At the same time, Jenna kissed my forehead.
Then she left the room, saying she would come back later.
Crunch.
Locking the door to keep her out.
The capital square where the sound of crows croaking echoes.
The people gathered there were all whispering among themselves.
“How long has it been since the rebellion happened? When will these monstrous things be cleaned up?”
“That’s what I mean. I heard that the heads of all the nobles who attended the wedding are over there.”
A man pointed to a pile of rubble on one side of the square.
They were once people, but now they were just piles of skeletons left over from being eaten by crows.
“Over there, is that the head stuck in the highest bar of the window, the head of the Crown Princess who just got married?”
“I heard that too. I heard she was a great beauty. Now all her skin has been torn off, leaving only pieces of bone.”
People clicked their tongues and each left a comment.
And there was a crowd of people looking at the piles from afar.
"Your Highness..."
Those wearing deep robes were the Crown Prince and his knights who had barely escaped the fire.
“How about going back to the south now? There, with the remaining forces, we can wait for another opportunity..."
"No."
A firm voice was heard through the darkness shrouded in robes.
“I can’t go to the South empty-handed like this.”
“But contact with Melanie has been lost. Sending more spies would be suicidal, given that her identity has clearly been discovered by the rebels!”
Cullen, the Crown Prince's knight, tried to dissuade him.
In a situation where the tide had already turned, returning to the capital was already a gamble.
‘What on earth is Riventia...’
Cullen did not understand the Crown Prince's insistence on reclaiming Riventia.
He knows that whoever holds the Riventia is recognized as the Emperor of the Sphenus Empire, but it is only a symbol.
At this point, when the rebellion had already succeeded and the people were being chased away, the attitude of the Crown Prince, who was trying to enter the castle to find 'Riventia', which was nothing more than a splendid royal seal, was questionable.
“Reventia is not simply a tool to be recognized as Emperor.”
And only the successors of the Sphenus Empire know its secret.
He don't know about anything else, but he absolutely had to get Riventia back.
Cullen sighed softly at Ernest's stubborn attitude and answered.
“Then Your Highness, please go down south alone. I will go to the palace and reclaim Riventia...”
But Ernest cut Cullen off.
“I will go myself.”
"Your Highness...!"
“I know the geography of the palace better than anyone else. I am the only one who has memorized the dozens of secret passages in the palace.”
In fact, there were more than 50 secret passages, large and small, in the palace.
And the only ones who know of the existence of that passage are the Emperor and his successors.
Even when faced with a crisis and a dead end, Ernest was able to escape through a secret passage.
That's why he continued to regret sending Melanie away alone.
'If I had gone in the first place, it wouldn't have been a mistake.'
It's already been two weeks since they last heard from Melanie, who was supposed to bring good news.
Now that the Quillen region has fallen, he has long been on the edge of a cliff.
Ernest stared at the center of the pile with a somber expression.
“Elizabeth...”
Only the faded blond hair of the skull that people were pointing at told him was the Ellie he knew.
How resentful she must have felt until the moment of her death.
He promised to make her the happiest woman in the empire.
How can he shamelessly survive like this alone?
A terrible sense of guilt for not being able to protect the woman he loved weighed heavily on his heart.
Ernest slowly walked towards the square.
Then he put down the unknown wildflower he was holding.
'Ellie. I will never let the person who did this to you go unchecked.'
I will seek revenge even if it means going to hell.
Certainly.
His eyes, silently making a pledge, were filled with red passion.
A warm, sunny afternoon.
I, who was sitting in front of the mirror, let out a short groan.
I muttered, touching my left earlobe.
“I think it might be inflamed?”
The earlobe that had been ticklish since last night was red and swollen as if my prediction was not wrong.
I, who had been sitting quietly and pondering the cause of the inflammation, let out a low sigh.
“I guess it’s because of stress..."
At the same time, my shoulders slumped.
How long has it been since I started living here?
I didn't think it was such a bad ending until about two weeks later.
Delicious meals three times a day and a cozy bed.
And room service that rivals that of five-star hotels.
Because it was a very comfortable and relaxing life, unlike the past when I had to worry about life and death.
However.
“It’s frustrating...!”
But even if you eat a lot of delicious food, you get sick of it.
Even for someone who likes to stay in their room, I thought I would go crazy if I couldn't go outside like this.
'Carsis hasn't been seen since that day.'
When I was asleep, it seemed like he would come into the room sometimes.
Because I once saw Carsis guarding my side while I was sleeping.
But in broad daylight like this, I could never see him.
“I should have seen his face in person to tell him that I want to go out..."
I tried to tell Jenna in a subtle way that I wanted to go out, but she just kept avoiding the question.
'What on earth is wrong with me?'
I was getting goosebumps at Jenna's constant reminder that I was feeling unwell and needed to rest.
At best, it's just inflammation caused by stress.
I clicked my tongue briefly and took the earring off.
Should I be thankful that only my left ear is inflamed?
The inflammation that had been hidden by the earring became more prominent.
'Come to think of it, this is the first time I've taken off my earrings since I was born.'
Because the earrings were so small, I didn't even feel like I had to take them off because I didn't even know if I was wearing them or not.
If it hadn't become so inflamed as it is today, I would have kept wearing it.
It was when I shrugged my shoulders and placed my earrings neatly on my handkerchief.
The maid came in with the sound of the locked door opening.
“Are you here?”
“...”
However, the maid did not respond at all to my warm welcome.
'As expected, there's no answer.'
I shook my head as if I had expected the maid's reaction.
That's understandable since the only people in this room who could talk to me were Carsis and Jenna.
I, sitting on the chair, looked at the maid who was silently doing my work.
The maid's quick movements showed her intention to quickly finish her work and leave the room.
‘I would have just let it go, but...’
Is it because I feel particularly suffocated today?
For some reason, today at least, I wanted to see what the maid had to say.
I got up from my seat and approached the maid who was tidying up the bed sheets.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“...”
“How old are you? From the looks of it, you look to be around twenty-three. Is that right?”
“...”
But my efforts were in vain as the maid consistently ignored me.
What on earth did they receive to be so unmoving?
I, who suddenly felt angry, grabbed the maid's shoulder and turned her around, then met her gaze.
“You know, please answer my questions. I’m so frustrated. I don’t know what orders they're giving you, but at least have some conversation...”
“Yes, Miss.”
"...Uh?"
“Go ahead.”
But, unlike my earnest voice, the maid opened her mouth very easily.
We just made eye contact.
Was it because of the maid's attitude that changed as if turning over a palm? My eyes opened wide in surprise.
“Uh, no. That’s... I’m so frustrated that I want to go for a walk... Do you want to go together? Or if you call Jenna over right now...”
"All right."
"hat?"
The maid opened the door, dropping the sheet she was holding.
“Let’s go for a walk together.”
“...Are you serious?”
And the one who was embarrassed by the maid's behavior was me.
When I suggested going for a walk, I never expected the maid to agree. I thought at most she would say that she would call Jenna.
Furthermore.
'What's with that face?'
The maid's eyes were unfocused as if possessed by something, and her face showed no emotion whatsoever.
And I, who was disgusted by the sight of the maid like that, quickly closed the door, wondering if anyone would see.
Previous Next
Support Novellate!
Then she left the room, saying she would come back later.
Crunch.
Locking the door to keep her out.
***
The capital square where the sound of crows croaking echoes.
The people gathered there were all whispering among themselves.
“How long has it been since the rebellion happened? When will these monstrous things be cleaned up?”
“That’s what I mean. I heard that the heads of all the nobles who attended the wedding are over there.”
A man pointed to a pile of rubble on one side of the square.
They were once people, but now they were just piles of skeletons left over from being eaten by crows.
“Over there, is that the head stuck in the highest bar of the window, the head of the Crown Princess who just got married?”
“I heard that too. I heard she was a great beauty. Now all her skin has been torn off, leaving only pieces of bone.”
People clicked their tongues and each left a comment.
And there was a crowd of people looking at the piles from afar.
"Your Highness..."
Those wearing deep robes were the Crown Prince and his knights who had barely escaped the fire.
“How about going back to the south now? There, with the remaining forces, we can wait for another opportunity..."
"No."
A firm voice was heard through the darkness shrouded in robes.
“I can’t go to the South empty-handed like this.”
“But contact with Melanie has been lost. Sending more spies would be suicidal, given that her identity has clearly been discovered by the rebels!”
Cullen, the Crown Prince's knight, tried to dissuade him.
In a situation where the tide had already turned, returning to the capital was already a gamble.
‘What on earth is Riventia...’
Cullen did not understand the Crown Prince's insistence on reclaiming Riventia.
He knows that whoever holds the Riventia is recognized as the Emperor of the Sphenus Empire, but it is only a symbol.
At this point, when the rebellion had already succeeded and the people were being chased away, the attitude of the Crown Prince, who was trying to enter the castle to find 'Riventia', which was nothing more than a splendid royal seal, was questionable.
“Reventia is not simply a tool to be recognized as Emperor.”
And only the successors of the Sphenus Empire know its secret.
He don't know about anything else, but he absolutely had to get Riventia back.
Cullen sighed softly at Ernest's stubborn attitude and answered.
“Then Your Highness, please go down south alone. I will go to the palace and reclaim Riventia...”
But Ernest cut Cullen off.
“I will go myself.”
"Your Highness...!"
“I know the geography of the palace better than anyone else. I am the only one who has memorized the dozens of secret passages in the palace.”
In fact, there were more than 50 secret passages, large and small, in the palace.
And the only ones who know of the existence of that passage are the Emperor and his successors.
Even when faced with a crisis and a dead end, Ernest was able to escape through a secret passage.
That's why he continued to regret sending Melanie away alone.
'If I had gone in the first place, it wouldn't have been a mistake.'
It's already been two weeks since they last heard from Melanie, who was supposed to bring good news.
Now that the Quillen region has fallen, he has long been on the edge of a cliff.
Ernest stared at the center of the pile with a somber expression.
“Elizabeth...”
Only the faded blond hair of the skull that people were pointing at told him was the Ellie he knew.
How resentful she must have felt until the moment of her death.
He promised to make her the happiest woman in the empire.
How can he shamelessly survive like this alone?
A terrible sense of guilt for not being able to protect the woman he loved weighed heavily on his heart.
Ernest slowly walked towards the square.
Then he put down the unknown wildflower he was holding.
'Ellie. I will never let the person who did this to you go unchecked.'
I will seek revenge even if it means going to hell.
Certainly.
His eyes, silently making a pledge, were filled with red passion.
***
A warm, sunny afternoon.
I, who was sitting in front of the mirror, let out a short groan.
I muttered, touching my left earlobe.
“I think it might be inflamed?”
The earlobe that had been ticklish since last night was red and swollen as if my prediction was not wrong.
I, who had been sitting quietly and pondering the cause of the inflammation, let out a low sigh.
“I guess it’s because of stress..."
At the same time, my shoulders slumped.
How long has it been since I started living here?
I didn't think it was such a bad ending until about two weeks later.
Delicious meals three times a day and a cozy bed.
And room service that rivals that of five-star hotels.
Because it was a very comfortable and relaxing life, unlike the past when I had to worry about life and death.
However.
“It’s frustrating...!”
But even if you eat a lot of delicious food, you get sick of it.
Even for someone who likes to stay in their room, I thought I would go crazy if I couldn't go outside like this.
'Carsis hasn't been seen since that day.'
When I was asleep, it seemed like he would come into the room sometimes.
Because I once saw Carsis guarding my side while I was sleeping.
But in broad daylight like this, I could never see him.
“I should have seen his face in person to tell him that I want to go out..."
I tried to tell Jenna in a subtle way that I wanted to go out, but she just kept avoiding the question.
'What on earth is wrong with me?'
I was getting goosebumps at Jenna's constant reminder that I was feeling unwell and needed to rest.
At best, it's just inflammation caused by stress.
I clicked my tongue briefly and took the earring off.
Should I be thankful that only my left ear is inflamed?
The inflammation that had been hidden by the earring became more prominent.
'Come to think of it, this is the first time I've taken off my earrings since I was born.'
Because the earrings were so small, I didn't even feel like I had to take them off because I didn't even know if I was wearing them or not.
If it hadn't become so inflamed as it is today, I would have kept wearing it.
It was when I shrugged my shoulders and placed my earrings neatly on my handkerchief.
The maid came in with the sound of the locked door opening.
“Are you here?”
“...”
However, the maid did not respond at all to my warm welcome.
'As expected, there's no answer.'
I shook my head as if I had expected the maid's reaction.
That's understandable since the only people in this room who could talk to me were Carsis and Jenna.
I, sitting on the chair, looked at the maid who was silently doing my work.
The maid's quick movements showed her intention to quickly finish her work and leave the room.
‘I would have just let it go, but...’
Is it because I feel particularly suffocated today?
For some reason, today at least, I wanted to see what the maid had to say.
I got up from my seat and approached the maid who was tidying up the bed sheets.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“...”
“How old are you? From the looks of it, you look to be around twenty-three. Is that right?”
“...”
But my efforts were in vain as the maid consistently ignored me.
What on earth did they receive to be so unmoving?
I, who suddenly felt angry, grabbed the maid's shoulder and turned her around, then met her gaze.
“You know, please answer my questions. I’m so frustrated. I don’t know what orders they're giving you, but at least have some conversation...”
“Yes, Miss.”
"...Uh?"
“Go ahead.”
But, unlike my earnest voice, the maid opened her mouth very easily.
We just made eye contact.
Was it because of the maid's attitude that changed as if turning over a palm? My eyes opened wide in surprise.
“Uh, no. That’s... I’m so frustrated that I want to go for a walk... Do you want to go together? Or if you call Jenna over right now...”
"All right."
"hat?"
The maid opened the door, dropping the sheet she was holding.
“Let’s go for a walk together.”
“...Are you serious?”
And the one who was embarrassed by the maid's behavior was me.
When I suggested going for a walk, I never expected the maid to agree. I thought at most she would say that she would call Jenna.
Furthermore.
'What's with that face?'
The maid's eyes were unfocused as if possessed by something, and her face showed no emotion whatsoever.
And I, who was disgusted by the sight of the maid like that, quickly closed the door, wondering if anyone would see.
Previous Next
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment