“I wish we could die together.”
Claudel looked up at him with longing eyes.
“Will you?”
Kaian caressed her cheeks which were wet from crying so much. He was even more careful, worried that her red eyes might hurt if she shed her tears. As if she could sense his feelings from his attitude, Claudel became even sadder. Her voice, which was as thin as if it would burst, was sorrowful.
“It would have been better if we hadn’t met like this.”
Not as enemies of a family, but as an ordinary man and woman.
As an ordinary relationship with no misunderstandings.
“I can’t forgive you, and I can’t hate you. What should I do?”
Hatred had built up between Vermont and Temnes.
It wasn’t something he or she did.
The problem was that he had started off wrong. It was a mistake to draw the line at the woman he could love so much, calling her ‘Vermont’s daughter.’
In the end, he had come to the point where he valued Claudel more than his own life. When he was hit by Antjone's sword, he didn't hesitate for a moment.
Claudel absolutely could not be hurt. He was so happy that his sincerity had reached her heart, but it was too early to be happy.
'There is something I can ask for forgiveness and make up for.'
He couldn't tell Claudel that the baby was alive yet.
The maids were fidgeting, watching them from beyond the bars of the hanging garden.
Given Claudel's condition, he was worried that if he brought up the baby, she would cry and collapse without being able to control her body.
Even if she was surprised or her attitude changed, those who saw and heard would quickly tell Valquiterre.
Kaian hid his nervousness as he guessed where the carriage that had left early in the morning had gone by now.
'I have to stay undetected until the baby safely escapes the capital.'
Even if that was out of his hands, it was more important for him to take Claudel and escape the palace.
'I can't make our child an orphan.'
When he came to his senses, Valquiterre's thoughts were very clear.
Kaian believed.
Kaian purely believed someone he shouldn't have believed.
And Kaian, who had regained his composure, could even see what Valquiterre was thinking right now.
"Claudel."
Every time he called her name, she seemed to sink into waves of even sadder emotions.
"If you're in so much pain that you feel like you're going to die. Just believe me and say you're dead."
Kaian stared at Claudel as if he was engraving her on his retina.
He would never forget this moment.
The moment she came to him again, and what he had to protect.
Claudel was the very thing he had to protect to live like a human being.
'I messed up at the Foundation Ball, so by now...'
Kaian grasped Claudel's hand when he realized that there wasn't much time left.
"Claudel. You have to leave the castle right now."
Claudel's eyes widened at the sudden words.
Valquiterre looked at the small piece of paper.
The subject was missing, but it was obvious who had sent it. Who else could possibly be there to take her out, saying she was banned from entering the palace, but the woman who claimed to be her mother?
“You kept this from me.”
Noble women were divided into two groups.
Some had a strong desire to further increase their status and power, and those who had no interest in such things.
Unfortunately, Valquiterre felt that Claudel was the latter.
Perhaps it was because she had grown up as a Princess in the castle of Valmonde, despite her unfortunate childhood, and because she had a strong sense of futility in life. In any case, Valquiterre had purely wanted to push Kaian into the hell of marriage, but he was furious that he had a wife who was so attractive that Valquiterre was attracted to her at first sight.
Furthermore, Claudel had truly fallen in love with Kaian without the stupid him noticing, and he wanted to ruin her even more. It was crazy to think that Kaian had feelings that he would only experience once in his life, praising her as noble and beautiful.
Before the Foundation Ball began, Valquiterre was happy to see the bastard's face distort at the news of his and Claudel's marriage.
Then, Kaian was suddenly stabbed and carried out of the ballroom.
The problem was that she was crying and half-clinging to him, despite the obvious fact that he had been saving Claudel, and disappeared with him.
'Claudel. Come this way.'
'No.'
The woman who rejected Valquiterre who reached out her hand was completely oblivious to him.
No one could have ignored the fact that Claudel’s eyes and ears were completely focused on Kaian’s safety. The reason he didn’t force Claudel away from Kaian was to avoid making himself look bad in front of the other nobles.
Valquiterre, who had been refined as a King for many years, instinctively knew how to not lose his dignity in such a situation.
Even though there were many rumors that he was a King who coveted his second cousin’s wife.
‘I tried to destroy that love.’
He had believed that his efforts were going as he had intended, but he had only confirmed in vain that her feelings were still the same.
There was quite a bit of bloodstains near where Kaian had fallen as if he had been hit by a sword. Then, he noticed a piece of paper that had been folded incongruously on the floor of the hall that had been polished to a mirror-like shine before an important event. It was near where Claudel had stayed.
‘My intentions aren’t pure either.’
She had lost her will to live and acted like her soul was fading away, and she was planning to do something like this.
Valquiterre felt a chill on the back of his head from being hit by Claudel again.
“What do you think?”
He asked the Duke of Vermont, who was leaning against the sofa across from the desk.
“About the fact that the woman who was to become my Queen was having an affair with her ex-husband.”
The Duke of Vermont also had a slightly tired expression on his face.
No matter how much he had been through, today’s incident was enough to give him a headache.
“It’s annoying.”
“Please stop, Your Majesty.”
The Duke of Vermont finally opened his mouth.
“A woman’s heart is originally complicated and subtle. There’s a saying, ‘marriage blues.’”
“It seems like she’s not aware of her own situation enough to call it premarital depression.”
The faint smile that always gave off a soft and bright aura on Valquiterre’s face disappeared.
“Your daughter shouldn’t have a commoner mother, so she’s just hanging around and talking nonsense. Isn’t that embarrassing?”
“Will you?”
Kaian caressed her cheeks which were wet from crying so much. He was even more careful, worried that her red eyes might hurt if she shed her tears. As if she could sense his feelings from his attitude, Claudel became even sadder. Her voice, which was as thin as if it would burst, was sorrowful.
“It would have been better if we hadn’t met like this.”
Not as enemies of a family, but as an ordinary man and woman.
As an ordinary relationship with no misunderstandings.
“I can’t forgive you, and I can’t hate you. What should I do?”
Hatred had built up between Vermont and Temnes.
It wasn’t something he or she did.
The problem was that he had started off wrong. It was a mistake to draw the line at the woman he could love so much, calling her ‘Vermont’s daughter.’
In the end, he had come to the point where he valued Claudel more than his own life. When he was hit by Antjone's sword, he didn't hesitate for a moment.
Claudel absolutely could not be hurt. He was so happy that his sincerity had reached her heart, but it was too early to be happy.
'There is something I can ask for forgiveness and make up for.'
He couldn't tell Claudel that the baby was alive yet.
The maids were fidgeting, watching them from beyond the bars of the hanging garden.
Given Claudel's condition, he was worried that if he brought up the baby, she would cry and collapse without being able to control her body.
Even if she was surprised or her attitude changed, those who saw and heard would quickly tell Valquiterre.
Kaian hid his nervousness as he guessed where the carriage that had left early in the morning had gone by now.
'I have to stay undetected until the baby safely escapes the capital.'
Even if that was out of his hands, it was more important for him to take Claudel and escape the palace.
'I can't make our child an orphan.'
When he came to his senses, Valquiterre's thoughts were very clear.
Kaian believed.
Kaian purely believed someone he shouldn't have believed.
And Kaian, who had regained his composure, could even see what Valquiterre was thinking right now.
"Claudel."
Every time he called her name, she seemed to sink into waves of even sadder emotions.
"If you're in so much pain that you feel like you're going to die. Just believe me and say you're dead."
Kaian stared at Claudel as if he was engraving her on his retina.
He would never forget this moment.
The moment she came to him again, and what he had to protect.
Claudel was the very thing he had to protect to live like a human being.
'I messed up at the Foundation Ball, so by now...'
Kaian grasped Claudel's hand when he realized that there wasn't much time left.
"Claudel. You have to leave the castle right now."
Claudel's eyes widened at the sudden words.
***
Valquiterre looked at the small piece of paper.
The subject was missing, but it was obvious who had sent it. Who else could possibly be there to take her out, saying she was banned from entering the palace, but the woman who claimed to be her mother?
“You kept this from me.”
Noble women were divided into two groups.
Some had a strong desire to further increase their status and power, and those who had no interest in such things.
Unfortunately, Valquiterre felt that Claudel was the latter.
Perhaps it was because she had grown up as a Princess in the castle of Valmonde, despite her unfortunate childhood, and because she had a strong sense of futility in life. In any case, Valquiterre had purely wanted to push Kaian into the hell of marriage, but he was furious that he had a wife who was so attractive that Valquiterre was attracted to her at first sight.
Furthermore, Claudel had truly fallen in love with Kaian without the stupid him noticing, and he wanted to ruin her even more. It was crazy to think that Kaian had feelings that he would only experience once in his life, praising her as noble and beautiful.
Before the Foundation Ball began, Valquiterre was happy to see the bastard's face distort at the news of his and Claudel's marriage.
Then, Kaian was suddenly stabbed and carried out of the ballroom.
The problem was that she was crying and half-clinging to him, despite the obvious fact that he had been saving Claudel, and disappeared with him.
'Claudel. Come this way.'
'No.'
The woman who rejected Valquiterre who reached out her hand was completely oblivious to him.
No one could have ignored the fact that Claudel’s eyes and ears were completely focused on Kaian’s safety. The reason he didn’t force Claudel away from Kaian was to avoid making himself look bad in front of the other nobles.
Valquiterre, who had been refined as a King for many years, instinctively knew how to not lose his dignity in such a situation.
Even though there were many rumors that he was a King who coveted his second cousin’s wife.
‘I tried to destroy that love.’
He had believed that his efforts were going as he had intended, but he had only confirmed in vain that her feelings were still the same.
There was quite a bit of bloodstains near where Kaian had fallen as if he had been hit by a sword. Then, he noticed a piece of paper that had been folded incongruously on the floor of the hall that had been polished to a mirror-like shine before an important event. It was near where Claudel had stayed.
‘My intentions aren’t pure either.’
She had lost her will to live and acted like her soul was fading away, and she was planning to do something like this.
Valquiterre felt a chill on the back of his head from being hit by Claudel again.
“What do you think?”
He asked the Duke of Vermont, who was leaning against the sofa across from the desk.
“About the fact that the woman who was to become my Queen was having an affair with her ex-husband.”
The Duke of Vermont also had a slightly tired expression on his face.
No matter how much he had been through, today’s incident was enough to give him a headache.
“It’s annoying.”
“Please stop, Your Majesty.”
The Duke of Vermont finally opened his mouth.
“A woman’s heart is originally complicated and subtle. There’s a saying, ‘marriage blues.’”
“It seems like she’s not aware of her own situation enough to call it premarital depression.”
The faint smile that always gave off a soft and bright aura on Valquiterre’s face disappeared.
“Your daughter shouldn’t have a commoner mother, so she’s just hanging around and talking nonsense. Isn’t that embarrassing?”
The Duke of Vermont’s eyebrows twitched at the words that hit the nail on the head.
“Don’t forget. About the deal between you and me.”
Valquiterre’s cold face, not smiling, looked very similar to Kaian for a moment. The Duke of Vermont flinched involuntarily.
'That’s because the mothers are twins.'
But it was also a little creepy.
Valquiterre, who always had a gentle smile and treated people kindly, was considered the opposite of Kaian, who ruled the southern territory but radiated colder air than the cold north wind.
Blood is thicker than water, as they say.
For a moment, it was strange to find such a cold side in Valquiterre.
“I’ll keep that in mind. You promised me half of the production in Pagos, so I can’t let things go wrong,”
He said, agreeing to receive a memorandum that would permanently give half of the Pagos lands he had taken from Kaian to Vermont in exchange for handing Claudel over to the King.
“That would be more than enough.”
Considering the wheat production in Pagos, the granary, would be enough to completely eradicate the famine in Valmonde and prepare for war in three or four years.
“The Duke of Temnes will be kicking the ground in his grave.”
Just thinking about it made him feel cathartic, so the Duke of Vermont controlled his expression.
At that moment, an urgent voice was heard from outside the door.
“Your Majesty. Your Majesty. We’re in trouble.”
“What’s going on?”
Count Makie, who had half-jumped into his office, quickly told the Duke of Vermont, who was still at a loss.
“The Duke of Temnes will take Lady Claudel out of the palace.”
“What did you say?”
Valquiterre jumped up from his seat.
The escape attempt failed.
Claudel, who was in his arms, was thinner than ever.
Kaian was worried that she might get hurt if he took her out too hard, so he tried to charge straight through, but since the palace itself was a natural fortress, he didn’t have high expectations.
At the entrance to the royal lounge, a guard blocked his way with a spear and told him to leave Claudel behind, so Kaian returned to the hanging garden and locked the door.
Claudel looked at him worriedly as she watched the soldiers who had gathered outside the bars, unable to come in, wandering around.
“What should I do now?”
“You were as good as dead earlier, so your life is now mine.”
It was an unexpected remark, but Claudel nodded.
“It would be a bonus life.”
If she could get out of here alive. The rest of the story was omitted, but he quickly understood.
“Trust me. I will definitely take you out.”
Kaian leaned his head dangerously over the edge of the hanging garden railing, looked down, took out a firecracker from his bosom, and shot it into the dark night sky.
Bang.
The fireworks exploded instantly, brightly lighting up the surroundings.
“I found it.”
Kaian looked at Claudel.
“We have no choice but to jump off here.”
“Ah.”
Kaian hugged her tightly as Claudel shrugged her shoulders at the steep cliff below.
“I won’t hurt you.”
“I trust you.”
As he had said, her life was already mortgaged.
She answered meekly without hesitation. She had already entrusted it to him.
“Claudel!”
Valquiterre appeared beyond the golden bars and opened the door with a key.
As soon as the door opened, armed soldiers swarmed in and surrounded them standing at the edge of the railing.
“Come here.”
Valquiterre said threateningly, not in a sarcastic tone.
“I’m sorry.”
“You owe me so much, and yet you are shameless?”
“You tried to use me too, didn’t you?”
“You asked me to escape your misery, and now you are going back to hell?”
He held out his hand, laughing at her.
“This is your last chance. If you will be my Queen, I will send Kaian out of here alive.”
Valquiterre said as if he had done her a great favor.
She hesitated, looked at Kaian once, and then pursed her lips.
“If I were to marry again, I would want to marry someone I love.”
“Don’t forget. About the deal between you and me.”
Valquiterre’s cold face, not smiling, looked very similar to Kaian for a moment. The Duke of Vermont flinched involuntarily.
'That’s because the mothers are twins.'
But it was also a little creepy.
Valquiterre, who always had a gentle smile and treated people kindly, was considered the opposite of Kaian, who ruled the southern territory but radiated colder air than the cold north wind.
Blood is thicker than water, as they say.
For a moment, it was strange to find such a cold side in Valquiterre.
“I’ll keep that in mind. You promised me half of the production in Pagos, so I can’t let things go wrong,”
He said, agreeing to receive a memorandum that would permanently give half of the Pagos lands he had taken from Kaian to Vermont in exchange for handing Claudel over to the King.
“That would be more than enough.”
Considering the wheat production in Pagos, the granary, would be enough to completely eradicate the famine in Valmonde and prepare for war in three or four years.
“The Duke of Temnes will be kicking the ground in his grave.”
Just thinking about it made him feel cathartic, so the Duke of Vermont controlled his expression.
At that moment, an urgent voice was heard from outside the door.
“Your Majesty. Your Majesty. We’re in trouble.”
“What’s going on?”
Count Makie, who had half-jumped into his office, quickly told the Duke of Vermont, who was still at a loss.
“The Duke of Temnes will take Lady Claudel out of the palace.”
“What did you say?”
Valquiterre jumped up from his seat.
***
The escape attempt failed.
Claudel, who was in his arms, was thinner than ever.
Kaian was worried that she might get hurt if he took her out too hard, so he tried to charge straight through, but since the palace itself was a natural fortress, he didn’t have high expectations.
At the entrance to the royal lounge, a guard blocked his way with a spear and told him to leave Claudel behind, so Kaian returned to the hanging garden and locked the door.
Claudel looked at him worriedly as she watched the soldiers who had gathered outside the bars, unable to come in, wandering around.
“What should I do now?”
“You were as good as dead earlier, so your life is now mine.”
It was an unexpected remark, but Claudel nodded.
“It would be a bonus life.”
If she could get out of here alive. The rest of the story was omitted, but he quickly understood.
“Trust me. I will definitely take you out.”
Kaian leaned his head dangerously over the edge of the hanging garden railing, looked down, took out a firecracker from his bosom, and shot it into the dark night sky.
Bang.
The fireworks exploded instantly, brightly lighting up the surroundings.
“I found it.”
Kaian looked at Claudel.
“We have no choice but to jump off here.”
“Ah.”
Kaian hugged her tightly as Claudel shrugged her shoulders at the steep cliff below.
“I won’t hurt you.”
“I trust you.”
As he had said, her life was already mortgaged.
She answered meekly without hesitation. She had already entrusted it to him.
“Claudel!”
Valquiterre appeared beyond the golden bars and opened the door with a key.
As soon as the door opened, armed soldiers swarmed in and surrounded them standing at the edge of the railing.
“Come here.”
Valquiterre said threateningly, not in a sarcastic tone.
“I’m sorry.”
“You owe me so much, and yet you are shameless?”
“You tried to use me too, didn’t you?”
“You asked me to escape your misery, and now you are going back to hell?”
He held out his hand, laughing at her.
“This is your last chance. If you will be my Queen, I will send Kaian out of here alive.”
Valquiterre said as if he had done her a great favor.
She hesitated, looked at Kaian once, and then pursed her lips.
“If I were to marry again, I would want to marry someone I love.”
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