“Don’t cry. I will help you.”
While he was talking with Kaian, the woman who must have been holding her breath and crying in the closet the whole time made gasping and gurgling sounds.
"Ah... Ugh... Huhuhu.”
Claudel, who was so distraught as to be out of her mind, was not at all aware that her Valquiterre was hugging her too closely.
If she were a noblewoman who had been educated and raised normally, she had a clear and sensitive line about what contact was not allowed and what should not be allowed.
This is because she was commonly associated with women's honor in the former, and in the latter, she had a reputation for being a self-indulgent woman if she did not keep her manners straight.
When she was awake, she screamed and resisted when Burbrook grabbed her wrist, and vehemently refused to touch her body. Now, she was helplessly shedding tears, as if she were a stone statue in a fountain, between tears. It was difficult just to breathe.
“Breathe in slowly.”
Seeing that Claudel did not immediately shake him off, Valquiterre was convinced that he had shattered the bond between her and her Caian.
What he wants, what he wants, according to his will.
Valkyterre carefully removed the wet red hair that had stuck to his wet cheek.
Madame Elysee's white hands that cared for Kaian were seen overlapping his hands comforting Claudel.
His consciousness turned again to old memories.
A soft smile appeared on Madame Elise's lips.
It was clear that she loved Kaian very much. Therefore, the worry of the scratches on the naughty son's body and the joy of the mother who gave birth to and raised the child as he grew up were clearly alternately displayed on his beautiful face.
In the bedroom, which was covered with a cloth cover and dimly lit with only a sleeping lamp, the hand that applied the medicine to Kayan was as light as snowflakes falling gently against the night sky.
No matter how thick and big it looks, it's like a snowflake that melts as soon as you reach out and touch it.
It was a warmth that Valquiter had never experienced before.
Even when he was very young, Queen Silvia never hugged him. The act of holding and comforting Valquiterre was the responsibility of the nannies and maids who raised him.
'Her Majesty the Queen is busy.'
'Why are you so busy?'
'That's because Her Majesty Sylvia is the mother of the people of Oberon Kingdom.'
There was pride on her nurse's face as she said those words to Valquiterre. So, like a young child, he couldn't complain that he didn't like the fact that she wasn't my mother, so he quickly nodded his head.
However, he was not happy and was always hungry for affection.
The praise given in return by those who worked for money at the royal palace was unusual.
Valquiterre wanted to hear Queen Sylvia's approval and compliments, and he tried hard to do whatever he could.
The effort was in vain, and what came back was that at best, it was basic, and if not, it was an accusation that it was worse than Kaian.
Queen Sylvia had a strict and solemn personality.
His mother and his aunt were twins and looked exactly alike, but he had never confused them.
The energy emanating from his body in an overbearing way was unique.
But Valquiterre was young, a child.
He should be the most noble person to inherit the kingdom, but he is hungry for the parent-child bond that everyone else has, and every time he sees his cross-cousin, his stomach hurts.
The moment when Madame Elise's gentle affection for Kaian hurt him to the limit.
'Why am I not allowed to do such kind things?'
Feeling sad, Valquiterre silently approached and tugged on the sleeve of Madame Elise's dress.
'...Mom.'
Queen Sylvia had never been called in such a familiar voice before. It was something the Queen did not allow.
He was just a child who was a little envious of the Duchess protecting Kaian and was jealous.
He just wanted to make a little fool of his aunt.
'..!'
In the wide, astonished blue eyes that looked just like the Queen, Valquiterre caught a glimpse of something he should not have known.
'Uh, how...?'
Embarrassed, Madame Elise opened her eyes and looked down at him.
'Yes.'
As Kaian turned over his body in his sleep, the startled woman lightly covered Valquiterre's mouth and hugged him tightly.
Madame Elise looked conflicted as she fell next to him and carefully placed Valquiterre on his bed.
Even though Valquiterre didn't understand why she was acting like that all of a sudden, he seemed to know what she was doing. So he deliberately called her one more time.
'Mom?'
'Shh.'
She reprimanded him in a completely different manner from how Madame Elise treated Kaian.
‘Never say something like that again, even as a joke. Don't say it out loud. Do you understand?'
'...'
When Valquiterre was so surprised at her sudden change that he could not answer, Madame Elise urged him to answer quickly.
‘Do you understand? Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince?'
From then on, every time Kaian called Madame Elise 'Mom' in front of him, Valquiterre felt like a knife was being stabbed in his heart.
He was distressed and in pain.
It was different from simply comparing what he didn't have.
What happened that night was like confirmation to Valquiterre of the ‘reality’ of the emotional emptiness he was experiencing.
It was from then on that Valquiterre began to steal and destroy Kaian's things more persistently.
'Kaian always has the best thing, but he doesn't know it.'
Kaian had no deficiencies. Valquiterre, who sat in a higher position, should have done exactly that, but why is it that he is always the one suffering from envy and jealousy? However, no matter how much he coveted what belonged to Kaian, it did not really hurt him when it was taken away.
The previous Duke and Duchess raised their son well.
The man who grew up flawless and without a trace of shade and became the noble sun of Rowen will never be able to understand the dark shadow that falls as the sun shines.
“Huhu. Ugh.”
He really felt sorry for the woman who was holding back her cries as if she was in pain.
Valquiterre thought Claudel was his kind.
She was attracted to Kaian, and although she loved him, it was love and hate that she did not understand him and ended up hating him.
'Claudel wouldn't have been able to last very long by Kaian's side anyway.'
Valquiterre rationalized what he was doing.
After portraying people he had never seen before and establishing them as a couple, he made a flaw that he didn't want to see her and was satisfied as if it were his original.
As if it was natural for this to happen.
It was only after crying for a while that Claudel finally calmed down. Valquiterre sat her down on the sofa and gave her a glass of water. Claudel just accepted it and looked like she had lost her soul and didn't even have time to take a sip with a blank expression on her face.
“Distinguishing succession... What does this mean?”
When she asked what that was, she had a sad face, like someone who knew the answer.
“What does he mean, no child who looks like me can be born in Temnes?”
If he falls in love with her, he'll be a fool. She is a foolish woman. How can she ask such an obvious question, even though she knows it?
Valquiterre felt the pleasure of pulling the fishing line of a big fish as Claudel followed his lead and followed the path of disgust toward Kaian.
“That’s literally it.”
“The word ‘discrimination’ is only used for objects or livestock.”
Of course, this was true in line with common sense, but the heads of the family who took charge of the family were not ordinary people.
“What is the symbol of Temnes? The black hair and red eyes.”
Valquiterre continued, looking at Claudel's lovely red hair.
“How many children were born to the Temnes family throughout history who did not have black hair and red eyes?”
“...I beg your pardon?"
“Obviously, some Duchesses were not from the Temnes family. Like you, Claudel.”
Then Claudel looked at her hair, which had fallen down the nape of her neck, where his gaze had landed.
"Then...Those kids...”
Sensing her ominous appearance, she trembled as if she had seen a terrible prediction.
“Killed them or threw them away.”
As if someone had been pierced by those words, Claudel got up in a fit of convulsions, bowed down, and ran to the place where the hand-washing basin was placed.
“Wook. Ugh.”
Valquiterre patted the back of the woman who was gagging incessantly.
“It’s a bad habit. This is an incredibly horrible thing.”
“Why on earth are you doing such a thing?”
Her eyes, filled with tears that had barely stopped, asked him. Valquiterre answered with a sad and heavy face.
“I also found out only after I ascended to the position of King. The royal family of Oberon, Temnes, and Vermont also did such things to strengthen their control and make themselves sacred.”
"Nonsense."
“It is a closely guarded matter. The only people who know are the family head and his wife. You have to consider whether or not the child is suitable for the family and then throw it away. It’s a sad and terrible thing.”
Claudel's body trembled.
“I think differently. I planned to prevent my generation from filtering out and throwing away precious lives in that way.”
Valquiterre looked at Claudel with apologetic eyes.
“But it seems like Kaian thinks differently.”
“...”
“I will protect you.”
Claudel looked at Valquiterre.
“I promise the safety of my friend and the child he or she holds. Claudel.”
“...Bark.”
Her voice calling out to him was mixed with crying.
“I’ll just head back for today.”
“I’ll take you to your room.”
Claudel shook his head.
“I want to go alone.”
“I will appoint a maid. Since she was brought from the royal palace, her mouth is very heavy.”
"Thank you."
When Claudel disappeared out of the room, Valquiterre became very excited.
Valquiterre sat down on the sofa where Claudel had been sitting a moment ago and took out a thick black notebook that had been placed in the gap between the backrest of the sofa and the soft armrest.
Valquiterre hummed as he opened the page where Kaian wrote about Claudel's pregnancy.
“Thanks to you, I found it useful.”
Valquiterre continued, looking at Claudel's lovely red hair.
“How many children were born to the Temnes family throughout history who did not have black hair and red eyes?”
“...I beg your pardon?"
“Obviously, some Duchesses were not from the Temnes family. Like you, Claudel.”
Then Claudel looked at her hair, which had fallen down the nape of her neck, where his gaze had landed.
"Then...Those kids...”
Sensing her ominous appearance, she trembled as if she had seen a terrible prediction.
“Killed them or threw them away.”
As if someone had been pierced by those words, Claudel got up in a fit of convulsions, bowed down, and ran to the place where the hand-washing basin was placed.
“Wook. Ugh.”
Valquiterre patted the back of the woman who was gagging incessantly.
“It’s a bad habit. This is an incredibly horrible thing.”
“Why on earth are you doing such a thing?”
Her eyes, filled with tears that had barely stopped, asked him. Valquiterre answered with a sad and heavy face.
“I also found out only after I ascended to the position of King. The royal family of Oberon, Temnes, and Vermont also did such things to strengthen their control and make themselves sacred.”
"Nonsense."
“It is a closely guarded matter. The only people who know are the family head and his wife. You have to consider whether or not the child is suitable for the family and then throw it away. It’s a sad and terrible thing.”
Claudel's body trembled.
“I think differently. I planned to prevent my generation from filtering out and throwing away precious lives in that way.”
Valquiterre looked at Claudel with apologetic eyes.
“But it seems like Kaian thinks differently.”
“...”
“I will protect you.”
Claudel looked at Valquiterre.
“I promise the safety of my friend and the child he or she holds. Claudel.”
“...Bark.”
Her voice calling out to him was mixed with crying.
“I’ll just head back for today.”
“I’ll take you to your room.”
Claudel shook his head.
“I want to go alone.”
“I will appoint a maid. Since she was brought from the royal palace, her mouth is very heavy.”
"Thank you."
When Claudel disappeared out of the room, Valquiterre became very excited.
Valquiterre sat down on the sofa where Claudel had been sitting a moment ago and took out a thick black notebook that had been placed in the gap between the backrest of the sofa and the soft armrest.
Valquiterre hummed as he opened the page where Kaian wrote about Claudel's pregnancy.
“Thanks to you, I found it useful.”
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