“You look so much like your mother, Bianque.”
Bianque couldn’t understand Valquiterre's words.
Her eyes, which had been shaking in embarrassment, reached the same flowing blond hair that was so similar that it would be hard to tell even if she cut her own hair and made a wig out of it. Her soft-looking white skin and gentle, pretty lips. Her languid, dignified-looking eyebrows and eyes and her high nose. And her blue eyes would make you feel like you were looking at your own face in a mirror when you looked at them.
“My brother is the same.”
The reason they looked so much like dolls made from the same mold, with only the decorations changed, was because they were siblings born from the same ship.
Bianque's anger rose as if oil had been poured on her already boiling anger.
“My brother looks more like her!”
In her memories, Queen Sylvia was the true ruler of the kingdom.
The mother sitting on the dazzling throne was more beautiful and noble than the crown on her head or the seat she was sitting on.
Bianque never thought that she resembled her mother, even though she was the same woman, except for her appearance. Although she had the same blond-blue eyes of the Oberon royal family, her soul was different.
She considered herself to be irresponsible, immature, and greedy. Some say that people fight their own blood to sit on the throne, but Bianque had never had such thoughts.
So it was Valquiterre who resembled her mother, and that self-evident fact could not be the reason for her and Kaian’s marriage to go wrong.
“Ugh.”
Bianque was so aggrieved and sad that she ended up crying.
“What good does this do to me? You keep nagging me about being extravagant.”
She was so shocked that she couldn’t even think of wiping away her tears as she half-pleaded to Valquiterre.
“What would my mother think if she saw this? When she passed away, she asked us to be so friendly.”
Queen Sylvia’s death was sudden.
Still, Bianque always believed in Valquiterre's presence as a strong support.
To hear such an absurd thing as ‘I hate you’? It was so absurd and her heart grew even more resentful.
“What if my mother saw you?”
Valquiterre opened his mouth.
“She would think I was disciplining you in a way she couldn’t.”
“...What?”
“She was strict with me.”
“What?”
“She was lenient with you.”
“Of course. My brother is the one who will become King.”
When Bianque spoke in a bewildered manner, Valquiterre lifted one side of his lip as if mocking her.
“Nothing is natural in this world. So you give up Kaian.”
“Aah!”
When they couldn’t communicate, Bianque screamed and stomped her foot.
“Give up Kaian? I don’t want that!”
Bianque eyes turned red and she groaned.
“Why me? Didn’t I say I absolutely would not accept any other groom? Just wait and see! You’ll regret it!”
Bianque, unable to contain her anger, roughly tore off the flowers that had bloomed beautifully in the hanging garden with her fist and flung them at Valquiterre before disappearing.
When the petals that fell swayed and stuck to his cheek, Valquiterre pulled them away.
“It may not be your fault, but...”
However, it was true that Bianque's presence had made Valquiterre unhappy.
When his mother was alive, her situation was different from his.
After his mother passed away, whenever he saw Bianque, he would think of the woman who had looked down on him with displeasure.
It was as if his mother had been reborn.
“The Oberon royal family has been greedy and twisted for generations.”
“It may not be your fault, but...”
However, it was true that Bianque's presence had made Valquiterre unhappy.
When his mother was alive, her situation was different from his.
After his mother passed away, whenever he saw Bianque, he would think of the woman who had looked down on him with displeasure.
It was as if his mother had been reborn.
“The Oberon royal family has been greedy and twisted for generations.”
So he needed to take away what Bianque had coveted so much.
He had been walking through the mud like this to sit on the throne.
Even the cheerfulness of Bianque, who had gathered only the sunlight of the royal family, cast darkness on Valquiterre’s heart.
On the other side of the sunny spot where a mother had raised her, a damp shadow had formed. Valquiterre couldn’t just watch Bianque be so happy.
“You’re making me regret it. That’s worth seeing.”
If Bianque's heart was also shadowed by the same misfortune, that would be the belated revenge that he couldn’t give to Queen Sylvia, who had wrapped him up.
“Then why did you raise me like this?”
Valquiterre looked up at the blue sky in the paradise made by human hands and muttered softly.
The Duke of Vermont looked at Irena with a pleased expression in the carriage leaving the palace.
“Now you’ve decided to do it properly.”
“I told you so.”
“You were always jumping up and down, saying how could you possibly marry the Duke of Temnes?”
Irena smiled gently.
“People’s hearts change.”
“Good idea. Hahaha. I’ll finally be free from the headache of succession.”
It wasn’t that long ago that he learned of Valcuiterre’s true intentions.
‘To covet your cousin’s wife.’
It was shocking even when he thought about it again.
Even when Valquiterre called the Duke of Vermont and secretly told him to protest the King’s order regarding Claudel’s whereabouts, he didn’t understand and couldn’t keep up with him.
‘It was really a headache. Now that Irena is going to do as I say, I can wrap it up.’
He had been walking through the mud like this to sit on the throne.
Even the cheerfulness of Bianque, who had gathered only the sunlight of the royal family, cast darkness on Valquiterre’s heart.
On the other side of the sunny spot where a mother had raised her, a damp shadow had formed. Valquiterre couldn’t just watch Bianque be so happy.
“You’re making me regret it. That’s worth seeing.”
If Bianque's heart was also shadowed by the same misfortune, that would be the belated revenge that he couldn’t give to Queen Sylvia, who had wrapped him up.
“Then why did you raise me like this?”
Valquiterre looked up at the blue sky in the paradise made by human hands and muttered softly.
***
The Duke of Vermont looked at Irena with a pleased expression in the carriage leaving the palace.
“Now you’ve decided to do it properly.”
“I told you so.”
“You were always jumping up and down, saying how could you possibly marry the Duke of Temnes?”
Irena smiled gently.
“People’s hearts change.”
“Good idea. Hahaha. I’ll finally be free from the headache of succession.”
It wasn’t that long ago that he learned of Valcuiterre’s true intentions.
‘To covet your cousin’s wife.’
It was shocking even when he thought about it again.
Even when Valquiterre called the Duke of Vermont and secretly told him to protest the King’s order regarding Claudel’s whereabouts, he didn’t understand and couldn’t keep up with him.
‘It was really a headache. Now that Irena is going to do as I say, I can wrap it up.’
It might have been bitter to think that the young King, who he thought would be with Irena just a few months ago, was actually interested in Claudel, but even she refused to accept such a crazy man.
'Anyway, I was going to send Claudel to Rowen to see if the Duke of Temnes was a good husband for Irena. Either way, my goal was accomplished.'
The problem was that his daughter, who used to be very docile and playful, had changed.
She had always insisted that she would never marry the Duke of Temnes, but yesterday, she suddenly changed her mind and asked to be taken to a meeting with the King.
'It's my marriage. I don't want to be dragged along and forced. When Claudel married Rowen, everyone pointed fingers at her, saying that she was being sold to an enemy's family. That place is right there, Father.'
'Anyway, I was going to send Claudel to Rowen to see if the Duke of Temnes was a good husband for Irena. Either way, my goal was accomplished.'
The problem was that his daughter, who used to be very docile and playful, had changed.
She had always insisted that she would never marry the Duke of Temnes, but yesterday, she suddenly changed her mind and asked to be taken to a meeting with the King.
'It's my marriage. I don't want to be dragged along and forced. When Claudel married Rowen, everyone pointed fingers at her, saying that she was being sold to an enemy's family. That place is right there, Father.'
He didn't really care at the time, but since she had agreed to trade food for it, he decided to listen to Irena. He didn't have the energy to think about it anymore, so he said, 'Okay, I understand, I'll take you.'
The Duke Vermont sighed deeply at the thought that the somewhat complicated matter had been sorted out.
"Anyway, why on earth did you say that to Princess Bianque?"
The Duke of Vermont made a displeased expression.
“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”
“Hmm. Princess Bianque is not so easy. It would be best not to say anything that would build up hostility.”
“I have something to repay her.”
Irena smiled, her eyes wide.
‘Judging from the letters I received from Claudel, I definitely thought Princess Bianque had done something.’
When she came to the capital for the King’s Birthday ball, and when she fled to Rowen.
In Claudel’s letters, after a brief report of meeting Princess Bianque, there was no mention of what she did with her or whether she returned.
‘What did you say to her? It was strange.’
It was a sight to behold when Hannah told her what had happened.
“After the wedding, you will become related to Princess Bianque. Be careful in the future.”
“Yes, father.”
Claudel was within the boundaries that Irena had to keep as a Vermont.
“I will keep that in mind.”
She recalled in her heart what her father had told her when she was young, to pay back with words.
The capital mansion of the Temnes family had an old-fashioned atmosphere.
The building itself was not a stylish townhouse, but a rare proper mansion with a private garden surrounding it on all sides.
The space where the head of the family stayed was also filled with heavy furniture made of black wood, but today, there were thin white cloth handkerchiefs and diapers scattered here and there.
Swish, swish, swish.
Kaian patted the back of the baby in his arms. As his large hand slowly patted the small body that seemed to be about a span from the back of the neck to the waist, the baby, who had been staring blankly into space with her lips slightly open from sucking milk, groaned softly. As her insides felt relieved, her golden eyes, which had been as clear as amber beads, disappeared into the back of his eyelids that were closing.
The baby slept well in the arms of her strong and steady father.
She was a gentle and unfussy nature.
Madame Repel had worried that the baby might not latch on when she hired a new nanny, but her worries were for naught, as she ate well and slept well even when the surroundings changed.
'She should have stayed in her mother's arms.'
The baby's innocent appearance was admirable and wonderful, but Kaian's heart ached.
"Kaian."
However, Madame Cronach's heart sank at the sight of him.
"Shh. She's just fallen asleep."
"Stop looking at the baby and talk."
Madame Repel, who had come in with her, carefully picked up the baby from his arms and disappeared out of the room.
"What are you going to do? Huh?"
Madame Cronach expressed her frustration.
"We have to get Claudel out of the castle."
She said urgently.
“I didn’t write that I found the baby. But I told her where to meet, so I can take her out before the ball starts.”
Irena made a desperate attempt to change her attitude toward the Duke of Vermont and made an excuse to go to the palace.
However, she couldn’t write a very detailed story because she thought the note might be intercepted.
“The Duke of Vermont. You abused my daughter so cruelly in human form?”
Claudel headed to the drawing room next to the bedroom, hoping that she wouldn’t hear her talking to the Duke of Vermont.
“I thought I should keep it in because it would make her uncomfortable.”
The Duke Vermont sighed deeply at the thought that the somewhat complicated matter had been sorted out.
"Anyway, why on earth did you say that to Princess Bianque?"
The Duke of Vermont made a displeased expression.
“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”
“Hmm. Princess Bianque is not so easy. It would be best not to say anything that would build up hostility.”
“I have something to repay her.”
Irena smiled, her eyes wide.
‘Judging from the letters I received from Claudel, I definitely thought Princess Bianque had done something.’
When she came to the capital for the King’s Birthday ball, and when she fled to Rowen.
In Claudel’s letters, after a brief report of meeting Princess Bianque, there was no mention of what she did with her or whether she returned.
‘What did you say to her? It was strange.’
It was a sight to behold when Hannah told her what had happened.
“After the wedding, you will become related to Princess Bianque. Be careful in the future.”
“Yes, father.”
Claudel was within the boundaries that Irena had to keep as a Vermont.
“I will keep that in mind.”
She recalled in her heart what her father had told her when she was young, to pay back with words.
***
The capital mansion of the Temnes family had an old-fashioned atmosphere.
The building itself was not a stylish townhouse, but a rare proper mansion with a private garden surrounding it on all sides.
The space where the head of the family stayed was also filled with heavy furniture made of black wood, but today, there were thin white cloth handkerchiefs and diapers scattered here and there.
Swish, swish, swish.
Kaian patted the back of the baby in his arms. As his large hand slowly patted the small body that seemed to be about a span from the back of the neck to the waist, the baby, who had been staring blankly into space with her lips slightly open from sucking milk, groaned softly. As her insides felt relieved, her golden eyes, which had been as clear as amber beads, disappeared into the back of his eyelids that were closing.
The baby slept well in the arms of her strong and steady father.
She was a gentle and unfussy nature.
Madame Repel had worried that the baby might not latch on when she hired a new nanny, but her worries were for naught, as she ate well and slept well even when the surroundings changed.
'She should have stayed in her mother's arms.'
The baby's innocent appearance was admirable and wonderful, but Kaian's heart ached.
"Kaian."
However, Madame Cronach's heart sank at the sight of him.
"Shh. She's just fallen asleep."
"Stop looking at the baby and talk."
Madame Repel, who had come in with her, carefully picked up the baby from his arms and disappeared out of the room.
"What are you going to do? Huh?"
Madame Cronach expressed her frustration.
"We have to get Claudel out of the castle."
She said urgently.
“I didn’t write that I found the baby. But I told her where to meet, so I can take her out before the ball starts.”
Irena made a desperate attempt to change her attitude toward the Duke of Vermont and made an excuse to go to the palace.
However, she couldn’t write a very detailed story because she thought the note might be intercepted.
“The Duke of Vermont. You abused my daughter so cruelly in human form?”
Claudel headed to the drawing room next to the bedroom, hoping that she wouldn’t hear her talking to the Duke of Vermont.
“I thought I should keep it in because it would make her uncomfortable.”
She wanted to kick the door open and kill the Duke of Vermont right away because Claudel was in such an awkward position. She had hurriedly left the castle with the sole purpose of getting Claudel out of the palace and out of the Duke of Vermont’s reach, but she never thought she would be able to go back in.
“Just tell him that you found the baby. Then Claudel will come back.”
“That can’t be. I want her to be happy.”
However, Kaian was unwavering.
“...Because she said she was unhappy next to me.”
“Just tell him that you found the baby. Then Claudel will come back.”
“That can’t be. I want her to be happy.”
However, Kaian was unwavering.
“...Because she said she was unhappy next to me.”
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