“I would like to know the list of attendees.”
Leo III's insides seethed at Alfonso's question. Alfonso, you bastard, you'll come when I call you. Why are you judging the participants on your own topic?
The old King held back the roar that was rising to the top of his lungs.
Endure, endure. This is all the sin of having children. Parents must overcome this inner agony and be endlessly loving. Life is truly hard.
Leo III took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
“You, me, your brother, Rubina, who is who? And we are planning to invite a foreign guest, Princess Julia Helena.”
“...It’s a family gathering, but you invited only me.”
“Is that all there is to our family?”
This event was basically a couple's event. Leo III's partner, Rubina, and Cesare's prospective partner, Julia Helena, were present. It was a transparent trick to exclude Alfonso's partner, Ariadne, and set the number of participants to an odd number.
It was only natural that Prince Alfonso would respond in this way.
“I won’t go unless you invite my wife as well.”
"What?"
Leo III finally let out the shout he had been holding back.
“You! Are you asking me to admit to what you did without my permission?”
But Alfonso gave the King no room for argument.
“I’ll pretend I wasn’t invited.”
The Prince stood up. He truly felt that his father had no right to say such things to him.
Moreover, the young Prince was also vaguely aware of the hostility his father bore toward him. This probably originated from his inferiority complex as a man, and the root of this inferiority complex was probably lust.
Either way, Alfonso could not tolerate Leo III's stubborn refusal to recognize Ariadne.
“The four of you enjoy your meal together.”
“Hey, hey, you unfilial son of a bitch...!”
As the son began to doubt his father, the word “unfilial” simply disappeared into thin air. The Prince left the old King behind and walked away, and the King had no means of forcing his son to sit down.
Leo III, who had something he really wanted to say to Alfonso, ended up having to grab the back of his neck and add one more name to the invitation.
"- Countess Ariadne de Mare."
However, Leo III was reluctant to acknowledge Ariadne as a member of his family, even though he had a twisted wrist and had to send an invitation.
“I heard your sister is coming that day too.”
Leo III spoke with a mocking magnanimity, his beard hiding a coarse smile. He calculated that including Isabella would somewhat blur the identity of the family reunion.
'You could say it's a dinner party for the de Carlo family and the de Mare family. Or maybe you could say it's a celebration of the Cardinal's retirement.'
Although the Cardinal himself wasn't invited, he didn't think much about it.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a friendly get-together with sisters after such a long time? You haven’t had the chance to see each other for a long time since you’ve been living apart.”
Isabella blinked at those words and thought back to Leo III's remark.
'The nuance is a bit strange.'
Isabella's residence was now the royal palace. And if all goes according to the Prince's plan, Ariadne will soon move into Palagio Carlo as well. In this situation, the two of them are supposed to meet and have a love affair.
'Isn't this a story about getting to know Ariadne before she moves in?'
Isabella quickly rolled her head, and soon the corners of her mouth went up.
'Your Majesty has no intention of allowing Ariadne to enter the palace.'
But she couldn't let Leo III see her with that kind of expression. Isabella relaxed her eyebrows, met the King's eyes, and smiled faintly.
“Oh my! This would be so good!”
A voice full of joy, a throat quivering with delight. Isabella was becoming a master of fine muscle control.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Ari, isn’t it? Your Majesty, I’m so grateful for your kind consideration!”
Isabella rubbed her head against Leo III's shin, like a delighted little puppy.
“Heh heh heh, heh heh heh heh!”
Isabella asked thinly amidst the King's hearty laughter.
“By the way, who exactly is coming?”
This was an important question, for Isabella had so many difficult opponents.
Leo III answered without thinking.
“With Rubina, whom you serve.”
Snap. But the one who doesn't show it is a first-class government aspirant.
“Cesare, Alfonso, Princess Julia Helena, and your sister, the Countess de Mare.”
“Ah...”
The moment they met, Cesare, a man who made her stomach growl and her fingertips curl up, and the young girl Julia Helena, who was chasing after him. And then there was the Prince who was somehow rough around the edges and the younger sister who hated her as if she would kill her, but at the same time was much more successful than her. Among these, the only person Isabella felt comfortable with was Duchess Rubina, who was stupid and easy to manipulate, aside from Leo III.
But Isabella could not yet afford to turn down such a position. Any position that would allow her to be close to Leo III would be a no-brainer.
'Metrescente.'
The official government of the King. There is no word in Etruscan to describe this position, so it is called by a new word imported from Gallico. In fact, there is no one in the kingdom of Gallico who is active. There are only rumors that the pale, bachelor King hates everyone, regardless of whether they are men or women.
The Metrescente, on the contrary, was ambiguous only in the Etruscan kingdom, because there was a woman who held the positions of both 'the King's mistress' and 'the King's sister-in-law'.
'A concurrent job? That's not even funny. That position is mine.'
Being an official member of the King's government meant not only a salary, but also a place of her own in the palace and a role to play at court. What Isabella wanted most, aside from the salary, was a permanent role at court.
'You have to crawl up there first.'
Now, none of the noblewomen of San Carlo would befriend Isabella. They would only give her cold looks. Occasionally, they would be approached with curiosity. But Isabella, of all people, was able to detect the cheap kindness of a human being who approached her to take advantage of her.
'I just need to have a role that I can do regularly. The people I have to work with won't be able to ignore me.'
The King's official mistress served as a flower to lighten the mood when the King met with distinguished foreign guests or spent time playing cards with courtiers.
Although the Queen had less to do with ruling the palace and providing relief to the people, she had a definite domain of her own.
Moreover, once in government, the risk of being ousted by the King's whim was much lower. To remove a government, formal dismissal procedures had to be followed, so there was no need to worry about being permanently abandoned for one evening of fighting over a misguided favor.
'I will never be abandoned again.'
Isabella made up her mind and smiled brightly like a spring flower, contrary to her feelings.
“It will be so much fun. I can’t wait, Your Majesty.”
It was the kind of thing only a fool who didn't know how to live in the world would do, like saying thank you for inviting me or lowering himself.
Isabella wanted to go there because it was interesting, but she couldn't be put in a group of people she couldn't fit in with. And it did look interesting. It wasn't easy.
'I will go only believing in Your Majesty.'
“His Highness Alfonso de Carlo, Prince of the Etruscan Kingdom, enters!”
Hot, hot, hot!
Apparently, it was a simple family gathering, but the court officials were dressed in formal attire and played fanfares, which were usually reserved for large balls.
Alfonso, holding Ariadne's hand while sounding a fanfare, entered the small, empty restaurant and looked around.
“...His Majesty hasn’t arrived yet?”
In small, informal gatherings, the King would enter first. Other royals and courtiers would follow in order of rank. In grand events such as balls, inaugurations, and triumphs, the lower ranks would gather first, and the King would appear last, with fanfare.
“Yes, that’s right.”
When Ariadne entered the palace, she spoke politely to Alfonso in all places where she could be seen, including to the servants. Alfonso looked at Ariadne with a puzzled look. However, before the Prince could ask questions, the next guest's entrance was announced.
“The Princess of Manchike, Julia Helena Palaiologina Sinadena, is coming in!”
Hot, hot, hot!
The nine-beat fanfare of foreign royalty, longer than the seven-beat of the Prince, rang out. Ariadne looked around at the courtiers, feeling very bad. Even the easygoing Alfonso slightly frowned.
Even if they were guests from overseas, it was absurd for a Princess of the Manchike kingdom to repeatedly take precedence over a Prince of the Etruscan kingdom.
Alfonso glanced meaningfully at Ariadne, and she nodded slightly in agreement. It was unlikely that this was the court official's arbitrary decision.
Entering the restaurant, Julia Helena smiled brightly and bowed to Alfonso. Alfonso also greeted the Princess with a stern expression.
Duke Cesare was kneeling beside Princess Julia Helena. He was escorting her, his face as pale as a dying man.
Right behind him came Leo III, next to him was Duchess Rubina, and Isabella followed closely behind Rubina.
Alfonso and Ariadne were forced to bow to the entire new party, as Leo III did not stand in a line with his party but rather in a radial line. They were greeted by Princess Julia Helena, Duke Cesare, and the couple and Countess Contarini.
This was a gathering that was made up of the order of the grand ceremony and the etiquette of the small ceremony, purely to humiliate Alfonso. Ariadne gave a light laugh at this 'family' gathering. Villains really have no creativity. They all do the same thing.
But the fact that it continued to repeat the same thing over and over again, across time and eras, was also proof that it was effective. Ariadne could clearly feel her nerves being prickled.
“Oh my, Ari! How have you been? It’s been so long!”
Isabella, who was at the very end of the line, raised one hand with a bright smile. She had intended to call her 'Aria', but at the last minute she got a little scared and ended up calling her 'Ari', but it was still ridiculous.
Julia Helena's eyes widened at the sudden insubordination, the Duchess's maid suddenly speaking to the future Princess, and she turned to Cesare beside her. Her eyes seemed to want an explanation.
But Cesare, who had no intention of having a complicated conversation with Julia Helena, and had no idea what to say or how to explain it, just looked at the floor with a gloomy face.
But the strangest thing happened right after that. Countess Ariadne de Mare, Prince Alfonso's wife, ignored Countess Contarini's words. It was as if she had not heard a word.
Leo III's insides seethed at Alfonso's question. Alfonso, you bastard, you'll come when I call you. Why are you judging the participants on your own topic?
The old King held back the roar that was rising to the top of his lungs.
Endure, endure. This is all the sin of having children. Parents must overcome this inner agony and be endlessly loving. Life is truly hard.
Leo III took a deep breath and spoke slowly.
“You, me, your brother, Rubina, who is who? And we are planning to invite a foreign guest, Princess Julia Helena.”
“...It’s a family gathering, but you invited only me.”
“Is that all there is to our family?”
This event was basically a couple's event. Leo III's partner, Rubina, and Cesare's prospective partner, Julia Helena, were present. It was a transparent trick to exclude Alfonso's partner, Ariadne, and set the number of participants to an odd number.
It was only natural that Prince Alfonso would respond in this way.
“I won’t go unless you invite my wife as well.”
"What?"
Leo III finally let out the shout he had been holding back.
“You! Are you asking me to admit to what you did without my permission?”
But Alfonso gave the King no room for argument.
“I’ll pretend I wasn’t invited.”
The Prince stood up. He truly felt that his father had no right to say such things to him.
Moreover, the young Prince was also vaguely aware of the hostility his father bore toward him. This probably originated from his inferiority complex as a man, and the root of this inferiority complex was probably lust.
Either way, Alfonso could not tolerate Leo III's stubborn refusal to recognize Ariadne.
“The four of you enjoy your meal together.”
“Hey, hey, you unfilial son of a bitch...!”
As the son began to doubt his father, the word “unfilial” simply disappeared into thin air. The Prince left the old King behind and walked away, and the King had no means of forcing his son to sit down.
Leo III, who had something he really wanted to say to Alfonso, ended up having to grab the back of his neck and add one more name to the invitation.
"- Countess Ariadne de Mare."
***
However, Leo III was reluctant to acknowledge Ariadne as a member of his family, even though he had a twisted wrist and had to send an invitation.
“I heard your sister is coming that day too.”
Leo III spoke with a mocking magnanimity, his beard hiding a coarse smile. He calculated that including Isabella would somewhat blur the identity of the family reunion.
'You could say it's a dinner party for the de Carlo family and the de Mare family. Or maybe you could say it's a celebration of the Cardinal's retirement.'
Although the Cardinal himself wasn't invited, he didn't think much about it.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a friendly get-together with sisters after such a long time? You haven’t had the chance to see each other for a long time since you’ve been living apart.”
Isabella blinked at those words and thought back to Leo III's remark.
'The nuance is a bit strange.'
Isabella's residence was now the royal palace. And if all goes according to the Prince's plan, Ariadne will soon move into Palagio Carlo as well. In this situation, the two of them are supposed to meet and have a love affair.
'Isn't this a story about getting to know Ariadne before she moves in?'
Isabella quickly rolled her head, and soon the corners of her mouth went up.
'Your Majesty has no intention of allowing Ariadne to enter the palace.'
But she couldn't let Leo III see her with that kind of expression. Isabella relaxed her eyebrows, met the King's eyes, and smiled faintly.
“Oh my! This would be so good!”
A voice full of joy, a throat quivering with delight. Isabella was becoming a master of fine muscle control.
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen Ari, isn’t it? Your Majesty, I’m so grateful for your kind consideration!”
Isabella rubbed her head against Leo III's shin, like a delighted little puppy.
“Heh heh heh, heh heh heh heh!”
Isabella asked thinly amidst the King's hearty laughter.
“By the way, who exactly is coming?”
This was an important question, for Isabella had so many difficult opponents.
Leo III answered without thinking.
“With Rubina, whom you serve.”
Snap. But the one who doesn't show it is a first-class government aspirant.
“Cesare, Alfonso, Princess Julia Helena, and your sister, the Countess de Mare.”
“Ah...”
The moment they met, Cesare, a man who made her stomach growl and her fingertips curl up, and the young girl Julia Helena, who was chasing after him. And then there was the Prince who was somehow rough around the edges and the younger sister who hated her as if she would kill her, but at the same time was much more successful than her. Among these, the only person Isabella felt comfortable with was Duchess Rubina, who was stupid and easy to manipulate, aside from Leo III.
But Isabella could not yet afford to turn down such a position. Any position that would allow her to be close to Leo III would be a no-brainer.
'Metrescente.'
The official government of the King. There is no word in Etruscan to describe this position, so it is called by a new word imported from Gallico. In fact, there is no one in the kingdom of Gallico who is active. There are only rumors that the pale, bachelor King hates everyone, regardless of whether they are men or women.
The Metrescente, on the contrary, was ambiguous only in the Etruscan kingdom, because there was a woman who held the positions of both 'the King's mistress' and 'the King's sister-in-law'.
'A concurrent job? That's not even funny. That position is mine.'
Being an official member of the King's government meant not only a salary, but also a place of her own in the palace and a role to play at court. What Isabella wanted most, aside from the salary, was a permanent role at court.
'You have to crawl up there first.'
Now, none of the noblewomen of San Carlo would befriend Isabella. They would only give her cold looks. Occasionally, they would be approached with curiosity. But Isabella, of all people, was able to detect the cheap kindness of a human being who approached her to take advantage of her.
'I just need to have a role that I can do regularly. The people I have to work with won't be able to ignore me.'
The King's official mistress served as a flower to lighten the mood when the King met with distinguished foreign guests or spent time playing cards with courtiers.
Although the Queen had less to do with ruling the palace and providing relief to the people, she had a definite domain of her own.
Moreover, once in government, the risk of being ousted by the King's whim was much lower. To remove a government, formal dismissal procedures had to be followed, so there was no need to worry about being permanently abandoned for one evening of fighting over a misguided favor.
'I will never be abandoned again.'
Isabella made up her mind and smiled brightly like a spring flower, contrary to her feelings.
“It will be so much fun. I can’t wait, Your Majesty.”
It was the kind of thing only a fool who didn't know how to live in the world would do, like saying thank you for inviting me or lowering himself.
Isabella wanted to go there because it was interesting, but she couldn't be put in a group of people she couldn't fit in with. And it did look interesting. It wasn't easy.
'I will go only believing in Your Majesty.'
***
“His Highness Alfonso de Carlo, Prince of the Etruscan Kingdom, enters!”
Hot, hot, hot!
Apparently, it was a simple family gathering, but the court officials were dressed in formal attire and played fanfares, which were usually reserved for large balls.
Alfonso, holding Ariadne's hand while sounding a fanfare, entered the small, empty restaurant and looked around.
“...His Majesty hasn’t arrived yet?”
In small, informal gatherings, the King would enter first. Other royals and courtiers would follow in order of rank. In grand events such as balls, inaugurations, and triumphs, the lower ranks would gather first, and the King would appear last, with fanfare.
“Yes, that’s right.”
When Ariadne entered the palace, she spoke politely to Alfonso in all places where she could be seen, including to the servants. Alfonso looked at Ariadne with a puzzled look. However, before the Prince could ask questions, the next guest's entrance was announced.
“The Princess of Manchike, Julia Helena Palaiologina Sinadena, is coming in!”
Hot, hot, hot!
The nine-beat fanfare of foreign royalty, longer than the seven-beat of the Prince, rang out. Ariadne looked around at the courtiers, feeling very bad. Even the easygoing Alfonso slightly frowned.
Even if they were guests from overseas, it was absurd for a Princess of the Manchike kingdom to repeatedly take precedence over a Prince of the Etruscan kingdom.
Alfonso glanced meaningfully at Ariadne, and she nodded slightly in agreement. It was unlikely that this was the court official's arbitrary decision.
Entering the restaurant, Julia Helena smiled brightly and bowed to Alfonso. Alfonso also greeted the Princess with a stern expression.
Duke Cesare was kneeling beside Princess Julia Helena. He was escorting her, his face as pale as a dying man.
Right behind him came Leo III, next to him was Duchess Rubina, and Isabella followed closely behind Rubina.
Alfonso and Ariadne were forced to bow to the entire new party, as Leo III did not stand in a line with his party but rather in a radial line. They were greeted by Princess Julia Helena, Duke Cesare, and the couple and Countess Contarini.
This was a gathering that was made up of the order of the grand ceremony and the etiquette of the small ceremony, purely to humiliate Alfonso. Ariadne gave a light laugh at this 'family' gathering. Villains really have no creativity. They all do the same thing.
But the fact that it continued to repeat the same thing over and over again, across time and eras, was also proof that it was effective. Ariadne could clearly feel her nerves being prickled.
“Oh my, Ari! How have you been? It’s been so long!”
Isabella, who was at the very end of the line, raised one hand with a bright smile. She had intended to call her 'Aria', but at the last minute she got a little scared and ended up calling her 'Ari', but it was still ridiculous.
Julia Helena's eyes widened at the sudden insubordination, the Duchess's maid suddenly speaking to the future Princess, and she turned to Cesare beside her. Her eyes seemed to want an explanation.
But Cesare, who had no intention of having a complicated conversation with Julia Helena, and had no idea what to say or how to explain it, just looked at the floor with a gloomy face.
But the strangest thing happened right after that. Countess Ariadne de Mare, Prince Alfonso's wife, ignored Countess Contarini's words. It was as if she had not heard a word.
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