Top Tier Perversion: Dual Cultivate Secretly

The main hall.

Vivienne sat on a couch with a pastry in one hand and a small plate in another.

She barely had a few bites when Linda approached her.

"Her Highness, the Crown Princess is here."

Escorted by a few servants, Agnes entered the hall.

Agnes’s gaze fell upon the Countess lounging on a couch, eating pastry with her hands.

As she moved closer, she saw her have another bite.

’Hm?’

The Countess was informed of Agnes’s attendance an hour prior.

Yet, why did she seem so relaxed as if she was going to greet an acquaintance and not a member of the royal family?

’I do share a bit of bond with the Countess but are we so close that we can meet informally?’

Agnes stopped a few feet before the Countess.

She held her gown and bowed lightly.

"Pardon my sudden intrusion, Countess."

Vivienne placed her pastry on the plate and turned to Agnes.

She assessed her for a second.

Agnes was still the polite child she knew from long ago. The authority from being the Crown Princess did not get to her head.

"Greetings, Your Highness," Vivienne said. "Have a seat."

"Thank you."

Agnes sat on the opposite couch.

A maid brought a tray with tea and cakes.

Agnes grabbed a cup of black tea and had a sip.

Vivienne had another bite of her pastry.

Clink.

"Countess," Agnes glanced at Vivienne. "I appreciate you receiving me on such short notice."

Vivienne put the cake down and smiled lightly.

"It’s your first visit to my estate, how could I reject?"

Agnes smiled back in response.

"It’s always a pleasure talking to you. Though, I’m afraid my visit today is not for the usual guidance."

Vivienne handed the small plate to Linda and grabbed a wet towel.

"If it’s matters regarding the house’s decisions, then those will have to wait."

Agnes was about to ask what the Countess meant by this when she heard rushed footsteps.

"Mom!" Vincent’s voice called out as he descended down the stairs.

"Is the Princess—"

He stopped when he noticed a figure in a pristine black dress seated nearby.

’Ah, she’s already here.’

Vincent halted and stopped appearing casual.

A second later, he took fast but relaxed strides towards the Crown Princess.

The Jester’s inheritance would shine whenever he saw royalty and helped him switch into a serious mode faster.

"Good morning, Your Highness."

Vincent took off his hat and placed it against his chest, bowing slightly.

Agnes stood up and held her gown, returning the greeting.

The two then settled down with Vincent sitting right beside Vivienne and facing Agnes.

"I hope I’m not too late."

Vincent looked at Agnes and then at Vivienne, courteously apologizing.

"Her Highness just arrived," said Vivienne.

Vincent turned to Agnes and noticed her cup of tea being close to the brim and still letting out steam.

He relaxed his shoulders.

"Was the carriage ride to our estate comfortable, Your Highness?"

Vincent was served tea after his question by Anastasia who was following right behind him.

"It was, Young Count. I hope my sudden arrival hasn’t troubled your schedule."

Agnes calmly took a sip of tea after saying so.

Vincent did not sip yet.

"Not all."

He shook his head.

"And Your Highness, if I may... you can just call me Vincent."

He turned to Vivienne.

"It’s my mother who’s the Countess after all."

Vivienne’s lips formed a faint smile, not the formal and courteous one, but a genuine, warm smile.

Agnes stared at the Young Count and the Countess for a brief few seconds.

She didn’t know what had transpired in the few weeks she hadn’t seen the Countess, but her bond with her son seemed to have grown.

She curtly nodded.

"Very well. If we’re dropping formalities, then let’s do it properly. From now on, please just call me by my name."

[Ding!]

[Entanglement increased.]

[Subject: Agnes Falkner.]

[Entanglement: Friction Link(stable) → Active Link(unstable)]

The maids nearby glanced in Agnes’s direction.

Vincent and Vivienne stared at her too.

’Dropping formalities was enough to deepen our relationship? Does the Crown Princess hate this or does she just like efficiency?’

Vincent almost raised an eyebrow.

Vivienne grabbed a cup of tea from Linda’s tray nearby and turned to Agnes.

"Seems like my manor is a comfortable place for everyone. If it’s as such, don’t be so formal with me as well."

She smiled.

Agnes nodded lightly.

"Then I hope the Countess is fine with me calling her as Senior."

"I don’t mind."

Vivienne took a sip.

"Very well," repeated Agnes and took a sip as well.

The formalities were gone and it was a step closer toward establishing a relationship with the D’Arcs.

"So..."

Vincent interjected and made Agnes turn toward him.

"...what brings you here... Agnes?"

It still felt a bit awkward to call the Crown Princess by her name.

Agnes took a sip of tea.

Clink.

"After yesterday’s court session..."

Agnes stared at Vincent.

"...the Capital has become noticeably quieter."

Vivienne looked at her while Vincent continued to listen while sipping morning tea.

Agnes continued.

"Merchants are waiting."

"Factories are slowing."

"Coal deliveries have stalled."

Vincent nodded. "You’re well informed."

"I try to be."

Agnes put her cup on the glass table before and grabbed a small plate of finger sandwiches.

"I’m sure you know why it’s as such. What I wish to know is, what do you intend to do from here onwards?"

Agnes had a bite of the finger ham and cheese sandwich.

Clink.

Vincent put his cup down.

"Most houses acted selfishly and I’m simply reciprocating the favor. As for the future..."

Vincent shook his head.

"I don’t know."

He took a sip of tea.

"My house has bigger problems to worry about and can’t be bothered with the kingdom’s politics."

"Problems such as?" Agnes asked and finished her sandwich.

Vincent wondered whether he should tell her the truth or a partial one.

He tried to assess her emotions first.

What did she come here for? What was the motive of this conversation?

Her legs were crossed and her posture was relaxed.

She had a neutral expression on her face.

Vincent could not guess her emotional state or the motive even with the Jester’s ability.

"We have a few internal issues. Though the primary concern still seems to be food."

"I see." Agnes said. "If it’s food, won’t trading with others solve it?"

Vincent shook his head. "My decision still remains. I won’t be trading with other houses."

"No, not the noble houses, I meant merchants." Agnes subtly steered the conversation.

"Trading with civilian merchants wouldn’t be a problem, right? They’re more in numbers and D’Arc will be directly connected to the common people’s farms."

Vincent did not answer her immediately.

He paused and contemplated.

’I can trade with merchants but aren’t they affiliated with noble houses? I think Anastasia mentioned it to me somewhere...’

Vincent turned to Anastasia.

She quickly stepped forward.

"Can I have a pen and paper?"

Anastasia nodded and walked away.

Many maids around the hall moved.

Soon, Vincent was handed a small stack of blank papers, pen, and a thin mahogany board to be used as support.

Agnes was given the same while Vivienne refused it and continued to sip tea while listening to the discussions.

Vincent wrote the words merchants and nobles and connected them with an arrow. He then turned to Agnes.

"Won’t this benefit the noble houses anyway? They can buy from the merchants or even force them to sell the goods."

Agnes thought about it for a second.

Vincent wasn’t entirely wrong about it.

She looked at him and asked, "Maybe, but does it matter? You cannot control what happens after a lawful sale."

Agnes put her pen down.

"Or is it that you do not wish to trade with them in the long run? This would surely attract unwanted attention, and D’Arc would needlessly miss out on many profitable ventures."

Vincent fell silent.

He wrote a few things down, scribbled, crossed, and eventually came to an answer.

He looked at Agnes.

"We aren’t losing much profit even if we trade with them. We could simply look outside the kingdom. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about Aldorp but other kingdoms."

"No, Vincent." Agnes shook her head. "What I mean to say is that the other houses will think of you as an enemy if you push them too much. Why take such a step when you can easily avoid it?"

Agnes’s gaze then fell on Vivienne for a second.

This lady was just listening to them without adding anything or interrupting.

Agnes knew she was strong enough to handle the nobles, but currently it seemed like all decisions of House D’Arc were being taken by Vincent while Vivienne acted as a support in case something went wrong.

Vincent was pondering over Agnes’s words.

With the way she spoke, it felt like a genuine suggestion for his house’s wellbeing.

’...which is what makes this conversation so weird. Why’s she suddenly wanting the good of my house? She surely didn’t come here so suddenly to discuss our wellbeing, did she?’

Vincent wrote her suggestion down and then looked at her.

"Agnes..."

He took a pause.

"Hm?"

Agnes looked back.

"Let’s put my house’s matters aside for a while."

Vincent said, then paused to collect his words.

"What’s on your mind? What made you visit us suddenly?"

Agnes put the pen and paper on the table and placed her hands on her lap, straightening her posture.

"I was coming to that eventually but it seems I’ve intruded into D’Arc’s affairs a little more than necessary. My apologies."

Vincent shook his hand.

"Your advice is helpful but I feel it’s better if we get to the point."

He smiled lightly.

"Don’t be so formal now."

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