Adrienne gave the guest room to the tired-looking Rhodnes. Rhodnes, who had been muttering to her that she should go to sleep first, eventually gave in to Adrienne and went into the bathroom, saying that he would just take a bath.
The servants’ gazes were still subtle. The visits of Noevian and the second Prince followed one after another as if they had been waiting for it, and when she gave him the guest room, their eyes had been shaking in shock at first gradually changed into resignation.
“Madam, what should I do when Sir Jimsker comes to the Grand Duke’s residence to ask to see you?”
Jonah, who had been loitering around the front yard at Adrienne’s command, reported immediately. Adrienne as if she had been waiting, got up from her seat, adjusting her black dress and hat.
“What is His Highness the Prince doing?”
“The old butler just came up with the clothes.”
As Marge answered, Adrienne walked briskly toward the entrance. The timing was good.
“Shall we start with Sir Jimsker?”
Last night, Marge felt that the condition of the lady who had been left alone after all the servants were removed had changed slightly. Although she had been coming and going and had been keeping an eye on her, Marge had been watching her closely since the house was becoming peaceful and the Count’s reputation seemed to be rising.
“Madam, what should I do when Sir Jimsker comes to the Grand Duke’s residence to ask to see you?”
Jonah, who had been loitering around the front yard at Adrienne’s command, reported immediately. Adrienne as if she had been waiting, got up from her seat, adjusting her black dress and hat.
“What is His Highness the Prince doing?”
“The old butler just came up with the clothes.”
As Marge answered, Adrienne walked briskly toward the entrance. The timing was good.
“Shall we start with Sir Jimsker?”
Last night, Marge felt that the condition of the lady who had been left alone after all the servants were removed had changed slightly. Although she had been coming and going and had been keeping an eye on her, Marge had been watching her closely since the house was becoming peaceful and the Count’s reputation seemed to be rising.
This time, the lady’s eyes had a faintly crazy color. And people with such eyes always cause big trouble.
The entrance door of the mansion opened, and Jimsker, dressed in a black uniform, entered with a stern expression. Adrienne smiled as if welcoming Jimsker.
“Sir Jimsker.”
When she calmly held out the back of her hand and allowed him to kiss it, Jimsker was flustered, but out of courtesy, he kissed the back of her hand.
“Madam, I have come to guard your side by His Highness’s order.”
“Me? Why?”
It took a long time for Jimsker to answer, as he did not understand why he had to protect Countess Acacia. In the meantime, Adrienne opened her mouth, smiling brightly.
“I appreciate your kindness, but I already have someone by my side.”
“Yes? Who...”
"It's me."
The voice of Rhodnes, who had finished changing clothes, was thickly spread from the second-floor stair railing to the first-floor lobby. The servants around Adrienne opened their mouths. Jimsker's eyes were dizzy with Rhodnes's wet blond hair that had just been washed, his still-damp face, and his half-buttoned shirt.
“I’m not here to look at you.”
“Pfft.”
Neil, who had followed Jimsker in, held back laughter at the familiar line, but when he met eyes with Rhodnes, his expression hardened and he closed his eyes.
“Jimsker Raylon. You serve the royal family, but your manners towards them are a mess. Did Count Raylon teach you that?”
“Your Highness, the Second Prince, the Star of the Empire...”
“Ugh. It’s annoying.”
Some looks said, “What kind of guy is that?” but Rhodnes lightly ignored them. When he first entered this mansion, there was something about his leisurely gait like the owner of the house, and his actions of buttoning up his clothes even slower than that, that made people suffocate.
“Sir Jimsker.”
When she calmly held out the back of her hand and allowed him to kiss it, Jimsker was flustered, but out of courtesy, he kissed the back of her hand.
“Madam, I have come to guard your side by His Highness’s order.”
“Me? Why?”
It took a long time for Jimsker to answer, as he did not understand why he had to protect Countess Acacia. In the meantime, Adrienne opened her mouth, smiling brightly.
“I appreciate your kindness, but I already have someone by my side.”
“Yes? Who...”
"It's me."
The voice of Rhodnes, who had finished changing clothes, was thickly spread from the second-floor stair railing to the first-floor lobby. The servants around Adrienne opened their mouths. Jimsker's eyes were dizzy with Rhodnes's wet blond hair that had just been washed, his still-damp face, and his half-buttoned shirt.
“I’m not here to look at you.”
“Pfft.”
Neil, who had followed Jimsker in, held back laughter at the familiar line, but when he met eyes with Rhodnes, his expression hardened and he closed his eyes.
“Jimsker Raylon. You serve the royal family, but your manners towards them are a mess. Did Count Raylon teach you that?”
“Your Highness, the Second Prince, the Star of the Empire...”
“Ugh. It’s annoying.”
Some looks said, “What kind of guy is that?” but Rhodnes lightly ignored them. When he first entered this mansion, there was something about his leisurely gait like the owner of the house, and his actions of buttoning up his clothes even slower than that, that made people suffocate.
Was it because of his reputation as a war ghost? Was it because of his title of a troublemaker who was so beautiful that it was almost bizarre?
The time that had flowed like an eternity for Jimsker began to pick up speed again when the beautiful troublemaker wrapped his long arms around the widow’s shoulders.
“A lord who sends his right-hand man to the widow’s house as soon as her husband dies.”
The straight forehead of Rhodnes who had swept back his wet hair, glistened with moisture. Jimsker, who had been standing there watching the Prince’s actions as if he were possessed, immediately froze at the Prince’s next words.
“Tell him not to mess with my woman and to finish attending her funeral.”
“A lord who sends his right-hand man to the widow’s house as soon as her husband dies.”
The straight forehead of Rhodnes who had swept back his wet hair, glistened with moisture. Jimsker, who had been standing there watching the Prince’s actions as if he were possessed, immediately froze at the Prince’s next words.
“Tell him not to mess with my woman and to finish attending her funeral.”
***
Jimsker, who had returned to the Grand Duke's residence, spouted out everything he had seen and heard in Noevian's office. Noevian's face hardened as he thought that Blie might have come with Rhodnes due to his early return. Noevian responded immediately to the single word that came out of Jimsker's mouth.
“My woman?”
Jimsker witnessed the document he was looking at being cruelly crumpled in Noevian's outstretched hand.
“My... woman?”
“Yes. He certainly said that and then he kicked me out.”
Jimsker answered the words that seemed to ask for confirmation. He kept it tightly in his mouth that Rhodnes had added that if he did not go out and tell Noevian right away, he would crush him to the point where he would not be able to walk. Jimsker was no match for the second Prince who was secretly crazy.
“The Countess?”
“The two of them seemed to have a very close relationship.”
Another document was crumpled. Jimsker paused for a moment at Noevian’s agitation, which he had never seen before, and then thought that it was a silent eviction order, so he carefully left the office. A clean office without a speck of dust. Noevian’s pale face, which had not been exposed to a single ray of sunlight, darkened as if a thick shadow had fallen over it.
"What on earth..."
What on earth went wrong?
“My woman?”
Jimsker witnessed the document he was looking at being cruelly crumpled in Noevian's outstretched hand.
“My... woman?”
“Yes. He certainly said that and then he kicked me out.”
Jimsker answered the words that seemed to ask for confirmation. He kept it tightly in his mouth that Rhodnes had added that if he did not go out and tell Noevian right away, he would crush him to the point where he would not be able to walk. Jimsker was no match for the second Prince who was secretly crazy.
“The Countess?”
“The two of them seemed to have a very close relationship.”
Another document was crumpled. Jimsker paused for a moment at Noevian’s agitation, which he had never seen before, and then thought that it was a silent eviction order, so he carefully left the office. A clean office without a speck of dust. Noevian’s pale face, which had not been exposed to a single ray of sunlight, darkened as if a thick shadow had fallen over it.
"What on earth..."
What on earth went wrong?
Left alone, Noevian analyzed the cause of the problem one by one, as he always did. He was confident that this time, Blie Acacia would kneel before him. Count Acacia was the only one of Noevian’s many vassals who helped Blie Acacia clean her identity. No matter how humble, Count Acacia was also a noble living in the capital. To Blie, who had lived in the shadow of Noevian, holding on to the pillar of Count Acacia, Count Acacia’s death was not just a death. It meant that her only foundation had collapsed.
He could clearly see her face stained with shock and her shaking eyes. No matter how much Blie Acacia was, it was a situation where she couldn’t help but feel regret or guilt. Since she was an emotional woman, he thought she would have felt cheap sympathy, even if it was just for a moment. And if she had a mind, she would have known that it was a warning to her, that it was his will not to tolerate her anymore...
“Rhodnes.”
Noevian kept repeating the name, like a grain of sand, over and over again. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had fallen into his own trap. When the man who loved Adrienne tried to take Adrienne’s substitute away, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Rhodnes.”
Noevian kept repeating the name, like a grain of sand, over and over again. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had fallen into his own trap. When the man who loved Adrienne tried to take Adrienne’s substitute away, he couldn’t help but laugh.
His long fingers scratched the armrest of the chair hard. His gaze, which was lowered to his pale, veiny back, was sharp and blue. The idea of confronting him or escaping from him definitely did not come from Blie’s small head. Since he was the one who had washed Blie’s identity, she had no choice.
While thinking that way, Noevian spent the whole morning thinking about how to punish Blie, who was trying to ruin things with her vain delusions and shake her.
That was until he saw the food and gossip that the butler Gaspard had brought out, saying he was worried about his master.
[Who is Countess Blie Acacia, the beautiful widow who captivated Ronta's prodigal son?]
This was not the cute level of knights he had seen so far.
[From Ronta's greatest prodigal son to the greatest romantic. What is the intention of the second Prince of Rhodnes, who does not deny the scandal with a widow of commoner origin?!]
[From Ronta's greatest prodigal son to the greatest romantic. What is the intention of the second Prince of Rhodnes, who does not deny the scandal with a widow of commoner origin?!]
The large cover of the gossip magazine struck his eyes without mercy.
“Gaspard!!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I must enter the palace.”
Gaspard, who was hesitant at the momentum of Noevian speaking while chewing on his teeth, took out one of the invitations he had brought in his bosom.
“By the way, you got a call from the palace.”
"What?"
His extremely sensitive blue eyes sparkled.
“This is an invitation to attend the ambassadors' farewell party.”
“Gaspard!!”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I must enter the palace.”
Gaspard, who was hesitant at the momentum of Noevian speaking while chewing on his teeth, took out one of the invitations he had brought in his bosom.
“By the way, you got a call from the palace.”
"What?"
His extremely sensitive blue eyes sparkled.
“This is an invitation to attend the ambassadors' farewell party.”
***
The Grand Audience Hall of the palace where the farewell ceremony for the envoys was being held. Rather than attending the farewell ceremony for the envoys, which he had no interest in, Noevian accepted the invitation to visit the Emperor's office after the ceremony and to express his opinion to the Emperor that the Second Prince should be sent to another battlefield. His head was throbbing, and he was vomiting with inexplicable emotions, but he somehow managed to endure it.
“I greet you, Your Highness, the Grand Duke.”
Before Blie appeared at this farewell party escorted by Rhodnes, the faces of the normally blunt Elacon Response Team brightened, and an atmosphere formed that seemed to welcome Blie. Standing next to Rhodnes, looking at Blie standing in the spotlight in the bright place, intense emotions swirled inside his chest. It had been a long time since Noevian felt such intense emotions.
'An?'
'The name An is... the 'An' of Noevian.'
'It's so amazing how you are exactly what I've always dreamed and imagined.'
The feeling he had the moment he first met Adrienne. And that feeling rose to a very dangerous level when he saw Blie, who had greeted him with nothing but a humble greeting and had been recognized for her achievements by the Emperor himself. If it weren't for Doris's influence, her achievements would have been buried.
“I greet you, Your Highness, the Grand Duke.”
Before Blie appeared at this farewell party escorted by Rhodnes, the faces of the normally blunt Elacon Response Team brightened, and an atmosphere formed that seemed to welcome Blie. Standing next to Rhodnes, looking at Blie standing in the spotlight in the bright place, intense emotions swirled inside his chest. It had been a long time since Noevian felt such intense emotions.
'An?'
'The name An is... the 'An' of Noevian.'
'It's so amazing how you are exactly what I've always dreamed and imagined.'
The feeling he had the moment he first met Adrienne. And that feeling rose to a very dangerous level when he saw Blie, who had greeted him with nothing but a humble greeting and had been recognized for her achievements by the Emperor himself. If it weren't for Doris's influence, her achievements would have been buried.
A very strong sense of crisis took over Noevian whole body.
“How about we make up for a moment?”
These were the words that came out of Doris' mouth as she watched Blie receiving greetings from the delegation one after another and personally greeting the Emperor. It was a secretive voice that seemed to be nagging at his ear.
“I don’t know who you’ll put in the position of Grand Duchess, but if you don’t forget that we’re on the same boat, we won’t have to go out of our way to bring in Prince Ephero.”
“What do you mean?”
Noevian couldn't take his eyes off the unfamiliar sight of Blie receiving the Emperor's praises next to Rhodnes and the Crown Prince.
“I really like that lady, and my father doesn’t like the growing power of His Highness the Second Prince... It wouldn’t be difficult to keep a poor widow by His Highness’ side instead of the daughter of a powerful man.”
“I know it’s presumptuous of you to do so, but please don’t interfere.”
At the cold voice, Doris smiled faintly, even smiling with her eyes.
“On the other hand, it is not difficult to put one poor widow next to a widower who has lost his wife.”
“...Do you find the position of Grand Duchess funny?”
“My father, who is called the King of the West, is funny. He has never acted like that before.”
Doris responded coldly to the quietly angry Noevian.
“It’s up to you whether you’ll pretend you can’t win and accept it, or open your eyes and let it be taken away from you.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“Don’t pretend to be polite.”
The greatest achievement was directly attributed to Countess Acacia. As Blie reported to the Emperor, a soft voice continued to crawl out of Doris' mouth. Behind the constantly fluttering fan, Doris showed a crooked smile.
“Say such things with your face covered up, Your Highness. It makes you look ridiculous.”
A desperate expression. Those words shattered Noevian Trovica's pride.
“How about we make up for a moment?”
These were the words that came out of Doris' mouth as she watched Blie receiving greetings from the delegation one after another and personally greeting the Emperor. It was a secretive voice that seemed to be nagging at his ear.
“I don’t know who you’ll put in the position of Grand Duchess, but if you don’t forget that we’re on the same boat, we won’t have to go out of our way to bring in Prince Ephero.”
“What do you mean?”
Noevian couldn't take his eyes off the unfamiliar sight of Blie receiving the Emperor's praises next to Rhodnes and the Crown Prince.
“I really like that lady, and my father doesn’t like the growing power of His Highness the Second Prince... It wouldn’t be difficult to keep a poor widow by His Highness’ side instead of the daughter of a powerful man.”
“I know it’s presumptuous of you to do so, but please don’t interfere.”
At the cold voice, Doris smiled faintly, even smiling with her eyes.
“On the other hand, it is not difficult to put one poor widow next to a widower who has lost his wife.”
“...Do you find the position of Grand Duchess funny?”
“My father, who is called the King of the West, is funny. He has never acted like that before.”
Doris responded coldly to the quietly angry Noevian.
“It’s up to you whether you’ll pretend you can’t win and accept it, or open your eyes and let it be taken away from you.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“Don’t pretend to be polite.”
The greatest achievement was directly attributed to Countess Acacia. As Blie reported to the Emperor, a soft voice continued to crawl out of Doris' mouth. Behind the constantly fluttering fan, Doris showed a crooked smile.
“Say such things with your face covered up, Your Highness. It makes you look ridiculous.”
A desperate expression. Those words shattered Noevian Trovica's pride.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment