The rumor that Pelarhar, the Duke of Sonetum and nephew of the former King and cousin of Arkan, had returned to Vetor, to the royal castle, spread like wildfire.
The nobles of Vetor usually pretended to be polite and respectful to each other, but they liked to gossip about others.
Whenever two or three people gathered, there was no name that did not come up, and most of it was jokes and sarcastic remarks disguised as small talk, but Arkan and Pelarhar were complete exceptions to that masked laughter.
“Where have you been this time, His Excellency Pelarhar?”
“There will be a ball, right? His Majesty always does that when you return. Shall we hear some funny stories!”
“Come to think of it, it was last year, right? The daughter of the Count of Shupon fell in love with His Highness Pelarhar and insisted that she would rather not marry than live without him, and there was chaos.”
“Of course not. But I heard that she got married around winter, and she must have gone down to her husband’s territory.”
“I wonder if she came running on an unsaddled horse, let alone a carriage when she heard the news.”
Laughter erupted at the end of the whispered words. She covered her mouth with the end of her fan so as not to look frivolous, but her swaying back and forth was not very dignified. She had the frivolity characteristic of people who like to laugh at or mock others.
“I want to hear what you are talking about so interestingly.”
The laughing women turned their heads in surprise, and then their faces brightened up as if they had bloomed flowers. Pelarhar, who washed and changed his clothes as Arkan had said, was nowhere to be found, looking shabby and disheveled when he first came back. In fact, he was as tall as Arkan, but he was much more rugged and manly. His dead father didn’t look like that, but many said that he probably resembled his mother, and if so, wasn’t his mother also a great beauty?
Pelarhar was a handsome man with distinct features. His skin was thin from always moving around, but he had an unavoidable charm. The noble ladies who were talking were all engaged or married, but they couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of the handsome man.
“Your Excellency, Pelarhar, I am so happy to see you back safely.”
“I was so bored without Your Excellency, who always tells me interesting stories.”
“His Majesty must be quite surprised to see you back so suddenly.”
The women each said something and pushed each other’s shoulders to stand closer to him. Pelarhar smiled as if he had seen nothing, even though he saw them all clearly.
“It was worth coming back since you welcomed me so warmly wherever I went. His Majesty was surprised, but it is also a pleasure to see such a sight sometimes, isn’t that part of his charm?”
They burst into laughter as if they had heard some funny joke. Each of their bodies swayed, and the scent of their own perfume reached Pelarhar’s nose. The youngest of them, with her golden curls curled up lusciously, said,
“Of course it is. Your Excellency is right. Isn’t His Majesty Arkan the pride of Vetor just by his very existence?”
“Yes. I have looked around the inland countries, but there is no King as handsome and young as His Majesty.”
“He is not only handsome. He is kind and gentle, and he enjoys thinking and reading, and he speaks so calmly.”
Another woman, her brown hair braided high and decorated with small trinkets, said. She was very serious, but Pelarhar, who knew Arkan's other side, his true nature, better, had to bite back a smile.
'He's managing well. Who would say he's not my uncle's son?'
The nobles of Vetor, no. Not just them, but all the people had similar feelings about Arkhan. His Majesty the Perfect King, was gentle, generous, and intelligent, always calm and rational in everything he did. Whether it was because he ascended to the throne at a young age or because he had a handsome face, the people of Vetor literally 'cherished' Arkan. They cared for him as if he were a treasure in their hands, worried that he would crack if dropped and fly away if blown, and they served and loved him as well.
However, the Arkan that Pelarhar knew was an ordinary cousin who had a childish side, was stubborn, and would whine when he got angry, and sometimes sniffled while reading a novel. Of course, both sides were Arkan's appearance.
Another woman, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly pursed her lips and spoke as if complaining.
“By the way, I am worried about how His Majesty is doing these days. My husband is a low-ranking official in the Ministry of Industry, but he attends official meetings and meets His Majesty. He looks very tired and sometimes even in a bad mood.”
Pelarhar replied as if it was nothing serious.
“His Majesty is human, so he has bad days. He looks tired because he has a lot of work to do. That is because His Majesty brought it on himself, so you don’t have to worry too much. He is the type of person who feels at ease only when he does things himself, even if he could have someone else do them.”
“I know that! How can I not know that His Majesty is such a meticulous person? But... We think, Your Excellency, that His Majesty has been carrying too much of a burden these days.”
“By the way, I am worried about how His Majesty is doing these days. My husband is a low-ranking official in the Ministry of Industry, but he attends official meetings and meets His Majesty. He looks very tired and sometimes even in a bad mood.”
Pelarhar replied as if it was nothing serious.
“His Majesty is human, so he has bad days. He looks tired because he has a lot of work to do. That is because His Majesty brought it on himself, so you don’t have to worry too much. He is the type of person who feels at ease only when he does things himself, even if he could have someone else do them.”
“I know that! How can I not know that His Majesty is such a meticulous person? But... We think, Your Excellency, that His Majesty has been carrying too much of a burden these days.”
As the woman continued, the other ladies nodded in agreement.
Pelarhar was also quick-witted, though not as much as Arkan.
The kingdom was peaceful, so there was no need for any state affairs, and if there had been any recent changes in Arkan’s life, it was only that he had gotten married.
“What is it about?”
However, Pelarhar pretended not to know.
Then, the women, who had been making sullen expressions, began to talk one by one.
“It’s because of that Princess from abroad, Your Excellency.”
“A northern fighter who knows no manners or laws has become the Queen of Vetor. Even though His Majesty chose her for the sake of all the allies, he is truly pitiful.”
“I heard that whenever His Majesty visits, she screams and chases him away. How can that be? Not to mention her duties as a Queen, do northerners not have any duties as wives?”
They each grumbled as they pleased.
Although she was not deaf, Pelarhar assumed that she would naturally side with Arkan, and her babbling became increasingly dangerous.
The blonde woman shook her body and said,
“That is true. It is shameful to have to bow my head to her and call her Her Majesty. I heard that she has been in battle since she was ten years old. How can a woman who has only been involved in harming people before she has even become mature become the dignified Queen of Vetor? She should be no less than this.”
The other women thought it was a bit harsh and just smiled, glancing at Pelarhar’s expression, but the woman whose husband was an official in the Ministry of Industry chimed in.
“The Countess is right, Your Excellency Pelarhar. Marchioness Fiddler’s, oh no. Your Excellency hasn’t heard the news yet. Marchioness Fiddler’s...”
Pelarhar cut her off.
“I heard the rumors, too. Isn’t that the story about how she lied to His Majesty and incurred His Majesty’s wrath and was kicked out?”
The woman’s face turned red as she spoke.
In fact, she was fed up with the Marchioness walking around the palace as if it were her own home, meddling in her every move, nagging her to behave herself whenever they met, and eventually bragging about her youngest daughter. When the Marchioness disappeared, she had even thrown a party to celebrate, of course, she didn’t reveal the purpose of the party to the outside world, but she could have easily defended Erdene if she had anything to say about her.
Would she have just defended her? She could have pretended to be indignant as if her own mother had been unfairly kicked out. She tried to do that this time, but when her words faltered, she lost her temper.
Pelarhar, who had been studying their faces carefully, said with a faint smile on his face.
Because of his good looks and coolness, it wasn’t revealed openly, but his eyes were clearly scolding and mocking their gossip.
“If it’s Marchioness Fiddler’s problem, it’s something she brought upon herself, so there’s no need to talk about it. Isn’t that right? Even though she was the Princess of Hirschsten, she was different from the Princesses and Princesses of the inland. She was raised to inherit the throne and the Emperor’s title, so her temperament can’t be like that of an ordinary person. War is something the empire does when it’s bored after eating. However, the Princess’s martial arts skills were outstanding, so the previous Emperor cherished and loved her deeply. It may not be right for the empire to always launch preemptive attacks, but just as you are so passionate about Vetor and His Majesty the King when Her Majesty was the daughter of the empire, didn’t she have no choice but to devote herself to her country? You should also learn to think of others.”
The part about 'getting hot for His Majesty the King and Vetor' sounded like a joke no matter where you heard it.
The women, whose faces were even redder, quickly looked away and left Pelarhar.
He was always the one who entertained those around him with witty stories and jokes, but it didn't seem like he would be able to have that kind of conversation today.
Pelarhar, who was watching the backs of the women disappearing with hurried steps, turned his head toward the Queen's palace and muttered to himself.
"Well, then I'll go greet the troublesome Queen."
Pelarhar was also quick-witted, though not as much as Arkan.
The kingdom was peaceful, so there was no need for any state affairs, and if there had been any recent changes in Arkan’s life, it was only that he had gotten married.
“What is it about?”
However, Pelarhar pretended not to know.
Then, the women, who had been making sullen expressions, began to talk one by one.
“It’s because of that Princess from abroad, Your Excellency.”
“A northern fighter who knows no manners or laws has become the Queen of Vetor. Even though His Majesty chose her for the sake of all the allies, he is truly pitiful.”
“I heard that whenever His Majesty visits, she screams and chases him away. How can that be? Not to mention her duties as a Queen, do northerners not have any duties as wives?”
They each grumbled as they pleased.
Although she was not deaf, Pelarhar assumed that she would naturally side with Arkan, and her babbling became increasingly dangerous.
The blonde woman shook her body and said,
“That is true. It is shameful to have to bow my head to her and call her Her Majesty. I heard that she has been in battle since she was ten years old. How can a woman who has only been involved in harming people before she has even become mature become the dignified Queen of Vetor? She should be no less than this.”
The other women thought it was a bit harsh and just smiled, glancing at Pelarhar’s expression, but the woman whose husband was an official in the Ministry of Industry chimed in.
“The Countess is right, Your Excellency Pelarhar. Marchioness Fiddler’s, oh no. Your Excellency hasn’t heard the news yet. Marchioness Fiddler’s...”
Pelarhar cut her off.
“I heard the rumors, too. Isn’t that the story about how she lied to His Majesty and incurred His Majesty’s wrath and was kicked out?”
The woman’s face turned red as she spoke.
In fact, she was fed up with the Marchioness walking around the palace as if it were her own home, meddling in her every move, nagging her to behave herself whenever they met, and eventually bragging about her youngest daughter. When the Marchioness disappeared, she had even thrown a party to celebrate, of course, she didn’t reveal the purpose of the party to the outside world, but she could have easily defended Erdene if she had anything to say about her.
Would she have just defended her? She could have pretended to be indignant as if her own mother had been unfairly kicked out. She tried to do that this time, but when her words faltered, she lost her temper.
Pelarhar, who had been studying their faces carefully, said with a faint smile on his face.
Because of his good looks and coolness, it wasn’t revealed openly, but his eyes were clearly scolding and mocking their gossip.
“If it’s Marchioness Fiddler’s problem, it’s something she brought upon herself, so there’s no need to talk about it. Isn’t that right? Even though she was the Princess of Hirschsten, she was different from the Princesses and Princesses of the inland. She was raised to inherit the throne and the Emperor’s title, so her temperament can’t be like that of an ordinary person. War is something the empire does when it’s bored after eating. However, the Princess’s martial arts skills were outstanding, so the previous Emperor cherished and loved her deeply. It may not be right for the empire to always launch preemptive attacks, but just as you are so passionate about Vetor and His Majesty the King when Her Majesty was the daughter of the empire, didn’t she have no choice but to devote herself to her country? You should also learn to think of others.”
The part about 'getting hot for His Majesty the King and Vetor' sounded like a joke no matter where you heard it.
The women, whose faces were even redder, quickly looked away and left Pelarhar.
He was always the one who entertained those around him with witty stories and jokes, but it didn't seem like he would be able to have that kind of conversation today.
Pelarhar, who was watching the backs of the women disappearing with hurried steps, turned his head toward the Queen's palace and muttered to himself.
"Well, then I'll go greet the troublesome Queen."
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment