“Yes, it’s Melanie. Just a moment... Hedon, come out. I can’t be the only one in trouble.”
Melanie turned around and quietly called to her attendant. Her attendant appeared hesitantly around the corner of the training grounds.
“Hello, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
"...Yes."
I glanced at Hedon for a moment, then back at Melanie.
“What is happening here?”
“I am sorry to say this, but I think Your Majesty, the Empress, has come for the same reason as I have.”
Melanie asked, pointing to the warehouse window with her hand. When I didn't answer, she asked again.
“Because of Her Highness Catherine... right?”
“How did you know?”
I just admitted it and asked her to. Melanie already looked convinced, and this was not the time or place to make any other excuses. And it wasn't the scene of my affair, so whatever.
“Hedon’s cousin is Count Ethan’s servant. And I was the one who told Catherine that the Count worked in the palace blacksmith shop.”
"Ah."
Things are starting to make sense. Hedon must have heard from her cousin that Count Ethan is meeting Catherine in the warehouse tonight, and she must have told Melanie about it. Melanie came here to see if the two of them are really enjoying their tryst. Like me. What should we do now?
“Your Majesty, the Empress, since it has come to this...”
Melanie pointed to the warehouse window again and spoke cautiously, suggesting that we eavesdrop together.
“Yes, but you have to be really quiet. You don’t want anyone to catch you.”
Melanie nodded vigorously. I walked back to the window and gestured, and Hedon quickly lifted Melanie up and shook out her dress. The three women sat down under the window. Melanie pressed herself up against me, feeling uncomfortable. I didn’t really like the idea of having Melanie shoulder to shoulder, but since our goals were the same, I was happy to let her be by my side.
“We must inform His Majesty. You are trying to make another man’s child the Emperor of this country!”
When we were a fair distance from the training center building, Melanie clenched her fists and said,
“Melanie, the baby hasn’t been born yet.”
I patted Melanie's back to calm her down.
“You really can’t teach a dog how to behave! You were like that even when you were His Majesty’s fiancée. You should both be put in chains and thrown in prison...”
“Count Ethan clearly refused. We heard about it together.”
“Then instead of lying on the straw, you should have thrown the straw at Catherine. Isn’t that right?”
It made a lot of sense, so I nodded without realizing it, but then I felt a little startled.
“Rolling around on a pile of straw. How vulgar!”
“Ahem.”
I coughed in vain as I recalled Melanie's words and the day when Linel and I had kissed passionately on the straw bales in the warehouse.
“...Count Ethan wasn’t lying down. He lost his balance and fell over because Catherine was pushing him.”
Her maid, Heden, also agreed with me.
“Melanie, we clearly witnessed the same scene, so why are our interpretations so different?”
She had no qualms about adding flesh to non-existent words. If Hedon hadn't been there, I would have doubted my memory and wondered, 'Did I see things wrong?'
“That’s why I should have watched until the end. Should I go back and watch it now?”
“Count Ethan has made his mind clear, so there won’t be any problems.”
“How can you be so sure? Once you lie down, isn’t it over?”
“...Are you serious?”
“Didn’t you hear that?”
Melanie looked at me with even more bewilderment than I did.
“I apologize, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Hedon apologized quietly to me. Then Melanie looked at Hedon with eyes that seemed to ask, 'Why is he suddenly apologizing to the Empress?'
“You can’t go back to the training ground. You might bump into those two, and...”
I was about to tell Linel that it was time to return to the bedroom, but I felt a bit sorry for the concubine, Melanie, so I held back. But Melanie kept digging into that part.
“And? And what else?”
“It’s time for His Majesty to return from the Great Hall. I’m also sleepy.”
I had no choice but to answer back, and felt awkward, touching my neck. But then.
“Oh my gosh, boo... whoa!”
Suddenly, Melanie shouted loudly. For a moment, I looked up in surprise, thinking she was swearing at me. But Melanie was frozen, staring somewhere with an expression on her face as if she was about to start a fight. I turned my gaze to where she was staring. An owl was looking at me from a cut tree that was about as high as my knees.
“Oh, my goodness! Your Majesty, I thought my heart was going to burst because of him.”
“Hmm? It’s cute?”
I looked at the owl with its bright eyes and replied to Melanie.
Melanie turned around and quietly called to her attendant. Her attendant appeared hesitantly around the corner of the training grounds.
“Hello, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
"...Yes."
I glanced at Hedon for a moment, then back at Melanie.
“What is happening here?”
“I am sorry to say this, but I think Your Majesty, the Empress, has come for the same reason as I have.”
Melanie asked, pointing to the warehouse window with her hand. When I didn't answer, she asked again.
“Because of Her Highness Catherine... right?”
“How did you know?”
I just admitted it and asked her to. Melanie already looked convinced, and this was not the time or place to make any other excuses. And it wasn't the scene of my affair, so whatever.
“Hedon’s cousin is Count Ethan’s servant. And I was the one who told Catherine that the Count worked in the palace blacksmith shop.”
"Ah."
Things are starting to make sense. Hedon must have heard from her cousin that Count Ethan is meeting Catherine in the warehouse tonight, and she must have told Melanie about it. Melanie came here to see if the two of them are really enjoying their tryst. Like me. What should we do now?
“Your Majesty, the Empress, since it has come to this...”
Melanie pointed to the warehouse window again and spoke cautiously, suggesting that we eavesdrop together.
“Yes, but you have to be really quiet. You don’t want anyone to catch you.”
Melanie nodded vigorously. I walked back to the window and gestured, and Hedon quickly lifted Melanie up and shook out her dress. The three women sat down under the window. Melanie pressed herself up against me, feeling uncomfortable. I didn’t really like the idea of having Melanie shoulder to shoulder, but since our goals were the same, I was happy to let her be by my side.
After about five minutes of crouching under the window, I heard the warehouse door open. And a little later, I heard the voices of Catherine and Count Ethan at the same time. I wondered who would arrive first, but it seemed that they had met at the entrance to the training ground or the cypress forest. I put my index finger to my lips and signaled Melanie and Hedon to be quiet. They both nodded at the same time. But Melanie moved her feet, making a rustling sound. Fortunately, the sound was not heard inside the warehouse, but I warned her again.
“What about the attendant?”
Count Ethan's voice leaked out through the open crack in the window.
“I told you to hide near the entrance to the training ground. What about your attendant?”
“I came alone.”
“This is truly a place no one would know about. Who would have thought that at this hour, a concubine would secretly meet a blacksmith in the training grounds?”
Catherine seemed to be enjoying the situation now.
'Don't just imagine, there are three people here who actually saw it.'
Besides, one of them is the Empress.
“It’s an affair, right? It’s an affair, right?”
Melanie asked me with her mouth.
“I don’t know yet.”
I responded with my mouth shape and continued to focus on the conversation between the two.
“I called you here so we could have a quiet conversation. Don’t misunderstand.”
Catherine immediately flared up at the words that Count Ethan spoke after a brief pause.
“What? Are you kidding me?”
Catherine's anger wasn't completely unreasonable, either. The very place where they had asked to meet was a place where there was a serious chance of misunderstanding.
“I didn’t call you here to have a secret relationship with you.”
No, well. The location itself is secretive, right?
“Then why did you call me?”
I could sense from Catherine's voice that she was asking how vicious her expression was now. But Melanie, lacking imagination, kept trying to jump up on the window like a frog. I pulled Melanie's dress down.
“No matter how much I thought about it, there was no other place in the palace where we could talk quietly without being noticed by others.”
If Count Ethan saw us crouching under the window right now, how embarrassed he would be by what he just said.
“I thought you thought the same as me.”
Catherine's voice was on the verge of an explosion.
“I’m sorry, Catherine, but let me get to the point... I’m not. I’m not anymore.”
“What’s wrong? Did you meet another woman? Did you make eye contact with a woman you met while walking around the palace? Is that so?”
Catherine began writing a novel at the words of Count Ethan, who had a change of heart.
“That’s not it. I just don’t have the heart to give it to you anymore.”
There was silence for a moment. Was she speechless from shock? For a long time, Catherine did not respond.
“What about the attendant?”
Count Ethan's voice leaked out through the open crack in the window.
“I told you to hide near the entrance to the training ground. What about your attendant?”
“I came alone.”
“This is truly a place no one would know about. Who would have thought that at this hour, a concubine would secretly meet a blacksmith in the training grounds?”
Catherine seemed to be enjoying the situation now.
'Don't just imagine, there are three people here who actually saw it.'
Besides, one of them is the Empress.
“It’s an affair, right? It’s an affair, right?”
Melanie asked me with her mouth.
“I don’t know yet.”
I responded with my mouth shape and continued to focus on the conversation between the two.
“I called you here so we could have a quiet conversation. Don’t misunderstand.”
Catherine immediately flared up at the words that Count Ethan spoke after a brief pause.
“What? Are you kidding me?”
Catherine's anger wasn't completely unreasonable, either. The very place where they had asked to meet was a place where there was a serious chance of misunderstanding.
“I didn’t call you here to have a secret relationship with you.”
No, well. The location itself is secretive, right?
“Then why did you call me?”
I could sense from Catherine's voice that she was asking how vicious her expression was now. But Melanie, lacking imagination, kept trying to jump up on the window like a frog. I pulled Melanie's dress down.
“No matter how much I thought about it, there was no other place in the palace where we could talk quietly without being noticed by others.”
If Count Ethan saw us crouching under the window right now, how embarrassed he would be by what he just said.
“I thought you thought the same as me.”
Catherine's voice was on the verge of an explosion.
“I’m sorry, Catherine, but let me get to the point... I’m not. I’m not anymore.”
“What’s wrong? Did you meet another woman? Did you make eye contact with a woman you met while walking around the palace? Is that so?”
Catherine began writing a novel at the words of Count Ethan, who had a change of heart.
“That’s not it. I just don’t have the heart to give it to you anymore.”
There was silence for a moment. Was she speechless from shock? For a long time, Catherine did not respond.
Melanie started laughing quietly next to me. When I couldn't hear any more conversation inside the warehouse, Melanie tried to straighten her knees again. Without realizing it, I slapped her back and grabbed her arm, and pulled her.
"Why?"
Melanie mouthed the question. I shook my head, making an X with my arms. Please, stay still.
"No."
I also spoke firmly with my mouth and looked at Melanie's attendant, Hedon. Fortunately, Hedon was perceptive. She saw my expression and gently grabbed Melanie's other arm. After a while, Catherine's angry voice spread through the window and into the forest.
“Are you kidding me? You reject me? How dare you!”
Dare. The moment you utter that word, it strangely has the power to cause even greater anger. This is because there is an underlying feeling of superiority over the other person.
“At that time, you were upset because I abandoned you? I see. You’re still angry, aren’t you?”
Catherine's voice changed from angry to soothing.
'Yeah, after you get angry, you usually start to denial about reality.'
“Catherine, that’s not it.”
There was regret in Count Ethan's voice.
“Then what on earth is the reason! Why are you pushing me away? There must be another woman. Otherwise, how dare you...!”
Here we go again. How dare you. The fact that you keep saying the word 'how dare you' is also evidence that things are not going as you wish.
“It’s not because of other people. It’s me who changed, me!”
Count Ethan, who had been speaking softly, also raised his voice. They took turns raising their voices so that eavesdroppers could hear more easily. Suddenly, Melanie tapped my arm and mouthed the words.
“Oh, it’s quite powerful?”
“?”
“Is it because he is a hard-working blacksmith?”
“...”
Melanie's expression was so touching that I almost burst out laughing. And what was even more ridiculous was... Melanie was linking arms with me. When on earth did she link arms? If someone saw me, they'd think we were best friends. I looked back and forth between her linked arms and her face. Melanie, however, seemed unfazed. Catherine's voice came back.
“What about you? Have you changed? Are you asking me to believe that now?”
Catherine's pride was still not extinguished. She seemed to think that Count Ethan was deliberately pushing her away. Melanie twirled one of her fingers in her ear and laughed at Catherine's remark.
'You're no pushover either, are you?'
I, too, wanted to put my finger to my ear as I looked at Melanie, but I held back.
“Yes, Ethan. Just listen to this. I’ll get straight to the point.”
The moment we heard those words, Melanie and I instinctively sat up.
“Just help me have a child.”
“What, what did you say?!”
It wasn't just Count Ethan who was surprised by Catherine's bombshell. The three people who were lurking outside the window like thieving cats were also startled and fell on their butts at the same time. Melanie had her arms linked with mine and Hedon's, so she fell backwards in surprise at Catherine's words, and suddenly both Hedon and I fell. In fact, if Melanie hadn't fallen, I would have fallen by myself. Catherine's outburst was that shocking.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to raise your child as a Prince, would it? Just think about it! That child could become the Emperor of this country. No, it’s my family that will make it happen.”
“Catherine, you... Are you out of your mind?”
“No? I'm so sane that I’m even trying to find a way to survive!”
“What’s wrong? Hey! Catherine, what are you doing!”
I heard Count Ethan's choking sound. I took a risk and looked up through the window. I had stopped Melanie like that, but I was the first to lose control. I couldn't help it because Catherine might be threatening Count Ethan. But inside the warehouse, Catherine was showering Count Ethan with kisses. When Count Ethan refused, Catherine pushed him with all her might onto the straw behind him.
“That crazy...!”
Melanie's voice burst out in a small voice. I quickly covered her mouth and turned around the training building and headed back to the cypress forest.
"Why?"
Melanie mouthed the question. I shook my head, making an X with my arms. Please, stay still.
"No."
I also spoke firmly with my mouth and looked at Melanie's attendant, Hedon. Fortunately, Hedon was perceptive. She saw my expression and gently grabbed Melanie's other arm. After a while, Catherine's angry voice spread through the window and into the forest.
“Are you kidding me? You reject me? How dare you!”
Dare. The moment you utter that word, it strangely has the power to cause even greater anger. This is because there is an underlying feeling of superiority over the other person.
“At that time, you were upset because I abandoned you? I see. You’re still angry, aren’t you?”
Catherine's voice changed from angry to soothing.
'Yeah, after you get angry, you usually start to denial about reality.'
“Catherine, that’s not it.”
There was regret in Count Ethan's voice.
“Then what on earth is the reason! Why are you pushing me away? There must be another woman. Otherwise, how dare you...!”
Here we go again. How dare you. The fact that you keep saying the word 'how dare you' is also evidence that things are not going as you wish.
“It’s not because of other people. It’s me who changed, me!”
Count Ethan, who had been speaking softly, also raised his voice. They took turns raising their voices so that eavesdroppers could hear more easily. Suddenly, Melanie tapped my arm and mouthed the words.
“Oh, it’s quite powerful?”
“?”
“Is it because he is a hard-working blacksmith?”
“...”
Melanie's expression was so touching that I almost burst out laughing. And what was even more ridiculous was... Melanie was linking arms with me. When on earth did she link arms? If someone saw me, they'd think we were best friends. I looked back and forth between her linked arms and her face. Melanie, however, seemed unfazed. Catherine's voice came back.
“What about you? Have you changed? Are you asking me to believe that now?”
Catherine's pride was still not extinguished. She seemed to think that Count Ethan was deliberately pushing her away. Melanie twirled one of her fingers in her ear and laughed at Catherine's remark.
'You're no pushover either, are you?'
I, too, wanted to put my finger to my ear as I looked at Melanie, but I held back.
“Yes, Ethan. Just listen to this. I’ll get straight to the point.”
The moment we heard those words, Melanie and I instinctively sat up.
“Just help me have a child.”
“What, what did you say?!”
It wasn't just Count Ethan who was surprised by Catherine's bombshell. The three people who were lurking outside the window like thieving cats were also startled and fell on their butts at the same time. Melanie had her arms linked with mine and Hedon's, so she fell backwards in surprise at Catherine's words, and suddenly both Hedon and I fell. In fact, if Melanie hadn't fallen, I would have fallen by myself. Catherine's outburst was that shocking.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to raise your child as a Prince, would it? Just think about it! That child could become the Emperor of this country. No, it’s my family that will make it happen.”
“Catherine, you... Are you out of your mind?”
“No? I'm so sane that I’m even trying to find a way to survive!”
“What’s wrong? Hey! Catherine, what are you doing!”
I heard Count Ethan's choking sound. I took a risk and looked up through the window. I had stopped Melanie like that, but I was the first to lose control. I couldn't help it because Catherine might be threatening Count Ethan. But inside the warehouse, Catherine was showering Count Ethan with kisses. When Count Ethan refused, Catherine pushed him with all her might onto the straw behind him.
“That crazy...!”
Melanie's voice burst out in a small voice. I quickly covered her mouth and turned around the training building and headed back to the cypress forest.
***
“We must inform His Majesty. You are trying to make another man’s child the Emperor of this country!”
When we were a fair distance from the training center building, Melanie clenched her fists and said,
“Melanie, the baby hasn’t been born yet.”
I patted Melanie's back to calm her down.
“You really can’t teach a dog how to behave! You were like that even when you were His Majesty’s fiancée. You should both be put in chains and thrown in prison...”
“Count Ethan clearly refused. We heard about it together.”
“Then instead of lying on the straw, you should have thrown the straw at Catherine. Isn’t that right?”
It made a lot of sense, so I nodded without realizing it, but then I felt a little startled.
“Rolling around on a pile of straw. How vulgar!”
“Ahem.”
I coughed in vain as I recalled Melanie's words and the day when Linel and I had kissed passionately on the straw bales in the warehouse.
“...Count Ethan wasn’t lying down. He lost his balance and fell over because Catherine was pushing him.”
Her maid, Heden, also agreed with me.
“Melanie, we clearly witnessed the same scene, so why are our interpretations so different?”
She had no qualms about adding flesh to non-existent words. If Hedon hadn't been there, I would have doubted my memory and wondered, 'Did I see things wrong?'
“That’s why I should have watched until the end. Should I go back and watch it now?”
“Count Ethan has made his mind clear, so there won’t be any problems.”
“How can you be so sure? Once you lie down, isn’t it over?”
“...Are you serious?”
“Didn’t you hear that?”
Melanie looked at me with even more bewilderment than I did.
“I apologize, Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Hedon apologized quietly to me. Then Melanie looked at Hedon with eyes that seemed to ask, 'Why is he suddenly apologizing to the Empress?'
“You can’t go back to the training ground. You might bump into those two, and...”
I was about to tell Linel that it was time to return to the bedroom, but I felt a bit sorry for the concubine, Melanie, so I held back. But Melanie kept digging into that part.
“And? And what else?”
“It’s time for His Majesty to return from the Great Hall. I’m also sleepy.”
I had no choice but to answer back, and felt awkward, touching my neck. But then.
“Oh my gosh, boo... whoa!”
Suddenly, Melanie shouted loudly. For a moment, I looked up in surprise, thinking she was swearing at me. But Melanie was frozen, staring somewhere with an expression on her face as if she was about to start a fight. I turned my gaze to where she was staring. An owl was looking at me from a cut tree that was about as high as my knees.
“Oh, my goodness! Your Majesty, I thought my heart was going to burst because of him.”
“Hmm? It’s cute?”
I looked at the owl with its bright eyes and replied to Melanie.
But those eyes... They were much smaller, but they looked very similar to the deer I saw during the day. Were all animals’ eyes originally that bright and clear?
“Oh my goodness... Your Majesty, that owl’s neck is spinning! Ugh, just look at that tail that keeps spinning!”
Melanie hid behind me in horror.
“Owls usually have their necks turned like that. Huh? Looks like they hurt their leg.”
I approached the owl with blood flowing from one leg.
“Oh my goodness... Your Majesty, that owl’s neck is spinning! Ugh, just look at that tail that keeps spinning!”
Melanie hid behind me in horror.
“Owls usually have their necks turned like that. Huh? Looks like they hurt their leg.”
I approached the owl with blood flowing from one leg.
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