When Cecilia suddenly collapsed and was carried out in Eden's arms, the Emperor was quite flustered.
“Has the Grand Duchess come to her senses?”
“No. I watched her ride back in the carriage, but she didn’t come to her senses until then.”
The Emperor frowned and coughed in vain at Aster’s answer. Although it was not his intention, he was embarrassed that he had caught his daughter-in-law for something that would not be punished.
“I was going to tell him to go and negotiate with Benia, but I didn’t have time to do that.”
Besides, he couldn't even call Eden and say what he wanted to say. He was going to blame him for Count Casper's death and say that if Benia could only express a little regret, that would be the end of it.
And Eden had already been chosen to take on that role. As a member of the royal family, he had political acumen and had already negotiated with Benia, so Eden was the perfect fit.
“I will go and be back.”
“Why are you going there?”
Of course, Aster was not worried because he had a great political sense. However, the Emperor did not think that this was a big deal enough to move the Crown Prince.
“I know you won’t send Damon anyway.”
But the Emperor couldn't just send Damon away, who was like a thunderbolt. He was lucky that the skinny guy didn't turn the table and start a fight.
“First, tell Eden to come back in as soon as the Grand Duchess comes to her senses.”
Aster made an awkward face. Even if the Grand Duchess came to her senses, it seemed like Eden, who was angry, would not follow the Emperor's words.
“I will send someone for now, but I will prepare to leave immediately even if Eden doesn’t come.”
The Emperor nodded at Aster's words. Aster laughed a little because his face seemed to think that he had scolded Cecilia for nothing. Although he was the greatest, the Emperor was still human after all.
After leaving the audience room, Aster headed straight to the Crown Princess’ Palace. Isabella, who had heard Cecilia’s story, greeted him as she wandered around the landscaped garden with a worried expression.
“Is the Grand Duchess okay?”
“It seems like she was very surprised. She was a weak person even before marriage, so it seems like it had a big impact on her.”
“His Majesty has gone too far.”
Even Isabella had never been so confused. When Isabella spoke with a pitiful expression, Aster simply nodded.
“It seems that Eden is angry that His Majesty surprised him by scolding his wife, so I think I will have to do the work that Your Majesty wanted to leave to Eden.”
“Are you planning to go to Driton?”
To Isabella's question, Aster answered yes and ordered his servants to pack their bags.
“You’re already packing.”
“Eden probably won’t go. Even if you call him, there’s a high chance he won’t come to the palace.”
It was natural for him to think of Eden, who had been holding the unconscious Grand Duchess with a thoughtful face, and Eden, who had been arguing with the Emperor. He was reminded of a tiger baring its teeth to protect its female.
“He seems very angry.”
“I guess it was the same for me too.”
Any man in his right mind would be furious at seeing his frail wife collapse before his eyes. He would have stood up to the weak-hearted Isabella if she fainted after being scolded by the Emperor.
“I think I’ll have to leave early in the morning if I leave, so I’ll have to go to bed early today.”
Isabella nodded. Aster smiled faintly as he watched Isabella push him on the back, telling him to hurry in, wondering if he was tired.
It wasn't a marriage of love. He had never experienced a love as blind to the other person's well-being as Eden.
But he liked this girl who was like a wildflower.
“Has the Grand Duchess come to her senses?”
“No. I watched her ride back in the carriage, but she didn’t come to her senses until then.”
The Emperor frowned and coughed in vain at Aster’s answer. Although it was not his intention, he was embarrassed that he had caught his daughter-in-law for something that would not be punished.
“I was going to tell him to go and negotiate with Benia, but I didn’t have time to do that.”
Besides, he couldn't even call Eden and say what he wanted to say. He was going to blame him for Count Casper's death and say that if Benia could only express a little regret, that would be the end of it.
And Eden had already been chosen to take on that role. As a member of the royal family, he had political acumen and had already negotiated with Benia, so Eden was the perfect fit.
“I will go and be back.”
“Why are you going there?”
Of course, Aster was not worried because he had a great political sense. However, the Emperor did not think that this was a big deal enough to move the Crown Prince.
“I know you won’t send Damon anyway.”
But the Emperor couldn't just send Damon away, who was like a thunderbolt. He was lucky that the skinny guy didn't turn the table and start a fight.
“First, tell Eden to come back in as soon as the Grand Duchess comes to her senses.”
Aster made an awkward face. Even if the Grand Duchess came to her senses, it seemed like Eden, who was angry, would not follow the Emperor's words.
“I will send someone for now, but I will prepare to leave immediately even if Eden doesn’t come.”
The Emperor nodded at Aster's words. Aster laughed a little because his face seemed to think that he had scolded Cecilia for nothing. Although he was the greatest, the Emperor was still human after all.
After leaving the audience room, Aster headed straight to the Crown Princess’ Palace. Isabella, who had heard Cecilia’s story, greeted him as she wandered around the landscaped garden with a worried expression.
“Is the Grand Duchess okay?”
“It seems like she was very surprised. She was a weak person even before marriage, so it seems like it had a big impact on her.”
“His Majesty has gone too far.”
Even Isabella had never been so confused. When Isabella spoke with a pitiful expression, Aster simply nodded.
“It seems that Eden is angry that His Majesty surprised him by scolding his wife, so I think I will have to do the work that Your Majesty wanted to leave to Eden.”
“Are you planning to go to Driton?”
To Isabella's question, Aster answered yes and ordered his servants to pack their bags.
“You’re already packing.”
“Eden probably won’t go. Even if you call him, there’s a high chance he won’t come to the palace.”
It was natural for him to think of Eden, who had been holding the unconscious Grand Duchess with a thoughtful face, and Eden, who had been arguing with the Emperor. He was reminded of a tiger baring its teeth to protect its female.
“He seems very angry.”
“I guess it was the same for me too.”
Any man in his right mind would be furious at seeing his frail wife collapse before his eyes. He would have stood up to the weak-hearted Isabella if she fainted after being scolded by the Emperor.
“I think I’ll have to leave early in the morning if I leave, so I’ll have to go to bed early today.”
Isabella nodded. Aster smiled faintly as he watched Isabella push him on the back, telling him to hurry in, wondering if he was tired.
It wasn't a marriage of love. He had never experienced a love as blind to the other person's well-being as Eden.
But he liked this girl who was like a wildflower.
***
Eden refused the Emperor's call. The Emperor also said that Eden was annoying. However, since Cecilia was sick and boiling with fever, he could not scold her and only sent her some medicine. Rather than being annoying, he was worried.
Aster thought of his dishonest father once, of Eden with his rolled-up eyes once, and of his wife who had come out to see him off at dawn.
'Isabella.'
Isabella was groaning when Aster woke up, perhaps because she had been sleeping poorly. Only after he held her in his arms and comforted her did she wake up in a cold sweat.
'Your Highness, must you go?'
And then she grabbed hold of his clothes and asked if he had to go.
'I have told His Majesty the Emperor so, so I must go.'
He had already told the Emperor that he would go. He could not change his words. Isabella looked up at Aster with anxious eyes.
'Whatever you saw was just a dream, Isabella.'
Aster whispered and reassured his wife. He was negotiating to blame Count Casper for everything that happened near the border and to just express his regret. There was no way Benia's soldiers would suddenly point their guns at him.
'Don't worry, I'll be back safely soon.'
So Aster whispered to his timid wife and stood up. However, Isabella remained anxious until the very end and saw him off until the moment he left the Crown Princess's palace.
“Your Highness, we are almost there.”
The commander in charge of Aster's escort spoke from a close distance. Aster nodded and stared at the iron fence that was gradually approaching. The Emperor's representative must have come out from Benia as well.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Wyatt. Where is Benia’s representative?”
Aster, sitting on the saddle, looked down at the Benia soldier guarding the iron fence. The soldier glanced at Aster and hurriedly lowered his head.
“I will guide you.”
And he took him to a nearby barracks. A Duke who had come on behalf of the Emperor of Benia welcomed Aster.
“I didn’t know that Crown Prince Wyatt would come in person.”
“I hope there are no unnecessary misunderstandings.”
Aster got down from his horse and shook hands briefly with him.
“Of course, I can’t say that I don’t have any ill feelings toward Wyatt, but I also hope that something like war doesn’t happen.”
He seemed to be particularly upset about the discovery of gold on Laner Island. However, the negotiator did not want war. It was fortunate for Wyatt. Aster met him with a smiling face, hiding his true feelings.
“First of all, His Majesty the Emperor also expressed regret.”
When Aster spoke first, he nodded.
“We cannot ignore the fault of those who fired their guns at the border without stopping despite the soldiers’ warnings.”
But it was clearly Benia's fault for aiming at Count Casper's heart, killing him instantly, even though he knew that he wasn't pointing his gun at them, and for shooting him while his body was still on Wyatt's land.
“I know what you are saying. We also admit that our actions were excessive. Therefore, we would like to accept what Wyatt said.”
There is a difference between hating something enough to want to go to war and actually going to war. This is especially true when you consider the cost, time, and countless lives that would be involved.
“I’m glad that our intentions are aligned.”
As Aster spoke with a smiling face, the Duke of Benia, who appeared as a negotiator, also smiled gently.
“Politics or anything else, it really takes a certain amount of luck, but this time Wyatt got lucky.”
He was a man who believed in luck and fate. It was regrettable that he had missed the gold mines and tourist opportunities of Laner Island, but it was not such a regret considering that he had neglected the island until now. Not everyone who has it seeks the same opportunities.
“Thank you for saying so.”
Aster had the same thought. Naturally, they began to feel a little sorry that they belonged to different countries.
“If the meeting is recorded in writing and the Benia side expresses regret, we will accept it and move on.”
It was a useless thought. Aster hurriedly finished the conversation and left the barracks. As he was leaving, he wanted to tell Isabella, who was feeling anxious, to look at him and say that there was nothing to worry about.
"Your Highness!"
Aster's escort knight called him loudly. As Aster looked at him with a puzzled expression as he ran toward him, something exploded with a thud.
That something was none other than himself. Before he knew it, his knees had buckled and his body had collapsed. Aster stared blankly up at the knight who was chasing him.
“Ugh...”
Before he could even figure out what was happening, something bitter rose up in his throat.
'Your Highness, must you go?'
At the moment when he was spitting out blood, Isabella's face, anxious even in that pain, came to mind. Aster instinctively knew that he could not go back.
My poor wife, Isabella.
My father, the Emperor suffered after putting his wife and children first.
My younger brother, Eden, will be caught up in meaningless political strife.
And perhaps unexpectedly, Grand Duchess Cecilia might welcome her husband as the Emperor.
Many suffered from this death, and even the moment he closed his blurred vision was heartbreaking.
Aster thought of his dishonest father once, of Eden with his rolled-up eyes once, and of his wife who had come out to see him off at dawn.
'Isabella.'
Isabella was groaning when Aster woke up, perhaps because she had been sleeping poorly. Only after he held her in his arms and comforted her did she wake up in a cold sweat.
'Your Highness, must you go?'
And then she grabbed hold of his clothes and asked if he had to go.
'I have told His Majesty the Emperor so, so I must go.'
He had already told the Emperor that he would go. He could not change his words. Isabella looked up at Aster with anxious eyes.
'Whatever you saw was just a dream, Isabella.'
Aster whispered and reassured his wife. He was negotiating to blame Count Casper for everything that happened near the border and to just express his regret. There was no way Benia's soldiers would suddenly point their guns at him.
'Don't worry, I'll be back safely soon.'
So Aster whispered to his timid wife and stood up. However, Isabella remained anxious until the very end and saw him off until the moment he left the Crown Princess's palace.
“Your Highness, we are almost there.”
The commander in charge of Aster's escort spoke from a close distance. Aster nodded and stared at the iron fence that was gradually approaching. The Emperor's representative must have come out from Benia as well.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Wyatt. Where is Benia’s representative?”
Aster, sitting on the saddle, looked down at the Benia soldier guarding the iron fence. The soldier glanced at Aster and hurriedly lowered his head.
“I will guide you.”
And he took him to a nearby barracks. A Duke who had come on behalf of the Emperor of Benia welcomed Aster.
“I didn’t know that Crown Prince Wyatt would come in person.”
“I hope there are no unnecessary misunderstandings.”
Aster got down from his horse and shook hands briefly with him.
“Of course, I can’t say that I don’t have any ill feelings toward Wyatt, but I also hope that something like war doesn’t happen.”
He seemed to be particularly upset about the discovery of gold on Laner Island. However, the negotiator did not want war. It was fortunate for Wyatt. Aster met him with a smiling face, hiding his true feelings.
“First of all, His Majesty the Emperor also expressed regret.”
When Aster spoke first, he nodded.
“We cannot ignore the fault of those who fired their guns at the border without stopping despite the soldiers’ warnings.”
But it was clearly Benia's fault for aiming at Count Casper's heart, killing him instantly, even though he knew that he wasn't pointing his gun at them, and for shooting him while his body was still on Wyatt's land.
“I know what you are saying. We also admit that our actions were excessive. Therefore, we would like to accept what Wyatt said.”
There is a difference between hating something enough to want to go to war and actually going to war. This is especially true when you consider the cost, time, and countless lives that would be involved.
“I’m glad that our intentions are aligned.”
As Aster spoke with a smiling face, the Duke of Benia, who appeared as a negotiator, also smiled gently.
“Politics or anything else, it really takes a certain amount of luck, but this time Wyatt got lucky.”
He was a man who believed in luck and fate. It was regrettable that he had missed the gold mines and tourist opportunities of Laner Island, but it was not such a regret considering that he had neglected the island until now. Not everyone who has it seeks the same opportunities.
“Thank you for saying so.”
Aster had the same thought. Naturally, they began to feel a little sorry that they belonged to different countries.
“If the meeting is recorded in writing and the Benia side expresses regret, we will accept it and move on.”
It was a useless thought. Aster hurriedly finished the conversation and left the barracks. As he was leaving, he wanted to tell Isabella, who was feeling anxious, to look at him and say that there was nothing to worry about.
"Your Highness!"
Aster's escort knight called him loudly. As Aster looked at him with a puzzled expression as he ran toward him, something exploded with a thud.
That something was none other than himself. Before he knew it, his knees had buckled and his body had collapsed. Aster stared blankly up at the knight who was chasing him.
“Ugh...”
Before he could even figure out what was happening, something bitter rose up in his throat.
'Your Highness, must you go?'
At the moment when he was spitting out blood, Isabella's face, anxious even in that pain, came to mind. Aster instinctively knew that he could not go back.
My poor wife, Isabella.
My father, the Emperor suffered after putting his wife and children first.
My younger brother, Eden, will be caught up in meaningless political strife.
And perhaps unexpectedly, Grand Duchess Cecilia might welcome her husband as the Emperor.
Many suffered from this death, and even the moment he closed his blurred vision was heartbreaking.
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