Ariadne hugged Alfonso from behind, unable to hide her anger. She clung to him as gracefully as a willow branch in spring.
“Shh, shh. I don’t know where the listening ears are.”
But Ariadne's words did nothing to calm Alfonso down.
“Can’t I even say what I want to say? Is that living?”
After losing his mother, Alfonso devoted himself to achieving worldly glory. It was the desire for freedom that drove Prince Alfonso, who was naturally far from the desire for power, into this endless race. Only after his mother died and he was released from under her wing did Alfonso realize that freedom was given only to those who had power.
“I did everything to be free.”
A missionary sent to the Kingdom of Gallico. A crusader driven out with nothing. The Black Helmet Knights, the continent's greatest military force, returned from the field without any aid from the Etruscan Kingdom. A victorious general of the Holy War. The golden prince praised by the continent, Alfonso de Carlo.
But his father still did not respect him.
“What more can I do!”
Instead of trying to stop the angry Prince, Ariadne pulled the rope and signaled Sancha to disperse all the servants near the Count's residence, the mansion of de Mare.
In the empty de Mare mansion, in the mistress's quarters, the Prince could vent his anger to his heart's content.
“You’re going to disband the Black Helmet Knights for the petty reason of marrying me to the daughter of the Manchike?”
72,000 Ducats were just gold flowing across the continent. However, a well-forged sword could not be made again. This was a sword that grew from the blood and tears of war, so it was impossible to make it with any training during peaceful times. Alfonso was indignant.
“How on earth do you think you’re going to get 800 combat-experienced heavy cavalry corps back?”
Alfonso's mind was filled with many thoughts. His knights, except for their leader, were stationed outside the castle, partly because the city was too small to accommodate them all, but more because Leo III was uncomfortable with it.
'Just do this...'
“Shh, honey. It’s okay. Calm down.”
Alfonso, who was thinking of something impossible to realize at the moment, was successfully stopped by Ariadne, who was digging into his arms. This was because a certain word caught his ear.
“Honey...?”
“Why, is it weird?”
Ariadne blushed. Alfonso had completely forgotten what he had been so angry about three seconds ago.
He looked at Ariadne. She was objectively beautiful, but what he saw was something else. Her deep, dark green eyes were focused only on him. The corners of her eyes, which were originally slightly upturned, lowered prettily without any tension when she looked at him. Her plump, red lips whispered to him.
He kissed his wife passionately.
“Ugh...!”
She responded passionately, too. Alfonso thought, his lips moving from her lips and neck to Ariadne's chest. He was not wrong.
This was something he could not give up to anyone. It was his. It was not even worth considering, not even for 72,000 ducats, not even for the heavenly army.
Her white mound, red lips, and black hair were swaying sensually on the bed. He held her.
"Ah!"
His father doesn't know anything. This woman was his. A responsibility. Something to protect. Family. The reason he's alive. He'll never let her go.
Leo III told Alfonso to choose a woman for her usefulness, which was dowry and lineage. Alfonso said he didn't need either. What mattered to him was people and love.
But the goddess of fate smiled upon him, and what he chose was love; but the rest followed naturally. The woman he fell in love with was, at least in terms of dowry, a woman who could not be inferior to anyone in the Central Continent.
"Don't worry."
She whispered, feeling an unusual excitement and anger in her husband's touch.
“Any problem that can be solved with money, just solve it with money.”
She joked with a sly laugh in her voice.
“Your wife is the most popular nouveau riche in San Carlo. Have you forgotten?”
Alfonso's eyes widened and he laughed loudly.
“Hahahaha!”
“Shh, shh. I don’t know where the listening ears are.”
But Ariadne's words did nothing to calm Alfonso down.
“Can’t I even say what I want to say? Is that living?”
After losing his mother, Alfonso devoted himself to achieving worldly glory. It was the desire for freedom that drove Prince Alfonso, who was naturally far from the desire for power, into this endless race. Only after his mother died and he was released from under her wing did Alfonso realize that freedom was given only to those who had power.
“I did everything to be free.”
A missionary sent to the Kingdom of Gallico. A crusader driven out with nothing. The Black Helmet Knights, the continent's greatest military force, returned from the field without any aid from the Etruscan Kingdom. A victorious general of the Holy War. The golden prince praised by the continent, Alfonso de Carlo.
But his father still did not respect him.
“What more can I do!”
Instead of trying to stop the angry Prince, Ariadne pulled the rope and signaled Sancha to disperse all the servants near the Count's residence, the mansion of de Mare.
In the empty de Mare mansion, in the mistress's quarters, the Prince could vent his anger to his heart's content.
“You’re going to disband the Black Helmet Knights for the petty reason of marrying me to the daughter of the Manchike?”
72,000 Ducats were just gold flowing across the continent. However, a well-forged sword could not be made again. This was a sword that grew from the blood and tears of war, so it was impossible to make it with any training during peaceful times. Alfonso was indignant.
“How on earth do you think you’re going to get 800 combat-experienced heavy cavalry corps back?”
Alfonso's mind was filled with many thoughts. His knights, except for their leader, were stationed outside the castle, partly because the city was too small to accommodate them all, but more because Leo III was uncomfortable with it.
'Just do this...'
“Shh, honey. It’s okay. Calm down.”
Alfonso, who was thinking of something impossible to realize at the moment, was successfully stopped by Ariadne, who was digging into his arms. This was because a certain word caught his ear.
“Honey...?”
“Why, is it weird?”
Ariadne blushed. Alfonso had completely forgotten what he had been so angry about three seconds ago.
He looked at Ariadne. She was objectively beautiful, but what he saw was something else. Her deep, dark green eyes were focused only on him. The corners of her eyes, which were originally slightly upturned, lowered prettily without any tension when she looked at him. Her plump, red lips whispered to him.
He kissed his wife passionately.
“Ugh...!”
She responded passionately, too. Alfonso thought, his lips moving from her lips and neck to Ariadne's chest. He was not wrong.
This was something he could not give up to anyone. It was his. It was not even worth considering, not even for 72,000 ducats, not even for the heavenly army.
Her white mound, red lips, and black hair were swaying sensually on the bed. He held her.
"Ah!"
His father doesn't know anything. This woman was his. A responsibility. Something to protect. Family. The reason he's alive. He'll never let her go.
Leo III told Alfonso to choose a woman for her usefulness, which was dowry and lineage. Alfonso said he didn't need either. What mattered to him was people and love.
But the goddess of fate smiled upon him, and what he chose was love; but the rest followed naturally. The woman he fell in love with was, at least in terms of dowry, a woman who could not be inferior to anyone in the Central Continent.
"Don't worry."
She whispered, feeling an unusual excitement and anger in her husband's touch.
“Any problem that can be solved with money, just solve it with money.”
She joked with a sly laugh in her voice.
“Your wife is the most popular nouveau riche in San Carlo. Have you forgotten?”
Alfonso's eyes widened and he laughed loudly.
“Hahahaha!”
His father was definitely wrong.
The sluggish preparations for moving into the de Mare mansion were suddenly given a boost.
“I’m also looking for a place to dispose of my furniture. I’ll take the small and valuable ones with me, but I’ll sell and get rid of the bulky ones.”
Sancha asked.
“Can’t you just take it into the palace?”
“I know some rats are living there.”
Gold was the most reliable store of value. It could be transformed into jewels, silk, spices, foodstuffs, military supplies, guns, and swords.
“I’ll change it all into gold.”
Ariadne, who had responded to Sancha, quietly looked at the household members who were busy preparing to move. Sancha noticed that the mistress's expression was not good.
“Miss.. There’s something on your mind.”
If others did not call Ariadne 'Count', Sancha would attack them with fire in her eyes and a look of terror on her face, but she could not let go of the title 'Lady'.
Ariadne was always her lady, even after she married. She would be the mother of children, and the grandmother.
“Um...”
Ariadne was about to say, 'It breaks my heart that I have to send some of my family away from the palace,' but she felt reluctant to lie to Sancha, so she told the truth.
“...I hate palaces.”
It was a land full of watching eyes. Someone's eyes watched the royal family 24 hours a day. A single fork dropped in the morning became a snack in the evening.
“How can you not even follow one proper dining etiquette?”
She shivered without realizing it.
“...Please go ahead and say it. If the Prince knew that the young lady didn’t want to enter the palace, he would never force you.”
“I don’t want to burden him with things like that.”
The building and land of the de Mare mansion belonged to the Holy See, but the furniture, horses, carriages, cheese, and wine stored therein belonged to the de Mare family. If all of this were sold and converted into cash, it would amount to a considerable sum. She intended to secure cash to sustain Alfonso's knightly order.
And above all, she didn't want to disappoint Alfonso. She didn't want to ruin the big picture with her petty preferences.
“If I hadn’t revealed that I’m the Crown Princess, I would have thought it would be best if I went into the palace and settled down. If I were outside, everyone would just laugh.”
It would be a disgrace to Leo III, but it would also be bad for the couple Alfonso and Ariadne. It meant that they would not be recognized as Prince and Princess. From now on, it was a battle of legitimacy and a battle of public opinion.
“I just have to endure it.”
To lay the foundation for victory, Ariadne turned around at the banister.
“Supervise the moving process well, Sancha. I trust you, really.”
The de Mare Mansion. The ancient wooden staircase that had become even deeper after absorbing Arabella's blood. It was a place where the family's honor and shame were buried. Now it was time to leave. It was the beginning of the second act of life.
Leo III was distracted by the chirping of his new little bird—the fact that she was a mother was forgotten.
“So, how did you get in?”
“Suddenly, my vision became bright and I could see the road!”
“Huh?”
Isabella sat at Leo III's feet and made a large circle with both hands.
“White light? It felt warm, like a mother’s embrace.”
She was explaining how a simple noblewoman who did not know geography was able to enter Leo III's bedroom through a secret passage in the palace, which was a military secret.
“Yes, it must have been Our Lady who guided me!”
“Heh heh heh heh!”
Leo III didn't use his brain right now. He couldn't come to his senses because of Isabella's cute visual and auditory assault. It felt like he was back in his late teens, going through puberty. He just laughed and stroked Isabella's head.
“It seems you were not destined to die then! It was the Virgin Mary who guided you!”
Isabella was thrilled by Leo III's perfection. Without thinking, she crossed the line that Ariadne had been so careful not to cross.
“Oh my, that saint...?”
“Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Yes, you are so pretty like an angel, even the heavens should look down on you!”
“I said it’s not God, it’s the Virgin Mary.”
“Yeah, yeah! Heh heh heh!”
Leo III, who was in the middle of a verbal feast, asked half-jokingly.
“If there’s something I don’t know about my state affairs, I’ll have to ask you. Won’t the Virgin Mary give me a revelation? Hehehehe.”
“Huh? Ahahahaha.”
Isabella smiled cutely.
“I need to pray harder.”
Then she wrinkled her nose slightly. What if I really ask? Is Agosto really that magical? Call Agosto again? I don't want to die.
The gentle voice of Leo III struck her eardrums as she was lost in thought.
“...Will you come?”
“Yes? Where?”
“I mean, family dinner.”
Leo III was offended by Isabella's lack of attention to his words. But Isabella immediately smiled and began to flirt.
“I’m sorry, I just felt so dizzy for a moment. Oh, oh. What kind of family dinner is this? Isabella is so curious!”
Leo III was about to say something, but simply repeated his invitation once more.
“This time, I’m thinking of having a family gathering and inviting Princess Julia Helena to dinner.”
Although he was flattered by her charm, the King had some reason to offer Isabella the position once again.
“A family... gathering?”
Isabella's pupils shook ever so slightly. Leo III had not yet laid a finger on Isabella. It was a delaying strategy that Isabella had deliberately adopted. But a man talking about family to a woman he had not even embraced? Something seemed strange.
“Yeah, family reunion!”
Leo III continued to say what he wanted to say without considering Isabella's thoughts. He only assumed that Isabella would not like it if he called her family.
This was not really a place for Isabella. It was Leo III's last conciliatory offer to Prince Alfonso.
Just before Cesare was promoted to Grand Duke, he had Alfonso sit down and brag about how his life would be difficult if his brother were promoted.
It was more of a threat than a suggestion for reconciliation, but Leo III had his way. It was not until Prince Alfonso, the Prince of this country and a man above all, dared to respond to his invitation in this way.
“Who is coming?”
***
The sluggish preparations for moving into the de Mare mansion were suddenly given a boost.
“I’m also looking for a place to dispose of my furniture. I’ll take the small and valuable ones with me, but I’ll sell and get rid of the bulky ones.”
Sancha asked.
“Can’t you just take it into the palace?”
“I know some rats are living there.”
Gold was the most reliable store of value. It could be transformed into jewels, silk, spices, foodstuffs, military supplies, guns, and swords.
“I’ll change it all into gold.”
Ariadne, who had responded to Sancha, quietly looked at the household members who were busy preparing to move. Sancha noticed that the mistress's expression was not good.
“Miss.. There’s something on your mind.”
If others did not call Ariadne 'Count', Sancha would attack them with fire in her eyes and a look of terror on her face, but she could not let go of the title 'Lady'.
Ariadne was always her lady, even after she married. She would be the mother of children, and the grandmother.
“Um...”
Ariadne was about to say, 'It breaks my heart that I have to send some of my family away from the palace,' but she felt reluctant to lie to Sancha, so she told the truth.
“...I hate palaces.”
It was a land full of watching eyes. Someone's eyes watched the royal family 24 hours a day. A single fork dropped in the morning became a snack in the evening.
“How can you not even follow one proper dining etiquette?”
She shivered without realizing it.
“...Please go ahead and say it. If the Prince knew that the young lady didn’t want to enter the palace, he would never force you.”
“I don’t want to burden him with things like that.”
The building and land of the de Mare mansion belonged to the Holy See, but the furniture, horses, carriages, cheese, and wine stored therein belonged to the de Mare family. If all of this were sold and converted into cash, it would amount to a considerable sum. She intended to secure cash to sustain Alfonso's knightly order.
And above all, she didn't want to disappoint Alfonso. She didn't want to ruin the big picture with her petty preferences.
“If I hadn’t revealed that I’m the Crown Princess, I would have thought it would be best if I went into the palace and settled down. If I were outside, everyone would just laugh.”
It would be a disgrace to Leo III, but it would also be bad for the couple Alfonso and Ariadne. It meant that they would not be recognized as Prince and Princess. From now on, it was a battle of legitimacy and a battle of public opinion.
“I just have to endure it.”
To lay the foundation for victory, Ariadne turned around at the banister.
“Supervise the moving process well, Sancha. I trust you, really.”
The de Mare Mansion. The ancient wooden staircase that had become even deeper after absorbing Arabella's blood. It was a place where the family's honor and shame were buried. Now it was time to leave. It was the beginning of the second act of life.
***
Leo III was distracted by the chirping of his new little bird—the fact that she was a mother was forgotten.
“So, how did you get in?”
“Suddenly, my vision became bright and I could see the road!”
“Huh?”
Isabella sat at Leo III's feet and made a large circle with both hands.
“White light? It felt warm, like a mother’s embrace.”
She was explaining how a simple noblewoman who did not know geography was able to enter Leo III's bedroom through a secret passage in the palace, which was a military secret.
“Yes, it must have been Our Lady who guided me!”
“Heh heh heh heh!”
Leo III didn't use his brain right now. He couldn't come to his senses because of Isabella's cute visual and auditory assault. It felt like he was back in his late teens, going through puberty. He just laughed and stroked Isabella's head.
“It seems you were not destined to die then! It was the Virgin Mary who guided you!”
Isabella was thrilled by Leo III's perfection. Without thinking, she crossed the line that Ariadne had been so careful not to cross.
“Oh my, that saint...?”
“Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Yes, you are so pretty like an angel, even the heavens should look down on you!”
“I said it’s not God, it’s the Virgin Mary.”
“Yeah, yeah! Heh heh heh!”
Leo III, who was in the middle of a verbal feast, asked half-jokingly.
“If there’s something I don’t know about my state affairs, I’ll have to ask you. Won’t the Virgin Mary give me a revelation? Hehehehe.”
“Huh? Ahahahaha.”
Isabella smiled cutely.
“I need to pray harder.”
Then she wrinkled her nose slightly. What if I really ask? Is Agosto really that magical? Call Agosto again? I don't want to die.
The gentle voice of Leo III struck her eardrums as she was lost in thought.
“...Will you come?”
“Yes? Where?”
“I mean, family dinner.”
Leo III was offended by Isabella's lack of attention to his words. But Isabella immediately smiled and began to flirt.
“I’m sorry, I just felt so dizzy for a moment. Oh, oh. What kind of family dinner is this? Isabella is so curious!”
Leo III was about to say something, but simply repeated his invitation once more.
“This time, I’m thinking of having a family gathering and inviting Princess Julia Helena to dinner.”
Although he was flattered by her charm, the King had some reason to offer Isabella the position once again.
“A family... gathering?”
Isabella's pupils shook ever so slightly. Leo III had not yet laid a finger on Isabella. It was a delaying strategy that Isabella had deliberately adopted. But a man talking about family to a woman he had not even embraced? Something seemed strange.
“Yeah, family reunion!”
Leo III continued to say what he wanted to say without considering Isabella's thoughts. He only assumed that Isabella would not like it if he called her family.
This was not really a place for Isabella. It was Leo III's last conciliatory offer to Prince Alfonso.
Just before Cesare was promoted to Grand Duke, he had Alfonso sit down and brag about how his life would be difficult if his brother were promoted.
It was more of a threat than a suggestion for reconciliation, but Leo III had his way. It was not until Prince Alfonso, the Prince of this country and a man above all, dared to respond to his invitation in this way.
“Who is coming?”
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