“So it is God’s will.”
It was when Amelia and Ivan were facing each other without averting their eyes. The words that the Duke of Russell blurted out as if he wanted everyone to hear came out of the space filled with silence. His voice served to refresh the frozen atmosphere of the space.
“...”
At the same time, Ivan's face, which had been stained with a faint sense of betrayal, showed contempt and anger. Whether or not Amelia had acted independently, it seemed to him that she was in cahoots with the Duke of Russell.
“God commanded it?”
But immediately afterwards, the emotions that had been flashing across Ivan's face disappeared. Ivan simply replied with a blank expression on his face.
"Yes."
Amelia answered without backing down. Then Ivan let out a small laugh. It was an attitude that did not fit the serious situation. Was he crazy because he was so angry? Everyone was just rolling their eyes.
“You didn’t mishear that, did you?”
Ivan spoke in a relaxed manner, as if he were being told an interesting rumor. He seemed to have no intention of following Amelia's false oracle.
“Absolutely not.”
“...”
“There is no reason for me to impersonate a trust.”
At Amelia's words, Ivan covered his eyes with one hand and laughed. Now his attitude seemed to be that it was so funny that he could not bear it.
“I can’t do that.”
But the moment Ivan took his hand off his eyes, the smile that had been lingering on his lips disappeared in an instant. His face was so expressionless that it was hard to even guess that there had been such a thing.
“If you are the god who continues to protect Escliffe, you will know.”
“...”
“The Escliff royal family has always been of noble blood. It is not like your sacred legend that it suddenly fell from the sky.”
The cold voice clearly showed the difference between Ivan himself and Amelia. The most precious body in this land, and the one who dared to call herself a representative of God. The gap between them was as wide as heaven and earth.
“I don’t know if it would matter who they bring into the temple, but it’s different for the royal family.”
The eyes that asked if she was trying to force her children into a position they could not even dare dream of were as cold as the frost of midwinter. She felt ashamed. Amelia bit her lip hard so as not to show it.
“Besides, I’m not even married yet. I don’t have any children.”
Ivan completely denied Ian's existence, telling her that he had no children. Amelia felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest with a knife.
“What if I were a widow or if my future wife were infertile? Even if that’s not the case, why are you suddenly making that child the Crown Prince?”
“If it is God’s will.”
So Amelia confronted Ivan's accusations head-on. She felt as if she backed down like this, she would really become nothing. She felt like Ian's existence would be treated as nothing and then disappear without a sound.
“No. Even if it is God’s will, I cannot follow it.”
But Ivan did not back down. It was as if he could not tolerate Amelia's contemptuous attitude towards him in a diplomatic setting where even a foreign delegation was present.
“No matter how much you look down on the royal family, there is a line you must not cross.”
Ivan's voice was like a blade. It proved that even in moments when Ivan seemed indifferent, he was trying to be kind.
“A child abandoned on the street.”
Ivan got up from his seat with a squeak and started walking leisurely. Amelia didn't take her eyes off the man as he came down the stairs one by one.
It was a warning and an expectation at the same time. Foolishly, up until that moment.
“How can you dare make a seed whose parents you don’t even know into a Crown Prince?”
But all he left behind was ridicule.
“Your Ladyship!”
Louis, who found Amelia being dragged away by the maids, ran over quickly and supported Amelia, who was almost falling down.
“Just go away.”
Louis ordered in a faintly angry voice. The maids bowed cautiously to Amelia and then stepped aside. Louis watched their faces somewhat closely, but that was all. The maids did not treat Amelia roughly, and Amelia alone was out of energy, so she could not blame them.
“What on earth happened?”
Louis asked. Her brain, which had been completely frozen since hearing Ivan's words, finally began to work.
“How can you dare make a seed whose parents you don’t even know into a Crown Prince?”
How can you say that?
The moment Ivan called Ian a lowly person who didn't even know what his parents were in front of everyone, she couldn't even scream. It was as if she was proving the story that if you're so surprised and shocked, you won't be able to move even a single finger.
“It seems like you’re not in good condition, so I think it would be better for you to rest instead of staying at the welcoming ceremony.”
Ivan whispered. The maids came running and grabbed Amelia's arms. She knew she should protest, scream, curse Ivan, but she couldn't. Her body was stiff, and her mind wouldn't work.
“Take her and go.”
As she was being dragged away, Amelia's legs shook like a newborn deer. And she looked back just once, unable to believe that Ivan had trampled his own child.
But as he turned his gaze away from Amelia and returned to the throne, he seemed to feel no emotion at all. Not even a hint of guilt, or a hint of regret.
“Get out.”
His cruelty was horrifying. That was the only thought that crossed her mind as she was dragged into her bedroom.
“Your Ladyship.”
“I want to be alone. Get out, please!”
Amelia screamed. Louis flinched in surprise at the sight of Amelia for the first time. She stared at Amelia as if she were strange, and reluctantly left. Amelia barely managed to get up from the floor and staggered to sit down at the table near the window.
The blood-red sunset spread over the table, blurring and blurring her vision. Amelia gasped and closed her eyes. The shock she had not yet recovered from struck her heart again.
How could that be? How could you have doubted that he was your child? How could you condemn and define your own child as a lowly being who could never become a member of the royal family in front of so many people?
The moment he simultaneously mocked Amelia and Ian with one word, she felt the ground beneath her feet sag. Even the last bit of hope she had for him was completely shattered.
“Eventually, even Ian...”
Even her child's life was miserable. It seemed like it would be okay if he just lived as he was born. That kind of ordinariness was what Amelia longed for the most.
Not a life where he is rejected and shunned by his biological father.
"Ah..."
Her heart was so full that she felt like she had been hit. She felt like she was going to cry. It was something she couldn't even show in a place where there were so many eyes watching her.
Amelia clutched her chest with her hands as hard as she could. The hem of her clothes was helplessly crumpled, leaving a scar from the violence. Just like her heart, tattered and helpless from the sword Ivan had swung at her.
But when she remembered the face that had laughed at her, her hands gave out. Amelia buried her face in her hands. She felt sorry for her life and pitiful for her faith.
“Your Majesty. So suddenly...!”
Even though she was a guest, the room was still assigned to Amelia. However, the door was opened without the owner’s permission. Amelia raised her head and stared at the rude guest. What caught her eye was a man with an expressionless face.
“Everyone get out.”
Ivan commanded arrogantly. Louis immediately opened her mouth to refute, but could not bring herself to say it. He was a man who possessed all the arrogance of a supreme ruler. Moreover, he was the master of this palace. Neither Amelia nor Louis, who were guests, could stand against him.
“It’s okay, stay outside, Louis.”
Amelia stood up and gave orders to Louis while keeping her eyes on Ivan. Louis hesitated for a moment and then told Amelia to stay at the door and call her if anything happened.
“I’m sorry, but that won’t happen.”
Ivan said with a smirk. His eyes were also fixed on Amelia.
“I plan on not letting even a single rat come into this area.”
As soon as Ivan finished speaking, the maids let out a surprised cry. The imperial knights suddenly appeared and dragged the maids and Louis away. Thanks to this, the second floor was left empty except for Amelia and Ivan.
“...”
As the surroundings became quiet, Ivan walked in with a blank expression. He seemed calm at first glance. Rather, he was the type of person who would cool down when angry. However, Amelia noticed that his rib cage was bulging with anger. Ivan was very angry, and he had no intention of hiding it.
“What were you thinking?”
Ivan stopped two steps ahead and asked. The end of the sunset was over his face. It was a color between blue and red, hot and cold at the same time.
It was when Amelia and Ivan were facing each other without averting their eyes. The words that the Duke of Russell blurted out as if he wanted everyone to hear came out of the space filled with silence. His voice served to refresh the frozen atmosphere of the space.
“...”
At the same time, Ivan's face, which had been stained with a faint sense of betrayal, showed contempt and anger. Whether or not Amelia had acted independently, it seemed to him that she was in cahoots with the Duke of Russell.
“God commanded it?”
But immediately afterwards, the emotions that had been flashing across Ivan's face disappeared. Ivan simply replied with a blank expression on his face.
"Yes."
Amelia answered without backing down. Then Ivan let out a small laugh. It was an attitude that did not fit the serious situation. Was he crazy because he was so angry? Everyone was just rolling their eyes.
“You didn’t mishear that, did you?”
Ivan spoke in a relaxed manner, as if he were being told an interesting rumor. He seemed to have no intention of following Amelia's false oracle.
“Absolutely not.”
“...”
“There is no reason for me to impersonate a trust.”
At Amelia's words, Ivan covered his eyes with one hand and laughed. Now his attitude seemed to be that it was so funny that he could not bear it.
“I can’t do that.”
But the moment Ivan took his hand off his eyes, the smile that had been lingering on his lips disappeared in an instant. His face was so expressionless that it was hard to even guess that there had been such a thing.
“If you are the god who continues to protect Escliffe, you will know.”
“...”
“The Escliff royal family has always been of noble blood. It is not like your sacred legend that it suddenly fell from the sky.”
The cold voice clearly showed the difference between Ivan himself and Amelia. The most precious body in this land, and the one who dared to call herself a representative of God. The gap between them was as wide as heaven and earth.
“I don’t know if it would matter who they bring into the temple, but it’s different for the royal family.”
The eyes that asked if she was trying to force her children into a position they could not even dare dream of were as cold as the frost of midwinter. She felt ashamed. Amelia bit her lip hard so as not to show it.
“Besides, I’m not even married yet. I don’t have any children.”
Ivan completely denied Ian's existence, telling her that he had no children. Amelia felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest with a knife.
“What if I were a widow or if my future wife were infertile? Even if that’s not the case, why are you suddenly making that child the Crown Prince?”
“If it is God’s will.”
So Amelia confronted Ivan's accusations head-on. She felt as if she backed down like this, she would really become nothing. She felt like Ian's existence would be treated as nothing and then disappear without a sound.
“No. Even if it is God’s will, I cannot follow it.”
But Ivan did not back down. It was as if he could not tolerate Amelia's contemptuous attitude towards him in a diplomatic setting where even a foreign delegation was present.
“No matter how much you look down on the royal family, there is a line you must not cross.”
Ivan's voice was like a blade. It proved that even in moments when Ivan seemed indifferent, he was trying to be kind.
“A child abandoned on the street.”
Ivan got up from his seat with a squeak and started walking leisurely. Amelia didn't take her eyes off the man as he came down the stairs one by one.
It was a warning and an expectation at the same time. Foolishly, up until that moment.
“How can you dare make a seed whose parents you don’t even know into a Crown Prince?”
But all he left behind was ridicule.
***
“Your Ladyship!”
Louis, who found Amelia being dragged away by the maids, ran over quickly and supported Amelia, who was almost falling down.
“Just go away.”
Louis ordered in a faintly angry voice. The maids bowed cautiously to Amelia and then stepped aside. Louis watched their faces somewhat closely, but that was all. The maids did not treat Amelia roughly, and Amelia alone was out of energy, so she could not blame them.
“What on earth happened?”
Louis asked. Her brain, which had been completely frozen since hearing Ivan's words, finally began to work.
“How can you dare make a seed whose parents you don’t even know into a Crown Prince?”
How can you say that?
The moment Ivan called Ian a lowly person who didn't even know what his parents were in front of everyone, she couldn't even scream. It was as if she was proving the story that if you're so surprised and shocked, you won't be able to move even a single finger.
“It seems like you’re not in good condition, so I think it would be better for you to rest instead of staying at the welcoming ceremony.”
Ivan whispered. The maids came running and grabbed Amelia's arms. She knew she should protest, scream, curse Ivan, but she couldn't. Her body was stiff, and her mind wouldn't work.
“Take her and go.”
As she was being dragged away, Amelia's legs shook like a newborn deer. And she looked back just once, unable to believe that Ivan had trampled his own child.
But as he turned his gaze away from Amelia and returned to the throne, he seemed to feel no emotion at all. Not even a hint of guilt, or a hint of regret.
“Get out.”
His cruelty was horrifying. That was the only thought that crossed her mind as she was dragged into her bedroom.
“Your Ladyship.”
“I want to be alone. Get out, please!”
Amelia screamed. Louis flinched in surprise at the sight of Amelia for the first time. She stared at Amelia as if she were strange, and reluctantly left. Amelia barely managed to get up from the floor and staggered to sit down at the table near the window.
The blood-red sunset spread over the table, blurring and blurring her vision. Amelia gasped and closed her eyes. The shock she had not yet recovered from struck her heart again.
How could that be? How could you have doubted that he was your child? How could you condemn and define your own child as a lowly being who could never become a member of the royal family in front of so many people?
The moment he simultaneously mocked Amelia and Ian with one word, she felt the ground beneath her feet sag. Even the last bit of hope she had for him was completely shattered.
“Eventually, even Ian...”
Even her child's life was miserable. It seemed like it would be okay if he just lived as he was born. That kind of ordinariness was what Amelia longed for the most.
Not a life where he is rejected and shunned by his biological father.
"Ah..."
Her heart was so full that she felt like she had been hit. She felt like she was going to cry. It was something she couldn't even show in a place where there were so many eyes watching her.
Amelia clutched her chest with her hands as hard as she could. The hem of her clothes was helplessly crumpled, leaving a scar from the violence. Just like her heart, tattered and helpless from the sword Ivan had swung at her.
But when she remembered the face that had laughed at her, her hands gave out. Amelia buried her face in her hands. She felt sorry for her life and pitiful for her faith.
“Your Majesty. So suddenly...!”
Even though she was a guest, the room was still assigned to Amelia. However, the door was opened without the owner’s permission. Amelia raised her head and stared at the rude guest. What caught her eye was a man with an expressionless face.
“Everyone get out.”
Ivan commanded arrogantly. Louis immediately opened her mouth to refute, but could not bring herself to say it. He was a man who possessed all the arrogance of a supreme ruler. Moreover, he was the master of this palace. Neither Amelia nor Louis, who were guests, could stand against him.
“It’s okay, stay outside, Louis.”
Amelia stood up and gave orders to Louis while keeping her eyes on Ivan. Louis hesitated for a moment and then told Amelia to stay at the door and call her if anything happened.
“I’m sorry, but that won’t happen.”
Ivan said with a smirk. His eyes were also fixed on Amelia.
“I plan on not letting even a single rat come into this area.”
As soon as Ivan finished speaking, the maids let out a surprised cry. The imperial knights suddenly appeared and dragged the maids and Louis away. Thanks to this, the second floor was left empty except for Amelia and Ivan.
“...”
As the surroundings became quiet, Ivan walked in with a blank expression. He seemed calm at first glance. Rather, he was the type of person who would cool down when angry. However, Amelia noticed that his rib cage was bulging with anger. Ivan was very angry, and he had no intention of hiding it.
“What were you thinking?”
Ivan stopped two steps ahead and asked. The end of the sunset was over his face. It was a color between blue and red, hot and cold at the same time.
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