Alfonso arrived in Taranto exactly twice as messed up as when he arrived at San Carlo. No matter how physically strong a person was, carrying out two forced marches of three days and nights without even 24 hours of rest was something he could not do. This is no different from being a knight. Of the 10 knights who left to escort the Prince, 3 fell behind and only 8 of them, including the Prince, returned to Taranto on time.
Thanks to this, Prince Alfonso fell into bed as soon as he returned in a state that fit the alibi he had given, namely, ‘he was not feeling well.’ Bernardino, the Prince's secretary, carefully approached Alfonso and said.
“Prince, I understand that you must be tired, but I have a report you must hear urgently.”
“Dino, later.”
As soon as Alfonso returned, he took a bath, and as soon as he got into the hot water, his eyes automatically closed. He was in no condition to hear the report.
“It’s about Grand Duchess Lariesa...”
Alfonso really didn't feel like listening.
“Dino. Let’s deal with it in three hours.”
Bernardino began to retreat as Alfonso placed his tunic-clad arm over his eyes to block the light. No, he was going to back away.
“Prince, I understand that you must be tired, but I have a report you must hear urgently.”
“Dino, later.”
As soon as Alfonso returned, he took a bath, and as soon as he got into the hot water, his eyes automatically closed. He was in no condition to hear the report.
“It’s about Grand Duchess Lariesa...”
Alfonso really didn't feel like listening.
“Dino. Let’s deal with it in three hours.”
Bernardino began to retreat as Alfonso placed his tunic-clad arm over his eyes to block the light. No, he was going to back away.
Bang!
"Prince!"
“Hi!”
Grand Duchess Lariesa burst into the room. Bernardino was frightened and cried out. Bernardino's brilliant idea of letting his master rest failed. Bernardino, who had almost broken down the door and thrown his body in front of her, held her out and hastily stopped her.
“Grand Duchess! You can’t just come into a man’s room like this!”
However, Grand Duchess Lariesa pushed Bernardino away and advanced in front of Prince Alfonso's bed.
"Prince!"
“...Grand Duchess?”
Alfonso's appearance was extremely haggard. Because he had been forced to march by changing horses for 16 hours a day for a full week, they had lost a good 3-4 rotolos (approximately 3-4 kg), and his eyes were dark due to lack of sleep. He was in a half-asleep state and seemed to have a fever.
"Prince!"
“Hi!”
Grand Duchess Lariesa burst into the room. Bernardino was frightened and cried out. Bernardino's brilliant idea of letting his master rest failed. Bernardino, who had almost broken down the door and thrown his body in front of her, held her out and hastily stopped her.
“Grand Duchess! You can’t just come into a man’s room like this!”
However, Grand Duchess Lariesa pushed Bernardino away and advanced in front of Prince Alfonso's bed.
"Prince!"
“...Grand Duchess?”
Alfonso's appearance was extremely haggard. Because he had been forced to march by changing horses for 16 hours a day for a full week, they had lost a good 3-4 rotolos (approximately 3-4 kg), and his eyes were dark due to lack of sleep. He was in a half-asleep state and seemed to have a fever.
Seeing Alfonso's thin and pale appearance, Lariesa was startled and covered her mouth with her hand.
"Prince...You’re really sick.”
"Prince...You’re really sick.”
She tried to place her hand on Alfonso's forehead.
"Sorry... I thought you were pretending to be sick because you didn't want to see Lari. You were really sick.”
Alfonso instinctively turned his head to avoid her touch. Lariesa seemed not to notice or simply didn't care, that the Prince was blatantly avoiding her, and tried to touch the Prince once more. Bernardino, shocked, almost threw his body to block her path.
“Grand Duchess! This will not work! You should quickly go back to your room before others see you!”
Bernardino called his servant.
“Is there anyone there? Guard... No, bring Count Le Vien!”
He instinctively called security, but at the last minute, he turned to Count Le Vien. He couldn't call the guards and drag away the Grand Duchess, who was treated like a Princess from a foreign country. However, Lariesa remained calm even when she heard that Count Le Vien was coming. It seemed that Count Le Vien was not functioning as a control device at all.
"Sorry... I thought you were pretending to be sick because you didn't want to see Lari. You were really sick.”
Alfonso instinctively turned his head to avoid her touch. Lariesa seemed not to notice or simply didn't care, that the Prince was blatantly avoiding her, and tried to touch the Prince once more. Bernardino, shocked, almost threw his body to block her path.
“Grand Duchess! This will not work! You should quickly go back to your room before others see you!”
Bernardino called his servant.
“Is there anyone there? Guard... No, bring Count Le Vien!”
He instinctively called security, but at the last minute, he turned to Count Le Vien. He couldn't call the guards and drag away the Grand Duchess, who was treated like a Princess from a foreign country. However, Lariesa remained calm even when she heard that Count Le Vien was coming. It seemed that Count Le Vien was not functioning as a control device at all.
Fortunately, Count Levien, who was waiting nearby, rushed to Alfonso's private room. Since he was not permitted to have an audience with the Prince, he stood waiting outside the room and called Lariesa sadly.
“Grand Duchess! Your Highness the Prince must rest assured! Come out! Please!"
In the last word, his true feelings came out earnestly. When he was told by the Prince, that he needed to be put to rest, she was astonished and covered her mouth.
“That’s right, Prince. You need to rest.”
Alfonso and Bernardino, who had been nervous that she would come by to nurse him, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Then Lari, let’s leave ‘our egg’ and go out first.”
As she was about to leave the room, she paused and looked back. Alfonso locked eyes with her and added, with a polite, frugal smile spreading across her white face.
“Al, you can't forget the promise you made!”
She excitedly waved the hem of her dress and walked out of Alfonso's boudoir.
“Grand Duchess! Your Highness the Prince must rest assured! Come out! Please!"
In the last word, his true feelings came out earnestly. When he was told by the Prince, that he needed to be put to rest, she was astonished and covered her mouth.
“That’s right, Prince. You need to rest.”
Alfonso and Bernardino, who had been nervous that she would come by to nurse him, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Then Lari, let’s leave ‘our egg’ and go out first.”
As she was about to leave the room, she paused and looked back. Alfonso locked eyes with her and added, with a polite, frugal smile spreading across her white face.
“Al, you can't forget the promise you made!”
She excitedly waved the hem of her dress and walked out of Alfonso's boudoir.
After the stormy attack by the Grand Duchess of Valoa, Alfonso, completely awake, glared at Bernardino.
“Dino. I think you have a report to tell me.”
“Your Royal Highness, isn’t it..."
“Who on earth is ‘Al’? Is this really my nickname?”
"That is... I can explain everything.”
Bernardino pretended to be Prince Alfonso and exchanged letters with the Grand Duchess of Lariesa while Alfonso was away.
“And by promise, what promise?”
“I’ll explain that too now!”
“Assuming an explanation is possible, can you take responsibility?”
“I can’t take responsibility.”
Alfonso put a pillow over his face and screamed.
“Dino. I think you have a report to tell me.”
“Your Royal Highness, isn’t it..."
“Who on earth is ‘Al’? Is this really my nickname?”
"That is... I can explain everything.”
Bernardino pretended to be Prince Alfonso and exchanged letters with the Grand Duchess of Lariesa while Alfonso was away.
“And by promise, what promise?”
“I’ll explain that too now!”
“Assuming an explanation is possible, can you take responsibility?”
“I can’t take responsibility.”
Alfonso put a pillow over his face and screamed.
***
Maleta looked at her underwear in the bathroom with a frustrated expression. Red blood. This month was also a failure.
Ippolito didn't know it, but Maleta was actively trying to get pregnant by eating everything good for her and counting down the days. After 15 days from the start of the month, she desperately attacked Ippolito. Ippolito, who knew nothing, was innocently happy, saying that women were active and had fun.
Maleta gritted her teeth. All she had to do was get pregnant and she would be able to sit up right away!
That one shot really didn't fit. She had every reason to be confident that her master would take care of Maleta if she became pregnant.
“Maleta, no matter what happens, you are the only one who is this master, right?”
After returning to San Carlo, Ippolito cared for Maleta very much, unlike his attitude in Taranto. Maleta's stay in Taranto was surprisingly disappointing. Ippolito quite often, left Maleta in Taranto and went out to feast with his friends.
“Maleta, no matter what happens, you are the only one who is this master, right?”
After returning to San Carlo, Ippolito cared for Maleta very much, unlike his attitude in Taranto. Maleta's stay in Taranto was surprisingly disappointing. Ippolito quite often, left Maleta in Taranto and went out to feast with his friends.
On his way out, Ippolito shouted, 'Maleta, I'll definitely take you to the winter social scene!', but he never once took Maleta to a formal party where he had to attend with his partner. The only thing Maleta was able to follow was a card game group organized by Ippolito's comrades under the name 'Salon'.
The 'salon' she entered after getting dressed up with a big heart was full of men, except Maleta, who was smoking cigarettes indoors. Ah, there was a woman. Cortisan, or a serving maid.
Maleta, who imagined that she would be introduced to society that day as the 'future Madame de Mare', was so upset that she almost lost her temper at Ippolito. The only person who comforted her heart was one of Ippolito's friends.
“Who is this Lady?”
The unknown nobleman politely spoke to Maleta and pretended to know her. At these words, Maleta felt relieved and started shaking. She was not used to the speech of nobles, so she did not know that excessive politeness that did not fit this class was sarcasm.
"Oh, my. Why, that’s what I said back then.”
Unfortunately, Ippolito, who was next to him, perfectly understood the man's nuance and gave an appropriate answer. He didn't even use the word 'lover' for her, let alone mention that she was the woman he was going to marry, as Maleta had expected.
"Oh, that?"
The nobleman held up one little finger. Ippolito chuckled and nodded his head. The nobleman hit Ippolito's shoulder with his hand.
“I guess I’ll have some fun.”
“What fun is. You’ll know it when you see it.”
“But still... Haha. I go first.”
After that, rumors spread among the male customers about Maleta's position, and some flirted with her to touch her, others told her to pour him a drink, and others asked her to hold his cloak. No matter how nerve-wracking Maleta was, that day, she almost hit him when he was aiming for a real master. However, Ippolito de Mare changed.
“Maleta, you really only have me, right? You can’t live without me, right?”
Maleta, who originally acted like a tongue in Ippolito's mouth, rolled her eyes and answered because of what had accumulated over the years.
“Boss, did you eat something you couldn’t eat? What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“Oh, Maleta. You are the only one. Say so.”
"I don't know."
Maleta took this conversation as a sign of a reversal in their relationship. But she didn't realize that Ippolito's eyes narrowed like a snake observing something.
“Who is this Lady?”
The unknown nobleman politely spoke to Maleta and pretended to know her. At these words, Maleta felt relieved and started shaking. She was not used to the speech of nobles, so she did not know that excessive politeness that did not fit this class was sarcasm.
"Oh, my. Why, that’s what I said back then.”
Unfortunately, Ippolito, who was next to him, perfectly understood the man's nuance and gave an appropriate answer. He didn't even use the word 'lover' for her, let alone mention that she was the woman he was going to marry, as Maleta had expected.
"Oh, that?"
The nobleman held up one little finger. Ippolito chuckled and nodded his head. The nobleman hit Ippolito's shoulder with his hand.
“I guess I’ll have some fun.”
“What fun is. You’ll know it when you see it.”
“But still... Haha. I go first.”
After that, rumors spread among the male customers about Maleta's position, and some flirted with her to touch her, others told her to pour him a drink, and others asked her to hold his cloak. No matter how nerve-wracking Maleta was, that day, she almost hit him when he was aiming for a real master. However, Ippolito de Mare changed.
“Maleta, you really only have me, right? You can’t live without me, right?”
Maleta, who originally acted like a tongue in Ippolito's mouth, rolled her eyes and answered because of what had accumulated over the years.
“Boss, did you eat something you couldn’t eat? What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“Oh, Maleta. You are the only one. Say so.”
"I don't know."
Maleta took this conversation as a sign of a reversal in their relationship. But she didn't realize that Ippolito's eyes narrowed like a snake observing something.
***
After hearing an explanation of the situation from Bernardino, Alfonso held a long funeral.
“No, Dino... Doing this while I was away...”
While Prince Alfonso was away, the Grand Duchess of Lariesa kept asking for their meeting, but she exploded when Prince Alfonso explained that he could not meet her because he was away while visiting his sixth cousin, Bianca of Taranto.
“No, Dino... Doing this while I was away...”
While Prince Alfonso was away, the Grand Duchess of Lariesa kept asking for their meeting, but she exploded when Prince Alfonso explained that he could not meet her because he was away while visiting his sixth cousin, Bianca of Taranto.
She made a fuss, saying, 'Am I of lower priority to you than his second cousin?' Bernardino shook his head, saying that it was a commotion, but in reality, it was like a natural disaster.
“Is that the only way you could handle it?”
“I did my best.”
Bernardino answered solemnly. At the time, Bernardino was ghostwriting a reply to the morning letter sent by the Grand Duchess of Lariesa, pretending to be Prince Alfonso. As an old bachelor in his late 30s who had no idea how women felt, he was unable to match the ever-changing moods of an 18-year-old girl. There wasn't. So Bernardino accepted everything that the Grand Duchess Lariesa requested.
“Prince, how have you been managing such a time bomb so obediently?”
Bernardino surrendered to the Grand Duchess Lariesa's request, 'We will be getting married soon, so let's come up with nicknames that only the two of us can use,' and as a result, they became 'Lari' and 'Al'. That terrible nickname was something Alfonso had not allowed even to Ariadne before. Prince Alfonso trembled.
“Do you think it’s easy for me?”
“You are the King, you are the King!”
There was more that Grand Duchess Lariesa requested. She said that when he returned to San Carlo, she would like to visit Palazzo Carlo's famous daffodil garden alone with Prince Alfonso. It was a romantic place where the story goes that Stephen I, one of the previous Kings, proposed to the Duke's daughter, Brigitte of Taranto, in the daffodil garden.
“Is that the only way you could handle it?”
“I did my best.”
Bernardino answered solemnly. At the time, Bernardino was ghostwriting a reply to the morning letter sent by the Grand Duchess of Lariesa, pretending to be Prince Alfonso. As an old bachelor in his late 30s who had no idea how women felt, he was unable to match the ever-changing moods of an 18-year-old girl. There wasn't. So Bernardino accepted everything that the Grand Duchess Lariesa requested.
“Prince, how have you been managing such a time bomb so obediently?”
Bernardino surrendered to the Grand Duchess Lariesa's request, 'We will be getting married soon, so let's come up with nicknames that only the two of us can use,' and as a result, they became 'Lari' and 'Al'. That terrible nickname was something Alfonso had not allowed even to Ariadne before. Prince Alfonso trembled.
“Do you think it’s easy for me?”
“You are the King, you are the King!”
There was more that Grand Duchess Lariesa requested. She said that when he returned to San Carlo, she would like to visit Palazzo Carlo's famous daffodil garden alone with Prince Alfonso. It was a romantic place where the story goes that Stephen I, one of the previous Kings, proposed to the Duke's daughter, Brigitte of Taranto, in the daffodil garden.
Bernardino obviously had no authority to force a schedule on Prince Alfonso. However, he was so anxious to prevent the Grand Duchess of Lariesa's threat to come into Prince Alfonso's bedroom immediately from becoming a reality that he decided to refuse later, using the excuse, but accepted for now.
“Is this kind of people management a King’s talent? It’s your subordinate’s talent.”
Alfonso's rebuke was that Bernardino should have taken care of appeasing Lariesa.
“It is the same as ruling a brave subordinate by influencing him with benevolence, which is naturally the talent of the one who will become King.”
Bernardino decided to flatter his tongue until it was worn out, just for today. In any case, Prince Alfonso is called a disgusting nickname and has to deal with the aftermath of breaking up a date he didn't promise. To make Alfonso feel a little better, he gave Prince Alfonso a word of comfort.
"Prince. After you get married, won't you eventually get a nickname? Think of it as if you got hit a little early.”
Alfonso looked at Bernardino with a strange expression. Bernardino looked anxiously at his young lord.
"No way...”
Bernardino also received news almost immediately after the Prince left. The story was that Cardinal de Mare's dead daughter was Arabella, the youngest, and not Ariadne, the second.
“...Please say no, Prince.”
“You feel right. I will not marry Grand Duchess Lariesa.”
Leaving the frightened secretary alone, Alfonso stood up.
“I’m going to go talk to my father and my mother.”
“Is this kind of people management a King’s talent? It’s your subordinate’s talent.”
Alfonso's rebuke was that Bernardino should have taken care of appeasing Lariesa.
“It is the same as ruling a brave subordinate by influencing him with benevolence, which is naturally the talent of the one who will become King.”
Bernardino decided to flatter his tongue until it was worn out, just for today. In any case, Prince Alfonso is called a disgusting nickname and has to deal with the aftermath of breaking up a date he didn't promise. To make Alfonso feel a little better, he gave Prince Alfonso a word of comfort.
"Prince. After you get married, won't you eventually get a nickname? Think of it as if you got hit a little early.”
Alfonso looked at Bernardino with a strange expression. Bernardino looked anxiously at his young lord.
"No way...”
Bernardino also received news almost immediately after the Prince left. The story was that Cardinal de Mare's dead daughter was Arabella, the youngest, and not Ariadne, the second.
“...Please say no, Prince.”
“You feel right. I will not marry Grand Duchess Lariesa.”
Leaving the frightened secretary alone, Alfonso stood up.
“I’m going to go talk to my father and my mother.”
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