It was 5 in the morning. He felt regretful as he turned back, as Alexander urged him to go back. If he hadn’t seen Else, he wouldn’t know. The last time. When he turned back, thinking that this was really the last time, there she was. If he hadn’t turned back first, no matter how much Alexander urged him, he might not have gone back.
Until he went to bed to work, Else's face lingered before his eyes. A face like the moon in the evening sky. A pale woman was looking down at him. Her face was dry. There was no sign of emotion. Her eyes were not accepting of him. But that was good. Still, he could see it...
The consciousness that had been awake while thinking of Else began to fade. He had a dream. A lovely pink flower bud hangs from a tree branch. A girl as delicate and white as snowflakes was holding Sibyl. Sibyl stared at her blankly and spread his arms. The girl who was holding the doll and staring at him licked her lips.
Sybil bent one knee and spread his arms wider. The girl began to take a step. 'Your Majesty.' A distant voice woke him up. He got up and looked at the empty space beside him. He remembered the woman who always lay with her head under his arm. His chest pounded.
“Your Majesty, breakfast has been prepared.”
Sibyl, who got up, washed up on the bed and dutifully went to the table. He filled his stomach with a thick soup and veal dish and changed his clothes. Three hours, he thinks. It must have been less than that, since he couldn't fall asleep even after closing his eyes because he was thinking about Else.
After getting a little sleep, Sybil went back to his office. After receiving reports from all over the country, he had to meet with the President of the Privy Council. Since there was a cabinet meeting tomorrow, he had to persuade the chairman, who had a different opinion, to join his side, and he had to go through the schedule as usual so that he could not pressure him using his health as an excuse. Then he had to meet with the presiding judge about his former fiancée, who was now on trial for the murder of the Princess.
He thought of Henrietta. Would he be forgiven if he killed her? Would he be accepted if he laid her head at Else's feet?
Even the slightest glance from him made her heart tingle. She tried her best to read his mind with the warmth of her knuckles, and she couldn’t easily say a word for fear of her heart being cut.
Until he went to bed to work, Else's face lingered before his eyes. A face like the moon in the evening sky. A pale woman was looking down at him. Her face was dry. There was no sign of emotion. Her eyes were not accepting of him. But that was good. Still, he could see it...
The consciousness that had been awake while thinking of Else began to fade. He had a dream. A lovely pink flower bud hangs from a tree branch. A girl as delicate and white as snowflakes was holding Sibyl. Sibyl stared at her blankly and spread his arms. The girl who was holding the doll and staring at him licked her lips.
Sybil bent one knee and spread his arms wider. The girl began to take a step. 'Your Majesty.' A distant voice woke him up. He got up and looked at the empty space beside him. He remembered the woman who always lay with her head under his arm. His chest pounded.
“Your Majesty, breakfast has been prepared.”
Sibyl, who got up, washed up on the bed and dutifully went to the table. He filled his stomach with a thick soup and veal dish and changed his clothes. Three hours, he thinks. It must have been less than that, since he couldn't fall asleep even after closing his eyes because he was thinking about Else.
After getting a little sleep, Sybil went back to his office. After receiving reports from all over the country, he had to meet with the President of the Privy Council. Since there was a cabinet meeting tomorrow, he had to persuade the chairman, who had a different opinion, to join his side, and he had to go through the schedule as usual so that he could not pressure him using his health as an excuse. Then he had to meet with the presiding judge about his former fiancée, who was now on trial for the murder of the Princess.
He thought of Henrietta. Would he be forgiven if he killed her? Would he be accepted if he laid her head at Else's feet?
He doesn't know. It felt like he was feeling his way to the bottom. There was no lower abyss to fall into, but everything he stood on was precarious.
"Ah."
The back of his head hurt badly. His tingling heart was turned upside down. He felt like his stomach acid was refluxing. Sybil moistened his rough mouth with water, but his rumbling stomach didn't get better. His vision was blurry, and his head was spinning.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
Alexander asked. Sybil nodded without answering. However, with each movement of his head, the shaking sensation in front of his eyes grew worse. Unable to control his churning stomach, he grabbed his chin. Surprised, Alexander called the servant. The doctor came to the bedroom after a while.
A week passed. After the palace doctor visited, Sibyl, who had started taking medicine, always visited the villa at the same time. Alexander and his knights took turns waiting for the King, and Else never went out to the balcony since that day. However, the King always looked up at the balcony with his head tilted back.
Because Else might come out and see him even once. Because Else might look down on Sibyl as she did the first time. It was the end of summer. Even at dawn, when the temperature plummeted, he waited for Else. As the seasons passed, there were times when short rains fell on the dry land.
Even on such days, the King waited for her without fail. No matter how healthy an adult man was, it was a life that could not be sustained by physical strength alone. Furthermore, the King was already weak. His body was ruined by fever and reflux gastritis, and he was taking medicine. To report to work and perform official duties and endure like that every day... It was something that could not be done by physical strength alone.
And then, a week later, at dawn, the rain was pouring down. It was the end of summer. The thick, green foliage had grown thin and colorful. Alexander was looking at the King's wet shoulders. The rain that had been falling since morning was getting stronger as time passed.
However, after the King finished his work, he always went to the villa. Alexander had no choice but to follow him. He tried to tell him to rest in the bedroom today, but he knew how stubborn the King was about this. His stubbornness could not be broken.
The King seemed to be living in the villa, waiting for her. If it weren't for his work, he might have been doing that all day.
“Your Majesty, please go back.”
He urged him out of habit. He knew he wouldn’t listen, but still... What good would it do if he collapsed like this? All the time he had spent. All the work he had done and the results he had achieved. They would all disappear without a trace.
"Ah."
The back of his head hurt badly. His tingling heart was turned upside down. He felt like his stomach acid was refluxing. Sybil moistened his rough mouth with water, but his rumbling stomach didn't get better. His vision was blurry, and his head was spinning.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
Alexander asked. Sybil nodded without answering. However, with each movement of his head, the shaking sensation in front of his eyes grew worse. Unable to control his churning stomach, he grabbed his chin. Surprised, Alexander called the servant. The doctor came to the bedroom after a while.
***
A week passed. After the palace doctor visited, Sibyl, who had started taking medicine, always visited the villa at the same time. Alexander and his knights took turns waiting for the King, and Else never went out to the balcony since that day. However, the King always looked up at the balcony with his head tilted back.
Because Else might come out and see him even once. Because Else might look down on Sibyl as she did the first time. It was the end of summer. Even at dawn, when the temperature plummeted, he waited for Else. As the seasons passed, there were times when short rains fell on the dry land.
Even on such days, the King waited for her without fail. No matter how healthy an adult man was, it was a life that could not be sustained by physical strength alone. Furthermore, the King was already weak. His body was ruined by fever and reflux gastritis, and he was taking medicine. To report to work and perform official duties and endure like that every day... It was something that could not be done by physical strength alone.
And then, a week later, at dawn, the rain was pouring down. It was the end of summer. The thick, green foliage had grown thin and colorful. Alexander was looking at the King's wet shoulders. The rain that had been falling since morning was getting stronger as time passed.
However, after the King finished his work, he always went to the villa. Alexander had no choice but to follow him. He tried to tell him to rest in the bedroom today, but he knew how stubborn the King was about this. His stubbornness could not be broken.
The King seemed to be living in the villa, waiting for her. If it weren't for his work, he might have been doing that all day.
“Your Majesty, please go back.”
He urged him out of habit. He knew he wouldn’t listen, but still... What good would it do if he collapsed like this? All the time he had spent. All the work he had done and the results he had achieved. They would all disappear without a trace.
Alexander furrowed his eyebrows. The King’s pale face was filled with weakness. He had a lukewarm fever this afternoon and often complained of a headache. He sighed. The King frowned several times a day and endured the headache.
He said that it was a splitting headache, but the doctor said that it was an inevitable symptom of overwork. He said that since the King was human, it was inevitable that he would suffer from a fever. He said that if he didn’t overwork himself and got plenty of rest, the fever and headache would all go away, but the King would not listen.
Suddenly, a small figure floated outside the palace. Sybil's eyes quickly moved to her. The figure's main character was Jules, Alexander's wife. Else's maid. Since she often went out of the palace to meet her husband, Sybil didn't expect much. However...
“Your Majesty, it is late to welcome you, but Her Highness the Duchess has sent word that she wishes to serve you.”
Jules, who had bowed neatly, opened her mouth with her hands clasped together. Sybil, who was looking up at the balcony in the pouring rain, looked at Jules. Jules looked at the man expressionlessly and made way for him. It had been about ten days since they last met, but Alexander was anxious.
The King walked to the villa. Alexander followed him and glanced at his wife. Her face was pale and hard. It meant that her mind was not at ease. Alexander turned his gaze away, hoping that nothing bad would happen.
Else was looking down at the shoes. They were the shoes that Sybil had saved from the flowing river. Other than that, the shoes were old and meaningless. Was it Lotan? The shoes had been ordered from a craftsman in a city with a bit more resources than Lugdun, and they were simpler in design than the five pairs of evening shoes she had ordered at the time.
Because they weren't for evening wear. But she wore them often back then, and if a stray dog hadn't taken them away, that wouldn't have happened. Else held the shoes to her chest like she had done countless times before.
At one time, she had cherished these shoes as if they were Sibyl's heart, and held them close to her chest as a habit. Even on the days when he turned his back on her coldly, and on the days when he insulted her with dirty words... she had cherished them, thinking of them as a small piece of love left behind. Those were the days of her foolishness.
"Your Highness."
Jules's voice was heard outside the door. Else put her shoes on the bed and got up. The door opened. Sibyl appeared. The man had been soaking wet for hours, just like when they first met.
But unlike then, he was wearing a robe that symbolized a King, not an old poncho, draped over his shoulders. Else looked at him with disinterested eyes. His thin jawline on his pale face was sharper than ever.
"How have you been doing?"
After a long silence, Sibyl opened his mouth first. Else did not respond. The words still did not come out. Every morning, the doctor came to examine her throat. And he kept ordering her. He told her to stick out her tongue or make a sound. But once her tongue was blocked, it was not easy to get it out. However, since she was not particularly uncomfortable, Else did not make any other effort to speak. After all, she had communicated with the maids by writing. In fact, it was more convenient that way.
“How are you feeling?”
Sibyl asked with a faint smile, not knowing whether she knew that her body was in worse shape. Else didn't even give a small nod. Sibyl's gaze returned to the shoes on the bed. His eyes, filled with emotion, were filled with the shoes. Else also stared at the shoes.
When she was brought from Lugdun to Siena, the King's servants sent him some of Else's belongings in order, and they were the things that were loaded onto the wagon at the time. Else kept them, and when she moved them from the bedroom to the annex, she put them away again. However, they were no longer needed. Anyway... It had been a long time since she had used them, and there was no point in keeping them...
“You had it.”
Sibyl hummed softly. Her emotions were unreadable. She seemed to be trying to control herself. She might be trying to keep the dam from bursting. Else brought the shoes and held them. She stared at the stove. The firewood was burning. Else looked at Sibyl absentmindedly and threw the shoes into the stove.
Hwaruk- The fire that had been burning the wood began to engulf the shoes. She turned her head to look at Sibyl. Her sunken eyes began to twitch faintly. Else saw his eyes, which were reddening and watery.
He said that it was a splitting headache, but the doctor said that it was an inevitable symptom of overwork. He said that since the King was human, it was inevitable that he would suffer from a fever. He said that if he didn’t overwork himself and got plenty of rest, the fever and headache would all go away, but the King would not listen.
Suddenly, a small figure floated outside the palace. Sybil's eyes quickly moved to her. The figure's main character was Jules, Alexander's wife. Else's maid. Since she often went out of the palace to meet her husband, Sybil didn't expect much. However...
“Your Majesty, it is late to welcome you, but Her Highness the Duchess has sent word that she wishes to serve you.”
Jules, who had bowed neatly, opened her mouth with her hands clasped together. Sybil, who was looking up at the balcony in the pouring rain, looked at Jules. Jules looked at the man expressionlessly and made way for him. It had been about ten days since they last met, but Alexander was anxious.
The King walked to the villa. Alexander followed him and glanced at his wife. Her face was pale and hard. It meant that her mind was not at ease. Alexander turned his gaze away, hoping that nothing bad would happen.
***
Else was looking down at the shoes. They were the shoes that Sybil had saved from the flowing river. Other than that, the shoes were old and meaningless. Was it Lotan? The shoes had been ordered from a craftsman in a city with a bit more resources than Lugdun, and they were simpler in design than the five pairs of evening shoes she had ordered at the time.
Because they weren't for evening wear. But she wore them often back then, and if a stray dog hadn't taken them away, that wouldn't have happened. Else held the shoes to her chest like she had done countless times before.
At one time, she had cherished these shoes as if they were Sibyl's heart, and held them close to her chest as a habit. Even on the days when he turned his back on her coldly, and on the days when he insulted her with dirty words... she had cherished them, thinking of them as a small piece of love left behind. Those were the days of her foolishness.
"Your Highness."
Jules's voice was heard outside the door. Else put her shoes on the bed and got up. The door opened. Sibyl appeared. The man had been soaking wet for hours, just like when they first met.
But unlike then, he was wearing a robe that symbolized a King, not an old poncho, draped over his shoulders. Else looked at him with disinterested eyes. His thin jawline on his pale face was sharper than ever.
"How have you been doing?"
After a long silence, Sibyl opened his mouth first. Else did not respond. The words still did not come out. Every morning, the doctor came to examine her throat. And he kept ordering her. He told her to stick out her tongue or make a sound. But once her tongue was blocked, it was not easy to get it out. However, since she was not particularly uncomfortable, Else did not make any other effort to speak. After all, she had communicated with the maids by writing. In fact, it was more convenient that way.
“How are you feeling?”
Sibyl asked with a faint smile, not knowing whether she knew that her body was in worse shape. Else didn't even give a small nod. Sibyl's gaze returned to the shoes on the bed. His eyes, filled with emotion, were filled with the shoes. Else also stared at the shoes.
When she was brought from Lugdun to Siena, the King's servants sent him some of Else's belongings in order, and they were the things that were loaded onto the wagon at the time. Else kept them, and when she moved them from the bedroom to the annex, she put them away again. However, they were no longer needed. Anyway... It had been a long time since she had used them, and there was no point in keeping them...
“You had it.”
Sibyl hummed softly. Her emotions were unreadable. She seemed to be trying to control herself. She might be trying to keep the dam from bursting. Else brought the shoes and held them. She stared at the stove. The firewood was burning. Else looked at Sibyl absentmindedly and threw the shoes into the stove.
Hwaruk- The fire that had been burning the wood began to engulf the shoes. She turned her head to look at Sibyl. Her sunken eyes began to twitch faintly. Else saw his eyes, which were reddening and watery.
Long ago. No, not so long ago... Else looked just like Sibyl now.
Even the slightest glance from him made her heart tingle. She tried her best to read his mind with the warmth of her knuckles, and she couldn’t easily say a word for fear of her heart being cut.
On days like that, Else always had those eyes. The way she struggled to hold back her torn heart....
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