“You know that, even if everything you say comes true, the possibility that you will escape unscathed as a pure-white victim is extremely low.”
Ariadne was embarrassed. It was beyond Ariadne’s calculations that Queen Marguerite would help her, disregarding any political advantages or disadvantages.
“Ha, ha, Your Majesty the Queen. There is no other way out.”
The Queen simply stared at everyone with her blue-gray eyes. Madame Carla, who had become impatient, added her words.
“Your Majesty the Queen! Prince Alfonso must be absolutely protected from scandal!”
Madame Carla had been watching Alfonso since he was young. Although he was not her biological child, he was her lord’s only son and the future King who would secure her lord’s future. He absolutely could not be tarnished.
And Alfonso’s knight Elko felt the same way. Sir Elko, who had been quietly kneeling and listening to the story, stepped forward in front of Queen Marguerite.
“Your Majesty the Queen. Your Highness the Prince. Use me. I will take all the blame.”
“Elko!”
Prince Alfonso’s panicked voice echoed throughout the Queen’s drawing room. The Prince tried to stop his knight.
“I did it. I will take responsibility. I have never done anything shameful under the sky.”
However, it was Queen Marguerite’s sharp question that stopped her son.
“To prove that you are not ashamed, I have no choice but to tell the story of Lady de Mare. Do you have a plan?”
Alfonso clenched his fist, unable to continue his speech. After a long time of choosing his words, he spat them out as if chewing.
“But... A monarch must protect his own people. I cannot push my faults on my vassal, let alone protect them.”
In the end, he was saying that there was no plan. Sir Elko took advantage of the gap and said,
“Your Highness. In principle, it is right for a lord to protect his subjects. However, until the lord has such power, it is the role of his subordinates to protect the lord.”
This was Sir Elko’s atonement.
A few days ago, Sir Elko, who had gone to escort a certain priest’s daughter at the order of Prince Alfonso, felt as if he had been struck by lightning the moment he saw her. Her graceful figure, refined manners, her neck and limbs stretched out like a deer under her finest clothes, and her liveliness was so attractive that he could not take his eyes off her.
“Ha, ha, Your Majesty the Queen. There is no other way out.”
The Queen simply stared at everyone with her blue-gray eyes. Madame Carla, who had become impatient, added her words.
“Your Majesty the Queen! Prince Alfonso must be absolutely protected from scandal!”
Madame Carla had been watching Alfonso since he was young. Although he was not her biological child, he was her lord’s only son and the future King who would secure her lord’s future. He absolutely could not be tarnished.
And Alfonso’s knight Elko felt the same way. Sir Elko, who had been quietly kneeling and listening to the story, stepped forward in front of Queen Marguerite.
“Your Majesty the Queen. Your Highness the Prince. Use me. I will take all the blame.”
“Elko!”
Prince Alfonso’s panicked voice echoed throughout the Queen’s drawing room. The Prince tried to stop his knight.
“I did it. I will take responsibility. I have never done anything shameful under the sky.”
However, it was Queen Marguerite’s sharp question that stopped her son.
“To prove that you are not ashamed, I have no choice but to tell the story of Lady de Mare. Do you have a plan?”
Alfonso clenched his fist, unable to continue his speech. After a long time of choosing his words, he spat them out as if chewing.
“But... A monarch must protect his own people. I cannot push my faults on my vassal, let alone protect them.”
In the end, he was saying that there was no plan. Sir Elko took advantage of the gap and said,
“Your Highness. In principle, it is right for a lord to protect his subjects. However, until the lord has such power, it is the role of his subordinates to protect the lord.”
This was Sir Elko’s atonement.
A few days ago, Sir Elko, who had gone to escort a certain priest’s daughter at the order of Prince Alfonso, felt as if he had been struck by lightning the moment he saw her. Her graceful figure, refined manners, her neck and limbs stretched out like a deer under her finest clothes, and her liveliness was so attractive that he could not take his eyes off her.
She was the most noble woman he had ever seen, and at the same time, the most vivid woman.
But she was his lord’s woman. He was the lord who had saved him from the garbage dump while he had run away from home and barely learned swordsmanship by eavesdropping on the martial arts master of San Carlo without pay.
He was the lord who had included him as a knight under the Prince’s direct escort, despite the opposition of other noble children who had questioned his origin.
He tried to rationalize it as a natural chivalry toward a noble lady, but it just didn’t make sense. What he felt was more like an uncontrollable desire than worship.
He had spent every night awake since that day. He couldn’t bear to give in to his dirty imagination. So he was grateful that this had happened that day.
‘Let me atone for my lord. Let me atone for her. If I could atone for her while protecting her, that would be even better.’
Sir Elko glanced at Ariadne with his cold eyes and then turned his head back to Alfonso. Except for this one glimpse, Sir Elko had never once glanced at Ariadne.
“If you want to protect her, that’s fine. Use me however you want, Your Highness.”
But the words came out coldly. Elko knelt down and continued to speak to Alfonso.
“Let’s say I stopped the Duke of Mireille, who was acting suspiciously while wearing the uniform of a palace coachman and killed him without knowing who he was. Then, he won’t be talked about at all.”
But she was his lord’s woman. He was the lord who had saved him from the garbage dump while he had run away from home and barely learned swordsmanship by eavesdropping on the martial arts master of San Carlo without pay.
He was the lord who had included him as a knight under the Prince’s direct escort, despite the opposition of other noble children who had questioned his origin.
He tried to rationalize it as a natural chivalry toward a noble lady, but it just didn’t make sense. What he felt was more like an uncontrollable desire than worship.
He had spent every night awake since that day. He couldn’t bear to give in to his dirty imagination. So he was grateful that this had happened that day.
‘Let me atone for my lord. Let me atone for her. If I could atone for her while protecting her, that would be even better.’
Sir Elko glanced at Ariadne with his cold eyes and then turned his head back to Alfonso. Except for this one glimpse, Sir Elko had never once glanced at Ariadne.
“If you want to protect her, that’s fine. Use me however you want, Your Highness.”
But the words came out coldly. Elko knelt down and continued to speak to Alfonso.
“Let’s say I stopped the Duke of Mireille, who was acting suspiciously while wearing the uniform of a palace coachman and killed him without knowing who he was. Then, he won’t be talked about at all.”
Afonso looked at Elko with shocked eyes.
“But... If that happens, Elko, you...!”
“If you claim that I killed His Excellency the Duke of Mireille instead of the Prince, then I’m as good as dead anyway.”
Elko looked straight at Alfonso, who was wavering, and said.
“If the Prince killed the Duke of Mireille to save that person, there may be a chance of being saved, but it only increases the possibility, and it doesn’t mean that I will definitely survive. Regardless of my motive for killing, it will be difficult for me to escape completely. If I’m going to use one life, it would be better to use it for both of you.”
Prince Alfonso tried to dissuade Sir Elko. However, Sir Elko knelt before the Prince.
“My life has been yours since the day you took me away from the martial arts masters outside the castle and brought me to Palagio Carlo. Please use it today.”
Prince Alfonso did not have the chance to refuse the knight Elko’s offer once more, because from outside came a loud, thumping sound, along with the roar of a middle-aged man.
"Is it?!"
Prince Alfonso did not have the chance to refuse the knight Elko’s offer once more, because from outside came a loud, thumping sound, along with the roar of a middle-aged man.
"Is it?!"
There was only one exit for the Queen, and the Queen of Marguerite was to go through the exit. It was a space where the Queen was in the room, but the firewood was burned in the fireplace.
Madame Carla, looking for a place to hide the two boys and girls, found a chest in the corner.
“Your Highness, my lady, come in here.”
The chest in the Queen’s inner chamber was a large, solid piece of furniture made of dark brown oak with a glossy finish. It contained only a few cushions and covers, so there was enough room for Alfonso and Ariadne.
“Come.”
Alfonso and Ariadne quickly entered the chest as Madame Carla had instructed. Alfonso went in first, and he helped Ariadne, who followed him, into his arms. Madame Carla looked around hurriedly. She thought for a moment, then locked the chest door with the key on her belt in case Leo III tried to open it.
“If you wait, I will come to fetch you right after His Majesty has gone out. Be quiet.”
She left the couple in the closet and hurriedly returned to the 'Queen's Drawing Room' with brisk steps.
The two were left in complete darkness.
***
Leo III had little interest in his son. Naturally, he could not remember the faces of all ten knights under his son's command. Queen Marguerite planned to take advantage of this. She planned to hide Alfonso and Ariadne in the inner room, and naturally send her son's knight out with Lady Carla, pretending to be her bodyguard.
"Sir Elko. Take off Alfonso's badge."
The knight, who had figured out the Queen's intention, took off the Prince's blue laurel emblem wrapped around his arm and stuffed it into his pocket.
Bam!
At that moment, the door to the 'Queen's Drawing Room' opened. Queen Marguerite, who bowed, followed by her maid Carla and knight Elko, knelt and paid their respects to the royal family.
"I greet His Majesty, Leo III, the Etruscan Sun."
“No need!”
he shouted harshly.
“Where is Alfonso? He’s hiding here!”
“Your Majesty, hold on tight.”
Lady Carla, who had been seeing Leo III for nearly twenty years and was proud of his friendliness, tried to calm him down, but Leo III roughly swung her arm and pushed her away.
“Ouch!”
She fell to the floor in an instant. Queen Marguerite realized that her husband was very upset and motioned to Lady Carla.
“Carla. Get out.”
Lady Carla quickly bowed her head and tried to go outside with Knight Elko. At that moment, Leo III stopped them with a gloomy voice.
“You little rat, where do you dare to go without my attention?”
Leo III pointed to the Prince’s knight, Sir Elko. He bowed his head again in front of Leo III with a slightly embarrassed expression on his blunt face.
“That man, he’s not a member of the Queen’s court, but the Prince’s staff?”
Leo III looked Sir Elko up and down.
“The Count of Le Vien was right...”
Queen Marguerite interrupted.
“Your Majesty. What do you mean? Please speak slowly.”
“Slowly? Ha! Yes, since my Queen wishes it, I will speak slowly! But you must think carefully about how the Queen will protect the Prince after my story is over!”
The King pointedly stabbed him in a sarcastic tone.
“Delpianosa!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Sir Delpianosa, who had been waiting outside the ‘Queen’s Drawing Room,’ immediately answered.
“Take this young man away!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The guards that Sir Delpianosa had brought rushed in and captured Sir Elko.
“Your Majesty! What is this!”
Queen Marguerite protested when she was suddenly attacked in the Queen's drawing room, but Leo III did not even bat an eyelid.
"Take him away!"
"Yes!"
Sir Delpianosa and the guards left in a hurry, holding Sir Elko. Leo III narrowed his eyes and glared at Queen Marguerite.
“So, where is Alfonso?”
***
Count Le Vien opened his eyes in the Grand Duchess’s room. He was lying on the floor, slumped in a corner of the room. His head hurt so much that he thought it would burst. He vaguely remembered the Grand Duchess kicking him in the head.
“Grand Duchess...?”
He looked around. The room was a mess. Broken vases, overturned chairs, and a carpet soaked with water from a vase. There was nothing in good condition.
In the middle of it all, Grand Duchess Lariesa was curled up, shivering.
“Duke Mireille will take care of everything, right? Will he get rid of that woman I hate?”
She was curled up in a fetal position on the only safe sofa in the room, mumbling to herself as if talking to herself.
“You know, Le Vien. The Duke of Mireille won’t come back. He won’t come back! What if that evil woman has eaten the Duke of Mireille?”
Count Le Vien, feeling an ominous premonition, jumped up from his seat and looked for a clock.
“Grand Duchess, what time is it?”
No matter how much he looked around the room, he couldn’t find a clock. There was originally a large wall clock hanging in Grand Duchess Lariesa’s room.
“Grand Duchess?”
At Count Le Vien’s urging, Lariesa straightened up a little from her crouching position. The reason for the disappearance of the wall clock was finally revealed. She took the wall clock off and held it in her arms. Lariesa answered slowly, her voice filled with tears.
“It’s been thirty minutes since eleven o’clock.”
“... I have a bad feeling.”
“... I have a bad feeling.”
It was just before half past eight when the Duke of Mireille left the Grand Duchess of Lariesa’s quarters, saying that he would take care of Cardinal de Mares’ second daughter as he pleased.
Almost three hours had passed. If he had planned to do something in the palace, it wouldn’t have taken long. He should have come back soon.
“Is anyone there?”
Count Le Vien ran outside to look for someone. To be exact, he looked for the Duke of Mireille’s men.
After a brief search, Count Le Vien found the Duke of Mireille’s confidant and heard that the Duke of Mireille had not yet returned. The Duke’s confidant was also beginning to feel anxious because of the Duke’s delayed return.
“No way, let’s go find him.”
Count Le Vien heard from the Duke of Mireille’s confidant how the Duke had kidnapped Cardinal de Mare’s second daughter and where he was planning to carry out the uprising, and he traced the route in reverse.
And the more he searched, the more suspicious the situation became. The first thing he found was a blue cushion, the second was a completely wrecked palace carriage, and the third was...
Count Le Vien ran outside to look for someone. To be exact, he looked for the Duke of Mireille’s men.
After a brief search, Count Le Vien found the Duke of Mireille’s confidant and heard that the Duke of Mireille had not yet returned. The Duke’s confidant was also beginning to feel anxious because of the Duke’s delayed return.
“No way, let’s go find him.”
Count Le Vien heard from the Duke of Mireille’s confidant how the Duke had kidnapped Cardinal de Mare’s second daughter and where he was planning to carry out the uprising, and he traced the route in reverse.
And the more he searched, the more suspicious the situation became. The first thing he found was a blue cushion, the second was a completely wrecked palace carriage, and the third was...
“Blood.”
Not far from where the palace carriage had overturned, there was a trace of a person’s death on the dirt floor. Although it was covered with sand, the large amount of blood that flowed in the perfectly decorated palace garden could not be hidden.
Count Le Vien racked his brain. That was not the blood of Lady de Mare, but most likely the blood of the Duke of Mireille.
The Duke of Mireille had not gone to kill the Lady of de Mare, but even if he had killed her, there was no reason for the Duke to hide the girl’s body. His purpose was to make a big deal out of it. It would serve the Duke of Mireille’s purpose much better if the body was strewn across the garden than if it had disappeared without a trace.
“...From here on out, it’s out of our hands. We must send word to His Majesty Leo III at once. The Duke of Mireille has gone missing, and we must search for him immediately.”
Quick!
Count Le Vien turned his horse towards the royal apartments where Leo III was resting.
Not far from where the palace carriage had overturned, there was a trace of a person’s death on the dirt floor. Although it was covered with sand, the large amount of blood that flowed in the perfectly decorated palace garden could not be hidden.
Count Le Vien racked his brain. That was not the blood of Lady de Mare, but most likely the blood of the Duke of Mireille.
The Duke of Mireille had not gone to kill the Lady of de Mare, but even if he had killed her, there was no reason for the Duke to hide the girl’s body. His purpose was to make a big deal out of it. It would serve the Duke of Mireille’s purpose much better if the body was strewn across the garden than if it had disappeared without a trace.
“...From here on out, it’s out of our hands. We must send word to His Majesty Leo III at once. The Duke of Mireille has gone missing, and we must search for him immediately.”
Quick!
Count Le Vien turned his horse towards the royal apartments where Leo III was resting.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment