While Dorothea lay helplessly in bed, suffering from Philip's ill-tempered temper, the mood among the nobles staying in the castle also became deliberately serious.
Of course, it is a path that has been taken to establish merit, but aren't nobles originally a lazy bunch?
Everyone who thought they had had enough just looking around here and there for the past few days felt anxious as if fire had been set on fire under their feet.
“Why is my health suddenly so bad?”
“And as if it was a planned event...”
Wasn't it just after they had been enjoying wild orgies with the Third Prince in broad daylight?
Besides, isn't Dorothea simply claiming that her deteriorating health was due to 'overwork and excessive enthusiasm'?
There were too many dark corners to delve into to determine whether it was true or not.
And their head hurt even more when Aiden Highclere shouted in his booming voice, 'Your failure was the reason Thea had to suffer alone.'
As Count Kiel vacated the castle for some unknown reason and did not return, ominous rumors began to spread throughout the castle.
'Dorothea Highclere struggled alone to bear the burden of uncooperative nobles and the royal family, and even her health suffered.'
“If we continue like this, it will become a fait accompli.”
The expression on the face of the person wiping away the cold sweat was full of shadows.
The deep breathing of those in deep thought filled the conference room.
Rumors among employees can spread more widely than you might think, and Dorothea's reputation among them was incredibly good for whatever she had done, making it even more problematic.
“If this becomes known to the capital..."
Not only would the Emperor's harsh reprimand be met with the wrath of the Marquis of Highclere, who was still very much in control, but he might also be pointed at them with his sword.
“We should have something to say too.”
“Even if I don’t feel like it, I can’t help it.”
“Now that it’s come to this, there’s only one path we can choose.”
Even if it only serves to praise the Third Prince’s achievements, don’t they have no other choice?
To get out of their current predicament, they all need to join forces and use their abilities to the best of their ability...
“I have to do something.”
They had to do their best at it, wearing themself out.
While the nobles were busy working hard, going against their lazy nature, their eyes grew red, the most idle person in the castle was Dorothea, lying in bed.
A shadow fell over her as she turned the pages of the book with trembling hands.
Only then did she raise her head and confirm who she was, and she smiled faintly.
“You look just like a debt collector.”
“...”
“Is that a face like you have something to get from me?”
Even though she had been receiving an excessive amount of nagging and sulking since yesterday, it seemed like her ordeal was not over yet.
She closed the book with a sigh and glanced at the closed door.
Was it because her cousin's temper was not over yet, or did she open the door because she couldn't stand Luke's stubbornness?
'I think it might be the former.'
Since he had made a fool of himself, it was his responsibility to pay the price.
She put down the book, held out her hand, and made a request to Luke, who was standing there blankly.
“Help me out.”
Luke raised his eyebrows at her bold request, but he quickly sat her down on the table chair without saying a word.
Even though he only applied a little force, Dorothea's face, which was being dragged along helplessly, looked very pale.
Dorothea, half-reclining in her chair, looked down at her teacup, which had long since cooled, and called the maid to ask her to bring out more tea and snacks.
Luke didn't wait for the tea table to be set again.
“Dover Spencer.”
“...”
“All the raiders who were captured with him committed suicide. It was a clean cleanup.”
Dorothea fiddled with her teacup without showing any sign of surprise.
“You must have guessed this when you just sent him out of the castle. You couldn’t get any useful information from Dover Spencer even if you kept him. That’s why you sent him out of the castle under the pretext of ‘repaying the favor.’”
Dorothea petted the playful spirit next to her and then took a bite of a cookie the maid had brought her.
A sweet taste filled her mouth.
“What did you do to him to make his body look like that?”
Dorothea took a sip of tea to rinse the sweetness in her mouth, then slowly raised her head and met his gaze.
“You’re wrong. I didn’t do anything to Dover Spencer.”
“...”
“I was just trying to find the person who was hiding behind Dover.”
If she had to say, what she planted in Dover was a small seed.
Dover's body was only a temporary shelter for the seeds to rest on until they could be carried by the wind and take root where they wanted to be.
“So, did you find him?”
“I’m waiting for him to come.”
“...”
It's not that she found it, or that she couldn't find it, it's that she was waiting.'
Although he wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer to his question, he knew it was the best he could do.
After hearing a somewhat satisfactory answer, Luke stood up without touching the tea in front of him.
“What are you going to do?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Do you think it’s frustrating to wait for me? Is there a way to find it yourself?”
Luke stopped walking outside at her quiet question and looked back at her.
Her relaxed attitude, as she smiled at him calmly while her face looked so sickly that it looked like she might collapse at any moment, kept irritating him.
He stood in front of Dorothea again with slow steps and opened his mouth.
“I always thought it was strange. Richard is a greedy person who has no money in his head, but he’s not the kind of person who would come down here and have a party with people.”
Although he recited it dryly, the content was very poignant.
“I guess they can enjoy gambling, drinking, and other forms of entertainment, but it’s hard to understand why the people in the castle couldn’t control themselves enough to collectively lose their minds.”
The nobles, who are worried about their reputation, are too busy covering it up to think that far ahead.
“It must mean that there were collaborators within the castle.”
Dorothea drank the rest of her tea without saying anything, concluding clearly.
Even though she deliberately stirred up the kitchen from the crack of dawn and dragged Aiden in to tie up the nobles in their room.
Was it not enough to blind the eyes of the intelligent Prince?
He was certain of his guess, having reached the truth she had been trying to hide in an instant.
The gray eyes staring at Dorothea glowed coldly.
“If everyone had guessed it, why did they cover it up instead of investigating it?”
Dorothea, who was fiddling with the handle of the teacup that had not a single drop left, answered quietly.
“I couldn’t just wave the bushes around carelessly. That would only hurt and sacrifice the innocent people.”
Before he could ask again about the 'scapegoat' she was talking about, there was a cautious knock on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
At the soft words of permission, the door opened, and in came the maid who often attended to her needs.
The maid, who was carrying a bunch of unfamiliar items in her arms, bowed her head when she saw Luke standing in the middle of the room.
The noblelady's expression was clearly flustered by the fact that the Prince had entered her room.
The maid, who had tried to remain calm as she passed Luke, hurriedly paced around the room.
“A warm water bottle to warm your body and a scented candle to help calm your sensitive nerves.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“It would be helpful for your recovery if you lie down and rest as much as possible.”
Dorothea nodded, smiling at the cautious addition.
The maid tidied up the messy table and adjusted Dorothea's posture so she could sit more comfortably, then left the room with a polite greeting.
Dorothea stood there like a statue, making playful remarks to Luke, who kept his mouth shut until the maid returned.
“Don’t worry. We’ll all be very careful not to let our reputations go down.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“I care.”
It was difficult to spread the story that the Prince, who was soon of marriageable age, and the noble young lady had a private meeting in the room.
“Your Majesty already wants to take me as his daughter-in-law.”
“..m”
Luke glanced at Dorothea, who was rambling on and on and then asked in an even lower voice.
“Are they the 'scapegoats' you spoke of?”
Dorothea, who had been blinking her eyes as if she were tired, smiled, perhaps because of the warmth from the warm water bottle placed on her lap.
“Everything we wear and use in this castle passes through the hands of the people who work in the castle.”
From the people who sweep and clean the castle every morning, to the kitchen staff who prepare food, to the merchants who buy alcohol and bring in materials needed for gambling.
The number of people involved that day alone exceeded several dozen.
“And maybe there are people who get involved in the problem or are involved without knowing anything about it.”
Or maybe they still have no idea what their actions mean.
“If we try to uncover the truth, the first to be sacrificed will be the employees who have become someone’s ‘hands and feet’.”
A heavy air permeated the room.
Luke, who had been staring at the door the maid had left through for quite some time, finally opened his mouth.
“They did what they had to do, and I am just doing what I have to do. The inevitable resentment that arises along the way is something we have to endure as we live.”
“...”
“I have been following their trail for a long time.”
As always on rainy days, the deep scar on his side stung.
“Did you say there were dozens of employees who would be in trouble if they were investigated?”
Luke continued, his eyes wandering far away, his comrades perhaps still standing with their swords in hand.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who will die on the battlefield because of those who steal military secrets and supplies.”
A long time ago... before calluses even formed on these hands.
The young Prince who was forced into battle to avoid death was saved by hundreds, thousands... tens of thousands of soldiers who stood on the battlefield with him.
And now, what Luke was trying to save were the lives on the battlefield that might be lost just as much.
The weight of life weighed heavily on the air in the room.
Dorothea shook her head, seeing emotion flash through his gray eyes for the first time.
“I’m not telling you not to do anything or not to try to find out anything.”
“...”
“I know that your method will not yield results that are as effective as the sacrifices it will make.”
Even if she hadn't bought him time, Kiel Spencer was no easy feat.
It would be easy for Kiel to tie Luke's hands and feet with his skills, or even turn the situation around and put him in an awkward and difficult position.
“Yes, Luke.”
“...?”
“Shall we hold hands?”
The tone was light as if recommending a meal.
Luke's eyes narrowed at the sudden words.
It was obvious that he was guessing what kind of secret plan was going on in her head.
“You’ve known all along. That we’re both after the same thing.”
Her hands fiddled with the crumbled pieces of cookie.
The sweet scent of finely chopped cookies filled the room.
“We often get help from each other, and it is more beneficial for me to borrow your help. Not to mention you. I can do things that you, the Prince, cannot do.”
“...”
Despite the friendly smile on her face, Luke still looked at her with a blunt and dry gaze.
Should I believe this cunning woman's words?
Although she had a pale complexion that looked like she was about to suffocate, there was no telling when she would come back to life and come up with all sorts of tricks to play with him.
Long ago, when he left her by the river.
The reason he returned to the river after leaving in a sullen mood was because he did not think the girl would be able to survive alone.
But the little girl who seemed to be out of breath soon disappeared without a trace.
The small, skinny child, whose body he could not even find, remained in a corner of his heart with a feeling of unease, and he encountered her in an unexpected place and under an unexpected identity.
As if his assumption that she was dead was a mistake, she survived and became the precious jewel of the family that could threaten him.
So Luke knew better than anyone that Dorothea's weakness was not all that it seemed.
Nevertheless...
“And one more thing. Could you please take a seat? My head hurts.”
He didn't feel like spewing murderous intent at her as she asked him in a voice that seemed like it would stop at any moment, leaning on a chair that was bigger than her body and unable to hold up her neck.
Luke, who had been staring at the slender branch that looked like it could snap at any moment, sat down again.
“How can I believe your promise to cooperate?”
"Yes?"
“If you want me to trust what you say, you should at least show sincerity so that I will be tempted.”
Dorothea, who was still looking at him with an attitude that seemed to not trust him and fierce eyes that did not let their guard down, tilted her head slightly to the side.
“Okay. What should I give you?”
Dorothea, who had been rolling her eyes and closing her mouth as if she were thinking seriously, made a suggestion.
“You gave me Freed, so I will give you mine.”
"Who?"
“Wood.”
As if he had been wasting time listening to useless talk, Luke got up from his seat and headed for the door, her voice came flying behind him.
“Then shall we get engaged?”
When he turned his head, he saw Dorothea still sitting in her seat, smiling.
Luke, who had been staring at her face quietly, opened his mouth.
“That doesn’t give me any reason to trust you either.”
“Why? Are you going to bet on me?”
“Aren’t there many things you value more than yourself?”
A body so thin that it looks like it might break at any moment, and a face that is clearly sickly.
Even just having a long conversation, the shaky breathing, and all that was left behind was the price she paid to protect what was precious to her.
Dorothea's lips drew a line at Luke's answer.
“That’s what I’m saying. I’m telling you now that I’m going to put you inside a fence that I have to protect.”
I'm saying that I'll put you in a very narrow world that I have to protect in this wide world.
“I just need you to come into my life completely. Inside the fence. Even if a storm rages outside, it will be very comfortable and warm inside.”
The 'abandoned Prince', who had never been under anyone's protection or fence in his entire life, briefly expressed his feelings about Dorothea's unusual proposal.
“You want me to become your livestock in exchange for food.”
Dorothea burst out laughing when she heard that funny interpretation.
Of course, it is a path that has been taken to establish merit, but aren't nobles originally a lazy bunch?
Everyone who thought they had had enough just looking around here and there for the past few days felt anxious as if fire had been set on fire under their feet.
“Why is my health suddenly so bad?”
“And as if it was a planned event...”
Wasn't it just after they had been enjoying wild orgies with the Third Prince in broad daylight?
Besides, isn't Dorothea simply claiming that her deteriorating health was due to 'overwork and excessive enthusiasm'?
There were too many dark corners to delve into to determine whether it was true or not.
And their head hurt even more when Aiden Highclere shouted in his booming voice, 'Your failure was the reason Thea had to suffer alone.'
As Count Kiel vacated the castle for some unknown reason and did not return, ominous rumors began to spread throughout the castle.
'Dorothea Highclere struggled alone to bear the burden of uncooperative nobles and the royal family, and even her health suffered.'
“If we continue like this, it will become a fait accompli.”
The expression on the face of the person wiping away the cold sweat was full of shadows.
The deep breathing of those in deep thought filled the conference room.
Rumors among employees can spread more widely than you might think, and Dorothea's reputation among them was incredibly good for whatever she had done, making it even more problematic.
“If this becomes known to the capital..."
Not only would the Emperor's harsh reprimand be met with the wrath of the Marquis of Highclere, who was still very much in control, but he might also be pointed at them with his sword.
“We should have something to say too.”
“Even if I don’t feel like it, I can’t help it.”
“Now that it’s come to this, there’s only one path we can choose.”
Even if it only serves to praise the Third Prince’s achievements, don’t they have no other choice?
To get out of their current predicament, they all need to join forces and use their abilities to the best of their ability...
“I have to do something.”
They had to do their best at it, wearing themself out.
***
While the nobles were busy working hard, going against their lazy nature, their eyes grew red, the most idle person in the castle was Dorothea, lying in bed.
A shadow fell over her as she turned the pages of the book with trembling hands.
Only then did she raise her head and confirm who she was, and she smiled faintly.
“You look just like a debt collector.”
“...”
“Is that a face like you have something to get from me?”
Even though she had been receiving an excessive amount of nagging and sulking since yesterday, it seemed like her ordeal was not over yet.
She closed the book with a sigh and glanced at the closed door.
Was it because her cousin's temper was not over yet, or did she open the door because she couldn't stand Luke's stubbornness?
'I think it might be the former.'
Since he had made a fool of himself, it was his responsibility to pay the price.
She put down the book, held out her hand, and made a request to Luke, who was standing there blankly.
“Help me out.”
Luke raised his eyebrows at her bold request, but he quickly sat her down on the table chair without saying a word.
Even though he only applied a little force, Dorothea's face, which was being dragged along helplessly, looked very pale.
Dorothea, half-reclining in her chair, looked down at her teacup, which had long since cooled, and called the maid to ask her to bring out more tea and snacks.
Luke didn't wait for the tea table to be set again.
“Dover Spencer.”
“...”
“All the raiders who were captured with him committed suicide. It was a clean cleanup.”
Dorothea fiddled with her teacup without showing any sign of surprise.
“You must have guessed this when you just sent him out of the castle. You couldn’t get any useful information from Dover Spencer even if you kept him. That’s why you sent him out of the castle under the pretext of ‘repaying the favor.’”
Dorothea petted the playful spirit next to her and then took a bite of a cookie the maid had brought her.
A sweet taste filled her mouth.
“What did you do to him to make his body look like that?”
Dorothea took a sip of tea to rinse the sweetness in her mouth, then slowly raised her head and met his gaze.
“You’re wrong. I didn’t do anything to Dover Spencer.”
“...”
“I was just trying to find the person who was hiding behind Dover.”
If she had to say, what she planted in Dover was a small seed.
Dover's body was only a temporary shelter for the seeds to rest on until they could be carried by the wind and take root where they wanted to be.
“So, did you find him?”
“I’m waiting for him to come.”
“...”
It's not that she found it, or that she couldn't find it, it's that she was waiting.'
Although he wasn't entirely satisfied with the answer to his question, he knew it was the best he could do.
After hearing a somewhat satisfactory answer, Luke stood up without touching the tea in front of him.
“What are you going to do?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Do you think it’s frustrating to wait for me? Is there a way to find it yourself?”
Luke stopped walking outside at her quiet question and looked back at her.
Her relaxed attitude, as she smiled at him calmly while her face looked so sickly that it looked like she might collapse at any moment, kept irritating him.
He stood in front of Dorothea again with slow steps and opened his mouth.
“I always thought it was strange. Richard is a greedy person who has no money in his head, but he’s not the kind of person who would come down here and have a party with people.”
Although he recited it dryly, the content was very poignant.
“I guess they can enjoy gambling, drinking, and other forms of entertainment, but it’s hard to understand why the people in the castle couldn’t control themselves enough to collectively lose their minds.”
The nobles, who are worried about their reputation, are too busy covering it up to think that far ahead.
“It must mean that there were collaborators within the castle.”
Dorothea drank the rest of her tea without saying anything, concluding clearly.
Even though she deliberately stirred up the kitchen from the crack of dawn and dragged Aiden in to tie up the nobles in their room.
Was it not enough to blind the eyes of the intelligent Prince?
He was certain of his guess, having reached the truth she had been trying to hide in an instant.
The gray eyes staring at Dorothea glowed coldly.
“If everyone had guessed it, why did they cover it up instead of investigating it?”
Dorothea, who was fiddling with the handle of the teacup that had not a single drop left, answered quietly.
“I couldn’t just wave the bushes around carelessly. That would only hurt and sacrifice the innocent people.”
Before he could ask again about the 'scapegoat' she was talking about, there was a cautious knock on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
At the soft words of permission, the door opened, and in came the maid who often attended to her needs.
The maid, who was carrying a bunch of unfamiliar items in her arms, bowed her head when she saw Luke standing in the middle of the room.
The noblelady's expression was clearly flustered by the fact that the Prince had entered her room.
The maid, who had tried to remain calm as she passed Luke, hurriedly paced around the room.
“A warm water bottle to warm your body and a scented candle to help calm your sensitive nerves.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“It would be helpful for your recovery if you lie down and rest as much as possible.”
Dorothea nodded, smiling at the cautious addition.
The maid tidied up the messy table and adjusted Dorothea's posture so she could sit more comfortably, then left the room with a polite greeting.
Dorothea stood there like a statue, making playful remarks to Luke, who kept his mouth shut until the maid returned.
“Don’t worry. We’ll all be very careful not to let our reputations go down.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“I care.”
It was difficult to spread the story that the Prince, who was soon of marriageable age, and the noble young lady had a private meeting in the room.
“Your Majesty already wants to take me as his daughter-in-law.”
“..m”
Luke glanced at Dorothea, who was rambling on and on and then asked in an even lower voice.
“Are they the 'scapegoats' you spoke of?”
Dorothea, who had been blinking her eyes as if she were tired, smiled, perhaps because of the warmth from the warm water bottle placed on her lap.
“Everything we wear and use in this castle passes through the hands of the people who work in the castle.”
From the people who sweep and clean the castle every morning, to the kitchen staff who prepare food, to the merchants who buy alcohol and bring in materials needed for gambling.
The number of people involved that day alone exceeded several dozen.
“And maybe there are people who get involved in the problem or are involved without knowing anything about it.”
Or maybe they still have no idea what their actions mean.
“If we try to uncover the truth, the first to be sacrificed will be the employees who have become someone’s ‘hands and feet’.”
A heavy air permeated the room.
Luke, who had been staring at the door the maid had left through for quite some time, finally opened his mouth.
“They did what they had to do, and I am just doing what I have to do. The inevitable resentment that arises along the way is something we have to endure as we live.”
“...”
“I have been following their trail for a long time.”
As always on rainy days, the deep scar on his side stung.
“Did you say there were dozens of employees who would be in trouble if they were investigated?”
Luke continued, his eyes wandering far away, his comrades perhaps still standing with their swords in hand.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who will die on the battlefield because of those who steal military secrets and supplies.”
A long time ago... before calluses even formed on these hands.
The young Prince who was forced into battle to avoid death was saved by hundreds, thousands... tens of thousands of soldiers who stood on the battlefield with him.
And now, what Luke was trying to save were the lives on the battlefield that might be lost just as much.
The weight of life weighed heavily on the air in the room.
Dorothea shook her head, seeing emotion flash through his gray eyes for the first time.
“I’m not telling you not to do anything or not to try to find out anything.”
“...”
“I know that your method will not yield results that are as effective as the sacrifices it will make.”
Even if she hadn't bought him time, Kiel Spencer was no easy feat.
It would be easy for Kiel to tie Luke's hands and feet with his skills, or even turn the situation around and put him in an awkward and difficult position.
“Yes, Luke.”
“...?”
“Shall we hold hands?”
The tone was light as if recommending a meal.
Luke's eyes narrowed at the sudden words.
It was obvious that he was guessing what kind of secret plan was going on in her head.
“You’ve known all along. That we’re both after the same thing.”
Her hands fiddled with the crumbled pieces of cookie.
The sweet scent of finely chopped cookies filled the room.
“We often get help from each other, and it is more beneficial for me to borrow your help. Not to mention you. I can do things that you, the Prince, cannot do.”
“...”
Despite the friendly smile on her face, Luke still looked at her with a blunt and dry gaze.
Should I believe this cunning woman's words?
Although she had a pale complexion that looked like she was about to suffocate, there was no telling when she would come back to life and come up with all sorts of tricks to play with him.
Long ago, when he left her by the river.
The reason he returned to the river after leaving in a sullen mood was because he did not think the girl would be able to survive alone.
But the little girl who seemed to be out of breath soon disappeared without a trace.
The small, skinny child, whose body he could not even find, remained in a corner of his heart with a feeling of unease, and he encountered her in an unexpected place and under an unexpected identity.
As if his assumption that she was dead was a mistake, she survived and became the precious jewel of the family that could threaten him.
So Luke knew better than anyone that Dorothea's weakness was not all that it seemed.
Nevertheless...
“And one more thing. Could you please take a seat? My head hurts.”
He didn't feel like spewing murderous intent at her as she asked him in a voice that seemed like it would stop at any moment, leaning on a chair that was bigger than her body and unable to hold up her neck.
Luke, who had been staring at the slender branch that looked like it could snap at any moment, sat down again.
“How can I believe your promise to cooperate?”
"Yes?"
“If you want me to trust what you say, you should at least show sincerity so that I will be tempted.”
Dorothea, who was still looking at him with an attitude that seemed to not trust him and fierce eyes that did not let their guard down, tilted her head slightly to the side.
“Okay. What should I give you?”
Dorothea, who had been rolling her eyes and closing her mouth as if she were thinking seriously, made a suggestion.
“You gave me Freed, so I will give you mine.”
"Who?"
“Wood.”
As if he had been wasting time listening to useless talk, Luke got up from his seat and headed for the door, her voice came flying behind him.
“Then shall we get engaged?”
When he turned his head, he saw Dorothea still sitting in her seat, smiling.
Luke, who had been staring at her face quietly, opened his mouth.
“That doesn’t give me any reason to trust you either.”
“Why? Are you going to bet on me?”
“Aren’t there many things you value more than yourself?”
A body so thin that it looks like it might break at any moment, and a face that is clearly sickly.
Even just having a long conversation, the shaky breathing, and all that was left behind was the price she paid to protect what was precious to her.
Dorothea's lips drew a line at Luke's answer.
“That’s what I’m saying. I’m telling you now that I’m going to put you inside a fence that I have to protect.”
I'm saying that I'll put you in a very narrow world that I have to protect in this wide world.
“I just need you to come into my life completely. Inside the fence. Even if a storm rages outside, it will be very comfortable and warm inside.”
The 'abandoned Prince', who had never been under anyone's protection or fence in his entire life, briefly expressed his feelings about Dorothea's unusual proposal.
“You want me to become your livestock in exchange for food.”
Dorothea burst out laughing when she heard that funny interpretation.
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