“You’re lucky. My brother may be a bit twisted, but he sure looks cool, right?”
“Luck?”
Lucky. Could there be a word that was so far removed from my feelings?
Usually, luck was used positively.
To me, it was closer to being completely unlucky as if my whole body was wrapped in a spider web and I would be eaten alive without being able to move.
However, when I saw Bianche saying that I was lucky just because of Valquiterre's “appearance,” I couldn’t help but feel unwilling to talk to her any further.
“Appearance doesn’t matter. It’s the heart that matters.”
“Pfft. Ahaha!”
Bianque burst out laughing as if she couldn’t hold it in.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You and Kaian got along well like a married couple, didn’t you? When Vermont and Temnes got married, did you do it because you had feelings for him?”
It was an unexpected comparison, but I was a little shocked.
'...The heart is important?'
The ripple effect of the words I blurted out without realizing it was quite large.
"You say that appearances aren't important. Don't make me laugh. Since you're like Kaian, you probably have some feelings that you didn't have before."
"That's not true."
However, I remembered a refreshing moment when I felt resentful or upset one day, but when I saw my husband's neat face, my anger subsided and I just wanted to cling to him.
That memory was so hazy that I almost cried.
"I have nothing I don't have, so why should I put up with a husband who doesn't catch my eye?"
Bianque said kindly.
"But it would be nice if Valquiterre got married before me, his younger sister. I don't want to miss this year either, so think about it carefully."
When I didn't answer, Bianque curled her lips and got up from her seat. When she disappeared out of the room, I sighed involuntarily.
"No."
I absolutely cannot marry Valquiterre.
If you ask me why, it was actually difficult to answer.
“Something like a political marriage. This isn’t my first time, so why am I doing this?”
It had already happened once with Kaian, so why was it so reluctant?
The Duke of Vermont had urged me to become Queen, calling me the generous mother of the kingdom.
However, it seemed absolutely impossible. I couldn’t explain it other than because I felt that way, so I felt frustrated.
“Ha.”
I put my hand on her throbbing head and bit my lower lip.
Originally, nobles had a responsibility to take care of those they ruled, as they had received much.
Everything that was provided for their well-being was bought, sold, and passed on from the land, passed through many hands, and became more useful and valuable, becoming precious when it reached the nobles.
It was a life where something had to be mortgaged to enjoy it.
I had never dreamed of anything else in my life, and I planned to marry appropriately and act as a hostess, maintaining my dignity so as not to tarnish the name of Vermont.
“But I don’t want to.”
Marrying Valquiterre was not much different from the life path I had expected, but I felt like I was going crazy.
I didn’t know why I was confused, why my chest was throbbing and hurting. I thought that only leaving the castle would end my suffering, but being held captive made it even more painful.
“No one can help me.”
If Valquiterre was going to do whatever it took, he couldn’t have acknowledged Madame Cronach as my mother.
Even though we had sat together and had tea together, the Duke of Vermont had urged me to marry him. Aside from the fact that we were estranged, neither Irena nor Hannah were in a position to help me.
“...”
"No."
I absolutely cannot marry Valquiterre.
If you ask me why, it was actually difficult to answer.
“Something like a political marriage. This isn’t my first time, so why am I doing this?”
It had already happened once with Kaian, so why was it so reluctant?
The Duke of Vermont had urged me to become Queen, calling me the generous mother of the kingdom.
However, it seemed absolutely impossible. I couldn’t explain it other than because I felt that way, so I felt frustrated.
“Ha.”
I put my hand on her throbbing head and bit my lower lip.
Originally, nobles had a responsibility to take care of those they ruled, as they had received much.
Everything that was provided for their well-being was bought, sold, and passed on from the land, passed through many hands, and became more useful and valuable, becoming precious when it reached the nobles.
It was a life where something had to be mortgaged to enjoy it.
I had never dreamed of anything else in my life, and I planned to marry appropriately and act as a hostess, maintaining my dignity so as not to tarnish the name of Vermont.
“But I don’t want to.”
Marrying Valquiterre was not much different from the life path I had expected, but I felt like I was going crazy.
I didn’t know why I was confused, why my chest was throbbing and hurting. I thought that only leaving the castle would end my suffering, but being held captive made it even more painful.
“No one can help me.”
If Valquiterre was going to do whatever it took, he couldn’t have acknowledged Madame Cronach as my mother.
Even though we had sat together and had tea together, the Duke of Vermont had urged me to marry him. Aside from the fact that we were estranged, neither Irena nor Hannah were in a position to help me.
“...”
I thought of someone who could help me. Someone who would help me get out of this stuffy castle if I clung to him.
But I quickly shook my head and shook off his afterimage.
“No. What on earth are you thinking? He’s already a stranger.”
After seeing Madame Cronach not resenting or blaming him, my heart softened.
However, when I thought of the baby, she realized that he had committed a great sin and was someone I should never talk to.
I was suffering from the thoughts that had been repeating over the past few days.
Click.
Without warning, a person wearing a hood quickly came in through the narrow gap in the door and locked the door from the inside.
I opened my eyes wide.
“You...”
Count Makie entered the Hanging Gardens.
Originally, there were only two golden keys to open the gate, and only the King and Queen could possess them.
Count Makie’s attitude toward entering a place where no one could enter without permission was bold, and those who stood at the entrance of the Hanging Gardens and watched the King’s dirty water from afar did not interfere with him either.
Count Makie raised his head, feeling proud of his own authority.
“Your Majesty the King.”
When he called softly, Valquiterre, who had been sleeping for a while while lying diagonally in the shade, opened his eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“The crow has returned.”
He sat up, squinting his eyes at the deep green leaves hanging over his head.
“Did you handle things well?”
“Of course.”
“The proof?”
“Here it is.”
When Valquiterre held out his hand, Count Makie placed a thinly folded black cloth the size of his palm on top of it.
When he unfolded the neatly folded thing, there was another crumpled white handkerchief inside. When he unfolded it, he saw red hair stuck to the dark red bloodstain.
“You’re late.”
At Valquiterre's words, Count Makie quickly lowered his head.
“The Duke of Temnes was so busy stirring up the capital that he couldn’t return to the palace.”
“Kaian?”
“Yes. He appeared in Holderleyround right after the attack. It took a long time to escape.”
“Looking for something, huh? What did he want to find? Did he find out about the baby?”
Valquiterre questioned, holding the traces taken from the dead baby in his hand.
“That can’t be true. There aren’t many people alive who know that the baby is alive.”
“The crow?”
“We dealt with it right after we presented the evidence.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Valquiterre rubbed the red hair with his fingertips.
No matter what dye in the world you use, it wouldn’t be able to produce this color.
“Burn it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He folded it back and handed it to Count Makie.
At that moment, a cough was heard from outside the Hanging Gardens.
An old man with the same hair as the one he had just seen stood watching them through the golden bars, and Valquiterre turned his head and smiled.
“Duke Vermont. Come in.”
The Duke of Vermont was cheerful as he entered the Hanging Gardens.
“Your Majesty.”
“I called you in the afternoon and forgot about you for a moment.”
“No.”
“No. Rather, you will be my father now. I should be careful to respect you.”
“You don’t have to do that, Your Majesty.”
“What is the matter today?”
The Duke of Vermont laughed cowardly, revealing his intentions.
“I would like to ask you to give me a royal order regarding my daughter’s marriage.”
“Your daughter’s marriage?”
“Yes. Should Vermont and Temnes be at odds with each other?”
He lowered his voice subtly.
“Since my daughter Irena and the Duke of Temnes are single, please allow me to carry out Your Majesty’s deep intentions once more.”
“So, make Princess Irena the Duchess of Temnes?”
Duke Vermont’s eyebrows twitched when Valquiterre immediately realized what he had said indirectly. However, Duke Vermont quickly controlled his expression so that his emotions would not show.
“Yes.”
“Hmm. Isn’t Princess Irena the successor to the Valmonde estate?”
“Didn’t Queen Sylvia marry the Grand Duke of Luxen?”
Duke Vermont answered slyly.
“Having a smart and strong successor is what all heads of families desire.”
When he expressed his intention to accept the fact that Irena and Kaian would be separated after the marriage, Valquiter asked.
“What do I gain by allowing the marriage? After all, didn’t you promise me access to the northern route and ports when you married your second daughter as my Queen?”
“I’ll give you half of the iron ore output.”
“Huh. Iron?”
Valquiterre's lips curved.
‘I never thought I’d hear from Vermont that he’d openly offer to hand out weapons.’
It was something no King in the history of Oberon had ever done.
“Haha. If you’re prepared for that much. Let’s continue our conversation.”
It was then.
“Valquiterre!”
The voice of a young woman with a sharp voice flew at him, like a claw.
“You fooled me?”
“Bianque.”
Just a moment ago, when Bianque and Claudel were choosing dresses, her cheeks, which had seemed to be brightly colored with flowers, were now flushed and bluish.
“What on earth are you talking about!”
Everyone shut their mouths at Bianque’s angry shout.
***
I looked at the stranger with a surprised face.
“You...”
Then the intruder turned around and lowered his hood. Over the hood that had been pulled down, red hair flowed down voluptuously.
“...Irena.”
Irena’s cheeks were flushed red, perhaps because she was nervous.
“Claudel.”
She strode over and grabbed my shoulders, shaking my body.
“What on earth are you doing?”
What were you doing? What were you doing...
... I was doing nothing.
Like a ship caught in a strong wind being carried away by the wind, like a pile of fallen leaves being roughly swept away by a flood.
Since nothing was going my way, it was less painful to give up on thinking about something.
Irena, who had been looking into my golden eyes without saying anything, crumpled her face as if she had read my mind.
“Would you mind if I became the Duchess of Temnes?”
But I quickly shook my head and shook off his afterimage.
“No. What on earth are you thinking? He’s already a stranger.”
After seeing Madame Cronach not resenting or blaming him, my heart softened.
However, when I thought of the baby, she realized that he had committed a great sin and was someone I should never talk to.
I was suffering from the thoughts that had been repeating over the past few days.
Click.
Without warning, a person wearing a hood quickly came in through the narrow gap in the door and locked the door from the inside.
I opened my eyes wide.
“You...”
***
Count Makie entered the Hanging Gardens.
Originally, there were only two golden keys to open the gate, and only the King and Queen could possess them.
Count Makie’s attitude toward entering a place where no one could enter without permission was bold, and those who stood at the entrance of the Hanging Gardens and watched the King’s dirty water from afar did not interfere with him either.
Count Makie raised his head, feeling proud of his own authority.
“Your Majesty the King.”
When he called softly, Valquiterre, who had been sleeping for a while while lying diagonally in the shade, opened his eyes.
“What’s going on?”
“The crow has returned.”
He sat up, squinting his eyes at the deep green leaves hanging over his head.
“Did you handle things well?”
“Of course.”
“The proof?”
“Here it is.”
When Valquiterre held out his hand, Count Makie placed a thinly folded black cloth the size of his palm on top of it.
When he unfolded the neatly folded thing, there was another crumpled white handkerchief inside. When he unfolded it, he saw red hair stuck to the dark red bloodstain.
“You’re late.”
At Valquiterre's words, Count Makie quickly lowered his head.
“The Duke of Temnes was so busy stirring up the capital that he couldn’t return to the palace.”
“Kaian?”
“Yes. He appeared in Holderleyround right after the attack. It took a long time to escape.”
“Looking for something, huh? What did he want to find? Did he find out about the baby?”
Valquiterre questioned, holding the traces taken from the dead baby in his hand.
“That can’t be true. There aren’t many people alive who know that the baby is alive.”
“The crow?”
“We dealt with it right after we presented the evidence.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Valquiterre rubbed the red hair with his fingertips.
No matter what dye in the world you use, it wouldn’t be able to produce this color.
“Burn it.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
He folded it back and handed it to Count Makie.
At that moment, a cough was heard from outside the Hanging Gardens.
An old man with the same hair as the one he had just seen stood watching them through the golden bars, and Valquiterre turned his head and smiled.
“Duke Vermont. Come in.”
The Duke of Vermont was cheerful as he entered the Hanging Gardens.
“Your Majesty.”
“I called you in the afternoon and forgot about you for a moment.”
“No.”
“No. Rather, you will be my father now. I should be careful to respect you.”
“You don’t have to do that, Your Majesty.”
“What is the matter today?”
The Duke of Vermont laughed cowardly, revealing his intentions.
“I would like to ask you to give me a royal order regarding my daughter’s marriage.”
“Your daughter’s marriage?”
“Yes. Should Vermont and Temnes be at odds with each other?”
He lowered his voice subtly.
“Since my daughter Irena and the Duke of Temnes are single, please allow me to carry out Your Majesty’s deep intentions once more.”
“So, make Princess Irena the Duchess of Temnes?”
Duke Vermont’s eyebrows twitched when Valquiterre immediately realized what he had said indirectly. However, Duke Vermont quickly controlled his expression so that his emotions would not show.
“Yes.”
“Hmm. Isn’t Princess Irena the successor to the Valmonde estate?”
“Didn’t Queen Sylvia marry the Grand Duke of Luxen?”
Duke Vermont answered slyly.
“Having a smart and strong successor is what all heads of families desire.”
When he expressed his intention to accept the fact that Irena and Kaian would be separated after the marriage, Valquiter asked.
“What do I gain by allowing the marriage? After all, didn’t you promise me access to the northern route and ports when you married your second daughter as my Queen?”
“I’ll give you half of the iron ore output.”
“Huh. Iron?”
Valquiterre's lips curved.
‘I never thought I’d hear from Vermont that he’d openly offer to hand out weapons.’
It was something no King in the history of Oberon had ever done.
“Haha. If you’re prepared for that much. Let’s continue our conversation.”
It was then.
“Valquiterre!”
The voice of a young woman with a sharp voice flew at him, like a claw.
“You fooled me?”
“Bianque.”
Just a moment ago, when Bianque and Claudel were choosing dresses, her cheeks, which had seemed to be brightly colored with flowers, were now flushed and bluish.
“What on earth are you talking about!”
Everyone shut their mouths at Bianque’s angry shout.
***
I looked at the stranger with a surprised face.
“You...”
Then the intruder turned around and lowered his hood. Over the hood that had been pulled down, red hair flowed down voluptuously.
“...Irena.”
Irena’s cheeks were flushed red, perhaps because she was nervous.
“Claudel.”
She strode over and grabbed my shoulders, shaking my body.
“What on earth are you doing?”
What were you doing? What were you doing...
... I was doing nothing.
Like a ship caught in a strong wind being carried away by the wind, like a pile of fallen leaves being roughly swept away by a flood.
Since nothing was going my way, it was less painful to give up on thinking about something.
Irena, who had been looking into my golden eyes without saying anything, crumpled her face as if she had read my mind.
“Would you mind if I became the Duchess of Temnes?”
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