Ariadne woke up to the bright sunlight piercing her eyes. She was frowning slightly.
It was a little later than usual. It seemed that the maid had not woken her up at the usual time so that the young lady with a sore throat could sleep well.
However, the air in the room was a little different. She looked around. The same curtains as always, the same curtains as always. Curtains...?
Whoosh!
The wind blew strongly through the wide-open window. The curtains that should have been drawn were also open to the side.
Frowning, Ariadne jumped up from her seat. She was going to look out the window. At that moment, a piece of parchment slipped down from her pillowcase.
'This?'
Someone had entered and left her room.
Nervous, Ariadne picked up the parchment first. Then she saw the remaining piece of paper lying under her pillow.
She quickly read the contents of the first piece of paper while placing the second piece of paper on her lap.
Ariadne's eyes widened as she read the letter, which was long if it was long and short if it was short.
'...Idiot, you're so stupid!'
And tears began to well up in her eyes.
'You're going to Gallico?'
No, going to Gallico was fine. It was important, but that wasn't what touched her emotionally.
'Idiot, how can you worry about others when it's been a few days since you lost your mother?'
Tears began to flow endlessly from Ariadne's eyes. She remembered the day she lost her mother. Young Ariadne locked herself in her room and thought that she was the most pitiful child on this earth.
Even after being kicked out of the mansion and to the farm, she kept lashing out at those around her and hitting the wall for a long time.
Then she hated her mother and almost starved to death, and soon changed her mind, but she remembered the loss of her mother and self-pity that had consumed her childhood.
However, this golden Prince pitied the people around him more than he pitied himself.
'A kind fool...'
If there was a more sly person than Ariadne, it would definitely be Alfonso.
'...I miss you.'
She wanted to tell him, stroking his golden hair.
“On the days when the Gallicans came, none of the family could even come near the annex... I was the same way... I don’t know what they talked about, but if I think about it for a little longer, I might remember.”
She looked up at Cesare with a face full of anticipation. Cesare pretended not to know her hopes with a smooth expression. He had seen these women so many times that it was tiresome.
“What did they look like?”
“They were noble-looking people. Their clothes were like those of nobles, and they didn’t speak our language at all.”
“When was the last time the Gallicans came?”
“About a month ago.”
The date was right. After meeting them, the spice merchant Strozzi sold all his property and prepared to leave the Etruscans.
Cesare took out a gold ducat from his bosom, kissed it, and handed it to the woman.
“Recall it. I may come back soon and ask you more questions.”
The woman, whose face flushed at the thought of Cesare returning and meeting her, accepted the gold with both hands. Count Cesare had planned to send the King’s army to collect testimony, but if the woman was mistaken, he would be grateful. He would cooperate more readily.
“When will you be coming?”
“Soon.”
Cesare waved his hand halfheartedly and left her quarters. He held in his hands a means of saving his mother, however inadequate it might be.
Rubina was not a good mother, but she was Cesare’s only family. He jumped onto his dark brown horse parked in the alley.
“Let’s go, Ira!”
Heehee!
The sound of the sturdy horseshoes hitting the flat stone pavement of San Carlo rang refreshingly.
It was a little later than usual. It seemed that the maid had not woken her up at the usual time so that the young lady with a sore throat could sleep well.
However, the air in the room was a little different. She looked around. The same curtains as always, the same curtains as always. Curtains...?
Whoosh!
The wind blew strongly through the wide-open window. The curtains that should have been drawn were also open to the side.
Frowning, Ariadne jumped up from her seat. She was going to look out the window. At that moment, a piece of parchment slipped down from her pillowcase.
'This?'
Someone had entered and left her room.
Nervous, Ariadne picked up the parchment first. Then she saw the remaining piece of paper lying under her pillow.
She quickly read the contents of the first piece of paper while placing the second piece of paper on her lap.
Ariadne's eyes widened as she read the letter, which was long if it was long and short if it was short.
'...Idiot, you're so stupid!'
And tears began to well up in her eyes.
'You're going to Gallico?'
No, going to Gallico was fine. It was important, but that wasn't what touched her emotionally.
'Idiot, how can you worry about others when it's been a few days since you lost your mother?'
Tears began to flow endlessly from Ariadne's eyes. She remembered the day she lost her mother. Young Ariadne locked herself in her room and thought that she was the most pitiful child on this earth.
Even after being kicked out of the mansion and to the farm, she kept lashing out at those around her and hitting the wall for a long time.
Then she hated her mother and almost starved to death, and soon changed her mind, but she remembered the loss of her mother and self-pity that had consumed her childhood.
However, this golden Prince pitied the people around him more than he pitied himself.
'A kind fool...'
If there was a more sly person than Ariadne, it would definitely be Alfonso.
'...I miss you.'
She wanted to tell him, stroking his golden hair.
You don't need to be my shoulder to lean on. You are enough just the way you are. I want to hold your hand tightly. I will be your help. I will be your shoulder to lean on. I... want to be your strength.
Ariadne wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. This was not the time to be like this. The letter clearly said, 'Leave tomorrow morning.'
She quickly unfolded the second piece of parchment. Sure enough, it was a note from the Grand Duchess of Lariesa.
Ariadne ran barefoot to her study, put the second piece of parchment in her safe, and locked it tightly. Then she called out to Sancha in a loud voice. She didn't even have time to run to the rope in her bedroom.
"Sancha!"
Sancha, who recognized Ariadne's voice, ran into the room like the wind.
“Are you awake?”
“Get the carriage, no, the horse ready!”
“Yes?”
“Right now!”
While Sancha ran downstairs, overcome by Ariadne’s energy, Ariadne went into the closet, pulled out a random outer garment, put it over her nightgown, and shoved her feet into her shoes.
Without even waiting for the report that Sancha was finished, Ariadne ran downstairs and, seeing her brown horse waiting in front of the front door, saddled it up in one stride and mounted it.
“Lady!”
Ignoring Sancha’s scream, who was terrified at the sight of Ariadne not even properly dressed, Ariadne spurred her horse on.
“Hey!”
She only knew that the scheduled departure time was this morning, but she had no idea when, where, or how Alfonso would leave.
However, if he was leaving from San Carlo to Gallico, the starting point would naturally be the north gate of the castle.
Riding her horse at the speed of the wind, Ariadne reached the north wall and was stopped by the closing gate as she tried to pass through.
“Please open the gate!”
Ariadne cried out like a madwoman to the soldier who was turning the pulley to close the heavy gate.
The soldier was startled by Ariadne who barely stopped right in front of him as she rushed forward without even slowing down, and was surprised twice by the luxurious material of the mantle she was wearing and the luster of her horse’s hair, but he did not give in and blocked her path. This was because today was a day when discipline was stricter than usual.
“Today, on state business, ordinary people are not allowed to enter until noon. Please turn around and go through the west or east gate.”
“Is state business like a procession by His Highness the Prince?”
He hesitated to answer but nodded when he saw Ariadne’s attire. The woman seemed like a high-ranking noblewoman, and he already knew what was going on.
“That’s right. His Highness already passed through the north gate.”
“His Highness just left?!”
“Can’t you tell when the gate closes?”
Ariadne lowered her head, feeling suffocated. However, she did not give in and immediately took out a gold ducat from her bosom and handed it to the soldier.
“Sir... How can it not be?”
The soldier quickly took the gold coin, but looked around and answered in a troubled voice.
“There are too many people from the center... I can’t open the gate.”
If that was the case, why did he take the gold coin? Ariadne calmed down her surging anger and looked around.
“Then can I climb up the wall?”
She wanted to see his back as he left.
The soldier looked around and nodded.
“If it’s just the wall...”
Ariadne jumped off her horse without waiting for the soldier to finish his sentence. She ran up the stairs leading to the north wall in one go.
She was out of breath and her heart was racing, but she couldn’t miss this moment. She stumbled and one of her shoes came off, but she didn’t care and ran barefoot.
When Ariadne reached the north wall, her lungs were on the verge of bursting. Every time she took in air, her lungs stung and hurt. In Ariadne’s sight, which was blurred, she saw three carriages and about sixty horses slowly moving forward in a single file under the wall. She clung to the breech of the stone wall and shouted with all her might.
“Alfonso-!!!!”
However, the carriages and horses, which were moving forward slowly and languidly, continued to move forward without stopping.
Ariadne suppressed her urge to cry and shouted again with all her might.
“Alfonso-!!!!!”
The procession did not stop, but there was a slight change. A white horse walking in the center slipped to the side and slowed down. The owner of the white horse was wearing full plate armor and a blue surcoat on the outside.
He turned his horse's head back and took off the helmet he was wearing. His golden hair poured down.
Ariadne's eyes suddenly burst into tears. It was Alfonso!
It was far away and dim, but there was a big smile on Alfonso's face. It was a sign of sincere joy from an honest and affectionate man with clean white teeth. Prince Alfonso took off his helmet and shouted loudly.
"I'll be waiting for you in good health-!!"
Ariadne wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. This was not the time to be like this. The letter clearly said, 'Leave tomorrow morning.'
She quickly unfolded the second piece of parchment. Sure enough, it was a note from the Grand Duchess of Lariesa.
Ariadne ran barefoot to her study, put the second piece of parchment in her safe, and locked it tightly. Then she called out to Sancha in a loud voice. She didn't even have time to run to the rope in her bedroom.
"Sancha!"
Sancha, who recognized Ariadne's voice, ran into the room like the wind.
“Are you awake?”
“Get the carriage, no, the horse ready!”
“Yes?”
“Right now!”
While Sancha ran downstairs, overcome by Ariadne’s energy, Ariadne went into the closet, pulled out a random outer garment, put it over her nightgown, and shoved her feet into her shoes.
Without even waiting for the report that Sancha was finished, Ariadne ran downstairs and, seeing her brown horse waiting in front of the front door, saddled it up in one stride and mounted it.
“Lady!”
Ignoring Sancha’s scream, who was terrified at the sight of Ariadne not even properly dressed, Ariadne spurred her horse on.
“Hey!”
***
She only knew that the scheduled departure time was this morning, but she had no idea when, where, or how Alfonso would leave.
However, if he was leaving from San Carlo to Gallico, the starting point would naturally be the north gate of the castle.
Riding her horse at the speed of the wind, Ariadne reached the north wall and was stopped by the closing gate as she tried to pass through.
“Please open the gate!”
Ariadne cried out like a madwoman to the soldier who was turning the pulley to close the heavy gate.
The soldier was startled by Ariadne who barely stopped right in front of him as she rushed forward without even slowing down, and was surprised twice by the luxurious material of the mantle she was wearing and the luster of her horse’s hair, but he did not give in and blocked her path. This was because today was a day when discipline was stricter than usual.
“Today, on state business, ordinary people are not allowed to enter until noon. Please turn around and go through the west or east gate.”
“Is state business like a procession by His Highness the Prince?”
He hesitated to answer but nodded when he saw Ariadne’s attire. The woman seemed like a high-ranking noblewoman, and he already knew what was going on.
“That’s right. His Highness already passed through the north gate.”
“His Highness just left?!”
“Can’t you tell when the gate closes?”
Ariadne lowered her head, feeling suffocated. However, she did not give in and immediately took out a gold ducat from her bosom and handed it to the soldier.
“Sir... How can it not be?”
The soldier quickly took the gold coin, but looked around and answered in a troubled voice.
“There are too many people from the center... I can’t open the gate.”
If that was the case, why did he take the gold coin? Ariadne calmed down her surging anger and looked around.
“Then can I climb up the wall?”
She wanted to see his back as he left.
The soldier looked around and nodded.
“If it’s just the wall...”
Ariadne jumped off her horse without waiting for the soldier to finish his sentence. She ran up the stairs leading to the north wall in one go.
She was out of breath and her heart was racing, but she couldn’t miss this moment. She stumbled and one of her shoes came off, but she didn’t care and ran barefoot.
When Ariadne reached the north wall, her lungs were on the verge of bursting. Every time she took in air, her lungs stung and hurt. In Ariadne’s sight, which was blurred, she saw three carriages and about sixty horses slowly moving forward in a single file under the wall. She clung to the breech of the stone wall and shouted with all her might.
“Alfonso-!!!!”
However, the carriages and horses, which were moving forward slowly and languidly, continued to move forward without stopping.
Ariadne suppressed her urge to cry and shouted again with all her might.
“Alfonso-!!!!!”
The procession did not stop, but there was a slight change. A white horse walking in the center slipped to the side and slowed down. The owner of the white horse was wearing full plate armor and a blue surcoat on the outside.
He turned his horse's head back and took off the helmet he was wearing. His golden hair poured down.
Ariadne's eyes suddenly burst into tears. It was Alfonso!
It was far away and dim, but there was a big smile on Alfonso's face. It was a sign of sincere joy from an honest and affectionate man with clean white teeth. Prince Alfonso took off his helmet and shouted loudly.
"I'll be waiting for you in good health-!!"
He omitted her name for fear that the attendants around him might hear, and the words were disjointed and scattered to Ariadne because of the distance. However, their hearts had already connected.
"Yes, yes!"
Ariadne nodded frantically on the ramparts, not sure if he would hear the answer. Alfonso put both hands to his mouth again and shouted.
"Don't skip meals!"
A smile spread across Ariadne's face, which was covered in tears. She also shouted with all her might.
"Take care of yourself-!"
It was too far away to see, but Alfonso's smile seemed to have gotten a little bigger. The blond Prince raised his right arm and waved.
It was exactly the same as when he had waved to Ariadne in the middle of the crowd when they had met at the Marquis of Chibo's salon. Ariadne smiled with tears in her eyes without realizing it.
Alfonso's party was getting farther away, so it was time to join them. He waved for a while and then turned the white horse. Ariadne waved to Alfonso's back with an ambiguous face, whether she was laughing or crying.
The Prince gradually became smaller, and eventually, he appeared as a small dot beyond the ridges and hills, but she did not stop leaning against the castle wall and seeing him off.
He would return safely. If only he had love, everything would be fine. It was the first time in her life that she had an unusual wish.
"Yes, yes!"
Ariadne nodded frantically on the ramparts, not sure if he would hear the answer. Alfonso put both hands to his mouth again and shouted.
"Don't skip meals!"
A smile spread across Ariadne's face, which was covered in tears. She also shouted with all her might.
"Take care of yourself-!"
It was too far away to see, but Alfonso's smile seemed to have gotten a little bigger. The blond Prince raised his right arm and waved.
It was exactly the same as when he had waved to Ariadne in the middle of the crowd when they had met at the Marquis of Chibo's salon. Ariadne smiled with tears in her eyes without realizing it.
Alfonso's party was getting farther away, so it was time to join them. He waved for a while and then turned the white horse. Ariadne waved to Alfonso's back with an ambiguous face, whether she was laughing or crying.
The Prince gradually became smaller, and eventually, he appeared as a small dot beyond the ridges and hills, but she did not stop leaning against the castle wall and seeing him off.
He would return safely. If only he had love, everything would be fine. It was the first time in her life that she had an unusual wish.
It was not revenge or anger, but a wish for everything to be fine, for everyone to be happy. She held it deep in her heart.
Count Cesare searched the Campo de Spezia, the foreign residential area, with bloodshot eyes. He could not be at ease leaving it to his subordinates. He thoroughly met with people who worked at the house of the spice merchant Strozzi, Strozzi’s business associates, and even people who knew him and dug into the assassin of the Queen.
He paid enough silver to those who were afraid to speak, and if that didn’t work, he promised to support Count Cesare to soften their hearts.
In the end, a decisive testimony came out. It came from a woman who was half-mistress, half-maid in Strozzi’s house.
“Well... Mr. Strozzi didn’t want to talk about his origins, but the food he ate and the drinks he enjoyed were all from Gallico... Sometimes Gallicans came to the house.”
***
Count Cesare searched the Campo de Spezia, the foreign residential area, with bloodshot eyes. He could not be at ease leaving it to his subordinates. He thoroughly met with people who worked at the house of the spice merchant Strozzi, Strozzi’s business associates, and even people who knew him and dug into the assassin of the Queen.
He paid enough silver to those who were afraid to speak, and if that didn’t work, he promised to support Count Cesare to soften their hearts.
In the end, a decisive testimony came out. It came from a woman who was half-mistress, half-maid in Strozzi’s house.
“Well... Mr. Strozzi didn’t want to talk about his origins, but the food he ate and the drinks he enjoyed were all from Gallico... Sometimes Gallicans came to the house.”
He didn’t even have to take out gold coins. The woman, who seemed to have fallen in love with the small change and Cesare’s handsome face, spoke fluently.
“On the days when the Gallicans came, none of the family could even come near the annex... I was the same way... I don’t know what they talked about, but if I think about it for a little longer, I might remember.”
She looked up at Cesare with a face full of anticipation. Cesare pretended not to know her hopes with a smooth expression. He had seen these women so many times that it was tiresome.
“What did they look like?”
“They were noble-looking people. Their clothes were like those of nobles, and they didn’t speak our language at all.”
“When was the last time the Gallicans came?”
“About a month ago.”
The date was right. After meeting them, the spice merchant Strozzi sold all his property and prepared to leave the Etruscans.
Cesare took out a gold ducat from his bosom, kissed it, and handed it to the woman.
“Recall it. I may come back soon and ask you more questions.”
The woman, whose face flushed at the thought of Cesare returning and meeting her, accepted the gold with both hands. Count Cesare had planned to send the King’s army to collect testimony, but if the woman was mistaken, he would be grateful. He would cooperate more readily.
“When will you be coming?”
“Soon.”
Cesare waved his hand halfheartedly and left her quarters. He held in his hands a means of saving his mother, however inadequate it might be.
Rubina was not a good mother, but she was Cesare’s only family. He jumped onto his dark brown horse parked in the alley.
“Let’s go, Ira!”
Heehee!
The sound of the sturdy horseshoes hitting the flat stone pavement of San Carlo rang refreshingly.
***
“Cesare? An audience?”
Leo III frowned. The chamberlain answered as gently as he could.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
It was a perfect opportunity to get angry at someone for being angry at him.
“Shall I tell him to go back?”
Leo III was about to answer, “Yes, that would be good,” but he was startled when he saw Cesare walking into the audience room.
Leo III frowned. The chamberlain answered as gently as he could.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
It was a perfect opportunity to get angry at someone for being angry at him.
“Shall I tell him to go back?”
Leo III was about to answer, “Yes, that would be good,” but he was startled when he saw Cesare walking into the audience room.
“Yes, Cesare!”
Count Cesare spread his arms and shouted.
“Our beloved King!”
Leo III, who had not wanted to see Cesare because he was afraid that Cesare would question him for imprisoning Rubina, answered in a slightly more subdued tone, as his son bowed down and came in without showing any sign of doing so.
In any case, although he had imprisoned Rubina in a fit of anger, the emerging evidence suggested that she was moving further and further away from him, and he was also a little stung.
“Count Cesare. You look good. So, how have you been?”
Count Cesare spread his arms and shouted.
“Our beloved King!”
Leo III, who had not wanted to see Cesare because he was afraid that Cesare would question him for imprisoning Rubina, answered in a slightly more subdued tone, as his son bowed down and came in without showing any sign of doing so.
In any case, although he had imprisoned Rubina in a fit of anger, the emerging evidence suggested that she was moving further and further away from him, and he was also a little stung.
“Count Cesare. You look good. So, how have you been?”
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