"I tied her up so tightly that she couldn't move her limbs, and I even double-binded her with magic tools, so she shouldn't be in danger. Since you checked it yourself, Mion, there shouldn't be a problem."
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As she looked at him with those eyes, Endymion stared at her for a while and then nodded. Sir Tramburn quickly saluted and carefully unlocked the carriage.
Rattling.
Chiara, who was arrested on the spot, was to be taken to prison for questioning without trial, so she was being held here and transported. The carriage, which was originally used to transport captured animals or game, had thick, slow-opening doors.
"Chiara!"
Iris couldn't wait even for a moment and opened the door wide. Thanks to this, the inside of the carriage was revealed in an instant.
Chiara had her arms tied behind her back, and thick handcuffs and magical devices were attached to her hands and ankles.
She raised her head at the sudden light and soon discovered her friend, who had turned pale and scared.
"Iris."
"You!"
Iris shivered and screamed. Chiara came out to the door, still alive.
"Get me out of here, yes? You know I'm being treated unfairly! I was just in love with Your Majesty!"
Everyone's faces hardened at the excuse that was almost like a tantrum. However, Chiara stubbornly clung to Iris as if she didn't care about the reactions of those around her.
"You promised to help me, you did, twelve years ago! You wouldn't go back on your word now, would you?! Iris Semele, you're the only friend I have, you say two things in one breath...."
Match!
A sharp friction sound rang out. Chiara turned her head and froze in disbelief.
Iris, who had slapped her old friend on the cheek, opened her mouth trembling.
"...Because you're my only friend, and that's why I am!"
Her voice, filled with anger, was gradually mixed with tears. Even Iris's long hair, which was down, was seen shaking violently.
"Because I liked you, and because I didn't want to lose you, my only friend, I've always done whatever you asked of me since I was little. You even asked me to help you get married because you liked Endymion and because you wanted to get married and become a family with me!"
Duke Hyde couldn't even come forward because Iris's voice was full of resentment. Julia also stared at her in surprise.
Iris, who had always seemed so proud that she didn't know loneliness, thought that was why she had always been with Duke Hyde at parties and formal functions for the past dozen years without any friends.
'But that means...'
Since Chiara was her only friend, was she afraid that she would be alone if she refused her friend's request? Even though her tone clearly suggests that she didn't want to do it at the time, she ended up accepting the request.
If so, it wasn't friendship, it was 'lack'. Fear of being alone, loneliness, desolation.
'Besides, I don't think Chiara considered the Duchess a real friend.'
If that were the case, she wouldn't have dared to put pressure like that, under the guise of a request.
Julia stared at Iris, who was overcome with emotion. She had never dreamed that the girl who had been so arrogant since their first meeting was actually so delicate and thirsty for affection.
"12 years ago, I cried and apologized, saying I was sorry, that it was something I couldn't do on my own, but you left me without even sending me a single letter. And now, 12 years later, you suddenly showed up and asked me for a favor, and this is the price you paid for it?"
The explosive sight looked dangerous. Iris was biting her lips and struggling to utter each word.
"You said that if I just made you the concubine, you would stop committing suicide and that you would stop being greedy. You even swore that you would stop asking me not to get close to the Queen! I felt bad for you and I felt guilty for hurting my only friend, so I said!"
Iris clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into them. Her blue eyes eventually became cloudy and tears fell down her cheeks.
"I did nothing wrong. You just misunderstood!"
Iris was about to grab Chiara by the collar, sobbing in betrayal as she bit her lip with a distorted face. Duke Hyde, who came to his senses late, intervened and tried to calm Iris down.
"Please, Ma'am? Calm down. It's not good for your health If you get excited..."
"Hey, let go!"
However, there was no way that the Duke, who was a loving husband, could properly stop Iris. He could not even bring himself to drag her away, and as Iris slapped him with her soft fists, his face became dark with worry.
Julia couldn't help but approach him.
"How could you betray me and frame my family, how could you! I did everything for you all this time..."
"Duchess Hyde."
When Julia called softly, Iris, who had been ignoring the Duke's pleas, immediately turned around.
"Madam, please calm down for a moment... Yes?"
Then she hugged Julia tightly and collapsed.
Since Iris was taller than Julia, Julia ended up hugging her like a teddy bear.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, ugh!"
What should I do?
Julia was taken aback by Iris' childish appearance.
First, Julia hugged Iris, who was crying loudly in shock. Iris was unable to speak properly due to the tears that were pouring out, but she continued to try to say something.
"Excuse me, Duchess Hyde?"
"It was my fault all this time, we're family. Huhu..."
With one word, Iris' tears that wet her shoulders touched her heart.
"How could you try to frame my family!"
Family.
It was something she had never heard from Iris in all these years. But did she really think of her as family?
'All this time?'
Julia bit her lip in frustration.
Iris, who had been cold and blunt, had been uncomfortable and frustrating for a whole 12 years.
But that was all because Chiara, her only friend, asked for it? Wasn't that her true intention?
"...Madam, didn't you push me away because you hated me?"
"Ugh!"
As soon as Julia tried to ask calmly, Iris burst into tears and hugged Julia tighter.
Ironically, the layers of resentment that had built up began to melt away in that unfamiliar warmth.
I won't accept an apology like this, like this. I've been through so much emotional pain...
It seemed that tears were contagious.
Julia stuck out her lips while holding back tears. She wanted to speak coldly like Iris used to, but her nose was hoarse.
No, it would be too generous to forgive her right away. That was when Julia tried to wipe away her tears and pretend that everything was okay.
"Sigh. I'm sorry, sob. I'm all..."
Iris apologized awkwardly, her eyes filled with tears. In those blue eyes, the young Iris who was anxious about being abandoned by her only friend was reflected.
A young girl who had no friends to share her feelings with except for Chiara, and who couldn't bring herself to throw her away because she was lonely even though she knew she was using her.
"Hee-hee! Forgive me, please, don't. I've been, uh, so mean, to you, Your Majesty..."
She felt a sense of kinship with her. Julia didn't have any friends her age either.
Seeing Iris crying and trying to apologize Intermittently, Julia eventually started to cry out loud.
"Take her back."
"Yes!"
The Duke of Hyde awkwardly gave instructions next to the two ladies who were embracing each other and bursting into tears. Sir Tremburn, who had been struck dumb by the sudden wailing of the Queen and Duchess, slammed the door again and quickly pulled the carriage away.
The carriage rattled away to the other side of the mansion, and Duke Hyde walked awkwardly towards Endymion, scratching his head. The four of them were left alone, and the only sound was the two women's sobs.
"We need to reorganize the Royal Knights."
"Yes?"
Endymion lowered his voice and gave instructions with his eyes dark. Duke Hyde flinched at the coldness that was coming out and asked back.
"All those who dare to question the honor of the Queen. Dismiss them immediately."
The Royal Knights were a long-standing group with difficult admission requirements. They were made up of loyal retainers of the royal family, and their skills were so outstanding that they were worthy of the title of semi-royal.
Duke Hyde, who was surprised by the unconventional greeting, remembered the explanation of the messenger who had arrived first and immediately understood the situation.
"Also, banish them from the capital and assign them to lifelong service as low-ranking members of the border defense force."
"Understood, Your Majesty! I will summon the Knight Commander and have him do so immediately."
From the Royal Knights to the lowest soldiers on the border. And that was because they were disloyal to the crown, so they were all going to be expelled from their families. Their lives as knights were effectively over. However, the King's cruel punishment was all self-inflicted.
No one else dared to doubt the Queen.
Duke Hyde quickly sent his attendant away, then whispered to Endymion again with an embarrassed look on his face.
"Your Majesty. Please, Your Majesty."
When one person stopped crying, another one would start crying, and the crying continued like a whirlwind.
Duke Hyde desperately looked at Endymion, begging him to appease them. He thought that it would be easier to appease the normally calm Queen than the emotional Iris today.
Endymion, who had been quietly watching the situation, looked down at Julia and Iris, who were speaking in a language only they could understand, while their eyes were filled with tears.
Endymion was indifferent and unmoved by the sight of Iris, who seemed like she wouldn't shed a single tear even if she was pricked by a needle, sobbing. However, when he saw Julia crying with her nose red...
"...Just leave them alone."
Endymion turned around and coughed briefly.
***
"Your Majesty, have you calmed down now?"
"Oh, yes. Thank you for your concern."
Julia, who had been wiping her eyes with a warm towel, quickly changed her expression. She was momentarily overcome with emotion and burst into tears, but when she came to her senses, she couldn't have been more embarrassed.
Julia drank her warm tea with a poker face and a professional spirit.
"Haha. This is such a blessing! I was worried that our Queen would cry so much that she would wake up with red eyes the next morning..."
"Lionel."
Duke Hyde, who had been whining at Iris's beating, quickly swallowed his words.
Ugh.
Julia almost burst out laughing while savoring her tea, so she quickly bit the inside of her lip. It was because she liked the way Duke Hyde smiled at Iris, who lowered her eyes with a haughty expression even though her words were interrupted.
"Oh, come to think of it, my wife already has swollen, fish-like eyes!"
"Don't do it."
"Yes."
Or maybe he's just playful?
Duke Hyde shut his mouth, stinging at the sight of Iris' cold gaze. It was a very warm sight.
Julia ended up laughing out loud because she felt so proud that she was also part of the 'family' with the meowing couple.
“Ahaha.”
As the clear sound of laughter echoed through the living room, Iris cleared her throat and picked up her teacup.
And then, pretending not to notice Duke Hyde clinging to her, offering to help her out, she quietly pushed the dessert plate towards Julia.
"I heard you like it."
"It's a lemon cookie."
Julia said gently and accepted the plate.
Iris watched the scene with nervous eyes, and when Julia raised her gaze, she flinched and turned her head away. As if ignoring her.
'Then it looks more awkward.'
Why would the landlord suddenly look up at the ceiling? Julia almost burst out laughing again, but held it back because she thought Iris would be embarrassed.
Julia used to think she was cold and harsh, but now she sees that Iris is just awkward when dealing with people. She's the type that's gentle at heart, but her speech and attitude aren't gentle, so she's the type that gets misunderstood.
Although Iris was beautiful, she had a rather cold impression, so people had a hard time with her.
Hmm... that means the reaction when you tease them is pretty funny.
"Who said that? I like lemon cookies."
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