'Was there a road like this in the palace?'
Neril guided Sissair through a small, deserted passageway, past the back streets of the administrative palace.
They passed through a dark place lit only by a single torch and knocked on a small wooden door, and Saya opened it for him.
"Her Highness is waiting inside."
Sissair, who was led to a small room, slightly widened his eyes when he saw Medea.
"Sir Sissair, I'm sorry for being late at night. I wanted to meet you privately to discuss something with you."
Her white cheeks looked plump, and a rich shadow fell over her delicate eyebrows.
The young Princess, who was thought to be just a young girl, seemed to have grown a bit more under the dim light of the lantern.
A space where only the two of them are left, with soft lights. A girl waiting for him.
"Yes, Your Highness. Please proceed."
Sissair chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying to straighten his mind.
"I need to see some information about Peleus' personal knights. Their origins, backgrounds, and even their families."
"Are you talking about the King's Guard?"
Medea nodded.
"Yes, that's not difficult, but why are you suddenly like this?"
"Sir, are you taking the antidote properly?"
Sissair paused, then understood the meaning.
"Does this mean that the Regent also placed a spy within the King's guard?"
Medea smiled faintly. Sissair shook his head in disbelief.
"That, that can't be... They are people who have served His Majesty since they were knighted. They are not people who would betray..."
"You are so confident. Just like you trusted that maid."
Medea's soft remark left Sissair speechless.
In her, there was an eccentricity that seemed to have mastered human affairs and a sharpness that could not be ignored at the same time.
"Peleus's victory against the Rasai will soon be known, and my uncle will act. We must move first."
Medea continued speaking calmly.
'There was an accident before Peleus returned.'
At that time, the tribes of the plains, led by the powerful Rasai, united and attacked Peleus.
Instead of asking for reinforcements, the King's guard traitor fled, leaving Peleus behind, and he was surrounded on all sides.
Peleus was barely able to escape thanks to the knights risking their lives to create a path of retreat.
However, he suffered a deep injury to his right leg, which later led to permanent disability.
Most of his knights were also killed in an attempt to save Peleus. Of the two hundred elite men, only twelve returned alive.
With the disintegration of the King's brave and loyal bodyguard, the royal authority was further weakened.
"Tell this to Peleus."
Medea handed over the letter.
"I will do so. I will also keep an eye on the Regent."
Medea nodded in agreement instead of answering.
"But Your Highness."
As she was about to leave, Sissair stopped and turned around.
"Please reconsider keeping Facade by your side. That mercenary may be skilled, but he is too cruel. His sword is too sharp for Your Highness to wield."
"..."
Medea stared blankly at Sissair and then asked him a question.
"Can you be sure that you are a good person and not evil?"
Jason was a warrior who saved the continent. However, countless people were sacrificed for his fame.
Rachel was a saint, but she poisoned her son.
"Your Highness."
"I appreciate your concern, but that's all."
This was a line that the Princess clearly drew for Sissair.
Their relationship was clear. A relationship of cooperation for the coexistence of Valdina.
Anything more than that was an overreach.
Because Medea's field of vision was much wider and tighter than Sissair's.
"I also won't be using the Facade for long, since it's a sword that cuts its owner. When it's no longer useful, I'll send it outside Valdina, so don't worry too much."
"...Yes. Please understand, I have uploaded the advice that God gave."
Sissair swallowed a sigh and stepped back.
Same answer. Same expression.
Was it because he realized that there was a bond between the Princess and Cesare that he was unaware of?
On the way back, his mouth felt very bitter.
***
The accommodation of the Katzen delegation.
Several days had passed since the banquet, but Angelique still couldn't shake off the aftermath of that day.
"Ahhhh!"
Prang!
The ornaments that Kensington had painstakingly transported from Katzen to here were shattered and broken here and there at the fourth Princess's single gesture.
"What are you going to do? The Emperor will blame me! Not only will he refuse the relief, but we will also have to return it to this crazy country by ship! What am I going to do?"
Her eyes darkened as she thought about the angry bulge. She trembled and bit her fingernails.
Truck. Truck.
It was a scary sound.
"Your Highness, please hold on tight."
Then her black eyes sparkled.
"Kensington, why don't you just kill that little Princess? How can you keep your promise when there's no one to swear to it?"
Kensington almost sighed out loud.
"What are you going to do with the hundreds of eyes that were in the banquet hall that day? Continental law says that anything formalized in writing must be followed, so you're giving each country an excuse to attack Katzen. Your Majesty will be even more furious."
"Then what do you want me to do!"
"So Your Highness, I told you not to stamp the seal carelessly at that time-"
Bam!
A heavy object passed by Kensington's ear.
That's why the enraged Princess threw the vase next to him.
"You should have tried harder! You came here to tell me to do that! If you were going to eat rust, you should have done what you had to do, no matter what I said!"
She had no qualms about passing the blame onto Kensington.
Even though the scars still remaining on Kensington's cheek were clearly visible.
Seeing the Princess still throwing a tantrum and trying to avoid the situation even after coming this far, Kensington couldn't help but think of someone.
'Princess Medea.'
They are both Princesses of the same country, but how can they be so different?
One person throws herself for the sake of her country, and the other uses her country for herself.
What good is a brilliant pedigree and background? It's wrong from the start.
"Get out! Get out! I don't even want to see you!"
Kensington came out and wiped his dry face. A deep sense of fatigue came over him.
If he returns to Katzen, the Emperor's wrath will be directed at him.
Of course, it would reach the Princess, but it was clear that the ultimate solution would be himself.
"... I've gotten old too."
When he used to be loyal to them silently without expecting anything in return, now he sees himself become so sad for no reason.
"It seems that Her Highness the Princess is in a very uncomfortable mood."
Footsteps were clacking next to the heartbroken Kensington.
Kensington's mood became uncomfortable as he saw Count Raju with oily eyes.
'A human being is like a hyena. He has no intention of hunting and is always looking for meat to devour.'
Kensington clearly remembered Count Raju's incompetence in constantly bowing down to the Princess at the banquet to look good, but then not even smiling once when she was in trouble.
But, as expected from the head of an intelligence agency, not a single trace of his displeasure leaked out.
"Okay. Don't come near and don't let the servants get away."
He left with only a brief warning.
It was none of his business whether Raju would vent his anger by touching the Fourth Princess or not.
As Kensington left, Count Raju looked around and whistled.
Then, Samon, who had been hiding in the dark shadows behind the pillar, appeared.
A strong scent of incense wafted from the Princess's bedroom.
"If you all have accepted it, please do your job properly!"
The Princess exploded with anger.
Crunch!
The glass flew and shattered.
"This... Jason, that son of a bitch is the same. he should have held on until the end... No... Why didn't anyone expect things to turn out like this? Why?"
Samon appeared in front of her while she was very drunk.
"Your Highness, I know you are very worried. I will apologize on Medea's behalf."
Samon raised the corners of his mouth as he recalled his conversation with Count Raju.
"The 4th Princess is probably drunk. If she is feeling uneasy, she should get drunk and look for a man. If you are targeting her, now would be your chance."
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment