While she was reading the letter, Sophia returned with a bowl of water and a plate of raw meat.
When the hawk flapped its wings once, she flinched for a moment, but she was much braver than Anne.
“Your Majesty, what should I give you?”
“Put the water here. Give me the plate.”
There was a round plate with holes in the hawk’s perch where the bowl could be placed.
When Sophia carefully placed the bowl, the hawk immediately wet its beak with a clattering sound and drank the water.
“That’s why you asked me to find a carpenter last time.”
When the hawk flapped its wings once, she flinched for a moment, but she was much braver than Anne.
“Your Majesty, what should I give you?”
“Put the water here. Give me the plate.”
There was a round plate with holes in the hawk’s perch where the bowl could be placed.
When Sophia carefully placed the bowl, the hawk immediately wet its beak with a clattering sound and drank the water.
“That’s why you asked me to find a carpenter last time.”
Erdene glanced at Sophia and smiled briefly.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s not pretty because it had to be made in secret, but it’s better than nothing, right?”
Sophia looked at Erdene, who was feeding the hawk without even looking at the hawk while reading the letter.
“Your Majesty, does His Majesty know that you are exchanging letters with the imperial adjutants?”
“No, he does not. You should keep your mouth shut. When this bird comes, a shadow will form on the window. Then, even if I am not present, open the door and let it sit on the porch and give it food and water.”
Sophia kept her mouth shut for a moment and answered.
“That is not difficult, but I am worried that His Majesty will be very angry if he finds out about this.”
Erdene thought of Arkan for a moment. Surely, he would be more than that.
What she was doing was an extremely dangerous adventure.
Merton, Thelma, and Captain Aiman were risking their lives for her.
They knew that if Tenek caught them, it would be the end.
But for her, it was something she had to do.
The fact that the throne had been taken away, yes, was something she could probably forget.
Originally, it was an impossible task for her, but if she were to fight Tenek within the empire, the seven inland countries and Vetor, which was their center, would be involved in this fight.
If she were to counterattack Tenek and seize the throne of Hirschsten now, one of the things she had to abandon was Arkan.
I wouldn’t even think about that, Erdene thought. However, her father’s death was something she could never just ignore.
“...If you truly understood why I am doing this, you wouldn’t be angry.”
“Then tell me first, Your Majesty. Why are you exchanging letters like this with the imperial aides?”
Erdene froze for a moment as she held the letter.
Up until now, she had never told anyone about the insufficiencies related to her father’s death. Not even to Pelarhar, who often visited her and had small talk.
Erdene, who had been silent for a moment, finished reading Merton’s letter.
The rest of the content wasn’t all that satisfying.
The only good news was that Atelgadis, Roelica’s father, had been sick for three days with a severe stomachache.
She wished he had just died. Erdene clicked her tongue and folded the letter in half.
“Sophia.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do you promise not to tell anyone what I’m going to say from now on?”
Sophia’s eyes blinked slowly. Her gaze, filled with gunfire, swept over Erdene.
“I promise, Your Majesty.”
“Good.”
Erdene nodded and lightly stroked the falcon’s beak, sighing.
“There is something suspicious about my father’s death. I have had my adjutants investigate it.”
Sophia’s eyes widened.
Her father’s death? If that’s the case, then it must refer to the previous Emperor of the empire.
“Your Majesty’ father...”
Erdene said,
“I heard the news of my father from the battlefield. However, I could not withdraw my troops and return immediately. At that time, the country that was opposing us was Binotin, and its troops attacked our troops at the right time, so I could not retreat.”
“Then...”
“In the meantime, my twin brother, the one who now holds the throne of the empire, sent me a letter. He said that my father had passed away and that he had taken the throne so that the political situation would not be in chaos, so do not worry and go to battle and win. But strangely, the war seemed to end, it seemed... it did not end. As time passed, our troops’ losses increased. We did not lose, but if we had returned without any gains, we would have been blamed for not achieving the purpose of the expedition. My brother could not have helped me, but my adjutants would not have.”
Erdene paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
It was to calm down her boiling anger.
“I couldn’t leave the battlefield for a year. I barely achieved my goal and returned, and this marriage was what I got in return. That was good. The people of the empire were used to starvation. It was the duty of the royal family to alleviate their suffering even a little. But what would I do if my father’s death was staged by someone? Sophia, would you be able to close your eyes and cover your ears as if it were something that had already happened?”
Sophia waited quietly until she finished speaking and until her emotions had calmed down again.
It was a wise choice.
In fact, she wasn’t very interested in Erdene’s past. She didn’t even want to know, and even if she did, she thought it was natural to pretend not to know. She didn’t know exactly what happened, but she guessed that Arkan’s tricks and schemes had played a significant role in her coming to Vetor, as she was rumored to be the next great Emperor of the powerful Hirschsten.
Whether Erdene knew it or not, and if so, how much she knew, was something Sophia did not know, and it was not necessary to know.
Therefore, asking Erdene about the past was foolish, like fanning an ember that may have died down quietly.
'But something more serious than I thought...'
Even when Sophia heard that the Emperor of the empire had suddenly died, she did not expect that the situation inland would change much. Since Vetor was located in the center of the Seven Kingdoms, it had been free from Hirschsten's successive invasions, and so she did not tend to look at the future with complacency.
However, if that was the incident that brought Erdene here, and if it was also a plot hatched by someone...
'Your Majesty will never stop until you learn the truth, right?'
A bitter smile passed over Erdene's lips at Sophia's words.
"Yes, that is so. So keep your mouth shut."
“I follow Your Majesty, so I put Your Majesty first in everything. However, Your Majesty, I must tell you that this matter can never become Your Majesty’s personal matter.”
Erdene smiled broadly.
“I know.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s not pretty because it had to be made in secret, but it’s better than nothing, right?”
Sophia looked at Erdene, who was feeding the hawk without even looking at the hawk while reading the letter.
“Your Majesty, does His Majesty know that you are exchanging letters with the imperial adjutants?”
“No, he does not. You should keep your mouth shut. When this bird comes, a shadow will form on the window. Then, even if I am not present, open the door and let it sit on the porch and give it food and water.”
Sophia kept her mouth shut for a moment and answered.
“That is not difficult, but I am worried that His Majesty will be very angry if he finds out about this.”
Erdene thought of Arkan for a moment. Surely, he would be more than that.
What she was doing was an extremely dangerous adventure.
Merton, Thelma, and Captain Aiman were risking their lives for her.
They knew that if Tenek caught them, it would be the end.
But for her, it was something she had to do.
The fact that the throne had been taken away, yes, was something she could probably forget.
Originally, it was an impossible task for her, but if she were to fight Tenek within the empire, the seven inland countries and Vetor, which was their center, would be involved in this fight.
If she were to counterattack Tenek and seize the throne of Hirschsten now, one of the things she had to abandon was Arkan.
I wouldn’t even think about that, Erdene thought. However, her father’s death was something she could never just ignore.
“...If you truly understood why I am doing this, you wouldn’t be angry.”
“Then tell me first, Your Majesty. Why are you exchanging letters like this with the imperial aides?”
Erdene froze for a moment as she held the letter.
Up until now, she had never told anyone about the insufficiencies related to her father’s death. Not even to Pelarhar, who often visited her and had small talk.
Erdene, who had been silent for a moment, finished reading Merton’s letter.
The rest of the content wasn’t all that satisfying.
The only good news was that Atelgadis, Roelica’s father, had been sick for three days with a severe stomachache.
She wished he had just died. Erdene clicked her tongue and folded the letter in half.
“Sophia.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do you promise not to tell anyone what I’m going to say from now on?”
Sophia’s eyes blinked slowly. Her gaze, filled with gunfire, swept over Erdene.
“I promise, Your Majesty.”
“Good.”
Erdene nodded and lightly stroked the falcon’s beak, sighing.
“There is something suspicious about my father’s death. I have had my adjutants investigate it.”
Sophia’s eyes widened.
Her father’s death? If that’s the case, then it must refer to the previous Emperor of the empire.
“Your Majesty’ father...”
Erdene said,
“I heard the news of my father from the battlefield. However, I could not withdraw my troops and return immediately. At that time, the country that was opposing us was Binotin, and its troops attacked our troops at the right time, so I could not retreat.”
“Then...”
“In the meantime, my twin brother, the one who now holds the throne of the empire, sent me a letter. He said that my father had passed away and that he had taken the throne so that the political situation would not be in chaos, so do not worry and go to battle and win. But strangely, the war seemed to end, it seemed... it did not end. As time passed, our troops’ losses increased. We did not lose, but if we had returned without any gains, we would have been blamed for not achieving the purpose of the expedition. My brother could not have helped me, but my adjutants would not have.”
Erdene paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
It was to calm down her boiling anger.
“I couldn’t leave the battlefield for a year. I barely achieved my goal and returned, and this marriage was what I got in return. That was good. The people of the empire were used to starvation. It was the duty of the royal family to alleviate their suffering even a little. But what would I do if my father’s death was staged by someone? Sophia, would you be able to close your eyes and cover your ears as if it were something that had already happened?”
Sophia waited quietly until she finished speaking and until her emotions had calmed down again.
It was a wise choice.
In fact, she wasn’t very interested in Erdene’s past. She didn’t even want to know, and even if she did, she thought it was natural to pretend not to know. She didn’t know exactly what happened, but she guessed that Arkan’s tricks and schemes had played a significant role in her coming to Vetor, as she was rumored to be the next great Emperor of the powerful Hirschsten.
Whether Erdene knew it or not, and if so, how much she knew, was something Sophia did not know, and it was not necessary to know.
Therefore, asking Erdene about the past was foolish, like fanning an ember that may have died down quietly.
'But something more serious than I thought...'
Even when Sophia heard that the Emperor of the empire had suddenly died, she did not expect that the situation inland would change much. Since Vetor was located in the center of the Seven Kingdoms, it had been free from Hirschsten's successive invasions, and so she did not tend to look at the future with complacency.
However, if that was the incident that brought Erdene here, and if it was also a plot hatched by someone...
'Your Majesty will never stop until you learn the truth, right?'
A bitter smile passed over Erdene's lips at Sophia's words.
"Yes, that is so. So keep your mouth shut."
“I follow Your Majesty, so I put Your Majesty first in everything. However, Your Majesty, I must tell you that this matter can never become Your Majesty’s personal matter.”
Erdene smiled broadly.
“I know.”
She did not answer carelessly to reassure Sophia.
Even if there really was someone behind the death of the former Emperor and the evidence fell into Erdene’s hands, it was clear that Erdene would not be able to punish him alone. After all, he was a man of the empire.
“His Majesty will find out someday. However, there is no need to worry right now.”
After saying only that, Erdene wrote a short letter and tied it to Glucker’s ankle.
Persuading Empress Roelica would be postponed until the birth was safe, but the movements of the Empress’s palace would be kept in check.
And she ordered that all efforts be made to find the missing palace, and if possible, to try to find out what Tenek and Atelgadis were discussing about the inland.
After Glucker had finished drinking and eating, he spread his wings without delay.
Erdene, recalling her last experience, did not let him go right away, but led him to the edge of the window.
“Go quickly without being caught.”
The falcon let out a short whine and flew up with a small drop, using Erdene’s wrist as a support.
The wind tore her sleeve and left a few scratches on Erdene’s skin.
Sophia frowned at this sight.
“I will bring you some medicine right away. And Your Majesty, if you plan on continuing to exchange letters, I think you will need leather gloves.”
“I was thinking of getting one anyway, but it won’t be easy since no one here handles falcons. We don’t even raise falcons, so, strangely, I'm suddenly ordering me to make one.”
Sophia thought for a moment at that.
“Ask His Highness Pelarhar. He travels to many countries and collects all sorts of things, so I’m sure he has some leather gloves.”
“The Duke? Yes, that could be possible.”
Even if there really was someone behind the death of the former Emperor and the evidence fell into Erdene’s hands, it was clear that Erdene would not be able to punish him alone. After all, he was a man of the empire.
“His Majesty will find out someday. However, there is no need to worry right now.”
After saying only that, Erdene wrote a short letter and tied it to Glucker’s ankle.
Persuading Empress Roelica would be postponed until the birth was safe, but the movements of the Empress’s palace would be kept in check.
And she ordered that all efforts be made to find the missing palace, and if possible, to try to find out what Tenek and Atelgadis were discussing about the inland.
After Glucker had finished drinking and eating, he spread his wings without delay.
Erdene, recalling her last experience, did not let him go right away, but led him to the edge of the window.
“Go quickly without being caught.”
The falcon let out a short whine and flew up with a small drop, using Erdene’s wrist as a support.
The wind tore her sleeve and left a few scratches on Erdene’s skin.
Sophia frowned at this sight.
“I will bring you some medicine right away. And Your Majesty, if you plan on continuing to exchange letters, I think you will need leather gloves.”
“I was thinking of getting one anyway, but it won’t be easy since no one here handles falcons. We don’t even raise falcons, so, strangely, I'm suddenly ordering me to make one.”
Sophia thought for a moment at that.
“Ask His Highness Pelarhar. He travels to many countries and collects all sorts of things, so I’m sure he has some leather gloves.”
“The Duke? Yes, that could be possible.”
They were going to ride together today anyway. Since Arkan was going to go with him, it would be difficult to bring up the subject when all three were together, but if she whispered a little when the time was right, she could hear the answer.
While the attendant was tidying the laces of his knee-high riding boots, Arkan frowned and stared at the paper in his hand.
“Your Majesty, is something bothering you?”
Plat asked cautiously, and Arkan crumpled the paper in his hand and sighed deeply.
“The King of Kensilom sent me a letter.”
“From Kensilom?”
“Yes. It's been almost two months since I made a formal protest about the last assassination, and it's ridiculous that they've finished discussing it now. But look at this!"
***
While the attendant was tidying the laces of his knee-high riding boots, Arkan frowned and stared at the paper in his hand.
“Your Majesty, is something bothering you?”
Plat asked cautiously, and Arkan crumpled the paper in his hand and sighed deeply.
“The King of Kensilom sent me a letter.”
“From Kensilom?”
“Yes. It's been almost two months since I made a formal protest about the last assassination, and it's ridiculous that they've finished discussing it now. But look at this!"
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment