The Empress placed one long finger on Carson’s chin. Then, with a light movement, she turned his head toward her.
“Either that or you could have crawled in front of me like a dog. Like this.”
Carson snickered at her actions.
“What kind of dog do you like? Would you like me to be your watchdog, or how about a Bichon?”
Then, he lightly slapped the Empress’s hand away.
“Do this to those who tremble at the touch of your finger. You told me I’ve grown so much, but how come you treat me the same way you treat them?”
Carson got up from his seat. The Empress didn’t even blink an eye, even though she was overwhelmed by his overwhelming height.
“There’s no difference between a big dog and a small dog to the owner.”
“But why don’t you know that? The dog you’re talking about, Empress, will never bite its owner unless she tries to take what’s mine.”
The Empress clicked her tongue and walked toward the front of the prayer room. As she approached, Ines hid behind a deeper pillar.
“Look here. Carson, my son. You are wrong in that very thought.”
“...”
“If my son is truly my dog, you should not have bitten his master just because she tried to take what is his.”
She continued, stepping up the steps of the altar of the prayer room one by one.
“Do you know what people in the capital are gossiping about you now?”
The Empress swung the gown over her dress and sat down in the seat reserved only for the high priest. Soon, their eyes met in the air.
“The very same Carson von Raymond whom the Emperor has imprisoned in Landhill will soon be coming to the palace in a train made of gold.”
A moment of silence fell between them.
“I feel terrible when someone looks down on me.”
The Empress shuddered as if she really hated it. The way she looked down at Carson while sitting on the seat and raised her head was as natural as if she had been the Empress since birth.
“So... why did you call me here?”
‘Ah.’ The empress smiled bitterly at the corners of her mouth as if she had just remembered.
“That maid. What was her name... Oh, Ines. Yes. Ines, that was definitely her name.”
Carson flinched at the sudden name-calling. The Empress’s eyes, which were studying him, grew long.
“Is that child the Count’s wife, or is she your weakness?”
As even her eyes wavered, the Empress let out a frivolous giggle.
“Think as you wish.”
“You should think that way. But don’t worry. I’m not at the bottom yet, where I can do anything to a maid.”
“Your tongue has grown a lot as you’ve gotten older.”
The Empress’s laughter grew deeper as if Carson’s words telling her to get to the point were a funny joke.
“Monstera.”
“...”
“Go to Monstera.”
Carson doubted his ears. Monstera was the name of a territory on the northwestern border of the empire.
Although the imperial city was slightly to the left of the center of the empire, the road was rough, so it was a long way to get from the imperial city to Monstera, which took about 20 days by carriage. It was located on the opposite side of Lesonia, which was now Landhill and the southeastern border.
However, the problem was not the distance.
Ordering him to Monstera was the same as asking him to become a Marquis. A Marquis was a Count who owned a fief in the border area.
Unlike Landhill, which bordered the sea, Monstera bordered an enemy country. Since it was an area that required special attention, the imperial family always gave the positions to their most loyal subjects. Since a Count, who was a member of the royal family, was free from the law that prohibited him from owning more than one territory, he could hold the titles of Marquis and Count.
“You suddenly ordered me to come to the imperial palace, and now you’re coming all the way to the temple and telling me to become a margrave?”
Margraves were higher in rank than regular Counts, but lower than Dukes, and officially even lower than Marquises.
However, they had military power and autonomy over foreign invasions. This meant that they could raise an army when necessary. Being able to invade other countries meant being able to expand their territory.
However, that was based on the premise that the army he raised would completely defeat the enemy.
Ordering him to become a margrave now that he had the most important land in the empire was like saying that she would once again take control of him.
“Oh, Louisianne turned eleven this year.”
Carson couldn’t answer the name that should not come out of the mouth of the Empress.
Ines and Louisianne. To him, those names were both a weakness and a source of life.
“Pulderfin suggested a political marriage, saying that we should make peace. Isn’t it a blessing that those dirty barbarians are saying that we should stop fighting?”
Pulderfin was a kingdom adjacent to the Keynes Empire. The land itself was not small, but it was a country that had not developed due to its poor environment.
However, its fighting power was formidable. They invaded Monstera without warning, causing the entire empire to tremble in anxiety.
“If the Count does not go to Monstera and remains in Landhill, our Louis will have to marry into a distant foreign country.”
“Shut your mouth. I am telling you not to mention my sister’s name so carelessly.”
The Empress slightly raised her shoulders as if she was afraid of the harsh words. However, her face still had a grim expression.
“No matter how angry you are, how can you say such rude things to this mother? Didn’t I say that this was your sin? Why did you inherit such a lowly bloodline?”
Carson strode briskly and stood right in front of her. He raised his head and looked straight at the Empress.
“I am the lord of Landhill. No one can arbitrarily drag me out of my domain.”
“Who said what? It seems like you and the Emperor had a lot of fun last time... Your land is yours. How can I take away the land that the Emperor and the Goddess of the Empire have given you?”
“...”
“But not Louis.”
“I clearly told you not to mention the Princess’s name carelessly.”
“Before she was the Count’s younger sister, she was the Princess of the Keynes Empire. In times of national crisis, it is the duty and honor of the royal family to maintain peace by forming a political marriage with a foreign royal family.”
The Empress sat in front of the goddess Heclesia, the symbol of benevolence, and continued speaking with an evil smile.
“I don’t know what tricks the Emperor will try this time, but I know this one thing for sure. His Majesty will fail again this time. It is to protect the Count’s younger sister, not his daughter.”
If Louis does not go, one of the other Princesses will go to Puldafin. To the Emperor, Louis, and the other Princesses were just daughters. Therefore, there was no reason or power to sacrifice one to protect the other.
“So you step forward and protect the peace of the empire. If you can prevent Puldafin from crossing our borders, then there is no reason to send Louis, the young one, to marry off to another country.”
Carson closed his eyes. The Empress, who had been wondering what he had planned this time, did the same thing to him as always.
She clung to the thing he could never let go of, the thing that would eventually kill him if he failed to protect it, like a leech.
“These rats are swarming around, and the Margrave Grandel cries every day, so much so that this Empress cannot sleep because of worry.”
“Either that or you could have crawled in front of me like a dog. Like this.”
Carson snickered at her actions.
“What kind of dog do you like? Would you like me to be your watchdog, or how about a Bichon?”
Then, he lightly slapped the Empress’s hand away.
“Do this to those who tremble at the touch of your finger. You told me I’ve grown so much, but how come you treat me the same way you treat them?”
Carson got up from his seat. The Empress didn’t even blink an eye, even though she was overwhelmed by his overwhelming height.
“There’s no difference between a big dog and a small dog to the owner.”
“But why don’t you know that? The dog you’re talking about, Empress, will never bite its owner unless she tries to take what’s mine.”
The Empress clicked her tongue and walked toward the front of the prayer room. As she approached, Ines hid behind a deeper pillar.
“Look here. Carson, my son. You are wrong in that very thought.”
“...”
“If my son is truly my dog, you should not have bitten his master just because she tried to take what is his.”
She continued, stepping up the steps of the altar of the prayer room one by one.
“Do you know what people in the capital are gossiping about you now?”
The Empress swung the gown over her dress and sat down in the seat reserved only for the high priest. Soon, their eyes met in the air.
“The very same Carson von Raymond whom the Emperor has imprisoned in Landhill will soon be coming to the palace in a train made of gold.”
A moment of silence fell between them.
“I feel terrible when someone looks down on me.”
The Empress shuddered as if she really hated it. The way she looked down at Carson while sitting on the seat and raised her head was as natural as if she had been the Empress since birth.
“So... why did you call me here?”
‘Ah.’ The empress smiled bitterly at the corners of her mouth as if she had just remembered.
“That maid. What was her name... Oh, Ines. Yes. Ines, that was definitely her name.”
Carson flinched at the sudden name-calling. The Empress’s eyes, which were studying him, grew long.
“Is that child the Count’s wife, or is she your weakness?”
As even her eyes wavered, the Empress let out a frivolous giggle.
“Think as you wish.”
“You should think that way. But don’t worry. I’m not at the bottom yet, where I can do anything to a maid.”
“Your tongue has grown a lot as you’ve gotten older.”
The Empress’s laughter grew deeper as if Carson’s words telling her to get to the point were a funny joke.
“Monstera.”
“...”
“Go to Monstera.”
Carson doubted his ears. Monstera was the name of a territory on the northwestern border of the empire.
Although the imperial city was slightly to the left of the center of the empire, the road was rough, so it was a long way to get from the imperial city to Monstera, which took about 20 days by carriage. It was located on the opposite side of Lesonia, which was now Landhill and the southeastern border.
However, the problem was not the distance.
Ordering him to Monstera was the same as asking him to become a Marquis. A Marquis was a Count who owned a fief in the border area.
Unlike Landhill, which bordered the sea, Monstera bordered an enemy country. Since it was an area that required special attention, the imperial family always gave the positions to their most loyal subjects. Since a Count, who was a member of the royal family, was free from the law that prohibited him from owning more than one territory, he could hold the titles of Marquis and Count.
“You suddenly ordered me to come to the imperial palace, and now you’re coming all the way to the temple and telling me to become a margrave?”
Margraves were higher in rank than regular Counts, but lower than Dukes, and officially even lower than Marquises.
However, they had military power and autonomy over foreign invasions. This meant that they could raise an army when necessary. Being able to invade other countries meant being able to expand their territory.
However, that was based on the premise that the army he raised would completely defeat the enemy.
Ordering him to become a margrave now that he had the most important land in the empire was like saying that she would once again take control of him.
“Oh, Louisianne turned eleven this year.”
Carson couldn’t answer the name that should not come out of the mouth of the Empress.
Ines and Louisianne. To him, those names were both a weakness and a source of life.
“Pulderfin suggested a political marriage, saying that we should make peace. Isn’t it a blessing that those dirty barbarians are saying that we should stop fighting?”
Pulderfin was a kingdom adjacent to the Keynes Empire. The land itself was not small, but it was a country that had not developed due to its poor environment.
However, its fighting power was formidable. They invaded Monstera without warning, causing the entire empire to tremble in anxiety.
“If the Count does not go to Monstera and remains in Landhill, our Louis will have to marry into a distant foreign country.”
“Shut your mouth. I am telling you not to mention my sister’s name so carelessly.”
The Empress slightly raised her shoulders as if she was afraid of the harsh words. However, her face still had a grim expression.
“No matter how angry you are, how can you say such rude things to this mother? Didn’t I say that this was your sin? Why did you inherit such a lowly bloodline?”
Carson strode briskly and stood right in front of her. He raised his head and looked straight at the Empress.
“I am the lord of Landhill. No one can arbitrarily drag me out of my domain.”
“Who said what? It seems like you and the Emperor had a lot of fun last time... Your land is yours. How can I take away the land that the Emperor and the Goddess of the Empire have given you?”
“...”
“But not Louis.”
“I clearly told you not to mention the Princess’s name carelessly.”
“Before she was the Count’s younger sister, she was the Princess of the Keynes Empire. In times of national crisis, it is the duty and honor of the royal family to maintain peace by forming a political marriage with a foreign royal family.”
The Empress sat in front of the goddess Heclesia, the symbol of benevolence, and continued speaking with an evil smile.
“I don’t know what tricks the Emperor will try this time, but I know this one thing for sure. His Majesty will fail again this time. It is to protect the Count’s younger sister, not his daughter.”
If Louis does not go, one of the other Princesses will go to Puldafin. To the Emperor, Louis, and the other Princesses were just daughters. Therefore, there was no reason or power to sacrifice one to protect the other.
“So you step forward and protect the peace of the empire. If you can prevent Puldafin from crossing our borders, then there is no reason to send Louis, the young one, to marry off to another country.”
Carson closed his eyes. The Empress, who had been wondering what he had planned this time, did the same thing to him as always.
She clung to the thing he could never let go of, the thing that would eventually kill him if he failed to protect it, like a leech.
“These rats are swarming around, and the Margrave Grandel cries every day, so much so that this Empress cannot sleep because of worry.”
Ines watched Carson tremble as she suffered with his whole body. As time passed, his eyes turned bright red. Her stomach boiled with hostility toward the Empress and her body burned.
“Is it my honor to give our honorable son a chance to protect the country?”
After finishing her words, the Empress got up from her seat as the chancellor and walked to the door of the prayer room. She tilted her head slightly and whispered, holding the doorknob.
“Thank goodness the golden train won’t be rushing to the palace for the time being.”
Carson watched the Empress and her entourage leave Edmont. Only after the carriage she had ridden in had completely disappeared from sight was he guided to the room where he had stayed the last time.
Soon, Ines followed the priest.
Even while the priest was paying his respects, Carson furrowed his brow and stared intently at Ines. He ordered the priest to go out and approached her closely.
“Why are you so wet?”
The two of them treated each other as if they had only met yesterday, despite the passage of time. He took the towel provided in his room and patted Ines’s head to dry.
“It’s raining outside.”
“You’re staying in this building.”
In fact, Ines couldn’t get out of the waiting room right away. People had rushed to clean up the prayer room right after the Empress and Carson left.
After a long time had passed and everyone was sure to leave, Ines went out only to be met by the steady rain.
As soon as she returned to the dormitory building, she had come to see Carson under the guidance of the associate priest.
“I went out for a short walk and got caught in the rain.”
“Alone tonight?”
“No, I was with a couple of colleagues.”
She had to lie unintentionally, but she couldn’t help it. She had seen the moment he was insulted, so it was hard to say.
“Still, you shouldn’t be walking around so wet.”
“...”
“I heard you had a bad cold last time.”
Ines had told him about even the most trivial things since his last visit to the temple. She had written about the strange rashes she had all over her body on a humid day, and even about the cold she had caught. To her, it was nothing more than a brief rain shower, but she had obeyed his orders.
So this time, she could ask Carson.
“My lord?”
“Yes?”
He was still wiping the moisture from her hair.
“Do you remember the promise we made in this room last time?”
“Yes.”
Carson answered without asking what it was. There were only a few promises between them that could be called promises.
“Is it my honor to give our honorable son a chance to protect the country?”
After finishing her words, the Empress got up from her seat as the chancellor and walked to the door of the prayer room. She tilted her head slightly and whispered, holding the doorknob.
“Thank goodness the golden train won’t be rushing to the palace for the time being.”
***
Carson watched the Empress and her entourage leave Edmont. Only after the carriage she had ridden in had completely disappeared from sight was he guided to the room where he had stayed the last time.
Soon, Ines followed the priest.
Even while the priest was paying his respects, Carson furrowed his brow and stared intently at Ines. He ordered the priest to go out and approached her closely.
“Why are you so wet?”
The two of them treated each other as if they had only met yesterday, despite the passage of time. He took the towel provided in his room and patted Ines’s head to dry.
“It’s raining outside.”
“You’re staying in this building.”
In fact, Ines couldn’t get out of the waiting room right away. People had rushed to clean up the prayer room right after the Empress and Carson left.
After a long time had passed and everyone was sure to leave, Ines went out only to be met by the steady rain.
As soon as she returned to the dormitory building, she had come to see Carson under the guidance of the associate priest.
“I went out for a short walk and got caught in the rain.”
“Alone tonight?”
“No, I was with a couple of colleagues.”
She had to lie unintentionally, but she couldn’t help it. She had seen the moment he was insulted, so it was hard to say.
“Still, you shouldn’t be walking around so wet.”
“...”
“I heard you had a bad cold last time.”
Ines had told him about even the most trivial things since his last visit to the temple. She had written about the strange rashes she had all over her body on a humid day, and even about the cold she had caught. To her, it was nothing more than a brief rain shower, but she had obeyed his orders.
So this time, she could ask Carson.
“My lord?”
“Yes?”
He was still wiping the moisture from her hair.
“Do you remember the promise we made in this room last time?”
“Yes.”
Carson answered without asking what it was. There were only a few promises between them that could be called promises.
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