On the western outer wall of the Grand Duke's castle was a huge bell. It was a bell that was rung not only when the enemy appeared near the border, but also at sunrise and sunset, or when there was news that the residents of the castle had to know. It was very unpleasant when the sound of the bell, which was used to keep track of everything, big and small, disappeared.
In the evening, when the bells began to ring in the west, the maids of the quarters hurriedly closed the shutters and the door. Saragan was lying sideways on the long sofa, reading a scroll of letters. Her smooth fingers made a soft rustling sound as they passed over the bowl of roasted nuts.
“Saragan, Agima has arrived.”
As Saragan nodded, the maid who had delivered the news left and soon Agima appeared. At her appearance, the others left their seats as if they had made a promise. When the two of them were left alone in the room, Saragan finally raised her head.
“Are you back?”
“Yes, Lady Saragan. As you said, I had my servant closely examine the second Prince’s current condition. As someone who serves in the bedroom, he was able to tell me quite a bit.”
“What was he saying?”
“He said it was the same as usual. He said there was nothing particularly strange.”
“Well, that would be true. Since he wasn’t in his right mind, to begin with, let’s add one or two more things to that...”
“It seems like there have been more instances of people not being able to recognize people’s faces or turning around and changing back orders that were given a moment ago.”
“Hmm, is that all? It’s a bit fast. It’ll still take some time. It would be bad if I sent it away too quickly, so I think it would be better to leave it alone for the time being.”
Saragan's meaningful gaze briefly glanced at the gold box on one side of the table. But it did not last long. Soon she raised her head again and said.
“What about the privates?”
“I think we’re almost ready.”
“Agima, I really hate the words ‘I think so’ and ‘I think so’. Don’t you know that yet?”
Agima, who looked down as if she was sorry, immediately corrected her words.
“It seems that they expect to be dispatched before the month of Dalpo at the latest. They didn’t want to tell us the exact schedule. However, it’s about time for Lady Saragan to finish your preparations.”
Only then did Saragan move her lips in satisfaction and throw the long scroll she had spread out onto the table. Agima’s eyes quickly scanned the scroll and saw that the letters were familiar.
“Is this a letter from the King?”
“Yes. How can he be so angry that I can’t even describe it? He’s my uncle, but he’s such a pitiful person. If he had half the courage and bravery of my father, he would have been perfect. Then I wouldn’t have to come all the way here and suffer.”
“When the second Prince goes on a campaign, will the King also raise an army? Is the target Melgan? Or Rotair?”
“If Rotair is a deer, then the Grand Duchy of Melgan is at best a fat hare. If you can’t catch a deer, you’ll gladly aim your bow at a hare, but if there’s a deer right in front of you, wouldn’t you be a fool to chase a hare? Even the loud and annoying old men of the Alliance will salivate.”
“It was really Saragan’s great contribution that the Second Prince was able to truly advance to the capital and plot to capture the Crown Prince. The King should know that as well.”
"Well..."
At Saragan's lukewarm response, Agima tilted her head as if asking why.
King Hibbs of the United Kingdom tried to use his clever and bold niece to incite Krald. He waited for him to throw everything into a war that he had no chance of winning, blinded by jealousy and power. The King promised to lead the Union army, known for its fighting prowess, to support Krald, but it was definitely not a promise for Krald.
The King had no intention of letting Krald take the throne of Rotair. He had an ambition to use him as a means of entering Rotair, and then eliminate all of Rotair's royal family, including Krald, and take over the land.
Saragan did, of course, do her uncle's bidding brilliantly. Not only did she immediately capture Krald's heart and push Libencia away, but she also used numerous tricks to cloud his judgment.
At night, she whispered sweetly about wanting to wear the crown of the Queen, and during the day, she whispered about why Krald should take the Crown Prince's place. Krald easily fell for Saragan. However, she was not the one who actually made him decide to rebel.
“If I had known in advance that he hated his family so much, I would have done something different... That’s something my uncle should have known in advance. But since he didn’t know, what can I do? Even if things are progressing too slowly due to his impatient nature, he has no choice but to wait.”
“I heard that the current Prince of Rotair is very intelligent and has a great personality. He must have been unsightly in the eyes of a human the Second Prince.”
“Hmm, that would be so. He’s a man who’s not good at anything, but he’s born with the talent to hate others.”
Agima agreed with Saragan's words and let out a short laugh.
“If the King takes Rotair’s land, what will Saragan do then?”
When Agima asked, Saragan frowned slightly for the first time.
Once the Alliance took over Rotair's territory as planned, Saragan would rightfully become a member of the new royal family. However, no one knew yet how she would be treated there.
Of course, the King promised Saragan many things. Honor, wealth, and if she wanted, he would formally adopt her and make her enjoy the status of Princess.
However, Saragan could not completely trust her uncle. If he had no children, it would be different, but the King already had three wives and ten children.
On the other hand, Saragan had no parents, and no siblings, and the King knew that Saragan's beauty and intelligence were useful, so he would take care of her and treat her well until she remained young and intelligent. But will this really be the case as time goes by?
The King's daughters were six in total, and two were older than Saragan and were already married, but the remaining four were not yet married. Fortunately, they resembled their mothers more than their fathers, and they were both beautiful and clever. In other words, once Saragan's usefulness was gone, the King would no longer have any regrets about her.
“I don’t know yet. I think I’ll get some gold from my uncle as a reward for doing a good job this time and go on a trip. It might be nice to cross the sea.”
“Saragan has often said that you wanted to see the sea since long ago.”
“Isn’t it amazing? Wherever you go, there is nothing but water in a place wider than the endless desert. And yet, that water is not drinkable by humans... The world is truly a strangely made place.”
As Saragan was talking as if it was fun, the door opened without a word. The moment the startled Agima strained her stomach to yell at Saragan instead, a long, swaying shadow appeared on the floor. When she opened her eyes again, it was Krald.
“Your Highness, are you well?”
Agima hurriedly lowered her head. Saragan didn’t even pretend to be surprised, but as soon as she saw him, she straightened up as if she had been waiting for him and smiled gently.
“Welcome.”
Krald looked as if he was possessed. His unfocused eyes scanned the quiet room. He said.
“Where did everyone go?”
“I told them to go out for a while because I like the quiet. If you need help, I can call someone.”
“No, I don’t need it.”
And as if he didn't even notice Agima's presence, he trudged towards Saragan and laid down on her lap. Agima, who suddenly saw her boss's blatant appearance, hurriedly got up from the spot in a panic.
Krald's hair smelled of wine, and his collar had a strong scent that seemed to be a mixture of various spices. Saragan whispered as she stroked his hair, which was groaning as if he was drunk.
“You came from outside, Your Highness?”
“How did you know that?”
“Because I can smell the cold wind on your collar.”
And Saragan leaned down and put her lips on the nape of his neck as if smelling his scent. Krald chuckled as if he had seen some vulgar show and buried his face in Saragan's thigh.
Saragan accepted him, who was tangled up in her arms as if he were a baby. The hands digging into her skirt were eerily cold, but she didn’t even show it. She didn’t even bother to pat his back, even though he was pulling at her clothes like a madman. Krald, who was carelessly rubbing his lips on her neck, shoulders, and chest, spoke out of breath.
“I’m going to the capital.”
Only then did Saragan's hand, which had been moving the whole time, stop. She stared at Krald's face as if to ask if it was true. He continued.
“I got news... Father, the King is going to die today or tomorrow. It’s funny. The old man who should have died long ago is lucky enough to live until today, and now my father is going to die.”
“Are you saying that you will coincide the date of King Jedercayer's death with the date of the uprising?”
Krald's eyes were gleaming with a sinister light. He looked as if he would strangle Saragan at any moment. However, Saragan was not afraid because she knew that Krald would never do such a thing. He was blinded by his lust for Saragan. He had even thrown away Libencia, who had been with him for so long, as easily as a broken bowl.
“I will kill the Crown Prince and Crown Princess before the coffin lid closes on my father. I will dig a hole and bury all three in the same place. And I will dig up the grave of the former Queen and that woman, and dig up the rotten coffin. I will make a tombstone for the three of them. What do you think? It is a good idea, isn’t it?”
Saragan's lips, painted in red lipstick, drew a smooth curve. It was a cruel story, but she felt no fear or emotion. It was a matter that had nothing to do with her, a misfortune that had nothing to do with her.
“I will inform my uncle of your decision. I am sure he will be very pleased. He has been waiting eagerly for you to make up your mind.”
“After I kill them all, I will place the Queen’s crown on your head first. How about it? Do you like it? Do you want that too?”
Krald's eyes were now clouded as if he were completely out of his mind. Saragan, holding his head as if it were a lovely baby, whispered in a sweet voice.
“Yes, Your Highness. I want that. I’m so excited I can’t even sleep.”
In the evening, when the bells began to ring in the west, the maids of the quarters hurriedly closed the shutters and the door. Saragan was lying sideways on the long sofa, reading a scroll of letters. Her smooth fingers made a soft rustling sound as they passed over the bowl of roasted nuts.
“Saragan, Agima has arrived.”
As Saragan nodded, the maid who had delivered the news left and soon Agima appeared. At her appearance, the others left their seats as if they had made a promise. When the two of them were left alone in the room, Saragan finally raised her head.
“Are you back?”
“Yes, Lady Saragan. As you said, I had my servant closely examine the second Prince’s current condition. As someone who serves in the bedroom, he was able to tell me quite a bit.”
“What was he saying?”
“He said it was the same as usual. He said there was nothing particularly strange.”
“Well, that would be true. Since he wasn’t in his right mind, to begin with, let’s add one or two more things to that...”
“It seems like there have been more instances of people not being able to recognize people’s faces or turning around and changing back orders that were given a moment ago.”
“Hmm, is that all? It’s a bit fast. It’ll still take some time. It would be bad if I sent it away too quickly, so I think it would be better to leave it alone for the time being.”
Saragan's meaningful gaze briefly glanced at the gold box on one side of the table. But it did not last long. Soon she raised her head again and said.
“What about the privates?”
“I think we’re almost ready.”
“Agima, I really hate the words ‘I think so’ and ‘I think so’. Don’t you know that yet?”
Agima, who looked down as if she was sorry, immediately corrected her words.
“It seems that they expect to be dispatched before the month of Dalpo at the latest. They didn’t want to tell us the exact schedule. However, it’s about time for Lady Saragan to finish your preparations.”
Only then did Saragan move her lips in satisfaction and throw the long scroll she had spread out onto the table. Agima’s eyes quickly scanned the scroll and saw that the letters were familiar.
“Is this a letter from the King?”
“Yes. How can he be so angry that I can’t even describe it? He’s my uncle, but he’s such a pitiful person. If he had half the courage and bravery of my father, he would have been perfect. Then I wouldn’t have to come all the way here and suffer.”
“When the second Prince goes on a campaign, will the King also raise an army? Is the target Melgan? Or Rotair?”
“If Rotair is a deer, then the Grand Duchy of Melgan is at best a fat hare. If you can’t catch a deer, you’ll gladly aim your bow at a hare, but if there’s a deer right in front of you, wouldn’t you be a fool to chase a hare? Even the loud and annoying old men of the Alliance will salivate.”
“It was really Saragan’s great contribution that the Second Prince was able to truly advance to the capital and plot to capture the Crown Prince. The King should know that as well.”
"Well..."
At Saragan's lukewarm response, Agima tilted her head as if asking why.
King Hibbs of the United Kingdom tried to use his clever and bold niece to incite Krald. He waited for him to throw everything into a war that he had no chance of winning, blinded by jealousy and power. The King promised to lead the Union army, known for its fighting prowess, to support Krald, but it was definitely not a promise for Krald.
The King had no intention of letting Krald take the throne of Rotair. He had an ambition to use him as a means of entering Rotair, and then eliminate all of Rotair's royal family, including Krald, and take over the land.
Saragan did, of course, do her uncle's bidding brilliantly. Not only did she immediately capture Krald's heart and push Libencia away, but she also used numerous tricks to cloud his judgment.
At night, she whispered sweetly about wanting to wear the crown of the Queen, and during the day, she whispered about why Krald should take the Crown Prince's place. Krald easily fell for Saragan. However, she was not the one who actually made him decide to rebel.
“If I had known in advance that he hated his family so much, I would have done something different... That’s something my uncle should have known in advance. But since he didn’t know, what can I do? Even if things are progressing too slowly due to his impatient nature, he has no choice but to wait.”
“I heard that the current Prince of Rotair is very intelligent and has a great personality. He must have been unsightly in the eyes of a human the Second Prince.”
“Hmm, that would be so. He’s a man who’s not good at anything, but he’s born with the talent to hate others.”
Agima agreed with Saragan's words and let out a short laugh.
“If the King takes Rotair’s land, what will Saragan do then?”
When Agima asked, Saragan frowned slightly for the first time.
Once the Alliance took over Rotair's territory as planned, Saragan would rightfully become a member of the new royal family. However, no one knew yet how she would be treated there.
Of course, the King promised Saragan many things. Honor, wealth, and if she wanted, he would formally adopt her and make her enjoy the status of Princess.
However, Saragan could not completely trust her uncle. If he had no children, it would be different, but the King already had three wives and ten children.
On the other hand, Saragan had no parents, and no siblings, and the King knew that Saragan's beauty and intelligence were useful, so he would take care of her and treat her well until she remained young and intelligent. But will this really be the case as time goes by?
The King's daughters were six in total, and two were older than Saragan and were already married, but the remaining four were not yet married. Fortunately, they resembled their mothers more than their fathers, and they were both beautiful and clever. In other words, once Saragan's usefulness was gone, the King would no longer have any regrets about her.
“I don’t know yet. I think I’ll get some gold from my uncle as a reward for doing a good job this time and go on a trip. It might be nice to cross the sea.”
“Saragan has often said that you wanted to see the sea since long ago.”
“Isn’t it amazing? Wherever you go, there is nothing but water in a place wider than the endless desert. And yet, that water is not drinkable by humans... The world is truly a strangely made place.”
As Saragan was talking as if it was fun, the door opened without a word. The moment the startled Agima strained her stomach to yell at Saragan instead, a long, swaying shadow appeared on the floor. When she opened her eyes again, it was Krald.
“Your Highness, are you well?”
Agima hurriedly lowered her head. Saragan didn’t even pretend to be surprised, but as soon as she saw him, she straightened up as if she had been waiting for him and smiled gently.
“Welcome.”
Krald looked as if he was possessed. His unfocused eyes scanned the quiet room. He said.
“Where did everyone go?”
“I told them to go out for a while because I like the quiet. If you need help, I can call someone.”
“No, I don’t need it.”
And as if he didn't even notice Agima's presence, he trudged towards Saragan and laid down on her lap. Agima, who suddenly saw her boss's blatant appearance, hurriedly got up from the spot in a panic.
Krald's hair smelled of wine, and his collar had a strong scent that seemed to be a mixture of various spices. Saragan whispered as she stroked his hair, which was groaning as if he was drunk.
“You came from outside, Your Highness?”
“How did you know that?”
“Because I can smell the cold wind on your collar.”
And Saragan leaned down and put her lips on the nape of his neck as if smelling his scent. Krald chuckled as if he had seen some vulgar show and buried his face in Saragan's thigh.
Saragan accepted him, who was tangled up in her arms as if he were a baby. The hands digging into her skirt were eerily cold, but she didn’t even show it. She didn’t even bother to pat his back, even though he was pulling at her clothes like a madman. Krald, who was carelessly rubbing his lips on her neck, shoulders, and chest, spoke out of breath.
“I’m going to the capital.”
Only then did Saragan's hand, which had been moving the whole time, stop. She stared at Krald's face as if to ask if it was true. He continued.
“I got news... Father, the King is going to die today or tomorrow. It’s funny. The old man who should have died long ago is lucky enough to live until today, and now my father is going to die.”
“Are you saying that you will coincide the date of King Jedercayer's death with the date of the uprising?”
Krald's eyes were gleaming with a sinister light. He looked as if he would strangle Saragan at any moment. However, Saragan was not afraid because she knew that Krald would never do such a thing. He was blinded by his lust for Saragan. He had even thrown away Libencia, who had been with him for so long, as easily as a broken bowl.
“I will kill the Crown Prince and Crown Princess before the coffin lid closes on my father. I will dig a hole and bury all three in the same place. And I will dig up the grave of the former Queen and that woman, and dig up the rotten coffin. I will make a tombstone for the three of them. What do you think? It is a good idea, isn’t it?”
Saragan's lips, painted in red lipstick, drew a smooth curve. It was a cruel story, but she felt no fear or emotion. It was a matter that had nothing to do with her, a misfortune that had nothing to do with her.
“I will inform my uncle of your decision. I am sure he will be very pleased. He has been waiting eagerly for you to make up your mind.”
“After I kill them all, I will place the Queen’s crown on your head first. How about it? Do you like it? Do you want that too?”
Krald's eyes were now clouded as if he were completely out of his mind. Saragan, holding his head as if it were a lovely baby, whispered in a sweet voice.
“Yes, Your Highness. I want that. I’m so excited I can’t even sleep.”
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