Gyaaaah!
Aaaah!
When I opened my eyes to the commotion, I was being held by Kaian.
It took me a while to realize what had happened due to the screams echoing through the hall so loudly that it was almost chilling.
“...Kaian.”
Instead of answering, he let go of me from his arms. Even when Kaian didn’t say anything, there were times when I could tell if he was teasing me or being serious just by looking at his eyes.
Pain rose between the emotions in his beautiful red eyes.
“Ugh.”
The moment he groaned softly.
Gulp.
The knife stuck in his shoulder was visible, and blood flowed down from under it, soaking his clothes.
A maddening scream was heard nearby.
“Gyaaaah!”
Antjone, who had stabbed Kaian, was screaming the loudest.
“What are you guys doing! Catch her!”
At Valquiterre's command, the guards who had been guarding the entrance rushed to Antjone in a panic.
“Kaian... Kaian...”
“It’s okay.”
I hurriedly grabbed his clothes and clung to him.
“What’s okay? Call a doctor!”
I looked around with a pale face.
When I saw a familiar doctor running through the crowd, I burst into tears.
“Help him. Quickly.”
The doctor quickly examined the wound and showed his discomfort.
“The wound isn’t shallow, so it looks like it will need stitches. If I pull out the sword, I’ll have to stop the bleeding, so I think we should move.”
“Let’s take him to my room. Quickly.”
In the meantime, the culprit was caught and dragged out while swearing, and the royal soldiers, armed as they were, stormed into the ballroom, which had been as splendid as a spring flower garden.
“Protect His Majesty the King!”
The one who was hit by the sword was Kaiyan, and as they had trained, the knights drew their swords and formed a semicircle around King.
“Haa.”
I gasped for breath because I was dizzy. Looking around, I saw that Kaian had shed quite a bit of blood, and several people had already stepped on the blood flowing on the smooth floor, making a mess.
“Claudel.”
Valquiterre called me.
“Come here.”
“No.”
I cried and grabbed Kaian.
“Kaian. Can you get up?”
Even when several people came to support me, I refused to let go of Kaian like I had lost ny mind.
“If you hold on like that, we won’t be able to support the Duke.”
“Ah.”
Only after hearing that did I let go of the clothes I was holding onto and quickly left the ballroom with the doctor.
The nobles who were watching the scene vividly began to whisper.
“Weren’t His Majesty going to announce your national wedding today?”
“I heard that His Majesty's partner is the second daughter of Vermont.”
But something unpleasant happened, and the Duke of Temnes was protecting his ex-wife, the Princess.
“Isn’t there something wrong?”
“Yes. I think the marriage partner was his eldest daughter.”
It was obvious to anyone who saw Kaian, who had embraced Claudel and taken the sword instead, that their relationship had ended with a divorce.
“Didn’t the marriage become invalid by royal decree?”
Someone who couldn’t stand it anymore ended up mentioning the revocation of the royal decree, which was considered a mistake by the King and therefore rude to mention.
“Doesn’t it look like they’re going to reunite at any moment?”
While saying this, he secretly checked Valquiterre's expression, which further hurt the young King’s pride.
Count Makie called him.
“Your Majesty. I apologize for asking, but please give me an order on how to proceed with the foundation ceremony.”
“The ball is canceled. Show everyone back.”
Valquiterre quickly turned around and left the hall.
With the King, who had to be careful, gone, the nobles’ gossip grew even more heated.
When I wouldn’t calm down, the doctor eventually sent me out of the bedroom, saying that Kaian needed surgery.
“Ah.”
I sobbed, my hands shaking in the living room.
“Claudel.”
At that moment, Irena came in hurriedly.
Her face was so pale as if she had seen a ghost, that I stopped crying.
“Sister. Are you okay?”
“Ugh.”
Irena’s lips were pale as she answered.
The reason Antjone was able to attend the royal ball was because she followed the Marquis de Prean into the palace.
The second son of the Marquis of Prean was Irena's husband who went to war and died in battle.
She knew that Antjone had been imprisoned in the castle for trying to tarnish Claudel's honor using Burbrook.
After that, instead of comforting or protecting her, Kaian treated her coldly, which made Claudel's position in Rowen Castle very bad.
Then, after Claudel went missing, Kaian angered her and sold her to a slave trader.
Claudel's heart was heavy when she finally found out about this.
In a way, Antjone was paying for her own sins.
If she had not stolen Claudel's first night gift in the first place, she would have avoided the judgment and beating that would have crushed her pride. And yet, it was hard to believe that Antjone, who was not much older than her, had become a slave and lived a life that was so low as a woman, and it was sad that she ended up blaming Claudel, not Kaian, for being in that situation.
'If I'm on good terms with Kaian, then I don't know, but I'm not.'
Since we were on good terms, I was worried and couldn't hurry, so I missed the opportunity I had barely managed to create.
I was distressed, thinking that maybe if I had gone to the library on time and gotten Kaian's help to get out of the castle, he wouldn't have gotten hurt.
However, I wondered if the pain I was feeling at that moment was only Irena's.
"You look tired."
"I'm just a little surprised."
When I opened my eyes to the commotion, I was being held by Kaian.
It took me a while to realize what had happened due to the screams echoing through the hall so loudly that it was almost chilling.
“...Kaian.”
Instead of answering, he let go of me from his arms. Even when Kaian didn’t say anything, there were times when I could tell if he was teasing me or being serious just by looking at his eyes.
Pain rose between the emotions in his beautiful red eyes.
“Ugh.”
The moment he groaned softly.
Gulp.
The knife stuck in his shoulder was visible, and blood flowed down from under it, soaking his clothes.
A maddening scream was heard nearby.
“Gyaaaah!”
Antjone, who had stabbed Kaian, was screaming the loudest.
“What are you guys doing! Catch her!”
At Valquiterre's command, the guards who had been guarding the entrance rushed to Antjone in a panic.
“Kaian... Kaian...”
“It’s okay.”
I hurriedly grabbed his clothes and clung to him.
“What’s okay? Call a doctor!”
I looked around with a pale face.
When I saw a familiar doctor running through the crowd, I burst into tears.
“Help him. Quickly.”
The doctor quickly examined the wound and showed his discomfort.
“The wound isn’t shallow, so it looks like it will need stitches. If I pull out the sword, I’ll have to stop the bleeding, so I think we should move.”
“Let’s take him to my room. Quickly.”
In the meantime, the culprit was caught and dragged out while swearing, and the royal soldiers, armed as they were, stormed into the ballroom, which had been as splendid as a spring flower garden.
“Protect His Majesty the King!”
The one who was hit by the sword was Kaiyan, and as they had trained, the knights drew their swords and formed a semicircle around King.
“Haa.”
I gasped for breath because I was dizzy. Looking around, I saw that Kaian had shed quite a bit of blood, and several people had already stepped on the blood flowing on the smooth floor, making a mess.
“Claudel.”
Valquiterre called me.
“Come here.”
“No.”
I cried and grabbed Kaian.
“Kaian. Can you get up?”
Even when several people came to support me, I refused to let go of Kaian like I had lost ny mind.
“If you hold on like that, we won’t be able to support the Duke.”
“Ah.”
Only after hearing that did I let go of the clothes I was holding onto and quickly left the ballroom with the doctor.
The nobles who were watching the scene vividly began to whisper.
“Weren’t His Majesty going to announce your national wedding today?”
“I heard that His Majesty's partner is the second daughter of Vermont.”
But something unpleasant happened, and the Duke of Temnes was protecting his ex-wife, the Princess.
“Isn’t there something wrong?”
“Yes. I think the marriage partner was his eldest daughter.”
It was obvious to anyone who saw Kaian, who had embraced Claudel and taken the sword instead, that their relationship had ended with a divorce.
“Didn’t the marriage become invalid by royal decree?”
Someone who couldn’t stand it anymore ended up mentioning the revocation of the royal decree, which was considered a mistake by the King and therefore rude to mention.
“Doesn’t it look like they’re going to reunite at any moment?”
While saying this, he secretly checked Valquiterre's expression, which further hurt the young King’s pride.
Count Makie called him.
“Your Majesty. I apologize for asking, but please give me an order on how to proceed with the foundation ceremony.”
“The ball is canceled. Show everyone back.”
Valquiterre quickly turned around and left the hall.
With the King, who had to be careful, gone, the nobles’ gossip grew even more heated.
***
When I wouldn’t calm down, the doctor eventually sent me out of the bedroom, saying that Kaian needed surgery.
“Ah.”
I sobbed, my hands shaking in the living room.
“Claudel.”
At that moment, Irena came in hurriedly.
Her face was so pale as if she had seen a ghost, that I stopped crying.
“Sister. Are you okay?”
“Ugh.”
Irena’s lips were pale as she answered.
The reason Antjone was able to attend the royal ball was because she followed the Marquis de Prean into the palace.
The second son of the Marquis of Prean was Irena's husband who went to war and died in battle.
She knew that Antjone had been imprisoned in the castle for trying to tarnish Claudel's honor using Burbrook.
After that, instead of comforting or protecting her, Kaian treated her coldly, which made Claudel's position in Rowen Castle very bad.
Then, after Claudel went missing, Kaian angered her and sold her to a slave trader.
Claudel's heart was heavy when she finally found out about this.
In a way, Antjone was paying for her own sins.
If she had not stolen Claudel's first night gift in the first place, she would have avoided the judgment and beating that would have crushed her pride. And yet, it was hard to believe that Antjone, who was not much older than her, had become a slave and lived a life that was so low as a woman, and it was sad that she ended up blaming Claudel, not Kaian, for being in that situation.
'If I'm on good terms with Kaian, then I don't know, but I'm not.'
Since we were on good terms, I was worried and couldn't hurry, so I missed the opportunity I had barely managed to create.
I was distressed, thinking that maybe if I had gone to the library on time and gotten Kaian's help to get out of the castle, he wouldn't have gotten hurt.
However, I wondered if the pain I was feeling at that moment was only Irena's.
"You look tired."
"I'm just a little surprised."
"What about my uncle?"
"My father is meeting with His Majesty the King."
Irena looked at me.
"Why didn't you go to the library?"
"I was under surveillance. They kept one or two people attached to me the whole time, so I couldn't go."
If Valquiterre found out about my plan, would I be able to take even a single step out of the castle? There was only one gate that could lead out of the castle built on top of a hill.
So if Valquiterre didn't cooperate, I wouldn't be able to sneak out, and there was no way to escape.
"I see."
Irena's face became worried.
"The King's eyes looked unusual earlier."
I was also concerned about that.
Valquiterre seemed to be satisfied only if he got what he wanted, no matter what.
But Antjone ruined the grand event of the founding of the nation, and his plan to announce his marriage at the ball went awry.
I didn’t even want to think about where and how this spark would fly.
“I’ll go out and discuss it with Madame Cronach.”
“I don’t think Mom has any other good ideas.”
“Still, you’ve come to your senses a little.”
My eyes widened at the sudden words.
“No. Probably not.”
I couldn’t possibly come to my senses. I was so confused, how could I come to my senses?
“First, keep an eye on the Duke of Temnes. You never know what he might do inside the castle.”
Irena carefully lowered her voice.
“Her Majesty Queen Sylvia and the previous Duke and Duchess both died of a strange disease at the same time in the castle. You never know what happens to people.”
Her words made a thud sound in my chest.
Knock knock.
When a knock was heard on the door leading to the living room from the bedroom, I got up from my seat.
“Go quickly.”
“Yes.”
I grabbed the doorknob and looked back for a moment.
Irena suddenly looked very mature.
“I didn’t even say sorry.”
I was grateful that she was trying to take care of me while holding the pain in her heart.
“Thank you, Sister.”
"My father is meeting with His Majesty the King."
Irena looked at me.
"Why didn't you go to the library?"
"I was under surveillance. They kept one or two people attached to me the whole time, so I couldn't go."
If Valquiterre found out about my plan, would I be able to take even a single step out of the castle? There was only one gate that could lead out of the castle built on top of a hill.
So if Valquiterre didn't cooperate, I wouldn't be able to sneak out, and there was no way to escape.
"I see."
Irena's face became worried.
"The King's eyes looked unusual earlier."
I was also concerned about that.
Valquiterre seemed to be satisfied only if he got what he wanted, no matter what.
But Antjone ruined the grand event of the founding of the nation, and his plan to announce his marriage at the ball went awry.
I didn’t even want to think about where and how this spark would fly.
“I’ll go out and discuss it with Madame Cronach.”
“I don’t think Mom has any other good ideas.”
“Still, you’ve come to your senses a little.”
My eyes widened at the sudden words.
“No. Probably not.”
I couldn’t possibly come to my senses. I was so confused, how could I come to my senses?
“First, keep an eye on the Duke of Temnes. You never know what he might do inside the castle.”
Irena carefully lowered her voice.
“Her Majesty Queen Sylvia and the previous Duke and Duchess both died of a strange disease at the same time in the castle. You never know what happens to people.”
Her words made a thud sound in my chest.
Knock knock.
When a knock was heard on the door leading to the living room from the bedroom, I got up from my seat.
“Go quickly.”
“Yes.”
I grabbed the doorknob and looked back for a moment.
Irena suddenly looked very mature.
“I didn’t even say sorry.”
I was grateful that she was trying to take care of me while holding the pain in her heart.
“Thank you, Sister.”
If I was going to apologize, I wanted to do it properly. So I quietly thanked her.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Go in quickly.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Go in quickly.”
When I nodded and entered the bedroom, the room, which had been darkened with the curtains drawn, smelled of a pungent anesthetic.
Kaian was lying on the bed, his eyes closed and he seemed to be asleep.
He had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder in a messy outfit that had been cut or torn for treatment, and next to him, a pile of cotton swabs that had been used to wipe away blood was piled on a silver basin, giving me goosebumps.
“The wound is deep, but the bleeding has stopped and it’s been stitched up well.”
“Thank goodness.”
Il sighed.
“I will take care of the nursing, so you should step aside now.”
“No. Lady Claudel, how could...?”
“Why I shouldn't?”
“It would be a disaster if His Majesty the King found out.”
“Even if His Majesty the King came in person, I couldn’t let him leave this room.”
As I squinted my eyes, the palace doctor and maids eventually left the room.
I brought a basin of clear water, soaked a towel in the water, and wiped Kaian’s forehead, which was covered in sweat.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Why do I keep regretting things?”
I looked at Kaian with a tired face.
“Ugh...”
Kaian groaned and opened his eyes.
It was the King’s bedroom.
Before he married Claudel, he had used it alone whenever he stayed in the King’s palace, and later he had stayed with her.
Kaian was lying on the bed, his eyes closed and he seemed to be asleep.
He had a bandage wrapped around his shoulder in a messy outfit that had been cut or torn for treatment, and next to him, a pile of cotton swabs that had been used to wipe away blood was piled on a silver basin, giving me goosebumps.
“The wound is deep, but the bleeding has stopped and it’s been stitched up well.”
“Thank goodness.”
Il sighed.
“I will take care of the nursing, so you should step aside now.”
“No. Lady Claudel, how could...?”
“Why I shouldn't?”
“It would be a disaster if His Majesty the King found out.”
“Even if His Majesty the King came in person, I couldn’t let him leave this room.”
As I squinted my eyes, the palace doctor and maids eventually left the room.
I brought a basin of clear water, soaked a towel in the water, and wiped Kaian’s forehead, which was covered in sweat.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Why do I keep regretting things?”
I looked at Kaian with a tired face.
***
“Ugh...”
Kaian groaned and opened his eyes.
It was the King’s bedroom.
Before he married Claudel, he had used it alone whenever he stayed in the King’s palace, and later he had stayed with her.
The luxurious room was very familiar. His left shoulder felt hot and sore as if it had been burned.
And next to his right arm, Claudel was lying face down on the bed, asleep.
His heart ached as he looked at the face of the woman sleeping with a face full of tears.
‘Can my hurting be sad to you?’
Or was she crying because she was sorry that he had protected her?
Kaian gently reached out and pulled away the messy red hair that had stuck to her face and threw it over her shoulder.
Then he saw the thin gold necklace around her neck.
Perhaps because she was sleeping face down, it seemed as if it was strangling her neck, leaving a red line on her delicate skin.
Kaian tried to make her comfortable by gently pulling the necklace string so that it wouldn’t hurt her.
As he slowly pulled the thin necklace string so that it wouldn’t break, something snapped and came out of her clothes.
Kaian raised his eyebrows when he saw it.
“This is...”
And next to his right arm, Claudel was lying face down on the bed, asleep.
His heart ached as he looked at the face of the woman sleeping with a face full of tears.
‘Can my hurting be sad to you?’
Or was she crying because she was sorry that he had protected her?
Kaian gently reached out and pulled away the messy red hair that had stuck to her face and threw it over her shoulder.
Then he saw the thin gold necklace around her neck.
Perhaps because she was sleeping face down, it seemed as if it was strangling her neck, leaving a red line on her delicate skin.
Kaian tried to make her comfortable by gently pulling the necklace string so that it wouldn’t hurt her.
As he slowly pulled the thin necklace string so that it wouldn’t break, something snapped and came out of her clothes.
Kaian raised his eyebrows when he saw it.
“This is...”
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