DYBAR - Chapter 38 A Strengthened Faith And An Anxious Mind
Do Your Best And Regret It
My heart sank as I saw the carriage moving away. Is it because I saw Ethella, whom I thought I would never see again? Or maybe it was because I forgave Ethella. Was it because I heard that Conrad had come?
I couldn't tell easily.
"Are you forgetting anything because of meeting your younger sister?"
It was time to swallow my dark emotions. My eyes widened at the sound of his coy voice.
"How long have you been here?"
"From earlier. Olivia. Don't talk back and quickly remember what you have forgotten."
From earlier. I really didn't even feel it. But Edwin was looking at me with a sad face as if telling me not to think about anything else.
I'm forgetting it. I thought about it, but nothing came to mind. I glanced at Sobel behind me, asking him to give me a hint, but he only shrugged his shoulders.
"What am I forgetting?"
"Ah. It's too much. I haven't gotten over my sulking yet."
Edwin turned his head coldly. Now that I think about it, I was talking about not wearing the necklace Edwin bought me earlier, and then I moved on to talking about Ethella coming.
However, I did not lose heart despite Edwin's words that he was upset. If he wants to pretend to be sulky, he should at least show disappointment in his eyes. The eyes looking at me were always kind. So much so that I want to make fun of it.
So I tilted my head exaggeratedly, pretending not to notice.
"That's strange. When did Edwin get sulky?"
"If it comes out like that, is it really going to make jewelry stores line up in front of the front door from early morning tomorrow?"
I shook my head at the threatening tone. Then I raised my palms in surrender as if I had lost.
"It's shameful. Edwin. Do you really have to beat me like this?"
"This is what happens when you taste victory, Olivia. How sweet this is. Olivia knows."
Edwin winked at me as if asking for consent. I chuckled and nodded my head. The day I was not swayed by the Princess for the first time. I clearly remembered how happy I had been that day.
"Yes, but. There's no special benefit to winning over me, right?"
"You can at least ask me out for a walk, right?"
Edwin smiled mischievously and held out his hand. I chuckled and placed my hand on top of his.
"As much as you want."
The cool night air felt better than I expected. The cool breeze seemed to cool my heated eyes. There was the sound of carriage wheels turning. The carriage that had taken Ethella was returning from the other side. I smiled slightly.
"If this continues, the front gate of the Grand Duke's residence will become a gathering place for the Madeleine family."
Jade came once, Ethella came once, and even Conrad came in passing, so it is safe to say that it was truly a gathering place.
It was a joke, but Edwin opened his eyes wide and blinked. Every time his eyelashes fluttered, a shadow fell on his beautiful face.
"Maybe you say the same thing as me?"
"Did Edwin think so too?"
"Sure. I've been to Madeleine's three times."
Then Edwin glanced at my complexion.
"Are you okay, Olivia?"
"What?"
"I just asked. Don't worry about it."
Edwin hurriedly spoke.
What? I thought hard. Then I narrowed my eyes and smiled a little. No matter how I think about it, Edwin is thoughtful.
"Do you think I was upset because the Duke came to get Ethella?"
Edwin didn't answer. My mouth curved. I spoke first, shrugging my shoulders.
"I was fine."
Because it's always been like that. So I don't think it really mattered. No, more precisely, there was another reason why it was okay.
I smiled mischievously and blocked Edwin's path. And I shrugged my shoulders and said before Edwin could ask why.
"Now when I go out, Edwin will come get me."
Anywhere, anytime. I had a firm belief that Edwin would come get me.
"Yeah... Because the Lady is here?"
So it was okay. Because at some point, Edwin took up a lot more of my nerves than Conrad, who never came to get me. Edwin's red eyes slowly widened. Embarrassed by the eye contact, I looked away for no reason.
"What should I do? Olivia?"
"What?"
"Even if you shake me like this without realizing it."
Edwin faced me affectionately. His sighing voice was extremely sweet.
"I can't help but be swayed."
"What is that?"
Edwin's expression of genuine trouble was so sweet. I let out a small laugh. The wind that had only felt cool to her had been tickling me for some time now.
***
"... Therefore, I plan to have the Grand Duke and Princess attend the meeting tomorrow. I will talk about the 'one-year grace period' then, so everyone knows about it."
The Emperor spoke majestically in the nobles' meeting hall. As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, Duke Giovanni Madeleine clenched his fists.
He tried to prevent his uncontrollable anger from running wild, but it was no use. The nobles who were nearby already noticed the angry state of Duke Madeleine and started whispering among themselves.
"Isn't that what His Majesty said just now? Either return his eldest Princess to her place during a one-year grace period or raise his second Princess to be the Crown Princess?"
"If I were to sum it up, that would be it."
"No. Would the Duke really offer up the second Princess? The daughter she cherishes so much?"
"But will the first Princess who received the Grand Duke's marriage proposal return again?"
"You don't know. Don't we all know how much the eldest Princess loved Her Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
Only when the whispering voices grew louder did the Emperor hit the table with his fist. With a bang, the conference room became quiet as if cold water had been poured on it.
"Everyone is noisy. That's enough for today's meeting. Everyone, let's go out."
The Emperor's eyebrows twitched. Seeing that they were showing signs of discomfort, the nobles left the conference hall without dividing them into the imperial or noble factions.
Except for one, Duke Giovanni Madeleine.
"What can the Duke do without going out?"
Even though he knew this would happen, the Emperor spoke to the Duke with a deliberately indifferent expression. The Duke barely released his stiff mouth and spoke to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty. A one-year grace period. Please reconsider it."
"What do you mean reconsider? Isn't this already a story that was finished at the meeting?"
"Didn't you end the story you shared with me fourteen years ago?"
A coldness dripped from the Duke's voice. The Emperor frowned and glared at the Duke.
"Duke! What kind of grim expression are you looking at me right now?"
"...I apologize, Your Majesty. However, please keep your promise of Madeleine's loyalty. Didn't you clearly say that you would exclude my second daughter from being a candidate for Crown Princess?"
However, the Emperor himself knew best that the Duke's expression would not change as it was.
"Madeleine's bloodline. If you accept that child as Crown Princess, Madeleine's loyalty will continue to firmly follow Your Majesty."
The Emperor nodded slowly. He had certainly made a promise to the Duke.
"It was like that. But what can you do? Things have changed."
"Your Majesty!"
"So you should have taken better care of your daughter, Duke."
The Emperor said calmly. The Duke bowed his head. It was obvious that there was an expression full of anger under that bowed head. However, instead of scolding the recklessness, the Emperor talked about something productive.
"How was it possible for the Crown Prince's fiancée to receive a marriage proposal from the Grand Duke? Even if I don't want to tell you, I can't do anything about this shameful thing."
"..."
"Oh my God. Does that make sense, Duke? The fiancée of the Crown Prince who will lead Franz in the future even accepted the Grand Duke's marriage proposal."
The Emperor snorted and rolled his eyes.
The bad relationship with the Grand Duchy of Vikander continued until his son's generation. It was funny. But he couldn't let Leopold follow in his footsteps. He had to find a better way to trample on the Grand Duke.
It would be better if it could never be recovered again. So the Emperor smiled mercifully at the Duke.
"I also don't want to break my promise to the Duke. I know very well how much the Duke cares for your second daughter."
"..."
"I'm giving you one more chance now. Even the wish given by the Emperor's order is postponed."
The strength in the Duke's shoulders began to loosen little by little. At that moment, the Emperor's eyes met the Duke with warning.
"So Duke. Don't disappoint me. If you have time for this, wouldn't it be better to talk to the eldest Princess before the meeting tomorrow?"
"... I will follow your orders, Your Majesty."
The Duke, with a stiff face, bowed his head towards the Emperor. The Emperor nodded greatly with a generous heart. And when the Duke left the conference room, the Emperor burst into loud laughter.
"Ha ha ha. How can things go so smoothly?"
Perhaps the nobles who returned a little while ago are already spreading the word. In the meantime, if the words gain weight, something interesting will definitely happen.
One-year grace period. It was disguised with nice words to clarify the succession of a woman who was married to the royal family, but in reality, it was no different from cutting the woman's chastity to pieces.
Olivia Madeleine had been betrothed to the Prince for eleven years. What was even more strange was that the story didn't come out. This is a new scandal for a Princess who has many scandals. He became very curious as to whether the Princess would actually stay by the Grand Duke's side despite being told that she would disappear without a trace if she came to Leopold's side.
"... Chamberlain."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The chamberlain approached the Emperor. The Emperor's mouth tilted upward.
"Write a letter to the Grand Duke. Anyway, shouldn't we at least let them know that there is a meeting?"
"People right now,"
"No."
The chamberlain bowed his head as he spoke with a slow laugh. The Emperor's eyes went up coldly.
"Take your time. Tomorrow, about an hour before the meeting starts, would be good."
At that time, it was difficult to even come to the meeting properly. The chamberlain did not respond. The Emperor smiled cruelly at the obvious acceptance. As if wishing for someone's destruction.
***
A golden sunset fell over Tiese Palace. Maria Ethel clasped her hands together and placed them near her chest. At that moment, Leopold spoke kindly.
"Maria. I will take you as my fiancée."
"Alright."
Maria let out a low exclamation with her parted lips. Overwhelming emotion sparkled in her bright blue eyes, and soon tears welled up in her eyes.
She is Leopold's fiancée. She said there was good news, and she had known it ever since Leopold raised his handsome mouth. However, the reality that faced her was so daunting that nothing could compare to it.
Maria Ethel, who was crying as if she was moved, was so pretty that Leopold held her in his arms and comforted her.
"Ha ha ha. Do you like it that much ?"
"... Of course, Your Highness. Really, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day."
Maria's joyful voice broke out intermittently.
Now, Leopold was truly her lover, and their relationship was more than official. How can it not be overwhelming?
Olivia had been his fiancée since she first saw Leopold. Maria was different from that half-hearted person. As a descendant of the noble Marquis Ethel, she was able to expand the power of the noble faction by serving Her Majesty the Empress. An image of herself ascending to the position of Queen Consort and then Empress quickly appeared in her mind.
Leopold and her would do better than any Emperor or Empress that ever lived. Because they loved each other deeply.
"Are you that happy? Then, you will be able to fulfill the role of fiancée well for a year, right?"
"Yes?"
For a moment, Maria couldn't believe her ears. For a year. She was sure that Leopold had said something wrong.
"Le, Leopold. Well, what is that?"
Now, she has to act bluntly like a future Crown Princess. Maria stuttered her words. She would look stupid. It was something she had never done before, but she was so embarrassed that her words didn't come out easily.
"What, Maria?"
"Well, for a year. What do you mean?"
Leopold smiled brightly as if he had finally understood. Maria was a little relieved because the smile belonged to a sweet lover. And she spoke with confidence.
"I've only been your fiancée for a year. Did you say something wrong?"
"I said exactly. Maria."
"Yes?"
Maria's face turned pale. Leopold smiled lazily and stroked Maria's cheek.
"Olivia is leaving on a one-year probation. Instead, you will officially take her place next to me for that one year."
The sweet feeling of running on the clouds was suddenly pulled down to the ground. Maria blinked her eyes. She had no doubt that it would be the happiest day in the world. Now this was a nightmare.
Maria blinked her eyes and looked as pretty as a doll. Leopold kissed her hair.
"Princess Madeleine..."
Maria Etel laughed weakly. Leopold, who always loved her, seemed distant today.
"What if the Princess doesn't come back? Then, of course, I won't be Your Majesty's spouse, right?"
"Maria."
Leopold's eyes were cold as he looked at her as if rebuking her.
Thud.
While Maria's heart was falling to the floor, Leopold broke the cold expression and smiled mischievously.
"That can't be possible."
He crushed Maria's swollen breasts in one fell swoop.
What does he mean it can't be like that? Does this mean that the Princess will definitely come back? Or not? Does this mean she can't be the Crown Princess?
"I believe you will be my fiancee well, even if it's just for a year. Yes?"
The gap defined by Leopold was clear and certain. Official relationship for one year.
So what happens after that? Again, should she just listen to the government?
Leopold affectionately stroked Maria's head. Maria remained stiff and blinked her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She used to think that the thing that got in the way of the love between her and Leopold was that half of herself. Leopold doesn't take her side even when half of her is gone. He was unfamiliar as if she was seeing him for the first time.
Who is the person holding her right now with the face of a lover?
Maria Ethel's expectations were shattered. A fragment so sharp that it could not be helped pierced Maria Ethel's pure heart.
As the sun set, Tiase Palace once again shone in silver. As if laughing at her broken expectations, the cold moonlight suddenly reminded Maria of Olivia Madeleine.
"Do you want to be in government?"
A strange voice suddenly came to mind, and Maria Ethel shook her head. She never wanted to miss out. This time of one year would turn into eternity. And Maria Ethel was confident in herself.
A deep desire spread over her blue eyes.
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