Leo III, who stormed in like a storm, was met with a vain attempt at Alfonso's palace. He had received a report that the Prince had not yet returned since the ball.
“The Duke of Mireille of Gallico is dead. And it seems that Alfonso killed him,”
Leo III said gloomily.
“The mad clown saw it. He said, ‘The womanizing Prince killed the Duke.’”
Leo III anticipated the Queen’s objection and cut it off in advance.
“Of course, he is a madman, so it is not credible. But the body of the Duke of Mireille was found in the barn attached to the Prince’s palace! A gardener passing by also saw the Prince’s knight pulling a cart and putting something into the barn where the body was dumped.”
Leo III, who was speechless, stood in front of Queen Marguerite and growled, leaning in close to her.
“Tell me, why is the Prince’s knight in your quarters at this hour? Isn’t he here to report on the aftermath?”
“Ha! At this hour?”
Leo III glared at Queen Marguerite with a fiery gaze.
“If I had a little more imagination, I would have accused you of adultery.”
He chuckled and muttered, “Don’t you have the brains, don’t you have the brains.” The King turned around in the middle of the drawing room and glared at the Queen.
“You definitely know something. Your husband works tirelessly for the country, while your son causes trouble and my wife schemes behind my back! No cooperation, no cooperation!”
He glared at Queen Marguerite in anger.
“Don’t even think about talking cute behind my back, Queen.”
“I don’t get involved in politics.”
Ariadne had lived in a world of the law of the jungle until now. She could give and receive favors, but it was only when she could repay them. There was no one to protect or look after her when she was weak and helpless.
‘Alfonso killed Duke Mireille... It was all for me...’
If Prince Alfonso had not come to rescue Ariadne in danger, if he had not turned a blind eye to her plight and stabbed Duke Mireille in the neck without thinking about the consequences, all of these incidents, the hardships that Queen Marguerite and Prince Alfonso were going through, would not have happened.
Suddenly, a belated realization came flooding in.
'Me...For me...?'
Tears flowed down Ariadne's cheeks.
Queen Marguerite had been taking care of Ariadne affectionately from the beginning. And now, like a truly grown-up, she was firmly protecting her and Alfonso. With her own sacrifice.
'Pay for the karma you commit. Repay the good deeds you do. That's the golden rule.'
The voice of the golden rule rang in her ears. Ariadne returned to this world after making a promise to an unknown voice. She would make people pay for their work.
Queen Marguerite deserves to be rewarded.
Clank!
After the sound of something like a picture frame falling, there was no more loud noise from the 'Queen's Drawing Room'. Alfonso, who was looking down at the floor with his bloody fist clenched, said softly.
If Alfonso had not gone mad after the first murder and fled the palace, there was only one place for him to go. The Queen's Palace.
That was why Leo III, who had come to visit Queen Marguerite and was left alone with her in her reception room, approached her threateningly and growled.
"Your son is here? Where did you hide him? Hand him over now!"
"Your Majesty. What on earth is going on?"
Queen Marguerite did not back down in the slightest.
"You came all the way to my residence in the middle of the night! Please tell me why you are being so rude to your Queen."
"Ha, haha! Hahahahahaha!"
Leo III burst into laughter.
“Where am I not allowed to go? Everything you are standing on is mine. Where in the world is there a place in my palace that I am not allowed to enter?”
He slammed into the wall.
“Yes, if you want to know why, I will tell you. Your rascally son has caused a big accident.”
A cold sweat ran down Queen Marguerite’s back. Her husband had at least a vague idea of the situation.
But she decided to argue one more time.
“What are you talking about...?”
That was why Leo III, who had come to visit Queen Marguerite and was left alone with her in her reception room, approached her threateningly and growled.
"Your son is here? Where did you hide him? Hand him over now!"
"Your Majesty. What on earth is going on?"
Queen Marguerite did not back down in the slightest.
"You came all the way to my residence in the middle of the night! Please tell me why you are being so rude to your Queen."
"Ha, haha! Hahahahahaha!"
Leo III burst into laughter.
“Where am I not allowed to go? Everything you are standing on is mine. Where in the world is there a place in my palace that I am not allowed to enter?”
He slammed into the wall.
“Yes, if you want to know why, I will tell you. Your rascally son has caused a big accident.”
A cold sweat ran down Queen Marguerite’s back. Her husband had at least a vague idea of the situation.
But she decided to argue one more time.
“What are you talking about...?”
“The Duke of Mireille of Gallico is dead. And it seems that Alfonso killed him,”
Leo III said gloomily.
“The mad clown saw it. He said, ‘The womanizing Prince killed the Duke.’”
Leo III anticipated the Queen’s objection and cut it off in advance.
“Of course, he is a madman, so it is not credible. But the body of the Duke of Mireille was found in the barn attached to the Prince’s palace! A gardener passing by also saw the Prince’s knight pulling a cart and putting something into the barn where the body was dumped.”
Leo III, who was speechless, stood in front of Queen Marguerite and growled, leaning in close to her.
“Tell me, why is the Prince’s knight in your quarters at this hour? Isn’t he here to report on the aftermath?”
“...Sir Elko is helping to train the guard of the Queen’s palace. That’s why he came.”
“Ha! At this hour?”
Leo III glared at Queen Marguerite with a fiery gaze.
“If I had a little more imagination, I would have accused you of adultery.”
He chuckled and muttered, “Don’t you have the brains, don’t you have the brains.” The King turned around in the middle of the drawing room and glared at the Queen.
“You definitely know something. Your husband works tirelessly for the country, while your son causes trouble and my wife schemes behind my back! No cooperation, no cooperation!”
He glared at Queen Marguerite in anger.
“Don’t even think about talking cute behind my back, Queen.”
“I don’t get involved in politics.”
“Ha!”
Leo III snorted loudly.
“Don’t you remember the Archbishop of Montpellier?”
He banged his fist on the wall.
“You wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Montpellier questioning whether Crown Prince Philippe was the rightful heir to the throne, and that caused a huge uproar! Since then, the Kingdom of Gallico and we have been in a state of upheaval. What? You don’t get involved in politics?”
“...”
It was a personal confession of faith, and it was a letter sent without any thought of it being leaked to the outside world. However, it was true that it was made public and brought shame to the Etruscan kingdom. Queen Marguerite bit her lips and lowered her head.
“Don’t you dare do something so stupid again? Have you ever tried to do something and it worked out?”
Leo III raised his voice.
“Give me Alfonso this instant! I’ll beat him to death! What on earth made him kill the Duke of Mireille!”
The King could not hide his anger.
“After I break that bastard’s leg club! I’ll ask the Kingdom of Gallico for an understanding.”
Leo III snorted loudly.
“Don’t you remember the Archbishop of Montpellier?”
He banged his fist on the wall.
“You wrote a letter to the Archbishop of Montpellier questioning whether Crown Prince Philippe was the rightful heir to the throne, and that caused a huge uproar! Since then, the Kingdom of Gallico and we have been in a state of upheaval. What? You don’t get involved in politics?”
“...”
It was a personal confession of faith, and it was a letter sent without any thought of it being leaked to the outside world. However, it was true that it was made public and brought shame to the Etruscan kingdom. Queen Marguerite bit her lips and lowered her head.
“Don’t you dare do something so stupid again? Have you ever tried to do something and it worked out?”
Leo III raised his voice.
“Give me Alfonso this instant! I’ll beat him to death! What on earth made him kill the Duke of Mireille!”
The King could not hide his anger.
“After I break that bastard’s leg club! I’ll ask the Kingdom of Gallico for an understanding.”
“!”
Queen Marguerite clenched her teeth and raised her head. It was one thing for her to refuse to make excuses for her mistake, and another thing entirely for her husband to insist that he would publicly announce his son’s faults to the Kingdom of Gallico.
“You’re going to explain after you admit to the Kingdom of Gallico that this was Alfonso’s doing?”
“A good delegation came here and died! If you explain why he died, wouldn’t the marriage negotiations fall through?”
“Do you intend to continue the marriage negotiations even after this situation has come to this?”
“Of course!”
Leo III’s eyes flashed blue. It was almost madness.
“The gunpowder formula! If I had that! I could get out of this damned problem! You annoying nobles who don’t listen to me! Damn, borders! I’ll finish it all in one go!”
“Gunpowder is a strategic weapon, not magic!”
“What do you know?”
Clang!
Leo III, unable to control his anger, swept the daffodils from the center of the Queen’s drawing room and threw them on the floor.
“That’s my judgment!”
He kicked the chair in the drawing room with his foot as if he still hadn’t gotten over it.
“You always act like you know everything and swear at people! You ruin important matters like diplomatic relations with your empty letters!”
The letter that Queen Marguerite sent to the Archbishop of Montpellier may have made Philip IV harbor a personal grudge against Queen Marguerite, but strictly speaking, it did not have a major impact on the relations between the countries.
Diplomatic relations between countries bordering each other were not something that could be twisted by a married aunt’s hatred. However, Leo III would never let go of that quibble.
“You damn show-off!”
Queen Marguerite bit her tongue as she tried to say that Princess Lariesa had asked to harm Ariadne and that she could never accept someone like that as her daughter-in-law.
She knew herself well. Queen Marguerite was careful, but not quick-witted. She returned to her room and thought it over carefully before making a good decision.
If she told her husband what Princess Lariesa had done, it was obvious that he would ask how she knew about it. Queen Marguerite was not confident that she could give a coherent answer to that. Queen Marguerite kept her words short and decided to hold her ground for now.
“I don’t know where Alfonso is now. He will be at the Prince’s palace tomorrow morning. Let’s talk after everything has settled down.”
She spoke calmly. The Leo III she knew was a very hot-tempered man. He might do something that he would not do if he was in his right mind. She could never put her son in front of such a husband.
“Isn’t it only the testimony of a madman that links the Prince to this incident?”
Queen Marguerite cut off her husband’s demand firmly.
“It is not right to act wildly when nothing is clear.”
At this moment, Leo III shuddered. “Rampaging” was the right button to press.
“You only had your mouth open!”
Clang!
Another vase broke. This time, he had picked up the one on the side table and thrown it.
The vase hit Queen Marguerite’s shoulder, bounced, and shattered on the marble floor.
Queen Marguerite clenched her teeth and raised her head. It was one thing for her to refuse to make excuses for her mistake, and another thing entirely for her husband to insist that he would publicly announce his son’s faults to the Kingdom of Gallico.
“You’re going to explain after you admit to the Kingdom of Gallico that this was Alfonso’s doing?”
“A good delegation came here and died! If you explain why he died, wouldn’t the marriage negotiations fall through?”
“Do you intend to continue the marriage negotiations even after this situation has come to this?”
“Of course!”
Leo III’s eyes flashed blue. It was almost madness.
“The gunpowder formula! If I had that! I could get out of this damned problem! You annoying nobles who don’t listen to me! Damn, borders! I’ll finish it all in one go!”
“Gunpowder is a strategic weapon, not magic!”
“What do you know?”
Clang!
Leo III, unable to control his anger, swept the daffodils from the center of the Queen’s drawing room and threw them on the floor.
“That’s my judgment!”
He kicked the chair in the drawing room with his foot as if he still hadn’t gotten over it.
“You always act like you know everything and swear at people! You ruin important matters like diplomatic relations with your empty letters!”
The letter that Queen Marguerite sent to the Archbishop of Montpellier may have made Philip IV harbor a personal grudge against Queen Marguerite, but strictly speaking, it did not have a major impact on the relations between the countries.
Diplomatic relations between countries bordering each other were not something that could be twisted by a married aunt’s hatred. However, Leo III would never let go of that quibble.
“You damn show-off!”
Queen Marguerite bit her tongue as she tried to say that Princess Lariesa had asked to harm Ariadne and that she could never accept someone like that as her daughter-in-law.
She knew herself well. Queen Marguerite was careful, but not quick-witted. She returned to her room and thought it over carefully before making a good decision.
If she told her husband what Princess Lariesa had done, it was obvious that he would ask how she knew about it. Queen Marguerite was not confident that she could give a coherent answer to that. Queen Marguerite kept her words short and decided to hold her ground for now.
“I don’t know where Alfonso is now. He will be at the Prince’s palace tomorrow morning. Let’s talk after everything has settled down.”
She spoke calmly. The Leo III she knew was a very hot-tempered man. He might do something that he would not do if he was in his right mind. She could never put her son in front of such a husband.
“Isn’t it only the testimony of a madman that links the Prince to this incident?”
Queen Marguerite cut off her husband’s demand firmly.
“It is not right to act wildly when nothing is clear.”
At this moment, Leo III shuddered. “Rampaging” was the right button to press.
“You only had your mouth open!”
Clang!
Another vase broke. This time, he had picked up the one on the side table and thrown it.
The vase hit Queen Marguerite’s shoulder, bounced, and shattered on the marble floor.
“Ah!”
Queen Marguerite’s scream echoed through the ‘Queen’s Reception Room.’ Leo III seemed to lose his senses at the scream. He raised his fist.
“Ah!”
After that, the sound of things being thrown, things falling, a dull thud, an incomprehensible grumble, and so on reverberated through the drawing room.
Clang!
Clang!
“Aaak!”
Alfonso, who was locked in the chest of drawers connected to the drawing room, held his breath and listened to his parents’ conversation, then flinched when he heard the sound of the first vase breaking. When he heard the sound of the second vase breaking, he couldn’t help but open the chest of drawers. No, he tried to open it.
Clang! Clang!
But the oak chest of drawers was firmly locked.
Queen Marguerite’s scream echoed through the ‘Queen’s Reception Room.’ Leo III seemed to lose his senses at the scream. He raised his fist.
“Ah!”
After that, the sound of things being thrown, things falling, a dull thud, an incomprehensible grumble, and so on reverberated through the drawing room.
Clang!
Clang!
“Aaak!”
***
Alfonso, who was locked in the chest of drawers connected to the drawing room, held his breath and listened to his parents’ conversation, then flinched when he heard the sound of the first vase breaking. When he heard the sound of the second vase breaking, he couldn’t help but open the chest of drawers. No, he tried to open it.
Clang! Clang!
But the oak chest of drawers was firmly locked.
“Aaak!”
Queen Marguerite’s scream could be faintly heard from afar, through the double doors.
Clang! Clang!
The Prince shook the chest of drawers violently, but the solid oak furniture did not budge.
“Open! I said open!”
Boom!
Alfonso hit the chest of drawers with his fist. There wasn't even a scratch on the furniture, but blood flowed from the knuckles of the Prince's clenched fist.
Thump! Thump!
But Alfonso didn't give up. Every time he heard the sound of objects breaking in the distance, Alfonso tried to open the wardrobe door in a fit of rage, and the irregular thumping sound that Alfonso was pounding on the wardrobe door combined with the sound of pounding on it made a loud noise all around.
"Damn it...!"
Alfonso's fist was already soaked with blood.
Crack!
Thump!
At the sound of pandemonium in the distance, Alfonso banged his fist on the wardrobe door again.
Boom!
But the door was still solid.
"Damn it..."
Alfonso let out an animalistic groan and pressed his forehead against the wardrobe door. His face was as pale as a death against the bloody wooden boards.
Ariadne, who had been lying face down with her ears covered as if she were dead, hugged Alfonso's back. She patted his back repeatedly.
"It's okay... It's okay... Everything will be okay..."
Nothing was okay, but that was all she could say. She mechanically stroked Alfonso's back and repeated the same thing.
Ariadne was also in a state of panic.
'Why on earth doesn't Her Majesty Queen Marguerite talk about the letter from Princess Lariesa?'
The fact that Prince Alfonso was involved had already been revealed to the King.
If she were Queen Marguerite, she would have taken out Princess Lariesa's letter card right then and there.
'My name is on it, so if it's made public, I'll be in big trouble, but... Since this happened due to Princess Lariesa's negligence, Alfonso will be able to face his father and King. It will exploit Gallico’s weakness, so His Majesty Leo III will be satisfied, and of course, Queen Marguerite will not have to go through such hardships.’
However, Queen Marguerite endured Leo III’s violence with her whole body without saying a single word.
‘Why on earth...? Could it be for the sake of someone like me...?’
Queen Marguerite’s scream could be faintly heard from afar, through the double doors.
Clang! Clang!
The Prince shook the chest of drawers violently, but the solid oak furniture did not budge.
“Open! I said open!”
Boom!
Alfonso hit the chest of drawers with his fist. There wasn't even a scratch on the furniture, but blood flowed from the knuckles of the Prince's clenched fist.
Thump! Thump!
But Alfonso didn't give up. Every time he heard the sound of objects breaking in the distance, Alfonso tried to open the wardrobe door in a fit of rage, and the irregular thumping sound that Alfonso was pounding on the wardrobe door combined with the sound of pounding on it made a loud noise all around.
"Damn it...!"
Alfonso's fist was already soaked with blood.
Crack!
Thump!
At the sound of pandemonium in the distance, Alfonso banged his fist on the wardrobe door again.
Boom!
But the door was still solid.
"Damn it..."
Alfonso let out an animalistic groan and pressed his forehead against the wardrobe door. His face was as pale as a death against the bloody wooden boards.
Ariadne, who had been lying face down with her ears covered as if she were dead, hugged Alfonso's back. She patted his back repeatedly.
"It's okay... It's okay... Everything will be okay..."
Nothing was okay, but that was all she could say. She mechanically stroked Alfonso's back and repeated the same thing.
Ariadne was also in a state of panic.
'Why on earth doesn't Her Majesty Queen Marguerite talk about the letter from Princess Lariesa?'
The fact that Prince Alfonso was involved had already been revealed to the King.
If she were Queen Marguerite, she would have taken out Princess Lariesa's letter card right then and there.
'My name is on it, so if it's made public, I'll be in big trouble, but... Since this happened due to Princess Lariesa's negligence, Alfonso will be able to face his father and King. It will exploit Gallico’s weakness, so His Majesty Leo III will be satisfied, and of course, Queen Marguerite will not have to go through such hardships.’
However, Queen Marguerite endured Leo III’s violence with her whole body without saying a single word.
‘Why on earth...? Could it be for the sake of someone like me...?’
Ariadne had lived in a world of the law of the jungle until now. She could give and receive favors, but it was only when she could repay them. There was no one to protect or look after her when she was weak and helpless.
‘Alfonso killed Duke Mireille... It was all for me...’
If Prince Alfonso had not come to rescue Ariadne in danger, if he had not turned a blind eye to her plight and stabbed Duke Mireille in the neck without thinking about the consequences, all of these incidents, the hardships that Queen Marguerite and Prince Alfonso were going through, would not have happened.
Suddenly, a belated realization came flooding in.
'Me...For me...?'
Ariadne's eyes welled up with uncontrollable tears.
At first, it was surprise, then emotion, and finally guilt.
'Oh my...'
Ariadne herself had never even thought about saving Queen Marguerite from assassination. Even though she had all the information about the future, she thought it wasn't her business, so she let it slide. It was because she had nothing to receive from Queen Marguerite.
'How ungrateful...'
At first, it was surprise, then emotion, and finally guilt.
'Oh my...'
Ariadne herself had never even thought about saving Queen Marguerite from assassination. Even though she had all the information about the future, she thought it wasn't her business, so she let it slide. It was because she had nothing to receive from Queen Marguerite.
'How ungrateful...'
Tears flowed down Ariadne's cheeks.
Queen Marguerite had been taking care of Ariadne affectionately from the beginning. And now, like a truly grown-up, she was firmly protecting her and Alfonso. With her own sacrifice.
'Pay for the karma you commit. Repay the good deeds you do. That's the golden rule.'
The voice of the golden rule rang in her ears. Ariadne returned to this world after making a promise to an unknown voice. She would make people pay for their work.
Queen Marguerite deserves to be rewarded.
Clank!
After the sound of something like a picture frame falling, there was no more loud noise from the 'Queen's Drawing Room'. Alfonso, who was looking down at the floor with his bloody fist clenched, said softly.
"Ari."
"...Yes?"
"When I become king."
Alfonso took a deep breath.
"When I make you my Queen ."
The Prince resolutely and firmly closed his lips.
"I will never let this happen."
He used hypothetical words, but if she looked at the meaning, it was the first proposal. The second proposal in this life. The first proposal was from Prince Alfonso.
He turned his head and looked at Ariadne. With his face a mess of tears and blood, wiping his eyes with his hand, Alfonso de Carlo opened his mouth.
"When I become king."
Alfonso took a deep breath.
"When I make you my Queen ."
The Prince resolutely and firmly closed his lips.
"I will never let this happen."
He used hypothetical words, but if she looked at the meaning, it was the first proposal. The second proposal in this life. The first proposal was from Prince Alfonso.
He turned his head and looked at Ariadne. With his face a mess of tears and blood, wiping his eyes with his hand, Alfonso de Carlo opened his mouth.
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