“The sinner Noevian Trovica, obey the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince!”
The bedroom door was finally forced open with the loud voices that continued to resonate like a round song. The servants on the first floor's chestnut-colored screams poured into the bedroom like water from a burst dam. The polite but firm Imperial Knights captured Grand Duke Noevian Trovica.
Ah. It's finally over.
My whole body became hot with the strange joy that overflowed from my toes. Tears no longer fell from my eyes. If there were no people, I might have laughed so hard that this room would leave. Noevian, who had slowly gotten up, fell to his knees helplessly. Noevian, whose body was wrapped tightly in iron chains, was exactly as I had imagined him in my dreams.
“...Is it really Adrienne?”
Even though he was kneeling, his clear blue eyes looked straight at me. I smiled without answering. Noevian’s cheeks quickly became wet with large tears again.
“Really, Adrienne?”
The trembling voice was a heavy noise layered with inexplicable despair. The darkened pupils were still dizzy as if confusing reality and fantasy. The gaze that searched my face and eyes somehow seemed to be looking back on the actions he had taken toward me over the past few months. It was because the sparkling eyes seemed to be falling into an endless hell, losing their light as time passed.
“...Is it really Adrienne?”
Even though he was kneeling, his clear blue eyes looked straight at me. I smiled without answering. Noevian’s cheeks quickly became wet with large tears again.
“Really, Adrienne?”
The trembling voice was a heavy noise layered with inexplicable despair. The darkened pupils were still dizzy as if confusing reality and fantasy. The gaze that searched my face and eyes somehow seemed to be looking back on the actions he had taken toward me over the past few months. It was because the sparkling eyes seemed to be falling into an endless hell, losing their light as time passed.
The knights had tied him up, but they couldn’t drag the Grand Duke away carelessly, so they supported his arms and helped him up. Noevian, who had been weakly stepping back as if he would be dragged away, suddenly pushed the two knights next to him away with his body and rushed at me when I didn’t avoid his gaze.
“Answer me!”
"No!"
“Answer me! Answer me, please!!”
Even though his arms were tied, Noevian bent down as he ran towards me and buried his lips on the nape of my neck.
“Adrienne, Adrienne... Adrienne... !”
Cold, dripping tears touched my neck. His body was shaking as if he had the chills.
“Do you really think that I killed you? Do you?”
“...I decided not to believe anything that comes out of your mouth anymore.”
Another scream and a noise came closer from under the Grand Duke's mansion. As things were delayed, it was clear that Rhodnes had finally brought his knights in. Suddenly, a faint madness appeared in the dark blue eyes of the dead Noevian. Noevian, who was already half-mad, smiled bitterly as if he had foreseen his end.
“I, I didn’t abandon you because of Blie.”
“...”
“Please, please don’t misunderstand like that. Even my true feelings are like that...”
Noevian spat out desperately.
“I don’t know about anything else but don’t even think about the story that I killed you... The ridiculous story that I killed you with my own hands...Please, Adrienne. Adrienne...”
It's just the same old story over and over again. I've learned over the past two months that there's very little truth to be heard from this shameless man.
“Don’t disappoint me until the end, just quietly disappear.”
Noevian, who had been holding his breath at my harsh voice, once again refused the knights who tried to drag him away and stood close to me.
“...Why do you think I didn’t spend the night with you?”
When I looked at him strangely, who suddenly brought up such a story, I met his bloodshot eyes. His entire face seemed to be boiling like boiling lava. It was like the outburst or confession of someone who sensed the end.
“Because I, I don’t want you?”
“...What are you talking about?”
“The Adrienne I never had and will never have.”
“Now that you’ve come...”
“Have you ever thought about what that means?”
I never thought about it. I just thought that I had shared my feelings with Rhodnes first and that I couldn't have physical sex because I was sick. And that he had said that he would never have it because I was dead. Finally, screams and shouts echoed loudly all the way to the bedroom.
“I, I didn’t kill you. Rather, I was in pain watching you die. If you weren’t sick and dying, there’s only one person who could kill you. Please, believe me, Adrienne.”
“...Keep talking.”
I gave a cold reply to Noevian, who was struggling desperately as if trying to clear up the misunderstanding.
“If I had killed you in this palace without you, then surely...”
At that moment, Rhodnes's party burst into the bedroom. I saw Rhodnes's shining face, which had rushed in to finish everything. It was cold, but the face collapsed as soon as it saw my face. At the same time, amidst the screams that erupted here and there, I distinctly heard Noevian's last whisper.
“...Crown Prince Bardenaldo.”
The name of the person that Rhodnes loves the most.
“Only Crown Prince Bardenaldo.”
Ah. Why is this man? Will he drag me into hell until the end?
“Answer me!”
"No!"
“Answer me! Answer me, please!!”
Even though his arms were tied, Noevian bent down as he ran towards me and buried his lips on the nape of my neck.
“Adrienne, Adrienne... Adrienne... !”
Cold, dripping tears touched my neck. His body was shaking as if he had the chills.
“Do you really think that I killed you? Do you?”
“...I decided not to believe anything that comes out of your mouth anymore.”
Another scream and a noise came closer from under the Grand Duke's mansion. As things were delayed, it was clear that Rhodnes had finally brought his knights in. Suddenly, a faint madness appeared in the dark blue eyes of the dead Noevian. Noevian, who was already half-mad, smiled bitterly as if he had foreseen his end.
“I, I didn’t abandon you because of Blie.”
“...”
“Please, please don’t misunderstand like that. Even my true feelings are like that...”
Noevian spat out desperately.
“I don’t know about anything else but don’t even think about the story that I killed you... The ridiculous story that I killed you with my own hands...Please, Adrienne. Adrienne...”
It's just the same old story over and over again. I've learned over the past two months that there's very little truth to be heard from this shameless man.
“Don’t disappoint me until the end, just quietly disappear.”
Noevian, who had been holding his breath at my harsh voice, once again refused the knights who tried to drag him away and stood close to me.
“...Why do you think I didn’t spend the night with you?”
When I looked at him strangely, who suddenly brought up such a story, I met his bloodshot eyes. His entire face seemed to be boiling like boiling lava. It was like the outburst or confession of someone who sensed the end.
“Because I, I don’t want you?”
“...What are you talking about?”
“The Adrienne I never had and will never have.”
“Now that you’ve come...”
“Have you ever thought about what that means?”
I never thought about it. I just thought that I had shared my feelings with Rhodnes first and that I couldn't have physical sex because I was sick. And that he had said that he would never have it because I was dead. Finally, screams and shouts echoed loudly all the way to the bedroom.
“I, I didn’t kill you. Rather, I was in pain watching you die. If you weren’t sick and dying, there’s only one person who could kill you. Please, believe me, Adrienne.”
“...Keep talking.”
I gave a cold reply to Noevian, who was struggling desperately as if trying to clear up the misunderstanding.
“If I had killed you in this palace without you, then surely...”
At that moment, Rhodnes's party burst into the bedroom. I saw Rhodnes's shining face, which had rushed in to finish everything. It was cold, but the face collapsed as soon as it saw my face. At the same time, amidst the screams that erupted here and there, I distinctly heard Noevian's last whisper.
“...Crown Prince Bardenaldo.”
The name of the person that Rhodnes loves the most.
“Only Crown Prince Bardenaldo.”
Ah. Why is this man? Will he drag me into hell until the end?
I blinked slowly as if time had stopped. As I shifted my gaze from Noevian, who was being dragged away by the knight, to Rhodnes, my vision became dizzy. As if answering my words that he wanted to become your hell.
Noevian Trovica. The man I once loved the most gave me another beginning, not an end, under another name.
***
The fireworks display that started in the central square was the climax. Unlike previous fireworks, the fireworks display that started with red fireworks soon changed into blue fireworks that decorated the sky.
“Are there really no people who do their jobs properly?”
“You were hasty. I would have brought it out on my own. If you had waited, I would have foolishly done it myself.”
Originally, they had planned to wait for those who would bring out Noevian from the main gate of the Grand Duke's residence. As the time passed and there seemed to be another commotion, Rhodnes could not stand it anymore and went up himself to grab the Grand Duke and push him into the carriage.
“It is outrageous to give a carriage to a sinner.”
“But he is a member of the royal family. It is a summary judgment without a trial, so the minimum is....”
“Do not go ahead of the procession, but follow at a distance behind.”
"Yes?"
Leaving behind the anxious voices of the adjutants, Rhodnes finally looked up at the Grand Duchess’s bedroom. He saw Noevian Trovica talking to Adrienne until the end. She was howling madly and whispering in her ear like a wounded animal. Adrienne, who had been like a well-made porcelain doll, suddenly lost her expression and looked at Rhodnes' with eyes that seemed to sink. Her gaze was so subtle that it made his heart sink the moment they met.
“If you are concerned, please leave it to us and stay at the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“If Your Highness stays with Madam, good words will probably not spread to her.”
Neil's worries and Vincenzo's advice flowed out one after another. Rhodnes nodded heavily, thinking that Vincenzo's words made sense. Adrienne finished Adrienne's work. If she couldn't settle her debt with Noevian, he wouldn't be able to start over with Adrienne. He had clearly been running like crazy with that thought in mind, but strangely, his fingertips felt tingly and he felt anxious.
“Are there really no people who do their jobs properly?”
“You were hasty. I would have brought it out on my own. If you had waited, I would have foolishly done it myself.”
Originally, they had planned to wait for those who would bring out Noevian from the main gate of the Grand Duke's residence. As the time passed and there seemed to be another commotion, Rhodnes could not stand it anymore and went up himself to grab the Grand Duke and push him into the carriage.
“It is outrageous to give a carriage to a sinner.”
“But he is a member of the royal family. It is a summary judgment without a trial, so the minimum is....”
“Do not go ahead of the procession, but follow at a distance behind.”
"Yes?"
Leaving behind the anxious voices of the adjutants, Rhodnes finally looked up at the Grand Duchess’s bedroom. He saw Noevian Trovica talking to Adrienne until the end. She was howling madly and whispering in her ear like a wounded animal. Adrienne, who had been like a well-made porcelain doll, suddenly lost her expression and looked at Rhodnes' with eyes that seemed to sink. Her gaze was so subtle that it made his heart sink the moment they met.
“If you are concerned, please leave it to us and stay at the Grand Duke’s residence.”
“If Your Highness stays with Madam, good words will probably not spread to her.”
Neil's worries and Vincenzo's advice flowed out one after another. Rhodnes nodded heavily, thinking that Vincenzo's words made sense. Adrienne finished Adrienne's work. If she couldn't settle her debt with Noevian, he wouldn't be able to start over with Adrienne. He had clearly been running like crazy with that thought in mind, but strangely, his fingertips felt tingly and he felt anxious.
Adrienne, frozen as a stone. Noevian, who had been struggling to leave the Grand Duke's mansion, called out to Adrienne until the end. The memories that kept coming back were painful. His heart became even more anxious as he recalled Noevian's desperately crying voice. Adrienne had definitely revealed her identity. He didn't know how she had made Noevian believe her, but the screams that were making him cry so loudly were screams that he could only make because he had seen the 'real' Adrienne in her.
“What is this, Your Highness?”
While being stopped by the knights from the annex, the easterners with sparkling eyes poured out. Without giving much of a response, Rhodnes nodded lightly and left Neil in the ducal palace. He could not let the Easterners hurt Adrienne anymore until he returned. With barely steady steps, Rhodnes took him north.
“What is this, Your Highness?”
While being stopped by the knights from the annex, the easterners with sparkling eyes poured out. Without giving much of a response, Rhodnes nodded lightly and left Neil in the ducal palace. He could not let the Easterners hurt Adrienne anymore until he returned. With barely steady steps, Rhodnes took him north.
***
How far had he run?
Noevian Trovica was a remote castle far beyond the northern Trovica territory, and indefinite detention and confinement had been decided. It was the maximum punishment that the Crown Prince could impose without trial. Having left the vast capital and barely passed a small territory, Rhodnes suddenly ordered the carriage to stop on a quiet forest road. Vincenzo's anxious eyes watched him, but he believed that his lord, who was already focused on the lady in the ducal palace, would not do anything serious, and he pushed the knights away as he wished.
Both of them were loyal to the Crown Prince, so he thought they would have one last word. Only after confirming that the knights were more than 100 paces away did Rhodnes dismount and order the coachman to move away. When he opened the carriage door, he saw Noevian Trovica, who was lying with his head down like a corpse. Rhodnes grabbed one of the lights from the coachman’s seat and threw it on the seat opposite him, then grabbed Noevian’s collar with one hand. His gaze, which had been on the carriage floor, looked straight at Rhodnes without a hint of reflection. His eyes were dazzling, matching his disheveled appearance like a madman.
It was at that moment that Noevian, who had been staring into Rhodnes’ eyes for a long time, burst into laughter. Noevian, who had been laughing so hard that it made the dark forest path echo, opened his mouth before Rhodnes.
“You still live like a Prince in a fairy tale.”
A mockery appeared on Rhodnes' face, which had been hard and merciless.
“...A Prince in a fairy tale wouldn’t roll around on the battlefield.”
"You think you saved Adrienne? Not at all.”
“That name. Don’t call it so carelessly. I’m holding back from you trying to shut your mouth.”
Rhodnes grabbed Noevian by the collar and dragged him out of the carriage, throwing him to the ground.
“Don’t expect mercy. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have an uncle like you, you little brat.”
“Are you trying to cut my throat here?”
Without saying a word, Rhodnes cut the ropes that bound Noevian with his sword. It was a clean cut, cutting only the ropes without touching even a single collar. Immediately afterward, a long sword fell before Noevian's eyes as he lay on the ground.
“There is no interest in tied prey.”
“...How barbaric.”
“Take up your sword. I’m used to killing squirming bugs that are trying to survive.”
“Why are you wasting your strength when you could just kill me?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
Rhodnes slowly pulled out the sword at his side. Even in the dim moonlight, the sword’s sharpness was extraordinary.
“Did Bardenaldo tell you to kill me? Are you acting alone? That’s not something a good brother would do.”
Noevian's eyes, which had been uttering a rough, hoarse voice, were not directed to Rhodnes, but to somewhere far away. However, Rhodnes did not care much. One of the two had to die. Naturally, it was Noevian Trovica who had to die.
“Am I wrong? If you love your brother and you’re not working for him, why would you do something so unbearable?”
“Stop talking nonsense and pick up your sword.”
“Is it the resentment that Adrienne was taken from you?”
“Speak straight. You were the one who made up the story.”
His patience had reached its limit. Rhodnes felt the urge to cut off his head and plunge his sword into his heart right away, but at the same time, he wanted to ask him why on earth he did it. Why did he kill Adrienne? Why on earth did he try to take Adrienne away from him?
“You still live like a Prince in a fairy tale.”
A mockery appeared on Rhodnes' face, which had been hard and merciless.
“...A Prince in a fairy tale wouldn’t roll around on the battlefield.”
"You think you saved Adrienne? Not at all.”
“That name. Don’t call it so carelessly. I’m holding back from you trying to shut your mouth.”
Rhodnes grabbed Noevian by the collar and dragged him out of the carriage, throwing him to the ground.
“Don’t expect mercy. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have an uncle like you, you little brat.”
“Are you trying to cut my throat here?”
Without saying a word, Rhodnes cut the ropes that bound Noevian with his sword. It was a clean cut, cutting only the ropes without touching even a single collar. Immediately afterward, a long sword fell before Noevian's eyes as he lay on the ground.
“There is no interest in tied prey.”
“...How barbaric.”
“Take up your sword. I’m used to killing squirming bugs that are trying to survive.”
“Why are you wasting your strength when you could just kill me?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
Rhodnes slowly pulled out the sword at his side. Even in the dim moonlight, the sword’s sharpness was extraordinary.
“Did Bardenaldo tell you to kill me? Are you acting alone? That’s not something a good brother would do.”
Noevian's eyes, which had been uttering a rough, hoarse voice, were not directed to Rhodnes, but to somewhere far away. However, Rhodnes did not care much. One of the two had to die. Naturally, it was Noevian Trovica who had to die.
“Am I wrong? If you love your brother and you’re not working for him, why would you do something so unbearable?”
“Stop talking nonsense and pick up your sword.”
“Is it the resentment that Adrienne was taken from you?”
“Speak straight. You were the one who made up the story.”
His patience had reached its limit. Rhodnes felt the urge to cut off his head and plunge his sword into his heart right away, but at the same time, he wanted to ask him why on earth he did it. Why did he kill Adrienne? Why on earth did he try to take Adrienne away from him?
He planned to tear and crush his body to the point where he couldn’t stand not saying anything, and then mercilessly cut off his head the moment he told him the truth.
“So that’s why you’re the innocent, fairytale Prince, Rhodnes.”
Until the next words came out of Noevian's twisted lips.
“Did I really take what was yours?”
Noevian staggered and picked up the sword that had fallen to the floor.
“A Princess who was sick and stuck in the East... How did I know and choose her as my wife? Did I fall in love at first sight? Was Noevian Trovica that kind of person?”
“What do you want to say?”
“Do you think I could have done that... without anyone’s help?”
A quiet forest path at night where not even the sound of insects can be heard.
“Your brother, the Crown Prince Bardenaldo, whom you so desperately want to protect, arranged my marriage with Adrienne. You fool.”
The dead Noevian's eyes sparkled strangely. They were eyes that held all the contempt and anger of life.
“Bardenaldo is giving Adrienne to you? No way.”
"...What?"
“From the moment Adrienne Piretta became a candidate for the Crown Princess, the Crown Prince had no intention of letting go of Doris Castagna and Adrienne Piretta.”
A crack appeared on Rhodnes' face as he looked down at Noevian like a messenger of death.
“So that’s why you’re the innocent, fairytale Prince, Rhodnes.”
Until the next words came out of Noevian's twisted lips.
“Did I really take what was yours?”
Noevian staggered and picked up the sword that had fallen to the floor.
“A Princess who was sick and stuck in the East... How did I know and choose her as my wife? Did I fall in love at first sight? Was Noevian Trovica that kind of person?”
“What do you want to say?”
“Do you think I could have done that... without anyone’s help?”
A quiet forest path at night where not even the sound of insects can be heard.
“Your brother, the Crown Prince Bardenaldo, whom you so desperately want to protect, arranged my marriage with Adrienne. You fool.”
The dead Noevian's eyes sparkled strangely. They were eyes that held all the contempt and anger of life.
“Bardenaldo is giving Adrienne to you? No way.”
"...What?"
“From the moment Adrienne Piretta became a candidate for the Crown Princess, the Crown Prince had no intention of letting go of Doris Castagna and Adrienne Piretta.”
A crack appeared on Rhodnes' face as he looked down at Noevian like a messenger of death.
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