At first, she couldn't recognize Bartholomew at a glance. Judith, who thought he was a passing guard, soon noticed that his attire was a little different from that of the soldiers. Only then did she notice his height, so tall that she had to bend her head and his strange bronze-colored hair.
As she looked at the slightly drooping corners of the eyes and the distinct facial features that looked quite harsh when expressionless, a memory came to mind from the bottom up. Although she had only seen him from a distance a few times in her past life, his impression remained clearly in her mind.
Bartholomew, the eldest son of the Duke of Vergy. He became one of the King's elite soldiers at a young age and had the skills to lead a unit, but when Queen Gilsis used Franz's madness as an excuse to break up the ducal family, he too followed the fate of his family and met his end. There was no news of his death, but even if he had lived, he probably would not have enjoyed a life in the true sense of the word.
The reason Judith remembers him is because of Franz.
When Franz's illness was not severe, Bartholomew would often take time out of his busy schedule to check on him. When he came, Franz became more active and smiled, as if he had momentarily forgotten his usual gloomy situation.
Judith did not feel jealous that Bartholomew could do what she could not do no matter what she did. The fact that Bartholomew's visit gave Franz some relief, was a great comfort to Judith.
Therefore, when Queen Gilsis finally overthrew the Duke of Vergy, Judith cried bitterly, throwing her whole body on behalf of Franz, who had gone crazy and did not even know the fact.
"Is not it?"
When Judith didn't answer for a long time, Bartholomew slightly frowned with an embarrassed expression. Judith, who immediately came to her senses, quickly adjusted her attitude and nodded slightly.
“This is my first time meeting you.”
“Is it true that you're Her Highness the Princess?”
“My name is Judith Lorebinev.”
As soon as there was an answer, Bartholomew's tall height suddenly dropped. He knelt down on one knee on the floor and felt a strange feeling as he noticed that the Princess's expression seemed to be overflowing with strange longing.
“This is my first greeting, Your Highness. My name is Bartholomew of the Duke of Vergy.”
“You were the Duke’s son. I had no idea you had such a strong spirit.”
Bartholomew stood up with a grin and held up the incense burner again. Judith did not hesitate and decided to accept his help. The two walked slowly down the corridor.
“I came to say hello to Your Majesty, whom I haven’t seen in a long time, but unexpectedly I got to meet you. But why are you doing this with your precious body?”
Bartholomew looked down at the heavy incense burner with ash and dust rising through the tight holes and asked in astonishment. Judith only made a smiling face and did not respond. Even from her reaction, it was enough to know the inside story of why she, the Prince's wife, was doing such a chore.
'It must have been the Queen's doing.'
It was as obvious as fire how harshly the Queen would treat the Princess, who was like a young bird who would die immediately if she was held tightly.
Bartholomew instantly developed sympathy for Judith. He was originally a very affectionate person, and because of his deep affection for Franz, he felt the same affection towards Judith, whom he met for the first time today, as he would towards a blood relative.
After the King fell ill, the garden was virtually deserted, and weeds had grown unsightly, perhaps due to the gardeners' laziness.
Bartholomew, who had poured out all the ashes, kicked the bottom of the empty incense burner and emptied every last bit of dust. While he was emptying the censer, Judith stood a few steps away and said nothing. Bartholomew, holding the incense burner, which was much lighter than before, with one hand, looked back at Judith.
“It’s done, the rain is falling.”
“Thank you for your help, Sir Bartholomew. Thanks to...”
“Sir is an awkward title. I haven’t received a title yet, and I’m just a trainee, so please just call me by my first name.”
“... I guess so.”
Only then did a faint smile appear on Judith's lips. She was finally able to put together the complex and sad feelings that struck her like a thunderbolt the moment she recognized Bartholomew.
In her past life, she let many people go. Every time that happened, she cried until her throat bled, but there was nothing she could protect with her two weak hands. Cheraan did the same, as did the Duke of Vergy. No one blamed her for failing to protect them, but she could not help but be harshly beaten all the time.
Just as she was determined to protect Cheraan, Bartholomew, and by extension the Duke, were also beings that had to do the same.
After the King fell ill, the garden was virtually deserted, and weeds had grown unsightly, perhaps due to the gardeners' laziness.
Bartholomew, who had poured out all the ashes, kicked the bottom of the empty incense burner and emptied every last bit of dust. While he was emptying the censer, Judith stood a few steps away and said nothing. Bartholomew, holding the incense burner, which was much lighter than before, with one hand, looked back at Judith.
“It’s done, the rain is falling.”
“Thank you for your help, Sir Bartholomew. Thanks to...”
“Sir is an awkward title. I haven’t received a title yet, and I’m just a trainee, so please just call me by my first name.”
“... I guess so.”
Only then did a faint smile appear on Judith's lips. She was finally able to put together the complex and sad feelings that struck her like a thunderbolt the moment she recognized Bartholomew.
In her past life, she let many people go. Every time that happened, she cried until her throat bled, but there was nothing she could protect with her two weak hands. Cheraan did the same, as did the Duke of Vergy. No one blamed her for failing to protect them, but she could not help but be harshly beaten all the time.
Just as she was determined to protect Cheraan, Bartholomew, and by extension the Duke, were also beings that had to do the same.
After completing training, Bartholomew would become one of the King's elite soldiers, and would eventually grow into a military officer who would stand out among them. Franz, who was under constant threat, had no more reliable ally than him.
“How is His Majesty?”
“You’re still unconscious.”
Bartholomew sighed in frustration. The deceased Queen Emerea was his aunt, so King Jedercayer was his uncle. When everything was peaceful, he and Franz would sit at the King's feet and doze off while listening to the King himself read a book.
But now it feels like it's all just a dream. The King became an old tree with only the shell remaining, and Queen Emerea, who had once seemed like a warm spring, was no longer there. Franz, who had grown up with his brother, was oppressed by the pressure of the world and was withering away day by day.
Is there really a way to overcome this situation? Although he was so furious in front of his father, the Duke, Bartholomew was equally frustrated because he had no choice.
“Since His Majesty is unconscious, I will only briefly greet him at the door and then go straight to Astel Palace. Your Highness will come with me.”
“Oh, I...”
As Judith hesitated with an embarrassed expression, Bartholomew tilted his head.
“Why are you doing that?”
“HisMajesty... The serving isn't over yet. I must stay here until evening.”
“How is His Majesty?”
“You’re still unconscious.”
Bartholomew sighed in frustration. The deceased Queen Emerea was his aunt, so King Jedercayer was his uncle. When everything was peaceful, he and Franz would sit at the King's feet and doze off while listening to the King himself read a book.
But now it feels like it's all just a dream. The King became an old tree with only the shell remaining, and Queen Emerea, who had once seemed like a warm spring, was no longer there. Franz, who had grown up with his brother, was oppressed by the pressure of the world and was withering away day by day.
Is there really a way to overcome this situation? Although he was so furious in front of his father, the Duke, Bartholomew was equally frustrated because he had no choice.
“Since His Majesty is unconscious, I will only briefly greet him at the door and then go straight to Astel Palace. Your Highness will come with me.”
“Oh, I...”
As Judith hesitated with an embarrassed expression, Bartholomew tilted his head.
“Why are you doing that?”
“HisMajesty... The serving isn't over yet. I must stay here until evening.”
“No, you mean serving? Where is the Chamberlain going?”
"That is...”
Bartholomew, who heard the whole story from Judith, almost threw away the incense burner in his hand.
He even guessed that the Queen had done something to make Judith do difficult work. However, he could not have imagined that she would have taken care of a patient all by herself, without even a single attendant.
His gaze, frighteningly hard with anger, looked toward the end of the hallway. It was the place where the King's bed rested.
“Ha, are you saying that there is no one else here now except for Your Highness?”
“The palace...There is some doubt. The three of us take turns checking on His Majesty’s condition.”
He guessed that was the reason why she carried this heavy incense burner alone. After hearing Judith's words, Bartholomew began to walk at a brisk pace, holding the handle of the incense burner tightly.
“Bartholomew!”
Judith was surprised and ran after him, but she could not keep up with his fast pace and pace. Before Judith could catch up, he was already opening the door to the separate room next to the bed.
"OMG!"
The palace physician, who was lazily dozing on the table, was startled by a loud noise he suddenly heard and woke up in a hurry. Thinking that the Queen family had come, he was lost in thought, but when he saw the large young man throwing down the empty incense burner, his face suddenly grimaced.
“What kind of outrageous thing is this? How dare you stand in front of His Majesty’s bedroom!”
“Well said.”
A boiling voice came from Bartholomew's teeth. the palace physician noticed at a glance that he was of noble status, and also noticed that he was wearing a sword around his waist.
Even if you were a noble, you needed special permission to carry a sword deep into the royal palace.
The palace physician, who guessed that this was an opponent with whom nothing good would come from touching him, changed his attitude and quietly lowered his head.
“Uh, I don’t know which family you belong to, but His Highness is seriously ill right now ...”
“I know better that my uncle is unwell.”
Uncle, uncle?
“Uh, I don’t know which family you belong to, but His Highness is seriously ill right now ...”
“I know better that my uncle is unwell.”
Uncle, uncle?
The palace physician's long face turned pale. Even if you have a close relationship, changing the title of the King carelessly is a serious crime. But uncle, then...
“Are you the ancestor of the Duke of Vergy’s family?”
“My uncle’s illness is so deep, but the man dares to sleep in front of the King’s bed while he is eating up the kingdom’s taxes. I cannot forgive him at all, not only as a subject of the King but even as his nephew.”
"That... That's not it. It's not like that...”
“Your Majesty the King does not spare his weak body for the sake of His Majesty the King’s recovery, but she must personally check what he ate to make his body so precious. Soldier!"
As soon as the soldiers who were standing like still life at the end of the hallway heard Bartholomew's shout, they came running in a hurry. Compared to the regular soldiers in charge of guarding the royal palace, the ranks of the Combler soldiers were higher, even if they were trainees.
He took out a plaque given only to Combler trainees and a ring with the ducal family's emblem and held it out in front of the soldiers. Then he said, glaring at the palace physician, with cold eyes dripping from his face.
“Are you the ancestor of the Duke of Vergy’s family?”
“My uncle’s illness is so deep, but the man dares to sleep in front of the King’s bed while he is eating up the kingdom’s taxes. I cannot forgive him at all, not only as a subject of the King but even as his nephew.”
"That... That's not it. It's not like that...”
“Your Majesty the King does not spare his weak body for the sake of His Majesty the King’s recovery, but she must personally check what he ate to make his body so precious. Soldier!"
As soon as the soldiers who were standing like still life at the end of the hallway heard Bartholomew's shout, they came running in a hurry. Compared to the regular soldiers in charge of guarding the royal palace, the ranks of the Combler soldiers were higher, even if they were trainees.
He took out a plaque given only to Combler trainees and a ring with the ducal family's emblem and held it out in front of the soldiers. Then he said, glaring at the palace physician, with cold eyes dripping from his face.
“Take this guy underground. Show the officer my ring and tell him to give this man thirty lashes.”
The palace physician's face turned blue. The person in charge of managing the underground cell was twice as big as him. It was clear to him that if he received thirty blows from such a person, even if he survived, he would not be alive.
“Forgive me! I will never be lazy again!"
“Take him away now!”
The soldiers, who were watching while holding the plaque and ring, hurriedly grabbed the palace physician, by the shoulder at Bartholomew's words.
“Your Highness! Please forgive me!”
Judith just watched the palace physician, in silence as he was dragged and struggling. It wasn't until his legs completely disappeared beyond the corner of the hallway that Judith finally let out a small sigh.
“I’m sorry for showing you such a violent scene, Your Highness.”
Judith pursed her lips slightly and smiled weakly. It still looked so weak that it would collapse if touched, and Bartholomew was truly sorry.
“Please go with me.”
Bartholomew looked up at Judith's words. Although he didn't know that the silence meant that she wanted to go together, she slowly shook her head.
“There is no one to look after His Majesty until my replacement comes. I have to keep my position, so Bartholomew, go to Astel Palace first and meet His Highness.”
“I will call an attendant.”
"It's okay. You helped me with all the hard work.”
He couldn't bear to say that much longer. Basholomew calmly nodded his head, glanced inside the bed, and then turned around.
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