“In terms of productivity, you know.”
“Yes, he is my twin brother who stole my position. Even if I will never become Emperor again, if I ever meet him, I will definitely cut off his lifeline.”
“Hmm, yes. That is up to you, Your Highness.”
Sophia knew how to distinguish between political matters that required her involvement and those that did not.
It was natural for Erdene to gnash her teeth at the new Emperor of the empire.
Whether she happened to have the chance to cut off his head, tie a stone to him, or—unbelievably—show mercy, it was an area that only Erdene could choose.
“But.”
Erdene, who had been staring blankly out the window at the setting sun, turned her gaze to Sophia.
“There must be a reason why you are telling me this story out of the blue.”
Sophia nodded as if it was obvious.
“It’s because I don’t want to be misunderstood after Your Highness became the Queen of Vetor.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“I indeed like Belen more than His Majesty the King, but it’s also true that those who serve Your Highness closely are the ones who end up meeting His Majesty the most.”
Erdene, who had been staring blankly at Sophia who responded indifferently, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“Do you find my worries funny, Your Highness the Princess? I’m serious.”
Sophia said, pretending to be slightly sullen. Erdene, who had one arm resting on the back of the chair, folded one leg up and giggled.
“You seemed bold, but you were worried about that? I can’t tell if you’re timid or what, Sophia.”
“That’s not the only thing I was worried about when I told you. There was something I wanted to ask of Your Highness.”
“Ask me?”
“Yes. If you were thinking of bringing in a government, I was going to tell you that it would be best not to do so.”
The more Erdene listened to Sophia, the more difficult it was for her to maintain an indifferent expression.
However, Sophia looked at Erdene, who was holding back a smile with her lips curled, with a rather serious gaze. Her expression was truly one of concern.
“His Majesty Arkan is a very gentle and soft-spoken person, but he seems strangely gentle... but he is very upright. Perhaps even more so than you, Your Highness, would guess. And he always walks the talk. He absolutely cannot tolerate anything that goes against his will.”
Interesting, Erdene thought.
When she had first arrived at the Vetor royal palace, she had not felt anything like that in Arkan’s appearance.
However, after two or three conversations, Erdene could vaguely sense what Sophia was talking about.
He was a stubborn man, and he seemed unwilling to compromise with anyone who would touch his heart, his roots.
“As for me, I like shaking those guys.”
Erdene smiled leisurely, thinking that if Arkan had heard her, he would have scolded her again.
Sophia continued.
“He’ll probably be prepared to devote his life to Your Highness the moment you get engaged.”
“Isn’t that a bit burdensome?”
Sophia nodded calmly at Erdene’s words.
“That’s why I’m saying that His Majesty the King isn’t my type.”
“Is that guy named Belen or Berel a loser?”
“No way. He likes to brag about being popular with the ladies and having a lot of dating experience, but it’s obvious that he’s never had a proper relationship. He’s probably more popular than His Majesty Arkan, if not less.”
“But is it really because of his looks that you like him more?”
Sophia agreed seriously.
“Looks are important when it comes to falling in love. It’s even more so when you have a quiet lady from a noble family with whom you don’t have many opportunities to have deep conversations and a knight commander who always gets covered in dust in the barracks. The rest is something you’ll figure out little by little. At least I know that Belen Wiziard isn’t a mean person.”
Erdene stared at the sky outside the window that had now turned completely red, lost in thought.
As she listened to Sophia, she couldn’t help but think of Arkan.
Hair that was curly like a kid or a lamb, eyes that looked warm like the summer sunlight or the heated sandy beach, skin that seemed incredibly soft for a man, and perfectly balanced and handsome features.
Among the men of the empire, at least among the men around Erdene, there wasn’t a single one who looked like Arkan.
‘They were mostly bears or wild boars....’
Erdene chuckled as she recalled the faces of her subordinates one by one.
Among the men close to her, the only one with fair skin was Tenek, but he was definitely not handsome. At best, he was just 'so-so'.
Erdene said.
"I don't know what Belen Wiziard looks like, but if we're going by looks, I think the King of Vetor would be much better. Usually, guys who risk their lives with swords and armor are no more than bumpy potatoes."
"Your Highness will probably see him soon. He's not a bumpy potato. He's a smooth potato."
Regardless, the fact that he's a potato didn't change.
Erdene looked at Sophia with a funny expression.
Realizing that the conversation had gone off on a tangent, Sophia spoke to Erdene again as if making a promise.
"Regardless of whether Belen is a potato or a toran, remember what I told you. If Your Highness the Princess takes a mistress after marriage, and if His Majesty finds out about it, it will be a big problem.”
Erdene snorted lightly.
“At best, I will end up getting divorced and becoming deposed. Isn’t that right?”
But Sophia tilted her head meaningfully.
“Well, I don’t think so. In fact, divorce might be better.”
Erdene elaborated, but Sophia still didn’t get it. No, she had a vague idea...
Erdene, who had been looking at the half-left tea, gulped down the rest of it and put her glass down.
Crack!
The glass tilted with a thud and tilted.
Sophia looked down at the saucer with a crack in the middle with bewilderment.
Erdene had a similar expression to Sophia, except that soon after, she frowned and said this.
“Why are all of Vetor’s things so weak?”
Sophia replied calmly, putting away the saucer that had once again become useless.
“It’s not that Vetor’s things are weak, but that Your Highness is too strong.”
Erdene’s lips moved.
Even though they had only recently met, she really liked Sophia a little. The main reason was that her attitude of not being cautious or flinching reminded her of her adjutant Thelma and the knight commanders who had always moved with her in the empire.
Sophia changed the subject again.
“Anyway, when Your Highness said that it was inefficient in terms of productivity... was that a remark made with descendants in mind?”
“I guess so.”
Erdene tapped the lip of the teacup, which had become lonely after losing the saucer, with her fingertips.
“Whether a man has multiple wives, or a woman has multiple husbands, or each has multiple lovers... In any case, wouldn’t it be better to do it that way rather than a one-on-one relationship, so that we can have several heirs, and designate the most outstanding child as the successor? It would be beneficial for the family as well.”
Erdene’s monotonous tone made Sophia even more shocked.
However, she was not as picky and conservative as her mother, the Marchioness Fiddlers, or the King’s chamberlain Plat.
Although she was much more familiar with the laws and society of Vetor, Sophia never got tainted by anything.
Sophia poured a little more tea into her cup and said.
“In the Hirschsten Empire, warriors with outstanding martial arts, physical strength, and strong temperament are valued the most. So I understand what Your Highness is saying... Vetor is not like that.”
“I’m not talking about children born with strong temperaments. A child with a quick mind and intelligence, or if neither is the case, a child with a pretty face. In any case, wouldn’t it be better for the family to have a successor who has at least one more advantage that overwhelms others?”
Sophia pondered Erdene’s words for a bit longer and then gave this answer.
“Of course, that’s true, but if there are more children, and each child has a different mother or father, there will inevitably be a fight over the successor. A person’s ability is not something that can be seen with the eyes, so even if you choose the best child as the successor, wouldn’t some object? The probability of innocent people being sacrificed in the process will also increase significantly.”
This time, Erdene’s side remained silent for a moment with a thoughtful expression.
Sophia wasn’t wrong. On the contrary, as she said, bloodshed raged among the noble families of the empire every day.
Long ago, when the empire was still divided and in turmoil, it was said that the heads of the families who had gained power in each region would often turn their swords against their friends, relatives, and even their own children or parents to seize the throne. The remnants of that vicious conflict remained even after the empire was unified, reduced to the family level.
Erdene said.
“Well, if I were Emperor, I would have killed Tenek without hesitation.”
“If you say Tenek, then the current empire...”
Erdene, who had been looking at the half-left tea, gulped down the rest of it and put her glass down.
Crack!
The glass tilted with a thud and tilted.
Sophia looked down at the saucer with a crack in the middle with bewilderment.
Erdene had a similar expression to Sophia, except that soon after, she frowned and said this.
“Why are all of Vetor’s things so weak?”
Sophia replied calmly, putting away the saucer that had once again become useless.
“It’s not that Vetor’s things are weak, but that Your Highness is too strong.”
Erdene’s lips moved.
Even though they had only recently met, she really liked Sophia a little. The main reason was that her attitude of not being cautious or flinching reminded her of her adjutant Thelma and the knight commanders who had always moved with her in the empire.
Sophia changed the subject again.
“Anyway, when Your Highness said that it was inefficient in terms of productivity... was that a remark made with descendants in mind?”
“I guess so.”
Erdene tapped the lip of the teacup, which had become lonely after losing the saucer, with her fingertips.
“Whether a man has multiple wives, or a woman has multiple husbands, or each has multiple lovers... In any case, wouldn’t it be better to do it that way rather than a one-on-one relationship, so that we can have several heirs, and designate the most outstanding child as the successor? It would be beneficial for the family as well.”
Erdene’s monotonous tone made Sophia even more shocked.
However, she was not as picky and conservative as her mother, the Marchioness Fiddlers, or the King’s chamberlain Plat.
Although she was much more familiar with the laws and society of Vetor, Sophia never got tainted by anything.
Sophia poured a little more tea into her cup and said.
“In the Hirschsten Empire, warriors with outstanding martial arts, physical strength, and strong temperament are valued the most. So I understand what Your Highness is saying... Vetor is not like that.”
“I’m not talking about children born with strong temperaments. A child with a quick mind and intelligence, or if neither is the case, a child with a pretty face. In any case, wouldn’t it be better for the family to have a successor who has at least one more advantage that overwhelms others?”
Sophia pondered Erdene’s words for a bit longer and then gave this answer.
“Of course, that’s true, but if there are more children, and each child has a different mother or father, there will inevitably be a fight over the successor. A person’s ability is not something that can be seen with the eyes, so even if you choose the best child as the successor, wouldn’t some object? The probability of innocent people being sacrificed in the process will also increase significantly.”
This time, Erdene’s side remained silent for a moment with a thoughtful expression.
Sophia wasn’t wrong. On the contrary, as she said, bloodshed raged among the noble families of the empire every day.
Long ago, when the empire was still divided and in turmoil, it was said that the heads of the families who had gained power in each region would often turn their swords against their friends, relatives, and even their own children or parents to seize the throne. The remnants of that vicious conflict remained even after the empire was unified, reduced to the family level.
Erdene said.
“Well, if I were Emperor, I would have killed Tenek without hesitation.”
“If you say Tenek, then the current empire...”
“Yes, he is my twin brother who stole my position. Even if I will never become Emperor again, if I ever meet him, I will definitely cut off his lifeline.”
“Hmm, yes. That is up to you, Your Highness.”
Sophia knew how to distinguish between political matters that required her involvement and those that did not.
It was natural for Erdene to gnash her teeth at the new Emperor of the empire.
Whether she happened to have the chance to cut off his head, tie a stone to him, or—unbelievably—show mercy, it was an area that only Erdene could choose.
“But.”
Erdene, who had been staring blankly out the window at the setting sun, turned her gaze to Sophia.
“There must be a reason why you are telling me this story out of the blue.”
Sophia nodded as if it was obvious.
“It’s because I don’t want to be misunderstood after Your Highness became the Queen of Vetor.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“I indeed like Belen more than His Majesty the King, but it’s also true that those who serve Your Highness closely are the ones who end up meeting His Majesty the most.”
Erdene, who had been staring blankly at Sophia who responded indifferently, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“Do you find my worries funny, Your Highness the Princess? I’m serious.”
Sophia said, pretending to be slightly sullen. Erdene, who had one arm resting on the back of the chair, folded one leg up and giggled.
“You seemed bold, but you were worried about that? I can’t tell if you’re timid or what, Sophia.”
“That’s not the only thing I was worried about when I told you. There was something I wanted to ask of Your Highness.”
“Ask me?”
“Yes. If you were thinking of bringing in a government, I was going to tell you that it would be best not to do so.”
The more Erdene listened to Sophia, the more difficult it was for her to maintain an indifferent expression.
However, Sophia looked at Erdene, who was holding back a smile with her lips curled, with a rather serious gaze. Her expression was truly one of concern.
“His Majesty Arkan is a very gentle and soft-spoken person, but he seems strangely gentle... but he is very upright. Perhaps even more so than you, Your Highness, would guess. And he always walks the talk. He absolutely cannot tolerate anything that goes against his will.”
Interesting, Erdene thought.
When she had first arrived at the Vetor royal palace, she had not felt anything like that in Arkan’s appearance.
However, after two or three conversations, Erdene could vaguely sense what Sophia was talking about.
He was a stubborn man, and he seemed unwilling to compromise with anyone who would touch his heart, his roots.
“As for me, I like shaking those guys.”
Erdene smiled leisurely, thinking that if Arkan had heard her, he would have scolded her again.
Sophia continued.
“He’ll probably be prepared to devote his life to Your Highness the moment you get engaged.”
“Isn’t that a bit burdensome?”
Sophia nodded calmly at Erdene’s words.
“That’s why I’m saying that His Majesty the King isn’t my type.”
“Is that guy named Belen or Berel a loser?”
“No way. He likes to brag about being popular with the ladies and having a lot of dating experience, but it’s obvious that he’s never had a proper relationship. He’s probably more popular than His Majesty Arkan, if not less.”
“But is it really because of his looks that you like him more?”
Sophia agreed seriously.
“Looks are important when it comes to falling in love. It’s even more so when you have a quiet lady from a noble family with whom you don’t have many opportunities to have deep conversations and a knight commander who always gets covered in dust in the barracks. The rest is something you’ll figure out little by little. At least I know that Belen Wiziard isn’t a mean person.”
Erdene stared at the sky outside the window that had now turned completely red, lost in thought.
As she listened to Sophia, she couldn’t help but think of Arkan.
Hair that was curly like a kid or a lamb, eyes that looked warm like the summer sunlight or the heated sandy beach, skin that seemed incredibly soft for a man, and perfectly balanced and handsome features.
Among the men of the empire, at least among the men around Erdene, there wasn’t a single one who looked like Arkan.
‘They were mostly bears or wild boars....’
Erdene chuckled as she recalled the faces of her subordinates one by one.
Among the men close to her, the only one with fair skin was Tenek, but he was definitely not handsome. At best, he was just 'so-so'.
Erdene said.
"I don't know what Belen Wiziard looks like, but if we're going by looks, I think the King of Vetor would be much better. Usually, guys who risk their lives with swords and armor are no more than bumpy potatoes."
"Your Highness will probably see him soon. He's not a bumpy potato. He's a smooth potato."
Regardless, the fact that he's a potato didn't change.
Erdene looked at Sophia with a funny expression.
Realizing that the conversation had gone off on a tangent, Sophia spoke to Erdene again as if making a promise.
"Regardless of whether Belen is a potato or a toran, remember what I told you. If Your Highness the Princess takes a mistress after marriage, and if His Majesty finds out about it, it will be a big problem.”
Erdene snorted lightly.
“At best, I will end up getting divorced and becoming deposed. Isn’t that right?”
But Sophia tilted her head meaningfully.
“Well, I don’t think so. In fact, divorce might be better.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment