"Did you notice it? I couldn’t think about the meeting and decided to watch an opera with Claudel.”
“Opera?”
An opera?
An opera?
Valquiterre was dumbfounded. Aside from the absurdity, it was the first time that Kaian's actions seemed so absurd as he nodded and asked, 'Did you find it obvious?'
“Since when did you have a hobby like that?”
“Married life is a series of adventures.”
Instead of answering, Kaian suddenly spoke.
“Why married life?”
While Valquiterre looked dumbfounded for a moment, Kaian grinned as he put on his gloves and took the cloak from his servant.
“Since we’re still newlyweds, wouldn’t there be a lot of adventures worth taking?”
"Adventure?"
"Yes."
“What adventure?”
“For example, while watching an opera...”
Kaian hesitated before speaking.
“It’s a bit odd to even talk about this.”
“It is the King’s command.”
“No problem. No matter how much it is, you probably don’t want to hear about our couple’s private life.”
Valquiterre's pretty face frowned for a moment.
“It’s late, so I have to go quickly.”
Kaian's face as he said that was different from his usual cold aura, but his eyes looked extremely soft.
Valquiterre, who had been watching Kaian since childhood, astutely noticed this.
“Even though she is Vermont’s daughter, you still care about the Duchess.”
Kaian's eyes, which had been frowning at the sharp sound of the name 'Vermont', relaxed again when he heard the sound of 'Duchess'.
“She is Temnes. Because she is my wife.”
“I feel like I want to disturb the Duke's happy time.”
“I’ll just leave, Your Majesty."
As Kaian, who had drawn a new line, left the conference room, Valquiterre muttered as he looked behind him.
“She is my wife.”
The blue eyes of this person who was pondering what he had just heard were filled with a mysterious light.
“I feel really bad.”
Of course, Valquiterre had no one to call 'wife', who was not married.
When the time comes, the King usually takes the bride of his choice as his Queen. He never even thought about it differently.
He was just trying to find a bride who was better than Kaian.
“He has it and I don’t.”
He's not married, so he doesn't even have a wife, so Kaian thinks he has it, so he feels so fucked up.
Valquiterre had a cold face and clenched his fist with the hand that had been placed on the table for no reason.
At that time, courtier Makie approached him with slow steps.
“Your Majesty the King. The Grand Duke Luxen has just passed through the capital city gates.”
“My father?”
Valquiterre stood up from his silent position at the words of courtier Makie.
“He will arrive at the royal castle soon.”
“There was a message from His Highness Bianque. The Grand Duke wishes to see you in the Hanging Gardens.”
“So be it.”
At Valquiterre’s words, courtier Makie retreated.
Valquiterre smiled bitterly as he looked at the courtier's shoulders, which were a little stronger than usual.
“I’ll see the perfect tea table.”
Although it was a royal castle with a long history and tradition, it was something different when personal circumstances were added.
Although he was the one he trusted the most, Courtier Makie was not loyal to Valquiterre.
It was as if he was admiring the late Queen Silvia, whom he had never held hands with in his entire life.
The Queen's husband was coming to celebrate the birthday of his son, who had become king, and every time the Grand Duke of Luxen visited the castle, Makie seemed strangely sensitive, as if there was a war of nerves going on.
“Anyway, Bianque is back.”
He was going to wait for the situation to change since Bianque, who had gone to visit his father as the first envoy for the King's Birthday, returned.
“What will the Duchess do with the immature Princess?”
Thinking of his stubborn younger sister, Makje turned to Valquiterre's eyes for a long time.
‘The Revenge of Karl Hamlin’ was the most popular opera in the capital.
“Since when did you have a hobby like that?”
“Married life is a series of adventures.”
Instead of answering, Kaian suddenly spoke.
“Why married life?”
While Valquiterre looked dumbfounded for a moment, Kaian grinned as he put on his gloves and took the cloak from his servant.
“Since we’re still newlyweds, wouldn’t there be a lot of adventures worth taking?”
"Adventure?"
"Yes."
“What adventure?”
“For example, while watching an opera...”
Kaian hesitated before speaking.
“It’s a bit odd to even talk about this.”
“It is the King’s command.”
“No problem. No matter how much it is, you probably don’t want to hear about our couple’s private life.”
Valquiterre's pretty face frowned for a moment.
“It’s late, so I have to go quickly.”
Kaian's face as he said that was different from his usual cold aura, but his eyes looked extremely soft.
Valquiterre, who had been watching Kaian since childhood, astutely noticed this.
“Even though she is Vermont’s daughter, you still care about the Duchess.”
Kaian's eyes, which had been frowning at the sharp sound of the name 'Vermont', relaxed again when he heard the sound of 'Duchess'.
“She is Temnes. Because she is my wife.”
“I feel like I want to disturb the Duke's happy time.”
“I’ll just leave, Your Majesty."
As Kaian, who had drawn a new line, left the conference room, Valquiterre muttered as he looked behind him.
“She is my wife.”
The blue eyes of this person who was pondering what he had just heard were filled with a mysterious light.
“I feel really bad.”
Of course, Valquiterre had no one to call 'wife', who was not married.
When the time comes, the King usually takes the bride of his choice as his Queen. He never even thought about it differently.
He was just trying to find a bride who was better than Kaian.
“He has it and I don’t.”
He's not married, so he doesn't even have a wife, so Kaian thinks he has it, so he feels so fucked up.
Valquiterre had a cold face and clenched his fist with the hand that had been placed on the table for no reason.
At that time, courtier Makie approached him with slow steps.
“Your Majesty the King. The Grand Duke Luxen has just passed through the capital city gates.”
“My father?”
Valquiterre stood up from his silent position at the words of courtier Makie.
“He will arrive at the royal castle soon.”
“There was a message from His Highness Bianque. The Grand Duke wishes to see you in the Hanging Gardens.”
“So be it.”
At Valquiterre’s words, courtier Makie retreated.
Valquiterre smiled bitterly as he looked at the courtier's shoulders, which were a little stronger than usual.
“I’ll see the perfect tea table.”
Although it was a royal castle with a long history and tradition, it was something different when personal circumstances were added.
Although he was the one he trusted the most, Courtier Makie was not loyal to Valquiterre.
It was as if he was admiring the late Queen Silvia, whom he had never held hands with in his entire life.
The Queen's husband was coming to celebrate the birthday of his son, who had become king, and every time the Grand Duke of Luxen visited the castle, Makie seemed strangely sensitive, as if there was a war of nerves going on.
“Anyway, Bianque is back.”
He was going to wait for the situation to change since Bianque, who had gone to visit his father as the first envoy for the King's Birthday, returned.
“What will the Duchess do with the immature Princess?”
Thinking of his stubborn younger sister, Makje turned to Valquiterre's eyes for a long time.
***
‘The Revenge of Karl Hamlin’ was the most popular opera in the capital.
Just before the performance, the front of the theater was extremely crowded with horses, carriages, and people mixing together. It was an uproar of a level not easily seen in the territory unless it was a fall festival-level mess.
Hannah's voice calling to her could be heard clearly, cutting through the commotion.
“...Aunt Leonie?”
Madame Cronach was startled by Hannah's voice.
'Yes. There was this kid.'
On the day that the village of Plogne was burned down, three people survived by luck.
Evan and Claudel, who were her husbands, and Hannah, a neighbor child who grew up as her daughter and Claudel's sister.
She knew that Hannah lived with Claudel at the Castle Valmonde.
After hearing that Evan had turned his back on life in vain, she was kicked out of the territory and became an informant in Temnes. After a while, she heard that Hannah was staying by Claudel's side.
What a comfort it was to know that Claudel was not alone in the frozen castle.
In an instant, the gaze of round golden eyes and brown eyes was fixed on a face filled with complex thoughts.
Even over the unnaturally thick makeup applied to cover up the burn scars, she could feel eyes examining every inch of her features.
Leonie and Madame Cronach.
Two completely different lives, two names given to her.
It was a past that should not be revealed now that she's living as Madame Cronach, just as the sun and moon cannot separate day and night and appear together in the same sky.
Madame Cronach feigned composure and deliberately turned her body so that her skinned left cheek was facing Hannah. Hannah was startled when she saw the scar later, but she asked without thinking.
“Who is this Lady, Madame Marcel?”
"Ah. Miss Hannah. Greetings. This is Madame Cronach.”
“...Madame Cronach?”
“She is the owner of Arvo, the best salon in the capital.”
"Ah...”
When Hannah, who was usually confident and quick-witted, stared at Madame Cronach's face with a hesitation that was not typical of her, Madame Marcel, who was trying to greet in the middle, smiled shyly.
“Oh, indeed, Miss Hannah. It’s rude to look at people’s faces like that.”
“Who do I look like?”
Madame Cronach asked Claudel while looking at her eyes.
Fortunately, Claudel had a calm expression on her face, but when her eyes slightly met, she turned her head away as if she was very rude.
"No, no, nothing. Excuse me. This is Hannah Pebble, Duchess's maid.”
When Hannah slightly bowed her head in greeting, Madame Cronach sighed inwardly and smiled at Claudel.
“Please come this way. I will show you a separate place where the Duchess can rest until the opera begins.”
Claudel quietly lifted the hem of her dress and walked away, followed by Madame Marcel and Hannah.
However, Hannah still had a small amount of sweat on her forehead, as if she was shocked.
"Hannah, are you okay?"
"Yes."
Madame Marcel lowered her voice and asked Hanna.
“Who is Leonie?”
"That...”
That was when Hannah stuttered and opened her mouth.
Kaian stretched out his arms through the crowd and pulled Claudel's slender body towards him.
“Kaian.”
Her eyes, which were wide in surprise, quickly narrowed and she smiled.
“It’s not too late.”
“I heard you’re late? You even sent an attendant to look at it first.”
“But it’s not too late, so you should give me a reward.”
It was a strange sight.
Madame Cronach observed Claudel welcoming Kaian without even realizing it.
The Duke of Temnes was no ordinary man.
There was no room for pity in the red eyes of the boy, who looked down at her with his emotionless eyes, weighing whether to kill her or save her.
So Madame Cronach could sincerely beg for her life. Because it truly felt like she was caught in the scales of judgment in the hands of God.
So, without realizing it, she admired his clouded mind, saying that the lion's cub was also a lion.
People used to be captivated by the wealth and fame of the Rowen estate, or by the appearance and dignity of Kaian, Duke of Temnes.
However, the inaction of the battlefield that she could not see with her own eyes was something she could not imagine very deeply.
None of Kaian's enemies have survived, so those who could feel his fear and whisper about him would have died long ago and been buried somewhere.
Kaian Pluck Temnes.
The scariest thing about him was that he had good sense and was meticulous.
He alone obtained information from places that no one would notice, and manipulated areas that no one could prepare for or even think of, according to his will. Is there anything to be afraid of from such a person?
Madame Cronach knew full well that Kaian was not afraid of anything in the world and that he was not afraid.
She lived as a servant of his shadow realm.
Even just seeing with her own eyes, it was hard to believe that Kaian treated Claudel quite kindly.
An unfamiliar warmth lingered within the cold and emotionless enemy, and a shiver ran down her spine when she saw Claudel casually placing her small hand on the back of Kaian's hand, which was wrapped around her waist.
It felt dangerous, like a small animal playing without fear, touching the lion's whiskers.
Unaware of her presence, Kaian turned his head and looked at her.
“The owner of the salon himself came out.”
“The Duke requested it, so of course.”
Kaian seemed to like her answer and nodded his head.
“You can just leave. I will spend time leisurely with the Duchess.”
"Yes. I’ll just guide you to your seat.”
As he walked among the people with a sophisticated attitude, those who were already craning their necks to see who Madame Cronach, a famous figure in the capital, was personally serving, looked at Kaian and Claudel standing behind her and opened their mouths in admiration, forgetting what they were saying.
"Oh. That person.”
“...Vermont.”
When the small noise that was occasionally heard became a loud murmur, the two people were ushered to the best seats in the theater.
“I hope you have a good time.”
"Good work."
The box seats that protruded close to the central stage were large enough to seat eight people.
There was a large, comfortable seat in front of the head of the table and a bench behind it for the attendants to sit.
Only after seeing Madame Marcel and Hannah sitting down did Madame Cronach politely step down.
"Ha."
Only then did she relax and let out a short sigh.
"Are you okay?"
Madame Cronach smiled when the maid running her errand noticed her.
“I’m nervous because it’s been a while since I’ve been attending to someone in need. I will return to the salon, so you can wait here until the opera is over and send someone to me when the Duke comes looking for me.”
"Yes."
Madame Cronach stopped the maid and headed to her carriage.
It was then.
Yank.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her right arm as if snatching it.
"Wait."
"You are...”
Before Hannah could say anything to Madame Cronach, she roughly pushed up the sleeves of her dress.
“Oh, this can’t be happening.”
Hannah shivered as she saw the symbol branded on the inside of her arm.
Madame Cronach smiled vainly.
“It’s been a while, Hannah."
Hannah's voice calling to her could be heard clearly, cutting through the commotion.
“...Aunt Leonie?”
Madame Cronach was startled by Hannah's voice.
'Yes. There was this kid.'
On the day that the village of Plogne was burned down, three people survived by luck.
Evan and Claudel, who were her husbands, and Hannah, a neighbor child who grew up as her daughter and Claudel's sister.
She knew that Hannah lived with Claudel at the Castle Valmonde.
After hearing that Evan had turned his back on life in vain, she was kicked out of the territory and became an informant in Temnes. After a while, she heard that Hannah was staying by Claudel's side.
What a comfort it was to know that Claudel was not alone in the frozen castle.
In an instant, the gaze of round golden eyes and brown eyes was fixed on a face filled with complex thoughts.
Even over the unnaturally thick makeup applied to cover up the burn scars, she could feel eyes examining every inch of her features.
Leonie and Madame Cronach.
Two completely different lives, two names given to her.
It was a past that should not be revealed now that she's living as Madame Cronach, just as the sun and moon cannot separate day and night and appear together in the same sky.
Madame Cronach feigned composure and deliberately turned her body so that her skinned left cheek was facing Hannah. Hannah was startled when she saw the scar later, but she asked without thinking.
“Who is this Lady, Madame Marcel?”
"Ah. Miss Hannah. Greetings. This is Madame Cronach.”
“...Madame Cronach?”
“She is the owner of Arvo, the best salon in the capital.”
"Ah...”
When Hannah, who was usually confident and quick-witted, stared at Madame Cronach's face with a hesitation that was not typical of her, Madame Marcel, who was trying to greet in the middle, smiled shyly.
“Oh, indeed, Miss Hannah. It’s rude to look at people’s faces like that.”
“Who do I look like?”
Madame Cronach asked Claudel while looking at her eyes.
Fortunately, Claudel had a calm expression on her face, but when her eyes slightly met, she turned her head away as if she was very rude.
"No, no, nothing. Excuse me. This is Hannah Pebble, Duchess's maid.”
When Hannah slightly bowed her head in greeting, Madame Cronach sighed inwardly and smiled at Claudel.
“Please come this way. I will show you a separate place where the Duchess can rest until the opera begins.”
Claudel quietly lifted the hem of her dress and walked away, followed by Madame Marcel and Hannah.
However, Hannah still had a small amount of sweat on her forehead, as if she was shocked.
"Hannah, are you okay?"
"Yes."
Madame Marcel lowered her voice and asked Hanna.
“Who is Leonie?”
"That...”
That was when Hannah stuttered and opened her mouth.
Kaian stretched out his arms through the crowd and pulled Claudel's slender body towards him.
“Kaian.”
Her eyes, which were wide in surprise, quickly narrowed and she smiled.
“It’s not too late.”
“I heard you’re late? You even sent an attendant to look at it first.”
“But it’s not too late, so you should give me a reward.”
It was a strange sight.
Madame Cronach observed Claudel welcoming Kaian without even realizing it.
The Duke of Temnes was no ordinary man.
There was no room for pity in the red eyes of the boy, who looked down at her with his emotionless eyes, weighing whether to kill her or save her.
So Madame Cronach could sincerely beg for her life. Because it truly felt like she was caught in the scales of judgment in the hands of God.
So, without realizing it, she admired his clouded mind, saying that the lion's cub was also a lion.
People used to be captivated by the wealth and fame of the Rowen estate, or by the appearance and dignity of Kaian, Duke of Temnes.
However, the inaction of the battlefield that she could not see with her own eyes was something she could not imagine very deeply.
None of Kaian's enemies have survived, so those who could feel his fear and whisper about him would have died long ago and been buried somewhere.
Kaian Pluck Temnes.
The scariest thing about him was that he had good sense and was meticulous.
He alone obtained information from places that no one would notice, and manipulated areas that no one could prepare for or even think of, according to his will. Is there anything to be afraid of from such a person?
Madame Cronach knew full well that Kaian was not afraid of anything in the world and that he was not afraid.
She lived as a servant of his shadow realm.
Even just seeing with her own eyes, it was hard to believe that Kaian treated Claudel quite kindly.
An unfamiliar warmth lingered within the cold and emotionless enemy, and a shiver ran down her spine when she saw Claudel casually placing her small hand on the back of Kaian's hand, which was wrapped around her waist.
It felt dangerous, like a small animal playing without fear, touching the lion's whiskers.
Unaware of her presence, Kaian turned his head and looked at her.
“The owner of the salon himself came out.”
“The Duke requested it, so of course.”
Kaian seemed to like her answer and nodded his head.
“You can just leave. I will spend time leisurely with the Duchess.”
"Yes. I’ll just guide you to your seat.”
As he walked among the people with a sophisticated attitude, those who were already craning their necks to see who Madame Cronach, a famous figure in the capital, was personally serving, looked at Kaian and Claudel standing behind her and opened their mouths in admiration, forgetting what they were saying.
"Oh. That person.”
“...Vermont.”
When the small noise that was occasionally heard became a loud murmur, the two people were ushered to the best seats in the theater.
“I hope you have a good time.”
"Good work."
The box seats that protruded close to the central stage were large enough to seat eight people.
There was a large, comfortable seat in front of the head of the table and a bench behind it for the attendants to sit.
Only after seeing Madame Marcel and Hannah sitting down did Madame Cronach politely step down.
"Ha."
Only then did she relax and let out a short sigh.
"Are you okay?"
Madame Cronach smiled when the maid running her errand noticed her.
“I’m nervous because it’s been a while since I’ve been attending to someone in need. I will return to the salon, so you can wait here until the opera is over and send someone to me when the Duke comes looking for me.”
"Yes."
Madame Cronach stopped the maid and headed to her carriage.
It was then.
Yank.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her right arm as if snatching it.
"Wait."
"You are...”
Before Hannah could say anything to Madame Cronach, she roughly pushed up the sleeves of her dress.
“Oh, this can’t be happening.”
Hannah shivered as she saw the symbol branded on the inside of her arm.
Madame Cronach smiled vainly.
“It’s been a while, Hannah."
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