DYBAR - Chapter 113 < Last Chance For Someone (2) >

DYBAR - Chapter 113 < Last Chance For Someone (2) >

Do Your Best And Regret

Maria Ethel moaned. When she felt the soft texture of the blanket on her bed, her stiff body relaxed a little.

Little by little, her eyes, which were covered in tears, became clearer. The pattern of the ceiling and the lace of the bedside canopy were different from those of Leopold's bedroom.

She had no idea how she ended up in the bed next room.

The servant's attitude was insincere as if putting the subject to bed was the only thing that ended long after she called him.

"I will call the royal doctor."

She heard the door closing. Maria Ethel, who had been holding her breath to hide her mangled face, curled up her body, swallowing her sobs.

Is she fortunate that she is summoned to court? 

These days, most of the maids ignore her orders.

She rubbed her flat stomach. She felt a slight pain and bit her lip.

It was her first time experiencing pain like this. No, it was her first time being in such a miserable situation.

Where did it go wrong?

She couldn't help but smile bitterly at the lament-like self-talk. 

Maria Ethel closed her eyes. Everything was a mess. The father will be locked up, and the brothers will have a hard time running the business where all work has been paralyzed. The ladies who worshiped her, and...

"Is it because of you that Olivia left me? Or because of me?"

Maria shook her head violently and squeezed her eyes shut. Even as her head pounded, Leopold's voice, like a lingering fire, did not disappear.

If she had known this would happen, she should have listened to her nanny. 

Maria Ethel repeated her regrets throughout her time in confinement in the Prince's palace.

"Miss. Don't trust the Crown Prince too much. The Supreme Prince is just a man."

It was what her nanny told her every night when she went on dates with Leopold.

"Nanny, Leopold is different. Don't you know how much he loves me? Just today, he came to me, abandoning his fiancée, the Princess."

It was an overly vulgar remark to say to the daughter of a noble Marquis, but the reason Maria Ethel remembered it was because of the following remark that followed at some point.

"But, My Lady, what is most certain is not a man's love, but a solid succession. You know, Miss."

The nanny was right. A man's love was nothing but vain. Don't pass it up like that then, just do what the nanny said...

"It would be nice if there was a successor..."

Her soft crying was cut off for a moment. It was only for a moment that a flash of light passed over Maria Ethel's blue eyes, which were filled with tears.

No way, no way...

Maria Ethel instinctively hugged her stomach. Now that she thinks about it, the last time she did anything was...!

Joy spread across her blue eyes. Something she always regretted happened like a miracle at this moment. 

When? It seems like it's been a while since she received a loving touch from Leopold.

No, now was not the time to discuss that.

Everything made sense at once. Pain felt for the first time, a bad body, strange feelings. All the clues were scattered around her, making her wonder why she only found out now.

During the few days she spent in the Crown Prince's Palace, where she was treated with contempt, she thought that she should have had her precious womb long ago. 

She begged even now.

Please...If Leopold doesn't love me, the more he doesn't love me...

Now the pulse in her stomach would raise her back to a noble position in this imperial palace.

"The imperial doctor has arrived."

Maria, who had unconsciously agreed to come in at the sound of a knock on the door, hardened her expression.

No matter how much of a trick she had, this current situation was completely unfavorable to her. The forces trying to make Olivia a Princess were strong, and the Princess hated her...

Maria's extraordinary mind was full of ways to make a brilliant comeback. At the same time, Maria shook her head as she looked at the imperial courtier coming in.

"That's Okay."

"Yes?"

"Thank you for coming. However, after resting for a while, I feel better, so I don't think I need any further treatment."

Maria Ethel, who spoke elegantly, looked like nothing more than an ordinary Young Lady. So the maid who followed her was even more embarrassed. 

Clearly, Maria Ethel these past few days, no, just a little while ago she was...

"Yes? But they said you were sick a little while ago..."

"I said I'm okay!"

The sharp shouting was truly the same as the powerful and beloved Maria Ethel of the past.

Seeing how she had gone back several weeks in just a few minutes, the maid looked at the Imperial court and lowered her head.

It was only when the imperial court went out first with a sigh that Maria Ethel finally calmed down, her fur prickled like a wary cat.

No one in this imperial palace could be trusted. She had to fend for herself. It couldn't have happened already, but she couldn't tell anyone until this powerful pulse, which seemed to vibrate her palm like the movement of her fetus, stabilized.

And after this became known...

Maria Ethel glared at the doorway. 

At the end of her poisonous eyes was a curse for everyone.

***

"Yes? Maria Ethel refused treatment by the imperial palace doctor?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"That's quite strange. After going on such a rampage all of a sudden?"

The drawing room of the Empress's palace.

The Empress's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked into the mirror. The maid of the Crown Prince's Palace responded obediently to the flow of air that was as cold as frost.

"It's suspicious, but she's been feeling crazy for a few days already... I'll go back and check."

Even as she listened to her answer, the Empress's brows barely straightened. Even her heavy makeup couldn't hide her extremely gaunt eyelids. 

Noticing the Empress's expression, the Marchioness of Offem pushed away the maid who was doing her makeup and swept the Empress's eyes with her soft brush.

As the beautiful pink color spread, the Empress spoke again.

"... You are really checking on Maria Ethel, right?"

"Do you have any doubts, Your Majesty? Every hour, every moment, every meal, even tea. We are checking everything. I'm planning to call the imperial doctor tonight as long as she falls asleep deeply."

It was only then that the Empress stopped worrying after hearing her report that she lowered her voice. And with her sunken gaze, she looked at one place and snorted her hum.

"She is scheduled to again be in charge of the final tea party of the Princess's banquet tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Marchioness of Offem also listened carefully. 

What the Princess's nanny reported with concern. Her concerns were not trivial. Even the Empress knew this, so she prepared for everything like she did now.

The Empress smiled softly and wedged herself in.

"At least make sure that Maria Ethel does not go on a rampage when seeing the delegation off."

That was what everyone hoped for. The maids bowed their heads and answered.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

***

"How is there no way!"

Meanwhile, after the final negotiations with Hefferti, suppressed anger leaked out from the office of the Emperor's palace. 

The chamberlain hurriedly left the office, leaving Duke Elkin alone.

"Does this make sense? Ha..."

No matter how much he sighed or let out a frustrated breath, there was a long way to turn back the negotiations. All that was left from the negotiations that were thought to bring great wealth to the empire was only a superficial honor. 

"It was only a negotiation worthy of a peace agreement, and the empire was Heferti. I just hope for a speedy recovery,"

"Thank you. I really had no idea you would be so generous."

At the Grand Duke's words, the Heferti delegation openly shed tears. The only one who smiled crookedly at the scene was the Grand Duke.

The nobles looked at the Emperor with resentment, thinking of the enormous compensation they should have received as their share, and Heferti's envoys only shed tears of joy. 

But there was something else that made the Emperor cringe. It was that now there was no way for the Emperor to tie the Grand Duke. 

A groan of regret escaped through clenched teeth. White Crystal Mine for the rest of his life. It was deplorable that the Emperor took his time knowing that Grand Duke Vikander would be in his hands. He should have taken more measures instead of preparing to marry the Princess. 

When the things that he thought were his for a thousand years disappeared through his fingers, the Emperor couldn't even react and had to let go of his anger like he was now. 

However, he couldn't secretly approach the White Crystal Mine. The person who put a resistance spell on the mine was none other than the Emperor himself. 

"Whoever it was, no one can enter the White Crystal Mine without His Majesty's permission. I cast a resistance spell so that if you go into the mine, you will end up like a fried pigeon fried by lightning." 

The confident wizard's voice now returned as a poison to the Emperor himself. He was trapped and unable to do anything. There were two things he could do in this situation. Whatever the Princess was hiding in the mine, he prayed so that it would not be discovered. 

The useless Princess has to do whatever it takes to get the mine back. 

Ugh. 

But everything was going strangely. The Prince who be trusted seemed to be in a daze and abandoned the negotiations, and the Little Duke of Madeleine did not mediate even though the negotiations were being taken in a strange direction by the Grand Duke Vikander, and above all, the Duke of Madeleine, who was strong. leader of the imperial faction.

At the opportunity to turn back the negotiations, the Duke of Madeleine spoke again today. 

"It looked like glue had been applied to it." 

"...Be careful what you say, Duke."

Although he had been ordered to be careful with his words as a courtesy, it was exactly what the Duke of Elkin had said. 

The Emperor swallowed his confusion and shook his head. He could not understand why the ever-loyal Duke Madeleine was acting like this.

"But, Your Majesty. The war with the Heferti has resulted in significant losses for the Empire. Meanwhile, the Duke of Madeleine... !" 

The Duke of Elkin lowered his voice. He still has something to tell the Emperor.

Despite this tight security, there was no one to hear what was being said in the office where the Emperor and Duke Elkin were alone, but Duke Elkin lowered his voice out of frustration, hoping that the Emperor would fully concentrate on what he was saying.

"It is said."

And the wind prevailed.

"What?"

The Emperor stood up and slammed the desk in his office, unable to hide his confusion. Then he muttered, furrowing his eyebrows in nervousness.

"The Duke, the little Duke, and the second oldest child, Lord Madeleine, all went on vacation together? The delegation hasn't even returned to their home country yet?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Even so, the Duke of Madeleine himself applied for leave. Isn't this the first time since the Duchess passed away?"

It was already an anxious time. The Duke of Elkin's whispers were enough to sway the Emperor to one side.

"Your Majesty saw it too, didn't you? The Duke of Madeleine keeps trying to talk to the Grand Duke but hesitates."

"..."

The Emperor stroked his jaw and tried to remain calm. But the Duke of Elkin's words were persuasive enough. 

The Duke of Elkin, who read the look of distress on the Emperor's face, lowered the corners of his mouth and raised his voice.

"Your Majesty. Please reconsider your thoughts about the Duke of Madeleine. Regardless of his faction, he is not beneficial to the Empire that Your Majesty is leading."

"Duke, you are talking too much!"

"I apologize, Your Majesty. But if not, where is the Duke of Madeleine now?"

He was caught off guard. The Emperor, who had been protecting the Duke of Madeleine, was furious and stopped.

The Emperor thought of the back of the Duke of Madeleine, who was hurriedly leaving the conference room as soon as the negotiations were over. 

A clearly different appearance from before stood out and ran through the Emperor's mind.

"Now that Your Majesty is worrying about national affairs, where on earth is the Duke who should be by your side?"

As if widening the gap, the Duke of Elkin's face filled with sadness. The Emperor looked at him with a stern face.

The Empress' half-brother and a pillar of the noble faction. The head of the aristocratic faction would not have had many opportunities to stand alone if the Duke of Madeleine had held his ground. 

The Duke of Elkin took a deep breath as if he had made up his mind and knelt down in front of the Emperor.

“No, Duke...!”

The Emperor called the Duke of Elkin as if he were his flagship. The Emperor knew better than anyone else that his kneeling as if offering an oath was a sign of submission.

"If what Your Majesty wants is a strong bond with the head family, then I will also sacrifice my family to become Your Majesty's sword."

The Emperor's mind began to make extraordinary calculations.

After Marquis Ethel was imprisoned, reports were received that the noble faction was shaking. It cannot be said that this submission was solely for the sake of the Emperor, but if it was for the public good, it was not a bad move.

"If you want a Princess more than that, I will also come forward under orders from His Majesty the Emperor."

"What did the Duke do?"

The Duke of Elkin's mouth slowly rose in response to the test-like question.

"Didn't the Grand Duke also say that? Those who are prohibited from entering the Vikander Territory are cruelly treated with the most noble people," 

And only then did the Emperor recall what the Grand Duke had said on the first day of the banquet. When he solemnly said that anyone was prohibited from entering the Vikander Territory, the people he referred to were the royal family and...

"... That he is a member of the Madeleine duchy."

The Duke of Elkin bowed his head towards the Emperor, kneeling on one knee as if making a prostration

"So, as I said, I will meet the Princess and bring her to the imperial palace."

The Emperor's eyes flashed coldly as he looked at the head of the aristocratic faction who had humbled himself.

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