“I know. I heard it from the Princess.”
Arkan raised one eyebrow.
“Archduke Joelvy is an experienced politician. He will never change his successor unless there is a reason to keep everyone quiet.”
“That is for the Princess to decide. I did not say I would set the stage. And the Princess did not expect that.”
Eorshin’s true identity was beyond what shr could have said, “I never would have thought of it.”
Now that she thought about it, he seemed like an incredibly foolish and single-minded man.
"You weren’t planning on keeping Eorshin a secret, were you? If the Princess is going to stay in Vetor’s castle any longer, at least His Majesty should know about it. I believe you weren’t thinking complacently that there wouldn’t be any problems."
Limepale hesitated for a moment but soon understood and agreed with Erdene’s words.
If Erdene hadn’t brought it up on purpose, she would have tried to keep quiet about Eorshin.
Arkan asked in a bewildered manner.
“Why did she bring her close escort here disguised as a maid?”
“Probably because she didn’t want Grand Duke Joelvy to find out.”
At those words, Arkan’s eyebrows gathered again like dark clouds.
“The two of them...”
“No, that’s not it. That guard... His name is Eorshin, and he is...”
Erdene slowly moved her gaze and let out a short sigh.
“He was the man who had a relationship with Empress Roelica. He was a member of the Knights of the Empire.”
She thought Arkan would jump up at any moment, but that didn’t happen.
Arkan stared at Erdene without blinking and said.
“I was supposed to fall backward right now, was I?”
Erdene grinned and wrinkled her nose.
“Even if that happened, I wouldn’t have been all that surprised.”
Arkan barely suppressed his slightly trembling fingertips and drank the tea.
He felt like he should have gulped down the cold alcohol, but he couldn’t just lie down drunk in the middle of the day when he had so much work to do.
“You spoke briefly about Empress Roelica last time, didn’t you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s right.”
“The old lover you mentioned back then...?”
Erdene nodded.
“That’s right. Roelica’s father, Atelgadis, found him and Roelica after they ran away, and Roelica eventually became the Princess of Tenek. No one knew what happened to him after that, but now we meet again.”
Suddenly, Arkan thought about how his life had been filled with uniform routines.
He had been a Prince, then a Crown Prince, and eventually ascended to the throne as a King, but looking back, he had never had so many problems arise at the same time as he did these days.
Arkan, who had been deep in thought, let out a weak laugh.
“I haven’t had a single day of boredom since I married you.”
Erdene’s lips turned up.
“That must be a compliment, right?”
“A compliment?”
“Or what? You’re not going to call off the marriage now, are you? You even said something like that last night.”
At the mention of last night, Arkan’s face slowly turned red again.
He had barely slept a wink as he stared at Erdene, who was half-asleep when dawn revealed her pale face beyond the curtain, but her face still came to his mind vividly.
As if the time he had spent staring at her was not enough.
Arkan cleared his throat and turned his head.
“You’re flirting with me in broad daylight.”
Erdene looked at him with a look of mock bewilderment.
“What were you thinking of that you were flirting with me?”
Arkan’s gaze suddenly returned. Of course, Erdene’s intention was to flirt.
Watching Arkan act so shyly like a scorpion had never been so much fun.
“You said yesterday. What, now no one can say that we’re not a real couple? Why are you blushing when I said that?”
“This is how it is again. Do you think I don’t know that you said that on purpose to tease me?”
“Don’t assume anything. Who am I to be so cheeky? It’s not even noon yet and already like this. I can’t sleep comfortably tonight either. I should at least prepare myself mentally, I guess not.”
Erdene glanced at Arkan, who was seething across from her, and held back a burst of laughter as she elegantly pushed her teacup aside.
“Then I think I’ve said everything I needed to say, so I’ll go and prepare myself mentally.”
“Oh, wait a minute! What about preparing yourself mentally?”
“Don’t prepare myself? You’re not going to come?”
“No, that’s not it. Oh, shit.”
Arkan, who was messing up his curly hair with his own hands, suddenly opened his eyes wide at the sound of a snap.
No, he wasn’t startled by the sound. He was startled by Erdene’s fingertips lightly smacking her lips and passing by.
“Did you just hit me?”
“Why are you swearing?”
“And you hit me?”
“I told you that I didn’t hit you that much. That’s why I always use nice words.”
“I’m so shocked.”
Erdene snorted and stood up from her seat, adjusting the hem of her dress.
Arkan made a sullen expression and stretched out his legs toward the other side of the room. Then, as she passed by, he grabbed Erdene’s wrist and lightly bit the back of her hand.
“Don’t make plans with anyone in the evening. I’m going to go for a walk with you.”
Erdene, who was looking up at Arkan, smiled broadly as she glanced down at him.
“Yes. Sure.”
It was only an hour ago that she thought Arkan biting the back of her hand was cute, but now Erdene was in a situation where she wanted to run over and give him ten slaps in the mouth.
“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t hold the needle like that.”
“You should take your time and do it step by step when you embroider.”
“If the thread is crooked, it won’t look good when you’re done.”
Erdene looked at Viscountess Wickes and the two ladies next to her—Countess Evan and Countess Medley—while holding the unfamiliar frame and needle in her hands.
No, looking is a bit of a misnomer.
Glaring was much closer.
The two Countesses flinched at the sight of her pale eyes shining brightly, but Viscountess Wickes, who had long since gotten used to it, calmly adjusted Erdene’s hand that held the needle.
“Now, like this. Your Majesty, you understand? No! And hold it like a sword! Needles are very delicate things.”
Erdene’s lower lip trembled at the nagging of Viscountess Wickes.
When she sighed, glanced at the Viscountess, and threaded the thread once more, Countess Evan shook her head with a strict expression.
“Your Majesty, the ends of the thread must match each other.”
“Aren’t you curious about what I can do with a needle other than embroidering?”
Viscountess Wickes said.
“Let’s hear it after you finish embroidering. I think you two would like that too.”
The two Countesses nodded at the same time.
Of course, that polite and impeccable attitude completely turned Erdene’s outfit upside down.
The incident happened right after Erdene finished lunch.
Viscountess Wickes More introduced the two Countesses, saying that she had come to see Erdene at Arkan’s urgent call.
Since they had never met before, Erdene had no idea why Arkan had sent them to the palace.
Before she could wonder, More smiled brightly and said,
“His Majesty said that Your Majesty would like you to learn embroidery! Oh my, what could be more joyful than that? My skills are not as good as yours, Countess, but since Your Majesty has decided to do so, I will help you as much as I can.”
Arkan raised one eyebrow.
“Archduke Joelvy is an experienced politician. He will never change his successor unless there is a reason to keep everyone quiet.”
“That is for the Princess to decide. I did not say I would set the stage. And the Princess did not expect that.”
She must mean she would lend a hand if necessary. Arkan thought.
He did not like the idea of Erdene suddenly getting involved in the fight for the succession to the duchy.
No matter what Princess Limepale was holding, he did not think she would be able to easily defeat her younger brother, who had already become a minor Duke at the age of ten.
However, the Princess’s surprising story did not end there.
When Arkan learned that the strangely awaited maid brought by Limepale was actually a man, he made an expression as if he had encountered a ghost in broad daylight.
“A man?”
“I heard he was her close escort.”
Erdene tapped her cheek with her fingertips as she recalled the last conversation she had with Limepale.
He did not like the idea of Erdene suddenly getting involved in the fight for the succession to the duchy.
No matter what Princess Limepale was holding, he did not think she would be able to easily defeat her younger brother, who had already become a minor Duke at the age of ten.
However, the Princess’s surprising story did not end there.
When Arkan learned that the strangely awaited maid brought by Limepale was actually a man, he made an expression as if he had encountered a ghost in broad daylight.
“A man?”
“I heard he was her close escort.”
Erdene tapped her cheek with her fingertips as she recalled the last conversation she had with Limepale.
Eorshin’s true identity was beyond what shr could have said, “I never would have thought of it.”
Now that she thought about it, he seemed like an incredibly foolish and single-minded man.
"You weren’t planning on keeping Eorshin a secret, were you? If the Princess is going to stay in Vetor’s castle any longer, at least His Majesty should know about it. I believe you weren’t thinking complacently that there wouldn’t be any problems."
Limepale hesitated for a moment but soon understood and agreed with Erdene’s words.
If Erdene hadn’t brought it up on purpose, she would have tried to keep quiet about Eorshin.
Arkan asked in a bewildered manner.
“Why did she bring her close escort here disguised as a maid?”
“Probably because she didn’t want Grand Duke Joelvy to find out.”
At those words, Arkan’s eyebrows gathered again like dark clouds.
“The two of them...”
“No, that’s not it. That guard... His name is Eorshin, and he is...”
Erdene slowly moved her gaze and let out a short sigh.
“He was the man who had a relationship with Empress Roelica. He was a member of the Knights of the Empire.”
She thought Arkan would jump up at any moment, but that didn’t happen.
Arkan stared at Erdene without blinking and said.
“I was supposed to fall backward right now, was I?”
Erdene grinned and wrinkled her nose.
“Even if that happened, I wouldn’t have been all that surprised.”
Arkan barely suppressed his slightly trembling fingertips and drank the tea.
He felt like he should have gulped down the cold alcohol, but he couldn’t just lie down drunk in the middle of the day when he had so much work to do.
“You spoke briefly about Empress Roelica last time, didn’t you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s right.”
“The old lover you mentioned back then...?”
Erdene nodded.
“That’s right. Roelica’s father, Atelgadis, found him and Roelica after they ran away, and Roelica eventually became the Princess of Tenek. No one knew what happened to him after that, but now we meet again.”
Suddenly, Arkan thought about how his life had been filled with uniform routines.
He had been a Prince, then a Crown Prince, and eventually ascended to the throne as a King, but looking back, he had never had so many problems arise at the same time as he did these days.
Arkan, who had been deep in thought, let out a weak laugh.
“I haven’t had a single day of boredom since I married you.”
Erdene’s lips turned up.
“That must be a compliment, right?”
“A compliment?”
“Or what? You’re not going to call off the marriage now, are you? You even said something like that last night.”
At the mention of last night, Arkan’s face slowly turned red again.
He had barely slept a wink as he stared at Erdene, who was half-asleep when dawn revealed her pale face beyond the curtain, but her face still came to his mind vividly.
As if the time he had spent staring at her was not enough.
Arkan cleared his throat and turned his head.
“You’re flirting with me in broad daylight.”
Erdene looked at him with a look of mock bewilderment.
“What were you thinking of that you were flirting with me?”
Arkan’s gaze suddenly returned. Of course, Erdene’s intention was to flirt.
Watching Arkan act so shyly like a scorpion had never been so much fun.
“You said yesterday. What, now no one can say that we’re not a real couple? Why are you blushing when I said that?”
“This is how it is again. Do you think I don’t know that you said that on purpose to tease me?”
“Don’t assume anything. Who am I to be so cheeky? It’s not even noon yet and already like this. I can’t sleep comfortably tonight either. I should at least prepare myself mentally, I guess not.”
Erdene glanced at Arkan, who was seething across from her, and held back a burst of laughter as she elegantly pushed her teacup aside.
“Then I think I’ve said everything I needed to say, so I’ll go and prepare myself mentally.”
“Oh, wait a minute! What about preparing yourself mentally?”
“Don’t prepare myself? You’re not going to come?”
“No, that’s not it. Oh, shit.”
Arkan, who was messing up his curly hair with his own hands, suddenly opened his eyes wide at the sound of a snap.
No, he wasn’t startled by the sound. He was startled by Erdene’s fingertips lightly smacking her lips and passing by.
“Did you just hit me?”
“Why are you swearing?”
“And you hit me?”
“I told you that I didn’t hit you that much. That’s why I always use nice words.”
“I’m so shocked.”
Erdene snorted and stood up from her seat, adjusting the hem of her dress.
Arkan made a sullen expression and stretched out his legs toward the other side of the room. Then, as she passed by, he grabbed Erdene’s wrist and lightly bit the back of her hand.
“Don’t make plans with anyone in the evening. I’m going to go for a walk with you.”
Erdene, who was looking up at Arkan, smiled broadly as she glanced down at him.
“Yes. Sure.”
***
It was only an hour ago that she thought Arkan biting the back of her hand was cute, but now Erdene was in a situation where she wanted to run over and give him ten slaps in the mouth.
“Your Majesty, you shouldn’t hold the needle like that.”
“You should take your time and do it step by step when you embroider.”
“If the thread is crooked, it won’t look good when you’re done.”
Erdene looked at Viscountess Wickes and the two ladies next to her—Countess Evan and Countess Medley—while holding the unfamiliar frame and needle in her hands.
No, looking is a bit of a misnomer.
Glaring was much closer.
The two Countesses flinched at the sight of her pale eyes shining brightly, but Viscountess Wickes, who had long since gotten used to it, calmly adjusted Erdene’s hand that held the needle.
“Now, like this. Your Majesty, you understand? No! And hold it like a sword! Needles are very delicate things.”
Erdene’s lower lip trembled at the nagging of Viscountess Wickes.
When she sighed, glanced at the Viscountess, and threaded the thread once more, Countess Evan shook her head with a strict expression.
“Your Majesty, the ends of the thread must match each other.”
“Aren’t you curious about what I can do with a needle other than embroidering?”
Viscountess Wickes said.
“Let’s hear it after you finish embroidering. I think you two would like that too.”
The two Countesses nodded at the same time.
Of course, that polite and impeccable attitude completely turned Erdene’s outfit upside down.
The incident happened right after Erdene finished lunch.
Viscountess Wickes More introduced the two Countesses, saying that she had come to see Erdene at Arkan’s urgent call.
Since they had never met before, Erdene had no idea why Arkan had sent them to the palace.
Before she could wonder, More smiled brightly and said,
“His Majesty said that Your Majesty would like you to learn embroidery! Oh my, what could be more joyful than that? My skills are not as good as yours, Countess, but since Your Majesty has decided to do so, I will help you as much as I can.”
Erdene missed the chance to say that she had no interest in embroidery and that she would rather swing her sword five hundred times than hold a needle and embroider one stitch at a time.
And she immediately realized that Arkan had done this in revenge for the punch in the mouth earlier.
‘We’ll see.’
Erdene frowned and the eldest Countess Medley coughed lightly.
“Your Majesty, it helps to have a relaxed mind when embroidering.”
“How can you have a relaxed mind while holding something like this?”
And she immediately realized that Arkan had done this in revenge for the punch in the mouth earlier.
‘We’ll see.’
Erdene frowned and the eldest Countess Medley coughed lightly.
“Your Majesty, it helps to have a relaxed mind when embroidering.”
“How can you have a relaxed mind while holding something like this?”
The horned Erdene swung the needle and the thread snapped with a snap.
“Oh, dear. Your Majesty, you’ll have to start over.”
Erdene’s temples trembled at More’s words.
The thought that she would definitely not leave him alone when she met Arkan boiled over.
“Well, I’ve never done anything like embroidery and I don’t want to do it.”
Countess Medley spoke again.
“You don’t have to be great at it. Embroidery is a kind of basic skill.”
“Don’t you think it’s too late to take lessons as a priest, Countess?”
“It’s never too late for anything.”
“Oh, dear. Your Majesty, you’ll have to start over.”
Erdene’s temples trembled at More’s words.
The thought that she would definitely not leave him alone when she met Arkan boiled over.
“Well, I’ve never done anything like embroidery and I don’t want to do it.”
Countess Medley spoke again.
“You don’t have to be great at it. Embroidery is a kind of basic skill.”
“Don’t you think it’s too late to take lessons as a priest, Countess?”
“It’s never too late for anything.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment