him.

“We sell flax and hemp to textile mills, sir. However, I have heard recently that flax and hemp are used to make various medicines. These are not therapeutic drugs as we know them. Drugs that cause clouding of consciousness, intoxicating people.”

"I've heard of that." I intervened. I hadn't actually heard of it. However, as the crown prince, I believe that I should show that I have knowledge about something that I do not know, without being arrogant.

“In the past months, two of our convoys were attacked by bandits. In one, our own bodyguards were barely able to fend off the attackers. In the other, our property was stolen. My husband suspects that criminals are taking these goods to people who use them to make drugs. We thought that if the royal bodyguards accompanied us at least until the danger was gone, they could catch the assailants and expose the criminals.”

Selene also changed her serious tone and said, “Forgive us, Your Grace, for coming up with a solution proposal on our own. But in war you were responsible for protecting our kingdom, and my husband thought we wouldn't be a burden if we found the solution ourselves.”

You probably thought of this, not your husband, who can barely speak in his sickbed, but you're playing tricks into accepting your request.

She's a very smart woman. I think I'll get into her game.

“Please pass on my thanks to the Duke for his thoughtful consideration.” I said.

“Well, can I learn your information source? Is it a reliable source?” I asked.

“After the initial attack, I was worried that other traders might experience something similar, and I raised the situation with the traders association. However, since there were no similar incidents in recent months, Duke Caion Sariante thought that the attack might have been specific to hemp. He later said that he heard that hemp can be abused and used to make drugs. I researched too. He was right.” she explained.

I didn't ask because I wanted to hear the explanation. My main goal was to have time to think. While listening to her, I quickly re-examined the documents in my hand. I hoped maybe I could see a note on drug making. I also found what I was looking for.

“Duchess Sohaines, the guards you need will be given to you until your company is safe.” I said.

“We are grateful, Your Highness.” she replied.

“Then I would like to ask the royal pharmacist about the latest research in the medicinal uses of hemp, and I will instruct you to obtain it if it is useful.” I said.

She thanked me again, with perfect composure that concealed her joy.

“I am sure you have an excellent knowledge of where the plant you sell is used. If you have time, I will ask you suggest a source for me.” I kept talking.

This time she couldn't keep her cool. Thinking that she would spend time alone with me with great excitement, she accepted my offer. This is a sign that she is not D.D.but I may also be underestimating her intelligence...

…

When we entered the library, we headed to the department of plant sciences. Meanwhile, we both had a conversation about the history of hemp. But it was clear that we both had other plans inside us.

“We have also worked with hemp farmers growing in warmer regions, but the quality of hemp in the north is different,” the lady said. Then we entered between two bookshelves with geology books and phytology books.

“I had read a book on vegetation and climate in the northern kingdoms. During the war, I wondered how we could use plants for food and shelter. There was useful information in that book too.” while talking I pretended to be lying on a shelf behind her .

Selene, taking a step back in a moment of surprise, was caught between the shelf and me. This was pretty easy as we had a height difference of about twenty-five centimeters between us.

A dim light, an environment like a library where we are quiet and alone, two bodies close to each other… Moreover, it is as if the bodies have come close for an excuse… I decided that the ambiance was good and lowered my head. As I expected, I was met with a beautiful surprised face and blue eyes.

What happens next is easy to predict. If she is D.D, she will be afraid that I will kiss her and will use her hands as a barrier and close her eyes tightly. If she is a woman who is obsessively obsessed with me, she will move her body closer to me and slowly close her eyes and wait for my kiss.

Unfortunately the second option turned out to be correct.Selene relaxed, lifted her head even higher, and began to close her eyes. “Here, I found the book.” I said and took a red-covered book from the shelf. Therefore, Selene recovered. I didn't want to see her disappointed face this time because I felt remorse for the little game I was playing.

She's a smart woman. But she's in love with me enough to make a fool of herself. Her skills are worthy of the king's praise. Her beauty is a fairy tale. Above all, she is actually a fun woman. But I wouldn't make her my queen. I wouldn't even if it wasn't the D.D truth. She deliberately married a sick man so that she could rule easily, and a woman who, despite being married, could throw herself into the arms of the crown prince.

The real D.D may not be the person I imagined in my head. However, she is not like the Duchess Selene Sohaines, I'm sure of that. I've eliminated a candidate. It's time for the next meeting.