Ariadne, who confirmed that Lariesa de Valoa and the Gallico delegation had left the palace, also thought it was time to leave. She returned to her room in the Queen’s palace and packed her bags.
Since she had not come to stay long, her luggage was simple. The clothes she had worn that day and the small necessities bestowed by Queen Marguerite were all she had.
“Are you ready, my lady?”
The Queen’s palace maid spoke to Ariadne in a sarcastic tone. She was a maid who had become quite familiar with her over the past ten days.
“I’m done. Thank you.”
Ariadne looked at her neatly closed trunk bag. If she handed the bag over to the maid, her visit to the palace would end.
“Just a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Could you, by any chance, deliver a letter?”
The maid looked hesitant. In fact, Queen Marguerite herself had ordered her not to send letters to Prince Alfonso. It was a command from her master as high as the sky for a maid, and if she disobeyed, she would be in trouble.
“I won’t cause trouble.”
So Ariadne wrote letters that would not cause trouble even if Her Majesty the Queen personally opened them.
Ariadne took out the letter she had kept neatly in her pocket and handed it to the maid.
“You can just give this to Sir Bernardino.”
Asking the maid to send it to Prince Alfonso was beyond her ability anyway. It was difficult for a maid to meet the Prince.
When the maid didn’t readily accept the envelope, Ariadne placed a ducat coin that she had set aside in advance on top of the envelope and handed it to the maid. It was a magical catalyst that created a will that did not exist. The maid hesitated and then accepted Ariadne’s letter.
“Thank you.”
Ariadne smiled brightly and took the maid’s hand. She soon handed over the travel trunk. It was really time to go back.
Alfonso was also moving. The urgent matter was over and it was time to return to the palace.
Alfonso had been feeling very complicated these days.
Since she had not come to stay long, her luggage was simple. The clothes she had worn that day and the small necessities bestowed by Queen Marguerite were all she had.
“Are you ready, my lady?”
The Queen’s palace maid spoke to Ariadne in a sarcastic tone. She was a maid who had become quite familiar with her over the past ten days.
“I’m done. Thank you.”
Ariadne looked at her neatly closed trunk bag. If she handed the bag over to the maid, her visit to the palace would end.
“Just a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Could you, by any chance, deliver a letter?”
The maid looked hesitant. In fact, Queen Marguerite herself had ordered her not to send letters to Prince Alfonso. It was a command from her master as high as the sky for a maid, and if she disobeyed, she would be in trouble.
“I won’t cause trouble.”
So Ariadne wrote letters that would not cause trouble even if Her Majesty the Queen personally opened them.
Ariadne took out the letter she had kept neatly in her pocket and handed it to the maid.
“You can just give this to Sir Bernardino.”
Asking the maid to send it to Prince Alfonso was beyond her ability anyway. It was difficult for a maid to meet the Prince.
When the maid didn’t readily accept the envelope, Ariadne placed a ducat coin that she had set aside in advance on top of the envelope and handed it to the maid. It was a magical catalyst that created a will that did not exist. The maid hesitated and then accepted Ariadne’s letter.
“Thank you.”
Ariadne smiled brightly and took the maid’s hand. She soon handed over the travel trunk. It was really time to go back.
***
Alfonso was also moving. The urgent matter was over and it was time to return to the palace.
Alfonso had been feeling very complicated these days.
'Elko...'
His childhood friend, who had been with him since childhood, had been falsely accused and taken to the Kingdom of Gallico instead of him.
He felt anger at the Kingdom of Gallico for making unreasonable demands and at his father for handing over his own people for political convenience, but in fact, he felt more self-reproach than that.
'I put my own person in danger to protect myself.'
He stood by the window and washed his face in vain while feeling the wind.
No, in fact, Prince Alfonso did not put Sir Elko in danger to protect himself. He turned away from him to protect the woman he loved, Ariadne de Mare.
He felt anger at the Kingdom of Gallico for making unreasonable demands and at his father for handing over his own people for political convenience, but in fact, he felt more self-reproach than that.
'I put my own person in danger to protect myself.'
He stood by the window and washed his face in vain while feeling the wind.
No, in fact, Prince Alfonso did not put Sir Elko in danger to protect himself. He turned away from him to protect the woman he loved, Ariadne de Mare.
'Was that really the right thing to do? Is my love so important that I would sacrifice Elko's life?'
It was a worry that kept Alfonso awake.
Knock knock.
“Your Highness, this is Dino. May I come in?”
Alfonso sat on the windowsill and suddenly looked toward the door.
“Come in.”
Sir Bernardino bowed his head and came in, handing him a letter.
“I have a letter for you, Prince. I think you will like it...”
Prince Alfonso had been noticeably listless lately. Sir Bernardino wanted to cheer up the Prince he was serving in some way.
Sir Bernardino bowed his head and came in, handing him a letter.
“I have a letter for you, Prince. I think you will like it...”
Prince Alfonso had been noticeably listless lately. Sir Bernardino wanted to cheer up the Prince he was serving in some way.
“A letter from Lady de Mare.”
Sir Bernardino imagined Alfonso would be delighted, and left the Prince alone so that he could read the letter quietly.
Alfonso opened the envelope with bloodshot eyes and took out the contents, but he could not bring himself to read the letter right away.
He and Ariadne had been in the same building for the past ten days, but they had not seen each other even once. It was probably his mother’s will.
It was natural that Ari could not come to see him. She was a guest, and a woman of low status, so she could not disobey the Queen.
However, Alfonso could go to see Ariadne. What stopped him from doing so was his guilt toward Sir Elko.
And now a letter from Ariadne arrived first.
'How long must Ari have waited for my call before sending me a letter first?'
He felt his heart break as he thought about it. He had sent his friend to death because he was incompetent, and he had made his woman tremble in fear because he was incompetent.
Neither of them had any good or bad qualities, so neither of them could protect them perfectly. He shuddered at himself.
Alfonso mustered up his courage, picked up the letter, and read its contents. He was prepared to confess his love, resent his lover who did not come, and confess his sadness and loneliness. However, the contents of the letter were the exact opposite of what he had imagined.
"To His Highness Prince Alfonso de Carlo."
Alfonso couldn't believe his eyes from the first sentence. He didn't know how to refer to himself by her title. The content of the letter that followed was so, so stiff that it seemed like an official document.
"I hope you've been well. Thanks to the kindness of Your Highness, I was able to rest safely under Her Majesty the Queen's wings.
Sir Bernardino imagined Alfonso would be delighted, and left the Prince alone so that he could read the letter quietly.
Alfonso opened the envelope with bloodshot eyes and took out the contents, but he could not bring himself to read the letter right away.
He and Ariadne had been in the same building for the past ten days, but they had not seen each other even once. It was probably his mother’s will.
It was natural that Ari could not come to see him. She was a guest, and a woman of low status, so she could not disobey the Queen.
However, Alfonso could go to see Ariadne. What stopped him from doing so was his guilt toward Sir Elko.
And now a letter from Ariadne arrived first.
'How long must Ari have waited for my call before sending me a letter first?'
He felt his heart break as he thought about it. He had sent his friend to death because he was incompetent, and he had made his woman tremble in fear because he was incompetent.
Neither of them had any good or bad qualities, so neither of them could protect them perfectly. He shuddered at himself.
Alfonso mustered up his courage, picked up the letter, and read its contents. He was prepared to confess his love, resent his lover who did not come, and confess his sadness and loneliness. However, the contents of the letter were the exact opposite of what he had imagined.
"To His Highness Prince Alfonso de Carlo."
Alfonso couldn't believe his eyes from the first sentence. He didn't know how to refer to himself by her title. The content of the letter that followed was so, so stiff that it seemed like an official document.
"I hope you've been well. Thanks to the kindness of Your Highness, I was able to rest safely under Her Majesty the Queen's wings.
I will soon be returning to the de Mare mansion. I am writing this letter now because I don't think I will have the chance to see Your Highness after I return.
I expressed my intention to refrain from making friends with Your Highness. In fact, I, a humble person, fully agree with this. I think it's time to bow low and avoid the wind. I would like to ask you to refrain from contacting me in the future. Neither a letter to the de Mare mansion nor a face-to-face meeting at an official event seems appropriate. When the time comes, I will visit you first.
Stay healthy always.
"Your loyal subject, Ariadne de Mare, with a loving heart."
When Alfonso confessed to Ariadne in the prison of the 'Queen's Inner Chamber', she recited the oath of loyalty that a knight would recite instead of a love song. And that was the last day the two of them met.
Alfonso tried to think that her oath of loyalty was simply a promise to protect him at that moment. He thought that she was not rejecting love, that if he peeled back the layers of loyalty, there would be love underneath, and that love would be the essential element of her feelings for him.
I expressed my intention to refrain from making friends with Your Highness. In fact, I, a humble person, fully agree with this. I think it's time to bow low and avoid the wind. I would like to ask you to refrain from contacting me in the future. Neither a letter to the de Mare mansion nor a face-to-face meeting at an official event seems appropriate. When the time comes, I will visit you first.
Stay healthy always.
"Your loyal subject, Ariadne de Mare, with a loving heart."
When Alfonso confessed to Ariadne in the prison of the 'Queen's Inner Chamber', she recited the oath of loyalty that a knight would recite instead of a love song. And that was the last day the two of them met.
Alfonso tried to think that her oath of loyalty was simply a promise to protect him at that moment. He thought that she was not rejecting love, that if he peeled back the layers of loyalty, there would be love underneath, and that love would be the essential element of her feelings for him.
"...No way."
Was Ariadne really serious? Was it an oath that meant that they would now only treat each other as masters and servants? Did she really erase him from her heart?
Prince Alfonso jumped up from his seat, holding Ariadne's letter in his hand.
"It can't be true. There must be some misunderstanding."
Prince Alfonso broke his eggshell for Ariadne de Mare. He abandoned his duty, rebelled against his parents, and committed his first murder. It was a thought that crossed the border. But what he received in return was a farewell letter.
Was his mother threatening Ariadne? Was she threatening her to give up her dream because she was beyond his status?
Prince Alfonso had never once doubted his mother. She had always been fair and kind, and she had never turned her back on her son.
But now, Alfonso's world was suspecting even Queen Marguerite. It was less painful to think that Ariadne, the other world he had come to know for the first time since birth, had erased him.
Prince Alfonso kicked open the door and ran.
The Prince's palace was less than a twenty-minute walk from the Queen's palace. It was a run for a young man.
He could have found it with his eyes closed, but he had pictured it countless times but had never been able to open it because of his guilt.
It was the small guest room in the Queen's palace, Ariadne's quarters.
Was Ariadne really serious? Was it an oath that meant that they would now only treat each other as masters and servants? Did she really erase him from her heart?
Prince Alfonso jumped up from his seat, holding Ariadne's letter in his hand.
"It can't be true. There must be some misunderstanding."
Prince Alfonso broke his eggshell for Ariadne de Mare. He abandoned his duty, rebelled against his parents, and committed his first murder. It was a thought that crossed the border. But what he received in return was a farewell letter.
Was his mother threatening Ariadne? Was she threatening her to give up her dream because she was beyond his status?
Prince Alfonso had never once doubted his mother. She had always been fair and kind, and she had never turned her back on her son.
But now, Alfonso's world was suspecting even Queen Marguerite. It was less painful to think that Ariadne, the other world he had come to know for the first time since birth, had erased him.
Prince Alfonso kicked open the door and ran.
The Prince's palace was less than a twenty-minute walk from the Queen's palace. It was a run for a young man.
He could have found it with his eyes closed, but he had pictured it countless times but had never been able to open it because of his guilt.
It was the small guest room in the Queen's palace, Ariadne's quarters.
Bam!
“Ariadne!”
The maid who was cleaning looked up at Prince Alfonso with a surprised expression. The room was clean and devoid of any trace of life.
“Your Highness...”
Alfonso asked urgently, not even having time to maintain his dignity.
“Where did Ariadne, the lady who was here, go?”
“The guest who was staying in this room returned home yesterday.”
Thud.
Alfonso’s legs gave out and he collapsed on the spot. The startled maid opened her rabbit eyes and looked at the Prince.
The Prince asked the maid urgently.
“Is there anything left for me?”
The maid thought it was impossible, but the Prince’s tone sounded like he was pleading with her.
“...I’m sorry, but there was nothing left in the room when the guest left.”
Prince Alfonso covered his face with both hands. This couldn’t be happening.
Ariadne rode in the royal carriage with the Queen’s seal on it and returned to the de Mare mansion.
“Ariadne!”
The maid who was cleaning looked up at Prince Alfonso with a surprised expression. The room was clean and devoid of any trace of life.
“Your Highness...”
Alfonso asked urgently, not even having time to maintain his dignity.
“Where did Ariadne, the lady who was here, go?”
“The guest who was staying in this room returned home yesterday.”
Thud.
Alfonso’s legs gave out and he collapsed on the spot. The startled maid opened her rabbit eyes and looked at the Prince.
The Prince asked the maid urgently.
“Is there anything left for me?”
The maid thought it was impossible, but the Prince’s tone sounded like he was pleading with her.
“...I’m sorry, but there was nothing left in the room when the guest left.”
Prince Alfonso covered his face with both hands. This couldn’t be happening.
***
Ariadne rode in the royal carriage with the Queen’s seal on it and returned to the de Mare mansion.
“My lady!”
Sancha ran out of the mansion’s entrance with tears in her eyes and hugged Ariadne.
“I thought something had happened!”
Queen Marguerite had sent a letter to Cardinal de Mare saying, “Your second daughter is smart, and I want to keep her for a week and have her as a companion.”
However, the quick-witted family did not believe the letter at face value, since the palace was in turmoil due to the death of the head of the Gallico delegation, and the Queen suddenly refused to let Ariadne go home.
“Don’t be so excited, nothing happened.”
Ariadne, who had completely healed the bruises she had received while the Duke of Mireille had strangled her and the scratches she had received from the bushes and bushes as she jumped out of the carriage, entered the house with a relaxed smile. She had not only met happy faces when she returned home.
“Who would believe a story that says nothing happened?”
A sharp voice rang out. It was Isabella, who was leaning crookedly in the hallway connecting the hallway and the reception room, folding her arms and looking at Ariadne.
“A grown woman sleeping outside for ten days without a chaperone. Without permission. Who would believe your chastity?”
Ariadne’s eyebrows furrowed. Isabella was rambling on, but she had an animalistic instinct, like her mother. She was getting pretty close to the reason why Ariadne had to stay in the Queen’s palace without knowing anything.
But Ariadne wasn’t going to give in here.
“Isabella de Mare.”
Her voice was low and it seemed as if she couldn’t hold back her displeasure.
“You don’t believe the official document that Her Majesty the Queen personally issued? In this entire Etruscan kingdom, where is there a chaperone more trustworthy than the one Her Majesty the Queen personally appointed?”
Ariadne glared at Isabella and snapped.
“Shut up, you little punk. Before I tell the palace that Isabella de Mare is suspicious of Her Majesty Queen Marguerite’s official documents.”
Isabella bit her lip and lowered her head. She had nothing more to say. But Isabella had no other way to beat Ariadne.
In the past, she would have been furious and attacked her, but this was a huge step forward.
“Tsk, tsk, Isabella. I thought you had come to your senses..."
Cardinal de Mare appeared on the second-floor stairs. Isabella, who had been caught off guard by her father, bit her lip and lowered her head.
“But Ariadne, your sister is partly right. If you were going to stay out overnight, you should have told your family in advance.”
“I’m sorry, father. There were circumstances.”
Sancha ran out of the mansion’s entrance with tears in her eyes and hugged Ariadne.
“I thought something had happened!”
Queen Marguerite had sent a letter to Cardinal de Mare saying, “Your second daughter is smart, and I want to keep her for a week and have her as a companion.”
However, the quick-witted family did not believe the letter at face value, since the palace was in turmoil due to the death of the head of the Gallico delegation, and the Queen suddenly refused to let Ariadne go home.
“Don’t be so excited, nothing happened.”
Ariadne, who had completely healed the bruises she had received while the Duke of Mireille had strangled her and the scratches she had received from the bushes and bushes as she jumped out of the carriage, entered the house with a relaxed smile. She had not only met happy faces when she returned home.
“Who would believe a story that says nothing happened?”
A sharp voice rang out. It was Isabella, who was leaning crookedly in the hallway connecting the hallway and the reception room, folding her arms and looking at Ariadne.
“A grown woman sleeping outside for ten days without a chaperone. Without permission. Who would believe your chastity?”
Ariadne’s eyebrows furrowed. Isabella was rambling on, but she had an animalistic instinct, like her mother. She was getting pretty close to the reason why Ariadne had to stay in the Queen’s palace without knowing anything.
But Ariadne wasn’t going to give in here.
“Isabella de Mare.”
Her voice was low and it seemed as if she couldn’t hold back her displeasure.
“You don’t believe the official document that Her Majesty the Queen personally issued? In this entire Etruscan kingdom, where is there a chaperone more trustworthy than the one Her Majesty the Queen personally appointed?”
Ariadne glared at Isabella and snapped.
“Shut up, you little punk. Before I tell the palace that Isabella de Mare is suspicious of Her Majesty Queen Marguerite’s official documents.”
Isabella bit her lip and lowered her head. She had nothing more to say. But Isabella had no other way to beat Ariadne.
In the past, she would have been furious and attacked her, but this was a huge step forward.
“Tsk, tsk, Isabella. I thought you had come to your senses..."
Cardinal de Mare appeared on the second-floor stairs. Isabella, who had been caught off guard by her father, bit her lip and lowered her head.
“But Ariadne, your sister is partly right. If you were going to stay out overnight, you should have told your family in advance.”
“I’m sorry, father. There were circumstances.”
“Shall I hear what they are?”
Cardinal de Mare pointed toward his study.
“Would you like to come into my study?”
It was Cardinal de Mare's own study, where he never allowed any family members other than his eldest son to enter. It was where he mainly worked, and where his important documents were piled up. Except for the accounting ledgers that Ariadne held, all the important business of the de Mare family and the Diocese of San Carlo was handled there.
Ariadne, who had entered Cardinal de Mare's study for the first time in her life and in this life, bowed her head with the aforementioned face.
"Yes, Father."
Cardinal de Mare pointed toward his study.
“Would you like to come into my study?”
It was Cardinal de Mare's own study, where he never allowed any family members other than his eldest son to enter. It was where he mainly worked, and where his important documents were piled up. Except for the accounting ledgers that Ariadne held, all the important business of the de Mare family and the Diocese of San Carlo was handled there.
Ariadne, who had entered Cardinal de Mare's study for the first time in her life and in this life, bowed her head with the aforementioned face.
"Yes, Father."
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