He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 194

< Misunderstanding >

◈ Doge’s Palace, Republic of Venice.

The door to the Doge’s [Head of State] office burst open, and a middle-aged woman rushed inside, breathless.

“Have you heard the news? Oh my goodness! They say the Prince of the Kingdom of Naples and the famous Earl Theo Sanderson of England are coming to our palace!”

Doge Ludovico Manin chided his wife for her agitation.

“Didn’t I tell you to deliver the news? There’s no need to get so worked up. And please, lower your voice! There are people outside!”

However, the excited Doge’s wife continued to raise her voice, ignoring him.

“No, what on earth is going on! Huh?”

“I told you, there’s no need to make such a fuss! You know they’ve been traveling around various kingdoms and principalities looking for a bride before coming to our republic, don’t you? We’re just one of many.”

Though he said that, Doge Manin was just as anxious.

A month ago, the news that the Kingdom of Naples was seeking a bride had caused quite a stir among the surrounding royal families.

However, the Republic of Venice, not being a monarchy, didn’t have high expectations. In fact, Venice hadn’t even received an official notice of the visit from the Kingdom of Naples.

“If one of our daughters marries the Prince of Naples, the French won’t dare to make a peep, will they? They won’t be able to invade so easily, and your popularity and authority will rise as well!”

“It’s not a royal marriage alliance… Just because we marry doesn’t mean France won’t still covet us.”

“It’s practically the same thing! Maybe they’re trying to form an alliance with us and put more pressure on France, bolstered by the confidence they gained from crushing the French army last time?”

As a small nation that prospered through trade, the Republic of Venice had long declared neutrality and even reduced its military to avoid the threat of war.

However, the French Revolutionary Government defined numerous kingdoms and principalities in the Italian region as enemies and began attacking them.

Even if the Republic of Venice claimed neutrality, a French invasion was only a matter of time, and there was no country willing to help them in this crisis.

In these circumstances, if they could establish a strong relationship with the Kingdom of Naples, which had defeated the French army, through marriage, there could be no greater source of strength.

However, as a Doge and not a monarch, he never dreamed that such an opportunity would come his way.

“It’s likely just a formal visit. The Earl leading the delegation is a personal acquaintance of mine, so that might be why.”

“Well, that’s not what I heard! From what I’ve gathered, the Prince hasn’t been showing his face in other kingdoms. The Neapolitan Minister of Internal Affairs has been handling everything, from vetting the prospective brides to registering their names.

But they notified us that the Prince would come in person, didn’t they? This is a completely different case! It must be because rumors about how pretty and smart our girls are have spread far and wide, and he wants to see them for himself. Hohoho-.”

“Didn’t we not even receive a notice of visit from the King of Naples in the first place, unlike other kingdoms?”

“Exactly! It’s clear the Prince heard rumors about our daughters and came running, isn’t it?”

“······?”

Thump-

The Doge’s three daughters, dressed in elaborate attire, entered the room.

The Doge’s wife, with a flushed face, raised her voice as if to show off to her husband.

“If you have eyes, take a look at our daughters dressed up! How tall and beautiful they are. If that doesn’t win him over, he’s not a man, hoho.”

Even a hedgehog thinks its own offspring are beautiful, but in truth, the Doge’s daughters’ appearances weren’t anything to boast about.

They weren’t ugly, but their strong features and large builds, inherited from their mother, diminished their charm as women.

“Mom, I don’t like this dress! It makes my waist look too thick! Can’t I change?”

Bianca, the eldest, grumbled in a sulky voice.

“What are you talking about? It looks great!”

“That’s right! It’s not that your waist is thick, it’s that your hips are small, that’s why it looks like that. How awful it is to have big hips.”

“Chiara! Don’t you have small hips and a tiny waist?”

Manin, who had been silently watching his daughters complimenting each other and giggling, asked his wife.

“But why isn’t our eldest daughter… Caterina visible? Caterina must be preparing to greet the Prince as well, right?”

At the mention of ‘Caterina,’ his wife frowned and grumbled.

“Why are you looking for her at this important time? The Prince will be here soon. If we put that tomboy next to our daughters, she’ll ruin their image! And bring down the dignity of our republic.”

The Doge’s expression changed drastically at his wife’s words.

“What are you saying? Ruin our daughters’ image? Then, are you saying Caterina isn’t our daughter? Madam! Caterina is clearly our eldest daughter! Eldest daughter!”

Caterina was the only daughter from Doge Manin’s first wife.

Caterina’s mother, the Doge’s first wife, had contracted a terrible epidemic that swept through the republic and passed away early.

Afterward, the three daughters and two sons were children from his current second wife.

The petty and jealous second wife had subtly discriminated against Caterina, and her children had consistently ignored Caterina throughout their upbringing.

“Madam! I won’t say it twice! Call Caterina here immediately! Immediately!”

Only when the Doge raised his voice did his wife shrink back and open her mouth.

“I already had the servants look for her, but she’s been gone since morning, nowhere to be seen. You know how she is, always leaving early in the morning and coming back late. There’s no point in looking for her now, she won’t be able to come here anyway.”

“Oh dear- really.”

Doge Manin couldn’t just push his wife without reason. What she said was somewhat true.

His eldest daughter, Caterina, had been going out frequently lately. Even he, her father, had a hard time seeing her.

“Oh dear- where did this girl go again?”

Doge Manin, with a worried expression, sighed deeply without his wife noticing.

*

Prince Pietro and Theo’s party, having entered the Doge’s Palace, were heading to the Doge’s [Head of State] reception room under the heavy escort of the Venetian Republic’s guards.

The Doge’s Palace, a well-harmonized blend of Gothic and Renaissance styles, was grand, splendid, and full of dignity.

Passing through a garden with beautiful sculptures displayed everywhere, and reaching the gold-decorated stairs, gasps of admiration burst out involuntarily.

“Wow- it’s really amazing!”

“Indeed. It’s the epitome of splendor.”

Minister Grimaldi, who was following behind, added to the Prince’s exclamation.

“It was even more impressive just over ten years ago. Now, the economic situation has noticeably worsened, so it has become much more frugal. Hehe-.”

“Wow- this is frugal….”

As he ascended the stairs, touching the delicate stone decorations and glass crafts, the Prince’s gaze became fixed on one spot.

Stopping, Prince Pietro smiled secretly and said to Theo.

“Hehe- Earl, my prediction was spot on.”

At the Prince’s words, Theo, who had been walking ahead, stopped and turned his head.

“Yes? What was right?”

“Look over there.”

Looking at where the Prince was pointing, there was a unique pattern decorated in gold on the palace wall.

It seemed to be a symbol representing the Doge, the head of state of the Republic of Venice.

“Perhaps, is that pattern the same one we saw on the ship yesterday?”

“Haha- yes, that’s right! It was exactly that shape. See! What did I tell you? The person we met yesterday is definitely one of the Doge’s daughters. Hahaha-.”

Minister Grimaldi asked with a puzzled look at the Prince’s delighted appearance.

“What’s the matter? Your Highness seems to be in a very good mood today?”

“Haha- well, there’s something to be happy about. Hahaha.”

Prince Pietro seemed to be smiling and enjoying himself the most during this visit.

*

As the three men entered the entrance of the Doge’s reception room under the escort of the guards, Doge Ludovico Manin, his wife, and three daughters were there to greet them.

Opposite them stood six aides and ten committee members with tense expressions.

Seeing the middle-aged man who appeared to be the Doge and several young women standing there, Prince Pietro’s lips naturally curled up, and subtle signs of joy flickered as his eyes crinkled.

However, unlike the Prince, who was caught up in excitement, Theo did not see the black-cloaked woman he had seen yesterday.

With a strange feeling, he looked around diligently once again, but that young lady was clearly not there.

‘…What is it? We sent a message a few hours ago that the Prince was visiting, so all of the Doge’s daughters should have come out… but that young lady isn’t visible… Is she still preparing? Or…?’

Perhaps, unlike the Prince’s guess, she might not be the Doge’s daughter. As of now, there was a strong possibility that she was just a young lady from the Venetian upper class.

After exchanging simple greetings, Doge Manin smiled at the Prince and asked.

“Your Highness, was your journey to Venice pleasant?”

However, Prince Pietro was too busy looking at the young women, searching for the black-cloaked woman he had seen yesterday.

Seeing this, Theo nudged the Prince in the side to get his attention.

Only then did the Prince come to his senses and reply to Doge Manin.

“Ah, yes… yes. The weather and wind were favorable on the way here, so there were no major difficulties.”

“I see. I’m very glad, haha.”

At that moment, Minister Grimaldi, who was acquainted with Doge Manin, asked with a worried face.

“Why have you lost so much weight, Doge? I hope you’re not overworking yourself….”

At Minister Grimaldi’s words, Doge Manin gave a wry smile and replied.

“There are so many things to worry about in the current political situation that I have no appetite at all.”

“Oh dear- that’s terrible.”

At that moment, one of the six aides of the Republic of Venice bowed politely to Theo and spoke in English.

“I heard that you greatly defeated the French army. I heard that Earl Sanderson became the commander-in-chief and led the army?”

“Ah- yes. It just happened that way.”

“Is it true that you annihilated 50,000 troops in just half a day?”

“Not all 50,000 troops, about 4~5,000 escaped. The Naples 17th Rifle Regiment played a big role.”

At Theo’s words, the Doge, as well as the aides and the ten committee members, were greatly impressed.

“I couldn’t believe it even after hearing the news of the great victory, but to meet the commander-in-chief in person like this… I really respect you and wanted to meet you. It’s a great honor.”

The Republic of Venice, with the fate of the country in a precarious situation due to the threat of the French army.

But with the commander-in-chief who had lightly defeated 50,000 of those fearsome French troops right before their eyes, they couldn’t help but see him as amazing and reliable.

While Theo was surrounded by Doge Manin and the committee members, talking about the recent war, behind them, Doge Manin’s wife was introducing her daughters to the Prince.

“Greetings. I am Bianca Manin, the eldest.”

“I am Chiara Manin, the second.”

“It’s an honor. I am Margarita Manin, the third.”

The Prince’s face gradually hardened as he half-heartedly received their greetings.

The excited appearance he had shown a little while ago could not be found anywhere.

After the Doge’s daughters finished their greetings, Prince Pietro hurriedly asked the Doge’s wife.

“Madam? Perhaps… are there no other daughters?”

At the Prince’s question, the Doge’s wife glanced at her husband.

Confirming that Doge Manin was engrossed in his conversation with Theo, his wife smiled brightly and emphasized.

“My daughters are all three of them here! Only these three daughters are my daughters! Besides that, there are two more sons, hoho. You must have thought I had more daughters because I have five children, Your Highness. Hohoho-.”

Prince Pietro couldn’t hide his disappointment.

According to the Doge’s wife, it was certain that the black-cloaked woman he had seen yesterday was not the Doge’s daughter.

‘Well, if she were the Doge’s daughter… there’s no way she wouldn’t be here.’

Moreover, the Doge’s daughters all looked just like their mother, but the woman he had seen yesterday looked completely different.

Unaware of the Prince’s disappointed feelings, the Doge’s wife was busy boasting about her daughters.

“Hoho- these days, so many marriage proposals are coming in from other kingdoms, but I hesitate a lot. Marriage is something you really have to be careful about, hoho-. Well, last time, you know. Saying he couldn’t live without our Bianca…”

The Doge’s wife’s boasting about her daughters was endless.

‘Ha-’

To think that the woman he wanted to meet so badly wasn’t the Doge’s daughter.

Prince Pietro could only sigh at the great disappointment.

*

The meeting with Doge Ludovico Manin lasted for about two hours.

Instead of the Prince, who had fallen silent with a discouraged face, Minister Grimaldi and Theo carried on the conversation, bringing the story to a close in a good atmosphere.

On the way back, they were escorted by the Republic’s guards and took the ship provided by the Doge to their accommodation.

The large ship that followed the canal clearly had the gold-leaf pattern that had been seen that evening engraved on it.

The Prince, who had been depressed in a corner of the ship for a long time, opened his mouth to Theo.

“Not the Doge’s daughter… she must have been some noble lady from Venice. I should have asked her name by any means that day.”

Theo patted the Prince’s back at his dejected voice, filled with regret.

“I don’t think she would have told you even if you had asked. I don’t know what it is, but she seemed to be hiding something, and since we were dressed as servants that day, the nobleman who was protecting the young lady would never have answered.”

“Yes… that’s right. I guess so.”

Theo looked at Prince Pietro, who was nodding bitterly, with concern.

‘Things are getting more complicated than I thought… she was a really nice young lady who was perfect for the Prince, hard to meet again. It would have been really nice if she was the Doge’s daughter.’

Even if she was the Doge’s daughter, it would be difficult because she wasn’t of royal blood, but if she was the daughter of a common noble, the Neapolitan royal family would likely not welcome her.

A more urgent problem was that there was no way to find out which family in Venice the young lady belonged to right now.

He couldn’t ask the Doge to gather all the young ladies from all the noble families in Venice because he had a young lady he liked.

‘Was their relationship only up to there….’

It didn’t seem easy to meet that young lady again, given that he would soon have to return to the Kingdom of Naples.