“Sparring at the parade ground?”
Arkan, who had been staring at the book the whole time, looked up with a surprised expression.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Plat, who had relayed what he had heard from the attendant, looked angry as if he had been hit by a wooden sword.
This time, he hoped Arkan would at least give Erdene a firm warning, but his expression showed a hint of resignation inside.
Arkan put the book he was reading down on his chest, blinked, and said,
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“That would be understandable. It would be a loss of honor for Her Majesty, the Queen of Vetor, to mix swords with the soldiers while kicking up dust.”
Arkan glanced at Plat and one of his eyebrows rose slanted.
“Well, if honor is going to disappear like that, isn’t it the same as never having existed in the first place?”
“That... No, I made a slip of the tongue.”
“You seem to be increasingly like the Marchioness of Fiddler’s these days, but I can’t wear out your wrists... Before I send you on your retirement vacation with regret, be careful.”
Plat closed his eyes with a gloomy expression. Arkan wasn’t in a good mood either.
However, unlike Plat, he wasn’t offended because Erdene had a ‘dusty’ sparring session with the soldiers. He threw down the book and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.
For some reason, he felt a sharp thorn growing in his chest. Whether Erdene was sparring with the soldiers or riding a horse, she didn’t have to report every single thing to Arkan. It wasn’t for the King to know every little thing about the Queen's daily schedule.
‘But why am I feeling this way...’
It was hard to express his feelings with words like ‘I feel bad. ’
Arkan narrowed his eyebrows and stared blankly into the empty space. Erdene’s face appeared and disappeared repeatedly before his eyes.
When he suddenly stood up, Plat glanced at him.
“Are you going to the Queen?”
“Yes, I am.”
Arkan answered briefly and passed Plat, who looked surprised and strode into the hallway.
Plat and his attendants followed him, but he didn’t even pay attention.
‘What is this feeling... How should I put it? I’m pissed? No, not that much. Annoyed? Something similar...’
Arkan tried to organize his jumbled thoughts as he walked toward the Queen’s palace, but he didn’t get much out of it.
Instead, he only became more confused.
He would get angry, then calm down, then suddenly feel like he was getting nervous again.
When he opened the door and entered Erdene’s living room, she was sitting quietly at the table, writing something for some reason.
Erdene, who saw him approaching briskly, opened her eyes wide and did not move, without changing her expression.
Only Sophia bowed politely.
Plat said,
“Your Majesty, you should stand up when His Majesty comes.”
Erdene blinked, let out a short sigh, put down her pen, and stood up.
Plat, who was upset at her reluctantly “standing up,” scolded Sophia.
“What is Miss Fiddler doing? His Majesty is here, but you haven’t told Her Majesty.”
Erdene glanced at Plat.
“Do you think I don’t have eyes?”
Plat was startled, but he opened his eyes wide on purpose, a look of embarrassment filling his face. At that moment, Sophia blinked at him.
She meant that Erdene was in a bad mood, so he shouldn’t talk to her... Unfortunately, it seemed that Plat didn’t get it.
When his wrinkled forehead began to turn red and blue, Arkan said,
“Plat, you go out. And Sophia, you too.”
Erdene’s eyebrows rose.
She sighed as she watched the two people retreat and sat down. Then the door closed.
Arkan said,
“You don’t have to get up and greet me just because I’m here.”
“What are you so busy with?”
Arkan, who spoke in a twisted tone as if picking another fight, pretended to look at the paper on the table.
Then Erdene instantly covered it with her hand.
Arkan’s brow furrowed.
“Give it to me.”
Erdene stared at Arkan with a furrowed brow.
What she was writing was a letter to Thelma, Merton, and Aiman.
Now that she knew that there was something suspicious about the death of the late Emperor, she had to find out the truth no matter what the risk.
Whether it was Tenek or someone else who had orchestrated the scheme, if there was a human involved in the death of the late Emperor, whoever it was, they had to be killed.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Erdene exhaled slowly. She seemed calm at first glance, but Arkan could tell that she was extremely angry. No, was she flustered? Either way.
The letter contained the things the three had to do as soon as they arrived in the empire, and a way to contact Erdene.
The empire had many well-trained homing pigeons and falcons, so she planned to use them.
However, since it was not an official way to contact Hirschsten and Vetor, it was clearly against the law, even though she was the Queen, and for that very reason, she wanted to keep it a secret from Arkan.
'If there is something suspicious about Father's death, and if he finds out that I am trying to investigate it... he will try to get involved. If he does, it will no longer be my personal problem. It will cause conflict between Vetor and Hirschsten, and it will not be good for him.'
Erdene, who had been staring at Arkan in silence, folded the paper in half. And then in half again. She could see Arkan's expression gradually cooling down, but she did not stop.
Finally, when it was the size of her palm, she put it in a drawer.
Erdene said,
"Because it would not be good for His Majesty to see it."
Then Arkan immediately confronted him.
“What the hell? Did you secretly create a government or something? So you must have written some passionate love letters.”
“Are you in a fever? Why are you talking nonsense all of a sudden?”
“Am I talking nonsense? You’re acting suspicious. If not, why can’t you show me? Do you have any bad things to say? Did you write down my bad comments? Or did you curse me?”
This is ridiculous. Erdene thought.
It was ridiculous that he suddenly barged in with an ‘I’m pissed’ expression when nothing was happening, and now this ridiculous quarrel. To Erdene, who was already furious about Rolls, every word of Arkan felt like a rake.
A rake that scratched at her insides.
“Are you always this obsessed, Your Majesty? Do you feel better after interfering with everything your wife does and checking everything with your own eyes?”
“I told you right now that it’s not me who’s obsessed, but that you’re acting suspiciously!”
Arkan, who had been staring at the book the whole time, looked up with a surprised expression.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Plat, who had relayed what he had heard from the attendant, looked angry as if he had been hit by a wooden sword.
This time, he hoped Arkan would at least give Erdene a firm warning, but his expression showed a hint of resignation inside.
Arkan put the book he was reading down on his chest, blinked, and said,
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“That would be understandable. It would be a loss of honor for Her Majesty, the Queen of Vetor, to mix swords with the soldiers while kicking up dust.”
Arkan glanced at Plat and one of his eyebrows rose slanted.
“Well, if honor is going to disappear like that, isn’t it the same as never having existed in the first place?”
“That... No, I made a slip of the tongue.”
“You seem to be increasingly like the Marchioness of Fiddler’s these days, but I can’t wear out your wrists... Before I send you on your retirement vacation with regret, be careful.”
Plat closed his eyes with a gloomy expression. Arkan wasn’t in a good mood either.
However, unlike Plat, he wasn’t offended because Erdene had a ‘dusty’ sparring session with the soldiers. He threw down the book and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.
For some reason, he felt a sharp thorn growing in his chest. Whether Erdene was sparring with the soldiers or riding a horse, she didn’t have to report every single thing to Arkan. It wasn’t for the King to know every little thing about the Queen's daily schedule.
‘But why am I feeling this way...’
It was hard to express his feelings with words like ‘I feel bad. ’
Arkan narrowed his eyebrows and stared blankly into the empty space. Erdene’s face appeared and disappeared repeatedly before his eyes.
When he suddenly stood up, Plat glanced at him.
“Are you going to the Queen?”
“Yes, I am.”
Arkan answered briefly and passed Plat, who looked surprised and strode into the hallway.
Plat and his attendants followed him, but he didn’t even pay attention.
‘What is this feeling... How should I put it? I’m pissed? No, not that much. Annoyed? Something similar...’
Arkan tried to organize his jumbled thoughts as he walked toward the Queen’s palace, but he didn’t get much out of it.
Instead, he only became more confused.
He would get angry, then calm down, then suddenly feel like he was getting nervous again.
When he opened the door and entered Erdene’s living room, she was sitting quietly at the table, writing something for some reason.
Erdene, who saw him approaching briskly, opened her eyes wide and did not move, without changing her expression.
Only Sophia bowed politely.
Plat said,
“Your Majesty, you should stand up when His Majesty comes.”
Erdene blinked, let out a short sigh, put down her pen, and stood up.
Plat, who was upset at her reluctantly “standing up,” scolded Sophia.
“What is Miss Fiddler doing? His Majesty is here, but you haven’t told Her Majesty.”
Erdene glanced at Plat.
“Do you think I don’t have eyes?”
Plat was startled, but he opened his eyes wide on purpose, a look of embarrassment filling his face. At that moment, Sophia blinked at him.
She meant that Erdene was in a bad mood, so he shouldn’t talk to her... Unfortunately, it seemed that Plat didn’t get it.
When his wrinkled forehead began to turn red and blue, Arkan said,
“Plat, you go out. And Sophia, you too.”
Erdene’s eyebrows rose.
She sighed as she watched the two people retreat and sat down. Then the door closed.
Arkan said,
“You don’t have to get up and greet me just because I’m here.”
“I know.”
Arkan’s temples tense at her answer, which seemed to ask why he was asking the obvious.
Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, he tried to calm his emotions and spoke again,
“They said you had a duel with the soldiers this morning?”
Whether he was there or not, Erdene, who had been looking only at the paper on the table, turned her head askance.
“I sparred with Thelma. Oh, and with Commander Wiziard. Thelma was my adjutant when I was in the Empire. And the Knight Commanders Merton and Aiman sparred with the Commanders of Vetor. Their names were Raed and Sislan, I think.”
Arkan’s temples tense at her answer, which seemed to ask why he was asking the obvious.
Taking a deep breath to calm his anger, he tried to calm his emotions and spoke again,
“They said you had a duel with the soldiers this morning?”
Whether he was there or not, Erdene, who had been looking only at the paper on the table, turned her head askance.
“I sparred with Thelma. Oh, and with Commander Wiziard. Thelma was my adjutant when I was in the Empire. And the Knight Commanders Merton and Aiman sparred with the Commanders of Vetor. Their names were Raed and Sislan, I think.”
“I see. But why didn’t I know?”
Erdene looked at Arkan in bewilderment.
“Do I have to report everything I did today to Your Majesty?”
I knew it, Arkan thought. I knew it would come out like this!
If he hadn’t sent Sophia away if he had known that Erdene was in a bad mood after having a quarrel with the Empire’s arrogant envoy.
But Sophia had already left, and Arkan had misunderstood that Erdene was swinging her wooden sword around excitedly and acting all sullen toward him.
Arkan tilted his head and sneered.
“Even if I tell you to, you won’t do it, right?”
Erdene’s eyes slowly closed and opened again. Judging from the way her lips were pursed, it was a sign that another argument was about to begin.
“Do whatever you want.”
Arkan thought to himself.
He still had an unpleasant feeling, a stabbing sensation in his chest, and so he was ready to have a fight with Erdene. However, Arkan’s expectations were wrong here.
Erdene, who seemed ready to raise her voice at any moment, let out an annoyed sigh and turned her head away.
“If you tell me to, I will do so from now on. If that’s why you came all this way, I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Erdene looked at Arkan in bewilderment.
“Do I have to report everything I did today to Your Majesty?”
I knew it, Arkan thought. I knew it would come out like this!
If he hadn’t sent Sophia away if he had known that Erdene was in a bad mood after having a quarrel with the Empire’s arrogant envoy.
But Sophia had already left, and Arkan had misunderstood that Erdene was swinging her wooden sword around excitedly and acting all sullen toward him.
Arkan tilted his head and sneered.
“Even if I tell you to, you won’t do it, right?”
Erdene’s eyes slowly closed and opened again. Judging from the way her lips were pursed, it was a sign that another argument was about to begin.
“Do whatever you want.”
Arkan thought to himself.
He still had an unpleasant feeling, a stabbing sensation in his chest, and so he was ready to have a fight with Erdene. However, Arkan’s expectations were wrong here.
Erdene, who seemed ready to raise her voice at any moment, let out an annoyed sigh and turned her head away.
“If you tell me to, I will do so from now on. If that’s why you came all this way, I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“...”
“If you’re done with your business, can you please go? I’m busy.”
Erdene’s eyes, as she turned back to Arkan, were burning with anger.
Arkan couldn’t figure out why. Moreover, Erdene’s last words were really...
Erdene’s eyes, as she turned back to Arkan, were burning with anger.
Arkan couldn’t figure out why. Moreover, Erdene’s last words were really...
“What are you so busy with?”
Arkan, who spoke in a twisted tone as if picking another fight, pretended to look at the paper on the table.
Then Erdene instantly covered it with her hand.
Arkan’s brow furrowed.
“Give it to me.”
Erdene stared at Arkan with a furrowed brow.
What she was writing was a letter to Thelma, Merton, and Aiman.
Now that she knew that there was something suspicious about the death of the late Emperor, she had to find out the truth no matter what the risk.
Whether it was Tenek or someone else who had orchestrated the scheme, if there was a human involved in the death of the late Emperor, whoever it was, they had to be killed.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Erdene exhaled slowly. She seemed calm at first glance, but Arkan could tell that she was extremely angry. No, was she flustered? Either way.
The letter contained the things the three had to do as soon as they arrived in the empire, and a way to contact Erdene.
The empire had many well-trained homing pigeons and falcons, so she planned to use them.
However, since it was not an official way to contact Hirschsten and Vetor, it was clearly against the law, even though she was the Queen, and for that very reason, she wanted to keep it a secret from Arkan.
'If there is something suspicious about Father's death, and if he finds out that I am trying to investigate it... he will try to get involved. If he does, it will no longer be my personal problem. It will cause conflict between Vetor and Hirschsten, and it will not be good for him.'
Erdene, who had been staring at Arkan in silence, folded the paper in half. And then in half again. She could see Arkan's expression gradually cooling down, but she did not stop.
Finally, when it was the size of her palm, she put it in a drawer.
Erdene said,
"Because it would not be good for His Majesty to see it."
Then Arkan immediately confronted him.
“What the hell? Did you secretly create a government or something? So you must have written some passionate love letters.”
“Are you in a fever? Why are you talking nonsense all of a sudden?”
“Am I talking nonsense? You’re acting suspicious. If not, why can’t you show me? Do you have any bad things to say? Did you write down my bad comments? Or did you curse me?”
This is ridiculous. Erdene thought.
It was ridiculous that he suddenly barged in with an ‘I’m pissed’ expression when nothing was happening, and now this ridiculous quarrel. To Erdene, who was already furious about Rolls, every word of Arkan felt like a rake.
A rake that scratched at her insides.
“Are you always this obsessed, Your Majesty? Do you feel better after interfering with everything your wife does and checking everything with your own eyes?”
“I told you right now that it’s not me who’s obsessed, but that you’re acting suspiciously!”
“Your Majesty has no need to know, and it’s not good for you to know, so I’m not showing you!”
Erdene snapped, glaring at him.
“If you’re going to start a fight because I didn’t call you in the morning, then stop now. Even though it’s you, I really don’t have any patience today.”
Erdene snapped, glaring at him.
“If you’re going to start a fight because I didn’t call you in the morning, then stop now. Even though it’s you, I really don’t have any patience today.”
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