IHMEB - Chapter 43 < Destiny's Partner >

IHMEB - Chapter 43 < Destiny's Partner >

Having An Enemy's Baby




"Quinn."

The moment he heard the answer, Valquiterre felt as if he had received some kind of revelation.

Queen.

The position of Queen was still vacant.

He promised to marry a woman better than Kaian, and he forced himself to postpone his marriage.

As a King, it was common to marry early with the succession in mind, but due to his perverse jealousy of Kaian, he was still alone.

The reason for this is now, at this moment, he found the answer. Because he had never met a woman who would sit next to him.

It was okay now.

Now that he had met her, he felt like he could escape the complicated agony of rushing from the King's duties to being Kaian's bride whenever the topic of marriage came up.

A fateful opponent.

Valquiterre did not believe that.

Because he's never experienced it.

Destiny is something you create and pioneer according to your own efforts.

He just believed that nothing would happen automatically if he just went with the flow.

Now that thought has been completely forgotten.

The woman who would become his 'Queen' descended like a goddess on this sudden day.

She was a warm color as if only the woman had applied paint on a bluish early morning lake when the sun had not yet fully risen.

As if bewitched, Valquiterre followed the water that flowed down her red hair and pooled in the hollow of her collarbone.

The fairy spoke to him in a clear voice.

“I want to get out of here.”

“As much as you want.”

Her face took on a troubled look as if that wasn't the answer she wanted.

“I can’t go out because that’s where you are.”

Frustrated that he didn't seem to understand what she was saying, she pointed to the ground with her finger.

“My clothes are there.”

"Ah. I'm sorry. I’ll make room for you.”

“The Lord has prevented anyone from entering this patronage. The gardener will be here soon, and if you are caught, you'll be scolded.”

"Yes. Thank you for letting me know.”

Valquiterre answered foolishly, unable to hide his smile.

“I want to leave quickly too.”

“If the gardener catches us, we’ll both be in trouble.”

He left, feeling regretful.

“I hope to see you again.”

He didn't hear an answer, but seeing the woman looking anxious and looking at the entrance to the back office as if she were worried about who would come, he felt like holding out any longer would cost him points.

After leaving the woman, Valquiterre looked back.

“It was a Valmonde-style dress.”

The dress folded by the water was made of velvet.

It would never be worn in the hot south, it would only be worn in the north.

'What do you think?'

'Princess Irena is said to be a very talented woman and dazzlingly beautiful.'

'Yes? I think I heard something.'


Vermont's daughter is not making the debutante in the capital. She also did not attend the capital's social scene at all.

Princess Irena, who was reputed to be beautiful, had never seen anyone, even if she was a socialite.

“It’s a beauty that defies such clichés.”

Vermont was the one who built a large, mountain-like castle three times the size of Rowen Castle at the northern end of the continent and maintained a firm attitude of 'anyone who regrets will come'.

If it weren't for the food problem, it would have become an independent country long ago.

Even though it is still within the framework of Oberon's kingdom, Vermont did nothing in particular even though it was not an independent country.

This is because Vermont did not pay land taxes to the kingdom.

Vermont took all the tax revenue from that land.

A frozen land that hides treasures such as various rare precious metals, iron, and copper used in making weapons.

There were rumors that the wealth accumulated by Vermont, which even received a discount on estate taxes, was greater than that of the royal family.

Although they have been suffering from drought for several years now.

Instead, if goods transported by horse from the south to the capital along the Shen River and from the capital to the north were exported via the northern route, port taxes could be reduced for exports approved by the royal family.

Valquiterre was very dissatisfied with this.

He always wondered if there was a way to collect taxes and use the port for free in Valmonde, but there was no solution.

But the goddess he just met gave him a new answer.

'Is Princess Irena that beautiful?'

'One day the ladies said to her that it was a shame that she had a northern debutante. If Princess Irena had come to the capital's debutante, she would not have been able to marry into their family.'

'That much?'

'Women have such great pride that they don't often compliment other women like that. It probably means that she is worthy of recognition by anyone.'


If he marries the daughter of the Duke of Vermont, who is as smart as an old fox. 
Since there was no heir to the estate, it had to be his son-in-law, so naturally, the taxes and the port of the estate, which was the bread of the cake, were rolled in together.

“For some reason, I wanted to come to Rowalen Castle when that guy Kaian wasn’t there.”

Princess Irena may not have met Kaian yet.

Because he called Kaian to Promhunt.

“He can’t disobey the King’s orders.”

There was no way Kaian could be with Irena even if he had given her heart to Irena and refused to take care of his wife's illness. The stubborn Kaian must be seriously clinging to the marriage given by the King.

Valquiterre became anxious.

“I have to return to the castle quickly.”

However, the image of the woman he had seen just moments before remained in his eyes like an afterimage, and she did not let go.

He knew that the Lord lord had been called by the King to go hunting at Promhunt, so he could not enter Temnes Castle.

Feeling disappointed, Valquiterre took a room at an inn near the marketplace, rested, and filled his stomach.

If he goes to Rowen Castle, she will be there.

Even though he knew the exact answer, circling around made him even more anxious.

It was the first time he felt this way.

From the time he was born, Valquiterre was a person for whom everything in the world was easy.

“This is the first time I’ve felt this sad. No, is it the second time?”

It was as he was walking aimlessly around the marketplace.

As he turned the corner, he saw the woman sitting in the spacious rose garden that had spread out.

'Queen!'

He was so happy to see her that Valquiterre almost called her out loud.

Among those who showed off their shoulders brightly and coolly in the middle of the day, a woman wearing a high-neck velvet dress neatly buttoned up to her neck caught his eye.

He couldn't see the woman face who sitting across from Queen clearly due to the direction in which she was sitting, but she seemed to be quite a pretty woman based on her appearance.

'But you're wearing a Rowen-style dress.'

It was then.

The two red-haired ladies were sitting at the table, and the maid approached and called out to one of them as if she had been doing some errand for her.

“Lady Irena. I brought you the hat you asked for.”

Then a woman in a Valmondian dress smiled and she took it.

"Thank you, Hannah."

Valquiterre, who got the answer he wanted, felt a shiver run through his body.

... Princess Irena.

He has something to do.

Valquiterre rode his horse hitched in the forest near the castle and began to run quickly.

To the north, where the royal castle is.

***

Irena was amazed at the roses in full bloom.

“It’s really so pretty. It was a flower like this. It’s much bigger and more beautiful than it looks in the picture.”

“Hehe. Do you like it?"

She looked very happy, wearing my borrowed dress and sitting surrounded by the roses.

“I am thankful that I have a good younger sister. I thought I would never see a rose again in my life.”

"Why?"

“That’s right, roses bloom the most in Rowen, but we have enemies with Temnes. I wondered if I would ever go from Valmonde to Rowan in my life.”

I felt bitter when I saw Irena being purely happy.

The Duke of Vermont was a very good father to her biological daughter. A father who is kind and pours out love from his heart.

Although it was only her second day at Rowen Castle, I could sense that Irena had really come to see the flowers without knowing anything about them.

My uncle was that kind of person.

He will never let Irena, whom he cherishes and loves, find out about his dirty tricks.

If Irena returned to Valmonde, she would tell the Duke of Vermont, 'I envied Claudel. If she says one word, 'I want to stay in Rowan forever,' he will do whatever it takes to place his daughter in the position of Duchess of Temnes.

If there are a hundred states of happiness in the world, Irena is the one who has almost all of them.

I felt like I had finally picked up a small piece of gold from a crevice in the sand of a white sand beach after many misfortunes that washed over me like waves.

That's what I had in mind for thinking about Kaian now.

However, even though I wanted to show Irena, who loved flowers, the lovely roses, I was worried that she might want to stay here because of these things, and I felt really bad about it.

Now I have a little hope that I might be happy.

Of course, my husband, who had a fiery grudge against Vermont, was only a hope and not complete happiness.

"So good. You’re going to have a picnic at the garden tomorrow, right?”

"Huh. I told the butler to prepare it.”

“Wow. I'm looking forward to it."

I, who was laughing along with Irena, whom I loved like a child, recalled what happened early in the morning.

'He was a really strange person.'

Since Kaian, who is obsessed with kissing, has given a strict order that no one is allowed in, no one except the gardener has been allowed to come into the garden.

Even though I sneaked in and out for a swim for a while, I never really encountered anyone.

Not long ago, I lightly kissed Kaian, who was sitting in the shade of a tree with his legs crossed while he was reading a book, and he bit my lip and whispered as if reciting a spell.

'There's really no one here.'

What are we going to do if no one comes?

I, who had given my heart to him, was helplessly dragged around by Kaian. Go under the shadow of a tree as much as possible.

I let my guard down because no one was coming, but when I made eye contact with a strange man wearing a wide-brimmed brown hat and a brown cloak, I was so startled that I almost fainted.

But what was even more absurd was that the man asked me my name.

'Is there anyone here who doesn't know I'm a Duchess?'

I thought he was mentally unstable and was worried that I might provoke him, so I answered with my middle name, ‘Quinn,’ and he was very happy.

'Ugh. I was really scared.'

I thought that no matter how I asked Kaian, I couldn't go to the sponsorship alone anymore.

I guess I should ask permission to go with Hannah.

“Are you feeling better now that you’re wearing a hat?”

"Huh."

I, who had lent Irena a Rowen style dress, was actually wearing a Valmonde-style dress.

I've been feeling chilly and cold for a while now, so I thought it would be okay without Kaian, and today I was wearing a Valmonde-style dress.

Still, the sun was shining brightly as we sat outside, so Irena asked Hannah to bring me a hat.

'Phew. If I continue to feel unwell, I should ask the doctor.'

Sometimes my back felt cold, my stomach felt tingly, and my ankles felt tired and painful, which bothered me.

“Try this. It was delicious.”

Irena enjoyed eating the snacks recommended by me.

“I’m also looking forward to the picnic.”

I worked hard to welcome the guests that evening.

I faced Kaian, who returned home to the castle quickly and unscheduled.

Perhaps because he had been to a hunting ground, the man had a sharp face.

I noticed him because it felt somehow unfamiliar.

“Oh, Duke. This is my older sister, Irena.”

Irena also greeted Kaian awkwardly, probably surprised by his energy.

"Hello. This is Irena from Vermont.”

He said coldly, furrowing his brows.

“The day is coming when Vermont will set her foot in my castle.”


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