It was true that Countess de Mare had ignored Countess Contarini's words. They might not be on good terms. But Julia Helena clearly saw Leo III's expression distort.
'Why is the King angry that the Duchess's maid was ignored?'
If the Princess had been a lady who had experienced all the ups and downs of the court, she would have realized right away that something was going on between the King and the Countess, the Duchess's maid.
However, Julia Helena, who had only experienced the childish court life in the Manchike, was not yet accustomed to living in a place as stale as San Carlo.
'Isn't Countess Contarini attracted to Duke Cesare? Why is the King taking sides?'
At the tea party just a few days ago, Julia Helena's first impression of Isabella was firmly established: that she was a rival in the love of Cesare.
'It's common for a mother's maid to have something to do with her son. That Countess must have taken out her anger on me when she tried to cling to the Duke and failed.'
It was a reasonable inference, and although the path taken was a bit wrong, the conclusion reached was generally correct.
What Julia Helena could not have imagined was that the woman was also after the Duke's father, the King. The fact that the Duke's father, the King, was aware of all this and was playing along with it was another new horizon.
The Princess's thoughts, which were about to continue, were cut off the very next moment when Prince Alfonso smoothly spoke to Duke Cesare, who was next to her.
“Duke. Thank you for coming such a long way.”
“Oh, no.”
Cesare, whose name was suddenly called, tilted his head to the side and bowed. Julia Helena thought she was crazy because she could only see the sharp tip of his nose, which should have clearly looked like a molehill.
“Come here. Your legs must hurt.”
Alfonso also noticed Leo III's discomfort towards Ariadne. He naturally gave orders to his half-brother, Duke Cesare.
Here, the easiest one for Alfonso was, of course, Cesare. The Prince naturally led the party to the table as if he were the owner of the place. The table, of all places, was round. Leo III had carefully planned this so that Alfonso would not be seated higher than Cesare.
But authority was not given; it was something you made. Alfonso chose the innermost chair and smiled at Cesare, who had a sour expression on his face.
“Have a seat.”
Duke Cesare looked at Prince Alfonso. It was a silent protest as to who the hell he was to act like this.
Alfonso took two steps forward and placed his hand on Cesare's shoulder. Prince Alfonso's thick hand, as thick as a horse's saddle, rested on the slender Duke Cesare's shoulder.
At each word, a thick, callused hand gripped Cesare's shoulder and pushed him down. Unable to resist Alfonso's momentum, Cesare grabbed the back of the nearest chair. It was the chair closest to the door.
'Hey, that idiot!'
Rubina bit her lip as she watched her son's squealing. She glanced around to find reinforcements. But to her chagrin, Leo III seemed to have no intention of interfering in this.
'I've heard of that Contarini woman's surname, but I've never heard of my son's surname!'
Despite Rubina's seething anger, Cesare eventually pulled out a chair and offered it to Princess Julia Helena. Princess Julia Helena accepted the Duke's escort and was the first to sit at the round table.
'Cesare, you idiot! Even if I set the table for you, you won't eat!'
The Duchess wanted to scold the Prince with some excuse, like asking him why he was showing Cesare to his seat or that the chair inside was His Majesty's and not his, but she was too burdened by Princess Julia Helena, who was rolling her eyes. The Princess was just looking around, not knowing what was going on.
'Hold on, hold on.'
The delicious prey had not yet been put into the sack. She could not show her true colors until she had signed the marriage contract. It was a secret that this corner of the house was five minutes away from being a mess, that her son was a fool and an idiot.
Rubina bit her lip as she urged Julia Helena.
“Have a seat, Princess. The Etruscans have many delicacies!”
Rubina was referring to the early winter seasonal food of San Carlo, but if the word gourmet means 'something you can't find anywhere else', then there were many more great things here today.
A young mother who is after the old King's government seat. Incidentally, the old King is the father of the man who took her first night.
A brother who has been flirting with all kinds of women, but can't shake off his obsession with his younger sister's woman.
A father who still harbors a grudge against his son for being dumped by a woman.
By this time, a woman who broke off her engagement with the eldest brother, married the second son, and showed up at her in-laws' event was so ordinary that she wouldn't even stand out.
If something you can't find anywhere else is called a delicacy, then this was a delicacy among delicacies.
San Carlo's greatest culinary feast has begun.
As everyone sat around the table, Rubina smiled and invited everyone as if she were the mistress of the palace.
“There’s nothing to eat, but please eat a lot.”
Contrary to Rubina's modesty, the servants began to bring out the food, which was also a spectacle.
“This is grilled mackerel that can only be eaten in early winter. It’s lightly fried in sunflower seed oil with white truffle sprinkled on top.”
The skin of the white fish placed on each plate was thinly sliced and decorated with spices, making it look like lace. Julia Helena said with wide eyes.
“It looks more like a work of art than a fish!”
“The Etruscan kingdom has been a country that has revered beauty and art since ancient times.”
Leo III cast a sidelong glance at Isabella, solemnly saying, “Beautiful.” Isabella smiled shyly, wrinkling her nose, forgetting her sorrow at being ignored by Ariadne.
“I hope that you, too, will get used to it and enjoy it, since you will be staying here from now on.”
Just as Julia Helena was pondering whether she would really live here, and if so, what kind of status she would have in the Etruscan kingdom, Rubina caught Leo III and Isabella's glances, and her eyes lit up.
'This bitch!'
Leo III, who may or may not have seen Rubina's anger, went a step further.
“If you have any questions, ask Isabella here. She’s your age, so she can help you out.”
Isabella also responded to the King's words. She once again wrinkled her nose and smiled brightly at Julia Helena.
An earthquake occurred in Julia Helena's pupils. When they had last met at the tea party, Countess Contarini had never smiled so sweetly at her.
Rubina, who was watching this, couldn't stand it anymore and blurted out.
“de Mare’s daughter. She is very close to Cesare, right?”
Rubina's gaze fell on Isabella. Isabella's expression hardened upon hearing those words, and Leo III's beard twitched for a moment.
They know each other very well. Even deep inside the skirt.
The above words were never uttered by Duchess Rubina, but they rang out in Leo III's mind like a bell in a tower announcing noon.
But Duchess Rubina smiled naturally.
'I said something I couldn't say. It's true, right?'
She thought about it later after saying it out loud, but there was so much room for it to escape.
Cesare and Isabella had known each other since childhood. Of course, they knew each other well. In addition, two daughters of de Mare were related to Cesare. If Leo III were to get angry and ask what kind of rude remark she had made to Isabella, Rubina would have argued that the problem was the lecherous devil in His Majesty's head, that she was referring to the fact that Ariadne de Mare had been engaged to Cesare, and that Princess Julia Helena had the right to know that much.
Of course, Countess de Mare's hair was grabbed, but that was no problem. Rubina had no intention of looking good for Ariadne de Mare. Leo III did not respect the Prince's woman. Ariadne, who sensed Rubina's intentions, also bit her lip.
On the other hand, Cesare's heart sank.
'What the heck...'
His mother was always like this. She told him she loved him, made him never doubt her love, and then hit him on the back of the head when he least expected it.
If this 'daughter of de Mare' is about Isabella, then his mother sold her son to the King, and if it is about Ariadne, then it ruined her son's engagement to Julia Helena.
'What on earth do you want from me?'
He was confused, telling him to marry and driving him out with her own hands. However, one thing was certain: today, he had once again confirmed that his own mother had no interest in his well-being.
Besides, it was hard to bear Isabella sitting in this seat. Isabella was like a symbol of his past wrongdoings. And in the end, it was all his own doing, but the trigger was Isabella's trickery.
“When Prince Alfonso returns, you will be abandoned... You can’t handle it alone, right?”
The serpentine whisper. The devilishly sweet smell. The hand that touched him. His salvation, Ariadne, who had left forever.
If only he could just stone that woman, and it would all be over. Cesare bowed his head.
Cesare, who would normally have gotten away with something like, “I’m friends with a lot of people,” kept his mouth shut and said nothing.
'What are you talking about, Rubina? De Mare's daughter?'
Although they were evaluations of the same person, Cesare's and Leo III's were different. Leo III had trust in Rubina.
It wasn't that he believed it was humane, but that he believed Rubina wouldn't intentionally offend him. Leo III, who didn't think Rubina would really offend him like that, hesitated for a moment, but he thought it was Ariadne's story.
The King looked towards Countess de Mare. It seemed as if the King was asking with his eyes.
'Were you very close?'
Alfonso was watching, and he got entangled with Cesare. Ariadne just blinked at the sudden spark. Just as Ariadne was about to open her mouth to say something, Alfonso’s low voice broke the silence.
“The laws of the royal road are strict.”
The Prince glared at Leo III, Rubina, Cesare, and Isabella one after another with a look of disgust on his face.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get to know you very well.”
Julia Helena, who knew nothing about Cesare's broken engagement or Cesare's scandal, could not understand what was going on and just looked around at both sides.
'What? I asked 'de Mare's daughter.' Why is the Prince answering?'
Julia Helena momentarily lost track of Rubina when she said she was 'de Mare's daughter.'
She thought it was similar to Ariadne's story, but everyone was looking at Isabella while talking about 'de Mare's daughter'.
But then suddenly the tables turned in Ariadne's favor. Julia Helena became even more at a loss.
She ended up asking Cesare, who was sitting next to her, by tapping him.
“Duke, who is His Highness talking about now?”
Julia Helena was curious about everything about Cesare.
“Who were you close with? Just one person? Both of them? Which one were you closer with?”
'Why is the King angry that the Duchess's maid was ignored?'
If the Princess had been a lady who had experienced all the ups and downs of the court, she would have realized right away that something was going on between the King and the Countess, the Duchess's maid.
However, Julia Helena, who had only experienced the childish court life in the Manchike, was not yet accustomed to living in a place as stale as San Carlo.
'Isn't Countess Contarini attracted to Duke Cesare? Why is the King taking sides?'
At the tea party just a few days ago, Julia Helena's first impression of Isabella was firmly established: that she was a rival in the love of Cesare.
'It's common for a mother's maid to have something to do with her son. That Countess must have taken out her anger on me when she tried to cling to the Duke and failed.'
It was a reasonable inference, and although the path taken was a bit wrong, the conclusion reached was generally correct.
What Julia Helena could not have imagined was that the woman was also after the Duke's father, the King. The fact that the Duke's father, the King, was aware of all this and was playing along with it was another new horizon.
The Princess's thoughts, which were about to continue, were cut off the very next moment when Prince Alfonso smoothly spoke to Duke Cesare, who was next to her.
“Duke. Thank you for coming such a long way.”
“Oh, no.”
Cesare, whose name was suddenly called, tilted his head to the side and bowed. Julia Helena thought she was crazy because she could only see the sharp tip of his nose, which should have clearly looked like a molehill.
“Come here. Your legs must hurt.”
Alfonso also noticed Leo III's discomfort towards Ariadne. He naturally gave orders to his half-brother, Duke Cesare.
Here, the easiest one for Alfonso was, of course, Cesare. The Prince naturally led the party to the table as if he were the owner of the place. The table, of all places, was round. Leo III had carefully planned this so that Alfonso would not be seated higher than Cesare.
But authority was not given; it was something you made. Alfonso chose the innermost chair and smiled at Cesare, who had a sour expression on his face.
“Have a seat.”
Duke Cesare looked at Prince Alfonso. It was a silent protest as to who the hell he was to act like this.
Alfonso took two steps forward and placed his hand on Cesare's shoulder. Prince Alfonso's thick hand, as thick as a horse's saddle, rested on the slender Duke Cesare's shoulder.
At each word, a thick, callused hand gripped Cesare's shoulder and pushed him down. Unable to resist Alfonso's momentum, Cesare grabbed the back of the nearest chair. It was the chair closest to the door.
'Hey, that idiot!'
Rubina bit her lip as she watched her son's squealing. She glanced around to find reinforcements. But to her chagrin, Leo III seemed to have no intention of interfering in this.
'I've heard of that Contarini woman's surname, but I've never heard of my son's surname!'
Despite Rubina's seething anger, Cesare eventually pulled out a chair and offered it to Princess Julia Helena. Princess Julia Helena accepted the Duke's escort and was the first to sit at the round table.
'Cesare, you idiot! Even if I set the table for you, you won't eat!'
The Duchess wanted to scold the Prince with some excuse, like asking him why he was showing Cesare to his seat or that the chair inside was His Majesty's and not his, but she was too burdened by Princess Julia Helena, who was rolling her eyes. The Princess was just looking around, not knowing what was going on.
'Hold on, hold on.'
The delicious prey had not yet been put into the sack. She could not show her true colors until she had signed the marriage contract. It was a secret that this corner of the house was five minutes away from being a mess, that her son was a fool and an idiot.
Rubina bit her lip as she urged Julia Helena.
“Have a seat, Princess. The Etruscans have many delicacies!”
Rubina was referring to the early winter seasonal food of San Carlo, but if the word gourmet means 'something you can't find anywhere else', then there were many more great things here today.
A young mother who is after the old King's government seat. Incidentally, the old King is the father of the man who took her first night.
A brother who has been flirting with all kinds of women, but can't shake off his obsession with his younger sister's woman.
A father who still harbors a grudge against his son for being dumped by a woman.
By this time, a woman who broke off her engagement with the eldest brother, married the second son, and showed up at her in-laws' event was so ordinary that she wouldn't even stand out.
If something you can't find anywhere else is called a delicacy, then this was a delicacy among delicacies.
San Carlo's greatest culinary feast has begun.
***
As everyone sat around the table, Rubina smiled and invited everyone as if she were the mistress of the palace.
“There’s nothing to eat, but please eat a lot.”
Contrary to Rubina's modesty, the servants began to bring out the food, which was also a spectacle.
“This is grilled mackerel that can only be eaten in early winter. It’s lightly fried in sunflower seed oil with white truffle sprinkled on top.”
The skin of the white fish placed on each plate was thinly sliced and decorated with spices, making it look like lace. Julia Helena said with wide eyes.
“It looks more like a work of art than a fish!”
“The Etruscan kingdom has been a country that has revered beauty and art since ancient times.”
Leo III cast a sidelong glance at Isabella, solemnly saying, “Beautiful.” Isabella smiled shyly, wrinkling her nose, forgetting her sorrow at being ignored by Ariadne.
“I hope that you, too, will get used to it and enjoy it, since you will be staying here from now on.”
Just as Julia Helena was pondering whether she would really live here, and if so, what kind of status she would have in the Etruscan kingdom, Rubina caught Leo III and Isabella's glances, and her eyes lit up.
'This bitch!'
Leo III, who may or may not have seen Rubina's anger, went a step further.
“If you have any questions, ask Isabella here. She’s your age, so she can help you out.”
Isabella also responded to the King's words. She once again wrinkled her nose and smiled brightly at Julia Helena.
An earthquake occurred in Julia Helena's pupils. When they had last met at the tea party, Countess Contarini had never smiled so sweetly at her.
Rubina, who was watching this, couldn't stand it anymore and blurted out.
“de Mare’s daughter. She is very close to Cesare, right?”
Rubina's gaze fell on Isabella. Isabella's expression hardened upon hearing those words, and Leo III's beard twitched for a moment.
They know each other very well. Even deep inside the skirt.
The above words were never uttered by Duchess Rubina, but they rang out in Leo III's mind like a bell in a tower announcing noon.
But Duchess Rubina smiled naturally.
'I said something I couldn't say. It's true, right?'
She thought about it later after saying it out loud, but there was so much room for it to escape.
Cesare and Isabella had known each other since childhood. Of course, they knew each other well. In addition, two daughters of de Mare were related to Cesare. If Leo III were to get angry and ask what kind of rude remark she had made to Isabella, Rubina would have argued that the problem was the lecherous devil in His Majesty's head, that she was referring to the fact that Ariadne de Mare had been engaged to Cesare, and that Princess Julia Helena had the right to know that much.
Of course, Countess de Mare's hair was grabbed, but that was no problem. Rubina had no intention of looking good for Ariadne de Mare. Leo III did not respect the Prince's woman. Ariadne, who sensed Rubina's intentions, also bit her lip.
On the other hand, Cesare's heart sank.
'What the heck...'
His mother was always like this. She told him she loved him, made him never doubt her love, and then hit him on the back of the head when he least expected it.
If this 'daughter of de Mare' is about Isabella, then his mother sold her son to the King, and if it is about Ariadne, then it ruined her son's engagement to Julia Helena.
'What on earth do you want from me?'
He was confused, telling him to marry and driving him out with her own hands. However, one thing was certain: today, he had once again confirmed that his own mother had no interest in his well-being.
Besides, it was hard to bear Isabella sitting in this seat. Isabella was like a symbol of his past wrongdoings. And in the end, it was all his own doing, but the trigger was Isabella's trickery.
“When Prince Alfonso returns, you will be abandoned... You can’t handle it alone, right?”
The serpentine whisper. The devilishly sweet smell. The hand that touched him. His salvation, Ariadne, who had left forever.
If only he could just stone that woman, and it would all be over. Cesare bowed his head.
Cesare, who would normally have gotten away with something like, “I’m friends with a lot of people,” kept his mouth shut and said nothing.
'What are you talking about, Rubina? De Mare's daughter?'
Although they were evaluations of the same person, Cesare's and Leo III's were different. Leo III had trust in Rubina.
It wasn't that he believed it was humane, but that he believed Rubina wouldn't intentionally offend him. Leo III, who didn't think Rubina would really offend him like that, hesitated for a moment, but he thought it was Ariadne's story.
The King looked towards Countess de Mare. It seemed as if the King was asking with his eyes.
'Were you very close?'
Alfonso was watching, and he got entangled with Cesare. Ariadne just blinked at the sudden spark. Just as Ariadne was about to open her mouth to say something, Alfonso’s low voice broke the silence.
“The laws of the royal road are strict.”
The Prince glared at Leo III, Rubina, Cesare, and Isabella one after another with a look of disgust on his face.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get to know you very well.”
Julia Helena, who knew nothing about Cesare's broken engagement or Cesare's scandal, could not understand what was going on and just looked around at both sides.
'What? I asked 'de Mare's daughter.' Why is the Prince answering?'
Julia Helena momentarily lost track of Rubina when she said she was 'de Mare's daughter.'
She thought it was similar to Ariadne's story, but everyone was looking at Isabella while talking about 'de Mare's daughter'.
But then suddenly the tables turned in Ariadne's favor. Julia Helena became even more at a loss.
She ended up asking Cesare, who was sitting next to her, by tapping him.
“Duke, who is His Highness talking about now?”
Julia Helena was curious about everything about Cesare.
“Who were you close with? Just one person? Both of them? Which one were you closer with?”
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