“...Claudel.”
Claudel slowly took her feet off the long flagpole that was about half a span thick.
The scene was unrealistically beautiful.
Standing on a long wooden stand, with the hem of her red dress fluttering, amid the brightly lit oil lanterns that looked like the Milky Way had poured down under a pitch-black sky, she looked like a flower blooming on a thin, dry branch.
In an instant, goosebumps appeared on her body.
It was a calm lake, but as the boat rocked slightly, Claudel swayed dangerously, as if she would fall at any moment.
“Claudel!”
Kaian threw down what he was holding and ran to the bow, extending his hand to her.
"What are you doing! Come down now.”
A sudden feeling of anxiety overtook him.
“Kaian. I wanted to believe you.”
His body froze stiffly at Claudel’s words.
“You said you would trust me if I gave birth to a child. I thought I could be happy then.”
Claudel smiled faintly.
“Not necessarily because I like you. I wanted to have a baby that looked like you.”
Tears flowed down the cheeks of the woman who appeared to be smiling.
"I believe. I will believe it.”
Kaian was flustered. But as soon as he hastily stepped on his flagpole with his heavy booted foot, the tree swayed and made a sound as if it were about to break.
Fearing that she might fall while standing on top of the flagpole, Kaian could not move any further and only stretched out his arms.
“Hold my hand, please."
“I wish I wasn’t in Vermont.”
“Because it’s Vermont and whatever. Hurry!"
Claudel, who heard him scream at the top of his voice, tilted her head for a moment as if she did not understand.
Ahhh.
Those who turned their attention to the sound of Kaian yelling and were surprised to see a scuffle taking place in the player's room started screaming.
“...Lie."
Watery eyes met his eyes.
“You lie to the end.”
The next moment, Claudel launched herself into the air.
Time in the whole world slowed down as if it had stopped.
Against the backdrop of the colorful lights of oil lanterns, the red flowers seemed to oxidize and scatter.
“Claudel!”
With a plop.
At the terrifying sound of water, Kaian tried to jump off the bow, but the sailors who were steering the ship jumped out and caught him.
“My Lord. We will save you.”
“It’s dangerous because oil lanterns are floating on the water.”
Kaian screamed and with his immense strength shook off his men hanging on both sides and jumped into the lake.
With a plop.
Due to the weather in Rowen, which does not get cold even in winter, the water above the surface was quite warm. However, the water got colder and colder, to the point where he got goosebumps even if he went down just a little bit.
'Claudel!'
Far below, he could see the hem of a red dress flowing and sinking deeply. Kaian swam after it like crazy.
But as he caught up, Claudel sank deeper and deeper.
'Claudel!'
Kaian called out to her inside him.
But unlike him, who was losing strength, she was being sucked deeper and deeper into the darkness where light could not reach.
Kaian stretched out his hand toward the red light that was disappearing from sight underwater. He became increasingly deprived of oxygen and became dizzy, but he was unable to rise above the water to breathe.
If he leaves Claudel here even for a moment.
It seemed like he would never again find the red hem of her dress sinking into the darkness.
'Claudel!'
Kaian screamed in the water.
After a while, several strong hands grabbed him and forcibly pulled him out of the water.
“Ugh. Ugh.”
A rough blanket was wrapped around his body and he was pounding his back frantically.
“My Lord. Are you okay?”
The butler asked with a puzzled face.
“Put this away. Claudel fell into the water.”
“Other escorts are looking.”
"I... I have to go.”
"It's not possible."
“Let go of me!”
Without any time to stop, Kaian dug into the lake again.
'Omg. Omg.'
There was a bright light above his head, but under the water, which was shimmering red, yellow, and green like the color of oil lantern paper, her traces had disappeared, making it impossible to find where Claudel had fallen earlier.
Kaian was frustrated and tried to swim deeper, but when he lost consciousness, he was repeatedly dragged out by others.
“My Lord...”
“We have to find her. Claudel..."
Kaian was dripping water and unable to continue his sentence.
“Ugh. Ha.”
“Hannah. Hold me.”
Hannah, who had fallen into the water and was struggling miserably, was forcibly pulled out by Rohan and dragged onto the boat.
“We have to save her.”
“Hannah.”
Rohan tried to comfort her.
“Madam, she can’t swim! Oh no!”
Hannah, who had cried loudly and collapsed on the boat, wailed and hit the floor with her fists.
Seeing Hannah struggling in the water a little while ago shocked Kaian once again.
“Don’t you know how to swim?”
“Because the water is dangerous.”
He vividly recalled a conversation he had with Claudel one day.
“It’s not dangerous. People are supposed to float naturally.”
“Because the lake in Valmonde is frozen. If the ice breaks and someone falls in, there’s no way to save them.”
So she said that she had never even entered the water like this, let alone swam.
“Hannah. Calm down.”
“Ahhhhh!”
The desperate cries of a woman screaming and crying came to mind.
“...No.”
“My Lord. You must remain calm.”
The boat the butler was on was a converted cargo boat that floated flat on the water. Several escorts were on board just in case something happened.
Madame Marcel, who was watching the scene, collapsed on the floor in shock and sobbed.
“Oh my...”
Also, the resident doctor of the castle, who was shocked, muttered involuntarily.
“The Lady... was pregnant.”
The escorts who overheard him all froze with shocked faces for a moment, and while their hands that were trying to stop him loosened, Kaian jumped back into the water.
‘Claudel!’
This continued for a long time until Kaian collapsed from exhaustion.
While there was a commotion in the boat next to him.
The rope that was hanging from the King’s ship toward the water was tugged twice.
The two workers exchanged glances and quickly pulled the rope, and in less than ten seconds, a person was pulled up as if they had caught a large fish.
“Haa. Ha.”
The woman sitting on the deck was wearing thin underwear.
Her wet hair hung over her shoulders, her legs were neatly placed to the side, and she was panting for breath, looking almost like a legendary monster that tempted sailors at sea.
Valquiterre quickly wrapped a soft blanket around her, revealing her wet and sticky body lines, and lifted her up.
“You’ve worked hard. Come inside.”
“Ugh. Ugh.”
Claudel groaned with every step and followed his lead into the cabin.
“Bark.”
She bent down and covered her stomach.
“My stomach hurts so bad.”
“The doctor will see you. The doctor at the palace is very skilled, so you can rest assured.”
When he laid her down on the bed, Claudel frowned because of the pain, but she nodded her head in agreement with his positive words.
The doctor who had come into the cabin quickly examined Claudel diligently.
It was awkward and uncomfortable to be examined by a doctor she had never met before, but she endured it.
“Lie on your side and try to relax your body as much as possible.”
The doctor ground up some herbs on the spot, mixed them in water, and made Claudel drink them.
“It’s bitter.”
“They say that medicine that is good for the body is bitter. You did well.”
The doctor bowed his head to Valquiterre
“Fortunately, it’s not a big deal. You’ll get better if you rest.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Now, step aside and be ready to come back whenever I call you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Valquiterre pulled a chair next to Claudel’s bed and looked down at her.
“Did you do as you were told?”
“Yes.”
What mother would hold out on her own two feet knowing that her baby’s life was in danger?
Her husband was a stranger, but her child was not. Moreover, she could not endure the fact that the child she was carrying in her womb would be 'identified' before it could see the light of day, saying that she loved him.
The scene was unrealistically beautiful.
Standing on a long wooden stand, with the hem of her red dress fluttering, amid the brightly lit oil lanterns that looked like the Milky Way had poured down under a pitch-black sky, she looked like a flower blooming on a thin, dry branch.
In an instant, goosebumps appeared on her body.
It was a calm lake, but as the boat rocked slightly, Claudel swayed dangerously, as if she would fall at any moment.
“Claudel!”
Kaian threw down what he was holding and ran to the bow, extending his hand to her.
"What are you doing! Come down now.”
A sudden feeling of anxiety overtook him.
“Kaian. I wanted to believe you.”
His body froze stiffly at Claudel’s words.
“You said you would trust me if I gave birth to a child. I thought I could be happy then.”
Claudel smiled faintly.
“Not necessarily because I like you. I wanted to have a baby that looked like you.”
Tears flowed down the cheeks of the woman who appeared to be smiling.
"I believe. I will believe it.”
Kaian was flustered. But as soon as he hastily stepped on his flagpole with his heavy booted foot, the tree swayed and made a sound as if it were about to break.
Fearing that she might fall while standing on top of the flagpole, Kaian could not move any further and only stretched out his arms.
“Hold my hand, please."
“I wish I wasn’t in Vermont.”
“Because it’s Vermont and whatever. Hurry!"
Claudel, who heard him scream at the top of his voice, tilted her head for a moment as if she did not understand.
Ahhh.
Those who turned their attention to the sound of Kaian yelling and were surprised to see a scuffle taking place in the player's room started screaming.
“...Lie."
Watery eyes met his eyes.
“You lie to the end.”
The next moment, Claudel launched herself into the air.
Time in the whole world slowed down as if it had stopped.
Against the backdrop of the colorful lights of oil lanterns, the red flowers seemed to oxidize and scatter.
“Claudel!”
With a plop.
At the terrifying sound of water, Kaian tried to jump off the bow, but the sailors who were steering the ship jumped out and caught him.
“My Lord. We will save you.”
“It’s dangerous because oil lanterns are floating on the water.”
Kaian screamed and with his immense strength shook off his men hanging on both sides and jumped into the lake.
With a plop.
Due to the weather in Rowen, which does not get cold even in winter, the water above the surface was quite warm. However, the water got colder and colder, to the point where he got goosebumps even if he went down just a little bit.
'Claudel!'
Far below, he could see the hem of a red dress flowing and sinking deeply. Kaian swam after it like crazy.
But as he caught up, Claudel sank deeper and deeper.
'Claudel!'
Kaian called out to her inside him.
But unlike him, who was losing strength, she was being sucked deeper and deeper into the darkness where light could not reach.
Kaian stretched out his hand toward the red light that was disappearing from sight underwater. He became increasingly deprived of oxygen and became dizzy, but he was unable to rise above the water to breathe.
If he leaves Claudel here even for a moment.
It seemed like he would never again find the red hem of her dress sinking into the darkness.
'Claudel!'
Kaian screamed in the water.
After a while, several strong hands grabbed him and forcibly pulled him out of the water.
“Ugh. Ugh.”
A rough blanket was wrapped around his body and he was pounding his back frantically.
“My Lord. Are you okay?”
The butler asked with a puzzled face.
“Put this away. Claudel fell into the water.”
“Other escorts are looking.”
"I... I have to go.”
"It's not possible."
“Let go of me!”
Without any time to stop, Kaian dug into the lake again.
'Omg. Omg.'
There was a bright light above his head, but under the water, which was shimmering red, yellow, and green like the color of oil lantern paper, her traces had disappeared, making it impossible to find where Claudel had fallen earlier.
Kaian was frustrated and tried to swim deeper, but when he lost consciousness, he was repeatedly dragged out by others.
“My Lord...”
“We have to find her. Claudel..."
Kaian was dripping water and unable to continue his sentence.
“Ugh. Ha.”
“Hannah. Hold me.”
Hannah, who had fallen into the water and was struggling miserably, was forcibly pulled out by Rohan and dragged onto the boat.
“We have to save her.”
“Hannah.”
Rohan tried to comfort her.
“Madam, she can’t swim! Oh no!”
Hannah, who had cried loudly and collapsed on the boat, wailed and hit the floor with her fists.
Seeing Hannah struggling in the water a little while ago shocked Kaian once again.
“Don’t you know how to swim?”
“Because the water is dangerous.”
He vividly recalled a conversation he had with Claudel one day.
“It’s not dangerous. People are supposed to float naturally.”
“Because the lake in Valmonde is frozen. If the ice breaks and someone falls in, there’s no way to save them.”
So she said that she had never even entered the water like this, let alone swam.
“Hannah. Calm down.”
“Ahhhhh!”
The desperate cries of a woman screaming and crying came to mind.
“...No.”
“My Lord. You must remain calm.”
The boat the butler was on was a converted cargo boat that floated flat on the water. Several escorts were on board just in case something happened.
Madame Marcel, who was watching the scene, collapsed on the floor in shock and sobbed.
“Oh my...”
Also, the resident doctor of the castle, who was shocked, muttered involuntarily.
“The Lady... was pregnant.”
The escorts who overheard him all froze with shocked faces for a moment, and while their hands that were trying to stop him loosened, Kaian jumped back into the water.
‘Claudel!’
This continued for a long time until Kaian collapsed from exhaustion.
***
While there was a commotion in the boat next to him.
The rope that was hanging from the King’s ship toward the water was tugged twice.
The two workers exchanged glances and quickly pulled the rope, and in less than ten seconds, a person was pulled up as if they had caught a large fish.
“Haa. Ha.”
The woman sitting on the deck was wearing thin underwear.
Her wet hair hung over her shoulders, her legs were neatly placed to the side, and she was panting for breath, looking almost like a legendary monster that tempted sailors at sea.
Valquiterre quickly wrapped a soft blanket around her, revealing her wet and sticky body lines, and lifted her up.
“You’ve worked hard. Come inside.”
“Ugh. Ugh.”
Claudel groaned with every step and followed his lead into the cabin.
“Bark.”
She bent down and covered her stomach.
“My stomach hurts so bad.”
“The doctor will see you. The doctor at the palace is very skilled, so you can rest assured.”
When he laid her down on the bed, Claudel frowned because of the pain, but she nodded her head in agreement with his positive words.
The doctor who had come into the cabin quickly examined Claudel diligently.
It was awkward and uncomfortable to be examined by a doctor she had never met before, but she endured it.
“Lie on your side and try to relax your body as much as possible.”
The doctor ground up some herbs on the spot, mixed them in water, and made Claudel drink them.
“It’s bitter.”
“They say that medicine that is good for the body is bitter. You did well.”
The doctor bowed his head to Valquiterre
“Fortunately, it’s not a big deal. You’ll get better if you rest.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Now, step aside and be ready to come back whenever I call you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Valquiterre pulled a chair next to Claudel’s bed and looked down at her.
“Did you do as you were told?”
“Yes.”
What mother would hold out on her own two feet knowing that her baby’s life was in danger?
Her husband was a stranger, but her child was not. Moreover, she could not endure the fact that the child she was carrying in her womb would be 'identified' before it could see the light of day, saying that she loved him.
When she asked Valquiterre for help, he gave her several plans. He told her to wear clothes that were as thin, airy, and eye-catching as possible. Then, she sewed two fist-sized stones into the inside of the skirt that was puffed up by the layers of fabric. The seams of the thin, light dress were torn in advance.
As soon as she hit the water, she took off her clothes as if tearing them off and swam with all her might toward Valquiterre's boat.
She hadn't been in the water like this since she had kids, so she was nervous and nervous, but she had to do it.
She had to somehow hide her child from the eyes of his persistent and cruel father.
With her eye-catching red dress attracting those who tried to rescue her, Claudel was able to quickly board Valquiterre's ship safely.
With everyone's eyes focused on one side, no one seemed to notice that something was suddenly pulled up from beneath the dark water.
'If that were the case, they would have already chased me onto the boat.'
Valquiterre looked down at the woman, half closing her eyes and falling into a state of intoxication.
“Bark. Thank you for helping me."
Meanwhile, Claudel politely said thanks.
“It’s natural to help your friends when they’re in trouble.”
“There is nothing I can do for you. Thank you and I’m sorry.”
"You're welcome. Instead, if I wish for something later, please grant me one wish.”
Claudel nodded her head.
“I’m so sleepy.”
“Let me take a nap. The doctor said that taking the medicine would help me sleep. It seems like the medicine is working.”
“I don’t think I should sleep.”
"Sweet dreams."
As if asking for permission from Valquiterre's words, Claudel closed her eyes completely and quickly fell asleep.
He looked down at her and his heart swelled with joy.
Through the small window in the cabin, a clamoring sound could be heard from outside, calling for Claudel.
He finally took this woman away from Kaan.
Valquiterre smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s finally mine.”
As soon as she hit the water, she took off her clothes as if tearing them off and swam with all her might toward Valquiterre's boat.
She hadn't been in the water like this since she had kids, so she was nervous and nervous, but she had to do it.
She had to somehow hide her child from the eyes of his persistent and cruel father.
With her eye-catching red dress attracting those who tried to rescue her, Claudel was able to quickly board Valquiterre's ship safely.
With everyone's eyes focused on one side, no one seemed to notice that something was suddenly pulled up from beneath the dark water.
'If that were the case, they would have already chased me onto the boat.'
Valquiterre looked down at the woman, half closing her eyes and falling into a state of intoxication.
“Bark. Thank you for helping me."
Meanwhile, Claudel politely said thanks.
“It’s natural to help your friends when they’re in trouble.”
“There is nothing I can do for you. Thank you and I’m sorry.”
"You're welcome. Instead, if I wish for something later, please grant me one wish.”
Claudel nodded her head.
“I’m so sleepy.”
“Let me take a nap. The doctor said that taking the medicine would help me sleep. It seems like the medicine is working.”
“I don’t think I should sleep.”
"Sweet dreams."
As if asking for permission from Valquiterre's words, Claudel closed her eyes completely and quickly fell asleep.
He looked down at her and his heart swelled with joy.
Through the small window in the cabin, a clamoring sound could be heard from outside, calling for Claudel.
He finally took this woman away from Kaan.
Valquiterre smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s finally mine.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment