“Yes, we are changing from the Pasha Empire to the Tebello Empire.”
Linel nodded and spoke firmly. Raphael was skeptical of his opinion.
“Your Majesty, the starting and ending points for the Continental Hunt have never been changed before.”
“I guess that’s because there was no reason to change it.”
“However, if Your Majesty changes the destination for the first time in the hunting competition, it may cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“Isn’t this the first hunting competition held since the war? Wouldn’t they suspect that there might be some hidden agenda behind changing the destination?”
“Why are you thinking so much about it?”
In fact, Linel also agreed with Raphael's thoughts, but outwardly he pretended not to.
“You seem so naive at times like this. The Tebello Empire is the closest country to the Death Valley, the habitat of the wyverns, among the countries of the Southern Continent...”
Raphael knew that it would be useless to try to persuade Linel, given his stern expression. He gave up trying to persuade him and asked him with a deep sigh.
“What if Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire objects?”
“I have to boil it well and cook it well.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“If that doesn’t work, I’ll just push him out of the Valley of Death.”
He replied, folding the paper in half.
“...Are you kidding?”
Raphael asked with a bewildered smile. But Linel did not answer.
He turned around quickly after kissing my cheek. Are you really running again? Linel ran from the entrance of the Empress's Palace toward the main palace. The chief chamberlain, Stiane, and his guards also started running after him.
“If that’s the case, why don’t you come on horseback...”
“I bet you didn’t even think about taking a nap.”
Commander Macrom quietly responded to my monologue.
“Let’s walk slowly to the main palace.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress. If it is right, I will stop by the blacksmith shop for a moment to sharpen the blade and then head to the palace.”
“Blacksmith? Let’s go together!”
Commander Macrom was startled because I raised my voice without realizing it.
“Your Majesty, the Empress will go to the blacksmith shop in person?”
“Yeah, I was planning on going anyway.”
When the subject of the blacksmith came up, Bonis and Sharon unconsciously exchanged looks of reluctance. It was a natural reaction. The general public had the perception that the blacksmith was a rough and dangerous place.
“You two should return to the main palace first. You and Captain Macrom can go together.”
I said quickly while looking at them. Honestly, it was much easier to go to the blacksmith shop alone with Commander Macrom.
When I refuted Commander Macrom's statement, he shrugged his shoulders and showed a look of partial acceptance.
“Count Ethan mainly works on weapons used by the commanders of the Imperial Knights. He is particularly in charge of making swords used by His Majesty.”
“Is he really that good at making swords?”
“It’s pretty outstanding.”
Commander Macrom took out the sword at his waist and showed it to Count Ethan, who was satisfied with his skills.
"Uh?"
I stopped walking when I saw a familiar face in the workshop where Count Ethan worked alone. It was Catherine, wasn't it?
“Why did you come here...”
The atmosphere surrounding Catherine, standing opposite Count Ethan, was somehow ominous.
“Why is that, Your Majesty, the Empress?”
“There is a guest who came to see the Count before us. The Commander is taking care of business. I will go to the Count’s workshop alone.”
“Are you a guest known to Your Majesty the Empress?”
“I know very well.”
I lowered my voice and answered, looking at Catherine's back.
“But why should I be here? Is there any reason why I shouldn’t come with you?”
“Yeah, I have to sneak over and eavesdrop on their conversation.”
"Yes?"
“If we move together, there’s a high risk of being caught. The Commander is big and stands out.”
“...”
Commander Macrom looked at me with his head tilted to the side, as if he didn't understand what I was saying at all.
“Can I have the blade sharpened at another blacksmith’s workshop?”
“That doesn’t matter, but what on earth was Your Majesty the Empress trying to eavesdrop on...”
“Meet me here later.”
I left the curious Commander behind and headed to Count Ethan's workshop. Fortunately, it was far from the other busy workshops, so I was able to sneak up on the Count's workshop without being noticed by the court ladies. I quickly went to the back of the workshop and hid behind a large pillar so that Catherine and Count Ethan wouldn't see me. There was no one else there except for the two of them, as if Count Ethan had already given orders. I caught a glimpse of the two of them from behind the pillar. It was the perfect place to eavesdrop on something secret.
“How do you plan on entering the palace?”
Catherine lowered her voice, but there was anger in it.
“I came in a year ago. It was before you even became a concubine.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about! His Majesty knows everything about us, so why did you have to come all the way to the palace and sit there with your iron fist? Why here, of all places!”
“His Majesty suggested it first. Do you think I would have accepted this position from the beginning? I have shame, too.”
Even while talking to Catherine, Count Ethan did not put down his hammer and continued to work intently.
“If you dared to do so, you should have refused until the end!”
“Then how dare you become His Majesty’s concubine?”
“Am I the same as you? I am from the Duke of Kallios...”
"Yes, a very noble Princess. Even though you're in bed, night after night, with a Count from a lowly family!"
Count Ethan spoke as he struck down his sword with great force, putting emotion into his hammer.
'What are these guys?'
When Linel was Crown Prince, his fiancée, Catherine, had an affair with Count Ethan and broke off the engagement.
'Linel is a great person.'
No, should I say that the public and private sectors are definitely different?
“Get out of the palace.”
Catherine spoke quietly, commandingly.
"What?"
Count Ethan stopped hammering and looked at her with a bewildered expression.
Catherine's face, with its venom in her eyes, looked pitiful at first. Count Ethan took a step closer to Catherine, then picked up his hammer again.
“Go back. And don’t come back again.”
“Ethan...”
“We will never see each other in the palace again unless you come here.”
“Isn’t that what you came here to say?”
“No... Actually, the reason I came...”
At Catherine's meaningful voice, Count Ethan turned back to her.
“Please hug me.”
Crazy! I held my breath with my mouth wide open.
“Are you in your right mind right now?”
Count Ethan again said what I wanted to say.
“Anyway, the night I spent with His Majesty... will never exist in my life. It’s because of the Empress. Because of that woman...!”
Catherine mentioned me.
'That's true.'
I found myself nodding without realizing it.
“We were good to each other.”
As Count Ethan turned to leave, Catherine grabbed his arm.
"Are you crazy?"
“Don’t worry. When we meet again, no one will know. No one will even imagine it. So, Ethan!”
“Haa... The attendant will be back soon. So for now, just go back.”
"Then..."
“There is a training ground in the cypress forest path that only the knights can use. There is no one there after 8 p.m., so come out there at 10 p.m.”
What? Where did they meet?! I doubted my ears and listened to their conversation again.
“In the training ground?”
Catherine seemed reluctant about the meeting place.
“This is the palace. No matter where you go, you can’t help but see the palace maids.”
“That’s true. But who could come to the training ground?”
Catherine, who had earlier been bold enough to ask him to hug her, suddenly asked in a cautious voice again.
“There’s a weapons warehouse in the training grounds. It’ll be safest to talk there. I have something to say, so come over there.”
Count Ethan spoke in a serious voice. What could he possibly say to Catherine? Could it be something related to Linel?
'Then I'm a little worried...'
Should I just talk? I overheard up to this point and turned around.
'And the warehouse isn't a safe place at all..? Tsk tsk.'
I went around the pillar where I was hiding and went back to the blacksmith shop where the workshops were gathered to find Commander Macrom.
Linel nodded and spoke firmly. Raphael was skeptical of his opinion.
“Your Majesty, the starting and ending points for the Continental Hunt have never been changed before.”
“I guess that’s because there was no reason to change it.”
“However, if Your Majesty changes the destination for the first time in the hunting competition, it may cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”
“What misunderstanding?”
“Isn’t this the first hunting competition held since the war? Wouldn’t they suspect that there might be some hidden agenda behind changing the destination?”
“Why are you thinking so much about it?”
In fact, Linel also agreed with Raphael's thoughts, but outwardly he pretended not to.
“You seem so naive at times like this. The Tebello Empire is the closest country to the Death Valley, the habitat of the wyverns, among the countries of the Southern Continent...”
Raphael knew that it would be useless to try to persuade Linel, given his stern expression. He gave up trying to persuade him and asked him with a deep sigh.
“What if Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire objects?”
“I have to boil it well and cook it well.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“If that doesn’t work, I’ll just push him out of the Valley of Death.”
He replied, folding the paper in half.
“...Are you kidding?”
Raphael asked with a bewildered smile. But Linel did not answer.
***
When I woke up from my nap, my dress was very wrinkled. I didn't really care, but Sharon insisted that I change my clothes, so I changed into a new dress from the Empress's Palace. After changing my dress, I left the Empress's Palace with Linel.
“Your Majesty, please come slowly.”
“Your Majesty, please come slowly.”
He turned around quickly after kissing my cheek. Are you really running again? Linel ran from the entrance of the Empress's Palace toward the main palace. The chief chamberlain, Stiane, and his guards also started running after him.
“If that’s the case, why don’t you come on horseback...”
“I bet you didn’t even think about taking a nap.”
Commander Macrom quietly responded to my monologue.
“Let’s walk slowly to the main palace.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress. If it is right, I will stop by the blacksmith shop for a moment to sharpen the blade and then head to the palace.”
“Blacksmith? Let’s go together!”
Commander Macrom was startled because I raised my voice without realizing it.
“Your Majesty, the Empress will go to the blacksmith shop in person?”
“Yeah, I was planning on going anyway.”
When the subject of the blacksmith came up, Bonis and Sharon unconsciously exchanged looks of reluctance. It was a natural reaction. The general public had the perception that the blacksmith was a rough and dangerous place.
“You two should return to the main palace first. You and Captain Macrom can go together.”
I said quickly while looking at them. Honestly, it was much easier to go to the blacksmith shop alone with Commander Macrom.
***
The blacksmith shop of the Lapion Palace was overwhelmingly larger than the blacksmith shop of the Shattonil Royal Family. There seemed to be at least ten individual workshops. They said that there was even a separate building not far from the blacksmith shop where only the people working there lived. The hot heat, sweaty figures, swords and spears heated by fire, and busy hands working on weapons. As I entered the bustling blacksmith shop, my mood also seemed to be lifted. Like other women, it was fun to try on dresses and look at jewels, but for me, watching the weapons being completed in real time in the blacksmith shop was much more enjoyable. My steps also trembled to the beat of the hammer. Maybe I was already following the rhythm with every step I took.
“Your Majesty, the Empress, are you alright?”
Commander Macrom said that after losing his eyesight, his hearing became more sensitive, and he would lose his mind when he came to the forge.
“It’s fun.”
“I can feel the heat quite a bit. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“All blacksmiths are like that.”
I was about to reply that this level of heat was like playing with fire to me, but I stopped myself. A little further away from the other frantic workshops, I noticed a slightly larger and more comfortable workshop. It wasn’t as busy as the others, and only one person was working there. Commander Macrom pointed his finger at exactly where I was looking.
“That’s where Count Ethan works alone.”
“A nobleman makes a sword in a blacksmith shop...”
“It’s a different species.”
Commander Macrom said with a smirk.
“Something special.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress, are you alright?”
Commander Macrom said that after losing his eyesight, his hearing became more sensitive, and he would lose his mind when he came to the forge.
“It’s fun.”
“I can feel the heat quite a bit. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“All blacksmiths are like that.”
I was about to reply that this level of heat was like playing with fire to me, but I stopped myself. A little further away from the other frantic workshops, I noticed a slightly larger and more comfortable workshop. It wasn’t as busy as the others, and only one person was working there. Commander Macrom pointed his finger at exactly where I was looking.
“That’s where Count Ethan works alone.”
“A nobleman makes a sword in a blacksmith shop...”
“It’s a different species.”
Commander Macrom said with a smirk.
“Something special.”
When I refuted Commander Macrom's statement, he shrugged his shoulders and showed a look of partial acceptance.
“Count Ethan mainly works on weapons used by the commanders of the Imperial Knights. He is particularly in charge of making swords used by His Majesty.”
“Is he really that good at making swords?”
“It’s pretty outstanding.”
Commander Macrom took out the sword at his waist and showed it to Count Ethan, who was satisfied with his skills.
"Uh?"
I stopped walking when I saw a familiar face in the workshop where Count Ethan worked alone. It was Catherine, wasn't it?
“Why did you come here...”
The atmosphere surrounding Catherine, standing opposite Count Ethan, was somehow ominous.
“Why is that, Your Majesty, the Empress?”
“There is a guest who came to see the Count before us. The Commander is taking care of business. I will go to the Count’s workshop alone.”
“Are you a guest known to Your Majesty the Empress?”
“I know very well.”
I lowered my voice and answered, looking at Catherine's back.
“But why should I be here? Is there any reason why I shouldn’t come with you?”
“Yeah, I have to sneak over and eavesdrop on their conversation.”
"Yes?"
“If we move together, there’s a high risk of being caught. The Commander is big and stands out.”
“...”
Commander Macrom looked at me with his head tilted to the side, as if he didn't understand what I was saying at all.
“Can I have the blade sharpened at another blacksmith’s workshop?”
“That doesn’t matter, but what on earth was Your Majesty the Empress trying to eavesdrop on...”
“Meet me here later.”
I left the curious Commander behind and headed to Count Ethan's workshop. Fortunately, it was far from the other busy workshops, so I was able to sneak up on the Count's workshop without being noticed by the court ladies. I quickly went to the back of the workshop and hid behind a large pillar so that Catherine and Count Ethan wouldn't see me. There was no one else there except for the two of them, as if Count Ethan had already given orders. I caught a glimpse of the two of them from behind the pillar. It was the perfect place to eavesdrop on something secret.
“How do you plan on entering the palace?”
Catherine lowered her voice, but there was anger in it.
“I came in a year ago. It was before you even became a concubine.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about! His Majesty knows everything about us, so why did you have to come all the way to the palace and sit there with your iron fist? Why here, of all places!”
“His Majesty suggested it first. Do you think I would have accepted this position from the beginning? I have shame, too.”
Even while talking to Catherine, Count Ethan did not put down his hammer and continued to work intently.
“If you dared to do so, you should have refused until the end!”
“Then how dare you become His Majesty’s concubine?”
“Am I the same as you? I am from the Duke of Kallios...”
"Yes, a very noble Princess. Even though you're in bed, night after night, with a Count from a lowly family!"
Count Ethan spoke as he struck down his sword with great force, putting emotion into his hammer.
'What are these guys?'
When Linel was Crown Prince, his fiancée, Catherine, had an affair with Count Ethan and broke off the engagement.
'Linel is a great person.'
No, should I say that the public and private sectors are definitely different?
“Get out of the palace.”
Catherine spoke quietly, commandingly.
"What?"
Count Ethan stopped hammering and looked at her with a bewildered expression.
“You said you’d be happy if you could make swords anywhere. So, wouldn’t it be okay to work at any blacksmith shop other than the palace?”
Count Ethan's eyes became extremely fierce as he listened to Catherine's words. I could see strength building in his hand as he held the hammer.
'Surely he won't do anything to Catherine with that hammer?'
...I had high hopes for that, but it didn’t happen.
“Now that I’ve become a concubine, I can’t stay with you in the palace.”
“Why are you judging that?”
“I am the Emperor’s concubine, and you are just a blacksmith.”
“Catherine. Have you ever thought about who would be more useful to His Majesty?”
Count Ethan let out a long sigh after speaking coldly.
“Stop it. The more we talk, the more it will hurt both of us.”
The Count looked a little regretful at Catherine's shocked expression at his words.
“How do you know that? How do you know if it will be useful or not, and how dare you say something like that to me?!”
Catherine snapped. Yeah, it would be disappointing to hear something like that and just let it go with that personality.
“Even if I'm locked up in the blacksmith shop, this is the palace. I have ears to hear.”
"Hey!"
I could hear Catherine's arrogant pride crumbling down. I was watching the two of them and was about to enter the workshop at the right time. But what is this... The atmosphere was getting weirder and weirder, so I couldn't just step out.
'Should we just go back here?'
The conversation between the two was too exciting to move. Catherine was really angry. Should she throw all the tools on the workbench? Or should she slap Count Ethan in the face? Yes, let's just watch Catherine's reaction and then turn around. It would be embarrassing for both of us if I showed up here anyway.
“I’m lonely...”
Catherine said sadly. Did I hear correctly? I doubted my ears. I almost poked my head out from behind the pillar and asked Catherine, 'What did you just say?'
“What did you just say?”
As expected, Count Ethan seemed to have the same thoughts as I did. He also seemed to not understand Catherine's words like I did.
“I’m lonely. I’m lonely. I’m going crazy because I’m lonely!”
Catherine shouted nervously and covered her face with both hands. She must have come here to say that. Count Ethan stared at her blankly and then threw the hammer he was holding tightly in his hand aside.
“Catherine...”
“Really. I’ve been lonely to the core since I started living in the royal family. I think I’m going to go crazy.”
“It’s the path you chose.”
“I chose this path without knowing it would turn out like this...”
Count Ethan's eyes became extremely fierce as he listened to Catherine's words. I could see strength building in his hand as he held the hammer.
'Surely he won't do anything to Catherine with that hammer?'
...I had high hopes for that, but it didn’t happen.
“Now that I’ve become a concubine, I can’t stay with you in the palace.”
“Why are you judging that?”
“I am the Emperor’s concubine, and you are just a blacksmith.”
“Catherine. Have you ever thought about who would be more useful to His Majesty?”
Count Ethan let out a long sigh after speaking coldly.
“Stop it. The more we talk, the more it will hurt both of us.”
The Count looked a little regretful at Catherine's shocked expression at his words.
“How do you know that? How do you know if it will be useful or not, and how dare you say something like that to me?!”
Catherine snapped. Yeah, it would be disappointing to hear something like that and just let it go with that personality.
“Even if I'm locked up in the blacksmith shop, this is the palace. I have ears to hear.”
"Hey!"
I could hear Catherine's arrogant pride crumbling down. I was watching the two of them and was about to enter the workshop at the right time. But what is this... The atmosphere was getting weirder and weirder, so I couldn't just step out.
'Should we just go back here?'
The conversation between the two was too exciting to move. Catherine was really angry. Should she throw all the tools on the workbench? Or should she slap Count Ethan in the face? Yes, let's just watch Catherine's reaction and then turn around. It would be embarrassing for both of us if I showed up here anyway.
“I’m lonely...”
Catherine said sadly. Did I hear correctly? I doubted my ears. I almost poked my head out from behind the pillar and asked Catherine, 'What did you just say?'
“What did you just say?”
As expected, Count Ethan seemed to have the same thoughts as I did. He also seemed to not understand Catherine's words like I did.
“I’m lonely. I’m lonely. I’m going crazy because I’m lonely!”
Catherine shouted nervously and covered her face with both hands. She must have come here to say that. Count Ethan stared at her blankly and then threw the hammer he was holding tightly in his hand aside.
“Catherine...”
“Really. I’ve been lonely to the core since I started living in the royal family. I think I’m going to go crazy.”
“It’s the path you chose.”
“I chose this path without knowing it would turn out like this...”
Catherine's face, with its venom in her eyes, looked pitiful at first. Count Ethan took a step closer to Catherine, then picked up his hammer again.
“Go back. And don’t come back again.”
“Ethan...”
“We will never see each other in the palace again unless you come here.”
"What?"
“Isn’t that what you came here to say?”
“No... Actually, the reason I came...”
At Catherine's meaningful voice, Count Ethan turned back to her.
“Please hug me.”
Crazy! I held my breath with my mouth wide open.
“Are you in your right mind right now?”
Count Ethan again said what I wanted to say.
“Anyway, the night I spent with His Majesty... will never exist in my life. It’s because of the Empress. Because of that woman...!”
Catherine mentioned me.
'That's true.'
I found myself nodding without realizing it.
“We were good to each other.”
As Count Ethan turned to leave, Catherine grabbed his arm.
"Are you crazy?"
“Don’t worry. When we meet again, no one will know. No one will even imagine it. So, Ethan!”
“Haa... The attendant will be back soon. So for now, just go back.”
"Then..."
“There is a training ground in the cypress forest path that only the knights can use. There is no one there after 8 p.m., so come out there at 10 p.m.”
What? Where did they meet?! I doubted my ears and listened to their conversation again.
“In the training ground?”
Catherine seemed reluctant about the meeting place.
“This is the palace. No matter where you go, you can’t help but see the palace maids.”
“That’s true. But who could come to the training ground?”
Catherine, who had earlier been bold enough to ask him to hug her, suddenly asked in a cautious voice again.
“There’s a weapons warehouse in the training grounds. It’ll be safest to talk there. I have something to say, so come over there.”
Count Ethan spoke in a serious voice. What could he possibly say to Catherine? Could it be something related to Linel?
'Then I'm a little worried...'
Should I just talk? I overheard up to this point and turned around.
'And the warehouse isn't a safe place at all..? Tsk tsk.'
I went around the pillar where I was hiding and went back to the blacksmith shop where the workshops were gathered to find Commander Macrom.
***
As Catherine said, no one would have imagined that the two would spend the night secretly. And in the palace at that! But what can I do? The person who heard it was here.
“Wait, should I have listened to the end of their conversation?”
No. It was a bit dangerous to go back. As I came out to the center of the blacksmith shop, the court ladies who were busily coming and going recognized me and kept greeting me. I asked one of them which workshop Commander Macrom was in right now.
“I will serve you, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
The palace maid guided me directly to where the Commander was.
“How was your trip? Were you satisfied?”
Command Macrom looked over the sharpened blade, noticed my presence, put the sword back in its scabbard, and asked.
“Wait, should I have listened to the end of their conversation?”
No. It was a bit dangerous to go back. As I came out to the center of the blacksmith shop, the court ladies who were busily coming and going recognized me and kept greeting me. I asked one of them which workshop Commander Macrom was in right now.
“I will serve you, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
The palace maid guided me directly to where the Commander was.
“How was your trip? Were you satisfied?”
Command Macrom looked over the sharpened blade, noticed my presence, put the sword back in its scabbard, and asked.
“Very. But I haven’t met Count Ethan. I think I’ll have to come back next time.”
“Why?”
“It was a situation where I couldn’t intervene.”
I quietly replied to Commander Macrom.
“Did the visiting guest insult Her Majesty the Empress?”
The Commander chuckled and made a joke.
“Huh? How did you know? That’s right.”
“No, who dares to insult Your Majesty, the Empress?!”
Commander Macrom frowned and asked.
“Yes, the night is lonely.”
"... Yes?"
“Why?”
“It was a situation where I couldn’t intervene.”
I quietly replied to Commander Macrom.
“Did the visiting guest insult Her Majesty the Empress?”
The Commander chuckled and made a joke.
“Huh? How did you know? That’s right.”
“No, who dares to insult Your Majesty, the Empress?!”
Commander Macrom frowned and asked.
“Yes, the night is lonely.”
"... Yes?"
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