Plat politely accepted it and read it carefully.
It didn’t take long for his face, which had seemed indifferent at first, to turn red and his wrinkles to deepen.
“Your Majesty, it’s over.”
The attendant, who had finished tying his bootlaces and fastened the buckles, spoke in a small voice.
He had noticed that Arkan seemed to be feeling uneasy, but Arkan’s expression as he looked down at him was as generous as usual.
“Yes, thank you.”
The attendant blushed as if he was honored and left.
After he left, Arkan sighed with a displeased expression again.
Plat finished reading the letter and said,
“Your Majesty, this is ridiculous. I can’t believe that the King of Kensilom became such a fool overnight.”
“He didn’t become like that overnight. He must have been foolish to begin with. He just cleverly hid it. Now that he's started to show his selfishness, he's too busy trying to suppress his greed to hide his stupidity.”
Arkan took the letter back with a deep sigh.
The King of Kensilom was once again insisting that he had nothing to do with the assassination.
On the contrary, he was secretly criticizing the officials of Vetor and Arkan, revealing that he was displeased that the messengers were not sent back to Kensilom but were punished according to Vetor’s law.
Arkan said,
“Kensilom is trying to shift all the blame to Etonhorn, and Etonhorn is still silent. They must be racking their brains trying to figure out a way to shift the blame to Kensilom. However, since the assassins’ direct employer was Count Blava of Etonhorn, they must be thinking about how to cleanly cut off the tail... That’s what they’re thinking about.”
He closed his eyes and sighed in annoyance, then told Plat to keep the letter safe.
And he put on his leather vest and checked the buckles of his boots once more.
“Your Majesty.”
The servant came in and bowed. Arkan, who was preparing to go out, turned his head.
“What is it?”
“Count Zelma and his daughter would like to see you for a moment.”
It didn’t take long for his face, which had seemed indifferent at first, to turn red and his wrinkles to deepen.
“Your Majesty, it’s over.”
The attendant, who had finished tying his bootlaces and fastened the buckles, spoke in a small voice.
He had noticed that Arkan seemed to be feeling uneasy, but Arkan’s expression as he looked down at him was as generous as usual.
“Yes, thank you.”
The attendant blushed as if he was honored and left.
After he left, Arkan sighed with a displeased expression again.
Plat finished reading the letter and said,
“Your Majesty, this is ridiculous. I can’t believe that the King of Kensilom became such a fool overnight.”
“He didn’t become like that overnight. He must have been foolish to begin with. He just cleverly hid it. Now that he's started to show his selfishness, he's too busy trying to suppress his greed to hide his stupidity.”
Arkan took the letter back with a deep sigh.
The King of Kensilom was once again insisting that he had nothing to do with the assassination.
On the contrary, he was secretly criticizing the officials of Vetor and Arkan, revealing that he was displeased that the messengers were not sent back to Kensilom but were punished according to Vetor’s law.
Arkan said,
“Kensilom is trying to shift all the blame to Etonhorn, and Etonhorn is still silent. They must be racking their brains trying to figure out a way to shift the blame to Kensilom. However, since the assassins’ direct employer was Count Blava of Etonhorn, they must be thinking about how to cleanly cut off the tail... That’s what they’re thinking about.”
He closed his eyes and sighed in annoyance, then told Plat to keep the letter safe.
And he put on his leather vest and checked the buckles of his boots once more.
“Your Majesty.”
The servant came in and bowed. Arkan, who was preparing to go out, turned his head.
“What is it?”
“Count Zelma and his daughter would like to see you for a moment.”
Arkan’s eyebrows, which had barely straightened, furrowed again.
Even if Count Zelma were like that, if it were his daughter, then she was the very woman who had been spreading gossip among the young nobles after being scolded by Erdene in front of many people.
Arkan, who had been chewing on the words of the Viscountess Wickes, closed his eyes and answered briefly.
“Tell her to come in. And tell her to keep it short because I'm busy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The servant went out, and soon after, Count Zelma and his daughter came back in.
Count Zelma was a comical figure, with a short stature but a rather large head, and he always had an immature expression on his face, so people who saw him for the first time tended to secretly ignore him.
However, Arkan knew how stubborn his nature was. The Count never forgave anyone who had done him even the slightest harm, and he was the kind of person who would remember every single thing that had happened to him, in what month, on what day, and in what place, and made him uncomfortable.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
“Your Majesty.”
Count Zelma’s daughter said in a sly voice, bowing in the courtly manner after her father.
Her hair was braided sideways and her colorful ribbons stood out.
It wasn’t the latest fashion, and it was a strange decoration that Arkan had never seen before, but if she wore it, it would soon become a trend among the crowd.
“What’s wrong with the Count? Even bringing a daughter with you?”
Count Zelma said.
“It’s nothing special, Your Majesty. My daughter heard that Your Majesty is going horseback riding today for the first time in a long time, and she is nagging me to go with her without any thought. As a father, I cannot cruelly reject her, so I have come to ask you to please bring her along.”
Before Arkan could reply, the Count quickly added.
“Her Majesty the Queen will also be accompanying you on your horseback ride today, right? My daughter will serve her well.”
“The Queen will be sufficiently attended to by Miss Fiddler. Today..”
“Your Majesty.”
Arkan’s eyes widened as the Count’s daughter suddenly began to tear up.
Plat, who had been watching, also blinked, seeming to try to understand this absurd situation.
Tears welled up in her eyes in an instant, and then fell one by one.
“Your Majesty, the fact that I hurt Her Majesty’s feelings the other day still thorns me and torments me. However, I know that it was all my misunderstanding, so I will never say such reckless words again. Wasn’t Her Majesty the one who sacrificed her life to save Your Majesty? When I think about how I wronged her and failed to properly apologize to her, I feel so ashamed that I can’t even sleep.”
It was ridiculous that she was talking so calmly, with a smooth face that looked like she had slept well the night before.
However, since she was a young lady, Arkan couldn’t openly scold her like he would Pelarhar or Plat.
“I understand what you’re saying. However, if you truly reflect, doesn’t it have to be today? The doors to the palace where the Queen resides are always open and guests are welcome, so you can visit and ask for forgiveness whenever you want. The Queen is generous, so if you truly repent, she will forgive you.”
“Your Majesty!”
She took a step forward. Plat’s shoulders twitched as if he was clinging to Arkan.
Count Zelma watched his daughter’s mischief, but pretended not to hear or see anything, deliberately looking away and fiddling with the hem of his jacket.
“But Your Majesty, I think it would be better to apologize when Her Majesty is in a good mood. I am truly sorry, but I am afraid of how Her Majesty will take it...”
Of course, Arkan thought.
If there was anyone who did not fear Erdene, he was a dangerous person.
Or he was a complete fool... or he was born without paying attention.
“Your Majesty, I ask this of you. Please allow me to serve Her Majesty today. I know how wonderful Miss Fiddler is. But I want to convey my sincerity to Her Majesty, even if it is just a little.”
Arkan suddenly felt fatigue creeping up on him.
If he pushed him away, saying that was enough, he didn’t know what excuse he would come up with next time. He could tell just by looking at Count Zelma’s reaction, who was standing there blankly, staring at him. He wasn’t the type of person to back down easily just because he refused his daughter to accompany him today.
Even if Count Zelma were like that, if it were his daughter, then she was the very woman who had been spreading gossip among the young nobles after being scolded by Erdene in front of many people.
Arkan, who had been chewing on the words of the Viscountess Wickes, closed his eyes and answered briefly.
“Tell her to come in. And tell her to keep it short because I'm busy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The servant went out, and soon after, Count Zelma and his daughter came back in.
Count Zelma was a comical figure, with a short stature but a rather large head, and he always had an immature expression on his face, so people who saw him for the first time tended to secretly ignore him.
However, Arkan knew how stubborn his nature was. The Count never forgave anyone who had done him even the slightest harm, and he was the kind of person who would remember every single thing that had happened to him, in what month, on what day, and in what place, and made him uncomfortable.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
“Your Majesty.”
Count Zelma’s daughter said in a sly voice, bowing in the courtly manner after her father.
Her hair was braided sideways and her colorful ribbons stood out.
It wasn’t the latest fashion, and it was a strange decoration that Arkan had never seen before, but if she wore it, it would soon become a trend among the crowd.
“What’s wrong with the Count? Even bringing a daughter with you?”
Count Zelma said.
“It’s nothing special, Your Majesty. My daughter heard that Your Majesty is going horseback riding today for the first time in a long time, and she is nagging me to go with her without any thought. As a father, I cannot cruelly reject her, so I have come to ask you to please bring her along.”
Before Arkan could reply, the Count quickly added.
“Her Majesty the Queen will also be accompanying you on your horseback ride today, right? My daughter will serve her well.”
“The Queen will be sufficiently attended to by Miss Fiddler. Today..”
“Your Majesty.”
Arkan’s eyes widened as the Count’s daughter suddenly began to tear up.
Plat, who had been watching, also blinked, seeming to try to understand this absurd situation.
Tears welled up in her eyes in an instant, and then fell one by one.
“Your Majesty, the fact that I hurt Her Majesty’s feelings the other day still thorns me and torments me. However, I know that it was all my misunderstanding, so I will never say such reckless words again. Wasn’t Her Majesty the one who sacrificed her life to save Your Majesty? When I think about how I wronged her and failed to properly apologize to her, I feel so ashamed that I can’t even sleep.”
It was ridiculous that she was talking so calmly, with a smooth face that looked like she had slept well the night before.
However, since she was a young lady, Arkan couldn’t openly scold her like he would Pelarhar or Plat.
“I understand what you’re saying. However, if you truly reflect, doesn’t it have to be today? The doors to the palace where the Queen resides are always open and guests are welcome, so you can visit and ask for forgiveness whenever you want. The Queen is generous, so if you truly repent, she will forgive you.”
“Your Majesty!”
She took a step forward. Plat’s shoulders twitched as if he was clinging to Arkan.
Count Zelma watched his daughter’s mischief, but pretended not to hear or see anything, deliberately looking away and fiddling with the hem of his jacket.
“But Your Majesty, I think it would be better to apologize when Her Majesty is in a good mood. I am truly sorry, but I am afraid of how Her Majesty will take it...”
Of course, Arkan thought.
If there was anyone who did not fear Erdene, he was a dangerous person.
Or he was a complete fool... or he was born without paying attention.
“Your Majesty, I ask this of you. Please allow me to serve Her Majesty today. I know how wonderful Miss Fiddler is. But I want to convey my sincerity to Her Majesty, even if it is just a little.”
Arkan suddenly felt fatigue creeping up on him.
If he pushed him away, saying that was enough, he didn’t know what excuse he would come up with next time. He could tell just by looking at Count Zelma’s reaction, who was standing there blankly, staring at him. He wasn’t the type of person to back down easily just because he refused his daughter to accompany him today.
“I’ll send someone to the Queen’s palace to tell her. But if the Queen refuses, keep in mind that I won’t force her either.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Count Zelma’s daughter smiled brightly as if she had never shed tears before. Arkan felt a slight headache again at her attitude that changed as if turning over her hand and called Plat.
“Go to the Queen’s palace and tell her if it would be okay for Count Zelma’s daughter to serve her instead of Miss Fiddler, Plat.”
Plat looked at Arkan with a completely unwilling expression and then walked out slowly. As he went out, Count Zelma’s daughter approached Arkan and placed her hand gently on his jacket sleeve. The small, white, scarless hand felt like a snake to Arkan for a moment, and he shook it off.
“What are you doing?”
The Count’s daughter’s eyes widened and tears began to well up again.
“Well, there was dust on it... I was going to peel it off...”
Arkan looked down at his sleeve with a displeased expression. There was a tiny thread stuck to it, barely visible. He tore it off with his own hands, dropped it on the floor, and sighed deeply again.
“I don’t like people touching my body. Next time, tell me.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
At that moment, Count Zelma, who had been idly idling behind him, spoke.
“Your Majesty, then I will now step aside. Tiel, Her Majesty, no...”
The count rolled his eyes.
“Make sure you don’t make a single mistake in serving Her Majesty the Queen. Understood?”
“Understood, Father.”
She didn’t even look back at her father as he left, and only fixed her gaze on Arkan’s face. Arkan looked back in an uncomfortable mood. He wished Plat would come back soon, but since he had just left, it would take quite some time to go back and forth to the Queen’s residence.
“Your Majesty.”
The count’s daughter, Tiel, called Arkan, slightly shrugging her shoulders.
“Why?”
“Um, my original name is Montiel. However, I would like you to call me Tiel, Your Majesty.”
Arkan answered.
“Isn’t that a nickname that families use? I am not your family, so it is against the law to treat me so casually.”
“Your Majesty is like the sun that rules and watches over all the people of Vetor, so what do you mean by saying we are not family? Your Majesty Arkan’s grace and care extend equally like sunlight to the lowest places, so we can all be called Your Majesty’s family. So I am also Your Majesty’s family.”
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