He was the new Emperor of the Spanish Empire.
‘Why is that guy here...’
Why is someone who should be in the palace here?
Bellona's green eyes, which were looking at the man's back, shook left and right. And she wasn't the only one who was bewildered by Carsis's sudden appearance.
“What, what! You!”
Did he instinctively feel that it was dangerous?
The man who had been so confident just a few minutes ago began to stutter and take a step back.
“What, what are you doing! Why aren’t you all attacking?”
But perhaps his pride was hurt by the fact that he had gotten scared without realizing it, and soon the man shouted.
Then, the men who had been surrounding the two rushed at them all at once. There seemed to be at least seven of them.
But they didn't know that the person they were about to attack was the one who had been causing a stir in the empire for some time.
Most of the rumors about Carsis were about his brutality in killing his own bloodline and his astonishing swordsmanship.
That man was born with the power of Clepius.
Everyone in the empire spoke.
At least on this continent, no one can make him kneel.
And of course.
“Ugh...!”
There was no reversal. Carsis subdued the men as easily as if he were handling children.
It was the typical, blatant words of a villain.
Bellona, who had been staring blankly at Carsis as if possessed by something, came to her senses when he came within arm's reach.
He said, putting the sword back into its scabbard.
“I thought you would become fearful because you grew up like a flower in a greenhouse.”
“...”
“It’s the same.”
Then he smiled at Bellona.
Because of that, she couldn't help but be mistaken for a moment.
Because his attitude towards her was so friendly, like a childhood friend she had known since childhood.
Bellona took a deep breath, blinking rapidly to assess the situation.
‘You must think I’m pathetic...!’
She interpreted what Carsis said in her own way.
It must have been a sarcastic remark made to her, who had been walking around fearlessly, relying only on her own authority.
She groaned at the thought that she had put on an unfavorable light to the Emperor as the future successor to the Duke of Jupiter.
“This, this is just...”
It was at that moment that she moved her lips as if to make an excuse.
Carsis said with a wider smile than before.
“I know. It was to help a child.”
At those words, the child who had been shivering in the corner shuddered.
“Because you can’t just pass by the naturally weak and powerless.”
Somehow, the man seemed strangely pleased as he said those words.
Bellona tilted her head as she listened to the man muttering as if talking to himself.
No, since when did you know yourself to say something like that?
Even though they had only met twice, the Emperor's attitude, as if he had known her for a long time, began to irritate her little by little.
Whether or not he knew Bellona's feelings, Carsis approached the child and bowed.
Then he took the child in his arms.
At this, Bellona asked in a somewhat worried voice.
“What are you going to do with that child? I don’t think you’re going to punish him or anything like that...”
It cannot be said that the child was not at fault, but the child would not have had a choice. Although the rebellion was over in a relatively short time, it was not the case that there was no damage to the people of the empire.
So, if the Emperor wanted to punish the child, he planned to dissuade him.
But the answer Carsis gave was unexpected.
“We’ll send you to a shelter on the eastern outskirts.”
“That place is...”
It was a place where children who had lost their parents due to the civil war gathered.
Only then did Bellona let out a short breath, realizing that the Emperor had no intention of punishing the child.
"The Emperor is a man whose heart is unfathomable. He is different from the Crown Prince Ernest. He may harbor within him the same cruelty as his father, or even more cruelty."
Looking at such Carsis, she thought about what her mother had said.
'I don't think that's necessarily the case...'
A man with a nature as cruel as the deposed Emperor could not possibly treat a child like that. He would have killed the child for causing trouble.
For the first time, Bellona realized that her mother was wrong. He was clearly different from his father, the fallen Emperor.
How long must she have been lost in thought?
Carsis sorted out the situation by handing the child over to the men, who had been there for some time.
Then, in an instant, only Carsis and Bellona were left in the narrow alley.
Bellona, who realized it too late, opened her mouth to leave as well.
“...Thank you for helping me today. I will repay this favor someday. Well then, I will take my leave now...”
As she was about to leave the alley after expressing her gratitude in that vague way,
“I sent a proposal.”
The words the man uttered caught her ankle.
“I’m asking because there’s no answer. I wonder if you’ve forgotten.”
“...”
He didn't lose his smile as he asked that question.
"That..."
But unlike the man's easygoing attitude, Bellona couldn't hide her embarrassed expression.
She was already thinking that question might come up, so she tried to quickly get out of the way.
Bellona hesitated for a moment, wondering what to say, then asked with a determined expression as if she had made up her mind.
“Before I answer your proposal, I have something to ask you.”
“Anything.”
“Why did you propose to me? The power of the Cretian family would be more helpful than mine in solidifying the throne of the Emperor.”
That wasn't wrong either.
It would have been much more plausible to form a marriage alliance with the Duke of Cretian, who were active in politics while staying in the capital, rather than with the Jupiter, who were secluded in their fiefdoms.
“To solidify the Emperor’s position...”
He laughed as if he had heard something funny.
But that was only for a moment.
He met Bellona's gaze with eyes that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. The corners of his lips were loosely raised.
“I fell in love with you at first sight.”
"... Yes?"
“Would you believe me if I said that?”
And her face turned red like a ripe apple at the man's completely unexpected answer.
“Well, I think you’d better refrain from making jokes like that.”
Especially with a face like that!
Bellona averted her gaze and coughed in vain, as if trying to hide her embarrassment.
Of course, it seemed useless.
“Oh, it’s too late. My companions are probably looking for me.”
Bellona, who wanted to escape this awkward situation as soon as possible, hurriedly walked away without even showing the courtesy that was expected of an Emperor.
She was trying to pass the man that quickly.
Yank.
The Emperor grabbed Bellona's wrist.
“It was by chance that the two of us met like this.”
“...”
“Do you want to go see the festival with me?”
With a smile that makes it impossible to refuse.
In a bustling crowd.
When Bellona came to her senses, she was already standing blankly in the middle of the square.
'Ha...'
She let out a small sigh and waited for the Emperor, who had disappeared after telling her to stay a while.
'What am I doing now?'
How does this man know so much about what she likes?
In one hand, she was already holding a sugar cookie that she was dying to try.
'It's strange.'
It must have been the first time she had seen that man at the coronation. He knew what she wanted as well as her maid, Jenna.
'I guess it won't work.'
She doesn't know why, but she's had a strong feeling that she's falling for the Emperor's tricks without even realizing it.
It was around this time that Bellona, having decided that she could no longer stand by and watch, was wandering around looking for the Emperor.
“Ouch!”
An old man with a bent back was knocked over by people and fell down in front of Bellona.
“Are you okay?”
Bellona, startled by the sight of the fallen old man, quickly ran out to help him up.
The old man seemed to be trying to do business for the festival, as he dropped a basket filled with small items that were strewn across the floor.
After Bellona took care of the old man, she started picking up the fallen items and putting them back in the basket.
“Oh my, I’m so grateful for this.”
Bellona, who had picked up all the things that had fallen on the floor, handed the basket to the old man.
“There are a lot of people here, so be careful. You might get hurt.”
“If it weren’t for you, Miss, I would have been in big trouble. I want to show my gratitude in some way...”
The old man began to rummage through his basket, perhaps grateful for Bellona's kindness.
Then, as if he had found the right thing, he handed Bellona a thin bracelet.
“It’s not expensive, but please take this.”
“No. I can’t accept a gift just because you gave me something.”
“It’s okay, take it. I think that will put my mind at ease.”
Despite her repeated refusals, the old man firmly reached out his hand, and Bellona took the bracelet as if she had no choice.
It wasn't a fancy bracelet, but it was quite pretty, with a purple gemstone hanging from a thin silver cord.
“It’s a bracelet that brings good luck.”
“Good luck?”
‘Why is that guy here...’
Why is someone who should be in the palace here?
Bellona's green eyes, which were looking at the man's back, shook left and right. And she wasn't the only one who was bewildered by Carsis's sudden appearance.
“What, what! You!”
Did he instinctively feel that it was dangerous?
The man who had been so confident just a few minutes ago began to stutter and take a step back.
“What, what are you doing! Why aren’t you all attacking?”
But perhaps his pride was hurt by the fact that he had gotten scared without realizing it, and soon the man shouted.
Then, the men who had been surrounding the two rushed at them all at once. There seemed to be at least seven of them.
But they didn't know that the person they were about to attack was the one who had been causing a stir in the empire for some time.
Most of the rumors about Carsis were about his brutality in killing his own bloodline and his astonishing swordsmanship.
That man was born with the power of Clepius.
Everyone in the empire spoke.
At least on this continent, no one can make him kneel.
And of course.
“Ugh...!”
There was no reversal. Carsis subdued the men as easily as if he were handling children.
It was the typical, blatant words of a villain.
Bellona, who had been staring blankly at Carsis as if possessed by something, came to her senses when he came within arm's reach.
He said, putting the sword back into its scabbard.
“I thought you would become fearful because you grew up like a flower in a greenhouse.”
“...”
“It’s the same.”
Then he smiled at Bellona.
Because of that, she couldn't help but be mistaken for a moment.
Because his attitude towards her was so friendly, like a childhood friend she had known since childhood.
Bellona took a deep breath, blinking rapidly to assess the situation.
‘You must think I’m pathetic...!’
She interpreted what Carsis said in her own way.
It must have been a sarcastic remark made to her, who had been walking around fearlessly, relying only on her own authority.
She groaned at the thought that she had put on an unfavorable light to the Emperor as the future successor to the Duke of Jupiter.
“This, this is just...”
It was at that moment that she moved her lips as if to make an excuse.
Carsis said with a wider smile than before.
“I know. It was to help a child.”
At those words, the child who had been shivering in the corner shuddered.
“Because you can’t just pass by the naturally weak and powerless.”
Somehow, the man seemed strangely pleased as he said those words.
Bellona tilted her head as she listened to the man muttering as if talking to himself.
No, since when did you know yourself to say something like that?
Even though they had only met twice, the Emperor's attitude, as if he had known her for a long time, began to irritate her little by little.
Whether or not he knew Bellona's feelings, Carsis approached the child and bowed.
Then he took the child in his arms.
At this, Bellona asked in a somewhat worried voice.
“What are you going to do with that child? I don’t think you’re going to punish him or anything like that...”
It cannot be said that the child was not at fault, but the child would not have had a choice. Although the rebellion was over in a relatively short time, it was not the case that there was no damage to the people of the empire.
So, if the Emperor wanted to punish the child, he planned to dissuade him.
But the answer Carsis gave was unexpected.
“We’ll send you to a shelter on the eastern outskirts.”
“That place is...”
It was a place where children who had lost their parents due to the civil war gathered.
Only then did Bellona let out a short breath, realizing that the Emperor had no intention of punishing the child.
"The Emperor is a man whose heart is unfathomable. He is different from the Crown Prince Ernest. He may harbor within him the same cruelty as his father, or even more cruelty."
Looking at such Carsis, she thought about what her mother had said.
'I don't think that's necessarily the case...'
A man with a nature as cruel as the deposed Emperor could not possibly treat a child like that. He would have killed the child for causing trouble.
For the first time, Bellona realized that her mother was wrong. He was clearly different from his father, the fallen Emperor.
How long must she have been lost in thought?
Carsis sorted out the situation by handing the child over to the men, who had been there for some time.
Then, in an instant, only Carsis and Bellona were left in the narrow alley.
Bellona, who realized it too late, opened her mouth to leave as well.
“...Thank you for helping me today. I will repay this favor someday. Well then, I will take my leave now...”
As she was about to leave the alley after expressing her gratitude in that vague way,
“I sent a proposal.”
The words the man uttered caught her ankle.
“I’m asking because there’s no answer. I wonder if you’ve forgotten.”
“...”
He didn't lose his smile as he asked that question.
"That..."
But unlike the man's easygoing attitude, Bellona couldn't hide her embarrassed expression.
She was already thinking that question might come up, so she tried to quickly get out of the way.
Bellona hesitated for a moment, wondering what to say, then asked with a determined expression as if she had made up her mind.
“Before I answer your proposal, I have something to ask you.”
“Anything.”
“Why did you propose to me? The power of the Cretian family would be more helpful than mine in solidifying the throne of the Emperor.”
That wasn't wrong either.
It would have been much more plausible to form a marriage alliance with the Duke of Cretian, who were active in politics while staying in the capital, rather than with the Jupiter, who were secluded in their fiefdoms.
“To solidify the Emperor’s position...”
He laughed as if he had heard something funny.
But that was only for a moment.
He met Bellona's gaze with eyes that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. The corners of his lips were loosely raised.
“I fell in love with you at first sight.”
"... Yes?"
“Would you believe me if I said that?”
And her face turned red like a ripe apple at the man's completely unexpected answer.
“Well, I think you’d better refrain from making jokes like that.”
Especially with a face like that!
Bellona averted her gaze and coughed in vain, as if trying to hide her embarrassment.
Of course, it seemed useless.
“Oh, it’s too late. My companions are probably looking for me.”
Bellona, who wanted to escape this awkward situation as soon as possible, hurriedly walked away without even showing the courtesy that was expected of an Emperor.
She was trying to pass the man that quickly.
Yank.
The Emperor grabbed Bellona's wrist.
“It was by chance that the two of us met like this.”
“...”
“Do you want to go see the festival with me?”
With a smile that makes it impossible to refuse.
***
In a bustling crowd.
When Bellona came to her senses, she was already standing blankly in the middle of the square.
'Ha...'
She let out a small sigh and waited for the Emperor, who had disappeared after telling her to stay a while.
'What am I doing now?'
How does this man know so much about what she likes?
In one hand, she was already holding a sugar cookie that she was dying to try.
'It's strange.'
It must have been the first time she had seen that man at the coronation. He knew what she wanted as well as her maid, Jenna.
'I guess it won't work.'
She doesn't know why, but she's had a strong feeling that she's falling for the Emperor's tricks without even realizing it.
It was around this time that Bellona, having decided that she could no longer stand by and watch, was wandering around looking for the Emperor.
“Ouch!”
An old man with a bent back was knocked over by people and fell down in front of Bellona.
“Are you okay?”
Bellona, startled by the sight of the fallen old man, quickly ran out to help him up.
The old man seemed to be trying to do business for the festival, as he dropped a basket filled with small items that were strewn across the floor.
After Bellona took care of the old man, she started picking up the fallen items and putting them back in the basket.
“Oh my, I’m so grateful for this.”
Bellona, who had picked up all the things that had fallen on the floor, handed the basket to the old man.
“There are a lot of people here, so be careful. You might get hurt.”
“If it weren’t for you, Miss, I would have been in big trouble. I want to show my gratitude in some way...”
The old man began to rummage through his basket, perhaps grateful for Bellona's kindness.
Then, as if he had found the right thing, he handed Bellona a thin bracelet.
“It’s not expensive, but please take this.”
“No. I can’t accept a gift just because you gave me something.”
“It’s okay, take it. I think that will put my mind at ease.”
Despite her repeated refusals, the old man firmly reached out his hand, and Bellona took the bracelet as if she had no choice.
It wasn't a fancy bracelet, but it was quite pretty, with a purple gemstone hanging from a thin silver cord.
“It’s a bracelet that brings good luck.”
“Good luck?”
Comments
Post a Comment