Arkan, who had been frowning and looking down, clenched his fists and rested both of his cheeks. His lips were pouting and his face was a mixture of discontent and sullenness.
It was an appearance he had only shown in front of Pelarhar since he was young.
No one in the Vetor Castle, not even the previous King and Queen, who were Arkan’s parents, would know that he could make such an expression.
Arkan, who had been silent for a while, rolled his eyes and said,
“I don’t know either. Your words sound like empty talk.”
“It’s fortunate that the Viscountess is there.”
A worried look appeared on More’s round face.
“If the people who were there spread the word, it will be another flaw for Her Majesty. I don’t know what to do. I told Her Majesty that I will talk about it wherever I go, but honestly, I don’t think anyone will listen.”
She suddenly dropped her gaze, feeling embarrassed that she didn’t have much influence in society. Although King Arkan trusted her husband and gave him important posts, and Viscountess More was also concerned about many things, the nobles of Vetor, each with their own high self-esteem, were not very willing to treat someone as gentle as her.
“Oh, that’s not it. When you’re sleeping... uh, I’m saying it’s better for you not to sleep alone.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Sophia nod as if she understood. She understood More’s intentions.
“Do you think that’s a good idea, Viscountess?”
In response to Sophia’s question, More clenched her chubby fingers into fists. It was a strong expression of her determination.
“Of course. Miss Sophia is still single, but I’ve been with my husband for 24 years. That’s how things work out between couples.”
“Um... Yes. I’ll get ready for now.”
“I don’t know how lucky I am to have Miss Sophia. A person like me, in the world... wouldn’t be able to speak properly in front of Her Majesty. My heart would tremble.”
Sophia smiled bitterly.
“She's not that scary.”
“I know. But why... You know, wouldn’t anyone be so scared that they’d shut their mouths when they saw a lion? That’s how it is.”
After saying that, More said she had to go and hurriedly left the palace.
When Sophia, who had seen her off, returned inside, Erdene was already eating.
“How about your meal?”
“I just finished a little while ago, Your Majesty. Don’t worry about it and eat. If you need anything, I will have the servant bring it to you.”
“No, this is enough.”
Erdene said with a sigh, tearing at the soft bread.
She was moving her hands expressionlessly as if she had no appetite.
Sophia said,
“After you finish your meal, how about taking a bath, Your Majesty?”
It was an appearance he had only shown in front of Pelarhar since he was young.
No one in the Vetor Castle, not even the previous King and Queen, who were Arkan’s parents, would know that he could make such an expression.
Arkan, who had been silent for a while, rolled his eyes and said,
“I don’t know either. Your words sound like empty talk.”
Pelarhar looked at him with a smile as if to see what he would say, and then burst into laughter.
“No wonder you get so angry when a couple fights.”
“What are you talking about?”
Pelarhar leaned over and muttered with an expression that seemed to be amused.
“Think about it. You were sold at the best price, just as you wanted, so why do you have complaints about every little thing? Whether the Princess gets angry at you or not, or pushes you away, she’ll be tied up as the Queen of Vetor anyway, so why do you get so annoyed about every little thing? It’s because she won’t accept you. You’re already in love with the Princess and want to be intimate with her, but she doesn’t show any signs of that, so your pride is hurt and you’re angry.”
Arkan took his hand off his chin and opened his mouth wide.
After a while of silence, he opened his eyes wide as if Pelarhar had poured the tea he was drinking on himself.
“What are you talking about? Falling for whom?”
Arkan’s raised voice resonated through the open door and into the hallway.
Even he realized the fact too late and closed his mouth again, but Pelarhar, who was like spilled water, stared at Arkan with his chin slightly lowered with a ridiculous expression.
“Why, don’t you want to admit it?”
“There’s no need to admit it, so what does it matter if I like her or not? Who fell for whom? This is unbelievable.”
“Or maybe not, why are you overreacting so much? I wonder who passed out outside.”
After saying that, Pelarhar pretended to stretch his body as if he was really going to look outside.
Arkan wanted to punch him in the face because he hated him, but he was bothered by the fact that he had just complained about Erdene’s violence. However, it was frustrating to hold it in.
Pelarhar said,
“Stop being so stubborn and think about what I said. If you don’t have feelings for the Princess beyond the alliance, what’s there to be offended by what she says or does? Right? Just let her be, even if she’s going crazy and if she goes too far, just crush her by royal command?”
Arkan’s expression frowned again. But this time, the atmosphere was different.
Up until now, he’d been acting like a child who was trying to sneak a prank, but this time, Arkan was really angry and his eyes turned cold.
“Be careful what you say. I didn’t take a hostage. And what do you mean by pressuring her by royal command? Are you saying to lock her up?”
Pelerhar said.
“Look at this. Even your eyes change, and you're not falling for her?”
“You’re falling for it, man. It’s not right to begin with, but this isn’t that kind of issue. I just can’t tolerate that kind of behavior myself.”
Pelerhar clicked his tongue so quietly that Arkan couldn’t hear.
Arkan is flexible and witty, but sometimes he is so tightly shut that he can’t even communicate with others. This was exactly the case.
It was because of his duty as a human, no, as a King.
Arkan always carried the burden of having to become a ‘perfect monarch’, a duty that was like an illusion without substance. He just didn’t know it himself.
Only Pelarhar, who was closer to him than anyone else but grew up in a completely different environment, could know.
‘You seem like a troublesome guy.’
Pelarhar waved his hand and said.
“Yes, I said that was my slip of the tongue just now. But you don’t have to worry about it alone. The other person is a person. They’re not walls or statues. So go and talk to her. You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
“You have to listen to her.”
Arkan suddenly seemed to lose his temper as he grumbled softly.
He felt suffocated as Erdene’s face, fiercely angry like a fierce storm or a sharp blade, flashed before his eyes.
But the next moment, her face, her long black hair loose and her upper body bent forward, bathed in soft light, comes to mind and his mind becomes confused.
'Why do I keep thinking about it?'
Another line appeared between Arkan's handsome eyebrows.
“No wonder you get so angry when a couple fights.”
“What are you talking about?”
Pelarhar leaned over and muttered with an expression that seemed to be amused.
“Think about it. You were sold at the best price, just as you wanted, so why do you have complaints about every little thing? Whether the Princess gets angry at you or not, or pushes you away, she’ll be tied up as the Queen of Vetor anyway, so why do you get so annoyed about every little thing? It’s because she won’t accept you. You’re already in love with the Princess and want to be intimate with her, but she doesn’t show any signs of that, so your pride is hurt and you’re angry.”
Arkan took his hand off his chin and opened his mouth wide.
After a while of silence, he opened his eyes wide as if Pelarhar had poured the tea he was drinking on himself.
“What are you talking about? Falling for whom?”
Arkan’s raised voice resonated through the open door and into the hallway.
Even he realized the fact too late and closed his mouth again, but Pelarhar, who was like spilled water, stared at Arkan with his chin slightly lowered with a ridiculous expression.
“Why, don’t you want to admit it?”
“There’s no need to admit it, so what does it matter if I like her or not? Who fell for whom? This is unbelievable.”
“Or maybe not, why are you overreacting so much? I wonder who passed out outside.”
After saying that, Pelarhar pretended to stretch his body as if he was really going to look outside.
Arkan wanted to punch him in the face because he hated him, but he was bothered by the fact that he had just complained about Erdene’s violence. However, it was frustrating to hold it in.
Pelarhar said,
“Stop being so stubborn and think about what I said. If you don’t have feelings for the Princess beyond the alliance, what’s there to be offended by what she says or does? Right? Just let her be, even if she’s going crazy and if she goes too far, just crush her by royal command?”
Arkan’s expression frowned again. But this time, the atmosphere was different.
Up until now, he’d been acting like a child who was trying to sneak a prank, but this time, Arkan was really angry and his eyes turned cold.
“Be careful what you say. I didn’t take a hostage. And what do you mean by pressuring her by royal command? Are you saying to lock her up?”
Pelerhar said.
“Look at this. Even your eyes change, and you're not falling for her?”
“You’re falling for it, man. It’s not right to begin with, but this isn’t that kind of issue. I just can’t tolerate that kind of behavior myself.”
Pelerhar clicked his tongue so quietly that Arkan couldn’t hear.
Arkan is flexible and witty, but sometimes he is so tightly shut that he can’t even communicate with others. This was exactly the case.
It was because of his duty as a human, no, as a King.
Arkan always carried the burden of having to become a ‘perfect monarch’, a duty that was like an illusion without substance. He just didn’t know it himself.
Only Pelarhar, who was closer to him than anyone else but grew up in a completely different environment, could know.
‘You seem like a troublesome guy.’
Pelarhar waved his hand and said.
“Yes, I said that was my slip of the tongue just now. But you don’t have to worry about it alone. The other person is a person. They’re not walls or statues. So go and talk to her. You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
“You have to listen to her.”
Arkan suddenly seemed to lose his temper as he grumbled softly.
He felt suffocated as Erdene’s face, fiercely angry like a fierce storm or a sharp blade, flashed before his eyes.
But the next moment, her face, her long black hair loose and her upper body bent forward, bathed in soft light, comes to mind and his mind becomes confused.
'Why do I keep thinking about it?'
Another line appeared between Arkan's handsome eyebrows.
'Who would fall for such a thug and a brat?'
A long sigh escaped from Arkan's mouth, who had been casually lying down.
Sophia blinked her eyes as if wondering what was going on when she saw Viscountess Wickes following Erdene to the palace.
Erdene waved her hand lightly as if she was too lazy to even talk, and tore off her hair ornament that had become all tangled from fighting, running around, and losing her temper.
"I'm hungry. What about dinner?"
"It will be ready soon, Your Majesty."
"Yes."
Erdene handed the ornaments to the maid and disappeared into the living room.
Sophia told her to help Erdene change his clothes and turned her gaze to the Viscountess.
"What's going on?"
Viscountess Wickes, More gasped quietly.
"Don't be ridiculous, Sophia. There was a commotion.”
“Commotion?”
More explained everything from what happened in the hallway to her arrival here.
She was usually a slow talker, but her words were often incoherent and stammered, perhaps because she was calm and excited.
Sophia carefully picked out the key parts from the rambling story.
It would have been difficult if she hadn’t been so patient and perceptive.
“...That’s how it happened. When Her Majesty was so excited, my heart was pounding so hard. But I couldn’t just stand by and watch that, right?”
She repeated what More had said. Sophia nodded and blinked.
“Miss Zelma is a bit reckless. But I can’t just ignore the fact that she tried to push her mistakes on Her Majesty in front of other people.”
“That's exactly my point. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have done it, my dear, but I'm afraid I'm a bit of a prude.”
A long sigh escaped from Arkan's mouth, who had been casually lying down.
***
Sophia blinked her eyes as if wondering what was going on when she saw Viscountess Wickes following Erdene to the palace.
Erdene waved her hand lightly as if she was too lazy to even talk, and tore off her hair ornament that had become all tangled from fighting, running around, and losing her temper.
"I'm hungry. What about dinner?"
"It will be ready soon, Your Majesty."
"Yes."
Erdene handed the ornaments to the maid and disappeared into the living room.
Sophia told her to help Erdene change his clothes and turned her gaze to the Viscountess.
"What's going on?"
Viscountess Wickes, More gasped quietly.
"Don't be ridiculous, Sophia. There was a commotion.”
“Commotion?”
More explained everything from what happened in the hallway to her arrival here.
She was usually a slow talker, but her words were often incoherent and stammered, perhaps because she was calm and excited.
Sophia carefully picked out the key parts from the rambling story.
It would have been difficult if she hadn’t been so patient and perceptive.
“...That’s how it happened. When Her Majesty was so excited, my heart was pounding so hard. But I couldn’t just stand by and watch that, right?”
She repeated what More had said. Sophia nodded and blinked.
“Miss Zelma is a bit reckless. But I can’t just ignore the fact that she tried to push her mistakes on Her Majesty in front of other people.”
“That's exactly my point. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have done it, my dear, but I'm afraid I'm a bit of a prude.”
“It’s fortunate that the Viscountess is there.”
A worried look appeared on More’s round face.
“If the people who were there spread the word, it will be another flaw for Her Majesty. I don’t know what to do. I told Her Majesty that I will talk about it wherever I go, but honestly, I don’t think anyone will listen.”
She suddenly dropped her gaze, feeling embarrassed that she didn’t have much influence in society. Although King Arkan trusted her husband and gave him important posts, and Viscountess More was also concerned about many things, the nobles of Vetor, each with their own high self-esteem, were not very willing to treat someone as gentle as her.
Sophia lightly patted the Viscountess’s arm.
It was a gentle gesture as if a daughter were talking to her mother or a close relative.
“Don’t worry too much. I will try to clear up any misunderstandings as much as I can.”
“I feel relieved when you say that, Miss Sophia.”
Then, she suddenly blushed and looked around as if checking the mood of her surroundings before saying,
“I, and I also told Her Majesty... about the fight between her and His Majesty. It’s true that fights are common during honeymoon periods, but Her Majesty isn’t the most docile of people, and at times like this, shouldn’t you two face each other in person?”
Sophia stared blankly at More for a moment, just like Erdene had.
Although she was smart, Sophia was still single, and like most young ladies her age, she didn’t have a fiance or a lover, so she didn’t immediately figure out More’s intentions.
“If they face each other, maybe a meal? Or...”
It was a gentle gesture as if a daughter were talking to her mother or a close relative.
“Don’t worry too much. I will try to clear up any misunderstandings as much as I can.”
“I feel relieved when you say that, Miss Sophia.”
Then, she suddenly blushed and looked around as if checking the mood of her surroundings before saying,
“I, and I also told Her Majesty... about the fight between her and His Majesty. It’s true that fights are common during honeymoon periods, but Her Majesty isn’t the most docile of people, and at times like this, shouldn’t you two face each other in person?”
Sophia stared blankly at More for a moment, just like Erdene had.
Although she was smart, Sophia was still single, and like most young ladies her age, she didn’t have a fiance or a lover, so she didn’t immediately figure out More’s intentions.
“If they face each other, maybe a meal? Or...”
“Oh, that’s not it. When you’re sleeping... uh, I’m saying it’s better for you not to sleep alone.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Sophia nod as if she understood. She understood More’s intentions.
“Do you think that’s a good idea, Viscountess?”
In response to Sophia’s question, More clenched her chubby fingers into fists. It was a strong expression of her determination.
“Of course. Miss Sophia is still single, but I’ve been with my husband for 24 years. That’s how things work out between couples.”
“Um... Yes. I’ll get ready for now.”
“I don’t know how lucky I am to have Miss Sophia. A person like me, in the world... wouldn’t be able to speak properly in front of Her Majesty. My heart would tremble.”
Sophia smiled bitterly.
“She's not that scary.”
“I know. But why... You know, wouldn’t anyone be so scared that they’d shut their mouths when they saw a lion? That’s how it is.”
After saying that, More said she had to go and hurriedly left the palace.
When Sophia, who had seen her off, returned inside, Erdene was already eating.
“How about your meal?”
“I just finished a little while ago, Your Majesty. Don’t worry about it and eat. If you need anything, I will have the servant bring it to you.”
“No, this is enough.”
Erdene said with a sigh, tearing at the soft bread.
She was moving her hands expressionlessly as if she had no appetite.
Sophia said,
“After you finish your meal, how about taking a bath, Your Majesty?”
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