Episode 128. The Guest's Real Interest (3)
I couldn't refute the interpreter's words and looked at the Princess. Then she nodded, pretending not to be able to resist.
I took him to the Princess's palace first. If there were a route from the garden to the palace forest, and then to the outdoors, there wouldn't be a big problem.
"Next time, I'll ask Madame Kydel. What is the best outcome you and your husband are trying to create?"
The reason he insisted on asking me for guidance was obvious. He wanted to get an answer to that question. It was basically telling me to prepare the answer.
I decided not to avoid it. I decided to speak in Smilean, hoping that even a passing palace servant would hear.
"Are you asking me to guide you through the palace to demand an answer?"
"Exactly."
"Before I answer your question, I need to confirm something first. Lord Ryuel."
"Speak, Lady Kydel."
"Is it the Princess you are really curious about, or the heir to the empire?"
He stopped walking and stared at me. His size felt threatening once again. The interpreter’s eyes also turned cold and sank.
But I spoke firmly.
"If you have come to woo the Princess, then you should bring a handwritten letter from Prince Peylan. The Princess will open her heart more easily once she sees it. Otherwise, I cannot help you."
"Why did you think that? That my motives might be different."
"Your interest in my husband is enough to make that guess, Lord Ryuel."
Then he laughed cheerfully.
"I think I misunderstood you, Lady Kydel."
Even as he stared at me intently, he was smiling.
"I am not interested in your husband, but in you. What I have been watching for the past few days is not the Princess, but in you."
“...”
I couldn’t understand what I just heard.
‘What is that crazy guy in the ocean saying?’
He came in front of me and thrust his face into mine. His reddish brown eyes were clearly visible.
“I see that you’re only thinking about running away, so wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere with good treatment?”
What was he talking about?
I felt like all the hairs on my body were standing on end. However, Ryuel continued to speak leisurely, as if he was enjoying my reaction.
“It would be better if you were with someone you wanted to protect.”
“Did you speak Imperial language just now?”
“Bring Princess Milliora and come to Smilean. There are many Imperials like you in the Smilean palace, so you won’t be lonely at all. Don’t worry, there won’t be any swindlers there who will reject you as an illegitimate child.”
I couldn't refute the interpreter's words and looked at the Princess. Then she nodded, pretending not to be able to resist.
I took him to the Princess's palace first. If there were a route from the garden to the palace forest, and then to the outdoors, there wouldn't be a big problem.
"Next time, I'll ask Madame Kydel. What is the best outcome you and your husband are trying to create?"
The reason he insisted on asking me for guidance was obvious. He wanted to get an answer to that question. It was basically telling me to prepare the answer.
I decided not to avoid it. I decided to speak in Smilean, hoping that even a passing palace servant would hear.
"Are you asking me to guide you through the palace to demand an answer?"
"Exactly."
"Before I answer your question, I need to confirm something first. Lord Ryuel."
"Speak, Lady Kydel."
"Is it the Princess you are really curious about, or the heir to the empire?"
He stopped walking and stared at me. His size felt threatening once again. The interpreter’s eyes also turned cold and sank.
But I spoke firmly.
"If you have come to woo the Princess, then you should bring a handwritten letter from Prince Peylan. The Princess will open her heart more easily once she sees it. Otherwise, I cannot help you."
"Why did you think that? That my motives might be different."
"Your interest in my husband is enough to make that guess, Lord Ryuel."
Then he laughed cheerfully.
"I think I misunderstood you, Lady Kydel."
Even as he stared at me intently, he was smiling.
"I am not interested in your husband, but in you. What I have been watching for the past few days is not the Princess, but in you."
“...”
I couldn’t understand what I just heard.
‘What is that crazy guy in the ocean saying?’
He came in front of me and thrust his face into mine. His reddish brown eyes were clearly visible.
“I see that you’re only thinking about running away, so wouldn’t it be better to go somewhere with good treatment?”
What was he talking about?
I felt like all the hairs on my body were standing on end. However, Ryuel continued to speak leisurely, as if he was enjoying my reaction.
“It would be better if you were with someone you wanted to protect.”
“Did you speak Imperial language just now?”
“Bring Princess Milliora and come to Smilean. There are many Imperials like you in the Smilean palace, so you won’t be lonely at all. Don’t worry, there won’t be any swindlers there who will reject you as an illegitimate child.”
My spine tingled as I thought the swindler he was talking about was His Highness Grayon.
He spoke confidently.
“In fact, since I chose you, you will be treated even more specially.”
Listening to his fluent speech, I couldn’t help but ask him if he had just spoken Imperial.
Even his Imperial was incomparably perfect compared to my Smilean, which occasionally had grammatical errors.
I mustered up all my strength to hide my confusion and glared at him, but he smiled cheerfully and said,
“Yes! I knew you would make this face. Miss Lorisha Loire.”
“Be careful with your title. How do you know what I’m thinking? If that’s the case, why do you have an interpreter?”
"We Smilean live by trading with the entire world. We are not isolated by the sea, but are connected to the entire world by the sea. We are too busy to brag about being the center of the world like the Empire."
He said, his voice lowering.
"You can’t even imagine the freedom you will gain in Smilean."
“...”
I shut my mouth tightly and took a deep breath. He spoke to me as if he was forcing his voice into me.
"Not only Smilean, but also Aghael, Goldran, and the surrounding countries are all watching this competition. We know you, Mrs. Kaidel. Don’t think you’re alone, even when your eyes are closed."
I never imagined that this was what it meant when they said there were no secrets in the world.
My voice trembled slightly, unable to hide my embarrassment.
"Yes. I’m not alone. Because when I close my eyes, my husband is by my side!"
"The respect and trust you showed for your husband was very touching. I admit it was unexpected. But was it because your father didn’t love your mother that you ended up like this?"
“Now, what...!”
"What are the chances that your child, whom you gave birth to, won’t be treated as an illegitimate child like you? You even find it difficult to say the name of your esteemed husband."
For a moment, my breath caught in my throat. The only emotion I could feel was humiliation.
"You know very well that there is nothing promised for your future in the Tagar Empire. However, I, Ryuel, will make a promise that will not be broken even if the three seas turn upside down."
“...!”
"So, let’s get on the ship. With Princess Miliora, or alone."
‘What on earth do you want from me?’
As I shouted, he whispered as if he was looking into my head.
"Do what you can for King Smilean. Whatever it is. Your freedom begins there."
He whispered in perfect Imperial language right next to my ear.
“This competition will definitely end with the victory of His Highness. This is information that I am sharing as a special gift to my future friend.”
Then he stepped away from me and bowed politely.
"Thank you for showing me around the palace. Lady Kydel."
He said that and left. He knew exactly which way to the guest house where he was staying.
As soon as I got back to Kydel, I was thrown into the pharmacy. Prince Kydel had come back late from the palace and was studying in his old bedroom that had now become a study room.
This was the extent of his privilege. He could commute to and from school from home instead of the academy dormitory under the pretext of marriage.
We were a fake couple who only shared a bed and didn’t even hold hands when we slept.
As each minute passed, I realized how pathetic I was and fell into deeper misery.
It was clear that Ryuel knew some information about the competition that I didn’t know, and I had to tell Prince Kydel what he had said right away.
But to tell him that, I had no choice but to tell him what Ryuel had suggested to me.
“Smilean.”
It was absurd from beginning to end. But his words pierced my heart like a dagger.
"What are the chances that your child, whom you gave birth to, won’t be treated as an illegitimate child like you? You even find it hard to say the name of your respected husband."
The issue of children wasn’t worth worrying about. Our common goal was divorce, so what...
But Ryuel's words spoke of a fundamental truth that I had not realized until now.
I was a person who could not help but pass on the same fate to my child. That I could never become the same as others, that I was just that much.
That could not be changed, no matter how much Prince Kydel respected and cherished me.
My only hope was that His Highness Grayon would ascend to the throne and ensure our smooth divorce, but Ryuel said that the next Emperor would be the Prince.
If that were the case, then the downfall of the man called Locard Kydel might begin with me.
Having lost the ally I could gain through a marriage alliance with a prestigious family, and having his honor as a lion cub trampled underfoot as people pointed at him for falling for a promiscuous, illegitimate girl.
I crouched down on the workbench and tried to hunch over.
Until now, when my birth and my suffering were my own, I fought without hesitation.
But it seemed that I could no longer do so. According to Ryuel, the fact that this was the concern of the entire continent made me feel so oppressed that I could hardly breathe.
For the first time in my life, I felt completely alone.
“Mother, I’m scared...”
I muttered with my eyes tightly shut when someone gently patted my back. It was Madame Olga.
“Little Madame, it’s late at night.”
I raised my head, my hair wet with tears, and wiped my face in embarrassment.
“I was just about to go to my room, Madame Olga.”
I pretended to go back to my room and quickly left the pharmacy. However, I thought I had to wait for my tears to dry, so I stood in the empty hallway. Guards were patrolling the yard.
I poked my head against the window. The coldness of the glass sent shivers down my body.
Then someone wrapped their arms around my shoulder.
“Your Excellency...!”
“Let’s go.”
Did he see my wet face, or not?
Did Madame Olga say something to him, or not?
I was exhausted from my distracting thoughts, so I followed his lead. As soon as I entered the room, I went into bed and turned over.
For some reason, he didn’t speak to me. He took off his outerwear, came into the bed, turned my body around, and lay down on the blanket, covering my body. He looked down at me as if he was crushing me. He was heavy.
“Hey, Your Excellency...”
“Say it. Lorisha.”
I was scared. I was already feeling small, but when such a great person suddenly spoke to me informally, I had no will to argue back.
When I turned my head to turn away from him, he used his hand to turn my chin so that I would look at him.
He spoke confidently.
“In fact, since I chose you, you will be treated even more specially.”
Listening to his fluent speech, I couldn’t help but ask him if he had just spoken Imperial.
Even his Imperial was incomparably perfect compared to my Smilean, which occasionally had grammatical errors.
I mustered up all my strength to hide my confusion and glared at him, but he smiled cheerfully and said,
“Yes! I knew you would make this face. Miss Lorisha Loire.”
“Be careful with your title. How do you know what I’m thinking? If that’s the case, why do you have an interpreter?”
"We Smilean live by trading with the entire world. We are not isolated by the sea, but are connected to the entire world by the sea. We are too busy to brag about being the center of the world like the Empire."
He said, his voice lowering.
"You can’t even imagine the freedom you will gain in Smilean."
“...”
I shut my mouth tightly and took a deep breath. He spoke to me as if he was forcing his voice into me.
"Not only Smilean, but also Aghael, Goldran, and the surrounding countries are all watching this competition. We know you, Mrs. Kaidel. Don’t think you’re alone, even when your eyes are closed."
I never imagined that this was what it meant when they said there were no secrets in the world.
My voice trembled slightly, unable to hide my embarrassment.
"Yes. I’m not alone. Because when I close my eyes, my husband is by my side!"
"The respect and trust you showed for your husband was very touching. I admit it was unexpected. But was it because your father didn’t love your mother that you ended up like this?"
“Now, what...!”
"What are the chances that your child, whom you gave birth to, won’t be treated as an illegitimate child like you? You even find it difficult to say the name of your esteemed husband."
For a moment, my breath caught in my throat. The only emotion I could feel was humiliation.
"You know very well that there is nothing promised for your future in the Tagar Empire. However, I, Ryuel, will make a promise that will not be broken even if the three seas turn upside down."
“...!”
"So, let’s get on the ship. With Princess Miliora, or alone."
‘What on earth do you want from me?’
As I shouted, he whispered as if he was looking into my head.
"Do what you can for King Smilean. Whatever it is. Your freedom begins there."
He whispered in perfect Imperial language right next to my ear.
“This competition will definitely end with the victory of His Highness. This is information that I am sharing as a special gift to my future friend.”
Then he stepped away from me and bowed politely.
"Thank you for showing me around the palace. Lady Kydel."
He said that and left. He knew exactly which way to the guest house where he was staying.
***
As soon as I got back to Kydel, I was thrown into the pharmacy. Prince Kydel had come back late from the palace and was studying in his old bedroom that had now become a study room.
This was the extent of his privilege. He could commute to and from school from home instead of the academy dormitory under the pretext of marriage.
We were a fake couple who only shared a bed and didn’t even hold hands when we slept.
As each minute passed, I realized how pathetic I was and fell into deeper misery.
It was clear that Ryuel knew some information about the competition that I didn’t know, and I had to tell Prince Kydel what he had said right away.
But to tell him that, I had no choice but to tell him what Ryuel had suggested to me.
“Smilean.”
It was absurd from beginning to end. But his words pierced my heart like a dagger.
"What are the chances that your child, whom you gave birth to, won’t be treated as an illegitimate child like you? You even find it hard to say the name of your respected husband."
The issue of children wasn’t worth worrying about. Our common goal was divorce, so what...
But Ryuel's words spoke of a fundamental truth that I had not realized until now.
I was a person who could not help but pass on the same fate to my child. That I could never become the same as others, that I was just that much.
That could not be changed, no matter how much Prince Kydel respected and cherished me.
My only hope was that His Highness Grayon would ascend to the throne and ensure our smooth divorce, but Ryuel said that the next Emperor would be the Prince.
If that were the case, then the downfall of the man called Locard Kydel might begin with me.
Having lost the ally I could gain through a marriage alliance with a prestigious family, and having his honor as a lion cub trampled underfoot as people pointed at him for falling for a promiscuous, illegitimate girl.
I crouched down on the workbench and tried to hunch over.
Until now, when my birth and my suffering were my own, I fought without hesitation.
But it seemed that I could no longer do so. According to Ryuel, the fact that this was the concern of the entire continent made me feel so oppressed that I could hardly breathe.
For the first time in my life, I felt completely alone.
“Mother, I’m scared...”
I muttered with my eyes tightly shut when someone gently patted my back. It was Madame Olga.
“Little Madame, it’s late at night.”
I raised my head, my hair wet with tears, and wiped my face in embarrassment.
“I was just about to go to my room, Madame Olga.”
I pretended to go back to my room and quickly left the pharmacy. However, I thought I had to wait for my tears to dry, so I stood in the empty hallway. Guards were patrolling the yard.
I poked my head against the window. The coldness of the glass sent shivers down my body.
Then someone wrapped their arms around my shoulder.
“Your Excellency...!”
“Let’s go.”
Did he see my wet face, or not?
Did Madame Olga say something to him, or not?
I was exhausted from my distracting thoughts, so I followed his lead. As soon as I entered the room, I went into bed and turned over.
For some reason, he didn’t speak to me. He took off his outerwear, came into the bed, turned my body around, and lay down on the blanket, covering my body. He looked down at me as if he was crushing me. He was heavy.
“Hey, Your Excellency...”
“Say it. Lorisha.”
I was scared. I was already feeling small, but when such a great person suddenly spoke to me informally, I had no will to argue back.
When I turned my head to turn away from him, he used his hand to turn my chin so that I would look at him.
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