As it was the best educational institution in the empire, the admission regulations were strict. Of course, Louis showed outstanding skills in all areas.
“I don’t think I’ll pass on the first try. But I’m still young, so I think I have a lot of opportunities.”
The royal family was able to take the exam without going through the regular course as an exception. However, this was only limited to men up until now.
Ines puffed out her chest as she felt her breath catch in her throat. In the meantime, Louis’s firm voice continued.
“I want to study economics. And...”
“And?”
“I heard that bureaucracy has been newly established.”
When Ines didn’t respond, Louis stopped in his tracks.
“Why...aren’t you saying anything?”
“It’s too...”
Louis’s golden eyes turned to Ines without the slightest wavering. Ines erased her thoughts and smiled.
“Because I see such a brilliant future.”
A snicker, a very Louis-like laugh escaped.
“I thought Ines would say that.”
Only then did Ines realize that Louis was a little nervous.
“Of course, it won’t be easy. But I’m a member of the royal family and I have the active support of His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress, so it’ll be much easier than others.”
The echo continued every time she spoke in her deep voice. Ding, ding, anticipation, worry, longing, and pride all came together, making her heart beat heavily.
“So I’ll have a bright future, just like Ines said. I think that’s my right and duty as a member of the royal family.”
“...”
“I can be a good example.”
“Of course.”
“There will come a time when women can become bureaucrats. In the world that Ines envisioned.”
Louis’s cheeks turned red when she couldn’t answer. It wasn’t blushing from shyness, but from anticipation for a new world.
Louis, who had been wondering how to keep this child in the royal family a little longer, had already drawn out his dazzling future.
“And then when I meet a really great man, I’ll get married.”
The great man Louis was talking about must have been someone with progressive ideas that transcended the times.
Ines held Louis in her arms. The body that had always been gently held when they met had grown a lot more than before. Her heart was filled with joy.
“Yes, yes.”
Ines would watch Louis flying with delicate wings every day with a nervous heart. Sometimes, the wings might break when they encounter strong winds, and on other days, they would meet a favorable wind and leap to the ends of the sky.
Then one day, she would see her flying more resiliently than anyone else.
Ines gently stroked Louis’ hair that was wrapped around her hand and whispered,
“Never marry someone you don’t love. Meet a really great man. Someone who can always cheer you on.”
“Like His Majesty the Emperor?”
Ines nodded while holding the child in her arms. Suddenly, thinking about telling Carson this story, she missed him so much. She could clearly see what kind of expression he would make.
“Your Majesty the Empress will need your help a lot from now on.”
“I thought you would only help me.”
Louis pulled away from Ines cleanly as if she had never been held in her arms. Then she grabbed Ines’ hand.
“Let’s go in now. It already smells delicious.”
When she heard Louis’ words, Ines could smell the sweet scent too. Ines was led by Louis’s hand, who had grown up so much, into the cafeteria set up at the school.
As they entered the cafeteria, a happy face greeted the two.
“Welcome.”
“Charlotte.”
Charlotte was busy preparing food for Ines and Louis. She had been staying in the palace for about six months after Ines’ wedding and came to see Ines, saying that she had decided what she wanted to do.
As expected of someone who loved cooking, she chose to be a chef. She said that she couldn’t sleep at night because she was excited when she saw an advertisement recruiting people to be in charge of cooking at a new school.
After that, Charlotte learned cooking directly from the palace chef she was close with and came here.
She, who loved baking cookies for Louis the most, ended up taking on the role of head of the dessert section.
“I’m just going to have tea, so why did you prepare so much?”
Charlotte’s face was filled with pride as she looked at the food she had prepared.
“But Your Majesty the Empress is coming, so I can’t prepare anything carelessly. The kitchen is still a mess, so I might not be able to fully demonstrate my skills.”
She looked next to her and saw that Louis had not even sat down yet, but was already biting on Charlotte’s cookies.
Even though they sometimes acted against etiquette, Carson and Louis were always royal. Ines found that naturalness really fascinating. A gentle smile appeared on Louis’ lips as she tasted the cookies. It was understandable that she was anxious since these were Charlotte’s cookies that she had liked since she was little.
Ines, who sat down, also filled her mouth with sweetness. As she felt tired, the baby in her stomach jumped once.
“Whew...”
“Are you okay?”
Charlotte asked, staring blankly at Ines’ stomach.
“Yeah, I’m okay. The cookies must be really delicious. They’re moving hard.”
Charlotte looked sad for a moment, perhaps thinking of her lost child, but she quickly changed her expression. As if she had never been sad before, she quickly became excited and started talking about her work and aspirations.
As she spent time with Charlotte, the sun was slowly setting outside the window. With her flushed cheeks and bright eyes, Charlotte looked younger than when she was at Landhill.
“I should go now.”
“Why don’t you stay a little longer?”
“If I stay any later, Casey will scold me.”
Casey eventually became an administrative maid. It was a process that had to be completed to become a secretary maid. She also had a big dream of becoming the secretary maid of the Empress’s palace and becoming the highest maid of honor in the imperial family.
“That’s true. You should go and get some rest.”
“Yes, Charlotte. I’ll come back next time. Stay healthy until then.”
As Ines left the school, seeing Charlotte off, a refreshing breeze blew, cooling her nose. As the smell of dry earth was carried by the breeze, Ines stood for a moment and looked around.
The fact that the place where the poor once lived had been burned down to become a casino and that a school had been built on its place struck Ines’ heart anew.
The miraculous change did not just happen on the ground.
Everyone surrounding Ines now had their own dreams and faced the world head-on.
Before they knew Carson, the world was filled with contempt and malice toward Ines. Ines Swenden, a foolish woman who had fallen into a huge trap, had ruined not only herself but everything around her.
But now, neither that world nor that woman existed anymore.
Ines stroked her plump belly once and straightened her back.
Her steps back home were filled with strength.
Carson postponed dinner and wandered around the garden in front of the Empress's Palace. At one time, he had hated entering this garden, but now it felt like a comfortable home. He snickered at his own change.
As he was casually brushing the gardener that came up to his waist, a carriage carrying Ines crossed the garden from afar. Even though it was a carriage he had always seen, when Ines got on it, even the carriage felt a little special.
Soon, low-heeled shoes appeared first outside the open door. The Emperor stopped the attendant and held out his hand himself. Ines recognized who it was just by looking at Carson’s hand and smiled faintly.
“You were with me.”
Carson looked at the scenery where Ines was standing without saying anything for a moment. The sun was setting behind her sun-like hair.
“There’s no need to become more beautiful than this...”
Louis, who had been wondering how to keep this child in the royal family a little longer, had already drawn out his dazzling future.
“And then when I meet a really great man, I’ll get married.”
The great man Louis was talking about must have been someone with progressive ideas that transcended the times.
Ines held Louis in her arms. The body that had always been gently held when they met had grown a lot more than before. Her heart was filled with joy.
“Yes, yes.”
Ines would watch Louis flying with delicate wings every day with a nervous heart. Sometimes, the wings might break when they encounter strong winds, and on other days, they would meet a favorable wind and leap to the ends of the sky.
Then one day, she would see her flying more resiliently than anyone else.
Ines gently stroked Louis’ hair that was wrapped around her hand and whispered,
“Never marry someone you don’t love. Meet a really great man. Someone who can always cheer you on.”
“Like His Majesty the Emperor?”
Ines nodded while holding the child in her arms. Suddenly, thinking about telling Carson this story, she missed him so much. She could clearly see what kind of expression he would make.
“Your Majesty the Empress will need your help a lot from now on.”
“I thought you would only help me.”
Louis pulled away from Ines cleanly as if she had never been held in her arms. Then she grabbed Ines’ hand.
“Let’s go in now. It already smells delicious.”
When she heard Louis’ words, Ines could smell the sweet scent too. Ines was led by Louis’s hand, who had grown up so much, into the cafeteria set up at the school.
As they entered the cafeteria, a happy face greeted the two.
“Welcome.”
“Charlotte.”
Charlotte was busy preparing food for Ines and Louis. She had been staying in the palace for about six months after Ines’ wedding and came to see Ines, saying that she had decided what she wanted to do.
As expected of someone who loved cooking, she chose to be a chef. She said that she couldn’t sleep at night because she was excited when she saw an advertisement recruiting people to be in charge of cooking at a new school.
After that, Charlotte learned cooking directly from the palace chef she was close with and came here.
She, who loved baking cookies for Louis the most, ended up taking on the role of head of the dessert section.
“I’m just going to have tea, so why did you prepare so much?”
Charlotte’s face was filled with pride as she looked at the food she had prepared.
“But Your Majesty the Empress is coming, so I can’t prepare anything carelessly. The kitchen is still a mess, so I might not be able to fully demonstrate my skills.”
She looked next to her and saw that Louis had not even sat down yet, but was already biting on Charlotte’s cookies.
Even though they sometimes acted against etiquette, Carson and Louis were always royal. Ines found that naturalness really fascinating. A gentle smile appeared on Louis’ lips as she tasted the cookies. It was understandable that she was anxious since these were Charlotte’s cookies that she had liked since she was little.
Ines, who sat down, also filled her mouth with sweetness. As she felt tired, the baby in her stomach jumped once.
“Whew...”
“Are you okay?”
Charlotte asked, staring blankly at Ines’ stomach.
“Yeah, I’m okay. The cookies must be really delicious. They’re moving hard.”
Charlotte looked sad for a moment, perhaps thinking of her lost child, but she quickly changed her expression. As if she had never been sad before, she quickly became excited and started talking about her work and aspirations.
As she spent time with Charlotte, the sun was slowly setting outside the window. With her flushed cheeks and bright eyes, Charlotte looked younger than when she was at Landhill.
“I should go now.”
“Why don’t you stay a little longer?”
“If I stay any later, Casey will scold me.”
Casey eventually became an administrative maid. It was a process that had to be completed to become a secretary maid. She also had a big dream of becoming the secretary maid of the Empress’s palace and becoming the highest maid of honor in the imperial family.
“That’s true. You should go and get some rest.”
“Yes, Charlotte. I’ll come back next time. Stay healthy until then.”
As Ines left the school, seeing Charlotte off, a refreshing breeze blew, cooling her nose. As the smell of dry earth was carried by the breeze, Ines stood for a moment and looked around.
The fact that the place where the poor once lived had been burned down to become a casino and that a school had been built on its place struck Ines’ heart anew.
The miraculous change did not just happen on the ground.
Everyone surrounding Ines now had their own dreams and faced the world head-on.
Before they knew Carson, the world was filled with contempt and malice toward Ines. Ines Swenden, a foolish woman who had fallen into a huge trap, had ruined not only herself but everything around her.
But now, neither that world nor that woman existed anymore.
Ines stroked her plump belly once and straightened her back.
Her steps back home were filled with strength.
***
Carson postponed dinner and wandered around the garden in front of the Empress's Palace. At one time, he had hated entering this garden, but now it felt like a comfortable home. He snickered at his own change.
As he was casually brushing the gardener that came up to his waist, a carriage carrying Ines crossed the garden from afar. Even though it was a carriage he had always seen, when Ines got on it, even the carriage felt a little special.
Soon, low-heeled shoes appeared first outside the open door. The Emperor stopped the attendant and held out his hand himself. Ines recognized who it was just by looking at Carson’s hand and smiled faintly.
“You were with me.”
Carson looked at the scenery where Ines was standing without saying anything for a moment. The sun was setting behind her sun-like hair.
“There’s no need to become more beautiful than this...”
Ines couldn’t hide her embarrassment at the unexpected and unfamiliar words.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Have you been waiting long?”
Suddenly, a look of mischievous resentment appeared on his face. He sometimes made this expression. Words spoken without context resembled secret secrets that only the two of them knew.
“It seems like all I’ve done since I met the Empress is waiting.”
Ines made a bashful expression at the words he insisted on saying.
“Think about it carefully, there must be more to it than that.”
“Ah...”
He took out an object from his arms as if something had come to mind.
“For example... Something like this?”
When Carson spread the object out so that Ines could see it clearly, her face turned completely red. Thinking that it was too much to pay for such a small provocation.
Ines reached out and tried to snatch it away as if it were something embarrassing. But Carson raised his hand leisurely and smiled.
“No, you can’t. This is mine. Can’t you see my name here, Empress?”
The object he was teasingly waving was a handkerchief with Carson’s name embroidered in gold. It was the token of the day he had taken from her on the day of the Monstera Water Festival, and it was the very heart that had been diligently going back and forth between them.
However, the meaning of that affection has changed slightly since yesterday.
When the palace councilor said that Ines’s health had stabilized, Carson took out the handkerchief as if he were showing off his secret weapon last night.
The object that had first covered Ines’ eyes soon covered Carson’s eyes. Then, soon, the object tied Carson’s two hands.
Ines, who had naively believed his excuse that he was afraid of attacking his pregnant wife like an animal, realized the new use of the handkerchief with her whole body that night.
It was a development that she had never imagined when she had been embroidering with a devout heart in the past.
“I, I don’t know.”
As Ines bit her lower lip and walked ahead, Carson strode forward with large strides and held Ines’ hand tightly. He glanced at her briefly, but the hand he held was gentle.
“What about Louis?”
“She went to the palace first because she was worried about the cats.”
A faint smile came to Ines’ face at the question about Louis.
“The late Emperor sent a letter.”
What a strange thing. The end of his words was filled with a sad longing.
“For me?”
“Yes. I thought he would never write letters while he was alive, but I didn’t know he would send them so often.”
Ines often visited the Chateau de Merienne with Louis before the Emperor left the palace. Whenever they went to the Chateau de Merienne, Louis would always say the same thing. Nothing had changed since her mother was alive.
The three people gathered in the reception room didn’t really talk much.
When Louis, who had brought a cat, sat on the floor and played, the Emperor quietly read a book. Ines spent her time drinking tea or knitting.
Sometimes, she would raise her head and meet the Emperor’s gaze as he looked at Louis. Every time, he would smile gently.
It was a gentle appearance that made it hard to believe that he was once called the Emperor of the Empire.
The Emperor, who had never shown or expressed himself to Ines, would often send her letters after he left the palace. The content was not long, but her feelings were deeply touched.
And the same words were always written at the end of the letters.
‘Please take care of me.’
Although it was a simple word, it always deeply touched Ines’ heart.
Carson never entered the castle of Marienne while the Emperor stayed at the palace. However, Ines did not force him.
“Will you reply...?”
Ines glanced at his profile as he walked beside her. He also left Ines alone no matter what she did.
“Maybe.”
He was truly a consistently beautiful man. She prayed fervently that the child in her womb would resemble his father during the short walk from the carriage to the Empress’s palace.
“If you’re not tired, shall we walk?”
Ines nodded at the affectionate question. It was a beautiful day when the splendid spring felt like a fleeting moment.
The two sat side by side in a spot where the red flowers were most visible. When the palace maids appeared to be only a hand’s length away, Carson bit Ines’ lips deeply. Oh, the sound and breath went down her throat together.
He slowly leaned in and put his ear to Ines’ stomach as he kissed her so hard that she lost consciousness for a moment. Ines gently stroked his black hair.
“Have you thought of a name for the baby?”
“It’s not a name, but I’ve decided on a baby name.”
“What?”
“Mondrae.”
Ines finally burst into laughter.
“Even if it’s not a boy?”
Carson’s brow furrowed as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have heard.
“That’s not something a woman who founded a bank with that name would say.”
“That’s right.”
Carson stared blankly at her smiling face without a speck of dust. The light was softly lit where the sun had set. The flower petals swayed in the wind, fluttering gently.
His confession continued like a sudden breeze.
“I love you.”
Ines’s eyes also swayed gently as he spoke while looking into each other’s eyes. Carson reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. When he scratched her cheek with his thumb, the corners of his mouth naturally rose.
At this moment, Ines had only one thing to ask.
“Aren’t you lonely?”
“Not even for a moment.”
Without hesitation, Ines reached out and grabbed his cheeks. Her eyes closed on his softly wrapped skin. Ines closed her eyes and found his lips. When their lips touched, Carson’s eyes slowly closed as well.
As the night fell, a rather cold wind blew, briefly brushing past their faces that were touching.
Another season was changing.
Ines leaned her head on his shoulder.
“When the baby is born, let’s go to Landhill.”
“Yes, let’s definitely take the train and go to the sea.”
The two of them looked at the rising moon together, making a small promise like an ordinary couple. It was the moon that never broke its promise, shining on them both when they were together and when they were apart.
While Ines looked at the moon that resembled Carson and missed him by her side, Carson thought of the waves he had left behind in the sea.
Like the moonlight shining on the earth without a moment's rest, like the waves that surge and surge again without fail, the season continued in which they could not live a single moment without loving each other.
End
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