DYBAR - Chapter 164 < It's Too Perfect and Great to Step Away >
Do Your Best And Regret
The port of Heferti, where the salty scent of the sea tickles the bridge of your nose.
As soon as the heavy sound of the heartbeat announced the ship's anchorage, the Duke of Kiwal jumped to land.
“Duke, it’s dangerous if you jump off first like that!”
The adjutant's shout rang out from behind, but it was hardly enough to stop the Duke of Kiwal. It's been two weeks since he was floating at sea in a strong storm. In other words, it had been fourteen days without any news from Franz.
His patience ran out, he shouted as he entered the visible store.
“Please give me some of this week’s newspapers. Any news from the Franz Empire!”
And as soon as he accepted the newspaper handed over by the owner, a happy smile appeared on the Duke of Kiwal's lips.
- Explode Grand Duke Vikander's residence in the islands! The land was flat without even a trace. It seems like a declaration of complete separation from the empire...!
He heard it would take about three days. He never thought it meant this.
It was such thrilling news that the Duke felt rewarded for reading it without even taking a breath. He quickly and accurately checked the headlines.
The following articles were about how the agents of the Princess's territory offered an oath of loyalty to the Saint one by one. The headlines on the day when a total of twelve fiefdoms offered their oaths to the Saint were as follows:
- Olivia, the green-eyed Saint, the newly emerged owner of the Southwest.
She is the master of the southwest.
The Duke of Kiwal leafed through the newspaper, thinking that the dignified tone suited her very well. It is unlikely that Lord Vikander's coronation would have been held in just two weeks, but this happy news tantalized him.
At that moment, the Duke of Kiwal blinked his eyes. The content in the next chapter of the article about the masters of the Southwest was very interesting. If it weren't for the news about the Saint, he's confident she would have taken the first page.
- The national marriage partner of Chadwick Oslan, the Prince of the Kingdom of Oslan, has been announced. The opponent is Imelda Ultear, princess of the Kingdom of Ultear...
“... Well, I wanted to give you at least one gift.”
Suddenly, the Duke of Kiwal remembered the Saint's cool recitation. Could this be her gift? Or did she have an extra gift?
But soon the Duke of Kiwal shook his head. Rather than finding the right answer to a problem that he couldn't solve no matter how much he thought about it, he chose to focus on other articles unfolding in front of him.
He then frowned as he read an article about the empire. Laughter suddenly burst out.
“...What is this...”
The Imperial Palace of Franz is looking for a painter. At this time?
Meanwhile, the castle of the Prince of the Kingdom of Oslan.
“Prince, I think I heard wrong. I guess I was tired because I was juggling mission work.”
In the most intimate bedroom of the Prince's castle, Maria chuckled and shook her head.
Yes. She had to be tired. It had only been five days since she returned to Auslan, and she had not slept properly for several days because she was busy handling the mission's business.
So, it was enough to mishear the voice of the man who was holding her and looking at her with eyes as sweet as honey. The Prince grinned and ruffled her hair.
The hand stroking her hair is still so gentle, but she really misheard...
“No, Maria. You heard it right. You must now return to the Count's residence. Count Tepils is desperately looking for a wife, so why should I continue to keep you as my Maria?”
My Maria.
The hallucinating sound was exactly like Leopold's voice.
For a moment, Maria couldn't even breathe properly and looked up at the Prince. Her hands were numb. Maybe she could feel her phantom pain over the scars on her hands.
“Why, why suddenly...!”
In an instant, she was out of breath as if there was a hole in her lungs. At the same time, numerous reasons why she should be kicked out came to mind.
“...Am I an obstacle to your marriage to the Princess of Ultear, Prince?”
“What does that have to do with you? For a national marriage, you only need to be clear about what you will give and receive.”
Maria came to her senses hearing his bored voice. And she smiled her eyes, trying to look seductive.
"Sure? There is no way I was pushed out of the prince’s heart.”
From the time she decided to become his mistress, she searched through all the nobles and ladies of Auslan.
No matter how many weeks she was away on a trip to the Empire, no one could take her place during that time.
Maria smiled coquettishly and looked at the Prince.
This man was truly her last chance. She couldn't miss him like this without even knowing why.
As soon as the heavy sound of the heartbeat announced the ship's anchorage, the Duke of Kiwal jumped to land.
“Duke, it’s dangerous if you jump off first like that!”
The adjutant's shout rang out from behind, but it was hardly enough to stop the Duke of Kiwal. It's been two weeks since he was floating at sea in a strong storm. In other words, it had been fourteen days without any news from Franz.
His patience ran out, he shouted as he entered the visible store.
“Please give me some of this week’s newspapers. Any news from the Franz Empire!”
And as soon as he accepted the newspaper handed over by the owner, a happy smile appeared on the Duke of Kiwal's lips.
- Explode Grand Duke Vikander's residence in the islands! The land was flat without even a trace. It seems like a declaration of complete separation from the empire...!
He heard it would take about three days. He never thought it meant this.
It was such thrilling news that the Duke felt rewarded for reading it without even taking a breath. He quickly and accurately checked the headlines.
The following articles were about how the agents of the Princess's territory offered an oath of loyalty to the Saint one by one. The headlines on the day when a total of twelve fiefdoms offered their oaths to the Saint were as follows:
- Olivia, the green-eyed Saint, the newly emerged owner of the Southwest.
She is the master of the southwest.
The Duke of Kiwal leafed through the newspaper, thinking that the dignified tone suited her very well. It is unlikely that Lord Vikander's coronation would have been held in just two weeks, but this happy news tantalized him.
At that moment, the Duke of Kiwal blinked his eyes. The content in the next chapter of the article about the masters of the Southwest was very interesting. If it weren't for the news about the Saint, he's confident she would have taken the first page.
- The national marriage partner of Chadwick Oslan, the Prince of the Kingdom of Oslan, has been announced. The opponent is Imelda Ultear, princess of the Kingdom of Ultear...
“... Well, I wanted to give you at least one gift.”
Suddenly, the Duke of Kiwal remembered the Saint's cool recitation. Could this be her gift? Or did she have an extra gift?
But soon the Duke of Kiwal shook his head. Rather than finding the right answer to a problem that he couldn't solve no matter how much he thought about it, he chose to focus on other articles unfolding in front of him.
He then frowned as he read an article about the empire. Laughter suddenly burst out.
“...What is this...”
The Imperial Palace of Franz is looking for a painter. At this time?
***
Meanwhile, the castle of the Prince of the Kingdom of Oslan.
“Prince, I think I heard wrong. I guess I was tired because I was juggling mission work.”
In the most intimate bedroom of the Prince's castle, Maria chuckled and shook her head.
Yes. She had to be tired. It had only been five days since she returned to Auslan, and she had not slept properly for several days because she was busy handling the mission's business.
So, it was enough to mishear the voice of the man who was holding her and looking at her with eyes as sweet as honey. The Prince grinned and ruffled her hair.
The hand stroking her hair is still so gentle, but she really misheard...
“No, Maria. You heard it right. You must now return to the Count's residence. Count Tepils is desperately looking for a wife, so why should I continue to keep you as my Maria?”
My Maria.
The hallucinating sound was exactly like Leopold's voice.
For a moment, Maria couldn't even breathe properly and looked up at the Prince. Her hands were numb. Maybe she could feel her phantom pain over the scars on her hands.
“Why, why suddenly...!”
In an instant, she was out of breath as if there was a hole in her lungs. At the same time, numerous reasons why she should be kicked out came to mind.
“...Am I an obstacle to your marriage to the Princess of Ultear, Prince?”
“What does that have to do with you? For a national marriage, you only need to be clear about what you will give and receive.”
Maria came to her senses hearing his bored voice. And she smiled her eyes, trying to look seductive.
"Sure? There is no way I was pushed out of the prince’s heart.”
From the time she decided to become his mistress, she searched through all the nobles and ladies of Auslan.
No matter how many weeks she was away on a trip to the Empire, no one could take her place during that time.
Maria smiled coquettishly and looked at the Prince.
This man was truly her last chance. She couldn't miss him like this without even knowing why.
While her heart was pounding, the Prince slowly parted his lips.
“...There are a lot of rumors that you have a bad relationship with Saint Vikander.”
At that moment, Maria bit her lip.
Olivia is Vikander's Saint. Someone is now a mistress, and Olivia has received that glorious title that was only given to the Princess of the empire...!
But anger wasn't what she needed Maria to do now. The Prince added with a grin as if testing Maria.
“Is there a reason why I should embrace you even while pretending to be with Vikander?”
“...Ha, this is it. Even the Prince knows! Whose letter did I receive and headed to the Empire?”
Maria clenched her fists. And she spoke such difficult words that even the pain of her long nails pricking her palms felt faint.
"...I receive a letter from the saint of Vikander...”
"Therefore..."
So, she thought it was the best hand. The prince's eyes sank coldly.
“You even received her letter, so why didn’t my Maria get a thank-you card from her?”
“... Yes?"
“When all the foreign delegations visited Vikander’s mansion, my Maria, after all her hardships, wondered why she did not visit there?”
The color began to drain from Maria's face. The Prince himself looked down at that pale face.
“...There are a lot of rumors that you have a bad relationship with Saint Vikander.”
At that moment, Maria bit her lip.
Olivia is Vikander's Saint. Someone is now a mistress, and Olivia has received that glorious title that was only given to the Princess of the empire...!
But anger wasn't what she needed Maria to do now. The Prince added with a grin as if testing Maria.
“Is there a reason why I should embrace you even while pretending to be with Vikander?”
“...Ha, this is it. Even the Prince knows! Whose letter did I receive and headed to the Empire?”
Maria clenched her fists. And she spoke such difficult words that even the pain of her long nails pricking her palms felt faint.
"...I receive a letter from the saint of Vikander...”
"Therefore..."
So, she thought it was the best hand. The prince's eyes sank coldly.
“You even received her letter, so why didn’t my Maria get a thank-you card from her?”
“... Yes?"
“When all the foreign delegations visited Vikander’s mansion, my Maria, after all her hardships, wondered why she did not visit there?”
The color began to drain from Maria's face. The Prince himself looked down at that pale face.
Tsk, tsk, the Prince quietly clicked his tongue and muttered, seemingly feeling sorry. And he stroked her cold cheek affectionately.
"Therefore... She should have been a little wiser, Maria."
Maria leaned her head against the warmth on her cheek. And she looked blankly at the Prince. Unlike his friendly gestures, his unsmiling eyes conveyed a cold reality.
“Once you have completed your duties, it is time to wake up from your dream.”
“I won’t look at you anymore, Maria Ethel.”
...Maybe it's the same as this?
"Therefore... She should have been a little wiser, Maria."
Maria leaned her head against the warmth on her cheek. And she looked blankly at the Prince. Unlike his friendly gestures, his unsmiling eyes conveyed a cold reality.
“Once you have completed your duties, it is time to wake up from your dream.”
“I won’t look at you anymore, Maria Ethel.”
...Maybe it's the same as this?
Maria shook her head. She was really strange. Why is everything around her so distorted?
“I guess it’s no longer acceptable for a Countess to just shake her head in front of a Prince?”
The Prince's words faded away. Obviously, she was better at starting out. Why, Olivia is doing well? Why does she just sink endlessly like this?
While her vision was becoming hazy, the Prince grabbed Mary's chin firmly. As her mind slowly came back, the Prince's scary face got closer and closer.
He said with a grin.
“Surely you didn’t know that the government’s position is to end once it has served its purpose?”
Government...The words that changed Maria's life...
“Do you want to be in government?”
For a moment, she felt a rush of nausea. The Prince frowned at her and pushed her away. But Maria, lying on the floor, felt no pain.
She was just curious. If... Would her life have been different if she had given a different answer that day? Could it have been possible to stay in her proper place without being pushed around like this?
Then, at one point, Maria blinked her eyes. And she realized. No matter how much she looks back at scenes from the past, she can never go back to that time.
“... Ha ha ha ha ha."
Her blue eyes, which tenaciously held on to hope, were filled with vanity and emptiness.
A faint, almost extinguished laugh slowly spread out.
“I guess it’s no longer acceptable for a Countess to just shake her head in front of a Prince?”
The Prince's words faded away. Obviously, she was better at starting out. Why, Olivia is doing well? Why does she just sink endlessly like this?
While her vision was becoming hazy, the Prince grabbed Mary's chin firmly. As her mind slowly came back, the Prince's scary face got closer and closer.
He said with a grin.
“Surely you didn’t know that the government’s position is to end once it has served its purpose?”
Government...The words that changed Maria's life...
“Do you want to be in government?”
For a moment, she felt a rush of nausea. The Prince frowned at her and pushed her away. But Maria, lying on the floor, felt no pain.
She was just curious. If... Would her life have been different if she had given a different answer that day? Could it have been possible to stay in her proper place without being pushed around like this?
Then, at one point, Maria blinked her eyes. And she realized. No matter how much she looks back at scenes from the past, she can never go back to that time.
“... Ha ha ha ha ha."
Her blue eyes, which tenaciously held on to hope, were filled with vanity and emptiness.
A faint, almost extinguished laugh slowly spread out.
Tsk, even after the Prince clicked his tongue once more and called the servant, she could only let out a devastated laugh.
"Congratulations, My Lady. No, Lord of the Southwest.”
With a mischievous smile, Edwin kissed the back of my hand. I chuckled and looked at the newspaper.
- Olivia, the green-eyed Saint, the newly emerged owner of the Southwest.
“My lady has even made Lowell’s green eyes an object of glory.”
“Today is already my 15th congratulations, but thank you, Edwin.”
I responded slyly. It was news I couldn't believe at first, enough to make my skin tingle, but the continued celebration reminded me that this sweet moment I was getting on my feet was real.
I was so used to it that I noticed something strange in his words. I raised the corners of my mouth and sat down next to Edwin.
“Come on, Edwin. Do you have anything else to say to me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw everything. Sir Calter, Sir Interfield, and even Dean were summoned and eagerly talking about something.”
A moment of concern passed over his gorgeous face, I tugged on Edwin's sleeve with a sad look on my face.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re not planning on leaving me alone, are you?”
"That... I...”
“...”
“I’m thinking of becoming a Prince, not Vikander’s King. What do you think Olivia?”
I immediately understood what that meant.
I then turned to face Edwin. What did he say about becoming a Prince? I couldn't help but smile at the nervous look on his face. Then I opened my arms and embraced him.
“...Prince Edwin.”
The voice that tickled his heart was extremely sweet. Edwin slowly looked at Olivia.
He said he would elevate her to the most precious position. It was funny how, even for a moment, he wondered if Olivia would feel bad when he told her he wasn't going to be King.
He had forgotten that this little girl, who couldn't fully embrace him even when her arms were wide open, always surprised him differently. The green eyes he was immersed in every moment spoke with pure love.
“Once upon a time, like all young ladies, I dreamed of falling in love with a Prince.”
“...”
“I guess all your dreams will come true.”
Olivia, who was smiling softly as if she was embarrassed, immediately kissed Edwin's cheek. A clean feeling and sweet scent that passed by in a flash.
Edwin groaned and chuckled at the dizzying sensation before his eyes.
“I really...”
***
With a mischievous smile, Edwin kissed the back of my hand. I chuckled and looked at the newspaper.
- Olivia, the green-eyed Saint, the newly emerged owner of the Southwest.
“My lady has even made Lowell’s green eyes an object of glory.”
“Today is already my 15th congratulations, but thank you, Edwin.”
I responded slyly. It was news I couldn't believe at first, enough to make my skin tingle, but the continued celebration reminded me that this sweet moment I was getting on my feet was real.
I was so used to it that I noticed something strange in his words. I raised the corners of my mouth and sat down next to Edwin.
“Come on, Edwin. Do you have anything else to say to me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw everything. Sir Calter, Sir Interfield, and even Dean were summoned and eagerly talking about something.”
A moment of concern passed over his gorgeous face, I tugged on Edwin's sleeve with a sad look on my face.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but you’re not planning on leaving me alone, are you?”
"That... I...”
“...”
“I’m thinking of becoming a Prince, not Vikander’s King. What do you think Olivia?”
I immediately understood what that meant.
I then turned to face Edwin. What did he say about becoming a Prince? I couldn't help but smile at the nervous look on his face. Then I opened my arms and embraced him.
“...Prince Edwin.”
The voice that tickled his heart was extremely sweet. Edwin slowly looked at Olivia.
He said he would elevate her to the most precious position. It was funny how, even for a moment, he wondered if Olivia would feel bad when he told her he wasn't going to be King.
He had forgotten that this little girl, who couldn't fully embrace him even when her arms were wide open, always surprised him differently. The green eyes he was immersed in every moment spoke with pure love.
“Once upon a time, like all young ladies, I dreamed of falling in love with a Prince.”
“...”
“I guess all your dreams will come true.”
Olivia, who was smiling softly as if she was embarrassed, immediately kissed Edwin's cheek. A clean feeling and sweet scent that passed by in a flash.
Edwin groaned and chuckled at the dizzying sensation before his eyes.
“I really...”
And he held this lovely Young Lady in his arms and whispered in her ear. Olivia's face turned as red as an apple at his small addition, which only touched her. Edwin was happy to see her startled eyes widen like a rabbit.
Edwin suddenly became curious.
How many weeks would he have to lock himself in before he could kiss this pretty face enough to satisfy him?
But when Olivia, who was surprised, did not run away but came closer and closer, when her sweet and dizzying scent came closer and closer, and when the lips that touched him mixed breathing fell with a wet sound.
“...I think I’m more like that?”
Oh, it won't be just a few weeks.
Edwin wiped away the foolish thought. And with a heart that felt like it was about to burst, he hugged his Young Lady tightly.
***
That night.
The former Grand Duke tilted his head as he looked at Edwin and Olivia, who came rushing in, and the knights who followed endlessly, unable to even close the door to the room.
The celebration meal for Olivia becoming the lord was over, and a formal dinner was to be held after her return. What more is there to say?
His son smiled and said to his puzzled look.
“As soon as we return to Vikander, there will be a grand coronation ceremony.”
"Yes."
The former Grand Duke nodded. For that purpose, Bethanny and Sobel were sent away first.
“So you have to prepare.”
"Huh?"
“The first King of Vikander is your father.”
I felt like I had sobered up from the alcohol I drank during the celebratory meal. No, maybe I was drunk and heard nonsense. Seondae shook his head once and then looked at his son.
But Edwin spoke slowly, with a friendly smile on his face.
“Don’t you remember? With all of Franz as witnesses, it was my father who announced that Vikander would stand tall as an independent nation.”
“...”
“I just received the things that were taken away from me after my father.”
“You are the current leader, Edwin Lowell Vikander.”
At that moment, Edwin smiled lightly. It was his son's always bright smile, but somehow that moment of laughter made his predecessor's heart tingle. Meanwhile, Edwin nodded his head as if it was something new.
"Yes. The current head is me. I thought so too.”
“...”
“But father. In the joy of meeting my father and in the thought of tearing Franz apart, I forgot something important.”
“What...”
“I have grown enough for my father to acknowledge me, but... My father is still in his mid-thirties.”
Mid thirties. Seondae bit his lip at that one word. His son was right. The time that our ancestors stopped ten years ago has just begun to flow.
That means...
“For you to step down as you did, you are still a perfect and wonderful monarch of Vikander.”
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