2. The King's Intentions
"Good night, Your Majesty? Your eyes are bloodshot. Did something happen?"
"Don't worry about it."
"Yes."
Duke Lionel Hyde quickly shut his mouth.
Endymion blasted a black aura and buried his face in his hands.
Lionel, who had brought a bundle of documents to settle, carefully stacked them on the desk while keeping an eye on his brother-in-law who was in a gloomy mood.
"Here is the organizational chart and budget plan for the defense force that may be reorganized. I think it would be a good idea to take this opportunity to overhaul the border defense system as a whole, so I have prepared a draft. Please review it. Also, there is an opinion from the ministers that it would be good to hold a royal hunting competition to commemorate the coming of age ceremony of Your Majesty and the Queen..."
"Just leave it and go."
"Yes..."
At the obviously offended tone in his voice, the large Duke Lionel rolled his eyes in surprise and answered.
Yesterday, after receiving a letter from the Queen, he couldn't concentrate at all during the meeting and was distracted.
Why is it so chilly this morning?
'I guess I'll have to come back after lunch.'
After seven years of marriage and seven years of assisting the King, Lionel took a cautious step back.
His brother-in-law, who had the same personality as his sister, was known for being cold and blunt to everyone.
He was especially gentle with the Queen, who he married at a young age, but yesterday he left without even looking back, and today, seeing the dark clouds gathering, it seems like they had a fight or something.
'In times like this, it's best to be invisible.'
As he walked towards the door, humming to himself that he should go home for the first time in a long while and have lunch with Iris.
"Duke Hyde."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Lionel turned around again at the cold voice.
Endymion, who had straightened his back, was holding a letter.
"This is an official letter of apology sent to the Queen in the name of the Duchess of Hyde. I didn't open it because it was going to the Queen's Palace, but do you know anything about it?"
How shameless he is, not even trying to hide the fact that he stole the Queen's personal letters.
Lionel looked briefly disgusted by his brother-in-law's arrogance, then belatedly understood and jumped up.
"Are you saying this is an official apology? To my wife?!"
"Do you dare to say that the Duke did not know that the Duchess had wronged the Queen?"
No, how would I know that! I haven't been home for a week because of working overtime!
Lionel was so aggrieved that he was beyond words.
But there was cold anger in his brother-in-law's sharp eyes.
It didn't seem like he had even the slightest intention of letting him off easy just because he was his sister's husband.
"I, I am sorry, Your Majesty! I will ask my wife, no. I will go and apologize to the Queen myself!"
Endymion glared coldly at his bear-like brother-in-law.
Even though he had been married for seven years and had a child, he still seemed to be struggling and having a hard time like a Princess.
'You seem like a bad-tempered older sister.'
In fact, Endymion and Iris were half-siblings, but they didn't get along particularly well.
At the same time, the personality was equally blunt, so there wasn't much of a difference.
However, there was one moment when the siblings had a war of nerves, and he forgot it. It was when Iris picked up a fight with Julia.
When he first found out, he was going to storm into Duke Hyde's house right away, but Julia asked him to go over, so he had no choice but to pretend he didn't know.
Fortunately, it didn't seem like it was being done unilaterally.
But if it was going to go so far as to send an official notice, then it was clear that Iris had provoked her again.
"No, that's not necessary."
"Thank you! I hope this never happens again."
"Since you are such a devoted Duke to your family, you will gladly accept your wife's punishment. Please work overtime for the next month."
"Yes?!"
"Go home, report to the Duchess, and come back immediately."
Endymion gestured with a cool face.
Soon, the attendants who had been standing nearby dragged Lionel out, who was lost in thought.
"This, this can't be happening! This can't be happening! If you keep doing this, I'll die! Your Majesty!"
Only when the Duke's howling voice echoed through the hallway did Endymion feel a little better.
Endymion was truly a merciless King to anyone but Julia.
"Bring it back to the Queen's Palace in perfect condition."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Endymion, who had placed the Duchess' letter in the hand of his servant, stood up and rubbed his temples.
Iris, who seemed cold but was actually on good terms with the bear-like Duke Hyde, would probably be quite angry if she found out about this.
'The price you pay for daring to climb up to the Queen.'
Endymion imagined Iris's expression as she glared at him and snickered.
And then he opened the inner door connected to the office.
Endymion frowned as he entered the King's private secret chambers, unknown even to his brother-in-law, Duke Hyde.
He clearly told Iris the last time they met, but she'd been quiet for so long that he couldn't believe she was acting up again.
She's his blood, but he doesn't know what its intentions are.
From the first time she met Julia, Endymion thought it was just jealousy that made Iris hate her, but how many years has this been going on?
But as soon as he saw the paintings hanging all over the room, the irritation melted away like snow.
Endymion sat down in the leather armchair in the middle of the room with a faint smile.
This chair, which rotates smoothly in one direction even in one place, was specially made and brought by Endymion.
"Hi."
Endymion muttered softly and slowly looked sideways starting from the far left.
There was a 7-year-old Julia, an 8-year-old Julia, a 9-year-old Juli la an 18-year-old Julia hanging there.
It was Endymion's own Julia collection, secretly copied from a portrait he drew every year on her birthday.
He thought she would find it strange if she found out, so he secretly hired a palace painter to make it for him.
Even if he thought about it himself, it felt like a bit of an obsession, but Endymion easily ignored it.
Then what should I do? She's so pretty that I wish I had a portrait of her.
The portraits of the King and Queen are for future generations to keep, so even the people involved cannot view them at will.
His Queen, who was praised as the most noble and elegant of Semele, attracted all eyes wherever she attended.
Although she was not flashy, her fairy-like beauty had a charm that captivated people.
This was especially true because Julia was kind by nature and was kind and affectionate to everyone.
Endymion felt sick to his stomach every time he saw Julia smile brightly and cheerfully at another man.
So much so that he would want to keep her locked up forever if he could.
But Julia seemed to have no idea that her husband was thinking such things.
When Julia first got married, she was a cute girl with short hair and a headband.
Then, as she got older, her hair grew longer, my face became slimmer as the baby fat disappeared, and her shoulders became thinner.
Her large purple eyes sparkled lively, and her elegant nose and rose-petal lips were so lovely.
Her long, slender legs and straight waist, like those of a deer, were not weak but gave her the dignity of a Queen.
And draw soft, rich curves...
"I seem like a pervert."
Endymion, whose eyes had turned dark at the sight of Julia last year, shook his head and burst into laughter.
It's not that he wasn't, he really seemed like a pervert.
It's not normal for a husband to lick and admire the portrait of his wife, who is not dead but is still alive and well, every day.
'By the way, it seems like you're getting prettier and prettier."
The pink dress she wore to the last social party was dizzyingly pretty.
The surrounding men must have thought the same, as he had a hard time protecting Julia from the wolf-like, prying eyes.
Without even knowing it, Endymion stayed up all night because she was so happy and smiled brightly at his compliment that the dress suited her well.
He couldn't stop thinking about that bright face, and he had to hold back the urge to reach out to his wife who was sleeping soundly, and poke her thigh.
'A concubine?"
Endymion, who had been fondly thinking of his lovely wife who was too precious to even touch, suddenly frowned.
The pleasant feeling of floating above the clouds subsided in an instant.
'...Why am I holding back?'
It's been a long time since the girl he thought of as a friend started to feel like a woman.
It was so hard to keep it hidden that he often felt the urge to reveal it.
Why should a husband hide the fact that he likes his wife?
But shortly after ascending to the throne, he overheard Julia talking and changed his mind.
"Do you feel that way when you really love someone?"
One day, Julia was having a tea party in the garden with some close ladies.
Endymion, who was stopping by to see her face for a moment, overheard Julia's curious voice.
"Of course! I feel embarrassed just by making eye contact, and when I hold your hand, my stomach feels ticklish and hot. Oh my, doesn't His Majesty do that to you?"
"Yes? Oh, yes! Of course. It was so similar to me that it was amazing."
The ladies gasped without noticing anything.
But Endymion, who knew Julia better than anyone, noticed.
Julia, his wife and his first love doesn't feel him like a man.
'I guess you only think of us as family.'
Endymion was a little upset, but it was okay. Julia and he could never break up anyway.
He had no intention of letting her go in the first place.
He thought it would be burdensome if he confessed now, so he planned to wait until Julia became more mature.
It'll probably be enough by the time she has her coming-of-age ceremony.
It was then that Endymion decided to end his unrequited love, express his feelings naturally, and become a stronger couple.
But he never dreamed that a concubine would come to such a shocking conclusion!
"The conservatives who used to talk about bloodlines are now talking about successors and such. Have you heard that?"
He told them to be careful not to let it reach the Queen's ears.
Endymion ground his teeth.
It was a dizzying experience.
I'm just gulping down my saliva with the woman I like right next to me, and you're telling me to meet another woman!
He feels like any other man would go crazy just looking at Julia. Does she really not have even a shred of affection for him?
If he just keeps watching like this, she might end up meeting a really weird woman.
Julia is gentle but secretly stubborn. If he let her off the hook, she might secretly take out a concubine.
'That won't do.'
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment