Episode 70. I’ll Open the Window This Much
“Lorisha told me that I should oppose the export of iron ore to Agael. But I answered on my own!”
“This wicked thing!”
“Your Majesty, the Empress...”
“Where are you putting on a show? What do you know about iron ore that you’re talking about? That lowly thing is spouting off useless things to you, so you just take it all in. You don’t even know what you’re thinking!”
I was in my own shoes, but I felt terribly sorry for Her Highness Milliora, who was catching her breath next to me. I’ve never heard a story about a mother who favored one child so much as Her Majesty the Empress.
However, Her Highness the Princess answered firmly today.
“Your Majesty, the Empress, that’s not true! Lorisha indeed told me that, but I shouldn’t answer His Majesty like that...”
“Then, that lowly woman knew about the Emperor’s plans to welcome them and tried to hide them? What kind of outrageous thing is this!”
“That’s not it...!”
The princess began to shed tears.
‘Just keep your mouth shut.’
I tried to say that to myself, but she couldn’t hear me. I admired her for her incredible courage, but I was starting to get angrier.
It was going to end up like this anyway, so why didn’t I just let myself suffer the consequences? Why did you come here and listen to her mother's harsh words again...
Her Majesty the Empress, who was looking down at us, spoke coldly with a smirk on her lips.
“Milliora, look. See what your foolishness will bring about. Begin.”
The maid came in front of me and spoke sternly.
“Pull up your skirt more.”
Her Majesty the Empress was definitely trying to beat me to death in front of Her Highness the Princess.
My life is going to end here.
As I stumbled and pulled up my skirt, my blood-soaked petticoat fell from my calves, and my body trembled.
When Her Highness Miliora saw my calf, her face turned pale.
The maid showed off her new whip by swinging it in the air, making a sound that cut through the wind, and then raised it high into the sky.
At that moment, a servant came in from outside and announced,
“Your Majesty, the Empress. His Majesty the Emperor has summoned Her Highness the Princess Miliora.”
“Why?”
“You have been ordered to attend the tea time that the Agael envoy will attend.”
At that, Her Majesty the Empress’s face hardened.
“Useless things become more and more clever!”
The Princess sat there with a face that seemed to have lost her soul, not knowing what was going on. I glared at her earnestly.
“Go when you have a way to escape!”
At that, the Princess turned her head to me as if she were possessed, and then raised her head.
“Your Majesty, the Empress. If you don’t want to be embarrassed by the Agael envoy, you need Lorisha. I don’t know what to say there...”
“Ha... What a pity. Yes. Let’s see how long your luck lasts.”
As Her Majesty the Empress abruptly stood up and left, the maid threw her whip in anger and followed her.
“What are you doing, you idiot!”
The voice of Her Highness the Princess was strangely distorted as she scolded me.
When I raised my head blankly, tears were dripping down her porcelain cheeks.
“Yes... Your Highness.”
I groaned and got down from the stool.
She reached out her hand as if she wanted to support me, afraid that I would fall. Her fingertips were trembling.
However, she bit her lip, unable to touch me. The royal family did not dare touch those of lower status, so even that action required courage. It must have been annoying to not be able to touch anyone.
Even if I fell, I did not want to fall here, so I walked out with all my might.
When I went outside, Lord Rond, who had been waiting, opened his eyes wide when he saw me.
The Princess who ran out after him got angry at Lord Rond.
“What are you doing! Lorisha is dead! Lord Rond, hurry.”
Then Lord Rond lifted me up and hugged me. I let out a startled “Ugj,” and groaned.
“Sir, no. Your back...!”
Then Lord Rond glared at me and clicked his tongue. I was scared and shut my mouth tightly.
“Why are you worried about Lord Rond’s back?”
The Princess grumbled to herself and walked ahead of us.
As I kept my mouth shut, I could feel his muscular strength. I thought he could lift me and swing me around, so I decided to stay still for the time being. In fact, even if I was told to walk, I couldn’t.
But the Princess started to sob while walking.
“How can I go to the palace like this... Huhu.”
Lord Rond replied.
“As soon as Your Highness entered, a servant came again and said that the tea time between His Majesty and the envoy was canceled.”
“Really? Huhu. That’s great. Thank goodness. My face looks ugly from crying just now.”
When I heard it, something felt strange. How could a tea time with a state guest be canceled so easily, and how could news be spread so quickly...
When I looked at him with a suspicious gaze, Lord Rond whispered as if he were very displeased.
“The young lion was busy today.”
This was Prince Kydel’s ‘conspiracy.’ He dared to lie to Her Majesty the Empress because he was afraid that I would be beaten to death.
I felt both relief and bewilderment at the same time.
This brat saved me every time like this so that he could enjoy the benefits later...
I was already in so much pain, and I was also annoyed, but I couldn’t blame him, so I hated him even more.
The meaning of Her Majesty the Empress’s murderous intent earlier was clear. It was clear that she would send me out as a corpse without batting an eye if it was just to vent her anger on Her Highness the Princess.
Prince Kydel must have known that, which is why he did such a reckless thing. Thinking of saving a person.
‘I hate you. I hate you so much that I’ll turn away.’
***
I once again had the honor of being treated by the palace doctor. After he finished his treatment and left, Director Royman came to visit.
Since I hadn’t expected him to visit my room, I unconsciously tried to raise my upper body and let out a groan.
“Director!”
“Miss Loire. I came here in person because I received an order for medicine in Miss Loire’s name.”
“You didn’t have to do that... I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Should I take a look at the affected area?”
He opened his mouth wide after pulling back the blanket, then closed it tightly.
My dark leg was swollen to the limit of what my skin would allow. The bandage that was wrapped in first aid had already soaked in blood.
Even I could see that... I don’t know how to describe it. This must be what a corpse that had been in water for three days would look like.
He quickly moved his hands with a hardened face.
He put the medicinal herbs on the affected area and wrapped the bandage, and the pain subsided as the healing energy spread. I sighed in relief.
“The skin damage is so bad that it might leave a scar. I’ll try my best to prevent that from happening.”
“Is this a murae herb? It’s hard to get...”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Thank you. Hehe.”
Maybe because I smiled too artificially, the director looked at me as if he didn’t like me and shook his head.
“You’ll be completely rested until the wound heals.”
“Yes. I will. Thank you, director.”
“Then rest.”
The director turned around, looking at me with the most pitiful expression on his face.
Then, Aria came over and covered me with a blanket and asked.
“How do you know the apothecary? He’s someone who hardly ever leaves the palace. He’s actually...”
“Actually?”
Aria leaned over to me and whispered.
“There’s a rumor that he makes strange things in the lab.”
What should I do? Our apothecary seemed to be misunderstanding people, as expected of an alchemist.
No, wait a minute. He really makes strange things there. Secret weapons.
So it’s not a misunderstanding.
But I asked, pretending to be surprised.
“Strange things?”
“A small human or something... My goodness, if you say something like that, you’ll be in big trouble!”
“Then, the right thing to do. You shouldn’t do that.”
From what I could tell, Aria had no idea what the apothecary, Whined Royman, was making. She seemed even more afraid because she didn’t know.
“Aria?”
“Yes, maid?”
“Would you open the window a little when you go out? This much would be fine.”
“How do you close it when you sleep? You can’t move.”
I quickly rolled my eyes and pointed to the cushion she had placed on the bed.
“If I throw this, the door will close tightly.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
What the heck! How could you throw a cushion all the way there with this sore body?
But even as I thought that, I was laughing.
Not knowing how terribly out of sync with my head and emotions, Aria left the window open and went back.
I looked out the window, where the cool breeze was blowing in, and thought,
‘Prince Locard Kydel. I might die of a cold, not because of Her Majesty, but because of you.’
I swear to the heavens that I didn’t want him to come through my window. I just had a feeling that he would come.
But the more I felt the temperature difference created by the new air coming in through the window, the more impatient I became.
'When on earth are you going to come back...? '
When I said this, it seemed as if I was waiting for him.
"Hey!"
I picked up the cushion and threw it at the window with all my strength. But the cushion that had been hit by the window was still floating in the air!
Prince Kydel, who was holding onto the cushion, frowned and stuck his face out at me in shock. It was clear that he thought I had thrown the cushion at him.
"Ky... Prince."
"Shall I go back?"
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment