Birna's big eyes were filled with resentment as she was reprimanded by her mother instead of being comforted.
"My grandmother took something from me right in front of my eyes and gave it to Medea, that girl. How can you even say that to me?"
Catherine held her throbbing forehead.
She was so out of ideas that making her daughter understand seemed more difficult than coming up with a plan.
"Grandma even wants me to call her Princess Medea now, not sister! Does that make sense? Should I speak up to that half-baked little girl?"
"Why is it so difficult to please others in front of others? It's just a moment."
Catherine tried to comfort her daughter.
"Anyway, you will eventually become the Princess of this country. How long can Medea stay there?"
"Therefore!"
Birna raised her voice.
"So it's mine. When my father becomes King, the girl of low origin dares to take what is from me. Why?...."
“Birna!”
As she muttered, biting her lip tightly, Catherine shouted fiercely.
"Don't you ever say something like that anywhere else!"
"Mom... ?"
"Have you ever talked outside? When you're with people? Even in the palace?"
Birna's wide-eyed fear shook her head violently.
"One stupid word from you could ruin our whole plan."
Catherine squeezed her daughter's shoulder painfully.
"Just do as I tell you, and Mom will bring everything to you. Yes?"
Her mother's eyes were as fierce as a wolf.
"Huh? Answer me, Birna!"
Birna bit her lip and nodded. Only then did Catherine's hand, which had been pressing down on her shoulder, come off.
"Go to bed early. You have to go to your grandmother tomorrow to ask for forgiveness as soon as the palace gates open."
Bang!
The door closed sharply.
Birna, who was left alone, clenched her fists.
***
After leaving Birna's room, Catherine sighed.
This is because she realized that it would be quicker to just close that lovely mouth than to convince her daughter's small head, which wouldn't hurt even if she put it in her eyes.
Entering Duke Claudio's office, she saw her husband crumpling up a piece of parchment.
"What's wrong?"
"My mother called Montega over."
"The Margrave of Monte?"
Catherine frowned.
Count Montega was Claudio's third-degree relative and a long-time relative of the royal family and had considerable influence within the royal castle.
"I heard my mother is wary of us these days... She wants to bring reinforcement."
"Montega liked my brother more than me."
Not only did he like him, but he was more respectful and loyal to his brother than him, his real brother.
Duke Claudio, who was reminiscing about the past, frowned.
"Then his daughter will like it too. Honey, if the Count stands behind Medea, things will get complicated."
Because Medea will no longer be isolated.
"Damn it, public opinion is already supporting that child!"
A bundle of parchment flew nervously and hit the study.
"Honey, calm down."
"Since Cuisine died, the talk outside has been unusual these days. They pitied Medea as if his own child had been persecuted."
It shouldn't be like this.
To the people, Medea must be a witch who drains the sacrifices of her subjects and squanders the national treasury.
The harm caused by the Princess was so severe that it eventually led to a rebellion.
Thus, Claudio revived the collapsed kingdom and eventually ascended the throne as the King of Valdina.
It must exist only as a catalyst for historical revolution.
"What if they think that Medea wasn't the cause of what happened?"
They should not know that it was not the young Princess who got into this situation, but corrupt officials.
"You can't do this. If it goes like this..."
Duke Claudio paced the room anxiously.
"Don't worry, honey. Your strength is still strong. Moreover, the Minister of Palace Affairs is on your side. As long as the palace is in your hands, the victory is in ours."
Catherine came over and comforted the Duke by rubbing his shoulders.
His nervousness was eased a little by the soft voice and gentle touch.
"If you are worried about public opinion, you can turn the public's attention. As always, dull and foolish people only believe what they see in front of them."
Catherine said kindly.
"Count Montega, don't worry either. Because we will move first."
"..."
"If he wants to take Medea's side, we just have to show him that Medea isn't worth it."
He gazed at his wife's face, still beautiful despite the years.
Although it was an arranged marriage, she was the flower of society at the time.
Face, lineage. There wasn't a single thing missing.
He had no doubt that, unlike his older brother who chose to be a mere wandering dancer, he had chosen the best group.
"How?"
When Duke Claudio asked, Catherine smiled.
"How about a banquet to celebrate Medea's recovery? So many things have happened to that poor child these days."
So that bad luck will never happen again, so grandly, so splendidly that it hurts your eyes.
"Ah, she did."
The Duke's eyes sparkled.
"It's for Medea, so I'm sure your mother won't like it either."
The starving people, even the Count of Montega who ran hard from the frontier, will be able to see the Princess enjoying herself surrounded by gold.
"It's you too."
Catherine's pretty side profile was revealed as she leaned her head on the Duke's shoulder.
"What? As always, he will be our protection."
As always, the face of a noble lady was flawless and elegant.
***
Count Etienne.
Shouting and the sound of something breaking rang out from behind the tightly closed door. Finally, after a while, the servant came out.
People who had been anxiously listening to the shouts from outside approached.
"Umberto, are you okay?"
"Oh my God, my clothes are all wet. The Minister again... Wipe it quickly with this."
Red wine stains were spreading unsightly across his chest, where his fox badge was attached.
Etienne's servant Umberto was a young man with narrow eyes.
"It's okay. It looks like the master is in a bit of a bad mood today."
Umberto said, wiping his forehead with a napkin, but everyone knew that it wasn't just a day or two.
Among Etienne's servants who changed day by day, Umberto was the only one who had not been kicked out and stayed by his side.
"I don't know why he's so hysterical these days. He used to be self-indulgent, but these days, I feel like he's possessed by an evil spirit."
People shook their heads. Umberto swallowed a bitter smile.
"Umberto, you go back first and rest. I'll take care of the rest from here."
Only the butler who knew the inside story freed him.
When he returned to the room, he threw away the wet handkerchief in frustration.
'Why, why? It's because I have nowhere to vent my temper.'
Since the death of the former head maid Cuisine, the Minister has been unable to leave the mansion to avoid the suspicion of the new head maid Pinatelli.
Since he can't go to the red light district or bring his own toys like before, he's throwing a lot of temper tantrums.
"Ha. How long do I have to do this? It's really embarrassing."
Then he stopped. Because he found a small note stuck in the creaking window.
[Umberto, I know your secret.]
Umberto hurriedly looked around.
Dust still settled on the window frames, and there were no traces on the exterior walls.
The sun had yet set, and no one had returned to their lodgings, so the surroundings were just quiet...
"Who would pull such a useless prank?"
He crumpled the note nervously and threw it out the window. But the next day.
[Red fox. Are you still going to ignore what I say?]
Umberto couldn't throw away the new note stuck in the crack in the door.
"Who came and went in my room? I said I would take care of the cleaning so there was no need."
The head maid responded as if she was both surprised and bewildered at Umberto, who was rarely irritated.
"What are you talking about. These days, everyone is busy sweeping and cleaning the mansion for fear of displeasing the master, so who is there no one to go to the servant's quarters?"
"Oh, tell me how many times! If you don't believe me, just hang out all day!"
The security at Count Etienne's residence was extremely tight. Because Etienne's dirty secrets were hidden everywhere, he couldn't just come and go without anyone.
Being able to break through such a strict border and leave a message at will meant that the other person was no ordinary person either.
Umberto became so nervous that he even took sick leave and tried to find out the source of the note. But to his surprise, he couldn't find any clues.
"No, it must be a coincidence. There's no way you know who I am..."
He muttered nervously, fiddling with the fox badge on his chest.
"Umberto, are you feeling okay? The Minister kept looking for you while you were away."
Finally, a few days later, Umberto entered the palace again without any results.
Although he was not a member of the palace, he was a servant and had to accompany his master, Etienne.
However, when he arrived at the minister's office, a note of the same color as the one he had seen at the Count's house was lying in front of his desk.
The note was scribbled with a mixture of alphabets, numbers, and strange symbols.
Umberto clutched the parchment with a pale face.
'Uh, how could this...'
Comments
Post a Comment