He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 176

176. Blue Room

Count Dominici roared at Stefania, the trembling attendant maid.

“You wicked girl! Tell me the truth! Where is the Princess!”

“Waaah- I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I have committed a crime worthy of death!”

The Count pressed her menacingly.

“Do not test my patience! If you do not tell me the truth about what happened from now on, it will not end with just your neck! I will hold your parents and family in Naples fully accountable!”

Stefania sank to the floor and begged, clasping her hands together.

“Waaah- Count! Please save me. I will tell you everything. Please save me! Please… Waaah-”

“Tell me everything that happened to the Princess, without missing a single detail, right now!”

Terrified, Stefania had no choice but to reveal everything that had happened between Princess Maria and Theo.

* * *

Count Dominici’s bedroom.

Thump-

Count Dominici slammed his fist on the desk.

‘To think that the kingdom’s princess was having an affair with a matchmaker!’

It was more than a disgrace; it was a huge shame for the kingdom.

More than anything, he felt pathetic for not knowing what had been going on for months.

The Count’s mind went blank as he didn’t know how to deal with it.

‘This is a disaster… Princess Maria is a woman who won’t listen to anyone in this world except the Queen. There’s no way she’ll listen if I try to stop her!’

‘If, by any chance, this outrageous affair of the Princess reaches the ears of His Majesty or Her Majesty… I will bear all the responsibility and will not be able to avoid severe punishment.’

‘I can’t do that. I must go to the kingdom first and confess everything before the rumors spread. I can’t waste time trying to persuade a princess blinded by love.’

‘The only way for me to survive is to return to the kingdom as soon as possible and tell the truth first. That’s it! I heard there’s a merchant ship leaving for Italy this morning. I have to take that.’

The Count frantically took out his bag and began to pack.

* * *

The next day, early in the morning.

The Princess, who was tiptoeing into the room, was startled to see her attendant maid crouching down.

“Oh my! Stefania? Are you already up?”

Stefania raised her head, her expression suggesting she was about to burst into tears when she saw Princess Maria.

“Princess… something terrible has happened!”

“Something terrible?”

“Count Dominici… the Count… left for the Kingdom of Naples at dawn.”

“What are you talking about? The Count went to the kingdom? No, why? Did something happen?”

“Sob sob- That’s… that’s….”

The Princess, looking at Stefania, who was only crying and unable to speak, saw the blanket and pillow thrown on the floor.

‘…….’

Princess Maria, sensing the situation, asked quietly.

“…Did we get caught?”

Stefania nodded.

Princess Maria sat on the edge of the bed and let out a small sigh.

“Hoo-. Well… it was bound to happen someday. I’m sorry you got scared because of me.”

“Sniff.”

“Stefania. Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of things so that no harm comes to you.”

“Princess… I’m so scared. He threatened to punish even my family. Sob sob-”

The Princess, approaching Stefania, who was sobbing with her shoulders shaking, gently stroked her back and said.

“Don’t be afraid. The Count’s words were just said in a moment of anger, so you don’t need to pay attention to them. I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry too much. I promise you in my name.”

“Princess… Sniff-”

She said that, but Princess Maria’s heart was also endlessly uneasy and fearful.

‘Ah… what do I do now….’

Until a moment ago, she was the happiest woman in the world, but at this moment, she felt like she had fallen into the most unfortunate situation.

◈ Fifteen days later. Late June 1789, Kingdom of Naples.

About ten days ago, Count Dominici took a dawn merchant ship to Italy and headed to the Kingdom of Naples.

Thanks to the good weather and wind, he was able to arrive much earlier than expected.

As soon as the Count arrived in the kingdom, he rushed to the royal palace and told them everything that had happened.

As expected, the royal palace was turned upside down.

“Count Dominici? Say it again! Princess Maria… our princess is… seems to be in love with a matchmaker?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty. All of this is my fault for not properly protecting the Princess by her side. Please, punish me.”

The Queen, who was next to him, trembled and burst into anger.

“The Princess with such a lowly person… I can’t believe it. Count! Is this really true?”

“Not a word is a lie, Your Majesty.”

King Ferdinand grabbed his head and asked.

“What kind of person is this matchmaker? Didn’t you say he was a nobleman in England? How could a nobleman do such a thing….”

Count Dominici bowed his head and replied.

“Your Majesty! In a country like England that values lineage, a matchmaker cannot become a proper nobleman. When I went to London, I asked a very influential politician named Littleton, whom I had befriended, and he said that a man named Sanderson is quite famous in London.

However, he is so skilled at flattery that he somehow gained the favor of the British King and even obtained a baronet title [a hereditary title below a baron].

But in reality, he is just a merchant from a humble commoner background who does anything for money.”

For Count Dominici, who had little interaction with the British aristocracy and had no talent for making friends, British MP [Member of Parliament] Littleton was his only source of information.

However, MP Littleton had long disliked Theo and always spoke ill of him.

As a result, Count Dominici was unable to gather accurate information about Theo’s reputation and instead only heard malicious slander.

King Ferdinand tapped his chest as if frustrated and asked again.

“But if he has the King’s favor, doesn’t that mean he is recognized to some extent in British politics and has power?”

“I don’t think so. He is not a politician and has no position. He is just a merchant who sells matchmaking services and coffee.

According to MP Littleton, he is like a moth clinging to power that may be disposed of at any time when the British King dies. And he seems to have many enemies as well.”

The enraged King instructed the servant.

“Write a letter in my name to the Princess, telling her to return to the kingdom immediately! Right now!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

◈ Theo’s matchmaking company, 5th floor CEO’s office.

Theo’s expression was dark. Princess Maria’s tears, which he had seen at the cafe today, kept bothering him.

‘The fact that the Count left without a word as soon as he found out about us means that his distrust of me is that high.’

Count Dominici, who had arrived in the Kingdom of Naples by now, would have told them everything.

The Neapolitan royal family may have been preparing measures and preparing to bring the princess back.

‘Because of the French Revolution, the Kingdom of Naples is more aware of the surrounding powerful countries than any other country.

In that situation, Princess Maria should be connected to a prestigious British nobleman, but they can’t help but be displeased that I, a commoner, am doing this.’

It’s not the 21st century; it’s the 18th century.

It was an era when status was important to ordinary people, let alone the son-in-law of a princess from a country; it was obvious how much they would consider and examine his innate status.

Although industry has developed and commoners have made a lot of money, the royal family still cannot escape the foolish idea that status is a noble bloodline given from heaven.

‘Even though I knew this would happen, I fell in love and acted too recklessly.’

In France now, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were dragged to Paris through the March on Versailles [a significant event in the French Revolution], and recently, the Citizens’ Charter [Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen] was adopted, and the rights enjoyed by the existing monarchy were being abolished one by one.

In the process, countless people were driven to unjust deaths and suffered, and violence, murder, theft, and arson were rampant in society, and France was gradually falling into extreme chaos in a state of anarchy.

But as the saying goes, ‘my own fingernail thorn hurts more than someone else’s big wound?’

Until a few months ago, he was paying close attention to the fluctuating international situation and preparing for it, but now he was more concerned and hurting over love.

◈ Mid-July 1789, Princess Maria’s residence.

More than a month after Count Dominici suddenly disappeared, a letter arrived at the residence.

It was a letter from her father, King Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples.

Princess Maria, who was hastily reading the letter with trembling hands, put the letter down on the table powerlessly.

The maid, Stefania, asked with a worried face.

“Princess, what did His Majesty say? Is he very angry?”

In response to her question, Princess Maria smiled bitterly and nodded.

“I think so. He told me to stop everything immediately… and return home immediately.”

“Ah….”

Stefania also couldn’t speak for a while, her expression pitiful.

“Princess… what are you going to do?”

“If it were you… what would you do if you were me?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Me neither… I don’t know what to do now either.”

If ordinary daughters have to think about their families, princesses have to look after the royal family and the people.

Simply insisting on getting married according to her own will was tantamount to betraying the many people who looked to the royal family.

Stefania, who was watching the Princess’s expression, carefully opened her mouth.

“But Princess… I happened to be talking to an Italian chef here in England the other day, and it turns out that Lord Sanderson is a really powerful figure in England.”

“A powerful figure?”

“Yes, that chef cooks for really high-ranking people a lot. Whether it’s the most successful Count or Duke in England, they all bow their heads in front of Lord Sanderson.”

Princess Maria also nodded slightly.

“Well… I’ve often felt that way too. I haven’t seen the high-ranking British nobles who like to show off doing that in front of the Baron.”

When she was a child, the Princess had met many British nobles who came to the Kingdom of Naples.

Every time, she could see how much the British nobles looked down on the Kingdom of Naples and treated it carelessly.

Even her strict and scary mother was always at a loss when a nobleman came from England.

But even the British Counts and Dukes, who were so fierce, couldn’t stand up straight in front of Baron Sanderson.

“Besides, he’s very close to the British King, right? He calls him often… In a way, isn’t he the kind of groom that His Majesty wants?

Although he became a Baron from a commoner background, so he may not be as good as a Count family with lineage, if you are looking for someone who can put power into British politics, I think Lord Theo Sanderson is a better fit than a general Count family.”

“…….”

It seemed that Stefania, who had been suffering so much, had been asking around about Baron Sanderson here and there, even though she had no interest in politics.

But Princess Maria also thought Stefania’s story sounded quite plausible.

“Yes… yes. That’s a plausible idea when I hear it. I have to write a letter. I’ll properly explain Lord Sanderson’s abilities to my father.”

“That’s right! Emphasize his character and enormous wealth! And the fact that he is the most powerful figure in England!”

* * *

Encouraged, Princess Maria wrote a letter all night long.

Although Lord Sanderson was not from a noble family with a pedigree, she strongly argued that he was a gentleman who was receiving special affection from King George and had deep friendships with the British power elite, making him the most suitable person for the nobleman our kingdom was looking for, even providing grounds.

The Princess carefully wrote the letter, revising the writing several times, and sent the letter by the fastest ship the next day.

However, the reply that came back twenty days later was extremely cold.

『…… In the end, that man is just a merchant with vulgar blood flowing through him. How foolishly only you do not know that such a flatterer is an existence who may face a miserable end when pushed back by power?

If that happens, it will endanger not only your safety but also our Kingdom of Naples.

No other excuses are needed! The Princess must no longer disappoint us, abandon everything, and return quickly!

I say again! Return to the kingdom immediately upon receiving this letter! Otherwise, we will take immediate action accordingly.』

◈ Mid-August 1789. London Mayfair, Theo’s mansion.

Late evening.

They were sitting alone, drinking tea on Theo’s 3rd floor terrace.

Princess Maria had no choice but to despair at the reply to the second letter she had sent with great expectations.

Eventually, according to her father’s instructions, she decided to wrap up her life in London and return to the Kingdom of Naples in a week.

“Princess?”

“…Yes?”

“You seem so depressed all day today.”

“I’m just feeling a bit down thinking about leaving soon.”

As a result of talking to her so far, Princess Maria had been thoroughly dominated by her mother’s ego in her childhood.

She was a woman with a strong nature, so she was able to overcome it as she grew up, but whenever the strong fear of her mother hidden in her subconscious raised its head, she seemed to fall into deep depression without realizing it.

“…The last year in London has set. I’m so sad.”

The beautiful summer sunset was setting, and a deep darkness began to settle.

The Princess, leaning her head on Theo’s shoulder and looking at the sky, made a sudden request.

“Lord Sanderson….”

“…Yes.”

“Could you sing me a song?”

“Suddenly a song?”

“I just want to hear a song sung by Lord Sanderson.”

“…I… I’m not good at singing.”

Songs at this time were very different from modern times, so there were few songs that Theo could sing.

“I don’t want to hear a good song. I just want to hear a song sung by the man I love.”

The Princess, with her eyes closed tightly, continued.

“Lord Sanderson will probably be very disappointed when he sees my mother. She’s someone you can’t handle. The way she stakes the fate of the kingdom on her children’s marriages is sometimes precarious and scary.”

“…….”

She let out a small sigh.

“Lord Sanderson… maybe we… this might be the end.”

“…….”

“Is there really a song in the world that can comfort my heart right now?”

She and Theo both knew that once she returned to the kingdom, they would be separated forever.

A heavy, sad silence flowed for a moment.

Breaking through the heavy atmosphere, lyrics began to flow softly from Theo’s mouth.

We’ll have a blue room ♪~

A new room for two room ♬♪~

Where every day’s a holiday ♫~

Because you’re married to me ♬♪~

.

.

.

With your wee head upon my knee ♬♪~

We’ll thrive on, keep alive on ♬~

Just nothing but kisses ♫♪~

With Mister and Missus ♩♬~

.

.

.

It was an unaccompanied song called Blue Room by Chet Baker. A song that Theo enjoyed singing when he worked at an American hospital.

Throughout the song, Princess Maria couldn’t take her eyes off Theo for a moment.

She didn’t even think about wiping away the tears that were flowing down.

The softly murmured lyrics touched her heart more than any passionate opera aria.

When Theo’s calm song ended, Princess Maria asked.

“Whose song is that anyway? Was there such a beautiful song in England? I’ve really never heard such a simple song in my life. More than any proposal song, more than any opera… it gave my heart great emotion and comfort.”

The Princess snuggled into Theo’s arms and sobbed.

“I don’t want to think about you and remember this song I heard today. I don’t want you to sing this song while living with another woman either….”

Theo hugged the Princess tightly without saying a word.